Year 2

Summer came and Fred, George and Ron embarked on the amazing adventure of rescuing Harry. They got back, after being very successful, and all Fred could feel was excitement and pride at their flawless plan. They had managed to do it! It felt incredible.

However, as Fred and George collapsed on their beds after a hard day of punishment which their mother had mercilessly dished out, Fred couldn't help but feel that they hadn't rescued the right person.

Fred had asked about Hermione every time Ron had received a new letter from her. As best friends they wrote a lot over the summer. Ron had got used to these questions and had even given the letters to Fred after reading them so Fred could see for himself that Hermione was fine. Or so she made out. Every letter was very similar; Ron and Hermione talking about the subject that they were currently on, be that a certain spell that Hermione had discovered or the steaming hot weather and the Weasley's recent trip to the beach, and then Hermione telling Ron that she was fine, all was well and that she couldn't wait to get back to Hogwarts. She never wrote about what she was doing at home, or how her parents were. All it was about was Hogwarts.

Fred tossed and turned that night, before finally giving up on sleep and heading downstairs. His mother was sitting at the kitchen table, knitting. She looked up in surprise when Fred came into the kitchen.

"Can't sleep, Sweetie?" Molly asked. Fred shook his head and got himself a glass of water. He sat down opposite her, and laid his head on the table. He was actually really tired. He didn't sleep last night and spent the whole of today doing chores the muggle way. Fred started to draw on his glass as consecration built up on the surface.

"Is there something on your mind?" Molly asked, looking at him. Fred rested his chin in his crossed arms and replied,

"What would you do if you thought someone was hurting?"

"I would comfort them and make sure they're safe so they don't get hurt anymore" Molly told him, looking concerned.

"But what if it wasn't in your control that they were hurting" Fred asked. Without hesitation, Molly replied,

"I would still comfort them, make sure that they are ok and nurse the wounds" Fred nodded, and took a long sip of his drink.

"Is everything ok, Fred?" Molly asked, still looking concerned. Fred nodded, looking down at the table. He played with a hole that was engraved in the wood. The table as a whole was quite beaten up from the years of abuse it had received. He felt his mother looking at him.

"If someone is hurting, the kindest thing you can do for them is be there for them" Molly told him, "Just make sure that they know that someone is on their side, and this will help them more then you can imagine" Fred looked up at his mother and smiled. He then got up and yawned. He put his glass in the sink and hugged his mum.

"Thanks mum" Molly just smiled, and kissed him on the cheek. They said goodnight and Fred climbed back up the stairs. George had awoken in his absence, and turned to face him as Fred got into bed.

"Where did you go?" George asked. Fred faced his twin, who he couldn't make out in the darkness.

"Went to get a glass of water and mum was downstairs so we talked" Fred replied, yawning again.

"About Hermione?" George asked. Fred nodded. George couldn't see of course, but it didn't matter, as he already knew.

The next time Fred saw Hermione's parents were in Diagon Alley. His parents rushed up to them, especially his Dad, and greeted them like family. Hermione's parents looked different though. They were looking around the street, eyes wide with wonder, and they were talking really fast, like they were rushing everything. Fred took this as a good sign until he saw Hermione's terrified face and red face.

Hermione slowly wondered over to Fred, George, Ron and Ginny, smiling weakly. Her eyes were red and she smelt of smoke and something else that Fred recognised but couldn't quite name. Hermione started chatting with Ron and Ginny when George whispered something in Fred's ear.

"They're stoned!" George told him, and Fred's eyes widened in realisation. He looked over to Hermione's parents, whose eyes were wide and their pupils were huge, and they had a big bag of crisps that they were munching away on. Anger boiled in Fred's blood as he looked from them to Hermione, who kept looking over to her parents nervously.

Not many magical people knew about muggle drugs and the effect that they have on people, as they weren't part of the magical culture. Only people that knew muggles or muggle-borns who had introduced them to drugs knew about them. George and Fred shared a dormitory with a muggle born, whose older brother had given him some weed. George and Fred had each had a puff, but they didn't like it. They did, however, witness this said person and his friend get high off of the stuff. They also recognised the smell.

Hermione was nervous throughout the rest of the shopping trip, with the one expectation of briefly squirming over Gilderoy Lockhart. But that only lasted a couple of seconds before she was back watching her parents like a hawk.

