"Mione?" Was the first word Fred uttered as he came round from some strange anaesthetic charm fuelled dreams.

His mind was groggy and his mouth felt like it was full of cotton wool.

"I'm here." His favourite voice replied instantly, her hand squeezing his as though it had never and would never let go. "How are you feeling?"

Fred slowly opened his eyes and his brow furrowed as he thought hard about her question. His shoulder stung a little and his chest felt a bit heavy but his mind was starting to clear a little now and he noticed a glass of water on his bedside table that would help him deal with the strange sensation in his mouth.

"Thirsty and my chest is a bit tight but otherwise I'm alright." He replied honestly after his time of contemplation.

"Here" she set down her book and handed him the glass gently "the thirst is a side effect of the combination of anaesthetic charms and the knockout spell they used and the tightness is left over by the magi surgeons to protect the repairs they made during your surgery. If all went well they'll remove it when they check up on you later today."

"How long was I out for?" Fred asked, tentatively sitting up and replacing the now empty glass on his side table without releasing Hermione's hand.

"About three hours." Hermione explained, moving to sit on the side of his bed now that he was sitting up giving her space closer to him than where she had been sitting in the nearby hospital chair. "The first hour was them doing the surgery so Maya and I had a walk around the hospital because they wouldn't let me back in until they were done. I grabbed my work bag from my lab on our walk so I could get something productive done once they did let me back in though. At least I got some work done in the last three hours unlike you, Mr lazy."

Fred beamed at her teasing and the knowledge that she had cared enough to have sat beside him for hours while waiting for him to wake up.

"Want to tell me what you were reading about while we wait for them to come and give me the all clear?" Fred suggested, moving his legs beneath his blanket to give Hermione more space to sit comfortably.

"Maya said that it'll be at least another hour before she checks up on you," Hermione explained first "then another two after that before the surgeons will remove the restrictive spells and then another three for observation once the spells are lifted before they either send you home or move you to a ward which allows visitors."

"Ah so that's why we're not drowning in Weasleys" Fred joked.

"I know that you can't get in here without being a patient or staff member but still, I'm impressed at how long they've kept Molly out already!"

The pair laughed and joked around together easily, both enjoying themselves so much that before they noticed, six hours had passed and Fred's stomach was starting to grumble.

"Sounds like we need to get you home for a hearty meal Mr Weasley." Maya said kindly as she magically and physically gave Fred a full check over and gave him the all clear to go home.

She handed him his clothes to change back into while she and Hermione stood on the other side of the curtain.

"He'll need to avoid exerting himself physically for at least forty eight hours, so no vigorous celebrating he's alive sex until Wednesday Hermione." Fred heard Maya tease lightheartedly.

"Oh we're not together." He heard Hermione reply "He's actually marrying someone else."

His heart sank like a stone at this reminder, he had totally forgotten all about Gloria and his future wife should probably have been higher on, or at least somewhere on, his emergency contact list, but a flicker of hope lit in his heart, Hermione had sounded genuinely sad that he was marrying someone else.

..

Gloria had insisted on weekly meetings at the White Wyvern following the news that Fred had been in hospital and she hadn't even known about it until he answered her note the next day and given it as the reason as to why his reply was so late. This was entirely reasonable in Fred's opinion when he thought about it logically but he really did not like Gloria nor did he enjoy spending any time with her so he cut his date with her on Monday evening very short stating that he was exhausted and needed rest after his surgery the day before. He did however agree to meet with her again the following Monday to 'continue getting to know each other'.

Thursday arrived bright and warm, a gentle breeze was blowing through the London streets and in through Fred's window, stirring him from his dream filled slumber.

He had spent the whole night dreaming of Hermione. Isolated images from his dream scenarios flickered through his mind, what their first kiss would be like, her dressed in white wedding robes, them dancing down a rainy street bathed in the orange glow from streetlights, lying on the sofa simply watching her read… for hours he recalled every part of his dreams that were still reachable until his reverie was interrupted by an owl, her owl, landing on his windowsill.

Freddie,

Open your floo!

Mione x

Scurrying out from his bed and across to the fireplace in the lounge he unlocked it and sent through a hastily scribbled note.

It's open

Within seconds emerald green flames roared in return, it was only seconds but it had been plenty of time for Fred to run through a thousand horrific scenarios in his mind. Was she injured, hurt in some way? Had someone broken into her apartment and she couldn't escape? His heart was frantic in worry and his breath racing with panic.

"Mione what's wrong!?" He almost screamed at her, helping her out of the floo and checking every inch of her for signs of pain or damage.

"Wardrobe emergency" she replied seriously, brandishing a dress in each hand.

Fred began to laugh in his tsunami of relief and at the utter ridiculousness of the situation, causing the tension in his chest to snap like an over stretched elastic band. His laughter caught in his chest though when he noticed Hermione's attire. A pale pink silk dressing gown adorned with white cherry blossoms was wrapped tightly around her torso, covering her down to mid thigh.

His heart sped up for a whole different reason now and his lungs felt like they would never refill with air as his laughter remained paralysed in his throat.

"Fred. Freddie!" Hermione prompted as he stared at her open mouthed "Please Fred I need your help."

He nodded dumbly, dragging his gaze up to her face and falling helplessly into her mascara lined eyes.

"What…" he began hoarsely before coughing and trying again "What do you need from me?"

"Well it's Ginny's graduation today and she and I bought a dress for it months ago but I tried it on again this morning and it's just not right." Hermione fretted, self consciousness and anxiety were clear upon her face "But she's still at school and Ron's hopeless with things like this and Harry will be too busy getting excited about seeing Ginny again today and you're the only other person I trust like this so please, please help me choose a dress."

Fred nodded minutely and indicated to his open bedroom door, behind which Hermione vanished in a flash.

"This is going to kill me." Fred groaned to himself.