Second Chances (Fremione)

29.

The Daily Prophet and the ministry now found it unavoidable- He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was back. There was a photo shoot for the Prophet after the battle, and Hermione noticed that Harry was in a much better mood this time. Not happy by any means, but not at all like he was before. She smiled as she looked out the window at the black dog peering in. She had succeeded. Sirius was alive. This could actually be done. Maybe she could save Lupin and Moody and Tonks. Maybe she could save Fred.

After the excitement died down, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and Sirius headed back to Grimmauld Place.

Hermione walked through the door with the others where they were immediately greeted with warm hugs from Molly. "I'm so glad you're all safe!" She exclaimed. Hermione smiled, glad she had a home full of loving people to return to, even when her family was a thousand miles away.

After greeting Arthur, Hermione threw her bag down at the base of the stairs and ran up to the room she knew Fred and George had been staying in. She rapped quickly on the door and George answered. She could see the wheels turning in his head, like he was trying to think whether he should pretend to be Fred, but he knew he could never fool her. "Hi George!" She greeted.

"Hermione?" She heard a familiar voice say from behind her. She turned to see Fred coming out of the bathroom and immediately jumped into his arms. "Fred!"

He put her back down on the floor and kissed her, harder and more passionately than he had in a long time, an unspoken congratulations and a thank you to an answered prayer. "Let's go for a walk." He suggested when he finally let her go. She nodded eagerly and he took her hand, leading her down the stairs.

When they got downstairs, Fred went into the kitchen to tell Molly where they were going, but his eyes were darting all around the house, looking for something until he found it. Sirius and Harry talking excitedly in the living room. He looked back at Hermione, the biggest grin spreading across his face.

He grabbed her hand again and pulled her with him as he left the house. Once they were far enough away to be out of earshot, he picked her up and spun her around excitedly.

"You did it!" He shouted, planting a quick kiss on her forehead as he set her down. "I'm so proud of you, 'Mione! I can't believe you did it! I mean if anyone can do it you could, but come on, seriously! How cool is this? You changed the past! You saved Sirius' life! This is beyond cool, this is incredible! Tell me everything!"

Hermione couldn't help but laugh as Fred rambled on. He was so excited, not just because Sirius was alive, but he was legitimately proud of her. She loved seeing this. She took his hand and started walking down the path, telling him the whole story of how she had petrified Bellatrix, and how she had seen such a difference in Harry at the photo shoot.

"You are really incredible, you know that?" Fred said, love and admiration evident in his eyes as he looked down at her. "I love you so much, Hermione."

"I love you too, Fred!" She answered.

He took her hand and led her over to a tree nearby and sat down underneath it. When she sat down next to him, he put his arm around her and pulled her close. The two sat there for a while, not really saying anything. They didn't need to. The company was more than enough to make both feel safe and content in the victory they had won. Tomorrow would bring its own challenges, but today they had nothing to fear.