This fic was requested by IRuleUK.

This is my first Fred/Hermione fanfiction, so I hope it turned out well. I'm a total Draco/Hermione or Ron/Hermione shipper, so I hope I didn't totally botch the world of Fred/Hermione fanfiction since I'm completely unfamiliar with it.

Set in the Burrow, either before or a little after the HBP started. And yes, I completely ignored the under-age magic law.

Disclaimer: Requested by IRuleUK and the characters are owned by Mrs. Rowling. I own the plot, and part of this was inspired by a quote by Neil Gaiman.

Dedicated to Fred and George Weasley. For Fred, who died a hero, and for George, who lost the other half of himself.


oOo

Hermione Granger prided herself in her intelligence and her ability to be highly logical. She was the type of person who would never take 'no' for an answer. She didn't like to deal with another person's lack of common sense.

This fact was especially true when it came to Fred Weasley.

Hermione did not like to be ignored and she especially hated to be treated like she didn't exist. She didn't think of it as a flaw, but more of a thought that she deserved better. And she was right.

She shook her head and shifted in her seat, trying to concentrate on the book in front of her, but failing miserably. Her thoughts kept shifting toward the red head who pretty much had no idea that she even existed.

The thought made her angry. She was Hermione Granger, for Merlin's sake. The brightest witch of her age, bookworm extraordinaire, and best friends with the Boy Who Lived. You would think, she thought to herself angrily, that I should be noticeable enough for him.

But no, Hermione was still as unnoticeable to him as ever.

She slammed her book shut angrily, pinching the bridge of her nose to try to get rid of her headache.

"Are you alright, Hermione?" Ginny's voice broke through the silence and made Hermione jump.

"Fine, Ginny. Just a headache."

"Oh." She paused. "Want me to see if mum can make you some –"

"No."

"Are you sure? Because she could –"

"No, Ginny."

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Honestly, Hermione. Do you really think that attitude will make my brother notice you?"

Hermione's head shot up. "Excuse me?"

Ginny scoffed. "As if I hadn't noticed. To be honest, you've successfully kept it under wraps for a while. I probably wouldn't have ever figured it out if not for the fact that you talk in your sleep. Oh, gosh, I love him so much. Honestly, Hermione, did you think I wouldn't figure it out?"

Hermione blushed considerably and Ginny smiled triumphantly. "Aha!" She yelled. "I knew it! I knew you were in love with –" Hermione's hand slapped over Ginny's mouth.

"Would you keep your voice down?" She hissed. "It's bad enough you know. Do you think I want anyone else to figure it out?"

"It won't take long for anyone else to figure it out if you keep moping about like this."

Hermione scowled at her friend. "What'll it take for you to keep your mouth shut?"

Ginny tapped her chin thoughtfully for a moment. "Let me help."

Hermione raised an eyebrow. "Help?"

"With your "issue"." She used her fingers to make quotations around the word 'issue.'

"And why should I need your help?"

"One, because meddling in things I shouldn't meddle in is one of my favorite things to do. Two, you obviously have no idea what to do, and I do. Three, it'll be so much fun!" Ginny was nearly jumping in her seat from the excitement she felt. "And just think, if my plan works, we can be in-laws someday!"

"You've got to be kidding." Hermione shook her head exasperatedly at her friend.

"Please, Hermione? Please?" Ginny begged, leaning forward to hear her answer.

Hermione sighed deeply. "I know I'm going to regret this…"

"Yes!" Ginny yelled, jumping up and grabbing Hermione's hand. She started pulling her towards the stairs and Ginny continued speaking, "This is going to be absolutely fantastic."


"You're completely mental. This will never work."

Hermione looked at herself in the mirror, shaking her head while she did so.

"Oh, please. It will work perfectly. You look great!" Ginny stood next to Hermione and looked her up and down, nodding her head. "I must say, I'm a genius."

"You're very conceited, Ginevra."

"It's one of my finer traits," she responded, shrugging. "But, you have to admit the make-up makes you look fantastic. Not that you didn't look fantastic before, but you get the idea."

Hermione shook her head, not taking her eyes off of her reflection. "So what's the plan exactly?"

Ginny smiled. "So, I have a three part plan. Guys love having eye candy to look at, so part one: change your looks. I didn't have to do much, so that's a plus." Ginny gestured up and down to Hermione and she rolled her eyes.

"And what are the other two parts?"

Knock, knock, knock.

"Who is it?" Ginny called toward the door.

"Me and Ron. Can we come in?"

Without waiting for an answer, the door swung open to reveal a very dirty and wet Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley.

"Mum says lunch is almost ready and she wants the two of you to help set the… Holy shit, Hermione, what happened to you?"

Hermione blushed and Ginny slapped the back of his head. "Ow!"

"Ginny got to you?" Harry asked knowingly, a smile gracing his features.

