A/N: As I promised, faster updates~ I hope you don't think I'm too fast. :D So much lovely subscribers, all of you make me happy. Thank you all for reading this! ^-^

Disclaimer: I know 2 significant things in life, 1, is my favorite word but practically only means a lung disease cause by silicon disease that is also my favorite word, and 2, that I don't own Harry Potter. SIGH. :

"Rambling"
by SJRegina

Hermione always found herself rambling whenever in the presence of the one and only Fred Weasley, but that's just how Fred liked it.

Chapter 9: Nowhere to Be Found

It was the start of the Hermione's second year and she was currently gracefully panicing in the Great Hall while the others ate, the sorting ceremony already finished. Harry and Ron were nowhere to be seen. Silly rumors were spreading that they drove to Hogwarts in a flying car. Hermione highly doubted this.

"Fred, do you have any idea where those two are?" Hermione asked Fred who was eating his pumpkin tart like there was no tomorrow and his face was so close to his plate that he could kiss it merely inches away. Hermione held Fred's hand as she asked.

Fred, hearing Hermione, raised his head slowly. He looked towards the hand Hermione was holding and looked at Hermione and back at the head. Hermione raised a curious eyebrow to his actions.

"Fred, is there anything wrong?" Hermione started to worry and held his hand tighter and brushed her thumb on his hand. Fred's eyes just grew larger and he swallowed loudly, hoping to hide the redness of her ears, face, and neck that matched the roots of his hair.

He was driving her crazy and his heart pumped faster, and goosebumps started to come out his whole body.

"Fred?"

"I- uuh- ermm- George!" He nudged George with his elbow. "Ow! The hell with you Freddie?" George said with an annoyed face and crumbs all over his mouth, and face.

"George! Your language." Hermione gave George a knowing look. Fred and George then nodded and shook their head at each other and pointed their lips to places. They spoke in silent communication and Hermione was really getting worried.

"Hermione, you've got something on your cheeks." George pointed at her face.

"Where?" Then she let go of Fred's hand and immediately checked her cheeks.

"I believe it's called a blush?" George grinned mischievously and Hermione did blush from embaressment. "Nope, there it is." Then George laughed, Fred just chuckled and muttered a whispered 'Thanks.' to George who just winked and smirked mischievously.

Hermione then just asked Ginny.

"Ginny, do you have any idea where Harry and Ron are?"

"They came with us to King's Cross, but now that you mention it, I think they weren't even in the train at all! Merlin's beard!" Ginny stood up panicing and ran to Percy who was near the Teacher's table talking to McGonogall.

"Percy! Percy!" She came a halt in front of Percy. "I can't find Harry and Ron anywhere! They weren't even in the train." She muttered fastly as she fast panting.

"Ms. Weasley, not to worry. You shall find Potter and Weasley back in the common room." Professor McGonogall told Ginny and smiled at her. And Ginny nodded as a thank you. She then came back to Hermione and told her what McGonoggal said.

Hermione sighed of relief. Everything was going to be alright.

~.~

The start-of-term feast was over and they were now all walking towards the Gryffindor common room. There at the door stood the two of them, she sighed at the sight and ran towards the two who obviously can't enter because they didn't know the password.

"There you are! Where have you been? The most ridiculous rumors - someone said that you'd been expelled for crashing a flying car-"

"Well, we haven't been expelled," Harry assured her.

"You're not telling me you did fly here?" said Hermione, sounding almost as severe as Professor McGonagall.

"Skip the lecture," said Ron impatiently, "and tell us the new password."

"It's wattlebird,"' said Hermione impatiently, "but that's not the point -"

Her words were cut short, however, as the portrait of the fat lady swung open and there was a sudden storm of clapping. It looked as though the whole of Gryffindor House was still awake, packed into the circular common room, standing on the lopsided tables and squashy armchairs, waiting for them to arrive. Arms reached through the portrait hole to pull Harry and Ron inside, leaving Hermione to scramble in after them.

"Brilliant!" yelled Lee Jordan. "Inspired! What an entrance! Flying a car right into the Whomping Willow, people'll be talking about that one for years -"

"Good for you," said a fifth year Harry had never spoken to; someone was patting him on the back as though he'd just won a marathon;

Fred and George pushed their way to the front of the crowd and said together, "Why couldn't we've come in the car, eh?"

Ron was scarlet in the face, grinning embarrassedly, but Harry could see one person who didn't look happy at all. Percy was visible over the heads of some excited first years, and he seemed to be trying to get near enough to start telling them off. Harry nudged Ron in the ribs and nodded in Percy's direction. Ron got the point at once.

"Got to get upstairs - bit tired," he said, and the two of them started pushing their way toward the door on the other side of the room, which led to a spiral staircase and the dormitories.

"'Night," Harry called back to Hermione, who was wearing a scowl just like Percy's.

When Harry and Ron climbed upstairs to their dormitories, she was furious. She walked up to the twins and Lee with a scowl on her face.

"You actually approve of this?" Hermione said bitterly muttering every word stiffly.

"Well of course!" Lee said this like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"But they could've died! Or worse, expelled!" With that Lee laughed and Hermione gave the 'annoyed' look to Lee who immediately stopped in fear. Fred and George knew Hermione enought to know that you shouldn't mess with her when she's erm, 'nagging'. She was a year younger but boy was she scary.

George tried to lighten up the mood and say, "Well, where's the fun without a bit of risk?"

"Ugh. You're incorrigible!" Hermione huffed and crossed her arms and tapped her foot in annoyance.

"But you know you love us." Fred winked and opened his arms as a peace-making gesture. Hermione's heart then became happy from furious in a second. She shook her haid and chuckled softly and hugged Fred.

"You know I do." Fred was surprised and didn't know what to do but fell into Hermione's touch. He rested his head on top of Hermione's and nuzzled her curly hair, she smelled so good. A soft lavendar and a hint of sweet vanilla. Hermione smelled Fred too, he smelled so good. He smelled like apple cinnamon and gun powder. Like cool freshly mown grass and pumkin spice.

George and Lee just watched them knowingly, all the while sniggering. Fred was blushing and enjoying the moment whilst Hermione was just happy to hug her close friend. George and Lee grinned mischievously at each other and came towards them.

"We love you too Hermione!" Then they both joined the hugged and jumped up and down earning a scowl from Fred.

Hermione laughed and hugged the boys. Seems like this year is going to be a lot better than the last.

A/N: Double-updates part 1! If I get enough inspiring reviews it might be a triple-update! Or more. Part 2, coming up. ;)