A/N: Wow. I just realized that 52 people have me on their alerts list! I couldn't wait to write another chapter. This one is all about the rumors and getting ball dates. I will zone in a bit on Harry.

Disclaimer: Everything belongs to Jo! Except Hermione, she's property of Fred Weasley...

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The Other Way

Chapter 9: Falling Apart

"Hermione, would you like to tell us why-what the bloody hell is written on your face?" Ron said, giving the question very rudely as he and Harry burst into the common room as Fred left.

Hermione sighed. "You know how McGonagall let me shadow a sixth year class? Well, the only seat was next to Fred, and we were Transfiguring body parts, and he did this. But the counter curse only got the color off and apparently this is some Weasley's Wizard Wheezes prank, and I will not stand for this any longer, do you hear me?"

Harry and Ron shrank back. "Err...yeah. Why don't you just ask them to give you the thing to change it back?"

Hermione gave a humorless laugh. "And give in? I don't think so." She stood up, gathered her bags, and headed for the portrait hole. "I'm going to go give him a piece of my mind."

Hermione marched purposefully after the red head. Luckily she knew where he was, since he had just left the common room.

It seemed like such a great idea...she was going to threaten him with some hexes until he gave her the product to change it back. It was his fault that now everyone suspected them of dating.

Still, the closer she walked to Fred, the less interested in her plan she became. He hadn't meant for rumors like that to start. And it certainly wasn't his fault that Rita Skeeter had written a big article about it.

When Ron and Harry hadn't been speaking to each other, Hermione had been with Harry all the time. Now, Rita Skeeter had found out about that and written all about it.

Harry Potter's Secret Heartache

Harry Potter seems to be going through the usual teenager emotional blows that we could expect from him. Before the first task, he was rarely seen without the company of a certain Hermione Granger, who is-or is she? - his girlfriend.

Sources report that Miss Granger has been seen with the other, lesser known Hogwarts champion, Fred Weasley. Rumors at the school have spread far enough for us to exclusively know that they are romantically involved.

"Ever since lunch yesterday, she's had writing on her face that says 'Property of Fred Weasley'. Obviously, she hasn't cared to take it off. This means that she must really be going out with Weasley," Pansy Parkinson says. "I don't see how she's done it, though. She's really ugly."

This Miss Granger has captured two boy's hearts, and hopefully she'll decide on one before she damages them both.

"Fred?" Hermione asked, tapping the six foot tall boy on the shoulder. He turned around and saw her. "Hermione...you'd better get away from me before you permanently damage my heart," he said seriously, but his eyes were twinkling.

She sighed impatiently. "You and I both know that I'm not going out with Harry or you. I just needed to ask for help on the Transfiguration homework."

Fred nodded, but then looked puzzled. "You don't have to do the homework for my class. Besides, I might not do it either." He grinned, looking proud of his horrible grades.

"It's extra credit. Plus, if you do the essay and become really smart and get good grades, then maybe I'll choose you!" she said, clasping her hands.

Fred stared. Hermione Granger had actually just joked about something that would be really serious for anyone else.

"Sure, I'll help you. After all, I do have two more years' worth of knowledge up here in my brain than you do."

Hermione grinned, and they set off for the library. Hermione still felt weird, spending so much time with Fred. It was as if this year he was one of her friends...but in a way, he wasn't, and they weren't friends. Merely acquaintances.

As they sat down next to each other at a table in the library, Fred noticed how much shorter she was than him. She had to be barely five foot three inches.

"So, what do you need help on?" he asked.

Hermione looked confused for a moment. She hadn't really needed help on the essay, but she had wanted to talk to him. "Oh, er...I don't understand this part about why you shouldn't exchange body parts with another person."

That was the most complicated-looking question in the requirements for the essay, but she still knew the answer.

Fred got up and went to look for a book that could help on the subject. He bumped into Viktor Krum as he walked between two shelves.

"Sorry," he muttered, and made to move past the burly Seeker. He didn't budge.

"You are sitting vith that girl again? So the rumors are true?" he said.

"Hermione? No! I'm not going out with her," Fred said. "Really," he added, seeing the look of disbelief on Krum's face.

"Then why does she haff your name on her face?" Krum asked.

"It was a prank," Fred said.

"Fine." Krum slouched off. Fred breathed a sigh of relief. Krum had looked as though he might punch Fred if he was going out with Hermione, although Fred couldn't see why.

