Chapter Text
Act III, Scene I - I Have A Confession To Make
“Aren’t you going to wish me luck?” Fred sidled up next to Hermoine and flashed her a devilish grin.
It was the morning of the big Gryffindor-Slytherin Quidditch match, and the excitement was palpable in the Great Hall. Everyone buzzed with anticipation as they ate their breakfast.
Out of the corner of his eye, Fred spotted Angelina a little further away, sitting with Katie and Alicia. His head had been spinning with confusion ever since their last conversation at the Three Broomsticks, and she gave him a knowing raise of her eyebrows, as if to remind him.
Uncharacteristically, Fred ducked his head to avoid her gaze, feeling suddenly uncomfortable.
Hermione, however, seemed oblivious. "Of course! Break a leg, George!" she smiled sweetly.
He immediately lit up at her teasing. "Seems like you haven't learned any new jokes since the other night," he shot back, glad to fall back into their usual banter despite the recent weirdness.
"I'll stop poking fun at you when it stops being funny."
"It was never even funny to begin with."
"Mhm, it's a little funny," Harry interjected with a lopsided smile and a shrug, causing Ron, Ginny, and Neville to burst into laughter.
Fred, on the other hand, flicked some peas in Harry's direction. "Oh, sod off, Harry. No one asked you."
Harry chuckled but went back to eating his breakfast quietly.
"Hey Hermione!" George greeted her, wrapping his arm around his twin. "Aren't you going to give your boyfriend a kiss for good luck?"
"If you don't, we won't hear the end of it," Lee taunted.
Both of them ran away laughing as Fred tried to swing his broom at their faces.
"Thank you," he called after them. "For ruining the very nice, very serious conversation we were just having."
Shaking his head with a chuckle, he felt Hermione's head fall forward on his shoulder as she laughed. He stiffened at the sudden contact, but she didn't seem to notice. She wiped away a tear from laughing so hard and looked up at him with a breathless smile.
"Alright, alright. In all seriousness, good luck out there, Fred. I'll be cheering for Gryffindor as always."
"And a little extra for me, right?" he winked.
But before Hermione could even respond, Ron made an exaggerated barfing noise, and Ginny broke out into a fit of laughter.
"Seriously," Ron said, looking personally affronted. "In front of my breakfast?"
"Oh, shut it, Ronniekins," Hermione scowled at him.
"Don't come crying to me if you get hit by some Bludgers I accidentally throw your way," Fred warned him, then turned to give Harry a reassuring look. "Only when we've got a good lead on Slytherin, of course."
"Of course," Harry nodded in understanding, and Ron shoved him so hard that he almost fell off his chair.
Their table erupted in laughter once more.
In that moment, Hermione was flooded with a sudden warmth and fondness for everyone around her. It hadn't sunk in until now that this was going to be Fred’s last year at Hogwarts; his last time eating breakfast with everyone, his last time playing Quidditch for Gryffindor, and his last time just… being here and making everyone laugh and…
The dawning realization must show on her face somehow, because she felt Fred slip his hand into hers.
"You alright?" He asked quietly, a grin always tugging at his mouth.
His smile unravelled all the nervous knots in her stomach she didn't even realize she had, and she squeezed his hand.
"Better than alright. Everything’s just…perfect.”
The air crackled with excitement as the Quidditch match between Gryffindor and Slytherin commenced. The stadium reverberated with cheers and boos, the two rival houses unleashing their passionate support for their respective teams.
Harry, the Gryffindor Seeker, soared through the sky, eyes fixed on the elusive Snitch, while the Chasers Angelina, Alicia, and Katie weaved intricate patterns, dodging bludgers and aiming shots at the opposing team's hoops.
The thunderous clash of brooms and the roar of the crowd blended together, creating a symphony of exhilaration. As the game intensified, it felt like the whole crowd held their breath, anticipation building.
For most of the game, the two houses were neck-and-neck. Harry was almost knocked off his broom by a nasty Bludger from Crabbe and Goyle, which Fred luckily deflected at the last minute, hitting the Slytherin Captain Marcus Flint instead.
It had been a close call between Harry and Malfoy, who both seemed to spot the Snitch at the same time. They raced side-by-side until, at last, with a final burst of speed and a dive at break-neck speed, Harry snatched the golden ball from Malfoy’s grasp and rolled to the ground in a rough landing.
