So this is a fanfiction based on a YouTube video (which I will put in my profile) and the story was just so perfect it literally blew my head. So check out this video (which is called 'Landslides' by the way) and as I said, it's in my profile and you MUST watch it :) Also, just a thing to say, if it suddenly skips to italics, it is a flashback.

Anyway, please enjoy! I'm estimating about five chapters so here is... the first one!

Chapter One

Heart Without A Beat

Hermione ran her fingers across the carved letters of the marble tombstone. She closed her eyes, hoping all this to be just a long nightmare, and she'd wake up in a cold sweat back at the Burrow. They'd all be safe, and he'd be there too, healthy and very much alive.

Frederick Gideon Weasley
Beloved son, brother and twin.

"Hope is the thing with feathers that
perches in the soul and sings the tune
without the words and never stops at all."

Hermione wondered if Fred even remembered that poem, or Emily Dickinson herself. Hermione remembered reading it to him once, laying next to each other, fingers intertwined.

"Why did you have to leave me?" Hermione mumbled, now kneeling on the mud. Her hands were still on the tombstone as the first tear fell from her eyelids. "It shouldn't have been you. You didn't deserve to die. You didn't have to go. You shouldn't have." Hermione wiped her tears with her sleeve. "You should be by my side, right now, actually. You should me next to me, holding my hand. You should be telling me that everything's okay, even if you know it's not. You had to be safe. You promised me you'd be safe."

They saw each other in the midst of everyone else and ran to each other, immediately finding each other's lips.

"We'll see each other again." Fred said, tucking a piece of Hermione's hair behind her ear. "We will, I promise."

"Pinkie promise." Hermione breathed. "Promise we'll both be safe and that we'll both see each other. We'll both be safe, and alive."

"I promise, Hermione." Fred kissed her again, bringing her even closer. "I love you."

Hermione closed her eyes as Fred traced his thumb across her cheek. "I love you too."

More tears escaped her eyes, salting her pale cheeks.

"I love you." Hermione sobbed. "I love you so much. I want you to come back. Please, just come back. I need you back."

When it stayed silent, Hermione kicked at the ground angrily, balling her fists. She shouted loudly before collapsing, covering her ears with her hands. The world was spinning around, and once it stopped, nothing would be the same. Ever.

She thought about Ron and Harry, and how they would be feeling if they were next to her, right now. They were at the Burrow, tucked away, wanting to forget about everything. They couldn't bear to see Fred in his grave.

He was too young. He was twenty. He had a whole life ahead of him, the joke shop, a big family to stay with, but with a blink of an eye he was gone. Hermione shivered as she remembered seeing his lifeless body on the ground, his eyes glazed over and the last laugh etched on his dying face.

"H-Hermione…" Harry stammered as he saw Fred on the ground. He tried to grab hold of her hand so he could calm her down. It was only seconds before she'd told him about her and Fred.

"No…" Hermione muttered under his breath. "No. No. Please..."

This was all an illusion because Fred Weasley couldn't possibly be dead. He was very much alive, he was just playing one of his stupid pranks to brighten up the whole battle.

But she saw everyone crowded around him, sobbing on each other's shoulder.

"No, 'Mione." Harry ran to her but she was too quick.

"Fred, no." Hermione shook his head. "Please. No. No."

Ginny looked at her with tears in her eyes. "Hermione…I'm sorry. H-he's...he's...he's..." Ginny cried as she saw Hermione's face fall. Ginny was the only one who Hermione trusted with her secret relationship with Fred.

"He c-can't be." Hermione choked on her sobs. "He promised me. He promised we'd see each other again. He promised, Ginny. He promised."

Ginny closed her eyes. "Hermione…"

"Ginny, he's alive." Hermione insisted, although her heart was beating out of her chest. "It's just a joke. He'll wake up any minute now!" Hermione looked at Fred. "He has too." Hermione added, while crossing her fingers.

"But you never woke up." she sobbed. "You never woke up and scared me to death. I'm still scared. Frightened. Frightened to my living guts."

Hermione's lip trembled as Crookshanks purred from beside her. She picked him up and stroked his fur. At least Crookshanks wouldn't leave like that.

"You remember, don't you, Crookie? That time you bit him." Hermione's voice broke again. "You and Fred were going to be friends. He promised me he wouldn't annoy you anymore."

