Disclaimer: I own nothing. All Characters and names belong to J K Rowling.
Chapter 2
A White Lie
Hermione flung herself down on her bed, and thought back to that day that made her hope she wasn't waiting for nothing. She really had no intentions of ever dating Ron. Even if this other complication of being totally obsessed with Fred wasn't in the way, which it was. Ron was like a brother to her. The thought that it was entirely possible that he wished otherwise, made her cringe. Hermione wasn't stupid. She knew Ginny. If Ginny was trying to set her up with Ron, she obviously thought that Ron liked her that way. But Hermione knew that if she ever dated Ron, her chances with Fred were over. The Weasleys were fiercely protective of each other, and she was pretty sure that Fred would never consider dating someone that had broken Ron's heart. Hermione sighed and closed her eyes letting the soothing memories wash over her like a balm.
It was during fifth year, and Hermione was rushing down the hall toward Gryffindor tower, when she heard a series of loud bangs up ahead. Knowing that Filch was on the constant prowl these days, with Professor Umbridge backing him up, she ducked into a secret passage, to avoid the commotion. She was hurrying along the dim passage when suddenly she slammed into someone. She lost her balance and fell flat on her face. Only she wasn't on the floor. She was looking into a pair of very familiar brown eyes.
"Fred," she breathed. She couldn't believe that of all people, she had managed to crash into the one person she had been constantly thinking about, and secretly staring at, for the past month. He was so boisterous, funny, cheerful, charming, and so ... so... nice. And he had the cutest smile. Nice hairline. And a great jaw. A mouth perfect for kissing.
"Uh...Hermione? Are you going to lay on top of me all day?" asked an amused Fred.
Hermione blushed as she came back to her senses. She was laying on top of Fred Weasley in a dark secret passage, and just staring at him.
"Sorry," she mumbled as she hastily rolled off of him and got to her feet. Fred stood up, looking at her curiously.
"How did you know which twin I was?" he asked. Hermione shrugged and looked at the floor as she felt her face growing warm again. Fred put his finger under her chin, and lifted her face up to look into his. "Was it just a lucky guess?" he asked.
Hermione shook her head no. Fred lowered his head and kissed her softly on the cheek.
"What was that for?" she whispered, as a burning sensation spread to her stomach.
"You're the only one in this school besides for Lee and our siblings, that can tell us apart," he whispered into her ear.
"Fred," hissed a voice from behind him. "Time to get out of here. Filch will be here soon."
"Come on!" Fred pulled Hermione along with him as he followed George out of the secret passage to Gryffindor tower.
Hermione opened her eyes now, and sighed. The weeks that followed that memory had been really nice. Fred had become much more of a friend to her. He stayed up late at night talking to her in the common room, winked at her when he passed her in the halls, and sometimes came to her for advice on some product that he and George were developing. Hermione was careful never to let on that she wished he were more than a friend, though her heart beat wildly, every time he came near her, and her stomach did funny flips whenever he passed by. She wanted things to go naturally. If Fred reciprocated her feelings, she wanted him to do so without any ideas from her. After all, they had all year. Didn't they? She would wait.
And then, three weeks later...
Hermione closed her eyes and let another memory washed over her.
Hermione sat in the common room, studying transfiguration. She felt her eyelids growing heavy, and decided to rest for a few minutes. She closed her eyes, and sank back into the cushions. Suddenly she felt a heavy weight pressing down on her. Her eyes flew open and she was once again looking into those warm chocolate eyes. Fred was laying on top of her.
"Fred." she whispered.
He smiled softly at her and lowered his face towards her cheek. Hermione waited until he was almost touching her, and then quickly turned her face and caught his kiss on her lips. Fred looked startled for a moment, but he didn't pull away. He looked at her, and caught the challenge in her eyes. He closed his eyes and kissed her gently. Hermione parted her lips, and ran her tongue along his teeth. He moaned, and deepened the kiss, exploring her mouth with his tongue. Her hands ran through his hair as she pulled him closer kissing him as though she never wanted to let him go. After a long moment, he pulled back slowly, and opened his eyes. He looked at her, his breathing ragged.
"Hermione. What was that for?" he whispered.
"For my knowing your name of course," she answered innocently. Fred laughed.
"Really," he insisted.
Hermione smiled up at him softly and asked, "Fred, why are you laying on top of me?" Fred smiled sheepishly.
"I came to wake you up and send you to bed, but I tripped on your book, and fell." he said.
