Hello to all the witches and wizards out there reading this. I wanted to thank you for doing so, and for favouriting/following/commenting on this story.

It is in fact Monday, so here is another chapter as promised. I hope you enjoy!

Chapter 8: Bath Time

They'd had Transfiguration next, which although fairly uneventful, just added to their stress regarding their workload and the OWL examinations. McGonagall had been reiterating once again the importance of the OWLs and making sure that they were studying and doing well in their coursework in preparation. As much as Esmerelda generally disliked coursework, and even more so, exams, she knew McGonagall was right. If she ever wanted to be a Healer, or anything similar, she'd need at least good Potions, Transfiguration, and Charms results.

They all groaned as they sat down for lunch an hour later. The thought of even more impending homework was a terrifying thought, especially when some of them were behind on the homework they'd already got.

"I'm doomed," Ron said, slumping onto the table in front of him.

"You aren't doomed Ron," Hermione said comfortingly. "It's only November, you've still got months until the OWLs."

"Doesn't help with all the homework I've got to do now though," he said.

"Well, you just need to be more organised. I'll help you make a plan, a weekly organiser, so that you can get your homework done on time and not fall behind."

"Thanks Hermione," Ron replied, although he looked even more stressed than before.

The arrival of lunch onto the tables swiftly distracted them from any thoughts of homework or examinations.

"Starving," Ron managed to say while shovelling large forkfuls of beef wellington into his mouth.

"Yeah, me too actually," added Hermione. "It's been a long morning." She served herself some lunch before continuing. "I was just thinking. If you'd like, I can help you all set up some weekly organisers tonight so that you're all ready to start revising," she offered.

"Yeah that'd be great, thanks Hermione," Harry responded. Ron grunted in agreement.

Hermione turned to Esmerelda. Esmerelda thought of her previously agreed meeting with Fred.

"I'm sorry Hermione, but I can't tonight. I've already promised Snape I'd help a younger student with their potions." Definitely could have come up with a better lie than that, she thought. Luckily, the others seemed not to question her somewhat tenuous excuse, and Hermione agreed to go over it with her tomorrow night instead.

…

Fifth floor corridor. Next to the statue of Boris the Bewildered. 8pm precisely.

Esmerelda was leant against the wall of the fifth-floor corridor in which she was currently waiting for Fred to show up. She was clutching the brown paper bag that contained the ten small round potions she had acquired on Saturday.

She could hear footsteps echoing down the corridor, coming towards her. As they came closer, she could see that they belonged to Fred.

She looked at her watch. 8:01.

"You're late," she teased, as he approached where she was standing.

"Yeah well, some of us have lives," he retorted. She stuck her tongue out at him.

Fred walked over and leant against the wall, facing her. He was standing very close, and she could smell whatever cologne he was wearing. It was making her feel a bit lightheaded. Merlin, she thought. She could really do with one of those unicorns right about now.

"So, shall we go in before we get caught lurking outside the Prefect's bathroom?" she asked, trying to break the tension that she felt forming as they stood so closely together. "Gotta be careful, you know, people who lurk outside bathrooms often get mistaken for pervs."

Fred looked amused.

"Pine Fresh," Esmerelda uttered, and the statue of Boris the Bewildered leapt aside, allowing them entry. "Wow!" Esmerelda marvelled at the enormity and lavishness of the bathroom. It was certainly a lot nicer than the dormitory ones upstairs.

Fred smiled at her awestruck expression. "Ah, so even though you knew the password, you've never actually been before. I have to say, I'm surprised."

"I get into enough trouble as it is, don't need to go looking for even more of it," Esmerelda replied. "Plus, Harry came here once last year during the Triwizard Tournament and Moaning Myrtle made an appearance and ogled him while he was naked in the bath. Last thing I need is her eyeing me up while I'm trying to relax."

Fred looked horrified and glanced around to check for any signs of ghosts. "Fair point," he said.

"So Freddie, did you bring your Speedos?" Esmerelda teased.

"I hope you're joking," he replied. "Although I could certainly give Myrtle a good show in those." He winked.

