Hermione felt Fred’s fingers caress her cheeks and she looked up into his sparkling blue eyes. She felt herself want this moment to pause forever. Why couldn’t life have a pause button, to cherish moments as sweet and simple as a touch or caress, or a rewind button in order to go back and make everything all right again. Even a forward button to see how life will end. She wanted to tell him everything like how she was, possibly, pregnant with his child and how she wished the war hadn’t happened. If George hadn’t died... maybe they wouldn’t even be at the hospital but of course... Hermione does not know how life plays out. In fact, even if George had lived and the war had not happened, there would still be a chance that Hermione and Fred would still be in this same situation.

‘What happened, Mia?’ asked Fred and she wished he wouldn’t look at her as if he already knew her secret. She wished she had the courage to speak and blurt out all of her worries so that she had someone to share them with. But she wouldn’t say anything if there was a chance that she might not be pregnant.

Hermione sighed and she could feel his heart beat quicken as her hand went up to his chest. She looked down at her hand which lay on Fred’s shirt. Hermione braced herself and then she looked up into the eyes that she adored, her mouth opened and Fred’s hands never left her face, his thumb stroked her cheek and it was unbelievably comfortable. Hermione spoke in a calm and even voice, hoping that her voice wouldn’t slip up in mid sentence.

‘Please don’t call me Mia,’ she said and took a small step back so that Fred’s hands were not touching her face anymore, ‘Fred... Nothing happened. I... um... I’m here for... personal reasons. You know... girl stuff.’

She looked to the ground, unable to meet his eyes. She could sense that he knew she was lying but Fred only coughed and, when she looked up, Hermione saw that he had turned quite red. Hermione wished he would just leave it at that. Fred’s hand went up to his hair and Hermione noticed that his knuckles were red. She didn’t dwell on that fact for too long. She didn’t want to know.

‘Oh... um... okay,’ he muttered and coughed again, his eyes met hers and Hermione had an urge to look away but she kept her gaze steady, ‘Can you meet me here after you’re done? I need to see a healer too.’

‘I don’t know about that, Fred, I don’t think we should be seen together,’ replied Hermione and she looked down at the tiled floor.

‘Please, Hermione?’ asked Fred and as Hermione looked up she knew she would get sucked into his looks and agree. That is exactly what happened. She sighed and nodded her head, ‘Okay, I’ll meet you here when I'm finished.’

‘Okay, Fred,’ said Hermione, anxious to get away from Fred.

Fred nodded and he gave her a small smile that didn’t reach his eyes. Fred walked down the hallway and then went up some stairs and out of view. Hermione let out a deep breath and composed herself. She hated lying, especially about something so big which would probably affect his life. Hermione went to the front desk and a few people looked up at her. They recognised her but Hermione avoided eye contact, she didn’t need anyone knowing anything about her being pregnant... She stopped as she got to the witch who was reading a magazine article with a serious face.

‘Hi,’ she muttered and the witch didn’t look up, ‘what floor is the... uh, maternity ward?’

‘Floor three, wait in the waiting room and someone will call you in,’ the witch said and turned the page with her wand in a fluid motion. Hermione frowned at her attitude but she just ignored it

‘Okay, thank you,’ said Hermione and left the witch to read.

She walked up the three flights of stairs and she was glad that she felt well. Hermione noticed that the hospital was very big as floor three seemed very long. There were rooms which were the Healer’s offices. Hermione found the waiting room and she checked in at the desk. The witch told her to sit in the waiting room and that she will be called in. Hermione thanked her and sat in the room. The room was quite small with chairs lined across the edges and a couple of magazine racks which had magazines stacked carelessly.

She felt as if her stomach was being pulled and twisted as if it were an elastic band. She was in a hospital, in the maternity ward, alone and she had never felt so afraid in her life. But Hermione told herself that maybe she wasn’t pregnant, maybe the muggle test had been a fluke. She hoped this was true. She didn’t want a child. Not yet. What would Ron think? He wouldn’t let Fred go without a fight and she didn’t want Fred to get hurt but she also didn’t want Ron to get hurt. She hoped she wasn’t pregnant.

‘Miss Granger?’ a witch said with a small smile and Hermione looked up, ‘Your Healer is waiting in room three.’

‘Thank you,’ Hermione whispered and the witch went away probably thinking that Hermione looked as pale as a sheet.

