ONE-SHOT

Summary: Outtakes and bonus scenes to 'Confessions'. (If you haven't already, you should probably read that one first.) Rated M. Making a confession isn't always easy, but in order for Fred Weasley to win the witch of his dreams, he had to summon his Gryffindor courage, scare off her other suitors and bare his soul and heart to the population of Hogwarts, hoping it was enough.

Disclaimer: I do not own canon events and characters, they belong to J.K Rowling. I am not making a profit from writing and posting this fanfic.

AN:

Here it is! Outtakes and bonus scenes as requested and as promised, and it took me four days to get it finished. I hadn't intended to write as much but I couldn't stop myself, but that's nothing new, I suppose. Enjoy!

And for those that asked, as I know there was a few of you, yes I can and will write a one-shot with a Hermione/Charlie pairing. Just give me some time to work out the plot and actually get the chance to write it.

Page count: 38

"So, are you ready to face the music?" Hermione asked, pulling back from him with a blush to her cheeks. He was unable to keep the smile off his face and he didn't release her from his hold.

"In a minute," he muttered, lowering his mouth back down to hers. After being unable to touch her in this manner for so long and he was now allowed to, he couldn't resist from doing so.

She laughed as she pulled her mouth away from his, far too soon for his liking. "We have to get back to the hall, breakfast will be over soon and I know what you Weasleys are like when you skip meals. If you're going to be on top form ready to pull the prank I know you've been planning, you need to eat."

"How'd you know we were planning a prank for today?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.

She smiled up at him and shrugged her shoulders. "I know you. You tend to be quieter than usual when you're preparing to carry out a prank, and I saw George chose tea over his usual orange juice, so he needed the caffeine."

"You don't stop surprising me," he muttered, reaching up to brush her hair back from her face.

She leaned into his touch before squirming free of his hold and walking off down the corridor. Fred was quick on her heels, falling into step beside her and his hand reached out to clasp around hers, a smile pulling at his mouth when she didn't pull back from him or complain, instead she gave his hand a squeeze. As they approached the doors to the great hall, he felt her lean into him a little more and he knew she was nervous about the reaction that was waiting for them.

He heard her take a breath and she kept her head held high and her eyes remained focused as they stepped into the hall, the chatter quieting down as everyone stared at them. Seeing as Hermione was determined to ignore it, he did so, too, his eyes locking with George's.

His twin raised a questioning eyebrow and his eyes darted down to his hand clasped around Hermione's before moving back to his gaze. Fred gave a subtle nod and his mouth pulled into a smile and in response, George grinned and gave him a thumbs up, looking proud.

Hermione tried to remove her hand from his as she made to retake her seat opposite Harry and Ron, but he refused to let go and instead climbed onto the bench beside her. It wasn't odd to see them eating breakfast together giving how much time he'd spent around her the last few weeks, but now it was clear everything was different. Hermione leaned against him slightly and he didn't let go of her hand as it rested on the bench in-between them.

Hermione reached for her bowl of porridge and pushed it away from her before selecting a couple of slices of toast and the jam, a smile pulling at his mouth knowing it meant she was in a good mood. Reluctantly he released her hand so she could smother her toast with the strawberry jam and he reached for the sausages and eggs, placing two of each on the plate that appeared before him.

They went about their tasks silently and seeing Hermione reaching for the orange juice, he lifted the jug and poured her a glass and did the same for himself, receiving a smile in thanks from her. The chatter picked back up and he felt the stares leaving him, the population having quickly gotten over what they'd just witnessed, at least for now. He didn't doubt he'd be running into Katie at some point and would have to deal with it. Fred was unsure if Hermione was a jealous person or not, but he knew Katie was and he didn't want her trying to harm or upset Hermione, knowing she could handle herself and Katie would likely end up injured or hexed.

"What the bloody hell's going on?" Ron grouched, being the first to speak in the group of people that surrounded them.

He looked up at him, seeing Harry, Dean, Neville and Ginny watching them silently whilst Seamus had a scowl on his face.

"Don't start, Ronald," Hermione said, picking up her orange juice and taking a sip from it before putting it back down on the table. "The relationships in my life are none of your business and you have no say in what I can and can't do."

"Relationship?" He stuttered, his face slowly turning red and he gripped the fork in his hand tightly.

"She's my girlfriend, keep up," Fred chirped, being far too happy to have his morning ruined by his little brother, no matter what he said or how he behaved. He was on cloud nine and nothing could bring him down.

"Girlfriend?" He spluttered, his voice rising slightly.

"That's what he said Ronnie, clean your ears out," his twin spoke, coming up behind Ron, smacking him over the back of the head and pushing himself in-between Harry and Ron, sitting directly opposite Hermione. "Hey, Hermione," he grinned.

"What do you want now?" She asked, giving him a knowing look and Fred snorted. She wasn't kidding, she really did know them.

"Nothing," George responded, picking up a slice of toast and nibbling on the end of it. "I just wanted to congratulate you, I don't know how but you managed to turn my twin into a right sappy sod. He's been a nervous wreck all morning, he even brushed his hair today, can't remember the last time he did that."

Fred scowled at his twin and Hermione laughed. Fred knew he should probably take offence that she was laughing at his expense, but it wasn't often she laughed and when she did, it was as if all the stress and pressure she was under just disappeared and she was carefree. Hearing her laugh brought him peace.

"So, now that he's finally proven himself worthy of your brilliant mind..."

"And there it is," she cut him off, sounding amused.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," he replied innocently.

"If you need my help then I'll do my best to help you, but only when I'm not currently busy."

A smile pulled at his twin's face and Fred snorted, well, he and George weren't known for being subtle.

"You're my favourite non-related witch," he said, giving her a quick wink before reaching over to steal a sausage from Ron's plate and standing from the bench, returning to sitting beside Lee a little ways down the table.

"I'm confused," Harry said, his eyes narrowed and darting between him and Hermione.

"About? She's my girlfriend, it's as simple as that," Fred spoke. "Well, she will be once I've officially taken her on a date, that is."

From the corner of his eye, he saw Hermione wiping her hands on a napkin and pushing her empty plate away from her. Knowing she'd want to leave to get to her first class of the day, he pushed his own plate away from him despite not having finished but he wasn't as hungry as usual, given the nervous wreck he'd been that morning and he'd lost his appetite.

He stood from the bench and whilst Hermione busied herself looking through her bag, double checking she had everything she needed, he quickly headed for George to grab his own bag.

"So, you got the witch," George said. "I don't know if I should be proud or surprised, not that you won her over, of course, I knew you would, but that she didn't hex you for the stunt you pulled."

Fred snorted and took his bag from George, slipping it on his shoulder. "There's still time," he replied. "I'll see you later," he said, turning and walking away, hearing Lee's voice mutter to George about 'how strange it was he'd been crushing on Granger and he'd never known.'

Shaking his head, he stopped beside Hermione. "You ready, I'll walk you to class?"

"Yes," she said, standing from the bench and hooking her bag over her shoulder, but he soon took it off her and placed it on his own.

She reached for a clean napkin as well as a blueberry muffin and wrapped it up, holding it out to him. He raised an eyebrow questioningly.

"You haven't eaten much and I guarantee you'll be hungry within an hour or two."

Smiling down at her, he took the muffin in one hand and slipped the other around hers, walking out of the great hall and through the doors, feeling the eyes that followed them.

"Ron was surprisingly calm," she commented as they journeyed down the halls.

"The shock I think, well, that and George was able to convince Dobby to slip a Calming Draught into Ron's tea this morning, just in case."

She shook her head at him. "So, this date?"

He grinned down at her. "Don't you worry, I have it all planned out."

"There's not much we can do here, Fred," she replied.

"That's where you're wrong, there's plenty to do. You just have to know the right people."

"Meaning?"

"I can't give away all of my secrets," he said. "I'll tell you more later."

"Alright, and be careful today. Umbridge is dangerous and if she catches you she won't hesitate to punish you. She's already proven to not give a toss about the child protection laws."

"We'll be fine,"

"You better be, or you'll find yourself getting another snowball to the face."

~000~000~000~

"Hermione, I'm fine,"

"If you're fine then you won't mind me looking at it," she said, staring down at him with her hands on her hips.

He was sat on a couch in the Room of Requirements, Hermione having requested a room similar to the Gryffindor common room with the comfortable furniture and large fireplace with dancing flames giving off heat.

Fred sighed before holding out his hand, begrudgingly admitting that it did hurt quite a bit but he didn't regret his actions. Malfoy had more than deserved the punch he'd given him. She gently held his hand in hers, muttering beneath her breath and carefully probing at his knuckles and he held back a wince.

"I don't think anything's broken and there isn't any swelling either but you should probably put an ice pack on it, just to be sure," she said, and an ice pack appeared on the couch beside him due to the room responding to Hermione's wish. She reached for it and pressed it against his knuckles, him startling at the coldness of it.

"You shouldn't have done that, Fred," she said.

"He deserved it, not only did he insult mum, but you, too. There's a lot of things I can let go, but that's not one of them."

"But it wasn't worth it, you got kicked off the team and you have detention. I didn't want you anyone near Umbridge, once you're on her radar that's it. I don't want you getting hurt."

"I'm a big wizard, Hermione. I knew the risks before I took action and despite having detention and no longer being on the team, I don't regret it. I'm a little bummed I can't play a match again, but it just means I have more time to spend with you and to work on getting the shop set up."

He took the ice pack from her and dropped it to the ground before tugging her onto his lap and wrapping his arms around her so she couldn't get up. He rested his chin against her shoulder and her hands came up to hold onto his forearms.

"No matter the consequences, nothing will stop me from defending you against arseholes like Malfoy. You are worth every detention and every ache and pain that I may suffer. I know you can take care of yourself, but I like taking care of you."

"I don't deserve you," she sighed, leaning back against him and her fingers tracing soothing patterns against his arm.

"I don't deserve you," he echoed.

~000~000~000~

This was the worst Christmas of his life, Fred had decided. Not only had he been woken up in the middle of the night by Professor McGonagall, telling him that his father had been attacked whilst on Order business, but he'd been forced to leave Hermione behind and he hadn't even had time to leave her a note, explaining what had happened and that he'd see her soon.

He'd never felt so worried for his father, knowing that he was lying in a hospital bed and being without his family. What made it worse, they hadn't been allowed to visit him, their mother deeming it too dangerous given the circumstances, but not only that, she didn't want them to see him, not the way he currently was.

