Broken Bits

19. Storage Closets

Fred heard the front door shut as he gently laid Hermione down in their bed, he moved to pull the covers up but her hand shot out grabbing his forearm.

"I can't..I can't do this." Hermione whispered, her eyes welling with tears.

Fred hurried to sit on the edge of the bed, and began rubbing soft circles in her skin as he gazed lovingly down at her.

"We can handle this Granger." Fred reassured, bending down to kiss her knuckles. Hermione tried to sit up, but Fred pushed her shoulders back down by curling onto her chest. Hermione brought a hand up, and shakily began threading her fingers through his hair.

"I still want to marry you, even if we're aren't forced by law anymore." Hermione whispered suddenly.

Fred stilled the rubbing of his circles, he hadn't even thought about that. They weren't required anymore. Hermione didn't have to be with him, she could very well up and leave him if she'd like.

"We don't have to talk about that right now." Fred reassured, tilting his head to rest his chin on her shoulder and gaze at her. "I don't want you to worry about it." He murmured.

"I want to talk about it now." Hermione whispered, tears spilling down her cheeks. She brought her hands to cup his cheeks.

"I want to marry you, maybe a bit further down the line now that we have time but I want to." Hermione whispered, she leaned forward kissing his cheek gently. "I want to be sure about us before we go back out there and find out the uncertainties of the Ministry." She whispered against his skin.

Fred brought a hand up, tangling his hand in her hair.

"Do you still want to marry me?" Hermione whispered shakily, and she felt Fred's hands tighten in her curls.

"I..I have something." Fred muttered, he pulled himself away and Hermione watched as he began digging in his suitcase. He came back, hiding something behind his back. Hermione reached her arms back up for him, wanting just a little more comfort but he knelt beside the bed placing his hands on the comforter beside her. They were cupped around something, and his eyes were darting around nervous.

Hermione pushed herself up on her elbows, and brought one hand up to smooth down his hair.

"Fred, what is it?" Hermione asked gently, and Fred's eyes found hers.

Her calculating eyes, trying to decide what Fred was doing. Trying to figure out what secret he was hiding. Trying to decipher what it is that was making him so nervous.

"Hermione, I've loved you since the Yule Ball. That was the night I really figured it all out. Why I could never take my eyes off of you. Why I always wanted to make you smile. Why you were the one person in my life I couldn't play a prank on. Why your hair, and your eyes would keep me captured in your attention for hours." Fred began talking, and found himself unable to stop.

"I've watched you go through hell ten times over. Between dating my idiotic brother, to fighting Voldemort to working a job that really doesn't deserve you. I've watched you for years, waiting for the perfect time to tell you. I'm sorry that time never came. I'm sorry that every time I try to tell you I love you, it's only because something terrible has happened and I thought I was going to lose you." Fred slowly unclasped his hands to reveal a small red velvet box.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you all those years ago, but I'm telling you now Hermione. I want to marry you. I want to make you happy for the rest of our lives, and I want to stand by you as you continue to go through hell." Fred opened the box to reveal a simple ring, with a singular diamond in the center of it.