A/N: I love going over your comments for the previous chapters, haha! Thank you so much for taking the time to review the story - it's killing me that the site doesn't have an easier way to contact you than to write author's notes at the beginning of chapters. If I could, I would respond to each of you personally. Thanks for the support and for reading along. Appreciate it!
-oOo-
"Whew!" Fred said as they stumbled out of his fireplace, "it was getting crowded in there, huh?"
"Yes - I can't believe that The Hobgoblins of all bands made people run to the dance floor."
Fred rolled his eyes, "Ugh, me neither. I hate that stupid band! The lead singer is just so... icky!"
Hermione laughed at him, "you do realise that he was voted hottest of the year by Witch Weekly three years in row, right?"
"Ugh, don't even get me started."
"Oh come on," she laughed at him, "you can't possibly mean you don't think he's just the tiniest bit handsome."
"He's handsome, I'll give him that but there's just something about him. You can just tell that he's in to some weird stuff," Fred grinned.
"Merlin, you're insufferable," Hermione laughed at him and placed herself down on his sofa, taking off her shoes with a moan.
"Wow, how have you been dancing in those all night?" Fred arched an eyebrow when he took in her heels.
"Honestly? Heels are the worst part of dressing up," Hermione agreed wiggling her toes, "if you feel bad for me you could give me a foot rub," she batted her eyelashes at him.
"No way!" He laughed, "I'm not putting these babies anywhere near your stinky feet," he held up his hands, "plus men's dress shoes aren't exactly comfortable either. Especially not after you managed to clunk your fat foot down on me. If anything, you should give me a foot rub!"
"Hey, you said you were okay," Hermione laughed.
"I am, I am," Fred chuckled, "I'm just pulling your leg, love."
"Good," Hermione pouted.
"That was some dancing," he plumped down next to her on the sofa, "I had fun."
"Could you write that down for me?"
"Why?"
"So I can show you the note next time you refuse to come dance with me."
Fred gave out a hearty laugh, "don't worry. Next time, I'll definitely remember."
"Good," Hermione smiled up at him.
"You really do look beautiful in that dress," Fred beamed at her.
"Thanks," Hermione smiled, "I got it from... - Fred, are you staring at my cleavage?"
Fred's face whipped upwards, "what's that, love?"
Hermione couldn't help but laugh at his blank expression, "you were checking me out, weren't you?"
Fred's ears turned red, "sorry, love," he grinned awkwardly, "it's just a really nice dress. I didn't mean to stare," he cleared his throat.
"It's okay," Hermione said quietly, "I don't mind. You can stare..."
Fred was doing a poor job of concealing the broad smile that was growing wider and wider on his face, "erm," he smacked his lips, "would you like a drink?"
Hermione nodded eagerly and watched Fred leave the living room to go mix them both a drink. She sat by herself on the sofa, curious as to what was going to happen between her and Fred tonight. She contemplated whether she should have the talk with him or just go with the flow and see what was going to happen. She went over Fred's behaviour in the last 24 hours and couldn't help but smile to herself when she realised that one of the things she had been second-guessing earlier that morning was much clearer now: Fred was definitely interested in her! She was sure of it! All she needed to do now was...-
Her stream of thought was suddenly interrupted by a light tapping noise coming from the windowsill. Hermione turned her head and noticed an unfamiliar large, grey owl.
"Hi big guy," she said as she walked over to the window and untied the note from the handsome owl's leg. It hooted happily but set in motion and flew back into the night as soon as the note around its leg had been detached.
Hermione contemplated who the note could've been from. Maybe it was from one of the guests at Mr. and Mrs. Weasley's anniversary party who were wondering where Fred and Hermione had gone to? If so, she should probably write back and assure the sender that they were in fact quite alright.
Thus, without really thinking, Hermione unfolded the note and started reading.
Fred,
Just wanted to say goodnight.
I'm guessing you're having too much fun at your parents' anniversary party to come over now so I'm off to bed.
Really looking forward to our date tomorrow!
All my love, Val.
Hermione felt her stomach turn. Was he seriously still interested in Valerie? Was he really going on a third date with her even after how much he had flirted with Hermione over the last couple of days? Not to mention how he had snogged the living daylights out of her the night before - or the kiss they had shared on the dance floor no more than half an hour earlier. Hermione scoffed angrily to herself and immediately felt stupid for having actually believed that something might happen between her and Fred tonight. Of course he had arranged for a sleepover at Valerie's place! He had played Hermione as a safe hand. He hadn't looked suggestively at her all night because he fancied her. He had looked suggestively at her all night because he was Fred - an inconceivably charming and selfish Casanova who always got what he wanted. He hadn't changed at all. Suddenly, Hermione was reminded of exactly what had made her angry with him in the first place.
Annoyed with herself for having walked into Fred's web twice now, she slammed the note down on the table in front of her, but in the process noticed scribbles on the back of the piece of parchment as well. She turned it over and read:
...Also, I know that you're allergic to walnuts but are you also allergic to almonds? Might sound like a stupid question but I just wanted to make sure so I don't accidentally kill you.
The rage in Hermione's stomach was mixed up with a good portion of jalousy. She knew it was silly of her, but she felt as if someone had invaded some of her very own private Fred-101 knowledge. Valerie had been on two dates with him and she was already aware of his tree nut allergy?! Hermione scoffed to herself; two dates in and Valerie was already signing her notes with 'all her love'?!
