Archive of Our Own ^beta

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“Fred?” 

“Yes Hermione?” 

“How did we get here?” 

“I don’t know but…I wish we could stay like this forever.” 

“…..we’re stuck on the ceiling of Hogwarts because of one of your pranks. ”

“Yes but….we’re stuck together and I could be in this moment forever.” 

“You’re upside down.” 

“Yes but that also gives me the perfect angle to see you blushing.” 

Hermione:

“That and your wearing a skirt today.” 

“Fred!”

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“Hermione, I love you. You’re my sister but you weren’t the only one hurt!” Ron yelled as tears came to his eyes. 

“How could you just…accept that he won’t hurt you. I get it, it’s your life, you can do what you want but he destroyed you! You didn’t get to see after Hermione!” Ron sniffled. “When I got the call and rushed over with Harry. I saw you….you were so small. There was blood and you were crying and it was like…I haven’t you seen you like that since the Manor. It killed me Hermione. Harry did his job as a DMLE officer but inside it was killing him. He put on that mask to do his job while I put on mine because you needed me Hermione! Once you were safe and the healers made us leave….Harry and I drank ourselves stupid that night.” Ron confessed as Hermione sucked in a breath. 

“Ron..” But he held up his hand as she remained silent. 

“You don’t know what it was like to see you like that.” His voice broke. “You were our Hermione. Our brave, stubborn, proud, smart Hermione, and that asshole…” He shook his head. “It hurt us too. When you hurt, we hurt. We failed you that night. That’s what it felt like. Don’t believe me? Ask Harry, he’ll tell you but…we watched you struggle those first few months. No one else knew Hermione except us. We watched you struggle and fight and claw to be better than who you were. We saw you become you again. Now I find out you willingly went back to him?” Ron said as he sat on the chair and shook his head. 

“Maybe I don’t have a right to be as angry as I am but…it hurt Hermione. Not that fact that you went, although that does make me upset, but you didn’t tell us.” Ron sighed and put his head in his hands. “It was a dinner yes and I’m sure Terry had much to say and because your so you, it was a puzzle to be solved and he was a missing piece I get it.” He shook his head and gave a bitter smile. “But you didn’t even tell us. You’re my family and I love you. But you’re terrible, you’re all terrible.”

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There’s more to life than taming dragons and fighting wars. I found my true love with the dragons but you draga are hiding and we both know it. I found my true love with the creatures, now it’s your turn. Your forever and devoted friend - Charlie

Hermione swallowed thickly and rubbed against her quickly moistening eyes. Damn him. Damn him and his stupidly perceptive eyes; she took the research position to get away from her problems not for her to be confronted with them. 

Serves her right she guessed. A year at the Romanian sanctuary and suddenly Charlie “couldn’t take his vacation and what a waste it would be if someone didn’t use his portkey back to the England” a load of rubbish if she’s ever heard any. 

Especially because the port key landed her right in front of WWW - the one place she wanted to avoid and it was just her luck that the one person she was avoiding. 

“Hermione?” He said softly as her curls were wild around her shoulders and before she could reply his twin bounded from the shop, a smile on his face.

“Hermione! When did you get in love? We were expecting Charlie!” Fred said as George remained still and his eyes remained glue to her. With all the dignity she had she kept her head and smiled at Fred giving him a hug. 

“Charlie was called away so instead he sent me. Hope that’s alright.” She asked lightly but her eyes were sharp on George as he flinched at her gaze. 

“Of course it is love! We would love the help, and who knows creatures more than you? Did Charlie explain why he was needed?” Fred asked curiously as he led her past his shell shocked twin and into the warm ambience of WWW. 

“Yes something about creating a product to resemble a creature? Like the Pygmy puffs?” 

“Exactly, we’re hoping to have your expertise to our products and just in time for Christmas!” 

“Lovely” Hermione smiles but inside she was a mess. Damn you Charlie. 

“It’s a long term assignment - are you okay with that?” George asked the first thing he said to her since her arrival and she turned and smiled sweetly at him. 

“Of course George, I see no reason why we can’t be adults and work as a team.” She said pleasantly enough. 

Even if you broke my heart. Hermione thought viciously as she smiled at her ex-fiancé. 

“After all, it’s only 3 months”

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“Who needs sleep anyway” Hermione mumbled slowly to herself, her eyes burning and aching from lack of sleep. Awake for the past 24 hours Hermione knew she needed to rest, her body was screaming at her to put down the quill….but if she did all her hard-work would be for nothing. 

