He lifted his cup and was about to take a sip when a small barrel of feathers collided with him, spilling the hot liquid all over his naked chest.

"FUCK." He caught Pig with one hand, holding the hyperactive bird still. "You're going to look awfully attractive stuffed and mounted over my headboard, you little…"

"You okay?" Fred rubbed his eyes sleepily, the deep blue widening as he realized what George was holding. "That Pig?"

"Yeah. Stupid little…"

"Is there a letter?" Fred asked quietly, freeing the squawking bird from George's grasp. He unhooked the small parchment from his leg and unraveled it. Pig twittered and flew around the room, staying well out of George's reach.

He looked at his twin, his tea forgotten as he watched Fred's face. "Fred?"

Fred folded the letter neatly, smooth sharp corners, all the edges aligned. "I'm going to go have a shower."

"Who's it from, Fred?"

"Ginny."

"Is everything okay?" He followed Fred up the stairs, concern in his voice. "Fred? What's going on?"

Fred turned, his face blank, shocked and numb. "My plan worked."

"What'd you mean?"

"Ron and Hermione are together."

"Fred…"

The curl of his lips was nothing like a smile. "At least they'd better be, or I'm going to kill the little bastard for fucking my girlfriend."

"Let me see it." George grabbed the letter from Fred's hand, the fingers of his free hand closing around his twin's wrist. "Don't."

"Let me go, George."

"No. I've got no desire to bury a little brother today, okay?" He unfolded the letter and skimmed the contents, scowling slightly. "You're off your nut, Fred. Ginny's just said that Ron and Hermione both know."

"I'm going to Hogwarts."

"You're not." George's grip tightened as Fred tried to pull away. "You're upset, you're hurting and you're not stunningly rational right now. We've got a store to run."

"You do it."

George met matching eyes defiantly. "No." Anger flashed hotly in Fred's blue gaze. "We have an agreement, Fred."

They faced off silently for a long moment, Fred finally nodding. "You're right."

"You can go tonight," George reminded him, releasing his hand. "Or you can owl Ginny back and find out what exactly is going on and deal with it all next weekend." He sighed at Fred's look. "Maybe owl Hermione?"

"You think I should?"

"Depends," George said as they walked up the stairs to the flat above the shop. "You ready to admit that you like her?"

Fred tried to smile and failed miserably. "I'm in love with her."

George closed his eyes and shook his head. "Did I ever tell you this was probably the stupidest idea you've ever had?"

"No."

"Consider yourself told."

"Too late."

"Like you'd have listened." George stopped at the door to his room. "Send her a letter, Fred. Just, whatever you do, don't use Pig to do it."

Something changed in the air around her and Ginny looked up in time to hear the first whisper. Ron was standing beside one of the stone pillars, his eyes skimming the green expanse of lawn, looking for all the world like he wanted to be anywhere else. "Harry?"

He looked up from his book, following her eyes. He hung his head for a moment, shaking it slowly then got to his feet. "I'll go get him."

"What's he doing out of his room? I thought he told you he didn't want to face anyone?"

"He said he didn't. We'll be right back." He jogged across the lawn, his robes flapping behind him. He slowed down as he neared Ron, leaning against the same post his best friend was. "Hey, Ron."

"Hey."

"I thought you were staying in today?"

"Dean and Seamus are in the room very deliberately not talking about what happened. Neville keeps creeping up to my bed curtains and touching them like he's going to pull them back to talk to me and I figured if I didn't get out I was going to kill them all, so I thought I'd get some fresh air."

"Oh. Well, why don't you come over with me and Ginny? We're studying, which isn't the most exciting thing, but…" He shrugged.

"I went up to the owlery, but Pig was gone. Must have been off flying around or something. You want to play a game of Quidditch?"

Harry shook his head, grabbing Ron's arm and guiding him toward where Ginny was waiting. "Slytherin's practicing today."

"Oh. Hmmm. Maybe later?"

"Sure."

Ron sat down next to Ginny, barely settling before he moved over to the oak tree they were sitting beneath. "Hey, Ron."

