Chapter 11

"Fred, please, can't you save those stupid twin jokes for another time, I really need to –"

"I am George, Hermione. Ich bin George."

He looked intently at her. She looked back. She felt sick; it was George. Not Fred. She didn't know exactly how she could tell, she just could. Something about the eyes …

She suddenly came out of her reverie. "George, look, you have to understand that –"

"What? That you have feelings for my brother? My twin brother; my older brother, not my little brother?" Hermione had never seen George look so shocked and disconcerted – he was always brimming with pride and confidence; now however, the cheeky glint in his eye was gone and there was no colour left in his cheeks apart from his dull orange freckles.

"No, look – wait, Fred's your older brother? But you're twins?"

"Well yeah, but you see he came out just a few minutes before- No no! I know what you're trying to do, don't change the subject!" George had suddenly narrowed his eyes and was pointing his finger right at Hermione. He meant business.

Hermione sighed. "I don't have 'feelings' for Fred! I actually specified that I didn't, remember? I said he was a great friend and everything but …" Hermione was clearly panicking at the thought of Fred's twin brother, with whom he shared everything, gaining the knowledge that she cared for Fred a little more than everyone, even Hermione herself, thought.

"Puurlease Hermione, I'm sorry to correct you and everything but I think that for once in your swotty bushy little lifetime, you need to be. I heard your speech okay? And it seriously sounds like you do fancy him-"

"No! No! No I don't George!" Tears were now leaking out of Hermione's wide watery eyes with frustration as she frantically swatted her shaky hands at him, trying to talk him out of what he just said. She leapt to her feet and started pacing the room, wringing her hands as the tears kept spilling. She avoided George's eyes again. "I don't, I don't, I know it might sound like it but I just miss talking to him, being with him and I don't want him to think badly of me and be off with some girl talking to her like he could be talking to me …"

"Why would he think badly of you?"

"Oh, I was in Ron's room the other week when he was injured, and he thought me and Fred were up to something, you know, and he threatened to kill Fred, so obviously I had to do something to prevent Ron getting sent to Azkaban, so I told him he had nothing to worry about because I'd never look at Fred that way …. and Fred heard." She looked at her feet.

"Were you up to something?" George asked incredulously.

"No! That was the truth, that I didn't think I'd ever see Fred that way, but it must have sounded awful when he heard it … but it wasn't as if we were doing anything …"

"Look, I wouldn't blame you to feel that way, to be honest, we are very good-looking …"

"GEORGE! WHY DO YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO BE SPITTING JOKE AFTER JOKE AFTER JOKE OUT 24 HOURS A DAY EVEN WHEN SOMETHING THAT ACTUALLY MEANS SOMETHING AND WHEN PEOPLE ARE UPSET –"

"Geez! I'm sorry okay? Crying girls just make me uncomfortable …" He got up hesitantly and walked over to Hermione where she was cowering a little after her outburst, and he rubbed her gently on the back. She simply sniffed and dabbed her eyes with her sleeve to try and stem the continuous flow from them.

After she said nothing, he spoke, but his voice was calmer and softer than before, obviously to try and comfort her as she was in such a state. "Hermione, don't break down … just be honest with yourself. You have feelings for Fred."

"No but I –"

"Listen. Why are you so upset about it? Yeah, it's kind of random I'll admit and I didn't expect it, but it's not wrong. You shouldn't feel guilty. I guess Ronniekins will be a bit miffed when he finds out, but –"

"Finds out? What? George, you musn't tell -!"

"No relax, I won't say a word." George stopped patting her after she had calmed down a bit, and returned to the floor, where he propped his head on his fist and looked thoughtful. Then he looked back up at Hermione. "But you have to."

"Me? Tell who? What the devil are you –"

George chuckled slightly, sounding mysteriously like his old Headmaster. "Hermione, you've got to tell Fred."

Hermione's face was horror-stricken. His was calm and serious. She knew he was right.

"B-but what about him, and … you know … her?" Hermione placed extra emphasis on the last word, indicating her feeling of utmost loathing towards it, even though she didn't really know who "it" was.

"That's nothing serious. Trust me. He's just going out with Verity because he's miserable. I knew something was up with him you know. Thinking about it, he could be feeling the same way as you …"

But Hermione was suddenly hit with a sensation that highly resembled that of a bludger, or a blow by a beater's club – (wow, she really hated Quidditch …). She couldn't tell Fred. Tell him what anyway? That she doesn't want him ever to leave her side? That she didn't want him to ever go near any other girl, let alone this Verity person from his shop? And what about the fact that she wants to be with him all the time? Not like Ron or Harry, or even like she did with Viktor, or anyone she's ever known for that matter … but all the time. Talking with him, playing with him, laughing with him, just sitting with him, or even bickering with him, she didn't care. Each one of those scenario's included Fred. That's all she really wanted.

But wait, what was she saying? What about Ron? What George said was right – he wouldn't be just "a bit miffed", he would be devastated. She knew it. And Ginny, she could be upset – she was so excited at the belief of her wanting to be with Ron. And what about everyone else who was rooting for her and Ron to get together? Her friends, her family, his family … how many people would she be hurting, how many friendships would she be jeopardizing, how many dreams would she be shattering, just for one desire that at the moment felt immoral and wrong ….

George could see that Hermione was having an inward battle with her true feelings and her conscience by the complicated and painful looking expression on her face, and as if he were performing Voldemort-standard occlumency, he gave her the sweet answer she knew and needed, but refused to accept;

"If it's meant to be, Hermione, it'll be worth it."

A/N: Okay, well there you go! I wrote that today - sorry if it seems a bit rushed; I just wanted to get it up there for you guys. Pleeease review, and any ideas on what could happen next would be appreciated - you know what you want better than I do! Should Hermione tell Fred? How will Fred react? Will George spill the beans ...?