The thing that makes me smile the most - A Fremione Story

10.

"Oh I'm sorry, I just."

Hermione seemed to have knocked over a tower of boxes and a person carrying them whilst walking through Hogsmeade.

"Oh no I'm fine, I'm..wait...Hermione?"

It was Fred.

"Fred!" She said helping him up. "What on earth are you doing here?" She asked. When he got to his feet, she threw her arms around him.

"I was just bringing in some stock. George should be around at some point. And I've brought someone to see you." He said, pulling away from her.

Ron came walking over with another stack of boxes. He'd seen the pair of them hug but his eyes lit up when he saw her.

"Ron!" She cried, taking his boxes off his hands.

"Hey Hermione." He said, scooping her up in his big, strong arms. "Brings back old memories this place." He smiled.

"Oh no, are they broken?" Hermione asked, looking at the boxes strewn across the floor.

"Nah they should be fine." Said Fred. "Anyway, George will be here any minute. I bet you two have a lot of catching up to do. Go canoodle or do whatever you kids do." He said with a wink. He could sense his brother was feeling insecure and all because of him.

"Yeah, come on I have loads to tell you." She beamed. She took his arm and

She seemed happy which was good. And although it hurt, it was good to see the people he loved happy again, even if it tore him up a little bit inside.

Fred watched the two of them walk off hand in hand.

"You okay, Freddie?" Said George's voice behind him.

George knew. George always knew.

"Yeah." He said softly.

"Are you sure you don't want me and Ange to move here and you stay in Diagon alley?" George asked.

"Yeah, I want to be here, Georgie."

"Are you sure?"

"George I have to know she's okay." He said, his voice wavering. "I have to make sure she's alright because I'm so worried she's not."

"Fred we both know it's not just because you want her to be okay." George said. "You'll end up torturing yourself."

"I'll be fine." Fred said.

"C'mon then let's get the rest of the boxes." Said George.

Fred nodded.

"You realise this is the first time we've ever lived apart?" Said George. "I know you want to look after her, Fred but I want to look after you too. Especially after..." he trailed off. "You're my brother, my best friend in the world and nothing can change that. I love you to bits and I just don't want to see you get hurt."

"Soppy git." Said Fred, rolling his eyes. "Anyway we've got our stockroom secret."

"Our own floo network running between the two shops and home."

"We are brilliant." They said together. "I know."

"Just...look after yourself, Freddie. Promise me that." Said George.

"Never." Winked Fred.

———

"Oh and Madame Rosmerta asked after you the other day. I reckon she misses you gawping at her." Laughed Hermione, sipping at her butter beer.

"You seem happy here." Ron said.

"I am." She said.

"Do you miss me at all?" Ron asked.

"Of course I miss you, Ron. All the time." She said, putting her hand on his arm.

"Mmkay." Ron said bluntly.

"Do you think I don't?" Hermione asked.

"No no you do, you do. Sorry." He said.

"Do you miss me?" Asked Hermione.

"Course I do."

"Good. I mean not good but I'm glad you still care about me."

"Of course I care about you. I just feel like I'm not what makes you happy anymore."

"You do make me happy, Ron." She said, "but other things make me happy too."

"Like Fred?" He asked.

"Fred's a great friend." She said. "So in a way, yes he makes me happy but the same way Ginny does or Harry does." She lied.

"Do you remember them at the station?" Asked Ron. "Harry and Ginny?"

"What about them?" She asked.

"The way they said goodbye was...different to us. It seemed more heartfelt and they were more...confident. In themselves." He said.

"So?" Asked Hermione.

"So why aren't we like that?" He asked.

There was silence.

"It's just a rough patch, Ron. We'll get there." She said.

"Yeah. Yeah. I just can't help but feel like you're happier without me, that's all." Said Ron, looking down.

"We have a lot of fixing to do, Ron but we both need to work at it." Hermione said.

"Yeah. You're right. You're always right." He said. "It's annoying when you're right."

"Also why haven't you been writing, Ron? I've been sending letters but you haven't sent one reply."

"Because it hurts when you talk about how happy you are without me. It's like you don't even need me in your life." He said.

"But we can't just cut each other off. I can write about other things instead." She said. "But we need to communicate."

"Yeah. We really do."