For fear that I might start getting death threats for the way I ended the previous chapter, I decided to update today. I've been having some very strange problems with this website today or I would have had it up early. I was watching an episode of Dawson's creek when I wrote this and I must give credit to the show for one of Ron's lines in this chapter. It just seemed so fitting to me that I had to use it. I hope everyone will forgive me, for those of you who find it, you're just as big a dork as I am. Thanks again for all the reviews, I hope this chapter makes everyone happier.
Hermione watched as Fred disappeared into the nearby tent. She turned in after him immediately running into Arthur's 80 year old aunt Edna. By the time she'd gotten Edna back to her feet and apologized, Fred was no where in sight. There was a crowd gathered around George and Katie. Hermione stopped for minute. She must have missed George proposing. She'd wanted to see that. However, right now the most important thing was finding Fred.
"George." She said practically barging threw the crowd of people.
"He left." George said not waiting for Hermione to answer. She looked at him frantically.
"Do you know where he went?"
"He wouldn't tell me, but even if I knew I'm not sure I'd tell you." George admitted.
"He told you what happened then?" Hermione questioned him.
"Yeah." George said "How could you do that to him?"
"We aren't even together George."
"He's in love with you Hermione, haven't you figured that out yet? He's been in love with you for years. He thought he finally had a shot with you and then you're making out with Ron!"
"She wasn't making out with me." Ron said he was out of breath and Hermione suspected he'd been running after her. She looked at him thankfully. "I kissed her."
"What?" George said finally Katie had drifted apart from them and was showing off her ring. "You guys need to slow down."
"I kissed Hermione." Ron managed. "Fred thought it was the other way around."
"Why would you do that Ron?"
"I didn't know, I guess I was the only one."
"No. Only George knows actually." Hermione explained. "It's a fairly new development."
"I really don't know where he went. I swear Hermione." George said.
"If you find him first, tell him I'm not getting back together with Ron ok?" Hermione begged. Ron looked at her with pain in his eyes.
"If I see him first, I'll let him know." George said, at that he headed back toward his new fiancee Hermione got even more panicked
"Thanks for that." She said as Ron walked up beside her.
"It was nothing really." Ron smiled. "I started it, I thought I should take responsibility."
"I just hope that I can find him before he does something stupid." Hermione started to think.
"Look, can we talk for a minute first?" Ron asked Hermione looked at him.
"The last time you asked if we could talk you tried to snog me."
"If I promise I won't do that again, will you talk to me?"
"I really should look for Fred." Hermione started. "But I guess I can give you just a few minutes." He took her back around to the spot where only minutes before he'd kissed her.
"I'm sorry." Ron said.
"I'm sorry too." Hermione managed.
"What do you have to be sorry for?"
"Giving up on our friendship because we weren't a couple anymore." Hermione said. Ron smiled.
"I cheated on you with a girl you'd know for a long time. I slept with her in our bed Hermione, I wouldn't blame you if you never spoke to me again."
"I suppose I'm more forgiving then that." Hermione grinned.
"So Fred huh?"
"Yeah, don't ask me how it happened, but it did Ron."
"I'm happy for you, if he makes you happy."
"He does. He's funny and charming. He can make anything funny." Hermione smiled. "He's hopelessly accident prone, and I find it completely enduring."
"Who would've guessed? Hermione Granger would end up with the class clown."
"I think he's grown up a bit since then."
"I don't know last summer he made a phallic shaped firework for the ministry of magic display." Hermione giggled.
"You love him don't you?" Ron asked Hermione saw now that he looked as if he may cry. Hermione hadn't thought of the answer to that question before. She'd dreamed about kissing him. She thought a hundred times how much she liked him, but did she love him? She ran it over and over again in her head several times before finally formulating an answer.
"Yeah." She said in a mere whisper. Ron looked at her now as if he'd been expecting it, but hoping for a different answer.
"I thought so." He said gently.
"I didn't even realize it until you did." Hermione explained. "But I do I love him in a way I've never loved anyone in my whole life, I can't lose him Ron, don't hate me because it's not you please?" She begged Ron smiled
"I don't hate you, Hermione, I love you." Ron explained "I've always loved you. I had my chance and I blew it."
