AUTHOR'S NOTE: In case you don't have a tumblr and didn't see my last post: I switched my author's name from GhostlyMalfoy to aForgottenWeasley :) Read the bottom for more info.

The following week passed by without any major complications. Fred had stayed over with Hermione at her flat while they got used to their new life together. They attempted being out in public around other females and Hermione did quite well. Those who knew the couple and saw them together greeted them with smiles and those who didn't care that Fred was taken, well they got murderous glares from Hermione. She did manage to keep some of her anger under control but when a supposed regular customer from Weasley's Wizard Wheezes spotted Fred alone for a few seconds, her anger got the best of her and she managed to scare away the poor woman.

Now that Fred was marked for life by Hermione, she didn't hear that little nagging voice in the back of her mind whenever Fred was near. Although she still felt the urge to be by his side, the urge to jump his bones had dimmed down some which Fred thought was a total bummer. He rather liked his heated snogging sessions with Hermione and whenever her Veela really came out, well the sex was just an amazing plus.

Sunday rolled around yet again and Mrs. Weasley wanted everyone over for a family day. Since Hermione or Fred hadn't seen anyone since the marking ritual, it was a good way to break it to everyone that their relationship was in a good place.

. . .

. . .

Things at the Burrow were in full swing.

Mrs. Weasley and Fleur were stuck in the kitchen waving their wands and making enough food for their whole clan.

Mr. Weasley had taken Romilda to the shed outside and was showing her all the muggle appliances he had ever gotten his hands on.

Charlie, Bill, Percy, Ron, Ginny, Harry, George, and Fred were all flying on their brooms, playing a quick game of Quidditch before the lunch started.

And Hermione was left sitting under the Weeping Willow watching the game of Quidditch pan out.

When Hermione and Fred had first arrived, Ron had quickly pulled Fred away leaving Hermione on her own. She tried to help out in the kitchen but Mrs. Weasley and Fleur had everything under control and sent her outside. Seeing that everyone else was busy, Hermione chose to just sit and watch.

Harry, Ron, and the twins were practically killing the other team when Mrs. Weasley had called them down to eat. The kitchen table was set outside, benches set around it so everyone could fit easily and enjoy their meal. Hermione was seated in between the twins with Harry, Ginny, Ron, and Romilda sitting across from them.

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were seated at the head of the table, grouped together with Percy, Charlie, Bill, and Fleur. Every now and then, Hermione would catch Fleur staring at her and smiling as if she knew something while Bill glanced at her as well, a smug smile tugging up the corners of his lips. She tried to figure out why they kept looking at her the way they were but when she couldn't figure out why, she turned her attention to the people she was closest to.

Everyone was in a state of contentment and there was not one sour mood at the table. Hermione stole a glance at every face surrounding her and couldn't help but smile at the family she could officially call hers.

George had asked Hermione to pass the potato salad when Hermione finally got a good look at his face. Around his right eye, the skin was black and green. The signs of a fading bruise had marred his face and no-one seemed to care.

"George?" The curiosity got the better of her. "What happened to your eye?"

Silence fell upon their end of the table and Harry was the first one to crack a laugh. Hermione looked at him and he pointed to a bashful looking Ginny. Raising her eyebrow in question, Hermione faced George once again and waited for an explanation.

George playfully scowled at Harry and then decided to fill in Hermione. "It's your fault, really." He poked her in the shoulder. "That bloody puppet you bought for Fred earned me this black eye."

"And how did a puppet earn you a black eye?" Hermione fought the urge to laugh, knowing perfectly well what he must have done.

"I magicked it to walk on it's own the other night to follow Ginny whenever she was alone. It freaked her out a bit more than I anticipated and when I jumped out to scare her as well, she threw a wild punch and caught me in the face." Their end of the table broke off into laughter at his explanation.

"Deserves you right." Ginny smirked.

. . .

. . .

Dinner went by without a hitch and after a couple more hours of talking and laughing, people had started to leave. Charlie was the first to go since he had to be back in Romania by morning. Ron and Romilda were next, her pregnancy having drained all her energy made her extremely tired. And Percy was the third to go when Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had decided to call it a night.

Those who were left decided to all stay together for a while longer and made their way into the sitting area. Since there wasn't enough sofas or chairs for everyone to be comfortable, the men pushed all the furniture to the walls while Hermione transfigured the biggest sofa into a large sitting cushion in the middle of the room. They were all able to sit or lay on the floor in comfort with each other.

Hermione was laying on her back, playing with Fred's hand while he sat up and chatted with George. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Bill and Fleur sitting up next to her, Fleur's back to his chest and Bill whispering into her ear as they glanced at her and smiled knowingly yet again. Wanting to know what was going on, she stared them head on and opened her mouth to speak.

"Okay. What's going on?" She stared at Bill and Fleur, Fred and George's chat coming to a stop. Harry and Ginny were in their own little world side-by-side but when Hermione spoke, their attention was on her. "Why do the both of you keep looking at me and laughing. Did I miss something?"

"No." Bill answered her. "But apparently we did." His smile grew wider and for some reason, Hermione didn't want to know anymore. "When exactly were you going to tell us that you marked Freddie?"

Hermione's eyes widened. "How did you-" She trailed off from her question as she took a look at Fleur and instantly knew how Bill knew. Fleur could sense it.

"You mean, I'm the only one who knew?" George piped up, breaking the silence. "I was actually the first person to actually know something?" Hermione didn't have to question how George knew since one look at a guilty looking Fred told her everything she needed to know.

"That's not fair." Bill pouted. "I took you into my home and you didn't even tell me you had marked your mate."

Hermione narrowed her eyes at Bill and moved her right leg to kick him in the back. "What's not fair is that you told me the marking ritual didn't involve sex and it did!" Having gotten over her shyness about sex with Fred, Hermione was now a bit bolder and didn't wince when that sentence left her very own mouth.

"And that's our cue to leave!" Ginny shot up from the floor, pulling Harry along with her. "I love you, 'Mione, but I really don't want to hear any sexual stories involving my brother. Congrats on claiming your man, though." She walked around the cushion and pulled Hermione up into a seated position so she could lean down and give her hug.

Ginny and Harry said their goodbyes quickly and apparated back to their home they shared.

After the chuckling from Ginny's hasty exit, Bill turned his attention back to the topic. "The marking ritual doesn't involve sex." Bill told Hermione. "But it can if you don't know how to control your emotions."

"You didn't tell me that part!" Hermione aimed another playful kick at him.

"Oh come on, love." Fred laced his fingers with the hand that Hermione had a hold of. "Don't pretend like you didn't enjoy the sex that night. You practically had me take you on the sofa but we made it to your bedroom perfectly fine."

Hermione had the urge to cover her face but she let her contained laughter out. "Must you talk so bluntly about our personal lives?"

"Of course he must." George answered for his twin. "After all, it is expected when you're attracted to a Weasley."

So sorry for the abrupt short ending! In case you don't follow me on tumblr, there IS a sequel in the works. The first two chapters of the upcoming sequel are "missing scenes" from this story, followed by the remaining chapters that show you how Fred and Hermione's life panned out :)

If you do have a tumblr, go follow for updates on when I post fics or any information on what I'm working on. You can also ask questions there that I can answer even if you DON'T have an account!

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