Author's Note: We have come to the end, my friends. Thanks for all your reviews. I know this chapter may start out badly, but I promise it gets better. I'd like to note that I listened to The Spill Canvas while writing this. If any of you know who that is, they are a pretty much acoustic band that writes mostly songs about love (eh, a few about breaking up. And YES, I listened to those also. You'll understand while reading). Oh, and "Konstantine" by Something Corporate was a big inspiration for this chapter, too.

I hope you think reading this for the past few months was worth it, and I hope the ending is all you expected, maybe even more.

Once again, I thank all my readers and reviewers.

Dedication: Like the past six chapters, this is dedicated to Monica, my evil twin. For a year and four months she has put up with me. Trust me that can not very easy. We've had our fights (some major, some minor), we've had our hyper moments, we've even had intelligent conversations (ME having an intelligent conversation? Sounds impossible, I know.). Through it all, however, she has stuck by me, and I have stuck by her. She has helped me become a better writer, and a better (and more responsible) person. Without her, this story would probably never ended up making me proud. Without her, I'd probably have quit writing. I know what Monica is thinking now, too, while reading this. She's thinking that I am flattering her too much. The truth is, however, that this is NOT just flattery, it is the TRUTH. And don't you forget it. :)

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of its characters.

On My Own

Chapter Seven- Slow & Steady

This is the part in the story that most would think to be the "happily ever after."

Not in this case.

Fred and Hermione did not ride off into the sunset with Matthias. Yet. Raising a child, Hermione learned, was very difficult. Even though Fred was there. She stayed with her child for a few weeks, than returned back to classes while Fred watched Matthias during the days. But the problem was she barely was able to get any sleep.

"Just let me take him for a few days," suggested Fred one day in a hush tone. "I promise that is not enough time for me to train him."

Hermione smiled weakly, placing a sleeping Matthias in his crib. "I'm doing fine, Fred," she said, her own voice hushed. "This is what is to be expected. I mean, he is only a baby."

"But the most sleep you get around here is two hours straight," he continued quietly. "Just let me take him for a few days so you can sleep. I'm an insomniac anyway, so I don't care if he keeps me up. You, however, are trying to study for your N.E.W.T.s, and you simply cannot with him crying constantly."

Hermione sighed. "As I said before, I am fine."

"Of course you are not fine," he insisted. "You look horrible!"

"Thank you for noticing," she said sarcastically. Quite frankly, she was not looking her best. There were bags under her eyes from the lack of sleep, her hair was bushier than ever, and the only clothing, other than her uniform, that was clean was whatever she borrowed from anyone that would lend her clothing. At the moment, a shirt of Fred's (several sizes too big), a pair of pants from Ginny (a tad too small), socks from Harry (you can only imagine), and one of Ron's old Weasley's sweaters (Maroon. Need I say more?).

"Fine, Hermione, but if you want to ruin all that you've worked for, who am I to stop you?"

Hook, line, and sinker.

"Well, I guess I could do with a little more sleep, and it won't hurt him to be around you for only a few days," she contemplated, leading Fred out of her bedroom and in to the Common Room, where they could talk normally.

He smiled. "Do not worry, when you get your son back, he will be a man!" he joked.

Hermione's eyes widened. "If he comes back here with a- a tattoo or something like that, I swear I'll—"

"First of all, who would tattoo a one month old baby? Second, what would it say?"

"Someone you know and something like "I love milk.""

Fred pretended to look offended. "I resent the fact that you think I would go to all that trouble just to have it say "I love milk"! My creative genius would come up with something more artistic that "I love milk,"" he said. "Anyway, Matt is a baby, not a cow."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "No comment," she said before going back into her bedroom, leaving Fred outside as she closed the door just as he was about to follow. She came out a few minutes later with a large bag in hand and gracelessly dropped it in front of Fred. "That is all the things you'll need to take care of him for the next few days: clothes, formula, bottles, diapers. You know how to change a diaper and feed him, so I'm not really worried about that. What I am worried about, however, is that he will come back exactly like you, so no funny business."

Again, she went back into her bedroom, only this time she returned with blue-ribboned basket, which was holding a still sleeping Matthias. "Please return him to me in one piece," she said quietly to Fred. "That's all I ask of you really."

