Hermione opened her eyes and the first thing she saw were her clothes on the floor. Her breath caught in her throat as she realised that her arm was draped over someone's stomach. Not someone... Fred. Fred's stomach. She bit her lips and closed her eyes as she remembered what had happened. Did they...? Yes... they did. Hermione felt like she ought to move away from Fred but she was afraid too. Afraid was probably not the first emotion anyone would feel after what had happened last night. But she was afraid for so many different reasons. Afraid to get caught cheating on Ron. Afraid as to what everyone would think about this. Afraid as to what Ron would think... She also felt sick. Sick to her stomach. She was afraid of moving because she knew she would vomit.

She sighed out loud and Fred's arm, that was draped around her waist, tightened and she wished she hadn't made any noise. Hermione sighed again. He was awake. They would have to talk and she was afraid of that too. Hermione got up without looking at Fred. She turned her back to him and got changed as quickly as she could. Fred stood up and got changed too as she tugged her shirt down over herself. She felt a bit better but still felt woozy. Hermione sat on the sofa and buried her face in her hands. She felt Fred sit beside her and they were silent until Fred spoke. His voice sounded distant so he coughed and tried again.

'Hermione... I... I'm so sorry,' he said sounding like he was genuinely sorry, 'I'm sorry for last night. I shouldn't have... I didn't think... you said... and I thought...'

He gave up trying to say a coherent sentence. He sighed and took her hands from her face. Hermione looked to him. His hair was really messy and his shirt buttons were down up wrong. She looked away and he sighed again.

'I love you,' he said.

Hermione never thought that those three words would ever come out of Fred's mouth. She had never imagined it. She never imagined him saying those three words especially to her. She was more than shocked but she felt like if she said anything... it would only make things worse. She was dating Ron... and she had cheated on him with his brother! That thought was the only thing that was keeping her silent. It was her fault. Not Fred's.

'I said I love you,' Fred tried again and Hermione knew she had to speak.

'Fred,' she started, 'you don't love me.'

'What do you mean? I do love you and I'm pretty sure last night was proof enough,' said Fred with a hint of anger in his voice.

'No Fred! No you don't,' said Hermione and she stood up. She started to pace the room while a hand brushed her hair backwards. She stopped, crossed her arms over her chest and then looked to Fred, 'George... George is dead.'

She paused and she felt horrible as she said it. Fred stared at her like she hadn't said anything about his dead brother but she knew how he was feeling inside at the mention of George. She couldn't speak after that. Fred stood up and walked over to her and she could see the anger on his face.

'You think I don't know my brother's dead?' he whispered and Hermione was frozen as he leaned so that they were nose to nose, 'I was there when he died. I saw him fall to the ground when that spell hit him. I felt his heart stop working. I felt the life drain out of him. You know why I felt it? Because half of his life is in me. Half of my life is in him. He died and took part of my life, most of my happiness and literally half of my everything.'

'Fred...' Hermione whispered and she took a step backwards. Her back hit the wall but she barely felt it. Her eyes never left the blue eyes which held so much sadness that she couldn't bare to look away.

'No... just... don't,' said Fred and he punched the back wall in anger. Hermione jumped and Fred moved away from her. Two hands were lost in the red mess that was his hair. He rubbed at his face and didn't turn to look at her.

Hermione hesitated. She knew she shouldn't say anything but she had to sort this it. She pulled on his shirt and turned him around. He frowned at her but she tried to ignore it. It was hard to ignore the piercing eyes but she did.

'I meant...' she started looking down at her feet, 'you only think you love me because... because I was there for you... when you most needed me. You don't love me. You only think you do.'

'You're wrong,' said Fred and she could feel him looking down at her, 'You are really wrong.'

'No, it's true, Fred,' she said and forced herself to look into his eyes, 'You don't love me.'

'Do you think I only started to love you after... after... what happened to Georgie?' asked Fred and Hermione knew he had a hard time even saying his name which only made her feel horrible about bringing up George's death.

Hermione nodded. He only started to talk to her after George's death. He never noticed her before that. He only annoyed her sometimes like in Hogwarts when she would tell them not to do anything stupid and they would come up with witty remarks... She was completely shocked to hear Fred laughing. He laughed and laughed for a good couple of minutes while she stared at him like he had gone crazy.

'What's so funny?' asked Hermione, worried for him.

'Oh, Mia,' he said, calming down, 'You have no idea how long I've liked you...'

Hermione turned red but refused to believe him. He could only be saying that to justify what they had done. She shook her head and he shrugged in a you-wont-believe-me sort of way.

'If you've liked me for so long then why did you tell me just now?' asked Hermione.

'Well...' Fred started, looking serious, the smile slipped off of his face, 'Ron liked you... so I didn't want to... he's my brother. I couldn't do that to him.'

'You're doing it right now! He's my boyfriend and we just... I just... You're his brother and we...' Hermione threw her hands in the air in frustration.

