Break Down These Walls

After their kiss at the New Year’s Eve party, drunk on their power of declaring their union, Fred and Hermione had found themselves in the sixth-year boys’ dormitory.  The rest of the sixth-year boys were still downstairs and Hermione and Fred had eagerly taken advantage of the empty room and had become lost in each other’s touches and movements – she was pressed into his mattress, her tights and underwear had been rolled down to her ankles, her thighs spread wide and his fingers started to move within her from under her skirt.  They had Fred’s duvet and sheets over their bodies to keep themselves decent but Hermione had started to moan and keen under Fred’s constant touch, sounds that Fred did not discourage.  In fact, with each time she sighed, Fred’s touch grew faster and harder, more insistent.  Finally, Hermione had felt her body tighten and constrict around his fingers and her back arched up of the mattress – with Fred telling her how pretty she was and how he was so happy she was finally his.  When Hermione had reached a peak and finally cried out, tucking her head against Fred’s neck and moaning against his skin - George Weasley opened the door of the dormitory.

Hermione had blushed red as a beet and had moved away from Fred quickly, sitting up so that her back was against his headboard.  George’s face had gone slack for a moment and then he had regained his composure, sucked in a breath and ran a hand through his hair.  He hadn’t needed to see under the blanket to know what exactly his brother and Hermione were up to. 

“Well done, you,” he applauded at last, trying not to laugh.  His eyes darted to each of their faces.  Hermione felt like she could melt into the floor. “If you two really are cracking on in here, I’ll just work on holding Lee off for coming upstairs.”  The other Weasley had winked and closed the door behind him on his way out, leaving Fred and Hermione sitting there, both embarrassed beyond measure but giggling at the fact that that had actually just happened.  Then Fred’s lips had gone to Hermione’s neck, sucking hard, and his fingers found that sweet spot that made her legs quiver and shake – and she was done for once again. 

When they had rejoined everyone downstairs, Fred grabbed Hermione a Butterbeer.  The two Gryffindors joined Dean and Seamus standing near the bottom of the stairs and chatted amiably about their holidays had gone.  They were just listening to Seamus speaking of his mother when they were approached by Lee Jordan.  The sixth-year shuffled his feet and asked Dean and Seamus if he could have a moment with Fred and Hermione alone.  The two fourth-years had looked between Fred, Hermione and Lee to gauge the situation but seemed alright with leaving it alone and crossed the common room to talk with Ginny and Neville.  Lee took the opportunity to step closer and Hermione visibly stiffened, her fingers held her glass a little tighter.  Fred noticed and his left arm went around her waist in a sign of protection.  Lee swallowed hard.

“I reckon I owe both of you an apology – ”

Hermione snorted.  “You reckon? Do you really think so?” she asked.  Her eyes flashed with anger.  “You played a part in something so disgusting, so foul – ”

Fred squeezed her waist lightly and then moved to stand in front of her, just slightly.  “She’s putting it lightly, mate,” he added, glaring from his full height down at his best friend.  “Did you know?  Did you know that Angelina put that potion in my cup?”

Lee sighed.  “I didn’t know,” he replied.  “She told me after.”

“After what?” Fred snapped.

“After you two snogged,” Lee responded.  His eyes were glossed over, visibly upset and maybe a wee bit drunk from the spiked punch the seventh years must have made.  “I thought – when you said you didn’t want to kiss Angelina at first, I thought maybe it was just nerves.  And then after you drank the punch at the Yule Ball, you were instantly just into it and – well, as your best mate, I just wanted to cheer you on.  Seeing you get some action for the first time in a while is exciting, I was proud of you, mate.”

Hermione opened her mouth to say something but Fred shot her a look that told her to hold her tongue for another moment more.  She sucked in a breath through her nostrils and continued to glare at Lee.

“Believe me, when Angelina told me after that she had slipped you that potion – and then when you said you were interested in Hermione, I felt like the biggest arse.”  Lee looked around the common room.  “I expect you two haven’t seen Angelina yet – I don’t think she’s home from break.”

