dedicated to Plurbit for the amazing cover on the side xD It has both Elle and Hermione ;)

Ch. 24: A Date

Song For This Chapter: Lego House - Ed Sheeran (yeah - no, you need to watch this video. Do it) [it is a beautiful song, and goes with the chapter, but still]

The flash of a camera yanked my thoughts away from Fred as we both just watched each other in comfortable silence. "What the -" I whipped my head around so fast the joints popped, "Hermione?!" I yelled in surprise as Hermione's sleepy figure was slumped against her headboard, frizzy hair a mess, but a familiar polaroid camera in her hand as she shot the photograph.

"Mhm," She murmured, taking the photo that had been ejected from the camera and setting both things on her desk beside her bed. "Now, if you don't mind - I'm trying to sleep."

Snickering under his breath, Fred leant forward into the room and kissed me lightly on the lips, taking me by surprise. "Come to the house tomorrow, I'll take you to the shop; I want to show you the interior."

"Is that a sexual innuendo?"

Fred smirked at me, "Same old Letter," He backed away from the window on his broom, sending me a soft smile. "Sweet dreams, Granger."

"Go away, Weasley - before a Muggle sees you on a broom, two stories in the air," I sighed, shutting the window on him.

He grinned from outside, and, before he flew away, his muffled voice reached my ears, "I love you too."

Once I crawled back into bed, I could hear Hermione chuckling to herself from across the room. "What?"

"Oh, nothing - nothing," She yawned, rolling over in her sleep, "We've all just got a wager, you see."

"A wager?"

Hermione nodded, slipping her dark eyes shut. "Yes, it's a bet -"

"-I know what wager means, what I'm asking is whom and why." I straightened my back, raising my voice above a whisper so I could keep Hermione awake long enough to tell me.

She grunted against her pillow, but eventually responded. "Blake, Ginny, George, Harry, Ron, and I - we all chose a month and week that you and Fred," She yawned again, "Would get back together."

I humphed at that, feeling a blush spread on my cheeks. They had all suspected that we were going to get back together eventually. But, one question was suddenly nagging on the back of my mind. "Hermione?"

"Hmm?"

I craned my head towards her side of the room, straining my eyes against the darkness. "Who won the bet?"

'Mione was quiet for a while, enough time that led me to think that she'd fallen asleep, but just as I was about to give up on hearing an answer, she muttered out a soft response, half awake. "Well, ...It's the beginning of July, so,... Ginny."

We woke up to the aroma of blueberry waffles and syrup. Our parents had out done themselves this morning, but Hermione and I didn't have the smallest idea of why. We usually stuck to our typical bowl of cereal and milk.

"Ah!" Jane called as she saw Hermione and I turning around the corner. "Elle, Hermione! Good morning, we made you a special breakfast!" I loved Jane, but I didn't know why she was so excited at this hour of the morning - it had to be ten a.m., at least.

"Elle?" A deep voice filled my ears, making me jolt. "What, you don't recognize me?" He smirked, familiar playfulness in his blue eyes.

A grin spread on my cheeks and I rushed him, flinging my arms around his broad shoulders and hugging him tightly. "Trey! Oh my gosh - what are you doing here?!"

Trey chuckled and scratched the back of his neck. I took him in, seeing how much older he'd gotten in the time that we'd been away from each other. "Well, your parents called and asked if I could make it down for a celebratory breakfast," He motioned towards the table filled with strawberries, blueberry pancakes, and whipped cream.

"Celebratory of what?" I chuckled, eyeing Hermione, but she seemed as confused as I was.

"Independence Day - don't Americans usually go 'all-out' for it?" Dan asked, putting one arm around Jane's waist and giving her a loving smile. "We figured you hadn't seen your brother in a long time, so we invited him."

Raising a brow, I grinned and turned back to my brother. "Where's your blushing bride? Alledora couldn't make the visit?" I teased him, using Alle's full name.

"Nice to know you care, Elle," her voice came from behind me, "I was just in the bathroom, taking care of this little guy's business," She told me, bouncing a chubby, baby boy on her hip, grin on her lips as she embraced me. The baby had to be about a year old.

