Summer 1996

Fred and George meet Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny at Kings Cross station that year. Once the Order of the Phoenix and successfully scared the Dursleys and Harry had disappeared into the busy crowd of Kings Cross station, all the Weasleys and Hermione picked up their bags.

"We've got taxis waiting outside," Molly told the children.

"I'll see you in a couple of weeks then," Hermione announced. Molly, George and Fred looked at her, shocked. Ron and Ginny smiled at her and hugged her.

"We'll organise a date really soon," Ron told her.

"You can spend the whole holidays with us, Dear," Molly said. Hermione gave her a small smile.

"Thank you Mrs Weasley but I need to go see my parents."

A chill went through Fred's body as he looked at Hermione. She looked serious but sad as she hugged Ginny goodbye.

"How are you getting there?" George asked.

"Train," Hermione replied, looking up at the massive train timetable. The train to Cambridge was arriving in ten minutes.

"We have to go because of the taxis," Molly said, looking worried.

"I'll stay with Hermione," Fred reassured her. Molly nodded and led three of her children out of the station. She looked back a few times, clearly worried.

"You don't have to wait with me," Hermione told Fred, walking towards a ticket booth.

"I'm not letting you go," Fred told her, gently grabbing her arm. Hermione turned to him, her eyes red and her brown orbs dull.

"I have to go," Hermione whispered, looking down to the floor.

"They nearly killed you!" Fred told her, "You don't owe them anything!"

"I have to!" She sounded so broken it made Fred cry. He lifted Hermione's chin as the first tear glided down his cheek. He looked into her eyes and asked,

"Why?"

Hermione stared back but didn't answer. After a couple of minutes, Hermione stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Fred's neck, tiptoeing so she could bury her head in his chest. Fred hugged her back, bringing her close to his body. He buried his face into her hair. He had missed the smell of it. Of her.

"Come back to mine," Fred said to her, "I'll go check on your parents."

Hermione nodded, her face hidden. Fred broke the hug and led her out of the train station.

Diagon Alley wasn't far from Kings Cross and Fred led Hermione to the pub that hid it, wheeling her heavy trunk behind them. Crookshank followed at their heels, causing many stares from people around them. Hermione was quiet the whole way there but did look up in wonder as they approached the Twin's new shop. It was in the middle of being painted orange and inside was even more colourful. Selves were up and nearly full with boxes of pranks.

"We're opening in a week's time," Fred told her proudly. Hermione looked around and smiled.

"This is great!" She said, looking up at Fred. The despair in her eyes shifted slightly, allowing room for happiness and peace. Fred felt glad. Once of the reasons Fred and George had wanted to start this joke shop was to make people smile. To let people know that even though times were hard, they could still be happy and that it was ok to laugh.

Fred took Hermione's hand and led her upstairs. Their flat wasn't as amazing and they had very little furniture. Cushions and bean bags were in the living room and two single mattresses were on the bedroom floor. There was washing up littering the kitchen sides and clothes thrown everywhere.

"We're not use to living on our own yet," Fred admitted.

"That's because you've always had your Mum or house elves cleaning up after you," Hermione told him, sitting down on a bean bag.

"You could teach us," Fred grinned, placing himself down next to her. Hermione smiled, absentmindedly stroking Fred's fringe out of his eyes. Fred smiled back, stroking her cheek. They kissed; a slow, sweet kiss that made Hermione blush. Fred loved that he could still make her blush even though they had been going out for nearly two years.

"Why don't you want to go to the Burrow?" Fred asked as they broke apart.

"Because Ron and Ginny will know something is up," Hermione told him. She leant against Fred, her hair covering her face. Fred placed his hand on her shoulder and pulled her closer to him, kissing her hair.

"Why don't you want them to know?" He asked, "They're your best friends."

Hermione didn't answer for a while and Fred slowly started to believe that Hermione didn't know the answer.

"There is so much going on," Hermione finally replied, "Harry has enough to worry about without adding to it and Ron would worry way too much about it and won't let me out of his sight." Hermione continued, "Maybe when this war is over, then I can tell them, but until then I don't want them to worry anymore."

She pulled on the sleeve of her jumper and sighed.

"It is bad enough that your parents know," she mumbled.

"They can help," Fred tried to reassure her.

"I know, but I am so use to dealing with all of this one my own and now it feels like the world knows about my problems," Hermione told him.

"I know you don't want people to know, but it is a good thing, you can get the help you need," Fred said, resting his chin on her forehead. Hermione nodded.

"I started the counselling sessions before the summer," she whispered.

"How did it go?" Fred asked, sensing her discomfort. Hermione shrugged.

"It was weird," she answered, "But I think I'll keep going after the summer, if it doesn't interfere with my studies that is."

"Hermione, your health is more important than your studies," Fred said, turning her chin so she was looking at him. She gave him a small smile.