"You wish," she retorted, laughing.

"Okay, so do you reckon we need to fill the bath fresh each time we change the potion? Or can we just use a cleaning spell to get rid of any trace of the previous potion?" he asked.

"I imagine either would work, but let's not waste water. Plus, it takes ages for the bath to fill and drain. I don't want to have to do that ten times."

"No, good point," Fred said.

"Which one would you like to do first then?" Esmerelda asked once the bath had filled up sufficiently. She had to resist trying out all the intriguing bubbles and mixtures as they would have no doubt messed with the potions they were hoping to test. Fred pointed to one. It was a silvery-grey and sparkled as the light hit it. It was very pretty.

"It's an invisibility potion," she told Fred, who had also been inspecting the sphere rather carefully.

"Ooh nice," he replied. "All the things I could get up to."

"Please don't flash me," Esmerelda pleaded. "Even if I can't see it, I really don't want to be thinking about your pale and freckly arse."

"You'd be so lucky," Fred responded.

Esmerelda rolled her eyes and then pointed to the potion. "Want to do the honours then Fred, as you picked it?"

He reached over and picked up the potion.

"How much should I do? Should I just drop the whole thing in?" he asked.

"Well, normally, potions would be brewed in a cauldron, so we'd just drop it in as is, and it would be the perfect amount. But as we've run a bath, which is a lot bigger, I think I'll need to intervene first," she turned and smiled at Fred who smiled back. Esmerelda pointed her wand at the potion. "Engorgio."

Slowly, the potion grew until it was at least 10 times the size of its original form. "Off you go then," she said, pointing at the much larger potion.

"Remind me why you couldn't have just tested these in a cauldron like normal students?" Fred asked, grinning.

Esmerelda turned to look at him. "Now what would be the fun in that?"

Fred chuckled. "Okay then, let's go for it."

They leant over the bath in anticipation. Esmerelda's hand hovered over the water as she released the potion. The bath fizzed. It was very dramatic, the colour of this potion. It looked like the night's sky, just before it goes completely dark and the stars have started to appear.

"Care to try a little, Fred?" Esmerelda enquired. "I checked with the man in the shop, and it's perfectly safe to try multiple potions in one night."

He looked partially reassured and dipped a vial into the water, filling it up with the dark liquid. Esmerelda subsequently did the same. They both raised their vials and sipped in unison.

Thirty seconds later, Esmerelda was beginning to think that it wasn't going to work, when she noticed Fred disappearing from view.

"Can you see me?" She asked him. "You're invisible. Am I?"

Fred nodded, and then after realising that she wouldn't be able to see that, replied. "Yeah. I can't see you at all." He reached his arm out, trying to locate her, and almost pushed her into the bath.

"Watch it, Fred," Esmerelda stated. "I don't fancy going for a dip just yet. Last thing I need is a pair of wet knickers."

Fred smirked invisibly. "I often have that effect on girls I think you'll find."

"You really are disgusting," she responded. Fred laughed.

"From what I've heard, you're not much better." Fred wiggled his eyebrow, again invisibly.

"Eh, true." Esmerelda replied with a shrug. Fred was right, she really didn't have a filter.

He took a swig of the anti-potion and handed it to her. She sipped from the bottle too and a little while later, they both became visible again.

"I enjoyed that," said Fred, a cheeky smile appearing on his face.

"Me too," Esmerelda replied. She grabbed her wand and cast a cleaning charm on the bath to return the water to pure form and then turned back to Fred.

"Okay, so what next?"

Fred surveyed the remaining nine potions inside the paper bag. "How about this one?" He pointed at a green one that shimmered slightly.

Esmerelda smiled. "Alright then, green one it is." She read the label. "It's a calming drought."

They both moved over to the edge of the huge bath, and Fred dropped the potion into water below. They both watched as the bath turned from clear to a pale green.

They repeated their actions from before, and each took a sip of the potion from their vials.

Almost instantly, Esmerelda could feel herself relax. She hadn't even realised how unrelaxed she had been until she had taken the potion. It was a lovely feeling, being totally and utterly carefree for just a few minutes.

