‘Come in,’ the low voice sounded as though from the end of a very long, winded tunnel.

Hermione stood outside the door of Fred’s healer, keeping her hand on the door knob, she willed herself to turn it and face the bad news. The whiteness of the door blinded her and she felt anger. He had asked them to come into his posh office where he must have told lots of devastated families that their son, daughter, lover or sibling was not going to make it and then offer them condolence by a mere pat on the back, taking the mothers hand or simply looking down at their feet as if the news had any impact on the healer at all as the family cried over their loss. Harry glanced at Ginny as she was about to pounce on Hermione for taking so long to open the door. Hermione noticed this and she turned the doorknob before Ginny bellowed her anger.

The office was exactly how Hermione expected it to be. Rich and posh, of course. The wooden desk seemed to shine so that she could see her own reflection in it, the books were neatly lined up like soldiers on the two bookcases which faced opposite each other and Hermione noticed how the chairs in front of the Healers desk looked as though they had been shined and dusted every single day. The Healer looked up as they came in. His eyes were a low and dull blue, his hair was greying and his beard was full of white hairs. He nodded and gestured to the chairs in front of him. Hermione took the far left one while Harry sat in the middle, acting as a shield between Hermione and Ginny.

‘Fredrick Weasley,’ the Healer said almost to himself. Hermione was gripping her chair as he looked up and met her afraid eyes, ‘are you of any relation to young Fred?’

‘I’m... we...’ Hermione paused. What was she to Fred? She was bearing his child but they weren’t together. Hermione looked to Harry for help and he raised his eyebrows as Hermione spoke, ‘he’s a... Fred and I are... I'm pregnant with his child.’

The silence in the room rang out as if Hermione had claimed that she was from Mars. She folded her legs and sat back in the seat as the Healer raised an eyebrow. Hermione looked at Harry and was shocked to see that he was trying very hard not to grin. Everyone’s eyes were on the Healer as he spoke, breaking the echoing silence.

‘Okay... Fred had lost a lot of blood when he arrived at St Mungo’s. We tried really hard to get him the blood he needs and, fortunately, we got the blood. He was in a lot of pain but we gave him medication to soothe him down as the blood poured into him again. Although,’ he looked at each of them in turn and then back down at the sheet he was holding. Hermione felt like screaming out loud as he paused, ‘he hasn’t woken up yet so we cant give him more blood because we don’t know if his body is accepting the new blood. We need to wait for him to wake up before we can carry on. He’ll be moved back to his old room where you can visit him and-’

‘When will he wake up?’ asked Ginny, cutting him off as she sat on the edge of her chair, gripping to it as support, ‘he will, won’t he?’

‘The thing is we’re not sure if he will. The blood we gave him may be rejecting so it won’t work at all since it may not be the right type of blood for him. We had to give him something to keep him alive. Also it states here,’ he looked down at the sheet, ‘it states his blood type so we gave him the right one. It’s very rare if his body rejects the blood. There’s a very small chance that he won’t wake up but there’s a bigger chance that he will. Maybe not tonight or tomorrow. We just need to wait and see.’

‘What if-’

‘You will be able to visit him later and I assure you, I will answer your questions when I come in to check Fred. I have one more news to tell you,’ said the Healer, ‘Ron Weasley will be kept in St Mungo’s for two more days just to see how he copes and then he will be able to leave. Now I have other patients and families to see. I’ll check Fred in two hours, he’s already been moved to his room. You may visit him.’

‘Thank you,’ said Harry and he took Ginny’s hand.

They walked out of the room, closing the white door - which wasn't blinding Hermione anymore - behind them. Hermione followed Harry, watching them talk, she realised that Ginny was probably never going to forgive her for this. Heck, Hermione didn’t blame her. If she had any siblings who had committed suicide because of a friend, she wouldn’t be happy either.

‘Have you ate anything?’ asked Harry, turning his head around and breaking Hermione’s thoughts. Hermione shook her head, ‘you need to think of your child. Please get something to eat while we visit Ron?’

‘Sure, Harry,’ said Hermione although she wasn’t very hungry. She made to turn around and walk up the stairs but Harry caught her arm. She turned around and watched as Ginny walked into Ron’s hospital room.

‘It’s way past midnight and you’ve been here all night. Go home, get some rest, take a shower and eat some food,’ Harry suggested. He rolled his eyes as Hermione was shaking her head already, ‘think of the child. You can come here tomorrow, okay?’

