She inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly, standing outside the brick wall entrance to Diagon Alley. She was here to see the twins' store, and to talk with Fred. She'd last seen him at her bedside in the hospital two days ago. She needed to tell him what Dumbledore said. She probably should let him go, for good. Stop dragging out the inevitable. But her heart hurt thinking about it.
She walked slowly along the street, it was bustling with summer activity. More people out and about than should be, not many wanted to believe that the darkest wizard of all time came back to life.
Her stomach twisted. She shouldn't have eaten. She went to lunch in London with her parents and left them to do some shopping while she came to Diagon alone. She didn't want to bring them here anymore. She now had enemies. And she didn't want them to know what her parents looked like. She had a plan for her mum and dad, to keep them safe, but she dreaded having to do it.
She walked toward the wild looking shop, it was even more enticing than Zonko's. The outside screamed fun. She smiled to herself. Those boys. They had really been working hard. She was certain she would be confiscating their products all over the place when school started up again.
She slipped inside the door, a bell rang out quietly. The store was bustling with activity. She looked around in awe. She had no idea they had come up with so many different things. The twins were both occupied at the counter so she strolled quietly throughout the shop. Admiring the magical talent that it took to create all of the items. The potions work, the charms, the arithmancy. It was no small feat to have accomplished this in such a short time, and as such young wizards.
Fred slid into place next to her as she rounded one of the corners. "Hi." He smiled brightly down at her.
"Fred, this is brilliant." She gestured to the room before hugging him tightly. He walked her around, showing her his favorite items, talking to her about the magical theory and calculations that it took to make them. She smiled and enjoyed every second of it.
He took her hand and walked her to the back, behind a curtain and up a flight of stairs. His and George's apartment was small, they had a kitchenette and two chairs by a fireplace and a washroom and two small bedrooms. "I love this. All of this is so... both of you. I'm so happy for you and proud. What you've done here, it's incredible." She hugged him tightly as he leaned against the kitchen sink.
He held her for a moment before saying "so what did you come to say? What did Dumbledore tell you? I know it's not good." He sighed heavily.
She squeezed her eyes shut and didn't move, wouldn't let go of his waist and wouldn't look up at him. He gently pushed her back but she just clung tighter to him. "Hermione." He stroked her hair. "Just tell me."
She finally pulled back, but she couldn't look at him. She stared at his chest as she stepped away and hugged her middle. "He said he couldn't find anything. And that we should stay away from each other, me and Charlie, for now. But that there was a reason why our magical cores bonded. That we shouldn't feel hopeless about the situation." She said quickly before she finally met his eyes.
He looked resigned as he looked back at her. He chewed his lip, and nodded looking at the floor. "Yeah, I figured as much."
After another moment, he seemed to make a decision, gathering himself, inhaling tightly. "I don't want you to worry about me, ok?" He started. She shook her head wildly, starting to cry. "No really, please. It's ok. I'll be ok." He tried to reassure her.
She gasped as she sobbed, covering her face and turning away. He came up behind her, sliding a hand along her shoulders and turning her back to him, holding her to his chest. "Shh, hey." He gently tilted her head back to look up at him. "I'll be ok." He said to her.
"But I won't be." She managed to get out between sobs. "I want you, Fred." She buried her face into his chest and cried, while he held her. "I want you. I've always wanted you. I don't want this. I don't want to be forced into this. I want to choose my life and choose my love." She was gasping for air in between sobs and trying to speak.
He took her face between his hands and tilted her back up to him. He looked down at her with the saddest face, full of longing. It broke her heart all over again. "I love you." He whispered, before kissing her softly. He meant it to be one last goodbye, to let her go. But he couldn't stop, if this was the last time he would let himself kiss her, he would take his time, savor it.
She felt the ache inside of her ease as he kissed her. She would not let him go, not just yet, not when this was the only relief she'd felt in days. He didn't pull back and so she kissed him deeper, sliding her tongue along his lip. She wanted him so badly in this moment. She started to tremble. She slid her hands up his chest to his neck. He let go of her face and caressed her waist, pulling her even closer against his body. He slipped his tongue into her mouth and she opened wide for him, melting at the taste of him.
She needed more. He started to pull back and she whimpered, holding his neck tightly, "no, please." She begged, before capturing his lips with hers again. He held her tightly still, letting her take what she needed. She grew desperate for him. She stepped back, pulling him with her. She looked up at him finally, pleading with her eyes. He looked anguished for just a moment. Warring within himself. She didn't dare show any hesitation because she knew he would stop if he saw it. She stepped again toward the bedrooms.
He seemed to lose the battle within, stepping toward her and dropping his mouth desperately to hers. He lifted her up and her legs wrapped around his waist as he walked the few steps into the room on the left, kicking the door shut behind him. He laid her out on the bed, holding himself above her with trembling arms.
