And I'm back. I'm happy it didn't take me until Thanksgiving to update, even though this is a shorter chapter. I'm still hoping to put another chapter up during Thanksgiving break. Sorry this doesn't have much R&H and its mostly a transitional chapter but it will hopefully move the story forward. I promise the next chapter has the event that will make the story take a big leap towards its end - finally! I so want this to be done by next summer. I have the end written but there are many wholes still to fill in between. Anyway enjoy this one.

Fire Protection

Hermione could barely keep up with everything that followed. One minute Estella was screaming and the next she was sprawled unconscious on the ground after being hit by a stunning curse that came straight from Sirius Black's wand.

"Uncle!" screamed Draco.

"We both know she would have run into that fire to find him. I'm keeping her safe," Sirius stated as he apparated with Estella in his arms.

"Are they…" Hermione questioned quietly, looking out the window and feeling her heart drop at even the idea of saying the twins were dead.

"No way to know," Nymphadora interrupted. "I must join the Aurors," she added. "Go to headquarters."

"But –" Hermione started to protest, thinking they should go help. Her body was ready to run towards the shop with her hand twitching on her wand.

"No buts," Narcissa added as she took hold of one of Draco's arms and disappeared with a loud pop. Hermione then felt the pull of apparition and realized Professor Lupin had taken her. They had to walk for a bit to reach Dumbledore's home. The sight upon their arrival filled Hermione with relief. Fred and George sat on the couch speaking with Kingsley Shacklebolt and he looked at them with a frown.

"Weasley?" Draco questioned.

"Pretty boy, don't tell me you were worried about me?" George mocked though his face looked a tad grim.

"Bloody hell no! But Estella looked ready to fall apart when we saw the shop on fire."

"She saw?"

Hermione then spoke, "How are you two? I mean thank Merlin, but how–"

"See Hermione dearest, we were prepared for an attack and we weren't going to let them take our products. Instead we set them on fire," Fred answered with a strange mix of pride and unesiness.

"You did that!" Hermione said shocked.

"Yeah, Merlin knows what they would have used our products for," George answered.

"We'd rather have no shop than see it turned into one of the labs of the Black Hand or the Death Eaters. That will show them," Fred added.

"How is Estella?" George asked, looking at Draco.

"Uncle Sirius stunned her and apparated away with her. Reckoned they'd be here, but he may have gone to Grimmauld or the Mansion."

"Which one?" George asked with irritation. His question went unanswered as other Order members arrived including the Weasleys and Lily with Harry and baby Cassi in tow.

"My babies!" Molly bellowed as she grabbed the twins into a fierce hug. Hermione noticed Ron looking relieved and then also hugging his brothers. The Weasleys formed a tight family embrace and happiness emanated from the circle.

"We got a message saying the shop was gone and we had to come here. What happened to you, nutters?" Bill asked.

The twins explained with more details how they have been making products to fight the Black Hand and some that could be placed in muggle areas for protection. How they expected that when some products got used by Aurors and the Order they would get attacked and even though they had warded the shop they wanted to make sure nothing could be taken if the Hands of Terror took over. So, they placed a safeguard.

"Estella told me how Professor Snape had been able to imitate the mark of the Black Hand and the Death Eaters for their spying purposes. Once we knew how the marks worked we created a detector for them," George explained.

"Then we placed a curse on the shop. As long as we were not in the vicinity, all our products would react to the detection of the marks and burst into flames," Fred added. Everyone looked surprised. Hermione thought their idea was brilliant, but that fire had been so scary.

"I saw the damage," Moody added. "Did you use dark magic?"

"We may have miscalculated how big the fire would get if everything exploded at once," George said.

"But no one was hurt," Fred countered. "We made sure the curse required both detection of the mark and non-detection of either of us. So, as long as we were there then there were no explosions to fear and we got everyone out before us."

"Except the Hands of Terror," said Narcissa.