‘Fred needs-’

‘Fred will hate it if you didn’t take care of yourself so please. Go home,’ said Harry.

Hermione nodded, giving in. Harry could be really persuasive, especially with those bright green eyes that always looked ready to hypnotize. She turned around and walked down the stairs. Hermione very well doubted that Fred would care if she wasn’t taking care of herself. He said he loved her but she couldn’t help but think of the night before Fred tried to commit suicide. He had been at Hermione’s house, spewing words that didn’t sound like him at all. Hermione sighed as she apparated straight into her house. In spite of everything that had happened... she still felt as though Fred was the one who was digging a deeper hole in her heart, settling in there. No matter how much she said she hated him, that was not the truth.

‘I love him and I know it,’ Hermione said out loud, sighing as she raided through her fridge for something to eat.

---

*Fred’s POV*

‘W... what...water.’

Suddenly a glass was between his lips and the cold water ran down his throat, feeling bliss settle through his body and the water settling into his empty stomach, Fred lay back. He had no idea who gave him the water but he was too tired to open his eyes.

‘Fred?’ a voice... not just any voice... Ginny’s voice sounded softly next to his ear, ‘open your eyes, Fred.

Fred heard Ginny muter something to someone. A few seconds later the door closed and Ginny was back to coaxing Fred’s eyes open. He wanted to sleep but Ginny wouldn’t allow him too. Fred felt tubes coming out of his arms and the memory of them sticking the tubes and the pain came back to him. It had hurt more than the time George had put something in his drink and it had sent electric shocks through his body, earning them a good beating from Mrs Weasley. Fred forgave George that day since it was an expirement and he laughed along. Percy acted as an involuntary guinea pig. He chuckled in his mind at the memory, hardly hearing the door opening.

‘Geo...Georg.. Georgie?’ croaked Fred as someone’s hands felt his forehead.

A sharp pain shot through his arm like an electric shot. Fred screamed out as he flexed his arm, hands keeping him on his bed. Suddenly a fog overtook his mind and his eyes flew wide open for a second. In that split second he saw all of their faces. Harry, eyeing him cautiously. Ginny, looking as though she would burst into tears. His healer, fixing something on his arm.

‘Hermione,’ the word left his mouth and before he heard the reaction, his eyes were shut, his head lolled to one side and he fell asleep.

---

*Hermione’s POV*

She watched Fred lie absolutely still, although sometimes he would turn his head, mumble something and then snore lightly. His eyes were red around the edges and all the tubes connecting to him must be painful. She remembered his scream when they were attaching everything to him. She could never forget his pain... In the bed beside him, separated by a curtain that was not closed, was Ron. He was also asleep and would be able to leave tomorrow. 

Hermione finished her mint chocolate ice cream, licking it and enjoying the flavour. This felt like the first real sign that she was pregnant – apart from the shouting, the healers letter and the obvious arguments. Her cravings were getting pronounced. She craved apples most of all, chocolate came second. Green apples were her favourite, she couldn’t explain the craving to anyone. Hermione washed her hands after she had ate and she came to sit on the chair next to Fred’s bed. She gazed at his sleeping self, a hand rubbing her stomach. She closed her eyes for a second, she sat back in her chair and a yawn escaped her mouth as she did so.

‘You could be a bit more caring towards me too, you know,’ a cold voice sounded. Hermione looked up to see Ron sitting up in his bed, holding his stomach and wincing, ‘I’m the one he clearly pummelled but I guess that doesn’t matter.’

‘Of course it does but-’ Hermione said, standing up and walking over to him.

‘But nothing, Hermione. When will you just tell me that you love him more than you love me?’ asked Ron, batting her hand away as she helped him sit up, ‘why are you pulling me along? Do you like hurting my feelings?’

‘No, I don’t... Ron, I'm sorry,’ said Hermione, tears flowing down her face now as Ron scowled pure hatred towards her, ‘I’m sorry...’

‘Hermione... H... Herm...’ the words came out of Ron’s mouth but the voice wasn’t his. Hermione looked around confused. She didn’t even know where she was, ‘Hermione!’

‘What...’ Hermione mumbled as someone shook her knee.

