Fred mumbled something in his sleep, the kitchen around him was deadly silent as he said Hermione’s name in his drowsiness. He hadn’t moved a centimetre since Ron had left and that had been last night. The sun hit the floor, the table and Fred’s face which finally awoke him. His blue eyes opened slowly, the sun seemed to blind him for a second and then he could see again.

The first thing he saw was the broken pieces of glass on the floor. He narrowed his eyes as he looked around the  kitchen. He was alone. Fred wondered who broke the glass and then it came back to him. The wine bottle had crashed like a meteor on the floor because he had thrown it. Why had he thrown it? Fred moaned loudly and that caused him to grimace as though he was in pain. The birds chirping sounded like bombs being detonated in front of Fred. In other words, his head was hurting so bad and every small noise was magnified to make him grimace.

‘I was wondering when you were going to wake up.’

Fred turned to see Harry leaning against the kitchen doorway, surveying the glass with his fists clenched behind his back and his jaw tightened. Harry was wearing jeans and a shirt that Ginny bought him a couple of weeks ago.

‘Stop talking so loud,’ Fred whispered, his head in his hands.

‘Take these and down them straight. They don’t taste good,’ Harry warned and passed him two yellow pills and he moved to the sink. Filling the glass with water, he handed it to Fred before taking a seat opposite him, ‘hurry up and drink them down.’

Fred gladly drank the pills. They burnt his throat even worse than firewhiskey. It took his whole strength in not spitting them out. Harry never blinked as Fred looked up at him. Fred rolled his eyes as Harry’s green eyes pierced a hole in him.

‘What?’ asked Fred briskly, drinking the water in large gulps. The water felt considerably easy and smooth against the medicine which was taking effect quite slowly.

‘What the hell are you doing with your life? Are you trying to end your life by drinking?’ Harry asked, his anger boiling up yet not to the brim, ‘you’re barely living, mate.’

‘I have nothing left to live for and, frankly, you have no right to be in my house,’ stated Fred, pulling his wand out of his pocket and ignoring Harry’s eyes following his wand, ‘get out.’

‘Stop drinking, start working and straighten your life or-’ Harry banged his hands on he table but Fred growled and banged his palms harder, the sound like of wood creaking made Harry recoil.

‘Get out of here, Harry, or so help me I won’t be able to control my anger,’ Fred said through clenched teeth and narrowed eyes, his palms quivering.

‘What about her?’ asked Harry softly, meaning Hermione and Fred knew he meant her since his eyes looked down at the table for a second.

‘If you’re talking about Hermione,’ started Fred and with a wave of his wand he cleared the mess from the floor. It vanished, almost, like it was turned to air, ‘I don’t care for her and I guess she should know that.’

‘Don’t give me that rubbish!’ Harry said, his eyes flashing dangerously, ‘you love her and I know you’re only like this because... well... the child is one problem but you have another problem and I think I know what that is.’

‘Oh yeah? Seeing as how you think you know me pretty well... what is my problem?’ asked Fred and then scoffed, his anger still present in his blue eyes, ‘please enlighten me.’

‘George,’ said Harry simply, knowing he had touched a very sensitive nerve as Fred’s eyes shot to his like he wanted to freeze him to death with his ice blue eyes, ‘I know you don’t like this but that’s why you’re drinking. You obviously miss George. You were always with him and told him everything and now that you’re nearly a father... you want advice from George and he isn’t here to give you it. You’re lonely and Hermione shouldn’t have to live with a drunken sod who only cares about himself. In other words, you.’

Fred was on his feet in an instant with his wand pointed straight at Harry chest. Harry rolled his eyes slightly as he pushed the wand away from him. Fred glared at him as Harry got to his feet, walked closer to Fred and puffed his chest out.

‘The truth hurts, trust me, I know. I think Hermione should learn it before you walk out on her and she’s left with a child to take care of,’ Harry pushed Fred who staggered back a step, ‘talk to her. Tell her you’re leaving her and it’s her choice what to do with the child. Then... you can do whatever the hell you want even if that is drinking yourself to death. You don’t care for her so this should be easy... unless you do care for her?’

‘She doesn’t deserve me,’ Fred stated, wallowing in self pity which made Harry sigh impatiently.