"Hey." He waved to her, not meeting her eyes, then got to his feet, walking around the trunk. "It's nice out, huh?"

"Very. Do you have your Charms book? Harry says you have a test tomorrow."

"We do. I don't though. It's up in the room. I'm not keen on going back to the room. Maybe I can just bum off of Harry's." Ron sat again then lay on his stomach, copying Harry's posture. He skimmed the book for a second then sat up, his hands tapping his knees as he half leaned over Harry's shoulder. "What's the test on again?"

"Ron?"

"I'll study later. I think I need a walk. Just around the lake or something." He got to his feet and was about to walk off when Ginny grabbed his arm. "What are you doing, Ginny?"

"Sit."

"But."

"Sit." She tugged him down and he sprawled on the ground beside her. "I understand that you've been in some sort of self-imposed exile for the last fifteen hours or so, but you're going to have to calm down. You're bouncing around like a Snitch trying to evade Harry, and it's distracting."

"I said I was going to go."

"You're not going to find her."

"Find her? Find who?"

"You're also not going to win any kind of awards for your acting skills." She gave him a stern look. "Hermione's still in her room and so you're not going to find her even if you search every nook and cranny on campus."

"I'm not looking for Hermione."

"What would you say to her if you found her, Ron?"

His jaw tightened and he looked from his sister to Harry. "Did you tell her what happened?"

"He didn't have to, Ron." Ginny closed her book. "Hermione did."

Ron looked stricken and he swallowed hard, his voice barely recognizable as he choked on his words. "What did she tell you?" He closed his eyes on Ginny's sharp look and shook his head, the words tumbling out in a hoarse whisper. "Ginny, I swear, I didn't mean to-"

"You didn't, Ron."

"I need you not to hate me, Ginny. If you and Harry hate me too, I don't know what I'm going to-"

"You didn't do anything, Ron. I mean, you did." She glared at him. "But not what you think."

"I did. I ra-"

"Stop it." Ginny moved before either Harry or Ron noticed, shoving her older brother hard. He fell back on the grass and looked up at her flaming face. "Stop being so self-involved, you stupid prat."

"I was there, Ginny."

"Yeah, well, so was Hermione." She sank back down and kicked him twice. "And she said she…she said you didn't force her."

"But, but," Ron spluttered.

"She didn't say she liked it, Ron." He shut up. "She just said you didn't force her."

"I said…"

"Yeah, well, you're an idiot and she's well aware of that, so I think if she's not going to blame you for what happened, she might eventually forget about what you said." Ginny looked somewhat doubtful. "But she's still reeling, Ron. So leave her alone, okay?"

"Did she tell Fred anything?"

Ginny's mouth tightened to a thin line. "As far as I know she hasn't."

"So they're still going out?"

"Leave it alone, Ron." Ginny grabbed at his arm as he stood up. "Leave her alone!"

"I'm not going to bother her, Ginny. Not yet." He grinned slightly. "But if she's not told Fred, then that means there's something she doesn't want him to know."

"Like the fact that his younger brother shagged her?" Ginny's voice dripped sarcasm. "Oh yes, I can't imagine why she wouldn't want to share that information in a letter or something."

"You said she wanted it."

"I said you didn't force her."

"I was there," he squatted down to meet his sister's eyes, Harry forgotten behind him. His voice was rough with emotions, scared and hopeful all at once. "She did want it, didn't she, Ginny?"

"Leave her alone, Ron!" He walked away and she pounded the ground in anger. "Shit."

"And then, when we came back in last night, Harry and Ginny were asleep on the couch! Together!" Parvati nodded knowingly as Lavender turned slightly, making sure no one was eavesdropping on their conversation with Padma. "I wouldn't be at all surprised if they were down there because Ron and Hermione were going at it again in Ron's bed. Dean said that Ron had his curtains closed all night. And there were noises."

Lavender shook her head. "I can't believe that Hermione would do that to Fred."

"You're assuming she is," Parvati reminded her. "I think Fred broke up with her."

