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The wolf
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Bill came home a little calmer and very thoughtful after his conversation with Ginny. He walked into his flat and threw his jacket on an armchair, stopped with his arms resting on his waist and looked around. As usual, his house was very well organised and clean, except for the ashtray that was overflowing with cigarette butts by the windowsill. The flat was a small loft: downstairs there was a small kitchen, which had no table, just a counter and two stools (which, for him, was more than enough); a double bed methodically arranged, a bookcase on which Bill had cast a spell so that no dust would ever accumulate, a small two-seater sofa and an armchair. The upstairs, however, had not been visited by Bill for years. It was above the kitchen and the redhead knew that there were still stickers of clouds and pink dragons stuck to the wall, that a cot was still half assembled in a corner gathering dust, and that a box of mementos from his wedding was still lying on the floor. Bill's flat translated well to his life: organised in general, but with a chaotic room hidden from the public eye.
He headed to the kitchen and poured himself a glass of Firewhiskey, sat down by the windowsill and lit a cigarette. He had no regrets about agreeing to marry Hermione. As for signing a contract and living with the chestnut, he was relatively relaxed. The idea of eventually consummating the marriage didn't seem bad to him either, as she had become a very beautiful and interesting woman, and he had in a short time already developed a certain affection for her. However, he was concerned that the consummation of the marriage should beget a child, and he was concerned that he would have to maintain an involuntary celibacy in order not to tarnish her reputation.
Bill was a rather famous curse-breaker, but there wasn't as much spotlight on him as on Hermione, the golden girl tipped to be the next Minister. No one cared that Bill slept with four or five different women in a half-year period, his life had not been the subject of interest since his divorce, which had been a major scandal in the wizardly world. The redhead had gone from 'the man attacked by Greyback' to 'the man who split up with the Veela' to, finally, 'some Ministry official I can't remember the name of'. However, once everyone knew that he and Hermione were getting married, the spotlight would be on him again, and he should take triple care not to publicy his sexual adventures.
And as for having children, well, Bill for a while believed he would be a father, and the chaotic room above his head proved it. However, after finding out that Victoire was not his, he felt as if the ground was torn out from under his feet. It was very, very hard for Bill to deal with. It was undeniable that he had loved Fleur, but he did not suffer much from the divorce itself. His suffering was caused almost entirely by the discovery that Victoire did not have his blood. He didn't know if, after all that, he would be able to be a father. Let alone a father within a loveless marriage. He feared that - when the time came - Hermione would gestate a child by another man and he would go through it all again. He pushed the glass away and drank the liquid straight from the bottle.
The redhead eventually fell asleep sitting up and woke up to owl pecks on his window. He recognized the animal and opened the latch while rubbing his eyes. As soon as he unlocked the window, he heard knocking on the door. Great, he grumbled. The sun had barely risen and he was already being pestered in two different ways. He walked to the door as he pointed his wand at his mouth and brushed away the bad breath from having slept in after a few cigarettes smoked. As he opened the door, Hermione flew into the flat.
"You didn't answer my owl, so I decided to come here" she said, stopping in the middle of the room and staring at the redhead, who still had his eyes almost closed from the sleepless night.
"Your owl just got here" he replied and turned his face towards the clock on the wall beside the door. "And it's six thirty in the morning!"
"Sorry", she asked, embarrassed. "It was urgent".
Bill pointed to the sofa, indicating that Hermione could sit there so they could talk, and rubbed his eyes with the back of his hands. He noticed at last that the chestnut girl's hair was loose and wet, and a strong smell of soap emanated from her, denoting that she had just taken a shower. He saw the witch looking attentively everywhere, as if measuring the flat with her own eyes. He noticed her look of interest when her brown eyes landed on the bookshelf. He huffed to get her attention, and Hermione pulled three parchments from a very small bag and placed them on the coffee table.
"I got letters from your mother, Ginny and George" she explained, as she positioned the parchments next to each other. "Did you tell them about the wedding?"
"I did", he replied, and received a disapproving look from Hermione. "I know we were going to wait, but I felt pressured. Luna told him she saw us and you can imagine the kind of assumptions George made about that".
The witch sighed, her cheeks were hot.
