This is the last but one chapter, as this story is coming to an end. But, I hope you enjoy the next two chapters anyway. x

The night was slowly getting darker, the once warm sun fading quickly behind the tall oak trees. It was slowly but surely plunging Willow Crescent into a blanket of darkness, and I shivered slightly as I exited the dark purple three storey bus. Suitcase in hand I began to walk slowly along the pavement, heading towards number 15. I noted how neat and tidy the whole street was, freshly mown grass in every front garden, an identical pristine white front door, small white picket fences and weed free paths, were the case at every single home.

I reached the last house in the small street, and took a deep breath. There was a black Mercedes parked in the driveway, and I looked at my reflection in the window. My hair was long and tangled, and I was in desperate need of a shave. My whole face and body was covered in scars and bruises, and I seriously needed a wash, but it would have to wait. I had to speak to Hermione first.

I marched confidently up the path and rapped sharply on the door three times. I heard a shout of 'Just a minute!' from the house.

A light flicked on, and the door swung open.

Hermione stood in the doorway, dressed in a black tailored trousers and a fitted white shirt. Her mousse coloured hair was piled up high on top of her head, but loose strands were falling out of the presumably once neat bun. She had bags around both of her eyes, and her mascara was a little smudged. Her feet were bare, and she had a pencil sticking out from behind her ear. But what caught my eye was the ring on her finger. Her engagement ring I'd given her sat on her finger proudly.

Her eyes widened greatly as she stared at me.

'Fred?' She said uncertainly. 'Is that you?'

I nodded, smiling weakly.

'Long time no see, huh?' I smiled.

She nodded meekly, and stepped further back into the house.

'I think you'd better come in.' She said, and with that she turned on her heel and marched along her hallway and into the kitchen.

I stepped in after her and shut the door. The house was huge, her hallway was painted cream with a beautiful brown canvas hanging from the wall. I followed Hermione into the kitchen. It was painted a light green, with matching ornaments, and cooking equipment on the perfectly polished work top. She gestured to a large dining table, and I sat down in a chair silently.

'Would you like tea or coffee, or something to drink?' Hermione offered, pulling mugs out of a cupboard.

'Tea would be great, thanks.' I replied, glancing around the room.

Children's drawings were stuck to the fridge door, and I smiled fondly.

Hermione pottered around in the cupboards for a while, and I sat in silence.

'It's good to see you, Hermione.' I finally say, breaking the silence.

I watched as her back tensed.

'After five years of no contact, no letters, no cards, no news, no updates, nothing, you just stroll in and all you can say is it's good to see you!' She shouted, turning to face me. 'Five years, Fred, of not knowing what was going on, not knowing if you were dead or not!'

'Hermione...' I began, but she cut me off.

'You left me alone, with a baby! I was only fifteen, Fred! I hadn't even finished school, I hadn't even done my NEWTS!' She cried. 'I had no job, no money, and my mother had kicked me out!'

'Hermione, you've got to understand that I did it for the greater good.'

'Ha! The greater good! I don't want to hear it Fred, charity starts at home! So does the greater good as far as I concerned. Hermione raged. 'You didn't once send me an owl in five years, Fred! What was I supposed to do, wait for you forever? Move on? What about your daughter, Isadora? Didn't you wonder what was happening to her?' Tears began to pool in her eyes, and I felt my heart drop. 'Didn't you care what her first words were, or what school she went to? What mischief she got up to, what pranks she pulled? You didn't even care enough to send a birthday card, on any of her birthdays. You've missed five years of her life, Fred.' Hermione paused. Then began talking again, more quietly and calmly this time. 'She used to ask where you were, all the time. She'd ask when you were coming home. She asked if it was her fault you'd gone away.' Her voice was full of hurt, anger and pain, and somehow it affected me more than her shouting ever could.

I felt terrible, physically sick. I'd abandoned my own daughter. I'd abandoned my fiancé, when she was only fifteen. I'd gone off to be all manly and fight, but I'd left my girlfriend alone to take care of a young child.

'Hermione...' I began again. But once more I was cut off.

'What about me, Fred? What about how it affected me?' She whispered, staring into my eyes.

'It hurt Fred, it hurt a lot when you left. Isadora stayed with your parents, until I came home for the holidays. I left school as soon as I'd finished my NEWT's. I didn't go back for my seventh year, though I desperately wanted to.' She confessed.

