"Hey." He kicked a tuft of grass by her knee then squatted down in front of her. He lifted the edge of her book to see the title. "What'cha reading?"

"Just a book I found in the bookcase. Your mum said it was fine."

"Oh, I remember this one." He turned and sank down beside her, pulling the book from her hands. "Dad made us read it when we were kids so we could see how the Muggle world dealt with us."

"I was looking at the annotations in the other version you have. It's kind of funny."

"What's that?" Ron was scanning pages to find his favorite part, barely paying attention. "What's funny?"

"Well, what she goes through…that's sort of how I felt when I first found out about being a witch. Things that weren't supposed to talk did. Things that weren't supposed to move on their own did. There's this whole other world just alongside mine and I didn't even know it existed."

"S'not like we play croquet with hedgehogs and flamingos, Hermione."

"No." She laughed. "But we fly around on brooms and one of our teachers can turn into a cat. In the Muggle world, that's very, very odd, Ron."

"Yeah, well, in your world, you talk into little handles and people can hear you miles away and your pictures don't move. That's odd."

"I suppose it is. Must be, to you." She reached for the book and he pulled it away from her. "Ron, come on. I was reading that."

"No, no. There's this smashing part at the end."

"I'll get there."

"No, it's really brilliant. She's getting too big and they don't know what to do with her and so they all sort of blow up in her face and kick her back into her wor…" He stopped and cleared his throat, shutting the book and handing it back to her. "Here."

"Do you want me to go home, Ron?"

"No! No! It's just a book; I didn't mean anything by it. You know I don't think of you that way, Hermione!" He turned and looked at her, blue eyes serious. "I don't. You know that. You know that."

"I do." She offered him a weak smile. "I do. Honest."

"I was just talking about her, because she doesn't get it and keeps trying to make it be like her world, but it's not and you get that, Hermione. And the two existed side by side, or, well, underneath and above for a long time just fine. And if you'd fallen in the hole, you'd have gotten it, Hermione, not like her." He reached out and grabbed her hand, holding it tightly as if afraid she'd get up and storm away. "I don't think like that, Hermione. You must know that."

"I really do." She nodded with a bit more conviction, relief flooding through her as he squeezed her hand, glad that maybe things were going to be okay between them again. "I guess I sometimes just feel out of place."

"You'd never know it. You always act like you know exactly what you're doing."

"And you haven't figured out yet that I haven't a clue?" She laughed. "I thought you knew me better than that, Ron."

He looked down at his hands, surprised to see that he'd pulled hers into his lap and was rubbing the back of her knuckles with his thumb. "There's lots of things I don't know about you, Hermione."

"Like what?" Her voice was slightly breathy, the constant motion of his thumb sending odd sensations through her.

The sound of her voice sent chills down his spine, and Ron stared down at her hand, still in his grip, trembling ever so slightly. He cut his gaze over to her, watching her out of the corner of his eyes. She was looking at their hands as well, then looked away, looked up. "Lots of things."

She turned her head. "Like what, Ron?"

He met her eyes and held them, curious and intent. "Why're you dating Fred?"

"You're dating Luna," she reminded him.

"That's not any kind of answer."

"You really want to know why I'm dating Fred?" She continued looking at him, waiting for his nod. "Because he's nice to me, because he likes me, because he's not afraid to talk to me or ask me things or listen to me. Because whenever I'm with him, he doesn't make me feel out of place or stupid or untalented. Because he's never hurt me."

Ron jerked his hand away from hers at the implied dig. "That's what you want?"

"He likes me, Ron. He likes spending time with me."

"That's an awful lot of what Fred likes. What about you, Hermione?" He got to his feet, his lips curved in a smug smile. "What do you like?"

She stood up, facing him, her hands on her hips. "I like when he talks to me, when he listens to me. I like the way he takes the time to teach me things instead of getting angry with me. I like the way he holds my hand, Ron." Her heart was beating wildly and tears threatened to flood her eyes. "I like the way he kisses me. I like him, Ron."

