Fred and Hermione | lights on

C3 - The Goblet

The following days Fred and George spent all their energy focusing on a way to get their name into the goblet. Ideas were thrown about but none of them seemed to work out.
       A week had passed and they hadn't got a clue on what to do. Every evening they would sit in the corner of the common room and discuss. One night after a stressful night of revision the golden trio noticed the twins signs of an upcoming fight. George's voice had started to raise and Fred had scratched the back of his hand twice. They were the tell tale signs of a argument heating up between the twins.
     Ron quickly stood and went over to George whilst Hermione and Harry went to Fred. Ron took George to show him something whilst the other two were left to keep Fred from doing something stupid.
         They sat there for fifteen minutes when Ron gave the all clear meaning Harry went to bed. Of course leaving Fred and Hermione all alone.  She took one look at their failed plans and sniggered.
"What?" He demanded, feeling slightly insulted.
"Well you keep forgetting that you need to be a few months older so that's not going to work," she pointed to the description of a potion which with their calculations would make them younger, not older.
    Fred took the parchment and went over the workings. He smiled as he noticed the error. Hermione gave him a tap on the shoulder as she passed him to go to her dormitory. Inside she laughed at the idea of a baby Fred and George running around the place.
                             ****
Hermione was sitting on the benches laid out in the great hall. They were out of the way but gave a perfect view of people putting their names in the cup. She was surrounded by books but looked up every so often to see which student had put their name in. Fleur Delacour, the pretty Veela looking girl, had already placed her name in along with Angelia and Cedrick Digory. Cedrick came in surrounded by his fellow Hufflepuffs. They cheered him on as he stepped through the line and placed in his name.
        Ron and Harry we're apart of the circle surrounding the fire, enviously watching others put their names in.
"Wish I could put my name in," Ron complained loudly.
"Better you than me," Harry joked
          Then there were cheers. People clapped and yelled as Fred and George came in triumphantly. Their hands raised high in order to show people the concoction they had made. They high fived the people on the bench behind her.
"Well lads," One said
"Brewed just this morning," the other boasted. Before Hermione could stop herself she spoke.
"It's not going to work," her voice sounded smug and she knew it. The twins sat. George in front whilst Fred behind. He was so close she was almost sitting on him.
"Oh yes and why's that Granger?" George asked with the same amount of smugness.
"See this?" She asked pointing at the glowing ring surrounding the cup.
"It's an age line, Dumbledore drew it himself,"
"So?" Fred said from behind her causing her to move slightly so she could see him. He placed his hands on her waist. Her breath hitched slightly, so slightly only one person noticed, herself.
  "So, a genius like Dumbledore couldn't possibly be fooled as something as dim witted as an ageing potion,"
"But that's why it's so brilliant..." Fred spoke again.
"To be dim witted," George moved making Fred move his hands. He missed the feeling but he couldn't place why. The touch of Hermione's cardigan was soft and comforting but he chose not to dwell on it. Instead he stood on the bench with George.
"Ready Fred?"
"Ready George!"
The took the lids of the potion.
"Bottoms up," they said together before taking a large swig and jumping in. Nothing had changed so they cheered. The students in the hall clapped and laughed. They put their names in.
"Yeah..." they began before blue flames came flying out and sent them crashing backwards.
   As they lent up they noticed the change in their physical appearance. Their hair were white and beards had sprouted.
"You said..."
"No you said..." they began before they started bawling. Hermione laughed but was cut off.
     The door opened with a loud clang and everyone went silent. Again Vicktor Krum had made an entrance which lead to all eyes upon him. Hermione stared in his direction. The twins had stopped fighting and we're watching along with the others.
      He walked to the Goblet in silence, he walked without fear or encouragement from his friends, almost as if he knew he was going to be chosen. When he placed his name into the blue crackling fire he looked to Hermione and smiled a little. She quickly looked away and tried to ignore his look. Fred knew where he was looking but chose to ignore it. The idea of him liking Hermione in any way shape or form unsettled him in a way he decided not to investigate.
   Krum left as quickly as he came. The chatter started up again and the elderly twins were pulled up by Harry and Ron who, along with Hermione, walked with them to the hospital wing.
     Fred's bone hurt slightly at both the ageing and the force of being thrown to the ground. He sat onto the bed with his brother on the one next to him. Madam Pomfrey gave them a knowing look when she came in. She didn't say anything but just gave them something to drink and put them to bed.
