Prove It All Night

Hermione stepped off the dance floor with Ron, who hurried off to go get them a couple of butterbeers. She was making her way over to Harry, when someone grabbed her by the arm pulled her toward a dark corner of Burrow's yard.

"What was that all about?" Fred asked in a harsher tone than she'd ever heard him use before.

"What was what all about?" she responded, genuinely confused.

"You and Ron..."

"We were dancing," she replied cautiously, not certain what answer he was expecting.

"Six songs in a row?"

"You counted?"

"Hell right I counted. Everyone knows the Dancing Code."

"Dancing Code?" Hermione wondered for a minute if Fred was setting her up for some elaborate joke. "You're making this up, aren't you?"

"I thought you were supposed to be the brightest witch of your age," Fred mocked, shaking his head. "The Dancing Code is a well established standard for what how many dances you share with someone means. One dance means you're friends, two dances means you're friends but dateless. Three dances means you're friends, dateless, and slightly drunk."

Hermione was intrigued. "What's four, five, and six dances mean?"

"Seriously, you don't know?"

Hermione shook her head. "I'm afraid that I'm woefully ignorant about this subject," she admitted.

"Four dances means you're strangers but want to hook up. Five dances means you're strangers and you are about ready to shag in the alley, bathroom, or darkest corner of whatever location you happen to be. And six dances," Fred blushed and seemed unable to finish the sentence.

"Yes, Fred?" Hermione moved in closer to him laying one hand on his arm gently. "What does six dances mean?"

Taking a deep breath, he continued. "Six dances means you're in love."

Hermione's eyes grew wide and she blushed too. "I guess that is about right," she admitted.

A look of pain crossed Fred's face and he moved to step away, but Hermione gripped his arm tightly, refusing to allow him to go. "Only, I am not in love with the person with whom I was dancing."

Fred blinked a couple of times before the lazy grin that he so often sported was once again in evidence. "If that is so, Ms. Granger, than you really shouldn't mislead people by breaking the Dancing Code."

"Well, Mr. Weasley, you could have always cut in and laid claim to several dances yourself," Hermione flirted.

"That would have gone over smashingly," Fred replied. Hermione and he had decided to keep their attraction for each other and their relationship quiet until Ron, Harry, and she returned from hunting Horcruxes. "What would George, or Mum, or Ron have said if I'd cut in and spent the evening dancing with you?"

Hermione cocked her head to the side and bit her bottom lip. "They probably would have said something along the lines of: 'Hermione looks very graceful in comparison to Fred.'"

Fred's grin widened as he snaked an arm around her waist and pulled her up against him. "You've definitely been spending way too much time with me, Ms. Granger."

"I've been working real hard at it," she winked back.

"Did you mean it before?"

She knew immediately he was talking about her profession of love. She contemplated denying it; after all he hadn't said anything to her about love. But when she looked into his eyes, Hermione realized that she didn't want to play it safe with him. She wanted to prove her feelings so that he would never doubt them, never question her again. With a tiny nod, she gave him a quick kiss. "If we weren't surrounded by your family, I'd give you a kiss that would prove it all night," she whispered.

Before she had time to be embarrassed by her confession, Fred had Apparated them away from the Bill and Fleur's wedding reception and up to his room. With a sly grin, he backed her up against the door. "I'm calling your bluff, Ms. Granger."

Wrapping her arms around Fred's neck, Hermione kissed him again, longer this time. "It wasn't a bluff, Mr. Weasley. I'm ready to prove it all to you."

AN: Inspired by the Bruce Springsteen song – Prove It All Night.