‘Hermione doesn’t deserve a person who drinks until he passes out, smashes the bottle of wine on the floor for no reason and doesn’t talk to her when she really needs him,’ Harry said and the  pushed Fred harder as his face dropped down. Fred looked up and Harry shrugged, ‘of course she deserves you, Fred. Not the drunken you but the old you. The one who would do anything for her even if it meant give up his own life. I swear if I had known you loved her during the war, I know she would have been safe with you. There’s no doubt in my head about that. She needs you and it looks like you sure as hell need her. I left her with Ron last night.’

This piece of news hit Fred in the chest almost as if Harry had pushed him again. Hermione was with Ron for a whole night? Suddenly the talk with Ron came back to Fred like a memory being shot out of a gun straight into his chest. He remembered now. Fred looked up to Harry and opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out so he closed it again and Harry understood what he meant to say.

‘I wanted her to make the decision once and for all. I wanted her to know what she was missing with Ron and if her love for you was real... she would not accept Ron last night. I don’t know what happened. I want you to go to her. I want you to see if she truly loves you, Fred, after everything that’s happened,’ Harry patted Fred’s shoulder. Fred felt himself gulp down his fear as Harry sighed, ‘go to her, mate.’

‘I... thanks, Harry, I really needed this,’ Fred said, feeling gratitude sweep through him.

‘No problem, mate,’ Harry said, concluding their conversation as Fred went into his room to get changed and Harry disapparated to work.

The birds still sang as they were perched on trees as though nothing had happened.

---

*Hermione’s POV*

Hermione felt her neck stiffen up as she groaned and tried to turn around but she realised she couldn’t. Someone was sitting up next to where she was sleeping. Her brown eyes opened wide in fear but relaxed as she saw Ron. She looked around the room, wondering where she was and why she wasn’t in her room. She had fallen asleep on the sofa in her living room... no wonder her neck felt so stiff, she thought as Hermione sat up next to Ron who was tying his shoe laces.

‘Sorry, I was just leaving,’ Ron said, glancing at Hermione as she tried to move her neck, ‘I didn’t mean to wake you.’

‘Where are you going?’ asked Hermione.

‘I have to go to work,’ Ron said, standing up and tugging his travelling cloak on, ‘take care, okay?’

‘Sure, Ron,’ said Hermione and she walked behind him to the front door.

Hermione unlocked the door with the keys that were hanging on the wall and then turned to Ron. He smiled at her and pulled her in for a hug. His hug was strong and made her feel a lot better but she froze when he pulled back and tried to kiss her. Hermione stopped him by placing a hand on his chest and pushing him away slightly. The thought of Fred made her push him away. She didn’t want to cheat even though her min screamed at her that Fred had probably cheated on her last night.

‘You have to get over Fred. He won’t come back to you, Hermione,’ Ron muttered as though he had read her mind, ‘I’m here for you.’

‘Ronald... what happened last night... I just... I need some time, okay?’ Hermione said, her thoughts on her child. She still hadn’t told Ron yet but maybe she didn’t need to. Maybe she won’t keep the child and no one need never know, ‘see you later, Ron.’

‘Sure, Hermione,’ Ron sighed, rubbing her arm and smiling to show that he understood.

Hermione opened the door and nearly jumped as she saw Fred standing on her doorstep. His finger was resting on her doorbell as though he had only arrived. Hermione noticed the dark bags under his eyes making him look older and his small beard as though he hadn’t shaved yet. She felt her insides clench as Fred looked to Ron then back to Hermione. She moaned inwardly as Fred’s eyes narrowed on Ron’s closeness towards her.

---

*Fred’s POV*

Ron stood, with his hand resting on Hermione’s arm, slightly behind her. At first he looked shocked to see Fred standing there. Ron must have thought Fred wouldn’t be coming back. But then a slow grin appeared on his face as Fred’s eyes narrowed in on his hand on Hermione.

‘What are you doing here?’ the words didn’t come out of Ron’s mouth. Nor Fred’s. Hermione said it and crossed her arms over her chest as she stared at Fred, ‘I’m kind of busy at the moment, Fred.’

‘Please, Hermione,’ Fred pleaded and tried to take her hand in his but she glared at him and took her hand back, ‘can we talk?’

