Chapter 2:

The mid-December wind whistled around the windows of the vast castle, and tornados of snow swirled past, casting elegant yet eerie shadows on the library walls.

Ron was fiddling with one of their DA coins, re-arranging the words on it, attempting to inform the DA of their next coming meeting. He was mumbling the spells under his breath and every time he achieved even the smallest change, he'd turn and grin expectantly to Hermione, as though he was waiting for her to praise him.

Harry was flicking through 'The Standard Book of Spells – Grade 5', but Hermione was sitting hunched up on her chair, staring absentmindedly out of the window. It wasn't until Harry's voice cracked through the silence that she was brought back down to Earth.

"Hey look! Is that Hedwig? No – Ron! It's Errol!" All three of their heads snapped up to look out of the window, and indeed, the Weasley's rather battered family owl, Errol, was swooping towards them, a letter clasped in his beak.

Ron opened the window and let him flutter in. He landed clumsily on the table and nipped Ron appreciatively when he took the letter from him. Errol immediately took flight and flew back out into the blizzard.

"Hey Harry! Mum says you're to stay for Christmas! Brilliant!" He grinned, "And Hermione! You as well!" He added looking up, a look of pure delight on his face.

"Oh, that's great!" She replied, forcing a smile. She was looking forward to staying with Ron though, she thought it would take her mind off of things, she would be with her best friends and Mrs Weasley's cooking was always amazing. The only horrifying thought that crossed her mind, was that she'd also be staying in the same house as Fred for two weeks, but this problem was soon batted away when Ron said after reading on from his letter, "And we'll virtually be the only ones there! – Well, besides mum and dad – Fred, George and Ginny are staying for Christmas!"

Relief swept over Hermione like she'd just guzzled a very welcome bottle of butterbeer in the freezing weather, and this time a real grin penetrated her face and her two best friends returned it, beaming.

Later…

Hermione lay on her bed that evening, thinking about the enjoyable Christmas she'd be having when there was a scuffling sound from outside her door. A folded piece of parchment slid underneath it and the person delivering it knocked three times, then she heard them shuffle away.

She swiftly crossed the room and unfolded the note. Her hands were trembling as she read it:

Dear Hermione,

George, Ginny and I are staying at Hogwarts for Christmas. I know mum's invited you to stay at the burrow for the holidays, but I'd appreciate it very much if you would stay here with us. Good news – we're the only Gryffindor's in the school staying along with Dean, Seamus, Neville and Lee, so I was hoping you could maybe – ah – help me with a few more Fanged Frisbees?

See you around!

Fred

Hermione's hear fluttered as she read and re-read the letter clutched in her shaking hands. Now was the time, she thought, to make a decision.

And with a determined nod to herself, she marched out of her dormitory and down into the common room where Fred and George were playing Exploding Snap and Harry and Ron were having a game of Wizard's Chess.

Fred winked at her as she passed, and received a glare from George for doing so. She smiled gingerly in their general direction and approached Harry and Ron's table, who didn't even look up when she was reached them.

"Bishop to H3! Oh, hi, 'Mione," said Ron in a failing attempt of a casual tone.

"Err, hi, guys. Listen, I've been thinking and…I'm gonna stay here for Christmas…" Harry and Ron both immediately dismissed their game and looked up at her sorry face,

"What?" Asked Harry,

"Why?" Added Ron,

"I – uhm – need to use the facilities – y'know – the library and stuff. Sorry for the let down guys…"

A look of forgiveness flickered over the two boys' faces and Hermione felt a huge pang of guilt. She'd been secretly hoping they'd refuse her statement and demand she come with them, even if they had to frog march her themselves.

She let out a sigh, apologised again and slumped down in one of the squidgy arm chairs next to the merry fire.

After their free period, they went off to Transfiguration, where they were being asked to transfigure a wooden chair into a baby Ostrich.