"I thought you liked me."

"Yeah, well, so did I." She shook her head sending tears flying. "I thought the way you made me feel was the best thing in the world, until I realized that most of the time, you make me feel horrible."

"You guys seen my broom?" Harry crawled out from under the bramble bush that surrounded a stance of trees off to their left. He looked from one to the other and swallowed. "You guys okay?"

"We're fine," Ron snapped. "Just fine."

"You're my friend, Ron."

"Why? Since I make you feel so horrible? Why be my friend, Hermione?"

"Its when I think I want to be more…Nevermind." She shook her head and bent down, gathering up the fallen book. "I need to go."

"Another date with Fred?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact."

"Well, don't do anything I wouldn't do," Ron sneered. "Though at the rate Luna and I have been getting closer, I guess that leaves you a lot of room to work with." Hermione turned without another word and hurried back toward the house. Ron collapsed back against a tree, smacking his head hard against the rough bark. "Fuck."

"Wow." Harry adopted Ron's posture, watching him from across the small clearing. "And I thought my date with Cho had top marks for being the way not to do things with a girl."

"Yeah, well, Harry Potter can't be the best at everything, can he?"

Harry nodded, taking the snarled comment in stride. "To be honest, Ron, that's one area I'm not too keen to be better than anyone at. I don't think you are, either."

"Why the hell's she dating him! He's Fred, for Merlin's sake."

"Dunno." Harry sat down at the base of his tree, rolling his eyes at his best friend. "He's smart, funny, successful, handsome…"

"Oh great, are you bloody in love with him too?" Ron kicked backwards, jarring his whole body as his foot hit the tree. "You might want to fancy George if that's the case, since you're more likely to score."

"As tempting as the offer is," Harry drawled sarcastically, "I think one of your friends dating a twin is enough."

"One of my friends dating a sibling is enough, and I've already chosen you for that purpose." Ron turned around and kicked the tree again, harder. "She's not supposed to be dating him!"

"Who should she be dating, Ron?"

"I don't care! But not him!" He kicked the tree again, sailing across the clearing as the tree finally hit back, a long branch knocking Ron into Harry. "Ouch."

"Oof." Harry shoved Ron off of him. "No kidding."

"Stupid trees. Stupid brothers." He fell back on the grass and stared up at the clear, blue sky.

"Have you ever thought about, I dunno, telling her how you feel about her?"

"Hermione?"

"Yeah."

"I was trying." Ron pulled out blades of grass in fistfuls. "I was bloody trying and then I had to bring up my sodding brother and it all went to hell." He dropped the grass and yanked up fresh. "She was sitting there looking at me and I wanted to kiss her, but all I could think about was the fact that she'd been kissing him and it made me angry."

"Not to mention defensive." Luna walked into the clearing and sat next to Harry. "I understand that we're to be shagging tonight?"

"What?" Ron choked.

"Hermione said that you and I were obviously going to be shagging tonight, since she couldn't do anything you and I weren't." Luna's eyes bored into Ron's. "She's lying, of course."

"Since we're not going to be shagging?"

"Oh, no. We can. She's just not going to be shagging Fred. She's not ready for it yet." She nodded. "Besides, Fred and George were just here looking for supplies and your Mum kicked them out and told them to spend their own money for their silly venture and leave her cupboards out of it."

"We're not shagging tonight, Luna."

"Good. I'm quite unprepared." She picked up a piece of grass and held it to her mouth, whistling with it. "Besides, I think until you've actually narrowed down the right parts of the anatomy when it comes to pleasure, we should hold off on anything life-changing." She got to her feet and started walking back toward the house, humming quietly to herself.

"I don't know what she's talking about."

"Might be part of the problem."

Ron glared at Harry. "Stop laughing."

"I'm not laughing."

"I hope you burst something." Ron got to his feet and followed Luna, leaving Harry on the ground of the clearing, gasping for air as he laughed.

