Author's Note: This was based off of the prompt "Is it really that hard to believe?" for the Drabble Club Challenge in the Hogwarts Houses Challenges Forum. Also, though I adore Fred and Hermione together, this is my first attempt at writing them. Hope everyone enjoys the read as much as I enjoyed writing it! (Also, Pride and Prejudice is quite lovely, if you don't have the stomach for the density of the book, I highly recommend the 1995 miniseries with Colin Firth.)
Disclaimer: Obviously, I don't not own any of this and the good Queen Rowling is who we all owe our thanks. Also, Pride and Prejudice was written by Jane Austen and so Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth belong to her posthumously.
The Burrow was dim at one in the morning, but the light from the fireplace was enough for Hermione to see the words on the page in front of her. She was curled up on the couch with Pride and Prejudice and a nice mug of tea when the creaking of the stairs alerted her to another person's presence. Tearing her mind from Mr. Darcy's disastrous declaration of ardor, Hermione glanced up to see who would emerge from the stairwell. Within seconds, Fred walked into the kitchen, stretching his arms over his head with a yawn. Hermione caught herself admiring the way the muscles on his back flexed in the flickering light. Fred did not notice her until he entered the living room with his own cup. Surprise showed for a moment before he plopped himself down beside her.
"Anything decent," he asked, gesturing to the book.
"It's one of my favorites," Hermione put her bookmark in place as Fred did not appear to have designs on leaving any time soon.
"It must be good then," Fred allowed, taking a sip of his drink.
"What are you doing up?" Hermione inquired, setting her book down on the coffee table beside her tea.
"Just a bit on my mind," he responded.
"Working on a new product?" Hermione helped out on the books for the shop occasionally and took an interest in what the twins were up to. Sadly, she had not seen either of them in a few weeks before everyone had gathered at the Burrow for Christmas the day before.
"Well, yeah, but that's all sorted," Fred looked at the witch curled up on the couch next to him. She was wearing an oversized shirt that looked like it may have belonged to him or George at one point in time. Her sleep shorts barely peeked out from under them high on her legs and Fred had to look away for fear of being caught staring.
"Then what's keeping you awake?" Hermione was a smidge concerned. When the war ended, she knew Fred had had a hard time sleeping and only started talking about it after she badgered him for months. As far as she knew, it had gotten better, but now she placed a hand on his arm and scrutinized his face.
"It's nothing like that you silly witch," Fred chuckled, touched that she worried over him.
"Then what?" Hermione could not think of anything that would keep Fred awake at night. He was one of the most carefree people she knew.
"Well, there's this girl," Fred paused, trying to judge her reaction. For her part, Hermione felt the bottom of her stomach drop out, though she kept it off her face with practiced ease. She always knew that one day, Fred would find someone that meant more than a few laughs, there was just a small part of her that had held out in the hopes that it would be her.
"Really?" Hermione kept even the smallest tremor out of her voice and vowed that no matter who it was, she would be happy for him.
"Yes, but she's not quite like anyone else I know and I'm not sure how to approach her," Fred splayed his hands out palms up in an expression of unease.
"You haven't spoken to her before?" Hermione was not quite sure what to think of Fred Weasley being nervous about anything and was relieved to hear him chuckle at her question.
"No, I've spoken to her, she just doesn't know how I feel about her is all," Fred elaborated.
"Well why not?" Hermione had never known Fred to put things off, he was much more a pull off the bandaid type of person than someone that beat around the bush for ages.
"I'm not sure that she would want anything to do with me in a romantic way and I wouldn't want to lose her as a friend," Fred had been waffling about asking her out for months and finally could not take the suspense of inaction any longer. George had been on him since the beginning to make a move, but the inevitable rejection was something he was keen to avoid.
"Fred, you can joke your way out of any situation. Even if she says no, there's no way you would let it be awkward. I don't even think you know how to be awkward," Hermione knew whoever the woman was, there was no way Fred would be turned down, so there was no reason for him to be worried.
"That is because awkward tension give me a stomach ache and is not worth the trouble," Fred brushed off her assurances.
"Well who is she?" Hermione could not take the mystery any longer.
"I don't know if I should tell you," Fred teased lightly.
"What if I guessed?" Hermione wheedled.
"I suppose if you guessed correctly I would have to tell you," Fred surmised.
"Hmm, we can assume Angelina is out of the question because she's with George," Hermione looked cautiously at her friend.
"Oh Merlin, that would be a much bigger mess," Fred could not contemplate how much worse that would be and it put his current predicament into perspective.
"Alright, how about Alicia?" Hermione did not think Fred would want to get back together with his ex, but they were still friends and that could explain his anxiety about it.
"Nope, we've been down that road before," Fred shrugged off that suggestion.
"Hmm, what about Verity?" Fred had been working with the young woman for a few years and he could be worried about tension in the work place.
"Again no, but I think Ron is finally going to say something to her about his ongoing infatuation with her," Fred responded.