"Did you not see him in the common room, Parvati? He was in no mood to break up with her. He could barely keep his hands off of her."

"That was over a month ago. He's living on Diagon Alley now. He's probably got women dripping off of him all the time. And, let's face it; it's not like Hermione's any sort of beauty queen or anything. I mean, she's pretty, sure, but she's nothing stunning."

"So you think he dumped her because he found someone else?"

Parvati nodded. "I think he told her yesterday and when she found out, she ran to Ron. And then things got out of hand. Knowing Ron," she giggled, "he said something stupid and that's what got her so upset. But I'll bet you they've done it."

"Hermione looked like it, that's for sure." Lavender giggled. "Her skirt was tucked into her knickers on one side. I could see it when she headed for the stairs. You'd think she would have taken the time to make sure she looked presentable. She has to know people will talk."

"You missed the best part though, Lavender!" Parvati practically seethed with excitement. "I went back to the room for my notebook when you went to lunch, remember?" Lavender nodded, biting her lower lip in anticipation. "I walked in the room and a huge owl swooped through the door behind me. He was huge and almost black. One of the Post owls. It flew to Hermione's bed and just hovered there, its wings moving all the papers and curtains except hers."

"She spelled her bed!"

"It just stayed there, that's why I took so long, and it just kept beating its wings and waiting. Finally, I went up to it and looked at the envelope and told Hermione who it was from."

"Who?" Padma asked, speaking for the first time, her eyes glittering.

"Fred, of course. I'm sure it was his apology for hurting her and breaking it off with her, telling her it was for the best because he doesn't love her and since he's found someone new. But she wouldn't even take it. Told me to send the owl back to him, that she didn't want it." She looked victorious. "But it totally shows that she's in love with Ron. I mean, if she wasn't, wouldn't she have taken Fred's letter? If someone I loved broke up with me, I'd want everything of theirs I could get my hands on. I'd pour over the letter, sobbing my heart out."

"Oh, me too." Lavender hooked her arms through both of the twins's. "Let's go outside and see if anyone else knows anything. I bet someone had to have seen Hermione coming back from Hogsmeade."

"Oooh." Padma giggled. "I can't wait to tell Luna."

Ron watched them hurry out, stepping out of the shadowed nook in the corridor. A small smile played at the corner of his lips and he hurried up the steps toward Gryffindor tower, warmly content with the knowledge that, not only did Hermione want him; she most definitely wanted nothing to do with his brother.

Ron hurried down the stairs to the common room, his charm book tucked under his chin as he pulled on his robe. He leapt over the last few steps, jerking to a hard stop as he nearly collided with Hermione. He swallowed, looking over her shoulder, at anything that wasn't her. "Sorry."

"It's fine." She moved past him, headed for the portrait hole.

"Hermione." He reached out to grab her arm, stopping just before he touched her.

She turned around and looked at him. "Yes?"

"I, uh."

"I'm late for class, Ron."

"Me too. We could walk together?"

"Do you really think that, Ron?" Her voice was flat and emotionless. "You really think that we can just walk to class together and pretend that nothing happened?"

"I just thought…"

"What? What did you think, Ron? I'm keen to hear."

"Well," he blushed hotly. "I just thought that since we," the flush spread up to the tips of his ears, "you know."

"I know, do I?" She asked archly. "What do I know?"

His voice dropped. "Since we did what we did."

"What we did?" Her tone changed, the sound mockingly innocent. "What did we do exactly, Ron?"

"I thought, with everything, that we'd just sort of be…"

"Be?"

"Well, dating." He shrugged nervously, wishing that he'd neglected to open his mouth. Wishing he'd neglected to get out of bed at all.

"You thought," Hermione's face flushed as well, her eyes glittering sharply, "that since you fucked me on the way home from Hogsmeade that I'd be your girlfriend? Is that what you're suggesting, Ron?"

"You won't take Fred's letters."

"No," she agreed. "I won't. I'm not sure that I can read a confession or apology from someone I thought cared about me and not feel the slightest bit guilty that just a short time later, I had his brother's cock inside me." She bit her lip and looked away, tears clouding her eyes. "Leave me alone, Ron."

