The trio traversed the English countryside through the rest of winter. They found the sword, destroyed the locket, learned about the Hallows.

They lost Dobby.

There wasn't time to contact Fred at shell cottage. They had to act fast, before the cup was moved to a new location. Voldemort was now onto their plan. They were out of time.

They ran through the tunnel behind Neville. From Aberforth's to the room of requirement. They gazed at the hammocks and house banners hanging around. Shaking hands with the crowd of students elated to see them.

Hermione wanted to cry. She felt something heavy in her chest. They were so close. So close to ending this. The cup felt heavy in her bag. She thought of all they had endured the past year and looked around at all their friends who had endured terrible things too. From what Neville had explained in the tunnel, and seeing the very visible injuries on her schoolmates. She needed to end this. Now.

Their friends were all talking over each other, about what the twins had reported on Potterwatch over the radio. Hermione imagined Fred's face as he reported that the trio had escaped gringotts on the back of a dragon. She hoped he wouldn't come here now.

Harry cried out, clutching his forehead and Ron held onto him to keep him from collapsing. A moment later he looked up at her. Voldemort must know about the missing horcruxes now. They argued with the other students. They just wanted to find the ravenclaw horcrux and leave. They didn't want to bring danger straight to them all.

Luna and Dean climbed through the portrait hole behind them, Neville said he informed the whole order via the galleons Hermione created. She began to panic. No! Bringing everyone she loved here in the same place for the death eaters and Voldemort to get to. This isn't what they wanted. They only wanted to get in and get out.

Ginny climbed through the hole next and her heart dropped when Fred followed closely behind. He stepped inside and she ran to him, throwing her arms around him in desperation. "No! You shouldn't have come." She all but sobbed.

"So what's the plan?" George asked Harry.

"There isn't one!" Harry squinted through the pain in his head.

"Just going to make it up as we go along, are we? My favorite kind," said Fred, grinning at her and squeezing her tightly with one arm.

Harry started arguing with them. Ron suggested they help cause distractions while they look. Luna suggested the diadem. She and Harry set off for ravenclaw tower under the invisibility cloak.

Hermione turned to Fred, clinging to his hand when Ron pulled her to him excitedly. "I've just had a thought!" He exclaimed. He leaned over and whispered to her ear "the basilisk fangs! We could go down there and get some, they can destroy them!"

She thought for a moment about it. "Oh my god. You're right!" She turned to Fred, "I have to go." Just then she felt the ominous feeling. Like she wouldn't live to see the end of this. "I..." she started, looking back and forth between his eyes.

Fred smiled at her, "go, save the world." He squeezed her hand. "And then come back to me." He winked.

Her lip trembled and her eyes began to tear up. She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him quickly. She turned and looked at Fred one last time before she climbed the stairs and he nodded and waved. She and Ron ran to Moaning Myrtles bathroom.

Her chest hurt. Every step she took away from Fred, her heart screamed at her to go back. But the adrenaline of the mission pushed her on. Ron grabbed her hand and ran with her down to the chamber of secrets.

They made their way slowly down. Ron attempted to mimic the parseltongue he'd heard from Harry. They heard Voldemorts eerie voice echo throughout every part of the castle, telling them to give up Harry to him. She looked at Ron in a panic. They were here. It would be an outright war then.

When he made her destroy the cup, she saw flashes of Fred's dead body in the castle. She collapsed on the ground, not even a bit elated at the destroyed cup before her. Ron helped her up, her entire body trembling. Reassuring her that it wasn't real. That the locket did something similar when he destroyed it. She leaned heavily into him as they made their way back through the tunnels with an armful of fangs.

The castle rumbled and shook with the weight of dark spells being thrown at it. She shakily climbed on a broom behind Ron and he flew them back up the pipe into the bathroom once again.

They ran through the corridors, deciding to go back to the room of requirement. They miraculously ran into Harry on the way and they told him of the cup. He told them the diadem was in the place where everything is hidden. They ushered Ginny, Tonks and Neville's gran out of the room. The castle shook relentlessly.