Dean Thomas's Ostrich still had two wooden legs,

Seamus Finnigan had only managed to add a squawking beak and a feathery tail to his chair,

Neville Longbottom's chair had somehow grown a giraffe's neck and Harry had a wooden Ostrich and Ron's didn't seem to be transfiguring at all.

Hermione's however, as usual, was perfect, and by the end of the lesson, a delighted Professor McGonagall had awarded Gryffindor 30 points.

It was just five minutes before the bell when McGonagall announced the list was coming round for all those who were staying over Christmas. As Fred had promised, not one person signed it other than Hermione, who sheepishly scribbled her name, conscious that Harry and Ron were looking at her with sorry looks on their faces…

Christmas Eve…

"Hermione!" Called Fred from the common room. Hermione jumped out of her skin at the sound of his voice, and, hastily flattening her hair, made her way down to the common room.

Fred was standing there alone, two steaming bottles of butterbeer in his hands. Hermione's flutter did an awkward sort of flip as their hands brushed whilst she took one.

"Ginny's Gone to Hogsmeade with George for the day." Fred stated, answering Hermione's unasked question, "They won't be back until tonight…" He claimed, swigging from his bottle. Hermione followed suit, half doing it only to avoid having to make eye contact with Fred.

Fred, though, didn't like the idea of awkwardness and stepped closer to Hermione, so their toes were almost touching. Hermione now had no choice but to stop pretending to take gulps from her now-empty bottle. Fred gently took it out of her hands and discarded them to a table near to him.

"Come here…" He said softly. He took Hermione's hands and lead her over to the biggest, most comfortable one-man arm chair in front of the fire. He sat down, sinking into the chairs squishy material and pulled her gently down onto his lap.

Hermione, trying to relax, positioned herself into a small but comfy scrunched up ball on top of Fred. He placed his soothing arms round her, and she placed her head on his chest. One she heard the slow, steady pumping of his heart, and realised how calm he was, she began to relax. She melted into him and a few minutes later, they were comfortably nestled around each other.

Hermione felt Fred kiss her head and begin to stroke her bushy hair. She rolled over and looked up at him. His face split into a grin, which she returned quite happily. After rearranging their faces into a more serious expression, Fred began to lean down for a kiss. Hermione watched him close his eyes, his fringe falling over them in the process and breathed in his scent as he leant closer, she realised how happy she was to be with him.

From then on, she didn't hesitate to return the kiss passionately, wrapping her arms around him and running her fingers through his smooth hair.

But then, "Fred…" She mumbled, still kissing him on the mouth,

"Yes.." more kissing.

"Ron…" even more kissing,

"Waddabout him?" more kisses.

Hermione tried to supress a groan, "Nothing…"

And the pair went back to their passionate kissing for a few more minutes, until Fred scooped Hermione up in his arms and effortlessly carried her up to his deserted dormitory, still kissing her.

He put her down once they'd stumbled over the threshold and Hermione slowly made her way over to the window.

Fred, breathing heavily, went over to join her. He wrapped his arms around her waist and began kissing her neck. Hermione couldn't resist – she turned her head briskly and began kissing her lover on the mouth again, but to their absolute horror, the door burst open, and the stranger standing in the door way was blocked from view because of the angle of the light. They had caught Fred and Hermione in their tight embrace and, in one swift movement, slammed the door and hurried back down to the Griffindor common room.

Hermione and Fred sprung apart. Was it that they were destined for everyone to know? That was the second time they'd been caught, but this time they had no idea who had caught them. It could have been any one of the other Grtyffindors that were staying – they couldn't even determine whether they were male or female, because both genders were allowed in the boys' dormitories.

The pair rushed out of the door and hurtled down the stairs to see who had caught them, but the common room was deserted. They just caught a glimpse of the portrait swinging shut behind whoever had seen them, and knew they now had no hope of finding out. They were stuck.

Hermione and George exchanged sheepish glances and stood, bewildered, in the middle of their common room, both their brains whirring to their full extent…