((A/N: Okay—as I'm sure ya'll can tell, I'm not big on the whole A/Ns on every chapter. I'm only writing them to answer people's questions and comments. Here you go!

:TajM14: As far as I can tell—Katie is older than Hermione and Harry and that crowd. I think she's the same age as Fred and George. And about the Ron/Hermione thing—yeah—they're cute together, but I decided to have Hermione/ Fred in this one. Ron seems to be getting a bit big headed about his claim on Hermione and I decided it was time to knock him down a few rungs. I wrote another fic about Ron and Hermione though if you want to read that. -D

: WhiskersIsMyCat: I know that in the 5th book it says that "mind reading" is called Legilimency, but if I remember correctly, Harry was the only one there when Snape was talking about that. So, since that bit of the story is from Hermione's point of view—in spite of her being 'all knowing' and smart, I thought I'd make her a lil' bit clueless and naive, so that the rest of us average people could understand as well. -D But thank you very much for the tips and your great reviews. They are very very very much appreciated.

If there are anymore questions or anything let me know and I'll try to answer ASAP. Goodbye!))


Harry rubbed his eyes as he walked down the stairs from the boys' dorms. He came around the corner, yawning, and jumped to see someone sitting on the couch. Harry couldn't see her face, but he could tell it was Hermione because her frizzy hair was pulled back into a bushy ponytail. She was sitting facing away from him—her back was ramrod straight and she looked as if she'd been petrified. She held a folded piece of parchment in one hand, and her other was balled into a fist. Her gaze was focused on a single spot on the wall.

"Hermione?" He said, stepping towards the couch. She jumped, but didn't turn around.

"Oh—Harry, it's you." She muttered, not removing her gaze from the wall.

"Are you okay?" Harry asked, moving to sit next to her. She didn't say anything; didn't move, just unfolded the piece of parchment and handed it to Harry. The parchment crinkled and cracked as he took it from her and held the note in his hands. He read:

Hermione,

George snuck upstairs a few minutes ago to come and get me. Dumbledore is asking us to leave tonight—immediately. I wish I could see you, but I can't. I can't believe I'm leaving without getting to say goodbye. I don't know where we're going, and I don't know how long we'll stay, but I know one thing. I love you with all my heart. If there's anything that'll keep me safe out there, wherever we're going, it'll be the memory of the days I've spent with you. I'd love to leave you a long note with pages on pages written about how I feel about you, but I don't have the time or the ability to. I can't seem to put how I feel onto paper. Just remember this. If you ever feel alone, think of me putting my arms around you and holding you close, because that will be what I will be wanting to do at that moment. Be strong Hermione. Be the wonderful, brave girl I know you are and don't let others get to you, no matter what happens. Remember that there will always be someone out there who loves you very much. I've got to go. Tell Harry and Ginny that George and I said to keep out of trouble. Tell Ron I said good luck with Lavender. I love you Hermione. I always will, no matter what happens. I'll come back to you if it's possible. And I know—anything is possible.

Love forever,

Fred Weasley

"Wow. I never knew you guys had it this bad." Harry said, folding the parchment back up and slipping it back into Hermione's hand. He hesitated for a moment before taking Hermione's free hand and holding it in his. Hermione nodded, dazed. "Are you okay? Do you want anything?" He asked. Hermione shook her head.

"No, I'm fine." She whispered; her voice cracked.

"Okay. I'm going downstairs. I'll tell Ginny to come find you."

"No! I just want to be by myself for a little while." Hermione said in her monotone voice. She continued to stare at that spot on the wall. Harry looked at her for a moment before muttering:

"Okay…I'll be downstairs if you need me." He pecked her on the cheek, then slipped silently out of the common room and headed downstairs. Hermione finally broke her gaze away from the wall. She looked at the folded piece of parchment in her hands, then slowly unfolded it and read it again. She let a single tear fall from her cheek and land on Fred's signature, which blurred. Hermione couldn't figure out if the blur was from the water that made the ink run, or the tears forming in her eyes. She folded the page again and wiped at her eyes, determined not to cry for Fred. He was doing his duty—helping those he loved, something she knew he'd always wanted to do.
"Stay safe Fred," She whispered as she walked up the stairs and put the parchment in diary in her trunk. "Please."


"Where's Hermione?" Ginny asked as Harry walked up behind her and kissed her on the top of her head.

"Upstairs. I don't think she'll be down for awhile." He swung his legs over the seat and sat down next to her, across from Ron and Lavender. Lavender, sensing Harry wanted to talk to Ron and Ginny alone, excused herself and left the table to go talk to Parvarti.

"Why?" Ginny asked, a frown crossing her face, knowing something was wrong.

"Fred—he left." Harry said, calmly picking through his breakfast. Ginny and Ron's jaws both dropped.

"ARE YOU KIDDING!" Ron yelled. Several students turned around and looked at him quizzically. He turned red, then looked at Ginny and Harry and gulped, lowered his voice and whispered. "Where did he go?"

"He wouldn't tell her where he was going." Ginny whispered to the boys about the conversation she'd had the night before with Hermione. "She told me last night when she came up to bed. We were talking about how long they'd been together—yes Ron, they've been dating for months—and I asked what she would do if he left. When I asked where he was going, she said he wouldn't say…Poor Hermione." Harry nodded, and the three ate in silence for awhile.

"I wonder where he is…" Ron said, and for the first time in his life, he pushed away a plate full of food. He wasn't hungry.


Hermione's gaze was boring holes in the ceiling. She was lying on her back on her bed; she had been all day. She had neither want nor reason to move. Ginny had come up to check on her shortly after Harry left, but since then nobody had been around. Hermione was surprised—she was sad, of course; she could almost feel her heart breaking. But she wasn't distraught or unwilling to live, or anything she thought she would be when Fred eventually left. She sniffed. As hard as she'd tried, she couldn't hold back the tears, and after ten minutes of body-wracking sobs, she'd calmed herself down and felt a little better. She stared at the cracks in the ceiling and thought back to days she'd spent with Fred. Hogsmeade trips, late night talks in the kitchens, and those wonderful nights where Fred snuck his hand into hers under a blanket while they sat with the others in front of the fire. Subtly of course, and no one had ever caught them. She heard voices coming from downstairs—Ginny and Harry saying goodnight. Hermione jumped off the bed and slipped out of her uniform, exchanging it for her one of the big t-shirts Fred had given her before he'd gone. She jumped on the bed and pulled the covers up to her chin as Ginny walked quietly into the room.

"Hermione? Are you asleep?" Ginny whispered. When Hermione didn't respond, she put her purse on her bed and tiptoed over to Hermione's bed. Hermione heard her coming and closed her eyes, feigning sleep. Ginny clicked the light switch off and leaned over Hermione, kissing her lightly on her forehead.

"Poor thing…" She muttered. Hermione listened as Ginny changed her clothes and got ready for bed. Ginny's light clicked out and Hermione opened her eyes. She stared out the window at the stars. Fred's sleeping under these same stars, she thought to herself. The thought gave her comfort, and she closed her eyes, listening for the sound of Ginny's steady breathing, which she knew would send her to sleep immediately. But the sound didn't come. Hermione waited, and finally rolled over to see if Ginny was still awake. She was. Hermione quickly closed her eyes and rolled back over.

"I thought you were awake. Goodnight Hermione." Hermione blushed.

"'Night Gin." Hermione rolled over and thinking of Fred, soon had fallen asleep.