Hermione and Fred: A Mischievous Secret

Hogsmeade Adventures

Arm in arm the trio trotted into Hogsmeade, on the lookout for Honeydukes. Hermione was practically ravenous for a good butterbeer while twins were looking for Zonkos.

"Why would you even want to look in Zonkos? You guys do know they're competition for you?" Hermione confusedly asked, "Quite frankly, I think your shop produces much better products."

The twins gasped in unison. A stunned look, that Hermione didn't know if it was truly exaggerated or partly genuine, was on the twins' faces.

"You did not just insult Zonkos!" Fred yelled with fake hurt in his voice.

"And you did certainly not just give us a small compliment that may or may not have been on purpose?!" George gasped back with a small grin.

"But seriously 'Mione, Zonkos is what created us, it's what started our business! The least we can do is give them a bit of income!"

"Oh whatever," she rolled her eyes and they continued, now with people staring because the twins had created a scene.

Hermione overheard bits and pieces of conversation while passing by, most of them were people wondering where her other parts were. This was one of the first times she's been out without Harry or Ron, and honestly, it was a bit freeing. She loved them to death, but Fred and George let her be a bit more than just the smart one, especially Fred. It was nice to stroll down the streets without a glare of disapproval from some small minded, Dailey Profit reading wizards or a stuck up pureblood cursing out Harry for spending his time with a 'filthy mudblood'. With the twins, she still may have gotten some ugly looks, but not without one of the brothers shooting daggers right back.

After a bit of aimlessly walking around, they arrived at The Hog's Head for a butter beer. The second Hermione walked in she could smell it and she sighed with absolute content.

"You okay there 'Mione?" Fred smiled with his arm around her shoulder.

"Oh, that smell of butter beer gives me more joy than anything else in this world. Besides Hogwarts: a History, that's a classic."

"I don't think I'll ever get you, Granger," he said with a small chuckle.

They searched for an empty table in the crowded restaurant. There was only one left in the very corner of the room, two chairs on one side and a very small booth. George bolted to the seat side and laid across the chairs.

"What do you think you're doing George?" Hermione asked with hands on her hips.

"Well 'Mione in quite exhausted from driving down here, so I need to lay down and restore my energy for the drive back," George had his hands behind his head and his scarf over his eyes. Hermione was ready to strangle the lanky boy.

"You are most certainly not driving back after the disaster you created earlier and it's stupid-" she yelled before being lightly pushed into the booth by Fred

"It's no use, Hermione, he's already out," Fred said pointing at George who was already snoring. She muttered a few more insults as she slid into the corner of the booth. Fred was squished against her side and his arm once again laid upon her shoulder. Hermione was emotionally and mentally worn from today's events so she rested her head on his shoulder. Fred glanced down ever so slightly to see her, eyes already fluttering. She didn't even think twice about it, she just did it. He was warm and his scent was inviting. It was just so, nice.

"Ahh, it always warms my heart to see a young couple out and about! What can I get you two, oh pardon me, three today?" happily sighed the stout, graying waitress.

"Oh, we-he, I, we're not uh," Hermione jolted up and stuttered out. Over in the corner, a group of Hogwarts students were snickering

"Oh, of course, the filthy little mudblood isn't with anyone! She's too busy being a stuck up prude to be snogging anyone!" Pansy Parkinson cruelly laughed, embarrassing Hermione in front of the entire restaurant. The waitress stood there in embarrassment, confusion, and a bit of hatred towards the group of unruly adolescents.

Hermione glanced up at Fred quickly before turning to Pansy, face red with either humiliation or anger, Fred couldn't tell which. Hermione sat with her mouth open, looking for the right words.

"Cat got your tongue, Granger?" Parkison spat. Right then George woke up. After seeing Pansy, his dumbfounded look turned dark. He looked over at Fred, anger written all over his face. Fred nodded back with the same fury.

Fred knew Hermione wouldn't want him to cause any more chaos, so he brought down his reaction from yelling to something that would leave a bigger impression on the idiotic witch.

"What do you mean she isn't with anyone, Parkinson?" he asked with a fake confusion, "because I'm pretty sure she's been with me the past few months unless you haven't told me something 'Mione?" Fred threw his arm around Hermione and look down to her with a giant smile.

Hermione looked up at Fred then over to George. She moved closer to Fred with a smug look towards Pansy. Pansy's mouth hung open and her eyes dashed back and forth between the two before just plain staring.

"Didn't anyone ever tell you it isn't polite to stare, Parkinson?" Hermione smirked.

"Shoo," George mocking swished his hands towards the mob of dumbstruck teens.

"Hi, sorry for the wait. We'll take three of you finest butterbeers please!" Fred said to the waitress with a genuine Weasley smile.

"Of course dear!"

"Thank you guys for that," she said with genuine gratitude, still very close to Fred.

"If anyone is gonna make fun of you, it's going to be us, certainly not that dim witted moron," George shook his head in disgust at the mention of Pansy and gave Hermione a devilish smile.

"And I was going to do that bit anyway, old women like that going mental over young love and we could get free drinks. Just made it even better to use it on Parkinson, " the other twin smirked back.

A few minutes later the drinks arrived and Hermione beamed with happiness. It made Fred's mood lighten just by looking at her. She was practically a joy giving virus at the moment.

"Easy there, Hermione, you're gonna black out from all this happiness, your body's not used to it!" Fred laughed, a small butterbeer mustache above his top lip. Hermione looked up at him and saw the 'stache and nearly choked.

"Hey, you're one to judge, this is usually you, love!" Fred yelled jokingly at Hermione, pointing to his upper lip.

"I don't think I've ever seen Granger laugh so much!" George said looking at his brother.

"It must be the butterbeer," she joked, looking at the twins but holding Fred's eyes a bit longer.

"Whatever you say," he said back smugly.

Both their hearts were flying. Hermione really hadn't laughed this much in a very long time and the feeling in her stomach and heart just made her feel even better. Fred had never been this relaxed with someone in far too long. The feelings in their chests were like nothing they ever felt before. It was foreign and honestly terrifying, but letting go of reason and breaking down barriers had never been more rewarding. George got a similar feeling but it was different. He'd always wanted Fred to be happy and Hermione to be comfortable with someone. He felt somewhat responsible for what happened today and he was very okay with that. They all felt this way, but never would admit it, at least not now because of pride and all that other stuff. But the important part was that they felt it and those feelings were most definitely there.