"Hey, little Crook-ie-shanks." Fred chuckled when he saw Crookshanks sleeping soundly on Hermione's lap. 'Well, why isn't she moving?'

"Maybe because she's sleeping?" Hermione stifled a laugh, not seeing Fred poke Crookshank's stomach.

"Ow!" Fred screeched. "That bloody cat."

"It's your own fault, Fred, you provoked her." Hermione rolled her eyes, and she carried on stroking him until Crookshanks let out a final purr, going back to sleep.

"Okay, so you're just going to let poor little Freddie bleed to death? And Merlin's potty does this hurt!" Fred asked, wincing at the pain from his index finger. "Hermione?"

"You're not bleeding to death." Hermione said, before bringing his finger close to her, causing him to shout out in pain. "But that does look pretty painful. Gotta go tell Mummy that ickle Crookie bit you." Hermione laughed when she saw Fred scowl at her.

"You destroyed me." Hermione said, grabbing onto a plant for stability. "You made me... crazy. You... oh god… maybe I should have listened to you. Maybe then it would have ended differently... but..." Hermione coughed loudly. "You're no longer here and I need you."

"Hermione, this is wrong. This is really wrong." Fred pulled back from the embrace they were in. She took her lips off his.

"You're right." Hermione tilted her head on her right shoulder. "But being right isn't always a good thing."

"But you're Ron's best friend." Fred frowned, rubbing the back of his neck. "And we all know that Ron likes you, and I'm not getting into your relationship or my relationship with him."

"Me and Ron aren't…" Hermione started.

"But just wait only a few years and I'm pretty sure I'll be at you and Ronnie's wedding." Fred sighed, untangling his hands from her bushy hair. "Hermione, please stop... you're making this harder for both of us."

"I want you to stay, Fred." Hermione said quietly. 'We can figure whatever... this is... later but now... I just want you to stay."

Fred looked unsure but as soon as Hermione placed her soft lips on his, he melted fully, his heart demanding to be taken.

It was so cold that Hermione could see her jagged breath melt away with the mist in Godric's Hollow. Her footsteps were fairly visible in the damp grass as she walked her way out.

"If this is what you really want…" Fred's voice trailed off as Hermione kissed him again, bringing him even closer to her.

"Have I answered that?" Hermione asked, still in his embrace. Fred merely nodded before their lips met again roughly but more passionately.

She missed him. She missed his stupid remarks, she missed the gentle touch of his fingers, the sweet taste of his lips… She missed it all.

She took one glance at the remains of Fred, before Apparating to the Burrow.

"Hermione!" Molly came in and gave Hermione a warm hug, before pulling her arm to the dining room. When she entered the room, she saw many worn-out faces, all with the same emotionless face. Hermione sighed. A month since the war and everyone had been the same. The war had damaged them all, both physically and mentally.

"Hey, 'Mione." Harry suppressed a smile, as did Ron.

"Hi." Hermione said quietly, before taking a seat next to Ginny, who gently squeezed her hand. They all sat in silent, until Luna finally found the courage to speak up.

"So, Hermione, you're going back to Hogwarts, aren't you?" Luna asked.

Hermione smiled weakly, glad that Luna had changed the subject. "Yes. Yes, I am."

Then it turned silent again, for at least an hour or so. That was when people started to get up and pour out the room.

"Thank you, Molly. For dinner." Kingsley Shacklebolt said just before leaving. He then leaned in and whispered in her hear, "I know it is hard for you, but we need to face the facts. H-he's gone."

Just like that, Fred was gone. It was true that they had to face the facts, as was it true that it would be hard on every single one of them.

Soon September 1st came, as crisp and new as Autumn could be. She saw Harry, Ron and all the other Weasleys wave at her before she boarded the Hogwarts train once again. She felt tears spring to her eyes as she took a seat next to Ginny and Luna. She never knew how hard it would be, coming back.

She pictured herself in the very same seat eight years ago. She'd been young and innocent Hermione Jean Granger, without a single worry in her head except for getting bad test results and giving in late homework. Never in the world would she have ever thought to be one of the bravest and youngest heroines of the Wizarding World, helping destroy the horcruxes and even Voldemort himself.

"Would you like a Quibbler? It's a little outdated but equally interesting." Luna said, her dreamy voice filling the silence. "Daddy's facts never get old."

"Wh-what?" Hermione said. "Oh, no thanks Luna."

