'Morning,' George greeted his twin as Fred dropped himself in the adjacent seat with a resounding thud, 'where've you been?'

'Garage,' Fred replied, not even bothering to look at his brother. A dazed and detached look was spread across his face. His eyes had glazed over though George could tell that they were set on a fixed point; for once his so-called "psychic link" was failing him. Fred had been like this for the last week or so since Hermione had joined the family.

'Why?' George asked warily; he was slightly worried by Fred's behaviour, the last time he'd seen Fred like this he'd been lovesick over Angelina.

'Just looking for something,' Fred stated dismissively, leaning back on his chair but still not looking at any of the individuals he was in the company of.

He was being too quite and too preoccupied with something else, he had even lost the ability to make quick-witted comments or form ideas for new joke shop products. This was worse than the situation with Angelina and he'd been besotted with her, George had a feeling of dread as it dawned on him that maybe his brother was in love!

George followed his gaze to the worktop of the kitchen where Ron and Hermione were standing, laughing and preparing sandwiches. Making sandwiches, nothing odd about that, it was just Ron and his best friend, their new sister. Ron knocked sideways into Hermione playfully and at the same time he felt his brother stiffen beside him. Then it hit him, he looked rapidly from Fred to the duo and back again. Fred couldn't possibly be pining after Hermione, could he?

Once Mr Weasley had left the table to get ready for work, George decided to approach the subject of Hermione to Fred.

'Oh brother of mine? You wouldn't by any chance be interested in Hermione would you?' he whispered bluntly. So bluntly and casually in fact, that Fred, who had been balancing on the back legs of his chair, lost his concentration and toppled over backwards.

'Oh bloody hell!'

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Ron and Hermione entered the kitchen unaware that they had been followed by Fred and made their way to the worktop to make themselves some sandwiches for breakfast. As Ron grabbed the butter and ham from the fridge, Hermione went in search of bread. They returned to each other's side and began to butter and cut bread. Hermione was quiet, more quiet than usual and Ron suspected that she still hadn't quite got over the outburst that had occurred earlier that morning. He felt uncomfortable; he wanted his Hermione back, the bossy, funny, self-confident one.

He leaned inwards closer to her and said quietly, 'Go to Bill and Fleur's wedding with me.'

Still looking preoccupied at the sandwiches she replied absentmindedly, 'I'm already going to the wedding, your mother wants me to be a bridesmaid.'

'I know.'

'So why say that, Ron?'

'I meant let's go together,' Hermione's eyes flicked up to look at him briefly, at this Ron turned fully to look at her, surprised she wasn't taking the hint, 'Hermione Granger I am asking you to be my date to my brother's wedding, are you going to accept me or not?'

Hermione's eyes widened in amazement before she began to laugh, at first Ron felt rather rejected, didn't she say at the Yule Ball to ask her next time? Was it possible he had misunderstood her in some way? Maybe she already had a date to the wedding, someone better and laughing at the fact that Ron could have even thought that she'd want to go with him. He felt his muscles tense.

'You're a bit eager Ron. We live in the same house, you could have asked me just before, not a fortnight in advance,' Hermione explained, still finding his eagerness rather amusing.

Ron sighed with relief and he felt the tension in his shoulders subside, 'well I learnt the importance of foresight from the Yule Ball the other year.'

'You remember what I said?'

'Remember? You yelled it half way across the entrance hall, I think everybody at that ball could probably remember what you said to me!' he turned back to the worktop as Hermione began to giggle childishly at what he had just said.

'Well, you deserved it.'

'I usually do,' Ron stated, 'is that a yes then?'

'Yes, that's a yes Ron,' Hermione hit him playfully on the arm he retaliated by knocking sideways into her lightly. Their forearms brushed against each other and for a second the laughing stopped and they just looked downwards at the food on the worktop.

The silence was broken by the sound of a crash, bang and 'Oh bloody hell!' Ron and Hermione turned round swiftly from what they were doing to find Fred sprawled on the floor, grasping out at the table and trying to pull himself upwards. He was red in the face and glaring daggers at George. A smile tugged on the corner of her mouth, she looked up at Ron and after a few moments of staring at each other in bewilderment Ron raised his eyebrow and Hermione burst into fits of giggles.

Grabbing a sandwich for each of them, Ron grasped hold of Hermione's wrist and pulled her back towards the kitchen door, 'come on!' And with that they were gone from the kitchen.

'What the hell did you do that for?' Fred snarled at his brother once he had finally regained his balance on his chair, 'you made me look like a complete fool in front of Herm…' he faltered slightly, '…them,'

'You do like her then?'

'No!' Fred stated indignantly, 'I do not like Hermione.'

George stood up and looked down at Fred in disbelief, 'of course you don't, you're just completely mad about her.' He turned to leave the room.

'I do not fancy Hermione!' Fred yelled after him, sinking down in his chair in despair.

'By the way,' his brother's voice drifted through from the living room, 'you're always making a fool out of yourself in front of "Herm… them,"' George teased him, 'I doubt that "they" would be suspicious.'

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