A/N: I own nothing! (Like you didn't know that already!) Enjoy!

"I have a favor to ask of you," Fred Weasley said, gritting his teeth as the girl in front of him slowly lowered her book in order to peer at him.

"I beg your pardon?" Hermione Granger asked, more surprised than sarcastic. Her hair, which she had attempted to tame into a ponytail had strands that had escaped and now fell around her face in loose ringlets. Her brown eyes were wide with curiosity as she gazed at the young man in front of her.

"I said that I had a favor to ask you," Fred said, fidgeting.

Hermione set her book down on the table and folded her hands on top of it. "This sounds serious," she teased, trying to set him at ease. Really, was the library that unaccommodating that even being inside its hallowed (in Hermione's opinion) walls set him on edge? "What happened? Did you fail Charms or something?" She smiled widely, knowing that Fred was one of the most talented people in Hogwarts when it came to Charms class.

However, her teasing did not have the desired effect. Fred's face went pale, paler than it had been before he walked in, and Hermione's heart skipped a beat with fright. For a moment, she feared that Fred might pass out. She hastily stood, nearly knocking over her tower of books as well as her chair. "You actually failed Charms?" she asked incredulously, unable to believe what his face was obviously telling her.

Fred ran a hand through his long, ginger hair, sighing. "Yeah, I failed this last assignment."

Hermione frowned, concerned for her friend. Though Fred had never spoken to her much, she had always considered him a friend, and she was going to do whatever he needed her to do. "How in the world did you fail Charms? You're one of the best."

Her admiration for him made him feel slightly better, but not enough to forget the fact that he had failed. He could still see Professor Flitwick's disappointed face in his mind. "Thanks," he said, speaking modestly for the first time since he had met her. "Actually, I was helping George plan this prank on Malfoy and, well, I completely forgot about the page of parchment I was supposed to write."

He had expected her to be angry, to dress him down in no uncertain terms, but Hermione only shrugged and asked, "Did it work?"

Fred was startled and was forced to ask dumbly, "Did what work?"

"The prank against Malfoy," Hermione clarified for him. "Did it work?"

Fred answered cautiously, having no idea where Hermione might have been going with this. "Yes."

A small smile flittered across Hermione's face and then she nodding, sitting back down in her chair with a smirk still plastered on her face. "Good," she said, and then looked up and smiled at a surprised Fred. "So I take it you need me to tutor you even though I've never covered the material you're studying." Her tone was light because she knew that that was exactly what Fred needed, and she was going to happily help him.

Fred glanced over her face, annoyed. "We both know that you've already covered this stuff, being the brightest which of your age and all, so would you please just help me out? I'll give you whatever you want in return." The desperation in his voice further astonished Hermione.

"Anything?" she said, speaking to herself, surprised by his offer. She hadn't expected anything in return.

However, Fred took it the wrong way. "Anything," he promised her, his hopeful voice snapping her back to attention.

Hermione nodded at him. "Sure. I'd be glad to tutor you. Shall we meet here tomorrow after dinner?"

Fred nodded quickly and, in a bold and unexpected move, crossed the distance between them and kissed Hermione's cheek lightly, his lips barely brushing her skin. "Thank you so much," he said, his tone obviously relieved. "See you tomorrow."

And then he was gone, disappearing out of the library as quickly as he had come. Hermione placed a hand dazedly on her cheek and tried to return her attention back to the book opened in front of her, but to no success. After ten minutes of trying to focus on the same word, she finally gave up and hurried out of the library. She needed to find Ginny. Now.

"…and then he kissed my cheek," Hermione concluded, unaware that her eyes were sparkling uncontrollably.

Ginny was sitting on Hermione's bed, smirking after having listened to the whole story about her brother and her best friend. "Finally," she said with a dramatic sigh, only to have Hermione throw a pillow at her with surprisingly good aim. "What?!" she cried, trying unsuccessfully to look offended. "My gosh, Hermione! You've liked him for how many years?"

Hermione, realizing that the question was not rhetorical, answered quietly, "Four."

