A/N: I am absolutely speechless. I have been completely bombarded with reviews. If I could, I'd bake you all cookies. :) Sorry it took me so long to update, it's been a crazy couple of days. I'm trying to make my chapters longer, and add more action per requests (you know who you are), so lets get to the story.

Disclaimer: I had this dream where I owned Harry Potter...then I woke up. Darn.

No Ladder?

The next day had to be the weirdest of Hermione's whole life. She, Harry, Ginny, and Ron were preparing to go back to Hogwarts, Christmas break being over. She was in sort of a haze all morning, still reeling from the last two days. The now signed marriage license in her pocket seemed to be all she could think of. It was almost as if she could feel it.

Fred had shown up at breakfast that morning and announced that he didn't want to discuss the last few days, and everyone respected his wishes. But they all thought, though none voiced, how strange it was that he wasn't putting up a fight-Fred was not one to back down. They found it even stranger when he announced he was coming to the station to see everyone off. He hadn't been since meeting them off after the Department of Mysteries fiasco in fifth year. However, they didn't question it.

When they all arrived at King's Cross, Fred hugged Hermione goodbye out of the blue, drawing all kinds of looks from everyone around. Even those not part of the group that knew them sent a few stares their way. But he released her quickly and turned to hug Ginny, making them all a little more comfortable.

Just as Hermione was about to step onto the train, Fred grabbed her arm. "Did you sign it?" he whispered.

"Oh." Hermione dug into her pocket and pulled out the 'it' in question. She thrust it at Fred, who stuffed it into his own pocket.

"Saturday?"

"Saturday." She agreed. He smiled at her and stepped back from the train. She turned to get on board, and saw George giving her the coldest look she had ever seen in her life.

"What do you think is up with Fred?" Ginny suddenly asked an hour into the trip.

Hermione almost choked on her chocolate frog. "Wrong?" she gasped out.

"Yeah. He was acting so odd when he came back this morning. And then he hugged us." She said, gnawing on a sugar quill.

"Now that you mention it, he was acting weird." Ron added.

Hermione didn't know what to do. Should she say something and risk letting the plan slip? Or just try and ignore it?

"What do you think?" Ginny asked her.

So much for ignoring it.

"He seemed fine to me." She answered, never looking up from her book.

"On come on Hermione, he hugged us. I can't remember the last time I saw Fred hug anyone." Ginny looked over at Ron. "Can you?"

"Nope." He answered.

"I'm sure you're just being paranoid." Hermione assured them.

"Whatever. I still think he's up to something." Ginny grumbled. The rest of the trip passed in silence.

If possible, Hermione spent even more time in the library than usual that week. Every spare moment was devoted to researching wizard marriages and betrothals. This had to be legal if it was going to work. She logged such long hours that even Madame Pince was beginning to give her strange looks.

On Friday morning she went up to the Owlery to send Fred a letter about what she'd read the night before. She had been doing it all week. And he sent his replies late at night so no one would notice them.

Hermione was very excited on this particular morning, mainly due to her discovery at around two o'clock that morning. Since there was no signed contract involved in Fred's betrothal like there was in Ron's, and no blood pact, the promise would become void once his marriage vows to Hermione were said.

She raced into the door to send her letter off to find Harry perched on a windowsill.

"Harry. What are you doing here?" she asked him.

"I could ask you the same question." was his answer.

"I'm sending a letter." She told him, confused by his tone.

"To whom?" he inquired.

"I don't really see how that's any of your business."

"It is if it's the same person you've been writing to all week."

"And how is that?" Now she was staring to get mad. As long as she had known Harry, he'd been very intent on keeping certain things secret. Now he was trying to invade her privacy? Unbelievable.

"Who I send letters to is my business." She told him. Then she marched over to a large tawny owl and coaxed it down.

"I don't know what's going on with you two, but you need to stop it now." Harry said as he came up behind her as she tied the parchment to the owl's leg.

Hermione's heart began to pound. "Who?" She whispered.

"Fred." He said simply.

Hermione whirled around, a million questions forming in her mind. But before she could voice even one Harry held up his hands. "No. I don't want to know. I'm just here as a friend, telling you that whatever you're planning; don't do it. If you have to sneak around and research like this, it's not worth it." He placed a hand on her arm and then left.

Hermione sat down on a nearby sill. How did he know? What did he know? And was he right? She had had her doubts from the beginning and dismissed them out of her desire to help Fred. Now Harry's doubts were adding fuel to the fire.

Then Fred's face swam before her. His eyes full of pain and desperation when he had asked her for help had been real. So had the joy in his smile when she agreed. Harry's worries didn't matter. He had done plenty of stupid things. At least hers would help somebody. So she sent the letter.

Saturday morning dawned cold and clear as only a January day can. Hermione feigned sick to get everyone to leave her alone. Ten minutes after Lavender and Parvati went down to breakfast; she put on her dressing gown and headed for the stairs leading to the boys' dorms. She paused outside the door to the seventh year boys' door. Not hearing anything that would suggest that someone was inside, she opened the door.

Quietly, she snuck over to Harry's trunk and opened it. There she saw them- the Invisibility Cloak and the Marauder's Map. Just what she needed to get out of the castle. Fred had suggested them in his letter the night before. She quickly grabbed them and headed back to her room.

At half past eleven that night, she peeked out from behind her bed hangings to see if Lavender and Parvati were back. Nope. She got up and took off her pajamas to reveal the jeans and white jumper she was wearing underneath. She grabbed the cloak and map from under bed and quickly put on her coat and shoes.

She checked the map, and finding her way clear, threw on the cloak and opened the door.

'How does Harry do this?' she wondered. She had just narrowly avoided Snape on her way to the front doors. How he would love to catch her sneaking out with those particular objects. Not only was she Head Girl and a Gryffindor, but he'd be able to connect Harry since she was using his things. But he didn't catch her, and she was able to sneak out the front door undetected.

She saw Fred about three yards from the front gate and ran over, pulling the cloak over her head.

"Well, if it isn't my fiancée." He greeted her.

Suddenly, Hermione found the whole thing very funny. She burst into giggles, causing Fred to look at her as if she had lost her mind.

"Care to let me in on the joke Granger?" he asked amused.

"Nothing. It's just that in muggle movies when people elope, the girl usually climbs out her window down a ladder." She explained.

"And that's funny?" he wondered.

"No, but the thought of me trying to climb out of Gryffindor Tower while you held a ladder for me is. I can only imagine what you'd do."

Fred grinned. "You know me too well."

She smiled back.

Taking her arm, he guided her over to a hovering broom and swung his leg over. "Ready?"

"We're flying?" she squeaked.

Fred smacked himself in the head. He had completely forgotten that Hermione was scared of flying. "I promise I won't let you fall." He told her reaching out his hand. He scooted back giving her room to get in front. Very hesitantly she mounted the broom, settling back against Fred. He put his arms around her as he lifted off the ground and headed for Hogsmeade.

A/N: Well, I hope that was long enough. I know the ending was a little bland, but I needed a filler to get them form the Burrow to Hogwarts. I'll try to have the next chapter up by Thursday. Don't miss it-it's the wedding! Until then. :)