Fred caught Hermione's hand as she stormed past, pulling her back against him. " What's the hurry, tiger?"

She struggled out of his grip and turned to glare at him. "Let's do something."

He quirked an eyebrow. "Something?"

"Something dangerous." She moved back into his arms, one hand on his chest. "Something," she blushed and dropped her eyes, "naughty."

"If you can't look at me when you say it," he tilted her chin up and brushed his lips over hers, "we're definitely not going to be doing it." He touched the tip of her nose with a finger. "What's the matter?"

"Nothing."

"Ah yes. Of course. Nothing."

"It's nothing."

"Which means it's Ron and you don't want to tell me." He raised his eyebrow as she flushed guiltily. "We're not going to get anywhere pretending he doesn't exist."

"He makes me furious."

"Is that all he does?" Fred asked lightly, his body warm near hers as he leaned over her, his arm on the tree behind her. "Or is this sudden burst of sexual energy fueled by my little brother putting the moves on you?"

"He wasn't doing anything of the sort."

"No?" He reached for Hermione's hand and held it loosely in his, his thumb grazing her knuckles. "Because from where I was standing, it looked an awful lot like putting the moves on you."

"You were watching?"

"No. I was looking for you, my girlfriend, if you recall, and I happened to stumble across your little tête-à-tête."

"Why didn't you interrupt?"

"Harry did it for me. Not that Harry was doing anything for me, he just happened along at the same time." Fred released her hand and moved away from her, sitting at the base of the tree. "You like him, Hermione?"

"Harry?"

Fred chuckled. "Ron."

"He's my friend."

"Okay, I'll rephrase. I've known for some time that you've had a thing for my little brother and I'm curious if you still have that thing and if it's something that I need to be concerned about."

"Ron's dating Luna. They're seriously involved."

"I'll rephrase again. If I weren't here and Ron walked up to you and kissed you, what would you do?"

"That's not likely to happen." She crossed her arms over her chest and rested her chin on the book.

"Do you want it to?"

She squatted down in front of him then sat beside him, relaxing half against the tree and half against him. "I'd like you to kiss me."

"For revenge against him?"

"No." She shook her head and reached up, turning him to face her. "Because I like it when you kiss me. I like it when you taste me. I like that you make my stomach swim and my body feel all hot and tingling." She licked her lips and smiled up at him shyly. "You haven't been home for dinner this whole week."

"Busy at the store."

"Which means the last time you kissed me was six days ago, which is an awfully long time."

"So it's my absence that's made you susceptible to Ron's advances?"

"Are you ever going to kiss me, Fred?"

He shook his head and found her lips with his own. "No." He pulled her onto his lap as he kissed her, bringing her body closer as his tongue invaded her mouth, sliding over her tongue into the warm cavern.

Hermione sighed against his lips, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. He grinned and broke the kiss, stealing several others before speaking. "You're a wanton woman, Miss Granger."

"Don't call me that," she poked him in the chest. "It's too much like school."

"I thought you liked school."

"I do." She brushed his hair away from his forehead. "But school generally doesn't put me in the mood for an evening's adventure with my boyfriend."

"Is that so?" He surveyed her critically. "Didn't seem to stop you and Viktor from hiding out all huddled together in the library."

"He wasn't my boyfriend."

"If that's what you do with blokes who aren't your boyfriends, what do you do with the ones who are?"

"I promise you'll be the first to know." She bit his lower lip and wriggled slightly on his lap, slipping away from him and standing up. She held out a hand to him to help him to his feet, grinning as he stumbled too close to her, his body near and hot and tempting. "I have a surprise for you."

"I do like surprises."

"Come on." She grabbed his hand and nodded toward the house.

"What is it?"

"All will be revealed soon enough."

"Tell meeeee."

"I thought you liked surprises."

He stopped and tugged on her hand, bringing her crashing into him. "Certain ones."

"Trust me," she promised him with a quick kiss. "You'll like this one."