The stadium erupted with deafening applause as the Gryffindor team basked in their hard-fought triumph, etching another thrilling chapter in the age-old Gryffindor-Slytherin rivalry.
“Good game out there, everybody!” Angelina whooped as everyone made their way back to the castle to rejoin the rest of the school. “You really made me proud!”
“Couldn’t do it without you, Cap,” Alicia beamed, and Katie clapped Angelina on the back with a grin.
“Whoooo!” George cheered, still high on adrenaline. He wrapped everyone in a group hug under his arms. “I’ll see you bloody legends at the rager in the common room tonight!”
Everyone hollered in approval, excited for what would probably be (for many of them) their last victory party at Hogwarts.
Sure enough, the Gryffindor common room buzzed with anticipation as the party kicked into full swing later that night. The room was decorated with red and gold banners, and students danced and mingled. Their laughter and cheers filled the air as they all downed smuggled butterbeer and firewhiskey (courtesy of Fred and George, of course, which Ron and — more shockingly — Hermione had agreed to look the other way about).
Amidst the revelry, Fred spotted Hermione across the room, her radiant smile captivating him. She was talking to Ginny and Harry, and he couldn't help but feel his heart race at the sight of her.
Summoning all his Gryffindor courage, he weaved his way through the crowd and made his way over to them. As he approached her, he realized that his legs felt a little unsteady, no doubt the effects of all the excitement and one-too-many drinks taking hold.
"Hey, 'Mione," he greeted her with a lopsided grin.
“Fred!” Hermione smiled and pulled him in for a hug.
Harry and Ginny exchanged knowing looks with each other and took that as their cue to leave.
When she pulled back, her eyes were still shimmering. "Fantastic match today. You were incredible out there!"
Fred chuckled, his words slightly slurred. "Thanks. You were pretty amazing yourself. You always are."
“What?” She laughed a little in disbelief. “What are you on about?”
"I have a confession to make." He leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a hushed tone.
Her eyebrows shot up in curiosity. "What is it?"
Fred's cheeks flushed, a mixture of nervousness and alcohol-induced bravery. "Well, I…I just wanted to say that these past few weeks of getting to know you more have been really fun and…I think you were the most incredible person I've ever met—”
“Hi, Hermione?”
Fred’s heart sank as someone interrupted their moment, and both of them turned to see who it was.
“Oh, hi Cormac,” she greeted the sixth-year boy politely. Fred didn't really know him, but his face was certainly familiar enough. Tall and lanky, with curly golden blonde hair and tanned skin.
Fred had never wanted to punch him in his perfect teeth more than he did then.
“Say, Hermione, would you care to dance with me?” The annoying pretty boy asked.
Fred watched as Hermione hesitated, glancing between him and Cormac, clearly unsure of how to respond.
“Not right now, Cormac, I’m still talking to Fred,” she smiled at him — a little tightly, Fred noticed, but it softened. “And I’m actually waiting to dance with someone else.”
Although obviously disappointed, Cormac conceded, “Ah, well, if you ever find yourself in need of better company…” He smirked and placed a kiss on her hand.
At that, Fred's blood boiled with a mix of anger and possessiveness. He might have let it go if it hadn’t been for the uncomfortable look on Hermione’s face. Without thinking, he stepped forward and wedged himself between them.
"Actually, mate, I think she's good," Fred put his hand on the younger boy’s chest to push him away, his voice dripping with barely restrained anger. He could feel the stares of their fellow Gryffindors on him, but he didn't care. All he cared about was Hermione, and right then, this prick was getting out of line with her.
Cormac narrowed his eyes, clearly displeased by Fred's interference. "Oh, really? And who are you to decide that?"
Fred's jaw tightened as he leveled his gaze at Cormac. "I'm the bloke who's been looking out for Hermione longer than you've known her. Now, take. A step. Back ."
Before Fred could respond, Cormac made a sudden move, reaching out to grab Hermione's arm. In that split second, fueled by a surge of protectiveness, Fred reacted instinctively. His fist connected with Cormac's jaw, sending him staggering backward in surprise.
The room fell into stunned silence as everyone turned to witness the unexpected confrontation. Fred immediately regretted the violent outburst, fearing he may have crossed a line. Not with Cormac, but with Hermione.
A tense silence hung in the air as the two boys locked eyes, the tension palpable. Out of the corner of his eye, Fred noticed George, Lee, Ginny, and even Ron and Harry looking alert and defensive, wands at the ready, should he ever need them.
