A/N: A little one-shot celebrating my newfound love for Fremione. (Dramione is still my OTP, though. :D) Stand alone but I'll probably whip up a sequel.
It was not a well-kept secret that Hermione Granger is infatuated with Fred Weasley. Nobody knew when it began, and when questioned, the girl turned into a red-faced stuttering mess. The first to know were her best friends, Harry Potter and Ron Weasley. The two had noticed her shooting the twin glances at the Weasley dinners at the Burrow and interrogated her about it. It took quite a lot of their energy to extract the truth straight from her mouth. The information then eventually trickled to Ginny Weasley, who was dating Harry. The girl was ecstatic, pleased that she would have Hermione as a sister after all despite the latter's failed relationship with Ron. She immediately told her mother and the two had begun planning the impending wedding in great detail. Thankfully for Hermione, she stumbled upon the women and managed to convince them into secrecy.
Bill's enlightenment had been in the form of Fleur Delacour, who was unsurprisingly very intuitive in the "ways of women" as she called it. Percy overheard a conversation with Ginny and leaked it to Arthur. Bill trickled down information to Charlie. George finding out was the most horrifying for Hermione and it took begging and strategic tears to get him to swear to secrecy. She even made him sign a contract, and knowing how George knew of a certain Marietta Edgecombe, Hermione left with peace of mind. And so, Hermione's big secret became a bit of a joke as it slowly became known to everyone who was closest to the object of her secret. It was a welcome surprise, really, that Fred himself did not know.
Everyone kept silent about it, but they all found it a bit of tragic. They all watched Fred bring girlfriend after girlfriend to the Burrow, watch Hermione smiling falsely, and watch her visibly relax whenever they found out that Fred had broken up with his latest girlfriend. Times like this would piss off Ron and everybody knew he would gladly punch his brother in the face if only Hermione hadn't expressed her strictest disapproval of such conduct.
It was not like Hermione did not do anything to gain Fred's attention. Everyone saw her trying her best. She would make an effort to make it to dinner at the Burrow at least once a week despite her demanding Auror duties. She was naturally kind and caring to everyone, but she was extra caring to him. In a fit of desperation, Ginny had put her in a skimpy outfit and pushed her inside Fred and George's bedroom where Fred was currently going over the new Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes' line of products.
"Hermione?" He said, surprised yet visibly unaffected at her current state of dress, or rather undress.
Hermione's pale skin reddened at the embarrassment.
"What are you wearing?" He asked as he grabbed a jacket from his cabinet. "It's in the middle of December! You shouldn't wear things like that." Fred said as he draped the jacket on her form. "There you go!" He said with a grin. He ruffled her hair fondly, as he usually did with Ginny, and returned to his work.
The whole thing rather offended Hermione and vented her anger on Ginny, forgetting that it was the latter who was responsible for the whole debacle in the first place. And so, the status quo was established. Hermione would be secretly in love with Fred while Fred looked at her and saw another Ginny as the rest watched on sadly. The whole thing was very frustrating for Hermione, and finally, after a year of silence and inner turmoil, she reached her breaking point. After hearing from George that Fred is after a new lady, she stomped angrily toward Harry and Ginny's place and declared she's had enough.
"You're telling him?" Ginny gasped, wide-eyed. "Oh, Hermione! I can't believe you're telling him! I'm so happy!"
"Do you think this is wise, Ginny?" Hermione said nervously, her vigor from her initial outburst fading. "Fred sees me as nothing more than a sister. Won't this make things awkward between us? I can't lose the relationship I have with him now! It's all I have."
Ginny enveloped the twenty-five year old woman in a hug. "Oh, Hermione. I'm sure everything will turn out fine. You've got to tell Fred sometime. And wouldn't now be the best time? I mean, on the chance that he does not, um, reciprocate your feelings, at least you could steer clear off him for some time."
This was true. Hermione was about to be deployed for a six month mission to France with her partner for Auror duties. It was cowardice, a trait that was most definitely not Gryffindor, but she was glad that she had a way out if ever things with Fred proved to be unsavory.
Thus, on six in the evening of the very same day, Hermione found herself in Ginny's sexiest dress, black pumps, and hair and make-up meticulously done waiting for Fred Weasley in one of the Wizarding World's finest restaurants. He arrived ten minutes late in his normal work clothes which consisted of black pants and a Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes' shirt apologizing profusely to Hermione.
