There was a tremendous thud as though a weight had been dropped. In a way a weight really had been dropped and Fred felt its sore impact surge through his back. He rolled over with a snore and toppled off the small sofa and onto the ground with a thud. The shock of the fall had him frozen in shock for a couple of seconds where he could hear the clock tick its steady way on as though even time wouldn’t stop just to catch up with him.

‘I reckoned I’d find you here. Protecting Hermione from the dangers of the dark, are you?’ a voice spoke out and Fred jumped a little but when he recognised his brothers voice from the countless fights they have had, he rolled his sleep stricken eyes. Fred sighed softly, feeling his chest heave a little - he must have slept on his stomach too long – and then got up off the floor, ‘I thought you’d stay away from her.’

Ron was leaning against the living room doorway and his eyes were red underneath. There was something that looked oddly like puke on the front of his shirt and his wedding suit didn't seem fit to wear. It seemed fit to through in the bin and burn until they turned to ashes, Fred thought revoltingly. There was also a strong smell of alcohol radiating from his little brother but he didn't look drunk at all. He looked a little hung-over that was all. Fred rubbed a hand over his face and sat down on the table after glancing at the clock which told him it was after noon... late afternoon. The sun was not so high in the sky. Fred wondered if Hermione was asleep or if she had waken but decided he could use some sleep so she didn't wake him up. Fred was just glad it was Sunday.

 ‘Nice to see you, little brother. I saw that blonde hanging from your arm at the wedding. Pretty one, she is. Gave up on her so easy? I reckon she was a keeper, don’t you think?’ asked Fred, mumbling his words a little. His head was also a little sore but Ron scrunched up his eyes when Fred talked as though the mere sound of voice would drive him insane.

‘I wasn’t... I was directing her towards the bathroom. I didn't hook up with anyone at the wedding,’ Ron explained, rolling his eyes and then focusing them directly and accusingly on Fred, ‘but it seems like you did.’

‘I bought her home and one thing lead to another. I was going to stay away from her but... what can I say? She spilt all of her feelings out and I had no choice but to tell her the truth about what I felt,’ Fred sighed and then got to his feet. He looked towards the kitchen and saw that it was empty. Hermione must still be sleeping... or maybe she went to get changed. Fred pointed to the kitchen, ‘want a drink?’

‘A drink? You just woke up,’ Ron narrowed his eyes and Fred raised his eyebrows as if to say what’s-your-point. Ron considered him for a moment and then he shrugged, leading Fred into the kitchen. He dug in the cupboards and found two small glasses and a bottle of firewhiskey. Fred looked over his shoulder as Ron said, ‘Mum will kill us for drinking so much in one weekend.’

‘Scared of Mummy, are you? Leave it to me. Besides, this stuff,’ Fred reached across and grabbed a dark bottle of alcohol, one that Ron had never seen before, ‘is better than firewhiskey, trust me. I never knew Harry had such good taste... or maybe it’s our dear sister that we need to watch out for.’

 Fred poured in two glasses and handed one to Ron who was eyeing him speculatively. Fred raised his own glass and smirked as Ron shook about the clear alcohol in the glass. Fred smiled and raised the glass to his lips, drinking all of it one go and then scrunching his face as though he had sucked a lemon.

‘That’s amazing. Try it,’ Fred muttered but Ron was still eyeing him nervously. Fred rolled his eyes and added in a low tone, knowing his brother hated this, ‘unless you’re too scared.’

That was all it took for Ron to drink the whole glass in one go. He sucked in a deep breath as he swallowed it and leaned on the chair, coughing violently. Fred only laughed and patted his back. His memories went subconsciously back to the time that he used to drink with George and a couple of friends and this was exactly how they were at first; coughing uncontrollably, feeling a huge burning in his throat but it felt amazing and rebellious since they were only fifteen when they drank for the first time.

‘Ron...’ Hermione entered the room. Her eyes scanned the scene nervously and a little scared. She glanced at a smiling Fred and his hand on Ron’s back and then she noticed Ron coughing and leaning over the chair as though he was going to be sick. Ron’s coughing eased as he heard Hermione’s sound and he turned around to look at her, ‘what... what’s going on?’

