Disclaimer: I don't own anything that is at all familiar.
She hated the noise. It seemed that everyone was trying to talk over everyone else and that the band was trying to be louder than everyone in the room combined. "Ugh. I think I'll just go out on the balcony for a while."
She breathed in the fresh air and felt the cool wind brush her cheeks. "It's so nice out here. The snow seems like a blanket that keeping the cold off the ground."
"That would be hard because the snow is freezing."
Hermione turned around to see one of the Weasley twins coming up behind her. "True enough Fred but it's the image of it not the actuality I was going for. Facts aren't everything you know." She smiled sweetly at him.
"Hermione are you sure you are feeling alright? Not all about facts, I don't know where you get this stuff," he smiled back. "How is it that you can always tell us apart? There are days I wonder if I'm Fred or George but you are always sure which one of us you are talking to."
"It's a knack I have. There were 3 sets of identical twins on my street and I could always tell them apart to," she paused to think about it for a minute. "It's not really that hard. There's always something different. Two people can't be exactly the same all the time."
"Wouldn't want to be exactly the same anyways. Then I'd end up being kissed by Katie," he gave a slight shudder.
"Don't let either her or George hear you say that. You'd be skinned alive for that one," Hermione giggled a bit.
"What's so funny? Being skinned alive is likely to hurt."
"Well, yes but they could give you something for the pain. I was just thinking that if you couldn't feel the pain, it might tickle."
"For some reason I don't see either of them giving me a pain killer if they intend to skin me alive."
"You like to startle us from far away so we have to guess which twin it is."
"What?"
"That's one of the ways I can tell you apart. George likes to sneak up behind people and get real close before he says anything but you make us turn around when you speak. It's harder tell you apart if you are farther away," she sounded like she was explaining how to work some muggle invention.
"I'll have to talk with George about this. That's something someone else could eventually pick up on. It shouldn't surprise me though that you can tell us apart. You are 'the smartest witch of your age.'"
She snorted. "You don't actually believe that do you?"
"Absolutely. You know everything you need and if you don't know something then you learn it. That's what sets you apart from the rest of them. You are willing to admit that you always need to learn more than what you already know."
Hermione blushed a bit at that. "Thanks Fred, that's one of the nicest things anyone has ever said to me."
"And it's completely true."
"Hey Lovebirds, come in for the countdown. It's only two minutes 'til the new year!" George yelled.
This time both of them blushed furiously. "Well, shall we return to the party and welcome the new year?"
She sighed, "I guess so. It's bound to be better than this one was."
"It most assuredly will," Fred smiled and offered his arm. "May I escort you back in to the party Miss Granger?"
"It would be my pleasure, Mr. Weasley," she said as she took his arm.
When they walked in the band had finished playing their last song of the year. "Countdown to the New Year everyone! 10…9…"
Everyone took up the count, "8…7…6…5….4…3…2…1! Happy New Year!!!"
Fred took Hermione's hand and turned to face her, "Happy New Year," he said quietly before kissing her. The kiss was soft and gentle.
"Happy New Year," Hermione said as Fred pulled away. "It's already a better year."
"Finally!" George shouted. "Pay up Lee. I knew he'd do it before Valentine's day."
Lee grumble as he pulled out 5 sickles. "Yea, yea, enough already."
"You were making bets about us?" Hermione asked shocked.
"I'm only worth 5 sickles?" Fred sounded disgusted.
"What's going on?" Ron asked. "What's this about Valentine's day and 5 sickles?"
"Hermione and I are dating," Fred said offhandedly to Ron before turning back to George and Lee. "I'm only worth 5 sickles to my best friends? I feel cheap."
"Ron don't just stand there with your mouth wide open. What were you doing anyway that you missed Fred wishing me a happy new year?"
Ron turn beat red. "Well……….uh……….you see," he cleared his throat uncomfortably.
"Exactly. You were probably snogging Lavender once the clock struck midnight. Well Ronald Weasley that's fine with me because I have someone who really cares about me."
Hermione's words were greeted with massive amounts of applause from the crowd. You could hear cheers of "You tell him, Granger!" and "That's right!" as well as a few wolf whistles from George.
Receiving glares from both Katie and Fred, George put his hands up in innocence and said, "I got caught up in the moment. It's about time my baby brother figured out that Hermione wasn't gonna wait around forever."
"I can't believe that you all approve of this. Hermione and Fred have nothing in common. This is gonna crash and burn. Don't worry Hermione I'll be here for you when you fall."
"You're too late Ron. I've fallen head-over-heels and you aren't the one who's caught me. I've been tripping and stumbling over you for so long that I almost forgot what love is supposed to feel like. Sorry Ron, but I don't think you'll be picking up the pieces this time," Hermione smiled at Fred. "I feel nice and safe just the way I am right now."
Ron's mouth fell open. "Won-Won, don't worry about her. You have me!" Lavender Brown rather forcefully pulled Ron over to the door. "We should really be leaving, it's late and we have shopping to do tomorrow."
Fred turned to Hermione, "Did you really mean all that? About the falling and the catching and the not needing to pick up the pieces thing?"
Hermione stood on her the tip of her toes and softly kissed him. "Every word of it." She smiled up at him. "Every single word."
"Definitely going to be a bloody good year," Fred said pulling her close and place an arm around her waist. "Best year I've ever lived yet, if this is any indication."
Again, sorry for Ron fans but up until the last book he was a major prick. Besides this is fan fiction anything is possible.
Take a Cookie if you leave a review and there are brownies and candy canes if you really don't want a cookie. There's milk in the fridge and Happy New Year everyone!