She shoved all the warning thoughts and emotions deep into a dark corner of her mind. She didn't care about anything right now except him. She wanted to be with him in the most intimate of ways, the way they always should have been. Even if it was only once, even if this was all they could ever have. She wanted it.
She pulled his shirt up slowly, feeling the warmth of his back, the gooseflesh that pricked beneath her fingers. He shuddered and gasped at her touch. She pulled his shirt higher until he stood and tugged it over his head. She dropped her legs from his waist and dangled them over the edge of the bed, leaning up on her elbow, reaching for him. She felt every plane of his stomach and chest, memorizing the feel of him. He looked down at her as she did. He seemed to be doing the same, committing every second to memory. Every sensation, every taste. He leaned back over her, kissing her deeply.
She kissed him while she undid the button of his pants, hands shaking in anticipation. She slid them down as far as she could reach and then he helped her kick them off. She palmed his erection, straining against his underwear. He kissed down to her neck, pulling her shirt collar aside, kissing and suckling along her jaw, behind her ear. She moaned in pleasure at the feel of him. He pushed her shirt up from her waist, running his hand along her bare stomach, up her ribs and sliding along the bottom edge of her bra. He lifted the elastic of the lace bralette up and over her breasts, caressing one gently, feeling the nipple pebble beneath his touch. She moaned and arched into it. She never wanted this to stop.
He moved from kissing her neck down to kissing her other breast, she slid her hand into his hair and mewled at the feel of his tongue circling her nipple. She was completely lost in longing, need, sadness, pleasure. He kissed and squeezed her breasts, switching between the two, as she moaned and writhed beneath him. He kissed down her stomach and unbuttoned her jeans. She sat up slightly, pulling her shirt and bra over her head before dropping back down to the bed and lifting her hips for Fred to tug her jeans off. Every movement slow, and unhurried. Savoring.
He stopped and looked at her when she was left in her panties on his bed, hair strewn wildly beneath her, chest heaving with desire. He had that look of pure anguish on his face. She hoped he wasn't thinking about her with Charlie. Because she was only thinking about Fred. This was different than the other sexual experiences she'd had. This was true and pure love. Her heart ached for him.
He seemed to read enough of it in her eyes, because he slid his hands up her thighs and gripped the waistband of her panties, pulling them slowly off. When she was bare before him, he just looked, rubbing his hands up her legs and spreading her apart. He kissed the inside of her knee and she shuddered, her arousal dripping, swollen and pulsing in anticipation.
He kissed his way toward her throbbing center, using his thumbs to part her lips before slipping his tongue straight into her. She moaned and lifted her hips up to give him better access. He slid his hands beneath her, tilting her hips and she brought her legs over his shoulders. She clutched the bedsheets tightly as he devoured every inch of her, so slowly.
When she couldn't take it anymore, she grabbed his hair, rolling into him uncontrollably. She came with a shuddering "oh Fred!" Right on his tongue as he lapped at her gushing release.
He pulled away as she relaxed back into the bed, sliding his underwear off and climbing over her, pushing her back farther. She became impossibly more wet as she tasted herself on his tongue, smelled herself all over his face. She slid her hands along his back and down to the ass that she'd admired countless times, wanting to feel it, see it. She squeezed him as he slid himself between her legs, coating himself in her juices.
She brought her knees up, tilting her center toward him and opening wide. Right as she felt the tip slot exactly into the right spot, she thrust up, pulling him deeply into her and he groaned loudly at the sudden warmth and tightness of her. He dropped down to his elbows, quaking above her. They froze, feeling him stretch her to fit him inside. He looked into her eyes, cradling her head between his hands. She gripped his ass with her fingers and urged him to move. He was shaking, holding himself back. She moved along the length of him, eyes rolling back as she slid him all the way out before taking him back into her.
"I love you, Hermione Granger." He gasped, squeezing his eyes shut tightly, his whole body trembled. "So fucking much, I love you."
After hearing it, she suddenly wanted to end this. What she had done to him, by taking this from him, when she shouldn't have. She clenched her walls around him and rocked up into him quickly, knowing he was close. This was his first time, after all.
She pulled him down to her lips, "I love you Fred." She whispered, tears running down her face, before kissing him deeply, the last time she ever would, she told herself. He pumped into her twice more before releasing into her with a groan, never breaking the kiss. He slowly pulled his mouth away from her, pressing his forehead to hers and sliding himself out of her. She gasped at the emptiness she felt without him.
He rolled off to the side and pulled her to his chest and they both cried, holding onto one another, lying naked in his bed. After a few moments she pulled away, gathering her clothes and getting dressed. Fred pulled on his pants and shirt and opened the bedroom door for her. She walked to the front door of the apartment, tears still streaming down her face. She finally turned to look at him, breaking down again. "I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have..." she sobbed at the broken look on his face.
He shook his head, pulling her into his arms and holding her. "Don't. Please. You're the only one I've ever wanted like that. Please don't be sorry." His voice broke and he righted his arms around her.