"Hey, Hermione!" He greeted cheerfully. "Sorry I'm late. But, you know, you can't tell me off as the rest aren't even here yet!" He finished with a grin. "What's with the fancy restaurant anyway? Is this your going-away dinner before you go to who-knows-where doing stuff that witches and wizards of the law do?"
Hermione only smiled at him and passed him a menu. "What would you like?"
Fred frowned and studied the menu carefully. "Steak, I guess. The one with mashed potatoes."
Hermione called a waiter and they gave their orders. She ordered a bottle of white wine and when the waiter left, she faced Fred and took a deep breath. So far so good.
"So." Fred said, "what's taking the others so long? And only one table, Hermione? If I didn't know any better, I would say you're taking me out on a date." He said wagging his eyebrows jokingly.
Hermione flushed but maintained her composure. "Well actually, Fred, it's just you and me tonight."
"Oh? Pray tell, why?"
Hermione forced a smile. "Really, Fred, is it that weird to ask to have dinner with one of my favorite Weasleys?"
"I thought Ron was your favorite Weasley." Fred smirked.
"I said one of my favorites, not my most favorite, Fred." She replied with a grin.
"I concede." Fred replied. "So, how was your day, Hermione?"
Dinner progressed well. Their food arrived and conversation flowed. Hermione was in high spirits and even begun to look forward to her confession later that night. Everything was looking up.
"What?" Fred said wide-eyed. His fork clattered on the porcelain plate as he dropped the utensil in shock.
"I love you, Fred." Hermione repeated. They had just finished eating and Hermione had already paid despite Fred's insistence of splitting the bill. As soon as Fred suggested they move out so Hermione could get home early, Hermione blurted out the agenda of tonight's affairs. Her confession.
Silence prevailed. It was two or three minutes before Fred laughed. "Oh, Hermione!" He said, wiping tears of mirth from his eyes. "You got me there."
Hermione took a deep breath and gritted her teeth. "I mean it, Fred."
Fred smiled at her good-naturedly. "I love you too, Hermione. You know we all do."
Hermione couldn't take it any longer. She stood up and took Fred by the hand and dragged him out of the restaurant. Once outside, she released him and turned around fiercely. "You daft oaf! I love you, Fred Weasley! Not I love you as a brother, not I love you as I love Ron but as in I love you 'I'm in love with you'!" With those words, she pulled his head down and smashed her lips on his.
Their first kiss ever was as explosive as Hermione predicted it would be. Every nerve ending of hers felt like it was set on fire, and for a few seconds, it was only her doing the work. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity for her, Fred responded. Encouraged by his tongue prodding her lips, demanding entrance Hermione pulled herself closer molding her body with his. She miraculously apparated them to her flat without splinching and soon all articles of clothing were divested.
Fred felt good. He felt so right inside her, like they were two puzzle pieces that fit perfectly. It was a night of unbridled passion. His hands were everywhere and so were hers, and the night ended with Hermione Granger thinking blissfully, that yes, Fred Weasley might love her too.
She was woken by the bathroom door closing shut and the absence of the warm body sleeping beside her. She rubbed the sleep off her eyes and found herself looking at Fred Weasley, hair wet and wearing only his pants.
"I used your shower." He said. "I hope you don't mind."
Hermione shook her head. "No, of course not." She watched him continue to get dressed before she spoke. "Fred, where are you going?"
Fred took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, Hermione. About last night. I didn't mean for any of it to happen."
Hurt coursed through Hermione's veins and she tried her best not to cry. After last night, she thought, maybe Fred would give them a shot. "You regret last night?" She managed to say as she valiantly fought back tears.
"Hermione," he said, "you're practically a sister to me."
"Oh, so I guess you'd shag Ginny then?" She spat spitefully. "Sleeping with a girl who's practically your sister, you say?"
"Alright," Fred conceded, "that came out all wrong. But it doesn't change the fact, Hermione, that you're much too important to me to risk losing because of something as meaningless as a shag."
"Meaningless…" Hermione gasped, "…as a shag." She swallowed back tears and ground out forcefully, "thank you for spelling that out to me clearly, Fred Weasley. Please leave. Now."
Fred complied and was already at the bedroom door when he glanced back, "nothing changes, then?" He said hopefully.
"Of course, Fred," she managed to grind out. "Nothing changes."