"I know," she answered. She turned away and Fred could sense she didn't want to talk about it anymore.

"Fancy a Chinese?" He asked. Hermione looked up and shrugged.

"I've never had Chinese before," she told him. Fred's jaw dropped and she laughed.

"Well, we're definitely getting Chinese then," Fred said. He kissed her and then stood up.

"Make yourself at home, I'll be back in twenty minutes," he told the brushy haired girl before disappearing. He saw Hermione smile as he apparated out of the flat.

Fred returned with chicken chew mein, sweet and sour chicken balls, beef and mushrooms, egg fried rice and pawn crackers. Hermione was crawled up in a ball and snoring softly. Fred smiled at the sight and put the food down on a cardboard box that had George's clothes in. Fred knelt down next to Hermione and kissed her forehead. Hermione stirred and smiled as she saw Fred.

"Food's here sleepy head," Fred said softly and stroked her hair back out of her face.

"It smells nice," Hermione replied, slowly sitting up and stretching. She had taken off her jacket and was wearing a vest top that showed off her perfect curves. Hermione had healed her cuts on her wrists so no scars had formed.

"If I'm staying here, where is George going to sleep?" Hermione asked as Fred got some plates out of a box.

"Angie's," Fred replied, placing the plates on the floor and starting to take the paper tops off the foil trays that held the food, "She has a place near the Leaking Cauldron."

Hermione nodded, licking her lips subconsciously as Fred piled the food onto a plate. He gave it to her and she dug in without hesitation.

"It's so good," Hermione moaned as she swallowed a fork load of chew mein. Fred laughed, sitting cross legged opposite her and also digging in.

"I'm going to make sure that this is your best summer holiday ever," he promised. Hermione smiled at him and then devoured the rest of her food.

After the food was eaten and the washing up had been done by Hermione a reluctant Fred, they went to bed. They pushed the two mattresses together to make a double bed and they crawled up against each other. Their bodies fitted together like jigsaw pieces and Hermione felt so right next to him.

"I've missed this," Hermione told him. He stroked her arm and mumbled into her hair.

"So have I."

"I wish it could stay like this forever," Hermione said, her voice distant.

"It will one day," Fred promised, kissing her neck. He felt Hermione relax and they went to sleep.

Fred went to check on Hermione's parents the day after she arrived back from Hogwarts. Fred was still angry that they hadn't been sent to prison. The Ministry had told them that her parents hadn't gone to Azkaban as they were muggles and they couldn't inform the muggle police as there was no evidence because Hermione's injuries had been healed, so they got off scott-free.

Fred apparated outside their house and looked through a window into the kitchen. The placed was filthy, with grim and mould up the walls. Dirty washing and food littered every side top. There was a pot of tobacco and roll ups on the windowsill and bottles and cans of beer on the table in the middle of the room, joined by an empty vodka bottle. Fred moved to a different window, tripping over rubbish as he went. In the living room, Fred could see Hermione's dad in his boxers, watching TV while nursing a beer. Her mum came staggering into the room, wearing a dirty night shirt. Fred felt anger fill him as he watched her fall onto the couch beside the greasy man. Fred desperately wanted to go in there and cast an unforgiveable curse upon them.

Breathing deeply, Fred decided that this was all he had to do. Taking one last glance at the two vile human beings, Fred went back home to tell Hermione that her parents were fine.

Hermione stayed with Fred for the first two weeks of the holiday. She helped the Twins open the shop for business and also with making their flat a home by decorating and furnishing it.

Fred enjoyed waking up with Hermione next to him every morning. He got a glimpse of their future as they lived together I the flat, and Fred couldn't wait for it.

They would wake together at 7am and Fred would make Hermione breakfast in bed, before kissing her goodbye and leaving her reading in bed as he went downstairs to open the shop up. Hermione would come down at noon with sandwiches or cheese on toast for the Twins and then help around the shop until closing time at 5pm. George would go back to Angelina's and Fred and Hermione would make dinner together, learning a new recipe. If it didn't turn out well they would heat up one of the many precooked meals that Molly sent them. They would then lie on the newly brought sofa and talk.

They discussed everything. The shop, Hogwarts, the future, their dreams and just anything else that came up. They could speak forever and often did so until very late.

"What's your dream?" Hermione asked, lying her head down on Fred's lap, her hair spilling across his knees. Fred stroked it gently.

"I'm already living it," Fred told her, "It's owning my own joke shop and running it with George, while living with you."

"I won't be here for much longer," Hermione pointed out. Fred pouted.

"But one day we'll live together," he said. Hermione looked up at him and smiled.

"What's yours?" Fred asked.

"I want to set up the first Magical Primary school," Hermione said proudly.

"Like the school you and Harry went to?" Fred asked, curious. Hermione nodded, looking up at him.

"I've always wanted to be a teacher."