‘Okay, talk then,’ Hermione ordered, forgetting for a second that Ron was standing behind her, gloating at Fred silently, ‘what do you want to talk about? How you’re such a coward that you can’t even sit down and talk to me? Or how you would rather spend the night with some slut instead of with me? We can talk about anything you think is important including our c-’

‘Wait... ‘some slut’? Hermione, I... can we talk alone, please?’ Fred interrupted her before she told Ron about the one thing they hadn’t a clue how to handle. Their child. The thought occurred to Fred that she had told Ron last night about her being pregnant but he dismissed the thought away. If Ron knew she was pregnant Fred would probably be in St Mungo’s with cracked ribs and an arm broken.

Hermione looked behind her at Ron whose grin vanished and was suddenly replaced by an angry expression directed towards Fred, ‘I guess I’ll see you later.’

‘Sure,’ Hermione replied and gave him a small smile which he returned. Fred nearly groaned as Hermione hugged him. Fred felt like he had lost her already as she hung onto his arms as though they were lifesavers. Ron mouthed ‘good luck’ to him with that annoying ‘I’m-better-than-you’ smirk before bashing into his shoulder slightly as he left.

Hermione walked into the house and towards the kitchen without another word to Fred. She hadn’t invited him in and Fred hesitated before he walked into the house. He closed the door behind him and walked across the hall, spotting himself in the mirror. He had a shower but had no time to shave as he was too busy thinking of Hermione and Ron together which made him angrily jealous. He spotted Hermione as she made coffee in the kitchen. Her fingertips grazed the mug on the high shelf as she stretched. Fred leaned over her and got the mug for her. She took it without another word and moved to the other side of the kitchen where the kettle was boiling. Fred hated the distance between and wished he hadn’t acted so stupid. He had lost Hermione and he knew it.

‘Please, don’t hate me,’ he muttered, walking up to her and wrapping his arms around her waist bravely but nervously at the same time. He felt her waist stiffen around him, ‘I’m sorry.’

‘You’re sorry? I’m sorry too, Fred. Sorry that I ever slept with you and got pregnant. Sorry that you have to deal with this. It’s alright that I have a baby growing inside me and its father won’t even help me take care of the situation. It’s funny how you’re never there for me when I really need you. Instead Ron, my ex, stayed with me all night. He reassured me that everything was going to be fine and,’ Hermione’s outburst and sarcasm made Fred widen his eyes. She turned around, glared at Fred and wriggled out of his hold, ‘he doesn’t even know I’m pregnant. He still helped me while you were out with some girl and probably didn’t think twice about me!’

‘I’m here for you now and-’

‘Now? I don’t need you now. I have Ron, who actually seems to care for me,’ Hermione said and sipped her coffee as she walked over to the table and sat down, ‘you can leave me and my child alone. We don’t need you anymore.’

‘I swear to you, Hermione, I was not out with some girl and I love you as much as when I first realised I did. Ron is turning you against me,’ Fred explained as he sat next to Hermione and took her hand in his.

‘Then why, Fred, haven’t you been to see me?’ she asked as she sipped at her coffee, wriggling her face in disgust and pushing her coffee away.

‘I... I was drinking a lot,’ Fred said. Hermione turned to glare at him as though this was not a good reason and Fred had to admit that it wasn’t. He tried to continue but Hermione suddenly stood up.

‘I can’t have a drunk person in my life, ruining my every chance of settling down. I don’t want to chase after you when you obviously are only playing around with me!’ she said, feeling her emotions swirl around and she stared at the coffee mug, ‘I think I’m going to be sick!’

‘What?’ asked Fred, narrowing his eyes at her randomness, ‘don’t change the subject and act ill just to get away from- Hermione!’

Hermione ran to the bathroom with her hands clasped over her mouth. Fred watched her as she wrenched the door open and was sick in the toilet. Fred was right behind her and he lifted her hair up as she tried to push him away. Fred remained there until she was done.

‘This is... all your... fault!’ shouted Hermione and she bashed past Fred, like Ron had done, and went up the stairs. She muttered words that weren’t really repeatable. Fred followed her up the stairs and found her in the bathroom as she brushed her teeth, ‘go away!’