Luna nodded and happily opened her edition and read. Ginny looked at Hermione then Luna, then at the window of the compartment, where several students stood, staring at Hermione. Hermione noticed too and a confused look flickered on her face.

"Why are they all staring?" Hermions stuttered.

"Because you are none other than Hermione Jean Granger, the brightest witch of your age, who aided the great Harry Potter in destroying the horcruxes." Luna said matter-of-factly.

"Wait, what?" Hermione exclaimed. "I didn't do anything, and everything is just piled on top of me? I'm not going to act like some heroine when I could have stopped many things that happened in the wretched war!"

"Fred's death wasn't your fault, Hermione, okay? It wasn't anyone's." Ginny said. Hermione didn't answer, instead she left the compartment and found a seat all by herself and let herself cry until they reached the old castle.

Hermione didn't attend the opening ceremony. She stayed crying on her bed, a book open next to her. She finally was able to bring herself up on her bed and she wiped her tears. Hermione trailed her fingers across her "Mudblood" scar, which was still fairly visible.

"It hurts." Hermione said as she arrived at Shell Cottage, where Fleur and Bill were at the table. They looked at her, concerned. They knew that something happened with Hermione, but they weren't sure what.

"'Ermione!" Fleur ran to her, immediately running her hands through her hair. "Are you alright? Oh my goodnezz! We will need you cleaned, come with me, I will take you to ze spare room."

"I think we'll also need to get to Fred, he'd be worried sick." Bill said, walking up to the two girls. "I'm sure he would want to know if you're okay."

"Yez. I will zend a Patronuz to Fred." Fleur ran out of the room, leaving Bill and Hermione alone. He dabbed a cloth at her wounds.

"How do you kn-know?" Hermione stammered, wincing at the pain.

"I've seen the looks you two gave each other back at the wedding. I'm not stupid, Hermione." Bill laughed. Then he lowered his voice. "Hermione, what happened in there? Did they…?" Bill widened his eyes. "They tortured you, didn't they?"

"Well, I didn't carve this in myself." said Hermione, unmoving.

"Those bloody bastards!" Bill cursed, and he moved the cloth, a bit too quickly, causing Hermione to whimper. "Oh, Godric's ghost, I'm so sorry, Hermione."

"It's okay." she breathed. After ten minutes of silence. "It's not going to go away, is it? The scar?"

"Hermione…" Bill started. "You were tortured by dark magic, and that cannot easily be erased. But...does it still hurt?"

'No, it doesn't. Thank you, Bill.' Hermione smiled, at least, she thought she did. She hadn't really had many things to smile out nowadays. She just needed Fred. Bill gave her a quick one-armed hug before leaving the room.

"Hermione?" Hermione turned around and saw the all-too familiar redhead she had so wanted to see.

"Fred!"

Fred wrapped his arms around her tightly. "Fleur got to me, she told me to Apparate here because of some emergency and whatnot. Wh-why are you here?"

Hermione took a breath before showing her arm. Fred widened his eyes.

"What? Who did this?"

"Shh." Hermione said. "Just hold me."

Fred relaxed slightly and then held her, although he still wanted an answer.

"Promise me you'll always be here with me." Hermione whispered.

"I promise."

This was it. Hermione couldn't do it anymore, she just couldn't. At least, not without Fred by her side. She still felt so guilty for his death, and she knew she couldn't live with it until the end.

She made her way to Mcgonagall's new headmistress' office.

"Albus Dumbledore."

The door swung open and she ran in, looking around frantically. She'd been given the password, as she was the only one from the Golden Trio who had come back to Hogwarts. Professor McGonagall had given it to her if she needed any help, or just time to keep her mind off things. Right now, she was here to do neither. Instead, she used her wand to cast a spell at the minute hole in the corner of the office. She'd done the same exactly five years ago.

Breathing heavily, Hermione produced a tiny necklace-like accessory – a time turner. The only one left. The one that Hermione hid in her Third Year. The one that would bring a certain person back from the dead.

"Miss Granger."

Hermione ignored Albus' painting and focused on the time turner.

"Miss Granger, if this is what you are planning to do, you must know that there are consequences."

Hermione still ignored the painting. When she had finally plucked up the courage, she started to turn it.

First chapter done! There will be several more flashbacks in the course of the next few chapters. I hope you liked it! Remember, click the link in my profile and subscribe to the amazing vidder katarinamor!