Hermione nearly fell out of her chair. She opened her eyes wide and saw that she was still in St Mungo’s. She must’ve dozed off in the chair. Hermione’s eyes roamed around the room, landing on Ron. He was fast asleep, his hand resting under his pillow, snoring to oblivion. It was getting dark outside, she noticed, standing up. It seemed like she had dozed off for only a minute. 

‘What...’ Hermione’s head turned to her right so fast that she could hear it crick. Fred’s eyes were wide open and staring at her, his face contorted in pain as he moved his arm, forgetting the tube was there. His voice was croaking, ‘what the hell are you doing here?’

‘Fred?’ asked Hermione, unable to believe that he was actually awake. Fred raised his eyebrow, ‘are you... are you really awake?’

‘Well... my eyes are open, words are coming out of my mouth and this pain feels real so, yeah, I reckon I am awake. I guess it wasn’t my time to die just yet,’ said Fred, a hint of annoyance and sadness outlined his words, ‘I asked you a-’

Hermione flung herself at Fred before he could say anything more. She hugged him, her heart fluttered in her chest as she felt Fred’s hands on her back. She wished he would hug her back but his arms didn’t tighten around her, nor did his hands move. Hermione pulled back, her heart dropped as Fred coughed awkwardly as though he wasn’t phased at all.

‘Now, please answer me. What are you doing here?’ asked Fred, his eyes bore into hers and Hermione glared at him, feeling betrayed and embarrassed. Why wouldn’t she be here?

‘I thought you’d be a little more happier seeing me here,’ said Hermione, taking a seat. She hoped Ron wouldn’t wake up but it looked like he would sleep the whole night, his snore defining her answer, ‘I can’t believe you, Fred. What were you thinking?’

‘Don’t you dare lecture me after what you said,’ Fred closed his eyes and grasped his head, ‘this headache is worse than a hangover!’

‘I guess you would know,’ said Hermione and he opened his eyes to look at her quizzically, ‘the pain being worse than the hangovers? You’ve had more than your fair share of hangovers,  haven’t you? I would start drinking out of my worry for you but... you drank for yourself... because you were too much of a coward-’

‘You aren’t drinking, are you?!’ asked Fred, cutting her off. Hermione was pleased, mixed in with angry, as she realised that what she saw burning in Fred’s eyes, as he said this, was something like... care. Fred really did care for Hermione, ‘tell me you didn’t or else...’

‘I didn’t. I was just saying,’ said Hermione, looking at her hands, ‘I was worried about you, Fred. What you did... I can’t believe... why did you do it?’

Fred paused. The atmosphere was thick in the air, so thick that they could probably cut it with a knife. Hermione looked up, gazing at Fred from under her brown lashes. Fred was looking at the floor, his eyebrows furrowed and his face in concentration mode. She said nothing as Fred was thinking. She wanted to be ready for his answer, deep down she knew she never would be. Fred looked up, his eyes flashing. He looked to Ron for a second, making Hermione frown. Why was he looking at Ron? Did Ron have something to do with this? Was there something Ron had kept from her? Or was she just looking into things in too much detail? Fred looked back to her.

‘Mia,’ that small, simple nickname made Hermione blush and her heart fluttered in her chest. It's been way too long since he called her Mia. Fred looked up and a tiny smirk appeared on his face as he noticed Hermione becoming red, ‘come here.’

He patted the bed next to him. Hermione walked over to the bed and sat down. She helped Fred sit up even though it was hard work. Fred took her hand in his and looked into her eyes, his eyes were the brightest Hermione had ever seen. They dulled slightly as he frowned.

‘What I did... was stupid and reckless and I don’t know what came over me. I cut myself using magic. I cut open my major veins and the blood... the blood was all over me – gushing like a river – all around me. All I could think of was getting to George and-’ Fred was looking down at their entwined hands. Hermione felt like she had been slapped as Fred said that. She took her hand away from his and he looked up, shocked.

‘You thought of you’re brother. Understandable since he was the one you were always with, forever, since birth. He was the one you did everything with. Was there a time when you were apart from him? I don’t think so. That is understandable, Fred, but you needed to realise that he was your past. Have you ever heard that living in the past can be dangerous? It is, Fred. I’m your future and,’ Hermione heard Ron snore loudly again as she spoke, ‘your child is your future.’