Hermione stood up and felt her legs wobble. She took a deep breath to calm herself and wished she had bought someone with her who would go through it all. She couldn’t do it alone, she thought but before she knew it she went down the hallway and some patients nodded to her while other’s stared, probably recognising her, but Hermione didn’t care. Her mind was occupied. She found room three, knocked and went in.

‘Ahh, Miss Granger, come in! Have a seat,’ the Healer gestured to a seat and Hermione took it gladly, ‘My name is Elizabeth, how are you feeling?’

Hermione nodded and told her that she was well even though that was a lie. Her stomach kept twisting and turning. The office had a bed with a sheet over it and a sink next to the bed. A metal tray sat near the sink with tools on it. Hermione tried to concentrate in Elizabeth.

‘That’s great. Now why are you here today?’ asked Elizabeth with a smile that she probably wore whenever a patient entered the room.

‘I... um... I want to know if I am pregnant,’ Hermione said and paused, unsure of whether to go on. Elizabeth nodded and Hermione continued, looking down at her feet, ‘I think I am pregnant and I took a muggle pregnancy test that said that I was pregnant but I'm only here to make sure that is the truth. Sometimes they can be unreliable...’

‘Of course. I understand. How long after did you take the test?’ asked Elizabeth, noting something down onto a piece of parchment.

‘I took it after three weeks. The day I was supposed to get my period but I missed it and...’ Hermione stopped as Elizabeth shook her head.

‘I hace some tests that can tell instantly,’ said Elizabeth, ‘Would you like me to test you right now?’

Hermione opened her mouth to say yes but nothing came out. She did want to be tested and know if she really was pregnant or if it was wrong. She needed to know. Hermione closed her mouth and simply nodded. Elizabeth nodded too and got up with a small smile and assured her she would know soon. Hermione didn’t know if she was ready yet but she went on with the tests.

---

*Fred’s POV*

‘I’ll heal you up, Fred, just give me a couple of minutes,’ said Fred’s Healer, a young and handsome man with blonde hair that was too long.

Fred was lying down on a stretched out seat and his Healer was busy getting his wand and some other stuff he may need to heal Fred. There was a huge mirror on the ceiling, which the Healer had revealed, opposite Fred and he could clearly see where he had been hit. His eye was purple and looked disgusting and his stomach, which was visible as he had pushed his shirt up, was also getting darker. His stomach still hurt but the Healer said he would stop it soon. He would need to put some gooey paste onto his eye to let it heal. His knuckles were red and felt as if they were on fire. Fred grimaced and looked at the Healer.

‘Shouldn’t get into fights, son,’ the Healer said as he lay his instruments of torture, as Fred thought of them, out in a table beside Fred, ‘You’ll gain nothing. Only a couple of bruises here and there and a hell of a painful night.’

‘I’ll handle the pain, sir, can’t hurt more than losing my twin brother can it?’ Fred made a face in between a scowl and a frown. It had hurt when George died... it couldn’t really get any worse.

The Healer stopped for a second and looked at Fred. His calculating eyes bore through him and then he coughed as Fred looked up and away from his eyes. The Healer went on with placing the tools.

‘I heard that. Heard loads of people died in that war, son. You aren’t the only one who lost in that bloody war,’ the Healer said and Fred turned to look at him but the Healer didn’t look, ‘I lost my brother too. It was his second last year. Very young... he was very young but life goes on, right?’

Fred thought of Ginny. The Healers brother would’ve been around her age... Fred didn’t realise how thankful he should’ve been everyday when he had George. His other half in a brotherly sense. Fred rested his head back and muttered a low and solemn, ‘Right.’ And they didn’t speak as the Healer healed Fred.

---

*Hermione’s POV*

‘That’s it,’ Elizabeth said as she studied the tests and scribbled on some parchment, ‘I’ve got the results... Do you want me to tell you or would you like to know it privately and have time to think about it?’

Hermione considered this for a second. She could have Elizabeth tell her if she was pregnant or not or she could leave it until later. Hermione felt as though she may faint if she found out that she really was pregnant... She also had to meet Fred so she couldn’t know or else she would blurt out the whole truth to him. She had to be careful. She had to be alone and away from the public. Elizabeth gave her a small smile as Hermione carefully thought it through.

‘Would you like me to write the letter and you can open it privately?’ Elizabeth asked quietly, as if she had to do this many times, and Hermione nodded, not trusting her voice.

