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Summary: Fun loving Fred Weasley has always been carefree, going through life with laughter and fun, fastracking through everything he does. But when his younger brother's friend comes under his radar, he finds himself taking a different perspective.
Disclaimer: All characters and general plotlines belong to JK Rowling. Anything you do not recognise, is mine.
Pairings: FW/HG ; HP/LL
"Morning." Harry greeted me as I made my way down the stairs. I looked at him carefully, wondering if I was about to get some sort of telling off from him about taking advantage of his best mate. But there was no animosity there and rather than push it or suspect him I merely returned his smile, turning my gaze to the staircase which he was waiting at the foot at. I quickly put two and two together.
"Ron still mad?" Harry nodded.
"Of course. Then again, he's not exactly in my best books either." Harry confided, and I nodded, the anger that had built up in me the evening before bubbling to the surface.
"He's a git." George summarised, coming up behind us, throwing an arm around both Harry and myself. He raised his eyebrows at me, and I shrugged.
"She said she'd sleep on it." I informed him, and while he raised his eyebrows, he said nothing. Harry patted my arm and I turned to look at him, not sure how to react.
He retracted his arm instantly, flushing. His awkward attempt at support broke the tension between the three of us and we all laughed.
"You three waiting for 'Mione?" Ginny said, coming down the stairs. We all straightened up and I nodded at my sister.
"You seen her this morning?" I questioned, and she nodded, bowing her head for a second.
"She's a bit cut up.." She said slowly.
"Maybe you should.." She trailed off, eyes fixed on a point behind her and I knew without looking that my irritating younger brother was about to enter the mix.
"Fred, can I have a word?" I spun around.
"Here's one." George started for me, and I grinned at my twin before turning back to Ron.
"No." I finished, and Ron rolled his eyes.
"Stop messing around, Fred. You don't want her and you know it. You're just playing games, and I'm not going to let you do it with the girl I-"
"The girl you what, Ron?" I interrupted, not prepared to listen to the rest of Ron's clearly thought out rant.
"The girl you bicker with all the time? The girl who does your homework for you? The girl you're keeping on a string and constantly take for granted?" I shook my head at him, taking a few steps closer.
"Someone else wants her so you decide to act on those weird pent up feelings you have?" He shook his head.
"That's not what this is, Fred, I just think.."
"Think what? That this is a joke?" He stared up at me, despite his growth spurt I still had the edge in height.
"Well it isn't, Ron. Hermione's brilliant and clever and funny and pretty, and I happen to think this could be something special." Ron started to splutter, tripping over his words.
"Special? You?"
"Yes, Ron. Special. Unless you didn't notice we actually got quite close over Christmas, and-"
"Close? Christmas was like a week! You don't get close to girls and why would you suddenly change for her?"
"For fuck's sake Ron!" I stepped closer to him, and heard a few steps behind me. George, perhaps. Trying to make sure I didn't do anything I'd regret.
'Hit him'
No, don't. Mum'll kill you'
'He's being a dick about her'
"She's amazing." I said finally, and opened my mouth to continue but stopped as I felt warm hands on my back.
"Stop." She breathed into my ear, and I stilled at the feel of her warm breath on my neck.
"Everyone's watching you, Fred. Calm down." I looked around. At least half the common room were indeed staring at us, having formed quite the audience.
Ron and I were both bright red and shaking. My fists were clenched. I carefully unfurled them as she walked around me, staring at Ron with her hands on her hips.
"Ron..."
"No, Hermione. Does our friendship mean nothing to you?" She stared at him.
"What? Does it mean nothing to you? You don't even know what this is!" She shook her head at him, holding up her hand when he went to speak again.
"We're friends Ron. That is it." She said very clearly, enunciating every word.
"I should be able to.. see where these things go on my own, and you as my friend should support me!" She closed her eyes.
"You've upset me, to insinuate that Fred wouldn't want someone like me, Ron." She said finally, and turned away from him, and to me.
"Can we go to breakfast?" She addressed me suddenly, and I nodded. She turned her attention back to Ron.
"When you stop acting like a baby, we can talk." She said in a throwaway voice, and then deliberately stepped close to me, a defiant look on her face.