She had ensured that she had also bought a multi-purpose generic anti-potion before embarking on their potion trials. The anti-potion was designed to reverse any basic potion within a minute. After a few minutes of blissful relaxation, Esmerelda took a swig of the anti-potion and passed the bottle to Fred, who reluctantly took a sip. Suddenly, the cloud of disillusionment burst, and they were back to their usual selves.

"Well, that was nice," Esmerelda giggled. "I think I may have to buy that one again at some point. Maybe when Hermione's nagging me to study more for my OWLs."

"Ugh, don't remind me," Fred said. He ran a hand through his hair. "Had a letter from my parents today about the importance of the NEWTS and how I mustn't let the family down," he moaned.

"That's awful," Esmerelda replied sympathetically. "I guess I'm kind of lucky in that way. My parents don't give a toss about examinations."

"Must be nice," Fred said. "I'm constantly being compared to Bill and Charlie, and Percy. Mum and Dad even compare George and me. It can be exhausting sometimes. So, I decided I wouldn't even bother trying to compete. I wanted to be so different from them that they couldn't draw comparisons.

Esmerelda frowned. "I'm sorry Fred, I can't imagine the feeling of having to live up to an older sibling."

Fred shrugged. "It is what it is. George and I decided a while ago that academics isn't where our interests lie."

"You're both incredibly intelligent you know, despite what you might want people to think. I've seen some of your creations, they're amazing."

"Well, it's nice to see that our talents are appreciated by someone," he joked.

"Always," she added with a grin.

"At least we're doing some extracurricular work for Potions tonight," Esmerelda joked. "I'm sure Snape would be pleased."

Fred looked around. "Do you think the teacher's bathrooms are as nice as this?" he asked, intrigued.

"I don't know," Esmerelda replied, "but now all I can picture is Snape taking a bubble bath so thanks a lot for that."

Fred cringed and then laughed.

There was a pause in the conversation and then he leaned over and shoved Esmerelda hard, causing her to lose balance and topple into the bath. She emerged seconds later, dripping wet and scowling.

Fred covered his mouth with his hand, trying hard not to let any giggles escape. The expression on Esmerelda's face was making it even harder to control himself, and one slipped out.

As Esmerelda waded through the shimmering green water, she could see her reflection distorted as the water rippled around her moving body. She approached him, scowl turning to a smirk, and stopped at the edge of the bath, barely a foot away from Fred, who was now squatting at the side.

The devious smile on her face grew as Fred clocked what Esmerelda had in mind. "Esmerelda Patricia Evans don't you dare…." But it was too late. Esmerelda had grabbed him by the arm and tugged him into the water.

Totally submerged, Fred broke the surface of the water seconds later. "You just had to, didn't you?" he asked, feigning anger.

"Hey, you started it!" She replied in a whiny voice, not too dissimilar from that of Pansy Parkinson.

She stared at him for a moment. "Patricia?" she asked curiously.

Fred shrugged. "I don't know what your middle name is, but I felt you needed to be full-named in that particular situation. It's what my mum would have done."

Esmerelda laughed. "Frederick Gideon Weasley, I can assure you my middle name is not Patricia."

"Well, what is it then?"

"That is for me to know, and for you to find out," she replied.

Fred chuckled. "Alright, I see how it is. But I'll find out, trust me, I have my ways."

Esmerelda chuckled. "Good luck with that Mr. Weasley."

Curiously, Esmerelda surveyed the water. "Do you reckon the potion will have any effect on us in this state?" she asked Fred. "As we are fully bathing in it now."

Fred laughed and then shrugged. "I don't know, do you feel relaxed?"

"After being dragged into the bath by a madman, surprisingly not," she stated.

"Well, I do," replied Fred, leaning back on the side of the bath, arms spread to rest on the rim.

A moment of silence passed.

"So how are your knickers?" Fred asked with a smirk. Esmerelda aimed a particularly hard kick in his general direction.

"Alright then, Fred, let's try another one. It's getting late and we'll never get through them all at this rate."

