„I think she’s waking up,“ I heard George say as I slowly opened my eyes.
My whole body felt sore and made me remember what had happened.
"Sweetheart, welcome back,“ I looked into Fred’s smiling face as I tried to move.
A quick look through the room told me that I was in Fred and George’s old room.
„How do you feel, Penny?“ he gently stroked my cheek.
„I would be better if you had left me alone. I had everything under control, I had the opportunity to destroy her, I was about to do it and I almost made it if it hadn’t been because of you.“, angrily, I threw the blanket that laid over my legs to the side and sat up.
I looked into perplexed faces but I couldn’t care less.
Because I had it in my hand, she was standing right in front of me and they took away the opportunity to destroy her once and for all.
„Penny…“, Fred spoke in a calm voice and reached out his hand to mine, but I pushed it away.
„No, don’t Penny me, that was my chance! Don’t you get it? I could have killed her and it’s your fault that I couldn’t!“, I screamed and saw the despair in Fred’s gaze and George who was looking at his father for help.
Arthur cleared his throat and came closer to the bed where I was still sitting.
„Penny, you are a talented and capable witch, and I know how much you want revenge on Rubina. But under no circumstances, we would have left you alone with her. When Fred and George said you ran after her, my top priority was to find you. Penny, I understand what this is all about, but bridges that were demolished in revenge can no longer be built when the waves calmed down,“ he said and I looked questioningly at him.
“Do you really think you’ll be happy when you take revenge on her? Do you want her blood on your hands? Or do you want a clean trial and that she gets her punishment without selling your soul?“ he continued, reaching for my hand that I gladly let him take.
Out of the corner of my eye I saw Fred and George watching their father in admiration as he talked to me.
And he got to me.
Because suddenly I saw that I was in the wrong, I had seen red and had thrown all values overboard, just for the sweet taste of revenge.
I raised my head and made eye contact with Arthur, the older man smiled warmly at me.
„You‘re right, I’m so sorry, and sorry that I was a bitch.“, my gaze wandered from Arthur to the twins, who were both standing next to each other with their arms crossed.
And the moment our eyes met, a big smile appeared on their faces.
They both scurried to me and hugged me in such a hurry, that we all fell on the bed.
„Ouch, boys“, I murmured while laughing and trying to free myself from their grip.
„Boys,“ Arthur laughed and grabbed his two sons by the collar and pulled them up from me. „Don’t break her,“ he shook his head with amusement. „Okay, I should look for the others now.“
„Thank you, Arthur, seriously.“, I smiled at the man I’ve had as a father figure in my life for so long, when he walked through the door and disappeared into the hallway.
For a second, I stared at the place where he had just stood and took a deep breath before looking back to the twins.
„How long was I out?“ I asked, sliding in the middle of the bed to make space for the two clones and they each sat down next to me.
„About two hours I would say, after we brought you here, we were interrogated by the Death Eaters. They wanted to know where Harry was,“ Fred replied, looking at George.
At the mention of Harry, my stomach turned and a wave of nausea washed over me.
Harry.. I was too slow, they were gone.
„Penny... “, George began.
„...What do you know?“ Fred continued.
„Nothing,“ I groaned and ran one hand through my hair. „Fucking nothing. They told me they wanted to go hunt Horcruxes because Dumbledore had said it. I wanted to come along. But I was too slow.“, I ranted, more to myself than to the others.
I looked at Fred, whose posture changed slightly. „You knew they were going to leave and you wanted to join them?“ I nodded.
I knew what was coming.
„And you didn’t tell me about it?“ I nodded again, chewing nervously on the inside of my cheek.
„And would you have told me, or would you have just disappeared, like Harry, Hermione and our brother, if you had had the chance?“ his eyes showed a mixture of anger and sadness.
„Okay, time for me to leave, that’s something you should discuss on your own,“ George said as Fred and I continued to look at each other.
„I’m sorry Fred,“ I began when we heard the door fall into the lock.
„I wanted to protect you by not telling you anything. The less you would have known, the safer you would have been.“, I looked at him pleadingly.
„That’s bullshit and you know that. When will you finally stop doing everything on your own and talk to me? I thought we were in a relationship, Penny. And let me tell you something, in a relationship you talk to each other, even if it’s uncomfortable.“
“You’re right. And of course we have such a relationship, it’s just –„
„No, leave it, save your excuses.“, Fred interrupted me, he ran a hand over his mouth and took his lower lip between his index finger and thumb for a moment.
„I’m glad you’re doing well,“ he said, getting up ready to go.
My heart was beating wildly in my chest as my brain tried to shape the right words.
„Fred, wait! Don’t leave me!“, my voice broke.
He turned to me and slightly tilted his head.
