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I like to know what you're thinking. I'm not telepathic! Though that would be extremely cool!
-Indy
I don't own zip, zelch, zada, nip. (you get the idea) though I guess I sort've own the wings . . . eh, never mind, I doubt I own even those. No I don't. I OWN THE PLOT! WOOHOO!
Oh, and one more thing:
REVIEW, YOU LAZY PUNKS!

Untouchable
A Harry Potter Fan-fiction
By: Indigo March

Chapter Seven
Break Up, Down, and all Around!

Hermione's P.O.V.

I felt incredible! I was itching to try out my wings, to see what it felt like to be as light as air and to fly through the sky like a bird (minus the beak).

But Kingsley told us not to do anything reckless and to let our bodies adjust to the wings.

So I had to settle with sitting up here on the roof, wings spread out, the wind whistling through my feathers. It felt very relaxing, and it was almost like I was flying.

"Mind if I join you?"

I turned to grin at Fred. "No, of course not."

He returned the smile and pulled himself out of the hatch in the roof and sat next to me. "Nice view," he said conversationally, gazing out across the Burrow's unkempt garden and the village in the distance. If you squinted you could just make out the distant shape of the Lovegood's house.

"It is," I agreed, nodding.

Fred unfurled his own black wings, and I blushed as they overlapped mine, tickling my back. Fred didn't seem to notice how close we were sitting, leaning back on his hands and watching the clouds scuttling across the sky.

"I wonder what it's like," he said softly. "Flying."

"We'll find out come tomorrow."

"I wonder if it's hard."

"Draco said it was as easy as walking. Just, you know, in the air."

Fred chuckled.

"Walking in the Air . . ." he said absentmindedly. "That'd make a good song."

"You're not going to sing, are you?" I teased, nudging him playfully.

Fred grinned at me. "We'll leave that up to idiots like Destiny Hope Siren and Banshee Spears."

I giggled and then threw my head back and laughed full force, Fred beaming at me.

"What, you don't like my singing or something?"

I only smiled fondly at him. Our smiles froze as our eyes met. The mood suddenly became very serious.

"Hermione . . . ." Fred said in warning as he leaned forward, his intentions clear.

I wanted it to happen. I wanted my boyfriend's brother to kiss me. I wanted to kiss Fred Weasley.

"Fred, don't," I whispered half-heartedly, ignoring my thudding and expectant heart.

"I have to," he said, and gently took my face in his hands and kissed me softly. My eyes fluttered close. I had never felt so happy. I belonged here, I thought. I belonged right here in Fred's arms.

No one else existed in the world, only Fred and I were there in that moment. Time had stopped for us, giving us the chance to reveal the feelings we should have never had.

Yet Merlin ruined the moment.

"Oh, Freddie-poo! Where art thou?" George sang, his voice wrenching us apart as he began to climb up towards the open hatch.

I blushed and looked down, Fred's hands still gently holding my face.

He cursed under his breath. Before George could appear, I gently pulled Fred's hands away, hugging my knees to my chest and looking away from him.

"I . . . I don't . . ." I hurried to the hatch and tucked my wings firmly into my back before jumping in, startling George.

"Hey, Hermione! Is Fred up ---"

"Yes!" I said without pausing as I ran through the attic and past the sleeping ghoul. I threw open the door and bolted down the attic stairs, shoving past Harry and Ginny and knocking Ron into the wall during my fevered escape.

"Hermione, what's wrong?" Ginny called after me.

What's wrong? I kissed Fred! And I was still dating Ron!

But why, Hermione? I asked myself. Why was I still dating Ron, when my heart wanted Fred so much that it hurt?

I threw open Bill's door and threw my arms around Draco and sobbed, taking him by complete surprise.

"What's wrong?" he asked, startled.

I stared mumbling incoherently through my sobs.

He directed me to the bed and sat me down. He made a show by taking out a clipboard and a quill.

"And how does that make you feel?"

I gave a choky laugh. Draco Malfoy the therapist was on the case.


Fred's P.O.V.

I shouldn't have done that. I should not have done that. Hermione must hate me now.

Then again, she had kissed me back.

No, Fred! She told you not to!

That was the best snog in the world!

Stop thinking about it, you perve!

Stupid George had to interrupt us!

She's dating Ron!

I don't care. (I sighed dreamily as I thought that last part)

"Fred?" George said, his head popping up out of the head. He was giving me a bewildered look. "You were yelling at yourself. Did you seriously kiss Hermione?"

I groaned and fell back on the roof, my wings cushioning my head. I really should stop thinking aloud.

"ARRRRRGGGGHHHHH!" I yelled, covering my face with my hands as I let all my pent-up frustration escape. "Stupid Ron! Beautiful Hermione! CHOCOLATE FROGS!"

"Do your hear that?" George said, cocking his head to the side.

"The sound of my heart breaking into tiny little microscopic pieces? Yeah, George, I can hear that," I said miserably.

