Be Mione
Disclaimer: I do not own these characters no matter how much I wish it were so.
A/N Just so you know, this is set post-DH and the only real change that I made is that Fred survived the final battle. Fred dying was just wrong, so I refuse to believe it and you can't make me! Buawhahahah!
This story was written for the Twin Exchange Feb. Challenge
Also, sorry if this is long for the challenge. It's my first challenge and also my very first HP fanfic. Writing this made me realize that I don't know how to write a simple story. That said, I hope you enjoy!
Theme: Valentine's Day
Pairing: Fred or George/Hermione, Blaise/Hermione, Cormac/Romilda
Prompt: Amortentia, Serenade, Handkerchief
Quotes: "I ran out of time," / "How am I supposed to explain this?" / "Well, I never thought to put that there…"
Hermione hated Valentine's Day. It's true that back during her Hogwarts days, she might have looked forward to it once or twice but that was a long time ago. A lifetime ago. Ok, so maybe I'm being a teeny bit melodramatic, Hermione thought to herself suppressing the urge to sigh aloud. It was just hard not to be depressed on what was supposed to be the most romantic day of the year, when here she was alone at the office working late while everyone else was out on a date.
They should rename it 'Ostracise-a-Single-Person Day.' At least that would be more accurate, she thought wryly. The only reason she was working at all was to have an excuse to give Harry and Ginny when they inevitably tried to set her up on yet another horrible blind date. They had been so ridiculously happy together in the three years after the war that they just couldn't understand why she wasn't. She knew they meant well, but after her relationship with Ron fell apart last year, she couldn't just pretend like nothing happened.
She and Ron were still friends, but things had gotten awkward. After they broke up he started shagging anything in a skirt. She thought he was dating Alicia Spinnet at the moment but his girlfriends changed on a weekly basis these days. She really didn't begrudge Ron for doing this, but it still hurt to see him with them. He never cheated on her while they were together or anything, but they were so explosive as a couple that their early passion just couldn't sustain itself in the long run, Hermione mused.
Just then she heard someone loudly clearing their throat. Hermione whirled around to see Ginny's very annoyed head staring at her from the fire place, surrounded in green flames.
"Oh, uh hi Ginny."
"Hermione, why aren't you coming to Gillywillow's Undersea Restaurant with the rest of us? Do you know how many months in advance Harry had to call to get a table there for 10 people?"
"Didn't you get my owl?" Hermione said in a small voice.
"Yes, but there is no way I'm going to let one of my best friends stay home working on Valentine's day. You have to come out with us. Please. For me and Harry."
"That's not fair Ginny. You know how important it is that I file these petitions for Goblin rights. If I can swing the ministry to grant them equal status as magic practitioners, then it opens up whole new doors for all magical creatures."
"Yes, yes, I know all that," Ginny said dismissively. "But you've been buried in work for the past year. Surely you can take one night off to be with your friends."
Hermione took a deep breath and pinched the bridge of her nose. Ginny was one of the most stubborn people that she knew, and considering the people that Hermione knew, that was saying something.
"Ginny, I know you mean well, but you will be wrapped up with Harry all night, and Ron will be busy with whoever he is with. I don't want to tag along only to be left alone all night while you guys are off with your dates."
"Oh well if that's all you're worried about then you have to come. I found you the perfect date."
Dammit, I knew it was a trap, Hermione thought. She took another deep breath and exhaled sharply, willing herself to calm down before she spoke.
"Ginny, I've tried to tell you before, I do not want to be set up."
"But he's perfect for you. He's smart, good looking, he has money and to top it all off, he had a crush on you back at Hogwarts."
Hermione rolled her eyes, but despite her foreboding, her curiosity got the better of her.
"All right Ginny, I'll bite. Who is this wonderful mystery guy you've set me up with? And it better not be Seamus, because for the last time, I do not see him as anything more than a friend."
"It's not Seamus and don't get all huffy with me about that. I just thought you two might hit it off. How would I know that he was such a terrible dancer?"
"When he tried to do the worm, it was one of the most embarrassing moments of my life. I practically had to be levitated out of there because he bruised my feet so badly from stepping on them."
"Ok, I get the point. Anyway you'll like this guy much better and I have it on good authority that he can dance quite well."
"So who is it already?" Hermione snapped.
"If you're going to be like that about it, I won't tell you."
