"Fred,"Hermione's voice echoed in his mind. "Fred if we don't make this out alive, I just want you to know-"
"Now's not the time, Mia," Fred smirked at the love of his life as they braced themselves for battle. "If you're going to tell me you love me, you're doing it after the battle when we're both fine… And not risking our lives."
Hermione nodded her head, eyes swimming with tears as her lips collided with Fred's. This wasn't the caressing brushes their lips were so familiar with.
No. This was heated and full of unspoken words. As their lips mingled and their tongues fought for dominance, they made a silent promise to each other. They would make it out alive so they could say those three words the other wanted to hear so badly.
So, why exactly was it that Fred was running towards a limp body? Could fate be so cruel? There was no way it was Hermione, and yet there she was.
"No," Fred whispered the words as shock took over him, shaking his head furiously. "Absolutely not."
The tears threatening to spill out of his eyes were clouding his vision as Fred laughed helpless, "Funny joke, Granger. Get up."
She made no move. There was no rise and fall to her chest. He knew what that meant, but it just couldn't be.
"Mia!... Hermione Jean! Get up! This isn't funny! Get up!" Fred collapsed to his knees pleading with the frail girl on the ground.
He pulled her lifeless body into his as his whole body convulsed with his cries for the girl in his arms. "Hermione, Hermione please come back to me. I love you. Hermione, I can't do this without you."
Salty tear stains covered her cold face as a fresh wave of tears hit Fred. "I love you, Granger. What am I going to do without you?"
"I guess you'll never have to find out," A small voice croaked.
Fred felt shocked as he looked down at Hermione. The little smirk on her face, the rise and fall of her chest, that was all Fred needed. "Hermione! You're alive!" Fred pulled Hermione into his chest, refusing to let her go. "You're safe. Thank Merlin." He kissed her forehead, her cheeks, her nose. He kissed her whole face except for the place he craved to kiss her the most. "What the hell, Mia?! We're in the middle of a war! What kind of trick do you call that?!"
"A Fred Weasley original," Hermione cooed. "By the way, I love you too."
Their lips collided and their bodies molded to one another. Fred couldn't stand the thoughts of Hermione dying. He knew that losing Hermione Jean Granger would be heartache that would never go away, and he planned on keeping her by his side for the rest of forever. "That was some prank, Granger."
"I learned from the best," And that, she most certainly did.