This chapter is dedicated to Maddie Tess. Thank you for all the encouragement.

Hey guys, sorry that I haven't updated for what's felt like sooooo long. My family and I went on a holiday unexpectedly and I haven't had the time. So… yeah, here's the next chapter hope you like it and please, please, please, please review.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own the marvellous and magestic world of Harry Potter like J. K. Rowling :( so if you don't recognise it from the books or movies then it's not mine.

"Sooooo… how come you didn't go to class today?" Fred and I had gone to the lockers to get our lunches and things for the next two periods and were now back at the garden that we were at this morning. Fred had given me the choice to where we would sit and enjoy our time with each other and out of the whole school I had chosen here, for some unknown reason. Now that I wasn't so scared I could see how beautiful it was (I had never been here before today. For some reason I had always remembered that I had something to do as soon as I came anywhere near). It had white peonies (that someone must have had to look after very well to make sure that they survived) sprinkled all over the place and had little green and pink shoots that I couldn't identify.

"I did go to class. Why do you think I didn't? I went there straight from yours." His words came out too fast to actually support his story, he also had a slightly guilty look on his face.

"Ok, then how did you get to my class so quickly? You were there under twenty seconds from the bell."

" I was in the english department and I ran."

"So how come you didn't have your english books with you when we were at the lockers a minute a go or when you dropped me off?"

"I read the wrong timetable, ok? What's it to you what I do anyway?" He sounded angry. Not as angry as he had been with Jack but still angry.

"I-I'm s-sorry. I just wondered that's all. It just seemed that you hadn't. I-I won't do it again. I promise." Why must I always stammer?

"I'm sorry, Hermione, I didn't mean to snap at you and you are right. I didn't go to class. I just needed some time to think." His voice had gone from anger to the voice I loved, the soft, velvety- rich one that comforted me so easily, but all I did was nod. "You're scared aren't you? That was why you stammered and aren't speaking. I'm sorry. I really am."

I looked into his eyes and saw that he would never hurt, even if it is only emotionally, me intentionally. I put my food down and slid across the bench that we were sitting on to him and put my head against his chest. Trying hard to make sure that I didn't hurt him by touching any of his bruises. "I know."

We sat there like this for about thirty seconds until I came up with the most annoying thought I had ever thought. "How come… you, um,… care?"

"What?"

"You, um, didn't… not like me, um, kissing you. How come?"

He gently pushed himself away from me and looked me in the eyes again. He looked like he had no idea what I was going on about. "I've, um…, kind of… ." He spat his words out incredibly fast making it both confusing and incoherent.

"Um… Excuse me? I didn't quite catch that. It was a tad bit fast, jumbled and incredibly confusing. Sorry."

"Um… I kind of said that I have liked you for quite some time now, but today seeing you with Jack helped me to pluck up the courage to do something about my feelings towards you. I know that I probably should have done something earlier, but I… was kind of scared of both Jack and, I know that it sounds like I'm putting the blame on you but I'm not trying to, at least I'm not trying to,… you. I was just so scared that you wouldn't want my help or after something like what happened this morning happened you would hate me forever and I'm still half expecting you to turn around and slap me for being such a jerk for letting this happen to you. Especially seeing as I promised that I wouldn't let you get hurt and here you are hurt."

"But I'm not hurt," I locked my eyes onto his and made sure that he couldn't escape the deathly stare that I was giving him and continued, "I'm happier now than I have been ever since I started coming here five years ago. That was when I was in year three and know I'm in year eight. That's a long time and all throughout that time I have had no friends because I was teased on my first day, which made me an easy target to get bullied for the rest of the time, making me isolated and depressed the whole time, but know that you've come and helped me, cared for me, kissed me and then told me that you've liked me for quite some time now I feel happy and Jack Lion can never take that away from me, us, and I don't really care what he's got in store for me. I will always be grateful for what you have done.

We sat there like that for a couple more minutes just enjoying being…. us.

"Fred also, um, I know that you probably don't want me to go but Jay and David are going to take me to Jack as soon as I go to the locker area. So…. I should probably go now, but I don't want you to come."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that I don't want you to come, Fred. I have to go alone this time."

Fred's face lit up in fury and went so red that it matched his hair. "You like him don't you? You like what he does to you and that he can do it to you, don't you? I can't believe this. Why do you want to go? Is this all some messed up joke I've fallen into?" His voice had raised in volume and in speed all the way through.

