I am so excited writing this story. Hermione and Fred have to be my favorite couple I have written! Thank you everyone for your kind words. It really means so much to me that people actually enjoy my story. Shout out to GredMoineFan ;) and Raven that flies at night for your reviews, I love them very much and they are always inspiring! Hope you enjoy this chapter, already have the next week in the works.
Disclaimer- I do not own any rights to Harry Potter
Grimmauld Place looked much brighter than Hermione remembered. There were no dark corners or pictures screaming at you. The once dust covered shelves had been cleaned and the furniture was more modern. Hermione followed Harry into the living room, taking in the glass wall that looked onto a small garden.
"I'm going to put some tea on." Molly sighed as she walked towards the kitchen, away from the group.
"Fleur, there are a couple guest rooms down the hall if you would like to sleep." Ginny said gesturing the way.
"Thank you, I really do need to lie down. Will you all be alright?" Fleur asked looking towards the wandering Hermione.
"Yes, we can handle things." Ron said taking a seat on the large sectional couch. The blonde witch half smiled and headed down the hall.
"Is your garden warded?" Hermione finally spoke, walking closer to the windows.
"Yes, you can see out but no one can see or get in for that matter." Harry said, coming to stand next to her.
"Do you mind if I go out? I really could use some fresh air." She smiled at the idea of feeling soft grass again.
"I don't." Ron started, but was stopped by Harry.
"Go ahead." Harry said, opening the backdoor.
Hermione couldn't hide her excitement as she hugged Harry, before walking out into the night.
Deep breath, she thought to herself. Slowly she made her way across the paved patio to the grassy section. The minute her feet touched the grass, she laid down on it. Reaching her arms as wide as they would go, she dug her fingers into the ground. The smell of nature filling her senses. Staring up at the sky, she thought how beautiful the stars were. Her eyes teared up when she realized how much she had missed looking at them.
"So, what do we do now?" Lavender asked walking into the living room, taking a seat next to Ron. "Are we just going to let her outside, not find out how she escaped? Ronny?"
"She needs a few minutes alone." Harry stated from the other end of the couch. He had his feet on the coffee table, looking out onto the garden.
"Is she ok to be alone?" Lavender asked, peering into the night.
"Alright, tea is ready." Molly said, coming into the living room. "Did Fleur head off to bed?"
"Yes Mom." Ginny yawned.
"Aww, honey. Why don't you all head to bed. I'm sure the others won't be too much longer." Molly hugged her only daughter. "Lavender, you and Ginny can share a room. Ron and Harry would you mind bunking together?"
"Mom, Lavender and I live together." Ron scoffed.
"It's no problem Mrs. Weasley." Lavender insisted, squeezing Ron's hand. "Lead the way Ginny."
"Ok. Harry?" Ginny leaned down to kiss Harry on the cheek.
"Goodnight love." He responded quietly, still looking outside.
"You boys tell Arthur I'm in the room down the hall." Molly stated, as she left the room.
The living room was quiet again. Ron sat on the other end of the couch, his arms folded across his body.
"Harry, how are we going to handle this? Hermione and Bellatrix. How did she get away? How in Merlin's bread did Hermione move Fred?" Ron took a deep breath in and looked down the couch. "Harry?"
"Ron! I don't know!" Harry shouted. "Do you see her Ron? I mean do you really see her! She is covered in bruises and cuts. Her body is broken. There is no idea how broken her mind, her heart is." Harry stopped, trying to slow his breathing. His chest feeling as though it would burst out. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath in. "I don't know what to do."
Ron starred at his friend sitting at the other end of the couch. It had been a long time since he had seen Harry so distraught. If Harry didn't know what to do, how was he to know what to do?
"We survived!" A familiar voice chimed from the front door. Bill and George came strutting into the living room. "Oh, hot tea for us." George smiled grabbing a cup before sitting on an arm chair.
"Fleur is in the room down the hall." Ron motioned towards Bill. He nodded in response and headed that way. "Where's?" Ron stopped when he saw the other two come into the room. "Fred, are you bleeding?"
"Just a little blood, not as much damage as the better looking twin losing his ear." George reassured his younger brother.
