Author's Note: Hello! This is the first time I publish something. English is not my mother tongue, so I hope you don't find too many mistakes and can actually enjoy the story!
Disclaimer: As you all know, I don't own Harry Potter. I'm not JKR.
Sleeping Beauty
Hermione was practically running through the corridors on her way to the Great Hall. She was hoping she could still have breakfast. Her early trip to the library had taken more time than she had imagined. When she turned around the corner to another hall, she spotted three Slytherin students on the far end and slowed down. Oh, no, not them, she thought. Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle were laughing mockingly, looking down at something behind a pillar near one of the windows. As she was getting closer to them, she began to ask:
"Malfoy, what are you…"
But then she saw someone lying on the floor, a boy with red hair and Gryffindor robes. One of the twins. She rushed to him, pushing Malfoy out of the way, and realized which of the twins it was.
"Fred! Fred!" she called, her voice shaky from the shock. He was unconscious and seemed paler than usual, his freckles more noticeable than ever. She touched his wrist to feel the pulse and let out a sound of relief. Then she turned to Malfoy, who was still staring at Fred with a sneering expression. "What did you do to him?"
"Me? I didn't do anything", he replied with a shrug, which made Crabbe and Goyle laugh even more. "I just helped him test one of his products. After all, it's his responsibility to test them before selling them."
Hermione glared at him but chose not to respond. Instead she turned to Fred again, raising a hand to touch his cheek.
"Let's go", Malfoy said to Crabbe and Goyle. "I think Granger wants to be alone with Weasel."
They took off, their laughs echoing through the halls.
I have to take him to Madam Pomfrey, she thought. But I can't carry him by myself.
"Fred!" A voice very similar to Fred's shouted. Hermione looked up and saw George running towards them with a very worried expression. "Hermione, what happened?"
"I-I don't know", she stammered, while he was checking if his brother was breathing. "I think somehow Malfoy tricked him into taking one of your own products".
George groaned, even though his expression relaxed a bit. He said, "It must have been the juice at breakfast. Fred has been so distracted lately that he didn't notice anything strange with it."
Hermione wondered what could have been so powerfully distractive for one of the slyest pranksters at Hogwarts to get pranked.
"We have to take him to the Hospital Wing," she urged, ignoring her curiosity.
"No, we can't do that. Madam Pomfrey will know this is one of our products and will tell McGonagall. If Umbridge gets this information, we might be expelled. And Fred and I have other plans for our exit".
"We have to do something!" Hermione found herself having trouble breathing. George put one hand on her shoulder, trying to comfort her.
"Hey, it's okay. We'll take him to the common room. I'll just have to figure out what product did this and then I'll give him the antidote. Our products are safe, Hermione. He's going to be okay."
Once they were in the common room – they had to take innumerous passageways to get there unnoticed –, George thought it would be better to take Fred to the dormitory, so they carried him upstairs and laid him on his bed.
"You can sit there while I search for our list of products," George said, pointing to Fred's bed and then opening his trunk and beginning to pull out pieces of parchment. Hermione sat on Fred's bed and couldn't help taking his hand in hers.
"He seems so relaxed," she said with a small smile. "Almost as if he was taking a nap".
George stood up suddenly, startling her.
"Of course!" He exclaimed. "Hermione, you're a genius!"
She looked at him with a confused expression and he explained, "A few months ago we invented a potion based on a muggle book we found in dad's shed."
"What book?"
"It had a lot of tales. Our potion was inspired by two of them. Sleeping Beauty and… Snow White? I think that's how it's called."
Hermione let out a laugh. She never thought the Weasley twins would read fairytales. It was too funny.
"Wait, you made Sleeping Draught?" She asked, after composing herself.
"Close," he answered with a mischievous grin. "Sleeping Draught is temporary, as you may well know, and we wanted to add a touch of that true love we see in those tales."
Hermione squinted her eyes in suspicion. Did he mean what she was thinking he meant?
"What did you do?"
George chuckled before saying, "Let's just say we added some lovely ingredients to our potion."
She shook her head with a smile. They mixed ingredients from the Sleeping Draught and the Love Potion, she thought. She could not deny that they were pretty creative. And smart. Although, admittedly, she had already changed her mind about the twins a long time before. Especially about one of them. Ignoring this thought, she cleared her throat and said, "Okay, then. So I'm guessing the antidote is a kiss."
"Not just 'a kiss'!" George exclaimed with a fake offended tone. "Who do you think we are? It's a kiss from the person you love. And I mean 'love' in a romantic way – it won't work with family members. Isn't that perfect for our WonderWitch line? It's a line of products just for witches."
"That's debatable," Hermione said, rolling her eyes. "So what happens if the drinker doesn't love anyone?"