"I can't believe you've done this," George cooed happily. "This is the most smashing thing ever."

"It's just a voomie." Ron rolled his eyes, attempting nonchalance. He leaned over as Harry tapped him on the shoulder and blushed. "Er, movie."

"And how many movies have you seen, Ron?" Ginny asked archly.

"Hush." He glanced over at Hermione and smiled. "What are we going to see?"

"It's called Fargo." She shrugged. "It was the only thing that sounded sort of interesting."

"What's it about?" Harry asked.

"Dunno." Hermione shrugged again. "Besides, we're not going to have much time to watch, given that we've got to keep our eyes on these troublemakers." She sighed. "George, come back here. You're going to get run over."

Ron gazed around the city as they walked, watching Hermione's parents as they kept several feet in front of them, their uncertainty obvious in the way they moved. "You're sure your parents don't mind this, Hermione?"

"Sure. They offered. Said it would be nice to meet my friends for more than ten minutes in Diagon Alley." She grinned. "We're going for ice cream after, so don't stock up on too many sweets and popcorn."

"I think the movies is going to be my favorite place ever."

"And George?" Hermione released Fred to grab his brother by the arm. "I'm supposed to inform you that, should you slip any of your concoctions into the concession stand, your mother is going to tie you to a tree and set the pixies on you."

"Oy." He nodded and shoved his hands deep into his jacket pockets. "It's weird, not wearing a robe when we're out and about."

"You'll get used to it." She squeezed his arm and looked back at Ginny who was walking with Harry and Luna. Her heart beat faster as she took in the sight of her friends, walking down a Muggle street, looking for all the world like they belonged there.

"What are you smiling about?" Fred whispered in her ear.

She shivered and slapped him lightly on the arm. "Stop it. If my parents so much as suspect that we're dating, you'll be sitting on the opposite side of the theater from me." He started to open his mouth to say something, mischief in his eyes. "And then you really won't be dating me."

"What if I tell them?" Ron asked. "Would you still dump him?"

She permitted herself a small smile at Ron's teasing tone. "Actually, they'd probably think we were dating and you were trying to convince them it was Fred and they'd stick the two of you between them."

"Okay," Ron nodded. "Not saying a word."

"So, what do you do in the movies?" George asked, keeping pace with Hermione even as he gawked at London, his head swiveling back and forth at neon signs and every other thing that caught his eye.

"You watch them."

"And what else?"

"You just sit there and watch them."

"That's it?"

"Yes, George." She shook her head. "And you be quiet. You don't talk during movies."

"You don't?"

"No."

"Hmmm. Maybe I don't like this." He grinned and stopped walking, falling back to where Harry was, no doubt to get a second opinion.

"He's going to be devastated if he really has to be quiet for a long time."

"We'll give him a giant bucket of popcorn and he'll be all right." She looked up at him, surprised by the heat in his gaze. "You…you don't mind that I brought everyone along on our date, do you?"

"Well, it does change my big plan of sitting around the flat doing nothing except kissing and staring hungrily at each other, wanting to do more, but, you know, I'm willing to make sacrifices for you."

"I do feel special." She reached down and caught his hand, squeezing it quickly before releasing it as her parents stopped, waiting for all of them to catch up.

Fred's eyes were glued to the screen, wide and awed by the rapidly moving images. Hermione glanced past him, grinning at the rapt attention everyone was devoting to the movie, even George and Ron, whose nearly full buckets of popcorn sat forgotten in their laps.

She settled back and turned her attention to the movie, biting her lip when she felt the soft brush of Fred's fingers across the back of hers. She turned her hand over, her eyes still on the screen, threading her fingers through his. Another quick glance to her left nearly made her laugh as Ron scrubbed butter off his fingers before capturing Luna's hand. She watched, less fascinated with the snowy tundra on the screen than with the shy look of hopefulness on Ginny's face that, had she known she was being observed would not be grace her features.