Unless Krum liked Hermione?

That couldn't be true...as far as Fred knew, Krum had barely ever seen Hermione.

Fred grabbed a human Transfiguration book and walked back to his table. He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Krum sitting there, talking to a very embarrassed-looking Hermione.

Suddenly, Fred felt like punching the star Quidditch player in the stomach. Or the face. Or that really uncomfortable place.

When Hermione nodded, and Krum kissed her hand, Fred almost crushed the book he was holding in his hands.

He breathed in deeply, hoping he didn't still look pissed off, and walked towards the table.

Why had he just felt like that? It was almost as if he...

No. He couldn't like Hermione. She was his brother's best friend, and everyone in the Weasley family knew that Ron fancied Hermione. And she was...Hermione. She was a know-it-all, annoying, and she was kind of cute...

Fred banged his head against the book and took another glance at Hermione. She wasn't that annoying. Lately, she'd been nicer to him than any other girl had. She wasn't really concerned with her appearance, and she was smart and friendly.

Maybe he did like her. But now Krum had likely gotten to her.

Fred sat down, feeling slightly depressed. "What'd he want?" he asked rudely, jerking his thumb in Krum's direction.

"Oh! Erm, nothing," Hermione squeaked, her face turning a violent shade of red.

"He asked you to the ball, didn't he?" Fred said.

Hermione shook her head so quickly that Fred could tell she was lying.

"Oh, I can tell he did. Unless in Bulgaria they kiss girl's hands for no reason at all?" Fred said. He knew he sounded impolite, but it was kind of hard not to sound mad at the guy that asked her out.

"Can you just give me that book? I've got to work on the essay. And just so you know, I didn't really need help on the essay. I just wanted to talk to you. But if you're going to be mean about it, then I'm leaving." She pushed back her chair and walked away.

Hermione sniffed. So what if Krum had asked her to go the ball with him? It shouldn't be any of Fred's concern. After all, it's not like he liked her, and the rumors weren't true. Why should he be bothered?

Unless he did like her. But that was so completely out of the question, that Hermione didn't even stop to consider it. He was the Hogwarts champion. Any other girl could get him. He was really good looking. If he ever asked her out, she'd ruin his reputation because she was the stick in the mud, by the book girl two years younger than him.

Hermione blinked, hoping she wouldn't cry over something as trivial as a boy.

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Fred looked so murderous that everyone, even the girls that asked him to the ball every day, stayed away.

Why did he have to realize now, of all times, that he liked Hermione? Couldn't he have figured it out just a few days sooner, when he could have had the chance to ask her to the ball?

Right now, he wanted to punch Krum. He still wanted to punch Krum.

When he walked into the Great Hall, he saw crummy Krum talking to Hermione.

Now he really wanted to sock that stupid Quidditch player right in his dumb hooked nose.

He was so ugly. How could Hermione have said yes to him? Probably just for his fame. That couldn't be true, though. Hermione wasn't as shallow as other girls.

Fred sat down next to Lee and George at the Gryffindor house table, and realized he wasn't alone in his wanting to kill Krum.

Ron looked furious. Almost every single girl in the Great Hall looked at Hermione with eyes filled with envy. Fred could almost see a catfight waiting to happen.

"Why were you talking to him?" Ron said snidely.

Hermione ignored him and instead reached across the table for the minestrone soup. Fred had reached the bowl first and snatched it out of reach.

Hermione looked hurt. Fred knew he shouldn't be so obvious that he was mad, but he couldn't help it. He had waited just a tad too long.

After dinner, Hermione confronted Fred outside the hall. Fred leaned against the wall, looking at her expectantly. "Well? What do you want?"

"What is wrong with you?" Hermione said exasperatedly. "Did I do something wrong?"

"You know bloody well what you did," Fred said. "He's a Durmstrang. He knows you're friends with...Harry. He's probably trying to get to him through you."

"Why does it matter to you? You shouldn't care who I go to the ball with!" Hermione said.

Fred looked away, trying to look indifferent.

"Unless...you do care? But why would you?" Hermione whispered.

Fred shrugged. "I've got to go," he said, and walked away from her.

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A/N: New chapter again! Even though so far I've only received one review for last chapter. And yet another chapter should be coming soon.

Coming up: A fight between Fred and a certain Quidditch star, more Yule Ball dates and troubles!

Review!

-DSA