Chapter Six

Confrontation

"Ron." Ron looked up to see Hermione standing in front of him. She looked concerned.

"Yeah?" He said, smiling, ignoring the worry in her face.

She sat down next to him. They were in the library, which was fairly deserted.

"There's something I have to tell you." Her hands shook slightly. "Fred kissed me."

"WHAT?" Ron exclaimed, outraged. At this, Madame Pince looked up.

"Quiet in the library please."

"Ron, please calm down-"

"CALM DOWN? MY BROTHER KISSED YOU AND YOU EXPECT ME TO CALM DOWN?" He bellowed. "I'LL KILL HIM!"

"Ron, wait, there's something else." He turned towards her. "When he kissed me… I kissed him back." She nervously met his eyes. The color had drained from his face.

"You…" Ron said, struggling for words. "You fancy Fred?"

"I don't know… Ron, I'm so sorry." Hearing this, he ran from the room, blinded with rage. Hermione bit her lip and ran after him out of the library, hastily apologizing to Madame Pince for the yelling and ran straight into George.

"George, thank Merlin, I told Ron about kissing Fred-"

"Say no more," George said and the two took off after Ron.

…

Fred was sitting in the Gryffindor common room. He had been having a relatively good day, until his brother charged in yelling at him incoherently.

He didn't seem to be able to form full sentences in his rage. "HERMIONE… YOU… CAN'T BELIEVE… WHAT KIND OF A BROTHER… STAY AWAY…" Fred seemed to get the gist of it, but before he could speak, Ron slowly recovered, breathing heavily and said, "I can't believe you would do that."

"Ron-"

"Don't talk to me," he said turning to go. "Oh and another thing," and he promptly punched Fred in the face.

Hermione and George burst in just in time to witness the punch.

"Ron!" Hermione and George called out in unison. Hermione ran over to Fred whose nose was bleeding.

"C'mon, let's get you to the hospital wing," Hermione said, glancing at Ron who was glaring at them as they exited the common room.

"I'm so sorry," Hermione said, "I should have gotten there quicker."

"Not like I didn't deserve it," Fred said with a wry smile.

Reaching the hospital wing, Hermione sat next to Fred on the hospital bed. After Madame Pomfrey had finished fussing over him they sat in silence.

"You've got blood all over your face you know," she said laughing.

"It's part of my charm," Fred joked.

Rolling her eyes, she wiped it off with towel. She left her hand on his cheek.

"I really am sorry," Hermione said, her breath tickling his face.

"It's not your fault."

She leaned forward slightly and kissed him softly. Fred kissed her back, his hands sliding down to her waist. He pulled her closer and deepened the kiss and Hermione swung her legs onto his lap, her arms around his neck.

"Bloody hell can't you two keep your hands off each other for five minutes?" George complained as he walked in.

"Could say the same about you and Angelina, Georgie," Fred said with a smirk. Hermione looked down, her face red.

"How's Ron?" She asked.

"He could be better," George replied.

She sighed, "Which means he's furious."

"Pretty much." Fred took her hand and began tracing small circles on her palm with his thumb. Hermione leant against him and put her head on his shoulder.

"He'll come 'round," George said. "It will just take time."

"I hope so," Hermione whispered.