"Ginny," Hermione said gritting her teeth, "Either tell me or go away because I have work to do."
"Fine then. You're no fun. It's Blaise Zabini!" Ginny said and stared at her expectantly.
"Zabini! Ginny how could you set me up with a Slytherin!" Hermione shouted incredulously.
"Hermione, you're the one who's always telling me to get over our prejudices from before the war. I ran into him the other day and he asked about you. Come on, it's not like he's Malfoy or something."
"Close enough," Hermione thundered. "He might not have been a Death Eater but he's still an egotistical, racist bastard!"
"Don't bring the circumstances of his birth into this!"
"I'm not going!"
"I promised you'd come. How am I supposed to explain this? 'Oh, I'm sorry Blaise, but Hermione would rather stay home reading the dullest legal parchments on Valentine's Day than go out with you!' Now there's a real ego booster."
Hermione snorted. "Not like he needs one."
"Listen to me Hermione Granger," Ginny screamed, sounding uncannily like Mrs. Weasley. "I have had it with you moping around. You convinced me that you were better off not dating Ron and that you guys could still be friends but that's not what happened. Now you hide in your work and you avoid all of your old friends, including me and Harry. Every time I try to get you to come out with us you come up with some excuse and on the rare occasion you do show up at all, you are sullen and depressed and you complain the whole time. I've tried to be patient with you. We all have. I gave you over a year and now it's time for you to get over yourself. I swear if you don't come tonight I will never speak to you again!"
Hermione's mouth opened in shock at Ginny's tirade. "Ginny, I..." Hermione said, trying to apologise, but Ginny was already gone and the fire had returned to normal. Hermione rapidly blinked back tears, but not before one or two escaped and rolled down her cheeks.
How do I get myself into these situations, Hermione thought to herself as she walked up the short flight of stairs to Harry and Ginny's flat. After Ginny's ultimatum, Hermione decided that she really couldn't afford to lose any more friends, and if it was so important to Ginny that she went, she'd go. Hermione decided that she could put up with another bad date for a few hours if it would make her friends happy, so she grabbed the first dress she saw in her closet, threw her hair up in a messy bun, quickly put on some black sandals with a low heel and some pale pink lipstick and aparated out.
Harry answered the door and smiled brightly when he saw her. "Hermione, I'm surprised to see you. I thought you said you couldn't make it."
"Well, I didn't think I'd be able to come but I managed to finish my work a bit early and I thought I might as well pop over since you already made the reservations and everything."
"Uh huh," Harry said raising an eyebrow. "And I suppose it has nothing to do with Ginny flooing you earlier?"
Hermione smoothed an imaginary wrinkle out of her dress before she met Harry's eyes. "Oh, she told you about that did she? Um, did she say anything else?"
"No nothing much. She just said that she tried to convince you to come with us but that she didn't think you'd come. She'll be so happy you're here." Harry threw his arm around Hermione and drew her into the flat. She hadn't been there since they first moved in a few months ago.
There was a long hallway covered in portraits of various friends and family members. She passed an old photo of herself, Ron and Harry with the Gryffindor House Cup from their first year. She stopped by a recent one of Harry, Teddy and Ginny. The baby squirmed happily in Harry's arms as he looked at the child with a bemused expression. Ginny meanwhile, was looking down at something on her right hand. Hermione reached out her fingers to touch it and gave Harry a speculative look. She was going to ask about it but she changed her mind and instead asked, "Harry, when was this taken?"
"Oh about a week ago. He's getting so big."
"Yeah, I can see that. I thought he was being raised by Andromeda."
"Oh he is, but he stays over here a lot."
Ginny threw open the door from the bedroom at the end of the hall and came quickly out of the room while trying to put on an earring. She shouted, "Harry, who's here? I heard voices..." She was wearing a dark blue, floor-length satin dress and in her hurry to get out of the room, she stepped on the dress, tripped and yelled, "Bollocks," before looking up and seeing Hermione.
"Oh Hermione, I'm so glad you came." Ginny pulled Hermione into a tight hug. "Just give me two minutes and we'll portkey over. We are meeting everybody else there. Blaise said that he had his own way of getting there and Ron and his date are going with the twins. Anyway I really have to finish getting ready so we can get there by 8. Hermione, come help me zip up this dress."
