Disclaimer: HP belongs to J.K. Rowling and not me, unfortunately

Author's Note: Again a big thank you to my wonderful Beta Clover Bay

This is the last chapter so read and enjoy!

As the school year came to an end, Hermione started to get more and more anxious, something just wasn't right.

Malfoy was up to something - she couldn't deny that; she didn't think, however, that he was particularly dangerous.

But why was Dumbledore's hand still not healed? She knew there were curses that couldn't be reversed but they all lead to death in the end, so she refused to believe it was something like that.

She still hadn't found out much about Horcruxes; and why was Snape telling Dumbledore that he took too much for granted and that maybe he didn't want to do it anymore?

What did he not want to do anymore, didn't he want to be a spy anymore, but where would they get their information from then, he wouldn't just quit like that, would he?

There where too many questions that she had no answers too and that scared her. She didn't know what to do next, couldn't plan ahead.

She tried to keep her fears at bay by distracting herself with studying. She read every book that sounded halfway helpful to try and stuff as much information as possible into her head that might one day be useful.

When Dumbledore died, she felt completely desperate. She almost felt like giving up all hope how could they possibly succeed now that the only wizard Voldemort has ever feared was dead?

She cursed him under her breath when she sobbed at Fred's shoulder during the funeral. How could he leave them so unprepared, how could he leave them at all, how could he leave the three of them, they were barely adults, with such an impossible task.

But she couldn't allow those fears to overwhelm her. Her family, Fred, her friends all of them gave her reason to fight and to at least try no matter how slim their chances at success were.

It also helped her that they now had a plan more or less so she started preparing for their Horcrux hunt. She gathered all the things together in her small beaded bag (which she had enchanted with a handy spell to be by far bigger from the inside than the outside) that she thought they would need, like potions, a tent and sleeping bags, clothes, books, extendable ears and a lot more and started to keep that bag on her at all times.

The hardest thing to do was changing her parents' memories. Her heart broke when she watched Wendell and Monica Wilkins leave for Australia without even remembering that they had a daughter. But it was necessary for their safety and that was all that mattered.

At the Burrow, Mrs Weasley kept them busy with wedding preparations. She loved that woman but was extremely annoyed by her tactics to keep her, Ron and Harry apart.

Nevertheless Ron and her had come up with the story of Ron's disease and the Ghoul that should take his place, to keep anyone from asking questions and his family safe. The twins had also promised to help make the Ghoul look a bit more like Ron (even though they claimed that Ron and the Ghoul looked like identical twins already, needless to say that Ron was not amused.)

Fred was not happy either when he heard that they would leave on a secret mission. He felt a tiny pang of jealousy even though he told himself it was unfounded but most of all he was scared for her and her safety and he wanted to be there and protect her from all evil. After all she had gotten in so many dangerous situations it was only a matter of time till her luck would run out.

He tried to talk her out of it. But she wouldn't listen to his pleadings for her to stay or when he asked to come with them. She just looked at him with her big brown eyes and asked him to understand that they had to do this, and only them.

The night before the wedding was when Hermione told him that she wanted to spend the night with him. Since the Burrow was full of people they secretly went to Fred and George's apartment since George was also staying at the Burrow.

They started kissing each other as they had done several times before already, but soon they moved on to discover every part of each other's bodies. Their first time was an exciting new sensation for Hermione, at little painful at first, but Fred was gentle and soon she was able to enjoy herself too.

It was over a little too soon for her liking but they snuggled close afterwards and kept caressing and kissing each other and tried again a bit later and with each time Hermione grew more confident and passionate and was able to enjoy herself more and more. She felt so close and connected to Fred and just loved this new intimacy they shared now and finally she had lost the last remaining feelings of shyness around him.

After their lovemaking they lay in each others arms feeling content for the moment. Both knew that this might very well be their first and last night together since Ron, Harry and Hermione would leave after the wedding. There was so much they wanted to say to each other but didn't know how.

"I'm scared," Hermione finally admitted, "I have no idea how we will finish the task Dumbledore gave us."

"You'll figure something out, Dumbledore wouldn't have given you the task if he didn't think that you would be successful," Fred tried to soothe her even though he didn't feel confident at all.

"But I am also scared for you and our friends and the people from the order, many died already and this was only the beginning. I can't imagine my life without you anymore, please promise me that you won't die," Hermione pleaded, tears streaming down her face.

"I can't promise you that, love, it is the risk we all take for fighting in what we believe in. I am scared too of losing you or anyone from my family and friends." Fred answered calmly.

They clung to each other, looking for comfort in each others arms and desperately trying to imprint the look and feel and taste of their lover forever on their memory.