"I believe that it is your turn to pick this time, Esmerelda." Fred emphasised her name, as she had done to his.

They pulled themselves out of the water and Esmerelda cast a quick-dry spell on them both. They sat back down on the cold marble floor near the water's edge.

Esmerelda looked into the brown paper bag that was sitting in her lap. There were some very interesting ones in there, but one caught her eye instantly. It was an orangey-brown coloured one, with specks of gold running through it. Holding it in her hand, it shimmered as the light hit it, and the specks looked rather beautiful. She studied it carefully and then looked up at Fred. It was then that she realised that the specks matched his eyes. She cleared her throat.

She unceremoniously dropped the potion into the bath, and watched it closely as it dissipated within. Slowly, the bath turned a warm copper colour. The specks could still be seen as the surface shimmered.

"I've changed my mind," Fred said. "I think this one is my new favourite. What is it?"

Esmerelda checked the label. "It's a type of glamour potion," she said with interest. She'd wanted to try one of these for a while, but had felt it a bit vain to purchase one in earnest. These kinds of potions could change an element of your appearance either for purpose of appearing more 'attractive' or for comical reasons.

"What kind of glamour potion?" Fred asked with intrigue.

"This one changes your hair colour," Esmerelda replied. This would be interesting. She had always been known for her ginger hair, as had the Weasleys, so she was curious to see what she and Fred would look like with different coloured hair.

"This is going to be odd," he stated. "I won't look like a Weasley with a different colour hair."

"Nah, you'll still have all those freckles," she replied.

Fred balked. "You're just jealous because you haven't got many."

"I already get confused for a Weasley enough as it is," Esmerelda joked, "I need something to set me apart from you lot. I certainly don't have the Weasley freckles, that's for sure."

Fred laughed, as he dipped his vial into the potion. Esmerelda followed suit.

Seconds later, Esmerelda spotted the redness of Fred's hair fading away to be replaced with a very contrasting colour.

The laugh that escaped her mouth reverberated around the room and she clamped her hand over her mouth to quiet herself.

Fred's eyes went wide. "What?" he asked in a concerned manner. But seconds later, his own question was answered as he stared incredulously at the green hair of the girl sat opposite him and collapsed into fits of laughter.

"Merlin," he managed to squeeze out between gasps. "You look like bloody troll."

Esmerelda's giggled were becoming more hysterical and tears were leaking down her cheeks. "Do you think Tonks would approve?" Tonks was a member of the Order of the Phoenix, who as a Metamorphagus, had the ability to change her appearance at will.

"I'm not even sure Tonks has gone for the green hair and freckles look before," Fred grimaced. "You do make for a very cute troll though."

"Hmph," Esmerelda replied, crossing her arms. "I'd like to think I look more like a Cabbage Patch Doll but..."

"A what?"

"Ah, don't worry about it," she replied with a smirk.

….

A couple of hours later, the two were lying on the tiled floor of the Prefect bathroom, staring up at the ceiling, which had pictures of magical creatures covering it. Esmerelda was studying a mosaic depicting a Grindylow when Fred spoke.

"Esmerelda, it's almost midnight. We should go back before we get caught."

"Shit," she replied. She hadn't been intending to stay out this late. The others will no doubt be suspicious as to why her supposed tutoring had taken her this long.

Fred looked at her questioningly.

"Ah, sorry. I do have a particular fondness for muggle swear words. You'll get used to it."

They both stood up and gathered their things. They'd managed to test out all ten potions and found that they all worked fairly well considering they were quick-fix types of potions.

"So, I've concluded," Esmerelda began as they made their way into the deserted corridor, "that although I believe properly brewed potions to be superior, the quick-fix instant potions could be substituted for lower-level potions such as the ones that we used tonight. I doubt they'd work nearly as well as a properly brewed potion if it were something like the Draught of Living Death or a Polyjuice Potion. I wouldn't trust them for something as precise as those."

Snape had been hounding the fifth-years recently about coming up with ideas for their independent study essays that were due in the Easter term. Although they still had plenty of time, no doubt many people would leave it until the last minute. Esmerelda decided that after tonight's experiments, that she had found an interesting and unique topic to write about.