"Who's this little guy?" I stepped forward and cupped his flabby cheeks, earning a giggling squeal from the drooling tyke.

"We named him Eddie, short for Edmund," Trey responded as we all gathered around the table for our Fourth of July breakfast. Smirking a little, I glanced around at my blended family. On one side sat my past, and on the other, my current. The Grangers were wonderful parents for setting this up.

"I'm an aunt," I called out in surprise, "Oh, no - I'm so old now."

The rest of the morning was spent catching up and talking about life. I had been afraid that after all this time an awkward rift would have grown between Trey and I, but it didn't. In fact, we were still as close as ever. It was a nice way to start the day.

When Trey, Alledora, and Eddie left I promised to write from my boarding school. Trey and my parents knew about Hogwarts, but Alle didn't need to know that much - she didn't need to be affected.

"That was a lovely visit," Jane smiled softly, as Hermione and I helped her clean up the kitchen. "It was nice to meet your brother, Elle - he is a nice, young man."

"He is," I chuckled, thinking back to when we were children and constantly fighting. How had he grown up so nicely?

Hermione cleared her throat and shot our mother a nervous glance. "Mum, I was thinking about how London has been getting more and more dangerous with all the... disappearances," She kept the topic low-profile, not wanting to make Jane worried for us, "And, I was wondering if it would be alright if Elle and I stayed at the Burrow for the remainder of our summer? For safety, of course."

Jane thought about it for a while as she scrubbed the glass plates in the sink. After five minutes or so, she nodded and brushed some dark brown hair behind her ear, giving us a somber eye. "I supposed you are right, Hermione. If you honestly think you would feel safe at the Weasley's home, you may leave."

"Thanks, mum! We'll start packing," She latched onto my arm and pulled me away from the dishes, "I love you!"

Jane merely chuckled, shaking her head at Hermione's antics. "Glad to be of service - you two watch out for each other!"

"Yes, Mum!" I called out to her, as we climbed the staircase. I turned towards Hermione with an arched brow. "Why do you want to stay at the Burrow?"

Hermione shrugged her shoulders, and yanked her luggage out of the closet, "Honestly? I think it would be a lot safer for us, Elle, if we went to the Burrow."

"You're serious." I stated, feeling the humor of this morning fade away. "You think it's really gotten that bad out there?" I didn't need to ask, even I knew it was bad nowadays. The world was on an axis, and just one push would send us sprawling. Of course Hermione was right.

I found myself stuffing everything I could find into my trunk and trying to shut the latches with difficulty. "I told you that you should have folded them like this," Hermione motioned towards her suitcase, but I brushed her off, jumping up and down on the wooden chest.

"Shush," I hushed her, grunting as I finally managed to snap the case closed, "Just let it happen."

Hermione grimaced at that, "Gross," she chuckled, letting my words slide. "Whenever you are ready, then." I watched her lower the lid on her luggage and elegantly snap it shut without a problem. Skank.

I adjusted my suitcase and nodded, "Yeah, yeah. I'm ready." Grabbing Ami's cage and my luggage, I followed Hermione down the stairs, trying to keep the case from banging too harshly against the floors. "Are we taking the Floo network?"

Jane and Dan were waiting in the living room for us as we eventually made it down. Hermione only responded with a nod, climbing into the fireplace and grabbing a fist full of Floo Powder, green flames swallowing her whole before I myself hobbled in, Ami chirping at me in irritation as I accidentally shoved his cage against the dirty wall.

"Oh, stuff it, you," I sniffed at him, flinging the powder on the floor as Dan and Jane said their goodbyes. "The Burrow!" I enunciated, sparing my parents one last wave as my world swirled around, causing my stomach to squeal in protest.

I landed in the Weasley house, greeted by the sound of Hermione apologizing to Mrs. Weasley for the intrusion, explaining why we'd shown up in her living room, school trunks and all.

"Oh, it's quite alright, dear. You and Elizabeth are always welcome into my home," Mrs. Weasley hugged Hermione as I dusted myself off, stepping from the fireplace with a grin on my lips at the sight of her. She was warm, as usual.