He supposed he could understand, growing up his father had always been a role model for him. Despite their family not having much in the way of money and possessions, it had never bothered his father and he worked hard to bring home what he could and to provide for his family. His father was always cheery and strong and kind, and his mother didn't want to destroy that image of him. She didn't want them to see him in his weakened and injured state. And although he did understand, that didn't mean he liked it.

He did have his siblings with him, but it didn't make much difference. Harry had locked himself away in his room and refused to come out, Ginny barely left their mother's side and Ron did nothing but stomp about the house like a bad-tempered hippogriff. And although he had George, someone who not only understood what he was going through and that felt his pain, someone that knew him inside and out, he still missed Hermione and wished she were there with him.

He hated leaving her behind and by herself, especially with both Umbridge and Malfoy gunning for her and though he knew she was more than capable of watching out for herself, it didn't stop his worry. He and George had holed themselves up in their room at Grimmauld, doing their best to distract each other by working on product development, but when they weren't doing that, his thoughts drifted between his father and Hermione. And he'd be lying if he said he hadn't been counting down the days until she was due to return for Christmas.

A knock on the door startled him out of his musings and he lifted his head from his arms to look up at it, wondering who was on the other side. He knew it wasn't George, not only would he not have bothered knocking as it was his room, too, but he'd only left five minutes before to take a shower. He also knew it wasn't Harry as he hadn't left his room and Ron wouldn't have bothered knocking either as he didn't have any manners, which just left his mother or his sister.

"It's open," Fred said tiredly, before burying his face back against his folded arms, as he laid on his stomach on his bed.

He heard the door creak open and out of the two voices he was expecting, it was neither, but he'd never been more grateful.

"Hey, Stranger,"

Fred slowly lifted his head, blinking several times just to make sure he wasn't imagining things and that, yes, Hermione really was standing in his doorway. He hadn't been expecting her until tomorrow evening.

She smiled at him softly and he rose to his feet, striding across the room until his arms wrapped around her and he held her to him tightly, his face burying against her shoulder and his eyes closing as her arms hooked around his neck and a hand lightly scratched at the back of his neck.

"I'm sorry about your father," she said softly. "But I have never met a man more determined to love and care for his family, which is how I know he'll get through this. Just be patient and you'll see that I'm right."

"You always are," he muttered. "I missed you, and I'm sorry I left."

"Don't be, I understand why you had to leave. McGonagall pulled me aside after breakfast and explained everything to me. I wanted to write to you but she advised against it, Umbridge is having our mail screened. I missed you, too. How are you feeling?"

He sighed, "Not too bad I suppose, just worried, but mostly tired. I haven't been sleeping."

"That's understandable. Do you want to lay down for a nap?"

"Yes, but not yet, I just want to hold you," he said, reluctantly removing his arms from around her and pulling back, taking her hand in his hand pulling her over to his bed.

She climbed on beside him and moved until her head pressed against his chest and he wrapped his arms around her, keeping her to him.

"What are you doing here? I wasn't expecting you until tomorrow at the earliest."

"McGonagall didn't want to risk putting me on a train by myself should someone try to harm me or abduct me from the station, so she snuck me out of the castle after dinner, apparated me to a safe house, where we floo'd to The Leaky Cauldron and we got a taxi here. She dropped me off and went straight back to Hogwarts. At the moment, I think you're the only one that knows I'm here, I didn't see anyone else on my way up."

"George's in the shower, Harry's locked himself away, Ron's probably stuffing his face in the kitchen and Ginny's likely with mum in the living room. Sirius, the last I saw he was in his study steadily getting drunk."

"That doesn't surprise me," she said. "If you don't want to nap, I can read aloud."

"What do you have with you?"

"Hogwarts, A History,"

"Of course you do, silly me for asking," he said and she laughed at him before removing the shrunken down trunk from her pocket.

He reached for his wand and resized it for her, as well as summoning the large book. With a Levitation Charm, it hovered in front of Hermione so she didn't have to hold it, and she read aloud to him, her voice making him feel peaceful and sleepy.

He'd been on the verge of dozing off when he was startled awake.

"What in the name of Merlin is going on here!"

Fred lifted his head to see his mother standing by the foot of his bed, her hand on her hips, her cheeks flushed red and her eyes narrowed dangerously.

"I was napping until you woke me, Mum," he grumbled, dropping his head back onto his pillow and tilting his head until his nose brushed Hermione's forehead. "You mind leaving us?"

She spluttered, her face getting redder by the minute.

"Hey, Mrs. Weasley," Hermione greeted with a small smile.

She pushed herself up onto her elbow and away from him and he reached out to pull her back down against him but she batted his hands away and laughed at him. Sighing, he pushed himself up onto his own elbows, the book slowly lowering onto the mattress until it was no longer obstructing his view of his very angry mother.

"Is there something you wanted, Mum?" He asked, feeling exhaustion beginning to sink in. "Only, I really am tired and would like a nap."

"What is going on here?" She asked, her voice rising and it drew the attention of both Ron and Ginny, his younger siblings stepping into the doorway to watch the scene unfold.

"I told you, I was napping," he replied.

"Hermione?" She questioned, turning her narrowed gaze towards his girlfriend and he had to give her credit, she didn't fold under her stare like most people he knew.

"As Fred said, I was reading to him until he fell asleep," she answered.

"Why?"

"He was tired,"

"Why?"

"He hasn't been sleeping, which is understandable," Hermione frowned.

"Why are you reading to him? What are you doing in his room? When did you get here?"

"About twenty minutes ago, McGonagall snuck me out of the castle for my safety and dropped me off. I didn't see anyone on my way up and I knew where Fred would be. I'm reading to him because he likes it when I do it, it calms him."

"They're together," Ginny piped up from the doorway.

"Excuse me?" His mother spluttered.

"She's my girlfriend," Fred clarified.

His mother frowned. "How long?"

Fred shrugged. "Nearing two months, and she made me work for it, too, but she was worth it."

"But... Ronald..." She muttered, looking back at Ron and he stuck his hands in his pockets, slumping his shoulders and looking down to the ground.

Fred rolled his eyes at his little brother. Since he and Hermione had been in a relationship, Fred had come to understand that Ron did still have a little bit of a thing for Hermione, but there was nothing he could do about it. He'd never wanted to hurt Ron but he'd lost his chance with Hermione and Fred knew she was happier with him than she could ever possibly be with Ron. He was too mean to her, too insensitive and too stubborn. He'd hurt her one too many times. And he couldn't keep up with her wit and intelligence, not in the way he could.

Of course, that meant Ron tended to be more of an arsehole when he was around and given that he and Hermione were together, that was more often than not, but Fred wasn't backing down. Sooner or later Ron would get over it.

"No, nothing would've ever happened between us, Mum," Ron mumbled.

"I thought you'd already know," Hermione said, looking sheepish. "I know the twins don't write home that often, Ron either, but I'd have thought Ginny would've mentioned it."

"Not my news to tell, Hermione," his sister responded.

His mother shook her head, apparently pushing aside the news for the time being and narrowing her eyes once more, looking at them suspiciously. Fred knew what the next words out of her mouth would be and he didn't want her embarrassing Hermione or himself for that matter. There weren't many things that could embarrass him, but unfortunately, his mother was definitely one of them, especially with her traditional views.

"There's nothing for you to be suspicious of, Mum. I love her," he said, feeling Hermione shifting closer to him and his mother's eyes widened, knowing that he didn't say those words lightly and it wasn't often he said them at all. "I'm just having a cuddle with my girlfriend whilst she reads to me, that's it."

Hermione's face suddenly flushed bright red, having caught onto the intentions of his words.

"But let's be honest, even if we were at that point in our relationship where we thought about having sex..." Hermione let out a little squeal and buried her face in her hands in embarrassment, "Which we're not," he clarified. "There isn't actually anything you can do to stop us. I mean, this isn't your house, but Sirius' and I'm of legal age, and technically Hermione is to, what with that whole time turner fiasco."

His mother looked far from pleased and Hermione refused to remove her face from her hands, but he had to say it. He needed his mother to know that she had no say in his relationship with Hermione and that he wouldn't tolerate her prying or her insinuations.

"Why does mum look about ready to fetch the wooden spoon?" His twin asked, walking into the room and dressed for bed, tussling his damp hair. "Oh, hey Hermione, when you'd get here?" He asked, walking over to Fred's bed and dropping down on the other side of Hermione. "Why are you blushing? Oh hell, I missed it all, didn't I? Now I feel cheated," he scowled.

~000~000~000~

This had been one of the best Christmases of his life, Fred decided. Despite it being made to feel joyless and depressing, it hadn't been. The moment Hermione had arrived at Grimmauld things had started picking up. He no longer had to worry about her safety as he knew her to be nearby and once he and George had decided they'd worked enough on their product development for the day, he'd head straight to the library where he knew Hermione would be hiding away and he'd spend the rest of the day cuddled up with her on the couch, listening to her reading aloud or napping.

More often than not they had to sneak around and hide away if they wanted anything more than a kiss to the cheek or a quick peck on the lips, especially since his mother had taken to watching them and refused to allow him to shut his bedroom door if he and Hermione were alone in there together.

A few days after Hermione had arrived, his mother had finally let them visit his father and under the guard of Order members, they'd been escorted to the hospital. He'd been in a particularly good mood that day and hadn't been able to stop touching Hermione once he returned to Grimmauld. Christmas morning he woke not only to the sound of Sirius singing loudly, but to the smell of breakfast wafting through the house and he and George had quickly made their way downstairs, getting the surprise of their lives when they saw their father sitting at the table in a wheelchair and with several bandages covering his legs, head and arms.

Since then, Grimmauld had been filled with laughter and joy and even Harry had pulled his head out of his arse and gotten over blaming himself for his father getting hurt.

On New Year's Eve, everyone sat in the living room, laughing and drinking after eating the feast his mother had prepared and as the countdown for New Years started and the adults were tipsy, he and Hermione had been able to sneak away, hiding out in the pantry.

Hermione was currently pressed up against the wall, his body pressed against hers and caging her in, her mouth claimed by his and her hands raking through his hair and wandering over his shoulders and down his chest, whilst his own trailed her sides, brushed the curves of her breasts and had a cheeky squeeze of her arse.