‘I know that. I don’t know what I was thinking when I cut myself. I just hated myself and everyone around me. I despised you. I loathed you so much that night. I lost it when I played it over and over again in my mind. Those same words,’ his voice had gone considerably lower and Hermione leaned forward as if in a trance, ‘you said you hated me. I lost my only reason to live. I said it once before that it’ll end me if I lose you. That night, I lost you and it very nearly did end me. I don’t want to live in this world if you hate me. I’ve only ever loved you and I can’t handle you turning against me, Mia.’

‘Fred-’

‘No, Mia, wait,’ Fred said and lowered his voice even more, ‘one more thing. The night before I... cut myself... I came to your house. I was very rude to you and I said that I only slept with you because you were hot when you were angry? I swear to you, Hermione, I wasn’t myself then. I can remember saying that but I can’t remember the rest. After that I went to Ron’s – I know, don’t give me that face – he deserved what he got.’

‘He does not deserve being beaten nearly to death, Fred,’ scowled Hermione but Fred shook his head. He waited for Ron to snore again, making sure he was asleep. Fred leaned forwards, closer to Hermione.

‘What happened between me and you that night. All the things I said, that wasn’t me,’ whispered Fred, ‘It was Ron.’

‘How could it be Ro-’

‘Shush,’ Fred whispered and he looked into Hermione’s eyes, ‘I swear it was Ron making me do it. He gave me a drink just before I came to your house. I drank it, thinking we would make peace but that drink had something in it. I distinctly remember him telling me all the things I should say to you. Hermione, please believe me.’

Hermione eyed him suspiciously. She couldn’t believe that Ron would go to these lengths to get her back. Going against his own brother in order to break them up? It was just utterly barbaric! Of course, Fred could be lying? But something about the way his eyes bore into hers, the way his eyebrows furrowed in and the way he was holding her hand – sending sparks between them – made Hermione think that he was telling the truth.

‘You are being honest, aren’t you?’ asked Hermione, her hand soothed out the cuts on his neck as Fred nodded. The cuts were healing now, getting pinker and pinker.

‘I promise you, that wasn’t me,’ he said, wincing as her hand started to lightly trace the scars down his chest. Hermione looked into his eyes as Fred moved her hand away. She glanced at his lips and then back at his eyes, ‘I’m sorry for hurting you... and our baby. I’m sorry for all the things I said to you, keeping my distance, making you pregnant and-’

‘I’m sorry that your apology is way too long,’ muttered Hermione, silencing him as she pressed her lips to his. Fred pulled away before her lips even touched his. He shook his head at her. Tears welled in Hermione’s eyes and a lump was stuck in her throat. She spoke around it, ‘why won’t you kiss me?’

‘I have a few other questions,’ Fred shrugged but Hermione was sure there was another reason as to why he wouldn’t kiss her, ‘one of them being, has anyone other than Ginny been to see me?’

‘Your whole family came to see you,’ answered Hermione, rather stiffly. She remembered their attitude towards her, ‘I don’t think anyone in your family really likes me. They think I was responsible for your... incident... they’re right. If it wasn’t for me, you would be happy and probably be with Angelina or some-’

‘I don’t want you saying that... ever, understand?’ Fred spoke with such suddenness and fierce that Hermione narrowed her eyes but nodded all the same, ‘it wasn’t your fault. I was just stupid. Plus... Angelina? I can’t see that happening in the future at all.’

‘What do you see happening in the future?’ whispered Hermione. Fred sighed at her directness and was about to open his mouth but the door suddenly opened and Ginny ran into the room. She threw her arms around Fred’s neck and started to cry from happiness. Hermione thought this was bizarre – she had barely ever seen Ginny cry. Harry was right behind her, ‘hello, Harry.’

‘Hey, Hermione, what did you eat today?’ asked Harry as he hugged her. Hermione couldn’t help but roll her eyes. Harry was always worried about her. Harry noticed and shrugged, ‘wouldn’t want Fred to kill me if you hadn’t been properly taken care of now, would I?’

‘I’m sure he has other things on his mind than thinking about me,’ muttered Hermione, under her breath, as Ginny and Fred sat talking to each other. Harry heard the sadness in her tone and offered her a well deserved hug.

‘Men learn eventually, I promise he’ll come around,’ whispered Harry, hugging her tighter. Fred’s eyes shot to his arm around Hermione, raising his eyebrows, and then back to Ginny, who was thrusting a glass full of water and two pills at him. Harry chuckled under his throat, ‘he’s getting there. Jealousy is the first step.’

---

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