She didn't want to let go. She couldn't. "What if," she gasped "what if we just leave?" She clutched his waist tightly. "What if we run away? We could..." she choked at the thought, of being able to escape with Fred. But running away from all they knew and loved because it was the only way they thought they could be together. It was a grim, heartbreaking thought.
"I've dreamt of that every single day, love." He stroked her hair, swaying them slightly. "In another life, I would." He kissed the top of her head and wound his arms around her shoulders, squeezing her. "But you have to go now. I need you to go, because I can't." He shook as he held in a sob and squeezed her tightly one last time.
She backed away and grabbed the door handle, she needed it to not collapse in a sobbing heap. "Goodbye." She whispered. Before ripping the door open and nearly stumbling down the stairs. He didn't follow her. She didn't look at George as she left, tears blurring her vision. She didn't look at anyone as she ran through the Leaky Cauldron, and out into the street.
She wiped her face and walked quickly to the shopping area where she left her parents, when she realized with a jolt that she hadn't done a contraception charm. She ran to the nearest public washroom and locked herself in the stall. She shakily pulled out her wand and performed the charm herself, before collapsing on the closed lid of the toilet, sobbing uncontrollably. Not a bit of this was fair.
With a trembling hand he pulled out a calming draught. She needed to pull herself together and get home. She had a lot of research to do. She had plenty of things to distract herself with. She needed to prep herself and her parents to run, if the death eaters came for her. She couldn't lose it, she couldn't abandon Harry, not when Dumbledore said he would need them the most.
With every step she forced herself not to run back to Fred and beg him to take her away. To run with her. He wouldn't leave his family. Their world was on the cusp of outright war. And neither one of them would be able to live with themselves if they left. Now was not the time.
She found her parents and walked quietly with them, letting them finish shopping. Then they drove home together, and she immersed herself in all of the books she could gather, planning and prepping.
She read through spell books over and over until her eyelids drooped and she drifted away into sleep. She dreamed of Fred, and a tropical island, where they made love in every way possible with no worry about anything else. She woke up sobbing the next morning.
She didn't go to the Burrow that summer. She wrote to Harry once and told him she would see them on the train, and that was it. She spent time with her parents, she worked on her escape plan for them. She ignored the aching hole that Fred left in her. For once, she didn't miss or think about Charlie.
She avoided the anti depressant brew. But she did take calming draught regularly. Usually right when she woke up and was brought back into reality, wrenched from sweet, bitter dreams. She studied ways to brew a stronger more potent draught.
The entire school year was quite eventful, much to her relief. She was able to focus most of her time outside of herself. Her studies, Harry's lessons about Voldemort, her prefect duties, Harry's obsession with Malfoy, beating Harry at potions, avoiding Cormac Mclaggen's attempts to woo her, avoiding run-ins with Ron and Lavender's slobbering over each other.
When Harry left with Dumbledore that final night, and she alerted the Order after Malfoy let the death eaters in through the room of requirement, she begged all the gods that someone would get to them quickly, and that it wouldn't be Fred. She dragged Luna's unconscious body down the corridor through the darkness, praying that they wouldn't run into anyone. As soon as she got around the corner and out of the cloud of darkness she collapsed, checking over the unconscious blonde girl as she saw Bill Weasley and Tonks rush straight into the darkness, wands out.
What seemed like hours later, she raced after Harry once she noticed him following Snape and Malfoy. She heard his shouts at their professor. She watched the other death eaters run to the forest and disappear. She raced to Harry's side as Snape left too.
After the funeral, which very few Order members attended, on purpose, because they didn't want to have everyone there together and exposing their members, (so no Charlie and no twins), she went home and put her escape plans into play. She altered her parents memories and sent them to Australia, she erased them from the memories of their neighbors and cast the broadest most undetectable deterrent charm over the surrounding area. She wasn't sure of it's effect. But she hoped it would hide them all from anyone who came looking for her or her family.
She went to the Burrow, where she prepped with the Order to go and get Harry. She left Ginny's room where she'd been staying for the past two nights and walked down the stairs. She stumbled and grabbed hold of the stair rail tightly as she saw the twins arrive. It was the first time she'd seen Fred in a year. She longed to run to him and throw her arms around him. Instead she lifted her hand and waved lamely. His hard gaze softened and he returned the wave with a small smile.
Her heart did a backflip. She walked shakily over to Ginny and sat next to her on the sofa, crossing her arms over her chest and clenching her fists. She didn't want him to see her hands shake. They listened to Mad-Eye explain his plan. She glanced toward Fred across the room too often. He leaned against the wall in the kitchen, facing her. George at his side. When Mad-Eye asked for volunteers, they all raised their hands. When Molly forbade Ginny from participating, Moody made Mundungus take her place. He divided them up into Harry's, escorts and modes of transportation and they went out onto the front lawn to get ready to leave.
