Yea for quick updates. I got some free time today. If I am lucky I will update again tomorrow, but no guarantees. Thank you all so much for the reviews. Fred is alive, because it's just too sad that he didn't make it in the books. You can't have George without Fred. Anyways, I hope you enjoy. Keep the reviews coming.

Ginny POV

Ginny sneaked out of the common room. It was well past curfew so she had temporarily borrowed Harry's cloak. He had told her that Hermione found out about their stupid plan. Ginny wanted to curse herself. She never wanted to hurt Hermione. She was so focused on school, Ginny never thought the Hermione would actually fall for Malfoy. Now she put her relationship with her best friend on the line all for some stupid ball. She wanted to go with Harry, but not at the risk of losing Hermione as a friend.

She sneaked out the castle and headed out towards the lake. Ginny knew Hermione would probably be out here. Madame Pince would have kicked her out of the library a few hours ago. It didn't take her long to spot Hermione's slim figure standing at the edge of the lake. She slipped the cloak off and cleared her throat. Hermione flinched, her hand reflexively going for her wand. She relaxed when she saw it was just Ginny.

"What do you want?" Hermione's voice was hoarse. "I know you were in on this plan too."

"I was worried when you didn't show up back at the common room. I know you are furious with me and Harry, and you have every right to be, Just don't catch a cold out here trying to avoid us."

"I'm not avoiding just you." Hermione violently threw a rock in the lake. The black water splashed loudly.

Ginny ventured closer. "I really am sorry. I just wanted to go to the dance. The date was just supposed to be for one night. No one was supposed to get hurt. I never would have though Malfoy of all people, would catch your eye. Mean he is Malfoy for Godric's sake."

"I thought he had changed. Turns out he just puts on a hell of a show."

Hermione tried to cover with a cough, but she heard the hitch in her voice. She reached out to rub Hermione's back.

"I know sweetie." Ginny wrapped her arms around a now sobbing Hermione. "I am so sorry any of us hurt you. It was so stupid of us."

"It's not just that." Hermione pulled away from Ginny. "I wanted it to be real. I want to go to St. Mungo's and I love school, but it's still lonely. You have Harry. Ron has Lavender. I am the odd one out. And for a second there, I thought maybe I could have Draco. He's smart, gorgeous, and after a while his sense of humor is almost endearing. He is also bastard!" Hermione cursed. Her melancholy quickly turned to anger. She sent a neon red hex out at the lake. "I am just so furious, I believed that no good lying prat!" She yelled, sending another few rounds of hexes at the unsuspecting water.

Ginny was tempted to point out that the lake was innocent in all this, but she thought better of it. It was better Hermione hex the lake, than her.

"Fred and George have a few new products that they need to test. A few could find their way into Malfoy's breakfast one morning." Ginny offered.

Hermione laughed softly. "You have no idea how tempting that is."

Ginny smiled, relieved to see her friend wasn't beyond cheering up. They were silent for a while, both of them just stared out at the lake lost in their thoughts. When the cold finally crept into Ginny's fingers and toes she broke the silence.

"So do you forgive me?"

"As long as you swear never to interfere with my love life again."

"I swear." Ginny put her hand over her heart. "I learned my lesson never try and outsmart you again."

"Grab the cloak. We need to get back before Harry launches a search party."Hermione grinned

"Speaking of… when are you going to talk to him? I know he feels really bad about everything that happened."

Hermione sighed. "I'll talk to him in class tomorrow. I needed some time to cool off."

They hurried back to the common room. They managed to avoid any teachers and Flich. The common room was empty by the time the got back, so they headed straight for the girl's dormitory.

"Hey Hermione," Ginny whispered in the dark as she crawled in her bed. "Malfoy is a complete idiot for not realizing how amazing you really are. It was his loss."

"Thanks Ginny." Hermione smiled as she turned off the last lamp. She crawled under the covers. Sleep tugged at her eyelids.

"And just let me know about Fred and George. They are working on a liquid form of puking pastilles that can be poured into your tea."

Hermione rolled her eyes at the younger girl's antics. "I'll let you know." She laughed.

Hermione POV

I could barely pour a cup of tea the next morning before Harry was spewing apologies. Partially to shut him up, and partially because I couldn't stay mad at him, I forgave him. We had been friends too long to stay mad. Harry was grinning like a dolt the rest of breakfast. His good mood was contagious. I found myself smiling the rest of the day. I even managed to avoid Draco all day until after dinner when I headed to my usual spot in the library.

I turned the corner to my spot and found him leaned back in the chair with his feet propped comfortably on the table.

"Granger! I was wondering when you would finally show up."