After a couple of hours of tiresome shopping, all the Weasleys, Grangers and Harry went to the Linking Cauldron for a drink. Hermione's parents were still acting weird, their pupils still big, making Fred believe that they had smoked a lot of it. The strange sent of cannabis was drafting around them like a cloud.

"Shouldn't we be going soon?" Hermione asked as they all sat down at a table. Her Mother turned to her and gave her a brief glare that only Fred caught.

"Come now, Hermione, don't spoil our fun" Hermione lowered herself down on her chair as her mom turned to Molly.

"Now, what so you lot have to drink in this world?" Molly smiled and said,

"Me and my husband don't really drink alcohol, especially in front of the children, so we normally have butter beer or pumpkin juice"

"Pumpkin juice!" Hermione's mother laughed, before turning to her husband, "Sweetie, it's like it's always Halloween here!" Hermione's cheeks flushed red and she excused herself to go to the toilet. Fred followed her and caught her as she left the toilet.

"Hey, Hermione, can I have a word?" Fred asked kindly, looking at her with soft eyes. She looked like she had just finished crying, with her eyes red and swollen and her cheeks blotchy. She looked up at Fred with fear showing clearly in her eyes. Fred lead her to a table where there was no one about and sat her down.

"Your parents took drugs this morning, didn't they?" Hermione's cheeks flashed red, and renewed tears appeared in her brown eyes. She opened and closed her mouth, not knowing what to say.

"It's ok" Fred told her, giving her a small smile, "It's only me and George that noticed, most wizards don't know what drugs are" Hermione still seemed speechless and tears were running down her cheeks. Fred handed her a napkin that was on the table.

"What happened?" Fred asked, kindly. He wanted to reach over and hug her, but he was sure that that would make her feel even more uncomfortable. Her small body was shaking, with sobs and in fear.

"They...they have back problems" Hermione replied, quickly, "They take the drugs to help the pain...they...they weren't going to come but...but they insisted" she looked up at Fred, pleased with the story. Fred looked back, seeing right though the lie, however after a moment he nodded.

"Ok" he said, "But if you do need to talk I'm here, and so is George and my parents are always there too, my mum is quite good at giving advice" Hermione wept her tears away, and gave Fred a big smile.

"Thank you, but I don't need advice, I'm fine" She told Fred, before getting up and heading towards the table where everyone was. Fred watched her, feeling sad at how helpless he felt. After sighing, he followed Hermione.

A couple of days later and the term started at Hogwarts. Due to Harry and Ron finding their own transport to Hogwarts, Hermione spent most the train ride to Hogwarts alone. Fred found her an hour before the train was going to reach Hogwarts. She was engrossed in a book and sitting in a compartment all on her own. She didn't notice Fred at first so he managed to get a glance of a bandage wrapped around Hermione's wrist that was half hidden under her jumper. Fred cleared his throat and Hermione jumped in surprise, wincing.

"Still no word of Harry and Ron?" Hermione asked, putting a hand to her chest. Fred shook his head, leaning against the door frame. They had spoken briefly as the train rolled away from the station about the whereabouts of the two boys. Fred had asked Hermione if she had wanted to sit with him and George but she had told him that she was going to sit with Neville and her other friends.

"What happened?" Fred asked, indicating to her arm. She smiled, dully.

"Oh, nothing much, I just lost my footing and fall down the stairs" Fred raised his eyebrows, but didn't push the matter.

"We'll be in Hogwarts soon" Fred informed her, "What are you reading?" He added as an afterthought.

"Gilderoy Lockhart's books" Hermione told Fred, "I'm trying to get through them so I know what we're learning this year" Fred nodded and smiled at her. This made Hermione smile and Fred felt so proud for making such a happy sight. It sent a tingle down his back.

"Better get ready for kicking the guy's arses when they get to Hogwarts, I bet they did something amazing to miss the train" Fred told her, laughing at the mare thought of it. Hermione now raised her eyebrows and shook her head, her hair bouncing.

