Just a short little fluff piece I found while sorting through all of my little story pieces. I hope you enjoy it!
Once during fifth year, Hermione came across a curious scene. Fred and George were consoling a young Hufflepuff first year that had just been through his first detention with Umbridge.
The boy had been crying in the corner of a corridor. Dozens of students had passed him, but none of them had bothered to stop, each hurrying past on their own business. But Fred and George had stopped. It amazed her that they immediately were able to pick him out in the hall. They waited until everyone else had left before approaching him. She had been turning the corner when she saw both of them consoling the boy. They joked quietly about Umbridge and assured him that her horrible reign would end soon.
Hermione smiled as she heard him give out a watery laugh among his sniffles. Then she stiffened when she saw Umbridge approach them. The twins automatically stepped in front of the younger student, shielding him. She could barely hear the quiet, terse conversation that followed, but as she saw the vile teacher walking smugly away, she knew that they would be needing more essence of Murtlap.
The twins cheerfully turned to the boy and offered him a few candies, with instructions to eat them next time he needed to get out of one of Umbridges classes. Then they let the now happy boy skip off the the great hall to join his friends.
Hermione smiled at the scene. With all the jokes and pranks that the twins played on others, sometimes it was easy to forget that they were big brothers, and good ones at that. When Fred and George were walking past her hiding spot, she made herself known, stepping out and linking an arm with each of the taller boys.
"Did you see that?" Fred asked, a bit sheepishly.
"Yep," Hermione smiled at him, "sometimes I forget that you guys have such a soft spot for little kids."
George grunted, "we try to keep an image up, and the young, stupid ones do make good victims, but injustice is where we draw the line."
"Sure, sure, just admit it, both of you are just big softies."
"Both boys let out indignant exclamations, but Hermione simply ruffled their hair and the three friends walked down to the great hall for dinner.
-Evan