The need for oxygen became too much and despite not wanting to pull back from her he had to. She made a noise of disapproval and he took a deep breath to calm himself, not wanting to get too carried away and risk damaging his relationship with Hermione by trying to push her too far. He buried his head against her shoulder and her arms slipped up to wrap around his neck, her hands burying in his hair and running through it, her nails scratching at his scalp gently.

"What was that?" He asked, knowing she'd muttered something but he hadn't heard her properly, the sound of the fireworks going off outside marking the start of a new year. For him, it meant a new year with Hermione by his side.

"I'm ready,"

"For what?" He asked confused and pulling his head back to look down at her.

Her hair was messed up from him having his hands in it, her lips were swollen and little redder from his kisses and her cheeks tinged pink from both the heat of their bodies pressed against each other, and the glass of fire whiskey Sirius had slipped her when his mother hadn't been looking.

"Fred, I'm ready," she repeated, emphasising the word.

He frowned slightly, his eyes tracing the features of her face and the way she was looking at him before understanding suddenly hit him and his eyes widened slightly and he shook his head.

"Yes, I am,"

"Hermione, I don't want to pressure you or make you feel as though you have to do things to make me happy."

"Don't be silly, Fred. I've never felt pressured into doing anything with you and I don't feel as though I have to, but I want to. We may have been together a couple of months, but that doesn't matter to me. I love you and I want to experience those things with you."

His eyes searched her face, looking for any tell that she was lying to him and that she really did want to be with him in that way and not because she felt like she had to.

"Alright," he said softly. "We'll talk about this when we get back to school and if you still feel that way in a few weeks, then we'll discuss taking our relationship further."

She frowned at him and her eyes dropped down to the ground, avoiding his gaze. He brought his hand up to her chin and tilted her head so she had to look at him.

"What's wrong?" He asked. She shrugged her shoulders in response. "You're disappointed," he guessed.

"I suppose," she muttered.

"Hermione, I love you and I don't want to do anything that may risk me losing you. I just want to make sure you're confident in your decision by giving you a little time to think it over. You may change your mind, you may not, but I have to be sure you've thought this through. I don't want you to regret it."

"I could never regret anything I did with you."

He smiled down at her, bringing his hand away from her chin and brushing her hair back from her face.

"Just how much experience do you have?" He asked, needing to prepare himself and figure out the boundary lines.

She frowned in thought. "You know I'm a virgin and I know you're not."

He really didn't want an answer to the question he was about to ask, but at the same time, he needed to hear it.

"How far did you and Krum go?"

The pink tint to her cheeks darkened but she kept her gaze locked with his, refusing to be embarrassed.

"Do you really want me to answer that?"

"Yes and no," he replied, shaking his head. "Let's try this a different way, have you ever had an orgasm?"

"Yes,"

He took a deep breath. "From yourself or Krum?"

"Both,"

"Has he used his mouth on you?"

"No,"

"His hands?"

"Yes, and he's seen me shirtless," she said before he could ask. He felt a wave of jealousy wash over him before shaking it off.

"And you?"

"I didn't use my mouth on him, but I did use my hands, any more awkward questions?"

"No," he said. "I had to be sure you weren't just making a decision in the heat of the moment and I needed to know how far I can push you before I risk crossing the line."

"There are no lines or boundaries with you, I trust you. And if I'm being honest, this isn't the first time I've thought about it, I've been having these thoughts for a couple of weeks now," she spoke and he looked down at her, feeling surprised by her confession. "Which is why I'm a little disappointed you don't trust me enough to make my own decisions."

"I do trust you, Hermione; I just want to make sure this is definitely something you want."

They startled apart when the pantry door opened and a tipsy Sirius Black stood in the doorway, his mouth pulling into a smirk and his eyes darting between them.

"I was wondering where you two lovebirds had disappeared to."

"Sirius, we weren't..."

"Doing anything raunchy? I know," he said. "The pantry is an awful place to get down to business, trust me, I know from experience."

Hermione blushed bright red and Fred was amazed he hadn't done the same.

"Look, I get it, your mother's been keeping a close eye on you this last week and I reckon it's frustrating for you to be unable to spend time alone together. So, I'll keep your parents distracted for a little while. Ginny's gone to bed, Harry and Ron are playing wizard's chess, George's passed out on the couch and your mother's serenading your father. So, I'll just grab this elf wine," he said, reaching for two bottles that sat on the shelf, "And soon she'll forget about everything but wanting to go to bed."

"Thank you," Hermione said, "I owe you one."

He snorted at her. "You've kept Harry alive all these years, we're square."

Hermione smiled at him and slipped past him, stepping out of the pantry. Fred made to follow after her but Sirius stepped in front of him, his smile dropping from his face and his eyes narrowing.

"This is my one and only warning, if you lay a finger on her without her say so, I'll show you just how fucked up Azkaban made me."

Fred blinked in surprise; not only at Sirius' words, but that he even thought he was capable of harming a woman in such a way, even more so it being Hermione.

"You are aware who raised me, right? Do you honestly believe my mother would let me live if she ever thought I would hurt a witch in the way you're suggesting?"

Sirius tilted his head slightly. "Don't screw this up. That little witch is special, anyone can see that. If you lose her due to a stupid mistake you made, I guarantee someone else will be waiting to pick up the pieces."

"I'm not going to mess up, I love her and I'd die before I ever harmed her, intentionally or not," he responded, locking gazes with Sirius.

Sirius nodded slowly. "Then off you go, I reckon the little witch it waiting for you and don't disappoint her, she was looking a little frustrated."

"How'd you know?" Fred frowned.

He shrugged. "I know a pent up witch when I see one, and she's one of the worst I've ever seen. I reckon George will be out for the count until tomorrow lunch and so will your mother, so you don't have to worry about her sneaking out of your room in the early hours of the morning."

Fred wasn't sure how he didn't feel uncomfortable at the older wizard's insinuations, so he just slipped past him and out of the pantry, walking out of the kitchen and heading for the stairs. When he reached his room, he stepped inside and closed the door, warding it shut and silencing the room for good measure, before turning to examine Hermione.

He watched as she paced by the foot of his bed, moving back and forth slowly. He watched as she gently tugged at the hem of her pretty blue blouse and was briefly distracted by the way her jeans hugged her arse, before shaking his head. He watched as she mumbled quietly, as she blew her hair out of her face in frustration and she carried herself stiffly.

He blinked in surprise; Sirius was right, Hermione was frustrated, and he actually felt guilty that he hadn't noticed it before it was pointed out to him.

Taking a step forward he said, "Hermione, you feeling alright?"

"Fine," she replied automatically and stopping in her pacing to face him, giving him a small smile.

"You're not, you're frustrated," he said. "Why didn't you say anything?"

She shrugged her shoulders and looked down at the ground. "Just as you didn't want me to feel pressured, I didn't want you to feel the same."

"Hermione, I would've helped if you'd have told me."

"This is my problem, I'll deal with it."

"How long have you felt this way?"

She shrugged again, looking down at the ground. "A while,"

Fred took a deep breath before making a decision and walking over to her, stopping in front of her.

"You're not going to be able to relax until this is taken care of," he said.

She looked up at him questioningly, a frown pulling at her face as she watched him carefully, seeming to catch onto the meaning behind his words.

"But you said..."

"I did," he nodded. "But I'd be a terrible boyfriend if I allowed you to suffer when you're clearly frustrated, so I'm willing to compromise and take our relationship to the next level, just no sex. Unless you'd prefer to take care of it yourself?"

Her face flushed but she didn't look embarrassed. "Not really," she admitted. "It often takes me a while to get to that point, but you might be able to get me there quicker."

"Then that settles it," he muttered, reaching for her blouse and tugging her forward by the hem of it, bending to claim her mouth in a kiss, his tongue slipping through her parted lips.

She brought her arms up to wrap around his neck and her hands buried in his hair, tugging at the strands. He backed her up until the back of her knees hit his bed and he lowered her down onto the mattress, laying down beside her but still hovering over her slightly.

His hands moved to her sides and before he thought to ask if she was okay with it, her hand came down to his and moved it to press against her stomach beneath her blouse, giving him a nudge in encouragement. Taking the hint, he moved his hand towards her breasts, cupping it and kneading over the fabric of her bra and she moaned into his mouth, her leg shifting to hook over his hip and bringing their bodies closer together.

Knowing she was searching for friction when she rocked her hips forward, he brought his hand down from her breast and towards the button on her jeans. Whilst he didn't want to rush this experience with her, he also knew it was getting late and he didn't want to run the risk of being caught.

George may have been passed out on the couch, but that didn't stop him from waking and even drunk or with a hangover, he knew the way Fred thought and would easily be able to remove the wards from the room to gain access.

He hesitated a little before reminding himself that she wanted him to do this for her and as much as he hated to think about it, she had been with Krum in this manner, too. If she wasn't comfortable, she wouldn't have agreed to let it happen.

He unzipped the zipper and unfastened the button and pulled back from her, her eyes opening and her mouth forming into a little pout. He chuckled at her before pressing a single kiss to her lips and sitting up, making his intentions clear. Her jeans were quite tight on her and he knew he'd struggle with movement if she were to leave them on, but he intended to have her leave her blouse and knickers on, knowing that if he saw her naked, it would all be game over for him and he'd give in to her wishes immediately. This allowed him some level of control over himself.

She lifted her hips and pushed her jeans down her hips and he pulled them off the rest of the way after removing her shoes, dropping the items of clothing onto the floor and moving to lay beside her once more.

He latched his mouth back onto hers and he let his hand wander over the fabric of her knickers, feeling the wetness of her arousal seeping through and he inhaled sharply. Her hips shifted into his touch and she moaned against his mouth and he slipped his hand below the fabric, rubbing over her centre.

She jolted forward and a gasp fell from her as he slipped his fingers between her folds, searching for the little bundle of nerves that had her hips jerking forward once he found it. He was careful when he slipped a finger into her, keeping the movement of his hand slow and steady as she pulled her mouth from his and her head fell back onto the pillow, little pants falling from her lips and a light flush settling over her skin.

"You have to show me, Hermione," he said softly.

Seeming to know what he was asking, she brought her hand down from his hair whilst the other gripped onto his shoulder tightly, and she slipped it beneath the fabric of her knickers to rest above his.