"And I've told you for the last two that he was interested in you, so what's the problem? He came to you for help, and his ego probably took a terrible hit with that one, and he's asking you to tutor him! Seize this moment!"

Hermione smiled at her friend's words. Over the many instances where Ginny had assured her that Fred seemed interested in her, she had dismissed her friend, all too sure that Ginny was wrong. However, that small kiss in the library had awakened her affections for Fred Weasley in a much stronger way than before. "Maybe you're right," she finally conceded, knowing that she would have ample time to discern his affections over the next couple of days.

Ginny scoffed sarcastically. "Of course I'm right," she told her friend, chucking the pillow back at Hermione. "I'm always right when it comes to my brothers. After all, I told you that they were all idiots, didn't I? And look how that turned out."

The girls' dormitory rang out with their laughter.

The next day began an entire week of studying and tutoring for Fred and Hermione. They walked together from dinner to the library, discussing what they should study in low tones. Hermione couldn't help but revel in the fact that every time Fred spoke to her, he would lean his head close to hers, his breath teasing her ear.

Fred, who was usually a master at Charms, had no problem catching up, and most of their time in the library was unconsciously spent talking. Then, Fred would lean closer, and Hermione would realize that they had wasted some of their valuable time on pleasantries, and would direct their attention back to the material.

After talking Fred through an assignment, Hermione would often pull out her own schoolwork, missing the soft gazes Fred sent her way when he looked up. Several times, she caught her eyes rising to peek at him over the top of a book, only to find him already looking at her. "Alright?" she would ask each time, wondering if some problem had given him trouble.

Each time, Fred would nod and look slightly embarrassed, but not ashamed. "Yup," he would tell her. "Just thinking." And then he would dip his quill into his inkwell and would continue on about his work until he felt that it was safe to turn his gaze on her again.

One time, as Hermione looked up, she caught something in Fred's gaze before he could wipe it off his face that she did not truly understand: affection. With a slight blush, Hermione looked down at her book. In that moment, she knew what she would ask Fred for in return.

Their last night together in the library was the day before a large Charms test. Fred and Hermione sat curled up in chairs, neither making any move towards the books stacked on the table. They both knew that Fred knew the material inside and out, and had only needed a little bit of help getting caught up. "I want to thank you for everything you've done for me," Fred told her seriously.

Hermione waved aside his praise. "It was nothing," she insisted, striving for humility. "You did all the work, really. I just prodded you along and denied you all the rests you wanted in between."

Her teasing tone made him laugh and he nodded. "Yes, that you did." Then, his gaze turned serious once again. "So, I'm sure you've thought about it. What can I do for you in return?"

Hermione wanted to refuse, to say that she had helped him and tutored him all because she loved him, but Ginny had warned her that Fred's pride could not take such a double blow, and had advised Hermione to come up with something small. That was when Hermione had come up with her idea. However, now that he was asking her about her wish, she found that she couldn't voice it. "I'd like to wait until I see that you've passed the test before I collect. That way it won't be unfair."

Fred protested, "But you've given so much of your time to me. It doesn't matter if I pass or not."

Hermione tossed her hair back impatiently, trying to cover up her fraying nerves. "Don't let him push me into telling him the truth," she thought, silently pleading with him not to be too stubborn about this. "Of course it matters," she told him, her tone indicating that her answer was the most uncomplicated idea in the world. "When you pass that test, I'll collect, and not a moment before." She placed her arms over her chest, putting her best stubborn face on, outthrust chin and all, in the hope that he wouldn't argue.

"Fine," Fred said with a detached sigh, no longer listening as he glanced back at the table unconsciously.

Hermione leaned over and placed a gentle hand on his arm, shocking them both with the brush of contact. "You'll be fine," she assured him. "Don't worry about it. It was a onetime fluke. It doesn't mean that you're suddenly no good at Charms just because you got a bad grade. You know this stuff inside and out. Now, what you need to do is to go and get some rest."

Fred nodded. "You're right," he said resignedly. Standing, he offered her his hand and helped her up. He hadn't realized that his action would bring her body so close to his, and he felt himself swallowing heavily as he looked down at her. He watched as her eyes widened for a moment, and then grew a shade darker. What it might mean (he had the faintest, hopeful idea) but he knew that he had to get away from her before he did something she might later regret him doing, like kissing her senseless.

