"Who are you hiding from

"Who are you hiding from?"

I smile when Hermione jumps at my voice, but my smile fades when I see the tears streaming down her face.

"What do you want, Fred?"

After nearly seven years of knowing her, I still don't understand how she, of all people, can tell George and I apart. However, her question is the more important matter at hand. What did I want? Originally I had come out to the far edge of our garden to lean up against my favorite tree and enjoy the surprisingly calm summer day as I doubt there will be many more calm days to enjoy with the approaching war, and more importantly, Bill's wedding which was about a week away now.

Mum has insisted that when George and I aren't working that we're to be home, and as much as I love my family, I do enjoy some time to myself. Which seems to be quite impossible as of late.

"I was just looking for somewhere to be alone," I reply to Hermione's question, slowly sitting down next to her and leaning against the tree which she seemed to had found as well. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," she quickly states, attempting to dry her face as she makes to stand. I grab hold of her hand and turn her to face me.

"Hermione."

"What do you care?" She asks me curtly.

I frown at her. "You've been a member of my family for the past seven years. Of course I care."

Defeated, she leans back against the tree, and realizing that I still had her hand in mine, she quickly removes her hand, a slight pink tinge appearing on her cheeks. When I look at her curiously, her blush deepens. There's not way that hand contact can embarrass a girl that much.

"What's wrong?" I try again.

She shrugs this time, looking bashfully at her hands which are now clasped in her lap. "I've just been thinking," she starts awkwardly and softly, "about all the stuff that I have yet to do in my life, and how I might not ever get the chance to do them."

I didn't realize that she had been thinking that she might die soon. I know of course that she, Harry and Ron are planning some sort of a mission that Dumbledore set up for them, so I suppose that it's only understandable that she be thinking about risks, but bloody hell, she's only two years younger than myself. "Hermione," I state slowly. "You're not going to die."

"You don't know that!" She quickly replies, turning to face me. "You have no clue what might happen. No one does. I have just as much a risk of dying in the near future as the Aurors do. As Harry does…and so do you Fred. No one is safe, and you know that."

She's got me there.

Shit.

I never really though about it all that much. Sure, George and I have mentioned in simple conversation that pretty much our entire family is in the Order and how dangerous it is. But we never talked about what would ever happen if one of us…Bloody Hell.

"You're right," I say softly.

"I'm scared."

Instead of replying, I remove her left hand from her lap and clasp it once more in my right, giving it a reassuring squeeze. Remaining silent, we remain like that, watching the sunset until Mum calls us both in for dinner, not wanting us to be outside after dark.

Sighing, I stand and help Hermione to her feet. I turn to walk towards the house when she stops me.

"What?" I ask in confusion.

Quickly, she places a kiss on my lips, and swiftly runs to the house, leaving me standing there in bewilderment, probably looking like a bloody fool. Hermione Granger just kissed me on the lips. I bring my hand up to my lips, touching where I can still feel her lips as I make my way inside.

I shake myself out of it as I sit down at the crowded kitchen table; sitting directly across from Hermione who has an uncharacteristic smirk on her face. I raise an eyebrow at her and she smiles. No. She continues to smirk.

What the bloody hell is she playing at?

From my right, George elbows me in the side, turning my attention to him where he's giving me a questioning look. I turn back to Hermione who is now engaged in a conversation with Ginny before looking back at George and shrugging. I don't have anything else to say to him. I'm as clueless as he is.

"So where were you?" Mum asks me as she places the last dish on the table and everyone begins spooning food on their plates.

"Just in the garden, watching the sunset."

Across the table, Hermione is smiling.

"I don't want you out past dark," Mum says.

I nearly jump out of my seat when I feel a foot rub its way up my leg.

"Yes Mum," I reply, trying to keep my composure as I remove Hermione's foot with my leg. As soon as I push her off me, though, her foot comes right back. A bit further north this time, making me gulp and bite my bottom lip tightly to refrain from making any sound.

"What's your problem?" George whispers in my ear, leaning towards me discretely.

I shake my head and once more try to push Hermione away. Across from me, she's peacefully eating her dinner as if nothing is amiss. Except for the small smile on her lips. Bloody witch.

Attempting to act as if nothing is indeed wrong, I take a forkful of mashed potatoes in my mouth. Just as I'm about to swallow my food, her sock-clad foot snakes its way to my more than prominent erection.

When I abruptly stand, my chair falls with a clatter behind me. Every set of eyes at the table looking at me in question. I can feel my face burn as it reddens.

"Not hungry," I mutter, quickly running up the stairs to my old bedroom where George and I were currently staying once more.