"Well... I suppose it's easier now to ask Ginny to be our witness" Hermione said. "I only really wish Harry knew it for me".
Bill didn't reply, only leaned back against the back of the armchair and stared at the ceiling.
"Your mother seemed strangely happy with the news" she commented, trying to get the red-headed man to talk to her. He kept staring at the ceiling, his hands folded behind his head. He sighed.
"My mother loves you like a daughter", he answered quietly. "And apparently, to her, you're perfect for me, unlike Fleur. Her words".
Hermione blushed even more and did not answer. The two remained silent and the only sound echoing in the room came from the kitchen. It sounded like someone was fiddling with a packet of snacks. The girl turned her face towards the kitchen and saw her owl pecking at a bag of bread.
"Athena!" the chestnut exclaimed, walking up to the kitchen and catching Bill's eye, who uncrossed his arms and leaned forward, watching her walk into the kitchen. "You can't just eat other people's food!"
Bill snorted with laughter as Hermione carried the plump owl to the window and shooed it home.
"I'm sorry about that, William" she asked, looking embarrassed.
"No need to apologize" he answered and got up from his armchair and walked toward her, who was still standing by the living room window, leaning on the window sill beside her. "But I shall remind you that it's Bill, not William, Mione".
"Bill" she confirmed, smiling shyly. "Since we've settled everything, I'll let you get ready for work".
Hermione walked back to the sofa and picked up her purse and slung over her shoulder. She intended to head for the door, but stopped and seemed to mentally battle with several thoughts at once, until she decided to approach Bill again and give him a kiss on the cheek.
"Bye, Bill".
He unconsciously put one hand on her waist, while the other still held the window frame, and closed his eyes for the brief moment when her warm lips touched his skin. When she pulled away and reached for the door, he called out to her.
"Yes?" she asked.
"Talk to you later?" he asked, uncertain.
"Sure" she replied, flashing him a smile before walking out the door. The redhead remained in the same place until he finally decided to take a shower.
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When he arrived at the Ministry, he was relieved to see that only two little paper airplanes were waiting patiently in front of the door to his office. The day was usually tedious; it was one of those days when he did office work, which was what he liked least. He hated answering memos and writing reports, and wondered if he would be removed from the Ministry for the next few years due to the complete lack of curses to break in Europe.
It was with a sigh of relief that Bill heard the bell that announced the end of business that day. He gathered his belongings into the worn leather bag he had carried with him for years and left the Ministry. The early evening was pleasant and the temperature mild, so the redhead took off his jacket, tied his hair in a low ponytail and decided to walk home. He passed in front of a shop of antique artifacts and saw, in the window, a newspaper dated from ten years ago. The headline read "IT'S FINISHED! WIZARDLY WORLD IN PEACE!" and, in a large picture on the front cover of the newspaper, a picture of Harry all bruised up on a palanquin, giving a speech after Voldemort fell. He was standing between Ron and Hermione, and the girl was visibly thin and with bruises all over her face, her hands in front of her body. The fingers of her hand running nervously over the wrist of her other hand, where Bill knew she had a scar.
Everyone had been through a lot during the war, it was true. They had lost Sirius, Remus, Tonks, Dumbledore... And Fred. Bill had been attacked by Greyback and earned the scar on his face, cursed the rest of his life to portions of raw meat and lack of control over his emotions. But of them all, perhaps the ones who had suffered the most were Harry, his baby brother and Hermione. He didn't know the details of what the three of them went through in the quest for the horcruxes, he'd never even had the courage to ask, but he judged from the scar on her wrist that it hadn't been anything good.
They had all been through a lot during the war, it was true. They'd lost Sirius, Remus, Tonks, Dumbledore... And Fred. Bill had been attacked by Greyback and earned his scar on his face, cursed the rest of his life to portions of raw meat and lack of control over his emotions. But of them all, perhaps the ones who had suffered the most were Harry, his brother and Hermione. He didn't know the details of what the three of them went through in the quest for the horcruxes, he'd never even had the courage to ask, but he judged from the scar on her wrist that it hadn't been anything good.
