Notes: Thanks to those of you who followed me over from A Kiss at Midnight. A special thanks to those of you who take time to review. I really do appreciate it.

Chapter 5

Fred was having a really hard time paying attention to the game. He and his siblings, and well, Harry, but he was almost a sibling now, were attempting a quick game of Quidditch. It was something they had done hundreds of times before, but today was different. Today, sprawled out in the grass underneath him, reading a book, was Hermione, blissfully unaware of all the action taking place above her. It was so bloody distracting.

She had no idea that her hair was glistening in the sunlight, for example. Or how every chance he could get he would fly especially low just to catch a glimpse of her, cheeks rosy from the winter air. She definitely missed it when he was nearly taken out by a rogue bludger simply because he was distracted. She was oblivious to all of it and yet he couldn't look away.

"Oi, lover boy!" George cried. "Snap out of it, you're costing us the match."

"Will you pipe down?" he hissed as quietly as one can and still be heard when flying through the air on a broom. "Not everyone knows, yeah?"

His twin just rolled his eyes and flew off. Fred sighed. He knew he was preoccupied, but the ball was the next day and he still hadn't figured out what he was going to win over Hermione. Unfortunately, George was also right. He had no idea what was happening in the game. Forcing himself to pay attention, he watched as Harry grabbed the snitch, much to Ginny's dismay, and his team lost. Whatever, his heart wasn't in it anyway. Maybe he'd go say hi to her now…

"Whatcha reading, Granger?"

She must have been really caught up in her book because she looked up startled. "Um, it's a muggle novel," she shrugged, "one of my favorites. It's a romance. I doubt it would interest you." He loved how her cheeks seemed to turn slightly pink at the admission of reading a romance novel.

"Oh, I can be very romantic, Granger," he said, plopping down beside her.

She snorted. "I doubt very much that you could be serious long enough for that."

"Ah, but who said the two things are mutually exclusive? Isn't there room for a bit of fun in romance?" he asked as he wiggled his eyebrows at her playfully.

She didn't say anything for awhile, seeming to be lost in thought. She was staring at him though and after several moments it became a little unnerving. Was it working? Was she actually thinking of him in that way?

"Oi, Hermione! Are you alright?"

He may have imagined it, but he thought he saw her blush. "Sorry, um, I need to go…" She gathered her things and rushed towards the house. Fred stared after her. What had just happened? If he didn't know better he would have thought she had been checking him out. He grinned. Maybe this wasn't such a lost cause after all.

Naturally, George would have had to witness the whole thing.

"What'd you do the poor girl, Freddie?" he teased, nudging his twin playfully as he sat down beside him. "She looked terrified."

"I think I'm starting to get under her skin, Georgie," he replied. "If nothing else at least she is aware of me now."

"You're a Weasley twin, mate. Everyone is aware of us. We're not exactly low key."

"You know what I mean."

"I do," George agreed. "You really think she is starting take you seriously?"

"No, but I think she is at least starting to think about whether or not she wants me to be serious."

His twin clapped him on the back and smirked. "It's a start," he said, nodding thoughtfully. "So, what's next?"

"Well," he grinned, "a Weasley twin never gives up."

"Hermione, are you alright, dear?" his Mum asked, "You look a bit ill." They had finished eating and everyone was settled back into their favorite spots in the Burrow's living area. He was keenly aware of her presence despite trying his best to act cool.

"I'm fine, Mrs. Weasley. Just a bit tired is all."

"Well, perhaps an early bedtime for you, dear," his Mum suggested. "The ball is tomorrow. We want you well rested."

He saw this as a golden opportunity to intervene. "Ah, yes, Granger, I hear your date insists on dancing all evening," he said, giving her a quick wink before proudly declaring "Checkmate!" much to George's dismay.

"Date?" Ron asked. "I didn't know you had a date. Who are you going with then?"

"Only the most handsome, brilliant, and eligible wizard in all of England," Fred answered for her.

"You must be mistaken, Freddie. I'm going with Angelina, remember?" George joked.

"No mistake, Georgie. I'm thinking it's a better looking, smarter, less holey version of yourself," he retorted.

"You?" Ron asked bewildered. "Hermione is going to the ball with you?" Fred rolled his eyes at his younger brother's typical pigheadedness. He opened his mouth to speak, but Hermione beat him to it.

"And why is that so surprising, Ronald?"

Fred glanced over at George who grinned wickedly. They both knew what was about to come when Hermione used that tone and called their brother by his full name. Unfortunately for Ron, he was too thick to let it alone.

"You're you, and well, he's him!" he exclaimed. "It's mental, that's what it is. She'll have hexed you before the first dance even starts."

"Oooh, there, there dear. I'm sure Fred will be on his best behavior," his Mum said reassuringly as she walked over to rub Hermione's back. At least his Mum occasionally had faith in him.

"Yeah, right," Ron smirked. He watched as his little brother elbowed Harry in a gesture that obviously meant he thought they were both complete nutters.

Fred immediately winced. How his prat of a brother could not know after years of being friends with her that was the wrong thing for him to do was beyond him.

"RONALD BILIUS WEASLEY! That's right, BILIUS," he watched in amusement as she took him to task. "How DARE you? I'll have you know that Fred and I were planning to attend the ball as friends. He was kind enough to ask me since everyone else here is paired off, but you know what? I am LOOKING FORWARD to going to the ball with him. I think it will be a lot of fun. And just because you could never see it, I am so much more than you ever give me credit for."

He watched her stomp out. Well, now he felt guilty. He hadn't meant to upset her with all of this, not when she was finally noticing him. Maybe it was time to come clean.

"What the bloody hell was that?" he hissed at his younger brother.

"Fred, language!" his Mum cried.

"Me?" Ron retorted, "you're the one making her look like a fool!"

"Oh, yeah, how's that?" It was taking a lot of restraint on Fred's part not to hex him. His Mum was standing there though. But to be honest, she kind of looked like she wanted to hex him herself.

"Everybody knows you're just messing with her," Ron laughed, looking around the room for confirmation, clearly surprised by the blank expressions.

"I'm not messing with her, you git! I really want to go with her!"

At this, he rushed after her, ignoring the shock on Ron's face and the knowing look on his Mum's.

"Hermione! Wait!" he called as he chased after her. Merlin, she was fast when she wanted to be. He had to run to catch up.

"Not now, Fred!" she called, clearly determined to get as far away from him and all of his famiy as possible. He couldn't really blame her, they all seemed to be acting a little crazy lately where she was concerned.

"Please stop!" he begged, attempting to reach for her hand.

"Why?" she asked, whirling around to face him. "Why are you doing this?" she pleaded.

He could tell she was close to tears. His heart sank, he couldn't be responsible for that. Wouldn't be. She thought he was pranking her. Of course, it's what he did, wasn't it? And Ron, one of her best friends, had just confirmed as much. Crap! This was not how it was supposed to be. Not at all. Show her.

"Hermione," he whispered, reaching forward to brush a tendril of hair behind her ear, but she stepped back, clearly trying to get away from him.

"Please," she pleaded, continuing to back away from him. "You've had your fun. Can we stop the joke now? It isn't funny anymore."

"It's not-" he started only it was too late. She was gone. Apparated to who knew where. He sighed. That went poorly. For the first time in his life, Fred Weasley wished there was no such thing as magic.

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