"Mrs. Weasley," I embraced her in a hug as she pat my back. If I ever had to put in a vote for the world's best hugger, I would say it was Molly Weasley. "It's nice to see you again."

"Oh, dear - call me Molly," She pat my cheek after letting me go.

I chuckled, nodding, "Call me Elle," I reminded her as we both chuckled. Molly walked towards the kitchen, chirping about lunch.

Hermione and I lugged our things up the stairs, three flights up. The hike reminded me about how I needed to get back into shape before going to Hogwarts. Most people got into shape before the summer, I was the one needing to get into shape so I could climb all the hellish stairs of a freaking castle.

There was always a new sense of belonging in the Weasley home each time I walked through their doors. A comfy, warm welcome that was always waiting for visitors that happened to stumble across their threshold.

It really did feel like a safe house; it felt secluded from the turmoil that was shaking the world outside.

After Hermione and I got settled, I huffed out a sigh of relief and flopped down on Ginny's bed. We'd be staying in Ginny's room for the time being, but I was fine with setting up a bed on the floor, if it came to that. The Weasley's didn't have enough beds for all of us, luckily with their older brother, Percy, gone - there was another bed available.

"Elle, well - that was quick!" Ginny's voice floated around me, forcing me to lift open one of my eyes and peer up at the vibrant ginger that was hovering over me, grin plastered all over her lips.

"What was quick?" I questioned, not sure what she meant by the that.

"Never mind, never mind -" Ginny flipped around, red hair whipping out as she turned towards Hermione, "Cough it up, 'Mione - I win!"

Hermione rolled her eyes, "I can't believe I even stooped low enough to take part in your betting pool. It won't happen again," She huffed while handing Ginny three Sickles. I watched them with a smirk; I had so many odd friends. It was awesome.

Ginny strut towards her closet, rummaging through it with a mysterious intent before finally finding what she was looking for. "Elle, apparently Fred has been planning something for you, so, take this when you go outside."

I sat up on her bed and eyed the weathered broomstick she was holding out to me. "Oh, no."

"Oh, yes," Fred smirked at me as we stood in the front lawn of the Burrow, responding to my rejection of his game. "You don't want to go on a date with me, Letter?" He asked, prodding me with guilt.

I shook my head, "No, I'd love to go on a date with you, as long as I don't die from Quidditch related injuries," I tugged at my quarter sleeves around my elbows as I shot Fred a dirty look. The rest of the Weasley clan, and Hermione, were gathered outside as well, broomsticks in hand. "You know I hate heights."

The broom in my hand practically hummed with danger, and I wasn't in the mood for it.

"Oh, don't worry, L!" George called from the sidelines, strapping an arm guard onto his left hand.

Ginny nodded, patting my cheek as she passed, I wasn't sure if I should take that gesture with love or sarcastic good nature. "You'll be fine - we don't even play the real way. There's only one goal post each, and, we only have a Quaffle and one Bludger."

"A Bludger?!" I panicked a bit, thinking about the fast flying ball that you tried to decapitate other players with.

Fred grinned and put both of his hands on my shoulders, peering into my eyes, "Don't you want me to test out the new club you bought me?" I shot him a glare, but he brushed it away, "Don't worry - it's a fake one, it isn't even enchanted - we just hit it around."

They counted up teams, but found that they were one player short. Ginny grunted in agitation. "Where's Harry when you need him?"

"Do you say that a lot?" I teased her, earning a blush from Ginny and a boney elbow in the ribs. It was only after I'd said it did I realize how perverted it was. "Just kidding..."

Ginny shot me a death look and brushed me off. "We need another player!"

"Hermione, I volunteer Hermione Jean Granger!" I wailed, snatching Hermione's book from her finger tips as she sat in the grass, trying to be as inconspicuous as humanly possible. "You'd love to play, wouldn't you, 'Mione?"

"Oh no," Her eyes widened as Ron and Ginny edged closer, "No, no, no," She peered towards the excited grins on all of our faces, but she shook her head furiously, "No, I'm serious - no."

"Come now, Herman, -"

"-What?"

"Nothing," I poked her, "Come on, you should play. If you play, I'll play. If not, I won't."

