A/N: So sorry about taking so long, again. I've had a bad case of writers block and I've deleted and started portions of this chapter about five times now. I had been planning on rereading the last book but I've just not had the time, so some details may be a little of. But I think I'm happy with it. I also wanted to say I don't mention every single thing that happens at the beginning of Deathly Hallows. Just know they happened and what not.

Fred could sense there was a change within Hermione. And not just his girlfriend but with Harry and Ron too. They were watching over their shoulders, they were looking for the next possibility to escape. Fred knew it had to be done, he understood Harry's part in the battle and that Ron and Hermione would always stand by his side. But he couldn't help but feel like if he turned away for too long Hermione would disappear.

Finding alone time was becoming a difficult affair. Not only was the Burrow full to capacity in preparation for the wedding which kept everyone busy, but Fred and George still had a business to run. The twins had many discussions on whether to close their shop after the summer, until things didn't look so bleak. They'd decided to take things day by day and hold out as long as possible. People needed something to make them smile during darker times.

"You know, my Hogwarts education never prepared me for times like these." Fred complained while folding small pieces of paper into birds that his mother insisted had to all be perfect. "I swear using magic would make this easier."

"But if we used magic then we'd be sure to get into mischief elsewhere." Hermione said without looking up from the small paper swan she was working on.

"Did she seriously say that?" Fred asked smirking.

"Not in so many words." Hermione mumbled.

"What exactly does she mean by 'mischief' anyway? Does my mother think I could talk you into some kind of prank war when she's this tense? You'd mock the very prospect." Fred said throwing aside another failed attempt.

"I don't think thats the kind of thing she's talking about." Hermione said blushing just a little when she winked at Fred who burst into laughter.

"Well love, I didn't know that kind of mischief was on my dear old mothers mind. I was hoping she thought of us in a more innocent light." Fred said in between laughing and gasping for breath. Hermione rolled her eyes affectionately and reached over to take half of Fred's stack, if they had any hopes on finishing before they were summoned to the Burrow then she would have to do the work for the both of them. She hoped by helping Fred with his share they would be able to squeeze in time for said mischief.

"I don't know, I like that your mother approves of us, you know, being 'together.'" Hermione shrugged.

After Ron Mrs. Weasley's reaction to Hermione and Fred dating had been the one she was the most nervous about. Her approving of their relationship meant a lot to Hermione. She knew it meant a lot to Fred, he just might not be as open expressing it.

"So, only one more year then you get to spend all our free time getting into mischief." Fred said ending off with his own wink, bringing the blush back to Hermione's cheeks.

She broke eye contact, not sure how to respond. She had no intentions on returning to Hogwarts until her part in the battle was done with. It pained her to think of not finishing her education, but she knew joining Harry to find the Horocruxes was the right thing.

"We haven't really talked much about next year." Hermione said fiddling with the paper in her hands.

Fred shuffled in his seat biting back the urge to respond with some kind of sarcastic remark. He took another piece of paper and began to fold with renewed focus. They'd had plenty of serious conversations in their relationship, focusing on something other than the way Hermione's fingers so gracefully glided along the paper or how she chewed her bottom lip would be the best way for Fred to say what was on his mind.

"You're not going back to Hogwarts?" Fred asked glancing up to see Hermione nod. "You're going to hunt those things with Harry?" Another nod. "Ron as well?" Another nod. "After the wedding?" Another nod. "Were you going to tell me, or just slip out one night without a word?"

"Of course I was going to tell you." Hermione said setting aside the origami and reaching over to take Fred's hand in hers, Fred just looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "I just…didn't know how."

"By telling me," Fred said his voice snapping with the frustration that had been building under his skin. Not just the frustration of Hermione hiding her plans, but his frustration on how the world seemed to be crumbling around him.

"I know, I haven't been fair. I'm sorry." Hermione said trying not feel offended when Fred took back his hand.

"I've got to go. Bills having a bachelor thing." Fred stood from the table, leaving Hermione to look at the collection of paper birds and wipe away the tears that slipped down her cheeks. She hadn't brought up the decision she'd made with Harry and Ron for a reason. She didn't want to fight with Fred, she loved him too much to hurt him.

Fred knew walking out wasn't the mature move, but maturity had never been his forte. He had to leave and clear his head, his emotions were a mess and expressing himself by joking was not going to help either of them.

He managed to push it all aside so he could spend the night with his brothers, and a couple of Bills friends without drawing any suspicions. He laid in bed trying to think of what he was going to say to Hermione. They had Harry's 17th birthday along with the wedding, there was no way he could avoid her. And he didn't want to. He loved her too much to let one argument come between them. He fell asleep going over and over his thoughts until they started to make more sense.

Harry's Birthday was a fun night, one which allowed everyone relax and try to distract themselves with lighter topics and have a moment away from the world around them.

Every time Fred ventured away from the group to refill his drink or sneak another slice of cake he could see Hermione's attention turn to him. Almost like she was waiting for her chance to be alone with him. It was by his own design that he was constantly surrounded by people.

Hermione found the perfect moment to talk when the beginning of the preparations for the wedding begun. The cake was taken away and in its place were rows of chairs, an arch of flowers and other decorations. Whilst Mrs. Weasley gave out instructions and assigned tasks, Hermione slipped out front to work on hanging flowers, bows and ribbon on the front of the house.

"Hey." Hermione almost dropped her wand when she heard a very familiar voice from behind her.

"Hi." Hermione replied turning back to the task at hand. She couldn't look at Fred directly, she had the feeling she might burst into tears or start shouting.