"No. NO. Because I have to and no. I don't want to go to Jack it's just that I have to. I don't have any other options that won't end up in one of us getting hurt. Jack has promised that he won't hurt me during the…..meeting, I guess you could call it, and if's Jack's anything then he's a man of his word." I tried to keep my voice calm and even.

"Um….." Fred was using a voice so laced with sarcasm it didn't sound like sarcasm at all. "Yeah, right, because we all know that Jack's a great guy and wouldn't do anything bad to anyone or anything, ever."

"That's right Freddie he wouldn't. So glad that you've finally caught on."

Fred and I both turned to look up at the creator of that mocking sentence. It was of course Jay."What do you want?" Fred's voice had again gone into that horribly low voice that was smothered in hatred that seemed to be reserved for Jack and his gang only.

"Well… seeing as Hermione didn't go to the lockers we thought that we would find her. Really the only question that should be asked is: are you coming with Hermione, David and I, Freddie? 'Cause that is probably the only one you haven't already answered."

"No." I stood up and stared at Jay. Fred was not coming. He'll only get hurt. I, though, may not.

"Yes, I am!"

"No, you're not!"

"Guys, guys, guys. Why don't we just let little Freddie go? We all know that if he attacks then we will, if he doesn't attack than we won't either. As Jack said." Jay, I know, had directed that to both of us, yet it didn't feel like it.

"Fine."I turned to Fred. "On one condition. Don't attack verbally or physically."

PLEASE READ IT IS IMPORTANT AND WILL HELP YOU UNDERSTAND THE STORY:

Ok. Sorry about the length it was before the A/N's 1,276 words, so still pretty long. I know that there's no excuse but I haven't updated in 9 or 10 days now and I just really wanted to post something for you guys. Um…

Alsooooo I got a review on the 8th January asking a couple of questions. I will know answer them here, just in case you guys don't know the answer.

Question 1: how old are they in this fic? Answer: They, in reality, are their age when the war ended but because they are in Hermione's unconsciousness delirious dreames they have been changed back to their 14 year old selves, seeing as they are in year/ grade 8.

Question 2 (not really a question but something I need to answer anyway) : they speak and write as if they were 16 or 17, but your elements are like ages 9 or 10; playground and recess? Those are things found at an elementary/ primary school, not a high school. Answer: I tried to make them speak as if they were a bit older because they are a bit older. With the elements, they are in a all years private school and usually with all grade schools they tend to have the things for the primary and secondary schools mixed in together and they all share resources. Also…. I live in Australia and have never travelled outside of Australia. I don't really know what happens in schools that are in different countries such as England or America and I don't really know how I could find out to tell the honest truth so….. sorry if I make references from Australia's schooling habits and not your countries.

Question 3: was fred filling in for a former friend from Hermione's past? Answer: Seeing as Fred chose to go into Hermione's unconsciousness delirious dreames he had forged himself a place and role in Hermione's childhood nightmares and fears. He is not filling in for anyone he is his own character and will remain his own character.

Question 4: does Fred know that this is just a dream? Answer: Yes. He does. He doesn't want to tell Hermione though in case it would hurt her (it would also ruin the plot).

So…. I hope that answers all of your questions.

Thank you to: Nikki Ride, Lioness2012, Ashley1985 and Maddie Tess for reviewing.

Um… just wondering, would any of you like me to do a couple of chapters in Fred's point of view? I'm thinking of letting everyone know what he is thinking and what he plans to do because as I'm writing I can hear in my head what he is thinking and I'm not sure if I should write it in the story or not. So….. please review me with the answer.

Ok. Hi. I have now spent three days thinking about this and ( it's now been what? 12 or 13 days since I've updated) I have come to a decision. I will not update until I have received 5 more reviews I don't have enough, people. Really, it's depressing. So yes, I'm going to be nasty. I have got at the very least 12 people reading my story and I have only got 4 reviews. I'm sorry but… I don't know, I'm just sad that you guys don't want to tell me what you think or what you want to happen and stuff like that. So I need at least another 5 reviews. I don't care if they only have 1 letter on them or if they're a smiley face or anything. I don't even care if you've already reviewed or if you review multiple times for this chapter alone. I just need to hear from you.

Fred Weasley Watcher.