A/N: Hey everyone, this is going to be the final chapter for the little saga I've put together for you. Kinda short and sweet, just wrapping up the last few loose ends I think, and getting you all off that cliff. Any questions or plot flaws, shoot me a message or a review and I'll be happy to respond :D
If you would like an epilogue, I may do a short sliced together shot of the future, but please let me know in the reviews! :)
I have to say that even though it's been a short journey, I've loved writing this story and being able to share it with all of you. Thank you for coming along for the ride, reviewing, hanging on in suspense, and sending me all of the positivity (along with any constructive criticisms along the way).
As always, please review, because I do really love reading them. I hope that this satisfies all cliff hanger hate :)
***DISCLAIMER: THERE IS SMUT/LEMONS IN THIS CHAPTER*** (although I mean, they just got back to each other, did you actually expect anything less from me?)
Disclaimer: JKR is queen and I am not worthy ~ She owns HP and also my heart.
Chapter Ten - Resolutions
Hermione's body hit the floor with a painful thud. If she had to guess, a couple of ribs had cracked or at least bruised severely.
"Damnit, I'm so sorry Hermione." Ron fumbled, "I was aiming for Fred. You know I would never hurt you on purpose."
Fred looked down worriedly at his fiancée, right hand twitching to extend his wand and help her.
"Fred, don't you get it? She's not yours to help." Ron seemingly read his thoughts and walked closer but Fred stood protectively by Hermione, noting that the bond was rapidly disappearing up his arm.
Ron removed the curse from Hermione, but only to allow her face movement, effectively only allowing her to speak. He aimed his wand at his brother with a dark gleam in his eyes, "I'm going to hurt you, you monster, like you've been hurting Hermione all these years."
"Ron, you don't have to do this. You don't need to hurt him for me." Hermione pleaded. Ron ignored her, fixed on the twin standing before him.
Fred raised his own wand, "Ron, I don't want to hurt you. You're my baby brother."
A loud crack suddenly echoed through the flat and before anyone could register the arrival of a new person, Ron fell to the floor, writhing, ropes binding themselves around him magically and his wand flung away from his body. Hermione's eyes drifted from the incarcerated body on the floor to his attacker and came face to face with a fiery-eyed Molly Weasley.
"That was…" Fred began.
"Unexpected." Hermione finished.
Fred hurriedly lifted the curse from Hermione as Molly rushed towards them both. She swept her long-lost son into her arms, crushing him against her bosom in an embrace so tight that Fred joked, "You'll suck the life right back out of me, mum."
After a few more moments, Molly let her son go and turned to survey the rest of the room, waving her wand to lift curses from the rest of the group.
"How did you know about all this?" Hermione questioned the matriarch.
"I was in the kitchen getting a head start on this year's Christmas sweaters – the family keeps growing, see – and I noticed that one by one, the hands on the family clock started turning to 'danger'. With everything that had been going on recently with you and Ron, I was concerned, so I checked his bedroom and found a bunch of books and papers regarding that bond of yours. As soon as I found them I apparated here, and just in time too." Molly turned to look at her youngest son still struggling on the floor. Her eyes betrayed sadness and disappointment as she turned away and began bustling around the others, checking that they weren't injured.
Hermione wheezed as she sat up, ribs definitely tender and hindering her breathing. She chanced a glance at the bond on her left arm and let out a strangled yelp.
"Are you alright, love?" Fred asked worriedly, crouching in front of her and instinctively taking her hand in his. The room glowed a bright white, overpowering all other senses. All that Fred and Hermione could see were each other in an expanse of white light, drowning everything out.
"No!" Ron cried from his bound position on the floor. Ginny shot a silencing spell in his direction as she and her mother sobbed at the sight.
