Second Chances (Fremione)

20.

"Over here, 'Mione!" Fred shouted as Hermione looked for a seat outside the huge maze. He waved her over where he, George, and Lee were sitting.

Hermione forced a smile as she came and sat next to Fred, who immediately slung his arm around her shoulder and kissed her on the cheek.  "Hi." He said simply, grinning widely.

Hermione couldn't help it. She smiled back, genuinely this time. "Hi."

"Are you ok?" He said, his smile fading as he looked directly into her eyes.

She nodded. "I'm just worried about Harry." She didn't like lying to him. She wanted to tell him everything, about how she knew that Cedric was about to die, about how she was ashamed of herself that she had done nothing to stop it (though she wasn't sure there was anything she could have done in this particular instance) and about how she had no idea how she was going to stop anyone else from dying either.  She wanted to tell him that this was the night that everything changed.

And she thought about telling him too. She thought about pulling him aside and explaining the whole, long, convoluted story, risking looking like a maniac so she could get his help. Fred was smarter than people gave him credit for and she knew he could be helpful. But more than anything, she wanted to give him as much notice as possible about what was to happen to him so she could try to stop it.

But she didn't. Instead, she smiled, reaching her neck up and kissing Fred gently on the cheek. "I'll be fine, really. But thanks for noticing! You're pretty incredible, you know that?"

Fred gave her his usual smirk, but she thought she detected the tiniest hint of blush in his cheeks as he said "I have been told."

As Dumbledore came out to announce the start of the task, Fred pulled his arm from her shoulder and grabbed her hand, interlocking his fingers with hers and squeezing tight. She could tell he was nervous too, and she glanced over at him, smiling.

After the four champions wandered cautiously into the maze, the talking continued from all throughout the crowd.

"So I guess you and my brother are kind of a thing now?" George said, glaring at her out of the side of his eye.

"It does seem that way!" Hermione said, smiling over at Fred and nudging him with her shoulder.

"That's good. I was always afraid you were going to end up with Ron, and I've got to tell you, you're too good for him. I love my brother, I really do, but I think you all know I'm a little partial toward Freddie here."

Hermione laughed. "I think we might have guessed."

"Good." George continued. "But as such, I must warn you. If you hurt my brother here in any way, I will be forced to murder you."

Hermione laughed. "Noted."

George laughed. "Good. Glad we got that cleared up."

Conversation flowed freely throughout the crowd for what seemed like hours until finally, a flash of light brought Harry spinning out of the maze, the cup in one hand, Cedric's arm in the other. The crowd leapt to its feet as the band started to play and cheers erupted from everyone but Hermione, who stood up silently, only to see what had happened to Cedric.

She knew it. And it wasn't long before the rest of the crowd knew it too. They fell immediately silent as Amos Diggory came running down to see his son.

Everyone sat down. No one could say a word.