‘Leave her alone!’ Harry shouted, grabbing Ron’s arm with strength that he didn’t know he could summon at such early hour of the morning. It was after all about to hit 3am.

‘No! He could be hurting her!’ yelled Ron and Harry was sure his eyes had clouded over with what he assumed was love for Hermione, hatred for Fred or the sense of need to be with someone. Harry knew he was hurting. Ron was after all his best friend.

‘You really think Fred is going to hurt her?’ asked Harry in a low voice. He did not want anyone to see them fighting. Harry sighed as Ron pushed him away, ‘listen to me, Ron!’

Ron glared at him as soon as Harry tried to grab his arm to stop him from running off or disapparating. Harry didn’t back down from his gaze and Ron’s breathing hitched before he was breathing heavily, the anger emitting from the long, drawn out breaths.

‘Get off of me,’ he said in a deadly low voice and Harry only held on tighter, ‘let me go or else...’

‘Or else what? What are you going to do? Punch me?’ Harry growled, ‘we’ve been friends a long time, Ron... calm down.’

Ron paused for a second before he looked down to the grass beneath them. He looked up to the green eyes, which were so much like the grass, of his best friend. Suddenly Ron’s grip loosened and he fell to his knees, punching the ground with all of his might. Harry sat next to him, pulling him away from the punching as his knuckles started to go red.

‘I love her,’ muttered Ron as he fell back, looking at his hands, ‘I love her and she... she doesn’t love me. I feel like... like... I feel like I’ve lost her and I can’t  bear it, Harry... I just can’t.’

‘It’s going to be okay, mate, you’ll see-’ Harry tried to comfort Ron by placing a hand lightly on his shoulder – and awkwardly, he should add.

‘No! No, it’s not going to be okay! She likes Fred. She doesn’t like me because I haven’t been there for her like Fred has. I can’t bear to lose her like I lost George...’ tears fell freely from Ron’s eyes, ‘I miss him so much... I can’t even... handle the... the pain.’

Harry was lost for words from the moment Ron started to cry in front of him. Ron would never cry in front of anyone. He wasn’t the sort of person to confide and show emotions. Harry could remember when he subtly tried to tell Harry that he liked Hermione. He never told him outright because Ron wasn’t comfortable that way and now... he had confided in Harry that he missed George and loved Hermione. Harry could only pat him on the back as he cried silently into his hands.

---

*Harry’s POV – Morning time*

‘Hey, how are you feeling?’

Harry looked towards the door and saw Ginny come into his room. She was dressed in a red shirt and some jeans. Harry thought she looked pretty even without any make up applied to her face. She was shining with happiness. She smiled and leaned down to kiss him. Harry gestured her to sit and she sat next to him. He took her hand and watched the light glint off of the ring as Ginny searched his face.

‘I saw you and Ron after midnight. What was he... is he alright?’ Ginny asked as Harry sighed, not sure what to tell her.

‘He’s upset, Ginny. He’s hurt and upset over Hermione and George’s death and I don’t know what to do for him!’ said Harry, annoyed at himself. Ginny was quiet as Harry entwined their fingers together. He looked up at her and shook his head, rolling his eyes as he knew what she was thinking, ‘don’t blame Hermione. She can’t help who she loves.’

‘Don’t blame Hermione?’ repeated Ginny, narrowing her eyes at him as though he had confessed to something horrible, ‘this is her fault but you’re just too blind to see through it because she’s your friend. She’s pregnant, Harry, and she hasn’t even told Fred and we all know how it’s going to be when he finds out!’

‘Please keep your voice down. Ron is staying here too and... she has told Fred. She told him last night,’ Harry whispered, ‘maybe you shouldn’t be shouting out that she’s pregnant all the time, Ginny, someone could-’

‘She told Fred?! Is he upset? Does he hate her?’ asked Ginny, cutting Harry’s sentence off.

‘He’s... um... drinking a lot. She was staying with him last night which I take as a good sign that he doesn’t hate her for not telling him,’ Harry said and got out of bed. He got changed as he spoke, ‘I don’t know if they are keeping it yet.’

‘Um... if you were in Fred’s position, would you keep the baby?’ asked Ginny, looking down at his navy coloured sheets, ‘you need to see this from Fred’s point of view. What he must be feeling and... I wish I could help him.’

‘I know,’ Harry said, pecking Ginny’s cheek, ‘we could visit him soon. I need to get to work now, though.’

---

*Hermione’s POV*

‘What are you doing?’ asked Hermione, sitting bolt upright in bed.

