In honor of Miss Emma Watson's Birthday, which has passed since I wrote this, how could I resist? Even though I went with black Hermione for this story, we must appreciate the actress who brought a beloved character to life and fights for equality! I do believe its time for a certain Ginger to charm the wits out of our favorite bookworm :)

Read. Rate. Review. Be jolly and enjoy orange juice that is just a little too sweet for 9am!

Hermione looked in the mirror and rolled her eyes. It was clear what she was doing. She had purposely grabbed her rattiest outfit and cleaned her face of any makeup. Maybe this was overkill. She didn't need to go so far. He had already seen her naked. What did it matter if he saw her in her grungy clothes? He clearly wasn't concerned with what she wore because he was always tying to get her out of it. She sighed and stripped. She grabbed a soft pink dress. It was simple enough that she didn't look like she was trying but the gauzy fabric had a flattering cut. She twirled. It fell nicely at her knees and the pale fabric looked nice against her dark skin. She smoothed the skirt and fixed her bun. She was not going to put on makeup. She had no one to impress but herself and she wasn't interested in taking the time to do anything else. She shoved her feet into flats and huffed. She left her flat with a sense of pride.

When she saw Fred standing by the door in a tight grey shirt and a loose hoodie she felt a smile building. She squelched it. She would be friendly but she needed to make it clear that this thing between them, whatever it was, was over. He opened the car door for her and she resisted the urge to swoon. Ron did the same thing. Molly had raised them right. She knew every single Weasley had manners...even if they didn't always use them. She waited patiently while he rounded the car. His legs seemed too long for the car. She was grateful for the radio being on. She looked out the window as he drove, her palms facing up in her lap. She had no idea she had done it unconsciously until he laced a hand with hers. She looked down at their hands and sighed quietly to herself. She was going to ignore how right she felt with him if it was the last thing she did.

When they finally got to a small diner she felt like she was going to burst. She had barely gotten her seat belt undone by the time he had opened her door. He helped her out and she took her hand from his quickly. She thought she heard him chuckle but she couldn't be sure so she said nothing. He opened the door for her and she mumbled a soft thank you. She had been raised right too. She was not ungrateful though she wished he would stop being so damn charming. They were sat in a small leather booth and greeted by a chipper older woman who rushed off to fetch their drinks. Hermione stared intently at the menu. She was famished. She considered ordering a a salad and immediately changed her mind. She was hungry and she didn't want the damn salad. She ordered a burger and chips and a milkshake. Fred ordered some sort of melt.

While they waited Fred asked questions. Hermione was not prepared. The food came and in between bites he asked about her aspirations and her goals. He inquired about her childhood and what it had been like at school for her. He asked about her cat and he asked about her classes. She answered hesitantly. She wasn't sure she wanted him to know those things. When he asked about her biggest fear, she had a mouthful of burger. She had never chewed so slow in her life. She swallowed.

"I'd rather not answer." She said softly.

"I'll tell you mine." He offered. She eyed him and nodded. "I'm terrified of not amounting to anything. I don't want to die and leave nothing behind. I want to have some sort of legacy. Growing up in a family as big as ours you have to carve out a place for yourself. Georgie and I found our place. But outside of school pranks and cleverness sort of lose their importance. The real world... it's kind of a shit hole for people like me." He shrugged. "That's why I'm majoring in business. George and I are going to open out own shop soon. It's a sort of light at the end of the tunnel. Now, I've told you mine. Go ahead, Duckie."

She looked at her plate and answered. "I don't want to be alone. I don't want to get so swept up in my own little world that when I look around I have no one around. I had a pretty lonely childhood until I met Ron and Harry. I don't want to lose the people who saved me." She cleared her throat and licked her lips.

"I'd say that's a pretty understandable fear." He said firmly.

She had never told anyone that. She had made it clear to the people close to her that she valued her alone time but really there was an underlying fear that if she got too close the loss would be too much. She couldn't bring herself to look at him just yet. She figured now was the perfect time to bring up their, for lack of a better term, relationship. She took a deep breath and looked at him with the sternest face she could muster.

"Fred, we really need to talk."

"Have we not been talking? I was almost sure that was what we were doing." He said dramatically.

"You know what I mean." She said with cool determination. "We can't keep doing..."

"Each other?" He supplied.

"I was going to say what we've been doing. It's just not wise. There won't be anymore kissing or naps or cuddling. We can't keep doing this; it isn't a good idea. Why are you smiling? Let go of my hand." She glared at his hand holding hers on the table.

"I just think it's cute how adamant you are about what a terrible idea this is when you haven't even given it a chance."

"I don't need to stick my hand in a blender either to know it's' a bad idea." She quipped with a glare.

"You're comparing dating me to sticking your hand in a blender." He said it with a look of pure delight on his face. Hermione flushed. It wasn't a flattering analogy but it had served its purpose. "I think you should date me. I'd be good for you."

Hermione scoffed and rolled her eyes. "You're so full of yourself. We are so different. We'd kill each other and it would be impossibly awkward to be around your family once we broke up."

"What makes you think we'd break up?"

"What makes you think we wouldn't?" She said with a lack of seriousness that surprised her. This was more banter than it was a conversation. It was easy and pleasant.

"Mostly the fact that I'm pretty damn taken with you and we fuck like champs together." He gave her a brilliant smile.

She smacked his arm and shook her head. "Don't say things like that in public."

"See? You would be doing the world a favor by taking me on. Who is else is going to reform me?" He laid the puppy eyes on her and she glowered.

"That's not a good enough reason." She didn't sound confident.

"Okay, go out with me because you don't want to be alone and I can't seem to let you be." His voice was strong and his hand clenched hers. When she looked into his eyes every argument and fear she had vanished. She didn't want to say no. She didn't want to tell him to stuff it or that she knew better. Because the idea of going home and closing the door and pretending none of this had happened, pretending that he hand't worked his way into her heart in such a short amount of time, made her feel more alone than she had ever been. So, she sighed and rested her elbow on the table and her chin in her hand.

"I suppose I might as well. If only to save the world."

The smile he gave her was absolutely her new favorite thing in the world and worth any heartbreak or tragedy to come.

So, she was going to date her neighbor. There was no way this could go wrong.

I pumped this shit out at 3am on no sleep while editing essays so honestly... I don't have anything to say. Let me know what you think in the reviews! Thanks.