They battled and then saved Malfoy and Goyle. They looked at the destroyed diadem, smoking on the floor. Only the snake was left.

Shouts and the unmistakeable sounds of dueling filled the corridor as Fred and Percy backed into view, dueling two masked and hooded death eaters. Hermione, Harry and Ron rushed forward to help.

Percy joked, the death eaters collapsed. "You're joking, Perce!" Fred shouted. Hermione panted, clutching her side from exertion, grinning at Fred. "I don't think I've heard you joke since you were--"

The air exploded and Hermione was thrown in the air, rock and debris flying around her as the wall of the castle was blown apart.

Cold air from outside blew through the gaping hole in the castle. The dust settle and Hermione shoved chunks of stone off of her. She assessed herself carefully. Her wrist was definitely broken, and her leg was bleeding. She shakily stood and Harry climbed over to her to help.

Suddenly she heard shouting and crying. Oh god, no. Who? She stumbled with Harry over stones and splintered wood to get to the Weasley brothers until what she saw had her collapsing again.

Percy was on the ground holding Fred lifeless body, shaking him as if he could wake him up. Ron knelt at his side crying out for his brother. Fred's eyes stared without seeing, the ghost of his last laugh still etched upon his face.

And in one singular moment, Hermione's world ended.

She couldn't even have a moment to process as spells began flying in from outside. Harry was trying to pull Percy back. Ron was trying to shield her. Hermione threw herself over Fred, shaking. She could feel herself going into shock. She couldn't let anything else happen to him.

An acromantula tried climbing in through the hole and she screamed, covering Fred with her arms. Harry and Ron sent the spider flying out into the black night. More spiders were coming.

"Let's move! Now!" Harry shouted, he and Percy grabbed Fred to pull him out of the way. The castle shook, debris fell, spells flew at them from every direction, monsters were pouring into the castle. Harry and Percy tucked Fred's body into an alcove that once held a suit of armor. Hermione was shaking uncontrollably as she knelt in front of him, reaching out. Begging him to wake up.

Percy took off after a death eater and Harry had to grab her and pick her up, he shoved her behind a tapestry and she had to snap out of it to help him restrain Ron.

"Let me go! I have to kill those motherfuckers!" He was shaking with rage and grief.

"Ron!" Hermione sobbed, grabbing his face. He looked her in the eyes finally, tears pouring down his face. "We have to..." she choked. Trying to speak through her own tears. "We have to end this. It's just the snake. We can do it. We're the only ones who can. Please."

His lip curled in anger, he gasped trying hold back the grief that threatened to overtake him. "We will fight." She promised. "We will end this."

She turned to Harry, shaking, clutching onto Ron's shirt to hold him there. "Find him, Harry. Look into his mind. We need to know where he is. Where the snake is."

They ran through the passageway and out the other end. She tried hard not to think about what just happened. She needed to end this.

They made it to the shrieking shack, they watched Voldemort kill Snape. Hermione handed Harry a flask to collect the memories that Snape procured, just before his life slipped away.

They listened to Voldemort call a ceasefire. Giving Harry one hour to show himself. Hermione convinced Harry to go back to the castle and regroup, make a plan on how to get the snake.

The battle field that they'd had to cross to get out of the castle was now still, unnaturally silent. Everything covered in debris, stained with blood.

In the great hall, the survivors gathered. Tending the injured. Hermione's chest ached with the anticipation as she passed dead bodies lined up in the middle of the hall. The Weasley's all gathered around one of them.

Hermione took Ron's hand and walked toward the group slowly. She took a breath to prepare herself but lost it when she saw Remus and Tonks lying next to each other at Fred's side. She dropped to her knees at Fred's feet, sobbing uncontrollably.

George knelt at Fred's head, his hands on either side of his face and his own head tipped down, shaking with grief. Mrs Weasley lay across her sons body, her wails heartbreaking as she mourned the loss of her child. Arthur stood behind his wife, holding her shoulder and trying to be as stoic as he could for the rest of his family. Ginny and Percy stood to one side crying and holding each other. Ron joined them. Molly sobbed in relief at the sight of him and reached out to hold his hand.

