I've just realised how horrible I was - leaving it on a cliffy like that, and then not uploading. I'm sorry - please forgive me! I had a summer school for a week, which was one of the most amazing things I've ever done, I learned so much, and then I was away on holiday with no wifi or signal.

Anyway, Harry Potter, Fred Weasley, Hermione Granger etc are not mine...

Enjoy!

Chapter 6

"What's going on?" Fred was disorientated, confused. "Hermione? Hermione!" A whirling panic rose up, threatening to consume him. He couldn't see a thing, all around him was black, the only things he was really aware of was rough hands pinning his arms behind his back, a lack of his wand in his pocket, and most of all, the absence of Hermione from his side. That was what really worried him. "Hermione!" he cried out, desperate for a response.

"I'm here, Fred. I'm alright." Try as she might, Hermione couldn't disguise the tremor of fear in her voice, and this just increased Fred's panic as he struggled to reach her.

"Lumos" Fred froze. Whose voice was that? It sounded familiar, Fred recognised the feelings of anger and hatred it stirred.

As the light from the wand tip moved, both Fred and Hermione caught a glimpse of his face. Fred's gaze immediately flitted back to Hermione, who had gone as white as a sheet upon seeing her ex-boyfriend, Draco Malfoy.

"I thought I told you not to go to anyone, especially not a Weasley. Didn't I warn you what would happen if you did?" Draco sneered at Hermione, who was backing away from him.

"I swear, I didn't. I didn't go to anyone."

"Then why are you walking round, bold as brass, with a Weasley? And not just any Weasley, but him?"

Hermione glanced at Fred, then looked away again quickly. "I'm sorry, Draco."

"Sorry? Do you remember what I said?" he didn't give Hermione time to answer, "WELL, DO YOU?"

"Yes," Hermione's voice was faint.

"Well, then, this is all your fault, isn't it?"

"Yes," Hermione was staring at the ground, resolutely not looking at Draco or Fred.

"What are you going on about? How dare you try to blame Hermione! Last time I checked, it was you who forced her onto the streets, you that threatened her, you that brought us both here." Fred was spitting mad, and determined to protect Hermione, just as he had promised.

Draco gave a derisive laugh. "Well, you obviously don't know the full story. Allow me to fill you in."

Fred just glared at him.

"When I started dating Hermione, everything seemed to be great. Soon, though, things changed. She began to lose interest, spending more and more time away from me. Of course, I knew something was up – I'm not stupid. When I cornered her she was rather shifty – definitely hiding something."

Hermione let out a choked sob, and Fred strained against the two men holding him in an attempt to reach her. Draco ignored all of this and continued.

"The situation just got worse. She didn't care about appearances, was quite happy to appear in the company of other men and refused to sleep with me. A Malfoy shouldn't be humiliated! And do you know why she was doing this?"

Fred didn't respond, but stared at Hermione, who was looking down at the ground.

A mocking laugh issued from Draco's lips. "She was in love! Yes, I finally got it out of her. But she wasn't in love with me, oh no. She was in love with a Weasley."

Fred, shocked, switched his gaze from Hermione to Draco, but, like a magnet, his eyes were drawn back to Hermione's forlorn figure.

"Well, I wasn't having that. I snapped her wand, and chucked her out, threatening to kill her beloved Weasel is she went to anyone, magical or Muggle, for help. Then, seven months later, what do I learn? That she's staying with a certain Fred Weasley." Draco turned to address Hermione. "You brought it upon him yourself, dearest, you can't blame me." He turned back to Fred, who was watching the two of them intently.

"Oh, how could I forget? I almost forget to tell you the most important detail! The Weasley she was in love with? It was you."

Fred locked his gaze on the terrified girl in front of him and breathed her name. "Hermione..."

She glanced up and caught his eye for the first time since they had arrived in that desolate spot, "Fred..."

Draco intervened. "Now, now, as sweet as this is, I have a job to do." He gestured to his two lackeys who were holding Fred. "You know what to do."

They released Fred's arms and moved, boxing him into a corner. They were huge; over six foot tall and with large muscles. As they approached Fred they cracked their knuckles threateningly, and Fred prepared to defend himself.

A cry stopped them in their tracks. "No! Please! Don't hurt him." Hermione turned to Draco. "Please, Draco, it's not his fault. He had no idea about any of it. Please don't hurt him. I'll do anything, as long as you leave him alone."

Fred pleaded with her. "Hermione, no, don't. I'll be fine."

"Fred, I'm not going to stand by and watch you get hurt because of me."

"But who knows what he'll do to you. I promised I'd protect you. Letting you go with him, how is that protecting you?"

"You can't stop me Fred." Hermione's tone was resigned as she turned to Draco. "Please, Draco, I'm begging you. Please, please, let him go. Don't hurt him."

Grabbing her wrist, Draco smiled a cruel, twisted smile. "And you'll come back with me?" Hermione nodded, determinedly not looking at Fred as he shouted out and tried to get past the two men blocking him in.

Draco pulled her body to him and kissed her full on the lips. Just before he Apparated Hermione away, he paused. "Oh, seeing as I'm letting you go, and not hurting you, here's your wand back." He threw the wand at Fred, who made no move to catch it or pick it up from where it had clattered to the ground.

With this, Hermione and Draco disappeared, the lackeys leaving soon after, leaving Fred alone to pick up his wand, gather his scattered thoughts and Apparate to the one place where he knew he would be safe and be able to talk to someone about what had just happened.

What do you think? Please tell me - I feel iffy about the next chapter of this story - my friend read it and, well, yeah.

Anyway, please review and tell me!