After a few seconds, Ginny sighed softly and turned her attention back to the movie, unaware of Harry's fingers edging toward hers. Hermione sighed as well, far more contentedly, and shifted in her seat, leaning against Fred's shoulder. He responded automatically, releasing her hand and wrapping his arm around her, tugging her closer. "What if your parents turn around?" He whispered.

She looked up at him. "They'll probably figure out that you're my boyfriend."

"And you're okay with that?"

She reached up with her right hand and caught Fred's fingers in her own. "Yeah."

Fred's lips moved against Hermione's neck, his left hand smoothing lightly over her thigh. Her fingers still held his right hand, squeezing it hard as his tongue darted out, tasting the hint of perspiration his hot breath fueled. "Fred," she whispered, crossing her legs at the ankles, her thighs pressed tightly together. She swallowed against her dry throat. "Watch the movie."

His tongue found the hollow beneath her ear then her earlobe. His teeth caught it and he held her, warm cascades of breath sending shivers through her like shock waves. "It's my understanding," he whispered the words, the sounds diverting to the ache inside her before making their way up to her brain, "that movies outrank cars on the list of Muggle places to snog."

It took her a few minutes to respond, during which he captured her earlobe again, nibbling it. "Not when my parents are two rows in front of us."

"Fine." He removed his arm from her shoulder and settled back in his chair, folding his hands in his lap. Hermione stared unseeing at the screen, struggling to get her breathing, heart rate and hormones back under control. She glanced quickly at Fred who was watching the screen intently, laughing easily as everyone else did. Without thinking, Hermione leaned back as well, dropping her arm over the divider that separated their chairs and raked her nails along the length of Fred's thigh.

Fred grunted, his entire body going stiff, his eyes primal as they met hers. Without a spare glance at him, she leaned across him, her hand resting dangerously close to the top of his thigh for support. "George?"

"Hmm?" He didn't glance at her, his eyes glued to the movie, one hand shoveling kernel after kernel of popcorn in his mouth.

"I'm going to show Fred where the loos are. We'll be back in a few."

"It's just getting to the good part," he warned her.

"I know." She got up and grabbed Fred's hand, guiding him out of the aisle they were sitting in. He followed behind her, one hand in hers and the other on her hip, keeping her close to him. As soon as they escaped the theater, he guided her against the wall and pressed his body to hers, capturing her lips with his, his tongue plundering its way into her mouth. Hermione moaned and wrapped one of her legs around his, pulling him closer. Fred shifted, his body reacting and they both stilled, panting heavily, both of them focused on the hard press of flesh against her stomach. He looked down at her, staring into her melted chocolate eyes and sighed, closing his eyes and pushing on the wall behind her, forcing distance between them.

He pressed the back of his hand to his mouth then dropped it, his chest rising and falling rapidly. "Where's the loo?"

"Right…" she pointed and he grabbed her hand.

"Show me." She nodded and led him down the darkened hallway. Halfway down, he tugged on her hand, pulling her toward him and up against the wall. "You're a dangerous woman, Miss Granger."

"I thought I told you not to call me that."

"It's my last defense," he assured her as he moved in closer, his hands skimming up her sides to curve just under her breasts, not quite touching her. "Calling you Miss Granger reminds me that I need to keep my hands to myself."

"And if you called me Hermione?" She asked softly, arching her back slightly, instinctively until she could feel the slight brush of his hands. "What would happen then?"

Her name fell from his lips in a heated kiss as his tongue found its way into her mouth, his hand moving over her breasts. He slid his thumbs over her hard nipples, his knee parting her legs and allowing him closer.

She broke the kiss, panting and shivering as he touched her, his hands supporting the weight of her breasts, his thumbs wreaking havoc with her senses as they moved over the tips, teasing them until they ached. "Fred…"

"When this date is over, Hermione," he bit her lower lip and tugged it into his mouth, sucking on it, "when your parents are gone and we've dumped the rest of our friends and relatives off at the Burrow's front door, I want to be alone with you."