"Are you planning on staying on top of me all night?" she asked, amused.
Fred looked at her teasingly.
"Well, that depends on what you have in mind. I never mind a random snog, but I don't know if it's worth sleeping on the couch for. Now if you have something more ...stimulating in mind..." he trailed off suggestively, waggling his eyebrows jokingly.
Hermione didn't answer. She was afraid that if she opened her mouth, she would say something like, "Yes, please shag me senseless" so she kept her mouth tightly closed.
Fred rolled off of her hastily, looking much alarmed. "I was joking Hermione," he said hastily, mistaking her controlled expression for anger. Hermione forced her face to relax, took a deep breath, and smiled.
"I know," she said softly.
There was an uncomfortable pause for a moment.
"What were you doing down here so late?" Hermione finally asked.
"I was looking for you." he admitted. His expression tightened, as he seemed to suddenly remember something. He turned to her and pulled her into a tight hug. Hermione hugged him back, wondering what he was thinking. They sat like that, holding each other for a long moment. Then Fred pulled back and gave her one last long look.
"We can't. I have to leave. Good-by," he whispered, his voice sounding almost broken. He fled up the stairs to his room.
Hermione looked after him frozen. "We can't what," she wondered. There was something about the way he had said good bye, that sounded so ... permanent. And as she slowly climbed the stairs to her room, she felt an uncomfortable weight settle itself around her heart.
The next day the twins left Hogwarts for good, and she knew what he had been trying to tell her.
Hermione was brought back to reality by the sound of Lavender and Parvati giggling as they came into the room. She yawned, stretched and got out of bed.
"I really should see what Ginny is up to," she thought to herself. She went downstairs to the common room.
"Harry, can I borrow your cloak?" she asked.
"Sure Hermione. Why do you need it?"
Hermione didn't answer. She just looked at him pleadingly. Harry nodded slowly, and went to get his invisibility cloak
"If there's anything I can do to help you Hermione-" Harry broke off uncertainly. Hermione smiled at him reassuringly.
"Everything's fine," she said. "I just need to check up on Ginny," she mumbled out of the side of her mouth, so that Ron wouldn't hear her. Harry looked at her questioningly. Hermione sighed. "I'll tell you some other time," she whispered. Harry nodded his consent, and Hermione went off to make sure Ginny was ok.
Ginny stared at Draco as a million thoughts raced through her mind. "He's here alone. Now I don't have to catch him. He's already started insulting me. May as well not waste it! Merlin! This is not a good place! Maybe we could go somewhere. He wouldn't want to be seen kissing me, any more than I would want to be seen kissing him..."
"Weasley?" Draco's voice sounded uncertain. "Why are you staring at me? Is part of the spell to stare at a magnificent looking being before reciting the incantation?"
Ginny snorted. "Egotistical maniac," she mumbled to herself. "What spell?" she asked confusedly.
Draco rolled his eyes. "The one to remove those freckles of course."
Ginny rolled her eyes in perfect imitation of Malfoy.
"Normally I would not want to stare at your magnificent looking being at all, Malfoy" Ginny said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "However, I need to tell you something, and your magnificent looking being happened to surprise me by showing up at an opportune moment."
Draco leaned against the nearest bookcase, and stood there with his arms crossed, waiting.
"You may want to sit down for this," said Ginny wryly.
Draco raised an eyebrow at her questioningly. Ginny shrugged and waited. Draco sighed and sat down in the chair across from her.
"What do you want Weasley?"
Ginny took a deep breath and plunged in.
"I've been voted by a group of girls to rate your kissing abilities," she stated blandly.
Draco stared at her in disbelief. "I knew you were poor, but I never expected a Gryffindor to take up whoring," he sneered.
Ginny clenched her fists under the table, and counted silently to ten.
"If the guy refuses to be rated, he gets an automatic P for Poor," she continued.
Draco raised another eyebrow at that.
"Well," Ginny said smugly, "any hot blooded male who refuses a no-strings-attached kiss, is obviously scared to be rated a bad kisser. Therefore, he probably is a bad kisser."
Malfoy's face remained impassive, as he stared past her, deep in thought.
"These girls are all Gryffindor girls, I assume," he stated flatly.
Ginny thought quickly. "Actually, no. They're mostly all big-mouths though."
Draco groaned. "Fine," he said.
He stood up and walked away.
"Um, Malfoy," asked Ginny. "Where are you going?"
