*Four years later*
Hermione walked down the street hand in hand with Fred who was now, after all this time, her husband. The sun was sinking beneath the clouds far away and Hermione smiled, breathing in the fresh air and feeling happy. Fred slowly rubbed her hand with his thumb and she looked at their entwined hands. A dazzling ring was on her finger that Fred had managed to buy her. Even now, after everything, she couldn't believe she was married to Fred. She echoed this thought out loud and Fred leaned forwards and pressed his lips to her, showing her that words couldn't explain how happy he was. Fred had wanted this for so long!
He had gotten down on one knee and proposed to her, making Hermione blush furiously. The ring he bought her was so beautiful and Hermione felt like it was a part of herself. The ring, Fred as her husband, and Amelia as their daughter... they all completed her and made her the woman she is now. After the proposal Fred rambled on about their wedding preparations for a couple of minutes but Hermione, wanting no huge wedding party, interrupted him. She was content with signing her name on a piece of paper and changing her name from Granger to Weasley.
‘We could’ve had a proper wedding, you know, rather than signing our name on a piece of paper in our everyday wear. If you were worried about the cost of a wedding...’ Fred trailed off, watching the ground in front of him rather than Hermione’s face. His smile drifted off and Hermione realised that he felt a little guilty because Fred thought Hermione didn't get what she deserved – a huge wedding party.
‘Fred, I want nothing more than for us to be a family and now we are one. If you had asked me about wanting a grand and luminous wedding a couple of years back, I would have agreed in a heart beat but now... we have Amelia and I have you and I couldn’t be happier,’ Hermione said as Fred wrapped an arm around her waist and kissed the top of her head. They really looked like a couple now but they felt more like a family. Hermione didn't need a huge celebration, she was sure Fred and herself could celebrate on their own, ‘we are a family now, Fred.’
‘That we are,’ Fred stated happily.
They walked around aimlessly for a few more minutes. Soaking up the sun and listening to the birds singing. Both of them thought their own thoughts. Hermione still couldn't get over the fact that she was married to Fred Weasley since she didn't think that could have ever happened when she met him for the very first time – the future can be so unpredictable. Fred’s mind went to Amelia and how she was so much like George, scarily so. Hermione, of course, thought Amelia was more like Fred but Fred knew she wasn’t. Amelia’s levelheadedness, composure and her eye colour screamed George as he was also a good thinker before making decisions and seemed to be calm in most situations. His eyes were a infinitesimal amount lighter than Fred’s and only they could tell the difference – Amelia’s eyes were like that too. Fred was sure that if George ever left him to handle their business alone, he would have run it into the ground – which he did.
‘I think we made a good choice making Harry the godfather of the child,’ Hermione commented in order to fill the comfortable silence between them, ‘although I don’t know whether I like the fact that Ginny is her godmother.’
‘She’s my sister, Mia. She’ll be great with Amelia and you know how much Amelia loves Ginny,’ Fred shrugged at Hermione’s worried gaze, ‘I’m sure it’ll be fine.’
‘We should get to the Burrow. Amelia must be waiting on us,’ Hermione said, squeezing Fred’s hand. They seemed not to want to leave the peaceful evening behind but they had to get home and out Amelia to bed. She was at the Burrow with Mr and Mrs Weasley and James.
Without another word they disapparated straight to the Burrow. They walked together to the front door, glancing across the long and overgrown yard to the tree in the distance. They shared a look but kept on walking until they were inside the house. Hermione spotted Amelia in the kitchen while Mrs Weasley was in the garden, watching her through the window. Amelia was eating some cookies and drinking milk. Her light brown curls were pulled back into a ponytail and light freckles dotted around her nose. Her blue eyes flickered up when she heard them come into the room.
‘Daddy!’ she yelled, running straight for Fred and hugging him. Fred grunted slightly as he picked her up and kissed her cheek. Amelia then turned in Fred’s arms, squirming a little, and stretched out her hands so that she could kiss Hermione.
‘Have... you been crying, darling?’ asked Hermione worriedly as she noticed the wetness under her eyes. Amelia lay a hand on her mothers cheek and Hermione stroked her hair, knowing what had happened even before she said anything.
‘Grandpa... he shouted at me... and I got scared and James was playing on the chair and Grandpa didn't shout at him!’ Amelia whispered, her smile slipped off her face as she wiped her eyes. Hermione knew her cousin James Potter was also here but she glanced at Fred’s face when Amelia said “Grandpa”, meaning Mr Weasley. Then Amelia said the next few words that made Fred clench his teeth dangerously, ‘Grandpa doesn’t like me, Daddy.’
‘Did Grandpa say anything else to you?’ asked Fred, his voice was grave and he looked almost deadly. Hermione touched his arm lightly but he took no notice. Hermione knew that Fred wouldn’t stand tears from his daughters eyes, no matter who made her cry, ‘Amelia, darling.’
‘Grandpa just shouted and... then I came... and I baked cookies with Grandma... and she gave me some milk,’ Amelia said quietly, burying her face in Fred’s neck as he stroked her hair and looked at Hermione whose hand still lay on his arm. Fred felt his neck get a little wet and knew that Amelia was crying again.
‘Take her home,’ Fred muttered to Hermione who bit her lip nervously. She tried to protest and say that Fred had to come with them but he ignored her, ‘I think I need to have a word with Dad.’