Fred gripped the basket with one hand and the bag with the other. "Stop worrying," he said before surprising her with a peck on the cheek and heading towards the portrait-hole. He called back to her, as he exited, "Matt will be fine with me."

---

Life with a baby, whether or not he/she or it is with you, is a worrisome one to live. Not that Hermione was worried Fred was going to neglect Matthias; it was that Fred was going to try and "educate" him. Even though Hermione knew she should be worrying about her N.E.W.T.s, because Fred was perfectly capable of taking care of Matt, there was no doubt about that. It was a little over a month since she had him, and in that little time Fred had shown that he can be responsible, contrary to popular belief.

"Hermione, I am completely lost here," Harry said suddenly, pulling Hermione out of a daze.

"Huh?" she said.

"That's exactly it," he said. "I'm sitting here, rereading all these Transfiguration notes, and I'm like 'Huh?' When the bloody hell did we go over this!" He tossed a paper to her.

"Harry, this is the first thing we did this year," she said disappointedly. "Don't tell me we have to start from there."

"Well," he said sheepishly, "I don't exactly have the best memory..."

"I told you to start studying weeks ago," scolded Hermione, "Why didn't you listen?"

"When do I ever listen?"

She rolled her eyes. "We'll just have to find some time to go over all of this," she said calmly. "Our first one is Potions, tomorrow afternoon. We have all morning to study, but we need to study tonight too if we want to be able to cover everything. Transfiguration is the last one, which gives us several days to study for it, not to mention the fact that we have the day before it off."

"I'm guessing you're about to come up with a schedule that includes when I go to the bathroom, right?"

"Of course."

"Forget it, Hermione, I completely remember all this stuff."

"Harry," she said warningly. "These are the N.E.W.T.s; they decide what jobs you can get. You want to be an Auror, and Transfiguration is a must."

"You'd think after saving the world they'd find you an appropriate person to help find Dark Wizards, but nope, that's not the way things seem to be."

"You're so difficult sometimes, Harry," said Hermione tiredly. "Just follow my schedule for one week. I think after saving the world you'd be able to handle that, but nope, that's not the way things seem to be."

Harry smiled at Hermione's teasing. "I love you, too, Ms. Granger."

"Stop procrastinating and read over your potions notes."

"I already did that," he whined.

"Honestly, Harry, if you do not want to study, then don't. I'm not stopping you from getting up and leaving."

"There's nothing else to do but study," he continued to whine. "Everyone else I would talk to is studying, including Ms. Ginevra Weasley."

"Go talk to some fourth years," suggested Hermione.

Harry's face hardened. "Was that supposed to be a joke?"

Hermione returned the look. "Did it sound like a joke?"

They continued to stare at one another, willing each other to look away or drop the look; Harry lost when Ginny walked in.

"Well it's good to know Ginny can distract you so easily," teased Hermione as Ginny and Harry shared a quick, but passionate, kiss. "I can't understand how you can be on the same Quidditch team and win."

"Shove off, Hermione," said Ginny jokingly. She looked around the Common Room curiously. "Where's Mattie?"

"Matthias is with Fred for a few days," she answered simply. "So I can study."

"How long has he been gone?"

"A few days."

"And why didn't I notice before?"

"Because you, like Harry, are easily distracted."

Ginny nodded. "I figured that had something to— hey, is this a new rug?"

---

The dark and seemingly desolate apartment had very few furnishings. The fireplace did not work properly, the stove refused to light at certain times during the day, and the chairs and couches did not like to be sat on. There was only one room that Fred Weasley was proud to call his own. The apartment, of course, was his own. After having discussed with his brother, George, for what seemed like hours, they decided they could live separately. What Fred did not realize at the time was that George was the one who seemed to keep everything together in the house. Without George, Fred's flat had fallen into disrepair, and the enchanted furniture was untamable.

But his one room, his bedroom, was kept neat. Partly because that was where Fred spent his time whenever he was home, but mostly because that was where he intended on keeping Matthias whenever he were to baby-sit him.

Although, Fred didn't like referring to it as babysitting, because, in some strange way, he was actually being a parent to Matthias. That was what he was supposed to be.

Matthias, only one month old, had lost the tuft of red hair he had been born with, and was bald. Fred loved watching the little infant sleep at times and often imagined him, years older, running Weasley's Wizard Wheezes.

