A/N: Hooray! Chapter three. I still don't own Harry Potter, which belongs to J.K. Rowling. Also, I would just like to say that I'm seriously getting angry that book 5 hasn't come out yet. When is it coming out!????!!!! Also, if the beginning bothers you, I just felt the need to throw Ron and Harry in there. I mean, they are Hermione's best friends.

:*: 3 – The Blasted Interview :*:

"Okay, now grip it tighter."

"Like this?"

"Perfect."

"Now what?"

"Hop on."

"Now?"

"Yes now."

"But – "

"No 'buts.' On."

"NO!"

"Do it, or I'll force you to get on."

"You can't!"

"Yes I can!"

"Leave me alone!"

The second Hermione screamed, Ron and Harry burst into Ginny's room (where I was teaching Hermione how to fly/play Quidditch).

Ron came in and pushed me away from Hermione and Harry just stood there looking dumbfounded.

"What the hell is going on here?" Ron demanded.

"I was just – " he interrupted.

"I don't want to hear excuses!" he screamed.

"Ron!" Hermione yelled.

"Stay out of this, Hermione," Ron said, eyes blazing, "Harry, take her downstairs."

I noticed Harry notice the broom and all the Quidditch related stuff and he looked puzzled.

"Ron, maybe you should let Fred explain?" he asked.

"Get the hell off me," I said, pushing Ron away.

Ron looked from a pissed off me to a smirking Hermione.

"Fine!" he said. "What the hell is going on?"

"Fred was teaching me – " Ron looked a little nervous of where this was going, " – how to play Quidditch."

Harry smiled, but tried to hide it. Ron blushed.

"Oh," was all Ron said. "It sounded like – "

"Were you eavesdropping on us, Ron?" Hermione teased. I smiled.

"Not exactly," Ron said shyly.

I laughed.

"Really, Ron! What would you have done if what Hermione and I were doing was what you thought we were doing?"

"Well," Ron said, puffing his chest up defensively. "I would've… fought you."

This was too much for Hermione, who let out a loud "Ha" and put her hand to her mouth, her shoulders shaking in silent laughter.

"What?" Ron asked insulted.

Hermione tried to answer, but was still laughing.

"I could take Fred!" he yelled.

"Trust me," I said calmly. "No you couldn't."

"But I – "

"No," I repeated.

Ron frowned at me.

"Fine," he said. "Harry, Hermione. Come on." And he started out the door. Harry was still smiling amusedly while he walked out but Hermione stayed put.

Needless to say, I was very happy knowing she would rather stay in with me than go around with Ron. Never mind… no I wasn't. I didn't like Hermione. I didn't like Hermione. It was my mantra.

"Hermione?" Ron said, motioning towards the hallway.

"What?" Hermione asked, "He's teaching me!"

"Of course. Why would Hermione say 'no' to a lesson?" Ron said sarcastically.

"Ron," Harry said.

Ron shook his head and stalked out.

"Hermione, just ignore him. You know how Ron can be," Harry said.

Hermione nodded.

"Go on," she said to Harry. "Try to calm Ron down, will you?"

Harry smiled and walked out the door.

"How can you stand him?" I asked.

"What do you mean?" Hermione replied.

"Ron," I said. "He's so quick-tempered sometimes. He still likes you."

Hermione looked at me, surprised.

"What?" she said. "No he doesn't. That's ridiculous."

"Yes, he does," I countered. "I know my brother. He still likes you."

"This is crazy!" Hermione said. "He said he did, but that was around last Christmas. He couldn't still… could he?"

I shrugged my shoulders and smirked. She narrowed her eyes at me and smiled.

"You were joking," she said, smiling. "Weren't you?"

I smiled wider.

Hermione threw her hands up in amused frustration. I laughed.

"Are all Weasley men this frustrating?" she asked, laughing.

"Every one of them except Percy," I replied. Hermione laughed.

"I like Percy," Hermione said. "He's the only one of you lot who actually works!"

"Dad works," I added. Hermione eyed me.

"I know what you meant," I said. "Speaking of work…"

"You want to start the application process?" she asked.

"You read my mind."

Hermione smiled. So did I.

:*: :*: :*: :*: :*: :*: :*: :*: :*: :*:

"Thanks!" I said as I walked out of Flourish and Blotts. I had just turned in my application and had an impromptu interview…

Which I totally blew.

