Thank you everyone for reading. This chapter I wanted to go a little more with Fred and Hermione. I hope you enjoy.
Disclaimer-I do not own any rights to Harry Potter
The previously dimly lit room was now a sea of yellow sunshine. Fred groaned at the intrusion, pulling the comforter up to cover his face. Realizing the space beside him was empty, he immediately sat up. The intense light yielding his eyesight for a moment.
"Hermione?" he called out to the room, rubbing his eyes.
"You were smiling at me." She answered from across the room. She was sitting on the window seat, looking out onto London. "At the Battle of Hogwarts. When the wall was falling. You smiled at me." She turned to face him.
"Hermione." He breathed, climbing out the bed to sit next to her.
"You were about to die and you smiled. Who smiles when they know they are going to die?" She stopped, trying to not let her voice crack.
"Hermione." He smiled, taking her hand in his. "Yes, I smiled. Yes, I knew what was coming. But."
"Hermione breakfast is ready." Ron said knocking on the door, while opening it at the same time. "I know I've been, what the bloody hell is going on?" He shouted, stopping once he made it through the door.
"Ron, calm down." Fred said, running a hand through his hair. His younger brother was anything but calm.
"Calm down, are you serious? Did you sleep in here?" Ron walked closely to the two, looking over at the obviously slept in bed. "How long has this been going on?" He pointed with disgust at the bed.
"I said you need to calm down before you say something you regret." Fred stood up, his angry becoming evident on his face. Hermione looked to the two brothers. Though Ron was taller than Fred, he paled in physical stance. He was lanky and uncoordinated. But the look on his face, made her believe Fred would have his work cut out for him in a fight.
"I've had enough of this. It's time for answers." Ron said harshly, before moving towards Hermione. Instantly Fred felt a pull, a pop, and he was no longer in the room.
Blue sky, sunshine, and birds chirping. Fred took in his surroundings calmly, before his eyes landed on his nearby companion. She sat perfectly still, eyes still tightly closed.
"Hermione." He whispered, scooting closer to her till their knees touched. Suddenly her eyes popped open.
"We're still here." She breathed in a sign of relief.
"How did we get here?" Fred gestured towards Harry's garden.
Hermione lifted her eyes to the sky. Enjoying the sun for the first time in ages. She relished in the soft breeze, as it made her hair dance around her face.
"Hermione?" Fred asked, bringing a hand to hers. Her eyes fell back down to meet his gaze. "How did we get out here?"
"I don't know." She paused. "I just. Ron was scaring me and he. I thought he was going to hurt you." She stopped again, nervous. "I wanted to take you away. I don't want you hurt." She let go of Fred's hand and used hers to cover her face. "The first place of peace I could think of was Harry's garden."
Fred sat quietly, listening to every word she said. He tried to care that she apparteted with in wards, that she had done magic yet again without her wand, but it didn't seem that important to him. She didn't want him hurt; that is what stuck out in his mind. The brightest witch of her time, cared for the prankster. So he sat there, with the biggest grin on his face.
"Fred? Why are smiling like that?" Hermione questioned, uncovering her face. But he didn't say a word, he just kept smiling at her. "We both can't be going crazy." She laughed at him.
"Hermione." He said, softly cupping her face with his hand. "I am going to make sure you laugh like that for the rest of your life."
Hermione felt her heart beat faster at Fred's vow. She put her hand to his, feeling the warmth. Let's just stay here, her mind screamed. No worry of Bellatrix, no questions of her ordeal. Just Fred and her, laughing for the rest of their lives.
"Hermione! Fred!" Ginny shouted, interrupting their intimate moment. She rushed the couple. "We have been looking everywhere for you two. How did you get out here? Ron is losing it!"
Hermione couldn't help but laugh again. Of course Ron was losing it, whenever was he not. Fred joined in. "Come on." He smiled pulling her to stand beside him. "We've been discovered." Ginny stepped towards her best girlfriend.
"Oh, get in here." Hermione smiled, opening her arms. The two girls held on tightly.
"I can't believe your actually here." Ginny cried into her shoulder. "I have missed you so much."
"I missed you too." Hermione replied, pulling back from the youngest Weasley. "I know you have a million questions for me and I have a million for you, but do you think we could eat first? I feel like I haven't eaten in ages." Hermione wrapped her hand around Fred's as Ginny released her from their embrace. There would be no getting his grin to disappear now.
"Of course, you two come inside now so everyone will stop freaking out." Ginny started towards the door.