Fred caught her upper arm behind the group and she spun around, inhaling sharply as he pulled her into a crushing hug. "Be careful." He whispered to her. She could feel his heart racing in his chest. The last time they had held each other like this...
"You too." She managed to get out. He let her go and she walked over to Kingsley's side and the Thestral he held onto. Kingsley disillusioned the two of them and helped her onto the thestral behind him. The group took off for Surrey together.
After Harry stopped shouting in protest, Moody passed around the polyjuice, Fred winked at her before he took a sip. She was so afraid all of a sudden. She could lose him at any moment. They were at war with the darkest wizard of their time, and they had recently lost the one hope they had against him, the only one he'd ever feared. If Dumbledore wasn't safe, none of them were. Staying away from Fred for the past year seemed like such a stupid thing to do. She should have been spending every spare moment with him. Why say goodbye when they should be staying together. Any second could be their last. And if she was going to give her life at some point during this war, why should she stay away from the one person she loves most?
When she and Kingsley made it to their safe house and took the portkey back to the Burrow, she looked around wildly to see who had made it back. Harry and Lupin waited outside, she ran to Harry and threw her arms around him. "Thank god you're alright."
Kingsley and Lupin spoke next to them. She heard nothing, everything was buzzing. Until Lupin said "Only Harry, Hagrid, George and me."
She brought a shaking hand to her mouth, trying not to cry.
"He lost an ear." Said Lupin.
"Lost an...!" She ran to the house to Molly's side as she tended to an unconscious George on the sofa. A gaping hole on the side of his head where his ear used to be. She dropped to her knees on the floor and took his hand. "Can I do something? What do you need?" She asked Molly.
"Nothing, dear. I've staunched the bleeding. I can't make the ear grow back, not when it's been removed by dark magic." Hermione squeezed George's hand, willing him to wake up. She was oblivious to any of the other conversations happening around her. Until Arthur Weasley was shouting just outside, trying to shove past Kingsley. Hermione stood quickly to see Fred, whole and unharmed, walk in behind his father.
He exhaled and tipped his head back slightly in relief at the sight of her, then froze as he took in the sight of his twin, unconscious on the couch with a missing ear.
George stirred, his mother asked how he was. "Saintlike." He mumbled, groping the side of his head.
"What's wrong with him?" Fred looked horrified.
"I'm holey. Get it, Fred?" Pointing to the hole in his head.
Fred rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Fucking pathetic."
Molly bent over George to continue inspecting his ear. Harry, Kingsley and Lupin went outside to wait for the others. Hermione sat down on the stairs with a clear view of the door. She felt like she might collapse as the adrenaline ebbed.
Fred sat on the floor in front of the sofa, Ginny next to him. They talked quietly about George's and Fred's version of events. Fred looked up at Hermione often, reassuring himself that she was still there and still ok. She couldn't even muster a smile, she was exhausted, leaning her head against the banister. She stared right at him the whole time. She should have visited, she shouldn't have left him last summer. Every second could be their last together. What if the death eaters found the burrow? What if they stormed into the shop and killed the twins on site? Their family was known to sympathize with Dumbledore since forever. They might target all of the Weasley's at work in broad daylight.
She closed her eyes to stop herself from going down such a hopeless train of thought. She nearly fell asleep from exhaustion when the rest of the group finally arrived and entered the house. Bill told them Moody was dead. Dead. Another strong wizard they all looked up to, another of their leaders, dead. It could have been any one of them tonight. She trembled thinking about how close they had all come. The reality of their dire situation closing in on her.
They toasted Mad-Eyes memory. She set her glass on the table and slipped quietly outside. It was rather crowded inside and she just needed some space to breathe, to calm herself down before she had a panic attack.
She walked to the edge of the garden and looked up at the stars. Fred stepped into place beside her. He didn't say anything and he didn't touch her. Finally she confessed to him "I'm so afraid, for everyone."
He was silent for a beat, then he said "me too."
She looked up at him. He looked older, his hair shorter, his shoulders broader. She wondered how different she looked to him, after a year. "Will you stay here tonight?" She asked him. She hoped she would get more time with him.
"Yeah, I don't want to move George yet. He needs some recovery time and some of mums cooking." He conjured a blanket under them on the grass and sat, she dropped down too. She wondered if he noticed her trembling.
"We're not going back, to hogwarts." She whispered to him. She looked over at him and got lost in his eyes for a moment. The longing she saw in them wrenched her heart.
"Where will you go?" He asked. He didn't look away or try to mask his face. He let her read him loud and clear.
She closed her eyes before she either started crying or reached for him. She laid back on the blanket, looking up at the stars. "I don't know. But me, Harry and Ron, Dumbledore told us his plan. We have to finish it."
