Disclaimer: I don't own any HP things…I don't think o.0…

Chapter 1: Diagon Alley

I walked swiftlier down the Diagon Alley street. With my head bent down I was daring the tears not to fall. I thought Ron had loved me. That's what everyone said right? That he loved me, but that he was to shy to show it. I never believed it, but I almost want to believe it now. How could he? He (and Harry included) had left me by myself so they could go with their dates to get their school supplies. Do you know what that does to someone? To be all alone when everyone else had dates, family, or friends to spend the time with?

I watched as the snowflakes fell as I pulled my sweater closer to me. I knew I should have brought a jacket or coat of some sort, but I completely forgot. I had already bought all my supplies, so I could basically just waste some time now. I threw open the door to a small book shop that not many people knew about. I let the warmth cover me. It felt so good, and for a moment all my thoughts about being alone while Ron was with some beautiful girl disappeared. But a moment doesn't last long. I had been jerked back to reality by a flash of Weasley hair in a bookstore. Wait…rewind…Weasley and bookstore should not go in the same sentence unless it is 'The Weasleys would never go in a bookstore.'

I looked more closely at whatever Weasley it was. It appeared to be George… or maybe it's Fred. Whoever it was, they were done buying their books and we're turning around…I immediately tried to leap behind a bookshelf, but my attempt turned to failure as I heard them shout, "Oi! Hermione!" I immediately let out a groan. You see if they saw me without Ron or Harry they'd ask me where they were, why was I all alone, and then attempt to give me some sort of test product or make fun of me. I turned around.

"Hey," He looked around the store, "Where's Harry and IckleRonniekins? They didn't want to come in the bookstore with you?"

"Uh well you see er Gred?"

"It's Fred, but nice guess."

"Oh well they kind of have dates…"

"Who has dates when you're shopping for your school supplies?"

"Well that's what I thought, but then I saw everyone else, and well everyone had somebody to be with." He looked at me unbelievingly but shrugged. I'm surprised he didn't make fun of me. Maybe that's always George…no I'm pretty positive it's both. "Anyways, I do believe I have the right to ask you, why you, a Weasley, have bought books from a bookstore and they aren't even school supplies."

"I guess you do, but that doesn't mean I have to answer you." He smiled smugly down at me. You see me being 5'5" he had to be at least 6'2" or something like that.

"I answered you though."

"You see Hermione, for someone so smart you must know that questions are optional." I stared at him with my mouth agape.

"That's not fair Fred Weasley and you know it!" I stood on my tiptoes and glared at his eyes. Oh his eyes. They were hazel with a gold lining. They were not as entrancing as Ron's but they came pretty close.

"Oh but Hermione, you must know life is never fair." I continued to glare at him, and I never once took my eyes off of his as I snatched his books from him.

"Hermione give them back!" He said reaching his arms over my shoulders seeing as how I had turned around.

"No." I read the cover of the first book. 'The Common Handbook for the not so Common Troublemaker' I handed that book back to him, but he didn't even hesitate when he snatched it.

"Hermione please don't… just give them back." He sounded so pathetic I almost turned around, but then I realized that this was a Weasley twin I was dealing with.

I looked at the second book, and I read the title aloud. "How to Deal With Your First True Love." I immediately gasped and dropped the books. Now I know why he didn't want me to read them. I have blackmail on Fred, a Weasley twin.

He picked up the books, blushed, and immediately tried to rush out of the store, but I grabbed the hem of his shirt.

I smirked. "I do believe a certain Fred Weasley has some explaining to do."

"No," He said ripping his shirt away from me, "For someone that changed themselves so much I don't think I have to explain myself at all." He was glaring daggers at me, and I had stepped down. He was using his height to his advantage, and it was sort of freaking me out.

"What do you mean?" I knew what he meant. I really did.

You see over the summer. I stayed at Ron's for a week, this week. The rest of the time was spent at my house where I ran into an old friend, Asa. We talked, and went to the mall where he introduced me to this store where they sold all of this black clothing. At first I was freaked out, but then it all seemed normal. Asa was so nice and funny. He bought me a couple of shirts which I gladly thanked him for. I had pretended to put on a fashion show for him going through like the whole store, and he saved all the one's he liked. Then he bought half and I bought the other. He said he did it for me missing out on muggle things. Yes, he knew about the magical world. I had to tell someone where I was going, and Asa was the only one I could trust.

"You know perfectly well what I mean. You show up at our house with this…weird…clothing on, and you expect us to act like it's all normal. Then you spend the whole time talking about some old friend of yours. It's not the same, and you know it. Stop trying to be someone else." He had backed down some, his voice slowly getting softer as he talked, so by the time he was done talking it was almost a whisper.

"Stop accusing me of this stuff! Why do you care anyway?" I was fuming. I swear if I was in a cartoon my face would be red and smoke would be coming out of my ears. For the second time that day tears threatened to fall from my eyes.

"I've always cared. Why must people think that because I'm some prankster I don't care for other people?" His ears were slowly turning red.

"Maybe we aren't so different after all." I whispered. It was probably barely heard, but by the look on his face he had definitely heard me. I let a tear slowly drip down my face.

"Stop making this so hard." He whispered back.

"I didn't make it hard."

"Then why are you crying?"

"Because some people will never understand me."

"Who doesn't understand you?" He wiped my tear away, and tucked a lock of hair behind my ears.

"You…and Ron."

