A/N: Well, here's the promised second update. I hope you enjoy.

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Marianne Brandon: Backfire? Whatever do you mean?

mm4ever2gether: Sorry, we won't find out for a few more chapters yet.

professionaldooropener: Yeah, I know it. My brain must not have been working right that day.

Kaydeek: Turns into what if I may ask. : )

Monica7725: I don't think Ron will explode. Not yet anyway. I'm sorry you can't channel me anymore. Looks like you'll just have to wait and see what happens. Unless you get your powers back. Just teasing.

unperfectwolf: Okay, I almost choked on a piece of cake when I read your review. Not nice. Funny, but not nice.

cantatedomino: Aw, I think your story is sweet. I haven't reviewed yet but I will in long, opinionated detail. You have been warned.

Lisi: Just what are you thinking?

Oddballout: Talent? Aw, you're too sweet.

Pauly-85: Thank you. And shame? Sorry, I'm just evil that way.

penguininpink: Oh, stop it. I'm gonna get a big head from all this.

Damia - Queen of the Gypsi's: Hehe, I love your reviews. They're hilarious. Maybe.

Rutteroolz: Would you like roses or lilies?

heart of flame: No, I don't think I can.

SiriusJamesRemus'sgirl: ?

Renor Faer: You think that's sad? Honey please. See if you still feel that way when you're in college and then talk to me.

Liv Pierce: We'll just have to wait and see.

Rouge07: Been there.

Scorpio 1118: You can get up now. You'll get your clothes dirty.

Everybody Else: Oh, you know I love you. Do I really need to say it?

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Disclaimer: That's a joke, right?

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Fighting Fire With Fire

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"Show? What kind of show?" Fred asked Hermione perplexed.

"Well Ron apparently thinks were lying…" Hermione started.

"We are lying." Fred interrupted.

"We know that. But he doesn't have to."

Fred nodded. He wasn't sure what Hermione was talking about, but hey, she probably knew what she was doing.

Or so he thought.

Without warning, Hermione un-tucked her shirt from her jeans and began to unbutton it. Fred's eyes nearly popped out of his head and he put his hands over hers to halt her actions.

"What are you doing?" he hissed.

"Making Ron think we've been up to no good in here." she explained as she took her hair down from it's haphazard bun.

"What good will that do?" he wondered.

"Are you serious?" she asked.

Fred just looked as and she concluded that yes, he was serious. "Fred, Ron thinks that we're faking it. If he thinks we've been in here messing around he'll begin to realize that we're not."

Fred smacked himself in the forehead. "Duh."

Hermione grinned and examined her reflection in the mirror. Not bad, but not quite right. "Something's missing." she declared.

"And that would be?"

Before Fred knew what was happening Hermione had crossed over to him and was kissing him. He was too shocked to respond.

At first.

Fred's hands began to move of their own volition. First they tangled themselves in Hermione's hair, then they wandered down to her waist. Her shirt was now loose and he slid one underneath it, running up the smooth skin of her back and effectively wrinkling the fabric slightly.

Meanwhile Hermione was running her hands from Fred's hair down his back and up his arms before repeating the pattern. She reluctantly broke away, thinking that it was enough. But Fred seemed less convinced. Without her lips, his mouth moved down to her neck. She gasped slightly. This was not what she'd had in mind. Mmm, but it felt really good. She closed her eyes and slid her hands under Fred's tee-shirt to explore his chest.

Then a loud knock pulled them both back to their senses.

"Are you guys alright in there?" Ron's voice called through the door.

'Y-yeah." Hermione answered. "We'll be out in just a second."

Ron's footsteps retreated back down the hallway and Hermione looked up at Fred. He was flushed and breathing somewhat raggedly. His shirt was rumpled and his hair a mess. She figured she must look about the same.

"Okay. Let's go." Hermione said.

They wondered back to the kitchen and Hermione re-buttoned one of the buttons of her blouse. Funny, she didn't remember undoing that one. Ron looked up when they reentered the room, and his eyes grew to the size of saucers as he took in their appearances and the hickey that was beginning on Hermione's neck. They then narrowed into angry slits and an angry color began to rise in his cheeks.

"You alright Ron? You don't look too good." Fred said with that feigned innocent expression he'd picked up during a lifetime of troublemaking. It was all Hermione could do not to burst out laughing at Ron's expression. He looked ready to murder his older brother.

"I have to go." Ron gritted out. He stomped over to the door and practically threw it open without even a goodbye.

Fred and Hermione looked at each other before they both dissolved into laughter. "That was too easy." Fred declared. "You really know what gets him don't you?"

