Hermione was on her way back to the common room from a late night studying in the library, when she heard something rustling behind a nearby painting. She stepped to the side of it, and pulled her wand out of her robes. The painting swung open, and she could hear whoever it was talking to themselves.

"Why the hell did I give Potter that map? I'm never gonna find her now." The voice muttered. Hermione instantly relaxed when she seen Fred step out and start off towards the library, not noticing her behind him.

She silenced her footsteps, and jogged up behind him. The paintings around them were snickering, and Fred was growing irritated, not only with the paintings, but for not thinking this plan through. Hermione could be anywhere is this damned castle, and more than likely in bed. There was no way he would be able to get up there to see her, he didn't even know the password anymore.

He was about to step through the library doors, when he suddenly thought better of it. He'd be in a hell of a lot of trouble if he was caught here. He stopped and ran his hand through his hair, sighing. He froze, Madam Pince was walking towards the library doors from the other end of the corridor. She was looking at a piece of parchment in her hand, but it was only a matter of time before she looked up. Oh, now I've done it...

Hermione grinned and pushed him roughly from behind, so that he would stumble into the hidden alcove behind the tapestry next to them. He landed against the cold stone wall, and Hermione quickly covered his mouth with her hand to stifle the surprised sound he had let out.

"Looking for someone?" She whispered.

Fred's eyes widened as he took in the girl in front of him. Her hair was falling out of its loose plait, her eyes were lit with mischief, with a smug grin that made him want to laugh. He had never seen her like this, but he loved it.

He pulled her hand away from his mouth, and kissed the back of it. He smirked at her slight blush, then pulled her closer. "Looking for you, love." He said huskily.

She peeked out the corner of the tapestry, and seeing that Madam Pince was already gone, she shoved at him roughly again. "That first one was for scaring me a Flourish and Blott's." She said. "That one was for sneaking in here. You could get us both in trouble!" She said, slapping his arm lightly.

He laughed, "It's worth it." He pulled her close and ran his hands down her sides. "I've missed you."

Hermione grinned. "I'll be back at the burrow in two weeks. You couldn't wait?" He shook his head, and nuzzled her neck.

"You'll be at the burrow, I won't. We hired this girl, Verity, to help us with the shop so we could have meetings with investors. So now we're looking to expand the shop to other locations, and I'm the lucky bloke that gets to look for those locations. I'll be busy most of your break. Besides, none of family knows about us, we don't want to give Mum a heart attack, do we?"

She sighed, and buried her head in his chest. "I haven't even told Ron and Harry about us." She said quietly.

She could feel him nodding above her. "I haven't really told George either. I mean, he knows I kissed you, but he thinks it was just a one time thing."

She ran her hands up and down his back. "What are we doing Fred?"

"We're doing whatever you want, love."

"And what do you want?" She said, looking up at him.

"You."

She blushed, but pulled his head down to hers. "Funny, that's what I want too." She whispered before placing her lips on his.

Fred sighed contently into the kiss, and pulled her even closer. He hadn't come just to snog her, but he definitely wasn't going to object. He slid one hand down her waist, and pushing her robes aside, slid his hand up the back of her shirt.

Hermione groaned as her bare skin came into contact with his hand, and she bit his bottom lip lightly.

They finally broke apart for air, their breathing labored. "I missed you too," Hermione said breathlessly.

Fred groaned and pulled away from her slightly. "I can tell." He took in the sight in front of him again. Her hair was mussed up where his hands had pulled at it, her lips swollen from his teeth tugging at them, and her face was flushed from the lack of oxygen.

He laughed, knowing he must look quite the same. "Hermione..."

"Hmm?" She said, her hands still roaming over his back and chest.

"I love you." He stated without hesitation.

Hermione's hand froze in place. She looked up at him eyes wide. "Fred... If you're saying that just so we will go farther, then-" Fred shook his head violently.

"No. I mean that's not what I'm after at all. I'm just in love with you. You're all I ever think about. All day, thoughts of you invade me. Then at night, you slip into my dreams. I never tire of thinking of you, even. I want to spend the rest of my life thinking about you, being with you, loving you. You don't have to say it back," His voice cracked slightly here, "But I needed to tell you that. I don't want you to think I'm only after your body, when really I'm after your heart." He said in a rush.

Hermione stared up at him. She could feel his heart hammering in his chest underneath her hand. She bit her bottom lip, and nodded slowly.

"Say something, please." He said desperately.

"When I was with Viktor," Fred's face soured but he remained silent. "I had some feelings for him. I thought about him in the way I used to think of Ron." Fred looked as if he were going to speak up then, but Hermione held up a hand, stopping him. "About a week before the end of the tournament, he told me that he loved me as well. Being the foolish fourth year that I was, I believed it. And unfortunately, I played right into his hand. I was... with him..." Fred's throat felt as if it had swelled shut, and he couldn't get any air to pass through. "I regret it, now. But at least I learned from that experience. I learned that what he felt for me was not love, nor was the way I felt for him. The way I feel about you... It's much different. It's stronger, more powerful. I'm not sure if this is love, but I am sure that the feelings you just described for me... They aren't half as much as I feel for you. If what you feel for me is in fact love, then I suppose I must be in far deeper than you are."

Fred stared at her, processing what she had just said. He wrapped his arms around her, and covered her lips with his once more.

He pulled away, and brushed the hair out of her face. "You could have just said, 'No, Fred, I love you more.' Thats what normal girls do, you know? They don't leave guys hanging like that. It's bloody terrifying!" Hermione laughed, and hugged him again. "That's why I came tonight. I was lying and bed, and it hit me. I had to tell you, I couldn't just keep it to myself."

Hermione nodded. "I think... after the wedding would be a good time to let everyone know, don't you? Everyone will be together, and if we wait till the service is over, we won't be stealing anyone's thunder."

Fred stared down at her confused. "Hermione, you can't steal thunder..." He said slowly.

She snickered, "Fred, it's a muggle saying..."

He sighed and shook his head, smiling lightly. "Muggles are weird..."