A/N: Thank you all for the nice comments again! This is the last chapter for Chamber of Secrets, and I'm really excited for PoA! Thank you for always being there for me. :)

Disclaimer: I don't own it sadly. :(

"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 17: The Bright Side

Hermione was petrified and Hagrid was in Azkaban. Fred was so young yet so many terrible things were happening. And these were happening inside the school he had loved so much.

Fred felt like it was the end of the world. Perhaps the only positive note that there is, is that the Mandrakes could now be used to restore the petrified victims.

But for the mean time, he spent all of his nights with George looking over Hermione.

Looking at her in that state. It broke his heart. He missed the nagging she would do when he and George disturbed her when she was studying. He missed how her brows knit together when she was annoyed on how bushy her hair is.

He missed how he tried to always steal a glance at Hermione. He missed how he would pretend he couldn't get his homework just so Hermione could help him. How he tried his best to control himself from playing with her curls.

He missed her hugs. He missed her unpetrified eyes. Those eyes which always had a hidden glint of mischief in them. So full of life.

That's where Fred realized how he truly liked her. He truly did. He wasn't sure if it was love yet, but he was sure he was crazy for her. In fact, like or fancy was such an understatement to what he felt.

Seeing her lying there was breaking his heart. He held her hand and never left her side. He held her so she couldn't get away. She was so lifeless yet breathing that every minute that passed felt like her heart beat went slower.

"Fight Hermione. You only have to wait a little longer." A tear slipped from Fred's eye as he whispered these words near her ear. She caressed Hermione's hand with his cheecks. She still smelled the same even if she was petrified. A comforting vanilla and lavendar.

George was behind him feeling sad as well, laying a light comforting hand on his twin's back.

"Don't worry Freddie, that's our Hermione. She's stronger than that." George gave his twin a soft smile.

"She is. I know she is." He smiled back at George. George took a chair nearby and sat beside him. It was late at night and so past their usual bed time. They laid their arms on the bed beside Hermione and rested their heads.

Fred was sure George was already sleeping because of the light snores he made. He chuckled at the sight of his twin, "Night sleeping beauty."

He then looked over at Hermione's petrified form and rested his head with Hermione's hand in his.

"Good night Hermione." Fred then slept.

He wasn't sure if it was just his imagination, but he was sure he felt Hermione's hand move.

He immediately sat up and looked at Hermione. It was his imagination. He stood up and paced a little, maybe he could finally get some sleep by walking a little.

He walked over to Hermione's side and saw her other hand cletched into a fist. It looked like something was inside. Like a paper of sorts. Out of his curiosity, he opened Hermione's petrified hand slowly and saw a paper inside.

It looked like it was torn from a book. He turned it around a bit and flipped it behind. He took his face nearer to the paper and read what was written.

His eyes widened and he started fidgeting. There in the paper was the monster Hermione, Ron, and Harry have been researching for such a long time. The monster only the Heir of Slytherin can control. The monster hidden in the Chamber of Secrets.

The monster that had done this to Hermione. The Basilisk Snake.

'Of the many fearsome beasts and monsters that roam our land, there is none more curious or more deadly than the Basilisk, known also as the King of Serpents. This snake, which may reach gigantic size and live many hundreds of years, is born from a chicken's egg, hatched beneath a toad. Its methods of killing are most wondrous, for aside from its deadly and venomous fangs, the Basilisk has a murderous stare, and all who are fixed with the beam of its eye shall suffer instant death. Spiders flee before the Basilisk, for it is their mortal enemy, and the Basilisk flees only from the crowing of the rooster, which is fatal to it.'

And below, a single word was scribble in small curly handwriting that Fred immediately recognized as Hermione's.

Pipes.

He stared at that word, reading it over and over again. It suddenly clicked him.

He was fidgeting with the paper, but he had to get a grip on himself and wake George up.

"Georgie, wake up." He shook George's shoulder in a desperate attempt to wake him up.

"Huh?" George sat up and looked over warily.

It was as though somebody had just flicked a light on in his brain.

"George," he breathed. "This is it. This is the answer. The monster in the Chamber's a basilisk - a giant serpent! Harry, he speaks Parsletongue right? That's why he could hear the voices! That's why he was like a nutter!"

George's eyes widened even though he looked frazzled from the immediate drill of information when he hasn't yet recovered from the awakening, but he listened to Fred very intently. Fred kept on rambling.

"The basilisk kills people by looking at them. But no one's died - because no one looked it straight in the eye. Colin saw it through his camera. The basilisk burned up all the film inside it, but Colin just got Petrified. Justin. Justin must've seen the basilisk through Nearly Headless Nick! Nick got the full blast of it, but he couldn't die again! -"

George opened his mouth to say something but was immediately cut by Fred's non-stop rambling.

"and Hermione and that Ravenclaw prefect were found with a mirror next to them. Hermione had just realized the monster was a basilisk. I bet you anything she warned the first person she met to look around corners with a mirror first! And that girl pulled out her mirror - and - or perhaps she had a mirror of her own -"

George's jaw had dropped.

"And Mrs. Norris?" he whispered eagerly.