“I think that Angelina is lucky I haven’t seen her,” Hermione said, her voice icily cold.  “Whether I had feelings for Fred or not is neither here nor there.  The point is that she drugged another student and that needs to be dealt with – Fred could have been seriously ill.”

As if she was summoned by the sound of her name, a tired-looking Angelina clambered through the portrait hole of the Fat Lady still dressed in her outdoor clothing and holding her suitcase.  She had come in on the later train home from spending the holidays with her family.  It was almost one in the morning.  She gave a sleepy smile to the faces that looked to her around the common room.

“Hello everyone,” she greeted warmly.  “Merlin, I slept on the train, I am never taking the late one in ag – ”

Her words stopped and the smile faded from her face when she spotted Fred, Hermione and Lee standing all together.  Hermione saw Harry’s gaze flicker to her from the other side of the common room near the fireplace.  She raised an eyebrow in her friend’s reaction and received a small shake of his head in reply.  Harry was telling her to try to stay calm- not to fly off the handle.  She wasn’t sure if she could handle that. 

The gathered group of Gryffindors sensed that something was imminent and everything stopped.  The music, the talking, the laughing and dancing.  Everyone had turned their attention towards where Fred stood with his arm wrapped around the waist of his new lover, and the way Hermione glared at Angelina.  Some of the Gryffindors even moved backward out of the way to create a little aisle in case Angelina wanted to cross to them.  The sixth-year didn’t move.

“You really have nothing to say for yourself?” Hermione finally hissed, breaking the silence.

Angelina blinked rapidly and then drew herself up to her fullest height.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Miss Johnson countered.

Hermione raised an eyebrow.  “Oh no?  You don’t remember playing a game with Freddie, Lee and George during the Yule Ball?  A game of Truth or Dare?  A game that involved you drugging Fred against his will just so that he would snog you when he told you that he didn’t want to?  You don’t remember that?”

She took a slow sip of her Butterbeer and licked the foam off her top lip.  It was a calculated power move; Hermione knew how to pretend like she had the upper hand. Angelina looked this way and that, uncomfortable.  Hermione’s lips curved upward in a slight smirk.

“Can’t we talk about this somewhere else?” Angelina asked.  Hermione’s smirk grew more prominent.

“Oh no,” the brunette replied.  “No – you chose to make your moves publicly so now I’m choosing to do the same with mine.  Let’s just be grateful that it’s not in front of the entire Great Hall, shall we?”  She set her Butterbeer down on the nearest table and walked out of Fred’s embrace towards Angelina, slowly as though she was a lioness stalking down her prey. 

“Professor Snape knows,” Hermione continued. “And I’m sure he’s told McGonagall.  Which means, either way, your parents know.  You have drugged another student and taken advantage of them in their most vulnerable state – some would even call it a form of assault – and whether you are underage or not, you could technically go to Azkaban for it.  They don’t have an age limit for being tried as an adult for jailtime unlike how Muggle prisons work.” 

She continued to walk forward and Angelina took a step back, looking visibly shaken. 

“The Ministry doesn’t take lightly to something being for ‘fun and games’ when it causes bodily harm, emotional distress or mental anguish.  Unfortunately for you, your actions have caused all three.”

The two witches now stood inches apart.  Hermione was not backing down, not this time.  She watched as Angelina tried to switch tactics, tried to look intimidating by looking down her nose at the younger witch.  The left side of her mouth curled in a sneer.

“You never even showed that you had interest in Fred,” Johnson replied.  “You were running off with Krum every chance you got.  The articles in the paper, saying that you were with Krum or Potter – Fred wasn’t even on your radar.  He meant nothing to you.  And I wasn’t about to let him become your next little play thing.   Of course, I didn’t know that you actually had a thing for Freddie.  But when he was looking at you during the Yule Ball a little too often, I decided to do something about it.” 

