Disclaimer: I own nothing
Summary: crushing on this particular girl was not what he had planned. Then one evening in the corridors alone with her, his world completely changed.
She rubbed her aching eyes in the library late one cool evening in May. She was sick of studying for her exams. She knew OWLS were important and wanted the top grades she could get. Madam Prince hurried over to her.
"Miss Granger. It is time to leave. Oh and someone left you this at the counter." She said handing her a folded piece of parchment. She didn't seem too pleased. Merlin's beard. Is it really midnight? She thought as she started cleaning up. She knew she should have gone to bed when Ginny left her. Ginny Weasley had been staying with Hermione to make sure she stayed on task while she studied. Hermione looked at the parchment. She didn't recognize the handwriting, but thought she'd look at it anyways. My Hermione, it read on the front. She thought that it was funny because she didn't belong to anyone.
"My one and only Hermione,
I never realized how special you were until I saw you on the first day of school. I had not planned on crushing on you, and cannot forget about it thinking that it will never happen. I had to tell you though. I'm not a prat like people think I am, and I have a good side. This will be the first of many notes until I have the courage to tell you who I am."
The note wasn't signed. Hermione turned the parchment over in her hand, curious as to who would write to her? Hermione swung her brown school bag over her shoulder she was finally ready to leave the library.
"Next time Granger, you wait until closing time to leave; I'm going to take points off from Gryffindor. I know you love to study, but sometimes everyone needs a break." Madam Prince said as she headed out the door.
"Sorry," she muttered. She held the crumpled up parchment in her left hand as she continued walking alone. Opening up the note, Hermione did not pay attention to the suit of armor standing before her and toppled over it.
"Good one Granger." She turned her head to look in the eye of the speaker. Fred Weasley looked down on her offering his hand.
"You're helping me?" She was puzzled for Fred Weasley was a prankster and a procrastinator not a helper.
"I'm not a prat like everyone thinks I am Granger." Something he just said triggered the naturally bushy brown haired girl sitting before him.
"What did you say?" Hermione asked.
"Oh, I said I'm not a prat. I do have a soft heart and unlike my twin brother I don't laugh at people who fall over things or just fall down period. Anyway Hermione, what caught your attention? What's that you're reading?" Curiosity was getting to Fred and he couldn't help himself.
"Don't worry about-…" Before she could finish her thought, Draco Malfoy grabbed the parchment out of her. He opened it and read it before she could get up.
"Malfoy give that back," she demanded.
"Malfoy what are you doing out this late at night?" Fred asked.
"Not that it's any of your business Weasel, but I'm patrolling the halls for any trouble makers. It's one of the privileges of the inquisitorial squad." Draco's long drawn out voice always gave Hermione a headache. She closed her eyes for a second trying not to lose her composure.
"We're not doing anything wrong Malfoy. I was just on my way to our common room when I ran into the suit of armor. Hang on, why am I explaining this to you?" Hermione said accepting Fred's hand and pulling herself up. She didn't let go of Fred's hand.
"Ahh, so you are making trouble. Destroying school property is a cost for house points Granger." Malfoy snickered.
"I am not destroying school property! I simply wasn't paying attention to where I was going. Fred was next to me the whole time." Hermione didn't care that she was lying. She just wanted her note back before Malfoy read it out loud to Fred.
"I don't believe you. Anyways who would crush on a Mudblood?" Draco said waving the note in the air.
"Malfoy that's private."
"Don't call her a Mudblood,." they said at the same time. Malfoy grinned. He knew he sparked something in both of them and wanted to continue.
"Well let's see, I think I'm going to keep it." Hermione's manners got the better of him. He had pushed her to the limit. Hermione shoved Draco up against the wall and was in his face.
"Malfoy, what's my business is my business. I want my note back and will not tolerate any more shit from you." Hermione's hands were holding his shirt as his smile faded and turned to a scared look. She knew what he was thinking about in the third year when she punched him in the face.
"Don't punch me again Granger." ,he begged. She had found his weakness.
"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't."
"Because I still have your note,." he said, trying to sound brave.
"No you don't." Fred snatched it from his hands before Draco could put it in his cloak.
"Damn it." Malfoy said.
"Don't call me Mudblood again." Hermione threatened.
"Or what?" Draco egged her on.
"Or I'll knock you senseless," Fred said teaming with Hermione.
"All this over a note?" Draco said struggling .
