After leaving George, Fred decided to walk over to the kitchens and get something to eat. He was hungry—he hadn't had anything to eat since the night before, when he left to go pick up George. He couldn't wait to see the look on George's face when he got to his room and found Katie waiting for him there. Katie had dropped by the store as she was leaving for Hogwarts to tell Fred that she'd be at Hogwarts. She needed him to keep George away from the house so he wouldn't know she was gone. Dumbledore asked her to stay at Hogwarts until the time came for George and him to leave. Fred tickled the pear portrait that blocked the way to the kitchen. The pear made a high-pitched giggling sound, and swung open. As he stepped in, several house-elves hurried over and took his cloak.

"Hello Sir!"

"Welcome back Weazey!"

"Helloo! We missed you sir!"

"Where's the other one?"

"Weazey one!" The house elves shouted all at once. Then, one older house elf, one Fred remembered as being called simply—Butler, came up to him and tugged on his pants leg. Butler was old and feeble, but he was head of the house elves at Hogwarts. He wore a short black jacket with a big black bow tied around his neck. If he wasn't so serious looking, he would almost look comical.

"Yes Butler?" He said, crouching down next to the old elf. The elf, he knew, was shy, and spoke extremely quietly.

"If you'll please go to the kitchen and sit with the lady, we'll be g-glad to get you something t-to eat." Butler said quickly and quietly. Fred nodded and smiled at him. Butler walked back towards the fireplace at the back of the kitchen; the crowd of house elves parted and made way for them. The last group of house elves moved out of the way and Fred looked up at the girl sitting at the table. Her hair was pulled back in a messy bun; her school shirt was partly unbuttoned, revealing tanned collarbones and a slight bit of cleavage. One leg was crossed under the other in her chair, and her skirt was wrinkled and tired looking. She was staring into her mug of chocolate, looking sad and alone. Even with her disheveled appearance, she looked absolutely beautiful.

"Why the long face 'Mione?" Fred said, walking over and squatting down next to her. She seemed to snap out of her reverie and looked down at him.

"Oh Fred! I didn't think you were coming until tomorrow!" She said, using her foot to nudge the seat across from her, so that he would take a hint and sit down. "C'mon, sit down, have a drink." She returned to looking back in her mug, but continued the conversation. "How've you been?" Fred accepted a mug of chocolate from Butler, who then hurried off to help his fellow elves.

"I'm fine—but I asked first anyway—what's wrong?"

"Nothing," She said. Fred watched as she ran her index finger around the rim of her mug, obviously deep in thought and disturbed.

"Hermione, don't lie to me—now what did my dearest brother do this time?" Fred chuckled as she looked up at him in alarm.

"It's not your brother I'm thinking about." Hermione said as she drained the rest of the hot chocolate from her mug and stood up. "I'd better get going. Harry and Ron'll be unbearable if I don't get back soon." She smiled as Fred chugged most of his hot chocolate, then made a face.

"I forgot hot chocolate was actually hot." He stuck his tongue out and swallowed hard. Hermione laughed again.

"Are you alright?" She said, grabbing her mug and Fred's and handing them to Butler.

"I'm fine—I just won't be able to taste food for another week." Fred said. They thanked Butler for the chocolate, walked to the front of the kitchen and said goodbye to the rest of the house elves. Fred grabbed his cloak and they walked off towards the dorms. Fred slowed down the pace so that they were walking slowly, not hurrying to get to Gryffindor Tower.

"So…" He tried to think of something to say, but was drawing a blank.

"So…" Hermione echoed, smiling.

"I'm staying here until after Winter Holidays." Fred said casually. Before he knew what was happening, he'd stopped in the hallway and grabbed Hermione's arm. "So I was wondering if you had a date to the Yule Ball because George and I got invited and I don't have a date and I'd like to take you." He said quickly and all in one breath. He hadn't realized he was going to ask her until about 2 seconds before he did it. Hermione looked kind of shocked, her eyebrows arched and she smiled a dazed, flattered smile.

"Um…sure… I'd love to." She said then continued walking towards Gryffindor tower. "That gives me two weeks to find a dress." She said after a few moments.

"I'm sorry about the short notice…I just found out I'd be going, and believe me you're the first person I thought of asking to come with me." He said. They both smiled as they came to the Portrait hole.

"Fiddlesticks," Hermione said to the Fat Lady. The portrait swung open and they stepped into the common room. Harry, Ginny, and Ron sat in front of the fire waiting for Hermione to come back. No one else was in the common room. Ginny and Harry were leaning on each other asleep, and Ron was giving Harry the evil eye. He looked up as he saw Hermione come in.

"'Bout damn time," Ron said; grumpy because he still wasn't used to his little sister and Harry dating—even though it had been over four months. "Where've you been?"

"Kitchens…" Hermione said, then grabbed Fred by the elbow and pulled him out of the shadows and into the light of the fire so Ron could see him. "Look who I ran into."

"Fred!" He yelled, then jumped out of his chair and came around to the other side of the couch to hug his brother—then at the last minute he decided a firm handshake would suffice. They both laughed and Ron turned pink. "Where's George?"

"He's with Katie on the 2nd floor." Fred and Hermione said. Ron nodded and slapped the back of Harry's head and poked Ginny.

"Wake up, Hermione's back and Fred's with her." He said, then turned and grabbed Hermione's hand and led her to the couch. She quickly pulled her hand away, knowing that Ron was trying to impress his brother by appearing to "be with" her. She rolled her eyes and shot a look at Fred that said—I am not with him; this is not what it looks like. Fred tried to hide a laugh, but didn't do it very well. He turned it into a coughing fit.

"Hey Fred-"

"Hiya Freddie," Harry and Ginny said as they woke up and stretched.

"Hey you two." Fred said, accepting the fact that Harry and Ginny were obviously together with little problem. Ron tried to follow his lead and act chill when Harry slipped his arm around Ginny's waist. It was all Ron could do not to reach over and slap him again. Fred slyly reached over and pinched Ginny's side so that she jerked away from Harry and scowled at him. Fred grinned at her.

"I'm going to bed." Harry said, standing up and stretching again. Ron and Ginny followed his lead, and soon Ron had disappeared up the stairs. Harry waited till he was gone, winked at Fred, and planted a long sweet kiss on Ginny's lips. She smiled at him as she watched Harry disappear up the stairs. She ran to Hermione and squealed something in her ear before running up the stairs to her own dorm. Hermione and Fred laughed.

"I don't want to make a practice of watching my sister make out with my little brothers best friend." Fred said, as he looked at Hermione, who lingered at the bottom of the girls' stairs, less than an arm's reach away.

"They don't usually do anything around us. I think Harry was just spoiling for a fight tonight." Hermione replied, leaning on the doorway. "I'd better—" She pointed up the stairs and smiled at Fred. He reached over and grabbed her hand, pressing it to his lips and bowing.

"Goodnight Hermione." He said. As Hermione gazed after him with a shocked expression on her face, he gathered up his cloak and went up the boys' stairs. She stared at her hand, pressed it to her cheek, and hurried up to the girls' dorms with thoughts of a certain Weasley filling her mind.