A/N: Sorry there hasn't been an update in a while, but I have been fighting off pesky plot bunnies! Enjoy!

"Everyone thinks we are snogging, you know," Hermione rolled her eyes as she rested on George's chest the same night in the common room. These were the times they could be together openly—the three in the bloody morning times where they were beyond tired but it was safe for them to talk like this.

"Then let's just snog and save us the trouble…" he laughed and she smacked him playfully, "But you know what I mean Hermione, if you and I got together you would make Fred jealous and I wouldn't have to worry about having to fuck a girl. We could just pretend. And then we wouldn't have to stay up in the middle of the night anymore."

She had to admit he had a valid point, but she was also concerned that if she did become faux girlfriend and boyfriend with George, that Fred would lost any hope that he had. Although she suspected he was far too interested in Katie at the moment to care.

"But.." she protested, interrupted by a yawn and he gave her a look that told her 'see…see! We are bloody tired!'

"We could both help each other, you can make my life a lot easier, and I can help you with Fred. I promise. Trust me, he'd be livid," George smirked. He knew his twin well enough, and knew better than Hermione did that he was indeed harboring a crush on the bushy-haired brunette who was actually quite the goddess behind her swotty mouth.

"Doubt it. He could have anyone he wants."

"Yea, but don't think I didn't see you two nearly kiss a few times this summer. And he was more than a little upset when you left to visit…him…I nearly broke down and told him so he would go and get you and sweep you off your stubborn feet…" George argued.

"I was raped," she whispered coldly, "in no way did I want anyone to know and come sweeping me off my feet. You are lucky that I told you…and I only did it because you are my best friend in the entire world George Weasley so don't lie to me."

He hugged her tightly, burying his head in her unruly hair and smelling the soft lavender shampoo that she used. He felt awful thinking it, but he felt that Hermione was more of a sister than Ginny was to him. He had never known someone so thoroughly, and he knew they would forever be bonded by their secrets, their pasts, and their hopes for the future.

All both of them wanted was love despite diversity and challenges. Challenges they both wanted to overcome.

George draped his hand over her stomach and she shuddered, pulling away. He had momentarily forgotten that she was sensitive there and practically everywhere else on her body except her arms. It was a side-effect from her trauma.

She gave him an uncomfortable look and scooted away in the semi-darkness of the crimson common room, but he had other plans.

"I can help you with this…you know. I can help you get better for Fred. If you truly don't ever intend on telling my twin or my family, you can't go around flinching every time you are touched. I can help you heal…"

She eyed him warily. It wasn't out of her realm of comfort, after all—he was gay, and she hated how she even flinched when Ron or Harry touched her side to get her attention during meals. It was becoming a problem, all because of one cruel boy that damaged her. One horrible night. She had been carrying around that burden and sadness and she wanted desperately to be rid of it.

She grabbed George's hand and laid it on her stomach over her sweater vest. It wasn't much contact but it still gave her a small anxiety attack. He didn't move as he watched her breathe in slowly, trying to calm herself. When she stopped the deep breathes, he gently moved his flat palm in a circle over her stomach. She tensed, and then pushed him away.

"Baby steps. It's okay 'Mione. You better get some rest. We'll have plenty of time to talk in the daylight hours now that you are my girlfriend," he laughed. She got up from besides him on the plush couch.

"Hearing that come out of your mouth is too weird…"

"You should take it as a bloody compliment that you are the only girl I am willing to snog for this…"

"Let's keep the snogging to a minimum, shall we? You aren't the twin I want to be tonguing," she grinned and walked up to the girls' dormitory, crawling into her bed amidst Ginny's awful snores.

00000

"Next Hogsmeade trip, we're going to see if we can start to plan something to take down Umbridge…" Harry was going on about their awful DADA teacher the next morning as they all walked to breakfast. Although she knew it was a great idea, she found herself rather distracted once again. She wondered if George was going to tell everyone, and she had put on a little bit of lipgloss so that she would look more like a girl deserving of a twin—even if it was a fake relationship.

"We're going to have to be really careful mate…" Ron continued sleepily as they sat down at the Gryffindor table. She watched her two friends open some mail and avoided Ginny's suspicious looks. It was clear she was trying desperately to piece together the strange happenings lately with Hermione. From the nightmare to the sleep patterns, the girl was smart enough to deduce it within a few more days' time.

Fred was at the table first, sliding in next to Hermione. It was pretty unusual for them to every do anything unsynchronized, but his other half was missing.

"Thanks for coming out and watching us practice yesterday. I wanted to say bye but you left before we finished…" he said, trying to catch her eye although she was ignoring him mostly because of the dirty looks Katie was shooting her.

"I had to study."

"Of course you did, but I think if you just gave yourself a chance, there are other things worth studying than books," Fred smiled, and it was a half goofy, half serious smile that sent chills racing up her spine. She hated the effect he had on her from something as simple as a suggestive sentence. She only wished that he meant what he said instead of just casually flirting.

"Oi! There you are girlfriend of mine!" George walked over to the table with his perfected 'twin' swagger and wrapped his arms around Hermione from behind.

"Could you be more subtle?" she whispered sarcastically to him as he hugged her, watching all of their friends' faces show varying degrees of shock and horror.

"Ha!" Ron snorted, leaking milk out of his nose in the most disgusting way. This made Hermione huff and cross her arms indignantly. She knew she wasn't the prettiest, but she thought his reaction was rather a bit harsh.

"You two…" Ginny furrowed her brows in disbelief. George swooped down and kissed her hard on the lips to prove it to everyone before backing away. It wasn't the most awful thing in the world, but it was like kissing a brother and Hermione had to try her best not to pull a face.

"Wow," Fred said, slightly stiffly, "When were you two going to tell me?"

It came out a lot more judgmental than it should have, and it sparked a quiet hope in Hermione that maybe he was jealous.

"It's very recent Freddie…"

"VERY," she emphasized, looking up at the twin that she was madly attracted to. She just hoped it didn't run him harder into the arms of Katie, who she had little tolerance for at the moment.

"No, good for you…" Harry smiled, trying to be polite about the whole thing. Ever the diplomat.

"Great for you, bloody awesome," Fred whispered under his breath. No one heard him, not even Hermione. The entire dynamic of their group had shifted with one lie and as George and Hermione looked around at their puzzled friends, they were starting to wonder if this crazy scheme was going to hurt more than help.

A/N: I know it's a little short but it's a bit of a transition. Leave me reviews pretty please!