A/N: I will never, I repeat, NEVER, own the rights to Harry Potter. No matter how much I want to. If I did, I'd throw in myself to fall madly in love with Oliver Wood (and vice versa) and Fred and Hermione would fall in love. Hooray!

Also, everyone that reads this should go and read Gryffindor Heiress's lovely story "Bouncing Off The Ceiling (Upside Down)." It's one of my favorites. It's about a lucky girl named Alina who comes to Hogwart's. Don't be put-off by the new character because it's a great story and really, everyone wants to be in Harry Potter, so why not write yourself in? Go read it! Hooray!

Also, sorry for such a shitty chapter… and the cuss word, for lack of a better descriptive.

:*: 6 – Fred's Abrupt, but Awesome, Decision :*:

"Fred… Fred… wake up!"

I groggily opened my eyes and swished my hand through the air, trying to hit George. No such luck. George was at the door.

"Fred," George repeated. "You're girlfriends at the door."

I was confused. I had a girlfriend? Since when?

"What?" I asked, majorly confused.

"Hermione?"

"Shut the hell up, George," I said. I didn't want Hermione hearing George say stuff like that.

I was torn. Either stay in bed like a warm, toasty, cinnamon bun or get up and see Hermione…

I was up and at the door in a flash.

"Hey," I said. My voice was lower than usual. I sounded like I was trying to be all suave. I wasn't, I'm just an idiot.

"Hi," Hermione said in return.

I stood there, waiting for something more. If I was woken up for a "hey" and a "hi," I would be… okay, fine. It's Hermione. I wouldn't be pissed.

"We need to talk," Hermione said seriously.

I looked at the clock.

"It's nine thirty in the morning," I groaned as Hermione grabbed my arm roughly and pulled my downstairs and into the backyard.

"What the hell are you doing?" I asked, trying to sound annoyed.

"Like I said," Hermione replied, "We have to talk."

"About?"

"Us."

I looked quickly to Hermione, but her face was unreadable.

"Look, Fred," she began, "We've been hanging out a lot lately and I've really enjoyed our time we spend together, but… Ron and Harry have been giving me a hard time about it, and I just want to make sure…"

"Is this going somewhere?" I asked.

"I just want to make sure that we're friends," Hermione said.

"We are."

"Just friends."

That was a killer two words. They stung. I felt a larger, cold pit in my stomach and every second I stood there with her, it grew larger and colder.

Of course, had I really believed it would've been more? I'd hoped, yes, but did I believe?

Oh God, that hurt. That hurt bad. Imagine someone taking a fork and just ramming it into your heart and swirling it around. That should give you some semblance of how I feel.

"Of course." What else was I supposed to say, I mean really.

Hermione smiled.

"Good," she said. "That's what I thought. I just didn't want you to get the wrong idea, or even me."

"Why?" I asked quickly and hopefully. "Did you like me?"

"No," she answered. "You?"

"No."

I couldn't help but notice her "no" sounded a lot like mine.

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

All right, even though I think, key word "think," that Hermione's "no" sounded like mine, I was still shattered.

The girl I liked did not like me.

You have no idea how much this sucks. Well, maybe you do, but still. It blows big time.

For nearly the next week, I avoided Hermione. I tried to make it seem like it was all coincidence, but it probably wasn't working as well as I wanted it to.

For example, I would wake up at five in the morning and eat breakfast, then go back to bed, ready to reawaken and Apparate into work. I would come home claiming I ate in Hogsmeade, then I went into my room and fielded questions form George, Ron, Ginny and Harry.

It was one of those nights when the "Chosen One," came into my room to ask, and I quote, "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Huh?" I groaned, lifted my head out of my pillow.

"I said," Ginny repeated. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Go away," I whined, placing my face back into my pillow.

"You are acting like a complete and utter loser," Ginny said, sitting on my bed.

I mumbled some bad words.

"Don't think I don't know what you just said, Fred Weasley," Ginny said angrily. "And don't think I don't know what you're doing."

"Huh?" I asked.

"I know about you and Hermione," she stated.

"What?" I asked. Hermione is not what I wanted to talk about right now.

"I know about you and Hermione," she stated.

"What?" I asked. Hermione is not what I wanted to talk about right now. I may be acting like a baby, but God dammit, I have a right to.