I begin pacing, painfully aware that my little southern problem has yet to subside. Not that I'm little. Merlin, I can't even think straight. What. The. Hell. Is. She. Doing?

The door opening brings me out of my musings.

"What's gotten into you?"

I stare at George, waiting for him to shut the door behind him before I continue to pace, blurting out incoherent sentences all revolving around the words 'Hermione,' 'kiss' and 'footjob.'

He gapes at me.

I know. I'm a madman. But Granger?

"You sure it was her?"

I round on him. "Who the hell else would it be, Ginny?"

He frowns, sitting down on the edge of his bed. "So what are you going to do?" He asks me after several moments of silence, a grin appearing on his face. "It seems like you've got yourself an admirer."

"You find this funny?" I ask, sitting down on my own bed, resting my face in my hands.

"Something like that," he replies. "You can't deny that she's filled out a bit over the past few years."

No. He's right. I'd be a fool to say that she's not attractive. But Granger?

"But Granger?"

He shrugs at me as a knock sounds at the door revealing, speak of the bloody devil, Hermione. She smiles at me before turning to George.

"Would you possibly mind leaving me and Fred here alone for a bit?" she asks sweetly. George shakes his head and stands up.

"Be gentle with him," he states with a wink before leaving the room. Leaving me alone with her.

I watch in silence as she locks the door and mutters a charm that I have never heard before. Sitting down beside me, she smiles. "You left the table in a hurry."

"I wonder why," I reply, staring at her in amazement. "What in Merlin's name was that about?"

"I want you to have sex with me," she blurts out and then lowers her head in embarrassment as I look at her in shock.

"What?"

She breathes in deeply and looks back up at me. "I don't want to die without knowing what it's like…you're a guy and I'm a girl, so why not?"

I continue to state at her. Hermione Granger is sitting down on my bed beside me, asking me to have sex with her.

"Hermione…" I start slowly, but before I can say anything else, her lips are on my own, and I forget for a moment who it is that is kissing me. Hermione Granger. Prefect. The girl Ron fancies.

I push her away from me and quickly stand, beginning once more to pace. "You are out of your bloody mind," I state, running my hand through my hair, not quite sure if I am talking to Hermione or myself. As much as I now this is wrong, I find my body reacting in a way that my mind wishes that it wouldn't.

Standing still, I turn to her. "This isn't right, Hermione. You're not going to die and you sure as hell don't need me to be the first guy you sleep with- especially with Ron feeling the way he does. Your first time is supposed to be special."

Pot calling the kettle, there. I fancied Angelina, so naturally my first time was with her best friend Alicia.

She gets up from the bed and walks over to me. "And it will be," she says, grabbing hold of my collar and pulling me down so she can kiss me once more. "I don't fancy Ron as anything other than a brother, and he most certainly wouldn't so this for me. Fred- this would be the most special thing that anyone has ever done for me. Please."

Please! Please? She's practically begging me to bed her. And with her mind made up and her face so close to mine. And her body oh so close to mine. Who am I to deny her?

With little hesitation, I shock her by crashing my lips against hers, smiling at the noise of surprise that she lets out.

"I take that as a yes?" she asks me with a flushed grin.

"I…" My conscious is still having issues with this. What if this decision of hers is just a moment thing and she's horrified when we're done? What if she hates me afterwards for taking her virginity?

"Fred," she states, breaking me out of my train of thought. "I want this."

I can only nod at her before she once more places her lips on mine. We begin gentle and slow, but when I feel her tongue on my lips I can hardly help the moan that escapes and I wrap my arms around her waist, pulling her tightly against my body.

She tenses as I feel my erection make contact with her body and I pull back, looking deeply into her confused eyes. "Don't be scared, 'Mione."

"I'm not," she replies. "I just…I've never…Victor and I only ever kissed."

How someone as beautiful as her has only ever gone as far as kissing a guy is beyond me. It certainly shows how serious she is about this decision of hers if she hasn't run for the door.

"Tell me right now if there's even the slightest chance that you are going to back out Hermione, because I'm not going to be able to stop myself shortly."

"Fred," she says, exasperated. "I told you what I want. I was serious."

"Okay," I reply, breathing in deeply. I close my eyes for a moment, trying to calm myself down enough to act semi-rationally. When I open my eyes again, she's looking at me in concern.

"Are you okay?"

I nod and slowly lead her over to my bed, giving her a smile as we sit down on the edge. "It's just not every day that an extremely attractive virgin ask me to have sex with her."

She blushes and I shake my head at her. "So you're not embarrasses about snogging, but one compliment…?"

"I'm just not used to it," she says quietly.