„Leave you?“ he laughed, shaking his head
„Penny I’m not going to leave you, ever! I love you. But there is a war ahead and I have to be sure that you are honest with me, otherwise I don’t know how to protect you.“, he looked at me, the man I loved more than anything else and I felt bad, that I kept putting him in these situations.
„I want you to talk to me, Penny! We can only do this together. Do you remember?“, he pointed to my hand, where the promise ring he had given me sat on my ring finger.
Smiling, I looked at my hand and gently touched the little ruby before looking at Fred again. „Of course I remember. And I promise you that there will be no more secrets and no going alone. We’ll get through this together.“ I reached out my hand to him and smiled when he came up to me one step and took my hand.
I sat up on my knees and pulled him closer to me, I laid my arms around his neck and looked into his eyes, his beautiful warm eyes in which I will always find comfort.
I pressed my forehead to his.
„I love you, Fred. It was never my intention to hurt you. I just didn’t think,“ I breathed
„I made a decision that I thought was the right one, but obviously I was wrong,“ I said.
„It’s okay, you’re still here,“ he whispered, putting his hand on the back of my head.
„Yeah, but if I had been faster, then I would now be with Harry and the others who knows where in search of who knows what. And that I’m still here is no excuse for considering leaving without telling you anything.“ The red-haired boy who carried my heart in his hands smiled, his eyes dropped to my lips.
„At least you got it now,“ and then he connected our lips in a gentle kiss.
A kiss that carried so much love that it was enough for everyone in this house.
A kiss that said it was okay. That we were okay.
A kiss that didn’t lead anywhere but still left us breathless.
After a moment we broke apart, our lips still so close to each other that I felt his smile on mine.
„Marry me,“ he blurted out and my eyes widened.
„What?“, I looked at him with my mouth open.
Fred’s gaze was full of panic when he realized what he had said.
„I, uh, I mean, someday. At some point I will ask you if you want to marry me,“ he said, avoiding my gaze as his cheeks turned red and I giggled.
„Frederick Weasley, did you just propose to me by mistake?“ I raised an eyebrow.
He looks up shyly, the color of his face matching the color of his hair.
„And if? Would you have said yes?“ His eyes twinkled as he nervously waited for an answer.
„Of course I would have said yes, I would always say yes Fred.“ I beamed at him and gave him a peck on the lips.
„Okay," he smiled.
"but I really didn’t plan it that way. And even though I would marry you right away, I want your proposal to be special. Besides, I don’t even have the ring with me.“ he babbled and I raised an eyebrow .
„You don’t have the ring here? Does that mean there is a ring?“ I smirked and his face got even redder, if that was even possible.
„No?!“ he mumbled.
„Was that a question or an answer?“ I bit the tip of my tongue.
„You know what? I think we should end this conversation here,“ he said and I pouted and before I could reply he pressed his lips to mine, silencing me.
I relaxed into his kiss and his hands traveled down my body where he tightened his grip on my waist.
„Hmm.. That’s a good alternative,“ I breathed into his mouth and he chuckled.
With one swift motion he picked me up and I locked my legs around his waist so he could slowly lay me on the bed and continue to kiss me passionately.
„That was amazing.“ Fred watched me from the bed as I stood in front of the mirror and fixed my hair.
„I know,“ I winked through the mirror and pulled my pants on before turning to face him.
„Ready?“ I asked and Fred nodded, he got up and took my hand to led me out of the room.
The rest of the Weasley‘s and Tonks sat in the living room, and as we walked in George gave us a knowing look.
I shot him a serious look and slowly shook my head to signal him to shut up, but my hope was dashed when Charlie came around the corner and saw us.
„There’re our lovebirds. I bet you guys had more fun than us, huh?“ he smirked, getting a slap on the shoulder from Molly.
I felt my face getting hot with embarrassment and while trying not to look at the others, I sat down next to George while Charlie high-fived Fred.
„Please don’t say you heard us,“ I whispered into George’s remaining ear.
„Well, you may or may not have forgotten the silence charm.“, he chuckled and Fred took a seat next to me.
I groaned and buried my face in my hands, waiting for a hole in the ground to open up for me to jump in.
„At least you guys had fun while we waited down here," Charlie laughed and handed Fred and me a glass of firewhisky. „and I hope you used protection, although I bet Mum would love to knit tiny jumpers.“
„Charles Weasley!“ Molly scolded her second eldest son and Fred and George stifled a laugh while Bill almost spit into his glass.
„If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to pull a Wood and try to drown myself in the shower,“ I whispered to Fred and George, the latter nearly choking on his drink, but Fred pulled me back onto his lap, laughing.
„What? Don’t be so prudish. There’s living proof in this room that you and Dad have done the deed, too.“ he continued and I caught a glimpse of Arthur trying to hide a smile out of the corner of my eye while Molly was about to have a heart attack.