Early in the morning they crept back before every one else was awake. The wedding was beautiful, Fred and Hermione danced together and stole kisses from each other as often as possible, until Scrimgeour's patronus arrived. In the ensuing chaos Hermione was barely able to grab Ron and Harry and apparate away. She had to leave Fred behind without a goodbye and without knowing what was going to happen to him.

The months moving from place to place, looking for the pieces of Voldemorts soul passed by in a blur for Hermione. She didn't know how they managed to survive they had more narrow escapes than she cared to remember.

And then came that fateful night when she was tortured by Bellatrix Lestrange. She had never felt such pain and she had been so close to giving in, she just wanted that pain to end.

Finally it did end and when she woke up she looked into Fred's hazel eyes. For a moment she wondered whether she was dead or dreaming but he was real and then they told her about their escape; she cried hard for Dobby, the brave little house-elf, who had been loyal to Harry till the end.

She had nightmares after that, she saw Lestrange's face whenever she closed her eyes, a face distorted by hate and eyes blazing with madness. If it wasn't Lestrange she felt Greyback's dirty hands on her waist and his foul breath on her neck and woke up screaming and sweating.

In those moments she was thankful that Fred was by her side to soothe her, he held her in his arms and whispered sweet nothingness into her ear until she felt safe and fell asleep again.

Fred always sneaked into her and Ginny's room after everybody else went to bed and left before the others woke up. Ginny knew but kept quiet and if the others knew they never said anything about it.

Fred didn't want to let her leave again. He pleaded to let him go with them and threatened to kidnap her and lock her away but in the end he had to give in.

The next time they saw each other was in the battle at Hogwarts. Hermione had no idea what she was doing. She was throwing jinxes and hexes at the Death Eaters around her only reacting on instinct, fuelled by the adrenaline running through her body.

After Harry defeated Voldemort it took her a few moments to realise what had just happened, but then she felt a heavy weight being lifted from her shoulders.

That was until she heard Molly's bloodcurdling cry "Fred". She rushed over to her and when she saw Fred's lifeless body the world around her started to spin and she sunk down next to Molly and George. He had several bruises and cuts but apart from that he looked as if he was only sleeping with a small smile on his face.

She sobbed and cried and started shaking him in a desperate attempt to wake him up.

"Don't leave me Fred. Don't do this to me. I love you." She cried over and over again, she struggled against those arms that tried to pull her away she couldn't leave his side she had to be there when he woke up. But those arms were stronger than her and so she finally gave in.

By that time the healers from St Mungos had already arrived and started to treat the injured. One of them suddenly cried, "I need help over here this one is still alive, but seriously injured"

She looked up, was it possible? Yes the healer was leaning over Fred and running his wand over his body murmuring incantations. She felt hope flare up inside her, she knew he wouldn't leave her like this.

"He is alive, if only barely. We'll see what we can do for him. But don't get your hopes up, he is very weak." A healer said to his parents.

Hermione didn't leave his side in the hospital waiting for him to wake up, most of the time Molly kept her company. It has been three days now, the cuts and bruises were magically healed but he still looked pale.

It was on the fifth day when he finally woke up. Hermione had fallen asleep crouching in her chair, her head next to his shoulder her hand covering his. She woke up when she felt someone stroking her head. She looked up into Fred's warm eyes a weak smile on his face.

"Fred" she cried, "I thought I've lost you." She started to place kisses all over his face and touched and caressed him to make sure he was really alive.

"You won't get rid of me that easily," he chuckled softly, still weak from his injuries.

"I love you, Fred. I love you so much."

"I love you too, princess."

*

Epilogue

"Hermione Granger will you marry me?" asked a slightly nervous Fred Weasley 8 years later.

She looked down into his eyes they usually were full of mischief but right now she saw mostly anxiety in them. He was down on his knee, holding one of her hands in his hand and in the other a small box with a diamond ring.

"Of course I will marry you Fred Weasley" laughing she threw her arms around his neck with the result that he lost his balance and they both fell on the floor.

"Did you actually doubt that I would say yes or why where you so nervous?" She asked teasingly.

"Oh well you know it's a big step, after all you will have to put up with me for the rest of your live." He smirked smugly.

"Well I've put up with you for the last eight years, and I still can't get enough of you" Hermione purred, batting her eyelashes seductively.

A lot had happened those past eight years.

Fred and Hermione had gone to Australia as soon as the war was over to try and find Wendell and Monica Wilkins to restore their memory. Her parents had been shocked, confused and disappointed at first but came around in time, after all they didn't want to lose their only daughter a second time.

Then Hermione had gone back to Hogwarts to complete her education, after that she had studied magical law to be able to change some of the social injustice from which Muggelborns and many magical creatures still had to suffer even after Voldemort's death.

Her first job was in the Ministry's Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. She was able to improve the lives of the house-elves (a matter that had always been near to her heart, after she first had learned about their situation) and also other oppressed magical creatures.

