Fred followed Hermione, snorting at the new password. One of his favorite spells. Came in handy on that blasted cat Mrs. Norris when she got in the way. He felt strangely giddy and light-headed as he followed her, though he was not completely unflustered by the look that Ron sent Hermione. But he was in too much of a good mood to be fazed by this. It was quite easy to look at Hermione almost falling onto the floor rather than at his sour brother. He laughed, dropping down into a chair near her. He was rather mystified by the fact that she was not running away, as he had suspected. So, trying to find a reason to stay in the same room as her without - well, NOT having one, he put his bag on his lap - and then began to tie knots in the strap. Oh, very creative, Fred, he told himself.
"Y'all right?" he asked, arching an eyebrow as she settled herself back into her armchair. He honestly could not remember Hermione ever falling before - except that time in the lake, but that wasn't due to lack of - grace. Her grin was contagious, so he found himself grinning as well.

Hermione caught Fred's eye and the uncontrollable smile widened. She couldn't help it. She just could NOT stop grinning! The ecstatic girl shrugged, screaming for joy inside, and staring back at the fire with that silly grimace on her face, brown eyes mirthful.
"Am I alright? What do you think..." She said playfully, twirling a strand of her hair.
Ron, however, caught the even MORE hinting looks between the two, and scowled.
THIS is what was going on? Well this was sickening...

Fred snickered.
"I suppose you're not mortally injured," he teased. He alternated between now trying to disentangle the mess he had made of his strap and ogling at Hermione. He began to wonder why he had never noticed Hermione all that much before. In fact, he wondered why no one else had - her eyes looked so pretty when she was smiling like that! The thought rather embarrassed him, and he began to seriously wonder whether he was going mad or not. He considered telling her, even got out the letter, "I", but then common sense took over and he shook his head, looking back down at his bag. Goodness - he had done a good job on that strap, considering he managed to knot his thumb into it.

Hermione gave what seemed to be an internal giggle, then turned to face the ceiling, and her eyes met Ron's angry glare.
He had marched over to her chair, arms folded, and raised his eyebrow, staring down at her.
Her smile faded. "What's wrong, Ron?" She inquired, in a some-what timid voice, yet still defiantly and with the slightest touch of boredom. It was as though she were trying to not care what he thought.
"I don't know." Ron spat. "You tell me."
Hermione let out a low sigh and got up, hair falling into her eyes.
She walked over to a table where Harry sat, with Ron behind her like a hissing goose.
"I don't know why you continue this, Ron.... We've been through it a thousand times before!" She cried angrily, yet there was a little worry in it.
"Hmm, let's see...." Ron started loudly. "You move to sixth year, for the reason that you TOLD was me, then I discover that you and Fred have gotten 'real chummy! In fact, so chummy, that I think there might've been something –personal- going on. Even NOW there might be! You two seem very close all of a sudden, smiling, giggling, exchanging glances.... What's the deal, mmm?"

He had had it. Oh, by everything Holy, Unholy, and everything in between, he had absolutely, bloody HAD it with his brother. He rose to his feet and sauntered after he and Hermione, almost trembling with rage. He didn't care what happened after this - even if he alienated himself from his youngest brother to such an extent that in comparison it would look like he and Percy were on friendly terms. He reached forward and grabbed a handful of the back of Ron's robes and yanked him violently backwards. He didn't let him fall, instead dragging him a few feet away from Hermione and pulling him to him until their faces were inches apart.
"The DEAL," he shouted. "Is none of your damned business!" He even shook him once, he was so angry. He had been asking for this - he had definitely been asking for this for a long time. If Ron had not been his brother, he would have found himself in crutches the first time he crossed this Weasley twin. "You just don't seem to UNDERSTAND, Ron. Even if there were something going on between Hermione and I, it's none of your concern! You don't OWN her. She is perfectly able to do whatever she wants to do, WITHOUT asking your permission to DO it! If you don't want your bloody neck snapped in half, then go sod off!"
And then, with a last snarl, he bodily threw Ron into the table. He glared after him, breathing rather heavily, though rather with suppressing the urge to carry out with his threat other than any physical exertion.

