Hermione declined saying she felt a cold coming on and that it was a childish idea anyway. Her friends scoffed at her and bundled into their cloaks.

"What will you do while being such a pansy?" Ron asked her jokingly as she helped him untangle himself from his scarf.

"I thought I'd help Fred with that inventing issue he talked about at lunch. There's a few books in our library that might provide the answer. Don't look at me like that."

"I'm not looking at you in any particular way."

"Don't give me any of that Weasley."

"Alright but I'm just saying that it would be a perfect opportunity to, you know, tell him." Ron nodded towards Fred who wasn't getting ready for the outdoors.

Hermione looked at Ron curiously. "Today's your day in the betting pool isn't it?"

"It might be."

"Funny I thought it was Ginny's, she was pushing so hard."

"Nope she's already lost. Well, have fun with your beloved books." He followed the others outside.

Hermione giggled as she closed the front door. "Odds on one of them breaking something?" she commented.

Fred grinned. "That's not very nice."

"Yeah but you know what they're like. They can't help getting competitive."

"Leftover from school houses I suppose."

She led the way to the library. "There's a charm in here somewhere that might help." She mounted a ladder and scanned the higher shelves. "Stop looking up my skirt Fred."

"I'm not."

"Please, it's you." They sneered playfully at each other.

She collected the book and dismounted. At the bottom she found herself penned in by Fred's arms.

She blushed. "What are you doing?"

"Starting something."

When the others piled back into the parlour, fighting with each other for precedence by the fire, they stumbled to a halt in the doorway.

"I take it this means one of you finally got your head out your arse and made a move?" Harry said bluntly.

"Uh, you could say that." Fred grinned at Hermione who giggled and cuddled into his shoulder from her perch on his lap.

"About bloody time, mate." George said looking pleased.

"Alright, pay up guys." Ron demanded, grinning like a madman.