A/N: Ahh…I'm having so many problems with my computer. I've been trying to update FOREVER and it just refused to let me log in. Evil, just evil. Anyone else having this problem? Oh, and I really didn't know what to name this chapter, if anyone thinks of anything let me know. I'll give you a surprise.: )
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Monica7725I don't want to give it all away but, the powers seem to be
returning.
Pauly-85Bad? Like what?
CorviYay. Do I get a crown? How about a cape?
penguininpinkNo wonder my hats no longer fit.
Rouge07Not stupid. Just stubborn. There's a difference.
KrazieChikadeeMy computer has been doing that too. That's why it's taking me so long to update.
SilverMoonsetI just spit water EVERYWHERE. I hope you're happy.
SnapesMistress005He won't be evil. Just a little bit of a jerk. I promise.
SiriusJamesRemus'sgirlDie? I don't want to kill him. It would wreck my plot.
unperfectwolfI'm glad.
Marianne Brandon: Aw, that's exactly what I was going for. Thank you catching that.
Damia - Queen of the Gypsi'sThanks for the idea. : )
sandiwandiHow many do you want? I had planned on only about twenty, but I think we all know that's kinda out the window now. Would you like it cut short?
OddballoutYou're welcome. There was so much controversy about it I just decided this would be easier for everybody.
Iridescent
Moonlight?
tempusfugit3No scene because there were a lot of people opposed to it. But
I'm thinking of posting it separately after I finish. What do you
think?
invisible cappucino conspiracyUp to this point. No more?
ali-louI totally understand. The George stories kinda bug me.
CelticGoddess22You'll just have to wait and see.
PP
RuffieAw, that's so sweet. You get many, many cookies.
JTBJABThank you. I thought it would build the tension. But I think this
will just create more, which equals more fun for everybody.
TaiyoukaiMarsYou never know.
elvishchic14No conspiracy. I'm just that evil. : )
SaintEmoYeah, I know. Someone pointed that out to me earlier so I went back and changed her name.
Everybody Else: If I could I'd send presents.
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Disclaimer: Nah.
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Any Ideas?
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For the two next weeks Fred and Hermione avoided each other like the plague. He usually slept on the couch, and when he did get to the bed it was long after Hermione had fallen asleep. On those mornings, she was up and gone before he opened his eyes. Everyone around them could tell that something had happened, and chalked it up to a fight that they would get over quickly. Fred wasn't so sure. They hadn't spoken once since that morning. All conversation had been relegated to notes stuck on the refrigerator.
So it was quite a shock wan he came up the stairs from the shop to find Hermione sitting at the kitchen table, waiting for him.
"Hi." she said a little shyly.
"Hey."
he responded.
"We need to talk." she stated plainly.
Fred knew that was coming. "I know. I'm sorry for the way I've been acting. It's just…"
"Not that." she interrupted.
Fred looked at her. "What?"
"It's Ron."
Fred felt the color drain from his face. "What did he do?"
"Harry came to see me today and he told me that Ron's been getting letters." Hermione said slowly.
"From who?"
"He won't say. They come at night and he answers them when no one's around. Harry just happened to see him a couple of times. And yesterday he saw him coming out of the temple where we got married."
Fred felt anger, white hot and blinding, swell up inside of him. "He's trying to sabotage our marriage." He began to storm towards the door, visions of murdering his younger brother dancing through his mind.
"Fred stop." Hermione said as she jumped between him and the door and placed her hands on his chest to halt his movements.
"Stop? Hermione he's trying…"
"I know. But we can't let him know that we know."
"Why?" he demanded.
"Because then he'll think we've got something to hide." she reasoned.
"So what do you propose we do?" he asked, trying to calm himself down before he did something he'd regret.
"Well first, we have to stop acting like idiots and be normal around each other again." she said.
Fred blanched at her statement and noticed that her hands were still on his chest. He looked down and Hermione followed suite. She removed them. "Sorry." she said.
"No."
Her eyes shot to his in demand of an explanation.
"Hermione, you're my wife. And however awkward it may be, you are actually allowed to touch me." he told her.
She instantly blushed a deep red. "It's not…weird?"
"It's way weird," he confessed, "but we have almost six more months to go. We have to get passed this."
She nodded slowly.
"So what do we do about Ron?" he asked.
"Well, obviously he's not going to tell us who he's writing to." Hermione started as she walked over to the couch and sat down. Fred followed and sat at the other end, turned to face her. "But there's really only one person it could be."