Johnson folded her arms in front of her chest as if she dared Hermione to defy her.  She then pressed on.

“I had been practicing brewing the potion for an extra assignment and was going to turn it in as a surprise to get an extra credit.  I thought that maybe saving Fred from you would be a good reason to use it.” 

Angelina then looked over the top of Hermione’s head at Fred and chose to speak as if Hermione wasn’t standing right there, making eye contact with the freckled wizard. 

“And Merlin, what that kiss was like – what your mouth was able to do, Freddie – Honestly, that kiss was worth it.  You felt something, Fred.  For me.  I thought that kiss woke you up – showed you that I really liked you.”  She then looked over to Hermione.  “As for you, Hermione, you were someone who I had thought was so sweet until you turned into a slag.  Maybe I wanted to save Freddie from that.”

Hermione bristled.  From behind her, she could hear Fred step forward a few paces and she felt the fingertips of his left hand brush hers, reaching for her.  Their fingers intertwined.  He stepped closer still so that her back was against his chest.  Out of the corner of her eye, Hermione saw that Harry and Ron had also stepped closer.  No one insulted their best friend got away with it.  She lifted her left hand to motion for them to stay back.

Angelina had the nerve to giggle. 

“What’s this, your two little security dogs?” she asked as she looked from Hermione to Ron and Harry.  “Don’t tell me you’ve managed to get another Weasley under your spell, too?” 

Here, she ducked her head a little closer to Hermione’s and whispered, although her tone was loud enough for all to hear.  “Or are you just going to shag the entire family one by one?” 

She then looked over Hermione’s left shoulder, past Fred, to meet George’s gaze. 

“Would you like that, Georgie?  Having Granger moaning your name, begging you to - ”

Fred snarled and let go of Hermione.  He stepped around her until he was an inch away from Angelina, his wand was drawn and the tip was pressed to her jaw.  Those around them gasped and stepped back.  Hermione’s right hand tugged on the back of Fred’s dress shirt.

“Don’t do anything stupid,” she hissed.  But Fred didn’t seem to hear her.

“You need to understand this, Angelina,” Fred said.  His voice was low and ominous, threatening.  “Hermione is not just a plaything.  And despite your intentions, despite what you made me do to you - when I took that potion, it made me see Hermione.  When I was snogging you, I was seeing Hermione, feeling her, tasting her – it really had nothing to do with you.  That kiss that you thought was so worth it – in my head, it wasn’t with you at all.” 

Angelina scoffed and her eyes flashed with hurt but she tried to maintain her composure.  Fred sucked in a breath and continued, the tip of his wand pressed further against the underside of the witch’s throat.  Johnson gulped.

“You said Hermione never showed interest in me – Hermione and I have been secretly seeing each other for around two months.  Everything Skeeter writes is a lie – Hermione went with Krum to the Yule Ball because I told her to.  We were going to go public at the Yule Ball as a couple and then Skeeter threatened to publish an article about Hermione that would make her look bad.  We didn’t want that to happen – I didn’t want that to happen – so we made the choice to not be together officially until after the Yule Ball.  Do you fucking get it yet?  It’s always been her.”

He lowered his wand from the other’s jaw and sighed, taking a step back.

“I was a pawn,” Angelina said slowly.  “You took me to the Ball as a friend and I thought you actually wanted me.  I was your pawn!” she repeated. 

Fred grimaced.

“And I was yours, it seems,” he replied.  “Although I wasn’t the one who was dishonest with my intentions.  I did enjoy taking you to the Yule Ball as my friend, until … well, until everything happened.”  He tucked his wand back into the back pocket of his trousers.  “In the morning, we are all going to the Headmaster’s office and each giving our accounts of what happened.  I think it’s more than fair that you’re held to some kind of punishment, though I don’t know what the old bastard has in mind,” he added, here referring to Professor Dumbledore.

“She should be lucky you’re not pressing charges,” Hermione muttered under her breath.  Angelina shot her a look. 