Hermione's brow furrowed and she shot me a shocked, gapping look, "Are you really going to play the guilt trip with me?"

"Is it working?"

"Absolutely not," She crossed her arms over her chest and I sighed, eyes flickering around the Weasleys as they began to prep for the game. It was just going to be a small one, nothing too scary... I guess. But to be perfectly honest, I wasn't sure I liked the idea either.

My eyes locked with a slightly disappointed Ron; if Hermione didn't play, Ron wouldn't be able to. "Ron," I smirked, waving him over, "Ask Hermione to pretty please play Quidditch with us?"

Ron stepped up and let a half-smile slip onto his lips, making him seem earnest and a bit dopey. "Uh, 'Mione?" He caught her attention as she tucked a strand of brown hair behind her ear, a nervous tick of hers and mine, "Would you please play? I won't let anythin' happen to you."

Hermione's brow crumpled and she glanced from Ron to me and back again. She bit her lip and glared down at her feet, thinking for a good minute before, finally, caving with a loaded groan. "Ugh, fine! Alright, alright."

In a matter of minutes, Hermione was saddled onto the back of an old Comet 290, and I was holding onto the handle of the broom Ginny has so graciously leant me. "To the air!" George yelled, and I quickly slipped onto it, kicking off the ground and wobbling up in the air.

'Don't look down, don't look down,' I muttered in my head, clutching the broom tightly and fearing for my life. My toes curled up beneath me in my tennis shoes.

"Uh, L?" Fred's amused voice chuckled beside me and I jolted as I felt his hand on my arm, "You're on your broom backwards."

I gasped and yanked my eyes open, glaring down at the broom beneath me to see that I was not, in fact, on it backwards. Fred had lied to me. My vision blurred as I watched the ground grow farther and farther away, stomach sinking in my torso. "You dick!" I cursed him, smacking his arm, causing me to lose balance and wobbly dangerously on my broom.

"Calm down," Fred grinned, but I could see the slight worry in his eyes, "Don't over do it - if you're too stiff, you will fall."

"You know what?" I spat out at him, breathing picking up speed, "You are terrible at this, I'm already having a panic attack and you are telling me how I will fall?!"

"Are you nervous?" Fred chuckled, keeping his broom right next to mine. Somehow the closeness eased the churning in my stomach, causing me to relax a small bit. "Don't be, you're surrounded by competent wizards, Elle."

I took a calming breath and sent him a half-smile, "Okay." In reality, I was still scared as hell, but I was able to struggle through it.

Ron braked beside Hermione's broom, she was practically latched fully onto the thing, unable to sit up straight. I smirked at the two of them as Ron lay a reassuring hand on her shoulder, and she glanced shyly up at him.

"Alright," Ginny called our attentions, "The rules are simple, get the Quaffle into the goal," She pointed towards the two goal posts that were positioned on each side. It was nothing fancy, but what looked like two over grown butterfly nets that had been stripped of the netting.

Shaking myself from the jitters of being too high up, I watched Ginny toss the Quaffle into the air and leant forward on the broom, causing it to race towards her. Nervously, I yanked the broom to the left, knocking my whole body in a sharp direction.

Obviously this was a lot harder than I'd expected it would be.

Ron tossed the ball to Ginny who zipped past me, smirk on her lips as she reached the goal. Out of nowhere, the bludger flew past my head and smacked against Ginny's arm, causing her to drop the ball. As a reflex I didn't know I had, I dropped down on my broom and caught the Quaffle.

"Uh," I trailed off, eyes darting from Ginny who was rubbing her arm to Fred who was watching me, Beater's club in hand.

"Go for it, Letter!" He yelled, motioning towards the goal on the other side. Nodding, I grabbed the broom tightly with my other hand and flew past Fred and Hermione, only to be blocked by Ron as he knocked into me, taking the Quaffle and tossing it to Ginny once more.

The game became more and more heated as the time passed. In reality, the teams were Fred and George versus Ron and Ginny, but I occasionally was able to put in my two cents. Hermione was on her broom, somehow juggling her book in front of her nose as she clutched to the broom.

