Year 5 Part 3

Hermione quietly watched as Fred and George flew away from the castle as everyone else around her cheered. She was surprised at the Twin's sudden departure and she felt tears come to her eyes.

Why hadn't Fred said anything?

How could he just leave me like this?

Not wanting to be caught crying, Hermione walked away from the crowd and bright fireworks. She headed to the library and sat in a lonely corner. Out of the window she could still see the fireworks.

Hermione knew that Fred had been getting increasingly frustrated with the school and Umbridge but to leave two months early seemed a bit extreme to Hermione. She wondered why he hadn't told her that he was leaving. Did he expect her to tell on them?

A sob escaped Hermione's mouth as she thought about Fred not trusting her. Hermione shook herself and took a deep breath.

Crying was not going to help.

Fred was probably going to write to her, explaining why he had just left without even saying goodbye.

It was dark outside when Hermione finally left the library and dinner had finished. Hermione had not received any word from Fred yet and as Hermione got closer to the common room, anger started to replace her sadness. If Fred loved her so much, why would he leave? He didn't even say goodbye but just left her. Was she not trustworthy? And why had he not written to her yet?

The common room was full of conversation of Fred and George's epic exit from the school which fuelled the fire in within Hermione even more.

"Hermione! Where have you been?" Ron smiled at her as she walked in.

"Leave me alone, Ron" Hermione told him, walking past.

"What have I done?" He asked, looking confused and hurt. Hermione's eyes narrowed and filled with tears again.

"I don't want to speak to any boy! I don't even want to look at another boy!" She cried before rushing upstairs. Harry and Ron looked at each other, confused.

Ginny, who had been sitting nearby, sighed and followed Hermione. She found Hermione crying on her bed. She was surprised when Ginny pulled back her curtains and she tried to wipe her eyes dry. Ginny sat down beside her.

"He is a dick" Ginny told her.

"Who?" Hermione asked, wiping her wet cheek.

"Fred" Ginny replied simply. Hermione looked even more surprised.

"Why… why is Fred a dick?" Hermione asked. Ginny smiled, taking her friend's hand.

"For leaving you" She told Hermione, "And judging by the way you so shaken up, he didn't tell you"

Hermione looked at her; her blue eyes, her freckles and her red hair all so like Fred's, and shook her head, new tears falling.

"I… Why would… I care about… him leaving?" She cried.

"Hermione, I know about you two, I've walked in on you two plenty of times and I see the way you two look at each other" Ginny told her. Hermione looked at her and her shoulder relaxed slightly, like a weight had been lifted. Ginny pulled her into a hug and Hermione cried into her shoulder.

"He just left" Hermione cried, feeling relieved at saying this aloud. At having someone to share this with, "He didn't even say goodbye"

"He is bastard" Ginny told Hermione, allowing her to cry and release her anguish. She slowly calmed down and wiped her cheeks dry with her sleeves. Ginny rubbed her back, looking sympathetic.

"I just want him to write me a letter explaining why he left without telling me" Hermione confessed.

"I'm sure he will" Ginny comforted Hermione.

"How long have you known?" She asked, looking at Ginny.

"A while I guess" She smiled, "I saw you two kissing at the Yule Ball"

"Really?" Hermione blushed, "I thought no one saw that"

Ginny laughed.

"That's when we first started to go out" Hermione told her.

A tap at the window drew both of their attention. A large barn owl was outside. Hermione went over and opened the window and it dropped the latter in Hermione's hands before flying off. The letter was red and Hermione immediately recognised Fred's handwriting.

Hermione,

I'm so sorry for not saying goodbye. I tried looking for you last night and this morning but I couldn't found you anywhere. You must have been studying for your OWLS. I didn't tell you before because I knew you would try and talk me out of it and I probably would have listened to you. You were the only thing keeping me at Hogwarts the couple of months. Me and George couldn't just let that toad go unpunished and this was out only chance.

I'm so so sorry and I miss you already. Please don't hate me too much, even though I know I deserve it.

This is a small gift. I know it won't make you forgive me but I hope it makes you smile.

I love you so much

Fred.

As Hermione finished reading, the letter moved in her hands and morphed into five paper roses. Hermione did smile as she looked at them.

"I didn't know my brother was that sweet"

"He is the sweetest person I know" Hermione told Ginny, "And he is so romantic, he makes me feel so special every time I'm with him"

Hermione then sat back down on the bed with Ginny beside her and told the younger girl everything that Fred had down for her. The dates, the later night strolls, and the secret moments they shared together.

