WOOT! Chapter 8! Wow! Thanks to people who actually bother to read this! :') it makes me happy! Anyways, hope this chapter is good!

There was nothing to see, it was pitch black in Hermione's temporary room but she kept her eyes open, lying awake. If she shut them, she knew that the entire evening would be replayed over and over. Their lips had been so close and she'd wanted so badly to have his mouth softly moving against hers, but he'd just kissed her cheek, in a friendly, brotherly way.

'See?' she thought bitterly to herself. 'He doesn't feel anything for you!' she sighed in a frustrated manner and threw a pillow over her head. 'Does that mean you feel something for him? Friends don't ache to kiss their friends so much! Argh!' she MUST stop this overthinking and sleep! She needed a glass of water. It would calm and soothe her, then maybe she'd get some rest!

She padded carefully down the stairs, trying her best not to make the floorboards squeak. After pouring a cup of water, she gulped it down. There! Now she might be able to sleep!

She turned around to go back upstairs and froze. 'Stupid!' She'd forgotten Fred was sleeping on the sofa in the large kitchen/living room due to his room's...damage. She stood still for a few more seconds, to see if she'd woken him.

Fred sighed a little in his sleep and moved his arm underneath the pillow his head was resting on. Letting out a relieved breath, she tiptoed over to him. His long, gingery eyelashes rested on his cheeks, his mouth was slightly open and his beautifully bright orange hair was mussed up with sleep. Hermione couldn't help it, she smiled as she knelt beside him pulling the covers back over and tucking him in.

"Goodnight Fred," she whispered. His eyelids fluttered slightly and she froze again.

"…'Mione…" he mumbled her nickname before turning onto his back. He was still breathing deeply and Hermione realised he was still asleep. Relief washed over her for a moment as she thought she hadn't woken him but…didn't that mean he'd spoken her name in his sleep? She pushed the thought to the back of her mind. 'Stop being ridiculous!' she thought to herself. Looking back at the sleeping boy, she noticed a soft smile had appeared on his lips. The lips that had nearly kissed her earlier. They'd been so close…

Without knowing it, Hermione leant in and lightly pressed her lips to his perfect ones.

"Is this a dream?"

Fred's lips moved against hers as he spoke sleepily. Merlin's beard! She'd woken him. And she was kissing him! She pulled back away so fast, she clicked her back.

"Ow! Yes, yes! It's a dream! And you know what? You should probably close your eyes again because…because the nargles will come if you realise that this is a dream, 'cause that's what it is alright! A dream!" she gasped, using Luna's nargles to try to persuade him to go back to sleep.

"m-kay," he mumbled before turning over again and resuming his deep breathing.

Scrambling to her feet she fled back up to her room. 'Great!' What did she go and do that for? Now her back hurt and she'd…she'd kissed FRED! At least he'd think it was a dream! She could pretend it hadn't happened. There! Problem solved! And with that she closed her eyes and fell into a deep sleep filled with trees, fairy lights and the Weird Sisters.

Bright morning light streamed into the house. Fred blinked his eyes. The smell of bacon wafted over him. Smiling, he looked over from the sofa at the witch he kept dreaming about. She was busy cooking their breakfast, humming to herself as she did. Merlin, he loved having her here with him!

He sat up and rubbed his eyes, letting out a yawn. What had he been dreaming about? He seemed to be feeling really good about something. It was a residual feeling, left over from his sleep. Probably about Hermione. An excerpt from a poem he'd learnt in Muggle Studies came to mind.

"'Come to me in my dreams, and then

By day I shall be well again.

For then the night will more than pay

The hopeless longing of the day'" (-Matthew Arnold – 'Longing')

He recited aloud.

"Sorry?"

"What? Oh…er nothing. Smells good!"

Fred neatly changed the subject. That had been stupid of him, reciting something like that!

"S- sleep well?" she looked at him nervously.

"Like a log!" he declared grinning blearily at her, she was chewing her lip. Merlin's Beard! He took in her worried expression. He hadn't been sleep-talking had he? George said that he had to frequently hit him with a pillow due to his night-time mutterings. Fred hoped to high heaven that he'd not gone and said something dumb and she'd overheard him.

Still chewing her lip, Hermione turned her attention back to the sizzling bacon. He frowned. Her lips…had he dreamt of them last night? Suddenly it came to him! He smiled at the recollection of his vivid dream. Now he remembered. She'd kissed him in his dream. No wonder he felt really good! If only it had really happened.

As the memory of his dream swam around in his head, Fred suddenly had a thought. 'Come to think of it…it had seemed very real…too real maybe'. He clearly remembered waking up and also falling back asleep…you didn't usually do that in dreams did you?

"I had an odd dream last night," he spoke nonchalantly.

"Did you?" her reply was completely normal and unperturbed.

Could it have been a dream after all?

"You were in it. In fact it was here…in this very room…"

Her hand paused mid-way to the frying pan handle.

"Re-" she cleared her throat. "Really? H- how odd! What was it about?"

"Here," he took the frying pan and turned the bacon. "Don't want it to burn." His eyes turned to hers and she looked quickly away. Narrowing his eyes slightly, he shrugged.

"Oh it was just you telling me off for some prank!"

She let out her breath.

"Nothing new there then!" she said, forcing a smile. "You sit down, I'll carry on with breakfast."

Plonking himself down on a chair across the table, Fred watched the small witch who kept confusing him. After breakfast had been dished out, they ate in silence until Hermione looked up.

"I thought I'd go into Diagon Alley and possibly Muggle London today, we're running low on food and things."

Fred smiled eagerly.

"I'll come-"

"You have the house to fix! It's been over a week now and the only difference you've made is even more mess with all the wood shavings and planks lying around! You can't keep gallivanting off!" she cut him off.

His face fell. She immediately felt bad. In all fairness he had been working hard and he'd also taken her out which had been undeniably amazing, she just didn't think she could be around him without accidently giving something away!

"Look, I'm sorry-"

"No it's fine. I'd better get to work then. Have a nice day!" downing his mug of tea, and slamming it back onto the table; he got up and stalked off upstairs. Sighing, Hermione placed her head in her hands. Now look what she'd done! Well no point wasting her time thinking about Fred, nothing good had come of that so far. And with that she tidied the kitchen with a flick of her wand and apparated causing a loud pop to echo throughout the mostly empty house.

Ah! Bacon. I love bacon. Sorry, just had to say that! Haha! Anyway, we see a return of an unexpected old friend in the next chapter so keep your eyes open for chapter 9! :D xxx