Ron's eyes had widened when he was grabbed, and during the yell, even frowned and looked at Fred incredulously. . . . but when he was slammed into the table, it was a different story.
The top half of his body jerked back from hitting the table, and before he even knew what he was doing, he was running angrily straight back into Fred.
His right fist found Fred's jaw angrily, and the other hit him round the middle, knocking him backwards a few feet.
"Well it IS my business..." He yelled back, shaking slightly and speaking in a voice that was not remotely his. Even when he spoke, half the time he didn't know what he was saying.
"If someone I happen to CARE about goes flitting about with my bloody BROTHER for crying out loud, then COMPLETELY leaves me in the DUST, ignoring me as if I am a SLUG or something, and to TOP IT OFF, GETS MAD AT ME FOR WANTING HER TO NOT LEAVE THE YEAR!!!! I think THAT'S a little messed up, that someone pushes a person away when all they do is CARE ABOUT HER!!!"
As soon as Fred had gotten out of his chair, Hermione looked surprised. Now she looked simply petrified. Her hand had gone to her mouth, and her eyes were wide and staring from one to the next.

Completely flabbergasted that his little brother had managed to fight back, he was momentarily speechless. Fred gaped at Ron with widened eyes, but soon the shock was gone and the smoldering rage returned. He couldn't stop shaking as he recovered from the blow to his midriff that had rendered him breathless. He straightened and stepped back up to his brother, his voice dangerously low and cool, his hands curled into fists at his sides.
"Well, in my opinion, if you CARE about someone, you shouldn't TREAT them like the bloody MUD stuck to the bottom of your SHOE!"
Before he could think twice about it, he had hit Ron as hard as he could, at any part of his face he could manage. Being a beater did have its advantages, one of them being his accuracy was dead on and his blows were a force to be reckoned with.

Ron staggered, holding his cheek. Hermione let out a cry. A hot and angry tear fell down her cheek and she threw her hands down by her side, then ran in between them, facing neither one, but the side.
"Just stop it, stop it right now!!" She cried shrilly. "You two are IDIOTS! I'm not even WORTH that! Don't you see what this is causing??? A fight between BROTHERS? RIDICULOUS! I can't take it anymore if this is going to continue... so this needs to end here and now. If me having feelings for Fred," She cast him a fleeting glance. "Is going to RUIN the relationship between you two, I am going to dump them in the garbage bin, without batting an eyelash. Even if that will be hard since... --" She paused and wrung her hands in frustration. "-- since there are many. But the point is, I don't want this to go further. Ron, you need to accept the fact that I have moved into 6th year. We will still talk... oh... if you get over this problem, I'll probably talk to you MORE, and Fred – you need to realize that Ron has certain problems with things... But, I..." Her steam came to a feeble halt, as her voice trailed off and left her looking miserably at the two.
"I don't want to be the cause of your fight." She ended quietly. "And neither do I want to be the cause of hatred between you two. Because, -- in different senses for each --... I love you both."

Fred did not speak right away. He was obviously surprised by Hermione's reaction, and a bit scandalized. His hot temper was most definitely a Weasley trait, visible in every member in the red-headed family, from Ginny to his own father, as Arthur had exhibited while getting into a tussle with Lucius Malfoy some years back. It always took a bit of sense to be knocked into their heads from someone else to calm them down. Hermione's tirade fit the bill beautifully. As he listened to her have her say, he began to feel sick, or hurt, or - something. He was beginning to feel that this whole situation was quite unfair, and he wasn't sure whether he had the urge to punch something or run away, or, possibly, just stay where he was. The thing was, he just couldn't stand the fact that his brother was making his life miserable because he had feelings for Hermione. Yes, he had feelings for her, considerable ones as well, or else he wouldn't be standing there at all. Ron had as much right to make him miserable as - as Neville Longbottom did!

"Her - Hermione," he stammered, looking from the bushy-haired girl to Ron. When he saw his brother his fingers twitched, remembering the feeling of hitting him moments ago - his knuckles were still sore. He honestly didn't know how to reply to her last statement. He moistened his lips once and looked away from his brother. "Listen, Hermione - this - this is not your fault. I - I still love Ron, as much of a GIT as he is," he turned his eyes on Ron regretfully. "You're still my brother, Ron, but you have to - to straighten some things out... I - like her, mate," he muttered miserably, shrugging and looking nervously at Hermione. "I like her a lot. I'm sorry. I - don't know what else to say to you."
He really didn't know what else to say. He was angry and a bit confused, and he didn't know how to resolve the two feelings with each other, leaving him even more flustered than before.

Ron sighed resentfully, and rubbed his face. This was a lot to take in, for he did – as Hermione said earlier in the year – have the emotional range of a teaspoon.
Yet now he seemed to have made an exception and widened his range of emotional capacity, and sighed more, fixing tired and sad eyes on Hermione, then Fred.
Hermione had been looking at the both of them uneasily during Fred's speech, and when he said that he liked her, went pink in the face and began to bite her lower lip again, the corner of her mouth twitching from holding back a smile.
Ron was staring at the ground past Fred, and muttered, "Sorry, mate... got carried away."
Hermione did not know if this was a plausible and good enough apology for Fred, but didn't care. Right now – everything was at a cool stand off, and she did not want things to get heated up again. She settled for scooting the slightest fraction of an inch towards Fred, still peering anxiously at the both of them.

