I wasn't sure why but Ginny was watching me like a hawk as i walked into the common room.
Ron and Harry must have retired for the night. She looked uneasy like there was something she had to tell me but was afraid to.
" Ginny, what is it?" I asked her.
Before she could respond, Fred came down the stairs looking pissed as hell.
" Damn it, it had to have been a Gryffindor, no one else could have gotten in here." Fred hollered, kicking the chair over.
Fred was in the common room…..but how? I had just left him in the bath. There was no way he could have beaten me here. Not to mention so pissed off. Fred glanced over at me and seeing my confusion, knew i must have the answers he was looking for.
" Hermione, you seem shocked that i am here, so tell me, where did you just see me?" He said walking towards me.
I glanced at Ginny, who now looked at me wondering the same question. This is what she had been about to tell me. That Fred was pissed. She knew that i had always had a thing for Fred but had pushed it aside when i felt it would never happen.
" I….we were just in the prefects bath…," I didn't want Ginny knowing what had happened so i lied, " I was leaving as you were going in." I said casting my eyes downward so Fred would not give me away.
" No you didn't. Some bastard fucking cut a small chunk of my hair off and i'm assuming polyjuiced himself to look like me." Fred walked away growing more angry. I looked up in shock. There at the back of his head was a tiny chunk of hair that was missing.
Whoever i had been in the bath with….it wasn't Fred.
It wasn't Fred.
I saw Ginny running towards me as i fell to the floor. She barely caught my head before it hit.
" Hermione! Hermione come on now, wake up! You're scaring everybody." Harry whispered.
My eyes fluttered open to see Harry kneeling above me talking to me as Ginny cradled my head. Fred was just behind Harry staring down at me. I could tell based on the look he was trying to hide, that he knew my previous story had been a lie. Why else would i pass out the second he told me it wasn't him i saw. I wasn't ready to tell him the truth though. He would never speak to me again. There was no way he could feel the same about me. I had been a fool to believe it in the bath. Once we found out who it really was though, i was going to kill him!
" Oh thank goodness, she is awake. Dammit Hermione, you gave us a scare! Are you alright? Should we take you to the hospital wing?" Ginny asked worriedly.
" No, i am alright now. Thank you though." I said as i stood up. Harry stood up and escorted me to the couch.
" Are you sure you are alright Mione?" He asked.
" Yes i'm fine. You know me, just stressed out from studying and Ron being an ass." I patted Harrys shoulder as i smiled at him. He needed to worry about himself not me.
" Where is Ron anyway?" Harry asked Ginny.
" No idea, last i saw him he went upstairs. I assumed he was still up there until you and Fred came down here without him.
" I saw him come in, he laid down on the bed and drew the curtains shut so i left him alone. I fell asleep for a bit, until i heard Fred screaming bloody murder. When i glanced at his bed the curtain was open again but Ron wasn't there." Harry responded now looking severely confused.
I could feel myself growing pale. Could Ron have done this? But why? Why take Freds form? How would he even have gotten in? How would he have disappeared without anyone noticing.
" Harry, Ginny, maybe you should go look for him while i stay here and calm down. I can keep an eye on Hermione as well." Fred said looking at the two. They both nodded and left. Fred walked and crouched down in front of me. I knew what he wanted to hear but i was so terrified to tell him i just stared at the floor.
" They are gone now Hermione. Please tell me the truth. I know the only way to catch the bastard is to find out what he was up to." Fred grabbed my hands and held them. I looked back up at him with tears in my eyes. He jumped onto the couch and pulled me to him, cradling me in his arms.
" You… I mean the fake you wasn't coming in as i was leaving. I was still in the bath doing underwater yoga to calm down after the fight with Ron." I sniffed. I had to tell him. He was right. The only way to catch him was to put the pieces together. I could feel Fred tense and grab me harder.
" I saw him entering the pool while i was still down there. I was debating what to do since i….since i was naked when he used a spell to pull me to the surface." I whispered.
Fred hissed and stood up and paced in front of the fireplace. His anger was only growing now.
" Hermione, i am so sorry." Fred slammed his hands down on the mantle. " Please tell me he didn't hurt you."
" No, he just teased me for drawing him a bath and having it ready for him. He sounded just like you Fred. I didn't sense anything off about him." I glanced down as Fred turned but he saw the look in my eyes.
" He was naked wasnt he Hermione" Fred whispered shutting his eyes in anger.
" Yes. He gave me the option to leave or stay. My wand was right behind him, so i pretended like i was going to kiss him so i could grab my wand. The intention was to grab my wand and blindfold him so i could get out of the bath and leave." I said.
I stood up and put my hand on his shoulder. This was hurting him more than it was me. Someone had used his image to take advantage of me. No telling what else this person was doing. Fred reached up and grabbed my hand with his. He was still very angry but i could see him trying to gain control of himself.
" You said the intention, what happened that ruined that." He gritted his teeth trying to gain control.
" We...We made eye contact and next thing i knew we were….we were kissing." I exhaled the breath i didn't realize i had been holding. " It only lasted for a few moments and then i left. We didn't do anything beyond that." I whispered ashamed of myself. I felt like i had just ruined a good friendship.
" I am sorry Fred. I should've known better. I should've known it wasn't you. You wouldn't kiss me. I probably like a sister to you." I prided myself on keeping back the tears that threatened to fall. However i was not expecting Freds next reaction.
" HA! There is no way in hell i could see you as my sister Hermione" He smiled with a bit of a laugh. " For one, you dont have red hair that people can see from miles away. Secondly, if i thought about my sister the way i think about you, they would send me to azkaban." He was really laughing now. I smiled then my jaw dropped in shock as i realized what he just said.
" Wait, what do you mean by the way you think about me? Do you….." I started to ask him if he fantasized about me when the door opened and Ron, Ginny, and Harry walked inside.
" We found him. He was actually on his way back here…" Ginny never got to finish her sentence.
Fred ran toward the door and punched Ron out cold.
Rons hair was wet. And he smelled like the bubbles from the taps in the bath.
It was Ron.