Chapter Five

Two days later they were back in the lab working on a small batch of Clara Colores. They had combined all of the materials and were consulting the books to verify the correct brewing time when Hermione happened to look back at the cauldron.

"Fred…"

Fred grunted absently, reviewing his papers. "Huh?"

"Is it supposed to be doing that?"

He glanced up and his eyes grew wide. The potion was expanding into a large, luminous, green bubble that seemed perilously close to popping.

"Bloody..!" Fred dived, pulling Hermione to the floor with him just as the bubble exploded, releasing a bright blue smoke that enveloped the room.

The duo began coughing and gasping for air. "Granger! You okay?"

"Ugh! Think so. You?" She could hear him searching along the wall for the switch that activated the vent fan installed just for such eventualities.

A minute later the air had cleared and they caught sight of each other. They stood in shocked silence then burst into laughter. They were both nearly in tears before a single thought occurred to them at the exact same moment.

They stopped short and, in unison, queried, "What are you laughing about?"

Another pause. Both answered, again in unison. "You!"

Hermione felt a sudden panic. She rushed to her bag and retrieved a small hand mirror, held it up and promptly shrieked. Her hair, slightly unruly at the best of times, was now sticking out in all directions, as if she had experienced a surge of static electricity. But it was the color that caused her the most dismay.

Instead of its normal brown, her hair was now a brilliant shade of pink, of such a vibrant quality that it probably would not be found in nature. She stood stunned for a moment and then stammered, "I….I look like a pygmy puff!"

Fred found this observation hysterical and was soon doubled back over in laughter.

Hermione's eyes narrowed. "Think this is funny, do you?"

Fred was unable to breathe enough to answer so he simply nodded furiously. Hermione turned the mirror in his direction, angling it so he could get the full effect.

"As funny as this?" she said with a forced sweetness.

Fred looked into the mirror and abruptly fell silent.

His hair had also transformed but instead of pink and electrified, his had suddenly grown past his shoulders and was now a vivid white – with the exception of a single black stripe running down the center.

He let out a loud yelp. "What?!"

Hermione was smiling in mock sympathy. "Don't worry, Fred. I'm sure the Hufflepuffs will be glad to hire you on as their new mascot!"

There was another brief pause and then the fits of hilarity returned. They found that they were unable to stop. Soon their stomach muscles hurt and they were finding it difficult to breath.

"Quit!" Cried Hermione, desperately trying to bring herself under control. "We have to fix this!"

Fred wiped his face. "Don't worry, Granger. I'm pretty sure it's not permanent."

Her eyes grew wide. "PRETTY SURE?!"

Fred was trying to locate the parchment they had used while still trying to compose himself. "Okay. Right. Let's think about this." He began matching the items on the list to the bottles on the table. "Wait – the formula called for East German Iridencia. This bottle is just marked German."

"No." Hermione began to correct him. "The formula specifically called for German. Look right here." She gave the parchment a closer look and then gasped. "That smudge on the paper…."

Fred nodded. "Is an 'E'….abbreviation for East."

Hermione dropped her head into her hands. "How could I be so STUPID?! Any first year would have checked that!"

He gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "Steady on, Granger. They're actually pretty similar so the effects are almost certainly temporary. Give me a minute and I should be able to work out how long it will take before it wears off."

Hermione paced nervously around the room while Fred made his calculations. He found this amusing so he made sure to check his figures several times before putting down his quill.

"Right! If my calculations are correct – and they are – the effects should wear off in roughly 14…" He made a point of holding the paper up and pretending to review the answer once more.

"14 WHAT?" Cried Hermione. "Days? Weeks? Months? So help me, Fred Weasley, if you say 'years'…!"

"Ahem!" Fred snapped the paper and cleared his throat. "As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted, the effect will wear off in approximately 14…hours."

This seemed to appease her for the moment. Fred gave her a impish smirk. "Do tell me how the folks at the Leaky Cauldron like the new hairdo when you go home tonight."

Hermione squinted at him defiantly. "The 'folks' at the Leaky Cauldron won't have an opinion on the matter because I am staying right here until this" she gestured toward her hair, "turns back to normal." She plopped down on the sofa fixed him with an expression that dared him to attempt moving her.