“Do you have something else to say?” she demanded of Hermione.  The fourth-year puffed her chest and stepped around Fred to be face-to-face with Angelina again.  Her eyes held defiance.

“You know what, I do,” Hermione began.  “I think it’s time you went upstairs.  I don’t reckon you’ll find anyone in this common room who is willing to greet you with a friendly face and open arms now that they know the truth.” the fourth-year advised. 

Angelina’s anger dissolved at her words and Hermione watched as the student looked around the common room.  True to Hermione’s observation, no one bore a friendly face in her direction anymore.  Angelina looked back to Hermione and her eyes flashed with hurt again.  She then looked back at Fred.

“Freddie, you can’t let Dumbledore expel me,” she said, hurried.  A plea.  “You can’t, I’m one of your best friends, I’m your teammate, you can’t let them throw me out!”

Fred’s grimace remained in place.  “It’s not my call,” he said, his voice calm. 

“Well, can’t you and I just talk about this?” Angelina asked.  “Without bringing her into it?”

Hermione hated being talked about as if she wasn’t present.  Acting on impulse, she reached for Angelina and grabbed the other woman’s chin with her left hand to turn her head so that the sixth-year could face her again.

“Ow, sod off!” Angelina cursed and she tried to pull her head away.  Hermione held firm and only when Angelina’s face looked in her direction did the fourth-year drop her hand.  She was proper angry now.

“I am going to be around a lot more often than you think,” she replied.  “And maybe if you didn’t want to be potentially expelled, you should have thought about consequences of your actions before you acted.  To be quite honest with you, Angelina, I really don’t care what happens to you,” she replied.  “Your actions could have poisoned Fred or otherwise hurt him – maybe even killed him - and it was all just for fun, all because of a game.” 

Hermione looked over her shoulder to where Fred stood directly behind her. She had been worried she pushed to far.  But there was Fred, giving her a nod of encouragement, standing behind her one hundred percent.  She took a deep breath and gave her last shot.

“The fact that you’re actually wanting us to feel sympathetic for you right now is disgusting.  Absolutely disgusting.  And for the record, I have not kissed Harry or Krum, I am not a slag and, in the future, keep your nose out of my bloody business or I promise you that the next situation you and I find ourselves in will leave you with more than just a bruised ego!”

She then walked past Angelina, deliberately bumping her shoulder against the other witch’s arm on the way out of the common room.  Fred didn’t so much as look in Angelina’s direction as he followed his little love, leaving the sixth-year witch in the explosive aftermath that was the rest of the Gryffindors, who immediately started demanding answers from her in shouts and uproar.

The two Gryffindors travelled through the castle quickly, not wanting to get caught by professors, Head Boys or Girls, Prefects or Peeves.  When they reached base of the stairwell that led up into the Astronomy Tower, Hermione finally stopped to catch her breath and looked up at Fred.  Her eyes were red and glistened, holding back tears and her façade of strength quickly crumbled away to reveal the hurt and anger underneath.  Fred was eager to run his thumbs across her eyelashes to stop her tears.

“Hey, now, don’t cry,” he said fervently, placing a kiss on Hermione’s forehead.  “She’s nothing to me, Hermione.  Her words mean nothing – her actions meant nothing.  You are my priority.  It is you that means everything to me.”

“She’s just so – how could she look at me and tell me that I meant nothing to you?” Hermione spluttered.  “How could she look at me and tell me that you were going to be my next plaything?  Am I that wicked?”

“No, ’Mione, you are far from wicked.  You have too big of a heart and it gets hurt too easily.  But you have been so strong.  It’s not an easy situation.  And you and I were only doing what we thought was right for us.  Trust me, if I could go back and just be brave enough to take you the Yule Ball myself, I would.”

Hermione quickly wiped at her eyes with the bag of her hand.  “I should be comforting you,” she said with a shaky laugh.  “You’re the one that was practically assaulted that night – I shouldn’t be the angry one.”