"We…I…" She nodded, her breath caught somewhere in her chest, buffeting her pounding heart. Her fingers scrabbled at the material of his shirt, tugging it free from his waistband, her hands hot on his skin. Fred groaned and his hands tightened on her breasts, caressing them through her shirt. "Yes."

He pulled away and glanced back the way they'd come then down the hallway in the opposite direction. He nodded toward the bright lights that signified the bathrooms. "I'm gonna…"

"I'll wait for you here."

"Alone?"

"I need a little time alone." She blushed in the darkness and her hands smoothed down her shirt, the action pulling the fabric tight across her breasts, bringing her nipples into high relief.

Fred groaned. "Me too." He smiled and shook his head. "Better still, alone with you."

"Later," she promised him in a whisper. She watched him walk away then shook her head, following him. She hurried, catching up with him just before he opened the door. "Fred?"

He turned and looked down at her, the tight rein he had on his emotions and everything else visible in the strain on his face. He stroked her cheek, her wild hair. "Yes?"

She pressed a hot kiss to his lips. "I can't wait."

Ron sank down into the booth next to Hermione; ignoring the look Fred gave him from the counter. He stared down at the pink swirls on the table, feeling her questioning gaze on him. "Look," he started, his hand beginning to trace the swirls, his concentration on keeping his finger on the line giving him an excuse not to look up at her, "I think we should talk."

"About what, Ron?"

"I saw you and Fred leave the theater."

"I was showing him where the bathroom was, Ron."

"That all you were doing?" He let the silence hang in the air between them, feeling his what seemed to be ever-present anger welling up in him. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to…I'm not trying to be a git here, honest."

She laughed and he smiled, knowing his ears were burning, his heart lightening at the sound. "I don't want you to get hurt, Hermione."

"Fred won't hurt me, Ron."

"No. I mean, I know. It's just…he might. Not on purpose, but because he's Fred, you know? He doesn't feel things like others do, because he's always laughing and joking and he might do it inadvertently, you know?"

"I'll keep myself well guarded from any inadvertent hurting Fred might do."

"It's just…" he blew out a breath; finally looking up when a dish of ice cream broke his line of sight. George settled in the seat across from them and Ron looked over at the counter. Fred, Ginny, Luna and Harry were all deeply engrossed in the discussion of flavors. "George'll tell you."

"Tell her what?"

"About Fred."

"Ron?" Hermione spoke so softly he barely heard her, but something in her voice made him turn his head. "Does it bother you that much? Me dating him?"

"Yes. Er, well, I mean…"

"Do you want me to break up with him?" George watched her with wary eyes, occasionally glancing at Fred as she continued to stare at Ron. She gave him a quick glance then looked back at his younger brother. "If it bothers you that much, if my being Fred's girlfriend is going to be a problem with our friendship, I'll break up with him."

Ron's eyes were wide and hopefully for a moment before they darkened and he glanced at Fred. He was taller than everyone, including the clerk, a blonde girl who was flirting shamelessly with him. A blonde girl that he didn't even notice because he'd turned to smile at Hermione. "'Zat what you think of our friendship, Hermione?" He asked lightly, forcing the soft laugh. "That I'm a fair-weather friend, ready to dump you by the wayside just because you've got the bad taste to date my brother?"

"Speaking as an identical of the brother in question, I think I resent that bad taste remark, Ronniekins."

Ron smirked at George. "Ask me if I care, Georgie-poo."

"You know, it's really a pity that Wizards don't use wood-chippers." George warned his little brother with a grin. "Although we are still in London, aren't we? Wonder if I could get my hands on one before it's time to go home?"

"What're we talking about?" Fred sank into the chair next to his twin, raising a questioning eyebrow at Ron who ignored him. "Are both of you putting the moves of my girlfriend?"

"Yeah. We're trying to convince her that there are much more deserving Weasleys than the sorry likes of you," George told him.