The light dissipated and the room slowly made its way back into focus. Hermione could see Harry and George's faces of awe, Angelina's understanding, and Percy's curiosity. Fred's right hand came up to caress her cheek, leaving their left joined. Their eyes were drawn to the thick, silvery-white cord stemming from Hermione's heart to Fred's and the reality of everything hit Hermione like a train. Thick tears rolled down her face and small sobs escaped her lips. Fred thumbed the tears away as soon as they bloomed and bowed their foreheads together.
"I love you, Mia." Fred stated simply, but in that statement was a lifetime of sentiment.
"I love you too, Fred." Hermione responded, 'my Fred' she thought to herself.
They shared a soft, lingering kiss. A strange vibration in magic broke the pair apart and Hermione's eyes grew wide as she watched the semi-permanent objects in her house, including Fred, become suddenly solid.
"I think that the magic decided to merge the universes." Percy concluded.
"Do you think it was love?" Harry asked with a wink. Everyone laughed.
The family was gathered at the Weasley home, sitting in various states around the living room while Molly busied herself in the kitchen. Fred had a heartfelt reunion with everyone gathered, whilst his nonexistence remained unknown to anyone outside of present company. Ron was notably missing, as Harry had sent a patronus directly to Kingsley Shacklebolt, the democratically appointed Minister for Magic, to ask for an Auror to be sent to pick Ron up and be taken to St. Mungo's. He had been processed into the system and was currently in a rehabilitation program to help with his anger issues and obsession with Hermione. As a war hero, the hospital members privy to his treatments had taken a vow (less serious than an unbreakable) where they were not allowed to speak of his existence at the hospital to anyone besides the people within the pact, to prevent it from getting to the tabloids. During processing, Hermione had been rushed to a different wing of the hospital and treated for her ailments. She had cracked two ribs, one of which was dangerously close to puncturing a lung. However, with a little skele-grow and a touch of magic, Hermione was right as rain, albeit a little stiff in some areas. Hermione had attempted to see Ron a final time before he was sent away, but the mediwitch in charge of the rehab program had advised against it for his condition, especially considering his fixation on her.
During the hubbub caused by a Weasley family gathering (that finally included both twins), Hermione tracked quietly into the kitchen, finding a demure Molly staring out at her garden through the window. She coughed a little to announce herself, so as not to startle the older witch, and Molly smiled a sad smile as she recognised who it was.
"Hermione, dear, you shouldn't be on your feet right now." Molly pulled out a chair and motioned for her to sit. She turned around to make some tea for the two and settled down on a chair opposing Hermione.
"Thank you, Molly. For everything. That can't have been easy – turning your wand on a family member, I don't know if I could have. I don't know what to say, how to repay you." Hermione's voice choked a little, unsure and curious as to what was going through the matriarch's mind.
"It wasn't easy, I won't lie to you, but it had to be done. The choice was made for me when Ron acted the way he did towards you, and especially your relationship with his brother. I could liken the moment to facing Bellatrix when she came close to hurting Ginny. It was instinctual to protect you." Molly took Hermione's hands in hers across the table and looked her squarely in the eyes, only a little anguish betraying her, "Hermione, you are as much my daughter as Ginny is, as far as I'm concerned. Knowing that you and Fred are engaged to be married just solidifies that fact. You have nothing at all to be thanking me for, in fact, I should be thanking you, for giving me my son back."
Hermione was openly crying. She had long thought of Molly as a mother towards her, especially in the magical world, even after hearing Molly say that she was a part of the family and she was like her daughter on several occasions, nothing could compare to the resolution that she saw in Molly's eyes during the events of the day. Hermione was exhausted, sore, hungry, and overall emotional, allowing her tears to flow freely as Molly cried with her, the two embracing as they let everything out.
Neither of the ladies noticed the figure that had been standing in the doorway, proud as hell of his mother, but even prouder of his fiancée. The enormity of the moment didn't escape Fred, and he smiled to himself, completely indebted to the two powerful witches seated before him. He took another moment to allow the most important women in his life a little privacy as they completely bawled their eyes out, before he stepped forward and cleared his throat, eyes glistening.