Fred sighed.  “Knowing that you care about me this much is comforting me,” he told her.  “And you have every right to be angry.  Now come on.”

With the freckled wizard taking her hand this time, the two travelled up the stone staircase to the top of the Astronomy Tower.  They reached the top and the cold air hit from the open balcony where the telescopes and other gadgets sat ready to examine the stars, planets and other such things.  Hermione shivered and Fred wrapped into his arms to share body heat.  His dress shirt and her dress weren’t the warmest attire for this.  But they needed another moment to themselves, a moment away from everyone else and their watching eyes.  He kissed the top of her head and smiled against her hair.

“Hermione, in light of everything, I just want you to know that, once again, I’m so sorry for my actions and how I hurt you,” he told her softly.  “I know they weren’t really my own – or at least, they were but – either way, I’m just sorry that I caused you pain.”

Hermione sighed into his chest.  “Fred, it’s not your fault,” she replied.  “I can promise you I’m not angry at you or sad – I understand.”  She looked up at the sixth-year Gryffindor and smiled up at him.  “I’m sorry you had to see me like that, in the common room.  Something just came over me.”

Fred chuckled.  “Honestly?  You’re kind of hot when you get mad.”

Hermione smirked against the fabric of Fred’s black dress shirt.  “You’re ridiculous,” she chided.  Fred’s hands moved from around her body to rub along her arms, generating heat.

“Am I?” he said.  Upon his next pass down her arms, his hands stopped at her wrists, grabbed them lightly and moved her arms upward and lifted them over his head so that they wrapped around his neck.  “I think I’m just in love.”  Then he ducked down and Hermione felt herself sigh again as his lips pressed to hers.

As they started to kiss, Hermione caught the glittering light of the moonlight on the snow of the balcony railing.  It matched the sparkle of the stars in the night sky.  For a split second, she was taken back from the beauty of it all.  And then her eyes closed and all she felt was Fred.  The heat of his body as he pressed himself more firmly against her, the trail of his fingers as they left her wrists and skimmed along the back of her thighs.  He slipped his fingers under the edge of her skirt and let them slip along the lower curves of her bottom. 

“You drive me mad, Hermione,” Fred said with a soft growl in his voice.  “I’m so fucking lucky.”

He picked her up under the curve of her arse and helped her wrap her legs around his waist.  Her body started to hum.  Earlier that night, he had already surprised her by touching her like she had never been touched before.  She remembered the sensation of his fingers probing her, stroking her.  She was already breathing heavily now in anticipation of whatever he would do.

Fred had changed something within her.  He was slowly helping her break down these walls of stubbornness, practicality, playing by the rules - he was helping her to be free.

The skirt of her dress inched up higher as her thighs moved wider to accommodate the way Fred stood between them.  She crossed her ankles so that her legs were locked in place.  She could feel him, his desire, pressed against her through his trousers.  Her body throbbed in response.

“Freddie, do you want me to -”

She was cut off when his lips went to her neck and he sucked hard.  It distracted her from her thoughts and she arched her back involuntarily, pressing herself further into him.

“Want you to what, Hermione?” he asked against her skin.

Hermione blushed, suddenly embarrassed.  She didn’t know how to word these things.  “You know…” she began.  “Do you need … help, of some kind?”  Fred Weasley chuckled against her skin.

“Help with what?” he asked as he kissed lower and lower, his mouth now across her collarbones and then the valley of her breasts.  He teased her, like he had done so many times before.  It was starting to become a habit for him.  “My homework?” Another kiss.

Hermione groaned, frustrated.  “Fred Weasley, you know bloody well I’m not talking about homework.”

Fred’s hands moved from her arse so that he could slip the straps of her dress down her shoulders lightly.  “Well then, I’m afraid you’re going to have to be more specific, darling.”

Hermione’s chest heaved and her skin broke out into goosebumps.  The stone wall of the Astronomy Tower was as cold as the snow outside and the contrast of the frigidity of the wall against Fred’s body heat and what his mouth was doing – it was all too much for her to take.  She felt her nipples harden.