"I didn't expect to fall in love with Fred, Ron. I guess I shouldn't have because somewhere in the back of my mind, I always thought you'd come back to me."
"Ironic isn't it, we always thought we'd end up together, and now when it could finally happen, you fall for someone else."
"I'll always love you, Ron." Hermione smiled at him.
"I know that. It's just not the same is it?" Ron paused. "You love Fred like I love you, and the only difference is he loves you back the same way." Hermione didn't speak. She couldn't formulate words so she nodded her head.
"Go, find him and get him back ok?" Ron smiled. "He deserves you in ways that I never could."
"Thank you." Hermione said at that she kissed Ron gently on the cheek then let go and apparated. Hermione sat in front of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes now staring at the shop. The sign on the door that read closed for Potter-Weasley wedding was still visible. Hermione stared through the window there was no sign of Fred. She walked to the front door.
"Alohomora." She said hopefully the door remained locked. "Shit, it's a magic lock."
There was no key hole on the door and Hermione figured it must have a magical code lock. She tried her hardest to think like Fred and George wondering what in the world they would use as a password.
"Snuffling snuffboxes?" She muttered. The door didn't budge. "Hermione?" She said hopefully if Fred had loved her for years like George said she figured it was worth a try but still nothing.
"Katie Bell." She tried next still nothing happened. She was getting very frustrated now. "Oh dung bombs. I'll never get it." She said strangely the door crept open. Hermione smiled how could she be so thick, of course the password was dung bombs.
"Fred are you here?" She asked stepping inside. The door to the apartment upstairs was wide-open Hermione stepped inside. "Fred." There was no answer. Hermione searched everywhere she could think of hopefully. Fred was no where in sight. Defeated she flopped down on Fred's living room couch and stared at the wall. She wondered if she could think of anywhere else Fred might go. He could have simply gone into the house at the burrow. She thought but she figured that was far too easy and in his current state he wouldn't want to risk running into Ron. She feared for his safety as two hours passed she tried to read a book on anti-jinx's Fred had in his apartment but her mind kept switching back to Fred. She figured he'd have to come home eventually right? At nearly one in the morning Hermione was still wide awake hoping Fred would arrive she'd tried to fall asleep but it was useless. She'd gone downstairs and found an extendable ear which she'd attached to the front door of the shop.
"Dunggombs." She heard Fred slur. Her heart nearly skipped a beat she ran downstairs. Through the door she could see Angelina Johnson holding up a very drunk Fred. Hermione opened the door for them.
"I couldn't figure out what he was trying to say."Angelina explained "I figured out the door was password locked but he's very drunk and it's hard to understand him."
"What are you doin' ere?" Fred managed Hermione helped Angelina get him up the stairs. "I figured you'd be out selebating your reunion with Ronnykins." Hermione laughed now.
"Well if you weren't so stupid you'd have stuck around long enough to figure out that I didn't get back together with Ron." Hermione explained Fred only looked stranger.
"Wat?" He asked Hermione assumed his must be what.
"I said I didn't get back together with Ron." Hermione repeated.
"I'll just be leaving." Angelina managed slipping quickly out the door.
"Thanks for getting him here." Hermione smiled.
"You're welcome."
"You n Ron didn't get back togeffer?" Fred smiled drunkenly.
"No." Hermione paused. "Not even close."
"Good, because I love you, Hermioniny." He said. "I really love you."
"I know." She smiled. "But I really think we should talk about it tomorrow, when you're not so drunk."
"I know it was studid to go out and get drunk." Fred managed.
"Yes it was, but I understand." Hermione walked him toward his room. "Now let's get you ready for bed." She then found a pajama shirt in his drawer and slipped him into it. She tried to avoid looking at his naked body but she couldn't help admiring how perfect it really was. She then laid him down in his bed.
"I'm leaving now, I promise I'll be back in the morning." Hermione started.
"No, please don't go. Hermione, stay with me?" He begged Hermione groaned. She quickly found a large nightshirt in his drawer and slipped into it. She then crawled into bed next to him. She pressed herself against him snugly.
"Goodnight Hermionny." Fred slurred.
"Goodnight Fred." She smiled as he slid his arms around her. She slept better then she slept in what felt like years.