I looked around at the incredulous looks on everyone's faces. George was giving me a supporting grin and Harry, by his side, didn't seem to know how to react. Over his head I met eyes with Katie, who gave me a wide grin and a wink.
Ah well, you've come this far..' I turned back to Hermione, and slung an arm around her shoulders.
"Shall we?" I beckoned towards the portrait hole, and with my spare hand, turned round and gave Ron the finger as we left. Cheap shot, but with an arm around Hermione I was feeling lightheaded.
She looked at me when we were oustide and both of us burst into laughter.
"That was ridiculous. The way everyone was listening.." She smirked at me.
"So i'm brilliant and funny and clever and pretty?" She questioned, and I stopped. She'd heard me, then.
"No." I said after a moment, and giving her a teasing grin, I quickened my pace.
"Fred!" She called, and rushed after me, catching my arm.
"You said it, in front of everyone." She objected, and I winked at her.
"You're not pretty." I said, raising my eyebrows. She looked momentarily put out, but was quick to cover it up.
"At lesat i'm still brilliant, and funn-"
"Hermione." I interrupted, and she looked up at me with a confised frown. The way that she'd instantly accepted what had been quite an insult, instead turning to the positive, made a huge soppy grin that I simultaneously loved and hated cover my face.
"You're beautiful, Hermione." I repeated, and took a step closer to her, taking her hand easily. Her smaller hand tightened around mine, and a flush covered her freckled cheeks.
"Fred..." She started.
'Just do it.'
"I'm going to kiss you, Hermione." I warned, and she looked up at me, her lip trembling.
"Okay." She mumbled, and with a funny nod of her head, I leaned forward, covering her mouth with mine.
Her lips were soft, as i'd expected. But kissing Hermione was better than I'd dreamed it. I placed a hand on the small of her back, the other still intertwined in hers. She didn't respond at first, then hesitantly her lips started to move against my own, her other hand coming carefully to rest on my shoulder.
It was her first kiss, that had been clear by the worried look on her face when I'd come toward her. It wasn't mine, obviously, but I'd never kissed someone and it feel this right before. I pulled her closer, running my other hand through her soft brown curls. Her hands came up to entwine around my neck and there were several blissful, endless minutes before we both broke apart for air. Unwilling to let her go, I held her close to me, waiting for her to say something.
"You really do like me, then?" She asked after a moment, a half smile on her face. I nodded.
"How can you think I don't?" I asked. She shrugged.
"I don't know.. It's you.. and it's me.." I frowned.
"You don't listen to Ron, do you?" There was a sudden commotion behind us and I looked around. People were coming down this otherwise deserted corridor.
"Come on." I said, releasing her waist and grabbing her hand. I raised an eyebrow, and she gave me a mischievous grin. I pulled her along the corridor for a few paces until we came to a blank portrait. I slid a finger behind it and pulled it backwards to reveal an alcove.
"Ladies first." I said, and gestured in. She smiled and stepped in before me, and I followed pulling the picture closed behind me.
The small room was only a few yards from the common room entrance, Katie and I had discovered it in our first year when Snape had sent us back late from detention and we'd been out after curfew. We'd been quick to share it with George, Lee and the other two girls and it'd become a sort of meeting place for the five of us.
"Now.." I said after a moment, and I looked at her sheepishly.
"I don't really know how to say this." I said after a moment.
'Ask her to be your girlfriend'
'How?'
'Do it..'
"I don't want to sound like a little kid." I started, and she smiled encouragingly.
"It's not like you don't know what i'm going to say, Fred." She said slowly, and I nodded.
I was nervous. Ridiculously nervous. I'd had loads of girlfriends, well.. girls. But this felt strangely like it was one that mattered.
"Will you be my girlfriend, Hermione?"
'You sound like a right prat, she'll sa-'
"Yes."
"What?" I turned to look at her, and she laughed.
"Yes Fred Weasley. I'll be your girlfriend." I offered her a sheepish grin.
"Great. I mean, cool. Awesome."
'Wonderful. The only girl you've ever met that reduced you to a complete blibbering idiot.'
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