“Damn it, Fred, do you want me to touch you or something?” she snapped in a huff. 

In the next moment, Fred did several things at once.  His right hand shifted to the neckline of her dress and pulled it down, exposing her left breast.  He smirked at the sight of her peaked nipple and lowered his head, acting on impulse and taking it into his mouth, sucking.  Hermione heard a loud cry leave her mouth.  Fred continued.  His left hand fiddled with the button of his trousers and when it was open, he lowered the zipper as well.  He then moved his left hand to her right hip and held her in place. 

“Be my guest, Granger” he teased with a breathless chuckle.  “Do your worst.”

That was all Hermione needed.  She took a deep breath and decided to be brave.

Her left hand pulled the waistband of his trousers out a little while her right went past the elastic of his boxers.  She gasped as her fingers came into contact with his desire, the hardness she had felt.  It was soft, yet rigid.  The idea momentarily intrigued and baffled Hermione and she gave a little laugh.  Fred’s right hand swatted her arse playfully.

“No laughing at my bits,” he said with a smirk.  “I don’t laugh at yours.”

Hermione fought the urge to stick her tongue out at him. “I’m not laughing at your penis, Fred,” she said with a grin.  She liked this playful banter.  “I just – it’s hard yet soft at the same time, it’s not rough to the touch.  It’s weird.  I’ve never done this before.”  On impulse, Hermione wrapped her right hand around his length and squeezed.  Fred’s expression went from smug and playful to dark and full of desire in a flash.

“That feels – too good,” Fred said after a moment, his voice heavy with lust again.  Hermione could tell he was trying to hold back.  He decided to redirect how he was feeling into coaching her. 

“Um, so – what I do is I – keep that squeezed pressure on it.”  Fred’s right hand moved to press against the stone wall to the left of Hermione’s head, arm extended.  Hermione squeezed again.  “Oh fuck – ” Fred cursed.  “Hermione, hold on, you don’t have enough room to – Here, wait.”

His shifted his hips back just a touch and Hermione slipped down the wall a little.  She lowered her legs from around his waist and her left hand moved to help his left hand pull his boxers down the trunk of his body a little, just so that they were down past his bottom.  Fred gave a little noise when the cold air hit his backside, making Hermione giggle.  She moved her hand along his length once and that surprised yelp turned into a moan. Since they had adjusted his trousers, she had more room to move freely. 

“Fred, what else do you do?” she asked, looking up at him.  “Tell me what you do.  I want to make you feel good – like you did with me earlier.”

Fred’s eyes fluttered closed for a second, eyelashes fluttering against the skin of his cheeks.  He opened them slowly and his brown eyes searched her face.  “Did you like when I had my fingers inside you?” he asked.  Hermione nodded.  She moved her hand along his length faster.  Fred’s breathing started to quicken.

“I had never touched a girl like that before,” he admitted.  “I was just doing what felt natural – I’m glad it did something for you.”  Hermione leaned up to place a kiss upon his lips.  No more talking.  It was time for them both to just feel.

Her right hand continued to stroke him while her left hand went around the right side of Fred’s face and up into his hair.  She tugged lightly and lowered his head back to down to her exposed breast.  Fred didn’t need to take the hint and grazed the sensitive bud with his teeth.  Hermione jumped and her hand squeezed around Fred’s member a little more.  They both moaned.  After a few minutes of biting, licking and touching, Fred’s breaths were coming in gasps now. 

“Hermione, I need you to stop doing what you’re doing for one second,” he begged.  “Hermione, stop quickly!”

The younger witch immediately halted her ministrations, confused.  “What’s wrong?” she asked.  “Did I hurt you?”

Fred shook his head.  “You asked me to tell me how I do it to myself.  Well, when a man finishes, something comes out –”

“Yes, I know how babies are made, Fred,” Hermione retorted with a small giggle.  “Are you trying to ask me where I want you to finish?”

