Two weeks later
"Why can't I come with you guys?" Fred asked as Hermione and George came back with the portkey. George sighed as he explained it again.
"Fred, he won't remember me or Mione. Even if we share the memories and the letters. It would be too overwhelming for you to be there. When Mason comes to term with everything you can meet him. But for now, it has to be us."
"We'll be back in two days. Don't worry." She gave him a quick kiss.
"Fine, fine." He said as he leaned against the wall next to the fireplace. "But don't go leaving me for this Mason bloke."
Hermione rolled her eyes before she pulled him of the wall and kissed him passionately. "Convinced I won't leave you?"
"Maybe I need a little more convincing." He smirked.
"No can do." George walked over with the portkey that was already vibrating. "See you later Fred. Why don't you keep busy with the shop." George laughed as Hermione put her finger on the portkey and they disappeared from the flat. George's laugh still rang through the room.
George and Hermione arrived at Mason's house and knocked on the door. Marnic opened the door and looked up at them smiling.
"Good afternoon." The elf piped.
"Good afternoon. We have an appointment with Mr. Diaz."
"Come on in." The elf opened the door further and they walked in. Marnic led them to the study. "Mr. Diaz will be here shortly. Can I offer you something to drink?"
"Tea would be nice." Hermione smiled at the elf. Marnic bowed before he left the room. They sat in silence for a few minutes before Mason arrived.
"Miss and Mr. Lovegood." They stood up as he walked in. They shook hands before he gestured them to sit down. He took his place behind his desk and folded his hands in front of him. "What can I do for you?"
"This is going to be hard to believe but we need you to stay calm and hear us out."
"Alright..." Mason said apprehensive.
Hermione looked over to George and took a deep breath before she started.
"You met us before. You showed me the timer turners of your aunt." Mason looked at her confused but didn't interject. "There was a broken one, like this." She showed Luna's turner. "And there was a black and silver one. You told us that your aunt said it was only meant for lovers."
There was a small pop when Marnic came in carrying their tea. He handed them a cup before disappearing again.
"Here." George took out the letters Mason wrote himself and handed it to him. "You wrote these."
Mason stayed quiet as he took the letters and started to read them. Hermione and George nervously drank their tea as George was tapping his foot. When Mason finished the last letter, he looked up at them and finally spoke.
"How do I know these are not fake?"
"We have something else for you." Hermione answered as she took out the vial with Mason's memories. "I believe you have a pensive."
Mason nodded and waved his wand. The bookcase besides George shifted and a pensieve floated forward. He grabbed the floating dish and placed it between them on the desk. He looked at them and they nodded. He carefully poured the liquid in the pensieve and bend down. George and Hermione stood there watching Mason as his looked at his memories. After fifteen minutes they sat down as Mason was still busy with the memories. Another fifteen minutes passed before Mason emerged.
He looked at them with wide eyes as he dropped down on his chair. "I can't believe it." He gasped. "Did it work? Did you save him?" He looked between them.
A smile crept up on their faces before they said in unison. "Yes."
"Can I keep the memories and the letters?"
"Of course. Their yours after all."
"I need a little time to process this."
"We understand. You can find us at the hotel if you have any questions. We are leaving tomorrow night."
"You can find us here when we get back to London." George handed him his business card. Mason looked over the card and smiled softly.
"The joke shop."
George and Hermione received an owl from Mason a few hours before they left telling them he wants to examine the memories and the letters a bit more trying to process everything that had happened.
When they arrived back at the flat Fred was waiting for them pacing nervously in the living room. Hermione jumped in his arms and kissed him before George and Hermione explained what happened.
"Are you ready?" George asked Fred as they stood over the borrowed pensieve of McGonagall. He nodded and looked at Hermione who poured the first vial into the pensive. Fred leaned forward and saw the liquid take form. It started at the very beginning; the night Fred died. He wanted to see it all. When he came back out of it a few minutes later he was a white as a sheet. Hermione and George led him to the sofa and sat down on either side of him as he began to shake.
"It's okay. We're here. We are all here." Hermione whispered as she stroked his head. It took him a few minutes to recover. "Do you want to continue tomorrow?"