‘Fred...’ Hermione grabbed his arm, stopping him from leaving but Fred just turned to her impatiently. He managed a fake smile for Amelia and kissed her cheek, telling her that he would be home soon and not to worry.
After Fred was sure that Hermione had left with Amelia, he went outside where no doubt he would find his father. He passed Mrs Weasley without more than a greeting. Fred dug his hands in his pockets as he spotted Mr Weasley. He was watching James play on the little tire swing that he had set up. Fred took a deep breath before he stopped in front of his father.
‘Fred,’ Mr Weasley said, turning to face him. He looked behind him as though he was waiting for someone to jump out but there was nothing but the Burrow behind Fred. He turned back to his son, ‘where’s Hermione?’
‘Home with my crying daughter,’ Fred spat out, glancing at James to make sure he didn't over hear them arguing. James was too busy trying to make the tire swing go faster, he pushed at the ground with his feet, getting his shoes dirty. Mr Weasley scoffed something about Amelia being an “illegitimate child”. Fred nearly growled at him, ‘illegitimate? What about James? Harry and Ginny weren’t married when they had him!’
‘This isn’t about James! All I did was discipline her, son. She shouldn’t have been in the room with James at that time and I told her off. I expected her to be strong like you. When you were younger and got shouted at, you never cried. But Amelia’s not like you. She is weak just like her mother and I didn't know that until today,’ Mr Weasley lay a hand on Fred’s shoulder in an attempt to soften the glare in his son’s eyes. Fred just glared a him even harder.
‘You won’t say anything to my daughter as long as I’m alive. If I ever see a single tear run down that face because of you... I’ll forget you’re my father,’ Fred took a step forwards and stood taller than Mr Weasley in more than one way. He didn't take his eyes off his father, making his point crystal clear, ‘if I ever hear her say that ‘Grandpa’ doesn’t like her or shouted at her... I won’t be responsible for my actions.’
Fred turned on his heel and walked up to the house. He waved as James called to him – ‘Uncle Freddie!’. Fred passed Mrs Weasley who tried to stop him from leaving but he assured her he had to leave.
---
*Hermione’s POV*
‘Pretty!’ Amelia said, pointing to Hermione’s wedding ring. Hermione smiled down at her and kissed her forehead as the blue eyes turned up to her, ‘did Daddy give it to you? Daddy gave me this necklace!’
Her hand went to the necklace around her neck which Amelia refused to take off. It was a silver chair with a little letter ‘G’ hanging off the end. Fred had gave it to her recently and Hermione was extremely surprised to see her wear it.
‘That’s a lovely necklace,’ Hermione whispered and she jumped when she heard the front door open. Turning back to Amelia, she said, ‘go and draw a pretty picture, darling.’
Amelia ran off, her dress billowing around her as she did so. Hermione straightened up and fixed the ring on her finger. She leaned against the counter and crossed her arms over her chest, waiting for Fred to come in.
‘I need a drink,’ he whispered, shedding his coat on the kitchen table and walking past Hermione. He grabbed a glass from the cupboard and scrunched up his eyes as he poured in a glass of firewhiskey. Hermione went over to him and lay a hand on his shoulder as he drank.
‘I wish you didn’t drink, Fred,’ she whispered and Fred sighed impatiently moving away from her. Hermione felt a sudden pang of fear as he drained the whole glass and then filled it up again, holding it in front of her, ‘Fred, don’t do that.’
‘Don’t tell me what to do, Hermione,’ he said bitterly and raised the glass to his lips. Hermione walked forwards, frowning angrily at him. She grabbed the glass from him and held it away from. Fred raised his eyebrows, ‘maybe you should try drinking. It helps with all my bloody problems.’
‘What problems? You have a loving wife, a wonderful daughter and a roof above your head!’ Hermione glared at him.
Then she paused and raised her eyebrows at him. Fred narrowed his eyes at her, wondering what the mischievous glint in her eyes could be about. Hermione raised the glass to her lips and sipped the firewhiskey. Considering it was really strong alcohol, Fred wasn’t at all surprised to see her scrunch up her nose in disgust. He hoped she would put the glass down but no, he should know better, Hermione was determined.
‘Mia! Stop!’ Fred yelled, grabbing the glass as she raised it again. Hermione rolled her eyes as Fred put the alcohol away and drained the glass, hardly tasting it. He then washed the glass and stored it in the cupboard, turning back to Hermione, ‘you are crazy. You can’t drink my firewhiskey, it’s way too... strong for you, Mia.’
‘You told me to try drinking!’ Hermione exclaimed but Fred wasn’t laughing unlike her. He frowned angrily, not finding anything funny in the situation. Hermione sighed and came back to seriousness, ‘let it go, Fred. You know your father is against us and Amelia.’
‘I don’t want to talk about it, Hermione,’ Fred sighed, ‘all that matters is that I have you and Amelia in my life. I don’t need anything else.’
‘Daddy!’ Amelia ran into the room and held up a picture. Fred took it and bent down so that she could tell him what it was. There were four people in the picture and she pointed at each of them, ‘that’s mommy, daddy, me and that is Uncle George!’
‘That’s beautiful, sweetheart,’ Fred said, kissing her cheek. George had what looked like an afro of red hair but Hermione complimented the picture too and Amelia ran off, shouting something about showing them another picture.
‘I’m sorry I wasn’t there for half your pregnancy, Mia,’ Fred said and Hermione leaned into him, ‘I promise I’ll take care of you and our daughter.’
‘I don’t doubt that, Fred,’ she whispered happily.