"Yes," Hermione answered with a laugh.

"Well, you look great."

"Great?" Ron gave Harry a look. "She looks bloody fantastic."

Hermione rolled her eyes at the two and asked, "What happened to the two of you?"

They shared a look sheepishly. "Mum sent us out to the garden to get rid of some gnomes. We just got a little carried away."

"We can see that," Ginny said, snorting and shaking her head. "You both look like you took a roll in the pigpen."

Ron and Harry looked at each other, and a devious smile fell on both of their faces.

Hermione knew what they'd do a second before they moved, but it was a second too late.

Ron lunged toward Hermione and Harry lunged toward Ginny, and both of the girls were immediately covered in mud and water.

Almost as fast as they covered the girls with dirt, they ran out of the room and down the stairs with Ginny chasing after them. Hermione could hear her voice echoing through the Burrow. "I'M GOING TO KILL YOU, HARRY POTTER; YOU WON'T BE THE BOY WHO LIVED ANYMORE, I CAN PROMISE YOU THAT! YOU TOO, RONALD WEASLEY! I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU TWO DID THAT!"

Chuckling to herself, Hermione turned toward the mirror and her heart sunk into her stomach. Her face, hair, and clothes were completely ruined from the water and she was almost completely covered in the brownish goop that had previously covered the boys.

She sighed, knowing it would have ended in disaster anyway. With another look at the mirror, thinking about her earlier beauty, she trudged off to the bathroom to clean the dirt off of her with a well-needed shower.


"Okay, so part one of my plan didn't work out too well, but part two has to work. It's absolutely positively foolproof," Ginny told Hermione after they had both taken well-needed showers. They walked slowly down the stairs to the kitchen, careful to keep their voices lowered.

"Ah! There you two girls are!" Mrs. Weasley said, wiping her hands on her apron. "We'll all be eating supper outside today since it's so beautiful this time of day. Ginny, go and check to see if your father has finished setting up the two tables. Hermione, can you help me with this, dearie?"

"I'm kind of scared to see what part two is." Hermione whispered to Ginny as she passed her to go outside.

"Don't worry, it'll work out perfectly."


"No. Absolutely not." Hermione shook her head, blushing as Ginny told her the second part of her plan. "You're mental, Ginny. I refuse to stoop that low just to get a guy to notice me."

Ginny pouted. "Come on, Hermione. Don't be such a prude! It's not like you're going to strip down on top of the table or something! Although, if you really wanted him to notice you…"

"Ginevra Weasley!" Hermione scolded, ignoring the fact that Ginny called her a prude.

"Alright, alright, I'm just kidding. Lighten up a little."

"I still don't get how this will work. It'll just make me look like a complete idiot, and then I'll never be able to show my face in front of your family again."

"Mione," Ginny said, putting a hand on each of Hermione's shoulders. "Relax. Everything will work out perfectly. This will make it impossible for him not to notice you."

"But what if your parents see me? They'll surely know what's going on. Or at least, your mother and Remus might know."

"Which is why I suggested there be two tables; one for us, then another for the adults." Ginny thought for a second, then added, "Well, for the adults, plus Tonks."

"How did you manage that?"

"Have a little faith, would you?" Ginny asked. "I really thought this out. It'll work. Okay, so you understand the plan, don't you?"

"Yes. Completely embarrass myself by acting like a fool in front of the man I'm in love with."

"Fantastic! Let's go!" Ginny yelled, pulling her out of the doorway and into the garden where everyone was getting seated for their meal. Hermione nearly dropped the book she was holding at Ginny's forceful tug, but held onto it, for it would be an important part of their plan.


"That was delicious," Ron said to the younger Weasley's plus Harry and Hermione, leaning back in his chair. "I couldn't eat another bite."

Everyone exchanged glances, knowing he could certainly eat more if he wanted to. Ginny, who was sitting across from Hermione, kicked her under the table, letting her know it was time for their plan to commence.

Hermione flinched under the look Ginny gave her and shook her head, ready to give up and chicken out. But Ginny ignored her and started their plan.

"Want a lollipop, Mione?" Ginny asked, Accio-ing two from the kitchen.

Just say no, Hermione. Just say no, and everything will go back to normal. You can go back to watching him from afar and just give up. "Sure, Ginny." Hermione mentally smacked herself.

"Thanks for offering one to the rest of us, Gin," George told his sister sarcastically.

"Oh, shut it." Ginny said as she took off the wrapping around hers and motioned for Hermione to do the same with an evil glint in her eye.

Hermione gulped and quickly unwrapped the lollipop, looking at it like it was some sort of evil creature she would have to duel.