Fred knew it would be easier to remove the squid from the lake at Hogwarts than to force Hermione to do anything she didn't want to do, so he gave a resigned shrug. "Fine with me." He paused. "Not sure what we're going to do about food though. They had been taking turns picking up meals each day but hadn't gone out yet that morning.

"You have food," stated Hermione.

"Since when?"

"Since this morning. Your Mum sent over a basket of groceries via Ginny."

Hermione was serving as sort of a buffer between Fred and his family. He was still finding it uncomfortable to be around them for any length of time. She tried to get a read on his expression. "I hope you don't mind. I took the liberty of putting it in the flat while you were getting ready down here." She saw his shoulder tense slightly at the mention of the flat. That was the one space he had still been unable to enter.

He turned his attention back to the papers in front of him.

"I could go up and get things started." She tried to keep her tone light. "We could have a proper meal at a dining table. Pretend to be regular people...Close as you and I can get looking like this, anyway."

He gave her a half smile. "Appreciate the thought, Granger, but I don't think so. Go on up if you like. Enjoy it with my compliments."

She hesitated and began slowly ascending the stairs. She stopped half way up. "Sure?"

Fred nodded and started rearranging the bottles on the table as she went on her way. He felt bad disappointing her. He knew that he needed to go into the flat sometime but feared that the emotions would be too strong so he kept putting it off. Maybe another day...

Half an hour later, Fred was still in the lab when he heard a slight rustling sound. He turned to see a beautiful origami bird fluttering towards him. He stared in admiration as it circled his head twice before hovering before his face. He reached up gently to touch it. As soon as his fingers brushed the paper, it carefully unfolded to reveal a hand written message - "Hungry?"

As a smile crept across his face, a wonderful aroma began to fill the room. Looking up Fred saw another "bird" – this one consisting of a fresh bacon butty, the warm strips forming the wings. It made a slow pass over his head, staying just out of his reach, before leisurely flying back up the stairs leading to the flat.

Fred's stomach reminded him just how long it had been since he had eaten. He wavered then gave in and followed it up the steps. He got to the open door and tentatively entered the room. Hermione was standing just inside, hands in her pockets, shuffling her feet.

"You okay?" She had apparently found a brush and managed to work the pink hair into some semblance of a plait, however a few stray curls were still poking out at odd directions around her face. Fred thought it was very difficult to be cross with someone when they were in that condition.

He gave her a look. "You don't fight fair, do you?"

Hermione tipped her head. "Figured it was going to take some doing the first time." She stepped towards him and nervously placed her hand on his arm as he looked around the space. He carefully walked to the center of the room trying to manage his feelings as memories of the time he and George lived there came flooding back. A single tear ran down his cheek.

"I'm sorry!" blurted Hermione. "This was a bad idea wasn't it? I should have just brought the food down to the lab."

Fred sniffed and wiped his cheek with his sleeve. "No. It's okay. " He took a deep breath. "Needed to do this sometime." He then noticed the kitchen table, laden with all manner of food and drink. "Merlin's beard!"

Hermione giggled. "I wasn't sure what you might be in the mood for so I made a bit of everything. Hope there's something there you like."

Fred laughed softly. "It looks amazing."

She beamed as she pulled him over and directed him into a chair. "Well, that is sight and smell covered," she said, piling a plate with various items before depositing it before him, "Now comes the important bit…taste."

Fred ate his fill, proclaiming that it all tasted "brilliant".

Afterwards, they sat quietly enjoying their tea. The warm sun streaming through the window combined with a full stomach began to affect Fred. His head dropped to his chest before he snapped back to attention.

"I didn't realize my conversational skills were that lacking," Hermione teased.

"It's not the company," he reassured her. "Just...not sleeping well."

Hermione considered her tea cup. "Bad dreams?"

He hesitated but, knowing she understood, nodded slowly. She sat for a moment, studying the leaves in the bottom of the cup. "I'll make you a deal. Seeing as how I can't really go anywhere looking like this, how about you go in there and try to sleep. I'll stay out here and clean up. If need be, I'll wake you. Okay?"

Fred almost declined but exhaustion got the better of him. He nodded and trudged sleepily off towards his old bedroom. He paused when he reached the door. "Granger?"

"Yes?"

"Been a long time since I laughed like that."

Hermione smiled. "Me, too."

