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Christmas morning came way too early, and Hermione was already awakened by squeals of delightment at 6.30.
She spent a few minutes thinking about last night and wondered if it had changed anything between her and Fred. In the past, she had had plenty of fun with Fred but never as much fun as she had had last night. She had seen a completely new side to him; He had been so caring and wonderful. Nothing like she had imagined him. She found herself grinning from ear to ear and she didn't even miss Oliver at all. All she could think about was Fred and the butterflies that had camped in her stomach overnight.
With a sigh, she realised that although she would've much rather spent her morning in bed thinking of last night, she didn't want to miss Christmas morning with the children, so she put on a pair of slippers and headed downstairs.
"Happy Christmas, guys," she said with a yawn as she entered the living room.
Ginny gave Hermione's hand a squeeze and Hermione could see tears streak down her cheeks.
"Gin? Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine," Ginny sniffled, "isn't it just perfect?" She asked Hermione and gestured to nothing in particular.
Hermione took a look around. Apart from the presents under the tree, it looked like any other morning she had spent at the Burrow. "Uh, I guess?" Hermione said.
Behind Ginny's back, she could see Harry mouthing 'hormones' which made Hermione cackle a little.
Harry was sitting with a tired James on his lap while Victoire and Teddy were opening up presents.
"LOOK WHAT UNCLE FREDDY GAVE ME!" Teddy held up his most recent present. It was a toy broom along with a quidditch set for children. Complete with a miniature bludger and everything.
"Fred's here?" Hermione muttered looking around the room. Harry nodded and Hermione's stomach suddenly looped.
"What a cool present!" Ginny said, "you should ask uncle Freddy to go practise with you. He used to be a pretty decent beater."
"Used to be? You hurt me," a familiar voice rang behind Hermione.
"Fred? Why are you here this early?" Hermione asked him. Like her, he couldn't have gotten much sleep.
"Wouldn't miss it for the world," he smiled, holding up a cup of coffee looking very hungover. With a whisper he added, "I couldn't just leave you to it alone. Thought you might need the support."
Hermione was about to thank him for last night when a red-haired Teddy pulled at Fred's arm. Hermione's heart melted when she saw how Teddy had changed the colour of his hair and freckled his own cheeks in an attempt to look like his uncle.
"Will you teach me?" Teddy asked, "how to use it.."
"Of course I will! I'm sure you'll make an even better beater than me."
"Aunt Ginny says that you used to be good but now you've gotten fat."
Fred laughed a hearty laugh, "she said that? Yeah, I was very good at Hogwarts but I never could knock your aunt Ginny off the broom. Unfortunately, she's always been faster than me - but don't tell her that I said that," Fred winked at him and Teddy's hair turned a nice turquoise colour that Hermione recognized as the colour he always wore when he was happy.
"Fat uncle Freddy?" Hermione laughed as Teddy ran back to ask Harry for help opening the box with the toy broom.
"Shut up - you didn't seem to mind last night," Fred muttered with a smile through gritted teeth, brushing his fingers lightly against her arm. She grinned up at him and felt her cheeks flush slightly at his touch. He retracted his arm, however, as the door behind them creaked open.
"Good morning guys, happy Christmas," Angie said as she entered the room with a sour looking George at her heel.
Angelina sat down next to Fleur and Victoire who were looking at a magical colouring book that Victoire had received from her French grandparents.
George, however, had stopped in the doorway and had managed to pull Fred backwards. Hermione could hear them whisper behind her.
"Where the hell where you?" George asked Fred.
"I went home. Needed a decent night's sleep," Fred said in a bored tone.
"A decent nights sleep? How stupid do you think I am? You look like hell!"
"Reckon it might be because I had approximately a hundred firewhiskeys last night? You don't exactly look like a veela either," Fred retorted.
"So you didn't take her home with you?"
Fred went quiet for a few seconds until he broke the silence with a snicker, "I did in fact take her with me."
"You wanker...I should have guessed you wouldn't listen. Enjoy your time in hell," George muttered and left his twin's side to join his wife.
Fred joined Hermione again.
"What's up with George?" Hermione asked him as if she hadn't just listened in on their conversation.
"Never mind him - he's never been much of a morning-person," Fred muttered under his breath clearly trying to cover up the fact that him and his twin had had a serious conversation. "Hey, listen do you want to go for a walk later?" Fred asked her, "not much privacy around here.."
