So…here it is: Chapter 17. I guess you'll like it. I wrote it a week ago when travelling from Martinez (a city near my house) to my grandmother's house…and it looked good at the moment… but I don't know. Your opinion matters a lot to me… as you are very well aware.

Can I ask you guys for a favour? I have very important examinations coming this week and I will need all your good vibes! So please send them! I live in San Isidro and my name is Florence; I am pretty much the one with the curly hair! You can't miss me!

Chapter 17: The Arrival

She wasn't cold that night. She was feeling warm, as she had buried herself inside her bed. The fresh smell of lavender and lemon coming from the fireplace had filled the room entirely ensnaring her senses completely.

As I am sure I stated before, the fire in her room was burning hard- a fire she had made herself by the use of her wand- and she felt comfortable between those cotton sheets that reminded her of home. She was filled with joy at the moment, and she thought that no one-not even the love of her life- could have managed to carry her out of there.

She was a famous designer and she had earned the right of feeling fine by hard work and constant headaches. And yes, you've guessed correctly. By "she", I mean Fred Weasley. Even though he played "bi", he had become such a drama queen lately that the old Fred would have surely kicked himself up after hearing his future self talking.

He sometimes needed his home so much; he missed the Burrow constantly when waking up at night after nightmares filled with people in horrible outfits. He necessitated his mother's hugs so much sometimes that he wondered whether he had made the right choice when leaving George- his twin brother and his best friend- to pursue a career as a fashions designer. Commercially- and there were no doubts there- he had… but his personal life was surely filled with complications.

For one thing, the memory of his past relationship with his brother George- and the particular bond that united them since before they were born- hurt him to the core of his being. And for the other, things with Neville weren't running as smooth as they used to. Even though it was usually fun for both of them, the constant need of love on Neville's behalf and Fred's problem with commitment made their affiliation a little harder for the both of them.

"It isn't the right time, or the right place, for us"- Neville had once said, and at the time Fred hadn't understood his words properly, but he did now when the cold of his bed had frozen his insides. Because he felt alone and guilty and depress.

There was one person, however, who Fred truly trusted and with whom he had stayed in touch over the years. That girl was no other than Florence, his brothers ex wife, for all he knew.

With a sudden jump, he stood up and walked to the fireplace once again. Determined to do what was right instead of what was easy, he took a handful of Floo Powder and threw it to the flames, which turned to a shade of green. Subconsciously tossing his trunk into the now roaring firestorm, he himself stepped into it, and clearing his throat he shouted, "The Burrow".

And with that, he was gone.

---*---*---

Her life- and this time I mean Hermione, of course- had changed a lot lately. It seemed only yesterday that Harry's own Hedwig had arrived with the news of the wedding. And now her life was a hormone rollercoaster or worse, a hormone bomb ready to explode and blow to pieces her life and the lives of the one she loved. Her feelings towards Ron had transformed as well, but she couldn't specify exactly if that was a good thing or not.

However, things between them were ruined for good- in her personal opinion, at least- and facts were on her side. With Hermione, facts are always on her side; she thinks quite a lot, that bushy haired Auror, best friend of Harry Potter.

The living room was deserted and Audrey's snores were somewhat entertaining. Silence was something rather unusual at the Burrow but then again it was fairly late, and everyone was sleeping. Everyone except herself and Ron, of course… but they were currently in different rooms thinking about the exact same thing: each other. They had such a complicated relationship, those two, that their love prevented them from sleeping. Their worries were just too heavy…

And then, when Hermione was ready to tiptoe to her room in order not to awake anyone- even though she wouldn't mind waking Audrey- a strong noise coming from the fireplace woke them all.

Fred Weasley had arrived to the Burrow that had watched him grow. He was covered in dust and his label clothes looked second hand, but GOD! It felt good to finally be home, even though some of the faces witnessing the event- by now the whole lot of Weasley's staying at the Burrow were watching, fascinated, where the noise had come from- weren't as pleased with his arrival as they would have been years earlier when things were so much different.

Because his early arrival changed things completely… for one thing, George would have to face a past that hunted him daily, and for the other one, the bedroom distribution needed to be changed and Hermione knew exactly where she was going to stay: at Ronald Weasley's room. It was the only choice left, as Fred would surely take her room. And the prospect of sharing a room with his ex boyfriend was both incredible and terrifying.