More Than That

Chapter 3

"Fuck," Sage cursed as she and Hermione walked into their room, Ginny having left to go shower in her own.

"Well, that didn't work," Hermione stated.

"No shit, Hermione," Sage said.

Instead of getting offended at her friend's pissy attitude, Hermione just chuckled amusedly. "Cheer up, it's not the end of the world. No one even saw you anyway."

Sage sighed and sat down on her bed. "That's not what I'm worried about. I have a feeling I just started something that I shouldn't have gotten myself into."

Hermione opened her mouth to reply in hopes of assuring Sage that she was wrong but didn't have anything to say. She knew that Sage was right. Once you messed with Fred, there was no going back.

She groaned and flopped backward on the mattress, not caring about her sweaty state from practice. "What do I do now?".

Hermione thought for a moment. "I mean, can it really get any worse? He's always messing with you anyways, I doubt he'll do it even more just because of one failed attempt at revenge."

Sage nodded. "I guess."

"Or," Hermione started again, her lips curled into a mischievous smile. "You could keep trying to get back at him. Let me get out the book," she said and reached for the book that they had been reading earlier that afternoon.

"No, 'Mione. I can't beat him at any of that stuff. He's been doing it for too long and he'll always be better than me," Sage said with a defeated smile.

"Then we'll just have to find you your own thing!" Hermoine said and moved to sit next to Sage on her bed. "We'll just have to find something that doesn't use spellwork. Or any kind of magic for that matter. You've really never been quite good at any of it."

Sage sat up from the bed and smacked Hermione on her arm. "So then what am I supposed to do then? I think it's a lost cause. I just want him to find someone else to pick on."

Hermione sighed. "We all know that that's not going to happen. Once Fred has his sights set on something, he doesn't give up".

"So then what should I do? What's his weakness?".

Hermione frowned as she thought, and there was a silence between them as they both racked their brains for something that could be used against Fred. Hermione's eyes soon opened wide with excitement when she remembered something - something that could be used against the obnoxious boy. "You know that Fred likes you, right?". They never really spoke about it, but how could she not know? It was the most obvious thing in the world.

"What? No, he doesn't," Sage scoffed.

Hermione sighed, "Yes he does. Harry, Ron and I talk about it all the time. I can't believe you haven't noticed! I thought we just chose not to speak about it."

" 'Mione, Fred does not have a crush on me. I'm his friend, it's not like that."

Hermione crossed her arms over her chest, giving Sage an unconvinced look. "Then why is he always messing with you?".

Sage rolled her eyes. "It's not like how kindergarteners pick on their crushes at recess; it's more like," she paused for a moment to form her words. "Like he's testing out stuff on me. New magic and whatnot."

Hermione gave her an unamused look that told Sage she was full of shit.

"Plus," Sage started again. "I've seen him flirt with plenty of other girls. Plenty of other girls. I'm even pretty sure he had a thing with Katie last month."