I entered the musty pub and inhaled deeply through my nose. The smell wasn't exactly pleasant, but familiar and comforting. It smelled stale and sour, underlined by the ancient dusty smell of stone and wood. It was time to unwind. My black dragon skin boots clunked against the old worn floorboards, my magenta work robes billowing around my ankles as I made my way to the bar. A wizened old wizard stood behind the bar, wiping the polished wood surface. Upon seeing my arrival, he gave me welcoming toothless grin. He was an ugly, bald ol' wizard, a bit creepy looking even, but a really nice guy.

"Hello, Mr. Weasley. Alone tonight?" he asked, obviously searching for my brother.

"Just me today, Tom. And I think I'll be drinking Ogden's Old Firewhiskey, tonight," I replied.

"Long day then?" Tom asked, setting my glass in front of me.

"As it always is when George is gone." I tipped my glass to him before taking a drink.

A roar of laughter, to my right, caught my attention. My curiosity was never something that sat quietly. As I looked down the bar toward the source , I was immediately distracted by a woman only six stools down that blocked my view from the table of laughing men. She sat alone, her thin body slumped forward. She stared straight into her glass, mindlessly stirring the ice in circles around the last few sips of dark amber liquid. Her face was hidden by a curtain of brown bushy hair, but I did not need to see her face to recognize the girl I had known for ten years. 'Woman,' I corrected myself. Hermione Granger was no longer the girl I grew up with, but a woman. I stood, my drink in hand, and closed the gap between the two of us.

"It's hard to drown your sorrows in an empty glass," I said softly.

I had startled her. I wasn't surprised when I saw that her face was blotchy and tear-stained. Hermione Granger didn't go to the bar alone to unwind as I did; she was there to numb herself.

"Fred... I…" She was definitely taken off guard. I was intruding upon her solitude, but I felt no regret for it. I couldn't just leave her there.

"Tom," I called. "The lady needs a refill, if you please." I returned my attention to Hermione. "So what are we celebrating?" I asked.

She let out a frustrated sigh. "I'm not celebrating and you know it."

"Well, you should be," I answered. "When you're troubled, it's easier to find something to celebrate."

She said nothing.

"What's wrong then?" I put my joking voice aside. She didn't want to be cheered. Tonight, she was mourning.

"Never mind," she answered.

"But I do mind." I nudged the fresh glass of deep amber liquid toward her. She hadn't seemed to notice that Tom had delivered it. "Go on then… What's happened?"

She grabbed the glass and slid it closer to her but did not lift it. Her face screwed up and hot tears re-wet her flushed cheeks. She was stiff, not a single sob, as the tears silently dripped into her lap. "Michael…" she whispered.

Of course – Michael - her pathetic overbearing boyfriend. She hadn't been seen without him for months, ever since they moved into their shared apartment. As Harry, Ginny, and Ron told it, Michael wouldn't let her go anywhere without him. He was an arrogant, possessive, domineering prat. I got angry every time I thought of him, as did the rest of my family. Hermione was such a brilliant girl, strong and independent. How on Earth did she come to be with him? And even more astonishing, how could she stay with him when he treated her the way that he did?

"Go on," I urged. I took a long drink, emptying my glass, and nodded toward Tom for a refill. As Hermione watched, she finally lifted her glass and emptied her own. 'Liquid courage,' I thought. She made a small grimace as the hard alcohol burnt its way down her throat.

"I left him…" she answered, staring into her glass. Her dainty fingers again twirled the stirrer, spinning the ice in her glass. My eyes also followed the ice's elegant dance with the stirrer as I waited for her to continue. "Tonight it was…. I can't stand him!"

Her sudden outburst gathered the attention of most of the pub, but they lost interest just as quickly as they'd found it. I suddenly noticed a light bruise on her forearm and a small cut on her cheek.

"He didn't hurt you, did he?" I was suddenly furious. If he dared to lay a hostile finger on her I was going to find him.

"No…" she answered crossly. "Not like that."

"What do you mean?" My thoughts suddenly envisioned sexual abuse and my anger was rising.

"He was just a jerk. I had my boss over tonight and he ruined everything!" She entangled her fingers in her hair in frustration. I waited, my anger mellowing. He was still a horrible jerk, but at least I wouldn't have to kill him. Assault and murder were generally frowned upon.

