Second Chances (Fremione)

25.

Fred and Hermione landed in the Weasleys' front yard with a crack. Harry, Ron, George, Ginny, and Bill were playing Quidditch and waved at them from the air as Fred and Hermione drug their trunks in the front door.

Molly wiped her hands on her apron and came to hug them. "Hello dears. Did you have a nice time?"

"Oh yeah! Hermione's parents are great! We went to France!" Fred answered, winking at Hermione when Molly turned her back. Hermione smiled.

"Oh, yeah! They loved Fred! We saw the Eiffel Tower and ate at some really great bakeries, and Fred showed us the entrance to Place Cachée!"

"Well it sounds like the two of you had nice time! I'm glad you got to go!" Molly smiled as she turned around. "Now you two take your trunks upstairs and go outside and join the others. Dinner will be ready soon!"

Fred drug his trunk up the stairs easily, then turned around to see Hermione struggling with hers. "You're not going to fall in love with me if I help you with your trunk again, are you?" He asked as he took the handle.

Hermione grinned as she ran her fingers through her hair. "Too late!"

Fred laughed, placing Hermione's trunk in Ginny's room before turning around and wrapping her in a tight hug.

"I guess it's a good thing I love you too, then, isn't it?" A shiver ran down Hermione's spine as Fred whispered lightly in her ear.

"I had a really great time this week too, by the way." Fred said as he let go.

Hermione smiled. "I'm glad."

Fred slung his arm around Hermione's shoulder as they walked downstairs to join the others.

"Hey Freddie!" George called from the air. "Glad to see you're back from galavanting with your girlfriend! I could use some help with these bludgers up here!"

Fred smiled as he removed his arm from Hermione's shoulder and kissed her quickly on the cheek. "Later, 'Mione! Duty calls!" He said as he ran off to get his broom and bat, which George had leaned up against the side of the house.

Hermione smiled and went inside to get a book, then she came back out and sat herself up against the side of the house. She kept the book open against her knees, but she had to admit, she was looking at Fred more than she was at the book. He always looked so happy, but usually he was his happiest when he was playing quidditch. Hermione loved seeing his smile. It was so infectious, so genuine. It made her believe that, even though he didn't know all the details of the horrible things that were going to happen the next few years, he believed it would be ok. And if Fred believed it, so did she.

Hermione was so preoccupied watching Fred, she didn't even see Molly come out of the house and sit down beside her. "I've never seen him so happy, you know." She said, jerking Hermione out of her daydreams.

"I always hoped Fred would find someone like you." Molly smiled. "He's smart. Much smarter than he knows, but I'm sure you've realized that by now. But he needs someone to encourage him. He needs someone who can keep him in line."

"He makes me very happy too!" Hermione answered. "You've got a really great family. I'll admit I'm a little partial to Fred." She said, looking shyly down into her lap and pushing her hair behind her ear. She looked back up at Molly as she finished. "But really, all of you are incredible. Ginny and Ron are two of my very best friends, and you and Arthur have been like second parents to me. I want to thank you so much for accepting me into your home and your family. I don't know what I would do without you."

A small tear escaped from her eye as she looked up at Molly. "You're always welcome here, whether you're dating my sons or not. But it's always been a pleasure to have you here and I could not think of a better girl for any of my boys to date."

Molly hugged her before standing up and announcing dinner. Everyone circled around and landed their brooms. Fred ran up behind Hermione and put his arm around her, eliciting a very interested look from George. Fred rolled his eyes.

After dinner, Fred excused himself to his room so that he and George could work on their products. Hermione joined Ginny in her room. Ginny was trying (and failing) to teach Hermione Wizard's Chess, but it was probably going poorly only because Ginny was more interested in getting details about her relationship with Fred than she was in actually teaching.

Hermione smiled knowingly, preferring to keep the details to herself, much to Ginny's dismay. Finally, she got up and reached into her trunk, pulling out Harry's present and smiling at Ginny, not even bothering to respond to her most recent inquiry.

She walked across the hall and knocked lightly on Ron's bedroom door.

"I just wanted to give Harry his birthday present." She said when Ron answered the door. He opened it wider so she could come in and she sat down on the floor across from Harry and handed him the bag.

"Fred and I went to Place Cachée when we were in France." She explained, then quickly added "with my parents."

Harry pulled out the bag and smiled at his name, written neatly across the front in fancy gold lettering.

"There was a quidditch store there with loads of really great stuff. I hoped you would like this though. I thought of you when I saw it."

"It's incredible, Hermione. Thank you."

"I'm sorry it's late. I was waiting to get you something because I was hoping I would find something good while we were there."

"It's great! Thank you Hermione!" He said, hugging her.

She sat on the floor with Ron and Harry for a while, talking about Voldemort's return, the rumors in the prophet, and what the Order members could be talking about downstairs.

"I should go to bed." Hermione said finally, getting up.

"Goodnight Hermione" Ron and Harry both said at the same time.

She ran into Fred on her way out as he left the bathroom.

"I was hoping I might see you again tonight!" He smiled as he took her hand and pulled her closer. "We met like this last year, if you remember."

Hermione smiled, purposely putting her hand on his chest this time. "I do. I actually thought..." she started, trailing off.

"You thought what?" He smiled, knowingly.

"I actually thought you were going to kiss me that night." Hermione answered shyly.

Fred laughed. "I thought about it actually. I chickened out, though. I wasn't sure you liked me at the time."

"You should have just tried it!"

"Well I won't make that same mistake this year." Fred grinned widely as he pulled her closer so there was no space between them. He held her tight as if wanting her to be even closer, as close as he could possibly bring her.

He looked her straight in the eyes, gently brushing the hair from her eyes before pressing his lips firmly against hers. She kissed him back too, lightly at first, and then all at once. She let herself get lost in it for a moment- in the taste of his lips, the way they felt as they moved perfectly with hers.

She didn't want it to end. She never wanted it to end. And perhaps it wouldn't have, were it not for the soft sound of someone clearing his throat behind them.

"Evening..." George smiled, leaning up against the doorpost.

"Goodnight, 'Mione." Fred laughed, backing up and joining George in their room, hitting him lightly in the arm.