Her eyes followed Fred as he searched his room for something. The mess he made was unbearable. His clothes were strewn across the floor and his cupboard was nearly empty. His drawers were all open, his desk was clattered and he was currently searching the bedside drawer next to Hermione.

‘Sorry I woke you,’ Fred muttered in a voice that was certainly not his own as he sifted through the drawer.

Hermione was shocked and beyond surprised to hear his voice so distant and upset. She watched as he kicked some books away in anger and continued to search. His face was drawn and his eyes held a mixture of anger and sadness. Hermione touched his arm and he looked to her.

‘I can’t find it! I can’t-’ Fred shoved her hand off his arm as though she was burning him and he was on his hands and knees, looking under the bedside drawer.

‘Fred, what are you looking for?’ asked Hermione, climbing out of bed, truly worried for him. She knelt beside him but he wouldn’t look at her. Hermione grabbed his face and made him look at her, ‘talk to me, Fred, please.’

‘Hermione... I need to find... George... his...’ Fred trailed off as if in thought and Hermione had to shake him to make him look back to her, ‘the necklace I took from George and he has mine and I LOST IT!’

Fred thundered the words and Hermione fell back as he pushed himself up. He muttered something about it being in the bathroom and disappeared into the bathroom. Hermione picked herself up and sat on the edge of the bed. She could faintly remember him having a necklace around his neck at the party. It had a letter G on it, she knew he had it on.

‘Are you sure you didn’t lose it at the party?’ Hermione asked and looked into the bathroom to see Fred looking under the sink.

‘I’d do anything to get that necklace back. Hermione! It’s the only piece of him that I have! I can’t lose it! I just can’t!’ Fred leaned his back against the tub and buried his face in his hands.

‘I’ll find it for you. Promise...’ Hermione muttered, laying a hand on his quivering arm.

Fred looked at her for a minute and Hermione nodded at him, trying to tell him she was serious. He only stared for a long time and Hermione never broke eye contact. She didn’t want Fred being upset.

‘I think it’ll be around here somewhere... I just can’t... I can never find anything,’ Fred chuckled once but humour wasn’t a strong reason. It was more of an upset chuckle which made Hermione take his face in her hands. He looked at her and she could see his eyes shining with new tears.

‘I’m sorry... I don’t know why I’m crying... I just...’ Fred shook his head as though he couldn’t explain and he stood up.

He held a hand out for Hermione and she took it gratefully. Fred pulled her up and they walked out of the bathroom. Fred dropped her hand before walking out of the bedroom while Hermione watched him. She was really worried for him. Hermione took her bathroom bag, which Fred had bought for her yesterday night, and took it to the bathroom. She wiped her face of all make up, combed her hair, brushed her teeth and felt a little better about herself.

Hermione’s hands brushed over her stomach and she found herself wondering what this child would be like. Would it be a boy or a girl? Would she have long, straight brown hair or short curly ginger hair? Would it have blue or brown eyes? Hermione looked at herself in the mirror and asked herself the question that she was most curious about; would this child live?

‘Hermione! What are you doing in there?’ Fred asked and banged on the door making Hermione jump as though she had been prodded.

‘I... uh... just coming!’ Hermione said and started to pack her bathroom bag.

‘You okay?’ asked Fred after a small pause.

Hermione opened the bathroom door revealing Fred. He was tugging on his jacket and stowing his wand in his pocket. Hermione frowned, wondering where he was going. She hoped they could have a chat and some breakfast. She looked at the clock and saw that it was past noon. Fred looked up at her and then coughed, grabbing her attention.

‘I have to go to work,’ Fred shrugged. Hermione watched his hand glide across his chest where his necklace should lie. He seemed to be doing this without thinking. Hermione looked into his eyes as he looked up at her, ‘sorry for before. I just... I need the necklace with me... it’s... you wouldn’t understand.’

‘No, I do understand, Fred. You’ll find it. I'm sure you will,’ Hermione covered Fred’s hand with hers and he looked down at their hands before pulling away swiftly. Hermione tried not to act hurt while Fred only nodded and zipped up his jacket. Hermione spoke, ‘can we have dinner tonight?’

‘I’m busy tonight,’ Fred said harshly as he tugged his socks on and didn’t meet her eyes.

‘Fred, we need to talk about this. About our future and this child and-’ Hermione was cut off as Fred looked up at her angrily. She recoiled slightly when he let out a huge frustrated sigh.

‘Our future? The child? Hermione... I can’t do this, alright? Why’d you have to dump this whole problem onto me? Why were we so careless that day... we’ve ended up with a life in our hands and I don’t understand what you want me to do!’ Fred paced the room in front of her while his hands shook. He balled them up into fists as Hermione spoke.