"So," Ginny started placing the lollipop in her mouth, while Hermione took her book out and setting it lightly on the table in front of her, "I heard that Luna said that…"

True to form, Hermione tuned Ginny out and turned to her book, gently placing the lollipop on her lips and giving it a small lick. Unknown to Hermione, the eyes of two of the boys at the table turned to her immediately, and seemed to be transfixed on the small red lollipop that had just entered Hermione's mouth.

Hermione twirled the lollipop over her tongue, and as if she couldn't resist, plopped it in her mouth, quickly, moaning slightly at the delicious taste.

"Blimey, mate," Ron whispered to his best friend across the table, "you think she even realizes what she's doing?"

"Probably not. I mean, Hermione wouldn't do something like this, right?" Harry asked him almost silently, unable to tear his eyes away.

Ron shook his head, and turned toward Harry, while still keeping an eye on Hermione. "Right."

Ginny smiled to herself at their reaction, and continued talking.

"What are you lot talking about?" George asked, looking up from some blueprints he was discussing with his twin, whose eyes were glued to the papers. Following the eyes of the two boys, George said, "Oh. Oh." He nudged his brother. "Oy, Freddie, look." He muttered, but his brother swatted his hand away, intent on what he was doing.

Hermione twirled the lollipop in her mouth, savoring its flavor. She pulled the lollipop out of her mouth with a slight popping sound, then shoved it back in again, still oblivious to the looks of pain and lust that were on George, Ron, and Harry's faces.

Crunch!

All three of the boys winced as Hermione bit into the lollipop. With wide eyes, George quickly pushed back his seat and tapped his twin brother on the shoulder.

"Okaaay," George said, drawing out the word and shifting on his feet awkwardly, "We have other things we have to do, so we'll talk to all of you later. Come on, Fred," George said, pulling his brother up from his chair and gathering the papers quickly.

"What the hell, Georgie?" Fred asked, seemingly aggravated as his brother pulled him along.

"Are you serious?" George asked him, giving his brother an annoyed look. "Come on, I'll explain later."

Hermione sighed, popped the lollipop in her mouth, and lifted her head slightly to watch them go.

Ginny smiled and stood, apparently oblivious. "Come on, Mione. Let's go get ready for bed. I'm exhausted."


"That was positively brilliant! You practically had them eating out of the palm of your hand! That was fantastic! If I didn't know any better, I'd have said you'd have done this before, but that was just great! I applaud you, Hermione Granger." Ginny said, clapping her hands as Hermione pulled back the blankets on her temporary bed in Ginny's room.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "It didn't work Ginny. He didn't even notice me."

As she settled in her bed, Ginny scrunched her eyebrows in a confused way. "What are you talking about? He couldn't get his eyes off of you!"

Hermione raised an eyebrow incredulously. "Ginny, he barely looked up from the table."

Ginny shook her head. "Who are you talking about?"

"Wait, who are you talking about?"

"Ron, of course."

Hermione let out a choked laugh. "You're serious? Gin, I think there's been misunderstanding."

"If you weren't talking about Ron, then who were you talking about?" Ginny asked curiously. "I mean, Harry's mine, so it must be one of the twins, right? The only one who wasn't looking at you earlier was Fred, so…" Ginny paused and Hermione let the facts come together in her friends mind. "Oh, Merlin. You're in love with –"

"Hush, Ginny! We'll talk about it tomorrow, alright?" Hermione said, wanting to get the subject off of herself.

Ginny huffed. "Alright, fine. But don't think this lets you off easily."


"Maybe we should just give up, Ginny. It's just not working out." Hermione said the next morning as they were getting dressed.

"Give up? No way. I still have one more plan left, and if that doesn't work, I'll figure something else out. No worries."

Hermione was skeptical, but decided not to point this out to her friend, instead letting her have her fun for the time being. "What's our plan for today?"

"Jealousy."

"Jealousy?"

"Jealousy," Ginny confirmed. "One of the best ways to get a guy to notice you is to be with another guy. Or at least flirt with another guy. If this doesn't work, I'll gladly prance around the garden in my knickers. Not seriously, though, just in case this actually fails."

Hermione rolled her eyes but otherwise ignored her last comment. "Ginny, I couldn't possibly…"

"Come on, Hermione. A little mindless flirting never hurt anyone."

"Yet," Hermione muttered.

Ginny ignored her. "Just flirt with Ron a little bit. Laugh at some of his jokes or something, or a little discreet smile here and there. No big deal."

Hermione turned toward her friend. "Yes, Ginny, but what if he gets the wrong idea?"

"He won't. He may make a fool of himself, sure, but that's an everyday thing. He won't get the wrong idea, trust me."

"If this doesn't work…"

"I'll butt out and leave you free to wallow in your own self-pity." Ginny said, rolling her eyes.

Hermione sighed and headed towards the door. "Let's get this over with."


Harry Potter was extremely confused.