A minute later Hermione was tucking the piece of parchment, which would tell her if she was pregnant or not, in her pocket and was making her way downstairs. She avoided everyone and kept her gaze down. She could feel the parchment but she was not in a rush to open it. Hermione finally got to the front desk and she spotted Fred, leaning against the doorway but she also noticed the girl beside him who he was talking to. Hermione considered to let the girl go and then go to Fred but she frowned as the girl laughed at something Fred said and Fred gave her a small smile. Hermione walked up to Fred, trying to compose her face.

‘Hey,’ muttered Hermione. The girl and Fred both looked at her and Hermione fought the urge to look away. She noticed how pretty the girl was. She had black hair up to her shoulders with blonde highlights at the bottom and she was wearing lots of make up.

‘Hi,’ Fred muttered and then coughed as Hermione nodded at the girl who gave her a smile, ‘This is Alana. She’s a customer from my shop. Comes regularly.’

‘Yeah, I’ll stop by your shop tomorrow and maybe we can catch up?’ asked Alana and Fred glanced at Hermione who had a forced smile on her face even though she didn’t feel like smiling at all.

‘Sure, I’ll see you there,’ said Fred and he ran a hand through his hair before Alana hugged him around the middle.

Alana waved and then went up the stairs, her hair flew behind her and Hermione noticed that she was in muggle clothing. She wore jeans and a top with a simple cardigan over it. Hermione and Fred watched her climb the stairs until she was gone and then Hermione turned to Fred who was still looking at the stairs.

‘You’re very friendly with customers,’ noticed Hermione and Fred turned to her and they started to walk down the hallway together, ‘she’s very pretty.’

‘Eh,’ Fred shrugged and gave a fleeting look to Hermione, ‘she’s alright. I’ve known her a long time so that’s why I’m so friendly with her.’

‘Where are we going?’ asked Hermione a people walked to and from some of the offices on the first floor.

‘I thought I could buy you a coffee and we could talk?’ said Fred and he dug his hands in his pockets.

‘A quick coffee. I have to be getting home,’ said Hermione, unable to say no.

They walked in silence and Hermione looked at Fred every so often trying not to make it obvious. She wondered how badly Ron had hurt him. She wished she hadn’t let Ron disapparate but she wasn’t thinking straight at that time and she knew she was possibly pregnant. That thought made her pat her pockets and she felt the familiar parchment in hr pocket. Her whole life would be affected by that single piece of parchment.

Hermione and Fred entered a small cafe that was part of the hospital but Hermione had never seen it before. She noticed that the people in the cafe looked very tired and seemed to be drinking coffee and half sleeping. Fred ordered two cups of coffee and they came up instantly. Fred took a table near the back and Hermione sat opposite him, thanking him for the coffee. They sat in silence for a few moments and Hermione sipped her coffee. Fred put his coffee down and looked at the table. He spread his hand out on the wooden table and then looked up to Hermione.

‘I miss you,’ he muttered and Hermione felt her face flush. She knew she was going red even if she couldn’t see herself but Fred carried on, ‘I knew that I said I was not going to see you after that time but... Hermione, it isn’t a coincidence that we met each other here at the hospital.’

‘Fred, you can’t possibly think that... It’s absurd... we... Fred,’ Hermione stumbled over her words. She took a deep breath and said, ‘I’m here because... well, for my own reasons and you are here because Ron found out about us and decided to beat you. It’s nothing more than coincidence or consequence.’

‘How did Ron find out? I swear I never told him. I would never do anything to hurt you, Mia,’ said Fred shaking his head and folded his hands around the coffee cup. Hermione watched as Fred looked down at the coffee and frowned at it, ‘I didn’t even tell him.’

 ‘It wasn’t your fault. Ron... He pieced it together himself,’ said Hermione and sipped her coffee. The coffee was good as it helped to calm her stomach which seemed to be only full of fluttering butterflies that seemed to never want to take a break.

‘He came to my apartment and I thought he was there for a visit but... he punched me. I didn’t hit him back when he hit me but then he said that he slapped you?’ said Fred and watched as Hermione’s eyes looked down at her coffee and her eyelashes stood out on her incredibly pale cheeks, ‘Then I punched him and he disapparated. Who knows where he is now?’

Hermione looked up, her face in utter shock. Fred had punched him... because of her? Fred shrugged as if it was no big deal and Hermione took a deep breath and let it out hoping it would stop the butterflies in her stomach from going mad with emotion. She couldn’t let Ron get hurt but she also couldn’t let Fred get hurt.