Yes, he was still aiming to "pranksterfy" Matthias. And, yes, Fred was still aiming for training Matthias to be the heir to Fred's, what he liked to call, "prankster-dom". Let's just say, for frankness' sake, that Fred liked making up words using "prank".

Anyway, Fred kept his bedroom unusually neat and tidy for Matthias. He had moved his bed against the wall (yes, the same one that was mocking him with Hermione's image), and squeezed in a crib, a changing table, and several other things (those several things he did not use, but had them just for Hermione's sake).

Sleep was a miracle to come by for Fred nowadays, but he did not mind all that much. He didn't really notice, to be completely honest. Whatever time he did not spend tending to Matthias, he spent thinking about Hermione, and their situation.

There was some uneasy feeling in the bottom of his stomach when he thought of her, as though something had still gone unresolved. Of course, Fred was not stupid, he knew exactly what had remained unresolved; he had since Matthias had been born. But what was he supposed to say? Was he just supposed to, again, announce his love?

He could not risk losing Matthias.

He could not risk losing Hermione.

Again.

---

Most students of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry were relaxing after the seemingly long week of exams. They were either lounging by the lake or outside doing something or another. Well, everyone but Hermione, who was pacing her room.

If you looked at her at this moment, and based all of your judgment on this one moment, you would probably say she is crazy. But there was a perfectly sane reason as to why she was pacing fervently.

Fred was late, by over two hours. Hence, the pacing.

"Where could he possibly be?" she asked herself over and over again, her voice growing louder each time. By the time she gave up this chant, it was echoing. Not that she noticed.

Finally, she decided that maybe she needed to go in search of the missing two.

---

A quiet coo somehow woke Fred from his short sleep. Only to have him find that he was over two hours late in returning Matthias to Hermione. He shrugged, hoping that she would just think he'd stopped off to get a spot of tea along the way. He stood up and stretched before heading to Matthias crib.

But as he approached, he found himself unable to get closer than two feet from the crib. "Matthias," he said warningly, but softly. "I'm not going to hurt you, just let down this barrier so you can go home to mum. You know we both want to see her."

Once again, the infant cooed, signaling to Fred that he could now step forward. This is exactly what Fred did. He was used to the baby's force-field by now, and knew it was best not to try and get rid of it himself.

"You know I would never hurt you, Mattie," said Fred quietly once he had collected all the bags and was heading out the door with the child. "I love you and your mother too much to ever do that."

Matthias remained silent at this, for he was barely two months old now. It was not as if Fred was saying to Matthias really, he was saying to himself.

But for what Fred knew about his feelings for Hermione, he also knew that nothing could ever happen between them. Ron had been his brother, and he knew that Hermione would never love him in the way she loved Ron anyway.

Or so he thought.

---

"Hermione!"

"Watch where you are going!"

"Thanks for knocking my books over!"

These were the only calls Hermione received while running down the hall that were appropriate. She was, of course, looking for Fred, or anyone she thought knew where he was. The most logical person would be Ginny, not only Fred's sister, but the only person other than Fred that talked to him almost daily, but Hermione was not thinking logically at the time.

As she turned the corner, she was not thinking about the welfare of other people that might also be rounding the corner, she did not think about it before, or after she knocked over Harry; she did not think about it when he called back at her; she did not think about it until he practically tackled her to the ground to stop her from running.

"Let me go, Harry," said Hermione, irritated, through clenched teeth, trying to pull her arms from his grasp.

"Where's the fire?" he asked jokingly.

"Where's my baby?" she asked right back.

"With Fred... right?"

He released her arms, for she had finally stopped struggling. She glared at him indignantly. "He'd better be, or there will only be one Weasley twin left."

Harry furrowed his brow. "Are you feeling okay, Hermione?"

"You tell me."

"Hermione—"

"I mean, he was supposed to be here over two hours ago," she continued, "Where could he possibly be? It's not as if it is a long trip from his flat."

"He's probably just being sa—"

"Fredrick knows, he knows that I have a schedule," Hermione unceasingly said, "And so does Matthias. Oh, he must be missing me so much! Matthias, of course, not Fred. Not that Fred has any reason to miss me—"

"I beg to differ."