Cormac's face contorted into a mocking smile. "Fine, Weasley. You can have her." He shoved him but walked away nonetheless, disappearing into the crowd.
Fred breathed a sigh of relief, his muscles relaxing. He turned to Hermione and held her hand. "Are you alright?"
"What did you have to do that for?" Her eyes flashed with anger, her expression hardening. She pulled her hand away from him. "I was perfectly capable of handling myself, you know!"
"Hermione, I was just trying to protect you. I didn't want Cormac to—"
"I don't need your protection!" she interrupted, her voice sharp. Then her eyes fell and she grumbled, "You really still just think of me as some little kid, don't you?"
Her words hung in the air. Fred's heart sank as he looked into Hermione's eyes, seeing a mix of anger and something else...vulnerability. Panic bubbled within him, knowing he may have just jeopardized everything they were starting to build. He reached for her hand again, but he was too late.
But she was already gone.
Act III, Scene II - Ready When You Are
Any other day, Hermione would have avoided Fred for as long as she could after what happened last night. But that day was the day of the duel, and it wouldn't have felt right not to have him there after all the time he had dedicated to helping her.
So instead, she rolled out of bed with a desperate plea to the Heavens that his memory of the party remained fuzzy at best and simply went on talking to him as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. As if she hadn't just realized that she had feelings for her best friend's brother. As if she hadn't almost confessed said feelings to him last night after a painful reminder that he probably only saw her as a little sister and nothing more.
Hermione abruptly stopped combing her hair at that thought and jumped back into bed to scream into her pillow.
Then, she took a deep breath to steel herself for the day ahead, and slowly, she got out of bed, determined to put her best foot forward despite the whirlwind of emotions swirling within her.
No time for that, she scolded herself, pushing aside her own inner turmoil. We've got a duel to win.
"I hope you have your thirty galleons ready, Hermione," Ron taunted her playfully at breakfast. Harry, on the other hand, just grinned with a mouth full of toast.
She shook her head and chuckled. But before she could retort, Fred was already sidling beside her. "You're the one who's going to need to start counting your galleons, Ron. Isn't that right, Mione?"
He smiled at her, and her heart started to flutter. For a moment, she wondered if he was thinking about last night as well.
No.
No .
She swallowed her feelings, and her resolve hardened. Hermione wasn't blind; she knew Fred had a great smile, that he was too charming for his own good. But she also knew that he used it on absolutely everyone and often for his own nefarious reasons, so she was determined not to let herself be affected by it.
"Like we always said," she told Ron evenly, turning away from Fred. "May the best wizard win."
It happened after their last period, late in the afternoon, in a semi-private patch of woods near Hagrid's Hut ("Fer the record, I don't approve of this," Hagrid told them before leaving). Hermione and Harry faced each other, wands at the ready. The air crackled with anticipation as they prepared for their friendly spellcasting duel.
"What should we do with all our money when we win, Hermione?" Fred taunted his brother, his hands on Hermione's shoulders.
"I should be asking Harry that question," Ron goaded back. "But don't worry, Fred. I'll try not to rub it in your face too much."
"Are we ever going to get a word in edgewise with these two?" Harry quipped to her, while Ron and Fred continued their brotherly bickering.
Hermoine laughed, shaking her head. “I wouldn’t hold my breath. Ready, Harry?"
He nodded. "Ready when you are, Hermoine."
They exchanged a mischievous smile before facing away from each other and taking ten paces each. They turned at the same time and Hermione took the first shot, casting a stunning spell toward Harry.
Harry swiftly dodged the spell, countering with a well-aimed disarming charm. The two friends engaged in a lively back-and-forth, displaying their knowledge and skill in spellcasting.
They're both good, Fred admitted to himself. But he couldn’t tear his eyes away from Hermoine, effortlessly casting spells one after another, so fast she was practically singing them. And for a second, he let himself swell with pride.
He taught her those tricks, the creative wand movements and unconventional use of spells and—
“She’s gotten a lot better,” Ron admitted, cutting off Fred’s train of thought. “At first I thought she was mental for asking you of all people to help her, but it looks like you might be a better teacher than I ever gave you credit for.”
“Well, she’s no slouch either,” Fred smiled at the way she moved, the determination in her eyes. He watched as she gracefully dodged Harry's attacks and retaliated with a finesse that left him in awe.
