Chapter 11 – Noticing the pain.
When Fred entered the kitchen the next morning, he had one thing on his mind, talk to Hermione. She was sat at the other end of the table from Lupin and Tonks, who were in deep conversation with Mrs Wesley and were not to be disturbed. Fred had got the hint after the first few times he had walked in the room when Mrs Wesley and Tonks were talking; they both looked at him now with big smiles on their faces as he went and sat opposite Hermione. She didn't look up from her mug, and hardly seemed to notice him at all. Fred shifted his feet listening to them scrape across the floor, he tried to keep calm, but talking to someone who knew the relationship you can't remember was difficult. Fred moved his sleeves up his arm slightly and pinged the elastic band against his skin. Hermione's eyes moved slowly from her wrist to his taking in every detail. The way his wrist was stained with blood the way the elastic band was slightly blood stained. The way he didn't even flinch when he pinged himself. Hermione tapped her fingers against the mug trying to think of a way to tell Fred. Hermione thought it was like trying to explain to a child Santa isn't real anymore. Fred shifted again in his seat moving his legs further back and hooking them round the legs of the chair. Fred had noticed that the whispers had stopped and turned to look at the remaining adult in the room.
"Fred, we need to talk, now!" A few simple words said by the wrong person. Fred turned and looked at his mom "now" she huffed angrily. Fred got out of his chair and walked over to Mrs Weasley who was now standing in the corner furthest away from Hermione.
"Did you tell her?" She paused for a second "because it doesn't look like you did" Fred looked at his mom what was I supposed to tell Hermione?. Fred was tired of not being able to remember things. Hermione should be important to him but he couldn't remember her. What had George said about her.
"Oh yeah I did tell her, she's just trying to come to terms with it" Mrs Weasley looked over at Hermione who had looked up and was watching them Mrs Weasley nodded and signaled for him to go back to Hermione. But he stood there watching her, the way her face looked tired as if she hasn't been sleeping, Fred instantly felt guilty he'd had trouble sleeping but only because of the nightmares he still woke up feeling like he'd had some sleep. He looked down at her and joined her at the table. Fred felt empty, like his whole life was a lie, besides being in Gryffindor Fred didn't do anything, Normally he would have flirted with most things that move, he admitted he liked being liked, but looking down at Hermione she was different, she was the unknown, he didn't want to be liked by her. Once again Fred pushed his sleeves up and pinged the elastic band that was there. It hit his skin hard and it reopened one of his healed cuts, immediately the blood began to run down his arm. Fred bit back his tongue as he winced in pain. Hermione looked down at her wrist the black mark had darkened and there was now a black blob running down her wrist. Fred looked at her, noticing her hurt expression, and took her hand holding it with his own. Hermione pulled her hand away and got up from the table to leave the room. Fred sighed and looked back down at his wrist. Once again he hit the elastic off of it.
Hermione bumped into Molly in the hall. "Are you alright dear?" she asked smiling down at the young girl. Hermione nodded and tried to move out of the way but Molly blocked her
"Fred's only trying to do what he thinks is right, please remember that for me?" Molly asked Hermione nodded as Molly walked away.
"She's right you know" Said George jumping from the stairs "Even if she doesn't know the whole situation" He walked passed her giving her a look, and bumping her shoulder, in a friendly way. Hermione stood there for a moment not entirely sure what she was supposed to be doing, until Ginny came and shook her.
"Did you talk to him?" Hermione shook her head.
"I don't think it's appropriate, he just doesn't look at me the same, and he's kind of just blank!" Hermione sighed "I'll talk to him on the bus".
Fred was still sat it the kitchen when George walked in,
"Who died in here? It so sad and depressing!" George joked sitting down opposite Fred. "Listen you need to cheer up!" Fred shrugged, George did not look impressed "I know you're upset about Hermione but, she won't ever like you like this!"
"What if I don't what her to like me?" There was a silence in the room that cut right through George; he didn't know what to say. George opened and closed his mouth a few times but words didn't come out.
"What am I supposed to so we're soul mates" Fred whispered. Again George still had no idea what to say.
"You said she makes you happy" George pointed out
"Yeah but in the way you make me happy, and we're not soul mates!" Fred and George sighed at the same time. Then sat there in silence feeling they didn't have anything to say to each other.
"I swear you too are psychic, you always talk in time" Ron entered the room giving Fred the evils as he did so. Harry followed him in and waved at the twin and they waved back.
"Come on mom says we have to go" Ron said hitting Fred on the shoulder a bit too hard to be brotherly. They all stood up and Fred smiled briefly remembering that Ginny had promised him that she would get Hermione to talk to him. He stood up and walked into the hall where he was confronted by Molly who told him he should put a hat on.
"Mom, I don't need a hat its not that cold" Fred whined.
"Don't be silly Fred" Molly then forced the hat on to his head and glared at him. Then walked off to talk to Tonks. Fred went to pull the hat off but Hermione stopped him.
