Never Give Up

Chapter Twenty-Seven

The next day was not so great for Hermione since Fred was actually being serious about not forgiving her about leaving to go to Draco’s house. Last night she came back from the Malfoy manor and was very shaky as thoughts of Draco saying he was in love with her echoed throughout the caves in her mind. Hermione ate Christmas dinner and joined in with some of the chatter but soon everyone was getting ready for bed. Fred hadn’t said a word to her when she came into the room and he was already lying in bed, reading one of the files from work that he had been sent. Hermione changed her clothes and climbed into bed, feeling the weight of the day press onto her. She hugged Fred around his naked stomach as he read and kissed his chest, hoping he could cheer her up. Instead, he made an excuse about being too tired, turned over and was soon asleep.

Even now, the whole day had passed and Fred had spent it playing chess with Amelia and James and whoever else wanted to play, generally avoiding his wife, while Hermione cooked them all lunch. It was her job to cook breakfast and lunch and dinner since Mrs Weasley was away to visit relatives with Mr Weasley, Lucy and Molly. They wouldn’t be back until the next day so it was Hermione, Ginny, Fleur, Victoire, Audrey and sometimes even Isabelle who managed to make them all food.

Fred had just changed into a button up shirt and some trousers while all the adults were getting changed to go out and eat. He went down the stairs, as Hermione was slipping into her dress, and into the kitchen. Fred got to the kitchen to find it totally empty which was a rarity. He sighed and walked over to the cupboard, getting a glass and some firewhiskey before pouring some in for himself. He stopped when he heard heels on the kitchen tiles and turned to look at the door.

‘Oh, sorry, did I startle you?’

It wasn’t Hermione, as he first thought, who made him nearly drop the firewhiskey bottle. Instead it was Isabelle, Ron’s girlfriend, who was half smiling at him. Fred felt a little guilty when he realised he was actually drinking in his own house and he didn't want his wife to know about it. It was a sad thought: drinking behind his wife’s back but he shoved it out of his mind and poured a little more in for himself.

‘No, you didn’t startle me. I, uh, I thought it was my wife,’ Fred shook his head, letting out a breath of laughter as he put the firewhiskey away and held up the glass, ‘she doesn’t like me drinking, you know.’

‘You seem awfully scared of your wife. I never would’ve guessed,’ she laughed a little, coming closer to him as Fred drank his alcohol. It burned his throat a little but he managed to drink it all in one go.

‘My wife can be a scary woman sometimes,’ Fred shrugged, and moved over to the sink. He started to wash his glass.

‘Ah, getting rid of the evidence now. You seem practiced at this,’ Isabelle commented. Fred laughed for the first time that day. He turned to look at her.

Fred’s eyes widened as he actually took her looks in. He hadn’t really bothered to look up at her as they talked but now he did and saw that she was wearing a beautiful light blue and black dress that ended just above mid thigh and there were black ruffles coming out from the back of her dress. She wore black heels that were high enough so that she was almost Fred’s height and she carried a blue clutch in her hands.

‘It’s nice, isn’t it?’ she asked, smoothing out her dress from the stomach down and smiling a smile that radiated her best features, ‘I bought it for myself a couple of months back and didn’t have anywhere to wear it to.’

‘Yeah... it...um, looks amazing on you,’ Fred agreed and Isabelle thanked him, and at that moment Ron, Harry and Ginny walked into the kitchen with Hermione trailing in behind them a moment later. She smiled at Fred as she came in.