‘Just having a little fun, Hermione,’ Fred laughed and held up the alcohol. Hermione was wearing what looked like it was supposed to be a baggy shirt but it was tight at her stomach area. It came down to her mid thighs and Fred suddenly felt like he had to turn Ron around just so he wouldn’t look at Hermione’s bare legs. He glanced at his little brother and, of course, he was staring at her like she was a three headed puppy.

‘It’s really late in the day and I heard coughing so I woke up,’ Hermione explained and crossed her arms over her chest. Fred wished he wouldn’t do that and glanced uneasily at Ron and then back at Hermione. She glanced at both of them irritably, ‘don’t you have work to get to rather than drinking just after you’ve woke up?’

‘It’s Sunday,’ Fred sighed and started to move around the kitchen. He put the glasses away after washing them and put the bottle away too. Hermione then asked him if she could speak with him alone.

Fred nodded and he turned halfway to look at Ron before thinking it was a bad idea. He didn't want to see the jealous look on his face that he knew must be plastered there. Fred walked out of the kitchen behind Hermione but she kept on going until she got to the room. She let Fred in and then shut the door behind her softly as though she was trying not to make a noise. Hermione turned with a smile on her face and Fred had no choice but to smile back.

‘I’m glad to see you being nice to your brother,’ Hermione muttered as Fred sank his hands into his pyjama pockets. Hermione cupped his waist and he smiled largely, ‘did he ask about us?’

‘Is  there an us?’ asked Fred curiously. Hermione blushed a little and shrugged her shoulders. Fred had no idea if their relationship would work out or not but he guessed it was time to take a chance... either that or be lonely for the rest of his life. He chose the former and sighed, ‘Ron did come here this morning in a bad mood, moaning about... you know... us. I tried to calm him down and the only way I could think of to do that was to drink with him. He forgot about it for a while but you walked in... just let me talk to him.’

‘Fred, I know you’ll start fighting with him if you even try to explain what we have. You know he won’t understand. Let me talk to him... alone,’ Hermione stated and Fred moved away from her, turning his back to her. She watched him, knowing what his response was going to be but Fred said nothing. She wondered if she should try to convince him but Fred turned around and shook his head.

‘No, Hermione. I’ve got this. Just go home, have a shower and get changed, okay?’ Fred asked but he didn't wait for a response. Fred left the room, hoping Hermione wouldn’t follow him, he got to the kitchen. Ron was still standing where they had left him and he glanced up as Fred came in, ‘another shot?’

‘What are we doing, Fred? I came here to talk to you, to knock some sense into you, not drink,’ Ron muttered angrily, ‘you’re doing it again. You’re ripping her from me again and I won’t watch her get hurt because you were careless enough to do business with Malfoy.’

‘Forget Malfoy. Forget all the mistakes I made, alright?’ Fred said, a little angrily himself. He had made a lot of stupid mistakes in his life. No doubt they were dumb but he was still here and Hermione still wanted him, alive or broken either way she would accept him and he knew that, ‘I have made a lot of mistakes but I still love her and you know I would give my life for her if it came to that.’

‘I would have given my life for her at the Malfoy Manor. They were torturing her and I heard her screams. You don’t know how that felt, Fred, and you never will. I love her and=’ Ron was moving closer to Fred and they were now face to face. Fred nodded and placed a hand on his brothers shoulder but that wasn’t what made him stop talking.

‘Ron. Fred,’ Hermione spoke from behind Fred. Fred closed his eyes and shook his head silently, letting his hand slip from his brothers shoulders. He turned to face Hermione who glanced at him and then at Ron, ‘I know that both of you love me, so you say, and I think-’

‘You should choose!’ they both yelled at the same time. Fred and Ron glanced at each other and a challenging look appeared in both of their faces. Fred turned to Hermione and said, ‘just choose once and for all who you want. But... I want you to also think about what you need in life. Hermione, I will try my best to provide for you but I don’t know if we’ll succeed so maybe it is better that you-’

‘Fred, I love you. Nothing’s going to change that and if I have to choose what is best for me and my child... I would have to say you. You are the father of my child and I desperately want us to work out,’ Hermione muttered, her hands went to her stomach but then she turned to Ron and suddenly hugged him before he could say anything, ‘I’m so sorry, Ron, but I love him. I love you too, only in a different way! It’s just so hard for me to lose both of you so please don’t be mad at me, Ronald. Thank you for giving me a home and visiting me in the hospital. You’re one of my best friends and I love you for always being there for me.’

