"Hermione, come on! Harry and Ron are going, too! Why don't you ever want to go out with us?" Ginny practically screamed at Hermione, pouting a bit and crossing her arms. "I've been asking all week, and you said maybe yesterday, so why is it a no now?"

Hermione gave a small laugh as she held her transfiguration book up, in an effort to back up her argument for staying in. "I have a paper to write, you know that."

Ginny rolled her eyes and grabbed the other girl by the arm, shaking her a bit. "But that isn't due for another two weeks!"

Hermione shrugged as she absent-mindedly ran her fingers over the binding of her book. "I want to get a head start."

Ginny groaned and shook her head, as she started to back away from Hermione, realizing she lost the battle. "Fine. We'll be in Hogsmeade if you want to come join us later!" She waved and ran off. Hermione laughed again and grabbed the rest of her things from off of the couch. Her book in one hand, and her bag over her other shoulder, she set off for the library.

On her way in, she waved to Madame Pince and made her way to her favorite corner to study. In the back of the library, where nobody ever went, right by the window, looking out onto the grounds of Hogwarts. She set down her things and began to work on her paper. Foot after foot, she continued to write, occasionally stopping to read sections she had marked off in her textbook. She became so intwined in her work that she didn't notice the redhead walk up behind her.

"Afternoon, 'Mione." He smiled and leaned on the corner of her desk.

She jumped a bit at his words, and relaxed when she looked up at the familiar face. "Hello, Fred." She looked back down at her paper and began writing once again.

He laughed a bit as he watched her. "What are you doing? I thought I saw Harry, Ginny, and Ron headed down to Hogsmeade. Don't you usually hang around with that lot?" He teased.

She nodded a bit, continuing to scratch away at her parchment. "Yes, usually. But it is unusual when I have a paper to do." She bit her lip a bit as she read over what she had just wrote.

He watched her carefully and then placed his hand over what she was writing, smiling cheekily. She scowled as she looked up at him, trying not to whine. "Fred…."

He chuckled and patted her on the head. "'Mione, you need to go out. You're always back here, you know that? Always here, by the window, always looking out of it. Why don't you ever go out there? It's real, you know. The world." He smiled and leaned against the bookcase, crossing his arms.

She opened her mouth as to answer, and then raised an eyebrow. "And how would you know I'm always back here, Mr. Weasley? Nobody else ever comes back here."

He shook his head and laughed. "So absorbed in your work you don't even notice that I come back here. Really, Hermione. The fresh air would do you some good."

She stared at him in disbelief for a moment before he retorted, "I may be the Hogwarts prankster, but I do some of my work… sometimes." He slipped the parchment out from under Hermione's grasp and waved it in front of her face. "You get this back when you go to The Three Broomsticks with me."

She groaned and reached for the paper, but he pulled it out of her reach. "Not that easy, madame." She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms.

"Fine, Fred Weasley. An hour. That's the longest I'll go out. Then I really need to work on this paper."

He laughed and nodded. "We'll see about that."