Hermione looked around in a sudden panic. "Where's Charlie?" She gasped.

Arthur shook his head, "we don't know yet."

Molly's wailing returned.

Hermione stood, she had to find him. She turned and stumbled toward the door. Where was the bond? Where was he? She couldn't feel anything beyond the immense grief and anguish over losing Fred.

She made it outside of the great hall and looked around. Which way should she go? Where was the fucking bond? Did that mean he wasn't there to be bound to anymore? Oh god. Not him too.

It was supposed to be her. SHE was the one chasing the horcruxes of the darkest wizard of their time. If any of them were to die, it should have been HER!

She wiped her face in anger and panic, trying to decide which way to go. She ran blindly toward the front entrance when she stopped abruptly. Charlie was walking slowly up the steps, holding his side. He was covered in dirt and blood. She nearly collapsed in relief. She saw him do the same.

He paused on the step when he saw her and closed his eyes, tilting his head back as if praying in thanks. He seemed to catch his breath. She ran to him and helped him up the rest of the steps.

"Thank god." She trembled. Her sobbing resurged. "You weren't there. I was so worried."

"I'm ok. But they have Hagrid." He winced as she helped him up the last step.

"Charlie, wait." She stopped him and looked into his eyes, tears pouring down her face. "It's Fred." She gasped and then it was her turn to lean on him. "He's gone." She held onto him sobbing. He leaned against the door frame, holding himself and her up against it. He cradled her head in one hand as she cried into his chest and he let the weight of that realization wash over him.

Ron and Percy came running out of the hall when they saw them. Ron took hold of Hermione and Percy helped Charlie into the great hall to get checked by madam Pomfrey. Charlie made him go over to Fred first. Hermione clung to Ron as Charlie dropped to Fred's side. He laid a hand on his brother's shoulder and mourned with the rest of his family.

This was hell. She thought of the last thing that he said to her, he told her to come back to him. And then she had watched him die. Why couldn't she have been the one to have died in that explosion. She would give anything to switch places with him. She wished she were dead.

Charlie stood on trembling legs, holding Ginny for support. "Help me." He turned to Hermione. She rushed to his side and helped him over to the row of injured people getting looked after by the mediwitch. She conjured a cot for him and knelt on the floor beside him, holding his hand.

"He would not have wanted that." Charlie squeezed her hand. She looked up at him in question. "He would not have wanted you to switch places with him. He would have been so mad at you if you had." He'd read her feelings and used his injury to redirect her thoughts. "I would have switched places with him though. I should have. I already cheated death once." He said sadly.

Hermione shook her head but madam Pomfrey came over at that moment. She stood aside as the mediwitch healed his broken ribs with a wave of her wand. Charlie winced and thanked her and she moved on to the next.

Hermione shakily pulled out a calming draught from her beaded bag. She hadn't taken one in ages, but this wasn't over. She realized that Harry wasn't with them and jumped up. She quickly walked to Ron's side and whispered in his ear. She didn't want to alarm the rest of the people in the hall. Charlie stood and followed them out.

"Shit, shit, shit." She started into a run down the front steps and Ron grabbed her shoulder to stop her.

"Wait! Whats going on? What are you saying?" He held her in place. Despite the calming draught, she was panicking.

"He's gone down there! He's gone to Voldemort. To give himself up!" She turned to run straight to the forest. She wasn't sure what she would do once she found them. But she had to get to Harry. Charlie caught her this time and stopped her as Voldemorts voice echoed through the grounds again.

"Harry Potter is dead." She froze in shock. "He was killed while running away, while you laid down your lives for him." Lie! She thought. "We bring you his body as proof."

The people in the castle started pouring out behind her. Mcgonagall screamed and Hermione turned slowly to see Hagrid and the death eaters walking up to the courtyard. Hagrid carried Harry's lifeless body in his arms.

No! Ron shouted, Charlie held tightly to her arm but she didn't try and move. She was frozen in shock. Voldemort was still talking. She couldn't hear anything but a ringing in her ears. She stared at the snake wrapped around his shoulders, trying to make her brain work again. Trying to figure out a way to get to it.