‘You don’t know what to do? How about at least talking to me and we’ll figure something out together!’ Hermione felt more anger as he scoffed at her and rolled her eyes, ‘you can’t leave me all alone in this situation! I never asked for this, Fred. We both should have been careful but we weren’t thinking...’

‘YOU!’ shouted Fred, pointing a shaking finger at her, ‘you weren’t thinking! You could have stopped me from...’

‘Don’t you blame this on me, Fred! It takes two people to make a child. This is as much fault as yours as it is mine!’ Hermione shouted and slapped Fred’s hand, which was pointing at her chest, away from her, ‘owl me when you’ve calmed down. Also if you want nothing to do with this child... then tell me that before it’s too late to give this child up.’

Hermione turned around and went into the bathroom. She grabbed her dress, shoes and handbag from last night and her bathroom bag before coming out of the bathroom. She brushed past Fred who was standing motionless and she turned to see him but his back was turned to her.

‘I’ll be expecting your owl soon,’ Hermione said coldly, feeling annoyance and something close to dislike bubble up inside her, ‘bye Fred.’

With those final words Hermione grabbed her wand, closed her eyes tight shut and disapparated to her house. Hermione dug in her bag for a second before finding the key to her house. She gratefully stepped in and climbed up the stairs. Hermione dumped her dress and shoes onto the bed and shed her clothes. She paused for a minute as she looked at the hoody she had just taken off. It was Fred’s. She moaned as she knew she would have to give it back which meant meeting with him. She sighed before throwing the hoody onto a chair in the corner and got ready to take a shower.

---

‘Wait... she’s pregnant?’ Lee Jordan exclaimed as he poured drinks in for Fred and himself.

‘Yeah, mate, she told me last night,’ Fred took the drink from his best friend and watched him sit opposite him, ‘but don’t tell anyone. It’ll be so much worse if it gets leaked or something.’

They were in Lee Jordan’s shop basement which he had magnificently decorated to look like a party room. It had a drinks machine, two sofas and the walls were a dull red with Quidditch posters all around the room. Fred downed his drink in one go and poured himself another even though his head still hurt from yesterday.

‘I don’t understand what to do. I can’t be with her because she’ll expect me to... I don’t have money, Lee. I'm nearly broke and with George gone... I don’t have anyone to help me with my work. She’s better off without me,’ Fred sighed and felt the headache form and pound against his skull. He hated thinking of George since his mind thought to the lost necklace. To take his mind off the thought he drank his drink and felt his throat hiss.

‘Don’t you love her?’ asked Lee Jordan, frowning at him as he drank and contorted his face, ‘you were crazy about her.’

‘Of course I do but-’ said Fred without hesitation.

‘But you can’t be with her because you think you can’t give her the life she deserves?’

Fred nodded and felt the drink burn his throat yet he poured in another glass. Lee Jordan stared at him and then shook his head, disapproving. He sighed and spoke after sipping his drink.

‘Is that the real reason or is it just because you’re afraid of becoming a parent?’ asked Lee Jordan, not moving his eyes away from Fred as he frowned and rolled his eyes.

‘I'm twenty years old. That is way too young for commitments!’ said Fred, outrageously, widening his eyes, ‘she’s nearly nineteen. She’s too young for all of this. I’ve never even had a long term girlfriend.’

‘That is true. Something tells me that Hermione will make a great parent. You on the other hand-’

‘Will be drinking a lot throughout the child’s life,’ Fred finished for him and sighed, ‘she needs to find someone else who loves her.’

‘You need to help her through this,’ Lee Jordan said quite harshly and took the bottle away from Fred’s hand, ‘and stop drinking.’

‘I can’t help her!’ Fred yelled, getting really sick of everyone telling him to help Hermione when he didn’t know what he could do for her. He was afraid of commitment. He couldn’t handle being with Hermione who was pregnant with his child, ‘I can’t bloody help her. She’ll get over me. Ron will be able to help her.’

‘You’re in the wrong and you know it, Fred. Don’t abandon her. She’d had too much trauma to last her a lifetime,’ Lee Jordan said and put the bottle on the table in front of him, ‘drink away your life or help that poor girl. It’s our choices that get us everywhere in our life.’

Lee Jordan left the room and Fred sighed, burying his face in his hands. The alcohol seemed to be mocking him silently. Fred growled as his head hurt. Crashing against his mind like waves on rocks. It seemed like he had to grow up in a day. He didn’t want to grow up and have responsibilities. He couldn’t help but think how different everything would have been if George had been alive. Fred gave in. He poured himself another glass and drank that whole. Pouring himself another glass, he felt his headache get worse.