CHAPTER 14

Pairing: Fred W/Hermione G

Rating: K+

DISCLAIMER: Only the plot is mine. J

A/N: Hullo! So, I read over the previous chapter, and decided I really hated how I ended it. The only problem is that I have no idea how to change it. So for now, it will stay as is. And, due to extreme shame from bad writing, I will not repeat the ending. Anyhow, onwards with the chapter!

Hermione entered her room with a sigh and a happy smile on her face. The evening had been, in a word, perfect. Fred had been the perfect gentleman, the epitome of a perfect date. Having George home watching the kids set her at rest as well, knowing she could trust the man with the most important things (or rather, people) in her life.

Shrugging out of her sweater, she threw it onto the suitcase in the corner before going into the bathroom to properly change and prepare for bed. Brushing her teeth, Hermione couldn't help but feel like a loon for smiling so much. She wasn't a teenager, for merlin's sake! She was a grown woman with two children, who had just come back from the most wonderful date she had ever been in.

Ah, who am I kidding? I do feel like a teenager! Hermione giggled to herself, and wiped her mouth on the towel. Stepping into the room once more, she softly closed the door of the bathroom, and prepared to slip into bed with her two children.

Just as she was pulling the covers back, the door to the hall opened with a click. Sticking his head in, Fred smiled at the sight of the two kids, before beckoning Hermione out into the hall.

"I didn't get to give you a proper goodnight, thanks to my ever-interfering twin," he said, pushing a rogue curl behind her ear. Hermione blushed, and stepped closer to Fred. The latter gave her a breathtaking smile, and captured her lips with his, securing his arms around her waist.

Hermione moaned, opening her mouth and allowing Fred to deepen the kiss. After a few moments, the new couple pulled apart, resting their foreheads together and gasping for breath.

"I should go to bed," Hermione whispered, not wanting to break the embrace. Fred chuckled slowly, and loosened his hold on her. Stepping away, She glanced up at him shyly, and gave him one last peck on the lips before turning towards her room once more.

"Goodnight, Hermione," he whispered. She nodded silently, and entered her room once more.

"Goodnight, Fred."

The next morning, Hermione woke with a feeling of utter contentment. Looking on either side of her, she smiled softly at the sight of her babies sleeping, reveling in a moment alone with them. Resigning herself to the day ahead, Hermione pulled the covers back and climbed out of bed, careful not to wake the other occupants of the bed.

Stepping out of the room, Hermione closed the door behind her softly and wandered into the kitchen.

"Oh! Fred, you're awake!" Fred smiled at her from the table, a steaming cup of tea sitting in front of him. Getting up, Fred approached Hermione and wrapped himself around her in a tight hug, squeezing the life out of her.

"Morning, Hermione!" Fred chuckled at the strangled reply and loosened his hold on her. Tucking a stray lock behind her ear, Hermione stood up on her tippy-toes and greeted Fred properly, planting a soft kiss on his lips before side-stepping him and heading towards the teapot.

"Slept well, I take it," asked Hermione as she joined him at the table with her own cup of tea.

"I did indeed, thank you. And yourself?" Hermione nodded in affirmation. She stared into her tea pensively, thinking hard on the date last night. The two had had a lot of fun – at least, she had had a lot of fun, but there was something niggling on the back of her mind.

True to her nature, Hermione couldn't leave that feeling alone, and it wasn't long before she opened her mouth to confront Fred.

"Fred, I –" she started, but hesitated for a moment. How would she go about this? The handsome man across from her looked on with curiosity, waiting for her to continue.

"Go on, Hermione," he prompted, when quite some time had passed and she hadn't finished her thought.

"Fred.. I had a lot of fun last night. It was the best and sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me." She looked up at him through her eyelashes.

"I sense there's a but in here somewhere," Fred replied, setting his mug of tea down and staring at her intently.

"What are we, exactly? Because I have two kids and an abusive husband who I want nothing more than to chuck and press charges against but no one in their right mind would want to be with me of all people! I mean, look at me! I'm a divorcee (soon to be) with two young kids who really isn't in her prime anymore. I –" Fred held up a hand to stop her. Satisfied that she was going to listen to what he was going to say, he scooted closer, and took her hand in both of his.

"Hermione, you should know by now that none of those things matter to me. You've been through some traumatic experiences in life, and I wholly respect you for having gone through so much, and with kids to boot."

Hermione opened her mouth to interrupt, but Fred just held up a hand to stop her, and continued.

"While I may be a prankster, I promise that all of my intentions towards you are nothing but honest. You are the most beautiful woman I have ever met, and I'd be lying if I told you that I haven't felt anything but friendship towards you for the entire time I've known you. I love your kids, and I'd really like to keep seeing you, if you'll have me." By this time, both of their cups lay forgotten on the table, and Hermione had turned to Fred to give him her full attention.

Tears sparkled in her eyes as she clasped his hands with hers, feeling immensely touched but gloriously happy at the same time. At the end of Fred's speech, a goofy grin broke out on her face, and she couldn't help but let a giggle of happiness escape her. Fred smiled as well, and stood up, pulling her out of her chair and into his hard chest.

"Fred!" Hermione shrieked, laughing louder.

"I'd like you to be mine, Hermione, and in return, I'll be wholly yours. We can take it slowly, one step at a time." Hermione nodded deliriously, near drowning in Fred's intense gaze. Seeing as assent, Fred leaned down and captured Hermione's lips with his own. His arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her tight against his body, while she snuck her arms around his neck and pushed them as close together as possible.

A small moan broke free from Hermione, and she sighed as they pulled apart for oxygen.

"I was so scared it was all a dream, last night," she whispered. "I'm hardly a catch, and taking care of Rosie and Hugo hasn't left me time to pay attention to myself or my looks. I don't even have any money!" She clutched tightly to Fred, burying her face in his neck.

"Hey, now," he said, softly, "none of that. You're the most beautiful woman I have ever seen, and dead sexy, too." Fred rubbed her back, calming her slowly. Hermione lifted her head from his shoulder, and looked at him with shining eyes.

"You think so?" she asked, hating the vulnerability in her voice but unable to do anything to hide it. No one had ever called her sexy before, and even as a 23-year-old mother of two, it was nice to hear that someone still found her beautiful.

Fred could only nod, appalled at the mental scarring Michael had caused, and all of the insecurities he had fueled. A new-found anger rose up in Fred, and he itched to go out and find the bastard that had hurt Hermione so badly.

Revenge would have to wait, however, for not a moment too soon, a baby's wail echoed from the room down the hall. Hermione's eyes grew wide, and she pulled free of Fred and ran to sooth her baby.

A/N: So.. What did you think? Was it okay? I just feel like Hermione, while really beautiful to all of us, didn't often think that of herself, and so to hear Fred call her sexy was appropriate. I mean, everyone wants to be sexy at one point or another, and I just think it fit here. But anyhow.. Better than last chapter? I hope so – that one sucked :(.