All this week, his friends were acting strangely. He didn't bother to think about the makeover Ginny had given to Hermione, suspecting that Ginny just needed something to do and Hermione had given in. He shrugged off The Lollipop Incident – as he and Ron had taken to calling it – as Hermione being oblivious as to what she was doing.

But now he wasn't so sure, due to the fact that Hermione was flirting with Ron – who was completely oblivious – openly, and no one at the entire table seemed to notice this except him.

He looked back and forth between Ron and Hermione, trying to figure out what was going on. He also looked toward the twins, who were deep in conversation, and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, who were apparently completely oblivious.

He needed some sign that he wasn't going completely mental, but nobody seemed to give him any.

"You're not imagining it." Ginny said softly, obviously not wanting to be heard.

Harry glanced at her, frowning. "What in the world is going on?" he asked her as Hermione laughed at something Ron had said.

"It's a long story, Harry. And it's not really my business to tell." She responded, taking a bite of toast.

"What are you up to, Ginny?"

She smiled innocently. "Nothing, Harry. Absolutely nothing at all. Why would you think that?"

"Because I know you, and I know you like meddling in things."

Ginny smiled again. "You know me too well. Maybe I'll tell you later. But for now, I'll let you be confused." She told him teasingly, going back to her breakfast.

Harry sighed and leaned his head on his hand, still confused and wanting to know what was going on.


Hermione and Ginny hadn't had another chance to talk alone until later in the day, but when they did, Hermione had a lot to tell her friend.

"I told you it wouldn't work. He just doesn't like me the same way I like him. It's no big deal. I'm sure I'll get over him sooner or later." Lies. "I'll just move on." That's a lie.

Ginny paced back and forth, muttering to herself. "I just don't understand. We've tried almost everything and nothing's worked. How could he be so stupid?"

"It's not a big deal."Another lie.

"It may not be a big deal to you, but it is to me. He's just so oblivious! How can he not notice?" She said, falling backwards and landing on her bed.

Hermione shook her head at her friend. "Give it a rest, Gin."

Huffing, Ginny stood. "I'm going get some air. I need to think." She told Hermione, angrily stomping out of the girls shared room.

She sighed, watching her friend stomp out of the room, and kneeled down to get one of her books out of her trunk to read.

She reached in the trunk and dug around as she heard a pair of feet walk into the room.

Without turning, Hermione asked, "I thought you said you needed air?"

"What the hell are you playing at?"

Hermione jumped at the deep, male voice that responded to her question. Her heart seemed to skip a beat as she turned her head, not wanting to stand for fear that her legs wouldn't hold her.

"Excuse me?" She asked him.

"What the hell are you playing at?" he repeated.

"I'm not sure I know what –"

But Fred Weasley continued as if she hadn't spoken. "Everywhere I go, you're there. I try to ignore you, I try to stay away from you, thinking that whatever it is I feel will just pass with time, but here you are, making it harder than ever! First with the bloody lollipop and then flirting with my brother! What the hell are you playing at?"

Hermione stared at him and opened her mouth to speak, but he cut her off again. It seemed that he had wanted to say all of this for a very long time, and Hermione was too shocked to think about stopping him.

"It's like my whole chest has opened up and you're stomping all over it whenever I'm near you. I build up all these defenses so that I can't get hurt by anything and you ruin it for me. You're no different from any other person I've met in my entire life, but all of a sudden, when I see you, my life isn't my own anymore! And I just don't understand, and I don't want to feel that way anymore, and I hate the way that you're making me love you."

Wide-eyed and open-mouthed, Hermione stared. And stared. And stared. And stared. His breathing was heavy and his face was flushed, but he watched her intently, carefully waiting for her reaction.

The entire room seemed to be holding its breath as Fred waited for Hermione to say something.

Without putting a proper thought into it, Hermione felt her legs lift her off the ground and bring her across the room. She ran to him, seemingly not in control of her own body, and kissed him.

Finally. Hermione thought as Fred deepened the kiss and wrapped his arms tightly around her waist. I guess Ginny's plan did work. I'll have to thank her later.


Out in the hallway, Ginny and Harry exchanged a high five.

"I told you this would work. She wasn't the only one that needed a little push." Harry said.

"Yeah, yeah." Ginny said, quietly closing the door, so as to not disturb the couple. "Come on, Harry. Let's go see if Ron left something sweet to snack on. All that relationship plotting has gotten me hungry." She told him, walking towards the stairs happily.

Harry rolled his eyes at the girl, but followed her. Now that she had mentioned it, he was a tad hungry as well.


Where I'm from, we call them suckers, not lollipops, but I think lollipop is a more well-known word, so I used that instead. So if you see the word 'sucker' (I may have put it accidentally) it's just another name for the word 'lollipop.'

IRuleUK, I hope you liked it. I worked really hard on it, which is why it took so long to get published.

Review?