Fred strode into the living room in true Weasley fashion so all eyes were on him.

"I love Hermione!"

Molly startled in her seat by the fireplace where she was knitting what looked like Bill's Christmas sweater. Ron jumped, his knee hitting the chess board in front of him making them topple and Harry roll his eyes. Most of his siblings looked surprised but for Percy who looked uninterested, his wife Aubrey excited enough for the both of them. But Ginny shrieked.

"It's about time!"

"Yes well you'll just have to-what?"

They chuckled.

"We were wondering how long it would take you to admit it aloud," Molly chuckled, "Twelve blind dates, I'm surprised you didn't cave sooner."

"We're actually a bit shocked Mione let you go on those dates," Ron added while fixing the board.

"Sirius was thinking of taking her out and showing her a good time if you didn't buck up the courage to tell us."

Fred suddenly glared at Harry. He idolized the Marauder but the mere thought of Hermione on a date with Sirius Black made his skin crawl. "That'll be unnecessary."

Still not looking at him Harry took his turn on the newly fixed board, irritation sharpening his tone, "Is it? Because you've been sulking for weeks and Hermione is starting to run out of excuses to not come to family dinners."

"I made a mistake," Fred told him honestly. Harry was the closest thing Hermione had to a sibling, Fred owed him the truth just as much as anyone else. "One I plan to rectify but in order to do so I needed to admit to you all and Merlin that I love Hermione and have been living with her for near a year."

Unperturbed Harry tisked, "Past tense Fred."

Fred scowled at him, "Technically."

Harry turned to look at him, the lack of empathy in his eyes as he put his arm over the back of his chair to stare at him, was eerie. "So what mistake did you make?"

While Fred opened his mouth to respond Harry continued.

"What mistake did you make that's had her on survival mode between work and home? Where she looks like she's lost a few kilo's she didn't have to lose and only actually eats when someone is there to remind her? What is the mistake that had her flooing to our house six weeks ago, sobbing uncontrollably to the point where neither Gin or I could get her to talk to us."

Fred stilled. Ang had come back to the house that night to find he and George at the table, plotting away. She'd told them Hermione hadn't been home and went for a cuppa before joining them. Fred had worried over where she might be but hadn't thought to check Harry and Ginny's house.

Harry was still glaring at him. "What mistake," he spat the word like it was sour, "broke her so much so that now that you regret it, you think you can fix it?"

Silence clouded the room as no one said a word, content, and a bit stunned, watching Harry step into the protective role over Hermione. For Molly, it gave her a sense of pride that her son-in-law treated Hermione like her boys did Ginny. They were proof that blood did not make a family. Looks of astonishment were passed between the older of the siblings. Harry's quick wit and sass were part of why he fit so well into their family but he hardly lost his temper with anyone, let alone family.

Fred considered him for a few quiet moments before taking a deep breath. "Six weeks ago, I came home to get ready for a date mum set me up on -"

"Who you stood up," Molly tutted.

Ignoring the interruption, Fred continued while looking directly at Harry, "- without realizing it was our anniversary."

"That's not too bad. How many months?" Bill tried.

A bright blush erupted across Fred's face as he shook his head, "Our one-year anniversary."

Bill sucked in a breath through his teeth and leaned back against the couch her was seated on, Fleur tucked into his shoulder, "Can't help you there."

Fred rolled his eyes, "I've got it covered." Looking back at Harry her sighed, "She was dressed and ready to make it to our reservations, ones I didn't know we had, and I was getting ready for a blind date. She asked me when I might be ready to tell you guys, to tell everyone, and when I couldn't give her that answer she left me."

Without missing a beat Harry scowled, "And you think after that you deserve her?"

"Maybe not but she is worth flaunting. I made the mistake of not doing that while I had her and I won't do it again."

Taking off his glasses, Harry took his time cleaning them before putting them back on his nose and looking at Fred, "What is you plan?"

The atmosphere in the room lightened significantly.

Hermione would be lying if she said she as fine. Seven weeks, nearly two whole months and nothing felt right. Rationally she knew she needed to pull her big girl knickers on and get a grip but some reason she just couldn't. She felt like she'd lost apart of herself that night she'd walked through the floo. She'd never expected to fall in love with Fred and at first she'd been content to keep their relationship hidden. Ron and her had ended before they began after the war, quickly realizing they were best as best friends and yet it didn't feel right to announce to the family when her and Fred began to see one another, which turned into quite the challenge since they couldn't seem to take their hands off one another.