"Really? I thought that would go on for at least until the summer," Hermione was intrigued and then remembered her task, "Can I get a hint at least?"
"Perhaps, but you have to ask questions, I'm not just going to give you the answer," Fred could not resist making her work for it.
"Do I know them?" Hermione started out broad and decided she would narrow the options down from there.
"Yes you do," Fred responded promptly.
"Witch or muggle?" Hermione had introduced some of her friends from the muggle neighborhood she lived in to Fred in the past and wanted to cover all her bases.
"She's a witch," came the expected answer. Hermione was not sure if Fred could handle someone not knowing all of him, especially considering the fact that he talked about work so much.
"Alright then," Hermione twirled one of her curls around her finger absentmindedly while she thought of another question, "Did she go to Hogwarts with us?" got another affirmative answer. Throughout the conversation, Hermione learned that Fred's mystery woman was a few years younger than him with brunette hair who had her own place and career. One thing that surprised her was that Fred was more likely to describe her as serious rather than as a trickster like him.
"You aren't getting any other hints Hermione," Fred was amused that she had not guessed who he was after yet.
"I'm quite sure that if I know this girl, it isn't very well," Hermione scrunched her face up trying to think of someone who fit all the clues that she had been given, but nothing was coming to her. All the people that she thought would logically fit in were rejected from the queue without Fred batting an eyelash, "Are you sure you didn't dream her up just to make me crazy for an hour with guessing?"
"You know her very well actually and she does so exist," Fred laughed.
"How about you tell me the first letter of her name?" Hermione tried her most winning smile and was rewarded.
"I really shouldn't because it will ruin the game, but I would hate to keep you from Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth for too long," Fred responded, "Her first name starts with an H."
"Hmm, how about Hannah Abbot?" Hermione asked, wracking her brain for people starting with the letter H.
"No, you ridiculous girl. For someone as intelligent as you are Hermione, you are being incredibly dense," Fred caught one of her hands in his as he responded to her latest guess.
"You are being quite rude Fredrick. If you did not want to tell me who she was, then you should not have started this," Hermione stood up, but could not get too far because Fred would not let go of her hand.
"How about if I give you her last name instead?" Fred was hoping to gauge her reaction better at this point, but throughout the endeavor he kept getting distracted by her legs or the curve of her mouth or the sound of her voice. There was a lengthy list of the things Hermione Granger did that distracted him on a daily basis. He had not seen her in quite a while and every time she did something, he soaked it in which made him lose focus of reading her face for if she was jealous or intrigued or anything really.
"I suppose that would work," Hermione said after deliberating and allowed him to pull her back to the couch but protested when he landed her on his lap.
"Hush you, do you want the name or not?" Fred's tone held no room for arguing, though Hermione could already feel the butterflies spinning around at high speed in her stomach at such close contact.
"Yes I suppose," Hermione's voice came out quietly.
"Granger," Fred whispered the name in her ear.
"I said yes, did you not hear me?" Hermione rolled her eyes at his bad hearing and waited for the name she was promised.
"You are without a doubt the most ridiculously silly witch I've ever met, Hermione Granger. I fancy the pants off of you though, Merlin knows why. I was telling you the last name for Circe's sake," Fred laughed at the deer caught in head lights look that came across her face and hoped it was a good sign.
"That's not a very good joke Weasley," Hermione tried to pull herself out of his lap and escape to the room she shared with Ginny upstairs, but the arms encircling her had no intention of letting her go.
"Is it really that hard to believe?" Fred asked, shocked that she would think he would prank her in this manner.
"Of course it is!" Hermione exclaimed, belatedly realizing that the rest of the house was asleep.
"Why is that?" Fred asked softly, drawing circles on her thigh with on hand while the other kept her firmly in place on his lap.
"Because if you liked me, you would have said something ages ago just to put me out of my misery!" Hermione was more conscious of her volume this time, but the effect was similar.
"Put you out of your misery, what are you talking about?" Fred's fingers stopped moving against her skin and he turned her completely toward him.
"I like you, you bloody git. Now let me go be embarrassed in solitude," Hermione tried squirming away again, but paused when Fred started laughing. This time, she started whacking him with her book which lay just within arm's reach.
"Don't you laugh at me, Fred Weasley!" Hermione said, punctuating every few words with a smack of the book against wherever she could reach.
"HEY! I was laughing at the two of us liking each other and not doing a bloody thing about it, now stop attacking me!" Fred tried fending her off, but finally settled on the most effective method of solving the issue.
He cupped the back of her head and pulled it toward him decisively before pressing his lips firmly against her mouth. At first, Hermione tried backing away again, but he had her effectively trapped and within seconds, the book slid out of her grasp and she had her fingers curled around locks of his hair instead. The kiss was long and slow, almost luxurious in the way their lips and tongues danced together. When they finally broke apart, Fred whispered, "Do you believe me now?"
"I think I do, but perhaps you should tell me again," Hermione was breathless.
"Don't mind if I do," Fred spent the rest of the night explaining to her again and again just how much he liked her.