"Leave me alone, Malfoy. Or did that fake letter of recommendation not get the point across?" I snapped at him. My cheery mood vanished. He had staked me out just to rub it in.

"I know you are mad-"

"Mad?" I cut him. I leaned over the table to glare at him. "Oh I am beyond mad. Mad is when I forget my homework or wake up late on exam day. You humiliated me!"I shoved his feet off my table.

"I know-" Malfoy tired to interject.

"No you don't know because you don't care. It was quite an act you put on. I almost believed you too. I would have fallen for your game if I hadn't overheard Harry and Ginny discussing your payment for dating me." I sneered at him.

Malfoy stood up. His hand reached out for me but I stepped out of the way. His face fell as he realized just how livid I was. He looked away from me, his usual mask of indifference slipped back over his features.

"Just please leave me alone." I asked before turning and leaving the library. If he was going to camp out at my spot, I would just find somewhere else to study.

The rest of the week passed quietly. I studiously ignored Malfoy despite his numerous attempts to catch my attention. He had given up trying to pass me notes in History of Magic after I turned his first five notes into flaming fireballs that kept catching his designer robes on fire. Harry mentioned that I might at least hear Malfoy out. He immediately discarded this idea after one of Malfoy's flaming notes landed on Harry's homework.

Malfoy even resorted to his horrid habit of tapping to get my attention. After a few failed attempts, I managed to silence just his fingers. I tried not to think about how I almost missed his constant tapping. He had even gone so far as to camp out in my library spot the entire week. I couldn't go anywhere in the castle without somehow running into him. I was beginning to think he had some version of the Marauder's map.

By Friday I was anxious to get out of the castle. The upper classes had been given a free day in Hogsmeade. The ball was tomorrow night and all the girls were anxious to go shopping for last minute outfits. I had consented to go the ball and I needed a dress. I had agreed to go if only to show Malfoy just what he was missing out on.

I traipsed across the trail leading to Hogsmeade. Harry, Ginny, Lavender and Ron had gone ahead, and I wasn't meeting Ginny for dress shopping for a few hours. I needed all the help I could get picking out a dress. In the meantime, I wandered into the newest location of Weasley Wizarding Wheezes. Fred and George were usually at this location and I was in desperate need of cheering up.

"Hermione!" Fred greeted me as soon as I opened the door.

"It's wonderful to see you! What brings you to our neck of the woods?" George called from behind a display of pygmy puffs. As usual the store was packed with children ogling their incentive products. the new location had been a huge success, drawing in even more money than the location in Diagon Alley.

"It has been a long week, I needed some cheering up." I shrugged as I reached up to pet a particularly fluffy, lime green pygmy puff.

"Well, your in luck." Fred smiled.

"Cheering up is what we do best" George chimed in. He waved his long red hair out of his face. He kept it long to hide his missing ear. Fred kept his a few inches shorter. "Harry told us about that git Malfoy."

"Passing up a beauty like you. He should be ashamed of himself. Now what would you like to give him?" George directed me to a sinister looking aisle of products. "Lumps, bumps, worts?"

"Impotence." Fred threw me a tiny blue vial. "Be careful with that."

Ok, maybe coming here wasn't the best idea. I eyed a small bottle that promised to give their victim numerous warts. Entirely curable, but horrifyingly ugly, the label read.

"Guys, I am fine. Malfoy is just a git. End of story. I hardly need to infect him with…
"I picked up another jar "Ready Rash. Appears in seconds, lasts for days." I hastily put that jar back. That made the itching hex I sent Ron look tame.

"Don't worry." Fred assured me. "Everything supplied here is 100% curable. We have even helped Madame Pomfrey stock up on salves and potions to cure just about everything here."

"Well except the impotence." George grinned at me.

I realized I still had the vial in my hand. I put it back on the shelf and shoved my hands in my pockets.

"Really, George, Fred I am fine."

"Bollocks."

"I don't believe her either George." Fred pretended to frown and crossed his arms over his chest. "What do you say? You get the right? I get the left?"

I attempted to make an escape, but was quickly caught between the twins. They each grabbed one of my arms and lifted me in the air.

"What in Merlin's beard are you doing!" I squirmed trying to get out of their hold.

"Cheering you up of course." Fred grinned at me as they dragged me down the stairs to the storage cellar.

They dropped me and I landed with an ungraceful umph. I scrambled after them, but they closed the door on me.

"Fred and George Weasley you let me out this instant!" I yelled through the door. I could hear them both chortling hysterically.

"Not until you two kiss and make up." One of them called. I could never tell their voices apart.

I was about to ask what they meant when I heard someone cough behind me.

"Hello Princess," Malfoy drawled.

Hehehehe. Cliffhanger. I'll update soon ;)