Disclaimer: Not mine.

A/N: Thank you reviewers, thank you! (hugs you all while sobbing uncontrollably) You have been so kind to me. Really, I love you all. Here is Chapter Eight!

Chapter Eight

Hermione laid back and just stared up into the dark, cloudy sky and didn't even flinch as a raindrop hit her in the nose. It was October fourth and her year was slowly spiralling towards very dreary. Blaise Zabini was Head Boy, so therefore, she shared a common room with a Slytherin. Hanging out with Harry and Ron didn't seem the same. She avoided Ginny, certain the girl knew everything that could possibly go on inside her head.

The worst part of it had to be that Hermione had a slight inkling of why, precisely, she had been so unenthusiastic about everything lately. She had tried to immerse herself in what she had always been obsessed with: her studies. But she began to get bored. She didn't need to study. She didn't need to listen in class. She was confident she could teach her classes. Homework was done within a half hour every night.

So here she was, lying on her back at three in the afternoon, on a day that was as dreary as her life currently, not far from the lake, being pelted with harsh rain drops, and wondering again, why, exactly, did Fred Weasley ever so much as touch her?

She saw herself as very plain, but had noticed the way the opposite sex and even other girls found her to be gorgeous. Was it that, or his obsession with jokes?

Fred Weasley had a sense of humor, but he also had a sense of right and wrong. He was a comedian, not a sadistic freak. 'But there is no way he was interested...' She thought.

"Hermione Scarlett Granger!" Hermione was startled out of her reverie and blinked up at an upside down Ginny Weasley.

"Hello." She said awkwardly, her mind already racing to come up with her excuse for lying out in the rain in early fall in nothing but a black The Used tank top and now dirty white shorts.

Her mind wasn't doing so good with that.

"We really need to talk." Ginny said.

Maybe around fourty-five minutes later, Hermione found herself on her own bed, in her black Happy Bunny pj's and a long sleeve light blue Happy Bunny shirt, toweling at her hair and avoiding the eyes of one of her very good friends.

"What did Fred screw up?"

"What do you mean?"

"Don't play dumb."

"I'm too smart to know how."

Ginny sighed exasperatedly. "My brother obviously chased you away."

"What makes you think it was a mistake?"

"Well, does that mean you were interested?"

"Am I interested in anyone?"

"Okay, what happened?"

"Why do you insist something happened?"

"You're not the same person you were." Ginny stated simply. Hermione glared.

"Who was that?"

"Someone who was happy." Ginny replied softly.

"What makes you think I'm not happy?"

"Do I need to answer that?" Hermioen looked down. "I know you like Fred. You can deny it, but that won't change me knowing. And he kissed you Hermione."

"So?"

"My brother doesn't just kiss any girl."

"Really?" Hermione asked spitefully.

"Oh gosh." Ginny sighed. "Something more happened the night before we came back here."

"What?"

"That's when you changed. Oh, Hermione."

"Stop it with that crap, okay? Nothing happened!"

Ginny shook her head as Hermione went to put away her towel in her private bathroom. "Tell that to my brother..." She said quietly, remembering the way her mother had described him as of late.

Days later and Ginny had yet to crack Hermione. Hermione wasn't going to let that happen. She was embarrassed really. She had done such things with the brother of two of her best friends. And she still wasn't sure if he had done them with her as a joke, or due to his raging, almost-twenty hormones.

It was a Hogsmeade weekend and Ginny had talked Hermione into hanging out with her. So, it was almost eleven and Hermione was dressed in a red shirt that said "Fireworks After 9:00", light jeans, and tennis shoes. In a haze, she followed Ginny and everyone else in the trip to Hogsmeade, not really paying attention as she was dragged into the Three Broomsticks.

They were at a table, Hermione, Ginny, Harry, Ron, Lavender, and Seamus. (Yes, Ginny does hang with people her own year. Just not today.) Hermione was sipping at a butterbeer when the door opened and by habit she glanced over, bored with the conversation.

What other redhead had to walk in at that moment?

A/N: Yes, a bit uneventful, hopefully slightly comical with the interrogation from Ginny? Well, soon the next chapter will be up. But no, not a whole lot of drama yet. There was enough of that in the last chapter. You will see, you will see, I promise. Maybe in the chapter after the next one. It all depends on your reviews...hehehe...Okay, some thank you's are in order-pyro the dark angel: Aw, it was fine. Really, thanks for you support. Lol, just kidding. Glad you liked the last line. I was going for the dramatic exit. NinePurpleClouds: Hey, thanks for the review, yeah, I know it's a bit rushed, but I am trying. I try to update as fast as possible, and you will see a lot of new chapters spilling forth soon, maybe between one and three a day. At least until the eighth of July. Led-Zeppelin-Jr.: Really, the world doesn't need another psycho. Please contain yourself. Lol, hope you are happy. starbaby-210: Okay, no letter explaining his deepest emotions. No explaining his deepest emotions yet either. More confusion and chaos. Thanks for the ten, lol. Katrina Tonak: Yeah, I don't think I would have cared either. He's just too hot. Lol. Okay, also thanks to the people who either didn't write much, or I just don't have a comment for: aZn iDOL, Ms. Sprinkles, SpikesDreamer, Serlene, The Gryffindor Drummer, degrassichick, and Antanaqui. Love ya'll! And yeah, I know, the A/N is as long as the chapter, right? Well, very special lovin to Fluffy Puff Marshmellow! Now review, or no Fred/Hermione action! Lol.