“Don’t hurt her,” his younger brother said all of a sudden.
And Fred froze, “What?”
“Whatever this is between you and Hermione, I’ll support it as long as you promise not to hurt her.”
His mouth hung open in surprise, momentarily at a loss for words. This wasn't at all the way Fred had imagined Ron would react to him harboring secret feelings for his best friend. Ron's protectiveness over Hermione was evident, and Fred realized the weight of his brother's trust.
"I... Ron, I would never intentionally hurt Hermione," he finally managed to reply, his voice earnest. "She means more to me than you could possibly imagine."
Ron studied Fred for a moment, searching his eyes for any sign of deception or trickery. Slowly, a smile spread across his face, replacing the initial seriousness. "Good. Because if you did, I'd have to unleash a whole world of pain on you."
Fred laughed, a mixture of relief and gratitude washing over him. "As her friend, I wouldn't expect anything less. But as your big brother? I'd like to see you try."
“Hey! I know I volunteered Harry to fight Hermione, but I’m pretty good at the bat-bogey hex myself. Don’t think Ginny won’t help me either.”
The two brothers shared a brief but meaningful moment, their unspoken understanding solidifying their bond. Fred knew what Ron really wanted to say.
Meanwhile, the duel between Hermione and Harry reached its climax. The intensity in their spells grew, each casting with precision and determination. A spell from Harry narrowly missed Hermione, leaving a smoky trail in its wake. Suddenly, in a swift motion, Harry sent her and her wand flying back with a blast. But not before Hermione had the chance to hit him with a disarming spell of her own.
“Game, set,” she smirked at him breathlessly.
Ever the gracious sport, Harry hurried to offer his hand and help her up, "You're amazing, Hermione. I don't know anyone who could duel like you."
Ron and Fred took that as their cue to erupt into applause and laughter, cheering for their friends.
Hermione let Harry help her up and then shook his hand firmly, brushing a few strands of hair from her face. "Well played, Harry. I'm honored to draw with you at a duel."
Harry shook his head and grinned at her sheepishly. "Hermoine, what you did...That was some impressive spell work back there."
"Thanks,” She curtsied a little, then looked back at Fred. “But I can’t take all the credit.”
“That was amazing, Mione!” Fred rushed over to hug her, so hard he lifted her off her feet, and Hermoine couldn't help but laugh.
She decided to let his smile affect her, just a little, and just for a while. She supposed this was a special occasion.
And after all, she suspected he could smile at anyone like that and they’d start feeling giddy and lightheaded. He could smile at anyone…
And he was smiling at her.
“Well, that was a waste of a few weeks,” Ron laughed.
“Maybe not,” Harry smirked, looking at Hermoine and Fred, who were still quietly laughing to themselves.
Act III, Scene III - You Drove Me Mad First
"Hermione," Harry grabbed her arm gently before he caught up with Ron to head back to their room. It was later that night, and as was usual for her (but not so much for them), they had been the last to leave the Gryffindor common room.
"What is it, Harry?" she asked him, her eyelids heavy. It had been a tiring few weeks after all.
"It's almost the end of the term," he said like she hadn't just been studying for their finals for the past few hours. She gave him a confused look, and he continued. "I think you should tell Fred how you feel."
"What?" she exclaimed, her voice going a little shrill with surprise.
"Well, actually…" Harry smiled at her sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. "I sort of already told him for you."
"WHAT?!" she stood up at that and smacked him with her History of Magic textbook. But Harry quickly moved out of the way, his years of practice avoiding books finally paying off (a requirement, he had learned, to being Hermione Granger's best friend).
"Don't be angry with me," he put his hand out to her placatingly. "I just told him you guys should talk. I didn't say about what."
"Oh," she blinked, calming down a little.
"Mione?" they both turned around abruptly at the sound of Fred's voice, and the older boy glanced between her and Harry warily before clearing his throat. "Can we, er... talk for a second?"
She plastered a smile and a sweet, polite tone for him. "Oh, I'd love to, but Harry is—"
"ByeHermioneseeyoutomorrow!" Harry ran off to his room at a comical speed.
"A terrible friend," she grumbled under her breath, and made a mental note to give him an earful later.
