Fred laughed as he and George pulled apart a Christmas cracker. A large spring bounced out of it, and it wasn't long before the twins shared a devious, knowing look. Perhaps this could bring forth a new idea for a product? They didn't really need any more ideas, honestly. Hermione's new line was doing so well, and they were constantly busy restocking the shelves of their latest money spinner.
That was another thing- Hermione. Fred couldn't keep his mind off her for more than two minutes. She was meeting him tomorrow at the shop to see "behind the scenes", if you will, and he couldn't wait to give her the Christmas present he'd gotten her. For now, it sat in his room back in Diagon Alley, but he almost wished he'd brought it just so he could make sure nothing happened to it.
"Oi!" George called over the noise of the festivities. "I think I saw Ginny gettin' a bit close with Harry in the living room- wanna go stop it?" he asked mischievously.
Fred grinned, but then saw Ron crossing the room with a plate in his hands. "Nah, I think he's got it handled," he said with a nod. "At least he's doin' something right, as opposed to chasin' off Hermione."
George clapped a hand on Fred's shoulder. "Don' worry, Gred. You'll see her tomorrow, right? And I'll make sure to have some excuse to be away for a bit," Fred's twin winked. They shared a grin and an understanding nod.
Fred was just about to suggest getting a piece of cake when the sound of a large thud against the door made him jump. Curious, he stepped over and opened the door. At his feet lay a disgruntled looking owl. Upon seeing Fred, it quickly hopped up, dropped a note from its beak, and flew off.
"Strange creatures…" Fred mumbled as he stooped to pick up the parchment. As he read the short note, he grinned.
Hiding from Ronald, I'm behind the garage. -HG
George leaned over his shoulder. "Looks like she couldn't wait to see you either," he commented slyly.
"Shut up," Fred laughed. "I'll be back in a bit; don't tell mum, or she'll get upset that Hermione feels she's not welcome."
"Gotcha," George nodded. "Go get 'er, Freddie."
With a smile on his face, Fred headed out toward the place where his dad did all his tinkering. After making sure no one was around, he stuck his hands in his pockets and starting whistling a Christmas carol. A moment passed, and he heard a familiar giggle.
"You're not half bad at that, you know," Hermione commented as she stepped out of the shadows. She smiled up at him through the darkness of the night. "Happy Christmas," she said shyly.
Fred couldn't help but grin. "Ah come on- is that all I get? Just 'happy Christmas'? Not even a hug at all?" Seeing the bashful look on her face, he took a step forward and pulled her into his arms. "Happy Christmas, Hermione," he whispered.
If there was ever a moment Hermione wanted to melt, this was it. She'd planned it all from the beginning; how to get her hands on a portkey, when to arrive, where to get an owl from to send the message. Fred must be rubbing off on her, she thought with a giggle. Otherwise she could have never pulled off such a feat.
After what felt like an eternity, Fred released her, and Hermione remembered why she was there in the first place. Grinning proudly, she pulled a package out from her winter coat pocket and held it out toward him.
"It's not much," she told him. "But I thought you'd like it." She held her breath as Fred took the package and turned it over curiously. He gave her a little wink before he ripped the pretty wrapping to shreds. What was left in his hands was a pocket watch.
He wasn't saying anything. Nervous, Hermione leaned over and opened up the watch, blushing when her fingers brushed against his. "I got the idea from your family's clock," she explained. "It has everyone in there. I figured…I figured it might be helpful during the war," she said with a tight throat. "There's even a little hand for myself and Harry…do you like it?"
He still didn't say anything. After ten terrible, nerve-wracking seconds, Fred's face split into a grin. "Like it? This is the niftiest thing I've seen in years!" he laughed as he twirled it around. Fred was about to hook it onto his pocket when he noticed something.
"Hang on…why're all the hands going toward mortal peril?" he asked. "You don't think it's broken, do you?"
The witch next to him shifted to look at the watch. "That's odd…I just got it the other day, it should be fine-"
But Hermione had stopped speaking. Because at that moment, flames had ignited all around the Burrow like a wall of fire. From where they were standing, they weren't surrounded by the fire. They were forced to look on from the outside, helpless.
"Oh Merlin," Hermione breathed. "Come on! We've got to go help!" she said.
She already had her wand out by the time Fred had processed what she said. "No, we can't! Or at least you can't, you have to stay out of the way until the danger's gone-" he rambled. "Look, you stay here, I'll go help-"
"No, I have to help Harry!" she insisted. Fred's heart twisted painfully at Harry's name. Of course she was worried about him. Harry would always come first- no, he told himself. Now was not the time to be jealous.
