The third year of Wizarding School had finally arrived and Hermione had already learned most of the material for third years over the summer. She sat the Burrow with Ginny in their room and was anticipated for Harry's arrival. Ginny was still asleep, even in the morning light, she slept peacefully. She sat quietly, and stroked Crookshanks who was purring in delight. She heard the clanging of pots and pans in the kitchen and recognized Mr. Weasley's morning noises of fixing everyone's morning meal. In the background Celestina Warbeck played very modestly, so that it wouldn't wake any of the late sleepers. Hermione decided to go downstairs and help out Ms. Weasley. Hermione set down her cat and walked across the room and out the door into the hallway.
As soon as she stepped into the hallway two very familiar voices sounded.
"That was so cool how it blew up!" one said.
"Although it didn't smell too well, and mum's sure not going to appreciate the hole it left on the carpet." Said the other. They stopped talking and put on mischievous smiles when they spotted Hermione.
"Hi, Hermione."
"Morning Fred, George." Hermione quickly noticed a change between the two boys and was extremely amused, though she didn't show it. Fred kept looking away, and George smiled as if to taunt Fred. Fred's faced seemed redder than usual and he smiled sheepishly at her while George had a big mockng grin on his face.
"Well then, I'll see you later." Hermione said and spieled off down the stairs. When she entered the kitchen, Mrs. Weasley was stirring some contents in a cauldron.
"Good morning, Mrs. Weasley, may I help you with anything?" Mrs. Weasley turned around and looked at her with a smile in her eyes. Her brown eyes glimmered and her red hair was nice and neat, despite the early time.
"Yes, dear, cut up some gather some tomatoes from the garden, will you?" Hermione nodded and went outdoors of the Burrow. She walked across the yard until she came upon the tomato patch.
"We meet again Ms. Granger." George said from on top of the shed, obviously something Mrs. Weasley wouldn't approve of.
"Stalk much?" He asked. Yet Fred's face was hidden in the shadows, and he didn't sneak any snide remark which was unusual for him. Hermione shot a annoyed look and plucked five tomatoes for the breakfast.
When Hermione returned with the tomatoes, Ginny was awake and helping her mom.
"Thank you." Hermione's help was no longer needed, so she went and sat at the table, which was occupied by Mr. Weasley reading the morning paper, and Ron waiting impatiently with an empty bowel. She sat quietly and felt Crookshanks at her feet. She put her head in her hands and tried to sort things out. It was quite eccentric for one of the twins to be acting this way. And then it hit her, hard. Was she the only one whom, noticed all the differences in Fred and George? She had always like Fred a bit more, because he made few sarcastic remarks to her, yet he never quite acted this weird around her.
"Seriously Hermione, you ignoring me and there not even a book in your face." Ron said in a weary sleeping voce.
"Oh, I'm sorry I must've not heard you."
"I said I think Harry is coming today." Ron said, just as Mrs. Weasley came out with breakfast.
"Oh great!" Hermione said and clapped her hands together. Her stomach turned when she thought about him being mistreated by his Muggle family.
The twins, and Percy came in for breakfast. Fred acted normal for the first time that morning, but wouldn't look at Hermione. And suddenly, in came Harry. Everyone got up from the table and hugged him tightly as he settled in to eat.
Ron, Harry, Hermione, sat quietly in Ron's room listening to Harry pour out his tragic summer, and about how he blew up his aunt. Hermione, loved Harry's enthralling stories, but she couldn't get Fred's sudden change in behavior.
"Has Fred fallen ill?" Hermione blurted out in the middle of Harry explaining that he didn't get into any sort of trouble for what had happened to his aunt. Both of the boys turned in unison to look at her.
"Not that I know of." Ron said. "Why?"
"He's just been rather off this morning is all." Hermione said. Ginny welcomed herself in the room without knocking.
"Glad you made it here alright, Harry." She said and sat down on Ron's bed.
"Me too." He said. Ginny looked around the room and then stopped and looked right at Hermione before her face turning red, and started smiling broadly.
"What?" Hermione said.
"Oh, I just have a little case of "I know something you don't know."
"And what would that be?" Hermione said anxious to know.
"I can't tell." Ginny said.
"Why not?" Harry said.
"Well I can tell you Harry, but not her." Ginny said laughing in an evil little way.
"What is it?" Ron piped in.
"I can't tell you in front of Hermione." Ginny said seriously.
"Then let's go!" Ron, Harry, and Ginny all got up and started heading down the door.
"Whoever leaves this room without telling me this "secret" will no longer be my friend." Hermione said stomping her foot on the ground. The all turned, and left, closing the door behind them. Hermione felt her face get warm, and she was utterly angry. She kicked Ron's bed and threw his pillow on the floor, and stomped on it. Then she realized she was being rather foolish, and immature, so she quit stepping on it, but left it on the floor. She opened the door, and no one was in the hallway so she stepped out and slammed the door. She couldn't wait until tomorrow when she would be on her way, and refuse to talk to Harry, Ron, or Ginny, for the rest of her life.
She went into the room she shared with Ginny, and laid her head on the pillow. That night she ignored everyone except the adults. They all laughed shyly when she looked at him, and Fred was acting weird again. He smiled at her once, but she ignored it.
Yet that night, Hermione couldn't stop thinking about Fred. Normally when she thought about Fred, she'd always think of George as well, but now she was beginning to see Fred as his own person, which was so different from George. She fell asleep.
The next morning everyone was rushing to get ready to go to King's Cross. Hermione had all the stuff gathered. They drove to the station, and headed straight for platform 9 and 3/4 's. Hermione was the third one to make it through the barrier where she bid Mr. and Mrs. Weasley goodbye and got on the train.
Ron and Harry were sharing a compartment, and Hermione walked on by them, an found Neville n a compartment all by himself.
"Well hello, Neville" She said and sat down opposite from him.
"Hi." He said. Hermione did her normal tradition and cracked open a Potions text book. She began reading before the train even started moving. She was grateful that Neville hadn't question why she was sitting with him and not Ron and Hermione.
A lot of time passed, and still she hadn't heard a word from any of her so-called-friends. She desperately wanted to concoct a Truth Telling potion and shove it down their throats. She began to think evil, evil things. She thought about setting Ginny's hair on fire and holding a wand to her face until she told her what this secret was. She began thinking of ways to hurt Ron and Harry, when the compartment door opened. The person she last expected stepped in.
Hermione looked at him and she was completely dazzled. She looked at him, and he was white, almost mistakable for an apparition. Fred looked at her and smiled, and looked at her. Hermione returned the awkward staring session.
"Hermione I have something important to tell you." He said closing his eyes, and then opening them to reveal his golden brown pools of elegance.
"Yes?" She said, closing her book and setting it beside her on the seat.
"The secret- the one everyone's been hiding from you."
"Is it finally going to be revealed?" Hermione said, bracing herself for the worst.
"The secret—is that." He stood silently, and Hermione let him take his time, and not rush him because he was obviously having a difficult time letting it out.
"It's that I like, like, you and think you're absolutely beautiful" The words tumbled quickly, and with a lot a feeling behind them.