Aw, smelly arsey schoolwork has kept me from bringing chapter 4 out sooner. Stoopid looming A levels! Anyway, review me everyone:D it helps me write faster. Thanks so much for all your reviews so far – they're ace:D it makes me so so so happy!  smiles

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After a few minutes of silence in Ginny's room, Hermione decided to show her face downstairs. Strangely enough, her conversation with Fred had cheered her up somewhat, but had brought the strange fluttering feeling into her stomach again which she had tried to keep dormant since receiving Fred's first letter. It had been kind of him to meet her at the station – George had come too, granted, but he hadn't said a word to Hermione since she had arrived. Coming to think about it, George hadn't been his usual cheery self at all in the few hours that Hermione had seen him… She would try to remember to ask him about it later. Sighing, she slipped on her big fluffy slippers and flopped down the rickety staircase to the Weasley's bright and lively kitchen.

"Hermione!"

Harry's voice was heard from the dining room, and Hermione headed over to the closed door. She reached for the door handle, before retracting quickly – she could hear Ginny's voice too. For a moment she felt embarrassed – what if she walked in on them kissing? Or even worse – what Ron had caught them doing a few days previously? Anger began to rise in Hermione's chest – she had never had to think twice before walking into a room with Harry before and she certainly wasn't about to do it now!

Why did he have to go out with Ginny when Hermione liked him so much? When she'd been so supportive after Sirius' death, and over the past five years? Defiantly, she held her head up and pushed open the door – hard. She screwed up her eyes.

"If you and Ginny are kissing then tell me now before I have to witness it!" She shrieked, with her eyes still firmly shut. Silence met her outburst and then giggling from Ginny.

"No, we've stopped now," she said mischievously, "Besides, Ron doesn't like it when we do it right in front of him!" Hermione opened her eyes slightly and spotted Ron's lanky frame sprawled across the pouffle in the corner. She smiled at his pained expression.

"Hey 'Mione", he said weakly. "Please save me from my sister, she keeps bringing up how excellent a kisser Harry is and it's making me feel really sick…"

Harry laughed, and gave Ron a friendly kick from under the table. "Hey, at least I have someone to kiss!" he teased, before giving Hermione an unsly grin.

She groaned inwardly. Not only was Harry openly breaking Hermione's heart in public, but he was also trying to get her together with Ron? Was this another thing she was going to have to endure all summer? Once again Hermione was getting a familiar feeling that she wished she'd just stayed at home, and left Harry to Ginny and Ron to – well, Ron to himself she guessed.

Trying to ignore Ginny's constant adored gazing at Harry, Hermione took the seat on the other side of the table, ignoring Harry's nods towards the pouffle adjoining Rons. Ron was lovely – but if she was going to let him know once and for all that they were never going to be a couple, then she'd best try to keep her distance for now. She forced a smile at her three friends.

"Sorry I was so long!" She said, a little too brightly. "I was unpacking and then chatting to Fred. I love his owl – Tobago right? He's so beautiful, and fits Fred perfectly! Where on earth did he get him?"

She was surprised to see the other three looking slightly uneasy. Harry and Ginny were both avoiding Hermione's look, and only Ron was looking directly at her but was biting his lip.

"Best not to bring Tobago up in conversation around George Hermione," he said quietly. "Fred and George aren't talking to each other at the moment and Tobago is the main cause of that."

Hermione frowned. "Not talking? That's impossible! The twins are always inseparable, they agree on everything right?"

"Not any more." Said Ginny heavily. "See, George has been dating Katie Bell for ages…"

"Yeah I know," said Hermione quickly. There had been a romance blossoming between George and Katie the whole previous year, and Hermione had known the many intimate details due to her gossiping dormmates, Lavender and Parvati.

"Well, it turned out that Katie and Fred had got together at the end of last year, after Fred and George had left Hogwarts," continued Ginny. "They'd kept it a secret for a while, but George caught them last week. It turned out that Tobago – whom Fred had said was a gift from Bill for him and George to share – was actually an anniversary present from Katie. So… things blew up, Fred and George argued for hours, and now they're not talking to anyone really. Fred just uses Tobago on his own for letters now."

Hermione had been listening with her mouth open in astonishment. She couldn't believe what she'd heard - what Fred had done – what a selfish, ungrateful, conniving… Ron noticed her furious face and laughed.

"Don't let it worry you 'Mione," He said. "They'l make up in the end, they always do! Want a game of exploding snap?"

Hermione just snorted. When she saw Fred she'd have some things to say to him! Strangely, she seemed somewhat hysterical by this news of Fred's character. Maybe she'd dreamt him up to be much more dashing than she'd thought? She flushed with embarrassment about the thoughts she'd had when he'd written to her. To think that she thought he may have written because he liked her! Because that he may have had romantic feelings for her!

She felt sick.

"Er… Maybe later?" She said desperately, before running to the door and opening it.

"Hermione!" Harry's concerned voice was he one thing that caused Hermione to turn round and face her friends again. "Are you alright? What's wrong?"

Then she spotted it. Ginny's hand, gently entwining Harry's hair in her fingers, whilst looking at Hermione questioningly. Harry's hand was stroking Ginny's other hand, and they were cuddled up together in such a couply way that Hermione felt like she was dying inside. Harry looked happy, so much happier than he'd ever been with her.

She had to get out.

"I… I need a drink," she whispered lamely before running out and slamming the door behind her. With a thump, she bumped straight into something solid and fell back onto the closed door. Rubbing her head, which was throbbing painfully, she looked up at the blockage, whose hand had taken hers and whose concerned eyes were boring into hers.

It was Fred Weasley.

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