Then Molly started setting him up and Hermione thought it was over. To her surprise, Fred had an alternative. He'd reassured her continually that it was just to appease his mum, to get her off his back and she'd been understanding knowing just how strongly Molly could push for things. She'd hated it though. Watching him go for his non-date, knowing he'd be spending the evening in a restaurant with another witch while she was at home twiddling her thumbs. But even that they found a routine in. He'd bring her a doggy bag each time with mint chip from Florean's and they would watch a movie on the telly he'd managed to install in the flat. Their one year had quickly crept up on them and Hermione thought maybe it might be time for another talk about coming out to his family, their family, about them. But everything had gone so wrong.

She wanted to think this change was hard on him too, that he felt like his chest was caving in every time he came home and had to be alone or at each family dinner that passed and he was surrounded by his siblings and their spouses. That sometimes he still made her a cup of tea in the mornings without thinking like she caught herself doing for him. That he reached for her in the middle of the night as she still did when she was still not quite awake yet or roused in the middle of the night. That he might come see her and talk but each week he didn't and she fell deeper into the spiral.

To make matters worse, she'd been walking through Diagon to pick up a book she'd preordered months ago that had finally come in and happened to see Fred walking into the shop while laughing with Verity. He'd looked so carefree, like he always had, like nothing had changed for him. And that hurt worse than anything else.

It had been a whirlwind in the beginning, yes. But as time passed and Hermione felt she was ready, Fred wasn't. She could see it, something in his eyes, he just wasn't ready.

And it had broken her.

She'd always prided herself on her independence and being a strong witch who didn't need to rely on anyone, especially not a wizard.

All it took was practical jokester, Fredrick Gideon Weasley to ruin her.

Shaking herself she huffed, scolding herself for letting her mind wander again, and returned to the stack of parchment on her desk. Only a few moments passed before she risked another glance at her watch.

"Godric," she groaned. It was still only eleven in the morning.

A knock sounded at her office door.

"Come in!"

Spencer, her TA came into her office without looking up on two left feet. She concealed a sigh when he promptly stumbled, the mail in his hands flying throughout the room. Her wand was poised and ready, a quick spell collecting the mail so it settled on her desk before her as she got up to help the young TA up.

"Are you alright Spenc?"

"Yes, thank you Miss Granger," he dusked off his knees, "Every time."

She chuckled and seated herself back at her desk and begun riffling through the mail he'd brought. "What's on the agenda for the afternoon?"

Now the picture of professionalism, Spencer frowned, "Nothing. Mister Potter called and asked I clear your schedule. Something about a big family lunch?"

Hermione's responding frown no mirrored his. "What?" He opened his mouth to repeat himself, but she raised a hand, "I'll go see him." Her bro scrunched further reading the letterhead before her.

"Can I get you some tea, Miss Granger?"

"No, thank you," she whispered offhandedly. As he started to leave she called out to him, "Spenc, when did this arrive?"

He squinted as he tried to see what she held. His cheeks heated, "Yesterday, it arrived during your evening meeting with the Minister and I apologize but I forgot."

She waved him off with a distracted nod, "I need to leave. You're free to do the same, enjoy your weekend."

"Thank you!"

Hermione was already collecting her things and out the door, letter still clutched in her hand. Harry could wait, this was immediate. In the atrium she stumbled as the floo rejected her call to her apartment. Panic rose in her chest. Spinning quicky she hurried as fast as her heels would allow her to the phone booths. As soon as she was outside, she found an apparation point and popped to her apartment. Sure enough her wand wouldn't permit her when she reached the door and her key proved useless too. Cursing she changed course, heading back to the apparation point and directly to Diagon Alley.

Letter clutched in a white-knuckle grip, Hermione finally entered the developers office. A quick word with the receptionist and she was bustled back to an office where was waited for the agent to join her.

"Miss Granger!" The door behind her opened and she rose to greet the stout witch bustling into the room, "I apologize, I was with a client, is everything alright? I know our dealings were hurried but I'd assumed you were happy with how quickly you cleared the apartment."

Hermione looked afronted, "Mrs Taylor, I'm very confused. I got this letter this morning but I don't know what's going on. I didn't ask to be released from my contract and I most definitely didn't move out, though the wards and locks have been changed."

"Oh dear, what a mess." The Older witch started searching her desk for a folder that she promptly opened and scanned, "I received notice three days ago that you wished to pay out your contact." She passed a letter to Hermione. "We got a deposit yesterday evening from Gringotts for the fee's remaining," she passed her another document, "And we got this, notifying us that the apartment was cleared at half past nine this morning." Another letter.

Hermione felt her chest tighten. The letters were in Fred's hand. Why had he done this? Her silence made the agent before her shift uncomfortably.

"Was there a mistake Miss Granger?"

"No, no, mmm thank you for accommodating me. I apologize for the inconvenience and my abrupt entrance. Thank you for the smooth transition."

Looking relieved, Mrs Taylor smiled and once more offered her hand which Hermione shook before leaving again.