The Black Mansion was overflowing with long shadows and dim corners. In spite of this, Hermione found it difficult to perceive the overall atmosphere that the house oozed. as threatening. Instead, the darkness provided comfort. Masking her sorrows and cleansing her anguish. The obscurity calmed her in ways that Fred could not. Though, there was not much which Fred couldn't do for her. He was Hermione's rock when she felt she was about to crumple beneath the weight of this callous situation.

Harry Potter turned out to be mistaken. Finding James' location turned out to be much harder then earlier predicted. Luna and Neville were operating incessantly to get this task done. Unfortunately, it was without prevail. The Hunter's coordinates didn't turn up. There were countless teams, sent in by the Order, out there looking high and low.

Three days following James' abduction had Hermione fidgeting restlessly in the kitchen as Molly bustled about, making breakfast. It was nine o'clock in the morning. Not that you would be able to tell within headquarters. It appeared more akin to midnight. Remus was sitting to Hermione's right side at a table. He was in the middle of reviewing an assortment of paperwork. Every now and then, he would glance up from his work to scan over Hermione.

Her eyes were no longer the dazzling, intelligent, brown that he had always held a fondness for. Instead, they were lifeless and bloodshot. Due to many tears over the past few days, no doubt. Remus had been struggling to cheer her up a tad. To reassure her that James would be in her arms in no time.

For the thousandth time in only the hour, Remus found himself saying, "All right, 'Mione?" All he received was a look that made him doubt his intelligence. "Uh, you look a little frazzled."

"Is it really that bloody blatant?" Hermione asked sarcastically. She raised a thin, coffee-brown eyebrow at him and narrowed her eyes.

"Right," Remus muttered quietly, "Of course you're jittery. Why shouldn't you be?" He sighed and glanced from his paperwork, to her, and back again. "You should busy yourself doing something, Hermione."

"Oh! Like what? You have already told me that I am to remain cooped in this God forsaken mansion until the threat is over. What do you suppose I do, Moony? Clean? All I want to do is get out there and search for my son!" Hermione was glowering at the werewolf in a fashion more frightening then Greyback had when Remus was originally bitten.

"Hermione-" Remus began yet another explanation to the young woman, but was interrupted when Fred and George burst into the room.

"Morning all!" George said enthusiastically. The twins had done everything they could think of to keep all the members' spirits up. Fred, of course, had been concentrating on Hermione. That fact seemed to go over everyone, but George's, head.

Remus watched as Fred strolled over to Hermione and brush his lips over hers. That seemed to bring her out of the current staring match she was having with the kitchen partition. Remus was stunned and puzzled, to say the least. Looking around at the other observers, he'd say he wasn't the only one. Molly was looking between the two with a hand on her hips, wooden spoon pointed to the ceiling, and mouth ajar in confusion. George was shaking his head.

"You looked like you could use one." Fred grinned as Hermione's eyebrows shot up questioningly. "Good Morning, Love." Glancing around the room, Fred innocently asked, "What?"

Lupin chuckled lightly and Molly glared before returning to the pan in front of her. "Well isn't that the sweetest thing I've seen for donkey's years!," George smiled audaciously.

"Clear off, George," Hermione grumbled before swatting at Fred.

"'Aye, what'd I do?," Fred pouted at her with Bambi eyes. She seemed to be immune to them, however.

"You don't just come up to someone and kiss them!"

Fred put his hands up defensively, "You do if they're your girlfriend."

"What?" This had Hermione sitting up, straight, in her chair. No one would have thought that Fred Weasly would ever label Hermione Granger his girlfriend. Remus had abandoned his papers on the table to give this morning act all his attention.

George walked over to lean against the cabinet next to his mum. Leaning over, "Our little boy is growing up so fast. Seems only yesterday you were putting baby powder on his arse, don't it?"

Molly turned to him, "Shut it, George. Or I'll box your ears."

