In Your Arms (Fremione)

Chapter 1

I winched in pain, this punishment was simply barbaric. Being forced to write lines with a quill that carves the words into your skin is surely illegal. I let out a small gasp of pain as I started a new line and the words began to be carved into the back of my hand again. Fred Weasley looked up from his lines and looked across at me, silently asking if I was alright. I nodded, gave him a smile and looked down, blushing slightly at the fact that he cared enough to risk getting in more trouble to check if I was ok; and also at how simply adorable he looked.

I glanced over at Fred, like everyone else he was calmly writing out the set lines. Frowning, I looked down at the back of his hand and at the words that were carving themselves into his skin.

This is completely wrong, I thought, she shouldn't be able to do this to us.

I looked back up at Fred with a determined look on my face that instantly vanished when I saw him winching in pain. He was to adorable to be hurt like this.

"Miss Granger." A girly, high pitched voice echoed around the room and everyone winched. "Forgive me, but I couldn't help noticing that you weren't writing down your lines and also, I might add, that you looked slightly distracted."

I blushed at first, knowing what she was implying about me "being distracted", but then I realized what this meant. She had noticed me looking at Fred and not writing my lines, I was in serious trouble.

"I'm sorry, Professor Umbridge" I said tentatively, the classroom silent.

"Oh I'm not interested in your apology, dear." Professer Umbridge replied softly "I'm interested in your obvious lack of ability to focus."

I stayed silent, but gave her the death glare.

"Yes, well, I think a few more lines might just do the trick." Umbridge said with a small smile on her face.

I heard Fred gasp. I looked at him and saw him about to yell something.

Oh no, I thought, he'll end up getting in trouble too!

"Fred!" I whispered sharply.

He looked at me and I almost gasped at the pure anger in his eyes. His expression soften slightly though when he saw the fear in my eyes.

"Don't you dare say anything!" I whispered harshly.

"Why not!?" he said quietly, but sharply. "She's being horrible and -" he hesitated, nervously, "she's hurting you"

I internally 'aww'ed and I was about to respond when I heard that high pitched girly voice again.

"Miss Granger. You seem to be distracted again. Do you want to write more lines?" Professor Umbridge said sharply.

"No, Professor" I replied glaring at Fred and shaking my head at him.

"Well, then, everybody place your quills on your table and you may go." Everybody silently cheered. "Everybody, that is, except Miss Granger."

Everybody got up and gave me sympathetic looks, but I wasn't looking at anybody but Fred.

His face was a mix of emotions. Worry, anger and something else there that I couldn't identify.

I tried to give him a reassuring smile as he walked by me but I was so frightened that it was more of a small, scared smile.

He gave me a small smile in return as he paused in the door frame, and then he was gone.

I turned slowly to look at the evil witch.

"20 more lines should do it, dear." She said still smiley.

There is something seriously wrong with this woman I thought if she actually enjoys inflicting pain on students.

I looked down at my already red and sore skin with the words carved into it, and started writing again.

5 lines in and I was in pain. My eyes were filled with tears that I was refusing to let fall and my hand felt like it was on fire.

How am I going to do 15 more lines?, I thought

Another line, more pain. I wasn't going to be able to do this. Meanwhile, Dolores Umbridge silently paced the front of the room, smiling every so often whenever I made a indication I was in pain.

Halfway through line 17, I couldn't hold it in anymore. I let one single tear roll down my face. In an instant Umbridge was standing at my desk.

"Hand?" She said quietly, in that annoying girly voice. Hesitantly, I held out my hand and she took it in her fat hands to examine it.

"Hmm" she said and looked back up at me "A few more lines should do it." I pulled my hand back and lowered my head back to my page.

3 more lines, Hermione. I thought. You can do it, hold it together.

Taking a deep breath, I started writing again, the words again being carved into my skin.

Line 18, I gritted my teeth to stop myself from letting the tears fall.

Line 19, I gritted them harder.

Line 20, when I finally finished I placed my quill down on my desk and looked up expectantly at Umbridge.

She looked at me and finally said "You may go."

I pushed out my chair and stood up. I glared for a second at Umbridge while she just smiled, like she always does, and then walked to the door, the tears dangerously close to falling. As soon as I was out of the door, my vision was blurred by my tears and I started to hurry towards griffindor tower.

"Hermione!" I stopped when I heard my name. I knew that voice. I turned to see Fred Weasley standing up from a bench outside the door. Just seeing him there and the fact that he cared enough to wait for me, was enough to set me off. Covering my face in my hands, the tears that had had been threatening to fall came cascading down my face.

"Hermione" Fred said softly, walking towards me. "Are you alright?" I didn't reply but instead held out my arms.

In a second, I was pulled into a tight hug. He as so warm and he smelt so good. It felt so comfortable there in his arms I never wanted to leave. As we stood there, I sobbed into Fred's shirt and he traced circles on my back while his head rested on mine.

After a while I ran out of tears, and Fred continued to hold me and rub my back but I pulled away, embarrassed that I had broken down and cried like that in front of Fred. He probably thought I was a baby now. But Fred just stood there and stared at me with a look on his face that I couldn't recognize.

I blushed.

I must look horrible, I thought. My eyes are probably red and swollen from crying, and my hair must have looked like a mess!

"I'm so sorry for-" I started, but Fred interrupted me.

"Sorry for what? For crying? You don't have to be sorry for that. I'm always here for you, and besides I don't mind, especially the whole hugging part." He smiled cheekily.

I blushed deeper and looked down at the floor. "Well, I'd better get back to the common room-"

"You're so beautiful." Fred said interrupting me again. I gaped up at him, my mouth wide.

He ... he thought I was ... beautiful?

"Th-thank you." I stuttered, shocked. No guy had ever called me beautiful before.

"No really, you are truly beautiful" he said, giving me an absolutely adorable smile.

I blushed deeper again, if that was even possible. "Stop it! you're making me blush." I said jokingly.

"No way, you're too cute when you blush." he replies smirking.

"And you're too adorable when you smile." I said laughing.

Fred laughed and flashed me his most adorable smile.

"Come on," he said, wrapping his arm around my shoulders. "Let's get back to the common room." I smiled in response and wrapped my arm around his waist.

This is how I wanted to stay. With Fred. Forever.