saving granger; a theomione

Chapter 7

Third day of school. The muggle saying does go, "the third time is a charm."

It was nearly time for lunch, and Hermione had just finished Herbology with the Ravenclaws. She was walking leisurely towards The Great Hall along with Luna Lovegood. Luna was telling her all about how Neville and her had just gotten engaged.

"Yeah it was so very romantic. He took me to a beach and we had dinner by the water. As time went on, I noticed more and more wrackspurts appearing in his head so I knew he must've been nervous about something. Then he got down on one knee and asked me! I was more happy in that moment then I have been in my entire life," Luna explained happily, in her sing song voice. Hermione was beyond happy for her friends. She was always secretly afraid that Luna would be the one to end up alone. She may be a little strange but she was an amazing person nonetheless, and Neville was a great man for her.

"Congratulations Luna! That's amazing!" The two girls continued to chat lightheartedly until they reached The Great Hall and went their separate ways. Hermione headed over to the Gryffindor table and took her seat next to Ron.

He leaned over and kissed her hard on the lips. Hermione had never been one for PDA, and her face burned scarlet, but didn't dare to object. It was easier to avoid picking fights with him over fickle things. 

"Cover your eyes!" she heard a First Year scream.

"Too much PDA!" another shrieked.

"Stop it! Stop it! Please we're begging you!" The first one shouted.

Ginny was the next to chime in with a, "Yes we're begging you." Her and Harry shared a look of amusement, and the was the next to tease them.  

"Get a room guys, I'm trying to eat over here!"

One of the first year boys started yelling in the direction again. "Listen to The Golden Boy! He knows what he's on about! He defeated The Dark Lord! Take his advice!" he pleaded. Hermione pulled away from Ron and looked in the direction of the First Years, to see a set of identical twin boys with strawberry-blonde hair. Their hands covered their eyes, and mischievous grins were plastered on their adorable faces. Her thoughts immediately turned to Fred and George. She reflexively looked towards Ginny and locked eyes with her, and something inside of them told Hermione her friend was thinking the same thing. Confirming her hypothesis, Ginny's hands flew to her face and she promptly burst into tears.

Harry attempted to console her, pulling her close and stroking her hair. It didn't seem to be helping at all, as she sobbed heavily into his chest as he held her tightly. Hermione, trying to be helpful, made her own attempt to soothe her. "Ginny, it's alright, Freddie's in a better place now. He loves you and I know he's watching from wherever he is right now." 

"Of course I'm watching her!" a voice that was all to familiar taunted behind her, "And he is wondering why his ickle sister will not stop crying like an ickle First Year!" 

Everyone sitting around them seemed to freeze momentarily as they struggled to catch up with reality. Hermione turned slowly around to the face of Fred Weasley, except he wasn't alive, he was a ghost. "Fred!" she cried. She attempted to throw her arms around him. Of course it didn't work, and she shivered violently as the odd chill seemed to touch her bones. 

"Hello lads, what've I missed now?" A mischievous smirk that could only truly belong to him or George grew as he relished in the success of his surprise. Then, when Ginny looked up from Harry's shoulder, she immediately passed out cold. Harry barely managed to catch her as the twins down the table burst into a fit of hysterical laughter.

Professor McGonagall who had been watching the interaction, instructed Harry to take the youngest Weasley to the Hospital Wing. Fred, after chatting with Ron and Hermione for a bit, headed up to check on his sister. It turned out that since Nearly Headless Nick had been allowed to join the Headless Hunt after the war, Fred was the new Ghost of Gryffindor. Hermione was now alone with Ron.