(((A/N: It's short, I know. I'm sorry, but I've not had much time lately and I got caught between a Rock and a Sticky place and couldn't get loose...I finally broke free and finished the chapter...it's not great, it's not even good, but it's the bestI can do. I hope you like it. It'll probably be the last update for the next couple weeks because I'm going out of town. Thanks for reading! Enjoy!))


A round of gasps and screams went around the group. Hermione tightened her grip on Fred's hand as Ginny's hands flew up to cover her mouth. Ron and Harry paled and looked faint, while George held Katie as she cried softly. Mrs. Weasley looked as if she wanted to comfort everyone and leave all at once. Soon she just gave up and disappeared back into Ron's room. Everyone had calmed down somewhat by the time Mr. Weasley came out again three hours later. Everyone was lying around on various benches and chairs that were in the hallway. When he emerged from Ron's room, he was pale and tired looking, but there was an air about him that eased everyone else's worry—it must have been a lack of defeat. He walked out slowly and sat on a bench between Harry and Ginny; everyone crowded around him and waited. He ran a tired hand over his tired face and said in a tired voice:

"He'll live." Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. "However—" Mr. Weasley went on, "There will be some…complications." Everyone gathered closer around him and waited with baited breath.

"C-Complications?" Hermione breathed finally, holding tightly to Fred's arm.

"What kind of complications?" George asked.

"He will become a werewolf. During full moons, he will transform into a werewolf. He will be a creature for the rest of his days. However, the doctors have given him a shot of Wolfspan potion they've concocted over the past few years that will keep him from biting and injuring other people; and will fight the desire to hurt people. He'll go through his first transformation in the hospital in a few days. The doctors want him here so he can experience the pain of a transformation and they can monitor him before giving him the proper medication to avoid pain during future transformations. I've owled Remus; he's on his way with Tonks and Mad-Eye. They'll—" Mr. Weasley ran a hand over his face and wearily looked at Hermione.

"Hermione, Harry, Ginny…please, go in there and help him. Talk to him…anything to keep his mind off—this."

"Yes Mr. Weasley."

"Okay Dad." They left Mr. Weasley sitting on a bench surrounded by George, Fred, and Katie. As they passed through the doors to Ron's room, they got a look at him, and all three were stopped dead in their tracks. Ron was lying in his bed. He was pale and his face was drawn. All his features looked sharper and grim in the gloomy light. He looked up at his friends and their shocked faces and quickly lowered his eyes. Mrs. Weasley stood up from where she was sitting next to his bed when she heard them come in and smiled at them.

"Ginny, Harry, Hermione…I'll just get out of your way." She smiled weakly and slipped out the door. Ginny was the first one at Ron's bedside.

"Oh Ron, you always make a mess of simple things like running away, don't you?" She said with a weak laugh and a shaky smile. She watched as a hint of anger flashed through Ron's eyes and disappeared in an instant. He smiled up at his little sister.

"…shut up Brat…" Ginny laughed and soon Harry and Hermione gathered around the bed next to her.

"Hiya Ron." Harry said, smiling down at his best friend and nudging the bed. "You gave us a right good scare. Now we can be the second group of Marauders…me and Hermione and Ginny'll learn to do transformations and we can have some laughs next year at school." Ron grinned up at Harry.

"…I don't know about that…we'll have to—" He broke off and started coughing. "Ugh…it's this damn potion they gave me to stop the itching….which was brought on by the potion they gave me to stop the sneezing…which was brought on by the potion to stop the stinging. I'm just a downright mess." He coughed again and looked at Hermione, whose eyes were wide with apprehension.

"I'm sorry Hermione." Ron said suddenly.

"S-sorry for what?" She mumbled quietly.

"Overreacting. Flying off the handle. Jumping the broom and flying off to places unknown in the middle of the night. Being…what I am." He looked up sharply as Hermione firmly grabbed his hand and straightened up.

"Don't you ever say that again Ronald Weasley. Never ever be ashamed to be who you are. Whether you're Ron the Weasley or Ron the Werewolf, you'll still be my best friend no matter who or what you are. Understood?" He nodded and they smiled at each other. He held his arms out and she bent to them to give him a hug. Once everyone's bonds were reestablished, they grabbed various chairs and stools from around the small room and pulled them close to his bed. They talked about old times, and stories of the Marauders, animals they could transform into, and Ron explained how they were treating him. Soon Mr. Weasley came back in the room and told them that three hours had passed and they'd be returning home. Mrs. Weasley was staying with Ron through the night, but Mr. Weasley was to take the kids on to the Burrow. They said their goodbyes to Ron, and followed Mr. Weasley out to the elevators.


An hour later, everyone sat in Fred's room on his bed. It was hard to believe that the night before; they had sat on this very bed planning on telling their parents that they were all married. They sat in silence now, as they had been for the last twenty minutes. Finally, Katie leaned over and whispered to George, and they made their excuses, then flooed to their flat in the fireplace. Fred started to tug Hermione's arm, pulling her towards the fireplace, but she stopped him.

"Fred, I need to be here tonight. To stay with my friends…" She said, placing her hand on his arm and looking up at him pleadingly. "Please."

"Okay…do you want me to stay?"

"Yes…thank you Fred, thank you so much." Hermione reached up and pressed her hand to Fred's cheek in a sweet gesture, expressing her thanks. She borrowed a pair of Ginny's pajamas and went back into his room. She crawled into Fred's bed and curled up next to him. Ginny hesitantly waved her wand and a bed appeared which she crawled into with Harry.

"Don't worry; nothing will happen with me in the room." Fred said laughing at Harry's shocked face. Ginny smiled too and snuggled up next to Harry. They were actually quite cute together. They talked until late, and Ginny was the first to fall asleep, and Harry soon after that. Hermione was drifting out when she felt Fred shift slightly. She rolled over onto her back and Fred propped himself up onto his elbow.

"What did I ever do to deserve you?" He said smiling, pushing a piece of hair off her face.

"That's what you get after all those years of pranking first years…you poor, poor man." She murmured sleepily.

"Poor in fortune maybe, but not in luck…I was lucky to be gifted with someone as wonderful as you Hermione." He whispered in her ear. Hermione smiled and a warm, comfortable feeling game over her. She felt loved for the first time in her life. Not the love of parents, or friends…but the kind of love a man feels for a woman. She slipped her hand up so it rested in Fred's, which was thrown lazily over her middle. She only had half a second to enjoy that sensation one gets when realized one is about to be kissed. Fred pressed his mouth hesitantly against hers. As she responded by slipping her free hand up to cup his face, holding it with his ear pressed to her palm, the kiss deepened and Fred became more sure of himself. He pulled his hand up from her waist and ran it through her hair, finding the pillow and balancing on it as he pulled himself on top of her. Their embrace was broken however when they heard movement coming from the foot of the bed where Ginny and Harry were. Fred looked towards the source of the sound and saw Harry facing them lying on his side, grinning and smirking at Fred.

"Nothing will happen?" Harry mouthed, and Fred rolled off Hermione, chuckling quietly. Harry looked over at Ginny, who continued to sleep quietly, and turned over, pulling her close to him. Hermione and Fred broke into a fit of muted giggles at the way they'd been caught. Finally they calmed down, and Fred kissed Hermione one last time before he pulled her closer and they both fell asleep.