Draco spun around. "You honestly don't expect me to kiss you in the library," he snapped. He walked away, Ginny following uncertainly.
"I hope I'm not biting off more than I can chew," she thought darkly to herself.
Draco walked into a nearby deserted classroom. Ginny hesitated for a moment, and then followed him in. No sooner had she stepped foot into the classroom than she tripped on something and went flying into Draco. Draco stumbled and fell, banging his arm into a desk on the way down.
"Ow! What the ...Weasley, I thought we were just supposed to be kissing."
"Sorry," mumbled Ginny blushing to the roots of her hair. "I tripped over something in the doorway."
Draco looked back at the doorway in disbelief. "There is nothing in the doorway, Weasley."
"There was," said Ginny stubbornly, as she climbed to her feet.
Draco stood up, still looking disgusted and brushed himself off. They both paused as they heard a muffled noise coming from the opposite corner of the room.
"Why didn't you just say so, if you had to bring along a witness, Weasly," asked Draco calmly.
Ginny looked horrified at the thought. "No witnesses," she said firmly. "NO."
"Then what was that noise?"
"How should I know, Malfoy," she snapped. I'm here with you."
"Whatever Weasel"
"Shut up Ferret"
"You're stalling Weasel" Draco sounded greatly amused.
"Of course I'm stalling," Ginny retorted. "Not everyone in this school is dying to kiss your magnificent looking being.
There was definitely a noise in the corner this time.
"Whoever that is, get out," shouted Draco angrily.
Ginny giggled. "Like that's going to work."
Draco glared at her. "You have a better idea?"
Ginny walked over to the other side of the classroom and started feeling around. She moved closer and closer to the wall. Suddenly someone whispered in a very low voice, "Ginny, it's me. Hermione. I'm just here to make sure he doesn't do anything other than kiss you. I've got my wand out. Ok?"
Ginny breathed a sigh of relief. This was better than she thought. Now that Hermione was going to be an actual witness, she would have to take her up on her dare. "I've got the culprit, she called cheerfully to Draco."
"Well, send him away," said Draco grumpily.
"I don't think so," said Ginny cheerfully. "I'm safer this way, in case you decide to get carried away."
"Don't flatter yourself, Weasel"
"Look who's talking."
"Huh?" Draco looked around in confusion. Ginny rolled her eyes.
She strode toward Malfoy, determined to get this over with so she could continue her assault on Hermione. Draco stared down at her, and they both shuddered.
"This is not going to work." said Draco flatly. They're going to have to send a Slytherin girl to rate me.
Ginny shrugged. "No can do."
"Why not?" he demanded.
"Slytherin girls are too stuck up to be part of the group."
Draco sighed. He snaked his arms around Ginny, and pulled her closer.
Ginny tried to thing of how horrible he was. She did not want to enjoy this. Why did he have to be so good looking? He smelled of grass and wood. He must've been out flying recently. She wondered what it would be like to go flying with him. The wind whipping through their hair, her arms around his waste. "Ewwwww. This is Malfoy I'm thinking about! Stop thinking so much," she chided herself.
Malfoy paused, took a deep breath, and lowered his mouth to hers. A small jolt passed through her as their lips made contact. There was no doubt about it. He was a very good kisser. That must be why she felt like she was floating. That must be why she felt like she was falling. She leaned into him for support, as her head spun. Slowly, reluctantly, they pulled apart, and stared at each other. "So, what do I rate?" he whispered.
"I'm not sure. I was too dizzy to tell. You'll have to try again," Ginny heard herself saying. Her eyes widened and she sprang back, suddenly coming to her senses.
Malfoy grinned at her looking very smug. Too smug.
"NB for Not Bad," said Ginny.
Malfoy narrowed his eyes, and pulled her back into his arms.
"I guess we will have to try again," he said, looking amused.
"What's so funny?" demanded Ginny.
"You obviously want me to kiss you again," he grinned.
"No I don't," said Ginny fiercly, struggling in his grip.
"I have a lot of experience with women, Weasley", drawled Malfoy, holding her struggling form easily. "You couldn't even support your own weight while I was kissing you, and you rated me Not Bad. Obviously, you just want me to try again."
Not giving her a chance to reply, he lowered his lips to hers again, and she sagged against him. Her fingers ran through his hair, and his lips left a trail of fire across her face and down to her neck. She shivered, and arched her back as he licked her neck - suddenly a flash of red light hit Malfoy. His arms sprang to his sides, as his body went rigid. He fell flat on his back. Ginny, who had been leaning on him, fell on top of him. She blinked, and shook her head to clear it.