Fred laid down too and took her hand then. She didn't know how long they laid there looking at the stars in silence. But she fell asleep at some point. She woke with the sun a few hours later, curled up into Fred's side with his arms around her. His leg between hers. Another blanket around them both, still outside on the grass under the open sky.
She felt so incredibly content and comfortable, even on the ground. She didn't dare move or wake him. She just held onto him, breathing in his scent, feeling his heartbeat. Imagining what it would be like to be able to wake up with him like this everyday.
They'd get an apartment in London. They would wake up together like this and have breakfast, go to work. Come home at the same time. Have a beautiful life together. When they decided to have kids in their late twenties they would move out here, build a home, to be nearer the family. Molly would love having a grand baby to watch. Or maybe Hermione would want to stay home with the babies until they reached school age. She was undecided. Curly red headed wild babies, feeding chickens, chasing gnomes, playing with all the latest WWW toys that Fred would sneak to them behind her back when he came home. They would have a whole bunch of cousins to play with. And they would go to hogwarts, be in any house they wanted and go off into the world, doing their own thing. She and Fred would be old, just like his parents now, and watch their babies get married and have their own babies.
She wanted that dream so fucking badly. It physically hurt to want something so badly. She felt like she would never get it. With the war, and with Charlie... there was a very real possibility she wouldn't come back from their trip. She would be tracking down Voldemort's horcruxes. Dumbledore was mortally wounded from the first one, and died after the second one. There was no telling what might happen to her and the boys, if they were ever even able to track down the others. She hoped Fred would be able to move on, if anything happened to her. She would want him to live a happy life without her.
And if they somehow both made it out of this war alive, there was still her bond with Charlie to deal with. She felt the bond, felt the need to be with him, felt his absence always. But it was tolerable now, now that she knew what it was, why it happened. He would be coming in a couple of weeks for Bill and Fleur's wedding. And then she would leave with the boys. She had a list of things she needed to collect here and put inside her bag. She'd finally perfected the undetectable extension charm and had packed a ton of things she thought she would need. So far just books and her clothes. She needed to pack stuff for the boys and get that tent from Arthur. Food. Maybe first aid options she could sneak from Molly's storage. Maybe she could ask Fred and George for some of their stuff, they might need distractions if they get into tricky situations.
Her mind was now on prep mode, running through her lists again and again. Trying to think of any and everything the might need while on the run. This was easier than imagining a life that she was sure she would never get.
The birds were chirping loudly now, the sky fully lighted. Fred stirred and tightened his arms around her. With his eyes still closed, he pulled her head to his chest and breathed in her hair, snuggling into her more and humming contentedly. She looked up at him and he opened his eyes. The relaxed carefree look he had while asleep was gone now. He didn't let go of her. He smiled sadly down at her, "morning, love." He whispered.
The term of endearment broke her heart. She buried her face back in his chest and clutched him to her tightly, trying not to cry. He stroked her hair and back. "What's wrong?" He asked.
She took a deep breath before looking back up at him. She pulled her hand from around him and touched his cheek, the stubble on his jaw rough beneath her palm. She looked at his mouth, running her thumb along his lips. Then looked into his eyes, dropping her hand back down to his chest. "I just keep thinking how one of us might not make it out of this war alive. And how I wish I hadn't pushed you away. Bond or no bond, if we're going to die..." she trailed off in a whisper, looking at his mouth "I miss you." She said.
He cupped the back of her head and tilted her mouth up to meet his. He kissed her softly, sweetly. They heard noises from inside the house, Molly probably starting breakfast.
"Come on." He stood and pulled her up, vanishing the blankets. "I'm starving. And you've got to fill me in on everything that happened last year."
They walked up to the house, hand in hand. George was asleep on the sofa, Ginny on the floor next to him. She wouldn't leave his side. Molly was indeed in the kitchen. She smiled brightly at them as they entered. "Good morning you two." She didn't seem to mind letting them sleep together outside.
"Morning, mum. I'll pop home and get George and me some clean clothes."
"Ok, dear. Hurry back." Molly smiled at him while she stirred a big bowl of pancake batter.
Fred went to the floo and dumped the little bit of remaining powder from the pot on the mantle into the palm of his hand. He tossed it in the fire place and stepped inside, calling out "weasleys wizard wheezes" and disappeared.
Hermione stood at the end of the table. "I'll go change and then come help you with breakfast if you like?" She offered the Weasley matron.
"That would be lovely, thank you." Molly smiled, then grimaced as she looked behind Hermione toward the stairs. Molly turned back toward the sink and continued her prep.
Hermione turned to look behind her and saw Fleur descending the steps. Her hair a perfect silken drape over her shoulder. She nodded with a serene smile at Hermione as she landed in the kitchen. Hermione said "morning" and headed up to Ginny's room. She heard Molly saying "no that's not necessary." In a falsely sweet voice behind her.