She pressed her fingers against his, urging him to apply more pressure to her nub and to move a little faster in his movements, her hips moving to rock against him. He watched her enraptured, seeing the way she bit at her lip and her body arched into his touch, the flush of her skin disappearing down beneath her blouse and her nails biting into him even through the fabric of his shirt. Her chest heaved with every breath she took as her breathing sped up and her head tipped back further, exposing her neck to him. Fred decided he could very easily die a happy man and become addicted to the sight of her like this.

He dropped his head, taking advantage of the skin she revealed to him and he latched his mouth on her neck, nipping, licking and sucking. Feeling her pressing more firmly on his hand, he understood that she wanted him to move a little faster and before doing so, he added another finger, a breathless moan falling from her mouth in response to his actions.

His length - which had long since been drawn to attention- twitched at the sound and he took a deep breath to calm himself. She dug her nails into the back of his hand, her grip on his shoulder tightened and he felt her walls beginning to flutter around his fingers. Just knowing she was close to the edge, he twisted his fingers within her, searching for that special spot.

She let out a cry and her eyes slammed shut when he felt her walls clamp down on him, trying to keep him from leaving and he shut his own eyes at the sight she made. Fred's control had never before been tested the way it was now, but he was adamant that he didn't want to push her too far.

He brought her through her orgasm and when she sagged into the mattress and a little smile pulled at her face, did he then remove his hand and bring it to settle at her hip, her hand still laying on top of his.

She opened her eyes and in the dim light of the moon and the fireworks still going off, they seemed to sparkle in her happiness. She smiled at him and her hand lifted from his shoulder and to his hair, gently raking her hands through it.

"Better?"

"Much better, thank you," she sighed, her eyes closing. "I'm surprised; it usually takes a lot longer." Fred didn't know if that was a compliment or not but he took it as one. "You want me to take care of that for you?" She asked, bringing note to the hard length that was restrained by his jeans and pressed against her thigh and he shifted away from him slightly.

"No, I'm alright."

She frowned. "Really? Viktor never turned me down."

"Of course he didn't," Fred muttered beneath his breath before shaking his head. "Really, this was all about you, I'll be fine in a little while. Are you staying?"

"Can I?" She asked, blinking in surprise. He smiled down at her and nodded, a smile of her own making an appearance. "You have a shirt I can sleep in?"

Given their size difference, anything he gave her would bury her small frame but the thought of her in his clothing did something to him, something he couldn't explain.

Standing from the bed, he walked over to his trunk and dug around inside until he found something, pulling it out with a smile on his face. He tossed it to her before removing the wards from the door and quickly heading to the bathroom, taking the quickest cold shower of his life and dressing in a t-shirt and some pyjama pants.

As he stepped back into his room and re-warded the door, his eyes fell to Hermione, seeing her stood by his bed and pulling back the blankets ready to crawl in. His eyes lit up at the sight of her wearing nothing but his Quidditch jersey burying her and her wild curls surrounding her in a halo. He felt pride and a streak of possessiveness shoot through him. He knew he was lucky that the little witch was his and he had no intentions of screwing things up or letting her go.

He walked over to the bed and climbed in beside her, them both easily finding themselves comfortable in the other's presence and being pressed against one another. Whilst this was their first time sharing a bed, it wouldn't be their first time holding each other as they slept as they often napped together on the couch in the library or in the Room of Requirements, but something about this felt different. It felt right. And Fred knew he'd get a good night's rest with his little witched tucked up against him and he didn't know if he'd manage to sleep alone again.

~000~000~000~

"We don't have to do this if you don't want to," Fred said softly and looking up at Hermione, her hair messed up, her lips red and swollen and her eyes sparkling in the dimly lit room, and he knew if he were to look in the mirror he'd probably look the same.

"I'm not going to change my mind, Fred. I love you and I want to experience this with you," she responded, her eyes locked on his and with no sign of hesitation.

It'd been a few weeks since they'd returned to school after the holidays and Fred had been adamant that Hermione take the time to really think over her decision, as he had to be sure she wasn't just doing it because she thought it would make him happy. He didn't want her to regret it, and he'd overheard horror stories from other witches in the common room about losing their virginity and he didn't want Hermione's first time to be like that.

She'd tried to nudge him into giving in, never enough to annoy him or upset him, because actually, it amused him. But he was always sure to stop things from going too far, just sticking to snogs in abandoned classrooms and the occasional grope, but never anything more despite Hermione voicing her disappointment.

"If we go through with this, it's likely to hurt you and I don't want to do that."

"I'll be fine, Fred, I'm a big witch and I trust you."

"If you want or need me to stop you have to tell me. If you feel uncomfortable or you change your mind, I need to know."

"I promise I'll tell you what I need, but I'm not going to change my mind. Now, do I have to beg you?"

Fred's eyes searched her face one last time before he pulled her further into his body and lifted his head, his mouth catching hers in a consuming kiss. Her arms snaked around his neck and her hands wound into his hair, pulling on the strands gently.

It was a Saturday night and they were in the Room of Requirements. That weekend was a Hogsmeade weekend, so he and Hermione had gone into the little village together, spending the day without the prying eyes of the school population following them wherever they went. After dinner they'd both snuck away to the Room of Requirements and with the following day being a Sunday, he knew none of their friends would notice that they were gone as they'd sleep till late and visit Hogsmeade once more, which meant they had the night and the morning to spend with each other without being interrupted.

They'd been in the Room of Requirements for about an hour and in that time, they'd cuddled on the couch and exchanged kisses which quickly turned heated, and that was how Fred found himself sitting on the couch with his shirt partially unbuttoned, and Hermione straddling his lap, wearing a jumper but having lost her jeans not long before, as she kissed him as if she would die without him.

Needing to breathe, he pulled back from her and she stared down at him pleadingly. Taking a breath, he gave in and decided to trust that she was telling him the truth. Wrapping his arms around her tighter, he shifted her on his lap and stood from the couch, her legs hooking around his waist to keep balance and he crossed the room, walking past the dancing flames in the large fireplace, and over to one of the biggest bed's he'd ever seen.

Setting her down on the edge of the mattress, she unwrapped herself from him and shuffled back to the centre of the bed, picking up the cushions and throwing them onto the ground before pulling the sheets from beneath her and moving them out of the way.

Fred watched her and kicked off his socks and shoes before climbing onto the bed, his eyes locked on hers as he crawled up her body and settled himself between her thighs, holding his weight up on his elbows.

The stared at each other silently until Hermione grew impatient and lifted her head, taking his mouth in a kiss and her hands burying in his hair. Feeling her hands coming down to his shirt and undoing the remainder of his buttons, he let his own hands begin to wander, slipping beneath her jumper to trail the soft, pale skin of her stomach and the encouraging moan she gave had him covering her breasts and kneading them over the fabric of her bra.

He pulled back from her when she tugged his shirt down his shoulders and he pulled it over his wrists and dropped it the floor, his eyes falling back to Hermione when in the time he'd taken to do that, she'd pulled her jumper over her head and dropped it to the ground, too, leaving her in only her white cotton bra and blue cotton knickers.

There was nothing sexy about it really, but that's why he loved her. She didn't feel the need to impress him, she didn't feel as though she had to dress up and wear fancy knickers to make him happy. He loved that she dressed for comfort and practicality rather than trying to impress him or others, which is why seeing her as she was now gained the same reaction as it would've if she'd been wearing lace or silk. He felt his length come to attention and strain against the confinement of his boxers and jeans.

Hermione reached up and pulled him back down to her, her mouth latching onto his and her body arching up into him when his hands wandered over her stomach and up to her breasts, cupping and massaging them over her bra. She arched her back a little more and he took the hint, slipping his hands around her back until he found the clasp of her bra and he quickly undid it, pulling the fabric away from her.

Pulling back to look down at her, her cheeks tinged pink but she otherwise showed no sign of hesitation or wanting him to stop, so he lowered his head and attached his mouth to her neck, kissing and nipping at her skin. She let out breathless little pants and her hands roamed over his back and shoulders, tracing the muscle he'd gained from years of playing Quidditch.

He slowly moved his mouth lower, kissing down her throat, over her collar bones and her breath hitched, a moan being pulled from her and her body arched up into him, her nails digging into his skin sharply when his mouth closed around her nipple and his hand came up to pay attention to the other one.

His length twitched, not only at the sound, but at the way her hips bucked up into his and she moved them, searching for friction. He moved his mouth to the other nipple and brought a hand down in-between them, smoothing it over her stomach until he reached the edge of her knickers. She made a noise of encouragement and tugged at his hair, so he slipped it beneath the fabric and brushed his fingers over her centre, inhaling a deep breath when he felt her arousal.

Slipping his fingers through her folds, he nudged at her little bundle of nerves and she jolted, a gasp falling from her. He closed his eyes tightly to try and calm himself, before carefully slipping a finger into her. She shifted beneath him, opening her legs a little wider and moving her hips against the movement of his hand so he added another finger and his thumb found her nub and he put pressure on it, her hand in his hair tugging harsher on the strands and her nails digging into his shoulder.

He knew that he was likely to hurt her no matter how careful he was, and so he focused his attention on ensuring that she would enjoy at least some of their night together. Before he knew it he felt her walls fluttering about his fingers, her breathing picked up and her head tipped back, pressing against the pillow beneath her. He pulled his mouth away from her chest and looked down at her, seeing her flushed skin, her closed eyes and her parted mouth. He twisted his fingers inside her and found the spot that made her see stars.

She clamped around his fingers, trying to pull him in further and a breathless cry fell from her lips as she tugged at his hair and her body shook lightly beneath him. He didn't once take his eyes away from her.

She sagged into the mattress beneath her and her chest heaved with every breath she took, brushing against his own. After guiding her through her orgasm, he removed his hand from between her legs and shifted until he was hovering above her, looking down at her.

Slowly her eyes opened, a glassy look having settled over them and a sleepy smile pulled at her mouth. He made to speak, but she pulled him back down to her, claiming his mouth with her own and distracting him. Her hands began to wander down his chest, tracing the ridges of muscle and his pale skin before coming to a stop at his jeans and she deftly had the zipper and button unfastened, which more than surprised him.

His hands clenched into fists and his breath hitched when her small hand wrapped around him for the first time, and without seeming to be nervous or worried, she pumped her hand over him, twisting her wrist on the way up and applying pressure that had him closing his eyes tightly and groaning into her mouth.

He pulled back from her, looking down at her with darkened eyes and she gave him a little amused smile, before he buried his face against her neck, pressing kisses to her skin as she worked him up. He knew that if he didn't stop her soon the night would be over a lot quicker than either of them wanted.