"No, I'll be fine. Let's get going."
"Freddie-" George started but Fred got to his feet and walked back to the pensieve. He bent forward and watched as the next memories came in to view. Hermione and George looked worried at each other as she bit her lip.
All afternoon Fred watched the memories they saved, taking a break once in a while trying to sort out what he just saw. After the last memory Fred had to lie down and went to his room.
"Do you think he's okay?" Hermione asked as she looked at the empty hallway Fred disappeared through.
"I think so." George came back from the kitchen with a bottle of fire whiskey and two glasses. He filled them and handed one over to her. "He just needs time. Let him sleep. We'll talk to him tomorrow."
After two glasses Hermione made her way to the bathroom then changed in Fred's jersey and walked to the bedroom closing the door behind her. Fred was sleeping on his stomach, his head towards the door. She walked over and brushed a strand of hair from his eyes. She kissed his forehead gently.
"I can't believe I lost you." She whispered as a tear rolled down her cheek.
"I'm here love." Hermione jumped as Fred whispered back. Fred opened his eyes and wiped the tear from her cheek. "I'm not going anywhere, not again." He leaned forward and grabbed her waist, pulling her up the bed with him. She laid in his arms and closed their distance as she kissed him.
"Marry me." He whispered when he pulled back. He turned over and opened the drawer of his nightstand and clicked the fake bottom open. Hermione's eyes grew big as he grinned at her over his shoulder. When he turned, he held a small black velvet box in his hand. He opened the box with his thumb and a blue dewdrop ring, like her necklace, was sitting in the middle. "Marry me?" He repeated.
"Yes, yes, yes." She peppered him with kisses. "A thousand times yes."
"Wait." Fred said as he pulled back grinning. "We can't forget the ring now, can we?" He took the ring out of the box and lifted her hand. She smiled as he placed the ring on her finger. "Perfect." He said before he swooped in and kissed her again.
Two months later
Hermione sat on the sofa in the twins flat between Fred and George while Luna sat across from them. Hermione glanced at her watch nervously tapping her foot. Fred put his hand on her knee to calm her down. George and Hermione jumped up when there was a knock on the door. The two of them rushed to the door and took in a deep breath before they opened the door.
Mason stood there in the doorway smiling at them his curls fell over his eyes. He took a step closer and gave George a hug before looking at Hermione, who grinned back at him. He picked her up and hugged her tight. Fred cleared his throat behind them which made George roll his eyes. Mason let her go and looked over at Fred.
"Mason this is Fred. Fred this is Mason." Hermione walked over to Fred with the two men. Mason held out his hand and Fred shook it as Hermione stepped next to him.
"Mason, this is Luna." Mason turned towards the blond. "Luna Lovegood."
"Lovegood." He chuckled as he looked between George and Hermione. "That's were that blond hair came from." George and Hermione smiled sheepishly.
Luna got up from her seat and gazed directly in his eyes. Hermione, George and Fred exchanged amused looks as the two of them kept their eyes locked on each other, completely oblivious of their surroundings. When they sat down George coughed and the three of them grinned at the pair when they broke their gaze and looked at the three of them on the sofa. Mason blushed and suddenly found the curtains behind them very interesting. Luna on the other hand smiled while her eyes were glossed over dreamingly. Mason turned looking for a place to sit before taking the chair next to Luna.
"I wanted to thank you both for everything you did. For – for saving my life."
"Fred, you don't have to thank me. Like I told Hermione and George, I believe it was meant to be, for them to save you." Luna said in the most serious tone Hermione had ever heard. Fred nodded his head slightly.
"Still thank you." He turned his gaze to Mason. "You didn't even know me. And still you helped my brother and my fiancé. I don't know how to repay you."
Mason's eyes grew big when he said the word fiancé. He glanced at Hermione's hand that was clasped around Fred's.
"Congratulations." He started honestly; Hermione smiled back at him. "You don't have to repay me. I guess Hermione and George filled you in on my family?" Fred nodded as he looked at his twin and Hermione. "The moment I met Hermione and George I knew they were different then my family. And I wanted something good to come from it especially when I couldn't save my mom. And I knew if my family used it, it wouldn't be used for something good."
