Without You

Fred Weasley had made Acey Hermany cry many times. Some were sad tears, some were happy, but he had caused them none the less.

The first time was when they were five.

The Weasleys and the Hermanys had been close family friends over the years and Acey grew up with the Weasley twins.

She had been playing in the field behind the Burrow with the twins when it happened.

"Fred, George, wait!" The three of them stumbled through the field until they all tripped and fell into a clearing. The twins laughed a little and Fred helped Acey up.

When she began crying she and Fred sat back down, Fred holding one of his closest friends. George sat down beside them held Acey too.

"I hurt my knee," She blubbered between sobs the way only a five year old could.

"I'm sorry, Acey." Fred pushed her dark brown hair from her face, then turned to her scraped up knee. Pressing a light kiss to her scrap, he pulled her close again and sat in the dirt with his twin and Acey until she stopped crying "Don't cry, Acey."

The second time was when they were eleven.

It was after the sorting ceremony and dinner. Fred and Acey had disappeared to talk in a corridor.

"How could you, Acey? There isn't a single witch or wizard that's been in Slytherin and hasn't gone bad." Acey stared down at her feet, trying to avoid Fred's piercing blue eyes.

"I'm sorry, but it wasn't a choice." Fred shook his head.

"I don't think we can be friends this way, Acey." Her head whipped up, her eyes filling with tears.

"That's not true! You and George are my best friends! You're going to let our houses decide our fate!"

"Face it, Acey, we'll be looked down upon if we're friends. I'm doing this for our own good." Fred turned to go, but Acey grabbed his wrist.

"Please don't do this, Fred." Fred gave her a long look, pulling her into one last hug, and left to the Gryffindor common room. Acey stood in the corridor for a little longer, hoping for him to come back.

That night she cried herself to sleep.

He did it again when they were 17.

After that rough patch when they were young, Fred soon realized (with the help of George and Percy) that his friendship with Acey was much too important to end over a house rivalry.

"Are you crazy?"

"Acey, Umbridge is a nightmare. Besides, George and I are going to start a joke shop!" Acey scoffed a little and Fred gave her a pout.

"Oh no, stop it. Getting to me that way is not fair." Fred pulled her closer, his arms wrapped around her waist. He tilted her head up, biting his lip and giving her puppy eyes. "Ugh! Fine. Just stop with the eyes." Fred gave her the trademark Weasley smile and hugged her. "Why'd you need my blessing to leave school anyway?"

"Because you're one of the most important people in my life, after my family, of course." Acey smiled and shook her head. "Which makes what I'm about to say hard." Acey's smile fell away.

"What's the matter?"

"It's about the Order... we know there's a big war on the horizon. I need you to walk away."

"Fred-"

"Acey, please. Any of us could die this way, I could die this way. You have to walk away from this." Acey shook her head. "Acey-"

"No! I won't. You all mean the world to me, and I don't know what I'd do if I lost you. We're in this together, until the end." Fred down cast his gaze. "I'm not gonna let anything happen to you." A tear escaped her eye, falling on Fred's sweater.

"Don't cry. You know I hate when you cry." Fred brushed the wetness away from the corner of her eye and kissed her cheek.

Acey gave him a small smile and brought her arms around his neck, pressing a careful kiss to Fred's lips. Fred pulled her close, adding pressure to the kiss, while her light tears fell on his cheeks.

"Until the end, Fred. You and me." Fred smiled and hugged her close to him.

Once more when they were 19, during the war.

"Fred!" Acey yelled, turning her head to see her best friend fall to the floor. Cast another spell to knock a deatheater into a wall, she ran to him.

"Fred, Fred... are you okay?" She pushedhis bangs from his face, George and Mrs. Weasley coming up beside her.

"Acey, I'll be fine." He cupped her cheek in his hand and brought her lips to his. "I want you to be fine." Acey's tears rained down her cheeks, her palms pressed to his chest.

"No, no, I won't be fine. None of us will be fine if you're not. Fred, don't leave me." Acey bit at her lip, George holding onto his brother's hand.

"George, I want you to take care of Acey if I'm not okay." George shook his head.

"You're be fine, you'll be good as new. I promise." George's kunckles turned white from holding onto his brother's hand. Fred shook his head and closed his eyes.

"You can't leave me, Fred. You just can't, please!" Acey rested her head on Fred's chest, tears soaking his shirt. "You can't... I love you." Acey whispered.

"You know I hate it when you cry." Acey looked up at Fred, who had a small smile on his lips. "I'm not going anywhere, Ace."

He slowly sat up and Acey hugged him.

"God, I hate you. I hate that you did that to me. If you ever do that to me again I will hex you into next month." Tears fell down her face, mingling with Fred's skin as she pressed a passionate kiss to his lips. "I don't know if I love or hate you more right now."

"I love you too."

He made Acey cry one last time, when they were 22.

"Acey, I want you to marry me." Her eyes widened and she took in a sharp breath. "Please, you stole my heart when we were 16, and you've been with me since birth. I'd go to the moon and back for you, and I want to spend my whole life with you."

"Oh my god." Fred began to bite his lip.

"Say something," Ginny whispered, elbowing Acey a little.

"Of course, of course, there's nothing I'd want more." Fred set the ring on the table and kissed his girlfriend-now-fiancee. "I love you, I love you so much."

"I love you too." Fred pressed his forehead to hers and quickly slid the ring on her finger. Acey felt tears slide down her cheeks. "Please don't cry."

"Every time you say that you cause it, ya know."