He took a breath and pushed himself up onto his elbows, reaching between them his hand circled hers and he pulled it away from him, looking down at the frown on her face.

"This will be over a lot sooner than either of us want if you keep doing that," he told her. The frown was gone from her face and a smug smile pulled at her mouth at his words. Shaking his head slightly, he locked his gaze with hers. "Are you sure you want this?"

"I've never been surer of anything in my life," she replied, her hand coming up to brush his hair back from his eyes, her nails gently scratching at his scalp.

"It'll probably hurt you," he muttered softly.

She smiled up at him. "I'm a big witch, I can take it. And it can only hurt for a little while, right? It's nothing for you to worry about. And the longer you try to stall, the more frustrated I'll become and I'll likely end up hexing you, in which case you'll be the one that's hurting."

He chuckled at her and shook his head. Pulling away from her, he kept his gaze locked on hers as his hands snaked down to her knickers and he hooked his fingers in the waistband, pulling them down her legs when she lifted her hips to help him. He threw them to the floor before quickly removing his own jeans and boxers, him knowing that she was curious but she kept her gaze firmly on his.

She reached for him, pulling him back down to her and kissing him as he settled himself between her legs. He reached to hook her leg over his hip and he trailed his fingers down her thigh, tickling her.

"I'm ready," she muttered against his mouth.

He pulled back until his lips brushed hers when he spoke. "I know it's difficult, but I need you to relax as best you can and take a deep breath. I'll go slow but if you need me to stop, tell me."

"I promise," she said, her gaze holding his.

He lowered his head, catching her mouth in a kiss to distract her as he reached between them to position himself at her entrance. He eased into her slowly and when her breath hitched he stopped before pulling back out and moving in a little further, trying to make it less painful and easier for her to adjust to him.

By the time he was about halfway in, her hand on his shoulder gripped him tightly and a gasp fell from her as she pulled her mouth from his and her teeth sunk into her bottom lip. She took a deep breath, let it out through pursed lips and opened her eyes.

"Just do it, dragging it out is going to hurt more."

"You sure?"

She nodded and took a breath, holding it in. She buried her head against his shoulder as he pulled his hips back before surging forward until he was fully sheathed within her. Another gasp fell from her lips and he didn't need her to tell him to remain still, he did so anyway. Not only to allow her to adjust to him, but so he could force himself to remain calm as the way she surrounded him tightly like warm, wet silk was almost too much to bear. His head tilted forward to bury against her neck and he placed little kisses to her skin, hoping to distract her.

"Alright, you can move," she breathed after a few minutes of silence.

Taking a breath, he pulled his hips back before moving forward slowly, him noting that her grip on his shoulder lessened with each thrust. When her body seemed to relax beneath him and her hands buried in his hair, he brought his mouth back to hers and increased the speed of his thrusts, breathless gasps being torn from her. She brought her other leg up to hook around his hip, allowing him to move further into her and he was unable to stop the groan from leaving him.

He knew that it was likely he wouldn't be able to bring her to orgasm, not this time at least, but that didn't stop him from wanting to make sure she enjoyed herself. He changed the angle of his hips and the mewl that fell from her and the way her legs tightened around him let him know she approved.

He was approaching the edge and he tried to distract himself, to hold off a little longer but if he were being honest, it'd been a while since he'd last been with a witch and even then she hadn't been as soft, or tight, or responsive as Hermione was.

Hermione pulled her mouth from him and breathed, "Just let go," against his ear, her mouth and tongue moving to his ear lobe and sucking and tugging at it gently.

His hands clenched into fists, his eyes shut tightly and his breathing sped up, all indicators that he was close. When Hermione tugged at his hair and nipped at the skin behind his ear, it was the final push he needed. He lost rhythm and his thrusts grew erratic until he found his release and he groaned against the skin of her neck. Slowing to a stop, he breathed heavily and Hermione's hands gently smoothed over his back and shoulders, helping to calm him.

Lifting his head he looked down at her, seeing her eyes having glazed over at some point; her skin flushed a light pink, her hair surrounding her in a halo of wild curls and a sleepy smile on her face as she looked up at him.

Her hand came from his shoulder and to the side of his face, her thumb tickling him as she gently swiped it over his cheekbone and he leaned into her touch, before lowering his head to kiss her, his tongue meeting hers when she parted for him.

He pulled his mouth from hers and pulled out of her, a wince falling from her mouth and he felt guilt wash over him as he moved to lay down beside her and he tugged her over to him, his arm settling around her and burying in her hair. She moved to press her head to his chest, her fingers tracing light patterns over his heart. He reached out to grip the edge of the blanket and he pulled it to cover them both, helping to fight off the chill in the room.

"You alright?"

"Perfect," she answered, sounding tired. "There's nothing for you to worry about, I'm fine. In fact, it didn't hurt as much as I thought it would, if anything it was a little uncomfortable at first but that soon disappeared. It stung a little, like a parchment cut, but I'm fine, just tired."

He sighed and brought his other arm up to wrap around her waist, holding her closer to him as his other hand played with her hair and she tilted her head to press a kiss to the underside of his jaw.

"I don't regret it, and as far as first times go, I'm sure I had the experience most witches wish for, so thank you for being so considerate of me."

"I'm always going to put you first, you're important to me. I love you."

"I love you, too," she said softly, pressing a kiss to his chest and snuggling against him. "Let me have a nap and get my energy back up, and we go again afterwards."

His eyes widened and he spluttered in surprise and her giggles sounded in the room.

~000~000~000~

Fred hated Death Eaters with such a passion, he felt his magic building up in his body, his mind clouding with thoughts and ways to rid them of the world for good and his hand itching to reach for his wand so he could put it to good use.

He sat in St. Mungo's hospital beside Hermione's bed, slumped in the uncomfortable seat and his tired eyes watching as she slept soundly. He'd been there for two days now and he barely left her side, if only to use the bathroom in the private room she'd been given. The hospital staff had tried to force him to leave but after various threats from both himself and George, they'd given up and rather they just ignored his presence, going about the room as if he wasn't even there but that suited him just fine. He wasn't there to interact with them, he was there to watch over Hermione and protect her should someone try to harm her further.

He thought he'd been worried when his father had been injured but it didn't come close to what he'd felt when he'd heard news of Hermione having been involved at the battle that had taken place at The Ministry. He and George had received word that they were needed and by the time they'd arrived, the battle had already wound down and he found Hermione, crumpled on the ground and bleeding out.

He'd tried to wake her but she'd been unresponsive and not waiting for her to be seen to, he didn't stick around to help with the aftermath, instead lifting her into his arms and flooing to St. Mungo's with George on heels.

Visitors came in the form of Harry and Ron, as well as Ginny and his mother. But Harry had soon been shipped off to The Dursleys for his safety and his mother had forced his siblings to return to The Burrow, but seeing as neither he nor George no longer lived at The Burrow and they were of age, she could no longer tell them what to do. Even if she'd tried to, Fred wouldn't have listened to her.

George had stayed with him the first night but had to return to their shop as they were preparing for the launch that was happening in the coming weeks. George hadn't wanted to leave, but Fred had been able to convince him otherwise. George had returned at lunch the same day, bringing him food and helping to distract him until he left again.

Fred had barely slept, not wanting to close his eyes or be left seeming vulnerable in case someone entered the room with the intentions of harming Hermione. And in the two days, he hadn't slept, Hermione had done nothing but, not having yet woken and while it worried him and he longed to hear her voice, he knew that she wasn't in any pain.

His eyes darted down to her stomach, seeing the many bandages beneath the thin hospital gown she wore and the blood splotches that seeped through. They didn't know how she'd survived, especially since no one at the hospital was able to identify the curse she'd been struck with, but it had essentially been burning her alive from the inside out and Fred had never been more grateful of the fact Hermione was the strongest witch he knew. She was too stubborn to die.

"Mr. Weasley,"

Fred looked to the doorway, seeing Hermione's healer stepping into the room and giving him a nod of greeting. Whilst Fred didn't like the medi-witches that did the rounds and checked in on Hermione several times during the night, he had no dislike for the older wizard currently in the room. He gave Fred his space and left him alone, and despite it breaking protocol, he shared information with him, letting him know about Hermione's progress and health.

Fred nodded in greeting and the healer approached Hermione's bed, pulling his wand from his white robes and making a start on checking Hermione's vitals.

"She's doing a lot better," he spoke. "I'm a little worried the wound isn't yet healing, but I suspect she'll wake soon. If she wakes and a member of staff isn't here, make sure she doesn't move and call for assistance," he said, reaching for the clipboard that hung on the end of the bed and making a note of his findings. "I've finished my shift for the evening but someone should be by within half an hour to change her dressings."

Fred blinked tiredly and nodded before the healer left the room and his eyes moved back to his slumbering girlfriend.

A medi-witch came by not long after and she gave him a look of annoyance when he refused to leave the room to allow her to change Hermione's dressings. What did it matter if he was there or not? It's not like she was protecting her modesty, Fred had seen Hermione without clothing plenty enough times. After the medi-witch left, he settled back into his uncomfortable chair, his eyes watching Hermione and refusing to leave her sleeping form.

~000~000~000~

"Fred, where are we going? People will notice we're missing and come searching for us," Hermione said, a slight laugh leaving her as he tugged her forward by the hand.

"No they won't, they're too busy partying to notice our departure, and if they did, George will distract them, he needs an excuse to test out our new firework line anyway."

"But where are we going?"

"You'll see, we're nearly there," he replied, and deciding she wasn't moving fast enough, he came to a stop and scooped her up, putting her over his shoulder.

"Fred, put me down, I'm too heavy," she said, a laugh leaving her as her arms automatically wrapped around his waist to keep her from falling, despite knowing he wouldn't actually drop her.

"No, you're not; I've carried Quidditch gear heavier than you. And stop wriggling, I'm not putting you down," he said, bringing his hand up to swat her on the arse.

She let out a shriek of surprise and he winced when her hand repaid the favour, swatting him on the arse in retaliation. The arm that was wrapped around her thighs and holding her to him, he moved it a little higher, tugging at the hem of her dress to pull it down. Despite knowing they hadn't been followed, he didn't want to take the risk of bumping into someone that had gone for a wander, and in doing so, having Hermione's knickers and arse on display, no matter how lovely he thought it was.

"I'm starting to feel sick," Hermione called, and he heard her let out a puff of air, likely trying to blow her curls out of her face and his mouth twitched in amusement.