‘Hermione, what the hell?’ Fred said as she wiped her face on a towel and stopped in front of him when he didn’t let her past, ‘why are you blaming me for everything?’

‘I’m having sickness because of my pregnancy but, of course, you would know that if you had been around to help me! But no, you were drinking as if you could wake up with a terrible hangover and everything would be sorted!’ Hermione said and she pushed Fred’s chest as she said the last few words, ‘I hate you, Fred! Stay away from me!’

She walked forwards, clearly thinking that Fred would let her go but she was shocked when he grabbed her hands. She looked up at him and opened her mouth perhaps to give him a witty comment but the raging expression on her face stopped her in her tracks, making her hands limp against his chest and she muttered a quiet ‘Fred’ as he shook his head at her and looked at her with narrowed eyes.

‘I didn’t know how unreasonable you could get,’ Fred’s voice was distant and quiet at first and Hermione felt this take toll on her. His voice got louder, angrier and aggravated, almost frustrated, ‘for once in your life... look through me, Hermione. Look into my eyes and tell me if you don’t see any love for you at all or any jealousy course through me when you hugged Ron and walked away from me. Just once put yourself in my shoes and tell me if it’s easy being me. Losing someone who meant more to me than anyone else in my family. George. Feel what I feel. Perceive what I perceive. And for once... just once... understand my situation, Hermione... and then tell me you don’t want me in your life and you’d rather have Ron who lied to you about me being with some girl so that you would get jealous and hate me.’

‘Fred, I-’ started Hermione hoarsely but Fred stopped her by shaking his head.

‘Think about who you really love, Hermione. If you don’t choose me then I’ll respect your  decision,’ said Fred and he looked down at the ground, ‘I’ll come by later tonight and then we can talk after you’ve had time to cool down and think. Feels like we’re going in circles here, Mia.’

Hermione grabbed his arm when he turned around. Fred sighed and turned back to her. He was getting impatient and Hermione knew it.

‘I don’t forgive you just yet for leaving me when I most needed you but... we need to talk... and soon. Buy me dinner tonight?’ asked Hermione, although she still looked a little angry and annoyed as if Fred hadn’t said the whole speech.

‘Sure, I’ll owl you,’ said Fred and he left when Hermione nodded.

He didn’t notice Hermione’s arm out and her open mouth as though she wanted to stop him. He climbed down the stairs and out of the house. He walked down the street anger built up inside him. He felt as though he could punch someone. Fred stopped as he heard footsteps behind him and a chuckle as he turned the corner of Hermione’s street.

‘From your expression it looks like she hasn’t forgiven you,’ Ron walked in step next to Fred who tried to keep control over his fists and his immense anger at his life falling apart, ‘did you give her the ‘I’m sorry, it won’t happen again’ speech. She won’t fall for that.’

‘Stop trying to break us up or you will end up in St Mungo’s with a cracked rib,’ threatened Fred, his hands shaking as he thought of Hermione and how she hugged Ron. He couldn’t lose her... especially to Ron.

‘I think she needs some cheering up, don’t you think so? Maybe I’ll do the same thing that I did last night to cheer her up. She seemed to love that while she thought about you and that non existent girl together. She was very-’ said Ron, his ego growing bigger by the second.

But what Hermione was, Fred never knew as he stopped in his tracks and swivelled to look at Ron. He broke his brotherly bond with him and replaced it with a nemesis bond. Brothers didn’t intimidate each other and Ron was doing exactly that. Fred pushed him hard and he fell onto the pavement, looking up at Fred.

‘What would George think about you and Hermione?’ continued Ron, grasping Fred’s attention by his twins name, ‘wasn’t George the one who kept you away from Hermione? Didn’t he think it was better that she was with me? So you’re going to go against your own brothers desire for your selfish reasons?’

Fred walked down the street and faintly heard Ron stand up and shout, ‘even your twin will hate you like everyone does! Mum and dad hate you because it should’ve been you that died... NOT GEORGE!’

Fred felt the tear slowly escape his eye. He felt his face burn. Harry’s words rummaged in his head, ‘the truth hurts, trust me, I know.’ Fred heard Ron run up behind him but he disapparated before Ron could know how much his words affected Fred.