When they got to Gillywillow's the first thing that they were aware of was a snooty French voice saying, "Welcome to Gillywillow's Restaurant located in the Mediterranean Sea. If you feel nauseated after your trip, there are bins for that sort of thing directly in front of you."
Hermione could almost hear him wrinkling his nose in distaste.
"I am Quénton and I will be your garçon de café, this evening. When the room stops spinning please proceed to the main dining room through the gold doors. Merci beaucoup."
Hermione was the first to recover from the vertigo that often accompanies magical travel across long distances. She slowly looked up and fought off another wave of dizziness as she realised that she was seeing the view from beneath the Mediterranean Sea. She gasped in wonder as she saw two merfolk racing by with two small harbour porpoises meanwhile a Loggerhead sea turtle was perusing a patch of red sea weed only a few metres from them. Hermione felt like she could reach out and touch the ocean.
She took a moment to study the magical barrier between herself and the open waters before her. It was basically a charm very similar to a bubble head charm but done on a massive scale. She took a second to swallow a lump in her throat that appeared when she realised just how far they were from the surface. Don't worry, She thought. The magic is perfectly safe. Nothing to fret over. She exhaled a shaky breath.
"Are you ready to go in?" Harry asked, bringing her out of her reverie. "Hey are you alright? You don't look so good."
"Hmm, oh I'm fine Harry. Just a bit dizzy from the trip is all. Lets go in."
"Yeah Harry, stop being such a mother hen," Ginny said.
"I am not a mother hen!" Harry said indignantly. "And even if I am you're the one who agreed to mmph."
Ginny quickly covered his mouth with hers. "Shh," Ginny whispered in Harry's ear. "We want to announce it to everyone together, remember."
"Right, sorry," Harry whispered back.
Hermione ignored their whole exchange. She was too busy absorbing the majesty of her surroundings. The floor was pure gold, lightly etched with waves. The room was huge and had only three sides. The ceiling and the wall directly in front of them were open to the ocean. Off to the left was a giant conch shell rising out of the floor, with a band inside and a large dance floor. On the right was a giant mural of the ocean, and it was only slightly less realistic than the view outside. Ambient light was provided by glowing silver bubbles floating around the room, making the restaurant seem even more surreal.
"Wow," Hermione said, her voice filled with awe.
"Yeah," Harry mumbled, swallowing loudly.
"Reservation s'il vous plaît," said a pretty French witch. She had shoulder-length blond hair puled into a low ponytail and wore a simple black and white serving outfit. She might have even been beautiful, but the effect was rather spoiled by her utterly bored expression and her seeming inability to gaze anywhere else but her fingernails.
"Oh erm. Harry Potter," Harry said in an uncomfortable voice. His fame had only grown after the war, but he had never really become accustomed to it.
The witch's eyes immediately flicked up to where his scar was covered by his long hair. Her manners immediately changed.
"So you are the famous 'arry Potter," she said flirtatiously.
"Umm yeah," Harry said awkwardly. He absentmindedly scratched the back of his head with one hand while Ginny held the other in a vice-like grip.
"Yes," Ginny said tightly. "Excuse me but my boyfriend and I are in a hurry to meet up with our friends so please take us to our table now."
The witch's expression soured instantly as she glanced at Ginny and Hermione, who took hold of Harry's other arm. Hermione fought down a chuckle. She knew that it didn't pay to insult people in the food preparation industry, even if they deserved it.
"Right this way Monsiuer Potter and friends." The witch said the word friend like it was something particularly nasty that she had scraped off her shoe. "Your other guests have already arrived."
She led them to a large oval-shaped table close to the dance floor. The table cloth was white with a slightly pink sheen to it and it was decorated with two golden double-pronged candle sticks. The candles were white and looked perfectly ordinary, except that the flames burned a faint pink. For a centrepiece, there was a small fish bowl with brightly coloured sea anemones and some gilly weed inside.
George was sitting with his arm around his date, Angelina Johnson but he was busy waggling his eyebrows at Fred who was sitting on the other side of Angelina with his date, Luna Lovegood, who was staring fastidiously out into the sea. Next to her, sat Ron with a very giddy Hannah Abbott sitting on his lap. Beside them were a few open chairs, presumably for herself, Harry, Ginny and Blaise. He hadn't gotten there yet.
Hermione stopped walking for a second. She was disappointed. She hadn't expected the date to go well, but after all the trouble she went to, she didn't want to be stood up. She repressed a sigh and started forward again, slightly behind Harry and Ginny.