"No, we're tired of you bulling us all the time. We want respect and our privacy." Hermione said. She felt like she was sticking up for everyone he'd ever threatened, and it felt good.
"Ahh the Mudblood sticking up for the rest of the lowlifes." Draco knew he'd get it, but he couldn't stand Hermione let alone Fred. Before the three of them knew it Hermione had let go of him.
"What? Afraid you can't beat me up?" Malfoy demanded.
"No, you're not worth it. I'd have to beat you up every day in order to pay for what you've done to others, but you are so not worth it." Hermione said as she turned to Fred.
"Let's go." She took him by the hand and started walking away.
"Chicken." Malfoy continued to egg her on.
"Ignore him." Fred muttered.
"I'm trying." Hermione confessed.
"Prat!" Malfoy called after them.
"You know you're not a prat," Hermione told Fred.
"I know," he replied.
"Who on earth would think you're pretty?" Draco said. Hermione stopped dead in her tracks and turned around.
"Hermione!" Fred warned grabbing her arm.
"You are not a pretty girl." Draco said as a smile formed on his face. Hermione moved Fred out of the way and ran to Draco. Before she could stop herself, she slapped Draco hard across the cheek.
"NEVER SAY THAT AGAIN!" she yelled. Draco slumped to the ground whimpering in pain for there was a bright red mark in the shape of Hermione's hand on Draco's cheek
"You'll pay for that," Draco said as Fred came to Hermione.
"Let's go before we attract any attention." Hermione took Fred's hand again running to their common room before Draco could say another word. She didn't stop running till they were facing the pink lady. She muttered the password and they stumbled in the portrait hole to the empty common room.
"That was perfect Hermione," Fred said still laughing over the way they left Draco. Hermione toppled on the couch with her back to it as she put her hand to her forehead, bursting with laughter.
"I forgot how good that felt," She said grinning from ear to ear.
"Granger, who knew you, had it in you?" Fred said peering over the back side of the couch looking into Hermione's sweaty face.
"In all seriousness, who do you think sent you the note?" Fred said. Hermione sat up and looked at him. Her face was so close to his.
"I have no idea. What made you think of that again?" Hermione said putting her hand down.
"This." He leaned closer to Hermione and kissed her lightly on the lips. What frightened Hermione the most was that she didn't push him away; instead she pulled him onto the couch with her begging for another kiss.
"It was you?" She said as he laid on top of her.
"I can't keep my mind off of you Hermione. You're like a poison to me. I need you." Fred said giving her another kiss, this time, his tongue found the entrance to her mouth and waited permission from Hermione let it in when she opened her mouth. She didn't know why, but it felt so right.
"When did you drop off the note?" Hermione asked when they were done at the kiss. She looked up at him as his right arm wrapped around her once more.
"After dinner I saw you leave the great hall and followed you to the library." I didn't want to stay in there for I was afraid you'd see me so I left the note on the counter with your name on it. I figured I only have a month left of school and wanted to tell you before the year was over." His confession made Hermione smile for she didn't plan on crushing on Fred either, but when he told her, she was glad. She knew there was always a spark between the two of them. She saw it whenever their eyes met.
"So now what?" Hermione asked him.
"I guess this makes us an item now doesn't it?" He replied.
"I would like that." She saw the look on his face and was worried about it. "What's wrong?"
"You're not at all worried about what everyone would think? Especially Ron?" The last part puzzled Hermione.
"Ron? Why on earth would I worry about what he thinks?"
"He's had a thing for you ever since he first met you." Fred hated to be the one to spill the beans, but he was glad he got the girl.
"Oh well he didn't tell me that so I can't do anything about it. Besides, it's you I want to be with not him." Hermione said snuggling closer to Fred.
Author's Note: That's all. I hope you like it. It was written for the Alphabet challenge by thelighteningstrike.. The challenge: Write a one shot using a letter and word beginning with that letter to prompt you, for example L is for Love, and then write a one-shot based on this idea. You can claim a pairing or a character with your chosen letter and word. Double claims allowed, you can claim any letter or character but they must be from Harry Potter. You can use a characters name for the word, as in C is for Charlie. You can also claim multiple words per letter, e.g B is for Balloons, Baking and Blaise.
The words I used: P is for Prat, Pretty and Perfect. I also threw in a few more P words. Hope this is what you were looking for thelighteningstrike.