Chapter 7


Fred was still holding onto her tightly the next morning when Alex slowly began to awake. She smiled as she watched his chest rise and fall steadily, clearly still asleep.

She wiggled a little, trying to stretch. She saw sunlight peeking through a tiny crack in the curtain hangings.

"Rise and shine!" She heard Hermione shout. Before Alex could protest Hermione ripped the curtains to let light shine in on Alex.

"Oh…wow…I um…this was definitely not what I expected." Hermione gasped with wide eyes. "This is…wow. ALEX!"

Fred rubbed his eyes and looked up. "Oh crap."

Hermione placed her hands angrily on her hips.

Alex smiled sheepishly, trying to explain herself. "At least I'm not naked."

Fred started chuckling.

"This is NOT funny mister!" Hermione looked around. "You're lucky I'm the only one here!"

Alex sat up. "Please Hermione, you can't say anything!"

"NOT say anything?" Hermione looked incredulously around. "Are you SERIOUS?"

Fred sat up. "Well, you know, in her defense, at least we aren't naked."

Alex shoved him playfully.

Hermione sighed. "Ok, so this is wrong beyond belief." She walked off to the other side of the room, locking the door just in case.

Fred got out of bed and stretched. Alex sat cross legged on the bed thinking. "You know," she began.

"I get it, you aren't naked!" Hermione snapped.

"No, not that." Alex said shaking her head. "I was going to guilt trip you, but you just ruined it."

Hermione rubbed her forehead furiously. "Wrong, wrong OH so wrong." She muttered.

"Hermione please? Just…please don't say anything. You know that's why Harry and I are fighting in the first place." Alex looked down at her feet. "He would never accept this." She looked over to Fred. He lay across the bed, putting his head on her knee.

Hermione crinkled her nose. "This is just really wrong." She sighed. "But I won't say anything."

Alex sighed in relief. "Thank you."

Hermione paced the room. "Ok so can you leave now? This is just a little bit MORE than awkward."

Fred smiled and sat up. Kissing Alex quickly he went to the window and grabbed his broom that was hidden next to Alex's bed.

Alex waved as he jumped out of the window and back to his own dorm.

"Fred? Seriously?" Hermione asked in disbelief.

Alex shrugged. "He gets me."

Hermione shook her head. "That takes a lot I'm sure."

Alex got up and put on her clothes. She realized it was the weekend and smiled brighter. "Oh good, no classes!"

Hermione sat on her bed. "That image will be burned in my brain."

Alex smiled teasingly. "Now what if we HAD been naked?"

Hermione grimaced. "Oh god. No. Bad image. So wrong."

Alex laughed as she walked out of the door, Hermione following behind.

Alex looked over her shoulder. "Remember, not a word."

"You know me. Lips sealed." Hermione ran a finger over her mouth as they walked into the common room. George was sitting on the couch.

"Hey." Hermione greeted happily.

He waved. "Hi." He sat up a little straighter. "Hey maybe you guys can help me, you're girls."

Alex looked down at herself and then Hermione. "Yea, last time I checked."

He smiled. "No I mean, Fred's been acting really strange lately. The past week his head has been completely elsewhere."

Alex bit her lip and nodded. "Mmmhmmm."

"Well, do you guys know if he's been seeing anyone lately? He won't say."

Hermione nearly gagged on her own spit. "Um, well, maybe he wants it to be a secret."

She shrugged, trying to look innocent.

Alex shook her head. "We don't know George, but if we find out anything we'll let you know."

George smiled. "Thanks guys." He got up and started for the portal. "You want to join me for breakfast." He said suavely.

Hermione laughed. "Sure, why not."

Fred came down the stairs and into the common room.

George smiled. "I see you finally got in." He winked at him. "Seeing that girl again?"

Fred played innocent. "No idea what you're on about." He smiled at Alex.

"You guys heading down for breakfast?" He asked, rubbing his stomach.

They all nodded.

"Well then, let's go." Fred smiled, squeezing Alex's hand where no one could see, then let it go quickly. She blushed and followed him out the portrait hole.

She bit her lip. This was going to be a lot harder to hide now.


Harry sat at the breakfast table solemnly. Looking across at Ron, he frowned.

"Why do women have to be so incredibly frustrating?" He asked.

Ron shrugged. "I don't know. They're women?"

Harry's frown deepened as he saw Alex, Hermione, Fred and George coming towards them.

Ron raised his eyebrows a little. "You have to talk to her sometime, mate."

Alex sat down next to Ron, across from Harry. She smiled. "Harry." She said simply.

He sighed. "Alex I'm sorry."

She stopped in the middle of her grabbing for a biscuit. "About?"

He rolled his eyes. "Everything, I just don't want to fight anymore."

"Are you going to stop being so dense and overbearing?" She asked, pulling her arm back.

Harry shrugged quickly.

"Harry?" She persisted.

"Yes," He sighed. "But I can't promise anything."

"Harry!" Alex crossed her arms and placed them on the table, leaning in towards him. "You just don't get it do you? You don't control me."

"Who does? You?" Harry laughed. "You can't keep yourself together. If I left you'd be a complete mess!"

Alex's eyes widened. "That's not true Harry and you know it."

"Is it?" Harry scooted back from the table and stood up. Alex followed.

"Is it me Harry? Or are you just afraid to let me go?"

Harry made his way into a small foyer where Alex pulled him aside into the shadows.

He stubbornly refused to look her in the eyes.

"Harry, you're afraid that if I start dating I'll leave you." Alex said, drawing a rational conclusion.

Harry mumbled. "That's not true, I just-"

"Just what Harry?" Alex sighed. "I understand I'm all you have. You're all I have. But I want you to be happy." Alex frowned when he didn't respond. "You'll understand that one day."

She walked off, leaving Harry alone, thinking deeply about his motives. He sighed. He didn't want to fight with her, but he didn't want her to end up dating some loser guy. He had to protect her. He looked around to see if anyone was there. He walked back to the table and sat down in a huff.

"So how did it go?" Ron asked, trying to lighten the mood.

"She stormed off, as usual." Harry said, downcast. He grabbed a chicken wing. "I just don't want her to end up with some loser, that's all."

Fred stiffened. "But you do want her to be happy right?"

Harry nodded, continuing to fill his plate. "Yea, but I have to at least approve of the guy."

"You don't even know if there is a guy." Ron pointed out.

Harry shrugged. "Yea that's true. But she has been acting kind of shady lately."

Hermione laughed. "That's because she's avoiding you."

Harry looked over at her and frowned. She wiped the smile off her face and shrugged. "It's true." She murmured.

Fred sighed heavily. "No friends was a rule too right?" Harry looked up at him and nodded.

"She told me about it." Fred said, a little nervously.

Harry nodded. "Yea that would just be weird. I mean, what if she dated you Fred-"

Hermione choked on her pumpkin juice, spewing it everywhere.

Coughing wildly she tried to steady herself.

Harry looked over at her, "Are you ok?" He asked with wide eyes.

She nodded. "Yea, sorry." She coughed again. "I think there was a bug in my juice."

Harry patted her on the back a little then shook his head. "Anyways, like I said, wouldn't that be weird?"

He looked over at Fred. His face was pale. He nodded. "Yea, that would be weird."