„That’s enough now!“, she said with a beetroot colored face and stomped into the kitchen.
„As much as I find discussing my brother’s sex life amusing, I think we have other things to talk about now.“ Bill, who was leaning against the wall, cleared his throat.
And then it hit me.
It was still their wedding night and all of a sudden I felt awful and my heart was breaking for Fleur who was desperately clinging to her husband, her face red from crying.
I got up and walked towards her and when I spread my arms in front of her she threw herself right into them and buried her face in my shoulder.
„I’m so sorry, Fleur.“ I stroked her head as she continued to sob into my shoulder.
„It’s not your fault. I’m just glad that nothing serious happened to anyone.“, she sniffled and I admired her strength that she was still thinking of the others in this situation.
After a moment she lifted her head and looked at me, I gave her a small sympathetic smile which she returned and we broke apart.
Molly came back into the living room with a tray full of cups and a steaming pot of tea, she arranged the cups on the table while Fleur and I sat down again, I sat between George and Fred and Fleur sat on Bill’s lap, who had also by now taken a chair.
Fred took my hand and I rested my head on his shoulder as Arthur began to speak.
„It’s time. We’re at war. What happened tonight shouldn’t have happened and I feel responsible.“ He took a deep breath and his wife put a hand on his shoulder, he looked up at her with a smile and nodded as he placed his own hand over hers and my heart warmed at the loving gesture.
„The protective barrier should have held. And the Death Eaters shouldn’t have attacked us. But we did the right thing, we protected each other and we didn’t reveal anything that could be of use to them. But it’s important that we are more careful now , that means we have to go into hiding,“ , he looked at his two identical sons.
„That means you can’t go back to the flat anymore, Tonks and I will accompany you so you can get your things and then you will stay here indefinitely.“ The twins opened their mouths to speak, but Arthur was quicker. „This decision is final.“
„What about me?“ I asked. Of course I wanted to get back to Sirius and Remus, but I didn’t want to be separated from Fred either.
„We think it’s best if you stay in Grimmauld Place with Remus and Sirius.“ Arthur said and I looked at Fred, the thought of being apart from him broke my heart and I felt tears fill my eyes, but I also wanted to be with Sirius and Remus, of course.
„Can I visit you?“, my voice trembled.
„No, we’re going to have to disconnect the fireplace from the floo network and apparition is too dangerous.“ I nodded slowly and Arthur looked sympathetically from me to Fred.
„Then I’ll go with Penny. I’ll stay in Grimmauld Place too.“ Fred said firmly and I frowned at him.
„But what about George?“
„I’ll come too.“ George crossed his arms over his chest and nodded to his twin.
„Not so fast. You can’t do that.“ Molly said and immediately Fred and George found themselves complaining until Bill spoke.
„Maybe we can think about it, maybe that’s not a bad idea. Remus isn’t fully recovered yet and can’t defend himself, so four trained wizards would be an advantage.“, and Fred clapped his hands.
Arthur seemed to consider what his eldest son had suggested for a moment before nodding.
„Okay,“ he said and I let out a relieved breath.
„WHAT?“ Molly exclaimed indignantly, putting her hands on her hips as all eyes landed on her.
„I have no power over Penny, but I won’t let my sons go there.“ George huffed.
„Molly dear, Grimmauld Place is the best secured safe house.“ Arthur tried to soothe his wife.
„Exactly Mum, we’re safe there.“ Fred said and after a short discussion she gave up and agreed.
Fred, George and I went upstairs to pack our toiletries and clothes that we had brought for the wedding.
And when we were done we went downstairs to say goodbye to the rest of the family.
Molly who had tears in her eyes, held her two sons in her arms and refused to let them go.
I had already said goodbye to everyone and was now standing in front of Ginny, only now did I notice that the youngest Weasley sibling looked extremely exhausted, she had puffy eyes from crying and dark circles under her them.
I knew she cared for her brothers, but she also cared for Harry.
Ginny was tough and everyone knew that, she had to be tough, she had learned that growing up with six brothers, but sometimes people forget that she’s just a kid.
A kid who has to fight in a war.
And as I hugged her, I made sure to show her that she wasn‘t alone and that we‘ll do whatever it takes to get everyone out of this war unscathed.
-----
Fred and George stepped through the door into Grimmauld Place first while I stood on the threshold.
Because that was it.
We were at war.
And that fact hit me like a slap in the face as I absentmindedly watched the street and admired the nature, because this was probably the last time I could enjoy this freedom for a long time.
Because the moment I walked in and the door closed behind me, the curtain would fall and would lock us in.
And I never thought it was possible that the walls of Grimmauld Place, the place I felt at home, the place where my fathers lived, were going to suffocate me.