Chapter Text
For Hermione the battle of Hogwarts happened in snapshots. Reuniting with Fred in the Room of requirement. Rushing off, with Fred, to the Chamber of secrets to retrieve Basilisk fangs. Running through the corridors with Fred by her side, flinching at the sounds of crumbling brick and screams. Trying to find Harry and Ron. Watching as so many of her classmates fought for what they believed in. Hanging onto Fred tightly on the back of a broom as the Room of requirement burned around them.
Most of all she remembered so clearly each time she came across a grieving family of someone she had sat alongside for years.
It wasn’t until all the fighting was done with, she allowed herself to feel the losses. She had noticed The Malfoy family crying over their son from afar, her stomach tightening when she saw Draco’s still body covered in burns.
She took comfort with the rest of the Weasley family who had gathered in a corner to assess and take time to appreciate making it out alive. Fred refused to let go of her hand or arm as they sat together. Ron was laid out on the floor, various attempts had been made, by various witches and wizards, to wake him or save his arm but so far there was little hope for the damaged limb to be salvaged. They were awaiting someone from St. Mungo’s to come and escort him to the hospital.
Hermione wasn’t certain who left the school first, once Ron had been transported. Harry had tried to insist he go with his best friend but in the end, it was decided Mr. Weasley would be the only one to accompany him. Hermione followed Fred and George from the castle, unsure of where they would end up for the night.
They all ended up in The Burrow, all the Weasleys as well as Harry and Fleur. Food was made but hardly touched. Everyone was quiet, it was understood the next day they would all head back to Hogwarts to start rebuilding the school and help the families who had lost their loved ones in the battle.
Hermione laid awake that night in Ginny’s room. She could tell Ginny was also wide awake even though neither of them said a thing. Hermione could hear most of the house seemed to be awake. She heard pacing, hushed voices, kettles boiling and a complete lack of snoring that often accompanied a nights stay at the burrow.
“This is ridiculous.” Ginny said, suddenly sitting upright in bed and swinging her legs over the side. “Why are we all pretending like sleep is an option?” Ginny grumbled, Hermione suspected mostly to herself, as she threw on a dressing gown and left the room. She listened as she made her way to Ron’s room where she knew Harry was staying for the night. She wasn’t sure if she was correct, but it sounded like both of them had begun to cry before shutting the door again.
Hermione sat against the headboard, looking at the closed door as though it might make her decision for her. A big part of her wanted to go to Fred. He was sharing his old room with George for the night. She couldn’t put her finger on the sensation that held her back. She was sure it was the lack of privacy but also, she wasn’t sure what she would say to Fred right now. She was just so grateful he was alive and unharmed she could cry. At the same time, she was so scared for Ron.
In the end Fred made the decision for her.
“Can I come in?” He asked after poking his head around the door.
“Yeah.” Hermione said softly, shifting over to make room for him on the bed.
“Are you alright?” Fred asked, they both sat stiffly, staring ahead. Fred’s fingers twitched to find Hermione’s before moving to pick at a lose thread on his t-shirt.
“I’m okay.” Hermione said, her eyes flicking to Fred quickly. “Are you?”
“Yeah.” Fred said with a long sigh. “One heck of a day.”
“That’s putting it rather mildly.” Hermione wasn’t sure why she felt like she couldn’t pull Fred closer or into her arms. “Has anyone heard anything yet?”
“No.” Fred didn’t even try to deny he and George had already set up the means to find out the second word about Ron reached the Burrow. “Been a lot of chat about tomorrow.”
“It’s going to be a tough day.” Hermione said nodding.
“Please don’t leave me.” Fred said so quietly Hermione thought she might be making it up. She turned to face Fred and noticed a couple of tears in his eyes. It wasn’t often Fred cried from anything other than laughter.
“What?” Hermione reached to wipe the tears from Fred’s cheek. Fred held her palm to the side of his face. “I love you, Fred.”
“I love you too.” Fred sniffled a little. “Sorry. My minds been running wild y’know? I keep worrying you’ll have to leave again and…”
“Hey.” Hermione knelt by Fred’s side and took his face between both of her hands. “I don’t know much about what’s going to happen in the next couple of months. Or years even. I know tomorrow we rebuild. And not just the school but us too. I know that I love you and I know you love me. I’m not planning on going anywhere, especially if it’s not with you.”
