A.N.: After a long wait there's finally a new chapter to this story. Now, that I finished writing my other WIP, updates will hopefully come much faster. Is there something you'd really want to see in this story? Tell me in the comments!

This chapter was betaed by my writer-friend lilvictoire.

Chapter 5: Just a Date

"Where are we going?" Hermione found herself asking minutes later, finding her fingers linked with Fred's, gently leading her along the street. Somehow he seemed almost happy, looking at her with twinkling brown eyes as he said: "What kind of surprise would it be if I just told you?"

Hermione huffed. "Now it's supposed to be a surprise, too? I thought this was just a date."

Fred chuckled. "Just a date, huh? Oh, Hermione, it is never just a date."

To her surprise, he pulled her around a corner, her body stumbling into him as he stopped. He held her close, his eyes crinkling with amusement as he noticed her stunned expression and probably her pink cheeks, too. Before she could utter a reply he whisked them away, the apparition squeezing their bodies even tighter together, until all of their cells seemed to be in direct contact. Strangely Hermione did not find it uncomfortable and it was not only because her body had gotten used to apparition during her year on the run. Being close to Fred felt… not as bad as it should, considering that they still barely knew each other. Until recently they had not even been friends but now that they were tossed into this difficult situation together, Hermione could not help but feel strangely content, thinking that she could have had it much worse.

When they materialized moments later, Hermione still found herself tightly pressed against Fred, his arms steadying her even though there was hardly any need to. Hermione usually had no problems after apparating, but suddenly, as she stared into Fred's brown eyes, she could feel her legs getting a little shaky.

"Where are we?" she asked, sounding a little breathless.

Fred chuckled. "Come and see."

Before she knew what was happening he had let go of her, taking her hand instead and pulling her forward. They only had to walk around a corner for her to realize that they were in the centre of London, walking towards the Thames and the London Eye.

"A stroll along the river?" she asked, surprised.

"Actually, I wanted to take you up there," Fred said, pointing towards the huge Ferris Wheel.

Hermione's eyes widened. She'd never taken a ride on it because her parents had been aware of her fear of heights and they had never asked her to. "Really?" she found herself asking, her voice sounding somewhat squeaky. "But it's…"

Fred looked at her with a grin. "A muggle invention?"

Hermione shook her head. "High," she answered instead, her cheeks growing even redder with embarrassment. "I do not like heights," she informed him awkwardly.

Her husband frowned. "Not even when you're in a closed cabin that moves very, very slowly?" he asked, sounding somewhat disappointed.

She sighed. "I guess I could give it a try," she admitted slowly. "If it gets too uncomfortable, I can always apparate out."

"Sure," he said, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze. "But I don't think you'll have to. The view is great and if you start feeling uncomfortable, I can always start distracting you…" he offered, his eyes twinkling again.

Hermione nodded, plastering a smile onto her face while they kept moving. She did not want to disappoint him, not on their first date. She wanted this to be nice for him as well, because in the years to come they would probably look back at this day or even the next few weeks. The last thing she wanted was Fred regretting having married her. Yes, they had had little choice in the matter with the Ministry assigning them for each other, but that did not mean they had to be unhappy, right? Even if there was no love in their future, they could at least have companionship and making some nice memories together surely could not hurt as well.

"I'm sure it will be fine," she assured him with a smile. Because really, how bad could taking a ride on a big wheel be?

Ssssssss

"Relax," Fred whispered, stroking Hermione's knuckles as the little cabin rose higher and higher into the air. She still held his hand, he realized with a pleased little smile, even though her grip was growing tighter and tighter, the higher they got lifted into the air. She was uncomfortable, Fred was sure of it, even though she did her best to hide her feelings. Still, Fred could read the tension from her stiff posture and the fact that her hands slowly grew clammy. He did not mind the latter but suddenly regretted having suggested this activity for their date, even though she had just told him she was afraid of heights. He quickly should have suggested something else instead. Now it was too late and he was determined to make this as enjoyable as possible for her.

Maybe a bit of distraction wouldn't go amiss.

"How come you've never been on a date?" he asked, smiling at her reassuringly. "I know for a fact that several Gryffindor blokes found you hot as hell and there must have been others fancying you as well. And what about Krum? Did he never take you out?"

Hermione looked at him in surprise. "Things were difficult with Viktor. There was always someone following him, no matter if I was there with him or not. Even if we took a walk along the lakeshore or something, it never felt like an actual date for the simple fact that we were almost never alone. There was the Yule Ball of course, but for me, a date implies that someone takes you somewhere and not just to a school event with hundreds of others in attendance."

Fred nodded understandingly. "I guess a snog in the rosebushes is not as romantic as one would wish for, if there is the danger of being caught by Snape." He wrinkled his nose. "I guess one could label it as your first date, but I fully understand that you don't want to do so."

