When We Try to Deceive.

Chapter Four: Can't Take My Eyes Off You

 
Author's Note: I am aware that this is a truly dreadful, appalling and sickeningly stupid chapter.  But behold, it is an interlude (ooooh).  Quite.  No, it's necessary for the plot progression and that's why it's here.  Plus I like the song.  Thank you to FawkesRises, unregistered person, poetrychik, Twinkey, chz friez luver, Wedgie Antilles, I lov Redheads w/ Fangs and sexy-jess for reviewing.  And if you've read and not reviewed, why not?  Meep.  I don't own the song.  Don't know who does.

***

A string of curses and yells could be heard to exit Harry's partition in the Gryffindor dormitory.  Ron popped his head around the corner.

"Harry?  What's wr- OH MY GOD!!!!!" he began sounded concerned and maybe a *little* amused, and then jumped back from Harry's bed, yelling.  His face was convulsed with disgust and Harry didn't look too pleased either when he came out, into the centre of the room, with his head looking decidedly soiled.

"Neville..." Harry growled, slowly making his way towards the now rather scared boy sitting on his bed opposite Harry.

"It wasn't me!  I swear!  I'm housetrained!"  Neville whimpered, edging away from the impending danger of Harry's fist, now menacingly nearing Neville's nose.

Ribbit.

Trevor hopped onto Neville's pillow and looked up with the innocent air that could only belong to a toad.  Or possibly a newt.  But in this instance, the innocent air belongs to a toad.  Quite a large toad.  With a fairly large stomach, in toad terms.  Not big enough to give it an image problem, but quite a hefty size.  And large toads with large stomachs tend to eat large portions of food.  And when large toads with large stomachs eat large amounts of food, they tend to do quite large wotsits.  Especially if they've had a vindaloo the night before.  And we all know what happens when toads have a lot of vindaloo...

"THAT TOAD-" Harry began, before Dean Thomas came back in from the toilets and burst out laughing. Ron joined in, and when Harry turned to glare at his supposed best friend; the sight just made Ron and Dean laugh even more.  At the sound of laughter Seamus came back up to the dormitory, which he had left a moment ago to return a book to the library, and found the scene every bit as amusing as his two fellow Gryffindors.  Harry hissed at Trevor.  The action had no effect whatsoever.  So, deciding to take a more mature approach, Harry stuck his tongue out at the toad sat on the bed.  Getting just a friendly "ribbit!" in response caused Harry to scowl at the boys surrounding him and storm out of the dormitory, down to the common room.

Unfortunately for him, Hermione was sitting down in the common room reading a book.  She jumped up when she heard Harry storming down the stairs and initially attempted to be quite sympathetic.  But then, after he had told her the whole tale, and Ron had followed Harry down the stairs, clutching his side helplessly; Hermione could only laugh.

"I'm sorry Harry!" she cried when he shoved past her and charged out of the common room.  It probably would have worked a lot better if she hadn't had hiccups at the time.

"I'm –hic- sorry Harry... hic!"

***

Fred's POV- common room, February 14, evening

Why is she so goddam beautiful?  The way her hair waves gently down her face, occasionally drifting across into those enchanting green eyes... it's killing me.  She's all the way over on the other side of the common room, occasionally looking at me and smiling.  I wish I could go over and sit with her.  To see her face light up when she laughs.  Hell, I want to be the reason her face lights up...

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You're just too good to be true
I can't take my eyes off you
You feel like heaven to touch
I wanna hold you so much

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But every time I gather my courage and stand up, with every intention to go over and just talk to her; George frowns or clears his throat or in some way makes it clear he wants me to get on with what we're doing- and then I lose all my bravery.  So I sit down again and pretend to be looking through this dusty, old manuscript when I'm really staring at Hermione.

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At last love has arrived
And I thank God I'm alive
You're just too good to be true
I can't take my eyes off you
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Even if I wasn't head-over-heels in love with her, which I am, gazing at her would still be preferable to searching through this bloody tome of a book; trying to find a quick removal spell for a love potion that doesn't include taking the snake-skin of a Basilisk and baking it in the blood of a virgin before eating it.  (Unless this kind of ritual appeals to you, I suggest you don't take "101 Scary Weird Magical Things to Do if You're Bored" to bed with you for a little night-time reading.  Or whatever it was called.  You expect me to remember these things???)

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Pardon the way that I stare
There's nothing else to compare
The sight of you leaves me weak
There are no words left to speak
So darling feel like I feel
And I don't have to know if it's real
You're just too good to be true
I can't take my eyes off you

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What I do remember, clearly, is the way my heart flip-flops whenever Hermione looks at me.  Why I feel the sudden urge to do anything- and I mean absolutely anything- she could possibly want me to do, just to be granted one of those special, dazzling smiles she occasionally throws in my direction.  Even if it included jumping up onto my chair right now and shouting "I love you Hermione Granger!" over and over and over again, until she comes over to me, and silences me by pressing her soft lips against mine in a gentle, yet passionate, kiss...

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I love you baby
And if it's quite all right
I need you baby to warm a lonely night
I love you baby
Trust in me when I say
Oh pretty baby
Don't bring me down, I pray
Oh pretty baby
Now that I've found this day
So let me love you baby
Let me love you

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I love you!!!!!

***

Hermione's POV

Oh God.  I think Fred knows.  How I feel about George, I mean.  He keeps looking over at me and smiling like he knows a secret about me.  And unless he knows about the whole Victor-turning-me-into-a-frog-last-Summer-by-accident-incident; he totally knows about me having an unbelievably inappropriate crush on his twin.  Only it's not just a crush.  I love him.  Only I can't love him, cos I love Ron... or can I?

It feels like love.  But every time I think about telling him how I feel, one word pops into my head: Ron.  I've had feelings for him since my third year.  Fine- my second year.  OKAY OKAY the end of my first year.  But he's never shown any signs of feeling the same way.  And I know Ron.  He's not the sort of person who can hide his emotions- at least, not from me.  Harry really doesn't know him as well as me.  Too caught up with that the-Dark-Lord-is-trying-to-kill-me thing.  Which I guess is a pretty good excuse for seeming a little preoccupied but it just means me and Ron have got even closer this last year or so...  That's not a bad thing is it???  Well, yeah- seeing as now I'm in love with his brother.  And his other brother knows.  It's all messed up.  I need to talk to Ron.  Tell him how I feel.  Turn his life upside down.  Just ordinary day to day chit chat.  He's in the boys' dorm with Harry.  Okay, so technically I'm not supposed to go in there... but I doubt anyone here will notice.  Except Fred- who keeps staring at me.  Kinda freaking me out.