Chapter Text
They had only been flying for about ten minutes, but it seemed like a lifetime to Hermione. Despite her initial fear, Fred did make her feel safe. He flew very steadily and not too fast. She was even starting to enjoy it a little. The world was quiet and the stars were bright. It had snowed this morning but it hadn't stuck. The normal brown of winter seemed beautiful while covered in the dark blues and purples of the night. The moon shone through gnarly bare trees, making for a uniquely stunning landscape to fly above.
Fred was very pleased at this pleasant turn of events. If you’d told him yesterday he’d enjoying a romantic flight through the sky with Hermione this evening, he would have thought you had gone round the twist.
“We are going to land soon.” Fred said quietly. “Hold on. OK?”
Hermione tightened her grip and lay her cheek against Fred’s back once again, but kept her eyes open. She could finally see where they were headed. He started descending by slowly circling downwards towards the top of what appeared to be an active lighthouse. The top was flat with a railing around the edge, but it wasn’t large. Maybe big enough for 5 people to sit comfortably. They landed softly and Hermione was instantly grateful to have her feet on something solid again. Fred smiled at her as she dismounted. She walked over to the railing and looked out over the at winter sea.
Fred took the opportunity to magically lock the trap door leading up to their little nest and cast a muffliato charm just to ensure the muggle lighthouse keeper wouldn’t hear them. He then transfigured the broom into a large flannel blanket, spread it across the floor and sat down. He leaned against the metal railing and looked at Hermione’s back as she continued taking in the landscape.
When Hermione finally looked back at Fred he was sitting with his knees propped up and his arms were resting on them casually. He had clearly been watching her. She realized he’d been enjoying a different type of view than she had. Their eyes met and they both smirked. She moved to where he sat and took a spot next to him. It was funny. She had just been clinging to him, but now she felt so nervous and they were barely touching.
She played with her hands and shivered a little in the wind. Fred apparently noticed because he cast a silent warming charm on them both and snuck an arm slowly around her shoulder, careful not to move too fast and spook her. When she didn’t stiffen or pull away he gently began rubbing her arm in an apparent attempt to warm her up some more. The contact made her anxious, but to her surprise, not panicked as she had been with other men. He was so gentle it kind of took her breath away and she once again felt the need to fill the silence between them.
“So.” She started cautiously. “You come here often?” She relaxed a little when she saw a smile creep across his lips.
He gave a little laugh, “Nice line Granger, and yes actually.” He said while pulling her a little closer. “We used to use this place sometimes when we were broadcasting Potterwatch.” She straightened a bit at hearing that. She had always wondered where they were hidden during their show. He sighed and continued.
“I kept coming here after the war because, well sometimes the Burrow, my office, or my flat are too small. If feel too cooped up and need to get out, I come here and it helps me relax. It’s so open here. I can see in all directions. It’s kind of like my own little castle. Like nothing can get to me up here."
She was flattered that he was being so open with her. She knew he didn't like to talk about how he had been affected by the war. He played things a little closer to the chest. She started to nod in understanding.
“I know what you mean. I’m OK in small spaces, but if someone gets in my personal space to quickly or grabs me unexpectedly, I kind of become unable to react. The whole world goes wobbly on me.”
At that, he seemed to start to withdraw his arm and she cursed silently. He thought she was talking about him. She prevented him from pulling away by scooting over closer and resting her head on her chest. She could tell it worked because he had stopped pulling away. She kept talking.
“I really am sorry Fred. I never meant to make things weird between us. I really didn’t know about…”
She couldn’t seem to finish the sentence. “You didn’t know about scent magic." He finished for her. He sighed a little heavily. “I suppose Ginny filled you in and gave you 'the talk’".
She knew he wasn’t smiling, but there was nothing accusatory in his voice either. “She did.” Hermione almost whispered.
He pulled her closer and kissed the top of her head, causing her to melt a little. Then he pulled his arm from around her turned to look at her in the eyes.
“‘Mione, it was an honest mistake. It’s done. Besides, you've already made it up to me by letting me fly with you. It was perfect.” He looked at her and smiled. His hand moved to her cheek. “If you want to discuss it with me anymore though, you and I will have to do it the old fashioned way.”
He left the unspoken question floating in the air waiting for her to respond. She turned her head away from him and sat silently for a minute, as if taking his words in carefully. He started hoping that he had read the signs right and that she actually wanted this too. But the silence continued to stretch and just as he decided he was going to say something off hand or some quirky comment to relieve the tension...
“OK.”