"No, it's Hermione, screaming at Ron."

I leapt to my feet, nearly falling off the roof. I shoved past George and dove headfirst into the room, nearly breaking my neck in the process. The sleeping ghoul jerked away and watched me with wide eyes as I galloped through the room to rescue my damsel in distress.

"SHUT UP, RONALD!" came Hermione's voice as I opened the attic door. I hurried down the steps and found them in the middle of the hall, nearly tearing at each other's throats.

"WHAT DID HE DO TO YOU?" came the oaf's voice.

"I don't have to tell you that."

I shivered. Hermione's voice was even scarier when she was dead calm. I hoped she never used that voice with me. But stupid Ron just steamrolled on.

"Yes, you do! I'm your boyfriend!"

"I thought I made it perfectly clear that you weren't."

Deafening silence filled the whole house. Everyone was listening.

Ron's face turned red with embarrassment, rage, and confusion.

"What are you talking about?" he said stiffly. "You don't mean that!"

"Yes, I do, Ronald! You have been nothing but a clingy nuisance for weeks! Acting as if I can't do anything for myself, waking me up a two o'clock in the morning to apologize for something I didn't want you to, acting like an idiot and getting into fights with Fred!"

"This isn't about him, is it?" Ron demanded.

"Of course it's about Fred! It's been about Fred since the beginning!"

"Why!" Ron whined, looking close to tears. "What does Fred have that I don't?"

"Gee, I don't know," said Hermione, voice dripping with sarcasm, "how about a brain?"

"We're not over until I say we're over."

"WE'RE OVER, RONALD! Why can't you get that?"

"I need proof you're not in love with me," said Ron stubbornly. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Fine! You want proof, I'll give you proof!"

We all watched as she marched down the hall towards me. Everyone gasped as she grabbed me roughly by the face and kissed me fiercely.

As tears swelled up in Ron's eyes, I heard George mutter, "Here comes the water works, or as he calls them, his 'allergies.'"

"My allergies are acting up," Ron sniffed. "I better go take some Zyrtec." (A/N: did I spell Zyrtec right? :D)

But I was too busy snogging Hermione to notice.


Hermione's P.O.V.

I can't believe I did that. I can not believe I just did that.

But, man, what a relief it was to be free of Ron! Hallelujah!

I pulled away from Fred and bit my lip, blushing.

He had a cocky grin on his face and soundlessly gestured to the attic stairs and beyond that the roof.

"The perfect view for a sunset, wouldn't you say?"

He looked past me and smirked. I turned around and giggled as we stared at everyone's gaping mouths. Ginny beamed at us, Harry merely shrugged, Draco was nodding wisely (Bless him, my sweet therapist). George was rolling around on the ground, laughing like an idiot.

We turned our backs on them all as we ran up the attic stairs. Fred grabbed me around the waist, twirling me around.

"Do you know how long I've wanted that to happen?" he said laughing.

"No, how long?"

"Too long!"

I giggled and kissed him again.

"Guess what, Hermione?" he breathed.

"What?"

"I love you!" He got on one knee. "Will you marry me?"

"What?" I said blankly. He grinned.

"Just kidding. Will you be . . . my girlfriend?"

I seemed to be in deep thought. "I don't think I'm ready to date just yet . . . ." he made puppy dog eyes at me and I laughed. "Oh all right! Of course I will be!"

"Excellent, excellent!" he cried dramatically, standing up and twirling me around again.

The Ghoul stood up from his place in the corner and roared, clearly annoyed by our prolonged presence in his domain. I climbed onto Fred's back.

"March on!"

. . .


Meanwhile Downstairs:

"I HATE HIM!" Ron roared, throwing anything within reach at the wall. "I HATE HIM! I HATE HIM! I HATE HIM!"

"Calm down, Ronald," said Mrs. Weasley absently, not looking up from her cookbook as a plate flew past her head and shattered into a million pieces against the wall.

"Calm down? CALM DOWN!? The love of my life just made out with my brother in front of me! How the beep am I suppose to calm down?"

"Start by washing the dishes for me, will you?" said Mrs. Weasley in a bored sort of voice. "Bill and Fleur are coming over and I want to use our best dishes. Which need to be washed. Get to it, Pinhead."

"Mum! Now you're calling me names?"

"I was teasing you, hun! Geesh. You're so melodramatic."

Won-Won gave a shriek of rage and seized another plate and chucked it across the room, just as Harry and Ginny entered the kitchen.

"Whoa!" said Harry, ducking as the plate soared over him and hit the wall behind him. Ginny stared from the shattered pieces to Ron, who stood their fuming, steam billowing out of his ears.

Ginny sneered. "Had your mental break down, have you?"

"Shut up, Ginevra!"

"Don't call me that, Ronald!"

He smirked at her. "Or what?"

The next thing he knew, his boogers were attacking him, Ginny effectively having performed the Bat-Bogey Hex.

She and Harry were now cackling maniacally in the next room over.

. . .


