Hermione stood in the clearing that she had created after her parents had first touched her. She was waiting for her friend, waiting to learn more about the world she's a part of. Waiting to be herself and let her walls come down.

Fred strode through the woods towards a clearing that isn't there on any maps. He was going to meet his friend, going to ask more about the world he goes to school in. Going to be himself and let his walls come down.

A snap of a twig brings Hermione out of her thoughts and makes her head snap up to meet the sea blue eyes in front of her. She waits, wondering if he needs to get out any supressed emotions from the day. But when none comes out she simply turns and climbs the tree dubbed as theirs, knowing only two things for certain then - he will follow and he won't let her fall.

A twig snaps under Fred's foot as he comes to stand in front of her. Her head snaps up and his eyes meet her chocolate ones. But he doesn't move, letting her know that today hasn't been as bad as others, that he doesn't have any supressed emotions. After a few seconds she turns and climbs the tree they've dubbed as theirs. He only knows two things for certain as he follows - she will lead and she won't let stray from the path.

Once they reach the highest branch that can safely support their combined weight they sit in silence. Neither believes in trivial small talk, one of them will always start the discussion. If no land around their tree has been altered, like today, then they go straight to the questions about the world the other comes from. But if some land has been altered then the one who didn't do it waits for the other to explain what happened. Today they rest in silence for a good few minutes until she asks a question that's been on her mind since the start of the summer holidays; and the one he has been dreading since the start of the summer holidays.

"Fred, when you go to Hogwarts in September how will we be able to meet up at the end of each day?"

To Hermione it was a question that Fred would explain away, whilst to Fred she might as well have asked why they aren't going to be friends after today. For Hermione, Fred's reluctance to answer her question is because he is trying to word it so that she can understand, after all he did that often. But to Fred, he is reluctant to answer because he doesn't want the one good thing that's come into his life since he's changed to leave.

"We won't be able to meet up at the end of each day."

Fred hasn't had to let anyone down gently for a long time now and he knows that isn't how you do it but he doesn't know how to anymore. Hermione struggles to grasp what Fred just said and how harshly he said it, like he doesn't care. Fred can see the shock turn to anger on Hermione's face and wishes he could just be home schooled for a year. Hermione refuses to let Fred see how much he has hurt her so falls back on the only other emotion she truly knows - anger.

"Well if that's the best way you can come with saying you don't want to see me anymore then you're clearly an idiot! I don't know why I ever bothered to care about you! I hope you don't think I'll talk to you when I come to Hogwarts!"

With that last statement Hermione rushed down the tree before Fred could see the tears leaking from her eyes to a new place where another clearing appeared.

Fred stormed off to his house, furious at himself for not telling in a nicer way and furious at Hermione for not giving him the opportunity to explain.

Both couldn't sleep that night, filled with pain and betrayal. Neither went to the woods nor their tree for the rest of the week.