Hermione slowly stopped her pacing and turned. Her eyes widened at the site that was before her.

Fred grinned widely. "Did ya' miss me?"

Without answering, Hermione rushed forward, relieving Fred of the baby he was carrying.

She hugged him gently. "Matthias, did you miss me?"

Only Harry seemed to notice Fred's face falling, and greeted the Weasley twin merrily. "Any new creations I can look forward to this summer?" he asked as they followed Hermione down the corridor.

The only response he got from Fred was a shrug. That was the only response he could get out of him for the rest of the walk back to the Head's dormitory, no matter what he talked about. Fred kept his eyes straight ahead, on Hermione, who seemed to not notice them following her due to being too absorbed with Matthias.

Not that Harry minded much, because he was desperately trying to figure out what was wrong with Fred. He gave up asking him after barely two minutes, and decided it was best to just watch Fred.

And watch Fred he did. Harry watched Fred watch Hermione. It was, in a way, strange to see Fred looking at Hermione in the way he was. Harry was, unnervingly, reminding of how Ron had stared at Hermione. The look in Fred's eyes was so reminiscent of Ron's that Harry thought, for a mere second, that Fred might possibly have fallen for Hermione. But he knew that was not possible... it was just too off... it was just so... unexplainable for Harry.

Fred could possibly have fallen for Hermione. But Hermione falling for Fred? That just seemed near impossible to him. Hermione had loved Ron.

But, Harry countered with himself, Ron was gone, and Hermione was free to love again.

The question was not Does Hermione want to love again? Because the answer to that was obvious. The true question was, of course: Is Hermione ready to love again?

---

"Just leave, Fred," Hermione had said, slamming the door in his face. Harry was already in her room, holding Matthias under Hermione's orders. The idea that she could calmly talk this out with Fred was quickly lost when he did not seem to care how worried she was. Contrary to Hermione's belief, he did care that she was worried. He cared too much.

It was now over three months later. He had not seen Matthias or Hermione since that day; he had not heard anything from her. She had left Hogwarts a few days after they fought, and though he knew where she was, he had not attempted to contact her; he knew that she did not want to have contact with him.

So here he was, lying in bed, memorable thoughts drifting through his head as the ceiling and the wall both started to mock him as they had been since the night of the argument. Remembering the nights over six months earlier, and how this situation resembled that one, was a somewhat cheerful stance on what was going on. If he thought about it, they fought, he stared at the mocking wall, and they ended up close once more in the end.

He prayed to God that this would turn out the same way.

But, Fred had his doubts.

Hermione had locked him out of her bedroom after slamming it in his face, and had not relented even after him practically begging while shouting his apology at the top of his lungs. Blaise had even emerged from his room at the commotion, asking what all the fuss was about. When Fred had told him, Blaise had softly knocked on the door and had a conversation with Hermione through the door. It had ended with Blaise forcing Fred to leave.

Turning over once more, Fred tried to replace his thoughts of Hermione with something else. Anything else. When it did not work, he gave up feigning being indifferent towards Hermione. It was not worth the heartache. He knew how he felt about Hermione, and he also knew nothing could change that.

When he thought of just the name "Hermione" his heart seemed to flutter in that cliché, cheesy way. But that was nothing compared to when he thought of her laughter, or her dark chestnut eyes. It was like a convulsion of his heart and stomach. Except it was a good kind of feeling, in a bad sort of way. That's how Fred thought of it anyway. Thinking of Hermione made him happy, yet sad at the same time. He loved hearing her name, he just hating not being able to see her.

His feeling was often represented in a dream where Hermione was standing about a hundred yards away from him, and he was trying to run to her, because he was so glad to see her, but when he moved his legs he did not move. It actually seemed like Hermione was going farther away, instead of getting closer. So he kept running, and running, until his legs could not function anymore. All the while, Hermione was just standing serenely, as if she were waiting for Fred. Once he grew too tired, however, Hermione would frown and shake her head.

"I thought you were different," she would say.

"I am different," insisted Fred, over and over again.

She shook her head at this every time. "Then why are you giving up?"

That is where Fred would always wake up to find the wall and ceiling mocking him.

---

"Say 'mommy,' Matthias," said Hermione to the little baby boy. "'Mommy.'"

