Second Chances (Fremione)

11.

"I want to open a joke shop!" Fred insisted. "George and I want to open one in Diagon Alley. Like Zonko's only better."

Hermione smiled. Even so long before he achieved his dream, she was struck by how passionately he talked about it. Suddenly, for the first time, it didn't seem like such a ridiculous idea. Knowing how well it worked out for him, how good he was going to be at it, it actually seemed like a great idea.

"You think it's a bad idea." Fred guessed, his eyes sinking. She smiled, loving how much he wanted her to approve.

"I don't think it's a bad idea." She said, sitting up straight and putting her hand on his knee as he held them tightly to his chest. "I think that you are incredibly smart and you can do whatever you want, including this. And you seem so excited about it, like it's something you really want to do. I think you'll do it."

His face lit up. "You really think so?"

Hermione laughed. "Zonko's is going to have some serious competition."

As the train started approaching Hogwarts, Hermione took in the sights, enjoying the look of her home away from home, now not demolished by the war.

"What are you thinking about?" Fred asked, pulling her out of her thoughts.

She smiled, turning back to him. "I'm just thinking about how much I love it here. Every school year I'm always just so glad to be back. I don't know what I'm going to do with myself once I graduate." Her eyes started to fill up with tears as she talked. All her life, she'd been told how bright she was and how much potential she had, but even as she graduated, she didn't know what she was going to do with that potential. Now she was going back and reliving it all again, and she doubted that she'd be any closer to figuring it out in three years.

She turned to Fred, who looked her dead in the eye and put his hands gently on her shoulders. "You, Hermione Granger, can do whatever you want to do. I can't imagine the pressure you must be under to live up to people's expectations. No one has ever expected a thing out of me. But I do know that you are worth the hype. You are brave and smart and caring and you're going to do great things."

She laughed. "Great things. I'm always just going to be living in the shadow of the chosen one. I love Harry. I really do. Don't get me wrong. But how am I going to do great things if I'm constantly seen as being attached to the boy who already has?"

Fred shook his head. "No one ever sees you as standing in anyone's shadow."

"How do you know?" She asked, wiping a tear from her eye.

"I never did." He answered, putting a finger under her chin and lifted it up to meet his eyes with hers.

Hermione smiled and suddenly the tears stopped. As she looked into Fred's big brown eyes, she found herself believing him. For the first time, she believed she could do it. She could be what everyone expected her to be.

And for the second time since her journey back in time, Hermione was sure that Fred Weasley was going to kiss her. As he held his hand under her chin, she knew (she hoped) he was thinking the same thing she was. She almost made the move herself but she waited, rather impatiently, for him to do it.

And then the train pulled into the station.