Fred smiled slyly to himself.

"What?" Esmerelda asked, intrigued.

"You're a real nerd about Potions, you know that?" Fred stated. "I think you've been having us on, and you're actually more like Hermione than you let on."

Esmerelda stopped walking, a mock look of outrage on her face. "You take that back, Mr. Weasley."

Fred smiled at her. "I will not," he said. "Who knew you cared so much about school?"

She huffed at him. "Okay, don't tell anyone, but maybe I do care a teensy little bit."

He laughed and pulled her forwards to keep walking.

They'd reached the portrait to the Gryffindor Common Room. Esmerelda turned to Fred. "Thank you for joining me tonight. I had a really fun time."

"It wasn't a total waste of an evening I suppose," Fred replied, winking. "But maybe next time we could invite Moaning Myrtle."

Esmerelda nudged him. "Okay, I guess we'd better go inside before Filch makes it up here on one of his patrols. It's a Monday so he's likely only a floor away by now."

Fred smirked. "You baffle me."

She smiled, looking down at her feet. When she looked up, she could see that Fred was still looking at her, a soft look in his eyes.

"Esmerelda, I…."

But what he was going to say, Esmerelda didn't hear, because at that moment, Neville ran down the corridor, hand grasped tightly in the other, swearing loudly.

"That bloody woman," he was murmuring repeatedly under his breath.

Esmerelda rushed over to him. Neville startled, realising he was not alone.

"Are you alright Neville," she asked.

Neville, still clutching his hand, nodded. "I'll be fine. I had detention with Umbridge," he informed them.

"Let's see it then mate," said Fred. He had joined them and was pointing to Neville's left hand.

I will be on time for my lessons was carved deeply into the raw skin.

Neville winced as he looked down at his hand, blood seeping from the gashes. He paled.

"Let's get you inside Neville," Esmerelda said kindly, guiding him towards the portrait.

"Larkspur," uttered Fred, and the portrait swung open slowly.

"Fred, will you stay with Neville please if I go and get Hermione and her Essence of Dittany?"

A minute later, Esmerelda returned, flanked by Hermione in her Gryffindor nightdress.

"Oh Neville," she said worryingly. Hermione had done this for Harry and a few others before and knew how best to treat the wounds inflicted by Umbridge's quills.

Minutes later, the bleeding had fully subsided, and the redness had slightly faded.

"That's all that I can do tonight, Neville," Hermione said. "How do you feel?"

"A lot better, thank you, Hermione," he muttered quietly. "I think I'm going to go to bed now if that's okay. Thank you all for helping me."

"Of course, good night, Neville," Esmerelda said with a meek smile.

"Night mate," Fred added.

Hermione yawned, "It is very late so I think we should all be heading up to bed actually." She looked over to Esmerelda. "Your tutoring kept you out very late," she said curiously.

Esmerelda flushed. "Yes, well the second year was completely hopeless to be fair so extreme intervention was needed."

Fred looked curiously at her.

Hermione nodded and yawned again, too tired to bother pushing the issue further. "Let's head up then, shall we?" she said to the two others.

Hardly able to refuse, Esmerelda and Fred reluctantly followed Hermione up the stairs and stopped on the fifth years' landing. She opened the door to the girls' dormitory, bid Fred goodnight, and went inside, leaving the door open for Esmerelda to follow behind.

Before Hermione could wonder what was keeping her, Esmerelda spun around with a smile. "I had a really nice time tonight," she said. She stretched up onto her tiptoes, and planted a kiss on his cheek.

"Goodnight, Frederick Gideon Weasley," she whispered, smiling mischievously.

"Goodnight Esmerelda Patricia Evans," he replied. He turned and headed up the stairs towards the seventh-year dormitories and Esmerelda watched him go.

"Fucking Patricia," she whispered to herself as she entered her own dormitory, shaking her head, and shutting the door behind her.

….

Wow, a long chapter today, but a lot of Fred/Esmerelda interaction. And yet once again, they were interrupted! Will they ever get that kiss?!