"Yes," Hermione sighed, "but sadly, Ginny appears to be solely devoted to Harry." Ron choked on his ice cream, his face turning redder and redder as he fought to breathe. Hermione offered him some water and he waved it away, coughing and sputtering all the while. He took a deep, shaky breath then took the water from where she'd set it on the table; drinking the entire contents in one long, gulp. As he set the glass down, Hermione leaned over. "I was just joking, Ron."

His voice was hoarse, "Please don't."

She settled back in her seat, smiling across the table at Fred. His mouth quirked in response and he leaned forward, crooking his finger at her. She leaned in as well, very little room between them. "Yes?"

"Are you flirting with my brother?"

Her foot brushed his inner thigh as she settled it on his chair between his legs. He smiled and dropped one hand down to curve around her ankle, her skin bare above her sandal. Hermione shook her head. "No."

"Good."

"Hermione, dear?" Her mother's voice interrupted them and she dropped her foot to the floor, straightening in her seat.

"Yes, Mum?"

"It's getting late. We should be getting you back to, er, home." She smiled meekly. "It was very nice to meet all your friends tonight."

"It was lovely of you to take us out with you, Mrs. Granger." George got to his feet and pressed ice cream cold lips to the back of Hermione's mother's hand. "It's always a joy to be shown about town."

"Er, yes. Well, you're welcome…Fr…," he frowned and she changed her mind. "George."

"Perhaps this year, if you come with Hermione to shop for her school supplies you can stop into our shop. Fred and I would be delighted at your patronage."

"They're dentists, George," Harry reminded him. "They're not keen on sweets."

"Right. Hmm. Well, perhaps not then."

They all started out the door, down the streets headed for The Leaky Cauldron. Hermione licked her ice cream methodically, watching her friends, smiling to herself as they all, even Harry, appeared to be relaxed. "You know something?"

"What?" Ron asked, spooning ice cream into his mouth.

"Tonight was really, really nice."

"Yeah." He nodded. "It was."

She stopped walking and he did the same, his expression puzzled as he looked back at her. She shook her head and leaned in, pressing a cool kiss to his cheek. "Thank you."

He rubbed the spot, warming it, burning it into his skin. "What? Why?"

"Because when it all comes down to it, Ron Weasley, you're a pretty excellent friend." She grinned and started walking again, looking back when she realized he wasn't following. "Aren't you coming?"

"Yeah," he nodded then rushed to catch up. "Yeah."

Hermione got up from the couch and walked over to where Harry and Ron were sitting by the window. She perched on the arm of Harry's chair and ruffled his mussed black hair. "You're quiet tonight."

"Do you know what I did today?"

"Mostly," she nodded. "Why?"

"I relaxed today. I was out there and I didn't worry about anything." He grinned impishly. "It was strange."

"Someday you'll be able to do that every day." She dropped a kiss on the top of his head. "I promise."

His grin turned goofy. "You taking Divination this year, Hermione? Going around predicting the future?"

"Yeah," she nodded. "I'm getting a crystal ball for my birthday this year. And some sparkly robes and a turban." She flushed as the thought of Quirrell ran through her head. "Sorry."

He shook his head. "Don't be." He glanced at Ron who was watching Hermione and yawned deliberately. "I'm tired. I think I'm going to head up to bed."

"Going to walk Ginny up?" Hermione teased.

"Nah. George told me you're making a play for her." He grinned and ducked out of range as she attempted to slap him playfully. "Careful Hermione, at this rate, you're going to run out of Weasleys."

"Go to bed, Harry."

He got out of the chair and tugged one of her curls. "Night, Ron."

"Hmmm?" He looked up and waved lazily. "Night, Harry. I'll be up in a few." He turned his eyes to Hermione. "You going to bed too?"

"No. I wanted to talk to you for a second."

"Oh?"

"Yeah." He shifted nervously and she sighed. "About what we talked about earlier."

"Fred?"

"Yeah." She reached out and caught his hand where it was picking at a loose strand of the upholstery and held it. "You're really all right with it, Ron?"

