Author's note: Hello everyone, I hope you are enjoying this fic. I have a very important exam that I'll be taking tomorrow (wish me luck!) so I don't know if I will be able to update. I will do my best; however, to do so. I would like to extend my gratitude to Buffybot76 and GakuenLME for reviewing. I would also like to thank everyone who has been sticking with this fic. If you all have any questions, critiques, or general comments, I would love to hear them - reviews are always welcome! I hope that you all will please excuse any grammatical and/or spelling errors. Without further ado, I hope you enjoy!

Hermione was fuming. Not only was Rita Skeeter prying into Hermione's personal life (again), but Fred has also been acting distant. He wasn't talking to Hermione as much as he was others (which would have been fine had their circumstances not changed) but after their previous discussions, she had assumed that he would have been a bit more, well, talkative. Maybe she shouldn't assume things.

Fred was cordial enough, but that was all that he was – cordial. He would hardly speak to her, never made eye contact with her, he didn't even throw jokes her way. No, all she received instead was, "Hermione, could you pass the butter?" She should have made the butter fly into his face.

Since Fred was not an option, Hermione had no other choice but to speak with Ron. "One little scene in the Atrium should be good enough I think," Ron said in between bites.

Disgusted, Hermione said, "For heaven's sake Ronald, don't speak with your mouth full."

"You sound like my mum."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "But do you honestly think it will work?"

Ron swallowed his food and shrugged, "I would assume so. A brawl in the Atrium? In front of so many people? In front of so many Ministry officials? Yeah, I'd say it will work."

"But it would be too public of a place, she wouldn't morph into a roach there."

"That's why we'll take it elsewhere. Somewhere more private. She'll have to turn into her animagus form then." He shoveled another bite of mashed potatoes into his mouth.

"That's brilliant Ron!"

Ron blushed and cast his eyes downwards, "It happens every now and then."

"It happens more than people give you credit for." Ron blushed a shade darker. "Hopefully Fred will agree with the plan."

"Why wouldn't he? I'm surprised he didn't try to kill me the other day."

Hermione looked over at Fred, "Haven't you noticed? He's been ignoring me ever since he arrived."

Ron, too, looked over at Fred. "Hmm," He began, studying Fred a bit more, "I hadn't noticed." Ron looked back to Hermione and noticed that she had a grim expression on her face. "Whatever is going on 'Mione, I'm sure the two of you will work it out."

Hermione gave him a grateful smile, "I hope so."

"It will, I promise." Ron looked down at his food, shuffling the vegetables on his plate. He cleared his throat, "I'm sorry Hermione. For how I acted the other day. I was a right git."

Hermione's smile grew, "Thank you Ron."

"I – I think that maybe this…arrangement will be for the best." Hermione quirked an eyebrow. "Well, it's just that, you and Fred seem to get on well enough and Padma isn't too bad of a broad. Maybe – maybe the Ministry actually knew what they were doing."

Hermione let out a deep belly laugh, throwing her head back in the process. Everyone at the table had stopped to stare at the brightest witch of her age, laughing without constraint. Hermione wiped tears from her eyes, "Yes, I think maybe you are right."

After dinner, Fred did not stick around. Hermione searched for him before George informed her that he had left. When she questioned why George had told her that he didn't know. Hermione frowned at this, nodding her in understanding and ending the conversation.

Hermione tried to focus on the conversations that she was having, but found the task to be rather challenging. After an hour of mindless chatter, Hermione announced that she was going to leave. She said her goodbyes and made her way out the door, deciding that she would apparate home.

However, when she reached the apparation zone, the place that she saw in her mind's eye was not her flat, but rather Fred Weasley's. She stood in the (oddly enough) beige living room, taking in her surroundings.

She was gathering up her courage when a shirtless Fred walked in. Hermione blushed and looked at her feet before deciding that she was being ridiculous. She lifted her head and met his gaze. "Fred," she softly began, "Is there a reason why you've been ignoring me tonight?"

For a second it had seemed as though Fred's gaze had narrowed, but it must have been her imagination because he was smiling at her and shaking his head. "No Hermione, why on Earth would I be ignoring you?" Although he was smiling, the light didn't reach his eyes.

"I don't know. You tell me."

"I haven't been ignoring you. Just been tired is all." Fred gave a small smile and walked around Hermione heading for the kitchen.

She was not going to accept that as an answer. So, she turned on her heel and followed him into the kitchen. "Frederick Gideon Weasley, I know better than to believe that sorry excuse. Now please, tell me what's wrong. What did I do?"

"Nothing," he said tensely, searching through the cabinets for a mug.

Behind him, Hermione rubbed her temples. "Please Fred. I can't fix the problem if you don't talk to me."

"I told you 'Mione, it's nothing."

She reached for his arm and gently tugged so he would turn to face. He reluctantly acquiesced. "Fred," She begged, "Please."

He looked in her eyes and upon seeing the desperation that they held gave in. "It's just, you looked as though you and Ron were – were rekindling whatever relationship you had."

"Whatever do you mean Fred?"

"When I came in, you and Ron were looking rather comfortable on the couch and then all throughout dinner, you – well, you looked happy." Fred finished his explanation sounding silly, even in his ears.

Hermione gave a knowing smile, biting her tongue so she wouldn't laugh. "Oh Fred," She began, "Ron and I were discussing an issue that was in the papers. Yes, we were laughing at dinner, but that was because Ron said that he believes our situations turned out to be what was best." Fred looked a little put out by this so she clarified, "Not that our situations are funny, but it was the way he said it." She reached up to cup Fred's cheek, "Ron and I, though we have our disagreements, are friends. But that is as far as the relationship goes." She pinched his cheek sharply, "No need for jealousy where he is concerned." She released his cheek and smiled.

Fred smiled for a moment before he frowned again, worry creasing his brows, "Is there someone I should be jealous of?"

Hermione seemed to think for a minute making a show of tapping her slim finger against her cheek. "Probably Draco Malfoy. He and I hit it off at the last ministry get together. I never knew how handsome he was when he was slurring insults about me or my friends."

Fred looked horrified with his jaw slack and his eyes wide. Hermione laughed, "Oh honestly Fred, you didn't actually believe that, did you?" Hermione shook her head, a smile still gracing her features. "I'm glad we got that out of the way." She reached up and gave a feather light kiss to the cheek that she had pinched earlier, "Goodnight Fred."

Fred stood in awe as he watched Hermione leave. "That little witch," He murmured. He brought a hand up to his cheek and smiled. Thankfully, this night didn't turn out to be so awful after all. Not one bit.