Hermione walked back to Gryffindor common room with Seamus close at her side. She was thoroughly confused by Fred's behavior. Honestly, she had never known his jokes to be nasty. And toying with her emotions would definitely qualify as that. The alternative to his pranking her though meant that he was serious. Guys like Fred however didn't go for girls like her. It just didn't make sense. She was still in deep thought when Seamus's hand grazed her lower back. She really wished he wouldn't. She sped up so his hand fell away from her. Inside the common room he occupied a table in the corner while she went upstairs to put on a pair of slacks.

She returned to the common room to see the crowd from the lake had also come in. She tried to control the blush that threatened to break loose when she saw Fred watching her. Unfortunately, Seamus had situated them so that their backs were to the rest of the room. She sighed as she turned away from her friends and plunked down beside him dumping her book onto the table.

Fred watched her skip down the stairs. He smirked at the pink that tinted her cheeks when she looked at him. I think she's finally getting it, that I really do like her. He didn't really doubt if she liked him anymore. He was plagued with doubts at first; afraid she wouldn't like him because of his pranks. Then she started letting their pranks slide. In fact just a couple weeks before, she had stumbled upon the twins in an abandoned corridor. They were hunched over a box of joke candies, George had groaned at the sight of her knowing they were busted. Hermione walked up to them looked into the box and asked what they were doing. When she heard they were for members of the Inquisitorial Squad she smiled, turned around and headed back the opposite direction. The twins had stood in shock until it was almost too late to get the treats in place. That was the first time she was obvious about overlooking a joke. And the twins were careful to never mention it since they knew she wouldn't want anyone to know she let them get away with it.

"Oy! Fred!" George elbowed him bringing him out of his memories. He turned to face his brother and surprisingly, Harry. "Harry wants a word." The twins looked expectantly at their younger brother's best mate.

"It's about Hermione." Harry voice was low and he had a strange look on his face. Fred would almost classify that look as threatening.

"What about her?" George crossed his arms over his chest, also noticing the boy's dark look.

"She's my best mate." He paused. "Do you really like her, Fred, or are you playing at something?"

"Why does everyone think I'm joking?" Fred found himself annoyed. He crossed his arms and leaned against the wall. Harry didn't answer him just continued to try and intimidate him. "Harry, quit looking at me like that. Yes, I really like her. I told her so. Now, if you don't mind, I'm trying to glare a hole through the back of Finnigan's head." He turned away from the younger boy.

"Don't hurt her." Harry's voice was gruff and caused a moment of pause for Fred. He shook it off and nodded.

Seamus had scooted his chair closer to Hermione's until they almost touched. He felt his stomach twist into a tight knot. She didn't even appear to notice, either that or she didn't mind. He refused to acknowledge the second option. "Tonight, George." He felt his twin nod beside him.

"Ginny'll help." George looked at their little sister. She sat with a group of fourth years until she felt eyes on her. She glanced up and saw the twins looking at her. She hesitated only a moment then nodded. "Brilliant." They moved back into the corner to plot, Ginny made her way over to them.

Hermione slammed her book shut. "Alright, we're done." She announced. They had been at it for an hour and a half and she was tired. She didn't even that hard a time with Ron. Seamus either had very poor concentration or was really terrible at Transfiguration. She guessed the first because she didn't remember him ever having that hard a time in class with McGonagall. She froze as his hand lifted to her shoulder for probably the fifth time since they started. It really started to get on her nerves. She just wasn't a touchy feely kind of girl, especially with people she considered acquaintances.

"So, tomorrow, then?" He smiled at her. He was doing a lot of that, she noticed. She didn't think she had ever seen him smile so much in the five years that she had known him.

"Tomorrow?" She really didn't want to. He was harder to tutor than she had anticipated. And while she didn't mind helping him out, she didn't want to spend every day at it. She did have her own studies to keep up on and she hoped to spend some more time in Fred's company. "I think I had something to do with Harry and Ron. Let, let me go check." She hopped out of her chair, relieved to put a some space between them. He had acted strange, he kept touching her and leaning over her shoulder. He was practically sitting on her lap a few times. She didn't appreciate it. She flopped onto the couch between the boys. "Please tell me we have something to do tomorrow."