"Mum sent me to help." Fred said although he made no move to actually do any of the work that needed to be carried out.

Hermione worked quietly not sure how to start the conversation. She felt as though time was running out and the amount of opportunities for them to be alone were getting fewer and fewer.

"You know there's another box of stuff to be hung by the door." Hermione huffed in frustration. She was frustrated in more ways than she cared to count, she hadn't meant to snap but Fred leaning against the wall looking at the sky had been the final straw.

Fred got to work with his box of decor without a word back.

"Look I don't… I'm sorry." Hermione said as Fred silently ignored her. "I shouldn't have snapped at you. And I should have told you weeks ago about not going back to school and leaving and just you know everything."

Fred didn't make any sign that she had spoken.

"It was wrong of me. A part of me thought you might have sensed something was different. Your mother sure did. And then a part of me wanted to pretend like nothing was going to change between us if I left. Leaving without warning would have been wrong but I thought it might have made things easier. I just hate you being mad at me."

Most of their work was finished. But Hermione kept fussing over every ribbon being in just the right place and every bow being the perfect height.

"This is ridiculous Fred. Are you really going to ignore me? Is this how we're going to leave things until Merlin knows when? Am I going to have to spend every moment wondering if you're okay when you've already moved on and made everything between us into a joke so you can deal with it? Life doesn't always need to be turned into a joke, most adults would just learn how to handle complex things by now."

Fred's grip on his wand became to tight for comfort, but he continued to hold his tongue, determined that he was going to let Hermione get everything off her chest. She clearly had a lot to say on the matter and he still didn't feel ready to even try and piece together a sentence when Hermione was right in front of him adding new thoughts to the cocktail of confusion.

For a moment Fred thought Hermione had left to rejoin everyone else on the other side of the house. He glanced over his shoulder and saw Hermione furiously pointing her wand over at his half levitating decorations that had been just fine before she had started to mess with them.

"Are you done?" He asked when it was clear she had finished talking for the time being. She nodded once not looking at him. "Feel better?"

"Not really." She shouted.

"Keep going, seriously let me have it all, don't hold back. You've finished off with a few good insults so you might as well tell me what you really think about me." Fred said taking a seat on one of the benches that had been placed in the front yard in preparation for the wedding.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to insult you." Hermione huffed in frustration. "But surely you see we need to talk about this and we don't have enough time to ignore one another."

"I agree, but there's no point in talking until its all out in the open." Fred said watching as Hermione started to pace back and forth. He was tempted to get up a leave, the last thing he wanted was for them to get into an even bigger argument.

"You're right." Hermione said, her pacing losing a little steam but continuing around the garden. "And I know you're right about me talking to you earlier. I just kind of assumed at some point that it was…obvious."

"I think a part of me knew. But that doesn't mean I have to like any of this Hermione, I have the right to be angry about this. I have the right to be just a little scared." Fred reached out for Hermione as her lap around the grass took its turn in front of him and pulled her down to sit next to him. "I love you and the world is a scary place right now. The thought of not being able to check on you each day, the thought that there is nothing I can do to keep you safe scares the hell out of me. So I just ignored all the signs, stuck my head in the sand and hoped I was wrong. And I know it would be wrong of me to ask you to stay or try and keep you here."

"I'm scared and angry and frustrated too. Vold-"

"Don't say his name." Fred interrupted, a shiver running down his spine.

"Fear of the na-"

"Name only increases the fear of the thing itself. I know." Fred said feeling a little bad for cutting off Hermione mid sentence. "Still I don't want to jinx it."

"He's not Beetlejuice you know." Hermione said hoping to take a leaf out of Fred's book and use humour to help them talk about their feelings.

"Beetle what now?" Fred asked.

"Never mind, a muggle movie." Hermione said. "It's not important. He has ruined so much in this world. I don't want evil to come between us too."

"Just try and come back to me okay?" Fred asked taking Hermione's hand in his own and shuffling closer.

"I'll do my best."

"You always do." Fred said kissing her softly easing the burden that had been weighing on them both.

The wedding felt like a mountain Fred didn't want to climb. He knew the other side of the mountain meant Hermione, Ron and Harry being free to leave. Not to mention the mountain also held countless interactions with distant relatives all wanting to know if the rumours of Fred and George dropping out of school were true. And if their 'little shop' was still open in these tough times and blah blah blah. All the questions about their life choices and futures gave Fred a headache, he had to come up with more quick remarks and witty comebacks in one day than he usually did in one week.

He couldn't deny that the wedding was beautiful and he was happy for his brother. He held Hermione's hand in the ceremony holding onto the hope that they might one day be able to have a wedding of their own. He got the feeling that Hermione was thinking the same thing when she wiped away tears.

By the time the everyone was up dancing and drinking Fred had drunk enough champagne to not care about small talk with aunts and uncles. He was dancing with his little cousins, and laughing at inside jokes with his siblings. He could see Hermione on the other side of the dance floor with Ron, and disguised Harry. They had been giving each other a little space but Fred wanted to dance with his girlfriend before the night got away from them.

The world seemed to slow down as the Patronus announced Kingsley's warning. The wedding dissolved around them as guests disapparated out and death eaters disapparated in. The fighting seemed to spark in an instant and Freds focus was pulled for Hermione to the danger all around. After fighting through the first wave of attackers Fred caught sight of Hermione not far away from Ron and Harry trying to get her attention. Fred nodded at her once and turned back to help the order so he didn't have to watch them disappear indefinitely.