I have no excuse for the lateness of this chapter except sheer laziness. I do apologise. Sadly, my laptop has broken so the next chapter might be a while but, it might not. I don't know yet. Please R&R and enjoy! I hope I'm not away for too long!
~Bethany

Fred and Hermione had never kissed in public. They don't know why, it just didn't happen for them. Harry and Ginny had, Ron and Lavender had; much to Ron's dismay. Why then they didn't do it was a complete mystery. Perhaps Hermione was just too shy? Maybe it would just be too awkward? It could be because Fred was just trying to be respectful to his girlfriend and ended up doing it too much. It could be a number of different reasons. They didn't really question it because something that trivial wasn't important to them.

The weather had gotten slightly warmer over night which everyone was happy about. If it had gotten any colder, people would have started to get frost bite.

'Hey Ron, there's football practice later. You up for it? It might keep us vaguely warm.' Harry yawned in to his porridge.

Ron made a noise that sounded vaguely like 'Yeah, alright.'

Hermione folded up the morning paper and sighed.

'What a load of rubbish, as always of course. Ron, have you got a reply from your parents about the camping trip?'

He perked up a bit then and swallowed his mouthful of bacon and egg.

'The letter's on the table somewhere.'

Ron started looking underneath the bits of paper that were on the table from, parcels and unfinished homework until he pulled out a white envelope. He opened it and took out the sheet of paper within.

'Let's have a look then?' Asked Hermione crowding around Ron and the letter, Harry did so too.

Dear Ron,

You can go as long as you tell me where you're going and as long as you're back by Christmas eve. If they would like, Harry and Hermione can stay for Christmas, they're always welcome. Make sure Fred and George are behaving themselves and tell Ginny your father I said hello.

Lots of love,

Mum.

'It's all settled then.' Harry sat back and started digging back in to his breakfast.

Hermione smiled widely which showed off the front row of her teeth.

'I'm actually quite excited.' She exclaimed pulling a plate of breakfast in front of her.

Harry nodded, his slightly too long dark hair flopped in front of his glasses.

'Me too. It'll be a laugh.'

Ron stopped eating a sausage long enough to join in on the conversation.
'Should be alright.'

'You sound very excited, Ron.' Hermione said sarcastically, rolling her eyes and flicking through the newspaper once more desperate for something more to read.

'Well I am trying to eat breakfast!' Ron spat with a mouthful of food.

She wrinkled her nose up in disgust as he spoke with his mouth full.

'Yes and you're clearly a very charming man.'

'Careful with your words Hermione.' George said from behind her. She turned and grinned at him who gladly returned the smile with a gentle laugh.

'I wouldn't dream of hurting your brother.' Hermione pointed out.

Ron grumbled in to his breakfast plate.

'Which one? I'm his brother and you've got no problem yelling at me.' Ron said a little too loudly under his breath.

Hermione ignored Ron but really wanted to kick him under the table, but, that would have just proved Ron's point further.

'Oh good.' George replied slyly. 'He'll be so pleased.'

'I am actually.' Fred calmly said, moving in to view from behind George.

Ron looked at them with a confused manner.

'Where the bloody hell did you come from?'

'Around.' Fred shrugged and the twins sat down at the table.

Hermione shuffled closer to Fred who put his arms around her. He moved a little closer to her face until their noses touched. They giggled to themselves and gave each other an Eskimo kiss which made Ron pull a face, pick up his letter and leave.

Fred and Hermione laughed after he had gone and sat back normally.

'Well, he left quicker than I had expected.' Fred sighed, picking up a slightly over cooked sausage off of Ron's abandoned plate and eating it.

Hermione sighed and folded up the newspaper again.

'Never mind. It's not like we won't have other chances.'

George laughed and turned to his brother, nudging him for his attention.

'Did you see the look on his face though?'

All three of them burst in to laughter although Hermione was only giving a half hearted laugh, like she wasn't entirely sure that she should be laughing, or like she didn't want to do so at all.

Harry looked at them all with a raised eyebrow and a lot of questions burning in his brain.

'You three are up to something, aren't you?' He said, his gaze changing between them quickly.

'We might be.' The twins said together.

Harry's eyes lingered on Hermione who played with the cuffs of her school jumper, occasionally looking up and catching a flash of Harry's green eyes on her.

Finally, she gave in.

'I just wanted to give Ron a reason to be annoyed at me for having my hands all over Fred, as Ron so graciously put. Fred and I just decided to be a bit more...' Hermione paused trying to think of the appropriate word. 'coupley around each other. And George is in on it because, well, he's George.'

George grinned.

'Never could resist a prank, plus, Fred's my brother so of course I'm going to help out and Hermione's as good as a sister.'

xx

'How were lessons today?' Fred asked as Hermione perched on his lap and put her arms around his shoulders.