Hermione used the washroom quickly, rinsing her face with cool water and brushing out her hair. She braided it back and then went back to Ginny's room where she changed clothes and went downstairs again. Just as she did, Fred came back through the floo in fresh clothes with a set folded under his arm for George. While Molly was preoccupied in the kitchen, he pulled out a sack from his pocket and emptied it into the floo powder jar, hiding it quickly before his mother noticed. He winked at Hermione before dropping the clothes on top of George's sleeping form.
Fred stayed for breakfast before he went back home to open the store. It was important to keep up the daily routine so as not to draw more attention to the family and the order members. He promised Hermione that he would come back after closing time.
Molly had an unending list of chores that she dished out to them all. They would have the wedding there at the burrow and she wanted everything spotless. Hermione took the opportunity to gather clean laundry for the boys and put into her pack. She also discreetly collected food from the garden while she weeded and found a tent in Arthur's shed. While the boys were off doing separate chores, she went to Ron's room and collected Harry's cloak and the marauders map. Whenever they could leave, she wanted to be ready.
Just before dinner she had a chance to talk to Ron. He told her about Harry trying to leave the night before and about how he convinced him to stay at least until the wedding. Hermione told Ron she was getting ready for it. Ron showed her the ghoul in the attic and explained his plan. He was taking precautions to keep his family safe too. She hugged him tightly, they both understood the weight of their decision to help Harry Potter bring down Voldemort. From the second they stepped into that room with the three headed dog together, they had made their choices. They would always help Harry.
Fred came back for dinner like he promised. Her heart fluttered every time she looked at him. More often than not, he was already looking at her. She wondered if they would have a chance to be alone together again before she had to leave. She hoped so.
After dinner, he pulled her aside and whispered to her "will you come home with me tonight?" She blushed and looked up at him, wanting nothing more than to spend every night with him. She bit her lip and stared at his mouth, desire clouding her brain.
"I'm sorry, what was the question?" She grinned, looking back up at his eyes.
He smirked, "Sneak out when you can and apparate into my bedroom." His dark gaze dropped to her mouth that time.
A chill ran up her spine and she tried to hide her smile. George came over to them before she could answer and told Fred he was ready to go. Fred looked back at her once as the twins walked out of the garden. He gave her a look that said "well?" She shrugged to say "maybe I will, maybe I won't." He shook his head with a grin and the twins disapparated with a pop.
She waited until Ginny was asleep and she slipped Harry's cloak over her. She only felt a little bad that she had stolen it. It was for him after all. She was just going to use it in the meantime. She tiptoed silently down the stairs and past Mr and Mrs Weasleys bedroom. She silenced the back door and unlatched it, slipping out through a small crack and closing it again. She walked far from the house, almost to the swimming hole before she disapparated. She didn't want the sound to alarm anyone inside the house.
She reappeared in Fred's room. He was laid back on the bed, shirtless with the blankets around his waist, reading a book. He looked up when he heard the pop and she pulled the cloak off, smiling at him.
"Hello, you. Couldn't stay away?" He winked. He shut the book and lifted the blanket for her to slide in next to him.
She tossed the cloak over a chair and slipped off her shoes. "What are you reading?" She asked as she climbed into the bed. She was only wearing his old tshirt which came down to the middle of her thighs and a black cotton thong. Her bare breasts peaked beneath the thin fabric of the worn shirt. His eyes darkened at the sight.
He tossed the book across the room, it landed perfectly on the desktop. "It's about charm theory. I'm looking into making some of the product charms last longer." He turned toward her and pulled her close, sliding his top leg between hers. She giggled and put her arms around his neck, shifting her knee up over his hip.
When they were both comfortable he looked at her, suddenly serious. The love and longing in his gaze made her shiver. "Gods, I've missed you. You've no fucking idea, witch."
She kissed him slow, the tension building. His lips were heaven. She never felt like this when kissing anyone else. She skimmed her nails along the back of his neck and traced his lower lip with her tongue. He groaned, shifting his hips into her once. His hand drifted under her shirt and up her bare back, she shivered at his touch.
She pushed him back and climbed over him, pulling the tshirt over her head and tossing it aside. She twisted her hair over one shoulder. He glided his palms over her thighs, watching her with hooded eyes, sliding his fingers under the strips of her underwear at her hips. She bent over and kissed him, rolling her body along his. He threaded one hand through her hair and held her to him, sliding the other up her spine.
She nudged his head to the side and kissed her way down his neck and chest. She crawled lower along him until she positioned herself between his legs and pulled his erection free of his shorts, the slit already weeping for her. She bit her lip and glanced up at him. He was watching her with wide eyes, breathing heavily, waiting to see what she would do. She flattened her tongue and licked him from base to tip in one smooth motion. He trembled. She looked into his eyes as she kissed the tip and slowly slid him into her mouth. She went as far as she could and he dropped his head to the pillow, rolling his eyes back and running his fingers through his hair. His reaction was making her throb with need.