Even though Fred had upset her tonight, all the other times made up for it.

OoOoOoOoO

Fred made sure to write to Hermione every day after he left. He felt so bad for just leaving her. He hadn't been able to bring himself to tell her of his and George's plans. He didn't want to see her face.

However he had caught it as they were flying off. She had looked so shock and anger had been in her chocolate eyes.

Ginny had written him a letter, stating how upset Hermione had been after they had left. It had surprised him that Ginny knew but Fred was happy someone was looking after Hermione.

Hermione seemed to forgive Fred and he made sure to send her lots of treats and little things to show how much he loved her. One night he had woken suddenly, his mind full of Hermione. He wrote everything he was thinking down and it formed into a poem. He had sent it to her, feeling impressed with himself for knowing how to write poetry.

OoOoOoOoO

Fred and George arrived at the school just after their parents when Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville and Luna had sunk into the Minstery of Magic. The Twins flooed into Professor Sprout's office and found the Professor talking to their parents and Ginny sitting close to their mum, her head on Molly's shoulder. George rushed over, hugging Ginny.

"Are you ok?" He asked. Ginny gave them a smile.

"Fine, Ron and Hermione are in the hospital wing though"

At this information Fred sprinted out of the room and along the corridors towards the hospital wing. A million different scenarios rushed through his head as he raced through the school.

Ron and Hermione were in beds next to each other and Fred was suddenly conflicted to who he should check on first. Luckily George was right behind him and went to the unconscious Ron's side. Fred approached Hermione who was also unconscious. He felt guilty for not being there as he looked down at her pale face.

"They're both going to be fine" Madam Promfery told the twins, coming out of her office.

"Your brother was hit with an anti-sense charm and managed to get himself in a wrestling fight with an octopus brain and that is why he is covered in them warts"

Fred looked over to Ron and saw the anger red blotches all across his face and arms. Fred and George looked at each other and Fred knew they were thinking the same thing.

Wicked.

"And Miss Granger was hit with a very deadly spell that was done incorrectly"

Both Fred and George looked up at the nurse, their mouths open. Anger, sadness and gratitude hit Fred all at once and the overwhelming emotions brought tears to his eyes.

"Incorrectly?" George asked, as Fred leant down and kissed Hermione on the forehead, a tear falling on her cheek.

"The sender was unable to speak at the time" Madam Pomfery explained, "If he had been able to speak, I have no doubt that Miss Grander would be dead"

Fred stroked Hermione's hand and her sleeve came up a bit. Fred saw thin, red lines across her wrist. They looked sore and were healing. These cuts weren't made last night. shocked, Fred pulled Hermione's sleeve back down and found that his eyes had become even more wet with tears. He looked at Hermione's pale face and looked up as Madam Pomfery stood over the bed as well. They made brief eye contact before Madam Pomfery looked down at Hermione's other wrist, which was slightly showing. Fred followed her eyes and even more sadness filled him as he saw the same red lines on her other wrist. Madam Pomfery covered them and looked back at Fred. Lowering her voice, she said,

"I need to talk to your parents about these" Her tone was filled with sorrow and her eyes were saw but serious. Fred swallowed hard, trying to hide a sob, but nodded softly.

Why? He asked himself as Madam Pomfery walked away and he looked back down to Hermione, stroking her cheek carefully. He didn't want to break her anymore.

George and Fred sat with Hermione and Ron all day, not leaving their sides once. Molly and Arthur came to the hospital wing, also looking over them. Ron woke up at about noon, feeling drowsy and disoriented.

Hermione took longer to wake though. She slept through Harry, Ginny, Neville and Luna coming in to visit them and through the scorching heat that pieced the room.

Hermione didn't wake until everyone had gone to bed or home. Fred had told everyone that he was staying to make sure they were ok. He had been sitting in between Ron and Hermione's beds, chatting to Ron but now his snores filled the wing. Fred had moved to the side of Hermione's bed and was stroking her hair softly.

Madam Pomfery had wrapt bandages around her wrists so the cuts were now covered. Fred stared at them, wishing they would give the answer he was looking for. He felt Hermione stir as his eyes began to close. Her eyes opened and she looked at Fred. He smiled at her while tears formed in his eyes. She tried to sit up to hug him but instead a cry of pain escaped her lips as she moved.