"Don't, she's stressed" Fred looked her over and smiled down at her, putting the hat right in his head. Hermione tuted
"It's on all wrong" Hermione lent up to fix Fred's hat she was standing very close to him and was on her tiptoes. Fred looked down at her smiling and not feeling awkward like he did with his mom he thought, it felt right, like he was supposed to be close to her, like she was meant to be... Fixing his hat. Hermione's fingers accidently brushed through his ginner hair. Fred grinned cheekily from ear to ear like there was an idea going through his mind. He looked like he wanted to be closer to her. Hermione looked up at him and removed her hand from his hair as she realised the mistake she made, and went to turn back but tripped on his trunk. Fred, without really thinking, quickly wrapped his arms around her waist holding her close to him Hermione did the same to try and keep herself stable. Fred looked down at Hermione and looked as if he didn't really understand how she'd become so close to him, he panicked and let go of her however Hermione was still holding on to Fred and they both fell over each other landing in a crash on the floor. Fred jumped up quickly and turned to walk the other way. He paused and pinged the elastic against his skin feeling his eyes well up, he watched the blood run down his arm slowly before looking up and making eye contact with his brother.
"You know I like her, so go find some other girl to play with! Just leave her alone, she doesn't even want you" Ron glared at Fred and walked passed bumping into his shoulder as he did so. Fred watched at the wound tried to heel it self, the blood slowing down. Fred felt weakened and sad all of a sudden. He looked up at the empty corridor with the door open, his brother was shouting at him
"Come on we haven't got much time!"
"You're right George, I haven't"
"HERMIONE!" Ginny sounded angry. She was sat on the night bus with Hermione one side and the twins another Ron and Harry had sat upstairs with Lupin as Tonks was told by Molly to keep an eye on the love birds.
"Are you even listening to us?" Hermione nodded
"Yeah, sure" Hermione had been in a world of her own not really sure how long she'd been sat down.
"Right, anyway, George suggested that we don't mention the whole soulmate thing to the teachers"
"Tonks said Dumbledore knew" Hermione pointed out
"Yes but telling the other teachers is different, he also said he would tell anyone" Tonks pointed out from a chair opposite. They all nodded
"Sure fine" Hermione mumbled. Her and Fred had both been quiet on the way to Hogwarts, for Hermione this was normal but Fred was unusually quiet, he was really stiff and flinched when people touched him. George had tried talking to him but it didn't work instead George swapped seats with Ginny.
"Hermione" He whispered poking her sharply "What's wrong with Fred?" At this Hermione immediately looked up at George.
"I don't know" Hermione spoke too quickly and he saw straight through it
" Did he talk to you?" Hermione shook her head. " You too need to talk, you can't keep each other in the dark"
"George he doesn't know me that was the plan wasn't it?" Hermione stated sharply causing George to flinch.
"Yeah but how is he going to get to know you if you too don't talk" George looked like he'd had enough and quickly picked Hermione up.
"GIN MOVE!" he stated sharply Ginny got up and sat in Hermione's seat. George placed Hermione down in the seat Ginny was sitting in and took the spare one next to her. "talk!" He demanded. Fred and Hermione made eye contact and looked away in opposite directions. George sighed and turned to talk to Ginny about quiddich. Fred turned to look at Hermione.
"I'm sorry for dropping you" he said shyly. Hermione tuned and looked at him making direct eye contact.
"Its okay, it was an accident"
"I don't even know what I was thinking I should have just let you fall"
"Don't, I should have understood that putting you too close to me can make you do things you don't understand, I'm sorry I forgot, I shouldn't have been so close to you, or even fixed your hat" Fred sighed, he knew that in those few seconds were she'd fixed his hat he had never felt so complete but now he felt empty and hollow like he was starving to death slowly.
"Its fine" There was a silence that rang throughout the whole bus. Ginny and George had stopped talking and started whispering quietly Fred caught the occasional word. He lent close to Hermione and whispered.
"They're talking about us" Hermione turned and came very close to Fred's face however neither of them moved.
"Uh-huh" Hermione managed to stutter
"Don't you think its mean how all of a sudden just because we're Soulmates people think its okay to talk about us like we're on show" Hermione nodded in agreement
"like we're some kind of experiment" she agreed. Fred nodded his eyes never leaving hers.
" You know how I said I didn't remember anything about you?" Hermione nodded so he carried on "I remember about Krum, that's when this started isn't it? And I nearly kissed you but Ron walked in and dropped the plate!" Hermione laughed "I had to clear that up!" Hermione laughed again
"I thought you couldn't remember how you felt about me" She stated nervously
"But I remember now, I relived it in a dream and I felt everything, it was weird and excitable all at once!" Fred smiled and looked pleased with himself
"All of it?" Hermione asked excitedly
"No just that memory, but I feel like I know you a bit now" He grinned evilly "like how ticklish you are"
"Don't we're in public" Hermione warned.
"You're right, it would be immature and irresponsible" He grinned again and reached for her stomach. Hermione screamed lightly and giggled but tried not to
"Fred! Stop!" She giggled.
"Nope!" Fred laughed happily, a shadow fell on them.
"Guy's public" Tonks had walked over and stopped them. She gave them a stern look "Hogwarts get you stuff" she smiled lightly and walked away, although you could tell she was still annoyed. Fred and Hermione smiled at each other.
"This isn't over Granger" Fred warned. Hermione went to pick up her stuff leaving Fred by himself smiling. Ron came down the stairs looking annoyed and stiff, he made eye contact with Fred and Fred caught up to him as he got off of the bus.
"Ron!" He stopped in the cobbled street placing down his bag. "I'm not playing with her! No matter what you do its not my fault that we get along!"
"Yeah but just find some other girl to get along with" And with that Ron stalked off dragging his trunk behind him.
"What if I don't want another girl"