"That is considered child abuse. And it is frowned upon in most societies."

"Don't get cheeky with me," Molly seethed. George held his hands up in mock surrender before turning back to Fred who was smiling more than he'd ever seen.

"Well, Granger, do you usually have snogging fests in the hall closest with men you don't consider your boyfriend?" Fred asked, speaking in a way that he would to a kindergartener. Remus laughed and smiled as Hermione's ears turned crimson, "Or shag a guy you don't consider your boyfriend in his home…and a hall closet."

"Fred!" Hermione shouted in appall, "I can't believe you just said that!" She looked at Lupin with a blush cast across her cheeks that made her rival a cherry.

"That's bullocks, 'Mione. You know I love to speak my mind," Fred snickered. George and Molly nodded their head in agreement as Hermione frowned at Fred. "So? What do you say, 'Mione? Be my girlfriend?"

Fred couldn't help but hold his breath as she opened her mouth, closed it, and opened it again. As if weighing what she was about to say. God, maybe to her it really was only physical. Maybe she had only said he meant a lot to her so she'd have someone to help get her mind off of James' kidnapping. He felt his heart lodge into his throat.

"Yes."

"Pardon?"

Hermione broke into the first small smile that she had in days, "I said yes. I'll be your girlfriend."

Remus watched the pair with pride as Fred's eyes seemed to ignite with happiness while he swooped forwards and wrapped the, equally content, brunette in a loving embrace. "Blimey, 'Mione. That's the closest I've ever come to a heart attack," Fred chuckled.

"Now, don't you go making me regret this decision, Fred," Hermione grinned, "No botching it all up."

Fred put his hand over his heart and put three fingers up with his other hand, "Scouts honor."

George shook his head, "You were never a boy scout. Thank goodness!" He eyed Remus, "Could you honestly imagine him in one of those hideous uniforms?"

"Heavens, no," Remus laughed buoyantly, "I can't even imagine Fred starting a fire without his wand."

Everyone laughed as Fred scowled, "Fine! Thanks a whole heap everyone. Laugh at my expense," he stuck his tongue out a Hermione, "Some girlfriend."

Hermione smiled, "Mature."

George sighed, "I guess I was wrong 'bout Fred never having a chance with a gorgeous woman such as yourself, 'Mione. You must have a thing for the younger twin."

"I'm not younger! I was born first," Fred said, eying his brother in mock outrage.

"You were not! Tell him Mum!" George argued before both twins turned to Molly. Hermione and Remus laughed as Molly refused to answer the grown men's pleas.

"Why does it matter?" Ginny asked, coming into the room with Harry and Ron on her heels. They had heard the gist of the banter, "You were both mistakes. Accidents. Poor Mum and Dad when they found out they were having not only one but two."

"We were not an accident," George reasoned.

"We were a delightful surprise!" Everyone laughed at Fred's closure.

"Sure you were, Hun," Hermione grinned slightly as she stood and kissed her new boyfriend's cheek.

Fred's eyes warmed when they fell on her, "Thank you, Love."

"Hey, I was a delightful surprise as well. Where's my kiss?" George pouted, leaning towards Hermione.

Fred gave George a fixed stare and wrapped his arm around Hermione's waist, "Watch it, George."

"Fine. Don't share," George said with a sigh, before turning to the kitchen's new occupants, "I guess you have figured out the up-to-the-minute news."

"It's bloody blatant, really," Harry laughed and cocked his head to Fred and Hermione, "The chap's more protective over 'Mione then Remus' inner wolf gets with Tonks."

The man in question, reddened, "I can't help it."

Hermione smiled compassionately, "That's alright, Remus. I think it's sweet that you're so caring."

Fred jumped up to sit on the kitchen's island and Hermione rested between his thighs with her back resting against his body. Ginny found the sight utterly adorable and covered her mouth to hide her internal "aww." Ron flushed in displeasure.