His face fell.
"Well, that's exactly why we aren't selling them yet. We have been trying to make a last-resort-antidote, but it's not been easy."
She could feel her heart beating faster with worry. What if…
"Please, tell me Fred's in love with someone," she blushed when she realized what she had said. She never thought she would ever say those words. But the thought of him lying in bed until they find an antidote – which could never happen – was unbearable.
"As a matter of fact, he is. Do you think I'd be so relaxed if he wasn't?"
Hermione let out a relieved sigh.
"Well," George continued absentmindedly, "he never actually told me, but I know my brother. He has been drooling over this girl since last year. It has been fun to tease him about it."
"Great," she said, rolling her eyes again. She didn't want to hear about Fred's crush that much. "Go find her, then, and let's get this over with."
An amused smile spread across George's face.
"What?" She asked.
"You don't even want to know who the girl is?"
She was caught off guard.
"Why would I? I just want to see Fred awake again."
He nodded, but didn't move.
"What are you waiting for, George? Go find the girl!" She exclaimed with exasperation.
"There's no need for that," he stated, crossing his arms and smiling.
"I don't understand."
"You're the girl, dummy!" He revealed, grinning and shaking his head. "I mean, 'brightest witch of your age'".
Her eyes widened with shock and her heart seemed to do a loop in her chest. No, it couldn't be.
"George, stop joking."
"Hermione, I'm serious. The fact that I had to deal with a moody twin after he found that you already had a date for the Yule Ball is no joke."
Hermione gaped at him. She didn't know what to say. How she wanted that to be true… How she had daydreamed about Fred asking her to the Yule Ball… No. She shook her head. She couldn't think about him in that way again. It was foolish. George was mistaken.
"Hermione, believe me, Fred fancies you," George assured. "And I think you fancy him too."
Hermione blushed profusely.
"I-I don't," she lied.
"Then why are you holding his hand since we entered the dorm?"
Just then she realized she still had her hand in Fred's, and she quickly withdrew it.
"I saw how worried you were a while ago," he continued.
"Of course I was worried! When I saw him on the ground and Malfoy laughing with Crabbe and Goyle, I thought something terrible had happened. Anyone would be worried."
"Sure. Anyway, assuming I believe you – which I don't –, you can still save Fred. You don't have to like him. Sleeping Beauty is focused on the drinker's wishes. So, if you don't believe me when I say he likes you, just kiss him and, if he wakes up, you'll have your proof."
Hermione looked at him in silence, then at Fred. Her expression softened. She was reluctant. She didn't want to get her hopes up. She was afraid of being disappointed. But she had to do it. If there was a chance she could wake him up, she had to try.
"Okay," Hermione accepted, still watching Fred's relaxed expression.
As she was gathering up her courage she remembered George was still there, so she turned to him.
"I don't need an audience for this, George."
He raised his hands in defense and with a knowing smile responded, "Sorry, I didn't realize you needed privacy for kissing someone you don't like".
She rolled her eyes, watching George leave the dorm and close the door behind him. Hermione glanced back at Fred. Although not exactly in that way, she had waited for so long for a moment like that… Since she had caught herself sneaking glances at him, while he was planning something with his twin in the common room. Since she had seen how he smiled when he was excited about something. And the glint in his eyes… She needed to see it again. She needed to see his brown lively eyes again.
Hermione realized she had unconsciously leaned down, so her face was much closer to his. It's now or never, she thought. Gathering all of her courage, she finally closed the gap between them, kissing Fred softly, her heart pounding irregularly. When she pulled away, Hermione stared at him for what it looked like ages, filled with hope. But he didn't move. She turned her head away and closed her eyes. George was wrong after all.
"Hermione…" A hoarse voice called.
"Fred!" She exclaimed, opening her eyes to look at him. She couldn't believe it. He's awake! He's really awake!
"Where am I?" He asked, trying to get to a sitting position. Hermione got up at the same time, suddenly self-conscious about the whole situation. Should she leave and ask George to explain what happened to his twin?
"You're in your dorm," she managed to say. "How do you feel?"
"Sleepy."
She let out a light laugh and nodded, more to herself than to Fred.
"What are you doing in my dorm?"
She opened her mouth, but closed it immediately, unsure of what to say. He just stared at her with a confused expression.
"Um…" she attempted. "I found you unconscious in a corridor, so George and I brought you here."
"Unconscious?" His expression changed to one of alarm. "What happened? I can't… remember anything."
"It looks like Malfoy spilled one of your own potions into your juice."
Fred cursed.
"That ferret. I should punch him."
"I did it once and it felt great, to be honest," Hermione said with a shy smile.