She slowly bobbed her head up and down along him, licking away the precum that was trickling out. She hummed as she tasted him, hollowing her cheeks and sucking hard. She brought her hand to the bottom of his shaft, he was too big to fit all the way in her mouth. She took him deep into the back of her throat, moaning as she slid her hand up and down in time with her mouth.
He writhed under her, his hips bucking up of their own accord, chasing the pleasure. It wasn't long until he was gripping her shoulders and pushing her off, panting. "I won't last much longer like that." He warned.
She shoved his hands away and said "good" before taking him back in her mouth and bobbing faster. He groaned, rolling his head back as she tapped the back of her throat again and again, cupping his balls and shifting her fist at the base up and down, deeper and deeper. He groaned and grabbed her hair suddenly and thrust up, up, up, before he spilled into her throat, pulsing a few times as he softened and his body relaxed. She drank all of his release, swallowing it with a moan.
He shifted down a bit, pulling her up to sit on his face. She was already dripping just from sucking him off. He pulled her thong aside and delved in with his tongue. He groaned as he tasted her, massaging her backside as she chased her own pleasure, riding his face underneath her. She came quickly, her walls clenching around his tongue.
She collapsed to the side but he didn't let her rest, he was hard again. He pulled her ankles up over his shoulders and slid into her, she moaned at the intrusion. She was swollen and still pulsing from her orgasm. She massaged her own breasts as he pounded into her hard and fast, the angle perfectly hitting the right spot inside her. She came again, this time squirting up in between them, coating his stomach. He swiped at it with a finger and licked it off. He groaned at the taste before he slid out of her abruptly and flipped her onto her stomach.
He pulled her up by the hips until she was on all fours in front of him, finding her entrance and sliding himself back in. She was too exhausted to do anything but let him use her. She dropped her head to the sheets and quivered as she felt a third orgasm build from this position.
He slowed and massaged her back for a moment before grabbing her shoulders and pulling her upright, staying inside her the whole time. She flipped her hair back and tilted her head backward over his shoulder and he massaged her breast, sucking her neck and rubbing her clit. She bounced wantonly on his cock as he pleasured every part of her from behind. The last orgasm ripped through her unexpectedly and she screamed. He emptied a second time into her as the waves of pleasure ebbed and her body relaxed.
They both collapsed onto the damp sheets, their bodies covered in sweat. "Shit, I hope you silenced the room." She panted. He laughed and pulled her to him and covered them with a blanket and they both drifted out of consciousness immediately.
After an hour or so, she woke up having to pee. She carefully extricated herself from his arms and pulled her shirt over her head. She quietly opened the door and went to the bathroom, which was right between the two bedrooms. She relieved herself and flinched as she flushed the toilet. It was louder than she expected. She washed her hands and exited the bathroom. She walked quietly into the kitchen and filled a glass of water. When she turned to walk back to Fred's room, she jumped, spilling a bit of water.
"Jesus, George." She placed her hand on her chest, willing her heartbeat to calm down. George was leaning on his door frame, arms crossed over his chest, eye brow raised. She cleared her throat. "Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you." She sipped her water while she walked, covering her chest as discreetly as possible.
"No worries. I was up." He monitored her movement across the tiny apartment.
"Well, g'night." She tried slipping past him but he stepped in her way.
"Does Charlie know you and Fred are doing this?" He asked. He was annoyed that she was here.
She bristled, "why would he? I don't talk to him. Haven't heard from him in a year." She shrugged.
"Kind of like Fred hasn't heard from you in a year... hm?" George said.
She rolled her eyes, "Goodnight, George." She went to push past him but he stopped her again.
"What are you doing?" He stepped toward her, tall and angry.
"I don't know." She responded defensively, "maybe we both realized we might not make it out of this war and we just want to be together." She stared at him defiantly.
He stared back, searching for the truth in her eyes. He finally stepped aside. "Goodnight, Hermione." He said, matching her tone from before.
She slipped back inside Fred's room. He was fast asleep still. She set the glass of water on the table beside the bed and slid back under the covers. He groaned and nuzzled into her, pulling her close and kissing wherever he could with his eyes closed still. She kissed him sweetly and turned around, facing away from him, intending to let him sleep. Their bodies perfectly aligned and curved around one another, she entwined their fingers on her stomach and started to drift off.
Fred caught his second wind though and began sucking on her neck. He slipped his hand under her shirt and found her breast, his thumb circling the nipple slowly. She moaned and arched back into him, his cock hard against her backside. He began rocking into her, massaging her breasts and kissing her shoulder.
He sat up and rolled her underneath him, peeling her legs apart and rubbing his cock along her slick pussy. She sighed in sleepy pleasure and he positioned her arms above her head, holding her wrists in place on the pillow. He slid into her agonizingly slowly. She writhed beneath him, feeling him stretch her and reach parts of her insides that she could never reach herself. Her whole body shook with need as he slowly pulled all the way out and then slammed back into her.