Angry that Fred had been able to play her like this more than once, Hermione didn't notice him entering the living room with two drinks in hand. "I didn't know what you wanted, so I just got you a lobe blaster," he beamed and placed a drink on the table in front of her.
Hermione was so surprised by his sudden reappearance that she dropped the note as if she'd been scorched by fire, "Uhm, thanks, but I'm actually getting quite tired," she lied.
Fred eyed her suspiciously and said, "You seem a little out of it. Are you alright?"
"Yes," she said harshly without a hint of a smile.
"Are you sure? You look as if the bloody baron just snuck up on you," he put a hand on her knee.
"I have to go now," Hermione said mechanically and got up from the sofa.
"Okay?" Fred looked at her weird, "any plans for tomorrow? Maybe I could swing by around noon?"
"I thought you might have other stuff to do," Hermione could no longer resist and the next sentence flew out of her without warning, "Like maybe go on a date with a certain someone..." she said through gritted teeth.
At first, Fred looked at her with confusion written all over his face. Then, he noticed the note that was lying on the floor in front of Hermione's feet. He read it quickly even though from the angle he was sitting in, the letters were upside down, "Ah! So that's what this is about..."
"Valerie wants to know if you're allergic to almonds," Hermione scoffed and crossed her arms, "you should probably tell her. We wouldn't want your throat to get constricted."
"Wait - are you seriously angry with me for having a date?" He said in a calm tone, raising his eyebrows at her.
"No, Fred. I just think you're being mean!" Hermione spat.
"Mean? What's mean about asking a girl out?"
"If you have a date with a girl you like then you don't just go around and snog someone else the night before. How do you think that would make her feel? How do you think that makes me feel?"
"It's not like anything serious is going on between us," Fred said in an annoyed tone.
"Us?"
Fred rolled his eyes, "I meant us as in 'Valerie and I'. I know there's absolutely nothing between you and me. You've made it pretty clear on several occasions that you could never fall for someone like me," he looked hurt, "Look who's cruel now, Hermione."
"Cruel? Me? You can't be serious!" Hermione fake-laughed, "Take a step back Fred, and look at the bigger picture; what is going on with all these mixed signals you've been sending me in the last couple of weeks? I don't get how you could full on make out with me like that yesterday, leave in the middle of everything, and then act as if nothing has happened between us - only to lure me into the same trap again tonight."
"TRAP?" Fred said harshly.
"It's not because I don't want to. I just don't think we should," Hermione continued, mimicking his words from the night before, "yet here we are! Kissing on the dance floor before you invite me back to your place so you can romance me with your compliments, and shag me before you move on to another girl and run away like you always do!" Hermione's voice was shaking with anger, "I thought you had changed Fred but you clearly haven't, you bloody tart!"
He took a deep breath and pulled at his hair, looking very frustrated. Then, he continued in a whisper that soon turned into him half-yelling at her, "You really don't get it, do you? Are you seriously so fucking blind that you don't understand anything? What the fuck do you mean that I've 'moved on'? I've been trying to get over you for years! Why the bloody hell wont you let me? If this is a trap, then it's a trap set by you!"
"I wouldn't let you get over me?" Hermione said in a shrill voice, "are you seriously saying that I wouldn't let you get over me? You were the one to bloody leave, Fred! You could've just come back and get some closure if you wanted to!" she spat at him.
"What exactly do you think I'm doing now?" He was full-on yelling at Hermione, "After two years in hell, all I'm trying to do is to get closure! I just wanted to be friends again!" He took a deep breath before continuing in a softer voice, " - But then you showed up in all these fancy dresses and you're sending me these fantastic sex-kitten looks - and I'm fucking dying over here, Hermione!"
"Really, Fred? You're dying over there because I'm wearing a dress?" Hermione crossed her arms, and raised an eyebrow at him, "You know what? I was doing just fine before you came back and started making a mess of everything again - I didn't ask for this! Maybe you should just go back to your perfect life in Eastern Europe where you shag everything with a pulse, make pranks all day long, and have beers with Lee every night. The life where I apparently mean so little to you, that you for two years didn't even bother contacting me - not until you finally decided to show up only so you could fix your own broken conscience. You never think about the consequences of your actions - you only think about yourself you thick-headed, selfish prick!" Hermione yelled as she annoyed dried away a tear from her cheek.
Feed took a deep breath through dilated nostrils, "is that really what you think of me?" He spoke with a dangerous calmness to his voice. It almost made Hermione scared of him, "you really think I'm here to make you miserable? That I'm only here to make myself feel better? If you think that of me, then you really don't know me Hermione. How dare you call me selfish after the way you've been treating me?!" He snarled. A vein in his forehead looked as if it was about to burst, "I want you to really think about what has happened between us. And when you've done that, I want you to take a good hard look at yourself in the mirror before you ever call me selfish again! I fucking dare you, Hermione!" He put up his index finger, "But mark my words; the next time I look you in the eyes and you throw this shit in my face will conclude the last look I'm wasting on you!" Fred said and marched out of the living room, storming into his bed room, slamming the door shut behind him with great force.