"I dread to think"

Hermione sat next to Fred and George at the sorting as Ron and Harry were still not back. Fred noticed her nursing her stomach as she sat down, and he heard a faint wince whenever she moved. At one point she let out such a painful cry that he had to resist reaching over and taking her shaking hand. As he looked at her, as she watched the sorting, he saw something that made his blood run cold. Hermione tucked her hair behind her ear, before quickly pulling it back across her face and looking around. Their eyes caught and she blushed deeply, looking back at the sorting. In that moment, she had accidently revealed a huge bruise along her neck and up the side of her face. It was deep purple and the only way Hermione could have hidden was because of her huge, brushy hair. Fred clutched his fists tightly and tried to concentrate on the sorting.

When the sorting left Fred, George and Hermione went up to the common room. They were all now quite worried about Harry and Ron. Fred walked behind Hermione as she ranted about how much trouble they will be in if they don't turn up now.

"If they get expelled they've only got their selves to blame!" she sighed, as they entered the common room.

"I just can't wait to hear their story" George laughed; "They will be fine though, my bet is that they sneak off and nicked the car to get here" Fred laughed.

"If that is the case, than Ron will be killed by mum" Fred said, yawning. Hermione looked around the room, and sighed deeply. She had a sad look on her face as she realised that Ron and Harry wasn't waiting for them in there.

"I better get to bed" Hermione told them.

"Goodnight" George replied, "Sleep tight and don't let the bed gnomes bite" Hermione smiled and caught Fred's eye again. Fred smiled at her, and her cheeks brightened again but this time it was cute and she smiled back.

"Good night" Fred said and watched Hermione leave to the girl's dormitory.

Fred was very glad when Hermione decided to stay for Christmas, even if she, Harry and Ron were acting extremely weird and with everything that was going on around the school.

Fred was horrified, however, when he asked Harry and Ron on Christmas day where she was and they replied the Hospital Wing. They didn't say why and Fred didn't notice them trying to control laughter as he sprinted off to the Hospital Wing. Fred ran into the hospital and looked at the only occupied bed. He found Hermione covered in fur with cat ears and a tail. She was crying and hugging her knees, her head hidden in them. Fred quietly went up to her and placed his hand on her shoulder. Hermione jumped and looked up. Her eyes widened when she saw him and pulled the cover above her head.

"Hey" Fred said gently, pulling the cover off Hermione's tiny body. She was crying heavily, big tears soaking her fur covered cheeks. Fed pulled her close to him and gave her a hug. Hermione seemed to tense a little at first, but then relaxed and hugged him back.

"What happened?" Fred asked her. Hermione lent back, breaking the hug, and wiped her eyes on the cover. Fred was surprised to see her like this, but Hermione all covered in fur, with her eyes wide and her new ears all made her look so adorable.

"Me, Ron and Harry made Polyjuice potion" she told Fred, whose jaw dropped in respond.

"Really?" he asked, shocked and amazed. Hermione nodded. She lowered her voice, and Fred came closer to hear.

"We were trying to get information about the Chamber of Secrets" she continued, "But I messed up my potion, I got the wrong hair...and..." Tears erupted in her eyes again.

"Hey, it's ok" Fred smiled at her, "Me and George were in here for a month once, our hands and feet webbed and puss coming out of our ears because we tried to turn ourselves into frogs so we could swim in the lake" Fred laughed. Hermione looked at me and she too laughed, tears still running down her face, making her fur stick together in thick clumps.

"Thanks" she said, pulling her knees back up to her chin. Fred sat next to on the bed.

"What for?" he asked, smiling at her.

"Harry and Ron just made fun of me" Hermione replied, sadness in her voice.

"One day they will mess up a potion or spell and we can laugh at them" Fred told her. Hermione nodded and smiled, wiping her eyes again. Fred sat with her for a while, talking about what happened and how long Hermione thought she was going to bed there. It turned out to be quite a while, and Fred, along with George, continued to visit Hermione until she stopped coughing up hair balls and lost her tail. They brought her books and homework when Harry and Ron couldn't and nicked food for her from the kitchen.

The next couple of months were a time of great worry and distress for Hogwarts due to the Chamber of Secrets being opened again. Of course the Weasleys were safe because they were all pure bloods, but Fred worried about Hermione. Of course Fred and George tried to keep everyone's sprits up by being their usual, funny selves.