Fred was the first to notice them. "Oy, Harry, Ginny what's this? Arriving late for your own party?"
Harry shrugged apologetically and glanced over at Ginny.
"What?," she cried defensively. "A girl's got to look her best."
Ron snorted and said, "If that's your best I feel sorry for Harry."
"Shut up!"
"Yeah Gin," George piped in. "You should try using our new concealer from WWW."
"Oh, no. Last time I tried your concealer, my face disappeared for two days."
"Oh we've improved it loads since then," Fred said. "Now only your skin disappears!"
"Ewwe!"
"To your separate corners please," Hermione said, stepping forward. "We can continue with the witty banter once everyone has ordered."
"Oh my God! Look George! It's her!" Fred yelled clapping his hands to his face in mock surprise.
"No, it can't be," George said in mock disbelief. "Lets get out our chocolate frog cards to make sure."
"It is her! The Hermione Granger! Catch me George I may swoon!" Fred said pretending to faint into George's arms.
Hermione turned bright red but the rest of the table had burst into laughter, except Luna who looked confused. "Psst," she whispered to Ron and Hannah. "They must have very poor memories if they don't know who Hermione is. Do you think wrackspurts could have gotten to them?"
Unfortunately, Ron happened to take a sip of his champaign and he nearly choked, so he was unable to answer.
"Er, no. I don't believe so," Hannah responded, sounding just a tad unsure of the question. She had never been around Luna much outside of the DA meetings.
"Ok guys, enough already," Hermione said to Fred and George. "Sorry if I haven't been around much lately. I've just been busy with work."
"It's ok. We just miss you Mione," Fred said.
"Aww, I didn't know you cared," she said sarcastically.
"Yeah," George said. "Now we have the perfect victim, I mean test subject for our new hair product: Wrangler's Detangler. It braids your hair into lariats!"
"No thanks," she said vehemently and took a few steps backwards until she bumped into someone.
"Oh, I'm terribly sorry. I..." Hermione trailed off because she had turned around and looked at who she had bumped into. She was staring into the chocolate-brown eyes of Blaise Zabini, and he was much handsomer than he had been back at Hogwarts. Oh, he had always been quite good-looking, but the last three years had been especially kind to him. He had grown a few inches taller and he had filled out some too, making him look incredibly masculine.
"Don't worry about it Hermione," He said smiling. The effect was devastating and Hermione's knees suddenly felt weak. "I was just looking for you, but it seems you found me first." He pulled out the red handkerchief from his lapel and transfigured it into a blooming red rose. He handed it to Hermione and said, "Happy Valentine's Day and may I say you look stunning. Green is certainly your colour."
She looked down at herself. It was true, the dress she had pulled so hastily out of the closet was a particularly vibrant shade of jade green. It wasn't exactly Slytherin green, but still...
She was just about to say thank you when Fred practically growled, "Nice trick Zabini. Did you bring hankies for everyone else?"
At first Blaise's brow wrinkled in indignation, but he covered it quickly with a smile and said, "Well, I was going to bring tissues for all of you, but I ran out of time."
Everyone at the table laughed, even Luna, but Hermione thought Fred's sounded a little forced. She also noticed that both George and Ron give Fred strange looks and she wondered briefly if they knew something about Fred that she didn't, but the thought quickly went out of her mind when she noticed Blaise smiling at her.
"Would you like to sit down," he said pulling out the chair next to George.
"Oh er, yes. Thank you, and um thanks for the flower too," Hermione said, feeling flustered. Oh Merlin, She thought. I sound like a silly school girl. Get a grip Hermione.
"It was nothing at all," Blaise said smiling with his mouth closed. Of course this allowed the ever-observant Hermione to notice just how full and kissable his lips looked.
The evening was going well. Blaise was being the perfect gentleman. He was witty, charming, attentive, handsome... Ok, she admitted to herself, maybe a bit more than handsome. In short he was being a perfect date.
Hermione would have said the date was going along fabulously if Fred hadn't kept shooting Blaise dark looks and looking away every time she met his eyes. It was starting to irk her. She couldn't figure out what his problem was. True, Blaise was a Slytherin, but he wasn't a Death Eater. In fact, he pretty much avoided the war altogether. And as far as she could remember, Fred and Blaise had never even spoken to each other before tonight. She thought the whole situation was very odd.