Fred's P.O.V.

"You really have no idea how much of a relief it is to be away from Ron!" Hermione told me, while we were sitting in the living room in front of the fire that evening after dinner. Ron had barricaded himself in his room so he could mourn his loss in peace, Harry and Ginny were off doing who-knows-what, and George, well, knowing him, he was probably off saving kittens or something.

"I can imagine," I said grinning.

She nudged me playfully. "Can you now?"

"I can, believe it or not. I can."

She smiled so tenderly at me, I nearly melted in her chocolate eyes. Merlin, since when was I so cheesy?

"You sure you don't want to get married?" I said with a grin.

"You have to court me first, Fred Weasley," she said, intertwining our fingers and smiling fondly at me.

"If I must!" I said reluctantly, earning a smile from Hermione. "Just don't expect me to call you 'Mione' or anything, okay?"

"Please, don't!" she said, rolling her eyes at the pet name. "Did you know Ron wanted me to all him 'Won-Won?' Can you believe that?"

I snorted. "Won-Won?"

"That's what Lavender Brown called him. When they 'dated' in sixth year."

I nodded wisely. "Ah."

Hermione giggled. "Exactly."

"Ronnie-Poo sure is something, isn't he?"

She sat up straight and turned to look me in the eye. "I've always preferred older men anyway."

"Oh?" I said, raising an amused eyebrow at her.

"Oh yes," she said flirtatiously.

"Now, Hermione, let me set down some rules," I said, lowering my voice and acting serious, "no premarital sex---"

Hermione snorted with laughter, shoving my shoulder playfully.

"You don't need to tell me," said Hermione.

"Rule number two of dating Fred Weasley --- "

"Are you making these up as you go?"

"You are required to spend every possible moment in my company --- "

"Do I get bathroom breaks?"

"Rule three of dating Fred Weasley --- "

"How many rules are there?"

"Do not interrupt Fred Weasley!" I said grinning.

Hermione rolled her eyes with a smile. "Dash formalities!"

"Now, Hermione, I except you take me seriously, as I am now your official boyfriend and soon-to-be fiancé ---"

"Who said anything about being fiancés?"

"Mum will expect grandchildren soon --- "

"What happened to rule number one?" she teased.

"I guess we'll have to get married soon then."

"Fred!"

I threw my head back and laughed, feeling happier than I had ever been.

"You're confusing," Hermione said, eyebrow scrunched up as she tried to understand about my 'Weasley Logic.'

"Seriously, Hermione. Let's get married!"

I jumped up and dragged her to the fireplace. "To Las Vegas!"

Hermione laughed and yanked her hand out of my grasp. "I don't want to get married yet."

"Why not?" I whined. "We're . . . soul mates!" I exclaimed passionately.

Hermione frowned thoughtfully. "How do you know what a soul mate is?"

I fell to my knees before her, opened my mouth to proclaim my undying love, when Ronnie-poo interrupted us.

"TAKE ME BACK, MIONE! I LOVE YOU!"

Hermione groaned, rolling her eyes, keeping her back firmly to him. "I don't love you, Ronald."

"Why!" he sobbed, dropping to the floor and crawling towards her, wrapping his arms around her knees and begging for a second chance. "Why him?"

Hermione sighed. "Because, Ronald."

"Because why?" he wailed.

"Because I LOVE HIM!" she screamed, yanking her foot out of Ron's grasp and coming into my waiting arms. "I can't ignore what my heart is telling me!"

"Or screaming at the top of its lungs. Wait, does a heart even have lungs? I doubt it," I said thoughtfully. Hermione beamed at me, then her face hardened as she looked back at Ron, who had collapsed to the floor and broken down into pitiful sobs.

"WHY, WHY, WHY!" Ron whined, flaying his clenched fists like a bawling baby that needed a fresh diaper. He banged his fists on the ground and kicked his feet, sobbing uncontrollably, his face all red and blotchy. Hermione stared at him wide-eyed.

"What's wrong with him?" she asked me. "Has anyone in recorded history acted like this after a break up?"

"I don't think so. Maybe cavemen did. No one knows what they got down to. They probably murdered each other just for 'borrowing' someone else's rock-o-gratin." (A/N: Did cavemen murder each other over rock-o-gratin? What is rock-o-gratin? Did I even spell it right? I don't know! :D)

Hermione and I thought it best to let Ron suffer alone.

. . .


Was I too cruel to Ron? I don't think I was.

I sort of HATED this chapter, though. I think I should've held off on the Hermione/Fred relationship, but I'm impatient and wanted to see some ACTION! I apologize to any Ron fans. Don't think TOO poorly of my MAKE-RON-LOOK-LIKE-A-BABY-AS-MUCH-AS-POSSIBLE scene. I just didn't want Hermione to regret dumping him for the awesome (and hotter, I dare say) Weasley.
-Indy

SUPER GEORGE! (sorry I didn't have more Super George interaction. Sigh. I missed him)