Special thanks to all of you for your patience. I truly apologize for leaving you hanging on the end of this story for four years. My bad you guys.

Disclaimer: Characters and original scenes belong to JK Rowling, but that doesn't mean I can't play in my free time for free.

A/N: Takes place while the Trio is on the hunt for the Horcruxes, post-Grimmauld Place. This is a ten one-shot series for LJ's 10themes community. There were no betas for this story, so I apologize for any issues you might see. I'm also in NaNoWriMo mode at the moment, so I also apologize for it being so long.

Wet

When Hermione came out of Fred's room, the others had expected her to have tears of joy in her eyes and a triumphant smile on her lips. They expected her to exclaim, "I did it" and tell them all about how she saved her beloved's life and that Fred would be up and walking around in no time. So, it's no surprise that when she walked back out into the waiting room with a crestfallen face they all knew that this was it. They were going to lose a brother, lover and friend, and there was nothing they could do to stop it.

They watched on as Hermione collapsed to the floor in pain. No one made a move to help her off the floor and console her as they were all lost in their own grief, shocked still in their spots. Healers around them stopped and watched as the family came apart in front of them. Their hearts went out to them, but they knew it wouldn't be enough to ease their pain.

George eventually staggered his way over to her and joined her on the floor, their grip on each other tight as only the other knew the pain of losing your other half. Their wails echoed loudly through the suddenly silent halls of St. Mungo's. She couldn't take it anymore, couldn't handle being there and accepting the fact that this was it. So, Hermione Granger did what she swore she would never, ever do.

She wrenched herself from George's arms, stood up and ran as fast as her feet would carry her.

She ran down the stairs, avoiding the lift completely.

She ran out the main doors of the hospital and into the busy London streets, and continued to run until she suddenly found herself in the tattered remains of the Weasley Wizarding Wheezes where she proceeded to collapse in front of the building and cry harder than before. Hermione didn't care about how the onlookers perceived her. she didn't pay much attention as they gave her pitiful looks when she struggled to open the doors. All she care about was getting upstairs to their apartment to crawl into his bed and pretend like nothing happened and he would be home at any moment.

But there was no apartment to return to.

The top half of the building that once housed the twins' apartment had been blown up during a Death Eater attack and all that remained was ruble.

Hermione was out of breath and out of tears by the time she reached what remained of the staircase. She stood in shock of the image before her and the realization that there was no place else for her to run and hide. Everything she held near and dear was gone.

"Hermione," a voice called out to her from below. "Hermione, please come down before you get hurt."

She turned and faced Harry, who had followed her.

"I don't know what I'm going to do, Harry."

"I know, but you have to come back to St. Mungo's. They're going to be taking him off the stabilizing charms soon and you'll never forgive yourself for not being when -"

Harry's voice choked and he couldn't finish his sentence. Hermione shook as she tried to take a deep breath before walking down the staircase. When she reached the end of the staircase, she walked straight into his open arms and held him as tight as she could. A loud pop resonated behind them, jolting them from their silent moment. Still on guard from the battle, Hermione and Harry raised their wands at the assumed attacker ready to kill.

"You have to come back to St. Mungo's! Right now!" George exclaimed before grabbing their extended arms and apparating them all back to the waiting room of the hospital.

When the three wizards landed, George wasted no time in dragging Hermione towards the door of Fred's room. She tried desperately to look at the family members around her, all of them in hushed groups whispering to each other and not looking nearly as grief-stricken as she had left them just moments ago. When they reached the door, Hermione violently jerked her arm out of George's grasp and glared him down.

"I don't care what you say, George. I'm not going in there. I will not watch him die again."

"You don't understand," he whispered. "He's stabilizing on his own."

That was all she needed to hear as she pushed him to the side and burst into the room. Her love laid still on his bed as healers surrounded him muttering incantations, small glowing orbs and mists of all shapes and colors floating around his body. Mrs. Weasley shot up from her seat in the adjacent corner and engulfed her in a strong hug. Hermione's eyes never left Fred's face.

"I think he's waking up, love. I think he's coming back to us."

Hermione shoved Mrs. Weasley to the side and her stare stayed strong as she made her way to him. She moved near his head out of the way of the the healer's work and began stroking his hair as a new wave of tears threatened to spill from her eyes.

"Fred, it's me. Hermione," she whispered into his ear. "Please come back to me, to us. I need you. George needs you. We can't lose you now, darling. Who else is going to tell me to relax when I get all worked up. Who else is going to tell me they love me with all of their heart and soul. Who else will I reprimand for making jokes at inappropriate times? Please, Fred. Don't give up on us."

Nothing changed. Seconds felt like hours. Hermione could feel her faith start to waiver and anger begin to build within her.

"You promised me you would never leave me, Fredrick Gideon Weasley! You were never a liar before today, so don't you dare become one now!"

She was trying hard not to scream at him, but it was becoming harder and harder the more she spoke. Suddenly, the healer's fell silent and stunned as they backed away from Fred. Confused, Hermione and the remaining Weasley looked from each other to each of the healers and waited for them to speak.

"Hermione," his voice croaked.

It was the most glorious thing she had ever heard in her life. A large smile broke across Hermione's face as tears streamed down her eyes. She littered Fred's face with light kisses as she spoke.

"I'm here love. I'm here."

"I love you," his voice was small but she heard every word.

"I love you, too, Fred." She knew she was getting her tears all over him, but she didn't care.

It was another two weeks before Fred was released from the hospital, and another 3 months before his family and fiancé deemed him stable enough to return to the shop with his twin to finish the last of the repairs that their friends and family couldn't tend to. Hermione and Fred eventually married in the backyard of he's childhood home once Hermione's parents were found and she received her diploma from Hogwarts. Their first child was born less than a year after they're beautiful wedding ceremony, two hours before George and Angelina brought their twins into the world. Hermione gave birth to her own set of twins three years later.

These days, when Hermione finds herself looking back to the days of the Second Wizarding War, she doesn't think of the trials and tribulations she endured. Instead, she looks fondly at her husband as he teaches their little ones how to ride on broomsticks or tells them bedtime stories of how heroic their mother and uncles were, grateful everyday that she never gave up hope that this would be her happy ending.