Neville threw himself at the snake-like man and Voldemort made a spectacle of him. He summoned the sorting hat and set it upon Neville's head, lighting it on fire. Everyone was screaming, centaurs and others began charging from the forest. Hagrid was shouting that Harry had disappeared. Neville had pulled the sword from the hat and sliced the head from the snake in one swift motion.

Chaos erupted. Voldemort was battling people, moving into the great hall. Charlie didn't let her go as he began blocking curses and pulling her along. She finally got hold of herself and followed Voldemort into the castle.

She watched as Molly killed Bellatrix and Voldemort exploded in anger. She watched a protego erupt from seemingly nowhere and Harry materialized from beneath his cloak, ready to face the man who murdered his family for the last time.

Hermione stood by Fred's body. She doesn't recall getting herself here. But had her wand out ready to protect him. Charlie was at her side. Harry explained the reason why Voldemorts spells didn't stick on any of them. The reason why he was alive. He had died for all of them. And even with the elder wand, Voldemort couldn't win. She watched as Harry Potter killed Voldemort with Draco Malfoy's wand and an expelliarmus.

She dropped to her knees in relief. It was done. He was truly gone. And she was alive. And Harry was alive. And Charlie was alive. And Fred was dead.

She dropped her wand to the floor and grabbed Fred's hand, trembling. She passed out on top of him, unable to function for one more second.

She woke up to bright sunlight, birds were chirping, bees were buzzing. She squinted and sat up, looking around. She was lying on the grass by the waterhole. She was in her swimsuit, feet bare, the sun reflected off the water, sparkling. The smell of sweet summers past filled her mind.

Fred climbed out of the pond in front of her, shaking water from his hair onto her. She squealed in laughter, curling up and blocking as much water as she could.

He dropped to the ground beside her, "hello sleepyhead. Did we have a good nap?" He slid a hand across her stomach and leaned over to kiss it. She smiled and ran her hands through his wet hair.

The smile dropped as she looked around. Everything was shimmering. This isn't real.

Fred looked up at her and gave her a sad smile. He sat up, "It's ok, love. I'm ok. And you're ok too." He leaned over and kissed her forehead.

She gasped and opened her eyes. Charlie was at her side, he held her hand at her side and had his other at the top of her head, stroking her brow with his thumb. "Shh, you're ok." He repeated.

She sat up abruptly, looking around. She was in the hogwarts hospital wing. The beds were filled around her. A curtain drawn on her other side for a small attempt at privacy. All sorts of people filled the space with a steady hum of conversation. People with battle injuries and friends and family at their sides. She looked back at Charlie. "What? How did I..?"

"It's only been an hour. It's over. You collapsed." He tried to explain without overwhelming her.

She closed her eyes and pressed her palm to her forehead, trying to bring back the dream. That's the reality she wanted. She didn't want this one. She let go of Charlie's hand and he sat back, watching.

Madam Pomfrey came to her other side with a tray of potions. "Miss Granger. You weren't out long. I did a diagnostic spell over you to make sure there weren't any unseen injuries. You had a broken wrist which healed easily. It seems you just passed out with exhaustion. Very common after what we all just went through. And of course in your condition. I have some potions that should help in your recovery. A pepper-up, a prenatal, and a general healing potion to help the body with fatigue. This is water. Once you can drink all the potions and the water and keep them down for at least fifteen minutes, you can go." She set the tray on a side table.

Hermione blinked, "Thank you." She reached for the water. "I'm sorry, did you say a prenatal?" She froze as Pomfrey nodded.

"Yes dear, for the pregnancy."

Hermione laughed and shook her head. She glanced at Charlie. "I'm not pregnant." He wouldn't meet her eye. She turned back to the mediwitch. "I'm not pregnant." She said again.

Madam Pomfrey took a breath. "I'm sorry. You didn't know, then." Hermione looked back at Charlie, who stared at her bed. There was no way she was pregnant. The last time she had sex with anyone was in January when she said goodbye to Fred. She would have known by now if she was pregnant.

