Disclaimer: We know the drill, I am not J. K. Rowling, thus I do not own the people or places in this story.

A/N: I know I have another story that I haven't even touched in a few weeks, but I do promise that I have the outline done for it. This story though came to me, and I started writing, and I couldn't stop. I only started it on Friday morning, and I already have ten chapters written (It's Sunday, BTW.) I like where it's going and I hope you will as well.

Secret Assurances

The darkness was only broken by the softly roaring fire casting shadows on the red and gold covered furniture. One loan figure sat shrouded in the darkest part of the large room. He leaned against the high back of the leather chair he had decided to use as he kept his silent vigil. The light from the fire showed that the shadow was of a person, but no distinguishing marks could be made out in the dark. The silence was broken by a single chime of a clock as the entrance to the room swung open.

"And where have you been?" The figure in the darkness asked standing up and making his presence known to the new-comer. His voice had been low and stealthy, a certain scratch in it gave it a tone meant to scare. The person that had just entered the room visibly jumped nearly a foot in the air. Landing, it looked for the presence of the voice's owner.

"Lumos," the boy said as he flicked his wand, and turned the light on. He looked at his mirror image. "Good God, George," he said taking in the smirk and laughing blue eyes that so closely resembled his own. Their similar red hair fell neatly around their heads, well George's fell neatly. The other boy's hair stuck up at funny ends looking thoroughly snogged. While George's features laughed at his twin, the others features looked crossed between ready to murder George and scream in fright.

"Aw, did I scare you Freddie?"George asked as he folded his arms and raised his eyebrow. Fred quickly brushed off the fear that his brother had instilled in him, and shook his head. The moment over Fred tried to rush off to bed, but George was standing closer to the stairs that would lead to their dorm. Having his twin effectively blocked, George crossed his arms, smirked, and raised his brow again. "Who is she?"

"What?" Fred quickly asked in confusion. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"You've been keeping something from me for months." George spat, his brow lowered but smirk and arms still in place. "You sneak out of our room and go somewhere, but you never invite me. There are only two things you do without me. One," he lifted his index finger from its place on his arms, "is go to the bathroom. Since we've already established that you were not in our dorm at one o'clock in the morning, it must be the other thing." George explained. "Now, unless you are keeping more then just one secret from me, who is she?"

Fred chuckled at the joke his brother insinuated in his question. "No, no, brother only Percy and Charlie swing for that team." He said, hoping that he could distract his brother with this and maneuver around him and up the stairs. George's face revealed that he didn't find this nearly as funny as Fred had hoped he would, and stood his ground.

"Who. Is. She?" George asked behind a clenched jaw. He was getting annoyed, and annoyance at his twin quickly became anger.

"It's a secret," Fred explained hoping his brother would drop it. He didn't, George just gave him a look that meant they were not going upstairs until he got his answers. Fred really needed to get them upstairs, he only had five minutes left. "I can't tell you, I can't tell anyone." Fred plead, and then thought about what had happened earlier that day. "Actually I think I'm supposed to tell you. She was kind of surprised that I hadn't done so already."

"Wait, most girls would still be pissed if I found out, but you're saying that your girl expected me to know all of your secrets?" George asked surprised. He'd once done the secret relationship thing, and when Fred made a joke about it to the girl she'd ended things.

"Yes, exactly," Fred answered, a smile graced his face as he remembered how awesome his girl was.

"So it's someone that knows us." George stated, and Fred nodded. This should have been helpful to George in guessing who the girl was. Problem was most of the school said that they knew Fred and George Weasley, even when George and Fred Weasley swore they only knew a handful of the people that said hello to them. "How well?"

"She can tell us apart." Fred answered.

"Yeah, but almost every smart girl in the school can do that." George argued.

"Without us both being in the same room?" Fred grinned at his girl's brilliance. George's face dropped in shock.

