After an intense 6 months Harry and Hermione started making their plans for their way back.
It had been 2 years since Hermione left. Since she was stripped.
"It's best if we try on the 30th. October." Hermione suggested.
"It is a month more."
"I know. But it's Molly's birthday. For sure everyone will be at the Burrow. Then we won't have to risk informing everyone." Harry hugged his friend.
"You are brilliant."
"But how will we get there?" Hermione asked.
"We fly of course." Her eyes widened.
"HOW ON EARTH WE WILL FLY HARRY POTTER?" He smiled and ran off to the garden.
When he came back he was holding an old broomstick.
"No way this is going to work." Hermione laughed. Harry put his hand on the broom and the broom levitated.
"I've been working on it."
"Is it safe?" Hermione walked around the broom.
"It flies."
"It flies?! This is your only explanation Harry?We need to get there alive, you know."
"If we don't get there we are better off dead Mione. We are not wired to live like this."
"I guess you have a point. Alright then."
"I don't want to do this Fred." She had already closed her eyes.
"Love we are still on the ground."
"It feels like we are flying." Fred held the broom and put his head on her shoulder.
"I won't let you fall."
"I know." She nodded and they were off the ground.
"Are you excited for the wedding?" Fred asked, trying to look at her.
"I don't know , I guess I am. And I feel a little sad because we will be leaving afterwards."
"Hermione!Open your eyes. Please love." Fred pleaded. She parted her eyes.
"Oh Merlin!"
"Look down at the view." Fred said softly.
"I can't."
"Marry me." It was not a question.
"What?" Hermione turned her head around , eyes wide open. They were not moving but hanging in the air. When she met his eyes he brought his hand in front of her. In the palm of his hand there was a ring.
Very elegant,princess cut,silver band ring.
"Hermione Granger,I love you. I am desperately in love with you. I want you to be the first face I see in the morning and the last one I see at night. I want to watch you read your books and frown when something you don't agree comes up. If we survive what is ahead , I want to spend the rest of my days with ..marry me the happiest wizard in this world."
"Fred… "
"You don't have to say yes if you don't-"
"You dumb witted wizard , put me in the air and asked me to marry you on a broom which you know I'm afraid of and think that I will say no because I am literally afraid to wrap my arms around you and kiss you as I say yes!" Fred let go of the broom as he was still in his place.
Wrapped one arm around Hermione as his other hand held out the ring.
Hermione pushed her hand into the ring.
A giant smile spread across Fred's face as he captured Hermione's lips in his from behind.
"I can't even tell how much I love you."
"We have a lifetime for you to try love."
She kept looking at the ring on her finger.
She was surprised they didn't notice when they stripped her.
Well,death eaters were not necessarily the brightest of all.
She smiles at the thought.
"I did the same, you know. Before the battle." Harry said calmly. Hermione looked at her friend.
"Oh my God Harry! Why didn't you tell us before, when you were planning?"
"Why didn't you tell us when he popped the question?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.
"We were going to tell everyone-"
"After the war." They completed the sentence together.
They exchanged a series of weak smiles.
Fred
"Freddie?" George called for his brother.
"Yes Georgie!" He came running but his mood changed the moment he saw his twin. His heart stopped. He knew something was up with them.
"They are at The Shell Cottage. Harry and Ron are -" George swallowed.
"Hermione?What about her?George say something!"
"She is hurt, mate. Seriously hurt." Fred ran off to the floo. George ran after trying to hold him back.
"You can't Fred! It's too dangerous!" Fred was not hearing , his face had changed its color.
"I am going, George." He said calmly. Almost scary.
"No. She needs you alive." George tried to copy the serenity in his twins voice.
"And I need to make sure that she is alive."
"She is alive will be fine." George was worried too but going there was insane. Fred knew that , but he couldn't stand the thought of her being hurt and him not being by her side.
"Georgie.. I have to go. I need to see her." George saw the determination on his face.
"Freddie , I understand you want to see her, you love her. She is your girlfriend for Merlin's sake, but-"
"Fiance." Fred corrected calmly. George held his breath. His look changed.
"I will get everything out of you. You will tell me every single detail and we will spend a month me being mean to you because you never told me this. Never even gave me a hint about this. But now , we need to go and see my sister then." Fred hugged his twin.
"Thank you."
Shell Cottage was quiet.
Harry and Ron were by the fireplace. Fleur was in the kitchen , cooking like mad to distract herself.
Billy was pacing in the house.
A green flame flashed which made them draw their wands.
When they saw Fred and George walk out the floo they let out a breath of relief.
"We are the reason you are afraid of spider Ronniekins. Confirmation enough?" Fred bluntly said to his brother before walking towards him and hugging him.
"Are you alright?" He nodded. They looked at Harry.
"Upstairs, second room on the right." He simply answered Fred's unasked question. He made his way to the stairs.
"Fred." Ron called for his brother , he stopped and turned to face him.
"It's need to stay calm." He didn't answer and climbed up the stairs.
He put his hand on the door knob. Took a deep breath.
Thoughts were running in his head.
He was not prepared for what was waiting for him.
He entered the room and found a small body laying on the bed.
Smaller than he remembered. His heart sank at the view. He was trying to control his emotions.
He moved his gaze to her face. She was not sleeping.
She was staring at the ceiling. Her eyes were not shining as he remembered.
There were bruises on her face , pretty much everywhere.
Her left wrist was visible and there were red marks around it.
Cuts on her arm.
When he understood what had happened he fell to his knees.
They tortured her.
He wasn't there to protect her.
He got up softly, her eyes were still on the ceiling. As if she was frozen.
He could have swore she was petrified if he didn't just see the tear falling from her eyes.
He kneeled down next to the bed. Held her hand. Moving slowly and not squeezing afraid to hurt her.
The moment their skin touched she closed her eyes.
"I'm here love." Fred brought her hand to his lips.
Her hands were cold.
"Hermione , love , can you look at me?" Fred asked softly. She closed her eyes and shook her head fighting the tears.
He softly placed a hand on her cheek.
"What is it ? What do you think broke you?" The light in her eyes was gone. Her idea of herself had changed. Her confidence was gone. This damage was only available if she let it. Something changed her mind about herself.
Her eyes moved to his side of the room, still not meeting his. She slowly brought her right arm on her lap.
Fred took her hand and looked at her. She closed her eyes and rolled up her sleeve.
"Who did this?" Fred asked between his teeth. He was trying his best not to scare her.
She opened her mouth but she couldn't bring herself to say the name.
"I'll kill whoever did this with my bare hands me who did it, please."
He traced his fingers on the fresh wound "Mudblood".
Then it hit him. He brought her arm to his lips and placed his lips on the scar.
"Love, I don't know what your pretty mind is telling you but this does not make you any different then you were if not better."
"I look at this and think how brave you are, how strong you are. I tell myself "Fred you bastard,you have one hell of a she's a keeper." That's when she met his eyes.
Tears came streaming down on her face.
"What have I done to deserve you?" Her voice was weak but he saw her eyes lit up again.
"Love , this question is one I should ask myself every single day."