She thought back to her last period and couldn't remember when it was. She had been so stressed with the mission and nearly dying multiple times. She blinked up at madam Pomfrey. "I can't be." She said weakly.

"Your diagnostic showed that you are four months along. The baby has a healthy heartbeat. Everything seems to be progressing as it should." She stood by for a moment longer. Hermione said nothing more. Someone called out for the mediwitch then, "I'll leave you to process for a moment, and try to take your potions." She said, stepping around the curtain and out to help someone else.

"No." She whispered in disbelief. "I can't be."

Charlie cleared his throat. "You were with Fred four months ago?" He asked.

"I mean, yes. But..." She actually doesn't recall casting any contraceptive charms. She was too engrossed in being with him. She looked at Charlie in a panic. "I need to get out of here. Now." She threw the blanket off her legs and stood up, then sat down quickly as her vision blurred.

"Ok, hang on. Let's take the potions and then we'll go, wherever you want to." He handed her the healing potion first. She took it with trembling hands and downed it. She waited a moment and took a breath. Charlie handed her the next. She finished her potions and water and waited five minutes before she stood and left the hospital wing. Charlie followed close behind.

She walked down the corridor, her pace picking up quickly. She did feel stronger with the potions. But her panic was quickly overtaking her. She ran through the ruins of the castle. She didn't even know where she was going. She just ran. Until she found herself at the bottom of the astronomy tower, where Fred had first kissed her. She stopped abruptly and stared at the crumbling steps, the tower destroyed in the battle.

She stared at the vision of her destroyed life, she dropped her hands to her stomach, looking down. "Oh my god." She breathed. Charlie caught her as she collapsed again. She sobbed into his shoulder as he held her tightly. Held her together.

She doesn't know how long they stayed there. The sun outside drifted below the treeline and the sky began to darken. "I have to see him." She pushed Charlie away. She began to run back down to entrance hall.

Charlie grabbed her again and stopped her. "They've taken the bodies away. They're preparing them for burial. The families have all decided to bury them here, on the grounds."

She held onto Charlie's arms and shook her head in denial. "No. No. Not yet. They can't. I'm not ready." She sobbed, she couldn't catch her breath. She was hyperventilating.

Charlie pulled her to his chest and crushed her to him, stroking her hair. "I know." He chanted to her.

"Hermione!" Ron called out to her. He and George came around the corner. She froze as she looked at Fred's twin. Her throat closed up and she gagged. George's eyes filled with tears as he nodded in understanding. He held his arms open for her and she ran to him.

He was the same height, he had the same hair, the same eyes, the same voice. But he wasn't Fred. He didn't feel the same as holding Fred. She held him anyways. Until she could finally breathe. "I'm sorry." He whispered to her.

She pulled back and took deep breaths, placing her palms on his cheeks. "I'm sorry too. I'm sorry we lost him. I'm sorry we came here. I'm sorry we didn't figure this out sooner." She began to cry again in earnest. She looked to Ron. "We should have ended this sooner." She was so angry with herself. Fred would still be alive if she had just worked a little fucking harder.

Ron understood. He gripped her shoulder. George shook her though, "stop it. Hermione? Look at me. This was not your fault." He said sternly. "Do not even think it. You know he wouldn't. And if your roles were reversed you wouldn't blame him."

She sobbed and tried to breathe "I don't want this to be real." She gasped. They held each other for a moment in grief.

"Come on. Mum's looking for us. They're planning the funeral and then the cleanup. There's a ton of work to be done now. They need us." Ron squeezed her shoulder. Charlie conjured tissues for all of them and a glass of water for her. She wouldn't tell them about the pregnancy. Not yet. There would be time for that later. They all had plenty of time now.

She followed them down to the great hall which was now back to its former glory. The remaining members of the order organizing and planning on how to rebuild the school and set the wizarding world right again. She sat at a table between Harry and Ron. Harry turned to hug her. He held Ginny's hand under the table. Charlie and George stood at the back of the room with the rest of their family.