"I love you."

"Yeah? It appears everyone does these days." She climbed out the portrait hole, not looking back at him. He followed her quickly, walking behind her. She looked pristine, her hair slicked down somewhat, her robes clean and creased. He was pretty sure that, as long as no one looked in her eyes, no one would know anything had happened.

The whispers started at the base of the stairs as they came into sight of other students. Everyone apparently knew everything that had happened. Or at least their version of it. He adjusted his stride, keeping a bit further behind her.

"I'm sure they'll play it cool for a bit," he caught as he walked past a group of Hufflepuffs. "After all, he broke up with her right after they had sex, didn't he? She's not going to want to be called a slut, is she?"

Ron felt heat singe his face and he clenched his fists, willing himself to keep from beating the smug grin into the ground. Hermione kept walking and he forced himself to follow, proud of the straight line of her back.

"I never thought I'd actually be impressed with a Weasley," Malfoy drawled as he fell into step with Ron. "But I have to say, passing a Mudblood around like the family toy is a feat even a Malfoy can appreciate."

"What did you say?" Ron slowed his walk, his eyes hard on Draco as the blond stopped.

"I'm just impressed, Weasel, not flirting." Draco sneered, his eyes darting to Ron's crotch. "Keep your hard-ons for the Mudblood."

"That," he nodded calmly, as if Draco were making perfect sense, "is what I thought you said."

Draco shouted, landing hard on his knees as Ron's punch caught him in the solar plexus, lifting him off the ground before dumping back unceremoniously on the stone. "Figures a Weasley wouldn't know how to take a compliment."

"That was a compliment, Malfoy?" Ron kicked him hard in the stomach, sending Draco sprawling on his back. He pulled out his wand and aimed it at the blond. "Seems to me that anything that compares a Weasley to a Malfoy is the highest form of insult."

Draco got to his feet, glaring at Ron. "You're an idiot, Weasley."

"For kicking your ass?"

"No, Mr. Weasley," Snape's cool voice drawled lazily. "For standing around to appreciate your handiwork. And, while I'm sure your girlfriends are all very impressed," he sneered at the gathered crowd who were watching raptly, "I am not."

"Malfoy started it."

Snape glanced up again at the gathered crowd. "Is that so, Miss Fairstow? Did he do that by accidentally running into Mr. Weasley's fist?"

"He insulted Ron's girlfriend."

"She's not my…" Ron sighed and glanced down the hall where Hermione had disappeared out of sight. "Can we just give me detention or something? I'm almost late for class as it is."

Snape's eyebrows rose and he smiled ferally. "Oh yes, Mr. Weasley, I'm sure we can manage to give you detention. Or something." He leaned closer, his black eyes burning. "Twenty points from Gryffindor for fighting."

"Fine."

"Fifty for insolence." His eyebrow lifted even further, his smug grin never wavering as Ron fought the overwhelming desire to say something, keeping his lips clamped tightly closed. After a moment, Snape nodded. "Very well, Mr. Weasley. You may run along to your other class. And I'll see you tonight in my classroom immediately after dinner."

Ron buried his head beneath his hands as he sat down next to Harry, ignoring the fiery glares of his classmates. "What happened to you?"

"You mean besides me losing the House seventy points?" Ron asked quietly. He moaned softly at Harry's surprised gaze. "You mean you hadn't heard already? I figured the Hogwarts Express," he nodded toward Lavender and Parvati who were leaning to talk to the people on the opposite sides of them, "would have delivered the news to every nook and cranny of the school by now."

"What happened, Ron?"

"I had a blazing row with Hermione. Then I ran into Malfoy. And now I have detention with Snape."

"And we lost seventy points?" Harry shook his head. "What did you do?"

"Does anyone know where Miss Granger is?" Professor Flitwick asked, focusing everyone's attention on him. "Is she ill?"

"Maybe she's pregnant!" Lavender gasped.