Hermione remained behind. She had no other intention other than telling them "I told you so,"
      She sat beside the Weasleys bed and smiled up at their ridiculous beard. Fred frowned as George looked away knowing what she was going to say.
"Before you say anything Granger I want you to know we are working on skiving snacks and we are not afraid to test them on you," Fred said before she could start.
"How do you know I was going to say anything bad? For all you know I could have commented on how nice George look with a beard," She protested.
"I know you Hermione Granger. And personally I am offended at how you find Georgie more attractive with a beard than me. I am clearly the naturally more good looking twin and adding the beard on top of that I must look like some older god." He joked.
Hermione let out a laugh and she couldn't help but find she agreed with him.
"Well I have certainly grown attached to it," She pulled on the facial hair with one last laugh and then got up to leave.
"But I did tell you so," She shouted, walking out. Fred smiled after her thinking off a way to get back at her but he couldn't think of anything too bad.
George sat up and jumped on Fred's bed. "So what should we do?" His voice sounded strained but that was most likely from age.
"I don't know Feorge. We could turn crookshanks another colour?"
"That's pathetic. Lets give her one of the sweets we're developing. Go on it will be fun." Fred shook his head, uncertain he wanted to do anything in the first place.
"What's wrong Gred? Is it old age that's doing this?" He asked concerned.
"Yeah that's it Georgie. Old age is getting me tired,"
    ****
The next day they were out of the hospital wing back to normal age and without facial hair. As they walked in to the common room they noticed how empty it was. Only the trio and Lee Jordan were in there.
"Where is everyone?" George asked whilst swinging over the arm chair.
"Hogsmead most likely. The other school are going down including Krum and the other years are probably in the hall watching the cup," Lee pipped up.
"Why aren't you down there?"
"Waiting for you guys to get back. Can't believe it. You really are terrible at potions," He threw back.
The other three were sitting on the floor surrounded by books which for Harry and Ron was odd.
"What are you doing Ronnie?" Fred stole the book in his hands and placed it above his head. Ron made no effort to recover it. He knew how pointless it would be to try due to a childhood full of the same thing.
"We're doing homework. Moody is trumping us with work." He sounded glumly.
"He's amazing isn't he. Truly a legend." Ron just looked blankly.
"He was until he put that spider on my head," He muttered. Fred gave the book back and sat next to Hermione instead.
"And you Granger... doing work? I am shocked. I don't think I have ever seen you do a single piece of homework," He said with a gasp. She lifted her book and hit him with it but only gently.
"I am full with work. I have too many lessons. Arithmancy, care of magical beasts and potions to add to Charms, Transfiguration, a history of magic and muggle studies. Last year I could cope but it's just so much."
"I could help?" He replied before being able to stop himself. He said the first thing that was in his head.
"Yeah and I will surely fail. I think I'll take my chances."
     He sighed in relief and left to his dorm with George and Lee in hot pursuit. He stormed in and jumped onto his bed. George and Lee stood above watching him.
     Their eyes strained as if they wanted to know what was running through his mind or to try and check if this was their Fred Weasley.
He closed his eyes but felt them staring as they were trying to burn holes through him.
"What?" he groaned, eyes still closed.
"You offered to help her do work." George said shocked.
"So?"
"So? You offered to help her do work," Fred ignored this and allowed himself to set of into a dreamy daze. He had offered to help her but it wasn't a big deal. She was struggling and they knew how stroppy she could get when she was busy and he didn't want to see her upset. He didn't want her to be troubled. As he thought of this he felt sick at the realization of what Lee and George must be thinking. He didn't agree with the theory but he didn't want them to go around teasing him or her for anything that was not true. Of course he loved Hermione but he had spent years with her as a sister. He loved her as a sister or a friend. He hadn't had time to think of anything more. She was pretty and nice but she wasn't that. He liked Angelia who was hot and Katie Bell.
He opened his eyes and they were sitting, talking in whispers on Georges bed.
"What are you talking about?" He asked concerned.
"Our prank on Hermione," Fred shot up at the idea. He didn't know why but he felt so guilty at the idea of putting more pressure and worry on her but he slouched down remembering he didn't want to make them presume things that weren't true.
"Oh yeah. Any ideas?" He asked staring at the drapes.
"We were going to go with one of the sweets we developed but we're working on it,"
"Why are we so intent on pranking Hermione?" he asked innocently and without tone.
"Because we told her not to say anything and not to mock us and yet she did so we're going to do what we always do,"
   Fred just hummed in understanding but he still couldn't grasp his head around why it was necessary to prank their friend, his friend, his Hermione Granger.