The boys laughed at her. "Not having fun with Seamus?" Harry asked her and patted her on the arm. She groaned and leaned against his shoulder. "Yeah, don't you remember, we promised to do that thing. With…er…the twins. Yeah, there you go. I think we'll be at it all day."

"Thank god." She whispered and left to inform Seamus. He was less then pleased. In fact, he almost looked angry. "Sorry. Maybe on Wednesday, I don't think I've got anything going then." At least that would give her a few days to recover.

"Great! It's a date!" He said it entirely too loud. Quite a few people around the room turned to look. Hermione could feel her face go scarlet; Seamus on the other hand looked fairly pleased. He grabbed his books and strutted across the room. Hermione watched as he walked purposefully past Fred and George, both giving him dirty looks. Then Fred turned his eyes back to her, they were wide and he wore a large frown. She hated seeing such a sad look on his handsome face. He wasn't meant to be so unhappy. She picked up her book and made her way over to where he was standing. Before she could reach him, he charged up the stairs.

"Hey George." She mumbled watching Fred disappear. "Is he okay?"

"Hi." He voice was cold. It was so out of place, she nearly dropped her book. "Of course, he's fine. Why wouldn't he be?" She shrugged. "So, you and Seamus, huh?" His voice was ever darker.

"What? No! I just said I would help him again on Wednesday. What's going on between you guys anyway? Every time he's around you guys are always staring him down. Did you try to prank him or something?" George just stared at her for a minute.

"Hey. Can you wait here for a minute? I'll be right back." He darted up the stairs before she could even agree. After only about thirty seconds she heard the thundering of footsteps run down the boys' staircase. She turned to see Fred and George. How could only the two of them make that much noise? "Hey we're back."

"Just had to grab a few things for dinner." Fred winked at her and slung an arm around her shoulders. "You're sitting with us, of course." He led her towards the portrait hole that most of the crowd was emptying through. George also laid an arm across her shoulders until he saw Katie and grabbed a hold of her instead. Hermione nibbled on her lip for a moment, not sure what to do with her hands after she set her book down. She saw Katie wrap her arm around George's waist. Hermione took a deep breath and silently slipped her arm behind him, resting her hand lightly on his hip. She risked a glance at his face, he looked surprised.

He was pleasantly surprised when Hermione put her arm around him. He looked down at her, she looked nervous and ready bolt. He smiled to reassure her and squeezed her closer to him. He was rewarded with a very large grin. Her little hand was warm against his hip. He thought he could definitely get used to that.

He told her a few jokes on the way down to the Great Hall and was happy when she laughed with him. She really was beautiful when she laughed. Her eyes lit up and she threw her head back with mirth. And best of all, she leaned into him to hold herself up. Fred sat beside George and was reminded of their plan when Ginny sat on Hermione's other side. The two girls chatted lightly while they ate. As the twins had predicted Seamus sat across from them beside Harry and Ron. He kept smiling at Hermione and shooting death glares at Fred when she wasn't looking. His eyes narrowed in suspicion when Fred grinned back at him. Hermione was completely oblivious as she continued to eat. Every so often she would join in someone's conversation or laugh at one of his jokes. Seamus was still watching him closely when Fred decided to distract him.

"Hermione?" He leaned close to her ear and spoke just above a whisper. He watched a shiver trace down her spine. He placed his hand on the small of her back. "Do you think we could go for a walk after dinner? Just the two of us."

"Alright." She barely whispered. He watched Seamus's face go red just seconds after hers.

"Seamus! Are you alright?" Ginny asked loudly, calling attention to him. "I think he's choking." The boy shook his head 'no' but his face just got redder with embarrassment. "Here, take a drink. Wash it down." Ginny thrust a glass in front of him with a look of motherly concern. She very much reminded him of their mum right then. She was a really was a great actress.

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A/N: Well? Guess what's coming next chapter? Yup, Seamus gets what's coming to him. So did you like that Ginny got involved? Thanks for reading! Now go ahead and review. Go on, it won't hurt, I promise. Maybe I should start a chant or something. clears throat

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