Fred sat down beside her with a bemused chuckle. He perched himself atop the arm of the sofa and draped himself over the end of the couch so he was completely facing her. “So I’m guessing Harry lied when he said you needed to talk to me about something?”
“No. Well…” She huffed impatiently. “To be perfectly honest with you Fred, I think he thinks you have feelings for me just because we've been spending so much time together these past few weeks, but that's mad, right?"
Fred's eyebrows shot up. "Right, mad," he laughs but it sounds off somehow. "That'd be about as impossible as you fancying me. And we all know you only have eyes for McLaggen.”
She groaned. “Please don’t even joke about that. Merlin forbid, he actually hears you.”
“Alright, well if it’s not him, then who were you waiting for?”
“What?”
“At the party. You said you didn’t want to dance with him because you were waiting to dance with someone else.” He shrugged. “You disappeared after that, so I never got to see who.”
“Oh,” her face fell and she fiddled with the sleeves of her sweater. “Well, we never actually got to dance. I don’t think he likes me like that.”
“Now that’s ridiculous. Who wouldn’t want you, Mione?” Fred said without thinking.
Their gazes locked, and in that moment, everything becomes clear. Hermione closed the distance between them, her lips meeting Fred's in a searing, passionate kiss. It was a collision of emotions, fueled by frustration, longing, and the unspoken feelings that have been brewing beneath the surface.
When they finally broke apart, their foreheads resting against each other, she hesitantly looked up to meet his gaze, her heart pounding in her chest.
A wave of understanding washed over Fred, a smile slowly forming on his face. "Hermione, you have no idea... I've liked you for the longest time. I just didn't think you'd ever feel the same way," he said, his voice filled with wonder.
Hermione's eyes widened, a mixture of surprise and joy dancing in their depths. "Fred, are you serious?"
He nodded, a goofy smile spreading across his face. "Completely serious. You're amazing, Hermione. Your strength, your determination, the way you challenge me... You drive me mad, in the best way possible."
She blushed at that. "You drove me mad first."
He laughed breathlessly. Still pressing his forehead to hers, he held her hand up between them and smiled. "I'm completely utterly, and hopelessly in love with you. I don't want to lose you, and I hope you feel the same way about me."
She answered him with another kiss, this time soft and lingering, filled with so much unspoken emotion that it leaves his heart soaring with joy. As they pulled apart, their faces still inches away, Hermione couldn't help but smile.
"Of course I feel the same way," she assured him, reaching up to touch his cheek gently. She stroked her thumb over the dimple of his smile and her eyes shone with the same exasperated fondness she's always had for him and…and something Fred can’t quite place…something new he never noticed before.
"I think you're brilliant, Fred. And you're kind and warm and obnoxiously dificult to dislike or stay mad at. Being around you is its own kind of high sometimes."
"Don't think I won't abuse that," He warned her teasingly.
"But I always thought you'd never think of me as anything more than this uptight, annoying know-it-all who’s a stick in the mud. I never thought you'd see me as someone you could have fun with, someone you could actually like."
"Hermoine, you are fun," he grinned. "Or, at the very least, you're fun to argue with. And yes, while you may be a know-it-all at times, you're also the most compassionate and caring person I know."
She felt a blush creeping up her cheeks, but she didn't turn away from his gaze. "You really mean that?"
“Of course,” he said, his voice low and sincere. He moved closer to her on the couch and wrapped his pinky around hers. "You know, I think I owe Ron and especially Harry a thank you for challenging you to this duel. We’d never be where we are tonight if it wasn’t for them.”
She smiled, her eyes filled with warmth and affection. "I think we both owe them, you’re right. But I owe you a thank you too, Fred, for being there for me and always believing in me.”
"No need to thank me, Mione. I'm grateful for every moment we've spent together, whether it was arguing, laughing, or dueling. Now,” Fred tilted his head slightly, his lips ghosting over hers. “ I have something I want to talk to you about.”
“Oh? And what’s that?” She smiled, her gaze falling to his lips and then back up to his eyes, shining with mischief.
"Hermione Granger,” he gave her a chaste peck, “Would you do me the honor of being my girlfriend?"
And she couldn’t help but giggle at that, as embarrassing as it was, her heart was just overflowing with happiness. "Yes, Fred Weasley,” she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and buried her face in his neck, “I would love to be your girlfriend."
Their lips met in a slow, passionate kiss, sealing their commitment to each other. They don't do much talking for the rest of the night, after that.