Chapter Text
After Voldemort’s speech about giving Harry one hour to meet him, she made her way down to the Great Hall with Harry and Ron. On the left were people in cots surrounded by healers and Madam Pomfrey. Hermione’s gaze switched to the right as she heard Ron screaming and running over to a group that surrounded a tall ginger.
Hermione stood frozen as she caught sight of George breaking down over his twin's body. Fred laid there, motionless on a blanket on the floor, a smile still on his face, only a few feet away from the bodies of Tonks and Remus. The whole Weasley family stood around the twins holding each other up trying to deal with their grief. Hermione’s knees started trembling and she slowly backed away with her eyes trained on Fred. Her heart broke into a million pieces. She couldn’t be here. She needed to leave. Fred. Fred was gone.
Hermione’s breath became hitched as George’s eyes found her. She felt Harry move next to her as he put an arm around her waist. When she saw the heartbroken twin, she couldn’t breathe anymore. She started hyperventilating. Everything turned hazy and with a last look on Fred everything turned black. She faintly heard someone calling her name, but then nothing.
Hermione was running, running from the inquisitor squad. Someone betrayed them. Only a couple minutes earlier her otter patronus was chasing Ginny’s horse around the come and go room. She heard several footsteps coming closer behind her and she fastened her step. Her side started to sting as she ran as fast as possible. Before she could round a corner, a hand grabbed her and pulled her into a cupboard. She started punching the person in front of her as she couldn’t see him in the dark.
“Granger, relax, it’s me.”
“Fred?” She stopped her punching. He chuckled.
“Yeah, how did you know?”
“I-” Before she could answer Fred’s finger was on her lips, hushing her. She then noticed their close proximity as the cupboard was really small. She heard yelling outside and a couple of guys passed the cupboard. When the hall was quiet again, Fred removed his hand.
“Where’s George?”
“I lost him. He’s probably already in the common room.” He added uncertain.
“He’ll be fine. He’s a Weasley twin after all.” She said with a grin in her voice.
“You’re right as always.” She felt him flick his wand and a small light illuminated the room. She saw him grinning down at her. “And I must say Granger you have a pretty adorable patronus.”
“Thanks, yours too.”
“Just like his owner.” He winked at her.
She rolled her eyes at him but smiled. “You’re so full of it.”
“Who do you think that rat us out?”
“I don’t know, will know soon enough though.” She smirked up at him. He cocked an eyebrow. “You remember that paper I made you sign at Hog’s Head?” He nodded. “I kind of jinxed it.”
“What?” Fred asked in disbelief.
“Yeah.” Hermione blushed. “If one of us tried to rat us out, boils will appear on his or her face and spell out SNEAK.”
“Hermione Granger! I couldn’t be more prouder!” Fred laughed and picked her up and twirled her around in the tiny closet. She laughed with him. “Put me down, Fred.”
Fred lowered her back to the ground, his hands rested on her hips. Their eyes locked on each other. They heard someone coming closer and soon after, they saw the handle on the door shake. Before Hermione could act or register what was happening, Fred bends his head, whispered “Sorry” before leaning in.
His lips touched hers softly. Hermione’s eyes widened at the shock. She noticed how soft his lips were and how tentative he was. She reached her hands up and placed them around his neck and pulled him down to her. Fred didn’t expect this reaction but didn’t object. He traced his tong over her bottom lip, asking for entrance. She willingly opened them and their kiss deepened. Fred’s hand made his way in her hair while the other one slipped around her back pulling her closer. The door opened but they didn’t seem to notice until the person in the doorway cleared his throat.
They pulled apart breathless, wow, she thought to herself. It was nothing like the way she had kissed Viktor. They looked at each other before turning their gaze to the door.
An identical red head stood in front of them smirking wide. Hermione’s face turned red and looked down, her hair hiding her face. Fred grinned back at his brother even though his neck and ears turned red.
“Hiya Georgie. What can I do for you? Was kinda in the middle of something. Ouch!” Hermione slapped him on the chest. “Fred!”
“Sorry love,” He grinned at her before turning back to George. “Thought you were a Slytherin. Needed a cover for being breathless in a closet.”
“Right, breathless you say?” George teased. Hermione looked up and saw Fred’s face turning red as he nervously rubbed his neck. “Well, the coast is clear. Better hurry upstairs before they come back.”
Hermione woke up to the sound of voices close by. Hermione’s head was buzzing. What happened? She tried to open her eyes but failed. Suddenly she felt a wet cloth pressed against her forehead.
“Fred?”
“I’m so sorry Hermione.” Harry whispered sadly.
Her eyes shot open and she bolted up. She was in an empty classroom with Harry on her right. She began to tremble as her memories started to come back. Someone on her left grabbed her hand in his. She looked down at their hands before looking up, she stared at the tear struck face of George. She immediately started crying as she flung her arms around him. George’s hands wound around her back as they cried in each other's arms. They sat there together, for what felt like hours. When she finally pulled back, Harry sat down beside her.
“W-Why am I here?” Her voice broke.
“When you saw – when we entered the Great Hall, you fainted.” Harry looked broken at her. “I know most people don’t know what you had with him so I brought you here.”
“Oh. I’m so sorry George. I – you, you should be with him. You should be with your family. You don’t have to stay with me.”