"You'll be a great teacher," Fred smiled back, "All the kids will love you."

"So you think it's a good idea?" Hermione asked.

"It's great," Fred encouraged, bending down and kissing her forehead. They smiled at each other, nuzzling their noses together.

"I wish it could stay like this forever," Fred mumbled, kissing Hermione softly.

"Me too," Hermione replied, "But I'm going to the Burrow tomorrow."

Fred pouted again.

"Can't you stay longer?" He moaned. Hermione laughed.

"I'll visit," Hermione told him. Fred sighed, still stroking her hair.

"When are we going to tell everyone?" He asked. Hermione frowned, thinking.

"I'm still underage," she said.

"You're nearly 17," Fred pointed out. He looked down at her, into her chocolate coloured eyes.

"I'm scared of hurting Ron," Hermione admitted, staring back.

"Yeah, I see the way he looks at you," Fred said, "but when he finds out that we've been going out of years, don't you think he'll be more upset?"

"Maybe," Hermione mumbled, "I'm hoping he will understand."

She sat up and took Fred's hands.

"Everything has gone so well since we've started to go out, I'm scared telling everyone will screw it all up."

Fred kissed Hermione again, caressing her cheek.

"Ok, we'll wait a bit longer, but we have to tell them eventually," he told her. Hermione nodded, leaning in to kiss Fred again.

"I love you."

I love you too, Mioney."

Hermione arrived at the Burrow the day before Harry, and Ron and Ginny were none the wiser. They didn't even ask why she had arrived so early into the holidays.

Hermione began to wish that she had stayed with Fred though. Nights were lonely without Fred next to her and she was beginning to find it hard to keep her promise. She tried to engage herself in as much activity around the Burrow as possible, even letting Harry, Ron and Ginny teach her how to fly. Admittedly this wasn't very successful but it helped Hermione think about other things other than the loneliness she felt almost all of the time.

Determined not to let her parents hurt her again, Hermione refused to break her promise. She tried to go over to the shop as often as she could, telling her best friends that she was visiting nonexistent family members. Ginny knew that Hermione was visiting Fred and helped her cover her stories, sometimes even joining Hermione.

This made it difficult when they all went to Diagon Alley together as the girls had to act like it was the first time they had visited the orange store.

"This is amazing!" Ron said, looking around in awe. It made Hermione giggle, thinking of all the work that she and the twins had out into it. It included a lot of paint covered faces and bodies, many falling boxes and George's hair turning green for a couple of days.

"What happened to your eye, Hermione?" Fred asked, looking concerned. It brought back memories of her beaten and broken on the floor of 12 Grimmauld Place's kitchen. He shivered but Hermione smiled at him. If Harry hadn't been at her side then he would have hugged her.

"Your punching telescope," Hermione answered with raised eyebrows and a smile, and Fred felt guilty.

"Oh blimey, I forgot about those," Fred said, and pulled a tub out of his pocket. He wanted to fix this. He smiled sheepishly as he handed it to her.

"Come on, Harry, we'll give you a tour," Fred said before leading Harry away. As he passed Hermione, he gently ran his hand across her arm. Briefly turning back to look at her, Fred saw her smiling. He winked at her before she was lost in the crowded room.

After proudly showing off their products, Fred found Hermione by the love potions with Ginny.

"You don't need that," he whispered in her ear. Hermione was very supportive of all their products and had given advice on a lot of them, but Fred knew she disapproved of the love potions. They were a best seller though.

Hermione raised an eyebrow at him but said nothing. Fred wished he could kiss her and nearly did, but stopped as he saw Ron, who was looking at Hermione. Fred sighed and straightened up. He knew that Ron pined after Hermione and had done for quite a while. Hermione was worried that Ron would react badly to them dating, and Fred knew she was right.

He just hoped they could reveal themselves soon.

Fred started teasing Ginny, along with George, and briefly forgot about Hermione. Next time he looked around she was gone, along with Harry and Ron. He sighed, knowing they were probably doing something dangerous. They always were. Fred worried about them constantly.

He wished they weren't always so caught up in some kind of danger and saving the world, but they were friends with Harry Potter, so they were always going to be right in the middle of it.

Fred shook it off as a customer asked him something. The shop was so crowded that he was kept busy, meaning the thought of Hermione nearly disappeared. Only nearly though. Hermione was always on his mind in one way or another.

They reappeared half an hour later, just before Molly was about to go into a mad panic. Fred didn't really get a chance to say goodbye as she whisked them off pretty quickly. This upset him a little but there wasn't much he could do.

Sorry this has taken so long! I feel so bad but I am determined to finish this even if it takes forever. Life and other stories keep getting in the way. I blame Tumblr for getting me into other fandoms. So please be patient and don't kill me too much if the next chapter isn't up for a while. I will try and get it up sooner but I can't make promises.