He went on his way, hands in his pockets. How had the Ministry had the nerve to blackmail Hermione into marriage in exchange to keeping her in the magical world? Because it was, in a way, blackmail. Either she got married and had a magic child, or she was expelled for good. That was revolting! After everything the girl had been through, after everything she had done and suffered for the magic society, after been marked by some eater... Was this how they thanked her? Bill was more determined than ever to marry her. If that was the alternative for her to stay as a witch in the wizardly world, he would help her.
As he entered his flat, Athena was waiting for him at the kitchen counter, pecking at the same bag of bread from earlier, with a scroll tied to her paw. He had been so distracted that he hadn't even closed the windows.
"I see you've made yourself comfortable, haven't you?" Bill commented, taking the parchment from the animal's paw and opening the bread bag so the bird could eat the crumbs.
As soon as he opened the letter, he observed the impeccable handwriting.
"Harry is coming home on Thursday.
Do you mind if I go alone?
Yours,
Hermione."
His eyes lingered on that small word. Just five letters that caused his chest to heave. Yours. He stroked the owl and the animal, satisfied after eating the bread crumbs, flew out the window. Before preparing something to eat, he glanced at his calendar and visualized that just over a few days separated him from the full moon, and so he sighed. His mind had wandered so far that he could have sworn he had more time. He felt a little desperate. The eve of the moon would probably coincide with the signing of the contract if they did it the following week.
He didn't want his first days living with Hermione to be marked by his mood swings, his irritability, his possessiveness. He didn't want to scare her. If they at least postponed the signing, Bill would have a month to think about what he would do in these lupine periods living under the same roof as the witch. He'd have a month to really get her up to speed on what he'd have to face during those periods. Yeah, a month would be good. That thought brought him some peace of mind.
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Hermione was a pit of anxiety when Thursday arrived. She didn't have the courage to meet any Weasleys after learning that at least most of them were already aware of her marriage. The absence of any letter from Harry had alerted her that he still didn't know the news, but that didn't reassure her, on the contrary, it made her even more anxious. She tried in vain to watch some movie on her television, but she couldn't sit with her hands free. She cleaned the house for the third time that week, and spread new sheets on the guest room bed, even though she knew she would probably have to change them again before Bill slept there.
She gathered the dry clothes from the clothesline, put them in a basket, and headed for the bedroom. She patiently folded each item of clothing and put them away in her wardrobe. When she opened the other wardrobe door to find a hanger to hang a blouse on, she saw Bill's dragon leather jacket. She didn't know why, but she took it in her hands, feeling the texture of the leather on her fingers, and positioned it in front of her face, breathing in. It had that smell that had already become familiar to her. It had his scent. And she realized that she liked that smell. A small smile escaped her lips when she remembered that she wouldn't have to return the jacket, since the owner of that piece of leather himself would soon be sharing that space with her.
When the clock struck four in the afternoon, Hermione went to take a shower. She put on some music to relax her and washed her hair calmly. She dressed herself in simple clothes and left the house carrying a jacket, just in case it got cold. She had left the house with damp hair and knew that it would took forever for it to dry.
She apparated in front of Harry and Ginny's house in Godric's Hollow. The place had become much nicer and more welcoming in recent years, unlike when she and Harry had been attacked by Nagini at Batilda Bagshot's house. Harry had chosen the place on purpose, he wanted to feel as close to his parents as possible and had used a small amount of his fortune to renovate the house he was born in and raise his own children there.
She took a deep breath and knocked on the door. Ginny was the one who opened the door, and gave her a sincere smile, taking Hermione in her arms and saying that she was already missing her. Hermione entered and found Harry laughing as he played with his eldest son. Albus was a mess between rolls of blankets on top of the sofa. Harry directed his gaze at his friend and cracked a smile at her, and Hermione finally relaxed her shoulders. Everything was fine.
"It seems like forever since you've been here" the wizard exclaimed, getting up from the floor and walking over to the chestnut, giving her a hug.
"Almost that" she replied, and Harry pointed to the sofa for her to sit down. Ginny stepped forward and pulled Albus off the seat, pushing the rolls of blanket away and sitting down with her son on her lap, right next to Hermione. Harry took a seat in the side armchair.
"Ginny told you?" Hermione asked, uncertain.
"Yes" he replied seriously. "I was taken by surprise, I must admit".
"Harry..." Hermione started, but ended up sighing.
"I said I was taken by surprise" he explained "I never said I'm not on your side".
