Two updates in one day! Say it ain't so. :) If you haven't had a chance to read Chapter 10, obviously go back and check it out first. Thanks for reading!


Chapter 11

"Fred, dear," Molly Weasley said, "do go and check that I have enough chairs at the table. There should be fourteen, I believe. Percy and Audrey aren't able to make it. Working late again. I have tried to warn him about all these late nights. Such a new marriage, too. It's a shame, really. I do worry about them."

"I'm sure they're fine, Mum," George said. "Audrey knew what a git Percy was when she agreed to marry him."

"George Weasley! That will be enough out of you. Go see if your father needs any help with the gnomes. Get, get!" She swatted at him with a wooden spoon as George just laughed and rushed out the door. "Just because he lives on his own, thinks he can carry on like a baboon in my house…" she muttered.

"Is Charlie in town, Mum?" Fred asked, interrupting his mother's ranting.

"Why, no, dear, you know he can't get in from Romania."

"Then why are there fourteen spots? Shouldn't there just be thirteen?"

"Oh, that would be for Hermione's friend. Go ahead, then, they'll be here soon."

"Hermione's friend? Do you mean Wood?"

"Yes, Oliver. Dear boy. Wasn't he a friend of yours in school? So glad that Hermione has found such a nice young man. I was beginning to worry about her."

"Right. Um, I'll just be finishing this up, shall I?" He hurried over to grab the extra chairs before his Mum could see his face. He wasn't sure how she did it, but she was always able to read him like a book, usually even before even he himself knew what he was thinking.

Hermione was bringing Oliver to the Burrow. Like he was part of the family. Merlin, were they that serious? It had only been about a month since that day at the Leaky Cauldron. It certainly hadn't seemed like everything was all sunshine and roses then, had it? He had been meeting Hermione for either lunch or a quick ice cream nearly every day since and she had certainly never mentioned anything about bringing Wood to family dinners. In fact, she barely mentioned him at all and he hadn't wanted to ask. Now he wished he had.

Oh, well, Hermione was a big girl and if she wanted to bring a guy to the Burrow that was her business. No matter that it seemed awfully soon for such a big step, but he was sure she could handle it. Maybe it didn't mean anything anyway. Maybe Wood was hungry and Hermione was like well, Mrs. Weasley makes a good meal, you should come try it. Right.

He was interrupted from his thoughts by someone arriving by the floo network. Two someones, actually. Leave it to Hermione to arrive early.

"Fred!" she cried as she noticed him standing there and rushed to give him a hug. He returned the embrace, but was painfully aware that Oliver was standing right behind her.

"Wood," he said, nodding in acknowledgement.

"Oliver has been eager to try Mrs. Weasley's famous cooking," Hermione said. "I'll just go and see if she needs any help."

Fred nearly snorted. Already saw right through that one, mate. It was funny, he thought, as he stood there awkwardly with his old friend and teammate. In all the years of Oliver knowing the Weasley family, he had never shown any interest in his Mum's cooking before.

"So, um," he began, "Quidditch going alright?"

Well, that broke the ice. Wood could talk all night about that and he probably would have if George hadn't picked that moment to show back up.

"Wood! I didn't know you were coming," he said as he greeted their friend, shooting a look at his twin.

"Hermione invited me," he said. "In fact, I should probably go find her and say hello to your Mum as well." He excused himself and made his way into the kitchen, leaving Fred alone with George, much to his chagrin.

"Stop," he warned. "Don't say anything. I know what you are thinking."

George grinned. "And what's that, dear brother?"

"You think I care that Wood is here with Hermione. But I don't."

"You're sure about that?" His face held a smirk that Fred wanted desperately to wipe off his face.

"Yes, Hermione is a grown witch, she can do as she pleases and-"

"How mature of you."

"There is nothing to be mature about. Hermione's a friend. Wood's a friend. We're having dinner. One big happy family." He slammed the last chair down in front of the Weasley dining table.

"So all this time you've been spending with Granger lately is because you are friends, is it?"

"Yes, we are friends. Now sod off before they hear you talking all this nonsense."

"I'm worried about you, Freddie. It's not healthy being so worked up over a bird that you're not even-"

"I'm fine.

"Is that why you keep staring over at the kitchen? Because you're fine?"

"No, I'm hungry. Now, if you'll excuse me, I think I'll go for a quick spin on my broom before the food's ready."


The wind whipped around him as he sped through the sky trying to clear his head. George wasn't right, was he? Sure, he'd been having some strange feelings around Hermione lately, but that was a natural protective instinct. She was like a sister to him. He would be the same way about Ginny. And yeah, he thought about her a lot, but that was because he had been spending more time with her lately. And okay, he thought she was hot, but that was just because he had eyes. Any bloke could see that she was beautiful. Okay, so maybe it wasn't quite the same as Ginny.

They had spent a lot of time together He had really liked how she felt in his arms at Percy's wedding. But that was because it had been a long time since he had held a beautiful witch that closely. It was a physical reaction, nothing more.

Except it was.

Shit.


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