In May, Fred and George found Ginny crying outside the girls toilets on the second floor.

"What's wrong?" Fred asked as George pulled her into a tight hug.

"Hermione..."Ginny cried into George's chest.

"What about Hermione?" George asked.

"She...she was petrified" Ginny told them, burying herself deeper into George's embrace. A chill went down Fred's spine as these words came out and he looked up at George, his face pale.

"You go check on her" George told Fred, "I'll take Ginny back to the Common room" Fred nodded and started to sprit to the Hospital Wing, ignoring Flinch's yells as he run past. Harry and Ron were already there, looking shocked and terrified. They didn't seem surprised to see Fred come running up to them.

"What happened?" he asked, looking at Hermione's still, frozen body. She wasn't even breathing, just laying there, her skin pale as stone and her eyes wide in terror.

"She was leaving the library" Harry said, his voice small.

"Apparently the antidote is nearly ready" Ron told Fred. Ron looked up at his older brother, fear clearly showing in his blue eyes. Fred patted him on the back.

"She'll be fine than" He smiled at them, trying to make his eyes light up, "At least this way we don't have to worry about Hermione being a target for a killing" they both looked up at him and nodded, their eyes getting a little bit brighter. Fred looked at Hermione and anger filled him. He wanted to catch the person who did this.

Fred visited Hermione everyday over the next month. He went with George or Harry and Ron or Ginny, and sometimes on his own. But every day, without fail, he was there. He couldn't stand the thought of Hermione being on her own and wanted to make sure she was safe, and still alive. The only people that knew that he was going up there every day were George and Madam Pomfrey. Fred would sit next to her and read her books, or talk to her about what was going on around the school. He hoped that she could hear him, but knew that she probably couldn't. That didn't matter though, he still did it. Just in case.

Fred happened to be there when the petrified victims were being awoken. Madam Pomfrey and Professor Sprout had decided not to tell everyone when they were going to be awoken because they were afraid that the Hospital Wing was going to bed packed.

It was a good thing as well, as the victims were terrified as they woke. They had been frozen in time so them waking up felt like a split second after they had seen the Basilisk. Colin had woken screaming and ran across the room, before locking himself in Madam Pomfrey's office. The whole wing had been filled with horrifying screams and it had chilled Fred's blood.

Hermione's turn came and Professor Sprout injected the cure into her. Screams once again filled the large room, echoing around the walls, as Hermione unfroze. Her arms waved about, knocking things off her bedside table. Her eyes shut tight and her legs thrashed around as she tried to beat off the no longer there Basilisk. A look of pure horror was on her face, enhanced in her every feature.

"Hermione!" Fred yelled over her screams, and grabbed her hands, pulling them close to his chest. Her eyes opened and she looked at Fred.

"It's ok" he said, "It's gone" Tears filled Hermione's eyes as she looked from Fred to Professor Sprout's kind eyes, to the Hospital Wing around her. Her screams stopped and she became still. Fred pulled her into a tight hug.

"I thought I was going to die" she cried into his chest, her fists holding onto the back of his shirt tightly.

"You're safe now" Fred smiled into her wild hair. Hermione dug herself deeper into Fred's chest, tears still falling. Fred rubbed her back, and kept saying

"You're safe now, I've got you"

Hermione calmed down, and after having a check over by Madam Pomfrey, she was told she could go. Hermione and Fred walked out of the Hospital Wing, Hermione's cheeks pink in slight embarrassment.

"I can't believe they took Ginny!" Hermione gasped, as Fred told her everything that she had missed as they walked down to the Great Hall. Fred clutched his fists in anger, and nodded.

"I'm very glad that she is safe" Fred replied, "Once I found out that Ron had gone down there I panicked, Percy was really bad though, I've never seen him so upset"

"Thanks for being there when I woke up" Hermione smiled. Fred smiled back at her, happy to see colour back on her face.

"I've always wanted an older brother" Hermione told him as they reached the Great Hall. Before Fred could reply, Hermione had run through the doors and was hugging Ron and Harry. Fred watched.

Big Brother?

Is that what I want to be to her? Fred asked himself and he was surprised that he had no answer.

I decided to extend the chapter instead of adding a new one because they are both really sort Hope you are enjoying this. Please review, but be nice.

Nuk