Hermione stared at her friend, thanking him with her gaze. He stared at her with those sweet green eyes, conveying to her that he was, in fact, on her side.
"I'm really relieved to hear that, Harry".
"How did it happen?" he asked. "I mean... It's kind of weird, isn't it? Ron's brother".
"Harry, we talked about this" Ginny interjected, her gaze hard on her husband. "I know Ron is your friend. He's my brother. But he's moved on with his life, are we really going to criticise Hermione for moving on with hers?"
"I'm not criticising..."
"I know it's weird" Hermione interrupted her friend. "But Bill is great. He's been a great friend and, honestly, what options do I have in such a short time? It would be less than three years to meet someone, get involved, get married and have kids. At least Bill I already know".
"You, as always, have a great point" Harry sighed, leaning back in the armchair. "Sometimes I forget that you are the one person who would never make a thoughtless move".
"And I have something to ask you" Hermione pointed out.
"What?" Ginny questioned.
"We need two witnesses to sign the contract, could you do that? We can arrange a time that would be good for you, Ginny, since Harry works at the Ministry and would only have to be gone for ten minutes".
"Of course", the redhead hurried to say. Hermione looked at Harry, who looked thoughtful. He looked at his friend and then at his wife, and finally accepted
"Thank you, really", the brown-haired girl said, relieved.
"Well, shall we have dinner then?" Harry declared, bringing the matter to a close.
Hermione helped Ginny set the table and Harry fetched the pans of food. Everything smelled great, and it was funny that it was the young man who did the cooking. Ginny, despite her long acquaintance with Molly's kitchen, was a denial in cooking. The redhead settled James in the highchair and Albus, already asleep, in a small cot near the table.
"How was the mission?"- Hermione asked, pouring their glasses of juice.
"Tiring" Harry confessed. "It never seems to end, you know? It's been ten years since Voldemort died, and yet he still has loyalists to his cause. Sometimes I'm afraid that we've forgotten some horcrux. That Dumbledore didn't know everything".
"I feel the same way" Hermione confided. "I believe the struggle is eternal, isn't it?"
"Yes" the man answered. "But I'm tired of living in search of those who escaped".
"Who escaped?" she asked, interested.
"Rodolphus Lestrange".
Hermione felt a shiver run down her spine on hearing the man's surname. She was terrified of Lestranges. Rodolphus and Bellatrix had tortured Neville's parents to madness, and Bella had almost managed to repeat the feat on Hermione herself. She didn't like to remember what she had spent at the Malfoy mansion during the war. And Harry knew that. The two of them never talked about it again.
"As you said: the struggle is eternal" Harry pointed out, in order to bring the subject to a close. "Every now and then a damned dark wizard appears. We are fated to live eternally on alert, and teach our children to be alert so that the past does not repeat itself".
The dinner atmosphere followed in a less pleasant manner than Hermione would have liked, but she didn't want to leave on a supine note now that she needed, indispensably, the help of the two of them. She managed to arrange with the couple that they would meet at the Ministry on Monday morning, before Harry's office hours, to sign the contract. She finished her dinner, helped Harry and Ginny clean up the mess and played with James for a while before the redhead called him to bed. She then took the opportunity to say goodbye and go home.
Arriving home, she wrote to Bill communicating about the day and time of the signing of the contract, and it didn't take long to receive a reply.
"Dear Mione,
I'm glad Harry and Ginny have accepted.
By the way, on Sunday we have afternoon tea at Ron's new place.
Apparently he and Luna have managed to move into a bigger house in Devonshire and have summoned the whole family to meet them.
You are part of the family (soon to literally be a Weasley), and no force of darkness is going to make me deal with this alone. So you'll come with me (please?). I'll pick you up at four o'clock.
Yours,
Bill."
"Great, more days of anxiety" she exclaimed, before crumpling up the parchment and throwing it in the bin. She marked in her diary "tea at Ron's house - Sunday - 4p.m.", and went to bed.