Fred frowned a bit, part of him wanting to still be angry at Ron and part of him willing to forgive the little git. He looked at Hermione, knowing very well which direction she would rather him lean towards. In a few moments was able to make up his mind. He let out a deep sigh and crossed his arms over his chest, a ghost of a smile flickering over his face once more. There was really no choice to the matter. It was not as if he could come back and say - 'Well, you should have thought of saying that sooner!' or something of the sort after what he said earlier. Plus he was rather impressed - though he probably would have rathered him on his knees, begging for forgiveness, even that simple apology was more than he had ever heard from Ron. He nodded in reply, letting his hands fall loosely at his sides.
"S'alright," he muttered, and then lifted his eyebrows at Hermione, silently asking her if she were pleased - he was rather amazed at the power she seemed to hold over both the brothers.

Hermione let out a sigh of relief, then folded her arms and walked over to the fire.
The flickering flames danced inside her soft brown eyes as she watched the glow that crackled merrily in the hearth, eyes unfocused and blank.
For a few moments, Ron looked relieved too, then a small grin twitched its way onto his features. This was going to be difficult inside, but outside it wouldn't look too odd.
"So, you really do like her, mate, don't you." He said quietly, for Hermione not to hear.
He folded his arms as well and was grinning at Fred cheekily.

His eyes turned in Hermione's direction, having watched her walk away, he didn't have to look at Ron to know he was attempting to grin in some way. The visual was enough to make him smirk. He nodded, thrusting his hands into his robe pockets and turning a keen eye in his younger brother's direction.
"Yeah," he said slowly. "I do."
He wondered if Ron would ever really get over this. True, he was an impulsive prat - talk about the pot calling the kettle black, mused Fred - but if he really did care for Hermione as he said he did, could he ever set well with his brother if Fred refused to let go of his feelings for Hermione? Really, he hoped so, for as much as he hated to admit it, Fred really didn't enjoy fighting with his brothers.

Ron's grin widened into a smirk as he watched his brother stare from Hermione, to avoiding his gaze. It was quite apparent how mad he was about her, and this shocked Ron to the core inside. His older brother, not JUST his older brother but FRED Weasley, the prankster, the joker, the one who wanted to own his own joke-shop, fell for his best friend -- the academic. What puzzled him even more, was the fact that is was such an odd attraction. Hermione studious, Fred not.
SO not studious, he was the blatant opposite. Carefree and didn't give two hoots about studying, when Hermione cared more about getting expelled than death!
How on earth could Fred fall for her? They were so – different! And Fred had done nothing but tell Ron and anyone who would listen that Hermione studied too much... what had changed?
Hermione, maybe. Ron nodded to himself inside. Hermione could have changed, but she seemed alright to HIM.
Could it be that she was different around Fred than she was around Ron?
Nah... impossible. His gaze shifted over to the back of Hermione's figure, staring at the fire.
Maybe it was true... maybe she DID seem a –tad– different lately...
Come to think of it, she had once even stopped holding her book bag! Peculiar indeed...

But why did this bother him so much? Ron began to address the situation to himself. What DID make him so angry that Hermione felt good around Fred and was beginning to have feelings for him?
Was it hatred towards his brother? No... Was it hatred towards her? Absolutely not...
And then a tiny voice in the back of his head spoke one word: Jealousy.
His eyes narrowed. Could he be jealous...? The question was asked feebly in the back of his mind, with not much enthusiasm.
Maybe...
Ron suddenly realized he hadn't spoken for awhile, and looked back at Fred, putting on his grin once more. "So, anything else going to happen between... you and her?"

Fred finally turned away from the brooding Hermione and looked fully at his brother, smiling weakly at him as he did so. After the many events of that day, he was beginning to wonder if it would ever end. And frankly, it would take quite a lot to surprise him - he wouldn't blink an eyelash if he turned around and saw Dean Thomas and Harry snogging in a corner.
"I don't know," he said honestly - he really didn't know. Hermione had - in so many words - asked him the same thing not long ago. It was all so new to him - he hadn't even LIKED a girl before Hermione. And now he was faced with so many decision and choices. "Yeah... no... well, I hope so..."
He trailed off, grinning a little nervously. He changed the subject by lightly touching his jaw, cocking an eyebrow exaggeratedly at Ron.
"Well? Care to tell me who taught you to punch like that? Last I knew, Ginny could knock you to the ground in three seconds flat..."

