"Ah, hello Scarhead, Ickle Ronnikins, Hermione. Would you be interested in one of Hogwarts finest young men heading with you to Hogsmead on this fine day?"

Hermione turned and smothered a smile. Striding towards them was George, a happy grin on his face. At least, she hoped it was George, if not then would mean her stomach had betrayed her and was starting to get butterflies around both the Weasley twins. Which would be bad.

"Oy George." (phew), "Why doesn't Hermione get a stupid nickname? And why are you stuck hanging around the fifth years?"

"Well, you see, my clueless little brother, it is not wise to insult beautiful witches, especially those as quick with a wand as Hermione is. Anyway, Fred is off on a date with Angelina, I think they were planning to use the room of requirement, by the way, so knock if you're using it later, and Lee is in detention with Umbridge. So, I'm blessing you with the pleasure of my company. All right with you, Hermione?"

Hermione blushed and stammered out a yes, before hurrying off towards Hogsmeade. She could see Harry and Ron behind her looking confused, and she could swear Ron muttered something along the lines of "since when does she blush?" Damn it, why on Earth did she have to have a crush on George? He was trouble incarnate, dismissive of her rule following and not inclined to Study. But, oh, his grin could so easily set a girl's heart a flutter, and he actually was clever and he talks to Hermione a lot in the D.A. and he looks damn sexy when he duels arrgh. She jumped when the object of her thoughts spoke up.

"Why are you rushing off on such a fine day? I can't believe you are that desperate to go to Zonko's, which is obviously the best part. Or are you just trying to get me alone."

Hermione's butterflies were starting to dance. Her internal optimist was screaming, he's flirting with you, whilst the internal pessimist was going, no, no way he would want me.

"I, as you should guess, am going to the bookshop. You can go to Zonkos, but I will uphold the dignity of the prefects and not do such a thing."

"Getting lofty are we lass. One solution: reduce dignity of prefect." And then he grabbed her round the waist and held her aloft:

"Get off me George. What on Earth?"

"I'm reducing your prefect dignity until you loosen up and have fun. Or do I have to carry you to Hogsmeade?"

"I wouldn't mind" No, yelled Hermione's brain, don't embarrass yourself just because he's touching you. The butterflies danced faster.

"What was that?" "Nothing, put me down, please."

"If you say so."

To Hermione's mixed relief and disappointment he put her down. But he did not leave her alone. Though the others were there, for the rest of the morning he carried books for her in the bookstore, tried to feed her fizzing whizbees in Honeydukes and even dragged her into Zonkos, where he actually managed to draw her into an argument about the best way to make several pranks. She was so confused, hopeful but not sure why he wanted to spend so much time with her. She tried asking, but all she got was some hurried claim that she was more interesting than Harry and Ron. She just wished the butterflies would quiet down.

Around noon, Hermione thoroughly flustered, they headed to the three broomsticks to get lunch. She went to the loo first, and upon returning, realised Harry and Ron had gone. Nervously excited, she sat down opposite George (carefully, he'd discovered a liking for whoopee cushions recently.)

"Where are the boys? I'm sure we visited everywhere this morning."

"Ah, you see, they were talking about when Malfoy nearly caught Harry by the shack and they went off to reminisce. I felt you were by far the most interesting of the two options."

"So Harry didn't want to include me? On a visit to a place with a lot of bad memories for him? Try again George, evidentially you don't lie as well without Fred."

"Ron was called to a prefect incident and Harry went to help?"

"Because everybody who asks for help from a prefect totally would take Ron and not wait two minutes for me to come back? Come on, you know I'll get the real reason out of them later. Some prank you want to play on me?"

"no, no, really no. In fact, I bribed them to leave with promises of a prank amnesty on them. Fred is going to kill me. I wanted to talk to you. Just you, without tweedledum and tweedledee interfering."

Hermione snorted into her cup. "You have read Alice in Wonderland? No, wait , that's not the important question. Stop laughing. Why did you want to get me alone?"

He leant towards her across the table, and touched her face. The butterflies started doing a quickstep. "I wanted to get you alone so I could see if I was reading your blushes right. So I could do this." And then his lips touched hers and it was bliss. Eventually, at least, when they got the noses to go the right way. It was surprisingly gentle and brief, and when he pulled away she was gratified to see him smiling. "That O.K. Granger? Because I've fancied you since you were being a real spitfire and yelling at me, and even more since I saw the way you move when you fight in the D.A., so please tell me, do you like me back?"

"George Weasley, I do not kiss boys I don't like. So come here."

And she kissed him again as the butterflies did the salsa.

A/N: Disclaimer, I do not own even the inspiration for this. Written for Achieve that outstanding and animal challenges