AN: Who else thought that the Deathly Hallows was absolutely fantastic? Well… most of it anyway if you know what I mean [ Besides that one little blip, I thought it was the perfect ending of the Harry Potter series. I honestly did not think it was going to be that good because everybody had such high expectations and there was so much hype. The epilogue was beyond cheesy, but it was sweet all the same. Anyway, I'm going to try and squish out another chapter despite a serious bout of writer's block [. Thanks so much for all the reviews! I love 'em all! Even though they make me feel guilty if I don't write for a while… which I haven't done and I apologize for… haha.

Hermione, suitably aggravated by Fred's previous actions, was dreading leaving the privacy (and safety) of her dorm –excessive and extravagant gossip regarding Hermione's love life was bound to be flying around the halls of Hogwarts by now. Lavender was still infamous for having spread the news of Eloise Midgen's nose job (it was now perfectly centered) within an amazing seven minutes and eighteen seconds.

However, it was now time for dinner, and as she had already skipped lunch, her stomach was grumbling quite loudly in protest.

Still sitting on her bed, attempting to put off the inevitable confrontation with a certain hot-tempered Weasley that had an odd obsession with balls and broomsticks, she slumped back against the pillows on her bed and tried to read her book. A deafening roar from her stomach told her that she wasn't going to get anywhere without feeding her poor tummy first.

She got up, straightened out her uniform –a white blouse and a black pleated skirt –slid out of her fuzzy bunny slippers, and walked down the stairs with her head held high (she could at least fool everyone else into thinking that she was aloof and confident… even if she was embarrassed and self-conscious).

The minute she stepped into the common room, she was bombarded with questions that seemingly came from a mob of red hair.

"Fred!!!" Hermione strode down the corridor, heels clacking, as she hunted down the mischievous joker who got her into this predicament in the first place.

"FRED!!!" she slammed open the doors to the Great Hall and immediately zeroed in on a lanky lad with a head of auburn hair and made a beeline straight for him. She grabbed him by the sleeve of his uniform, pulled him up out of his seat, and dragged him out of the Great Hall. Since all she saw was red (figuratively and literally), she didn't notice the eyes of every student in the Hall following their procession back through the still open doors.

"As much as I enjoy being manhandled by a feisty, albeit a bit irate, woman half the size of me, I have to ask: 'Have you gone mad?'" Fred said all this in a tone one would use when conversing about the weather… the bloody weather! This, of course, only served to further infuriate the girl hanging onto Fred's sleeve (it would likely be ripped clean off if Fred doesn't say something to placate his 'girlfriend/lover/wife/friend-with-benefit/any-of-the-other-rumors-flying-around-the-school')

Once he registered the fact that his joking manner was getting him nowhere (or rather, rolling his already-shaky-relationship with Hermione backwards), he put a gentle hand on the iron grip on his forearm. "Hermione, what's the matter? Seriously, wasn't the whole point of this charade to get Ron to see that you're more than just a homework-doing-note-taking-helper-out-of-sticky-situations-might-as-well-be-a-guy-best-mate?"

"Yes and that sounds all well and good but it didn't work out the way you said it would. I was an idiot for agreeing to this stupid thing! I can't believe I –do you have any idea what they said to me?!"

"Well I –"

"They started going on about how friends don't keep secrets from each other, how they didn't know if they could trust me to be honest with them anymore, how I was being stupid for falling for a player like you, how I'm a whore for having sex with you, and that's just the beginning of it! I can't even begin to tell you how they reacted to all the rumors!!! Did you know that, according to certain fourth year girls, we have two illegitimate love children –twins of course –and are secretly planning on eloping on Halloween? Oh and you also saved me from my previous relationship with an abusive boyfriend, GEORGE! UGH! First of all, —"

"Wait, who's they? Well of course they're twins; it runs in the family! Wait… huh? George? Wha—"

"I can't believe that they'd believe all the rubbish they hear around these bloody halls. Secondly, —"

"You cursed!"

"I can't believe they're so angry at me for having a relationship with something other than a book!"

"I'm just a 'something' now? Eh, that's OK as long as the sex is good. Wait… books? You're kinkier than I would've guessed."

"FRED SHUT UP CAN'T YOU TELL I'M TRYING TO RANT!?"

"Yes dear." (Thinking to himself: You know you're in a relationship when you start listening to your woman)

"If I wanted to screw around with you, it should be my decision. They have no bearing over my life! It's not like they ever listen to what I say, why should I have to listen to them? Ron especially. He only notices me when he needs help with homework, or wants me to find out what some girl thinks of him. Ugh! And I cannot believe he called me a slut for being with you! It's not like he hasn't gotten around over the past few years. That's another thing! He's squeezing his title as "Harry Potter's Best Friend" for everything he can get –nailing Harry's leftovers! It's revolting! The fact that I ever liked him is absolutely mortifying. I am so ashamed. I mean, sure, his red hair is rather fetching, but other than that, there really isn't anything to say about his looks. As for his personality, there's nothing there! He has absolutely no substance. Bah!"

"You think red hair is fetching eh?"

"FRED! QUIET!"

"Yes dear." (And the relationship begins.)

AN: Sorry Sorry, I know it's short, but I have been battling a rather vicious bout of writer's block \. I hope it's still all right? But anyway, I'm definitely not gonna abandon this story. It might just take a bit to convince my imagination to come back. Reviews'll definitely help! wink wink nudge nudge hint hint 3