She looked up at her transfiguration professor and listened to their plan for their new future.

She knelt before the headstone at Fred's grave. There had been a mass funeral. It wasn't long enough to honor the lives of all these people, these heroes who gave their lives to make the world better. To rid the world of evil. People milled about, visiting gravesites and laying flowers. George sighed and sat down at the stone, leaning his back on it. He took a long swig from a flask before holding it out to her.

She shook her head. "No thanks." She traced the letters of Fred's name with her fingers.

George shrugged and drank some more. They sat in silence for a few moments.

"I'm pregnant." She finally whispered.

He froze, looking at her, then turned to the headstone. "Bloody hell." He tipped the flask back up and drained it.

He stuffed the now empty flask in his pocket and then leaned comfortably back on the headstone. "Does Charlie know?"

She nodded, "he was there when Pomfrey told me."

George looked across the lawn where Charlie stood next to Bill and a heavily pregnant Fleur. Charlie met his eye and nodded. George looked back at Hermione, kneeling before his brothers grave, the father of her unborn child, his twin. "When?" He asked.

She sighed, "we were last together when he brought us back from the beach house, right after Christmas. We spent a week at shell cottage before we left. So I've got five-ish months left." She touched her stomach unconsciously. "You and Charlie are the only others who know so far." She dropped her hand from her stomach and ran it through the grass that had been magically grown atop the fresh graves. The sun was setting, casting a magnificent glow across the semi-clouded sky.

George leaned forward and took her hand, "I'm here for you. Whatever you need. Whenever." He reached up and wiped a tear from her cheek. "I'm serious. Fred's half of the business is yours. His room can be yours if you want it. That beach house can be yours. Just tell me what you want and you'll have it." He vowed.

She couldn't stop the tears again. She held onto George's hand and held the grass atop Fred's grave and mourned the loss of her beloved. When she finally caught her breath she touched the letters of his name again, "we'll give our baby the best life," she whispered, speaking to the ground, looking to George who nodded, tears now streaking his own cheeks. "I promise to give it the best life ever, and to tell it everything about you. I promise not to cry every time I think about you. Someday I won't cry," she sobbed, "I promise, I'll be ok." She gasped and wiped tears from her eyes, blowing her nose in a tissue from her magically expanded pocket. "One day, I'll be ok. I'll try. For you. For your baby." She finished, composing herself and taking a deep breath.

"Come on." George stood and pulled her up with him. "Fred would tell us to go eat something." He took a clean tissue from her pocket and wiped his own tears and blew his nose, stuffing it in her used tissue pocket without asking. It was very nearly full. He wrapped an arm around her shoulder and pulled her along, she stopped to look at the gravestone one more time. "It'll be there when we come back." George nudged her away with a wink and she rolled her eyes and swatted him with the back of her hand.

They walked to the refreshment table and she let George make her a tea. They joined Harry and Ron, Ginny and Mr and Mrs Weasley, and others who sat in a large circle, laughing, crying, telling beloved stories about those they'd lost. George went and sat on Angelina's lap until she pushed him off playfully and switched places with him. Hermione sat beside Harry, sipping her tea and listening in.

Large bonfires were being lit across the lawn, most people weren't ready to leave yet, even though the sun had nearly set. Hermione leaned her head on Harry's shoulder and he tilted his head atop hers. They wordlessly comforted each other. The trio would always feel responsible for this. They'd saved the wizarding world. But they'd brought this battle here. They didn't bring it up anymore because everyone else just refuted it. But she would always feel it, to some degree.

Charlie joined the circle across from her, clapping a hand on his fathers shoulder and laughing at a story about Tonks. They'd gone to school together after all. Hermione smiled sadly at him. She felt his humor in the moment, and his overall grief that underlaid everything today. He pushed a thought of peace her way and she let it wash over her.

He'd sat with her the night before, talking to her about things they can't change, things they can't take responsibility for. Things like Fred's death, the battle, the war. The physical desire and need for Charlie was gone. She wasn't sure if it was the grief or the pregnancy. She could still feel the bond, read his emotions. And he could feel her. But they were able to sit alone together in the same room without touching now.