He and Hermione stared at each other, each trying to silently convince the other. Finally, Fred shook his head and grabbed her arm. "I'm sorry for doing this," he apologized. In the blink of an eye, he had apparated to the flat, Hermione with him. He immediately began checking all the safety wards, aware that a furious Hermione was storming angrily after him.
"What did you do?" she shouted at him. "Take me back! I want to help!"
Frustrated, he spun around and stared at her. "No, I am not taking you back! I care too much about you to let you run out there and get yourself killed over Harry!"
Silence rang through the flat, a silence louder than the words he'd just spoken. Hermione stood there in shock, mouth open. Worried, scared, and more willing than ever to protect her, Fred grabbed her and pulled her against him.
"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry I said that," he murmured quickly. He let her go and stared into her eyes. "But please, stay here where it's safe. I'll be back before you know it, I promise."
Wordlessly, Hermione nodded. "You just-" she stopped, choked up. "Just make sure everyone makes it out alive."
Fred nodded. "I promise I will." He turned away from her to apparate, but stopped himself. He looked back at her and smirked. "Just had to make sure my number one priority was safe first," he said with a wink. Then he apparated back to the house.
The moment he was in the front yard, he noticed that the fire was still blazing. The augumenti spell went through his head, ready to be cast. The next moment, however, George was practically tackling him. "Where were you?" he demanded. "Where did you and Hermione go? I went back to the garage and you weren't there! Do you have any idea how worried I've been-?"
Hugging his brother back tightly, Fred murmured, "I'm sorry, I had to get her out of harm's way. I took her back to the flat."
George stared at him before he punched him in the arm. "You could have at least told me!" he insisted. "I thought the death eaters had gotten you!" Fred could see the terrified look in his twin's eyes, and he felt awful.
He grabbed his brother in another fierce hug. "I love you too, George," he whispered. As Fred felt George's shaking body relax, and he knew that he would be alright.
"Fred! George!" a voice called.
Both boys looked up. "Mum?" they called together. Then they saw her. Her and the rest of the family, plus their other Christmas guests, were making their way out of the tall blades of grass. At that moment, all seemed well. But the happy reunion was could only last so long. A large burst of fire came burning through the night sky, and before Fred knew it, his home was set ablaze.
All members of the party stilled. Fred was horrified, but he didn't want to believe what he was seeing. He backed away slowly, covering his ears as if that could block out the terrible sound of crackling wood. In a trance, he pulled the watch out of his pocket. He stared at it with a blank expression. The word "home" was slowly fading, and nearly everyone's hand was pointing toward "lost". Everyone's hand except for Hermione's.
Fred breathed a sigh of relief when he saw her name on the word "shop". Without saying another word— after all, what could be said?—, Fred apparated back to the flat. And there she was. His number one priority, pacing the living room and tapping her wand against her legs nervously. She jumped when he arrived, and her eyes widened when she saw him.
Hermione had been pacing back and forth, trying to get rid of her nerves. Was everyone okay? What had happened? Who attacked? Why had Fred taken her away? Why did Fred call her his number one priority? What was going on? The moment he apparated into the living room, she knew her nerves hadn't been unfounded.
"What happened?" she asked. He was incredibly silent. Fred walked over to the couch and sat down in a daze.
"They burned it," he said hoarsely. "The death eaters burned the Burrow."
Hermione put a hand over her mouth. "Oh Fred, I am so sorry," she breathed. He didn't reply. She sat down next to him and put an arm around his shaking shoulders. Unshed tears shone in his eyes, and for once, Hermione found that she didn't know what to do.
Hesitantly, she cleared her throat. "Is everyone safe?" she questioned. Fred nodded numbly. "Do you know what happened?" This time he shook his head. Sighing, she curled up closer to him and rested her head on his chest.
"Well," she began. "You got me out of the line of fire. I'd say that was a success. I probably would have gone charging in there after them," she said.
Fred's chest rumbled as he chuckled softly. "Guess I was the smarter one of us this time."
Smiling to herself, Hermione shook her head. "No, not just this time. You're always smart…we're just smart in different ways," she told him.
She looked up and saw a hint of a smile on his lips. "True. We're like two pieces in a puzzle that go together," he mused.
Hermione blushed at this comment, turning away so he couldn't see it. She settled back down into his chest and sighed. War was coming, whether they liked it or not. And as the clock struck twelve, she couldn't help but wonder who her number one priority would be. Sitting there in Fred's arms, she felt as though she already knew who it was, even if she wasn't ready to admit it to herself.