Fred and Hermione laid awake for most of the night, wrapped around each other, whispering about their hopes for the future. Hermione filled Fred in on some of their time apart, leaving out parts she knew were too heavy for that night. Fred rolled the sleeve of Hermione’s top up and carefully look at her arm, placing soft kisses over each of the scared letters. Hermione had been told they were unlikely to ever fully heal, each time she caught a glance a hot spike of memory threatened to overtake her.
“Do you want to tell me about it?” Fred asked when he noticed Hermione shivering. She shook her head, and chewed on her bottom lip. “Maybe we should just, y’know, kiss for a bit instead.”
Hermione let out a soft giggle before nodding and slotting their lips together.
Ron’s recovery was anything but smooth. He awoke the next evening to find a beside filled with flowers and notes. Over the next week each member of the Weasley family as well as countless others visited. Harry and Hermione stopped by each day, doing what they could to help Ron. No one was willing to give a final prognosis to his singed arm but the likelihood was similar to Hermione’s cursed arm and George’s ear. The dark magic that had caused the injuries were unable to be fully healed.
A little over a year later
Rebuilding Hogwarts wasn’t a task anyone would call easy. But with the collective effort the school was standing and functioning again before September, ready to welcome any returning students. Many of the students who had chosen not to go back for their final year were offered to finish their education. They also offered students who left part way or who had attended a redo on the year. New teachers were found by the new headmistress Professor Mcgonagall, and everyone settled in. She also allowed any students who felt the need to take a year off to do so.
The houses were less important than ever before. The great hall no longer separated by four long tables, a more relaxed dress code came about, even if it was only for that year. Hermione happily went back to finish her time at Hogwarts. Although she stuck mostly with a small group of friends to keep the whispers and stares whenever she was around the school at bay.
Rules around visits from family and friends were also revisited, many parents no longer happy with the idea of dropping their children off to not see them again for months at a time.
Hermione waited until she was ready to track down her family. She had dozens of conversations with Fred, Harry and Ron about what to do. She was mostly worried that they had preferred life without her. Each of the conversations ended with reassurances that his was impossible. With Fred’s company during the Christmas holidays Hermione managed to track down her parents, restoring their memories and reuniting the Grangers.
On Hermione’s final day Fred waited for her in Hogsmead, a ring sat heavy in his pocket as he waited for Hermione to finish saying goodbye to some of her classmates. He wasn’t planning on proposing on that day, but he liked to have to ring with him whenever he was going to see Hermione. Just in case.
It wasn’t until weeks later, they laid in bed together in the small flat above the joke shop, that it slipped out.
“I applied for a couple of jobs today.” Hermione said, facing Fred, her hair a mess around her. Fred reached out the smooth back some of the curls.
“Oh yeah? Am I not enough work for you?” Fred teased.
“Oh you can be very hard work.” Hermione said with an over the top wink. Fred felt his heart leap a little at her pun.
“Marry me?” Fred said, he flinched for a second when he realised he had in fact said the words out loud rather than to himself in the privacy of his own mind.
“What?” Hermione asked, sitting up slowly, pulling back to look at Fred as he blushed and spluttered.
“I, um, I said, marry me?” Fred mumbled sitting up alongside Hermione.
“Is that a joke I don’t get?” Hermione asked, she could feel her heart racing. “It’s not funny if it is.”
“Not a joke.” Fred promised. He leapt from the bed, scrambling over to his dresser, rummaging around for the ring. It wasn’t until he was knelt in front of Hermione he remembered he could of easily summoned the ring, his wand was literally on his nightstand. “I didn’t plan on asking you this way. I guess I just couldn’t hold how much I love you in.”
Hermione gasped as Fred popped open the box.
“I notice you haven’t answered yet.” Fred mumbled, his chest squeezed as Hermione continued her silence. “I promise I’m serious.”
“Yes. I love you, Fred.” Hermione said wetly, tears rolling down her cheeks.
Fred tackled her onto the bed, all thoughts of the ring lost as they laughed and kissed.