"Fwwwuuuud," he said firmly, blowing several bubbles at the same time.

She smiled at this, even though she had no idea what he was trying to say. "'Mommy,'" she repeated.

"Fwwwwuuuuuuuuuud," said Matthias, this time in an annoyed fashion. As if he knew something she did not.

"Are you trying to tell me something?" she asked jokingly.

"He's only five months old, what could he possibly be trying to tell you?" said Harry from the other room.

Hermione's flat consisted of one bedroom, a bathroom, a small living room barely big enough to fit a couch, and an eat-in kitchen. Harry was in the small living room, fixing the television Hermione had insisted on buying. "Just to add a touch of Muggle to my flat," she had told Harry. Of course, another thing that came along with the television was that when it broke, someone had to fix it. That someone happened to be Harry.

"I don't know," she replied. "I can't exactly—"

"FWWWWUUUUUUUUUUD!" shouted Matthias in what could only be called an angry manner.

"It sounds like he is saying 'Fred,'" said Harry, stopping what he was currently doing (toying with the wires on the back of the television as if he had any idea what exactly he was doing) to step into Hermione's bedroom.

"Nonsense, why would he be saying... 'Fred'?" asked Hermione.

Harry ignored the pause and answered her. "Because Mattie here is a lot more clever than we think he is."

Her eyes narrowed. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that ever since that fight, which I have already conveyed my opinion about, you've missed Fred," countered Harry. "Both Matthias and I know that you need to talk to him. As soon as possible."

After rolling her eyes, Hermione turned back to face her child. "What do you have to say about that?" she asked seriously.

"FWWWUUUUUUUUUUUD!" he shouted once more.

Harry only had one thing to say to that, a smirk on his face. "I told you so."

---

The dimly lit corridor was suddenly brightened with a "Lumos!" shouted by a familiar voice. Fred jumped, he had been about to exit his bedroom to get something to eat.

"Who's there?" he asked bravely, pulling his own wand out and stepping into the hallway. He was shocked to find that the person holding the wand was the one and only Hermione Granger. Well, she was not alone; in her arms was the wrapped up Matthias.

All they could do, after three months, was stare at each other for several minutes, even though both wanted to greet each other in a rather romantic fashion.

"What are you doing here?" Fred finally asked, stowing his wand back in his pocket.

"I needed to see you," she answered quietly.

"I've needed to see you for a long time," he replied, "but you didn't seem to care. I thought you didn't care."

"That's what I thought, too," she said, "I thought I didn't care either. But I realized, with help from Matthias, that I didn't want to care. You have to understand Fred, I loved Ron—"

He tried to cover the hurt from that statement and interrupted. "I know you loved Ron, and that's why I didn't do anything."

"Let me finish, Fred," she said patiently. "I loved Ron, but he's gone now. And I'm meant to move on. What exactly I'm moving onto, I really don't know that much. One thing I do know, though, is that you have to be a part of the future somehow. The Unbreakable Vow, it was meant to happen, and that means something to me. Ron did not die for anything; I know that. Ron died for me; he died for me so I could move onto something else in my life. And I think that something else is you, Fred."

Smiling, Fred responded. "Took you long enough to figure out my charm had gotten to you."

She smiled back. "You just completely ruined that moment."

"That's what I do. Fred Weasley, Moment Ruiner Extraordinaire." He took an unsure step forward. "So what exactly does this mean?"

"What does what mean?"

"This moment that I ruined," he said. "Does it actually mean something? I mean, are you ready to mo—?"

Without hesitation, Hermione took the necessary amount of steps forward needed to reach up and kiss Fred in the way she had been secretly wishing to for months. Once they pulled back, both were grinning widely. "That answers my question," Fred said rather breathlessly. "Now, if I ask more questions, will I get more answers like that?"

"I don't know, ask another question," suggested Hermione playfully.

"Hmmm, read any good bo—?"

The answer to this was a good one in both Fred's and Hermione's opinions. This went on for several minutes, of course. Until they were interrupted by the shout of a little baby named Matthias.

They both smiled at the child that had unknowingly been the one to bring them together in the first place. Fred looked down at Matthias, then back up at Hermione.

"I think he likes me," he said without doubt. "What do you thi—?"

Fred was once again given a satisfactory answer.