Breathing in deeply and letting it out slowly she adjusted the candle and took a determined sip of the coffee she had brewed for this purposes. All nighters were never fun but they were necessary. 

So with one more sip (more like gulp) she set to work another hour - thinking that if she didn’t sleep this time how nice her bed would be tomorrow with a perfect “O” 

This is totally not based on real events by the way (looks at clock and realized I’ve gotten three hours of sleep and takes another sip of coffee while working on school work) totally not based on real events at all

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“What had happened was….” Fred started to explain but Hermione only closed her eyes and held up a hand, a signal he knew all too well that meant shut up if he knew what was good for him. 

“But Hermione you don’t understand…” George started as Hermione’s lips pursed and she held up one finger.

The twins looked at each other and then around the room and winced. flour, chocolate, some strange sticky substance that was slowly making its way down from the roof to the wall. To be honest Fred was rather impressed with themselves that they managed to get mess on the ceiling….three floors up. 

“We just wanted to surprise you…” Fred spoke as Hermione opened her eyes and glared, a look that silenced any argument that was on his tongue. 

Finally with a deep breath and more patience than they thought her capable, Hermione smiled. 

A dangerous, threatening smile she only reserved for her enemies or an unfortunate lawyer who dared to face her in the courtroom. 

“I’m only going to say this once and only once. I’m going to walk away now and I’ll be gone for one hour on the dot. When I come back, Teddy will be with me and I expect this entire *house* to be spotless and presentable for all the children with a brand new iced chocolate cake that reads ‘Happy Birthday Teddy’ on it. 

“Uh…..love we only ruined the kitchen?” George asked softly as her eyes flashed and it made him back further away. 

“One hour.” She said primly before she disappeared in a flash leaving the twins speechless. 

Without a word they got out their wands and started to clean. When the hour was up little Teddy Lupin arrived with his grateful parents as Hermione’s sharp eyes took note of sparkling house and gave a sharp nod of approval at the twins before giving a warm smile to Teddy as the excited birthday boy led his favorite aunt away to play. 

“Next time we volunteer for cake duty….we don’t” Fred muttered as George nodded. 

“Freddie, don’t tell your wife this but she scares me” George admitted as Fred smirked. 

“She scares me too, that’s why I married her”

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Neville swallowed thickly, his hand gripping the handmade bouquet tighter with each thump of his heart. 

The cottage was unassuming on the outside but he knew of the love and warmth that was inside. The muggle telly wired into the wall, the kitchen smelling of sweet spices and the music quietly humming through the halls....while the witch responsible was either contently reading or hammering away at her latest legislation proposal. 

Either way he knew he would be knocked off his feet regardless, magic not required. His girlfriend's very presence tended to have that effect on him. But hopefully tonight, that will change. 

Taking a deep breath he took three large strides forward and formally knocked on the door, the witch in question answering it a few moments later with a wide smile. 

"Neville! What are you doing here? You're hooked up to the floo, no reason to stand in the cold!" Hermione exclaimed and brought him down for a kiss, bringing him inside...the ring in his pocket feeling heavier with every step. 

(Only for a few moments later Neville became that much lighter when he blurted out his proposal out of nervousness and his, now fiancé, smiling through it all) 

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The bonfire was burning bright and hot, the warmth settling over the small crowd like a blanket. The autumn chill was no match for the raging fire and Molly Weasley’s infamous mulled wine with “just a little kick” 

That would explain the kick in the arse George was finally experiencing. 

“You know you’re an idiot right? You may be the ‘smart twin’ but when it comes to witches you might as well be like that humpty dumpy bloke who keeps falling. Get it? Cause you keep falling on your arse?” Fred laughed, the wine already getting them both as George shoved him off, both their eyes going to the witch in the corner who was flirting with none other than Viktor bloody Krum. 

“Thanks Fred, yes, I got it.” George said irked. 

“You would have gotten Hermione too if you didn’t….what do the muggles call it? Oh yeahhh REBOUND!” Fred laughed and this time George shoved him much harder as he stalked away, Fred closely following until they were back inside the house. 

