Secret Admirer: A Fred Weasley Love Story

Chapter 28: Questions

Today was the day before the New Years Ball. It was going to be lasting until midnight when the world rejoiced the beginning of a fresh start.

The sun was shining persistently.

The weather pursued its low temperature goal.

Snowball fights were a common occurrence, and the wind was just perfect.

So naturally, Hermione and I were ignoring it all and poring over some interesting books we had found in the library about Defence class (it was dubbed my favorite subject the year our learning became more practical and less theoretical).

So, naturally, the boys were pestering us about going outside, but we were being much too nerdy for their liking.

"It's almost...unethical to be locked inside here on a perfect Friday!" Ron yelled, kicking every bit of furniture he passed as he made his way to Hermione.

"Yes Ronald," she mumbled distractedly, "'unethical', keep using big words, Ron...yes good job..."

"Oh, Hermione look at this!" I squealed as I found some exciting information on shielding charms. "I wonder if we'll learn how to perform a corporeal patronus!"

"The girls are hopeless, Ron. And don't even think about taking the book away," Fred said, his voice distant as my mind focused on the intriguing text in front of me.

The two brothers blathered on as Hermione and I completely ignored them, and focused on patronuses and bogarts. Along the way of finishing a paragraph, I heard something along the lines of, "...wasting a perfectly good weekend with their noses buried in books..." but no matter, Hermione had every comeback planned a few years back and then some.

The boys had eventually given up at some point, and left us to doing our "bloody nerd things".

After approximately two more hours of our "bloody nerd things", Hermione and I packed up our books, and returned them to the library, lingering for a bit around the shelves to talk.

"I wonder if I'll be asked to the ball..." she whispered to me, her eyes glancing around the room nervously. Now, don't get me wrong, Hermione is a very well put-together person, very confident, and takes any hardship in stride, but when it comes to relationships with people (romantic or otherwise), her confidence seems to falter. But in this certain area, I had a very strong sense of who it was going to be (and if he doesn't ask, he will wish he did a thousand times over when I'm done with him).

"I'm sure there are plenty of boys who would love to escort you!" I answered.

I can't believe Ron still hasn't asked her.

Chicken.

Hermione scoffed at my comment. "Yeah right, the lot of boys here think I'm a walking brain with no sense of beauty."

"Hermione!" I scolded. "You are gorgeous in your own braniac way, and I can easily name at least 10 people that love you. Right off the bat. I swear to Merlin's graying beard."

A small smile pulled at the corners of her lips.

"You're a great friend, you know?"

"I love you too, Hermione."

We walked, beaming, out of the library and outside to the fresh air.