Oh man, I love doing this fanfic! :D And I admit, I wrote this chapter whilst listening to Christmas Carols, is it too early for that? xD hehe well I don't care! Hope you enjoy reading this one!

It was late evening and Hermione had already finished her shopping a few hours ago but she was delaying her return to the Burrow for obvious reasons. Perhaps she should make her peace with Fred. Bring something back for him. She suddenly had an idea. She turned and set off for Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. Of course it was shut by now, but she just needed a few things from the twin's supplies. After knocking several times, she was greeted by a very surprised George.

"'Mione? What're you doing here? Is Fred okay?!"

She smiled at George's immediate concern for his twin. She'd hate to imagine if something bad had happened to one of them during the Battle, she didn't think either one could have coped without their twin!

"No, he's fine…a little grumpy, but that's why I'm here!"

"Ah! Come to enjoy the presence of the better half, eh?"

Hermione laughed at George's winking face.

"I don't think Angelina would approve if I had!"

His grinning face grew very red.

"Do you think I could use some of your pranking supplies, George?"

His mirthful face took on a whole new level of astonishment.

"Don't look so shocked, I'm just as capable of making and using pranks as you!"

George's mouth continued opening and shutting in disbelief.

"Oh stop it, you look like a fish! Can I use some or not?" she laughed at him.

He finally snapped out of his surprised stupor and smiled down at the witch to whom he owed so much.

"Of course, 'Mione. You need not have asked. Take anything you want! You know you can ask for anything from me."

Hermione smiled shyly at George. He would never forget what she had done and she knew that, but she didn't want to abuse his kindness and take advantage.

"Thanks George."

They smiled at each other for a few seconds before George enveloped her in a huge hug.

"No. Thank-you, Hermione." He whispered, using her full name, a rare occurrence. Fred's twin let her go, before smiling gratefully and standing aside so she could enter the shop.

About half an hour passed and Hermione was equipped with all she needed to make Fred's surprise, minus one item she needed from Muggle London. She thanked George and stepped out into the cool air before setting off towards The Leaky Cauldron and its muggle portal.

Her shopping only took her a few minutes and soon she was heading back towards Diagon Alley. Maybe she'd get a few butterbeers too. She knew Fred liked them. Humming a random tune to herself, Hermione turned a corner and nearly crashed into a group of men.

"Sorry," she said quickly before manoeuvring to go round them.

"Hold on! What we have here?" one of the men reached out and grabbed her arm. He had a thick foreign accent that Hermione knew she recognised but at that moment couldn't pinpoint where it came from.

"Hey! What're you doing? Get off! I warn you, don't mess with me!"

This only caused raucous laughter from the group. 'Damn muggles! They must be drunk!' Hermione thought in disgust.

"Get. Off." She repeated through gritted teeth, lowering her voice in what she hoped was a threatening way.

"Aw! She think she so scary! We are only want some bits of fun!" the grip tightened. It hurt and caused her to yelp in pain.

"I warned you!" reaching behind her to her pocket, she whipped out her wand.

"STUPEFY!"

The red shot out from her wand but to her utter horror, the man lazily moved his other arm and blocked it.

"How-"

"One of us are you? You should not have doing that!" he reached out and wrapped his fingers round some of her curls. Why hadn't she let Fred come with her? He would have been able to protect her! Hermione's bitter regrets swam through her mind as the man chuckled and spoke in a different language to one of his friends who was leaning against a wall, apparently uninterested in the rest of the group's goings on. She couldn't understand anything that the man was saying but one word stuck out. She knew that word. Or name.

"Krum?! KRUM! Victor! It's me! Hermione!" she hoped against hope that he was the same Krum she knew, how many 'Krum's could there be?

"Hermioninny?" he leaned forward and his eyes opened wide as he recognised her. Barking what sounded like a command to his friends, he approached her. The man dropped Hermione's arm and shot an angry look of resentment towards Krum.

"Is it really being you?"

She let out a nervous laugh of relief!

"Yes! Oh my!" she felt slightly wobbly in the legs as the fear left her. His friends muttered and walked off looking subdued. What awful company he kept!

"Please, think nothing of them, they are having too much to drink! I am only with them to be looking after my cousin!" he smiled warmly at her. Merlin, she was so relieved. She daren't think what would have happened had Krum not been there!

"I am so happy to see you again!" he smiled at her.

"Trust me! The feeling is mutual!" she laughed again. He pulled her into a hug.

"STUPEFY!"

Krum flew backwards, hit the wall with a huge thump and slumped to the ground. Hermione screamed and turned to face the attacker, only to be pulled into another hug.

"Hermione! Hermione are you ok?"

Fred's voice shook with what sounded like both anger and relief.

"Fred?! I'm fine but…you've gone and knocked him out!"

She wriggled out of his strong embrace. He kept his hands protectively on her arms.

"That was the point! Come on, let's get out of here!"

"No, you don't understand, that's Krum! Victor Krum! He helped me!"

"Krum? Well much bloody help he was! They were all pulling you around and grabbing at you, I saw them 'Mione! And I swear I came running as fast as I could! But when he grabbed at you just now…I was just protecting you. Now come on, please?" he held her hand and turned to leave.

"No! Stop it! He got rid of the others, they were the bad guys! He was only hugging me because it's been what…six years since we last met?"

"Oh…" he dropped her hand and looked back at Krum's unconscious form. "It just looked like…I was only trying to help you, 'Mione…" he looked down at the ground.

"I know. It's ok. Thank-you Fred," she said, rubbing his arm affectionately. Their eyes met and she smiled at him. Breaking the gaze, she turned back to the unconscious Krum. Kneeling beside him, Hermione moved her wand over him.

"Rennervate." she spoke. Krum blearily opened his eyes.

"What happened?" he asked thickly, rubbing the spot where his head had connected with the wall. Hermione quickly explained how Fred had mistaken him for one of the drunken men, whilst Fred himself turned slightly pink and moved his foot in slow circles on the floors. Krum laughed and said it didn't matter and it was quite understandable.

"Would you like to come back home with us for a butterbeer or something?" Hermione asked Krum who was now dusting himself off.

"What?" Fred awoke from his deep silence he'd been maintaining for a while now.

"Oh right! That is if it's alright with you Fred? It's your home after all…"

His eyebrows furrowed. He didn't want this good-looking ex-boyfriend of Hermione's going back to his home! But then he realised that she'd called it her home too. He smiled. That sounded nice. Suddenly he remembered that they were still waiting for an answer and Fred sighed,

"Sure, why not?" he found it very difficult to refuse her anything and she rewarded him by smiling happily.

"Great! Well shall we go?"

And with that they apparated back to the Burrow.

I don't know why I brought Krum back but it flows nicely and helps the rest of the story fit together :P keep an eye out for the next chapter, it's gonna be the best yet I promise, the one you've all been waiting for! ;) xxx