Chapter 14

Hermione was immediately snagged when she entered her dormitory that evening. She couldn't help but groan quietly when Lavender and Parvati led her over to her bed and closed the curtains around them after climbing in. She was tired and had a very long day… she just wanted sleep. Sweet, blessed sleep. They hadn't even let her change, but seeing their eager smiling faces quelled Hermione's urge to snap at them.

"What is it you guys?" She asked with a sigh fiddling with her little top hat.

"We wanted to know how your date went!" Lavender said latching on her arm, "You two looked so adorable together Hermione, I swear the perfect couple!" Parvati nodded in agreement squeezing Hermione's arm.

"And he couldn't keep his eyes off of you for more than 47 seconds. Lavender and I counted!" Hermione was beginning to wonder if Fred and George had fed them anything funny.

"It wasn't a date guys, I spent the whole day with Fred, George and Lee. We had loads of fun and I got this great costume, we had candy, went to Zonko's and George stole my chips at lunch!" Hermione said smiling at them, "Fred and I weren't on a date today…" she sighed softly before falling back onto her pillows.

Lavender and Pavarti shared a look before Lavender spoke up again, "Did you want it to be a date Hermione?" She asked placing a hand on Hermione's arm.

"I'm not sure.. I'm not even sure if I'm old enough to date someone. That's a big step and it has responsibilities… How can I know I'm ready for something like that?" Her thoughts seem to tumble from her mouth and she just couldn't stop the flow.

"Of course you are, You're 14 this year aren't you? I heard loads of muggles start dating even younger than that, so you should be fine! And you don't have to worry about being the perfect girlfriend as I doubt Fred Weasley is the greatest catch of Gryffindor tower." Lavender said winking at Hermione.

Hermione nudged the girls shoulder, "I guess your right, but he has a lot of excellent qualities in a bloke. He's fit, tall, funny, smart, daring, sweet, kind, thoughtful, mischievous, handsome, wit-"

"Okay! We get it Hermione. You have it so bad lass!" Pavarti said interrupting her impromptu rant of Fred Weasley's better qualities. "You're in love with the boy aren't you?" she asked her eyes glazing over and her face going a bit dreamy.

"Of course not." Hermione said and rolled her eyes.

"What do you mean you don't love the boy? What with all you said?" Lavender asked eyes wide.

"Well I don't think I love him yet, then again I've never been in love before, so what would I know anyway. But I do know that I could love him when I am old enough to realize that. I could probably love him forever." Each girl let a dreamy sigh fall from their lips, before looking at each other and bursting into a fit of quiet laughter.

"So you're at least smitten with Fred then?" Parvati asked moving closer to Hermione.

"Smitten, is a bit of and understatement. Right now it feels like I'm obsessed. I think about him constantly, even when he's sitting right next to me I'll drift off thinking about him. It's getting a bit difficult to do my homework." Hermione frowned to think of all the less than perfect essay's she had to turn in because of all the thinking about Fred. But those thoughts and daydreams were probably worth it anyway.

Lavender and Pavarti giggled, "So what are you going to do about it then?" they chimed in together, smiling at the girl.

"About what?" Hermione asked shaking herself from her thoughts.

"How are you going to get Fred Weasley to be your boyfriend, silly bird." Lavender patted her head in a motherly manner before brining them all in a huddle on Hermione's bed. "We need a plan and a good one. What should the deadline be?"

"Christmas!" Pavarti declared, "It'll be so romantic too, kissing under the mistletoe, cuddling by the fire, walking in a winter wonderland." She gushed singing the last part a bit off key.

Hermione chuckled and nodded her head, "Christmas it is! Now what's the main objective here?"

HGHGHGHGHG

The girls had stayed up another 2 hours to work out the plan, now titled, "Operation Mistletoe". She was just thankful that today was Sunday. That meant she could sleep as long as she desired. She curled up in her blankets and attempted to fall back asleep. Mary and Violet had been loud that morning, waking everyone up, though Lavender had silenced them by chucking one of her maryjanes in their direction.

Hermione sighed and turned over looking at the clock. It was 9:30, she should probably get up for breakfast. The girls had made her promise that for the next week she should enact step one of the plan. That involved three rules, they had even written them out on an old scroll of parchment so no one would forget. They went a little something like this.

Rule #1: Wear Fred's sweater at every possible opportunity, without making it seem like a desperate bid for attention. She wasn't entirely sure how she was suppose to do that but, with a sigh, she pulled the sweater over her clothes anyway and moved out of the dorm.