"Um," she said, trying to fill the gaping chasm of silence.

Her voice brought him back to the present and he dropped her hand, stepping away from her slightly. "Goodnight," was all he trusted himself to say.

Hermione nodded, smoothing her skirt with slightly trembling hands. "Yes, goodnight," she answered, stepping towards that table and gathering all her books. "See you tomorrow."

They parted ways outside the library, not wanting to walk with each other to the dorms. They both knew that the walk could turn out to be rather awkward, so instead, Hermione slipped into the kitchens and Fred headed out to the quidditch pitch. An hour later, they managed to miss each other as they headed back to their dorm. Neither slept very well.

Hermione was nervous. She hadn't seen Fred all day since she hadn't gone down to breakfast and he hadn't shown up for lunch, so she had no idea how the day had gone. She saw George in the hallway as she exited the Great Hall and ran up to him. "George, have you seen Fred? Is he alright?"

George just shrugged. "Sorry, Hermione, but I haven't seen him since Charms."

Hermione bit her lip and left him, nodding. Had things in Charms gone that badly? What if she hadn't taught him enough? What if he was somehow unprepared? What if-

"Hermione!" someone called.

Hermione whirled around and found Fred running up to her. "Fred!" she called. She was going to say that she'd been worried about him, hadn't seen him all day, etc. but he picked her up and swung her around before she could say another word.

"I did it," he told her gleefully, setting her down as he panted out the words, slightly out of breath. "Flitwick told me that I passed."

She laughed and hugged him, not thinking clearly about what she was doing. When she pulled away, however, he didn't appear to mind, so she took that as a good sign. "Congratulations!" she told him. "See, I told you that you could do it!"

Fred nodded and took her hand with a small smile, tugging her along with him. Hermione had no idea where he was leading her, but she dutifully followed along, trying not to analyze the moment like she usually did. He ended up leading her out to the lake, motioning for her to sit in the sand next to him. "So," he finally said. "I have you all to myself now." He winked at her to show her that he had nothing nefarious planned, and then asked seriously, "What are you going to ask me for?"

Hermione's face paled and then reddened as Fred asked his question. She glared down at the sand, wishing that it would open up and swallow her immediately. When suddenly presented with the moment, Hermione found herself mortified by what she had come up with. "I-I," she stuttered, blushing an even deeper shade of red.

Fred, sensing her discomfort, leaned forward and used his hand to gently lift her face to his. "Please tell me," he said softly, earnestly.

With him being so close to her and so completely in earnest, Hermione couldn't help but give in. "I just want one kiss," she said softly.

Fred sat, stunned for a moment, but then his smile grew wide and he leaned very slowly towards her, the hand on her chin bringing her small face closer to him. He kissed her softly, sweetly, deeply, passionately. They ended up sliding sideways in the sand, never breaking their kiss, and Fred's hands found Hermione's tresses and the back of her neck. They stayed that way for a long time. They broke the kiss only when Hermione turned her head to the side, her mind telling her that her lungs no longer had any oxygen in them.

From his elevated position above her, Fred smiled down at Hermione. "For some reason," he said, the familiar teasing tone in his eyes, "it seems to me that that doesn't quite cut it. Perhaps one more?"

Hermione smiled brightly at him. He liked her just as much as she liked him! Shoot, Ginny had been right. She smiled back up at him and then nodded. "Maybe, or maybe two?"

Fred frowned. "Mm, no. How about three and date?"

Hermione could tell that they were both enjoying where this bargaining was heading. "How about three, a date, and we continue to study together?" If they continued to study together, not only would they be able to spend time with each other, but Fred might need more help and would then be indebted to her again. And by the look on his face, Fred knew exactly where her thoughts were heading.

He nodded, his eyes sparkling as he leaned down to meet Hermione in a searing kiss. "Deal."

A/N: And there it is! Hope you enjoyed this. It came to me rather out of the blue. Please review!! That means so much to me!! :D