"Well maybe you should get used to it." Where the bloody hell did that come from? Looking back up at me from her hands Hermione seems as shocked at what I just said as I do. Instead of attempting to retract the statement, however, I decide to go with it given our current situation.

Leaning forward, I place a kiss on her cheek. "You're a wonderful girl…" I state, kissing her chin. "…And you deserve…" a kiss just beneath her earlobe. "This to be gratifying," I finish with a lingering kiss at the base of her neck, making her moan and causing my pants to tighten.

She surprises the hell out of me by pulling away, and fiercely connecting her lips to mine once more, our tongues hungrily exploring each other's mouths. Slowly, I begin moving her downwards on the bed. When she's completely on her back, I break the contact between our mouths, moving to her left side and brushing a strand of hair from her face.

With a smile, I lean forward again. I still can't believe that we're doing this. Never in a million years would I have thought Hermione would ever go for me. Not that this means that she is, but…wow.

As our kissing gets deeper, my body aches for contact, but I know I have to go slow for her. I begin to trail my right hand up her leg, resting it on her waist. After making a few circles on her hip with my thumb, I bring my hand higher, pausing right before her breast before beginning to massage it earning a gasp in return. I want to respect her but-

This pace is killing me.

I sit up and gesture for her to do the same, grasping a side of her shirt in each hand. Her eyes are wide, but she slowly lifts her arms up as I lift her shirt over her head. Discarding her shirt to the side of my bed, I can hardly take my eyes off of her lace clad chest, my arousal growing as I lay her back down on the bed trailing a set of kisses from her neck downwards. Her body arches forward and I moan, not being able to hold it in.

I look down her body and move to her feet, taking her socks off as she watches me carefully. The fact that she has never done anything but kiss a guy keeps me somewhat on task as I once more lie beside her, placing my hand on her waist and slowly undoing the zipper on the side of her skirt.

Her eyes bore into mine, and I'm surprised that it's not fear or nervousness in them, but excitement and…lust? I bite down on my bottom lip and run my hand down her stomach, pausing at the now loosened waistband of her skirt. Placing my forehead against hers, I close my eyes and begin to trail my hand over her wet panties. Her gasp makes me even harder and I find myself getting closer to her, pressing my aching erection against her side. Her small moan makes it difficult for me to take this slowly.

I pull my forehead away from hers and watch her face as I move my hand back up to her waistband and slowly move my hand inside her panties, smiling at her look of surprise when I slide a finger in her folds, touching her clit. She closes her eyes as I continue to rub my finger against her clit, and I can see that her breathing is speeding up. Biting my lip, I move my hand further down and slowly insert my index finger into her, moaning as I do so at her overwhelming wetness.

Hermione moans as I do, looking at me in surprise as I begin to move my finger in and out of her, adding another to increase her pleasure. Her moaning becomes more frequent and I can tell that she's close to a climax as I place my thumb on her clit and begin to make circles on it as I continue moving my fingers inside her. Almost instantly, her hips arch off the bed and her hands grip the blanket beneath her, and to my surprise, she calls out my name as she climaxes, her muscles tightening around my fingers.

She closes her eyes as she begins to catch her breath and I remove my hand from her panties, training my hand back up her body and reaching behind her to unclasp her bra. Her eyes open as I do so, no longer timid, and she sits up as I lay on my back, removing her bra herself as I stare at her, hardly believing that it is Hermione who is sitting half naked above me.

"I feel a little underdressed," she says with a coy smile.

Before I can respond, she leans over me, slowly undoing the buttons on my shirt, starting at the top most and working her way downwards. I notice that she takes a long look at my chest before moving back upwards and placing a soft kiss on my lips and trailing it down to my neck where she begins to suck on a sensitive spot causing me to close my eyes.

When she pulls away, I open my eyes to look back up at her. Fighting with myself over wanting her to be able to enjoy her first time and wanting to slam her down on the bed. If we continue like this I might just explode. Both figuratively and literally.

Her bashfulness returns and I look at her in confusion. "Hermione?"

She bites her bottom lip before looking down at my pants, where my erection was pushing urgently against the fabric. "Can I?..."

I look at her in amazement. She was asking my permission for her to touch me. If anything, her naivety only turned me on more. I nod at her. "Yeah," I reply, still nodding my head. "Do what- whatever you want…I won't move."

Pursing her lips, she reaches down to my feet, tickling me slightly as she removes my socks, earning myself a smile from her. She pauses slightly to look at me before slowly undoing my belt. She undoes the button on my pants and as she unzips my pants, it takes everything from me not to push forward into her hand.