"We're nearly there, it's just over this hill," he said, making sure to tighten his hold on her as he approached it and then carefully climbed down, not wanting to slip.

After a few moments, he came to a stop and bent to place her back on her feet, reaching out to steady her with a chuckle as she stumbled slightly. Her hands came up to her face, brushing her curls back over her shoulder so they were no longer covering her eyes or stuck to her mouth. Her eyes locked with his before they darted off over his shoulder, a look of surprise crossing her face.

"I didn't know you had a stream on the property," she said, her mouth pulling into a smile before she stepped around him and walked to the edge, peering down at the rocks beneath the water.

He knew she was looking for any signs of life but also knew that it was too dark to see anything. The sun had set an hour ago and the stars filled the night sky, and whilst the others were back at the marquee and celebrating Bill and Fleur's wedding, he needed some time alone with Hermione.

After everything that had happened in the last few days and knowing that she was leaving soon, he wanted, he needed to be alone with her, to see her happy and smiling and laughing. To see her without worry and fear and stress. They'd both been through a lot lately, him almost losing George and her losing her parents in every way but death, and whilst they'd barely left the other's side, they hadn't been together like they had in Hogwarts, back when they were carefree and sneaking off to abandoned classrooms for a snog, or hiding away in the Room of Requirement so they could sleep beside one another, and Fred missed it.

Fred watched the way Hermione kicked off her heels, wobbling slightly as she lost her balance, before she toed at the water, jumping back at the cold temperature. Whilst it was summer and a lot warmer than they were used to the weather being, there was a slight chill in the air and the water certainly wouldn't help with fighting off the cold.

Chuckling at her, he shrugged off his robes and hooked them over her shoulders, covering her pretty red dress. She looked up at him over her shoulder and smiled, reaching up to tug her hair free and Fred stepped closer, wrapping his arms around her and tugging her back into him, resting his chin on her shoulder and looking up at the sky, seeing the moon and stars shining brightly.

"It's peaceful here," Hermione said softly, not being able to hear the music from the party, despite how loud she knew it to be playing.

"I used to come here as a kid, especially when mum was mad at something George and I did," he spoke and Hermione chuckled.

"A lot then,"

He snorted at her. "I once camped out here for a full week, refusing to set foot in the house until mum gave me back my wellies."

"What?" She asked amused.

He shrugged his shoulders, "They were my favourite thing to wear, I used to sleep in them, too. Eventually, they gave way and rather than mum fixing them, she threw them out. I still haven't forgiven her." She laughed at him and tilted her head towards him when he nuzzled at her neck.

"So, why'd you bring me here?"

"I just wanted to spend some time with you, like we used to in Hogwarts before You-Know-Who made an appearance and the war officially began."

She sighed, "I miss that, too, and I think about it every day."

"We'll be that way again," he promised. "When this is all over and He's gone for good, I promise, we'll get your parents back and we won't have to worry or hideaway."

"We have to destroy him first, Fred, and sadly, I have no idea how to do that," she said quietly. "And I really don't want to leave you, we have no idea how long we'll be gone, it could be weeks, it could be months, but the thought of leaving you for even a day hurts me."

"I don't want you to go," he muttered, turning to press a kiss to her neck.

"I don't want to go either, but I have to."

"Can't I convince you to stay? We could just hide away from it all whilst we wait for it to be over. Just you and me, like it was in the Room of Requirements."

"I'd love nothing more," she answered honestly, "And you could very easily convince me to stay, but what I want doesn't matter. Harry needs me, if we want to win and be together, He needs to be destroyed. It's not just Harry that's counting on me, it's the Wizarding World. I can't be selfish no matter how much I want to run away with you."

He held her to him tighter, knowing she was right. He really didn't want her to go; he wanted her to be with him, by his side where he knew she was safe and cared for. If she was away from him, who would give her back rubs when she had cramps? Who would cuddle her when she was sad? Who would comfort her when her nightmares haunted her? Who would make sure she was eating and sleeping enough? Because he knew it certainly wouldn't be Harry or Ron. Of course, he knew they cared for her, but they didn't notice the things he did.

They may have been her best friends and had known her longer, but she was his girlfriend and she opened up to him in a way she hadn't anyone else. He knew her deepest, darkest secrets. He knew her inside and out. He knew her heart, soul and body. Harry and Ron didn't even know her favourite colour.

He knew he could trust them to watch her back and keep her safe, but he couldn't trust them to take care of her, not in the way he could at least. It was bad enough being away from her when she'd been at Hogwarts, where she'd been safe and protected and well fed. But now, Merlin knew where she'd end up and what she'd have to do to survive and he hated the thought of not being there for her when she needed him the most.

"When do you leave?" He muttered, closing his eyes and just revelling in the silence that surrounded him, in Hermione being in his arms and the breeze tussling her hair and the scent of her shampoo invading his nose.

"Soon, early hours tomorrow morning," she said quietly, her voice cracking slightly.

He felt his breath hitch and his hold on her tightened. He knew she'd planned to leave after the wedding, he just hadn't known it was to be so soon after the wedding. He felt the ring box in the pocket of his trousers, brushing against his leg and reminding him of what he'd planned to do that night.

He didn't know when he'd next get to see her and he wouldn't be able to live with himself if he never got the chance to ask her to marry him. With his ring on her finger, it would be a reminder to her, a reminder that he loved her and he would be waiting for her to come back to him and once it was all over, they'd be together and build a life together. It was a reminder to never give up, to fight for a future with him. Of course, that was if she agreed to marry him.

Taking a breath and steeling his nerves, he prepared himself to ask the question that would define his future. He wasn't nervous per se, after all, he had confessed his love for Hermione in front of the entire population of Hogwarts, so this was a walk in the park compared to that. But this was a big step.

He pulled back from her and she turned around to face him, and just as he was about to drop to the ground on one knee and pull out the ring he'd spent weeks searching for, he was prevented from doing so when Hermione suddenly surged forward, her arms circling his neck and pulling his head down to hers, their mouths pressing together in a consuming kiss.

Thoughts of his marriage proposal were pushed aside for the moment as he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her against him tightly and he grew lost in her as her tongue darted out to swipe at his bottom lip, seeking entrance. He granted her it, parting his lips and her tongue swept into his mouth to twine and dance with his, a moan falling from her when his hand moved lower to squeeze her arse.

The sound jolted him back to reality and reminded him of the very important question he wished to ask her. As much as he hated pulling away from her, he did and she looked far from pleased. He had a tendency to lose track of time when he was with her, like everything no longer mattered and it was just the two of them. She made him forget about those that surrounded them, about where they were or what they were supposed to be doing.

She reached for him once more but he stepped back, removing her arms from around his neck and holding her hands in his, his thumbs gently running over her knuckles.

"I want to talk to you about something," he said softly.

She shook her head. "It can wait, right now, I just want to be with you. I don't know how long I'll be gone or when we'll next see each other and we probably won't get this chance again, I suspect someone will come looking for us shortly."

She stepped closer to him and tilted her head up, waiting for him to lower his own to kiss her. As much as he wanted to be with her, too, he felt he needed to get it all off his chest.

"There's something I really wish to speak to you about."

"We can talk after, I promise, but I need you now. Please don't make me beg."

Fred knew there was nothing he wouldn't do for her, and he supposed he could propose after, it just meant he might have to do it in front of a crowd, but given his previous experience with confessing his feelings in front of hundreds of people, that didn't bother him.

She must've seen the acceptance on his face because she stepped into him and reached up on her tiptoes and the moment their mouths pressed together, it was as if he hadn't pulled back from her at all.

Their arms wrapped around each other and he lifted her off the ground, his robe falling from her shoulders and onto the grass. Her legs wrapped around him and he lowered them to the floor, getting down onto his knees and lying Hermione down on the robe covered grass, hovering over her, all without taking his mouth from hers.

Her hands wound into his hair, tugging gently and scratching at his scalp, pulling a groan from him. He'd deliberately let it grow, having learned that Hermione liked his hair shaggy and messy; she liked having something to grip onto. It wasn't as long as it had been during his sixth year when it had almost brushed his shoulders, but it was long enough to cover his ears and fall into his eyes and he'd spent the majority of the day avoiding his mother as she wanted to give him a haircut.

One of his hands moved to her thigh, trailing his fingers over her soft skin as he felt her hands come away from his hair and moving down to his chest. She tugged his shirt free of his trousers and with nimble fingers, quickly had it unbuttoned until it hung open, revealing his chest to her.

She tugged him down onto her with her legs and his weight covered her as he allowed his hands to wander, pushing the straps of her dress off her shoulders and pulling his mouth from hers, moving his lips across her cheek and down to her neck.

"Mark me," she breathed out.

"Hmm?" He hummed against her neck.

"I want you to mark me, when I look in the mirror and see it I'll be reminded of you, of how you're the only one to make me feel so vulnerable, yet invincible; of how you're the only one that's able to make me forget, to make me lose control."

He groaned against her skin when her hands found purchase at his back, her nails digging into his shoulders and her thighs tightening around his waist, reminding him of the fact she was wearing a dress and there were very few clothing items that separated them.

Taking her words to heart, because really, he hated to disappoint her, he busied his lips and teeth with nipping at her throat and neck, and sucking at her pulse point until he was sure he'd left a mark. And not leaving it to chance, he did it on the opposite side, too, whilst allowing his hands to wander down to her breasts, approving of the fact she wasn't wearing a bra beneath her dress. She moaned against his ear and her nails dug into him a little harder as he kneaded and massaged her breasts, rubbing over her nipples with his thumbs and them pebbling beneath the fabric.

His hips bucked against her when her hands ran down his chest, tracing the muscle he'd gained from years of playing Quidditch with soft touches and she grazed over his nipples on her way down south. She reached his trousers and was quick to unbutton and unzip them, her hand snaking between them and into his boxers, wrapping around his length.

He groaned against her skin as she worked her hand over him and after being together for nearly two years, she knew him so well that she knew exactly how to rile him up. His own hand moved south, slipping beneath her dress and moving towards her knickers.

"I want you now," she breathed against his ear.

"Don't you want me to..."

"No," she shook her head.

More often than not Fred made it a point to ensure she always orgasmed before they had sex, not only because he loved seeing her at the height of her pleasure, but because it made her sensitive and it was always a lot easier to draw a second orgasm from her afterwards. Well, that and he loved to focus on her more than he did himself. He didn't care if he never found relief again, so long as Hermione was taken care of.

