AN: After finding a surprising lack of Fred/Hermione fics based on their earlier years in school, I decided I'd just go ahead and start writing some. With any luck some oher authors will get inspired to do the same so I can read 'em

Kissed For The First Time

Hermione sits in the common room, for once without a book in her lap as she takes a rare but must needed rest. Up in her room, her bag is packed for the next day, containing all of the homework she completed Friday evening.

Harry and Ron tromp by, waving her a briefly hello as the pass up the dormitory stairs. She waves back and sighs ruefully. They're the only two who bother saying hi.

The twins come down a few minutes later, laughing about something involving poor Professor Sprout. As much as she wants to chastise them, her mind wanders in a different direction she's not proud of. Thoughts of cute boys and freckles should be beneath her, but they're not.

They catch her looking and she turns away, heat rushing to her cheeks, and she hopes they can't tell in the firelight.

She doesn't know if they can, but they join her on the sofa regardless, one on either side of her.

"What a lonely little Gryffindor," quips Fred from her right, closest to the fire.

"Bored of hanging out with our admittedly lame brother and the newly crowned heir of Slytherin?" asks George from her left.

"Suppose we could hang out with her for a bit." Fred again.

"Who wouldn't want to spend time with such popular older classmates?" George.

She looks back and forth between them as they talk, trying not to get dizzy.

"Who are we kidding?" Fred asks.

"Sure she has no interest in talking to us at all," sighs George.

"Bet she can't even tell us apart."

"Sure I can," she says with a grin, happy to finally gain a foothold in the conversation. "You're Fred," she turns to her left, "and you're George."

Turning back to Fred, she smiles broadly, pleased that she has indeed gotten it right. He smiles back at her, his eyes narrowing, and suddenly she realizes. He knows. Oh god, he knows! She tries to dial back her smile and look more casual, but it's already too late. How could she be so stupid? Grinning like an idiot because she could tell them apart. Of course he would notice, and now he can tell. He's seen it. Her stupid little crush exposed to the world.

He looks over her shoulder, raising a brow. "Hey George, didn't you want to ask Ron something?"

"I think I did, didn't I?"

He leaves, the couch cushion rising in the absence of his weight, and Fred focuses on her again. He taps the space in front of him, indicating for her to turn, so she does, sitting cross-legged in an imitation of his pose.

"Have you ever kissed a boy?" he asks, far too casually in her opinion.

So thrown by it, all she can do is shake her head mutely.

"Do you want to kiss me?"

She shrugs her shoulders, hoping to look casual, but at the same time she licks her lips - she can still taste the pie they had with lunch - and they feel dry. She wants to lick them again to make sure they aren't chapped on the off chance that he's not teasing and really does intend to kiss her. She's afraid to though. It'd be a dead giveaway of her interest for sure.

"You can if you want," he says, his tone just slightly different. Enough to notice but not enough to convince her he's serious.

She shrugs again. "I dunno." She's proud of herself for getting the two words out without squeaking, choking or simply dying of embarrassment.

"Can I kiss you then?"

"If you want." Her voice does come out choked then. She swallows subconsciously and licks her lips again. Definitely chapped, but getting better. She bites her bottom lip, sucking on it slightly, because the chances of getting her first kiss have gone up significantly, and she'd rather be embarrassed by having misread his intensions then by a scratchy kiss.

He leans forward and she does the same, their noses bumping because they both have their eyes closed, before his lips press against hers.

They hold the connection for only a moment before pulling back, her cheeks and his ears red with embarrassment. It clashes with his hair but she thinks it may be inappropriate to laugh just then, so she doesn't.

"Oi, Hermione! Can I look at your essay for potions?"

She looks up quickly, wondering how much Ron has seen, and tries to come up with a casual answer he won't question. She almost says yes to appease him so she can return her attention to his brother, but her acquiescence would definitely tip him off and the last thing she needs is him asking questions.

"Just be sure to work in everyone one of the side-effects and I'll look it over later," she tells him.

"Oh, but it'll take me forever to finish," Ron whines.

She's about to chastise him for leaving it to the last minute, but Fred stands and it distracts her.

"I think that's my cue to go." He ruffles her hair on his way past, no doubt adding to the frizz.

"Umm." She stops him for a moment before he can leave. "That was nice," she tells him shyly, barely able to look up at him. He gives her a cocky grin but the blush creeps back into his ears and she begins to realize there's more to Fred Weasley than the confident image everyone sees.

"See you around," he tells her, raising a hand to nudge her jaw playfully. She smiles in earnest and nods, because she hopes it means he may kiss her again. Then Ron calls for her one last time and they go their separate ways.

She hopes it's not for long.

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