'Fine. What about yours?' Hermione asked.

Fred looked slightly taken back.

'What's up? Usually you won't stop talking to me about how your lessons went.'

Hermione smiled and pushed her hair behind her ears.

'Exactly. I thought you could use a break from that.'

'I love it when you won't shut up about your day. You sound so passionate and it's adorable.'

Hermione's cheeks flushed a light pink and she buried her embarrassed face in Fred's chest. Ron looked over wearing a face full of abhorrence, she could see him out of the corner of her eye and it made her smile more in to his brother's chest. Ron looked away and carried on chatting with Harry. From the looks that Ron was giving, Harry hadn't said a word to him about the 'plan' that the three of them were involved in.

Fred ran his fingers through his hair and sighed heavily.

'As much as I would love to sit here like this forever, we've got football practice.'

'Yes we do.' George agreed. He pushed Hermione off of Fred and sat in between them. 'Go on Fred, get changed and take Ron and Harry with you.'

That's exactly what Fred did.

'Are you going to come and watch us practice?' George asked Hermione, putting his feet up on the table in front of the common room sofa.

'I don't see why not.'

xx

Hermione sat on the front row as close to the pitch as she could get with Ginny. Both of them wrapped up in scarves and hats. They watched the team play in the cold, both of them wishing that the practice would just finish so that they could back inside where it was warmer.

'Ron doesn't seem to be doing very well today, does he?' Ginny said, watching Ron try and stop the balls flying past him and in to the goal.

'Hmm? Oh, right, yeah. I wasn't really looking at Ron.'

Ginny grinned knowingly and put her hands inside her pockets. She watched Harry run around the pitch as Hermione watched Fred.

'We might have a chance of beating Slytherin in the next match if Ron performs a bit better during the actual game.' Ginny mentioned, trying to get a small conversation going.

'Perhaps he's just nervous now.'

'Well, he's going to be a lot more nervous when eleven determined and bloodthirsty Slytherin's are staring down at him.'

'I somehow doubt they'll be bloodthi-'

A cheer came from the rest of the crowd and the team as Ron managed to save the ball going in to the back of the net from the kick of Angelina Johnson.

Hermione and Ginny both cheered a little late, just to try and cover up the fact that they didn't actually see it.

'Yay, Ron!' Ginny called out, jumping up and down. Hermione laughed and tried to get Ginny to stand still before she hurt someone.

'Well done, Ron!' Hermione shouted any way, trying to support her incredibly irritating friend.

Cheering on Ron during practice was supposed to make her feel better about dangling her relationship with Fred in front of him, but it didn't really. Ron was out of order to snap at her like that though and she did want to take action against it. It was also quite fun to be closer to both Fred and George through it. Both of them were more than willing to help her in any situation, of course she was grateful for that, but sometimes she just didn't need any help.

Football practice seemed to go on forever, it definitely felt like a lot longer because it was so cold. Hermione and Ginny watched the ball as it was passed from player to player and as the sky got darker, the crowd got smaller

Eventually, the team retired to the changing rooms to put on something a lot warmer. Ginny dragged Hermione down on to the pitch whilst they waited for Harry, Ron and Fred. She kicked around one of the balls as she waited, sometimes kicking it towards Hermione who gently kicked it back.

'Watch this.' Ginny moved her feet in odd ways that Hermione could never do before kicking the ball incredibly far across the pitch and watched it hit the back of the net in the goal.

'Nice footwork, Ginny.' Angelina said from behind, with Harry by her. 'We could use someone like you on the team.'

'Wow, Ginny. You're really good.' Harry said clearly gob-smacked. Ginny's cheeks has gone red, from the cold or from the compliment from Harry, it wasn't obvious.

'Consider coming to the next try-outs, won't you?' Angelina grinned hopefully.

Ginny looked at Harry's eager face and couldn't help but smile as well.

'I'll definitely think about it.' Was Ginny's reply, which was enough for Angelina as she bounded off to pick up the football from the goal and tidy up the cones and spare balls that were used during the practice.

'I'm sure you'll make the team if you try-out.' Harry said shivering slightly.

Ginny nodded and started pulling Harry out back towards the school.

'I'm sure I will. Come on, let's go inside. You look like you're about to freeze to death. See you in a minute Hermione.' Ginny and Harry left chatting away to each other happily before disappearing out of sight, leaving Hermione alone in the dark. The lights on the pitch weren't exactly very bright.

Fred and George came running out of the changing rooms and Fred ran straight at Hermione to hug her tightly.

The three of them sat down by the benches waiting for Ron to emerge.

'He's bragging about the save he made against Angelina to Alicia and anyone else who'll listen.' George sighed. 'He's overly happy right now...' He trailed off, grinning as an idea began to grow inside his head. Apparently Fred could see this idea manifesting as well as he mirrored his twins smile.