Slowly, she pulls my pants down off my hips and I watch her closely as she does so. With my pants off, the only thing covering my erection is a pair of thin cotton boxers shorts and Hermione looks at me in more curiosity than anything else, almost making me laugh. Any thought of laughing stops though, when her hand makes contact with me through my shorts. She places a hand on either side of my boxers, grasping the waistband and looking at me in question.

When I nod my head at her, she slowly pulls my boxers down, removing them from my body. I still can't believe that I'm doing this. That we're doing this.

Her hand tentatively makes contact with my erection and I intake my breath quickly, closing my eyes as she begins to run her hand up my shaft. Knowing that I'm the first person that she has ever touched like this only heightens my pleasure.

"Hermione," I moan as she hand wraps around me. I quickly bring my hand to hers and stop her form continuing any further.

"What's wrong?" She asks in confusion.

I smile at her as I sit up, shrugging my unbuttoned shirt off. "Nothing love, but if you continue anymore we won't be able to finish this." I am so hard right now that it hurts. Just a few more moments with her hand stroking me and I would have come in her hand. "You sure you still want to go through with this?"

She pauses before answering. "Yes," she says determined. "We've gone this far and…" she lowers her head.

"And what?" I ask her, using my hand to lift her chin back up so she's looking me in the eyes. Her beautiful hazel eyes boring into mine. I've never realized how beautiful they were until this moment.

"And I couldn't…ask for anyone better for my first time to be with."

Her words amaze me. Of all people, me?

I keep my hand on her cheek as I lean forward and give her a deep kiss, never feeling as much emotion before in any kiss as I do this one. I don't know what she's done to me, but in this moment, I never want to let her go.

Breaking contact between our lips, I rest my forehead once more against hers. "You're amazing." I don't even mean to speak but the words just flow out of my mouth. Never in a million years would I have though of Hermione in this way, but now that we're together it just feels so right. So perfect. So meant to be.

Slowly, I lay her back down on front of me, and begin trailing kisses down her body, starting at her neck and making my was downward, pausing to take each nipple in my mouth making her gasp. Continuing kissing downward, and running my tongue in her bellybutton, I pause at her small pink panties. I place a finger in each side of them and pull them down off her body, feeling her tense slightly as I do.

Spreading her legs, I kiss my way back up her thigh and back up to her mouth as I prop myself up with a hand on either side of her.

I look deeply into her eyes and before I can ask her if she's ready she nods at me, and I position my now throbbing erection at her wet entrance. I give her one more deep kiss before slowly pushing forward into her, marveling at how painfully tight she is.

Hermione makes a small noise of pain, so I remain where I am for a bit, wanting her to adjust to me. As hard as it is for me not to move, I don't want to hurt her anymore than this already will. When she seems okay, I push the rest of the way in. cringing when she cries out.

"It's okay," I tell her softly, "it will stop hurting."

She nods at me and I see the trust in her eyes. After a few moments, she nods at me again. "Okay."

Breathing in deeply, I slowly pull out of her and push back in just as slowly. This has got to be the most difficult thing that I have ever done. She's so tight. At this rate, I'm not sure how much longer I will last.

I'm able to go a bit faster when I feel her relax and start to make noises of pleasure. "Fred," she moans, her breathing quickening. I can't help myself when I begin thrusting harder into her, feeling myself coming close and closer to finishing. "Oh Fred!" I hear her cry out, and at once her muscles tighten around me as she arches her back off the bed. It's too much for me and with one more thrust into her, I find myself crying her name out as well as I come deeply inside of her.

I remain on top of her as I attempt to slow my breathing down. "Hermione," I find myself whispering into her ear. I've never felt like this after any sexual encounter that I've had. I've felt such a connection with Hermione. This is remarkable. Incredible.

Rolling off of her, I lay beside her on my back. She surprises me by turning sideways and laying her head against my chest, bringing her arm around me and I place my left arm around her waist.

Try as I might to stay awake, I feel myself falling asleep, until I hear Hermione start to laugh.

I lift my head up a bit to look at her in confusion. "What?"

She props herself up on my chest, leaning against her elbows. "This," she says with a smile, "I mean, did you ever picture us being together like this?"

Smiling back at her, I shake my head.

"It's just," she continues, "now that we're like this…it feels so…"

"Right?" I ask.

"You feel it too?" she asks me.

I nod at her. "Yeah." Even after Angelina and I finally got together, I didn't feel any connection with her. It was awkward afterwards and we both admitted that it was a mistake. However, now our friendship is better than ever. I think she'd be happier with George anyway.