‘Hermione-’ Ron tried to speak but he heard Hermione sob and then he felt the wetness of tears on his shoulders. Ron hesitantly hugged her back and let her lean into him even though it felt like he was going to fall backwards any second now, ‘just promise me that we will always be a part of each others life? I don’t want to lose you either. I wish you had chosen me though, I really do, but that’s life, huh? Not the way you want it to go.’

‘I promise I will stay in your life,’ Hermione whispered in between sobs. Her throat constricted a little but she didn't care. Some of this was because of her pregnancy. Her emotions were going crazy and her feet were swelling. It happens.

Fred leaned against the counter and watched as the love of his life hugged her best friend. He shoved his hands in his pockets and caught Ron’s eyes. What he saw in the depths of his eyes was nothing like anger, betrayal, hurt or anything like that. It was completely the opposite. Ron nodded once to Fred and that nod suggested so much to change their relationship forever. Fred was glad that Ron was accepting everything now. Maybe that was all he needed; reassurance. Reassurance that Hermione was not going to leave him for Fred, that she was going to stay with him like she had since they first met. Fred gulped to clear his throat and caught his brothers eye again.

Fred nodded back.

---

*Hermione’s POV*

A couple of hours later Hermione was fixing up something to eat in Harry’s kitchen. She had asked him if she could stay there for a couple of days since they were away and because Ron’s house seemed really messy because of the party. Harry agreed and told her to stay there for as long as she needed. She had changed into the comfiest clothes she could find which was a hoody and some trousers. Fred had also changed his clothes after having a shower and was sitting at the kitchen table, looking through a couple of files.

‘Are you sure you don’t want anything to eat? What did you eat this morning?’ asked Hermione as she fixed herself a sandwich. She glanced at Fred and saw him busy reading a piece of paper that an owl had bought him only a couple of minutes ago. She dropped her cucumber and walked over to him, ‘bad news?’

‘No actually... very good news,’ Fred smiled and caught her hand, giving it a little squeeze, ‘I can get the apartment for us. It’s a little cheaper since I know the person selling it. I’ll have to move in the stuff and you will lift nothing, understand?’

‘Fred... who is selling you this apartment? You need to be careful who you do business with,’ Hermione warned him, peering at the letter to see who had sent it to him.

‘Hermione, don’t worry,’ Fred muttered.

‘I do worry.’

‘Well, you shouldn’t.’

‘Tell me who it is that’s selling you this apartment,’ stated Hermione and then took a seat next to Fred, taking both of his hands and staring him directly in his eyes, ‘please, Fred.’

‘It’s just... my brother, Percy,’ Fred sighed. Hermione had no clue what she was expecting but it certainly wasn’t this. She sat up a little straighter and Fred caught her face in his hands, ‘he sells apartments and agreed to give me one for one month cheap rent and the next months I’ll have to pay full rent. I can do this, Hermione. I have a job and it pays quite well so money will be flowing in. If you are worried about Percy then don’t be.’

‘I am worried, extremely worried, Fred. This is Percy we are talking about! I know how you and George treated him, making fun of him and when he left the family for his work, you weren’t exactly pleasant about that either,’ Hermione moaned, unable to keep her worries in check, ‘what if he’s doing all this to get back at you?’

‘He’s not, Hermione! I’m going to have a chat with him later and I’ll know if he’s doing this for revenge. Just trust me, okay?’ he asked, leaning forwards to press his lips to hers.

Hermione nodded and then kissed him back for a while.

She heard a single word murmured by Fred but that word was enough to get her breathing ragged and her face flushed red with happiness. She had wanted to hear that word drop from his lips since they got back together. She missed his touch and his voice and especially the word that he said.

‘Mia,’ Fred whispered.