'But, I couldn't. I needed to support my family.' She paused, and I wondered what she was thinking about. 'Luna got me a job working for The Quibbler, as the paper was getting more popular. I worked there until I had enough money for a small flat in the rougher end of London. It was so difficult then, I barely had enough money to feed both Isadora and I. She was getting bullied at school because of her intelligence, and I was getting hassle from the neighbours and my landlord.' Hermione stared out of the window.

'I worked six days a week, 9 till 5. I'd floo to your mums, and drop Isadora off every morning, then floo back to pick her up at the end of the day. I barely ever saw my little girl, and I missed her first steps. On Sundays, the only days I had off, I'd have to go shopping and clean the flat, so I had barely any free time. Then...' She began. '...never mind.'

'But eventually after 2 years I got a job working for The Ministry of Magic, in the Financial department.' She said, finally looking away from the closed window. 'I handle all the finances for the whole Ministry. With that kind of money coming in, I bought this house, a car, and payed for the children to attend a private school...'

'Children?' I asked, interrupting. 'As in, plural?'

'Yes.' Hermione nodded. 'A lot changed after you left, Fred, you need to realise that.'

I stood there, looking at my fiancé dumbstruck. She had more than one child? Who's was it? I'd never imagined I'd return to a bigger family. But, I guess it was only to be expected, she was young, and attractive. She didn't know if I would ever return, I don't blame her. But I couldn't get my head around the thought that she may have had other relationships, she may have even gotten married!

Hermione interrupted my thoughts, by speaking softly but clearly.

'It's not what you think. Let me show you.'

'Kids!' She shouted, down the hall.

A series of shouts, bangs and footsteps could be heard.

Then suddenly three small children appeared in the doorway.

The tallest, I recognised as Isadora, she was the only girl. Her big brown eyes were identical to her mothers, and her curly ginger hair sat in messy ringlets on her shoulders. She was about six and a half, but looked so much younger in her pyjamas, and with chocolate smeared all around her mouth. She smiled, at her mother, and I noticed her two front teeth were missing.

Next to her stood two, identical boys. They had light blue eyes, and both had identical miscellaneous smiles. They looked about 4. As I looked more closely I realised they looked exactly like George and I, when we were younger. They looked towards me, and exchanged confused looks. But, then they turned their attention to Hermione.

'Ok, you three, bed.' She instructed.

The two boys stared to complain loudly.

'Don't start, boys.' Hermione said loudly and clearly, immediately quietening them. 'You can watch half an hour of a DVD, then I'll come and tuck you in.' She told them.

They all moved forward and gave their mum a tight hug and a sloppy kiss.

'And no scary films, Harry!' She called to the retreating figure.

She then turned back to face me, her smile fading, as she looked at my bewildered face.

'Three kids.' I spluttered. 'You have... three kids?'

'Yes.' Hermione replied crisply. 'I do.'

'But, when I left you only had Isadora!' I exclaimed.

'You remember the night you left? Well, that was the night that Harry and Ron were conceived.' She said raising her eyebrows. 'Their twins, and are a lot like you and George actually.' She mused.

I stood there for a few moments, working out the dates and finally sighed out loud. I'd just gained two kids.

Hermione smiled weakly before sitting down at the table opposite me. I sat silently watching her.

We sat in silence for a few minutes, whilst I took it all in.

Then, I reached for Hermione's hand, holding it across the table.

'Hermione, I never stopped loving you. I thought about you every night, before I fell asleep. You were the reason I kept going, the reason I kept fighting. You and Isadora. I want to make things up to you...'

'Fred, stop.' She cut me off. 'You were away for years. It's going to take more than a few sweet words to go back to what we had. It's easy for you, to swan into a nice house, food on the table, a family.' She said. 'But it wasn't easy for me.'

A sharp pain exploded in my chest. I couldn't believe what she was saying.

'Hermione...' I interrupted. But, she wasn't having any of it.

'It's late Fred. We'll talk in the morning.' She mumbled, standing up, and shaking off my hand. 'I suggest you go to your mums tonight.'

With that, she walked down the hallway, and held the door open for me. After a few seconds I had to pull myself up, and shuffle down the corridor. As I passed Hermione my shoulder brushed hers, and I could swear she shivered, involuntarily.

'Goodnight.' I smiled weakly, trying to get some positive response from her. Hermione merely nodded, and gently shut the door in my face.

I had to re-edit the last part of this because I accidentally switched POV's. Sorry for any confusion caused.