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As agreed, at four o'clock sharp Bill was waiting for her in front of her house. When he saw her leaving the building he cursed himself and the world that she looked stunningly beautiful just two days before the start of the full moon. It would all be harder than he thought. It was the first time he had seen her with her hair loose. The cascade of a light shade of brown fell down her back, which was showing thanks to the neckline of her dress, which he was able to observe as she turned towards the building to lock the door. He swallowed dryly as he watched her walk down the steps towards the pavement. The simple, black dress that clung to her torso revealed contours of her body that Bill hadn't noticed until then. When she came closer and smiled at him, the redhead dug his fingernails into his palms, locking his breath in an attempt not to smell her invading his nostrils and scrambling his thoughts.
"Is everything alright?"
"Yes, it is "he replied. "You look stunningly beautiful".
Hermione blushed at his compliment and when he extended his hand to her, she accepted it and the two of them apparated together for the county of Devon.
The house Ron and Luna had chosen was indeed very cosy, but she expected no less from the man who was raised in The Burrow. The slightly yellowed atmosphere from the warm light, the earthy tones of the walls, the raw wood of the table and some beams in the ceiling, the stone fireplace and the many cushions on the sofa in much resembled that house that Hermione had shared for years with her friends on school holidays.
She was so absorbed in her mental observations of the house that it took her a while to notice that all eyes were on her. It was only when Harry took three steps towards her and took her in a hug that Hermione noticed that Bill had his warm hand firmly planted on the cleavage of her back the whole time. Her cheeks involuntarily warmed as she realised that the two of them had arrived there as a couple and that everyone already knew that they were, in fact, about to become a couple legally.
Harry whispered in his friend's ear that he was there for her whatever she needed and as he walked away, he tried to act natural as if Bill and Hermione together were something customary. The girl mentally thanked her friend when she noticed that the naturalness with which Harry handled the situation encouraged the others to do the same. The mood, instantly, became lighter. Molly cracked a sincere smile and opened her arms to welcome Hermione with a hug.
"I'm so happy!" she said as she hugged Hermione, and the girl felt when Bill bumped into her back, as the redhead had pulled him into a triple hug. "I'm so happy! My Billy and Hermione!'
When the older woman pulled away, she wiped the tears from her eyes with the back of her hands, and Bill scratched his head nervously.
"You look so beautiful together!" she exclaimed, and went on to talk about how elated she was to have Hermione finally join the family. The chestnut, however, couldn't hear a word the woman was saying.
Everything was mute to Hermione. Molly was moving her mouth, Arthur was approaching her a little seriously, Ginny had entered the conversation. George was laughing in the background, and Ron looked serious, probably upset that he had been overshadowed by the wedding news. She couldn't hear anything the others were saying, because her attention was on Bill's fingers against the fabric of her dress, the tip of his nose against her ear, which ruffled the hairs on the back of her neck, and his voice, which whispered against her ear.
"This is what you're going to have to put up with for marrying me" he was saying. "Are you sure you don't want to give up?"
Bill's voice had sounded huskier than he had expected, and it caused reactions in Hermione that he wished with all his might that it hadn't. He was about to enter his monthly lupine phase, which sharpened all his senses. And they were all paying attention to her. He felt when she shivered, he breathed in the scent that emanated from her skin as her neck and cheeks warmed, and eventually he tightened his fingers against her waist, involuntarily pulling her closer to his body.
He knew she wasn't to blame or even aware of the reactions she was causing in him during this time of the month, but he simply couldn't control himself. Rationally, he knew he had only increased the tightness around her waist because the moon made him possessive. But his lupine instincts just made those three words in the letter blind him to the rest and form a single word in his mind: Mine.
Feeling alarmed, he came back to consciousness and noticed Ginny's inquiring gaze on him. He knew that his eyes had probably gone black and that he must have been frightened during those seconds when his instincts came to the fore. He loosened his grip on Hermione and released her for good, excusing himself from his mother, who kept talking about dress, buffet, flowers and whatever else she was talking about, and left the house pulling a cigarette from his pocket.
As he dragged the cigarette, he looked out the living room window and saw Hermione surrounded by her family, her face very flushed and looking completely lost there. He felt guilty for leaving her alone among the wolves, but given her situation, he knew that staying away would do less damage. He visualised the chestnut's relieved expression as Ginny called her over and led her friend to some corner of the house that Bill couldn't see from where he was standing. Ginny had always been very observant, she had inherited that from Fred, and perhaps that was why both George and himself felt so comfortable and welcome in their sister's presence. He made a mental note that he should thank the younger girl later for saving his future wife from that awkward moment.