He gave a noticeable jump at that. They both sat there evaluating each other like they had earlier. “You mean you really want to date me?” He asked again. He wanted to be completely sure she understood what he was asking of her.
“Yes I’m sure. I think I’d like that a lot. But Fred.” She started a little nervously and he waited for her to finish, “Just. I can’t. I mean, I know you and George date a lot of people. It's not that I care about your past, or that I don’t have any experience myself. It's just I don’t think I can date you if you are going to have other girlfriends…” She stopped suddenly when Fred let out a bark-like laugh.
“Hermione, I’m not George. I may not correct people if they get us mixed up or if they assume we are both the same,” he smiled widely, “but I’m a one witch man. I’ve never dated more than one woman at a time and I am not nearly as ‘experienced’ as you think. More than you I'm sure, but not as much as you’re probably imagining.”
“Really?” She said. “You’d want to date just me?”
“Really.” He replied. “Hermione, I love you. That's the whole point of scent magic. You will never have to question how I feel about you. Why would I want to be with anyone else?” He pulled her tight and kissed the top of her head again.
They both leaned back to look back at the ocean. Fred once again had an arm around her shoulders while hers was around his waist with her head against his chest.
"So, I smell like a meadow? Really Granger?"
She blushed, but he couldn't see it. "Or like fresh cut grass after it rains. Would you have prefered something else?"
She heard a low chuckle in his chest. "Nah, I mean it's better than apple cinnamon."
"Fred! Don't you dare tell Ron!"
"What if he doesn't get what I mean or..."
"Fred..."
He sighed dramatically. "Yes my love."
They were both smiling as she snuggled closer.
They stayed like that a while. When they pulled apart they sat back and cuddled together holding hands and watching the ocean. Neither felt the need to keep talking. The silence was finally comfortable between them for once.
After a while Hermione gave a great yawn. Wordlessly Fred stood up, grabbed her hand and helped lift her off the blanket. He then transformed it back into a broom and lifted the enchantments before mounting and having her climb back on behind him. He slowly started his ascent again, still careful not to scare Hermione.
“OK back there?”
She smiled and she responded with a very clear, “Yes, Fred.”
In fact the trip back was the first time she ever really enjoyed flying and it was actually over too quickly for her liking. As they softly touched down beside the broom shed again she was a little upset about having to let him go.
As if reading her mind, after he dismounted he tossed the broom to the ground and stood directly in front of her. He was just a breath away. He gently wrapped an arm around her waist and brought them flush together. His eyes only left hers when she saw them flutter to her lips and once she heard the hitch in his breath she couldn’t take it anymore. She jumped forward, threw her arms around his shoulders and kissed him soundly. He welcomed it gladly and wrapped his other arm around her waist to pull her closer still. They were completely intertwined, both kissing hungrily. Their lips and tongues were testing each other, as if trying to memorize every inch. She sighed into him and the kiss finally ended. Their faces pulled apart and as he took a step back he grabbed her hand.
“Holy Hera, Hermione.” He mumbled as he bent down to retrieve the broom. "Warn a guy next time, would ya?" He tossed the cleansweep into the shed and shut the door while never letting go of her.
They walked back to the Burrow together. Neither was saying much and both were a little red in the face. When they reached the back door he placed both hands on her cheeks and pulled her in again for another, softer kiss.
“You go in first love.” He said once he pulled away. “It’s easier for one person at a time to sneak in. Best to take it in shifts.”
“OK. She murmured. “Fred? Can we, um, not tell anyone but Ginny and George for now? Like until after the holidays? I just don’t want that much attention and…”
Fred was a little disappointed, but he understood. He was ready to tell everyone that they were together. He would wear a sign board and shout the news down Diagon Alley if she’d let him. But he did actually want to talk to Ron first. He also knew that she would get the fifth degree much worse than he would. Not to mention what would happen when this inevitably hit the press.
“Whatever you need little bird.” He bent down and kissed her nose. “I’ll see you tomorrow. Get in there now. It’s late.”
She hugged him quickly, pulled back and smiled. He gave her a wink and she turned to disappear through the back door of the Burrow, but just before she did, she stopped and looked at him once more.
"Fred..." She whispered up at him.
"Yeah Hermione?"
"I love you too." And before he could say anything else, she was gone.
He let out a long sigh, put his hands in his pockets and leaned his back against the outside wall of his home. He was going to have to work extremely hard for the rest of the holidays to keep his joy under wraps. Not to mention his hands to himself. Yeah, he thought, but it’s going to be fun sneaking around. In fact he was already thinking of ways to corner her over the next few days. He gave her a few minutes and then quietly slipped in the back door himself and crept up the stairs to bed.