Chapter Two: Fred's Pov
"Honestly, Fred. How long do you think you can keep it a secret?" George asked impatiently. "We've never had a secret from one another. I'm begging you. Please, tell me what's going on. You're acting different."
"George, I can't. If it was mine alone, I would, but it's not. I swore. I want to tell you I really do, but it's not that easy." Fred had told George the same thing a hundred times since the Quidditch World Cup three and a half months earlier.
"Give me a hint and if I guess correctly, you won't be breaking your word then." George suggested hopefully.
"Drop it okay. I'll be able to tell you soon hopefully. So anyway, have you asked anyone to the ball yet?" Fred quickly changed the subject. This was getting ridiculous. He was ready for the secret to be out. He despised keeping secrets from his twin.
"You'd know if I had. I don't keep secrets from you." George responded hotly. "Anyway, I was considering asking Angelina Johnson, but Katie Bell said Angelina is hoping you'll ask her."
"If you want to take Angelina, I won't stand in your way. You're more her type anyway. Not nearly as dashing as I am though." He smiled at George.
They were playing gobstones in the Common Room. It was a quiet evening. There were a few other students milling around. Most were talking excitedly about the Ball and the Tournament. He and George had both wanted to participate but seeing what the champions had gone through with the dragons, he was glad they hadn't been able.
"I think I will. Who are you thinking of taking?" George asked him, raising an eyebrow.
"I dunno yet." Fred answered. He knew who he wanted to take. He wasn't sure if that was an option now.
Just then, Ron entered the Common Room muttering to himself.
"What's going on, little brother," the twins asked in unison.
"Nothing. Going to bed." He stormed off up the stairs to the boy's dormitory.
"I swear if he doesn't ask Hermione soon, he's going to explode." George said. "Be a pity to clean that up."
Fred dropped his gaze and concentrated on his next move.
"Merlin's beard!" George breathed.
Fred looked up and locked eyes with George. George was scrutinizing him and suddenly comprehension donned on his face.
"You're in love with Granger?" He whispered in shock. "Since when?"
"Oh, come off it." Fred said. He had to change the subject. "What you think the next task will be. Maybe they'll face a Selma."
"Don't change the subject. I thought I noticed something over the summer, but I thought maybe it was just harmless flirting. You actually like her." George was getting louder.
"Fred, have you seen Ron?" Harry asked, walking up. He and Hermione had just entered through the portrait hole.
"Yeah, he came in an hour ago. He went off to the dormitory muttering about being the odd one out?" The twins both eyed them inquisitively.
"Well, I'm going to go talk to him," Harry said and walked off toward the boy's dormitory.
Fred watched Hermione settle into an armchair to study. He had a sudden flashback of her perched on his lap reading to him. He felt a sudden urge to go over and ask if she wanted to study together.
He hurriedly looked away, not liking the tight feeling in his chest. It was painful to see her and not be with her.
George grabbed his shirt and hauled him off to the bathroom to talk.
"I demand an explanation. Don't deny it. I seen you looking at her just now. You are in love with our little brother's best friend, who he happens to fancy." George accused.
"Okay fine. I'm in love with her. I've been in love with her since summer." Fred looked pleadingly at George. "Please, don't tell Ron anything. I will tell you what you want to know."
"You know I would never betray your confidence." George locked the bathroom door and turned to Fred. "Out with it."
"Well, it all started…."
AUGUST
Fred and George were in their room experimenting with new prank ideas when their Mum announced Hermione's arrival.
"Oh, goody. Ron can stop obsessing about her arrival." Fred rolled his eyes.
"Granger is in for a long month. I heard Ron has everything planned up until departure for the World Cup. He's going to drive Granger and Harry crazy." George smirked. "At least we can practice Quidditch when Harry arrives."
"Yeah. Maybe Wood will lay off if we tell him we spent all month practicing." Fred got to his feet. "C'mon. Mum will have a hippogriff if we don't make an appearance."
They made their way downstairs. When they entered the kitchen, Hermione was at the table being doted on by their mother. Fred noticed she had changed over the summer. Her hair was not as bushy, she had grown at least four inches taller, and she was looking womanlier.
He shook the thoughts from his head. They saw Ron chatting excitedly with her and Ginny.
"We are going to have so much fun this summer. We'll play Quidditch and…." Ron was talking through a mouthful of food and began to choke.
"Easy there, Wonnikins. Don't die before Harry arrives." George laughed.
The twins sat down to lunch. So, Hermione, how has your summer been?" Fred asked.
"It's been wonderful so far. And yours?" She looked at him and smiled. He felt a tingle of excitement.