She knew Fred would tell her it was ok to be with Charlie. But she didn't want to, at least not right now. She needed Charlie's support, she needed him close by. But she didn't need him like she did before.

He'd never said anything about the pregnancy beyond vowing to be there for her. She was grateful. He didn't say it was ok, or that he was fine with the fact that she'd gotten pregnant by his little brother. He felt that his opinion meant absolutely nothing in the situation. And she loved him for that.

When the stories turned to Remus, Harry got up and passed around a bowl full of chocolate. "He'd want to lift our spirits, I think." Harry had smiled sadly. Hermione took a piece and passed the bowl on. She took a bite and felt goodness wash over her. Fred had died for this. For goodness to reign. Remus, Tonks, Colin... they'd wanted goodness and love to fill the world. Not fear and hatred and superiority. Everyone sitting around this circle would have given their lives for the same outcome.

She took a shuddering breath, trying to keep the tears at bay. She held Harry's hand and shared about the time she learned Remus was a werewolf, because of Snape. A chuckle wound through the group. Harry had spoken at the funeral about Snape's sacrifice. About his story and his goodness. Snape was buried amongst the heroes. His portrait would be hung with the other headmasters in the school. Mcgonagall cried the most upon learning the truth about her colleague.

They spent hours together, talking and mourning together. Healing together. Promising to help one another through the loss and pain. And even though she didn't want to, she felt hope. She felt like Fred reached up from his grave and forced her to feel his hope. Because a part of her still wanted to join him in death. But the gift of life that he left her with, forced her to look forward to the future with hope and with healing. And she kept her promise that she would try, for him and for his baby. She would be ok.

She breathed through the pain, rocking back and forth on her hands and knees. Molly knelt behind her, Charlie in front of her. He pushed with his palm on her lower back when she needed pressure, he massaged her shoulders and helped her breathe rhythmically. The bond told him what she needed.

"Ok dear, it's time. I see the wee head, push for me on the next wave." Molly reassured her.

She felt totally ready, the pain was intense but her body knew what to do. She was safe and around people she trusted. And she'd had a dream about Fred the night before. She'd sat on the beach, just outside, heavily pregnant. He'd sat next to her and held her hand. Promising her everything would be ok. He assured her she was ready and that he would be there every second. He'd told her that their baby was beautiful and looked just like her and that she was going to be the best mother. He'd told her he was so proud of her. She'd woken up in full blown labor right then, and sent Charlie to get his mother.

They'd been staying in the beach house for the past month. She'd decided this was where she wanted to bring the baby into the world. She'd read every book possible on natural childbirth, magical and muggle. And discussed her wishes with Molly, who assured her she would be there to help as soon as she wanted it.

George, Ron, Harry and Ginny were out on the beach waiting for the signal to come back inside. The rest of the family would wait until Hermione said she was ready for them to visit. It was calm and peaceful and perfect.

After two pushes, the baby was completely out. Hermione sobbed with relief and collapsed forward into Charlie's arms. The baby cried in Molly's arms as she wrapped it in a towel. Charlie helped Hermione turn and lay back into him and Molly placed the baby onto Hermione's chest, skin to skin, and covered them both with blankets.

"Your son." Molly whispered through tears. Hermione sobbed as she touched the dark red curls stuck to his tiny head. He squinted up at her and seemed to sigh in relief as well.

After Hermione passed the placenta and Molly cut the cord, Charlie lifted Hermione and the baby up and placed them on the bed, tucking her in comfortably.

Hermione looked to Molly with tears in her eyes, "can I call him Fred?" She cried, asking for permission.

Molly's face screwed up in pain and joy together, clutching her chest. She finally composed herself and said "of course, dear. I would love nothing more."

After Molly and Charlie cleaned everything up and Hermione and the baby had a moment to themselves, the rest of her family was called in. Ginny rushed to her side and the boys slowly filled the room behind her.