"We probably don't have time, we've been gone a while and someone's bound to have noticed. This may be the last time we ever get to see each other again and I don't want it being interrupted."

"Don't say that," he scowled, pulling his head back from her neck so he could look down at her and he held himself up on his elbows. "We will see each other again. I'm not letting you go. I want you to promise you'll come back to me."

"I can't make that promise," she said softly, pulling her hand out from his trousers and holding onto his hip whilst the other was cradling the back of his neck, her fingers fiddling with his hair.

"I want you to promise you'll come back to me, Hermione. I can't lose you, I won't."

She closed her eyes, fighting off the tears. "I promise I'll do everything possible to come back to you. I promise that I will never love another the way I love you. I promise that you are the most important person and thing in my life. I promise that should anything happen to me and I'm not able to come back to you, that I loved you until my last breath and if I should be taken to the afterlife, even then my love for you won't waver. Now please, Fred, don't make me wait. Show me how much you love me."

He had every intention of doing so, both with his body and the ring he had sitting in his pocket. Taking a breath, he nodded and lowered his mouth back down to hers, getting lost in her consuming kiss. Despite her words and her hands moving to his trousers and boxers and shifting them down until his erection sprung free, his hand worked its way beneath her dress and her knickers, his fingers slipping through her folds and checking to see if she was ready for him.

She was but before he moved further, he let two fingers enter her, knowing exactly how to work her up as she gasped against his mouth and her hand tightened in his hair as the other gripped his length a little tighter. If this was to be their last time together, he'd make sure she'd remember it and despite having a lack of time and the chance of someone stumbling upon them, he wanted to savour their time together.

After finding her little bundle of nerves with his thumb and putting pressure on it, Hermione's hips started moving against his hand and her breathing sped up and feeling her walls beginning to flutter, he knew she was close.

"Fred!" She whined, pulling her mouth from his and her head falling back against the ground.

His mouth twitched into a smile; he couldn't deny he loved hearing his name fall from her lips, especially when in intimate moments such as this one.

"Please!"

He groaned when her hand tightened around him and it was bordering on painful. Knowing she would accidentally injure him if he continued teasing her, he conceded, pulling his fingers from inside her and shifting above her.

He supported himself on one arm whilst the other he used to pull her underwear out of the way. Her hand was still buried in his hair but it came down to hook beneath his arm and around, gripping onto his shoulder as the other guided him towards her entrance. She tilted her hips higher, ready to accept him and with their eyes locked, he moved until he was buried inside her, their noises of pleasure mixing together and his head dropping to her shoulder as she buried hers in his neck.

It had been far too long since he'd been with Hermione in this way and he hadn't realised until just now. He hadn't realised how much he missed the way she tugged at his hair, or she gripped at his shoulder, her nails digging in. He hadn't realised how much he missed the scent of her invading his nose and clinging to his skin and clothes, how much he missed the way she wrapped her legs around him as if she didn't ever want to let go.

Feeling her walls fluttering around him as she deliberately flexed her pelvic muscles, he groaned and took a breath to calm himself lest it all be over before it had even started, but he took the hint, latching his mouth onto hers and pulling his hips back before moving forward.

It was clear to him that Hermione didn't approve of his intentions to draw it out as long as possible and she tugged at his hair, squeezed her thighs around his waist tighter and moved her hips against his. Knowing from experience how frustrated she became when he teased her, he sped up his movements and needing to breathe, he pulled his lips from hers and buried them against her neck, hearing and feeling her pants and breathy moans against his ear.

With his hands wandering her body, his mouth working at her neck and shoulders and his hips moving against hers, it wasn't long until he noticed the change in her breathing, or the way she gripped onto him tightly, or the way her head fell back against the ground and her mewls and whimpers grew louder. Knowing she was close to the edge, he buried his hand between them and worked its way under her dress until he found her nub, putting pressure on it and rubbing in well-timed circles.

She cried out as her orgasm slammed into her, sending her flying over the edge and she buried her face in his neck, holding onto him tightly. His movements grew erratic until he found his own relief several thrusts later, groaning against her skin and slowing to a stop. If she wasn't already holding him so tightly against her, he would've collapsed on top of her. He made to pull out of her and move to the side, but she held him tighter.

"Not yet," she said quietly, feeling her chest brush his with every breath she took and her nose tickled his skin as she nuzzled at his throat. "I love you."

"I love you, too," he breathed out, pressing a kiss to one of the marks he'd left on her, as per her instructions.

Despite his trousers being pushed down to his thighs, he could still feel the ring box pressing against him through the fabric of his pocket and it reminded him that he had to ask her, and very soon.

He pulled his head back to look down at her, his eyes trailing her beautiful features and committing them to memory because Merlin knew how long she'd be gone.

"So, this talk you wished to have, what is it?" She questioned, gently raking her hands through his hair and scratching at his scalp in a way that was calming and comforting.

He opened up mouth to respond when an explosion sounded off in the distance, startling them. They looked to each other with wide eyes before they pulled back from each other and sprang to their feet, Hermione righting her dress, underwear and shoulder straps and Fred doing the same with his trousers.

Hermione didn't bother with her shoes and Fred didn't bother with fastening his shirt or picking up his robes, rather they both looked to each other before darting off in the direction of the explosion, the closer they got the louder the screams and shouts became and the brighter the fires and beams of light. Seeing robed, masked figures duelling with members of The Order, they both knew they were under attack.

Reaching out for Hermione's hand, he gave it a squeeze before they both ran for the marquee, jumping into the battle. Hermione disappeared from his side and guests were running for freedom as he helped to duel the Death Eaters whilst throwing Shielding Charms to protect those that were escaping.

The table cloth beside him caught fire and he jumped out of the way, looking up for the one responsible. His eyes caught Hermione, seeing her stood in the middle of the marquee with Harry and Ron on either side of her.

He knew this was it. She was leaving.

He saw her mouth the words, 'I love you,' before she was gone with a 'crack', just as the Killing Curse passed where she'd once stood.

He stood there in shock, unable to process that she was actually gone. And he hadn't had the chance to propose, the ring box feeling heavy in his pocket.

"FRED! MOVE!"

George came up beside him and grabbed him by the arm before he felt the familiar tugging in his stomach and he found himself in the living room of his flat.

"Fred?" George said, his hand resting on his shoulder.

"She's gone, just like that," Fred muttered.

"I know," George said softly.

He'd known about The Golden Trio's plan to leave as Fred had told him, needing someone to talk to about Hermione leaving on a dangerous mission and knowing George was the only person he trusted not to tell anyone or to try and get involved by stopping them.

"She'll be back, you'll see."

"I didn't even have the chance to ask her," Fred said, digging his hand into his pocket and pulling out the ring box, it sitting in his palm.

"Hell, I thought you were joking, I didn't know you'd actually bought a ring," George spoke, sounding surprised and Fred looked up at him, seeing him staring down at the ring box with wide eyes.

Fred had told him about him wanting to marry Hermione months ago, but he supposed he'd forgotten to tell him he'd gotten a ring to actually propose, especially since they'd been so busy lately.

George shook his head. "Don't worry, that witch of yours is brilliant, there's not a chance she's going to let someone keep her from you and when she's back, you can ask her then, and I want all the details. But, it seems you've been busy," he said, deliberately looking him up and down, bringing notice to his messy hair, his un-tucked and still unfastened shirt and his unbuttoned trousers. "I wondered where you'd disappeared to, and I'm glad I didn't go searching," he grimaced. "I love you and I love the bones of that little witch, but there are some things I don't need to see." George gave his shoulder a squeeze. "Right, we need to reinforce the wards, shut off access to the floo network and grab our things, mum's already waiting for us at Aunt Muriel's, and if I were you, I'd make myself presentable. You know how she feels about sex before marriage and if she finds out what you and Hermione had been up to whilst you snuck away, you won't hear the end of it."

George left to go down to the shop floor and Fred sighed before slipping the ring box back into his pocket, vowing to keep it with him until Hermione returned to him.

~000~000~000~

"Fred, Fred, wake up," Hermione's voice flittered to his ears and drawing him away from his peaceful slumber.

"Hmm?" He muttered, not wanting to speak lest it woke him, at the moment he was halfway in-between sleeping and waking which meant it was easy to tip either way.

He felt the mattress shift beside him and he rolled onto his side, his arms wrapping around Hermione and pulling her body against his, tucking her head beneath his chin and letting out a sigh.

"Are you awake?"

"Hmm," he hummed in reply.

"Wake up,"

"No," he mumbled, holding her tighter when he felt her wriggling against him.

"Please, I need you," she whispered.

"You need sleep, we both do. You've got a meeting in the morning and I'm meeting George at the shop early to prepare for the launch of our new prank jewellery range."

"I need you," she insisted.

Her hand came up to grip at his, pulling it from around her and he took a deep breath when he felt her guiding it beneath his t-shirt that she wore to bed and bringing it towards her knickers. His eyes screwed shut tightly when she hooked her leg over his hip and pushed his hand beneath her knickers, his fingers skimming her centre. His breath hitched and his eyes flew open, now being wide awake.

Hell, she really did need him, he thought, feeling her wetness coating his fingers. It had him curious as to what she'd been dreaming of that had her waking up in such a state. He'd been too tired to at first recognise the slight breathlessness to her tone, but hearing it now, he knew she was worked up and in need of release and though he knew she could take care of it herself, she much preferred that he did it for her.

Her hands flew to his shoulders, her nails digging into his bare skin sharply and she gasped, her eyes closing and her head falling back when he ran his fingers over her before slipping two fingers into her.

She was further along than he'd realised as she'd immediately started rocking her hips in time to the movement of his hand, and he felt her walls fluttering around him, signalling that she was close.

Fred kept his gaze on her face, watching the way her pale skin flushed in the light of the moon that peaked through the gap in the curtains, watching the way mewls and moans escaped her mouth despite her teeth being sunk into her bottom lip. Watching the way her breathing picked up and her head tilted back, her body arching against him.

Fred knew he would never tire of looking at her. After being together for four years and married for two, he knew he would never think about another witch, not when he had Hermione waiting for him to come home after a late night at the shop, or when she'd come home early to have lunch with him.

"It's not enough," Hermione muttered.

