We, being Fred, George, Ginny, Hermione, Harry, Ron and I, boarded the Knight Bus and Tonks decided to separate us because of tight spacing.

"Fred, George, Ginny- go the back with Remus. I'll be upstairs with the rest of us."

"No!" I exclaimed.

Everyone looked at me questioningly besides Fred who smirked. Fred- who I'd spent an awful lot of time with lately…I didn't want to leave his sight now- and he knew it.

"What do you suppose we do Denise?" Lupin asked, arching his eyebrows.

"I'll stay down here with you guys- and the rest will go upstairs- only I will change arrangements basically."

Harry was about to protest, but decided against it and went upstairs.

I sat by Fred, rigid- trying not to lean close to him. I didn't want the others to know, they'd go into cardiac arrest.

But he was right there, he was so inviting, I wanted to snuggle into his chest and imagine everything was perfect. That was what I needed.

I wore my heart on my sleeve- and I was desperately trying not to do that anymore- as it was a sign of weakness- to be an open book and let everyone into my thoughts and feelings. My most vulnerable state was when I let my emotions through. Voldemort, even though people thought it unwise for me to say his name- but who cares? Voldemort. Voldemort, Voldemort. Voldemort could easily go into my mind through Legilimency, and I, unlike Harry, was not learning the arts of Occlumency to defend myself. I was a lost cause. And somehow, all of this led back to me distancing myself from Fred without moving at all- a nifty trick really. Voldemort took Cedric away from me, he would not steal Fred as well.

Once back at school, one bad thing happened after another and yet Draco remained…happy.

Bode, who had worked in the Ministry in the Department of Mysteries had been murdered by a Devil's Snare in St. Mungo's, the Death Eaters had escaped from Azkaban- causing Voldemort to be the most pleased he had been in 14 years, D.A meetings were being cancelled due to Harry's Occlumency classes, and Hagrid was on probation- the list went on and on.

The only good things hat possibly lightened my mood was Cho and Harry going on a date on Valentine's Day- on the next Hogsmeade visit, and that I was seeing Fred nightly- we hung out, his arm draped around my shoulders- as he sold his joke products to other students.

The students and George did not understand if he was embracing me romantically or in a friendly form, and I appreciated that confusion.

A month passed, and after the Hogsmeade trip- which I had spent with Fred and George but I cringed and pulled away from Fred every time Draco was in sight. I learned about the interview for Harry with Rita Skeeter; good thing she was let go- being unemployed made her lose her touch.

"You deserve to have the truth heard." I said brightly to Harry. But then, he told me about his date with Cho and my smile faded.

Hermione explained how Cho must've felt and I nodded fiercely behind her, proving she was right.

"Here- I'll talk to Cho- and meet you up in the Owlery at midnight to tell you about it. Fair enough?" I asked, trying to set up a date to make things right.

"What? Oh, yeah, sure, midnight. Owlery. Got it." And he left the Great Hall.

I saw Ron and Ginny come back from practice when we were in the common room.

They then, left for the baths, and Fred appeared next to me and pulled up a chair. "Ron and Ginny here? No? Good. George and I were watching the practice- they're complete rubbish without us."

"Ginny's not that bad." George said fairly. "Actually, don't get how she's that good. We've never let her play with us." he mused.

Hermione answered and George looked mildly impressed and I held back a giggle.

Harry just sat there, listening, obviously still musing about Cho's outburst from before.

"You know, Quidditch was the only thing in this place worth staying for." Fred said, bemused and I shot him a dirty look, he only winked at me in return.

Hermione nearly screeched, "You've got exams coming!"

"Told you already, we're not fussed about N.E.W.T's." he went on to describe all his silly, fun jokes he planned to sell. I didn't get how I could be with someone who was so reckless about their education, but it was only a fling, a secret relationship. I had no intentions of taking it farther with Fred.

"Kill him, more like." Fred said, taking about Zacharias Smith. I gave his hair a gentle tug and he grabbed me and pulled me down, so my head rested in his lap. I laughed and he tickled me, and I reached up to touch his face- and he stopped.

I was terrible, using him like this. But a part of me actually wanted him this way, but it was small- I loved him like a brother- one of my best friends, and I was trying to make Draco jealous by being with Fred. I was terrible.

Also because I had forgotten my own best, best friend was even seeker- Ginny.

I relaxed though, ignoring how everyone was staring at us while they spoke, they were starting to catch on, but I didn't care.