She blushes a bit at me and I raise an eyebrow at her. "I um…I've always kind of liked you though," she says. "Lavender pointed it out in my third year when you guys all came back in from Quidditch and apparently I was staring at you…"

Laughing, I remove a strand of hair from her face. "I was so focused on Angelina that I never really noticed you as anything but Ron's friend until my last year," I admit to her. "But watching you in Dumbledore's Army…well I can't say I never thought about it. I never thought it would happen but…"

There's a knock at the door and we both jump. "It's just me," George's voice sounds through the door. "But people are starting to suspect something as no one's seen you two in a while."

I groan as I hear his footsteps make their way back down the hall and Hermione sits up. "So where's this leave us?" I ask her, curious to what she's been thinking.

She looks at me in thought before getting off the bed and searching for her clothes. I follow suit, pulling back on my boxers as I wait for a response. "I don't know," she says softly. "Me, Harry and Ron have a very important task to do, and I have no idea how long it will last…but we're leaving just after the wedding."

I turn back to her, watching as she bends down to pick up her shirt. She's standing in her bra and panties.

"What about until then and afterwards?"

She looks started at my question. "You mean you'd actually want…a relationship?"

I shrug at her. "Why not?" Honestly. Why the Hell not? She's a beautiful, intelligent, and great person.

"We won't be able to see each other for months," she says with a frown.

"Does this mean that you're considering it?" I ask with a grin, pulling my pants back on and picking my shirt up from the ground.

She smiles at me. "I suppose it does."

When we're both finished dressing, I pull her into my arms, giving her a tight hug. "Any regrets?" I ask.

"Not in the slightest," she replies, smoothing out my hair. "I told you this would be special."

"You really are incredible," I tell her and she gets up on her tip-toes to place a kiss on my lips.

"Thanks," she says bashfully.

"Be my date to the wedding?" I ask her suddenly.

She looks at me in surprise. Being my date would mean that everyone will be able to see the two of us together. I can see how deeply she is thinking about it as she gets a small crinkle on the bridge of her nose. "Okay," she finally replies and then looks at me carefully. "Does this mean that we're dating?"

"I suppose it does if you want it to," I say slowly. I've never officially 'dated' anyone. Gone out a few times, sure. But I've never referred to any girl as my girlfriend. Maybe this would be a good start. "Would you want to be my girlfriend?"

She smiles and brings her hand to the back of my head, pushing me down so she can kiss me. "Is that a yes?" I ask her, pulling away.

"Yes," she says, still smiling.

As I lean down to kiss her again, there's a loud 'pop' behind us, and knowing it is just George, when Hermione tries to pull away I hold her tighter. When George starts to laugh though, I let her go and she glares at him.

"Sorry," he says with a smirk. "Did I interrupt something?"

"You know bloody well you did," Hermione states, looking around the room.

George bends down and picks up Hermione's wand from the end of the bed. "Looking for this?"

She rolls her eyes and takes her wand from him. "I'll see you downstairs," she tells me but before she can storm out of the room, I grab her arm and pull her in for another quick kiss. When I pull away, there's a smile on her face once more and she leaves the room.

"I take it things went well?" George asks, sitting down on the side of his bed after Hermione closes the door behind her.

"Amazingly," I reply, sitting on my own bed. "I asked her to be my girlfriend."

"What?" George asks, aghast. "Girlfriend? I thought this was just going to be a shag?"

I shake my head at him. "Remember what I told you after Angelina and I were together?" I watch as he tenses slightly and nods. I've known for a bit that he's fancied her yet he still refuses to admit it. "It wasn't like that at all. We connected Georgie. It was…brilliant. Afterwards, she laid down on my chest and it just felt right."

"Guess that leaves me the most eligible Weasley bachelor," he says with a sigh. "Not that I wasn't before. This," he says, pointing to his ear…or what used to be his ear, "only gives me sympathy points."

I frown at him. His wound is a reminder of what Hermione had been talking about. How much danger we are all in. I came only inches away from losing him. Hermione, Harry and Ron are going to gone for months on some dangerous mission that Dumbledore had put together, and Merlin knows how that will go.

"What'd I say about getting serious on me, Freddy?"

"I know," I reply standing up. "And I'm going to try my best not to be."

"Where're you going?" He asks, the smile on his face suggests that he already knows.

"Well George," I state with a smile. "I'm going to go spend the better part of a week with my girlfriend."

I can hear him laughing as I walk out of the door.

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Please review.

I'm thinking of a few more chapters including;

Bill's Wedding,

Woods scene listening to the radio (Hermione, Harry, Ron)

Shell Cottage,

Final Battle,

Aftermath?

So tell me your thoughts.