Shaking her head, she grabbed his hand and pulled it out from in-between them and she pushed him on to his back. Bringing her legs up, she quickly shimmied out of her knickers before dropping them to the ground and getting up onto her knees, moving to straddle Fred. He groaned and his eyes closed when she freed his length from the constraints of his underwear and she pumped her hand over him, before settling herself above him, positioning him at her entrance and sinking down onto him.

She let out a little mewl and her head tipped back, her sleep-mussed curls cascading down her back and his hands came up to grip at her hips, his teeth biting into his lip as he fought for control when he felt her walls pulsing around him.

Taking a breath, her eyes locked with his and she brought her hands down to his chest for balance, before rocking her hips against him, a rhythm quickly between them. Being together as long as they had, they both knew exactly how to rile the other up and they both knew the other's weak spots, so Hermione bent down and her mouth latched onto Fred's pulse point, nipping, licking and sucking until she left a little red mark behind.

Fred gripped her hips tighter, his fingers splaying over her arse and he planted his feet on the bed, using it as leverage to thrust up into her as she came down onto him. He knew she was very near the edge, feeling her nails digging into his chest and hearing her mewls and moans growing louder.

He titled his head until he was able to reach her earlobe and he tugged on it with his teeth, sucking it into his mouth and releasing it, blowing cold air over it. That was it. Her orgasm crashed into her until she let out a breathless gasp and she saw stars and he followed after her, slowing her movements to a stop with his grip on her hips.

Her forehead pressed against his shoulder and his hands slipped under her t-shirt to smooth over the soft skin of her back as they both came down from their high and regained their breathing.

"You can wake me up like that anytime you wish to, night or day," he muttered.

A light laugh fell from her lips and she lifted her head to latch her mouth onto his, kissing him until he was breathless.

"Good," she said, pulling her mouth back from him. "Because I suspect it will be happening again in the foreseeable future."

"Why?" He asked with a raised eyebrow. When her face softened he wasn't sure if he should be worried or not.

"You know how we talked about having kids?"

Of course, he did, he'd brought it up the second they'd gotten married, the first time that is. They'd had two weddings, well, technically they had. When Fred had been admitted to St. Mungo's following his injuries at the final battle, he'd been kept in for a little over two weeks and Hermione never once left his side.

The hospital staff had tried to remove her, of course, but she'd soon frightened them off, though it did help that she was an integral part of winning the war and The Minister of Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt, had given permission for her to stay with him. As such, he'd been given a private room fit with a bathroom and a couch, which Hermione had slept on every night until his release.

He'd been feeling much better after a week but the healers had wanted to monitor him, and he couldn't wait any longer as he wanted to marry Hermione as soon as possible. So, when Kingsley had visited and with him being The Minister, he had the authority and means to carry out a wedding ceremony. Fred had been in his pyjamas, Hermione her t-shirt and jeans and their witnesses had been George and Harry. They were married within ten minutes.

When the others had found out they'd been surprised but his mother had been the worst, shouting and shrieking until Hermione lost her temper and flung a Silencing Charm at her, preventing her from voicing her disapproval. She'd taken those ten blissful minutes of silence to explain that despite them technically being husband and wife, they had every intention of having a wedding ceremony and reception in which all their friends and family would be invited to, after Fred was healed and they'd found her parents and restored their memories.

That night Fred had convinced her that he was well enough to consummate their marriage and though she had put up a fight at first, she gave in when she saw he was able to walk about the room without issue. After being away from each other for nine months, their first time being together again was on their wedding night and had taken place in a hospital bed with a heavily warded door.

They'd laid cuddled together, discussing their plans for building a life together, which is when they spoke about having children. Hermione admitted that she did want children, more than one but less than three. He agreed on that sounding like the perfect amount and despite loving his family, it was just as hard growing up with a big family as it may have been growing up an only child. While one was spoilt and lonely, the other was crowded or sometimes forgotten. To him, three had sounded perfect.

But despite wanting kids, she'd wanted to wait a few years which he understood. She wanted to have a career and make her way up through the ranks before having children, and he saw no problem in waiting. They were both still young and it just meant they had more time together before they had to share each other with another human being. They'd agreed to wait until their fifth wedding anniversary before they discussed if they were ready or not for children to be brought into their family. Though if Fred were honest, it didn't matter to him when they had children. He'd have done so years ago, or even in ten years time.

"Fred?"

"I remember," he said, shaking his head slightly and his hands coming to rest on her arse beneath her t-shirt. "You wanted to wait five years before we thought about it again."

She bit her lip. "What if I wanted children sooner?"

He smiled up at her. "Then we'll have them sooner."

"A lot sooner than you think," she said.

"Meaning?"

"Well, a few months ago some of my colleagues were on maternity leave and they came in for a visit. When I saw how happy they were and I held the babies, I just couldn't stop picturing what our children would look like and even after they left, I couldn't get the thought out of my head. I thought about coming off the potion but I wanted to speak to you first."

"And?" He asked, his breath hitching slightly at what she was insinuating.

She nibbled at her lip again. "With you always leaving your potions about everywhere, I got my potion mixed up with your Mood Detector Draught, they're both the same colour and have a similar smell. I took the wrong one by accident."

His eyes widened and they darted down to her covered stomach automatically.

"Are you saying that..." He trailed off, unable to finish his sentence.

She removed a hand from his chest and brought it up to grab at his wrist, pulling it away from her before slipping it under her t-shirt and pressing it to her stomach. His eyes were glued to it. She reached for her wand and brought it to her stomach before muttering an incantation beneath her breath.

His breath caught when he saw the tell-tale sign of the white glow, indicating pregnancy.

"I'm seven weeks pregnant... And with twins," she said, looking down at him with a nervous smile.

He watched the way the white glow left the tip of her wand and hovered in front of her stomach before it suddenly split in two.

He had the breath knocked out of him.

"Please say something," she whispered.

"You're pregnant?"

"Yes,"

"With twins?"

"Yes," she answered. "It's why I've been feeling a little nauseous lately, and a lot more randy than usual, too."

She squealed in surprise when he sat up and pulled her against him, wrapping his arm around her tightly and with his hand still pressed against her stomach.

"I love you so much," he breathed. "And I didn't think you could be any more beautiful, that is until I learned you're carrying our babies."

"I love you, too, and I'm glad you're happy, I was worried you'd be disappointed."

"Never, I've always wanted children with you, the timing was never an issue for me but I knew you wanted to wait, so I was happy to. I can't believe it. I'm going to be a dad."

She laughed. "A wonderful one, too. And aside from Bill, Molly's getting her first grandchildren from us."

He laughed. "Merlin, I have to tell George, right now."

"Fred, it's three in the morning, he'll be sleeping," she said, laughing when he shifted her off his lap and made to climb out of bed.

"Hermione, you're pregnant! With twins!" He exclaimed. "You beautiful, little witch," he said, bending down to place a kiss to her mouth before heading for the door.

"Fred! You're all but naked!" She laughed loudly, motioning to his half-naked self, given that he was only wearing a pair of boxers and they were halfway down his arse and he'd yet to tuck himself back into them.

"Oh, right," he said, pulling his boxers back up and crossing over to the wardrobe, grabbing a t-shirt and throwing it on.

He picked up his wand from the bedside table, placed another kiss to Hermione's mouth and darted out of the room, flooing to the flat he used to share with George before moving out not long after his second wedding ceremony with Hermione, and to a lovely little house in rural London that was perfect for raising a family.

"George! George!" Fred called, barely stopping himself from darting to George's bedroom, but given that he knew George was dating Angelina, he didn't want to risk walking in on them if she was there.

"Fred, do you have any idea what time it is?" George grouched, stepping out of his room and into the living room, running a hand through his messy hair and pulling his pyjama pants up his hips.

"Three o'clock, and it's a great time of the morning," Fred grinned.

George blinked the sleep away from his eyes and narrowed his eyes at him. "Something's happened? What is it?"

"I've some news,"

"And it couldn't wait for another five hours?" He questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"No,"

"Spit it out then," George rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Hermione's pregnant."

"What?" George said dumbly.

Fred was beaming a smile so wide it actually hurt his face, but he couldn't stop it. "She woke me up, randy little devil she is, anyway, after ravishing her silly..." George grimaced. "She dropped the bombshell that she wanted kids sooner than we agreed, but not only that, she got our Mood Detector Draught mixed up with her Contraception Potion. Long story short, she's seven weeks pregnant with twins."

"She's pregnant?" He said, it finally sinking in as he stood taller and his eyes widened.

"With twins!" Fred beamed.

"With twins?"

"With twins!" He laughed.

"With twins!" George echoed, laughing loudly and bounding over to him, pulling him into a tight hug.

"What's all this noise? Do you have any idea what time it is? I have to be at training tomorrow," a half-dressed Angelina grouched, stepping out of George's room and into the living room, glaring at them both.

"Hush up, Angie," George waved her off. "We're celebrating."

"Hermione's pregnant, just found out," Fred grinned at her. She blinked slowly.

"With twins! I'm going to be an Uncle!" George shouted, pulling Fred back into a tight hug and laughing.

The floo roared to life and Hermione stepped out, Fred beaming at the sight of her, but also at the fact she'd put some shorts on beneath his t-shirt that she wore.

"There she is, you beautiful, little twin carrying witch!" George said, pulling back from Fred and scooping Hermione up into his arms, spinning her in circles and she laughed loudly.

Fred's heart soared and his chest pooled with his love for Hermione, hearing her bright laughter and seeing her wide smile, seeing her being happy.

"I always knew you were my favourite," George said, putting her back on her feet before looking to him. "Twins!" He exclaimed, pulling him back into a hug and tugging Hermione with him, trapping her between them. "We need to celebrate," George decided, pulling back and Fred tugged Hermione into his side.

"It's three in the morning," Hermione said.

"And I'm off to ravish my beautiful wife again," Fred said, scooping Hermione up and putting her over his shoulder, marching to the fireplace as she laughed and George was a cross between amused and disappointed.

"We're going to dinner tomorrow, we'll shut up early. I don't care if we lose customers, this needs to be celebrated," George called after them and as Fred stepped into the floo, he heard George say, "Angie, I'm going to be an Uncle!" Before an 'oomph' left the tired witch as George hugged her tightly.

Stepping into the living room of his and Hermione's house, he climbed the stairs and walked to their bedroom, dropping Hermione down onto the mattress and she laughed at him.

As he pounced on her, Fred could honestly say he'd never been happier.