Molly wiped her tears hurriedly when she saw her son, trying to never quite betray that "always okay" façade, and turned once again to check on her stove for dinner. Hermione simply stayed where she was and opened her arms for an expected hug, which Fred gladly provided, causing her to cry even more.
"Love, I'm here, I'm real, you did it baby, you're stuck with me here forever." Fred whispered into her hair.
Hermione smiled a little, sniffing back a few straggling tears, "It feels so good to just hug you, hear your voice, smell your uniquely Fred scent."
"Mia, I will never grow tired of being with you." Fred responded and held her closer.
Molly looked at the couple, observing everything, knowing just how perfect they were for each other, "Words can't express how happy I am that the two of you are together. It just fits."
Hermione and Fred stayed locked in their embrace and looked up at their mother, smiling, "Yeah," Fred started, "It really does."
"Freeeeed," Hermione whinged.
It had been an entire week since Fred had been back in her life and Hermione was frustrated. He wasn't letting her do anything "on doctor's orders" to the point where he was even helping her dress. She had hoped that maybe seeing her naked would also lead to a little more than just dressing, but Fred was being stubborn. It wasn't even that she particularly wanted sex, just a way to be closer to Fred, and cuddles were just not cutting it. Fred had been extra cautious around Hermione, hoping not to disturb her bruises and broken bones too much, whilst still trying to remain as close to her as possible constantly. He had explained that he had some memories of the time that he was in the other universe, but they faded slightly, like dreams, when the universes merged – or more like the other universe's existence of Fred had been transplanted into this one, Hermione had deduced. This meant that to Fred, the couple had made love several times recently, and to Hermione, it had been months of abstinence and having Fred so close to her was driving her crazy.
"Yes, love?" Fred called from the kitchen. He had forced her to sit on the couch as he cooked for them both, as he had been doing all week.
"Please let me help or do something?" Hermione whined, "I feel utterly useless and I'm perfectly fine!"
"The doctors said a week–" Fred began.
"It has been a week!" Hermione countered, "A very long, very tortuous week."
"Angel, it hasn't been that bad, stop being so melodramatic." Fred leant in the doorframe to the kitchen with a hand on his hip. Hermione pouted back at him and he laughed, "Alright, come here and help me stir this pasta.
"Fettuccini carbonara?" Hermione asked hopefully.
"Of course, it's your favourite." He replied as he took her waist and guided her to the stove.
The smell was amazing and Hermione was revelling in it, memorising every detail. It hadn't fully registered that she missed such small things in the time that she had without him, but Fred's carbonara was the most amazing meal on the planet and she wanted to commit it to her memory forever.
"Are you going to just stand there with your nose in the air or are you going to help me?" Fred asked, poking her lightly with the end of a wooden spoon.
Hermione huffed slightly but smiled, "I'm helping, I am!"
"I don't see it." Fred replied, teasingly.
Hermione's response was a quick flick of her wand, setting the pots to stir themselves.
Fred pouted at her, "Now where's the fun in that?"
She moved over to the stove and took the moving spoon, pulling out a piece of fettuccini and tasting it, "It's ready anyway."
She flicked her wand at the pasta once again to set itself draining over the sink as Fred moved back to the sauce, adding a last dash of parmesan and stirring languorously.
The couple ate together at the smaller, more intimate kitchen table. Hermione turned the radio on for some background music and poured two glasses of wine while Fred plated the pasta. Dinner was slow as they spent the entire time talking and laughing, catching up on each other and reminiscing.
When they were both satisfied, Fred set the dishes to wash themselves and they both snuggled up on the couch together to finally watch Hercules together, like they had planned. They laughed, cried, paused the movie to get snacks, laughed some more, and even had a heated debate about the logistics of Hades' hair. When the movie was well and truly over, they decided to go to bed.
