Lingering Softness

Chapter III

"You calm the storms and you give me rest."

Hermione unlocked the door with her key when she had returned from her lunch with Ginny, and entered the house.
"I'm back!" she called, slipping off her shoes next to the door, and hanging up her coat.

In the living room, Jemma sat on Fred's lap as he read her a few ever-famous Winnie-the-Pooh stories.

"'I don't see much sense in that,' said Rabbit. 'No,' said Pooh humbly, 'there isn't but there was going to be when--'" Fred stopped as he noticed Hermione standing in the doorway, a look on her face that said 'Oh, you guys are so cute'. Fred blushed and quickly closed the book. "Well, I guess I should be going."

"No, how about you stay and have a cup of tea? It would mean so much to me. We could catch up!"

Fred nodded, he liked this idea. "What about Jemma?"

"Its time for her afternoon nap anyway." Hermione pointed out, nodding toward the clock.

Fred blushed yet again, realized that Jemma's nap was to have started a half-hour ago. "Sorry..." He muttered standing and putting Jemma on his shoulders. "Nap time!"

"No!" Jemma cried, starting to wriggle.

"Yes!" Fred said, in a mocking tone. He carried her up the stairs and into her room, placing her in her deep blue crib. "Night." He said softly, stroking her head once more. He skipped down the stairs and entered the kitchen where Hermione had already begun heating some water for tea. No matter how much Ron had suggested, Hermione still used the muggle way to heat up water and cook.

"How've you been? What has been happening in your life recently?" Hermione asked, getting out two mugs and some tea bags.

"Oh, I've been pretty good. It's been quite hectic for me for the past few years, working in the joke shop and all." Fred replied, pulling into a chair by the counter island. "George and Katie, of course, have been planning their wedding for the past five months. It's going to be quite amazing. So I've had to keep the inventory up since George is so busy. I'm so glad Weasley's Wizard Wheezes has been going so well. And mum thought it would go straight down the drain." As Fred said the last part, he shook his head slowly, a smirk on his face. Hermione smiled, pouring the hot water into the two mugs.

"How've you been?" Fred questioned Hermione, looking at her questioningly.

"Oh, good, good. Jemma's began becoming a handful, more than when she was getting me up at three in the morning." She stirred her tea as she sat down across from Fred. "And then Ron leaving so suddenly," she sighed, "was just a big huge cramp on my problems."

And they continued this small talk for over two hours, when they were interrupted by the telephone ringing.

"Excuse me," she said, standing up and walking towards the phone.

"Hello? Oh, hello Ron."

"Why didn't you call me back? It was urgent!"

"Call you back? What?"

"Yes, call me back!" Ron groaned.

"No one told me to call back!" Hermione argued.

"Yes, yes, I told Fred to--"
"He hasn't told me anything, though."

"Fred!" Ron exclaimed, slamming his foot on the ground.

"Well, I can answer your question now..."

"No, no it's too late. I have to go now. Bye." The phone was now quiet, Hermione biting her lip. Slowly, she put down the phone.

"Oh, god, Hermione. I'm so sorry," Fred began.

"No, no. It's alright." But Fred could tell she was upset. How could he have been so thick as to forget Ron called?

"Well, look at the time." Hermione said, putting on a fake smile. "You should probably head home."

"Yeah, I probably should." Fred nodded. "See you."

"Bye."

Fred left the house, very low in spirits. He disapparated as soon as he exited, then apparted in the townhouse where he lived. So he had blown it. Again.

Now, the only thing to do... He thought, walking to the ice box, taking out a bottle of wine and plopping down on the couch.

"Bottoms up." He groaned, taking down a gulp of wine.

Brrrrringggg, Brrriiiinggg.

Hermione rolled over, groaning. Three in the morning? Who would be calling now?

"Hello?" She said groggily, wiping her eyes.

"Heylo Hermione!" A happy voice said, rather loudly. "I jus' wan'ed ta tell ya tha' I luuuurve yoo!"
"Ron? Is that you?"

"Nah, silly! It's Freg. Uh, Gred. I mean uh... Forge! That's it Forge!"

Hermione's eyes widened. "Fred?!"

"Oh, yeah! That's it. Sorray..."

"Are you alright?" Hermione sounded worried.

"Yeah, I'm fiiiiine."

"Okay... Goodnight Fred."

"Night Hermy!"

Hermione slowly hung up the phone, a look of pure puzzlement on her face. He was drunk! Drunk!

Fred groaned, trying to sit up.

"My head..." he moaned, holding onto it, keeping his eyes closed.

Suddenly, a wave of nausea overtook him, and he bent over, throwing up. He wiped his mouth with his sleeve, groaning once again. "What happened last night?"

"You got drunk." A female voice answered.

"Huh?"

"It's me, Katie. George has gone out for some Aspirin. You called us up last night, at about three thirty, drunk as a monkey. We came over almost immediately, but you were already unconscious."

"Oh." Fred said, quietly.

"I'm back!" George exclaimed as he burst through the door, huge grin on his face.

Fred's head broke in two. Well, no, it only felt that way. He lay back down, moaning.

George chuckled, walking to the kitchenette, grabbing a glass and filling it with water.

"Here, take this." Katie said kindly, handing Fred an Aspirin and the glass of water.

"Thanks," Fred gulped down the pill and the rest of the water.

"We need to go open the shop. Just drink a lot of water, and rest!" Katie prescribed. Fred nodded slowly, though it hurt. He sighed as his brother and friend left, staring at the ceiling. Who else had he called? His eyes widened, remembering something. He remembered himself saying, "Night Hermy!"

Fred sighed. He had called Hermione. But what had he said? He had no clue.