I decided that the reason she stayed in the air was because every time Ron would score, he would send her an excited, boyish grin that she was always willing to grin back at. It was so sweet I almost had a toothache.

"Game!" Ginny moaned in annoyance as Fred scored the last point, shooting me a cocky grin. "Team Ginny with nine, team Forge with ten," She rolled her eyes at her older brothers, irritated that she didn't beat them this time.

"Awe, don't be mad, Gin-" Fred tossed an arm around her shoulder as George pulled up beside them on his broom.

"-We can't help that we are just better than you," George sent his little sister a wink before dropping back down to the ground.

Once I was on solid ground, I snuck up behind Fred and snatched the Quaffle from under his arm. "Granger steals the ball, she's quick on her feet!" I announced in a loud voice, bouncing from foot to foot, catching Ginny's attention.

I dashed towards the left as Ginny landed on the ground beside the goal post, yelling, "Granger fakes right and darts left, tossing the Quaffle to Weasley," I threw it towards Ginny as she chuckled and caught the ball.

Fred and George stopped walking and watched the two of us with raised brows as Hermione and Ron went back into the Burrow, Hermione told Ron that he was in desperate need of a shower before lunch.

Ginny pressed the ball against the goal and I cheered at the top of my lungs, "One point for team Ginny!"

"Hey, -" George shook his head.

"-It doesn't work that way," Fred stuck his tongue out at us, brown eyes swimming as sweat pooled on his brow, matting down his red hair.

Ginny tossed the Quaffle to me and I arched a brow at the Twins, "Well, it seems that we are tied now, ain't that right, Gin?"

"That's right, Elle," She nodded, resting her hand on her hip and glaring at the Twins, "Guess it looks like a tie - one more point to decide who wins. Sound fair?" She questioned the boys, smirk playing on her lips.

I tossed the Quaffle into the air and jumped up, catching it with a childish giggle, "Granger takes the Quaffle and runs right field," I said as Fred and George shrugged at each other and raced onto the field, Fred stalking up on me while George blocked Ginny.

I faked left as Fred closed in, just barely escaping as I ran right. It wasn't an entirely fair match, his legs were far longer than mine. But, I tried nonetheless. Pushing myself, I reached about ten feet from the post before I felt Fred's arms snake around my waist and pull me up into the air.

"What are you doing!" I yelled down at him, struggling against his hold to break free. I lifted my arms as if to throw the Quaffle at Gin, but George was right in front of my hold, ready to take the ball if I threw it. "Foul!" I accused them, "This is a foul!"

"It is," Fred chuckled, holding me as he ran to the other goal post, "But, if you ain't cheatin', you ain't tryin'."

"Wha-?!" I felt defeat as Fred reached the goal post, offering me out front, like a sacrifice to the Quidditch gods, my Quaffle hitting the post.

"And that, my dear Granger," Fred grinned as I let the Quaffle slip from my fingers, "Is how you win a Quidditch match."

"You're a cheater," I chuckled, not taking it too seriously.

Fred lightly set me down and pressed his sweaty forehead against mine, causing me to scrunch up my nose in slight disgust. "Not all the time, you know."

"Fred," I glanced towards my feet, "We should probably talk."

Fred nodded, placing a hand under my chin and lifting it up so he could peer into my eyes with a small smile. "You're right, we need to talk," He nodded, so close that his nose brushed against mine, making my lips tingle and stomach burst with butterflies.

"Yeah," I murmured, leaning forward.

Fred smirked at the obvious come-on, and accepted, pressing his warm lips against my own. It was amazing, to be kissing Fred once more. It was a dance, a dance that only the two of us knew and one that I hadn't participated in for too long.

It was then that I realized, for the millionth time it seemed, how much I desperately missed this. Missed Fred. Missed us.

And, it was then that I realized how terribly in love with the idiot I was. And, in turn, he too was in love with me. An idiot in my own right.

Two idiots in love.

Breaking apart, I bit my lip and glanced up into his eyes, steadying my erratic heartbeat. "Now, about that talk."

~~~~

awe.... o.o I wanted their date to be cute, but nothing too sappy....

xoxo Gossip Gir- uh, shit, sorry wrong place, xoxo Jess