"Huh?" Fred grunted.

"The Hands of Terror that made it inside as you left, they all burned to death. Their screams echoed through the alley. There was no escaping it. That fire was the closest thing to a 'controlled' fiendfyre I've ever seen," Narcissa added as she sat on a couch, looking pale and with her hands shaking.

"Mum, they didn't mean -"

"I know… it just brings memories. And I… I don't want you to see any more people die. It changes you, every single one. This feels… like before… like they-"

"No mum. They were attacked and defended themselves. And if that fire kept those monsters from things that they would use to harm us then I bloody applaud them."

"Draco."

"You and Severus said it yourselves, Mum. Your cousins played fair and stuck to the light, even uncle Regulus did the right thing, and we know how that ended. If we and the ones that love us don't fight with all we have, we lose. I'm not uncle Sirius and I'm glad Weasley is not Russel Swanson. Our family needs more than that. We fight with all we have. Use everything not just what others won't question or dare to try."

"Snakes survive," Narcissa murmured.

"Slither and survive and only then strike again," Draco said as he pulled her to a hug and kissed her head.

Hermione felt uncomfortable. A part of her understood Draco and why he defended what the twins had done. But knowing that they had used a trick that burned a load of people to death did not sit well with her, even if it was dark wizards who probably deserved it. She wondered just how differently the Slytherins viewed this war, what they were capable of and how they were changing everything. She joined and helped lead the YPS to defend the muggles and muggleborn and wanted to fight with bravery and honour, to defend what was right. But was that all? Was everyone thinking the way she did? Or were they willing to stoop to trick and killing to defend their side? She was broken from her reverie when she saw George knock Harry to the ground in one single punch to the face.

"Harry!" she heard Lily scream as many order members approached to break up the fight. Except no more punches came. George actually extended a hand to Harry and helped him stand.

"What in Merlin's name! What has gotten into you?" Molly shouted.

"It's nothing, Mrs. Weasley," Harry answered. "Reckon I deserved that."

"You did," George said. "But it's done. I just want her to be happy."

"Me too," Harry said.

Molly and Lily looked as perplexed as most people in the room. But Hermione understood exactly what they were talking about and as if summoned the source of their troubles thundered through the door.

"George!" Estella screamed. She ran into living room and then stood still as a statue, looking at the two boys in front of her.

"Men-," George started but caught himself. "Estella."

"You're alive."

George nodded and both Ron and Hermione knew that Harry didn't stand a chance. The way Estella looked at George was as if she was seeing the moon, stars and everything she needed in this world. She ran to him, hugged him tightly and begun to cry. "I thought… I thought…"

"It's okay, it's okay," George said as he pulled away from her. He cleaned her tears with his thumbs and gave her a smile.

"I'm sorry," Estella said looking at George. "I should have listened… I was scared and weak… I was wrong."

George interrupted, "It's alright."

"I belong with you, no matter the risks or consequences. I can't doubt this," she said placing one of his hands on her heart. "It's always been you. It will always be you. Can you forgive me?"

"Menace… we may have a lot to suss out, but you know the answer to that, don't you?"

She smiled, closed the space between them and kissed him, softly at first but soon they were snogging fiercely. Fred smiled and looked relieved. Most of the room seemed either pleased or unaffected, except one boy who looked like he wanted to cry but no tears seemed to escape. Hermione took hold of Harry's hand and squeezed it gently. Molly cleared her throat and George and Estella pulled apart.

"Sorry," Estella mumbled.

"Not to worry dear. Young love," Molly said wistfully.

"Glad to have you back, sister in law," Fred teased.

"We just got back together, mate. Don't spook her," George jokingly admonished.

"Not spooked. Not at spooked all," Estella said with a smile. George returned her grin. "Now tell me, what happened at the shop?"

"Your idea, Menace," he answered and received a questioning look.