"Don't think that will stop Ronnicks." Fred laughed, walking along with Hermione. Hand in hand they entered the house.
"Harry, I found them!" Ginny called out, making her way half way up the stairs. The sound of scrambling feet filled the air, as three boys came running down the stairs.
"Hermione!" Harry exclaimed as he raced towards her. "Are you alright?" He asked, stopping in front of her.
"I'm fine." She said, stifling a laugh as George fell down the last flight of stairs.
"I can hear you laughing Granger." George scuffed, pulling himself up. "I wouldn't be in this predicament if you would stop disappearing with my twin."
"I don't mind." Fred whispered to Hermione. She felt her body tingle at Fred's closeness. Yet it felt comfortable, like they had been this way their entire lives.
"How in the bloody hell did you do that?" Ron asked sharply.
"Before you bombard Hermione with all your questions, can we eat first?" Fred said, stepping slightly in front of her. Hermione's hand still wrapped in his.
"Well, there you all are. You two alright?" Molly smiled at the Fred and Hermione. They both nodded in response. "I thought so. Come in the kitchen everyone, let's eat. Ginny, can you get Fleur and Lavender? Bill and your father left for the ministry already." Molly gestured towards the back room where Fleur and Bill were staying temporary. Ginny followed suit, smiling back at Fred and Hermione.
"Aren't you starving?" Fred smirked down at Hermione.
"Starving." She replied and pulled him along to the kitchen. The room was filled with every breakfast food you could imagine. Stacks of pancakes, plates of sausage and bacon, biscuits, muffins, eggs, jelly, and jams. Hermione didn't know where to start, so she grabbed a little of everything.
Soon the room was filled with Weasleys, Harry, Hermione, and Lavender. Everyone digging into the feast, Molly included. Hermione looked around the room at her family. She was home, she was safe. Whether she wanted to or not, she knew it was time for the questions.
"Once everyone is done with breakfast, I would like to meet in the living room and discuss the last year." Hermione said, quieting the entire room. Every eye was turned to her. "I know you have questions. I have them too." She took a deep breath. "So, I'm going to clean myself up a little and then when you are all ready I will be in the living room." She looked around the room for a moment. "Ginny do you have any clothes I can borrow."
"Actually we got you some from the burrow last night." Fred said taking her hand.
"Thank you." Hermione smiled at him. "So I will see you all in a bit." She squeezed his hand once more before heading up to her room. Still not ready to see herself, Hermione jumped quickly in the shower to start anew.
"Well?" Ron asked Fred, who was finishing the last piece of bacon from his pile.
"Well, what?" He replied, glancing over at his younger brother.
"What is going on with you and Hermione? I caught you this morning pretty much in bed together and now she is holding your hand." Ron blurted out quickly. "Mom, you must have something to say about this?"
Molly looked up from her tea. "Actually no Ron. I'm surprised Hermione is even walking around and if being near Fred is helping her to do that. Well then that is a good thing."
"I think we have bigger things to worry about than who Hermione is holding hands with Ron." Harry said, standing to make his way into the living room.
"Yes, but." Ron stopped, growling in frustration.
"I think you should stop worrying about who Hermione is with, before you end up alone mate." George laughed pointing to the obviously annoyed Lavender.
"Alright boys, get this kitchen cleaned up and come into the living room." Molly smiled, patting Fred on the back before she headed out into the living room.
"Whatever." Ron mumbled as he waved his wand to clean the dishes around him.
"He's just lovely in the morning." George chimed, while sending his dishes flying to the sink.
"As right as rain." Fred followed.
As soon as the rest were done, everyone made their way into the living room. It was crowded, even by Weasley standards. Fleur and Molly sat on one side of the couch, with Lavender and Ron sat in the middle, Ginny sprawling out on the end. George and Fred took seats on the ground near the fireplace, while Harry found comfort in an old armchair.
Hermione could hear the commotion calming downstairs. They must be finished now, she said to herself. Ok, I can do this. She tried reassuring herself, but the idea of actually talking about the last months she could remember was terrifying. She didn't even have the strength to look at the damage that was done to her body and now she told them she would tell them everything.
She laid down on the still messy bed. Just a moment, I need just a moment. She breathed in, her memories lite up at Fred's smell, gunpowder and leather. After all those months just thinking about him, this is where they were. Together, she had to tell him how she really felt. Immediately she sat up at the thought. "After the questions." She promised herself.