Hermione moaned slightly as she felt the bed shift and creak under her. Suddenly, her front, which had up until five seconds ago, been nuzzled comfortably underneath Fred's chin and pressed against his chest, felt cold and alone as he got out of bed.

"Fred?" She mumbled sleepily, sitting up on her elbows and rubbing one of her eyes lazily.

"Harry?" She heard from the foot of her bed. She looked down and Ginny was in the same confused state as she. "What's going on?" Ginny said, sitting up and pulling the sheets up to her chest. Hermione did the same and sat up against her headboard. Fred was pulling on his robe, and Harry was already dressed and at the bedroom door, pulling it open.

"Stay here, I'll be right back," Fred said, touching Hermione's hand quickly as he left the room.

"We'll be back soon." Harry mumbled as he followed Fred. Ginny looked at Hermione with a puzzled expression on her face and Hermione crawled to the foot of her bed and laid down on her stomach.

"What do you think that was about?" She asked, pushing a lock of brown wavy hair back behind her ear and propping her chin up in her hand.

"I don't know," Ginny said, uneasily glancing at the door. "I woke up Harry because I heard Fred moving around…he must have heard something. Fred has ears like a bat…its uncanny really…" She muttered half to Hermione, half to herself. They sat in silence for a few minutes until they heard movement outside their door. Both girls sat up a little straighter. Fred and Harry entered the room. Hermione pushed herself up so she sat on the bed on her knees, and watched Fred as he walked towards her. He yanked off his robe and threw it on the bed, pulled a shirt over his head and spoke to Hermione as he pushed his arms through their holes.

"Ron—is going through his first transformation. Me and Harry—are going with Dad—to the hospital to be there with him. I want you to—stay here. Excuse me, but I don't have time to go in the other room." He pulled his pajama pants off, leaving him standing in nothing but his boxers. Hermione blushed slightly, but didn't say a word. He jerked a pair of jeans on over his boxers and zipped them up.

"But Fred—why can't I come with—" She started to protest. She heard Ginny doing the same thing with Harry.

"Because…Ron might get a little out of hand. We may have to hold him down to keep him from hurting himself. It's not something I want you to see. Thank God he only has to go through this once."

"But—"

"Please Hermione," Fred got on his knees next to the bed and reached under it to grab his shoes. From his position on the floor, he looked up at Hermione and whispered again, "Please." Hermione nodded in submission.

"Okay." One look into those big green eyes and Hermione would give up anything. He smiled up at her and got off the floor, choosing to sit on the side of the bed as he slipped on and laced up his shoes. Hermione wrapped her arms around his waist and leaned her head against his back. When she felt his arms stop moving, she pulled away slightly and looked up at him. "When are you coming back?" She asked quietly.

"I'll be here in the morning when you wake up," He said, pushing her gently back against the pillows and pulling the comforter and sheets up to her chest. He brushed a piece of hair back off her face and leaned down to kiss her softly on the lips. Hermione wrapped her arms around his neck and tried to pull him closer, but he had to go, and too soon he pulled away and slipped quietly out of the room with Harry, turning off the light behind him. Hermione laid in the big bed, made for two, feeling more alone that she had in her whole life. She wanted Fred with her; in this bed next to her. Holding her so close to him it was like they were one person. She heard movement in the dark. She opened her eyes and looked around. She saw Ginny's small figure moving towards her. Ginny climbed into bed next to her and Hermione reached for her hand.

"I want Harry." Ginny whispered, and Hermione could tell she was on the verge of tears.

"I want Fred." She responded and gave Ginny's hand a sympathetic squeeze. The two girls fell asleep each longing for their gentleman's embrace.


When Hermione woke up the next morning, the big bed was empty, and Ginny was nowhere to be found. Hermione pushed the covers off her legs and swung them over so her feet touched the floor. She got up and padded over to the closet and opened the door, searching for the robe she knew she'd find there. She yawned as she shrugged on Fred's robe and walked down the stairs. When she stepped into the kitchen, the smell of bacon, sausage, pancakes, and juice filled the air and she was immediately reminded of how hungry she was. She hadn't eaten since the day before yesterday. She took a seat next to Ginny at the huge table and piled her plate as she listened to the morning's conversation.

"…he had a rough night…" Mrs. Weasley was saying from the stove where she was stirring a pot of something. "…Arthur—Dad—came back early this morning just to let me know that he'd had a terrible night of it. So much pain…he almost bit one of the doctors. Luckily everyone in the room was wearing 'Were-Where?' Body Suits, made with anti-bite rubber. Anyway…they should be giving him his medication today, then they'll give him a chance to relax and recuperate from last night and then send him home tomorrow morning by fireplace. It'll be nice having him home again...Ah! Boys! Arthur!" Ginny and Hermione snapped their heads towards the fireplace. Mrs. Weasley told the boys to sit at the table and eat, and Ginny and Hermione immediately scooted away from each other to make room for them. Fred swung his legs over and sat next to Hermione, putting an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close, and kissing her near her ear.

"Morning," He said softly. "Sleep well?" He started piling food on his plate. Mrs. Weasley poured him a cup of juice and sat it next to his plate.

"It would've been better if you were with me." Hermione muttered under her breath, but she had the distinct feeling that Mrs. Weasley had heard her. She blushed slightly and returned to her breakfast. As everyone fell into conversation about Ron and his ordeal, Hermione felt something brush her hand and soon Fred had tugged her hand from where it lay on her lap and pulled it under the table. He held it firmly in his own, stroking his thumb against hers. Hermione looked up at his face, and was amazed that it looked just as devoid of his obvious feeling for her as ever. She smiled and squeezed his hand slightly, and was thrilled to the point of bursting when she felt it squeeze back.


After breakfast was over and all the things had been cleared away, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley sat at the kitchen table looking wearily at their coffee mugs. Sensing that they needed to be alone, Fred nudged Hermione and led her out of the room and up the stairs. They heard Harry and Ginny in her room "talking" quietly amongst themselves. Fred led her past their door and into Fred's room. They sat on the bed and Fred put his arms around her.

"Oh Fred…" She moaned into his chest. "Why did everything turn out this way?"

"It'll be okay 'Mione." He whispered in her ear. She looked up at him, tears clinging to her dark lashes and Fred was so overcome with love for her that he wanted those tears to go away and never come back. He lowered his head to hers and kissed her with such an unrestrained passion that it took Hermione aback for a moment. She fell back on the bed and he fell with her. He started to pull away, but Hermione threw her arms around his waist and pulled him back to her. He ran his hands through her hair, down over her shoulders, and slowly made his way past her breasts, her waist, and her hips. His tongue darted in and out of her mouth, seemingly playing a game of 'Come and Get Me' with hers. Just as Fred was easing Hermione's shirt up over her stomach, he heard his door creak open. They sprang apart and looked towards the door. Mrs. Weasley stood there, holding a pile of freshly folded clothes and looking shocked. When she regained her right-mind again, she walked over and put the clothes on Fred's desk, muttering the words, "…forgot you two are married now…I'll knock next time…" and disappeared through the door. Hermione looked at Fred with wide eyes. Fred smiled uneasily at her, looked at the door and back again. Hermione wanted Fred more than she wanted anything in this world. She looked towards the fireplace in the corner of his room and bit her bottom lip. She sat up on all fours on the bed and leaned over to kiss him provocatively on the lips, nipping his bottom lip in her teeth.

"Take me home Fred." She whispered. They shot off the bed, grabbed a handful of Floo Powder each, and they were at their small white house in a matter of moments.