"If you don't smooth things over soon, you may never be able to," George said lowly. Fred nodded, holding the door to Zonko's open for his twin. George slipped inside easily.

"When he apologizes to Hermione, I'll consider it," Fred said evenly. George cut his eyes at him and they split up, meandering through Zonko's. Fred could feel the owner's eye on him. He'd filched something from the store every now and then in the years prior, but it felt different now. He was pleased that there were no knock-offs of any Wheezes products. He picked up a few things and joined George before heading to the register. The older owner checked them out, muttering about upstarts under his breath. Fred took it as a compliment.

As promised, Professor McGonagall was waiting to escort them up to the castle. Her face was less condemning than Fred had expected, and the little breath she gave had Fred's heart twisting.

"What happened?" He and George demanded together.

"Your brother was poisoned not long ago."

"Poisoned?!"

"Where is he?!"

"You got the antidote, right?!"

"Harry was with him. He's recovering," Professor McGonagall said over them. Fred deflated a little, gripping the bag of gifts tighter. George clapped his shoulder, a rough laugh escaping him.

"Thank Merlin for Harry James Potter."

He was already in the Hospital Wing, waiting. The way he jumped when they entered made Fred think he'd been dozing.

Harry seemed more exhausted than usual, his shoulders taut and his voice resigned. The man who'd told the new Minister to fuck off was slumbering.

"I've got to use the loo," Fred said after several long minutes of ignoring the urge. Knowing Ron, he'd wake up while he was gone. Fred patted Ron's hand awkwardly before wandering out, rubbing the back of his neck.

Hermione was sitting on the steps, biting her nails and muttering to herself. She looked up only when the door closed behind Fred. Her shoulders curled inward further. "I don't know if I should go in."

"Walk with me," Fred extended a hand to her. She stood and took it, and he pulled her down the hallway. "If he doesn't get better before we fix this-"

"He will. He has to," Hermione said immediately.

"I wish I weren't as pig-headed as he," Fred grumbled. "It'd make apologizing much easier."

"True," Hermione stood on her toes to kiss his cheek before they continued on. "I really hope that's not hereditary."

"Heardictory?"

"He-red-i-tar-y," Hermione said slowly, nudging him. He watched her with one eye as she explained. He was still confused as he spotted his objective down the hall. Half-listening, he made a beeline for it.

"This is the prefect's bath."

"Yes, and I have to pee so badly, 'Mione, please, please, open it before I embarrass myself."

She did. He kissed her soundly and sprinted inside.

When he was done, Hermione was sitting at the edge of the pool-sized bath. She'd taken off her stockings and shoes by the door and was pulling her feet through the water. Fred pulled off his shoes and socks and rolled up his pants to join her.

They'd talked about Ron just once over the holiday, after George's outburst. As terrible as it was, they were both glad he was aware, and it hadn't meant a moment of awkwardness for either of them. It seemed silly to focus on it, and if Ron didn't apologize, he wasn't worth their time.

Right?

"I miss fixing his homework," Hermione leaned against his shoulder. Fred wrapped his arm around hers.

"I miss mocking him light-heartedly," Fred smiled for a brief moment. He dragged his foot through the water. "Now, everything feels too serious to even try."

"I know," Hermione sighed. "Now Lavender is going to throw a fit if I even try to get in there."

"Lavender Brown?" Fred tilted his head against hers. "She can't stop you from being his friend. If that's a necessity for them to date, it's doomed anyway."

"She'd claw my face off for saying that," Hermione said. Fred kissed the top of her head. "How am I supposed to look him in the eye knowing he sees me . . . not completely platonically?"

"It's not impossible to go back to the way things were," Fred said. Hermione hummed in agreement.

"What if he thinks me arguing was me flirting?"

"George and I got him a book so he wouldn't ask us for help anymore," Fred said. "I'll send you the section 'signs she isn't interested.'"

"Thank you. Now I'll finally be rid of you," Hermione touched his chin and stretched up to kiss his cheek. Fred chuckled and turned toward her.

"Are you flirting?"

"Not yet."

"I don't recall you ever really flirting," Fred murmured, kissing her gently.

"I tried my hardest, Fred," Hermione pouted. Then she admitted, "It was rather mortifying to think about."

Fred chuckled, "I just liked making you laugh."

"Laughing when something isn't funny is flirting."

Fred pushed her into the water. She shrieked, twisting to look at him. Fred laughed loudly. "This isn't flirting, Fred!"

Fred tossed his wand onto the floor and dropped into the water with her. He sloshed through the water to her, catching her around the waist. He kissed each frowning corner of her mouth. "I'm rusty, 'Mione. Allow me to seduce you once more."

Hermione put a finger on his chest, holding him at bay. "There was no seducing. You were as innocent and virginal as I was."

"I was older and more inclined toward inappropriate behavior," Fred pouted.

"More inclined-" Hermione scowled, pushing him. "That's you in summary, not with me."

Fred allowed her to escape. "Am I not myself with you?"

"You're less- you're-" Hermione reached the edge, raising her arms over the water level. She slipped when climbing out, and Fred rushed to help her. He caught her before she could try again.

"Hang on a second," Fred muttered, looking her over. She winced, showing off her forearm, which had hit the edge of the pool.

"I don't think you'd do that around anyone else," Hermione said. Fred kissed the palm of her hand.

"I didn't think I was allowed to," Fred said. Hermione shrugged. He kissed her wrist, "Can I be allowed to?"

"You want to tell everyone?" Hermione bit her lip.

"We can start small. Ron, Harry, mum and Dad, go on from there. Only people we trust," Fred suggested.

"It's been a while since you asked about this," Hermione hooked her fingers into the waistline of his pants and tugged him closer. "What are you thinking about?"