"At least the kid'll look like his father, even if he's actually his uncle," someone sniggered from the back of the room. Ron's hands clenched into fists and he started to stand, shaking off the hand that Harry laid on his arm.

"Sit down, Ron," Harry hissed. "You're just going to make it worse."

"It can't get worse, Harry." He snapped, sinking back down into his seat.

Harry looked dubiously around the room, wondering how it had taken everyone so long to notice Hermione wasn't there. "Dunno." He shrugged and gave Ron a weak smile. "Maybe she's talking to Fred."

Ron looked up from his Charms book as the door to the bedroom slammed. He swallowed hard at the sight of Hermione standing there, her eyes hard. "Who the hell do you think you are, Ron Weasley?"

"Er…"

"What? Is it just not enough that you have to ruin my life, but you have to make yourself a hero in the process?" She grabbed a book off his trunk and threw it at the wall behind him, the sound of it whistling past his ear. "Girls are out there, practically swooning, wondering what the hell is wrong with me that I'm not orgasming myself because you defended my honor to Malfoy."

"I didn't…"

"Of course, that's just a lark, isn't it? Because if anyone's got no call to even mention my honor, it's you."

"I wasn't." He swallowed hard. "I was actually sort of defending the Weasley name. You were mentioned, though, so I…I'm not helping, am I?"

"Leave me alone, Ron. Everything. Me, my honor."

He got off the bed and moved in front of her. She looked tired and sad, hurt and lonely. "D'you love Fred, Hermione?"

"Oh, fuck you, Ron if you even think you have the right to ask me that." She shoved him hard.

"I'm just thinking you must not, if you're not even taking his letters."

She drew herself up to her full height, her eyes flashing hot enough to burn. "Go to hell."

He grabbed her arm and pulled her against him, holding her there for a long moment, holding her eyes, holding his breath. Finally, he bent his head and brushed her lips with his. "No."

Her lips trembled beneath his and she shook her head, her hands on his arms to push him away. Instead, they curled into the rumpled cloth of his robe and he kissed her, his lips warm and hungry as they devoured hers.

Ron growled somewhere low in his chest as his hands threaded through her hair, holding her in the kiss. Hermione's mouth moved under his, with his, her tongue fencing his until he captured it, sucking hungrily.

She rose on tiptoe; her hands sliding up his arms and winding around his neck as he raked his fingers through her hair, letting it fall away between them. One hand held the base of her skull, both of them clinging to the kiss, refusing to let it end, and the other swept down around her waist, lifting her up, against him as he stumbled toward the edge of the bed.

Hermione shoved him away, panting heavily as he blinked, trying to clear his dazed eyes. He opened his mouth to speak, snapping it shut as she shoved at his robes, pushing them over his shoulders before unbuttoning his shirt, pressing hot, greedy kisses to his chest as she bared it.

Ron shuddered, stripping his robe and shirt off as she finished unfastening it, letting all of it fall to the ground. His hands fumbled as he unhooked her robe and then reached for the bottom of her sweater, pulling both over her head. He kissed her as he loosened her tie, one hand undoing the knot, the other caressing her throat, feeling every anxious swallow beneath his fingers.

As the silk fell, Ron felt his hands being batted away and he stepped back, watching in a mixture of awe and wonder as Hermione unbuttoned her shirt then looked up at him, her brown eyes unreadable. Ron held her gaze for as long as he could before he got lost in her kiss, needing the slight darkness of his own head to memorize the feel of her as he guided the shirt over her shoulders, letting it puddle at her feet.

The rise and fall of her chest was more pronounced in bare skin, the straps of her bra standing out starkly against her pale flesh. Ron stepped back, his retreat halted by her hands tugging at his belt, working it free from the buckle. He nearly groaned at the tremors that shook her, brushing against him, his body aching with need and hunger and fire.

She buried her head against his chest, her breath pooling on his sternum as she slid his zipper down, hesitating only for a moment before sliding her hand inside his pants and pressing against him. He shuddered, gasping for breath, his hands moving over her back, fingers catching in the clasp of her bra and freeing it.