"Weasley's Wizard Wheezes." Responded Fred and George together.
"I'm sorry?" She asked.
"Our new brand of snacks to get out of class." Fred replied proudly.
"Oh, of course. Ginny said something about it in one of her letters, I think." Hermione said. "You two have O.W.L.s this year. I would've thought your time would be better spent studying."
Fred wasn't sure why he felt hurt at her comment. George responded. "Honestly, we're just biding our time with school until we can start our own joke shop. School is just our hobby." Fred and George exchanged grins.
"No more talk of that rubbish," exclaimed Mrs. Weasley. "Boys the only way you'll get a good job like Percy is if you apply yourselves."
Fred grimaced. "We aren't Percy, mum." He mumbled to himself.
He got up from the table and went to the living room.
A while later Hermione joined him. She handed him a cup. He took a drink. "Thank you, Hermione." He smiled.
"You're welcome," she returned his smile. "While I won't claim to understand your obsession with jokes and pranks, I do understand parents who expect things from you that you have no desire for. My parents, for instance, want me to become a dentist. Even though, they are happy that I love my school and this world that they aren't a part of, they hope one day I'll settle down into muggle life." She looked down.
"Dentist?" Fred asked, testing the word. "What is that?"
"Muggle tooth doctor," Hermione replied. "That's why I rarely eat sweets. They would throw a tantrum if my teeth got a cavity."
Fred laughed. He patted her knee. "Well best to get back to work."
Over the next few weeks, Fred found time to slip away and spend a few moments with Hermione as often as possible. She was fascinating and he enjoyed their conversations.
On the night before they were to pick up Harry from the Dursley's, Fred had come downstairs for a snack while everyone was asleep. He had found Hermione awake and reading in the kitchen.
"What are you reading?" He asked, making a sandwich.
She gave a little jump and looked around. "Oh, you startled me. I was reading a muggle book called The Notebook. It's a book about romance." She marked her page and turned to him.
"Don't stop reading on my account," he took a seat at the table. "I was just hungry. I didn't think anyone would be awake."
"I couldn't sleep. Your sister was talking in her sleep, so I came down to read." Hermione smiled at him.
"Please carry on," Fred pointed at her book.
"Okay, then." She returned to her book, and he watched her lips move as her eyes sped across the lines. Those lips were full and pink. He suddenly wondered what it might be like to kiss those lips. He wanted to run his hands through her hair as he pressed his lips to hers. He was feeling hot. He got up quickly and bumped the table. The pumpkin juice in front of him turned over and splashed all over Hermione.
"Oh no, I'm so sorry," He grabbed a towel and passed it to her. She began wiping her shirt.
"It's okay." She was making no progress with the wet shirt. He noticed how the shirt clung to her curves. Finally, he was not able to stop himself. He made his way around the table. He gently took the towel from her.
Looking in her chocolate eyes, he took her by the hand and pulled her to her feet. "Hermione, I'm going to kiss you."
She nodded. He grabbed her by the waste and pulled her close. He wrapped his arms gently around her and pressed his lips to hers. Her lips tasted of her strawberry ChapStick. He felt an electricity course through him, and he wanted to drown in her scent and taste. They pulled away from one another after a few seconds, both breathing heavily.
"I…I…" She couldn't speak. She turned red.
"I believe, miss Granger, that I have rendered you speechless." He smiled softly at her. He put his forehead to hers. "I've wanted to do that for weeks."
"I think I love you," she blurted out.
He looked at her surprised and saw her horrified expression. She took off up the stairs and never heard him say. "I love you too, Hermione."
PRESENT DAY
"…and that's how it started," Fred said, finishing his story.
"Wow, just wow." George looked stunned. "I know there's more to this story. I can tell by looking at you, but for now, you can keep your secrets. I really want you to be happy, but I also don't want our brother to be hurt." George watched Fred for a moment.
"Neither do I, but I can't control my feelings." Fred was not ashamed of loving Hermione. If Ron felt more than an infatuation, he would've told her by now surely.
"I need time to process. I think I'll head to our dormitory." George bid him good night and left through the bathroom door.
Fred stared into the mirror. His heart felt a little lighter. As he headed for the boy's dormitory, she saw Hermione head for the girls. He couldn't stop himself. He walked over. He grabbed her by the wrist and spun her around and crushed his lips to hers. It was painful being around her every day without being able to kiss her. To feel the plumpness of her lips against his. To taste their breath mixing together. It was pure ecstasy.
"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON!" Ron yelled.
They had been so lost in each other, they had not heard the boys dormitory door open.