"I like kissing you in front of other people," Fred admitted. Hermione's eyebrows shot into her hairline. "Not in a weird way! Not- no, no—don't laugh at me!" Fred didn't mind her laughing. He did wait for her to regain some self-control before pressing on. "I like the smacking a bit less."

"Can you imagine the headlines? Fred Weasley, rags to riches genius, stoops to escorting Muggleborn-"

"Hey," Fred chided lightly, touching her chin. "I only stoop because you're a tad shorter than I am."

"I know," Hermione stood on her toes and kissed him. "We should get back to Ron."

"We should," Fred slid his hand into her hair and laid claim to her mouth. She moaned against him. Fred drew her closer.

"He's probably not awake yet."

"Probably not."

"Harry's waiting."

"And George."

Fred sighed. He helped Hermione up out of the tub and climbed out after her. She dried their clothes with a quick spell. Fred pulled on his socks and shoes, kissing her again after she'd slipped into hers. Hermione leaned away from him, kissing his chin once before stepping away. "I thought we were going back."

"We are," Fred assured her. He slipped his hand into hers. "I just don't want to waste time."

"And any moment you aren't inside me is a moment wasted?"

"Why, Hermione Granger, are you flirting with me?" Fred smirked down at her. Hermione rolled her eyes at him and dragged him out of the bath, dropping his hand once in the corridor. They went back to the Hospital Wing without detour.

Lavender Brown was indeed waiting at Ron's side. Fred took his spot by George, Hermione lingering behind them. Harry looked ready to fold in on himself, awkward as ever. Fred raised an eyebrow, but Harry hardly even shrugged. He seemed more down than usual, which was saying something. Lavender Brown looked away from Ron's hand in hers long enough to throw a nasty look to Hermione.

Fred realized why before he could ask. Ron, still asleep, murmured, "Hermynee."

"Oh," Hermione gasped.

Fred clenched his fists and left.

~m~

Hermione found him in the empty classroom by Gryffindor Tower. He was sitting on the stone steps in the back corner, his fingers tapping against his leg. Hermione sat down beside him, slipping her hand into his.

"If my annoyance was a scale . . . Does Ron's injury outweigh . . . I don't even know," Fred groaned, rubbing at the bridge of his nose. "Why am I so mad?"

"I don't know. You're far cuter when you talk in your sleep," Hermione smiled. "And I'm sitting here with you."

"I'm not jealous," Fred stiffened. Hermione arched an eyebrow. "I'm not! He's- He could be spending every hour of the day with you, if he wanted. I'm jealous of that."

"I've been irritated with Lavender so much lately," Hermione leaned into Fred. "She and Ron get to be so open."

"We'd be three times as bad," Fred said. Hermione squirmed away as he prodded her side. "Wouldn't we?"

"If there wasn't a war going on?" Hermione ducked under his attempt to pull her to him, standing instead. He followed her. "I love you, Frederick Gideon Weasley, and if there weren't a war, the entire world would know it."

"Would they?" Fred grinned, so wide it seemed to consume him. "How would we show them?"

"You're really starting to alarm me with this desire to be seen thing," Hermione warned. His hands slid around her waist easily.

"It's not entirely sexual," Fred said, which was less than reassuring. Hermione's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "I love you, Hermione. As much as it keeps you safe, I don't like having to hide that."

"Okay," Hermione stretched up to kiss him. "But if Bill walks in on us, ever-"

"I'll make sure he doesn't," Fred said.

"It is alarming how much I trust you," Hermione said, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I think . . . Maybe we could tell a few people. Order members, maybe, and Harry and Ron."

"We're really going to?" Fred asked eagerly. Hermione bit her lip and nodded. He beamed at her. "I love you so much."

"I want to do it together, though. It's not fair if you have to take all the heat from your family."

"I think I can take it."

"My parents have known for over a year, and yours don't even suspect," Hermione said. "You really want to explain that?"

"No," Fred admitted quietly. He kissed her gently. "We'll do it in the summer. When everything calms down."

"Okay," Hermione pulled him closer. "When do you leave?"

"A few hours, maybe," Fred wrapped his arms around her waist. "What did you have in mind?"

"Something about you inside me."

~m~

Things got better slowly. Hermione was surprised by how many people assumed it was an easy thing. They had both attempted to hurt the other on purpose. And as much as Hermione returned to trusting Ron, it was not the same as before. The book Fred had gotten her had suggested distance to indicate a lack of interest. But Hermione was still interested in being his friend. She wanted to be able to talk to him without him mistaking it for anything more. She just didn't know how to do it without ruining everything.

They did not talk about Fred for a time, even when she saw that he'd gotten a letter from him. She knew when he had read it because he had barely done more than grunt in her direction for a day. Fred explained that he'd essentially written that Hermione was too upfront on issues of romantic feelings to hide them for any period of time. Hermione wasn't sure if that was accurate or not, but she thanked him.

They arranged for Albert to do another 'random' gesture of affection. Ron did not take it well, his ears red for nearly an hour after. Hermione coolly deflected all questions without bringing up Lavender, though she heavily implied Ron's hypocrisy.

It went on for months. When she and Tess were talking with Albert in the hallway after her Ancient Runes class, and Ron happened by, she had a lecture about fraternizing with the enemies—and though she explained Jacob was a Ravenclaw, Ron used an upcoming Quidditch match to refute her. As though it mattered. When she tried to explain that they were friends, Ron had said, "You've a funny definition of friend."

She knew why. She had, not days before, inquired as to whether or not Fred had sent him another letter. She'd explained at Ron's demands to know why she cared that Fred was her friend. That seemed to bother him.

Ginny and Harry were together before Hermione and Ron fully reconciled. The end of the year came quickly.

.o0O0o.

Two short chapters, sorry.