Her first tears fell as her hand slipped beneath his boxers, wrapping around his cock. They burned his skin, leaving salty trails down his chest and stomach as he stroked her back with soft fingers, whispering her name against her hair.

She turned her eyes up to him, unseeing as he bent down to steal a kiss, steal her breath away. He let his hands move down, unfastening her skirt and pushing it and her panties to the floor. He shook, matching her tremble for tremble, as she freed him from her light grasp, her fingers hooking under his waistband, guiding his slacks and boxers down as well.

Pulling away from his embrace, Hermione sat on the edge of the bed, pulling off her shoes as Ron stepped on the toes of his socks to remove them, waiting as long as he could before kneeling in front of her and catching her eyes, holding them as he half stood, moving into her, stretching her back out on the bed.

She stared up at him with liquid eyes and he smiled at her, shaky and unsure as he lowered himself down to kiss her. She clung to the kiss, her hands wrapped around his upper arms, her body arching off the bed to follow him as he pulled away. He shook his head, lowering it to press a soft kiss between her breasts, following it with another and another as he worked his way slowly down her body, sliding off the bed to kneel between her parted legs.

She brought her knees in and he caught them, murmuring a soft no before spreading them apart again, leaning in to press a breathless kiss against her inner thigh. Hermione squirmed, her body writhing in anticipation as Ron's hot breath snaked up her leg, pooling at the apex of her thighs. He kissed her again, higher, his tongue never leaving her skin as it slid up to part the rosy flesh.

Shuddering, Hermione grabbed at the bedspread, clutching the thick quilt as she gasped for breath. Ron ran the tip of his tongue over her clit then circled it, repeating the hypnotic motions over and over until her body seemed to tighten around him, her muscles clenching.

Ron groaned and slid two fingers inside her, bathing them in the thick heat of her orgasm. She mewled in pleasure, her hips rolling toward him as he began thrusting them inside her.

"Ron," she gasped, her voice tinged with desperation as her fingers grabbed for him, sliding over his slick, bare skin.

His tongue flickered in a last lazy lick over her clit and he stood, staring down at her flushed nakedness. Her breasts were rising and falling rapidly, her nipples were dark and taut, growing tighter under his hungry gaze.

He slid over her, her skin damp with perspiration. He kissed it from the flat of her stomach, the curve of her breast before pausing, braced above her, his parted lips hovering over her nipple. Goosebumps broke out over her skin as he waited, his eyes darkening to black with desire.

Her fingers were his undoing, her hand wrapping easily around his cock. Ron groaned, burying the sound with her breast, sucking gently on the distended tip of her nipple.

They moved together, thrusting desperately. Ron finally released her, panting harshly, finding her lips with his as he stilled her hand. She released him, letting her hands explore the broad expanse of his back, raking at the skin with her short nails as he positioned himself, the tip of his cock barely inside her.

Hermione shivered and thrust upward, her hips meeting his as he pushed inside her, time stopping as he stilled, closing his eyes against the sensation, letting it buffet him.

As if by subconscious agreement, they began moving again, Hermione's leg wrapping over both of Ron's, the rapid pace of his thrusts matching the frenzied upward strokes of her hips.

He caught her in a kiss, licking her swollen lips before parting them. Her arms twined behind his neck and she drew him closer, her leg tightening, urging him deeper.

When he pulled back, the slide of tongue against tongue superceded by the ache in his chest, he gasped for breath, looking down into her eyes.

Tears fell down her cheeks again and he tried to kiss them away, whispering her name against the salty taste of her skin as he came.

They lay there, neither speaking. Ron brushed a damp strand of hair from her face, his hips moving again. Hermione made a quiet sound and he slid one hand between their bodies, his fingers finding the slick nub of her clit.

"R…Ron," she gasped, her hand curving along his neck and pulling him down to her. He bit her lip and she gasped again, muscles tightening, coming around him. He groaned and held her tightly as her body shook, whispering her name and stroking her hair gently. When she stopped trembling, he pulled back and smiled down at her, his face lit with pleasure.