Ron chuckled as Hermione sat down in a chair and rubbed the side of her face.
"Well, you've got one hell of a right hook as well, so you shouldn't be the one to complain..." He massaged his cheek as well, where it had turned red.
"Who knew it would end up in a boxing match over Hermione..." He paused and realized it made him sound as if HE had feelings for Hermione, which he didn't.... at least, thought he didn't....
"I mean, not in THAT way..." He added hastily, then sighed. "So you going to get her anything for Christmas?"
He cast a meaningful look at the back of Hermione's brown head and his smirk widened.

Also glancing at Hermione, Fred considered this. Yet another question that he had not even thought of before - ai, having feelings for someone was much more complicated than he would have thought. He snorted with laughter from amusement at his own naivety.
"Yeah, I suppose so," he said, nodding.
Ah - this should be interesting, he thought. Whatever was he going to get her? A book - he tried to imagine himself daring to walk into a bookstore. The thought was frightening - possibly even more frightening than studying had been. He shifted uncomfortably, and then banished the thought from his mind. When the time came - he would have to do what he had to do. After coming to grips with this, he grinned at Ron, and countered, "You?"

Ron shrugged and stared after Hermione.
"Don't know what I will... probably a study kit or something..." His voice drifted off, though, as Hermione got up from the chair at stretched in the warmth of the fire, brown eyes closing, then opening on Ron and Fred.
"I think I'm going to go take a nap..." She said with a small yawn, checking the clock.
3:30. It had been a nice day of studying, kissing, and yelling, and now she needed to go sort out the million half formed thoughts racing around in her head.
"Will I see you around dinnertime?" She added towards Fred, walking over and picking up her book bag.
Ron sighed quietly.

Still nodding to what his brother had said to him, Fred directed his attention back to Hermione once more - it was amazing he did not develop a crick in his neck from switching his gaze between her and Ron almost every other second. He cracked a small grin. He had never really taken a nap - unless he was pretty darn ill - because he seemed to have a mental block to such things, almost like studying. Though, he could see where the idea would appeal to Hermione. Personally, he was shocked that it was as early as it was - he would have sworn on his life that it was approaching 7 or 8 o'clock.
"Yeah," he said. "Sure."

Hermione slung her bag over her shoulder slowly, then walked over and briskly gave Fred a hug and a kiss on the cheek.
After this, her cheeks tinged pink and she hurried up the stairs, brown hair whipping out of sight.
Ron gave a slow sigh and turned to Fred.
"You really are going to get her a BOOK?" He asked incredulously, putting his hands in his pockets as well. "Gee, mate, I would've thought since you fancy her it'd be a bit more.... Well – nice."

Gazing after Hermione, a bit surprised by the unexpected kiss, he at first didn't pay attention to Ron. Then he realized he was being spoken to and running the past few seconds in his head, and turned a slightly embarrassed grin towards his brother.
"Nah," he said, shrugging a bit. "I'll get her something nice - I just - have no idea what yet."
He thought. When he first thought of things Hermione liked - obviously, he thought of books. But that was what he thought Hermione liked before he really took the time to get to know her. What did girls like? He immediately thought of flowers, teddy bears and pink - fluffy things. But he was willing to bet money that none of that appealed to Hermione. Then suddenly it hit him - he brightened considerably.
"I know," he said, grinning. "Quidditch! I'll get her something - quidditchy." He was rather pleased at himself - why had he not thought of it before?

Ron was still looking at him awkwardly, but then grinned and rammed his shoulder playfully. "Bit new to this girl stuff, aren't you Fred? Don't blame you... girls do some pretty mad things..."
He failed to stifle a large yawn, stretched, and then sauntered over to the steps that lead to the boys dormitories. "I think I'll pull a Hermione and go take a nap too..." After smirking, he disappeared up the steps.

Fred smirked, and then aimed a teasing clout to Ron's head but missed.
"Understatement of the century, dear brother," he replied. "Enjoy your nap, see you later then."
As he stood, watching Ron go, he suddenly wondered what on earth he was going to do himself for the next couple of hours. Lost, he stuffed his hands in his pockets and cast an anxious look about him. He wished now George were speaking to him - now he had no one but himself to talk about the events of the day so far with. He scratched his head, and sighed, and then walked over to grab his bag. Perhaps he could just go up to the dormitories and - sit on his bed, watching the wall for a few hours. Yeah, that sounded nice. Say, he might even find George there, though he doubted it - he probably left ages ago to pull some sort of joke-shop business.