“First off I didn’t use Hermione as a rebound! I know she thinks that but truth be told I wasn’t ready to date after Katie and I broke up but Hermione asked and it seemed fun…” 

“And that is called a rebound relationship. It’s okay Georgie to admit it but go ahead and keep defending yourself otherwise. I’m sure that will get you back into her good graces.” Fred rolled his eyes before he caught something over George’s shoulder and he quickly winked before operating away. Before George could even ask what that was about the door swung open to reveal Hermione herself. Her look of surprise quickly cooled before she briefly said hello and walked to the kitchen. 

Right. 

Sighing he looked towards the kitchen or the safety of the backyard before summoning his courage and walked towards the kitchen. The clinking of glasses had Hermione prepare another round of mulled wine but with a wave of his wand the secret ingredient of Verisyrulm was added and Hermione turned around with a glare. 

“I was going to do that. And you added too much, now instead of a slight compulsion everyone will be revealing secrets. We don’t need another brawl like last year George.” Hermione lecture as she went to gather more Ingredients to hopefully make it less potent. Here went nothing. 

“Actually I added too much on purpose. I wanted you to see it. Proof there was no funny business and I wasn’t doing any, well, funny business.” George smiled and Hermione turned around, a confused brow raised. Before she could say anything George summoned a glass and took a huge mouthful, the serum coursing through his veins immediately. 

“What are you talking about?” She asked 

Here went nothing. 

“You weren’t a rebound. I know you still think that but you weren’t. I really like you. I liked you then and I like you now but I was scared I wasn’t going to get another chance so instead of telling you I wasn’t ready I went with you anyways and mucked it all up and then you were crying and I didn’t know how to comfort you and then you started to ignore me, which I don’t blame you for, I would have ignored me too. But I’ve been trying to make it up to you or at least tell you but talking has never been my strong suit that’s all Fred. But all my attempts have just been awful and you must think I’m nuts but it’s because I’ve never been good at talking to people I like, and it’s been 100 times worse because I like you 100 times more than any other person but instead of being able to tell you the truth I get side tracked and scared and hide it away under a joke and seeing you flirt with Viktor bloody Krum was the final straw and I just decided to WWSD it and go for it because honestly a hex from you wouldn’t nearly hurt as bad as a rejection but at least I’m drunk enough to not feel it as much.” George gasped for breath after the long winded confession while Hermione had her mouth open and she blinked. 

“What is WWSD?” She asked after a moment 

“What would Sirius do?” He answered immediately before flushing as the silly moniker has gotten both him and Fred out of scraps before. 

“And….you think that would be the best course of action? For this?” She asked slowly, her expression carefully masked but her eyes bright. 

He blushed again and shrugged his shoulders, the honest answer bursting forth before he could stop it “it worked for Sirius. And the both of them are immensely happy. Bouts of stupidity and insanity aside.” 

“I see” Hermione asked before looking at the ground and George stood there for what felt like forever before he found himself catching Hermione as she pressed her lips against his, the heat of the kiss far brighter than any fire. 

“You know you could have saved yourself the trouble of a In vino veritas, but I still appreciate all the same.” Hermione smiled as she leaned back and a stunned George could only hold her tighter, as he stared dazed at her chocolate eyes. 

“Huh?” He could only say and Hermione laughed. 

“I was never going to be with Viktor. It would be impossible. He already has a soul mate….as do I. I was just waiting for him to catch up.” Hermione said lightly and at once George felt his heart lurched and squeeze painfully. 

“You have a fated match? Why are you kissing me?” George asked scandalized as he tried to dislodge from Hermione’s grip but she only held him tighter. 

“Because it’s you, you daft man!” Hermione exclaimed and with speed only a drunk George could comprehend Hermione had stepped back and turned around, revealing his initials and a small moving gear that would spit out fireworks every few seconds. 

This time it was George who had his mouth hung open. 

“I didn’t know what it was at first, it appeared so suddenly but I researched it and Ginny helped me. According to my research Magic decides when it’s time to reveal one’s souls mate. When the person is ready, both of them. You bring your hand up to the mark and a vision is given to you. I got mine a month after our date.” Hermione explained quietly and suddenly George placed his hand on the constant open and shut book, where it would display sparks and thought back to the dream he had of a smiling brunette with kind eyes. 

He really could be daft. 

“It was you this whole time?” George whispered. 

“I didn’t know myself, at least until the vision was of your shop and you standing at the counter.” 

“Could have been Fred?” George smiled and Hermione scrunched her nose before pulling on his ear. 

“Fred had too many ears” Hermione whispered as they both leaned into another kiss.