"After all these years It's kind of hard not to." Hermione replied.

Still smiling, Fred turned to look at her on the couch where she had collapsed from his spot on the floor. He wondered if anyone would ever know him as well as Hermione knew Ron and Harry. Anyone besides George at least. He wanted that.

"What are you thinking about?" Hermione asked softly.

"You know both of them so well. I think I'd like that." he told her.

Hermione smiled softly at him. 'It'll happen."

Fred gazed at her. "I hope so." he whispered.

Hermione got up from the couch and walked over to where Fred was sprawled out on the floor. She knelt down toward him and he sat up. She began to stroke his cheek softly. "I promise. You're a great guy."

Fred looked into Hermione's eyes as she continued to run her fingers along his face. The fire was giving off a warm glow and it cast light across her face. She really was beautiful. Big eyes and soft, full lips. A few tiny freckles were dotted across her nose and high cheekbones. But it was how smart and kind she was that really made her seem so lovely. Sitting there it was easy to understand what Ron had seen in her all these years.

Hermione's mind was running along similar lines as she stared at Fred. She knew he was cute, very cute. But he was so thoughtful and funny. More so than anyone gave him credit for. It was a shame that there wasn't someone in his life that would appreciate how truly wonderful he was.

Hermione was vaguely aware of Fred moving closer to her. It never really registered until his face was so close that she couldn't focus her eyes anymore. They fluttered shut as Fred pressed his lips against hers softly. But it quickly deepened. Before either of them knew what was happening, Fred had pulled Hermione onto his lap as he let his hands roam allover her body. She slid her hands up his back and pulled away so she could get his shirt over his head. She looked into his eyes, blazing in the firelight. He put one arm under her legs and one behind her back and stood up, cradling her in his arms. She was so tiny, it was no effort at all to carry her toward the bedroom as they returned to kissing.

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Hermione woke up the next day feeling very disoriented. She knew right away that she was in her and Fred's bed but something was…off. She shifted in her sleep and, as usual, she was snuggled up to Fred, but it felt different. She reached down to scratch her leg and that's when she realized it. She wasn't wearing any clothes.

Her eyes shot open. Fred was sound asleep beside, his chest bare. The night before came flooding back to her. Making out in the bedroom to make Ron think they were fooling around, kissing in front of the floor, Fred carrying her to the bedroom and laying her down before they…

'Oh God.' was the only thing that kept running through her mind. She sat up, remembering to wrap the blanket tightly around herself. This was so not good. She and Fred had planned to have their marriage annulled after a year. Now they'd have to get a divorce, which was not easy to do in the Wizarding world. Marriage was a bigger deal there than it was in Muggle society.

Fred mumbled in his sleep and rolled toward her. He threw her arm over her leg like he'd done that morning she had fallen out of bed. A sad smile came to her face. Fred was so sweet. Even last night, he'd been so gentle with her. Almost like she was made of porcelain. He really cared about her. That almost made the whole thing worse. A tear slipped down her cheek and she sniffled.

Fred woke to the sound of Hermione crying beside him. He opened is eyes to see her wrapped in the blanket trying to muffle the noise in her pillow. He sat up and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her against his chest. She began to sob louder, shudders racking her body. Fred's heart broke into a million pieces as he whispered soothing words into her hair. She regretted it. Of course she did. Hermione had only agreed to marry him to help him and he'd taken advantage of her. He hated himself at that moment.

Eventually, Hermione's sobs slowed and then ceased completely. She sat up slowly, her face to the side as she brushed the tears from her cheeks. "Fred…"

"It okay." he whispered.

"I'm sorry." she said so softly that Fred had to strain to hear her.

Fred was thunderstruck. "For what?"

"You just needed my help. Then I…"

Fred put his hands on her shoulders to silence her. She looked into his eyes for the first time that morning. They were full of sympathy and regret.

"You have nothing to be sorry for. I think we both just got a little carried away." he told her simply.

"But this will make an annulment impossible now." she cried.

"I know. But we'll think of something." he slid his arms around her shoulders.

Hermione sighed against him. "Are we alright? I mean, does this change things between us?" she asked in a small voice.

He didn't know how to answer that. When he went to sleep the night before he thought that maybe they could give their marriage a real shot. Now that he knew Hermione didn't feel the same way, he was sure that would never happen now.

"No. Nothing's changed." he replied.

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A/N: Well I hope that meets with everyone's approval. I think I should have waited a little before things went this far. What do you think? In the next chapter Fred and Hermione plot against Ron, he plots back, and we find out what Hermione's job is.