"Fffuuucckkkk" she cried out. Every time he pushed into her hard, a shockwave rippled through her center. "Oh. My. God." She panted with every jolt of pleasure. He put both her wrists under one hand and bunched her shirt up above her breasts. Each slam into her had them jiggling. He watched them with dark, hungry eyes. He leaned down, sucking a nipple into his mouth. Her walls clenched around him in response.
He worked her roughly, ramming harder each time in a steady rhythm, her hands strained to reach for him but he held them still above her. He picked up the pace, pinching her nipple gently and kissing her lips. She cried out into his mouth as her orgasm exploded from that spot inside her that he was hammering. It was easily the most intense orgasm she'd ever experienced. She felt him burst into her a second later.
He released her hands as he slid out of her, both of them panting, trying to catch their breath. He laid his head on her chest, listening to her heart beat. She held him to her, stroking his scalp. She fell asleep almost instantaneously.
She slept deeply after that, completely unaware of anything but serene peace and her body's state of perfect relaxation. She dreamt of staying in this bed, this spot with Fred forever and ever. Of making him cum and of cumming all over him again and again. Dirty raunchy dreams that had her wet and dripping down her own legs in reality. She woke herself up with a moan, automatically embarrassed, hoping she hadn't woken Fred up. Only to find his head between her legs, her thighs held open wide under his splayed hands. She came at the sight.
After he'd cleaned her off with his tongue, he sat up grinning. She'd lost count of how many times he'd made her cum that night. Smiled sleepily at him. The window tinged blue with the early morning sunrise.
"Almost time to go, love." He covered her body with his own and kissed her deeply. She moaned at the taste of their sex, what they had created together countless times throughout the night. She would gladly give up sleep forever if she could just have this with him. She spread her legs wider and reached down to guide him inside her. He was caught off guard and grunted with the sudden pressure that enclosed him. "Then you'd better hurry." She whispered into his ear. She held onto him and met his thrusts as he pounded rapidly into her. He met his release quickly, she felt it drip out and down her backside. She held him to her to keep him inside as he softened again. He panted into her shoulder.
"That was the best way to be woken up before dawn." She giggled into his hair. "I thought I was dreaming. Till I woke up and saw your head between my legs."
He caught his breath and slowly slid out of her, rolling onto his back beside her. "That is indeed the best way to wake up. I'll have you for breakfast everyday." She laughed and curled into his side. He trailed his fingers along her arm absently as he caught his breath.
"It was very cruel of you to give me a taste and then yank it away a year ago. I've been tormented by the memory every single day since." He playfully pinched her backside and she jumped, laughing and climbing on top of him, kissing him.
"I'm so sorry." She played with his hair. "Can I make it up to you? Tonight maybe?"
He growled and pulled her face down to his, delving his tongue into her mouth. "You're going to need to do a lot more groveling than just one night." He thrust his hips up and she adjusted slightly so he slid back into her. She sat up, flipping her hair over her shoulder and reveling at the stretch and fullness deep inside. She pulled her shirt over her head. He put his hands behind his head and just watched as she rode him to her heart's content. She bounced on his cock with his own cum from countless times previously as lube, her breasts jiggled unrestrained with each little jump. Her orgasm built quickly, powerfully. She held onto his chest, digging her nails into him. She dropped her forehead to his, mouth open, brow furrowed, in the anticipation of that moment. He wrapped an arm around her back and threaded his fingers in her hair. He kissed her deeply as she exploded one last time around him. "God, I love you Fred." She whispered when she could finally breathe again.
"I love you, babe. Now go shower quick, you've got a wedding to prep." He kissed her again and rolled them over, pulling out of her. He walked to the door and opened it, fully nude, looking around for any sign of George. He motioned for her to hurry and she ran naked into the bathroom and shut the door.
When she was clean, she turned off the shower and pulled the curtain back just as Fred was shutting the door behind him. He had a pair of gray sweats low on his waist and held a small pile of clothes. He handed her a towel first. Then a new tshirt of his and a pair of boxer shorts. She had to roll them a couple of times to fit on her waist.
They went back to his room and she looked around for her panties, "where are my?" She started to ask.
Fred shrugged. "No clue." He said with a smirk. She rolled her eyes at him and donned the cloak, raising on her toes to kiss him one last time. "Goodbye love. Come back tonight when you can." He stroked his thumbs on her cheeks and then pulled the hood up for her. She stepped back and apparated back to the burrow just as the sun rose fully above the horizon. She snuck back inside to her bed where she stowed the cloak back in her beaded bag and pretended to wake with Ginny.
They were able to pull it off nearly every night that week. She decided to not care about the repercussions. They pretended that nothing else existed when they were alone together in his room. It was a beautiful escape from the crushing reality that loomed ever nearer.
Until Charlie arrived a few days before the wedding.