"I'll take you to the station, Hermione." Said Ron, clearly unsure of what to think.
Hogwarts was officially re-opened and Hermione was ready to go off and finally complete her last year.
"Thanks, Ron." She said with a smile.
Things had been awkward for the last few months between Ron and Hermione since the incident with Celine. Ron of course had apologised profusely over and over again, but Hermione still held him at arm's length.
It wasn't just because Ron had stared at Celine that day or even that he was negative about her choice to go back to hogwarts. It was because she just couldn't work out why she felt like Fred was a better friend than Ron was a boyfriend.
Fred told her everything she needed to hear. He encouraged her to follow her dreams and supported her, embraced her for who she was and cared for her in a way she'd never been cared for by anyone. But Ron was her boyfriend. That was his job. Ron was supposed to make her feel special and tell her she's beautiful and reassure her and respect her in the way that Fred did.
Fred had made her feel like this a few times, but she barely saw him now because Weasley's Wizard Wheezes had opened again and just before school was peak sales time for them.
He was usually home late or so tired from work the day's work that he went straight to bed, but they'd caught glances of each other a few times, but nothing as intimate as the comforting hug Fred had given her that Hermione just couldn't seem to get off her mind sometimes when she was just about to drift off to sleep.
She'd made sure she saw Fred one last time when she collected her school supplies for the year from Diagon Alley. He'd given her a smile and a small hug. It wasn't anything like one of his warm, tight, comforting hugs, but a hug all the same.
He beamed when she complimented his magic, even though she didn't approve of half the products in the shop, he offered her any item she wanted for free. She briefly considered a WonderWitch product for Ron, but politely declined by saying:
"You owe me one, Freddie. I need time to think."
As she packed her trunk, she was filled with nostalgia of her first time at hogwarts. The nerves, the excitement and the magic.
"Ready?" Asked Ron.
"Ready."
They left early that morning. The journey to King's Cross was almost silent. Barely anything was said between them. Ron was still hostile about Hermione leaving, but he was doing his best.
When she got onto the platform, he gave her a hug and kissed her on the cheek.
"See ya around I guess." He said
"Goodbye Ron." She replied with uncertainty.
Hermione looked over and saw Harry and Ginny.
Ginny threw her arms around Harry.
"I love you, Harry." She said into his neck. He kissed her and rested his forehead on hers.
"We'll be okay, Gin. I love you too." He said. "Now don't miss the train."
Hermione looked at them and then looked at Ron who was avoiding eye contact.
"I'll see you at Christmas, yeah?" She said, trying to make their goodbye less awkward.
"Yeah." Mumbled Ron, turning away from her and going to find Harry who had just finished helping Ginny with her trunk.
"Oh hey mate, didn't see you there." Said Harry. "C'mon, let's walk together, what's up?" He asked, looking at Ron's expression.
"How are you and Ginny...coping? With the distance and all?" Asked Ron.
"Honestly? We're fine. I miss her already and will do for a long time, but we're going to write to each other and I'll see her at Christmas. Plus I'll be keeping myself busy a lot of the time." He said.
"Really?" Asked Ron in disbelief.
"Yeah. What about you and Hermione?" He asked.
"Ugh don't. We just don't seem to agree on anything, especially this and she's just upset all the time and I thought us dating was what was always meant to happen and when we did it'd be like we were destined to be together and it'd be a breeze but it's like we're just total opposites and it feels like any day now we're not going to make it. I'm scared she'll meet someone else and be happier with him." He said.
"You've just got to trust her, Ron. It's never been more important. Even after everything we've been through."
Meanwhile, Hermione and Ginny were sitting together on the train.
"How's things with you and Ron?" Asked Ginny.
"Absolutely awful. He has been a total arse about me coming back to Hogwarts. It's not easy but Fred said it'll work itself out if it's meant to be. He's good with advice like that." She smiled to herself.
"Oh yeah and what else did Fred say?" Asked Ginny, raising an eyebrow.
"That I should follow my heart and I'm strong enough to make the decision on my own. He said I'm brilliant and if me and Ron are meant to be, it'll work out and some space might do us some good." She said, smiling to herself.
Hermione told Ginny about Celine and how Ron had stared when she took off her top.
"Ron did what?" Ginny asked in disbelief.
"Another thing Fred said was that I should remember I'm always enough and I'm not plain or dull and it's admirable that I'm brave enough to follow my dreams and I'm..." she trailed off.
"You're what, Hermione?" Asked Ginny.
"He said that I'm beautiful and anybody who doesn't see that is blind." She said.
Ginny was speechless.
After a second she said. "Fred's not usually that nice to people. You must be pretty special, Hermione."
"Yeah he's a really great friend and I'm happy we're closer. He said he won't see Celine anymore if it's a problem for me and Ron. I never knew he could be so kind." She smiled.
"Neither did I." Shrugged Ginny.
"That's the thing with Fred. It's like he has a lot of layers. He's this funny idiot that can brighten up any room but if you see underneath all that, he's so gentle and understanding and sweet."
"Sounds like you really care about each other." Said Ginny.
"Yeah, I'm happy I have him." Hermione said.
———
Fred and George both got home earlier than usual that night. They walked into the living room to find Ron lying on the couch.
The twins looked at each other.
"Tag, you're it." Said George, pushing his twin towards the sofa where Ron was lying and then running upstairs.
"Hey Ron, what's wrong, mate? Missing Hermione?" He asked.
"I'm worried about her." He said. "I'm worried she'll be emotional or sad or depressed or anxious and there's nothing I can do about it. What if she meets someone else?"
"Well I have some news for you, brother that might just reassure you." He said with a smile.
"George and I have decided to buy Zonko's. Business is a little slow now people are going back to school, so we're opening a shop in hogsmeade." He said.
"We'll switch occasionally, George will mainly be based in Diagon alley because Angelina's moving in with him above the joke shop and I'll be going to hogsmeade to live above Zonko's."
"Haven't your products been banned at hogwarts?" Ron asked.
"Do you think that's going to stop us? We're finding new and interesting ways to smuggle our products into Hogwarts." Fred said, mischievously. "Anyway. I'll be there to keep an eye on her for you, Ronnie and you're welcome to stay at mine whenever you want."
"Thanks, Fred." He said.
"No problem, little brother, let's say you owe me one." Fred winked.
"Fred?"
"Mm?"
"You and Hermione...you're just...friends, right?" Ron said.
"Yeah, yeah of course. Why'd you ask?" Fred asked, awkwardly.
"Nah it's probably just me but sometimes you two seem a little...close. And I sometimes see you sort of...admiring her and you both talk about each other a lot."
"I just appreciate her as a friend, Ron. There's nothing else there. We've been talking a bit these past few months because obviously she's worried about leaving you and I've got...stuff too."
"What stuff, Fred?"
"There's nothing to worry about, Ron."
"If you say so." Ron muttered under his breath.