"Yeah," Hermione grinned from ear to ear, "Yeah, I would love to!"
Fred and Hermione looked at eachother for a few seconds but were ripped back to reality by Teddy's voice: "Aunt Hermione - there's a present for you too," he held out a heavy-looking present in maroon wrapping paper.
"For me?" Hermione tried to sound as excited as Teddy looked. She walked over to him and grabbed the heavy box from his small hands. "Who's it from?" Hermione said as she turned over the label that was attatched to the present with colourful string. As she read the name, she stiffened.
"Well, who is it from?" Ginny asked.
"Uh...it's from...Oliver," Hermione said with furrowed brows, looking up at Ginny. She could see concern in Ginny's eyes.
"As in...Oliver Wood? Your ex-boyfriend?" Harry asked perplex.
"Yes of course, Harry" Ginny rolled her eyes, "who else?"
Out the corner of her eye Hermione could see Fred and George exchanging glances, clearly having a silent conversation.
"Well open it!" Ginny urged.
Hermione sensed that the attention of everyone in the room was on her, "I think I'll take it upstairs and open it alone.."
"Come on, I'm curious!" Ginny cried before her voice turned stern, "And don't you dare make me climb those stairs more than what is absolutely necessary!"
Hermione gave in with a heavy sigh and began unwrapping the present slowly.
"What is it?" Angelina asked as Hermione had managed to pull off all the wrapping paper.
Hermione gulped, "it's - it's my favourite book. First edition..."
"That must have cost him a fortune!" Ginny exclaimed before she squealed, "maybe he wants to get back together!"
"There's a note too," Hermione said as she opened up the first page.
'Dear Hermione,
I realise that I have made a grave mistake.
I hope I'm not too late in admitting so.
You are the first woman I have ever loved: Your confidence and good hearted nature attracted me in ways that I have never experienced before. However, at the beginning of November, I found myself in quite a dilemma. A headhunter from The Széchenyi Cannons contacted me and offered me a lifetime opportunity. Accepting the offer meant playing in the league I've always dreamt of, but also that I had to leave you behind. Declining the offer meant giving up on a childhood dream but keeping the woman I love.
I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but I knew that you would put your own needs aside and let me go. That you would never accept that I stayed in England for you. I'm sorry I haven't been in touch since but I needed time alone to think it through. I have spent the past month at my parent's cottage in Scotland.
I've realised that I don't care about The Széchenyi Cannons. I don't care about playing in the East European league. I don't even care about Quidditch. All I care about is you.
I love you, and I'll always be yours - if you'll still have me.
I'll be at my parents house all Christmas in case you need to see me.
All my love, Oliver'
Hermione hadn't realised that the entire room had gone quiet. She was completely out of it and had no idea how to react to Oliver's kind words.
She suddenly realized that Harry was standing behind her, reading the letter over her shoulder, "bloody hell, "he said, "are you alright?"
Hermione shook her head, "no..." she said truthfully, her voice trembling.
"What does it say?" Ginny asked softly and Harry started reading the letter out loud for everyone to hear.
Out the corner of her eye, Hermione could see Fred tense with every word.
When Harry was done reading it out loud, Ginny asked Hermione, "what are you going to do?"
"I have to go see him," she said looking directly at Fred for the first time, "don't I?"
She couldn't read his expression.
"You'll take him back?" Angelina asked excitedly.
"I honestly don't know."
Fred send her a pained expression, silently begging her not to go
"I just need to hear him out in person," Hermione continued, still looking at Fred.
"Do you want me to go with you?" Ginny asked softly.
"You stay here and enjoy Christmas morning with your family," she forced a smile and sent it in Ginny's direction, "I'll go get dressed."
"You're leaving now?" George asked her, "at least stay for breakfast."
Hermione understood his intentions. He wanted to give Fred a chance to talk to her before she left. But Hermione couldn't talk to Fred right now. She needed to see Oliver before she started feeling guilty for sleeping with one of his friends. She needed to know what Oliver wanted before her and Fred spoke again. She didn't even know what she wanted.
"I have to go," Hermione whispered and looked back to Fred who had turned white as a sheet. He had a dead expression in his normally cheerful eyes.
"Come, I'll help you get dressed," Ginny said and took Hermione's hand, leading her past Fred and out the living room.