Fred growled in frustration, grabbing onto Hermione's arm. "What did you just say?"

"I told you Fred, I already have a date for the ball, Viktor Krum asked me and since you deemed it just fine to wait till the last minute to ask me I said yes. " Hermione replied, her tone was cold and tense, it made Fred flinch.

"But I didn't know I HAD to ask you Hermione!" He ground out, "I had thought you would realize just like I had that we would be going TOGETHER."

Hermione turned to her, her eyes were sad and her whole body was tense, and Fred could feel the vibrations of her muscles and she forced herself not to lunge at him.

"Yes Fred, but it's also nice to have the boy you like ask you if you'd go." Hermione's eyes were welling with tears and Fred felt like a complete and utter arse.

"Birdie," His voice was soft and her moved his hand down from her bicep to her hand, entwining their fingers together. "I didn't realize,"

"Yes well you should have Fred." She choked out and pulled away from him, moving to sit by Lee who wrapped his arm around her and shot him a filthy look. He knew he'd have to make up for this, he just wasn't quite sure how.

He walked up the stairs to his dorm and lay on his bed, his stomach coiling with stress. He ended up getting and invite from Katie Bell, and accepted it on the pretense that they were just friends and that's all they were ever going to be. The heat of shame and anger continued to grow stronger as the days went by before the ball. Soon it was Christmas Eve and he was in his dress robes, standing beside his brother as they waited for their dates. Katie looked pretty but as soon as Hermione came down the stairs the other girl's existence no longer seemed to matter. Fred stepped forward and grabbed her hand.

"I know I'm not your date and you're still upset with me but save me a dance?" He spoke softly, hoping that he sounded as sincere as he felt. Hermione smiled softly for him and he couldn't stop the grin that stretched his lips.

"Of course Fred, it wouldn't be a ball if you and I didn't have at least one dance." She leaned towards them planting a soft kiss on his cheek, with the gesture finished she made her excuses to leave.

"Oh! You look beautiful birdie!" He called as she reached the Portrait and he grinned widely at the way her body tensed and her neck flushed. She looked over at him and smiled before leaving through the open door.

"Smooth Freddie." George commented and Fred chucked him in the shoulder.

"At least I got a girlfriend." The twin retorted. Fred didn't even notice the annoyed look on his date's face, he was far too busy counting down the time till he could finally have his dance with Hermione. It seemed that Viktor wasn't keen on leaving her alone and while the blokes' attention to Hermione was unnerving he didn't let himself jump to conclusions and be rash. He knew his girl was looking forward to participating in the ball, she was so anxious the previous week. She was a vision though and he knew most people barely recognized the pure beauty in front of them. It wasn't because her hair was straight or that she was wearing a bit of make up, it was the confidence that seemed to radiate from her from. A feeling that didn't often come from her, which made Fred a bit sad that he wasn't the one to bring it out this night but he figured he'd have plenty of chances for it later.

So caught up in his distracted musings he missed the initial blow out between Ron and Hermione, the boy screaming about her being a traitor, but George got his attention and he was at Ron's throat in a flash.

"Ronnie," He sneered, "What gives you the right to speak that way to Birdie?" He didn't catch the slip of his tongue until Hermione gasped and Ron's face turned a horrid shade of maroon.

"What gives me the right?" The younger weasley all but squealed, the anger and tension in his body constricting his vocal cords. "Your little Birdie," He sneered, "Is here with Krum if you hadn't noticed! She's fooling around on you in broad daylight! And He's the competition to boot! What gives her the right to do something like that? She's nothing but a Harlot!"

Fred grabbed the front of Ron's robes and slammed him into the wall, far more roughly than he probably should have. "Listen here Ronnie, what Hermione does is her own business. I knew she was coming here with Krum, it was my fault because I was an idiot and didn't realize that I should have sat her down under our tree and asked her myself to come to this blasted thing!" His jaw clenched and he shook the boy.

"Fred?" He could hear her talking to him but he was still too angry to acknowledge her, worried he may snap at her unintentionally.

"Krum isn't the enemy, he's a bloke in a school competition, this isn't war Ron. And you need to realize that you don't get to dictate what my girl does. I don't even have that right and I've been with her nearing on a year and I'll never have it either, since she has the right and ability to make her own intelligent decisions." He was panting now, his grip loosening slightly as the smaller boy trembled in fear. He gulped in air and began to speak for that last time. "Now here's what will happen Ron, you're going to apologize for insinuating that Hermione is a slag, you're going to apologize for thinking you have the right to dictate our relationship, you're also going to not speak to her for the rest of this bloody night and maybe even holiday."

He shoved the boy forward and watched patiently as he apologized to the girl before running back into the hall. After he was gone Fred stepped forward and knelt in front of Hermione as she stood, he pressed his face into her stomach and took in a shuddering breath.

"Fred?" Her voice was soft and tentative.

"Sorry," He croaked. "Sorry for being a wanker and I'm sorry if I scared you just now."

He sighed softly in content when her fingers carded through his hair, "I forgive you Freddie." Her body slid down his face and he nearly groaned, did she have any idea what she just did?

"I'm sorry too though," He heard her whisper and he gritted his teeth.

"What on earth could you be sorry for?" Fred asked, trying to keep his tone light, not wanting to snap at her for apologizing for nothing.

"Well I could have just told you I wanted you to ask me. I guess I agreed to Krum's request because I thought it'd make you jealous." She whispered her words against his neck and he started to chuckle.

"Mission accomplished little bird." He leaned back and tilted her face up, leaning forward and placing a soft kiss to her mouth. "I was extremely jealous, I just expect for our next date you wear this dress and get all dolled up for me. We'll have our own little ball."

She grinned at him and his heart clenched in need, she was so beautiful and she had absolutely no idea either.

"Deal." She murmured and kissed him, "Now it's been sealed, " She said after they pulled apart. She winked and held his hand as they walked back into the great hall to share a dance, when the song was over he handed her back to Krum, content to let himself have fun now that he knew he'd have Hermione all to himself in just a few nights. No one else would be around vying for her attention then.