‘You shouldn’t have punched him,’ stated Hermione and before she could say anything else, she jumped as Fred suddenly leaned forward looking at her angrily. Hermione felt herself stop taking breaths since he was so near her.

‘He slapped you and I was meant to do nothing?’ asked Fred and Hermione kept her eyes locked on his, ‘Mia, he can hurt me as much as he wants but if he hurts you... I won’t stand for it at all. I say I love you and I mean it. I will protect you’

‘You need to bare it. We aren’t together, Fred. He is my boyfriend and I love him. He was just angry when he slapped me. Even you would get angry if your girlfriend slept with your brother,’ Hermione said sharply as Fred leaned back and rubbed his eyes. She suddenly wanted to apologise for some reason but she restrained from it.

‘Hermione,’ he said, sounding tired, ‘Why are you running after him? He doesn’t love you. I do. I would do anything you want me to. The only thing I cant do for you is to stay away from you. I can’t, I'm sorry.’

‘Fred...’ Hermione whispered but Fred stopped her by raising a hand. He finished his coffee in one big gulp and then looked at Hermione. His eyes so blue that it looked like a part of the sea were his eyes.

‘Don’t say anything, okay? I don’t want you to get hurt and if he hurts you again... I’ll know about it and I will not let him off easy,’ muttered Fred, ‘I love you and I don’t care who knows it. Let him come after me. In fact I hope he does.’

‘Don’t say that. I don’t want you to get hurt,’ muttered Hermione and Fred said nothing. Hermione sighed, ‘I need to go home now...’

‘Sure. I’ll take you home,’ Fred stood up and Hermione stood up too, finishing the last of her coffee.

‘It’s okay, I can go myself,’ said Hermione as they walked side by side. Fred’s arms swung and swished past Hermione’s arm. She wished he would stop as that one motion was making her stomach twist.

‘I’ll disapparate with you,’ said Fred, smiling as she rolled her eyes at him.

Fred took her hand and Hermione, not expecting the contact, jumped. Fred raised an eyebrow and she cleared her throat. Hermione shook her head at him, unable to speak, and she took her hand out of his. Fred stopped and Hermione stopped too. They stared at each other. Fred took her hand again and Hermione had no fight left in her as the blue eyes bore into hers. He smiled as she started to go red.

‘I took your hand so that we could disapparate,’ muttered Fred and then he said, with a joking tone, ‘I mean, we can hold hands if you want to?’

‘No,’ the word came out weak so Hermione cleared her throat and tried again, ‘No... No let’s just disapparate.’

Fred grinned... It was more of a smirk and Hermione held his hand tighter. She closed her eyes and soon felt herself and Fred lurch and then their feet landed on ground. She opened her eyes and realised that they were in her living room. Fred dropped her hand and rubbed his eyes again. Hermione’s hand, instinctively, went to his arm and she pulled his hand away from his eyes. Fred looked at her, quizzically. For a moment Hermione said nothing.

‘Don’t rub your eyes, it’ll just get worse,’ she muttered, meaning his black eye.

‘Oh... right. I have paste for it. I’ll go home and apply it. I’m really tired so...’ Fred trailed off and shrugged once as Hermione frowned.

‘You haven’t been sleeping?’ she asked, worried now.

‘Not much,’ said Fred and then chuckled as Hermione opened her mouth to say something but he stopped her, ‘I’ll rest when I get home, promise.

 ‘Okay,’ Hermione said after scrutinising if he really meant it, ‘Will I see you after this time?’

‘Do you want to see me or do you prefer us to stay away from each other?’ asked Fred. He took Hermione’s hand and bought her closer to him as Hermione opened her mouth, he held up a finger and said, ‘You can’t fight it, Mia.’

‘Ron will-’ Hermione started but Fred dropped her hand and moved away from her. Fred turned around and a hand went straight to his hair in frustration. Hermione hesitated but then touched his shoulder, ‘Maybe you should go home and rest?’

‘I’ll see you later, Mia,’ he said and closed his eyes.

Fred disapparated with a ominous crack and Hermione sighed. She collapsed onto the sofa and rubbed her eyes. She was also tired. Hermione felt something jab into her and she dove a hand in her pocket. Parchment appeared in her hands and she stared at it. This would determine whether she is pregnant or not. Whether her life would change or remain the same. Hermione took a deep breath and felt the parchment in her hands crackling as she unrolled it.