Fred thought hard, remembering what Hermione told them on the night of Halloween.

"The water..." he said slowly. "The flood from Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. I bet you Mrs. Norris only saw the reflection..."

He scanned the page in his hand eagerly. The more he looked at it, the more it made sense.

"The crowing of the rooster... is fatal to it"! he read aloud. "Hagrid's roosters were killed! The Heir of Slytherin didn't want one anywhere near the castle once the Chamber was opened! Spidersflee before it! It all fits!"

"But how's the basilisk been getting around the place?" said George. "A giant snake... Someone would've seen..."

Fred, however, pointed at the word Hermione had scribbled at the foot of the page.

"Pipes," he said. "Pipes... George, it's been using the plumbing. Harry's been hearing that voice inside the walls..."

George suddenly grabbed Fred's arm.

"The entrance to the Chamber of Secrets!" he said hoarsely. "What if it's a bathroom? What if it's in -"

"Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, " said Fred slowly.

They sat there, excitement coursing through them, hardly able to believe it.

"You know what this means Georgie?"

"Oh I think I know what this mean Freddie."

"Should we go to Professor McGonoggal?"

"Naah, let's give this to Harry and Ron! I bet Harry's the only one who can open it, let's stay here and watch over Hermione and the others. The Heir of Slytherin might come back and kill them."

George nodded his head in understanding. "Straight to Harry and Ron?"

"Straight to Harry and Ron." Then they both ran fast out of the hospital wing ignoring Madam Pomfrey's scowls.

As they were running toward the Gryffindor common room, George suddenly stopped. Fred noticed this and turned around. "George!"

"I've just noticed something Fred."

"What?" Fred asked annoyingly.

"You were rambling. You were rambling like Hermione did!" Fred rolled his eyes and dragged his brother.

"Unbelievable George."

"You have it bad brother!" Fred laughed at that. George always knew how to lighten up the mood, everything was going to be alright. They would fix this, yes!

"I know."

. . .

Fred, George, Harry, and Ron were all in the Great Hall. Everyone was celebrating the death of the Basilisk snake, thanks to once again, Harry.

Four hundred house points were awarded to Harry and Ron, securing the House Cup. Amazing eh? And Hagrid finally got removed from Azkaban. Good for him! And the exams were cancelled, thank goodness, but Hermione felt sad about that bit.

Fred was so happy, he couldn't stop smiling. He and George didn't even pull any pranks, well less than their usual. Can't stop a jokester from doing his passion!

He had been to a lot of Hogwarts feasts, but never one quite like this. Everybody was in their pajamas, and the celebration lasted all night.

When Dumbledore announced that Lockhart would not be able to return the next year because he needed to get his memory back, he kept screaming and jumping and hugging George in glee. Quite a few teachers joined in the cheering that greeted this news.

I always knew he was a scam. Fred thought.

It was the best thing that had happened this night. Perhaps even one of the best that happened in his entire life.

That was well, till now.

Hermione ran towards Harry, screaming "You solved it! You solved it!" Harry blushed and looked down.

"Actually Hermione, it was Fred who solved it." Harry looked at Fred and smiled.

Hermione beamed at him and threw herself at him hugging him tightly. Fred's eyes widened and his ears turned red at the closeness. George sniggered at him and made mushy kissy faces. Fred stuck his tongue out and hugged Hermione back tightly.

He couldn't help twirling a bit of her hair, but Hermione didn't bother.

Hermione leaned back and smiled at Fred wildly and kissed him all over his face.

Except his lips.

"You." Kiss. "are." Kiss. "a." Kiss. "genius Fred!" Then she gave him a big long kiss on the cheeks and giggled at the look on Fred.

Fred was in cloud nine and his face was blushing a very crimson red. He was so red he looked like he might explode!

"Hey!" George piped up. "I helped too! Where's my kiss?" Hermione laughed and George pointed to his cheek.

Hermione let go of his hold of Fred and kissed George on the cheeks, and giggled. She then went back to talk to Ginny who was a thousand times happier and better.

Fred thought hard on telling George, 'You just had to ruin the moment.' Knowing that George was going to feel and know Fred's frustration through their bond.

George just bit his chicken leg and winked at Fred. "Making a move next year?"

"Definitely." Fred replied. He wasn't going to let Hermione slip away. He was scared that he might scare her off but it was worth trying. Hermione was worth efforting for.

He closed his eyes, his face still very red. He relaxed at the happy noise that was everywhere. He was even happy that Malfoy, that git, was not quite enjoying such a wonderful feast.

He closed his eyes, reminiscing what Hermione had just done. Playing it over and over again in his head. A goofy smile forming on his face.

A/N: YAY! I've got some good news and bad news. Good news first. ^-^ Prisoner of Azkaban's coming up! But till then, why don't you leave a review and vote on my poll? ;)

I'll announce the results of my poll and my decision on the next update. :D

The bad news? My flight to Switzerland is on Friday and I highly doubt it that my parents would allow me to go online, technically, I need more sunlight. ARGH. So Rambling is going to be In Hiatus indefinitely. :(

But I promise to do my best to update! I'll find a way, I promise. :)

Love you guys!

~Mie.