"Oh my god." Ginny crooned, "a boy! He is beautiful!" She gently stroked the baby's sleeping head and then touched Hermione's cheek. "Congratulations, mummy!" She whispered. Hermione smiled at her dear friend and sister.

Harry came to the other side of her bed, taking her hand and squeezing it. Ron stood next to him. George stood at the end of the bed gazing in awe at the tiny baby.

"His name is Fred." Hermione said to him quietly.

George exhaled harshly and closed his eyes, dropping his chin down. A moment later he started to laugh. "You would." He smiled, wiping tears from his eyes. She held the baby out to him and Ginny stepped back, letting George be the first to hold his little nephew.

Hermione would have wept at the sight of Fred's twin holding his baby, but she was too exhausted and too full of joy and love to permit any more tears to fall. Instead, she smiled happily as George sat at the foot of the bed holding the tiny baby Fred.

"Hey little buddy." He smiled down at the bundle in his arms. "You've got a shit ton of people who love you already. I can't tell if that means you'll be able to get away with everything or nothing." Everyone in the room chuckled. "But your uncle Georgie will there to show you the ropes, don't you worry, love."

Hermione woke in her bed in the beach house. The one she and Fred had shared nine months ago. The house where she gave birth to their baby in. She felt well rested, despite having woken to feed the baby multiple times.

It was quiet. She was alone. She'd asked everyone but Charlie to go home, even though they'd insisted on staying to help. She promised Molly she could come at the end of the week and bring more food and stay longer, and bring Arthur. Harry and the others all had jobs to get back to. Life to live. She would move back to England one day, probably soon. But she wanted to spend a few of these first months in the peaceful serenity of the beach house.

She hadn't accepted George's offer to give her anything. Although she did accept lavish gifts that he bought for the baby and allowed him to sign over Fred's half of everything to the baby, for him to do with what he chooses when he's of age. He'd secretly added her to the ownership of this house when she asked if she could come to give birth here. She'd scolded him for it. But he'd just shrugged, saying it was done.

She tiptoed through the house. It was early morning, the sun just beginning to rise. She saw Charlie's silhouette through the front window, sitting on the porch, rocking gently in the chair. She stepped outside, barefoot and in her nightgown. Sore from birth but otherwise healing quickly. The warm sea breeze filled her lungs.

Charlie looked up at her and smiled, the baby bundled in his arms, looking contentedly up at him. She leaned back against the porch railing and crossed her arms. "How long have you been out here?" She asked him.

"Oh just an hour or so. We thought we'd give you a little rest time. I hope that's ok?" He asked. Though he could feel nothing negative coming from her.

"Of course, thank you." She said.

He summoned the other chair close to him and motioned for her to sit, conjuring a cushion at the last second. She smiled, "thank you for being here." She started. "I really couldn't have done this without you. I'm so grateful for you and your love and patience." She reached over and took his hand.

"I'm not waiting for anything." He assured here, squeezing her hand and looking into her eyes. He wanted her to understand this. "I'm simply here, for you. Nothing owed, nothing hoped for. Please don't think anything else of it."

She felt the truth of his words. She reached up and cupped his cheek. "I love you for it. Thank you." She stroked her thumb minutely across his skin. "But you owe nothing to me either." She wanted to convey it to him clearly. "Your life is your own. You can leave us, you can do what you want to." She said. "I'm not pushing you to go or stay. I just want you to know it." She dropped her hand to his shoulder and slid it down to take his hand again.

He shook his head slightly, closing his eyes. "I only want to be near you. For however long you'll allow." He whispered, as baby Fred's eyelids drooped shut.

She leaned over and kissed Charlie's cheek as the sun rose over the horizon. She held his hand and they sat watching the day begin. They had a long way to go, together. A lot of healing and learning. About themselves, and the bond. She was so grateful that she had Charlie. As selfish and horrible as she felt about it sometimes. He was a gift, as was her time with Fred. And she chose to look forward now in hope and love.

She leaned over and slid her thumb into baby Fred's tiny hand and rested her head on Charlie's shoulder. "He's going to have the best life ever." She whispered.

Charlie reached up and cupped her cheek, leaning into her. "He sure is."