"There's only two girls that can do that," George gasped, "in the entire school. One of which is our sister. You're dating Hermione," George almost squealed as he named the girl not related to them. Fred nodded, beaming proudly. "As in Hermione Granger?" Fred continued to nod. "As in "Mum is going to kill you and then throw a party," that Hermione Granger?" Fred's grin didn't falter as he listened to his brother's description, and then after a moment, nodded again.

The two boys sat in stunned silence. Fred was more stunned at the thought that a girl like Hermione Granger would even consider being with him. George was stunned that his brother, his twin was dating a girl that was practically their sister. "I'm so confused," George mumbled after a few minutes, and added. "I'm going to bed." With that he turned on his heel and went back up the stairs. He was glad he finally got his answers, but a part of him wished he would have just stayed in his warm bed instead of snooping into his twin's personal life.

Fred looked back at the portrait hole when he heard the entrance squeak open once more. He smiled as a head covered in curly brown hair peaked in before the body it was attached to followed. "Is he gone," she whispered, as she looked around the room. Fred nodded and beckoned the girl to come in. She hurried through the portrait hole, slipping a silvery item into her bag. Still drunk off of the night, she bounced into the room and headed for the stairs that would lead to her dorm. "Thank-you," she said as she went to pass him.

"Hey," he called turning to look at her. She stopped and turned to him, with a smile she couldn't get rid off. He smiled just as happily as she did before speaking his peace. "I meant what I said earlier. You give me the word, and I'll hop on my broom, fly up to the astronomy tower, and shout to the world that you're my girl." Her smile dwindled a little as her eyes flicked up the stairs that he would soon have to climb.

"I wish we could, but there's still..." She sighed as she continued to look up the stairs.

"I know, Ron." Fred breathed. They had been having this conversation for months. They both wanted the world to know, but they didn't want to hurt anyone. They both knew that her best friend and his little brother had feelings for her, and they didn't want to hurt him. "Do you regret it?" He asked with a small frown. She turned her big, brown eyes on him in question. "This, Grimmuald, being with me?"

"I do not regret our relationship in the slightest." Hermione hurried to assure him. "I was telling you the truth when I said he was like my brother. I loved this summer. Those stolen moments were the only thing that kept me sane. I felt safe when I was with you, even when we were cleaning those horrid rooms or eavesdropping on the meetings. I feel safe when I'm with you, and with everything that's happening that's saying something. What I said earlier tonight is true, and I do not regret a single part of it." Fred breathed a breathe of relief, but she wasn't quite finished.

"It's a valid question." He nodded, giving her a confused look. "Lot's of girls do regret it right after. I think my roommates would question if I made this decision using some sort of theorem. It wasn't a clinical or cynical decision. I love you. I gave you my heart tonight, and in return you made me feel loved."

"You are loved," Fred assured her. He put his hand on her hip and turned her so that she was looking at him, and pulled her into his arms. "I love you. 'Mione you're only sixteen, and I'm only seventeen, we're really young." He reminded her as he looked down into her brown eyes, his blue eyes reflecting all of the love he held for the young woman in his arms. "But when I look at you, I see forever." She smiled, and snuggled her head into his chest. He wrapped his arms around her tightly, and laid his head against her curls.

"Now," he said pulling back and looking into her eyes again, "get on up to bed. I'm sure you're exhausted." He grinned slyly at her as he brushed his knuckle against her cheek. She laughed, swatting his chest, and stepping out of his embrace. "Hey," he said not letting her hand go, "don't I get a good night kiss first?" He asked with a puppy-dog look on his face. She smiled and tipped her head up so that he could drop a soft kiss on her lips. With that done, he finally released her and watched her walk up the stairs.

A/N: Tell me what you think, please. I already have nine more chapters written, and you know the drill, three reviews and I'll post. If I get at least two reviewers that ask for it, I'll see if I can get my brain to engage and write the next chapter for Salvation as well. Remember: Constructive Criticism is welcome, Flames are not.