Hermione ripped back the curtains of her four poster bed, and flopped down into it, positively squealing with joy.
Everything that had happened in the day had been shocking, exciting, overjoying, angering... and another three thousand feelings after that.
Her stomach still had strikes of adrenaline zipping through it, making her heart race in a different pattern each time -- and she fixed her brown eyes on the bottom of the bed above her.
Fred had kissed her.
Fred fancied her.
Fred even punched Ron because he refused to not like her.
These thoughts seemed so far from true, (even though she knew they were) and so unbelievably SHOCKING to Hermione, the one who had never had someone like her ever, that she turned over onto her stomach, buried her face in her pillow, and let out a joyous squeal, not caring if it was loud -- the pillow was taking in a very loud scream of happiness.

Fred drifted into the dormitory, and he was not very surprised to find it devoid of any kind of life. He simply dropped his bag in front of the door and walked over to his bed, and after pulling the curtains back he promptly just dropped onto it. He rolled slowly onto his bed, folding his hands under his head and letting one of his legs dangle off the side of the mattress.
He had no idea what to feel. More emotions and feelings were bubbling up inside of him than he had ever felt his whole life - let alone at the same time. Being distinct fully Fredish as he was, he was used to paying attention to one good feeling at a time, one situation at a time, one thought at a time. But now, he was forced to let that philosophy fly to the four winds and cope with the barrage of thoughts forcing to drown him.

First, he still hadn't gotten over the shock of the whole thing. It had a numbing, calming effect that made him wonder if any of this had even happened at all. Second, he felt nervous and apprehensive. He had stepped into a territory he knew absolutely nothing about, and was almost certain that he had received too much of a good thing that day. And finally, he felt excited, and a bit giddy. He had kissed Hermione! He laughed, and then disengaged a hand from the back of his head to place it over his eyes. He actually KISSED Hermione.
Merlin's beard - he didn't know what it was about her, but she made him do the most - outrageous things. He grinned, and sat up, and then laid back down again, and then rolled onto his stomach. He definitely did not feel like lying down - he felt like getting up and - running about and yelling or something. Or not. He had no idea - he wondered if liking a girl could possibly always be so confusing.

Hermione's feelings were very similar to Fred's, only with more doubt rather than giddiness.
If someone – ANYONE – found out, then Fred and she would be the laughing stock of the whole school. That the two most contradictory people ever known to mankind – had feelings for one another.
This brought Hermione to her second thought.
What now?
What was the next step after the kiss between the two?
Would they become an official item? Boyfriend and girlfriend, like Percy and Penelope?
Hermione scowled. Certainly not like those two... for despite the fact that Penelope was probably a sweet girl... most everyone in the school, except for Hermione, hated to listen to Percy talk on and on, and Hermione loved talking to Fred. She rather enjoyed the intellectual comparison between Percy and her, yet she was sure that she was the only one to understand him and his complicated babble.
But there was sure to be awkwardness in a relationship... Hermione continued, turning over on her back at once more staring at the bottom of the bed.
Unless Fred totally fell head over heels for her, then there would be no discomfiture, but she was sure it was only a mild crush...
Or was it?
Hermione had never before in her LIFE thought about things like love, and romantic relationships, so she really had no idea what to do, say, or how to handle any of this.
This was her first, real... what to call it... -- relationship? Romantic interest. There, that was better.

In a few minutes, Fred showed his lack of tolerance for staying still for an unnecessarily long amount of time by rolling off of his bed, getting to his feet, and then beginning to pace. As if he and Hermione had developed some sort of psychic mental connection, his thoughts were turning in the same direction as hers. He knew very well what would happen if anyone found out about them - but he really did not care. Everyone's always thought him odd and someone to laugh at. But he knew Hermione would not appreciate it. He felt troubled. What if they DID find out? Would Hermione leave him in the dust rather than ignore them?
He also was thinking about what happened next. If - IF - they ever became... a couple... what if things just didn't work out? It was true, Hermione and he were polar opposites. Though the old saying that opposites attracted seemed to have been proven true thus far, what if their differences got so obvious that Hermione got fed up with trying to put up with him? He stopped pacing, biting his lip in thought. Or, what if Hermione didn't really even like him at all, and was just humoring him? What if she felt bad for him for never really having feelings for a boy before and wanted to let him down gently?
Realizing that the more he paced and thought, the more worked up he became, Fred walked back to his bed and sat down, running a nervous hand through his hair. He sighed, and almost laughed - all this over one kiss and a tussle with his brother. He wondered how more people did not have nervous breakdowns when they first began encroaching upon the world of relationships and love.