“Hermione, you are my family. I know how much you meant to Fred. I need you as much as you need me.” He grabbed her hands tight.
“What now?” She whispered as Harry rubbed her back.
“I don’t know.” George answered so quietly she barely registered it.
It was a month after the battle and Hermione was sitting in the corner of the living room of the twins – no George’s flat. The rest of the Weasley family found it weird that she stayed her, not knowing about their relationship but Harry explained to the family that she needed space and the burrow was too crowded. And George needed someone to look after him.
She woke up after another nightmare of seeing Fred lying there in the rubble.
She sat there on the ground with her knees up. She was wearing a Weasley jumper with the letter F on it that reached her knees. She buried her nose in the fabric and took a deep breath. In her hand was her third glass of fire whiskey. She looked around the room. It still looked the same but it felt like all the laughter and happiness was sucked out of the room. At first, she was apprehensive coming to stay here but George needed her. The moment she stepped into Fred’s room she started to cry. Everything reminded her of him. There were some clothes randomly scattered around the room, a book of muggle jokes on the nightstand next to a picture of him, George and Hermione. His blankets were ruffled and thrust aside like he had hurriedly jumped out of the bed. A scream pulled her out of her thoughts. She jumped up wand in hand as her glass fell to the ground. She ran to George’s room and threw the door open. George was tousling and sweating in his bed. Hermione quickly walked over and laid her hands on his shoulders.
“George. Wake up!” She tried. “Please wake up.”
Just like he did every time she had a nightmare he bolted right up. Nearly crashing into her. “Fred.” He whispered.
“I know. I had one too.” She whispered back as they hugged each other trying to find comfort.
Two months passee and George still hasn’t left his room. His skin turned even more pale, heavy bags under his red shot eyes. He doesn’t eat much which made him just skin and bone.
Hermione tried to move on but was stuck. If she hadn’t known before, she certainly knew now. Fred was the love of her life. She and George couldn’t live without him. The shop below them was still closed. Neither of them could step a foot in there. She visited Harry at Grimmauld and went to the store but that was about it. She didn’t have the guts to visit the burrow since the battle, so she just stayed in.
She was stirring her eggs reminiscing about Fred when it struck her.
I will do anything, anything to get him back. She dropped the bowl with eggs in the sink and apparated out.
She wobbled a bit at the landing as she hasn’t apparated in months. She straightens her back and walked over the yellow door. She reached out her hand and knocked. Not even a second later Luna appeared wearing a blue summer dress with mistletoe spread all over.
“I was expecting you. Come in.” She stepped aside to let her grieving friend in.
“Thanks Luna. What do you mean expecting me?”
Luna smiled warmly at her as they sat down on the sofa.
“You’ve come here for the time turner.” She said in a statement not a question.
“Yes, but how –”
“And it’s for Fred.” Again a statement. Hermione looked bewildered at her blond friend. “Auras can tell a lot about a person.” She simply stated.
“Right.” She knew Luna had a way of looking at things differently than her but this is something she never expected her to know. Luna stood up and walked to a dark blue cabin and opened a drawer. A shimmer of gold caught her eye as Luna placed something in her hand before walking back over and sitting in front of her. She opened her hand and showed a time turner just like the one she had in third year. Hermione looked up at the girl with wide eyes but her heart dropped as she saw the sad smile on her face.
“I’m sorry Hermione but this would not help. This is a time turner yes, but it only goes back twenty-four hours. The time turners we destroyed at the ministry were like this one.”
Hermione sunk back in the sofa as tears filled her eyes.
“But-” Hermione shot back up again. “London isn’t the only place in the world that has time turners. Many will be 24h turners but there are others, they are rare and it would take a great effort to find one. If you want to change the past, save the one you love, you will need a black and silver time turner. They can transport you back to five years but can only be used once. Once used it will evaporate, that’s why there are so rare you see. And the moment you are in the past you only have an hour to change history. Once the hour is up you will get back to this time and you will have memories from the time leading up to the day you turn and the time after. An hour is only a short time. The upside is that you can travel with one other person. So you can divide and concur.”
“How come you didn’t tell me before?”
“Like I said, the chances of you finding one are slim. I didn’t want to get your hopes up. But you came to me and I want to help. There are two things I can do for you.” She held out the golden time turner and placed it around her neck.
“I know you will keep it save. Only use it for an emergency.”
Hermione placed her hand on the turner smiling before tucking it under her shirt.
“The second is that you start your search in the West.”
“West?”
“North-America, Canada. There are a lot more pure-blood families there. Some go back decades. And if you go, go under cover. People will recognize you even over the pond.” She looked at her hair before looking back into her eyes. She pulled a ring off her finger and slid it on hers. She looked down with furrowed eyebrows. It was a gold band with a heart and with the outlining of a Nargle inside. She looked questionably at her.
“It’s a family ring. Our bloodline goes way back. Use my last name on your travels and change your hair to mine. Say you are a cousin or something.” She said dreamily.
“Are you sure Luna?”
“Yes, quite sure.” She said as she stared out the window. Hermione leaped forward and pulled her in a hug. Tears threatening to spill once more.
“Luna, I don’t know what to say.”
“Just be careful and don’t tell anyone what you are doing.” She pulled back and looked her in the eyes. “Only tell George. He is the person to help you Hermione. He will do anything to bring his twin back.”
“You’re right. Thank you”