She couldn't completely free the house-elves there was too much resistance from both the wizards and the house-elves themselves, but she hoped that future generations of house-elves would be able to live in liberty.

At first everybody around her had thought she had lost her mind and laughed at her, but they soon learned to never underestimate the small but determined witch.

Fred and George were so successful with their shop that they were quickly able to expand and now they had several branches in all major wizard communities in England

Meanwhile the Weasley Clan had grown exponentially.

Bill and Fleur had three beautiful children Victoire, Dominique and Louis.

Charlie was married to his Dragons (much to his mother's chagrin) but he was happy that way.

The next to get married (to everybody's surprise) was Percy. Audrey was an American witch who had met Percy when she was on a business trip in England and they had to work together, she was so enamoured with him that her 3 week stay turned into a lifetime. They had a daughter Molly and Audrey was expecting again.

George had to woo Angelina for 8 months before she would finally go on a date with him. She didn't regret her decision and now they were married for 3 and a half years and expecting their first child.

Susan Bones had conquered Ron's heart (or better his stomach) after he had tasted her formidable cooking. They had married 3 years ago and were blessed with two children, little Gerald who was two and Hugh who was only a few months old, kept their parents on the go.

Harry and Ron had become Aurors immediately after the war. They were full of ideas and critique on how things were handled in the department but it took a while until the long-time resident aurors accepted advice from the two greenhorns.

Ginny became a professional Quidditch player after Hogwarts and was sought-after by many men (and quite a lot of women also) she even had been voted "sexiest female quidditch player" in a wizard's magazine. But her heart belonged only to one and that was Harry.

They had married a year ago and soon after that Ginny got pregnant rather unexpectedly. And so Hermione was now the proud godmother of a lively little boy called James Sirius.

Her career had always been very important to Hermione, she loved her job and she was ambitious and determined to make a change and put an end to pureblood privileges. But now she felt that she maybe was ready to slowly step by step settle down and start having a family on her own with Fred. Why shouldn't she be able to have both a great career and a wonderful family.

Fred had always understood how important first her studies and later her job for Hermione was (that was on of the things he loved about her, the spark in her eyes and her determined expression when she took on a hopeless case to make sure the world became a little more just), that was why he had waited so long before asking the question even though he had known back then in the hospital when he woke up after the battle that this was the woman he wanted to spend his life with.

And now he felt that they both were ready to move to the next step. She had received already some promotions and gained a lot of respect at work. And he felt that he had matured enough to take on the responsibilities of a husband and father (well in the near future at least)

They married in spring with their family and close friends and over the next few years they had three children together.

Their first born was Perdita a bushy haired red head who rivalled her mother's thirst for knowledge. Later she should follow in her mother food-steps and finally free the house-elves completely from their enslavement.

Two years later followed the twins Marcus and Eric, they took after their father and uncle always full of mischief which made their father proud and brought their mother to the verge of despair. After Hogwarts they worked at the joke shop with their father and uncle and took over once they decided it was time to retire.

Of course they also fought and experience rough times like every family does. Hermione had to accept more than one defeat before she finally was able to abolish pro-pureblood laws. And she and Fred would often fight about how to deal with the twins conduct. They often argued about other things as well since their personalities were quite different, but after they had calmed down they always remembered what it was that had made them fall for each other in the first place.

Together and with the help of their large family and friends they stuck through everything.

They worried together when the children were sick, they comforted them when they were sad, they scolded them for their pranks (well Hermione did), they supported their ambitions and simply loved them. Proudly they watched their children grow and start their own families.

They travelled to exotic places. They enjoyed good music, food and wine together. Sometimes they even pulled a spectacular prank together. They saved several half and full kneazles and a parrot from a lonely live in an animal shelter. They made mistakes and learned from them. And they grew old together and their love for each other had grown with them.

It was on a day in late autumn Fred had been working on his special magical dragon firecrackers for his grandsons when he fell asleep over his work, his typical mischievous smile still etched onto his face, and didn't wake up anymore.

Hermione was devastated, the love of her life was dead and surrounded by her friends and family she felt for the first time after a long, long time completely and utterly alone and lost.

She was thankful for the 112 years she had spent with him, but she never fully recovered from the loss.

The sun was shining brightly and melted the last remains of snow on a beautiful day in the beginning of March the following year, when Perdita found her mother sitting in her favourite armchair next to the window, her heart had stopped beating but a peaceful smile could still be seen on her face.

Another Author's Note: This was my first chaptered fic and it was a great experience, the characters really grow on you (I couldn't kill Fred off after the final battle, I had considered it, but I just couldn't). I hope you guys had as much fun reading as I had writing it.

Thank you to everyone who read this story and a huge thank you to those who wrote a review, I loved all of them you guys are great!