His wife nodded and even though she suddenly looked kind of shy and awkward, he could tell that she was slowly relaxing next to him. "Yeah. And then there was Ron. You are right, there were others asking me out, but I just never was interested in any of them, for a long time I hoped... "

She broke off, but it was not difficult to guess what she had wanted to say. "Ickle Ronnikins always was an idiot," Fred said, soothingly rubbing her knuckles with his thumb. "I always knew of course, but when he dumped you right after the war…"

At that, Hermione shook her head. "It wasn't like that. The breakup was amicable. Things just did not work out between us. You know, as soon as the war was over we realized that we didn't actually have much in common." She sighed. "But neither have the both of us, do we?"

"I wouldn't say that, love," Fred said, his eyes soft even though his stomach dropped. He was ten times better suited for her than his idiot brother, he just needed her to realize that. "We are both utterly brilliant," he said, pulling her hand towards his mouth and kissing her knuckles. "And even though our areas of research might be different, we are both hard workers - I know you are."

Hermione nodded and somehow it looked like she was hanging on his lips. Fred could not say that he did not enjoy being the sole focus of her attention. "Are you trying to charm me, Fred?" she asked, her smile telling him that she enjoyed his words.

"Is it working?" he shot back, smirking. But before she could answer he added. "It is called giving a compliment, love. It's what one does on a date."

Somehow those last words made her stiffen. "And you would know that, I guess. Have you been on lots of dates, Fred?"

Fred sighed internally. How had he managed to make his girl feel awkward and uncomfortable again? He really should have learned from the evening before. No matter how confident and happy Hermione seemed most of the time, her lack of experience always seemed to make her feel uncomfortable and self-conscious again.

"A few," he therefore answered vaguely, looking her straight into the eyes. "Some of them were actually quite nice, some of them a total disaster. None of them was like this though."

"Like what?" Hermione asked, her voice sounding hesitant.

Fred reached for her with his other hand, his thumb gently brushing her bottom lip as he said, "I want this between us to work, Hermione. Which means that I am determined for you to enjoy yourself, love. And right now I've got the feeling that I am not doing a very good job with it."

Hermione shook her head, her lips forming a gentle smile. "I am enjoying myself, Fred. It is just… well, maybe I am as desperate for this to work as you are."

He chuckled. "Now look at us. What a pair we are! Apparently, we have something else in common."

His wife shook her curly head with a smile, but before she could reply their cabin stopped with a soft click. He could see her eyes drift outside, her head turning to the side, so that his hand now rested on her cheek. "The view from up here really is great," she admitted calmly. "It's like I can suddenly see everything. And now that we stopped moving…" She broke off.

"Does that mean you don't regret having entered a small, secluded cabin with me, Mrs Weasley?" he purred into her ear. Fred felt her shiver against him and with a smile he noted the goosebumps breaking out on her neck. His charm was working on her, good, because somehow he enjoyed watching her blush and reminding her that she was his now. Strange. Since when did he feel so possessive towards her?

"Should I? It's not like we're in a broom cupboard or something," she mumbled, but Fred could tell from the colour of her cheeks that she probably would not have minded if they were indeed in a broom cupboard. He definitely would not have minded, all his instincts shouted at him to kiss her already. Only he had already spent his daily kiss, which left him with no excuse to kiss her again.

"Even if we were, I hope you would not have anything to regret there either," Fred answered, his hand caressing her cheek. Blast it all, he thought before moving closer, slowly, to give her a chance to pull away. She did not do so. Instead, her eyes widened in surprise as she realized what he was about to do, her lips opened ever so slightly as if they were already inviting him in. When Fred finally sealed her mouth with a gentle kiss, his hand cupping her cheek and steadying her, it was like she was melting against him. He could have sworn there was a tiny sigh escaping her as his lips started to move against hers and she kissed him back without hesitation. This was nothing like the fervent, hastened snogs he'd had in Hogwarts' broom cupboards, this was sweet and gentle and perfect - and Fred enjoyed every second of it.

He could not have said how long it was, until their kiss was very rudely interrupted by the big wheel that suddenly started to move again, their cabin jerking abruptly as it started to move again. Hermione pulled back, her eyes looking at him with a stunned expression.

"Now I missed enjoying the view," she murmured but she did not sound like she was very sad about it.

Fred shrugged. "Well, we could go another round if you want."

Hermione smiled. "Who says I would not miss the view the next time too? And truly Fred, if you just want me in a secluded space all for yourself, we do have a flat together."

He chuckled. "True. By the way, I would like to introduce another little rule into our marriage. Can I?"

She shrugged, her eyebrows pulling together in confusion. "Why not? I can always say no if I don't like the rule. What is it?"

He grinned. "Whenever one of us feels like kissing the other one, he should absolutely do so," he said, gently. "Because I have the feeling that one kiss a day is not nearly enough for me. What do you say? Any objections, Mrs Weasley?"

Hermione shook her head. "None," she said, her head already moving closer to him again. "None whatsoever."