Fred gazed at her with a strange smile and a glint in his eyes. How she loved his eyes…
"You're…" he started, after some time, but then he seemed to realize something and stopped, blushing and looking away. "So… what potion was it?"
She hesitated.
"It was… um… Sleeping Beauty."
"Oh, that explains why I'm sleepy!" he said with a laugh. "So that means George managed to brew an antidote?"
"Well… no," Hermione replied, feeling her face grow hot.
"You did it? You brew the antidote?"
She shook her head.
The boy squinted his eyes in confusion. Then realization seemed to hit him, as his eyes widened and his ears turned red.
"Oh, no!" he exclaimed, covering his face with his hands in embarrassment. Hermione didn't move, but she smiled. She thought she would never live to see one of the Weasley twins embarrassed. Seeing that his embarrassment had something to do with her made her smile even more.
When Fred calmed down a little, he asked, "How did you find out?"
"George. George told me."
He groaned.
"The disadvantage of having a twin is that you can't hide anything from him," he stated, annoyed. "Listen, Hermione. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to drag you into this mess. You weren't even supposed to know about… well, about it. I was expecting for it to go away – although it's been quite some time and it hasn't gone away yet, but anyway I-I… Merlin, I'm rambling now."
He stopped talking when she sat down on his bed again, a lot closer to him this time. She blushed, thinking about what she was about to do. She could tell from Fred's expression that he still felt embarrassed, maybe even more then because she kept quiet.
"I-I'm sorry," he apologized again, his voice almost a whisper.
It was then that Hermione brought her lips to his once again. But it was so different from the first time. She felt him freeze in surprise for a second. And when he started moving his lips against hers, she couldn't help smiling into the kiss. He was awake this time. He was awake and carefully deepening the kiss, bringing one hand to rest on her cheek and another to stroke her curly, untamed hair. Hermione's heart was pounding heavily. Fred liked her. Fred liked her.
When they pulled apart, Fred looked at her in a daze, his hand still cupping her cheek.
"I haven't woken up yet," he said in a low voice. "I'm still dreaming, aren't I?"
"No…" she replied, staring earnestly at his eyes. "You're not dreaming. We are not dreaming."
They kept looking into each other's eyes for a while.
"I like you, Fred Weasley", she finally said, her expression soft.
"You do?" his eyebrows rose with uncertainty.
"Yes. Since… last year."
Fred beamed.
"But… I'm an annoying prankster who's always getting on your nerves."
Hermione laughed, saying, "Well, I'm an annoying prefect who's always getting on your nerves… and apparently you like me back."
His grin went wider, making his eyes crinkle.
"I do. A lot."
They began to kiss again, but Fred suddenly interrupted it.
"Wait," he said with a playful look on his eyes and a raised eyebrow. "Does this mean Malfoy brought us together?"
They both cracked up. The thought was hilarious.
"Wait 'til he finds out he has a flair for matchmaking," Fred continued between laughs.
Hermione put on her best mischievous grin and said, "I've got just the idea."
He stopped laughing and gazed at her expression intently.
"Hermione Granger, you evil woman. What are you planning?"
She just smirked and leaned in for another kiss. She would never get enough of his kisses. Her hand slid to the nape of his neck, her fingers playing with his hair, while he put one arm around her waist, bringing her clos-
They suddenly heard someone coughing loudly and broke apart abruptly. Hermione turned to the source of the noise, her face growing hot as she saw George standing in the doorway with his arms crossed and a smirk on his lips.
"I see our Sleeping Beauty is finally awake," George remarked teasingly, looking at his twin.
"Great, you have eyes!" Fred responded with sarcasm, but grinning just like his twin.
Then George turned to Hermione, saying, "Hey, Granger, I forgot to tell you something about the potion, but honestly I thought you would know, being smart and all."
Hermione rolled her eyes.
"And what might that be?"
"The drinker of the potion only needs one kiss to wake up. And looking at you both, it appears you've been snogging senseless since I left the dorm."
Hermione took one of the pillows from Fred's bed and threw it at George, who laughed and raised an arm to protect himself.
On the next day, on her way to potions class, Hermione heard someone call her.
"Hey, Granger!"
She turned to see Malfoy alongside Crabbe and Goyle, as always, and smiled internally in anticipation.
"So, how's Weasel doing?" He asked with a sneer.
Instead of replying, Hermione grinned, making Malfoy's sneer fade. She moved towards him, watching his expression turn from confusion to fear, and put her arms around his neck in a hug, laughing to herself when she felt him freeze like he had just been hit by the Full Body-Bind Curse. When she pulled away she saw the priceless dumbfounded look on his face and said, "Thank you!", taking off back to the potions class. At the end of the corridor, she could still hear Malfoy asking Crabbe and Goyle, "What's wrong with the mudblood?"