Rule #2: Sit as close as possible to Fred, without being too close as to not seem easy. Hermione wasn't exactly clear on what 'seeming easy' meant, but she gathered it wasn't a good thing to be seen as. So when she arrived down to the great hall to see that Fred had saved her a seat she did rule number three.

Rule #3: Fred seems comfortable with kisses on cheek. Be sure to kiss his cheek and smile, as often as you get the opportunity. Don't go overboard as this sign of affection can be used to much and then fall into the Friendship Zone. She blushed and peck Fred on the cheek, thanking him for saving her a spot at the table. So far no one had noticed her sweater, at least she had thought that until Fred leaned toward her.

"Cold Hermione?" He whispered to her, she shivered at the sensation, she could have sworn she felt his lips ghosting over her ear.

She nodded her head blushing, "I still can't find my other sweaters and well I'm rather fond of this one." She watched Fred out of the corner of her eye and was delighted to see the light pink color dust his cheeks. So far phase one was a success. Now she just had to get through the rest of the week.

FWFWFWFWFW

Fred had woken up from the most wonderful dream. It had started out as a snowball fight in the courtyard and had turned into Fred kissing Hermione as the snow drifted down around them. The scene, he hated to say, was a rather girly and sappy one. But it had been so perfect in his mind, he thought he could really feel her lips. Then George had thrown a pillow at him and woken him up. Needless to say he was not happy with his brother.

"Sod it George! What was that for?" He asked with a groan. He curled his body up and tried to see if he could catch the dream again when he fell asleep.

"Freddie! It's time to get up it's past 9, and you know that breakfast table will be filling up pretty soon. Remember the plan? Rule #1: Be sure to save Hermione a seat next to you at every meal. Doesn't matter if it seems desperate, because she's too good for you anyway."

Fred chuckled, remembering last night, when the boys hadn't been able to sleep, well Fred had but George and Lee had decided to wake him back up. Lee had added the bit about it not mattering if it seemed a desperate bid for attention, stating that Hermione was too good for him anyway. They had planned out a long list of things to accomplish before the Holidays arrived and Fred couldn't wait to put some of the things in practice. Like Rule #2: Take every opportunity to pull Hermione into a whispered conversation, goal is privacy and blushing Hermione. Once again it doesn't matter that it seems desperate, you're not good enough for her anyway. That last bit had developed into an inside joke, it was funny even to Fred, because he honestly couldn't think of anyone that could deserve Hermione's love, well except for her future children. Though his favorite rule so far had to be Rule #3: Hermione seems to accept handholding and cheek-kissing, taking every available opportunity to do this. Doesn't matter that you act desperate, you're unworthy of the attention anyway.

He couldn't wait to see Hermione that day. He had a plan now and he was going to use it to it's fullest extent.

FWFWFWFWFW

Fred had already had to tell six rather giggly girls that the seat next to him was taken. They kept pestering him about who it was for until he had to tell each and every girl to "Move their arses or he'd hex them." He had said this, wand in hand, with a nasty smirk on his face. He was pleased to see that it worked quite well, they didn't come near his side of the table for the rest of the morning.

He glanced back towards the door into the hall, hoping to see Hermione coming towards him. He had been looking every minute for the last fifteen minutes. He was starting to lose hope that she'd come before he finished his breakfast. Finally his eyes landed on her mass of curls and he waved her over. She sat next to him but not before giving him that heart stopping smile and a kiss on the cheek. Her face was blushed and he was sure his was too. He hadn't been expecting that, but it was a pleasant surprise that he wouldn't complain about.

He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye and smiled as his eyes landed on her sweater. He leaned in to her, almost brushing his lips on her ear as he spoke. "Cold Hermione?" He asked his voice lower than he had meant to make it.

She nodded her head, a delicate blush forming on her cheeks, "I still can't find my other sweaters and well I'm rather fond of this one." Fred turned his head slightly and blushed. Was it just him or was Hermione being a lot bolder today? He recovered himself and tossed an arm around her shoulder, pulling her closer to his side as they ate, chatting about the party and what they should do next year.

However, neither of the smitten teens noticed the knowing eyes watching them, sparkling with mischief and knowing smirks planted firmly on familiar faces. Neither of them knew exactly what they had gotten into, but at the moment they couldn't really complain.