Fred could only nod.  Hermione smirked and tilted his chin upward so that he could look at her from his place near her breast.  “What’s the easiest?” she asked.  Fred’s eyes grew wide and then he blushed.

“Well, I mean, the easiest is probably swallowing it,” he muttered.  “I don’t think we have anything to wipe it off otherwise – ”

Before he could finish his sentence, Hermione dropped to her knees and took a deep breath.  She had heard talk about this sort of thing.  She could do it.  Slowly, she pushed Fred’s boxers and trousers down even further, stopping at his knees and when his erection was truly free, she kissed the tip and looked up at Fred.  He looked like he was going to pass out.

“Just – tell me if I hurt you,” she asked as she bit her lower lip, nervous.  Fred could only nod.  She closed her eyes and put the tip of him into her mouth.  After a few slow bobs of her head, she gathered more confidence and started to suck, taking a little more of him into her mouth.  Fred groaned above her and both of his hands fisted into her hair.

“My little love,” he murmured, voice husky.  “Sucking on it like the good girl she is.”  Hermione moaned from around his cock at his words and Fred’s hips jerked in reaction, sending himself further into her mouth.  She gagged as it hit the back of her throat.  Fred instantly pulled back, freeing himself from her mouth, thinking he had hurt her.

“Shit, sorry!” he exclaimed.  But Hermione wiped at her mouth, laughing.  This was fun, learning together. 

“Don’t be sorry, Freddie, just come back,” she asked, her hand reaching for him.  He was still thick and ready.  Fred looked down at her, shocked and more than a little impressed.  He did as she asked and stepped forward again.  Hermione gave his member a few more strokes with her hand and took him into her mouth again.  She was gaining more confidence now and took him in deeper and deeper, though not as deep as he had gone accidentally.

His hands returned to her hair and Fred helped her bob her head along his length.  “That’s it, ’Mione.   That’s it,” he encouraged.  “I’m almost there, you’re being so good, love.  I’m almost -” With a small cry, his body tensed and then Hermione felt him cum into her mouth.  When it hit the back of her throat, she tried not to gag, but it was quite the odd sensation.  She swallowed when it seemed like no more would come from him and then stood up.  Fred tucked himself into his boxers and refastened his trousers, looking elated and enamoured and… many emotions Hermione couldn’t place.  She giggled at his expressions. 

“Bloody hell, Hermione, that was – ”

“Who goes there?” came a voice, gruff and gravelly.  Hermione pulled up the top of her dress and fixed it into place while Fred smoothed out his clothes.  They saw the faint glow of a lantern get brighter as someone ascended the Astronomy Tower steps.  Their steps still sounded farther away but not for long.  Fred and Hermione looked around for somewhere they could hide.  There was nothing in the Tower save for some desks, an abandoned notebook or two and an old canvas tarp of some kind that the professors would sometimes use to show projections.

“You can’t hide,” came the voice again.  Hermione winced.  It was Filch.  That man never took a break a day in his life.  “I’ll find you.”

Fred’s eyes glinted.  He took Hermione’s hand and walked with her quickly over to the balcony.  “If this works, we can thank Harry,” he whispered.

“Harry?” Hermione whispered back.  “Fred, what are you talking about?”

Fred took out his wand from the back pocket of his trousers and pointed it towards the Quidditch Pitch.  “Accio Cleansweep Five!”

Hermione understood.  Fred was trying to use the same spell that Harry had in the first task: summoning a broom.  The light coming up the stairs was growing brighter.  “Fred, we have to hurry!”

Sure enough, Fred’s broom appeared in the distance, flying towards them on its own.  It reached the balcony and hovered.  Fred quickly helped Hermione get on and climbed up behind her, with Hermione muttering how much she hated flying the entire time.  The moment they left the balcony, Filch reached the top of the stairs, followed by Mrs. Norris.

They hadn’t been caught.  It was a miracle.

“This is bloody brilliant!” Fred crowed when they were far enough away.  “Hermione, we made it!”