The front door opened and Ron closed it behind him carefully before approaching Bill. The older man watched the younger man approach with some trepidation, his hands fidgeting uncomfortably inside his trouser pockets. Ron stopped beside the red-headed older man and stared at the moon, almost completely full, and Bill followed him as he took a drag on his cigarette. The day was at that curious moment when the moon and the sun shared the same sky. One rising and the other setting, colouring the clouds orange, pink and purple.
"This is all very strange, I won't lie to you" Ron said.
"It's weird for me too" Bill confessed, taking one last drag and crushing the cigarette against the porch fence.
"I can't understand it. Why you? Of all the wizards, why you?"
Bill held his breath. Why did everyone ask that question? He had asked himself that question, but he had already made peace with the answer. He already knew the answer, and it seemed so obvious to him, so why did they keep asking him that? Hermione needed to get married. He was available. He had known her for years, he was a Weasley, for Merlin's sake! A Weasley! A member of the family that had taken her in for years. It was obvious, wasn't it? He wondered if everyone would have the same reaction if it was Ron marrying her, or George, or Charles, or even Percy. Something in his core said 'no'. Something inside him told him that he was the problem. The problem was the Weasley marked by the werewolf. And that pissed him off.
"Because she wanted to", Bill replied in a terse reply and turned his back on Ron, walking into the house.
Hermione watched as Bill entered the house, followed by Ron. The first one's lips were clenched, as were his hands. The second looked annoyed. When the older man's eyes met hers, she saw that they were black and, for a brief second, she was afraid to go near him. It was as if a large red flag had appeared right in front of her warning her that if she took another step, she might drown in the rough and dangerous sea that was Bill Weasley at that moment. But she was a Gryffindor, and as such, she ignored the warning and made her way towards him. The witch hugged his arm, which was stiff and clenched in a fist, as if he were a child asking his mother to protect him. She rested the side of her head gently against his shoulder and asked, in a whisper, if he was all right. Bill felt his muscles relax and replied that everything was fine.
"Tea is served!" Luna announced, bringing into the room a tray with some cups and a steaming teapot. Everyone stepped forward to the coffee table and picked up some biscuits to go with the hot tea that Luna was graciously serving.
Hermione sat with the cup between her hands in a small armchair, and Bill placed himself sitting by the arm of the same upholstered chair. He watched the chestnut chatting amenities with his friends. George was telling about the shop's new products being tested and sounded like the same teenager who exploded poo bombs in the halls of Hogwarts to taunt Filch, and everyone laughed. Bill noticed that Hermione's head always ended up lightly resting on his hip every time she let out a laugh and involuntarily threw her body back. Molly seemed to wait for an opening to say something, as she opened her mouth whenever there was a pause in the subject and closed it again when someone started talking in front of her. The matriarch's moment finally arrived, and she asked, for Hermione and Bill's embarrassment, when the wedding would be. According to the woman, May would be a lovely month for the ceremony, as the courtyard of The Burrow would be in full bloom to hold a beautiful reception.
"It's not a real wedding, Mom" Ron commented dryly.
"It's a real wedding and the contract we're going to help them sign tomorrow proves that. But you don't have to celebrate if you don't want to, Mione. Mum will get over it", Ginny replied, giving her friend a sympathetic look. Molly pouted. George, Charles and Harry let out a giggle.
"I think a flower ceremony would be lovely" Luna commented sympathetically, bringing her cup to her lips. "You make a lovely couple".
"Thank you, Luna" Hermione thanked her, flopping back into her armchair. Bill rested his hand on the chestnut's shoulder and gave a gentle squeeze of comfort, signaling that he was there.
"Does the Ministry allow a second marriage ceremony, Bill?" Ron asked, and Hermione noticed the tone he used. It was the same tone he had used with her when he had the Slytherin medallion around his neck. It was the same bitter tone. "Or when you get divorced you can only remarry on paper?"
"You're being ridiculous, Ron" Harry commented in a warning tone.
"We don't need a ceremony, thank you for your concern, Ron" Hermione hurried to answer, feeling Bill's breathing getting heavy behind her. Everyone was silent. The only sound in the room was the sound of the witches sucking tea from their cups.