"So, Fred," Hermione said as she met up with me. "How did it go?"

I groaned and sat down at the table with her. She patted my shoulder reassuringly.

The interview was horrible. I walked in and said, "I'm turning in an application. Will you owl me when you read over it to schedule an interview?"

The woman that was working the register looked at my application, at me, then at what I'm assuming was the schedule. She then said, to my chagrin, that they could interview me now. Hermione and I hadn't even gone over interviewing yet! We had done answering of parchment questions, but we hadn't even discussed how to interview yet. But, I said yes, thinking all I'm doing is answering questions, so it can't be that hard.

Oh how wrong I was.

I was escorted into a back office where there was this guy, the interviewer. He immediately started pelting me with questions that I had no idea what to say. Whenever I hesitated or said, "um," the interviewer blasted another question at me like a Bludger. Sorry, couldn't resist the reference.

Hermione had decided to come along with me to Diagon Alley, as a support something or other. I was very happy about this.

MANTRA, MANTRA: I don't like Hermione, I don't like Hermione.

She waited in Florean Fortescue's whilst I ran my future into the ground.

"You didn't run your future into the ground," Hermione said.

"You obviously didn't hear the part about the interview," I answered sarcastically.

Hermione sighed,

"That's only one interview," Hermione reassured. "You have, what? Ten or so more?"

"Thirteen," I answered. "Tonight, we need to go over interviewing, all right."

"Sure," Hermione said. "I'm very sorry about the interview. I should've realized that they might've been spontaneous interviews."

"Yeah," I said, cheering up a bit. "I don't want to botch the 'Zonko's Joke Shop' interview."

"No. Definetly not," Hermione responded. "So, what time is your mum meeting us?"

"In about… right now," I said as Mum was walking toward us with Ginny, Ron and Harry, each carrying Hogwarts supplies.

"So," Harry asked. "How did it go?"

I just shook my head. Mum frowned. I was sure she was trying to find a nice way of saying I had screwed up.

"Well," Mum said slowly. "You'll juts have to try harder next time."

I felt the pressure relieve in my chest. She wasn't going to yell at me! Yet…

Suddenly, I saw George running up the alley, a big stupid grin on his face.

Dammit, I thought. He got a job… I just know he got a job…

"Mum! Guess what?" George asked. "I got a job!"

Hoo – freaking – ray.

"George, dear," Mum beamed, "That's wonderful! Where?"

"Flourish and Blotts!" George said, still smiling.

"Congratulations," I said, trying to keep my bitterness down.

Hermione sent me a sympathetic smile.

"Yeah," George continued. "Thanks. They said they were so happy I came in. they're desperately looking for employees and they've had just a string of bad applicants. The interviewer told me the guy before me was just horrible."

I put my hands into fists and could feel the nails digging into my palms.

Don't get me wrong. I was happy for George. He is my brother, after all. I was just jealous.

"Well," Mum said. "Let's head home. Your father will want to come home early and I need to owl Charlie, Bill and Percy and tell them the wonderful news!"

George smiled. I tried to hide my scowl.

I scowl a lot. I just noticed that. Maybe I just scowl a lot because I can't think of a better word for the word "scowl." Sneer? Does that work. No, Malfoy sneers. I scowl.

Ssss – cow – ell.

If you can't tell, I was trying to not think about the whole George getting a job before me thing.

Think about Hermione, a stupid voice in the back of my head whispered.

MANTRA, MANTRA: I don't like Hermione, I don't like Hermione.

We made it home, all the time, Mum was beaming at a cheery George whereas I was trying to convince myself George deserved to have a job and that I wasn't jealous. But wait, there's more! I was still trying to tell myself I didn't like Hermione.

I couldn't understand why I was so adverse when it came to liking her. There was nothing wrong with it, in my opinion. But there was just something in my mind that was telling me not to go for it.

But then, as you all know, there was that stupid whisper that kept telling me I like Hermione.

MANTRA, MANTRA: I don't like Hermione, I don't like Hermione.

"Fred? Are you okay?"

"Huh?" I looked up and saw Hermione standing in front of me.

After a painful dinner hearing all this praise for George, and a few well-chosen comments about me. Plus the fact that Harry, Ron and Hermione had all gotten Prefect badges in the mail (Ron was devastated, Mum was practically crying in happiness), I was the basic black sheep. No praise for Fred. I was just the "Other Son." Nothing extraordinary about me. I was just there, taking up space.

