Quit Before You Lose Everything

8. Smolt

September 13th, 2001 7:30 am

Jersey was windy, rainy and not at all welcoming for their West Coast counterparts. Even the lobby attendant sneered last night as Hermione checked them in, tired from the days long bus ride she merely nodded at the attendant and took the handful of keys.

**

But now, after only a few hours sleep. She hadn't been sitting in the breakfast nook long before breakfast was even open, reading a book and sipping a cup of very stale coffee.

"Granger, do you ever sleep?" Fred dropped into a chair in front of her, his chin falling to his hand as he waited for the waffle station to set up.

"I sleep on nights we win." Hermione nodded at him, flipping a page in her book before dog earring the corner and folding it shut. Fred groaned, squeezing his eyes shut as last nights loss to the Badgers had been a rough one.

One to four.

"It's the start of the season, rookies haven't got their wisdom teeth pulled yet." Hermione shrugged, mixing her oatmeal around.

"George blamed himself all night-hardly slept he was watching the tape for so long." Fred shook his head, pulling his chin off his hand. "Had to hide the ipad charger so he wouldn't watch it while he was in bed." Fred rolled his eyes, then heaved himself up to go get in line as the maid put the last of the fruit out.

"Oi-Snooze, you steal my damn shampoo again I'll shove it up you ass!" Draco seethed, walking into the room with his hand pointed in the air at Blaise, who was ducking away from it laughing.

"Curly." Dean nodded at Hermione in passing, before darting in front of Theo to steal the last of the sausage patties.

Hermione shook her head, looking up as Fred slammed back into his seat. A waffle on his plate stacked with a row of bacon, whipped cream and more syrup then she was certain he truly needed.

"Did you at least get something healthy?" Hermione sighed, gazing at his plate.

He was the only one who ever ventured off her diet plans, or at least the only one she ever caught anyway.

Fred huffed, but dug into the pocket of his pajama pants to pull out a banana. He slammed it on the table then pointed at it with an air of gusto that had Hermione giving him a flat stare.

"Boys, did you hear Neville's got a special lady sitting at home?" Oliver grinned, swinging into the room with Neville trailing after him in a matching pajama set, shushing him though he stopped just as quickly as everyone turned to look at him.

"Who-his grammie?" Blaise asked, knocking his shoulder against Draco's as they fell into a booth seat. Matching heaping bowls of oatmeal.

"Nah, she was in my room last night." Fred called, grinning as Oliver ran by him, slapping a hand through his hair.

"Names' Luna Lovegood." Oliver sang, ducking out of Neville's swatting hand.

The poor kid was burning red, but seemed delighted to be apart of the banter so Hermione didn't put an end to it.

George sauntered into the room then, hands stuffed in his pockets and his gaze downcast. She could see the black circles under his eyes, the tension in his shoulders and the anger practically radiating off of him.

"Who've you got waiting at home, huh, Oliver?" Hermione called.

George's gaze snapped over to hers, eyes widened slightly in surprise before he hurried over to the cereal bar. By passing Dean who tried to reach out to him, though Theo murmured something under his breath to him and he dropped his hand just as quickly.