"Lie still" Fred told her, stoking her face, "Madam Pomfery said you will be in a lot of pain for the first couple of days"

"Is everyone ok?" Hermione asked, looking up at Fred. He took her head, bringing it to his lips and squeezing it"

"Sirius died" He whispered just loud enough for her to hear. Hermione brought her hand up to her mouth, a tear sliding down her cheek.

"Harry?" She asked, her voice small.

"He is as good as he can get" Fred replied sadly, kissing Hermione's hand gently. Hermione closed her eyes, shaking her head.

"Hermione?" Fred asked, hesitantly a couple of minutes later. Hermione reopened her eyes, which were red and puffy.

"Madam Pomfery saw your wrists" Fred said quickly. He still didn't want it to be true and saying it made it even more real. Hermione's eyes widened and she brought her arm above her eyes to see the white bandages.

"Did you do that?" Fred asked. Hermione looked at him for a long moment before closing her eyes and nodding.

It felt like a cold stone had been dropped in Fred's stomach. He had finally got Hermione away from her parents and she was still being hurt. By herself.

"Why?" Fred asked, rubbing Hermione's arm and trying to stop the tears that he was holding back from spilling out.

"I...I have control" Hermione mumbled.

"Did you start after I left?" Fred asked. Hermione shook her head.

"No, I just stopped healing them because you couldn't see them" She told him, looking away. Her cheeks had a pink blush.

"There's better ways of dealing with your past" Fred told her, wiping away a tear that had edged out of Hermione's eyes.

"Like what?" Hermione asked.

"Madam Pomfery spoke to my parents-" Fred began but was stopped but Hermione sighing irritable and pulling her arm out of Fred's grip. Shocked, Fred watched as Hermione cried at the movement.

"Does everyone know!" She asked, anger in her voice.

"No...just us four£ Fred told her, "Madam Pomfery and I saw the cuts and she had to tell my parents"

Hermione closed her eyes, putting her arms over her eyes.

"Madam Pomfery suggested counselling"

"So another person knows" Hermione growled, "You should publish a book on my life story"

Fred felt like Hermione had slapped him; she had never been this harsh to him before. He had never seen her this angry.

"Hermione" Fred said softly, taking her hand. Hermione relaxed as Fred brought her hands back down so he could see her face. Tears were rolling down her cheeks.

"I'm sorry" She cried, her sobs hurting her whole body. This made her cry even more, causing more pain.

"It's ok, Mioney"Fred said, standing up and stroking her face. Hermione had got herself into such a state by now though and couldn't stop crying. She was finding it hard to breathe.

"Madam Pomfery!" Fred yelled, holding Hermione's hand as she gasped for breath. Ron woke up as Madam Pomfery rushed towards the bed.

"What's going on?" He asked, sitting up.

"It's ok, Mioney, you just need to calm down" Fred said, smoothing her hair. Madam Pomfery poured some potion into a flask and helped Hermione drink it. It reduced the pain nearly instantly and Hermione was able to sit herself up on the bed, breathing deeply. Hermione tried to smile in thanks. Ron got out of bed and went to Hermione's other side, rubbing her back.

"You ok?" He asked, as Fred held onto Hermione's hand, not caring what it looked like. Hermione nodded.

"Yeah, just panicked" She said, the tears reducing.

"You should get some rest" Madam Pomfery said, pouring another potion into a flask. This one was a dreamless sleep potion. Hermione took it without complaint and downed it. She then lied down and sleep claimed her.

Ron went back to his bed but turned over so he was facing Hermione and Fred. No one said anything, not wanting to disturb Hermione even though the potion meant she would be out of it for at least 8 hours.

Ron fell back asleep and Fred laid his head down on Hermione's bed, tracing her hand with his fingers. He too fell asleep.

Fred didn't get another chance to talk to Hermione after that as the hospital wing was always filled with visitors and Madam Pomfery told him he wasn't allowed to stay another night. Madam Pomfery was keeping an eye on Hermione to make sure she didn't hurt herself again.

The twins visited often; dropping off treats for both Ron and Hermione and to keep them company. However, Fred was never alone with Hermione so didn't get a chance to talk to her.

Fred's dreams were full of nightmares. He would wake up with Hermione lying next to him and for a moment everything seemed fine but then Fred would try and pull Hermione closer to him and she would break into a thousand pieces, scattering like glass. And no matter how hard Fred tried, he couldn't put her back together.