'Hermione, do you fancy being a little bit mean in a minute? Bring Ron down from his high horse before he starts bragging about it to you as well?' Fred asked.

'Well, I don't really want him to go on about it to me. I know what happened.'

Fred and George winked at each other and stood up; Hermione stood too, unsure what was happening.

They walked back on to the pitch and stood there.

'Now, when Ron starts to come out, do what I say. Okay?'

Hermione panicked and nodded.

'Don't worry, Hermione. I wouldn't let him do anything that I wouldn't do.' George said, patting Hermione on the back.

'That's a comforting thought.' She said sarcastically.

The trio's eyes moved over to the door where Ron was about to emerge. He was still going on about the save.

'Hey, Hermione! Did you see-' Ron shouted across to her, walking towards them and taking large strides as he moved across the pitch

'Hermione.' Fred whispered, 'Put your hands on my waist.' So she did. Ron was still moving towards them.

'I mean, I thought I was going to miss it, it was Angelina's kick!' He went on.

Fred looked Hermione in the eyes and whispered to her.

'Kiss me.'

Hermione looked up at him full of confusion.

'Pardon?' She whispered back at him.

'I said, kiss me.'

Hermione had trouble trying to speak.

'I'm sorry, what?'

Fred rolled his eyes and gently grabbed Hermione's face, Ron was now starting to shut up. Fred leaned in towards her pressing his cold lips against hers gently. Hermione's features softened slightly, like his simple touch had started to defrost her entire being. The world seemed like it had stopped spinning and Hermione moved her hands so that she able to wrap her arms around Fred's waist. She parted her lips slightly and kissed him back now that the initial shock had worn off. Fred stroked Hermione's cheek with his thumb as George stood by awkwardly.

They broke apart but kept their heads pressed together until George tapped Fred's shoulder. Ron was looking at Fred and Hermione uncomfortably.

'I think Ron has something to say.' George said.

They looked at him and waited. Ron paused, wanting to speak but couldn't.

'It doesn't matter.' He mumbled, walking past them quickly and back inside.

xx

'I was in the middle of talking to her and she completely ignored me and starting snogging my brother!' Ron exclaimed at Harry who just yawned and tried to settle down to sleep.

'Well you have been going on a bit.' Harry said cautiously.

'No I haven't!'

'Yeah you have. Anyway, would you be annoyed if I started snogging Ginny during a conversation?' Harry asked.

Ron looked at him with a lot of confusion.

'Of course I would! For one that would be my little sister than you'll have your mouth wrapped around and you would have done exactly what Hermione just did!'

'Fine, that was a bad example. I just wanted to know.'

'Why?'

'No reason. Did you hear that Angelina wants her to try-out for the football team?' Harry mentioned, hoping that this would change the subject.

Ron shook his head and started to climb in to bed.

'I didn't really have the time to hear about it.'

'Well, Angelina saw her playing about with the ball, thought she was really good and asked her to come to the next lot of try-outs. She is good, though.'

'Oh congratulations, Ginny.' Ron said sarcastically. 'I can't believe Hermione did that after I told her about how she had her hands all over him!'

Harry rolled his eyes and turned in his bed, pulling the covers far over his head.

'Shut up and go to sleep, Ron.'

xx

As Fred and George walked towards their dormitory, Hermione grabbed George's arm.

'I'll be there in a minute.' George said.

Fred nodded and waved goodbye to Hermione before travelling up the stairs.

'What did you mean by 'wouldn't let him do anything you wouldn't'? Surely you knew what was about to happen.'

George laughed and pushed Hermione's hand away from his arm.

'I didn't mean anything like that. You're not my type.'

Hermione smirked.

'I know. Anyway, I already know your type. Be careful though, I think Neville's got a little thing for her as well.'

'What? How do you- I don't...' George babbled.

'Relax. Fred told me. I think it's sweet. But like I said, Neville has a little crush on her too. That's also not an invitation to play the 'who can win Luna over the fastest' game.'

'Thanks Hermione. You're marvellous. Can we continue this later? Fred might think we're up to something.' George nodded towards the stairs and Hermione smiled.

'Of course. Night, George.'

Then they both went to their dorms.

xx

'You told Hermione about Luna?' George whispered hitting Fred over the head slightly.

Fred frowned and hit him back.

'It's Hermione, George. It's not like I told Luna. You'll live.'

Eventually the twins changed and went to bed and laid in the silence, neither of them really being able to sleep. Everyone else had managed to drift off a long time ago, there was light snoring coming from one of their dorm mates but which one, they had no idea. There was a wind that made the curtains billow and bring in cold air. What idiot left the window open in this weather?

'So do you love her?' They both whispered to each other in the dark.