He laughed. "Ron will never understand any girl. I on the other hand am just going through some tough times."

I smiled, and wiped all the tears away. "Care to elaborate?"

"Well, I kind of fell in love with this girl, and well she likes someone else."

"Looks like we're in the same boat." We walked together out of the store. I completely forgot about buying new books, but I really didn't care anymore.

"Not quite. You see the guy this girl likes is well…my brother."

"Oh so she's in love with George?"

I think he went to shake his head no, but he ended up nodding it up and down.

"Yeah… umm she's in love with George."

"Oh well. Maybe she'll realize you're the right one for her."

"Yeah, maybe." He looked around us. "Wow, you were right. Everyone has someone. Makes me feel kind of left out."

"How about we go get something to eat. My treat." I offered. We started walking toward the nearest café.

"Now you know mum would never allow you to pay for me. I'll be the one paying for you."

"Look Fred's a gentleman!"

"Shut it. Even Ron has manners. They just somehow got lost and trampled on a couple of times…" I giggled, and Fred smiled down at me. "…Look there's the Hermione I know. Always smiling and laughing."

I smiled at him as he opened the door, and then let me in first. There was a middle-aged witch standing at the front. Fred told her there were just two of us, and she led us to a nearby table. We looked at the menu, and we both ended up getting a hamburger with fries, and a butterbeer.

"So…" Fred said looking around, "Why didn't you have a date anyways?"

"Umm…well…" I looked away nervously.

"Don't tell me you've never had a date before."

I blushed. "The only person who ever asked me was Asa."

"Who?"

"My muggle friend that 'I always talk about'."

"Oh. Well then I guess that mean this will be your second date." He smiled broadly at me, and I felt color rise into my cheeks.

"Thanks Fred, but won't you be embarrassed if you see that girl you like here and she sees you with me?"

I took a drink of my butterbeer and then set it back down.

"Why would I be embarrassed?"

"Well we all know I'm not exactly the prettiest girl you'll ever see."

He took my hand that was about to fall back in my lap by reaching across the table. Another advantage of being tall was that your arms were longer too. I looked at him wondering what was going on.

"Hermione, you're beautiful. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise." Then us both realizing what had just happened made us blush and quickly drop each others hands that had slowly become entangled.

"I-I'm sorry I shouldn't have said anything like that to you. I just- well-" Fred started.

"It's okay. It had to be the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me." I smiled at him, and he smiled back. About that time our food was levitated to us. We began to eat in a comfortable silence.

I heard someone's footsteps coming toward us, but then waved it off as another customer.

"Hey 'Mione!" I immediately gulped down the food I had in my mouth, and stared disbelievingly at the tall figure of Ron towering over our table his hand attached to a medium height witch with blue eyes and really straight blonde hair. She was beautiful. Fred was in the state I was, his mouth opening and closing in disbelief.

"Er- hi?"

"Can we sit with you guys?" I wanted to say no, I really did, but then I couldn't control myself as I found my head bobbing up and down. "Thanks." They took a seat. Ron next to Fred and the girl next to me.

"Brittany this is Hermione, one of my friends, and this," he said pointing to Fred, "Is Fred, one of my brothers." Fred and I greeted her with mild sarcasticness. Like 'it's a real pleasure to meet you' and things of the sort.

They ordered their meals. I didn't hear what they got though as I was to busy shubbing my food in my mouth. Fred was doing the same from what I saw. When I finished my last fry I looked up to see Ron and Brittany in the same seat, snogging each other. I felt my heart fall from a 78-story building, and then break into a million pieces when it the cold pavement below. I turned to Fred who was looking at me concerned. I mouthed 'I want to go' to him, and pointed toward the door. He threw down some money, and we pushed our chairs back hurriedly as we said some 'I've got to go' excuses to Ron and Brittany thought I'm not quite sure they heard.

I barely made it out the door before I broke down. It seemed so stupid to be crying in front of Fred, but I swung my arms around him anyways. I then continued to cry in his shoulder which was soaking wet before we got to the Leaky Cauldron. I heard him mutter, "The idiot, showing that girl off at Hermione. He is going to pay when he gets home, I swear to God I'll make him suffer."

He threw the floo powder into the fireplace, and picked me up. He did it so easily. I guess Quidditch helped him because I know I'm not that light. He had one arm supporting my back and the other holding me under where my knees bend. I was still crying uncontrollably, as he said "The Burrow."

We appeared at the Burrow almost instantly, and I could feel him carrying me up the stairs. He got to Ginny's room, and kicked the door open which made a slight bang as it hit the wall. He placed me gently on my bed. "Thanks."

He placed a smile on his face. "Don't mention it."

"Wait." I said as he was walking away. He turned slowly around, and I could see the anger he felt.

"Can you- can you stay with me?" I asked in between sobs. He seemed to hesitate for a moment, but then he nodded his head. I patted the spot next to me on the bed, and he sat down and rested his head on the headboard. He laid a blanket over me, and told me to go to sleep. Instead of using my pillow I put my head on his chest. He tensed up for a second then slowly relaxed. I could feel his heart beat, and I slowly let it lull me to sleep. I felt his arm lay down on top of me, and it felt so comforting. I didn't know Fred was so gentle, like this. Of course I guess I never knew Fred at all.

A/N: Okay sooo I wanted to do a Hermione/ Fred fic. And this is my poor excuse of an attempt. Read/ Review and tell me if I should continue with it, or just drop me ever writing one of these again…