"Look," Ginny said, "You guys may have had a little thing going on the side and she might have broken up with you, but – "

"Hey!" I said suddenly. "Hermione and I did not have a thing going on."

Ginny looked embarrassed, then angry.

"Then, I repeat, what the hell is wrong with you?"

"I'm tired," I mumbled, placing my face once again in my pillow. "Work is hard work."

"You," Ginny said, frustrated, "Are so infuriating."

And with that, she got up and left, making sure to slam the door loudly.

I yelled into my pillow from a mix of emotions.

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

I woke up three days later…

No, that doesn't sound right. It sounds like I slept for three days. I didn't. I just didn't feel that the last three days were exciting enough to regale you with the monotonous tale that is my life.

Now that that's clarified, let me continue.

Anyways, I woke up hoping the date my calendar said wasn't right. If it was, that meant it was September First…

And that meant Hermione would be leaving.

And I still hadn't said anything to her.

I couldn't say anything to her. I mean, what if she did like me back? I mean, woo-hoo and all, but seriously, she'd be at Hogwart's and I'd be at home and work…

Oh! I work in Hogsmeade now, don't I? That would work. She gets, what? A Trip to Hogsmeade every month? Plus, all of the letters we could write and I'm sure Dumbledore would allow me to visit.

Who the hell am I kidding? I don't even know if she likes me. I got myself all hyped up and it still means nothing.

I sat in bed and moped for a good hour before I looked at the clock and saw that it read "9:00" and that meant Hermione, Ron, Harry and Ginny would be leaving in two hours.

I know I needed to say something to her before she left, but after being essentially shot down a week prior, I was still to chicken.

But no, today I needed to say something to her.

No I didn't.

Yes.

No.

Yes.

No.

Yes.

No.

Yes.

No.

NO! I won't. If I don't see Hermione, I can't like Hermione.

"Fred," I heard George say. "Fred, come on down. They're leaving."

"No," I moaned. I sounded so much like a little kid. Oh, how annoying I must be.

"Fine," George huffed. "If you want to be a two-year old about something that happened between you and Hermione, yes Ginny told me her suspicions, then fine. Go ahead. But, Ginny, Harry and Ron will be leaving also. They deserve your good-byes. And as much as you might not want to see Hermione right now, she does too."

Damn. I hate how well my twin knows me.

But I was quite enjoying being a two-year old, so I stayed silent and went back to sleep.

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

I woke up close to two hours later with a new resolve.

Screw Hermione.

If she didn't like me, that's her deal. If she did, good. If she didn't, boo hoo.

But she needed to know. She couldn't make that kind of decision without her knowing how I felt.

But then I looked at the clock and felt my heart sink to the floor.

Ten fifty-one.

Nine minutes until the train to Hogwart's left.

I Apparated (did I mention I took my test? Well, I did, and I passed. Thought I'd clear that up) to King's Cross. I would've Apparated directly to Platform 9 3/4, but they placed anti-Apparate things on there for security measures… oh, the point is, I couldn't.

Ten fifty-two.

The number of people bustling around the station was tremendous. It took me nearly five minutes to get through to the platform

Ten fifty-seven.

I rushed through the crowd, pushing people aside, desperate to find her,

I had to.

Ten-fifty eight.

There she was. All bushy haired and Prefect badge adorned, laughing at Ron.

Ten-fifty nine.

I banged on the window of the compartment she was sitting in. She opened the window and inquired as to what I was doing.

What was I supposed to say?

"I like you" was too casual.

"I love you" was too serious.

"You're one hot mama" was too sarcastic, though true.

She popped her head out the window and asked again what I was doing.

The whistle blew.

The train was leaving.

I did the only logical thing I could think of as the pistons of the train were starting to make noise.

I kissed her.

Eleven o'clock.

The train began to speed away.

I just stood there on the platform as Hermione's bewildered expression slowly disappeared.

A/N: FINALLY! Sorry it took so long to get such a crappy chapter out. I always have problem at chapter six. On all my other stories I have. I don't like that chapter. It will go more smoothly next time and won't be so jumpy. I just had the kiss idea and I REALLY wanted to get it out, so whatever. If you don't like it, flame and/or kiss my ass. Anyways, thanks a bunch for the reviews. I'm still working on backdrop, but not as much, so I should be able to pop chapter seven out of my subconscious sometime within the next few days. Wow, this is a long author's note. Sorry.