Arthur put a hand to Fred's shoulder. "Get some rest son, we'll get this figured out." Arthur smiled then went to find his resting wife. Fred grabbed a cup of tea and took a seat in the other arm chair.
"What happened?" Harry asked, turning his gaze from the garden to Fred.
"Rouge deatheater." Fred murmured, sipping from his cup. "He was alone, but he knew who he was after."
"I think he was actually looking for Hermione." George pipped up.
"No, Hermione said Bellatrix was after Fred." Ron stirred in his seat.
"I know. She said Bellatrix was after Fred. This wasn't Bellatrix, maybe her sidekick or something." George sighed from exhaustion.
"Bellatrix is going to come for Hermione. She is never going to stop until she takes all the good from her. This is my fault." Harry felt helpless. He leaned forward placing his elbows on his knees.
"Harry." Ron started.
"Ron!" Harry growled in frustration. "In Malfoy's mansion, that is when Bellatrix took an interest in her and she hasn't backed down since." Harry breathed out, running a hand through his hair. "And now I don't know what to do. I don't know how to save her." He slammed his fists onto the coffee table.
The Weasleys all looked at the boy who lived. He was unraveling. He was scared. And to be honest, that scared of all them.
"Harry." Fred was the first to speak. "She will survive this. OK. This is nobody's fault. There is evil in this world and she has spent her short life fighting it. She has helped save us all and now." He paused. "Now it is time for us to save her. She is alive."
Harry looked to the red headed prankster. Over the last year, Harry had seen a different side of Fred. The disappearance of Hermione had made it harder for Fred to hide his emotions. His passion for finding the young witch, made it very clear to Harry that she meant more to Fred than any other.
"She is alive." Harry repeated, gaining a smile from the rest of the room.
"Where is Hermione?" George asked.
"In the garden." Ron said, gesturing to the wall of windows. "Alone." Fred stood up and made his way to the door. "Hey! Harry said she needs some alone time." Ron asked angrily. Fred stopped momentarily.
"Go." Harry said, nodding towards Fred.
"What the bloody hell Harry!" Ron shouted, stomping out the room.
"He is such a prat." George scuffed, as Fred walked out into the garden.
Her body shuddered thinking of what she had been through. An entire year, locked away. No grass, no stars. Carefully she brought her hands to feel the raised cuts on her arms. Wincing at the pain when she came to the sides of her stomach, still tender from the previous broken ribs. Her face now stained with tears. Quietly she let them fall, unable to hold back the emotion any longer. The chaos of the last days were catching up.
"Don't close your eyes. If you close your eyes the stars will disappear." She whimpered to herself. Her body and mind were exhausted. "Please don't go away." The pull of the night was too much to fight any longer and she closed her eyes.
"I'm not going anywhere." Suddenly his hands were holding hers. "We're all ok, you can sleep now. I'm going to carry you inside." Hermione smiled, not opening her eyes. If this was all a dream she was going to enjoy being wrapped in Fred's arms again.
"I'm going to take her to bed." Fred stated as they walked back into the house. Hermione kept her eyes closed, arms wrapped around Fred's neck.
"There are empty rooms on the second and third floors." Harry said, standing up. "Do you need any help?"
"Thank you, but I've got her." Fred smiled and headed up the stairs. He decided on the third floor, away from the crowd. The room was dimly light by a lamp next to a queen size bed. Carefully he pulled back the comforter and laid Hermione down.
She breathed in the clean linens, as Fred covered her up. "Please don't go." Hermione said opening her eyes. Her dream becoming a harsher reality. "Fred, are you hurt?" She pushed herself up on the soft pillows.
"Not bad." He smirked at her, sitting on the end of the bed. She moved down the bed to get a closer look at his head. "Rogue deatheater, nothing we couldn't handle. Look." He raised his wand. A damp towel appeared, wiping away the blood, followed by a bandage wrapping around his head. "All better." He smiled.
Hermione raised her hand, her fingertips moving slightly across the bandage. "Alive." She sighed, relaxing back onto the pillows. "Will you stay with me?"
"Of course." Fred said, moving to lay down next to Hermione. He spread his arms, gesturing for her to come into them. She smiled, curling as close to him as possible. "You can sleep now." Fred felt her breathing slow and allowed himself to close his eyes. Hermione was alive and in his arms. Today would definitely never be forgotten.