Where was I? Oh yeah, after the dinner, I took solace in the good armchair in our living room, trying to push the painful dinner memories out of my mind.

"I'm sorry, Fred," Hermione said as she sat down on the ottoman.

"It's no big deal," I said.

"Fred," Hermione said, looking me squarely in the eyes, "I can tell that it is."

"So what if it is?" I asked angrily.

Hermione leaned backwards and looked at me, hurt."

"Sorry," I said quickly.

Hermione nodded, and I could tell that she had no idea what to say. Suddenly, music filled the room.

Mum and Dad had decided to throw an impromptu party in honor of George's new job. They had done this for Percy, for Bill and Charlie. I guess it's only fitting they throw one for George.

I sighed.

"What?" Hermione asked. I couldn't believe she was still in here with me.

"This party Mum is throwing," I said. "It's a tradition in the Weasley family to do something like this when one of us does something great. But, they used to be a lot more fun."

"How so?" Hermione asked me.

"Well, I used to have George," I stated. "I used to just stand with George and we'd make fun of everyone else. It's kind of hard to make fun of someone when the party is in their honor."

"You know what you need?" Hermione asked.

A job, I thought sarcastically.

"A dance," she answered.

"What?"

"Come on," Hermione insisted, standing up and taking my hand.

Ooh, that was a nice feeling.

MANTRA, MANTRA: I don't like Hermione, I don't like Hermione.

"Hermione," I said, pulling my hand away, "I don't feel like dancing."

"Fred, you're upset. I know you are. You're probably feeling like you're losing your brother."

I scowled (told you) at her, but knew she was telling the truth.

"You've spent your entire life being completely equal with him in every possible way. And now you're not. And you're scared."

"I'm not scared!" I insisted.

"Yes you are. I can see it your eyes and hear it in your voice," Hermione said. "As much as you've said you're looking forward to not going back to Hogwarts, a part of you wants to. And that's fine! It was normal and you knew exactly what to expect. You were popular and funny and everyone knew you. And now, entering adult living, you're not."

"Damn," I said. "You are smart."

"So," Hermione said. "Dance with me."

I smiled. I was not going to pass up this opportunity.

I stood up and took her hand (that nice feeling returned) and pulled her a little closer to me. She didn't pull away, which I took as a good sign. I let go of her hand, rather reluctantly I might add, and placed them around her hips, hands resting at the small of her back. She wrapped hers around my neck in a non strangulation way.

Neither of us seemed to realize or care that the music that was playing was very faced paced. Not the type of music we were positioned for.

We just sort of stood there and swayed back and forth, with me clumsily shuffling my feet.

"Ow," Hermione said as I stepped on her foot. "Maybe I should teach you to dance too?"

"That'd be nice," I said. I felt the Weasley blush creeping up my face.

We continued to sway for the entire song (which was far to short in my opinion) and when it ended, we stopped shuffling, but we never let go.

We just stood there, looking at each other.

I didn't realize that I had begun to move my face closer to hers until I noticed she was responding.

We were thisclose and I could feel the warmth of her face (she was also blushing) and were just about to make contact –

"Fred! Get the hell in here!" George said from the doorway.

Hermione quickly pulled away and I was silently plotting all the fancy ways to murder my brother in his sleep.

"Get in here!" George repeated. "Charlie's here!" George then turned back into the kitchen where I could hear Charlie's laugh.

Hermione smiled at me and headed into the kitchen, stopping in the doorway.

"Fred," she said, "Don't ever fell like you'll lose George as your brother and best friend. And remember that whenever you do, you can talk to me about it. Also," she added, "thank you for the dance."

And with that, she walked into the kitchen.

And also with that, I couldn't deny it any longer no matter how hard I tried and how many times I repeated my mantra.

I liked Hermione.

Oh, how Ron was going to kill me.

A/N: Hooray! Chapter three is done. If that seems any or at all choppy or whatnot, like it does to me, sorry. As always, review please. I very much like receiving reviews, no matter what they are. And if you want a story plug, plug away! Or you can e-mail me, sneezymouse82@hotmail.com and I'll plug it for you in the next chapter. Thank you and Hooray!