The twins began to explain how her sharing Severus' work in the marks helped them create the so-called fire protection curse on their shop. Ron realized the twins were just going to repeat the same explanation he had already heard and this was prime time to get Harry away from George and Estella. His mate looked ready to break and obviously needed distance. The only thing that was probably keeping him together was Hermione's hand gently squeezing Harry's with support. Ron quickly got his two friends to go with him to the attic.

Ron felt like the next hour went by in a blur. Harry was hurt and Hermione and Ron tried their best to find something positive to say.

"At least there are less of the Hands of Terror around," Hermione said with not much conviction behind her words.

"Great. I bet Estella is loving the twins' creativity while murdering a load of people," Harry answered sarcastically.

"It was self-defence," Ron argued.

"Right."

"Harry, I'm sorry this happened. But well… Estella… you know she –"

"I should have seen this coming, right Ron?"

"Umm… no it's –"

"Don't. You are right. They've been together for years. I've seen them snog. I know they've shagged. She bloody killed a dementor for him. She even died. What in Merlin's name was I thinking expecting that all that was over. She told me herself that she loved George. Before their fight she made it clear she wanted him. I just… I –"

"You loved her so you held onto hope. Harry that's perfectly understandable," Hermione stated.

"Then why do I feel stupid? And why does it feel like this isn't end of it? I still love her. I still hope… I don't even know what I'm hoping for."

Hermione talked to Harry some more, but he really didn't seem to care what either of them had to say and eventually asked them to leave him alone.

After leaving the attic they went into the room that Hermione had slept in the summer after the train attack. They sat on the bed next to each other.

"You reckon he'll be okay?" Ron asked.

"I don't know. I just wish he had never gotten his hopes up."

"Me too. But how could he not? I honestly thought for a bit that Harry had a chance."

"I didn't."

"Why not? Come Hermione, why else would Estella and George take a "break"? She must have been affected by Harry kissing her and was considering being with him."

"Trust me, there was more to it than Harry kissing her."

"Do you know something?"

"Yes, but I can't tell you."

"Why not?"

"Because it's not my secret to tell. And it doesn't matter anyway. Estella is back with George and that's that. We should just be happy for them."

"I am. He's my brother, of course I'm happy for him. But I'm ticked that Harry's hurt."

"Me too. I'm happy for two of my good friends, but still angry that another got hurt. I guess Harry, you and I are just stuck in these situations we can't change."

"So, you haven't found anything to break the contract either?"

"Short of getting into the Ministry and destroying all magical contracts held there using Merlin knows what kind of magic, no. You?"

"No. Ginny and I read through our contracts and tried talking to mum and dad about options, but they… well mostly mom just keeps pushing us to learn to enjoy Anna and Neville's company."

"Right."

Ron took Hermione's hand in his and Hermione put her head on his shoulder. "I love you," he whispered and kissed the top of her head.

"And I love you," Hermione answered. She moved to look at him and his eyes showed nothing but love. They both closed the space between them and shared a sweet kiss. Before things went further they heard Mrs. Weasley's voice calling everyone down for dinner.

The meal was a lively affair with order members chatting and enjoying Molly's delicious cooking. Draco and Ginny laughed at Fred's jokes and Tonks' changing faces. Even Professor Lupin smiled at her antics. Draco's mum shared quiet words with Kingsley Shacklebolt while Dumbledore sat between Sirius Black and Lily Snape and they held a conversation with Arthur and Molly Weasley. Harry, Ron and Hermione stayed relatively quiet and Estella and George where nowhere to be found. Apparently, after the Harry, Ron and Hermione had left for the attic Dumbledore held a private meeting George and Estella at Hogwarts and then the two had headed to Swanson Mansion together. After dinner, Ron and his family returned to the Burrow and Hermione went to Hogsmeade to stay with the Snapes for the remainder to the Christmas Holiday.

Hope you liked. Please review and let me know what you think.

Next chapter: Everything changes