Willow

Chapter 4

The next morning Filch was doing his rounds when he came upon the locked Trophy room.

"What's this then my precious? Quite out of the ordinary." Ms Norris let out a yowl and sniffed

Underneath the door while Filch fiddled with the keys and unlocked it. When saw what was inside he stopped abruptly.

Two kids were snuggled up in the corner looking very... cosy. The girl had her head nuzzled under the boys chin and one of her hands disappeared into his open shirt. The boy rested his head on top of the girl´s head and an arm snaked beneath her, around her waist.

Filch coughed loudly and stood, sneering as the two kids woke up slowly. Hermione, as her head became a little less clouded, realised the position her and Fred were now in and drew away quickly, trying to justify to herself what had happened. It was cold, that´s all. Nothing more.

Fred on the other hand couldn´t be happier at their predicament. He woke up with a ridiculous grin plastered on his face, wondering if this was some sort of blissful dream, waking up with Hermione in his arms. But he was brought into reality when the object of his affection jumped out of his arms and started shaking him violently.

"Wake up you silly idiot! What are you smiling at? We've been found, Fred. Filch is here." So much for blissful dream. Fred jolted upright and looked at the spot where a very annoyed looking Filch stood. Both Hermione and Fred jumped up and Fred immediately blushed and grabbed his pants that were slipping down due to the lack of a belt. Hermione smoothed down her hair that seemed to have relapsed into a state of out of control bushiness overnight.

"Had a nice night did you?" Filch smirked as the two kids blushed furiously and gathered up their things off the floor. Jumpers, belts, robes and to Filch's amusement, a pair of stockings. "Good," a very fake smile graced Filch's face but his eyes twinkled with malice, "then you won´t mind coming back tomorrow night and cleaning the trophies... all of the trophies." Filch's eyes wandered briefly over the stacks of trophies lining the walls.

Hermione and Fred just nodded and, with their heads down, walked past Filch and into the corridor. They didn't talk on the way to the common room. The events of the past night came flooding back to her and she couldn't bring herself to look at Fred in case she saw something in his eyes she didn't want to see. You think you don´t want to see it. That voice in her head came back for a split second before she pushed it into the corner of her mind.

Hermione muttered the password and stepped through the portrait hole before hurrying up the stairs to the girls´ dorms. Fred stood and watched her back as she went up, a little hurt that she hadn't said anything to him but he managed to come out of his trance and go up to his dorm.

~*~

George was sitting on his bed staring at the door. He jumped up as soon as Fred stepped in.

"Where were you last night?"

"Somewhere," Fred was still a little distracted by Hermione's treatment of him.

"Somewhere? I was worried sick."

"Sorry."

"You could have at least told me where you were"

"No, I couldn't"

"Why not. I bet you were off with that Ravenclaw girl, what´s her name again?"

"I was locked in the Trophy room with Hermione OK!!!"

George's jaw suddenly fell victim to the forces of gravity.

"Oh. Sorry." Georges face suddenly brightened. "You poor thing. Did she talk about the viscosity of lizard blood all night?" Fred couldn't help but crack a smile at his twin's remark but he lay down on the bed and said in a dreamy voice.

"No, she was... ok."

~*~

Hermione had a quick shower and got ready for the day. She groaned; double potions with the Slytherins first up. When at last she managed to drag her aching, sleep deprived body down to the common room she was met by two boys who jumped up from in front of the fire and ran over to her.

"Where were you last night?" the worried face of a tall boy with a mop of red hair came into focus.

"Well..."

"When you didn't come back after dinner we were so worried! We waited up until 3 for you to come back." Harry cut in.

"I was in the Trophy room." Ron's face twisted into a confused expression.

"Why the hell were you in the Trophy room all night?" Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Not by choice I assure you. We were locked in"

"We?" Both boys asked in unison.

"Yeah, me and Fred." Hermione mumbled. Ron snorted.

"Did you get any sleep?" Hermione's head snapped up and she looked at Ron in horror.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Luckily Ron didn't seem to notice Hermione's cheeks were now the colour of a tomato flavoured Bertie Botts Every Flavour Bean.

"He snores. I don´t know how anyone could get a wink of sleep if they were within a 50 mile radius of him." Hermione breathed out a sigh of relief.

"Oh! No, it was... ok." But Ron seemed too distracted to hear her answer. He was much to pre-occupied with getting to breakfast before it was over. The three of them, Hermione, Ron and Harry started off towards the door when the Weasley twins came down the staircase from the boys´ dorm.

"Hey Fred!" Ron called, "I hope you didn't keep Hermione awake last night with your snoring!"

"Or his sleep talking." added George. "You should hear some of the things he says in the middle of the night."

Hermione looked down at the floor and grabbed Harry and Ron by the arms.

"Come on. You don´t want to miss out on the bacon do you Ron?" And she dragged them both through the portrait hole. Leaving Fred staring at her retreating back for the second time that day.