"You're glaring," Fred muttered, hitting Ron slightly. "Don't tell me you're going to take our-"

"Will you ever be quiet?" Ron asked.

Fred had an inkling about where this was heading. He was taken aback by Ron's tone however. "Whatever could ickle Ronniekins mean by that? Are you already stressed out? You're nearly as bad as Her-Granger."

"And how would you know that?" Ron asked.

"I've never seen anyone who can get so stressed so soon about exams," Fred mumbled with a little smile. Hopefully, he'd rub off on her and she's calm down for a little bit. He wiped the smile off his face when he realized Ron was glaring again. "Problem?"

"What are you doing to her?" Ron asked lowly, a snarl on his face.

"Nothing," Fred said, alarmed that things were spiraling so fast. He was Fred Weasley. If he could pull feelings out of his ass, he could convince his little brotherhood wasn't in love with Hermione Granger. On second thought, how much easier would it be to tell him now? But Hermione might kill him, so he better not. "I'm just trying to make sure she doesn't write home to mum. You know how she gets."

"I tried to give her something on her birthday," Ron said darkly.

"Good for-"

"She was gone," Ron said. "No one could find her anywhere. Funny thing, you weren't anywhere either."

"I was sick," Fred said with a chuckle. "Didn't George say? And if you're talking to Mum... I was definitely not testing products on myself. Catch my drift?"

"I swear Fred-"

"One moment, a beautiful witch has arrived," Fred ignored him and bolted, catching Angelina around her waist and leaning in to her ear. "Pretend I'm George or we're all dead."

Angelina giggled, "I'll see you later Alicia."

"See you," her fellow Chaser grinned sexily at Fred and he, hating himself, winked at her. Then he pulled Angelina back out of the Common Room.

"What the hell was that?!" Angelina hissed, shoving him off of her.

"Ron's getting... Inquisitive, sorry," Fred muttered, leaning against the stone wall by the portrait. Angelina's face softened slightly, "Come on, away from the Fat Lady. You know how she gets around the holidays, with Violet and all."

Fred was surprised when Angelina dragged him down the hall.

"Listen, Ange, I know-"

"Shut up," Angelina ordered. "George is getting those looks and I don't like it one bit."

"What looks?" Fred asked, immediately concerned. Angelina stopped abruptly.

"That one," she said, making a circular motion with her hand in the vague direction of his face. "The one that says, oh dear Merlin, is he dying?"

Fred scowled, "Piss off, Angelina."

"No," she said resolutely. Fred remembered the moment when George asked why there weren't two of Hermione. Angelina was no where near close to Hermione physically, what with her dark hair and skin. But in terms of the mind, they were both infuriatingly, frustratingly, ox-headedly, stubborn. "What the hell is wrong?"

"Nothing, actually," Fred said. He winced as Angelina literally kicked a door down. He knew, from George, that being an Auror was her back-up career to being a professional Chaser. Either way, she was not weak. She pulled him inside and slammed it shut. "There isn't anything wrong, honest!"

"Then what exactly is right?" Angelina asked, crossing her arms over her chest. "Who's the girl?"

"I've been... Seeing Hermione," Fred muttered.

"Seeing her or seeing her?" Angelina asked. "Or dating?"

"Not dating," Fred muttered. "There's too much going on. Umbridge already hates her because she's friends with Harry, if she knew I was involved with Hermione with the stuff we're- never mind."

"Glossing over the fact where you're planning on torturing a teacher," Angelina said quietly, "Why is it that you used me like a groupie?"

"Ron and Harry don't... They- uh... They remain blissfully ignorant," Fred smiled.

"You can't tell Ron," Angelina said firmly. "Knowing he lost Hermione to you would ruin us for the entire season. It would shatter his confidence."

"That's all well and good, but-"

"How far have you gone with her?" Angelina cut Fred off abruptly.

"I-what?" Fred turned red, both embarrassed and angry. "Listen, she's 16-"

"Out with it," Angelina ordered. Seeing Fred struggle with putting it delicately, she sighed, her first show of weakness since the ordeal started. "Just... What base?"

"Base?" Fred asked. Was there code for this sort of thing?! And if so, was he expected to know it?! Would Hermione-

"It's an American muggle thing," Angelina said. "1st is kissing, home is shagging."

"What?!" She might as well have been speaking another language.

"4 bases, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, home," Angelina said slowly, counting them off on her fingers. "1st, kissing; 2nd, boobs; 3rd..."

"3rd?" Fred prompted, suspecting that Angelina would be blushing if her skin tone allowed it.

"Oral," Angelina said quietly.

"Why is that more embarrassing than shagging?" Fred asked. She didn't say anything. "Gross, I did not need the picture of you and Geo- ahhhh it's happening again!"

And thus Fred easily made his escape, without telling Angelina that-

Her hand caught his elbow as he entered the hall. So. God. Damn. Close.

"Answer the question."

"Whatever's between 2 and 3 now leave me alone, woman!" Fred yanked his arm away, only to feel a sharp blow to the back of his head.

"She's sixteen you rat bastard!"

"Sixteen is normal!" Fred said defensively.

"And what did you do when you were sixteen?" Angelina said, her face like stone.

"I chased after Hermione," Fred said. She narrowed her eyes. "Well what do you want me to say, I got a few meaningless shags in for practice?"

"Your brother seemed to think it was a good idea!"

"George would nev-" Fred stopped. "Hold up, which brother?"

"Percy, you idiot," Angelina said, her disapproving frown turning to interest. "You hadn't heard?"

"I've been calling him the Eternal and most Sacred Virgin since I learned what sex was. Holy shit," Fred whispered. Percy had had sex. Percy had had sex. Percy had had sex. The world was breaking. Percy was- "Holy shit. Holy shit."

"You've said that," Angelina said, slightly concerned. "So... George doesn't know either."

"I would bloody think not," Fred muttered. "Who the hell...?"

"Alicia," Angelina said quietly.

"But she- she's been making eyes at me since we got sorted!"

"She thought you would be jealous," Angelina shrugged. "I'll tell her it didn't work."

"Yeah, you do that," Fred muttered, thoroughly confused. There was not a better way to ensure his avoidance than consorting with and... You know... With Percy.

.o0O0o.

So I totally did not have a panic attack that I'd already posted this chapter. I don't what the hell you guys are talking about...

I'm 'bout to do some major time skips after the next ~2ish~ chapters. I had some strangely dark images of Fred punching the shit out of a wall after Hermione was hurt... So that's something to look forward to in the coming weeks.

Electrocorrosive: I just sympathy died for you. You're welcome. Thank you!

marvin1984: Believe me, writing Fred's death isn't exactly something one checks off a to-do list. If it's even on the list to begin with.

animelover5107: I wanted something for her to do in Deathly Hallows beside talk to the boys and read. Crying sounded like a good thing for her to do so... bracelet!

brownie-123: Second vote for dead Ron. 'Amazing'... You guys are heartless, I like it!

cochran4444: That is an impossibly high standard, but thank you none-the-less! :D

Fandomqueen104: 3 times is a lot of times. Haha, it's always how I end my days.

...

Twist; the wall Fred beats up is the one that will later explode all over him!

*violent sobbing in distance*