"I saw Fleur on our mission in France, didn't I Harry?" Ron commented.
"Ron, stop" Arthur asked, nervous at the topic forming in the room.
"Victoire was with her. It's lucky she only inherited her mother's qualities, don't you think?" the younger redhead continued teasing, sipping from his tea and talking as if he were commenting on the temperature in the street.
"Shut up, Ron!" Ginny said with burning eyes at her brother.
Hermione could no longer hear Bill's breathing behind her, so she turned towards him and found him with his lips clenched and an expression of hatred stamped on his face. An aura of tension engulfed that room. She'd never seen Bill angry, but she imagined it wasn't a very pretty scene to watch.
"Depending on the father it's best when the child is born more like the mother" Ron pointed out and everyone became apprehensive.
"You can be sure that all of us here are rooting for the child to be born to look like Luna and not you", Bill replied teasingly. Hermione closed her eyes hoping that Ron would shut up and not say what she feared he would. She had known her friend for years and knew that his words struck like sharp knives when he meant to hurt. But he said it anyway.
"At least the child is mine".
Bill leapt off the armchair arm onto Ron and the two got into a violent fight to the sound of Molly's crying and Arthur's cries for them to stop. Harry tried to get between the two but was pushed away. Bill was blinded with hatred and hit Charles with a punch when the latter tried to hold him back. When Bill's fist met Ron's face, the damage was done. The older man was on top of the younger, who was lying on the ground, and Hermione could only hear the sound of his fist crashing against her friend's cheek. She made her way between the other Weasleys, pushing them away, and could only see Bill completely angry over the pool of blood forming next to Ron's face. Crying, Hermione grabbed Bill from behind, throwing herself against him and sinking her head into the curve of his neck.
"Bill, please stop!", she cried and screamed against the redhead's ear. "Please, Bill! You're going to kill him!"
As soon as she said 'kill him', Bill's eyes went wide and he let go of his brother's collar. Ron lay completely disfigured on the floor, almost unconscious, being accosted by Molly, Arthur and George. Ginny was consoling Luna, who was crying in horror against a wall. Bill got up and walked out the door, and Hermione ran after him.
The chestnut found him crying, walking in circles in the courtyard, both hands clutching at his completely messy hair. His fingers and shirt soiled with blood. He kept repeating "I could have killed him" non-stop, as if in shock. The very bright moonlight made the blood look black, and Bill looked whiter than normal in that light. She noticed that it was a short while before the moon was completely full and she understood. Despite having seen him nearly kill Ron a few seconds earlier, she knew she was standing in front of a completely lost man who was under the effect of the moon curse that had infected him so many years before. The witch swallowed her fear, because Merlin, she was afraid, and approached him.
"Bill…" she called in a low tone.
"Get away from me!" he shouted, moving farther away and wiping his tears with his bloody hand. "I'm a damn monster".
"You're not a monster", she replied, hesitantly taking another step forward. She decided that she would slowly approach him, since she was unfamiliar with him in that state.
"I almost killed my brother!" he cried, and she felt sorry for him. Maybe "sorry" wasn't the right word, but she felt sympathy for his pain. She felt all his sadness, just as she had felt Harry's when Sirius died. Just as she had felt George's when Fred died. Just as she had felt it when Bellatrix tortured her by showing her horrible things that she cheered every day to forget. Only then did she realise that there were tears in her eyes too.
"Please, Bill, let me come closer" she whispered. He didn't answer her, his face was still sunken between his hands, but he didn't pull away either, so she took that as an opening to cross the rest of the distance between the two of them.
She hesitantly approached him and carefully removed his hands from his face, revealing eyes that were no longer black, but blue. Blue and watery from the tears he was shedding. She slipped into his embrace carefully and sank her face into his chest, and felt it when he slowly and reluctantly hugged her back. She didn't know what to say. Didn't know if she should say anything. Didn't know if she could say that everything would be okay, didn't know if she could say that she was there for him. She didn't know if he wanted to hear anything at that moment. If there was anything in particular that should be said at that moment, so she just said the only thing she could:
"Let's go home, Bill. Let me take you home".
And he squeezed Hermione tighter as she apparated the two of them in the flat that would soon be theirs.