"This is where I say the wrong thing, right?"

She laughed once softly. "Not so far."

He rolled off of her, pulling her against him as soon as he was settled on the mattress. Her head fit in the hollow of his shoulder and he wrapped his arm around her, staring up at the ceiling. "So…what happens now?"

"You mean if you don't insult me and we don't start fighting?"

"Yeah."

She shook her head. "I don't know."

"Are you still mad at me?"

"Yes. A little." She didn't say anything for a long time. "If you felt that way about me, Ron, why did you wait so long?"

"I was afraid of ruining our friendship. Afraid of ruining things with Harry. Afraid of how much I liked you."

"And when F…he asked me out?"

"I thought you'd tell him no. I thought you'd think he was too shallow for you or something. Always playing jokes." He kept his eyes on the ceiling. "You really liked him? Like him?"

"I don't…I can't talk about him right now." She sat up, the sudden absence of her body leaving him cold. She wrapped her arms around her legs and rested her forehead against her knees. "Please don't ask me about him?"

"I'd be happy to leave him out of every conversation we ever have, Hermione, but I can't. As far as I know, you're still officially dating him. Does he know about us…what happened?" He could tell by the jerk of her shoulders that she was crying and he wanted to touch her, comfort her but couldn't. "Will you tell him about this?"

She sat there without answering, unable to stop shaking. Ron cursed softly under his breath and sat up, tugging her against him, pulling her into his lap. The motion wrung a heavy sob from her and she shook her head, struggling to pull away from him. He held her tight, refusing to release her, stroking her hair until she relented, sobbing softly against his shoulder.

"'Sokay. Shh, Hermione. It's okay. I can ask something else." His eyes searched the room desperately for another topic of conversation. "Remember Neville's boggart?"

"I love him."

"Neville?" His voice rose in horror. "Snape?"

"Fred."

"Oh." He nodded and swallowed. "Well, on the whole, I prefer the crying."

She laughed sadly. "And he doesn't know. And I don't know if we're still dating. And I'll have to tell him, won't I?" She stopped crying and looked up at him, her heart in her eyes. "He's going to hate me, Ron."

"He won't. He can't." Ron kissed her forehead then her closed eyes. "He's in love with you."

"That doesn't help."

"Well, I wouldn't be me if I didn't say something completely unhelpful, would I?" He cradled her face between his hand and his cheek. "Does it help at all if I mention that I'm in love with you?"

She laughed and sobbed at the same time. "No."

"Damn." He turned his head and kissed her cheek. "What happens next?"

"We get dressed. And go to dinner? You go to detention." She sighed and managed a shy smile. "For defending your girlfriend's honor?"

"I didn't think I had a girlfriend."

"Oh, that's right." She slid off his lap and started gathering her clothes. "You and Luna broke up, didn't you?"

"We did."

"Hmmm." She watched him appreciatively as he got off the bed and grabbed his boxers, his own gaze busy moving over her curves as he pulled them on. "So who exactly was it you were defending to Malfoy then?"

"Just this girl I know."

"Ah. Ron Weasley. Defender of the weaker sex?"

"Anyway I answer that is liable to get me hexed, isn't it?" He tugged on his pants and smiled as she shimmied her skirt up her hips.

"Mmm." She grabbed a shirt off the floor and pulled it on, laughing as Ron did the same.

He looked down then at her. "Okay. Obviously you can get away with wearing my shirt."

"But the reverse is very much not true." She started to take the shirt off as the door to the room swung open. She clutched the edges together, hiding behind Ron as he whirled around. Harry stood in the doorway, stunned, his wide green eyes darting from one to the other. "Hullo, Harry."

"Ron. Er. Hermione." He lifted his hand nervously and waved, dropping it quickly. "I was…er, um, looking for you. Both of you."

"Oh?" Ron dropped Hermione's shirt onto his bed and opened his trunk, digging for another one. "Why's that?"

"Fred's outside."

"Oh." He heard Hermione's soft gasp, saw her dart past him out the door, slipping by Harry on her way to the stairs. "Shit."