'I know but he doesn't deserve you and now I can see that. I didn't want to hurt him but I have to. You're not supposed to be with Ron...' said Fred and he shrugged.

'He's my boyfriend. I can't leave him. Last night we-'

'What are you kids doing in here?!' asked a man as he walked into the room.

Fred and Hermione jumped at the sound of the man and Fred explained how they were stuck here all night. The man told them to get out as soon as he had finished explaining. Fred took Hermione's hand and he led her out of the back door. They got into the van and Fred pulled out into the road.

'Fred... please don't tell anyone about last night,' said Hermione, glancing at him through the sides of her eyes and she noticed his hands grip the steering wheel as he turned onto the motorway.

'Why?' asked Fred and she heard an edge on his tone of voice, 'Why? Ron should know. He would hate me but I don't care. I don't want to lose you. George did take away my happiness but I found again in you. I will fight for you, Mia.'

'Fred, please,' said Hermione and now she was worried. She didn't want anyone to know about what had happened especially Ron. Before she could help it she said, 'You can never have me, Fred. I'm Ron's.'

Fred looked over to her, tearing his eyes away from the road. Hermione looked away from him and closed her eyes. Fred looked back to the road and the silence was so thick and awkward but Hermione said nothing.

'So... we just forget what happened last night?' asked Fred in a angry and quiet voice.

'Like it never happened,' said Hermione in the bravest voice she could muster.

The rest of the journey was completed in silence and Hermione felt even more afraid and sick than when she woke up. They said nothing to each other the whole way and no one put the radio on either. They sat, both suffering in the thick silence. When they got home after hours of agonizing silence. Fred stopped in front of Hermione's house and she looked over to him.

'Maybe we shouldn't see each other after this... I mean... What happened last night was a mistake. It wont happen again,' whispered Hermione a hand resting on the door handle, 'Don't tell Ron.'

'Ron is your boyfriend. A relationship should never be based on lies,' said Fred and he gritted his teeth and looked away from her, 'If you don't want to tell him, then that's your choice. I wont say anything and I wont see you after this.'

Hermione willed him to turn around and tell him that he was joking. That he couldn't bear to not see her. She suddenly wanted him to say that he was joking even though they were being completely serious. Even though she was the one pushing him away. She hated herself for it and hated that he was letting her push him away. She was so confused.

'Goodbye,' said Fred and he stared out at the grass as he said it.

Hermione got out of the van, nearly slipping in the process. She turned around to see Fred's eyes inspecting her but then he turned away. She closed the van's door and he pulled back out of her driveway and went down the road at a speed that was no way near safe. Hermione watched him go. It was quite dark outside. The journey had took longer to get back. She turned around as the door to her house opened. For one moment, her heart stopped as she thought it was Ron but it wasn't. Harry was leaning on the doorway and he did not look happy. His eyes were shadowed over his frown and he stared at her as if he knew all of her secrets. Suddenly Hermione felt sick because of his look. She smashed a hand onto her mouth as he stomach churned and she ran into the house, bashing past Harry. She just made it to the sink and was sick as though the memories of last night and the worrying about it had overwhelmed her. Harry held her hair back and she wanted to tell him to go away but she couldn't. When she stopped being sick, she gargled water.

'I'll be right back,' she said and didn't look at Harry who had remained silent.

Hermione went upstairs. She brushed her teeth more than once and she got into the shower and then changed clothes. Hermione then went downstairs and Harry handed her some tea. She thanked him, he was so thoughtful, and they sat at the breakfast table. Harry stared at her and she looked down at her cup hoping it would come alive and eat her up. She slowly glanced up and Harry raised an eyebrow.

'Please tell me you were looking for a job and you were so tired that you checked into a hotel and somehow managed to meet Fred who gave you a lift home in the van,' said Harry, his green eyes never failed to make Hermione squirm. She slowly shook her and then looked down. Harry sighed, 'Hermione, what happened?'

'Well... Fred asked me to help him with some work and he said he would pay me for it so I accepted. We had to travel up to Scotland and when we got there, there was a building and we got stuck there for the night and... Fred and I...' Hermione trailed off as Harry's eyes flashed. She looked down at the chequered sheet on the table.

'Please... tell me you didn't...' Harry said, his voice dangerously low and silent.

Hermione was silent and she didn't dare look up. She felt like a little kid being questioned by an adult but she knew how Harry would feel if he knew that she had cheated on Ron... with Fred. Harry seemed to have understood everything by her silence and she risked a look up. He buried his face in his hands. His hands spread out onto the table and he stared at Hermione.

'What are you going to tell Ron?' he asked and Hermione had the urge to cry because of the tone of his voice, 'You're hurting him. You hurt him a lot before but this is on a whole new level.'

'I don't know what to tell him, Harry, I don't know what to do,' she whispered and sipped at her tea which didn't calm her down, 'I told Fred that we cant be together. He said he would leave and never tell Ron anything about last night and-'

'Why are you leaving Fred?' asked Harry frowning at her, 'after last night... I would've thought you'd be together now...'