Hermione leaned back and snuggled against Fred’s chest as much as she could.  Her arms were bare and it continued to snow outside. 

“Fred, we need to go back,” she said.  “We’re going to catch our death out here.”  Her teeth started to chatter.

Her wish being Fred’s command, he flew them around the school in the direction of Gryffindor Tower.  Just as they came around a bend in the large stone towers, a bright pop in the distance caught their attention.  From this high up in the sky, fireworks could still be seen going off in the distance.  Hermione gasped in surprise.  Fred chuckled at how marvelled she was by it all. 

“It’s a village full of drunk witches and wizards,” he said in explanation.  “They’re going to be setting them off all night.” They watched the distant display a few minutes longer and then Hermione was smiling and turning her head so that she could look at Fred over her shoulder.

“Happy New Year, Freddie,” she murmured.  She watched Fred’s eyes flicker to hers.

“Happy New Year, Granger,” he replied.  Their lips met.  When they pulled apart, Fred brushed his nose against hers.  “I love you.”

A few minutes later, they reached Gryffindor Tower and flew up beside the window of the sixth-year boys’ dormitory.  Fred knocked on the glass.  George, who stood shirtless and had just fastened the ties of his maroon pyjamas, nearly jumped out of his skin.  They watched as he unfastened the metal latch and pushed open a section of the window pane.  It was mainly used for owls delivering the post directly to their students but if a person crawled through, it was large enough for one person to get through at a time.

“What the hell are you two doing on a broom in the snow?” George asked as he leaned out of the open window.  He took hold of Hermione from underneath her armpits and pulled her off the broom into the dormitory.  Hermione was surprised at the ease with which the twins operated this.  Had they snuck back in this way before?  She had so many questions.

“We were escaping Filch,” Fred replied.  “Now, hold my broom for me, would you?”  George reached back through the window to hold the handle of the broom steady and Fred was quick to swing one leg into the opening of the window and then pull the other leg over, as if dismounting a horse.  George let go of Fred’s broom to pull his brother inside and then Fred brought the broom into the room length-wise.  George closed the window behind them and watched as Fred walked over to his side of the dorm room.  Hermione followed him over.  The twin leaned his broomstick against one of the four posters of his bed and crossed to his closet.  He selected a hooded Ireland National Quidditch Team jumper and handed it to her.  Hermione slipped it on gratefully.  Due to their difference in height, the jumper went down past the curve of her arse, fully covering her dress and brushed against the back of her thighs.  Fred smirked and made to move closer to her but she held up a finger.

“I know what you’re capable of, Fred Weasley, you stay back,” she teased.

From his point of view on the other side of the room, George chuckled.  “She knows?  Merlin, Freddie, what were you doing with our dear Hermione that you had to run away from Filch for?”

Fred smirked and grabbed a pillow off his bed, tossing it at his brother.  “Like I’m going to tell you,” he retorted.  He put up his hands in a show of surrender and stepped closer to Hermione.  “Have a good sleep,” he said, keeping his hands up in the air as they kissed.  “And keep my jumper,” he added when they broke apart.  “You look great in it.”

Hermione blushed and took a step back.  She would.

She turned to look at George.  “Not a word of this to anyone,” she said.  “I mean, the window thing.  I can’t have Harry and Ron thinking I’m suddenly … well, that I don’t follow the rules.”

George grinned and mimed zipping his lips shut.  “Your secret is safe with us, Hermione,” he promised.  “Now go have a good night, we will see you in the morning.”

Hermione took her cue and left the sixth-year boys’ dormitory.  As she made her way to the fourth-year girls’ dorm, she chanced a look down the stairs and into the common room.  For the parts that they had played, Lee and Angelina had been exiled from their dorms for the night and were forced to sleep on the different sofas and were both sound asleep. Hermione shrugged and continued on her path.  Served them both right.

A/N: Let me know how you liked the chapter, I love reading your comments!  And I'm happy we finally have a little sprinkle of spice!