Fred kissed Hermione's neck below her ear before muttering, "I care very much. Do you think I'm sweet?"

She scrunched up her nose and turned her neck to look back at him, "Sweet?" She raised an eyebrow in mock disagreement before breaking into a tiny smile, "Very."

Harry teetered fretfully on his feet, hating that he had to tear his best friend from her first moment of happiness in days, "Uh, I'm sorry to break this up; but, a member of the former D.A., Dean Thomas, has just reported the location of some suspicious Death Eater activities outside Surrey."

Mrs. Weasly groaned, probably due to the fact that her many sons and one daughter would be sent out momentarily, along with the rest of the kitchen. No one besides Hermione would be here to finish the massive breakfast she'd slaved over.

Remus stood up, "We'll send a team out on the location immediately." He glanced at Hermione, as if contemplating something. He hated the fact that she was back to her zombie-like state already. Instead of leaning into her boyfriend's arms, she was stiff and standing up straight.

"Remus," Hermione said quietly, "What if I go in my animagus form? I'll stay in the form the entire time, remain out of sight, stick to the shadows, and use my enhanced sense of smell to locate James. I know his scent."

Remus was taken, to some extent, aback at the logic to her proposal. That was before recalling that she was the cleverest witch of the age. Everyone around him seemed to be pleading for him to give a solid negative. Yet, Remus had to do what was best for the Order and he knew Hermione was the key to finding James. "Okay. But the second someone sees you out of your animagus form, you'll be forced to deapparate back to headquarters."

"Wait a second," George said in disbelief, "You're an animagus?" Everyone looked at Hermione in surprise. Not even Harry and Ron had heard of this before.

Fred gripped Hermione's waist a little tighter at the way this conversation was running. She had kept something like this from him? It hurt a little that she hadn't mentioned it before. Also, he didn't want Hermione to be sent out on a mission with everyone else. He didn't want her to jeopardize her life. But, what he really didn't want was for her to know he had his doubts. "Show us, Love."

Hermione nodded before moving out of Fred's grasp and looking to Harry and Ron with a small smile. Within moments, instead of a curly haired, 5'5, witch; there was an auburn coated fox. The only recognizable feature, Fred noticed in awe, was her eyes. The fox still held Hermione's beautiful brown orbs.

"Figures, she's a fox," George laughed but sobered when Fred shot him a hard glance, "I didn't mean it like that! Sure, she's beautiful; but foxes are sly, quick-witted creatures. Also, they are devious and cunning. It just figures that she would become one in her animagus form."

Fred watched as the fox walked over and nudged George in the leg, as if in gratification for the compliment. Remus nodded to himself at George's explanation, He had thought the same thing, yesterday, when he had found out about Hermione being an unregistered animagus.

Hermione transformed back into her human self and moved away from George and back to Fred. "It's a helpful talent of mine. No one, outside of you all, knows. Therefore, the Death Eaters won't be expecting it and won't know who I am. Thus, I can go on the mission and find my son, without The Hunter knowing that the person he is tracking is right in front of his nose."

Harry acquiesced with all this, but said, "I still don't like the idea of Hermione going out into a zone where we know for a fact Death Eaters are. Not when she's the entire reason for all this." Fred figured he could of hugged the man for being the one to state hesitation.

Remus exhaled noisily, "'Mione is correct. She has every right to be out there and searching for her son. When she's in her animagus form, she can please both herself and the Order. She finds her son and we keep her from the hands of The Hunter."

Hermione sent Remus a look of gratefulness, which he shrugged away. "I'm telling you all not to worry," She bit back a groan at all her friends' protective tendencies, "I'll be fine and go unnoticed." She leaned against the island, next to Fred and crossed her arms over her chest. Within seconds Fred's hands were on her hips and pulling her back to their original position. Only, this time Fred's grip was a tad more desperate.

"Please," He whispered in her ear, "Just stay here."

"I can't do that and you know it."