"He was supposed to be home for dinner but he was late. He completely forgot I was having my boss over. It was embarrassing enough that he didn't show, but then when he did, he went crazy. He had gone out for a few drinks and he didn't remember the dinner. He just saw a man having dinner with me. He paid no attention to the third empty plate that should have been his! No, he stormed up to my boss and grabbed him by the collar and threw him back. He started cussing at Mr. Neddley and called me a tramp. I was trying to shout at him to stop and listen but he wouldn't. I tried apologizing to Mr. Neddley, but he Disapparated quickly and I don't at all blame him." She finished her glass and I nodded to Tom again. "We shouted back and forth. He finally realized that he was in the wrong but he wasn't about it admit it. And I don't even care. I should have left him a long time ago. I don't know why I was still with him. I went to my room and locked the door. I packed all my things quickly while he pounded away at the door. I went into the sitting room to gather my books and he grabbed me." She gestured at the light bruise on her forearm and I could actually see the outline of his firm grip. She took another drink and continued. "I struggled and finally pulled out my wand. He snapped it."

She reached into the waistband of her slacks and pulled out two separate pieces of her wand, laying them on the bar. She began to sob. "And then I snapped. I hadn't lost control in so long, but suddenly, without my wand, every piece of glass in the apartment shattered. He let go of me. I quickly packed all of my books and my favorite armchair and walked out. I had to take the Knight Bus because I couldn't Apparate without my wand." She glanced down by her feet and I finally noticed a lone piece of luggage.

"Again," I said. "You should be celebrating."

She gave me another agitated look.

"I'm serious," I said. "Why are you sitting here mourning the loss of a bad relationship? Why are you crying and sulking over a guy you know to be a prick? You've finally ditched the stupid arse. You've been liberated! You're no longer tied down. No longer held back. You're free to explore the world. Your life is once again open to endless possibilities."

A faint smile curled at the edges of her mouth. "You're right," she said.

"Of course I am," I smiled broadly. "Now we celebrate! To Miss Hermione Granger," - I lifted my glass.- "a bright witch with an even brighter future. May she embrace the joy and freedom of this new phase of her life!"

She lifted her glass only a little, just to appease me. I tapped my glass to hers and we emptied our glasses together. I gestured again to our glasses and Tom was quick to refill them.

"So why are you here alone?" she asked. Her mood seemed to have lightened, even if only a little, and she took a sip from her fresh glass.

"I have no problem being alone. Just unwinding after work."

"Where's George?" she asked. Her speech was becoming a little slurred and I wondered how many drinks she'd had before I arrived.

"I am my own person, you know. I'm not always with my twin," I answered.

She gave me a knowing look.

"Okay… so I'm usually with my twin, but we do live separate lives. He's in Egypt right now. Bill told us about this amazing potion he'd seen there. We think it may hold the secret to an ingredient that could help solve one of the projects we're working on. I've had to man the fort while he's gone. He'll be back in just a few days."

We sat quietly for a moment, each of us thinking silently to ourselves.

"Okay, well, finish up and let's get going," I said before emptying my glass.

"Go where?" she asked. She looked affronted that I would give her an order and expect her to follow me without question.

"You don't have anywhere to stay tonight, I'm assuming. So you can keep me company tonight. George's room is free," I explained.

"I was just going to get a room here tonight…" she said.

"Our flat is just above the store, right down the street. Why pay for a room here? And I'd feel a lot better if you weren't alone tonight."

She sighed and thought it over before nodding.

"Now you finish your drink while I pay the tab," I instructed.

"But-" She began to protest but I cut her off.

"Please," I said, my eyes meeting hers. "I've got it."

When she did not object I made my way over to Tom and took out a small sack of galleons. Our tab paid, I returned to Hermione and grabbed her luggage. She slid off the stool and looked rather unsteady so I wrapped my arm around her waist.

"Don't patronize me, Fred Weasley," she slurred.

I obediently removed my arm and she stumbled. I chuckled and she resigned as I again placed my arm around her waist. With her hand on my shoulder, we shuffled to the back door toward Diagon Alley.

A/N: This is another of my older fanfics (written in 2009) that I'm re-posting. I took it down ages back because I was simply self-conscious about my writing. This especially - first person point-of-view and explicit adult content. It is, however, one of my favorites and so I'm sprucing it up and putting it out there once more. I'm still a bit self-conscious so please be kind and review. Constructive criticism is welcome, but still be kind. ^^