A/N: I don't know why I wrote this chapter. I think it's kind of pointless. Oh well, here it is anyway.



"Oy! Fred!" yelled Ron Weasley's voice from across the Great Hall. Fred and George's little brother, Ron, was approaching the Gryffindor table with his two best friends, famous and good-looking Harry Potter, and brainy Hermione Granger.

"What?" Fred called back, although there now was no reason for him to yell; Ron had just sat down across from him.

"I heard that Angelina beat you in a fight today on the train," Ron said excitedly. Fred in reply turned and smacked the back of George's head from next to him on his right side. "Stupid prat," Fred muttered.

"So? Is it true?" Ron pressed.

"Of course it's true," Angelina replied from Fred's left side. "I gave him what was coming to him. After all, he nearly choked poor Georgie boy to death!" Angelina reached across Fred and patted George on the arm.

"Make me sick," Fred muttered.

"Well, it wouldn't be the first time," Ron said to Angelina, ignoring Fred. "Fred's always trying to kill George in some way or another. We're beginning to think that he doesn't like being a twin because he has to share all the women with someone that looks just like him." Angelina giggled.

"Shoo, fly, don't bother me," Fred replied, his freckled face tingeing pink.

"Aw, you're just mad cause I told every one your deepest inner secret," Ron replied smartly.

"No you didn't," Fred insisted, "because if you would have told anyone my real deepest inner secret, you wouldn't be sitting there." He glared at his little brother.

"Wait a minute," Angelina interrupted. "Fred Weasley has secrets?"

"Fred Weasley has secrets that all his family knows because they're all nosy gits that don't know how to nose out," Fred replied disdainfully. Ron, George, and Angelina stifled giggles; Fred, in return, shot death looks to both of his brothers.

By that time, most of the Great Hall had filled in, which made the Gryffindor table crowded and noisy. Ginny Weasley, youngest of the Weasleys and the only girl, had since joined the group, strategically placing herself next to Harry Potter, whom she horribly crushed on. Alicia, Katie, and Lee had also picked places near them at the table, as had Seamus Finnigan, Dean Thomas, and Neville Longbottom, friends of Ron's, Harry's, and Hermione's. The group, which now amounted to thirteen, turned their attention on Albus Dumbledore, the wise, white-bearded Headmaster.

"Welcome to another magical year at Hogwarts!" he greeted. Even his first line had lost Fred, who turned to Angelina.

"I hate having to go through this every year," he whispered to her.

"How come?" she replied.

"It's so…"

"Repetitive?" Angelina supplied.

"Exactly," Fred affirmed. "I mean, why can't we just get on with it and eat already?"

"And I suppose you're excited to eat because you can't wait to start the first food fight of the year, aren't you?" Angelina stated. Fred grinned mischievously back at her. "How immature," she said sadly, shaking her head. "There was hope for you, Fred Weasley." Fred was puzzled by what she meant, but pushed it to the back of his head.

"How about if I shield you when the fight's going on so you don't get grits in your hair?" Fred suggested. "Then would I still be immature?"

Angelina frowned in thought. "I guess not," she decided. "After all, I don't think my hair would look too good with grits in it."

"I wouldn't mind," Fred replied, noticing not for the first time how shiny and beautiful Angelina's golden brown, slightly curly hair was. "But I do like your hair a lot better the way it is now," he added. Angelina gave him an appraising and sort of surprised smile. After a moment of staring aimlessly into her light blue eyes (and in that same moment, she stared aimlessly back into his own greenish-hazel eyes), he asked her, "So, is it alright if I start the first food fight of the year?"

Angelina sighed. "I suppose it's alright, as long as you promise to protect me and my hair until the food fight gets over."

"I won't let you or your hair down, Lady Angelina," Fred replied in mock chivalry. Angelina sighed again, this time in exasperation, as she gave Fred another smile.

By the time Fred and Angelina had finished whispering, the Sorting of the First Years was already half over. They turned their attention to the front just as "McNamara, Kyla" was being called. A black haired girl walked confidently to the stool, placed the hat on her head, and was sorted into Gryffindor.

Fred leaned forward. "Oy, George," he said, "how many new Gryffindors so far?"

"Five, I think," George replied, then he got an evil look on his face. "How come you don't know yourself, Fred? Too busy flirting with Angelina to pay attention?"

Fred blushed. Usually when George and Lee gave him a hard time about Angelina, he just brushed off the comments. Over the holiday, when George and Ron had both been especially annoying about Angelina, Fred turned a deaf ear. But now that he was back at Hogwarts with Angelina for the last time, and knowing that his feelings for her were slowly rising above the level of friendship, he just couldn't brush aside his brother's accusations.

George saw Fred blush and gave a quiet, triumphant laugh. "I knew it! You were flirting with Angelina!"

"When do I not?" Fred shot back. George just shook his head.

"She's going to figure out that you like her, Fred," George whispered, considerately keeping his voice low. "Girls aren't that stupid."

"News flash, George," Fred replied. "She probably already does know. Remember the Yule Ball last year? I heard what Katie and Alicia said to her after I asked her."

"What?"

"They told her that I asked her because I was starting to fall in love with her," Fred explained, the words bitter in his mouth.

"Well?" George asked. "Why did you ask her?"

"Remember? We were talking to Ron and Harry, and Ron asked who I was going with. Angelina was the first person to pop into my head," Fred said.

"I'm not surprised," George replied. "Give it up, Fred, you like her! You can't run from it anymore."

"Yeah, well," Fred gave in, "but how do I tell her that?"

"You're asking the wrong person here," George replied, as helpfully as he could make it sound. "I'd ask Katie or Alicia."

"And risk them blabbing everything to her?" Fred demanded.

"Well, do you know of anyone else that can help?" George demanded.

"No," Fred replied. "Just drop it, okay? I'll do whatever happens to work out best at the time."

"Your loss," George responded, turning to his plate, which had just filled up with food. Fred also turned to his plate, but he felt too sick to eat. Something in his stomach was making him feel finicky - caused because he was afraid that Angelina had heard some of his conversation with George.

"Eat something, why don't you?" Angelina said merrily. "You're not going to use that whole pile in the food fight, are you?" It didn't seem as though she'd heard any of the conversation, but Fred couldn't be sure.

Fred didn't answer her because George had leaned over, his mouth full of food. George swallowed quickly and whispered to Fred, "Don't worry about her hearing any of the conversation; she spent the whole time talking to Katie." Fred breathed an involuntary sigh of relief.

"Fred!" said Angelina exasperatedly. "Are you going to start the food fight or not?" She fixed a piercing, semi-excited stare on him. Grinning back at her, relief showing plainly on his features, Fred scooped up a handful of grits.

"I'm not starting it alone," Fred said, raising his eyebrows. He stared at Angelina for a long moment, the grin fixed on his face. "Come on, already, these things are starting to get gross."

Angelina sighed and also picked up a handful of grits. "If I get in trouble, Fred Weasley…"

"You won't," Fred replied, "because when there's two handfuls fired, they always blame me and George." Angelina smiled and the two of them hurled their grits off toward the Slytherin table.


A/N2: Ok, well that's over with… Chapter 3 we'll find out exactly who gets in trouble for the food fight, and we find out if Angelina gets grits in her hair! Also, a Harry/Ron/Hermione tiff happens in the common room and Angelina, Katie, and Alicia make peace… I hope to have it up really soon!