Another short filler chapter
Chapter 36 – A returning Crush
There was no denying the fact that Fred Weasley liked Hermione Granger. He had known the bookworm since he was 13 years old when she started Hogwarts. He felt quite protective towards her, like a younger sister, especially when Malfoy felt the need to insult her. However Hermione seemed to think Fred and his twin George's pranks and jokes were immature. It wasn't until Fred's 6th year that his opinion on Hermione totally changed. He stopped seeing her as his younger brother's friend and seen her as friend in her own right.
Fred also started to develop a small little crush on Hermione. It happened when Hermione was at the burrow before they went to the Quidditch world cup and Molly continually shouted at the twins. Hermione felt sorry for Fred and George for once, especially when she found Fred sitting outside on his own by the lake.
"Are you ok Fred?" Hermione wondered. It was unusual to see Fred and George separated.
"I suppose so. I just wish Mum would lay off me and George. We're never going to be like Charlie, Bill or Percy or even Ron for that matter. We don't want to have an office job or work at the Ministry. We want to make people happy, do something different." Fred admitted.
"She'll be proud of whatever you and George do." Hermione spoke trying to make Fred feel better.
"I don't think she will be. Nothing we do seem to be good enough." Fred answered sadly.
Fred never forgot that moment, the fact that Hermione was on their side for once. He then decided to ask her to Yule Ball but Viktor Krum had got there before him so he went with Angelina instead. That night he saw Hermione grow from a girl into a beautiful young woman. However he never did anything about this crush. He knew she'd never fancy him or look at him more than an annoying prankster. He also knew she loved his younger brother Ron, even though he treated her like dirt.
After deciding not to make a move on Hermione due to the up and coming war his crush slowly disappeared or so he thought. He had just pushed the crush to the back of his mind until he woke up in St Mongos after the battle to see Hermione at his bedside, her eyes red raw from crying.
His heart was broken when she and Ron started dated. The amount of times he found a sobbing Hermione after her and Ron had fallen out. The amount of times he wanted to hex his younger brother because of how he treated Hermione too. He however became extremely close to Hermione just by being there for her when she needed a friend. Friendship was better than nothing right? Since the shop Fred had grown up so much. He still liked the odd prank here and there but he had a business to run now.
After 6 years on and off, Hermione had finally split up with Ron and by the looks of things, this was it for good. Hermione had decided to stay with Fred and George for a few days until things calmed down. She was quite happy to live with the twins, she had Laura for girly company too and her own room.
Fred had been brilliant in comforting her and being a shoulder to cry on even if Ron did assume she had cheated on him with Fred. Both of them knew the truth that nothing was going on between the two of them. Fred knew he couldn't jump straight in with admitting how he felt about Hermione. It would take time and he was willing to wait.
Every night Hermione featured in Fred's dreams, mostly from their time at Hogwarts around his 6th and 7th years, mainly around Umbridge's time when they both were members of Dumbledore's Army. They weren't naughty dreams like most hot blooded males have though. Any moments he shared with Hermione were loving and romantic.
Fred woke from another dream about a famous bushy haired bookworm. His crush was back. Even more so now that Hermione was single. He couldn't rid her from his mind. She was constantly there. He lay in his bed with his hands behind his head, looking up at the white ceiling, his thoughts buzzing about Hermione.
Why did he have to fall for his little brother's ex? How was he going to win her over? And what would happen if they did ever start dating how would Ron react? He'd probably flip and hex Fred's butt then run to Harry, eventually getting over it at some point.
He was going to the Wizard's ball with her although they were going as friends. It was a start though.
He turned over onto his side and looked at a photo hanging on the wall of him and Hermione from his welcoming home party, both of them waving and smiling happily. He had to admit, they did look like a good couple. He wanted more than anything to make Hermione happy, he would do everything in his power to make her happy and it started now.