A/N: ANOTHER update! I am on a roll, I tell you what. I know you're all dying to find out what happens to the infamous red head & our spirited leading lady so I won't keep you waiting… :P

/Bring me joy, don't bring me pain

I've seen enough of the pouring rain.

Show me love's what you're living for,

Ain't gonna play the cryin' game no more,

Ain't gonna play the cryin' game no more/

--Sarah Evans, "Cryin' Game"

Today was Saturday. I'd just gotten done serving my detention from Snape (scraping frog guts off the ceiling—yuck!), and was now sitting by the lake, leaning against an old tree, and dipping my toes into the water. It was just me—I'd needed some time to think. The rain had melted away the snow, but it was still freezing outside and I was wrapped up in about fifteen layers: tank top, t-shirt, hoodie, my quidditch jacket, Fred's quidditch jacket, giant black wooly overcoat—hideous, but warm—okay, so maybe only six. Whatever.

I hadn't seen Fred or George all day today. By the time they had served their detentions, it was time for me to leave for mine. Angelina, Alicia, Lee, Oliver, and I had idled the day away with Exploding Snap and repetitive quidditch chatter. The whole time I'd been thinking of Fred, admittedly. I'd been wondering what he was thinking.

And that was still what I was thinking of. I sneezed violently into the ugly black coat. Disgusting. Admittedly though, it was my fault. Flying around half-naked last night had been stupid; sitting here purposely getting wet was asinine. And yet, here I was. Could Fred really have fallen for such an idiot girl? That would make him an idiot, too, of course. But then again, didn't we all know that?

Sheesh, I'd almost rather be in class. At least there I could think about something other than Fred. Of course, even that hadn't been working too well lately. Professor McGonagoll had literally stared at me for about ten seconds when I'd asked a halfway intelligent question the other day. And the fun didn't stop there. She'd even gone as far as to keep me after class to show me the "O" I'd received on her latest exam.

"Are you feeling alright, Miss Bell?" she had asked, peering at me as though I might have some disease. Dumb teachers.

Okay, so forget class…just give me something to take my mind off of my idiot teammate, classmate, and supposed best friend. Ahem. Best friends are not supposed to confuse each other. Didn't he know that?

If he was, in any way, remotely intelligent, he wouldn't have acted the idiotic way he had last night. If he was smart, he would have foreseen that that established a new layer of tension between us, and you can't build a relationship on tension. Whoa, did I just say that? That sounded…deep. Awesome.

Anyway. That's what he had gone and done. And now, here we were. What was I supposed to do? Just throw myself into his arms and say "Take me, I'm yours"? As if! You can't build a relationship on tension. I LOVE the way that sounds…You can't build a relationship on tension. Too bad Fred was too stupid to know that. I bet if he was here right now, he'd expect me to leap at him without any forewarning and snog him senseless. Ooh, that made me mad. I can't believe he expects that! Why, if he was here right now, I'd---

"Hey, Katie," Fred came around and sat down next to me, grinning a little at the hideous overcoat. "Nice wraps."

"Fred!" I cried. "I can't believe you expect that!"

He stared at me. "What?"

"How dare you!"

"How dare I what?"

"Expect that of me!"

"Kate…what are you talking about?" He looked a little amused. I threw my hands into the air.

"Expect for me to leap at you without any forewarning and snog you senseless!"

He laughed. "Well, that would be nice, but…what I was really expecting was for you to forgive me."

"Huh?"

He said it slowly. "I—want—you—to—forgive me—for being—such a—git—last night."

"Really?"

"Yes, really. Are we cool?"

I sighed inwardly, relieved. That was easier than I expected it to be…so I came off sounding a little strange, but…whatever. I think Fred was used to it.

"Of course we're cool," I replied easily. "How're you and George?"

Fred shrugged. "Pretty good. I—uh—apologized to him and I think he took it pretty well. Mind you, I feel like a total arse for punching him, but, er—"

He turned a little red, clearly embarrassed. "Anyway, I believe him, I just kinda got carried away at the moment…"

"Only a little," I said jokingly.

He laughed. "Yeah. I'm an idiot. He explained to me how he thought it was Alicia…I guess that's understandable seeing how it was dark and you had your hood on and all…"

He trailed off. Okay, this was a bit awkward.

"Right," I said, wishing I had about four layers less on. Remarkable how quickly I'd gotten warm…

"Right. So that clears things up for him…He thought you were Alicia and the only thing that remains to be seen is who you thought you were—"

"I don't think anything," I replied quickly. "And I'm quite sure I don't know what you're talking about."