Fred looked confused so she elaborated. "Who, besides Ron, is angry that we got married?"
"Your dad?" he guessed.
Hermione laughed. "Besides him."
As if a light bulb had turned on in his brain Fred got it. "Claire."
Hermione nodded. "If our marriage ends before the year is over, you still have to marry her."
"But Ron can't marry you. He has that blood pact thing."
"But at least I won't be with you anymore." she said.
"That little prat." he muttered as he sank back into the couch cushions.
"I agree, but you have to understand his side in all of this."
Fred looked at her, shocked at her words.
Before you start yelling," she told him, " think about it. Ron fancied me. He always assumed that we'd end up together. Then he finds out that not only does he have to marry someone he doesn't even like, but I run off and elope with his brother. I don't think either one of us can truly understand how much he must be hurting right now."
Fred sighed. I suppose you're right. But he's still a prat."
"I know, but we'll get him back." she said slyly.
"How?" Fred asked.
"Not sure yet. But we'll think of something."
He nodded in agreement before speaking again. "What about our other…situation?"
Hermione again turned a deep crimson. "We have to get past it."
"How do we do that?" he inquired.
"We try to go back to the way things were." she told him.
"Can we?"
She looked into his eyes, probably searching for her answer, but not saying anything for a few minutes. Finally she nodded her head. "I think we can." Then she stood up and extended her hand down to him.
He looked up at her confuse again. It happened a lot.
"Let's go to bed." she stated simply.
Fred jumped slightly. He opened his mouth to respond but she cut him off. "Not that. Just to sleep. We have to get comfortable around one another again."
She was right. Silently, he took her hand and they headed off to sleep.
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"Do I look alright?" Hermione asked Fred for what had to be the seventeenth time in the last twenty minutes.
Fred walked over and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Hermione you look fine. No one is going to be basing their opinion of your work on your robes."
Hermione nodded. "You're right, I know you're right…" she muttered as she wandered back towards the bedroom.
Fred shook his head and chuckled slightly. He thought it was sort of cute how nervous she was about her first day of work. As if she had anything to worry about. She was brilliant and dedicated, she'd do great. He'd told her as much, but she was still nervous.
"Okay, I guess I'm off." she said somewhat shakily as she reentered the kitchen.
Noting the terrified look on her face, Fred quickly stood and hugged her tightly. "You'll do great. I know it."
She squeezed him back just as tight, showing just how scared she really was.
"Want me to come with you?" he asked.
Hermione smiled. "No. I'll be fine."
"That's my girl." he said warmly.
She stepped backwards and apparated out.
Smiling to himself, he cleaned up the breakfast dishes and made his way downstairs to start the day in the shop.
George, whose hair had been purple for three days after an explosion while trying to perfect the shrinking cheat sheets, was just opening up.
"I still don't understand why I have to open up every morning when you live right downstairs."
"I have a wife to attend to unlike some." he answered. "Ginny's spell didn't work I see."
George scowled. "No. Please remind me why I agreed to let her use that silly spell from that girly magazine on me."
"Because you look like a grape." Fred said matter of factly.
George glared at his twin. "Mum said if it's not gone by the end of the week, she's making me go to St. Mungo's."
"About time." Fred said under his breath.
"Hermione gone?" George asked.
"Just now. I've never seen her so nervous."
"Leave it to Hermione to work for the Department for the Regulation of Magical Creatures. I was sure she'd go into Auror training with Ron and Harry." George remarked as he flicked his wand to flip the door sign over from closed to open.
"You know Hermione, she wants to liberate house elves, make peace with centaurs, help the werewolves… what can I say, I married someone with a 'cause.'" Fred replied as he started restocking the almost empty shelf of Canary Creams.
"How long do you reckon it'll be before she gives up?" George asked.
"Give up? You have actually met Hermione haven't you? About this high," he said measuring off to the top of Hermione's head with his hand, "brown hair, bad temper, tends to give things her all until everyone around her wants to kill her…or themselves."
"Sounds familiar." George said. "And you married her."
"That I did." Fred said softly as he turned back to his work.
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A/N: Sorry if that isn't detailed enough, but in the next chapter we'll start to see more of everyone's plans. And I do mean everyone. If I don't have any more trouble logging in, I should have the next chapter up sometime nest week. If I do, don't worry. Just send my computer positive thoughts. Or threats, whichever one works best. Did I get the name of the department Hermione works for right? I'm too lazy to look it up.