"Ginny!" hissed a voice from across the room.
"Hermione" realized Ginny. She looked across the room unrepentantly. "Y'know, being that Malfoy is a useless jerk most of the time, you'll be glad to know that he's not a total waste of space. He's definitely good for something," giggled Ginny.
She looked down at Malfoy who was glaring daggers at her, and said sweetly, "I rate you OBC. That's Off the Bloody Chart, Malfoy."
She looked back across the room, and said, "You in the corner. I think you should leave before I let him up." She waited for the door to open and close, and then pointed her wand at Draco. "Finite incantatum."
She started to get up off of Malfoy, when suddenly he grabbed her, and flipped them over, so that she was laying on the floor beneath him. He leaned his face close to hers, and said angrily, "nobody here to save you now, Weasley".
Ginny looked at him in surprise.
"You don't honestly think my friend has gone further than one step out the door," she said calmly. She pushed him off of her as he contemplated this. "Besides," she said "I didn't want her to hit you with that stupid spell." Her eyes twinkled. "I was quite enjoying myself, Malfoy. You really are off the bloody chart, though why I'm further inflating your massive ego is beyond me."
She dusted herself off and strode out the door, as Malfoy looked after her in surprise.
"Hermione?" called Ginny softly as they neared the Fat Lady's Portrait. Hermione pulled off Harry's invisibility cloak.
"So," said Ginny cautiously.
Hermione shook her head, but didn't speak.
Ginny grinned. "I couldn't help it," she admitted.
Hermione shook her head in disgust. "Ashwinder" she told the fat lady. The portrait swung open, and they climbed into the common room. Hermione handed Harry his cloak without comment, ignoring the question in his eyes. She marched upstairs to her dorm room. Ginny twisted her hands together nervously, and followed.
Hermione shut the door behind Ginny, and shot a few spells at it, to ensure privacy.
"What on earth is wrong with you, Ginny Weasley?" Hermione fairly shouted.
"Nothing," insisted Ginny. "And this is all your bloody fault, you know. You're the one who dared me to do it. And it's not my fault he's so distracting. I tried to think horrible things about him, really, I did. But when he got so close, I couldn't think at all. Let's see you do a better job."
Hermione grimaced. "No thanks."
"Now, I'm going to be really mad at you if you don't take me up on my dare, after I made such a fool of myself in front of Malfoy."
Hermione sighed, and flopped down on her bed. "Fine," she said reluctantly.
"Oooh! Let's go downstairs right now."
"Why?" asked Hermione innocently.
"So you can ask Ron out, you dimwit."
"Who says I'm asking Ron out," asked Hermione with a serene smile.
Ginny looked at her in disbelief. ""You just did."
"No I didn't."
"Hermione, quit playing games. You just said you'd take me up on my dare, and I dared you to ask Ron on a date."
"Actually, I believe your exact words were: 'I dare you to ask my brother out on a date.' I'll ask one of your brothers this summer."
"Hermione Granger, that's not playing fair," protested Ginny.
"Neither is daring me to ask someone out on a date."
"Why are you so opposed to going out with Ron?" demanded Ginny. "Do you fancy someone else?"
Hermione didn't answer, but her face gave her away.
"Who is it?" squealed Ginny. "Spill."
Hermione turned over and buried her face in her pillow. Ginny sat down on her bed and bounced up and down.
"C'mon, tell."
"No."
"Have you ever dated him?"
"No."
"So what's the difference if you go out one date with Ron first?"
No answer.
"I'm going to figure this out, you know."
Hermione emitted a groan.
Ginny grinned. She continued to bounce as she thought hard. "Is it someone in Gryffindor?" Hermione flipped back over and crossed her arms stubbornly.
"Ravenclaw?"
Ginny watched Hermione's face carefully. Hemione didn't seem to be concerned that she might guess. She must be on the wrong track.
"No one at Hogwarts then."
Hermione looked startled. Ginny grinned.
"Which one of my brothers are you planning on asking out this summer," she asked lightly. Hermione's face froze. Ginny laughed in delight.
Hermione's brain started working overtime. "How can I keep Ginny from guessing," she thought frantically. She did not want Ginny's matchmaking services. "I'll have to pretend it's a different brother," she concluded to herself.
"Fine," she said in a resigned voice. "I'm going to ask Bill."