He grinned. "Okay, Katie. You don't have to admit your undying love for Marcus Flint if you don't want to."

I slugged him. He feigned hurt, and then tackled me into a gigantic bear hug. I laughed as grabbed my hair and pulled it and I kicked him in the shins.

"Careful, you're going to dump me in the lake!" I cried, pushing him away from me.

"You're right, that would be bad," he replied seriously. "With that thing on, you'd go straight to the bottom." He was pointing at my coat. I rolled my eyes.

"Be jealous if you want."

"Oh, I'm jealous. But I better go, Kate, me and George are gonna try and get in some flying before it gets dark."

I nodded. "It's getting late. I'll talk to you later then."

"See ya."

I smiled as I trotted up the stairs. So that was cool. I only had to bide my time for a couple more days, and then I could spring it on him. That I was in love with him. I felt like singing. So I did.

"AAAAAAaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaahhhh!"

There wasn't any particular song that seemed to describe my emotions so I made one up.

"LAAaaaaaaaAAAAAAhhhhh!"

"Katie, would you cut it out?" Angelina said, annoyed. She and Alicia were already getting ready for bed. Well, I supposed it would be dark soon…not much flying time for Fred and George. No matter. When he was inside he was closer to me! Oh Merlin. I'm starting to scare myself…okay. Whatever.

"WaaaAAAhhhH!"

"Katie!" Angelina snapped again. "Who told you you could sing?"

"I think I sing rather well," I replied honestly.

Angelina and Alicia looked at each other.

"What are you so happy about anyway?" Alicia grumbled.

"Fred," I said, smirking, flopping myself down between them. "We're friends again."

"And…" Alicia said, probing.

"And…I'm glad?"

She sighed. "You didn't tell him then?"

"No…"

"Why not?"

"Because it needs time to settle back to where we were before!" I stated. Then, for good measure, "You can't build a relationship on tension."

Angelina looked like she was thinking for a bit. Then, smiling to herself, she said, "Well, Katie, it might seem fine to you to wait for a bit, but that's not what I would do."

"And just why not, may I ask?"

"Because I saw Sarah Fawcett staring at him all during dinner," she replied. "And word on the street is that she's trying to get back with him."

"So?" I said disgustedly. "He likes me…right?"

"Well," she said slyly, "That's what we thought. But they did seem to have a…connection. And Fred's waited a while for you."

I growled. "You sound like Lee."

"Maybe we're both right."

"Last night you said he was a git!"

"Last night was…let's not talk about last night. Anyway, all I'm saying is that you should get a move on if you don't want your man stolen from right underneath your nose."

I scowled. "Whatever."

"You have gum in your hair, by the way," Alicia added casually, over the top of her book.

My mind flashed back to Fred pulling my hair and I grinned. Same old Fred.

Fred Weasley strolled along the grounds of Hogwarts, broom on his shoulder, talking to his twin brother, George. George was talking about Quidditch and Fred was giving absent minded answers. He was thinking about Katie Bell and the best way to ask her out.

He couldn't just grab her and snog her senseless. It sounded amazing, but he was pretty sure that would seem a bit—ah—indecorous on his part, not to mention very ungentlemanly. But he didn't want to give a speech either…Katie hated anything cliché…

"Oy, Fred," George called, "Are you gonna answer me?"

"Sorry, mate," Fred said. "What was that?"

"I asked if you wanted to put some itching powder down ickle Ollie-kins trousers."

"Oh…yeah…sure."

"You okay, bro?"

Fred shook his rapidly. "Yeah, fine. Bit tired, I suppose."

George nodded. "I know what you mean. It's been a long day. Doesn't help, Percy being a git and all."

Fred nodded. "Exactly," he said.

He looked up toward the tower they were now walking past. He knew well enough that's where the girls stayed. Wish you could tell me what you want to hear, Kate, he thought. He laughed to himself as he heard Katie's screams coming from out the window.

"Don't you dare cut my hair!"

"Katie, it has to come out!"

"Isn't there some…some charm to take it out?"

So she had found the gum. Excellent. Fred returned to pondering the question just as the wind picked up and blew something into his face. It was a piece of parchment.

"'Sthat?" George asked.

"Dunno," Fred replied. "Litter, I think."

"Disgusting the way people will do that," George remarked. "Throw it away."

Fred was in the process of doing so when he saw, scrawled at the top in very familiar handwriting, The Perfect Boyfriend. He continued to read, and as he did, he began to smile. It seemed he knew exactly what to do after all.

"You know, George," he said conversationally, "I just might keep this."