Fred abruptly stood up, walked over to Mason and hugged him. "Thank you, thank you so much." He whispered in his ear. He pulled back and looked him in the eyes. "I'm so sorry about your mom."
"Thanks." Both had unshed tears in their eyes. They cleared their throats and looked to the ground before they sat back down again.
"Luna." Hermione said after a minute of silence. She pulled the time turner from under her shirt and handed it over. "I think this is yours."
"Thank you." She answered as she turned the necklace over in her hand.
"So we are the only ones who knows what happened and who we saved." George began. "This has to stay between us. If someone were to find out-"
"I understand. The repercussions will be grave." Mason nodded. "My lips are sealed." Luna nodded in agreement.
"We wanted to invite you to the burrow for dinner tonight. Would you like to join?"
"I'd love to."
"Are you sure?" Mason asked uncertain. "What do we say to them? I mean about how we know each other."
"Well, we thought about that. A distant family member wouldn't work because I'm a muggle born and the Weasley's know their whole family. So, we thought we could tell them you met the twins through work, as a potential investor." Hermione answered. Mason frowned a bit at his knees before he looked up and smiled wide.
"That's alright with me. I would love to meet your family. But... First things firsts." He looked at the twins grinning. "I would love a tour of the shop."
The twins grinned back and leaped to their feet and pulled Mason up on each arm and linked their arms in his. "Brilliant!" They said in unison as they led him to the door.
"Good luck." Hermione chuckled at the men before they disappeared down the stairs.
One year later
"You look beautiful!" Ginny exclaimed as she walked in her bedroom at the burrow. Hermione was wearing her wedding dress. It had a boat neckline and an open back. The top was in beaded lace while the skirt was in soft satin.
"Thank you. So do you." Ginny wore a deep green dress that reached the floor, it had a split that stopped a couple of inches over her knee. "Is everything going okay? I heard racket down the hallway."
Ginny laughed. "It was Fred who tried to sneak in here. But mum caught him."
Hermione chuckled as she placed her dewdrop necklace on her neck. "He doesn't have to wait much longer."
"Your mum asked if you needed any help." George held his promise and a couple of months after the war the three of them went to Australia to find her parents. It wasn't easy but with the help of the auror department of Australia they managed to find them and restore their memories.
"I'm good. I'm ready actually." Hermione turned from the mirror and looked at Ginny. "Where is my other maid of honor?"
"Oh." Ginny chuckled. "I saw Luna pulling Mason behind the oak tree. They should be at the tent by now."
"Good." Hermione smiled. "Don't want to start my wedding with a missing maid of honor and a groomsman."
Ginny linked her arm through hers as she opened the door. "Ready?"
"I've been ready for years."
When she entered the tent in the garden of the burrow her eyes fell directly on the Weasley at the altar. She felt her knees buckle when she saw how he looked at her. His eyes full of love, promise and desire. He wore and dark blue muggle suit with a white shirt, his hair was an organized mess (that how she likes to call it). She held her fathers' arm a little tighter as they strode over the isle. Next to Fred, of course was George then Lee and Mason. On Hermione's side stood Ginny, Luna and Tonks. Little Teddy now about a year and a half old sat on Andromeda's lap. The first row was filled with the Weasley's and Fleur. Right behind Fleur sat Angelina who was George's girlfriend for almost a year. When she reached Fred, she kissed her father on the cheek before he joined her mother next to Molly. Both mothers had tears in their eyes as they looked at their children. Hermione stepped in front of Fred who gave her a cheeky wink as they turned to their officiator, Harry.
When it was time for the newlyweds to kiss. Fred pulled her close, tucked a lose strand behind her ear and whispered.
"I'm the luckiest man alive." Before he kissed her deeply in front of their family and friends, ready for their future together.
So... this was it! I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it!
Let me know what you think :)
I might be thinking about writing a sequel, with Tonks as a main character. Let me know if you are interested.
