Warring Weasleys

Chapter Seven: Hermione and Fred

Hermione grabbed Fred's hand in the darkness and felt a shiver run through her body. It was such a small touch, nothing major, but the connection felt like electricity sparking through her fingers. His hand was larger than hers, the skin more rough. His fingers entwined with hers as they stood silently in the tiny room. Hermione could hear Fred's quickened breathing and for a moment she wondered if she had not best kept her hand to herself.

Noises outside the room made her grip Fred's hand even more tightly.

"It's ok," he assured her in a soft whisper. "I'm sure we won't be caught."

Hermione leaned in close to Fred and put her head on his chest. It was just like she thought it would be – comforting, warm. She felt his arm move up and around her in an embrace, and felt the courage to finally place her arms around his body. They stood together for quite some time, not moving or speaking.

She breathed in his scent, relished it. A soft moan escaped her lips, a sound of contentment. She could just imagine what it would be like to be in bed with Fred, just snuggled up with him on a cold winter night feeling safe and warm and protected. Hermione smiled against Fred's sweater.

"Hermione?" he whispered.

"Yes?"

"I – I've liked you for a long time now. You know that?"

Hermione realized that she had known, deep in the recesses of her brain. It all came to her now, the times she'd caught Fred looking at her, the way he was skittish when she was around...she'd just chalked it up to nervousness but her subconscious sorted it out correctly. Fred's revelation was not a surprise.

"I've always known, somehow. The real question is, do you know that I like you, too?"

He held her more tightly. "I do now."

Hermione pulled away from him just a bit and looked up into his face. She could just see the outline of his face as the moon crept higher into the sky and cast a sliver of light into the tiny room. It was now or never. She caught his gaze and moved her face a bit closer to his. Fred responded by leaning down to her, and somewhere in the middle, their lips met in a soft, sweet kiss.

They parted for a moment, but then came together again, becoming more brave and intimate. Hermione's head swam with the disconnected words of a hundred incantations, none that could conjure anything as sweetly sensual as Fred's tongue gently probing her mouth. His hands caressed her back, and then he moved his fingers up through her hair, pulling her closer as his kisses deepened. As her knees grew weak, she hoped she would not pass out under his attentions. It was all so perfect. Nothing could ruin it.

As her heart pounded against her chest as if looking for a means of escape, Hermione let her hands wander down Fred's back, feeling his sinewy muscles. She reached the bottom of his sweater and daringly slid her hands up under it. The feel of his skin was almost too much to bear. He was burning hot, and as she touched him, she felt something else hot and hard pressing against her.

"That feels good," said Fred, breaking from their kiss and sounding completely winded.

Hermione only smiled mischievously in the now semi-dark. She looked up at him and could see him clearly now in the bluish tinge of light. She stood on her tiptoes and as her body moved against him, felt the intriguing hardness grow. Fred looked down, embarrassed. Hermione bit her lip to keep a nervous giggle from escaping her lips. She didn't want Fred to feel ashamed for feeling something completely normal. In fact, she felt quite pleased that she could make him so excited.

Just as they were about to kiss again, a low rumbling, like thunder sounded through the library. As it subsided, Hermione and Fred heard Mr. Filch's familiar scrape as he lumbered around the shelves. He was grumbling again, and sounded more than just cross. Hermione's curiosity got the best of her and she reluctantly broke away from Fred to press her ear to the door. Lantern light shone outside, as if Mr. Filch was standing directly opposite the secret doorway. Hermione held her breath and listened hard for any sounds or movement.

"Blasted kids!" Filch was saying with a growl. "Should be away in bed and not sneaking around the library, eh, Mrs. Norris? Always sneaking about, they are."

Filch's complaints died away as he walked down the corridor. Hermione turned from the door.

"Fuck!" she said crossly.

"What?" said, Fred, his voice cracking.

"Something's going on – Filch is on the rampage again."

"But he's always on the rampage."

"Yes but that thundering sound – what was that?"

"I don't know. I mean, I wasn't paying much attention, actually."

Hermione blushed. "Oh," she said. "It was like thunder, only underground. I felt that same weird vibration coming up from the floor but dismissed it."

"What do you think it is?" asked Fred, joining Hermione at the door.

At that moment, Fred and Hermione froze. Another rumbling had started, but this time it was the recognizable sound of pounding feet running down the corridor towards the library doors.

"Someone's out there!" said Hermione.

A shout was heard, a voice yelling, "Ron!"

"That's Harry!"

"And where there's Harry, there's Ron. We better find out what's going on," said Fred.

"Yes. Careful, now," said Hermione as she slowly opened the secret door a crack and peeked out. What she saw made her gasp and press the door closed.

Hermione turned to Fred, who looked at her questioningly. "Trust me," she said. "You don't want to know."