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He smiled at her from across the corridor, his eyes lighting up as she caught them. This was the closest they had been since she left to go on the run. She smiled back, letting her face show how happy she was to see him again. She mouthed an i love you. He mouthed it back. He returned his focus to the death eater in front of him.
It was simple and brief but that's all she needed at the time.
The next time she turned around to look at him, she saw him laugh at something Percy had said and then an explosion. Her heart dropped. And she ran. He was covered by the rubble. Please be alive. Percy was trying to dig him out. Please be alive. She quickly cast a spell to get it all away. Please be alive. His blood was everywhere. No. She checked his pulse. A tear slipped down her face. He was dead.
She wished she had run to him earlier. She wished she had more time with him.
She kissed his lips one last time. A second tear fell. She whispered i love you into his ear one last time. She stood up. Augustus Rookwood was to blame for this. Sadness turned into anger for that moment. Hermione Granger cast her first and last killing curse. Augustus Rookwood was dead. More tears fell.
Hermione stared blankly out the window of the burrow. Her hands playing with the ring on the end of her necklace. Today was his funeral and still no one knew how much she loved him. How she loved him with her whole heart and soul. Everyone disregarded her today because they were in more pain and she was expected to look after them, after all he was their family and she was no one to him.
"How are you holding up Hermione?" A voice she recognised as George's called out behind her. She turned to face him, hiding the ring under her top. He didn't look like himself. He looked like something, or rather someone, was missing. She wondered if she looked the same.
"I think I should be the one asking you that George." She sent him a sympathetic smile before looking back down to the floor. Looking at his face pained her nowadays, it reminded her of what she lost. She could see all the differences straight away. It made her want to cry again but she couldn't. Not today. Or at least not until she was alone.
"I know what he meant to you." George replied. "I know everything." She looked up at him in disbelief. Tears started to well in her eyes. She didn't know what to say.
"I miss him." She managed to croak out, looking down at he floor again. She felt George coming towards her. His arms around her. "I miss him so much" The tears fell.
"Fred, say something." Hermione pleaded. She had just told him about how her, Harry and Ron would have to go on the run. She didn't want to go. Of course she didn't want to go, but she knew she had to, the Wizarding World depended on it.
"Marry me."
"What?" Did she hear that right?
"Marry me." Was he being serious? As if he could read her thoughts, he said, "Hermione Jean Granger, we've been going out since my idiot brother ruined your night at the Yule Ball and I made it my mission to put that smile back on your face. That was three years ago and I know with my whole heart that I loved you then, I love you now and I will love you a million years from now. You are it for me. So yes, I am being serious. Marry me."
"Yes" Hermione quickly replied. She didn't even have to think about it. She kissed him passionately. "I love you." She kissed him again. Suddenly she had a thought. She pulled away from him. "Why don't we just elope now?" This time it was his turn to say what and she had to reply. "I mean we've been hiding our relationship from everyone for years, and your mother is going to be angry either way, and there is no time to plan a wedding." Hermione was rambling now, she was nervous. "I mean, it's just now that you've brought it up, I dont want to wait any longer to be yours Fred. Legally, of course. I'd be yours anyway. You make me happy Fred, happier than anyone else ever has and I want to make sure that we secure the official start to that long happy life we live together as soon as we possibly can, and..." He cut her off with a kiss. He was going to spend the rest of his life loving this witch.
They eloped on the 12th July 1997.
George had continued to check up on Hermione everyday after the funeral. They talked about him all the time. Shared memories about him. Their talks made him feel better. Fred would have wanted him to look after her, make sure she was handling his loss okay, eating properly etc. He couldn't tell if they made Hermione feel better, he hoped they did.
He remembered when Fred had told him about their relationship. It was just after the final task when Harry had returned from the maze with Cedric's body. He was desperately looking out for any sign of Hermione, worrying about her and in his panic he let everything spill to George. Of course, George had already suspected it since the night of the Yule Ball, as he saw how he looked at Hermione in that periwinkle dress and how after Ron had upset her, he ran after her like a lost puppy.
Everytime he visited, he could see how much everyone expected of Hermione, how much they put on her. He could also see how she was deteriorating. A week after the funeral, he decided to ask her why she was letting it happen.
"Why do you let them treat you like you're not grieving too? Why have you not told them about your relationship?" George asked her.
"We were meant to tell them together. I can't imagine telling everyone without him, he was supposed to be here." She looked down to the floor trying to hide her tears. George looked at her sympathetically. "George, how do I live now? Without him. I loved him." Hermione broke down. George didn't know what to say, he just held her as she cried.
Every night, Hermione dreamed of Fred.
Of their memories together. The Yule Ball and their first kiss. Their first time. How he'd almost set her on fire trying to use her parents' muggle oven.
Of the family they would have had. She always imagined they would have at least one set of twins of their own. Fred said he wanted to have just as many kids as his parents did, Hermione hadn't been so sure she wanted that many. If he were to turn up alive right now, she would give him all the kids he ever wanted and more.
Every night, these dreams felt so real that when she woke up, it would take her a few seconds to remember and her world would come crashing down all over again.
"How do I live now Fred?" she questioned quietly as she looked up at the ceiling, tears escaping down her face. You don't. A voice in her head replied.
Dear Harry and the Weasley Family,
I have been hiding something from you all. Fred and I were together. We were married, we eloped before I left to go on the run with Harry and Ron. We started dating after the Yule Ball in my fourth year and we fell in love with one another very quickly. We hid it for a long time because we didn't know how everyone would react. I mean, no offense but everyone always wanted Ron and I to be together. Also, after a while, I thought it would be better to hide it as it would put Fred in more danger if any deatheaters found out.
Fred was my whole life and right now I can't see my life continuing without him. So I need to find that life, however, I can't do it surrounded by all the people who remind me of him. A world that reminds me of him.
Please don't try to find me.
I love you all.
Hermione Jean Granger-Weasley x
Hermione had left that note and ran to a safe haven she had always called home. She wanted to be where he was one last time.
Her body was found in the Black Lake on the 12th of July 1998.
She was happy. She was with him now.