'No... I still love Ron and I don't want to hurt him anymore. Myself and Fred are over. Last night... we were just angry and... I don't know, Harry,' said Hermione, throwing her hands up in the air in frustration, 'I just don't know!'

'Whatever you decide to do... you'll hurt at least Ron or Fred. If you decide to tell Ron about what happened last night, you'll hurt him. If you don't talk to Fred, you'll hurt him a lot,' said Harry, 'What game are you trying to play? No-one's winning as of yet, Hermione.'

'I'm not trying to play anything on them, Harry,' she looked up at him, 'I just made some mistakes.'

'Hermione, I don't know how to help you,' said Harry. It was silence for a couple of minutes then Harry spoke up again, 'I'm buying my own place.'

Hermione looked up in surprise. He was leaving her? She didn't want Harry to leave and she also didn't have him staying alone. He had been alone for most of his life in more than one way. If she couldn't help Fred, she could at least help Harry.

'Ginny doesn't want me staying here... I need my own place anyway... I... um... I'm thinking of proposing to Ginny,' he said going a deep shade of red.

Any other day, Hermione would be shocked and surprised and happy for them. Today she was depressed but she tried to act happy. She snatched a smile and dragged it onto her face as Harry looked up, his cheeks blazing red.

'That's great, Harry. Good luck,' she said as happily as she could.

'Thanks... anyway, I'm leaving in three weeks since I have to get the apartment ready. You need your own personal space...It's getting late and you should get some sleep. Maybe you should owl Ron,' suggested Harry and she knew what he was getting at. Harry got up, 'good night.'

'Sweet dreams,' Hermione said and she watched him go.

As soon as Harry was away, there was a knock on the back door and Hermione was quite sure that it would be Ron. She thought about just going upstairs but she could see the baby blue eyes in the gap of the glass. She also saw the red hair and was sure that it was Ron. She slowly got up and unlocked the back door. Hermione opened the door and was surprised to see Fred on her doorstep. He avoided her eyes as Hermione stared at him.

'I was waiting for Harry to go. I cant face him. Not yet anyway,' said Fred although his tone had changed considerably. It was more awkward than conversational.

'What are you...' Hermione trailed off as Fred handed her an envelope, 'What is this?'

'Money for your help,' said Fred and he scratched the back of his neck, 'I owe you.'

'No. I wont take this,' said Hermione and she handed the money back. It was more prostitution money than anything else and she wouldn't take that sort of money. Especially not after last night, 'Think of it as a favour. A favour that you don't have to repay.'

'Just take it. It's the least I can do. You need money and you helped me so you deserve it,' said Fred, pushing the envelope into her resisting hands.

'Fred, you said I wouldn't see you and now here you are on my doorstep. I appreciate you caring for me but I literally can not take this money,' said Hermione and she scowled as he glared at her.

'Hermione, just take the money and then I'll be gone,' said Fred, he looked impatient.

Fred handed her the envelope and Hermione didn't have it in her to fight anymore. She didn't want to see him. Not today or tomorrow or ever. She didn't want to think of what they did... Also she didn't want to think of how she had cheated on Ron. But she refused the money once again.

'I cant take it. Not after what I did...' she muttered and Fred shook his head and pocketed the money.

'You never did anything,' muttered Fred, 'It was my fault. I... I should've known better. I really regret it now only because...'

'Because?' whispered Hermione hoping he would finish his sentence.

'I have to go. I probably wont be seeing you anytime soon,' he said, making Hermione's heart bang against her chest, 'Good night.'

He left before she could say anything. Hermione strained her eyes to see him but she only heard the soft crack of him disapparating. She recognised the feeling. Her hands sweating and wanting to reach out for Fred, her heart beating abnormally loud and her face going stone cold. It was the same feeling she felt when Ron had left herself and Harry in the forest... She hated the feeling.

Hermione closed the door and looked it. She closed the kitchen light and climbed the stairs. Harry's room was shut and his light was off, she assumed he must be sleeping. Hermione went into her room and she saw George the owl. She walked over to him and he seemed to sense her as he looked up. His bright blue eyes never failed to surprise her due to their resemblance to Fred's eyes. Hermione stroked George's head and he hooted once. She then found a parchment and wrote "Dear Ron," she stopped. The thought of lying flitted into her head... What other choice did she have but to lie? She took a deep breath and wrote:

"Dear Ronald,

Don't worry. I am fine. I lost track of time yesterday and was really tired so I checked into a hotel. I'll see you later.

Hope you are well.

All my love,

Hermione."

She tied the letter to George, who hooted again and nipped her hand affectionately.

'Give it to Ron...' she whisperer stroking its head.

The owl flew into the night world and Hermione, leaving the window open, climbed into bed and knew she wouldn't get to sleep. Fortunately, she was wrong and sleep came immediately.