"Tired yet, love?" Hermione asked innocently.
"Not yet, I thought I might start reading one of the mountain of recommended books you've so graciously stacked beside the bed for me." Fred jibed.
"As thoughtful as that sounds," She rolled her eyes, "I was hoping to spend some more time with you."
"Alright Mia, what did you have in mind?" Fred could play the innocent game too.
Hermione sighed exasperatedly and climbed on to the bed, "Fred, I know that you're being fragile with me, but I really need you."
He didn't expect her to be so forthcoming, "I need you too love, are you sure?"
"I have never been surer in my life." Hermione nodded and crawled up the bed, towards her lover.
When she reached him, he cupped her face gently and pulled her in for a long, tender kiss. She traced her fingers across his shoulders, arms, chest, eventually pulling his shirt off to feel his skin beneath her fingertips. Fred was doing similar things, drawing circles on her back and threading his fingers into her hair. Her shirt soon followed his and Hermione hummed as her breasts found contact with his bare chest.
Fred pulled back for a moment, "Mia, I need you." He repeated.
"I don't want this to be just sex, Fred. I need you too, like I've never felt before." Hermione whispered.
His hands twined into her hair again and they kissed feverishly for a moment before slowing down again. They removed the rest of their clothing, breaking the kiss as minimally as possible, and Fred lay Hermione down in the centre of the bed, his muscular form hovering above her. His forearms framed her face, hair cascading out like a halo around her on the bed as he played with a strand near her ear.
"I love you, Mia." Fred kissed her forehead and slowly moved himself inside of her.
Hermione had missed this. The feeling of being full, being completed by her other half. They were joined together physically and emotionally, tethered by their magic and love. Fred was as deep as he could be, buried inside his fiancée to the fullest, he kissed her softly down her face, neck and collar bones, arching her body up to be as close as possible using his hand on her back.
And then he moved. Their eyes connected and Hermione felt tears pricking from the intensity of the moment. Fred's movements were long and slow. Neither of them felt the need to move fast, savouring every second of being together like it was their first time all over again. He kissed her slowly, deeply, willing her to know how much she meant to him from that single kiss. Hermione matched it with her own love, arms snaking around his neck as she pulled her hips to meet him further.
They stayed at a constant pace for a while, revelling in small touches and little kisses, remembering how it felt to be loved so fully, to feel so right in the world.
Hermione extended her left arm up, just above her head and Fred took the cue, taking her hand in his left and watching their magic spring to life. Colours spread around them, red for their love and passion, gold for their magic and courage, black for their hardships, and white for their peace. It was overwhelming to the senses and just pure magic. As Fred continued to move inside her, she felt her body crying out for release, craving her partner more and more, loving his touch, remembering the feel of his body over her. The pace quickened slightly, their kisses growing more feverish, more passionate. Hermione's free arm was clutching Fred's back as she held her body closer to his, breasts heaving against his chest with every stroke. Fred braced himself against her and thrust deep and hard, willing Hermione to let go with him.
Together they moved, moaning each other's' names, matching each other, fitting together perfectly, until finally, amidst the throes of passion, Hermione's broken cry of "Fred" came along with her crashing orgasm. Fred let himself cum too, slowing down until they were rocking together, riding out the most intense orgasm they'd both had. The magic around them continued to swirl and Hermione had begun to cry, tears that could only express how much overwhelming love she felt for Fred, and how much love she had been given from this man within her.
"I love you, Fred. You're my everything." Hermione whispered into his chest.
"I love you too, Hermione. I'll be with you forever." Fred replied.
A/N: As always, I would love a review from you all. They honestly make my day. I literally squeal when I see the email notification and start flashing my phone around to my boyfriend until he reads it and says "good job, honey".
SO PROVE ME RIGHT AND MAKE SURE HE KNOWS PEOPLE READ THIS AND STUFF :D
See you in the (potential) epilogue xxx