He watched her eyes, so open and honest, emotions darting through them like bees flitting from flower to flower. "Yeah," he lied. "I am."

"Thank you, Ron."

He nodded. "You going to bed now?"

"In a few." She gestured to the center of the room where her parents were getting to their feet. "I'm going to see my Mum and Dad off and then say goodnight to Fred."

"Oh."

"Tell Ginny not to wait up, okay?"

He nodded as she hurried off to the fireplace where her parents were standing nervously; ready to assure them as they scooped out handfuls of floo powder. She threw some in and called out her house then disappeared in the flames, her parents following her less eagerly.

Ron got to his feet and moved over to the couch where Luna was leafing through a photo album. "Come on."

"What?"

"I'll walk you up to your room."

She looked at him for a long time, her eyes clearly letting him know that she knew exactly what he was asking. Finally she nodded and stood. "All right."

"Good." Ron took her hand and led the way to the stairs, wanting to be gone before Hermione returned, needing to be out of sight the next time she looked at his brother the way she had the instant before she'd stepped into the flames.

Ron's body was on fire as he toed his sneakers off and crawled up the bed to where Luna was spread out on the duvet, her legs parted just enough to allow him to lie between them, her skirt rumpled but still pulled low enough to be decent.

Not that it mattered, given the fact that her shirt and bra were somewhere on the floor where he'd tossed them after stripping them slowly off her body, taking his time after she'd reminded him that they weren't in a race.

His own shirt was somewhere on the floor or the bed as well, discarded by her nimble fingers long before he'd worked up the courage to strip her clothes off of her. His heart was beating like a drum in his chest, pounding harder and faster than he was sure was safe, growing louder each time he touched her skin.

He kissed his way up her stomach, starting at the waistband of her skirt and licking and sucking a line up her pale skin until he reached the slopes of her breasts. He could feel the heat of her surrounding his groin and his cock strained at his jeans, aching to be touched or put to use or just given something to do besides slide against the very wet spot on his boxers. Between her legs though, it was safe from her touch, which he was pretty sure would be his undoing.

He preferred to go slowly, he reminded himself, working his kisses up over the swell of one breast, his lips curving around the nipple, sucking at the hard nub until Luna's back arched off the bed and she moaned quietly, the fingers of one hand threading through his hair. He echoed her moan and kissed his way across to the other breast, his hands holding her hips as his bare chest slid against her body, skin against skin.

Forcing another low moan from her lips, Ron moved away from her breasts, sinking down once again, his fingers no longer feeling too large as he unhooked the button of her skirt and slid the too-small zipper down, fabric separating along her side. His breath was slow in coming, oxygen diverted from the room, unable to make its way through the thick haze of lust that seemed to emanate from every pore of Ron's body.

Luna's hips stayed still and he slid his hand between her skirt and her knickers, his fingers plying the firm flesh, urging her upwards.

"I've decided that we're not going to have sex."

Ron stopped kissing her flat stomach and raised his head to look at her. "We're not?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because you don't really want to have sex with me."

He slipped his hand out from under her skirt and caught her wrist, guiding her hand down to his cock, rubbing her palm against him. "I really, really do."

"No. You want to have sex because you think Hermione's having sex with Fred."

Ron froze. "This has nothing to do with Hermione."

"It does." She pulled away from him and gathered her clothes, putting them on somewhat haphazardly. "So until you've decided that you want to have sex with me because you want to have sex with me, we're not going to have sex."

Ron rolled over onto his back, propping himself up against Luna's pillows. "Let me get this straight, I can't have sex with you unless I want to have sex with you."

"Right."

"Which I do."

"But you don't. You're not here with me because you want to be with me, Ron. You're here with me because she's somewhere with him. And, as flattering as that's not, I'm going to have to put a stop to the whole thing."

"You're breaking up with me?" His mouth dropped open. "You're kidding, right?"

"I like you, Ron." Luna shrugged and started for the bedroom door, uncaring that she was leaving him in her room. "But not enough."