He started into the room and then paused once again. " 'Mione?"

Her heart swelled at the sound of her old nickname. "Yes, Fred?"

"Thanks."

"You're welcome."

Fred slept for about an hour before the nightmare returned. At first there was just blackness, then he began hearing the screams, smelling the smoke and seeing the blood….

He was running, eventually finding himself in the Great Hall where he saw the bodies. The wounded on one side of the room. The deceased on the other. He saw red hair among the dead and sprinted over, collapsing beside the body of his twin. As the scream erupted from him he looked beside George and saw the rest of his family – Arthur, Molly, Bill, Charlie, Percy, Ron, Ginny – all lying there lifeless as well. He began to sob uncontrollably, the only word escaping his lips being "NO!" over and over.

He woke with tears rolling down his face. After a moment he became aware of a presence near him, rocking back and forth. A delicate hand brushed through his hair and a soft voice pleaded, "Fred…Fred…wake up…it's okay…please….wake up…"

He realized that Hermione was there with him, tears in her eyes as well. He quickly wiped his face and sniffed. "Sorry," he muttered.

Hermione continued to stroke his hair. "Nothing to be sorry about," she said. "Happen often?"

Fred nodded.

"Want to talk about it?"

Fred stared across the room for a long while before speaking. "I'm in the battle. I enter the Hall. I see George lying there….except it isn't just George. It's everyone. Mum, Dad, Bill, Charlie, Ron…" His voice caught as he struggled back a sob, "Ginny….everybody…dead…"

Hermione's heart broke to see the pain in his eyes. She waited until his breathing began to return to normal and then gently whispered, "Want to know what I was thinking about while I was cleaning up the flat?"

Fred turned to look at her. She was gazing at the wall as if she were watching a movie in her mind. "I was thinking of the last time I saw you with white hair." She smiled at him. "It was my fourth year. The Tri-Wizard Tournament. You and George decided you were going to put your names in the goblet. Remember?"

Fred chuckled. "I remember you were very cross with us." He cleared his throat and raised his voice to a feminine level " 'Dumbledore himself drew this circle…. "

Hermione sniffed in mock disapproval. "I do not sound like that." Fred raised an eyebrow. Hermione added "Much…"

Both suppressed a soft laugh and then Hermione added, "Do you know why I was so cross with you?"

"Of course. We broke the sacred rules," said Fred, making a face at her.

Hermione playfully swatted him on the arm. "No…well, not entirely." She took a deep breath. "I was mainly cross because I was jealous."

Both of Fred's eyebrows raised. "Jealous? The 'brightest witch of her age' jealous of a couple of unruly prats?"

She gave him a shove. "Stop that. Yes – jealous. I spent so much time studying and I realized at that moment that no matter how hard I worked I would never be able to produce the kind of magic that you and Georgie did so effortlessly. You never seemed to study or care about your marks, and yet you were able to create the most brilliant magic I had ever seen. It didn't seem fair to me." She sighed. "But if the last couple of years have taught me anything it's that life isn't fair and sometimes you just have to accept that."

Fred placed his hand on hers. "Hermione Granger, if I ever thought - for even one minute – that you were truly ready to accept unfairness of any kind in this world then I really would give up."

Their eyes locked for a minute before Hermione shifted her weight and started to stand. "Right. We still have a few hours before we turn back to normal. Why don't you try to get some more sleep?"

Fred kept hold of her hand, looking a bit embarrassed. He started to ask, "Would you…."

Hermione smiled and squeezed his hand before settling back in and brushing the hair from his forehead. "Of course."

Fred exhaled deeply and closed his eyes. "Just til I fall asleep?"

Hermione whispered, "Long as you like".

By the next morning their hair had returned to the way that it looked before but the way that they saw each other had been permanently altered.

And so it began. Without ever discussing it they soon developed a system. Whenever one of them would start to notice the tell-tale signs that sleep was eluding the other, they would retrieve the flannel from the sofa and silently hand it over. This signaled the other's promise to stay nearby in case the nightmares reappeared.

The dreams still occurred but the knowledge that someone would be there when they did helped ease the anxiety and made the idea of sleep less frightening. Knowing there would be a hand to hold or a shoulder to cry on provided a needed comfort to both of them.

They might still have demons to face, but at least now they weren't facing them alone.