Hermione was snapped back to the present when Harry stood up and held out his hand for Ginny to come with him. Both of them looked slightly nervous but also elated. Harry held up his champaign glass and tapped it with his fork a few times to get everyone's attention. He cleared his throat and said, "Hi, um, as you all know, I've loved Ginny for some time now..."
"And she's always loved you," George yelled, interrupting Harry.
"Shut it George," Ginny yelled back. "Or I'll tell mum you interrupted our announcement."
"What announcement," Ron said, immediately suspicious. His eyes widened as a realization dawned on him. "Ginny, you're not pregnant are you? Cause if you are..." He finished the sentence by cracking his knuckles threateningly at Harry.
Hermione couldn't stand listening to Ron's stupidity any longer. "Sit down, Ron! She's not pregnant, so let them get on with it." Ron sat down muttering, but he fell silent when he saw Hermione looking at him angrily with her arms crossed.
"Thanks Mione," Harry said. He tugged at his collar a moment and cleared his throat again, but before he could get another word out, Ginny shouted, "We're engaged!" She held up her right hand showing off her beautiful diamond ring.
"Oi mate, Congratulations!" Ron said getting up to give Harry a hug. "Though why you'd want to marry my sister I'll never know."
Ginny just rolled her eyes and said, "I love you too wittle Ronnikins." And Ron turned bright red to the tips of his ear lobes.
"So how long have you guys been engaged?" Angelina asked.
"About two weeks now," Harry answered smiling brightly.
"Ginny, keep a secret for two whole weeks! I don't believe it!" Fred said loudly.
Ginny stuck her tongue at him and said, "I can when it's important. We wanted it to be a surprise."
This time it was Hermione who interrupted everyone by clinking her fork against her glass.
"Ahem, everyone as a close friend of the future bride and groom and the person at this table least likely to make a fool of myself..." She paused to glare at Ron, George and Fred. "I propose a toast. To Harry and Ginny. May you have a long and happy life together."
"And may Harry have infinite patience," Fred whispered loudly.
"I hear that," Ginny said.
When everybody returned to their seats, Blaise put his hand on Hermione's knee and said, "Great toast."
"Thanks," she said, smiling. "I just didn't want Ginny to have to kill one of her brothers."
"Well, it was very sweet of you. And it made me realise something. I have spent most of the evening talking about myself. Now, I'd like to hear a little more about you if you don't mind."
"Not at all," Hermione said. In fact, it was a welcome change. Blaise had monopolised the conversation a bit. Hermione hadn't really minded because he was interesting and it gave her a chance to watch his lips. Still, talking about herself was a welcome turn of affairs. "What would you like to know?"
"Well, let's start with something easy. What do you do for a living?"
"I work for the Ministry in the Magical Creatures Department."
"So do you prevent dragons from being smuggled in as house pets or something?" he said, recalling the incident with Hagrid from their first year in school.
"No, not exactly. I work more with the laws concerning magical creature rights."
"That's right. I remember you trying to fight for the rights of House Elves back at Hogwarts. You even created that group. What was it? S.P.U.D.?"
"It's called S.P.E.W."
"Oh that's even worse." Blaise laughed and he didn't notice that Hermione's hands had started gripping her napkin very tightly. "I always thought that was really cute."
"It wasn't meant to be cute," Hermione said quietly. "Magical creatures deserve the same consideration as the rest of us. Right now I'm researching for a case that may grant goblins equality within the wizarding community. It could open doors for all sorts of other intelligent creatures like House Elves..."
"Wait, wait, wait. You mean to tell me that you think that House Elves deserve equality with wizards?" Blaise said incredulously. He noticed the intense look on Hermione's face and softened his tone. "Don't get me wrong. I like House Elves and I certainly don't think that they should be abused, but equal. They are obviously inferior creatures."
"It's attitudes like that that have kept magical creatures in positions as indentured servants and minions throughout history!" Hermione said, her voice shaking in barely repressed anger.
"But that's what they are!" Blaise cried indignantly. He didn't notice that the rest of the table had gone quiet.
Hermione's eyes flashed. "I'll have you know that my friend Dobby, a House Elf, died rescuing me from being tortured by Death Eaters. Don't you dare try to tell me he was inferior." She pushed up from the table quickly. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to powder my nose."
"I think you should leave," Hermione heard Harry say to Blaise.
"Fine who wants to hang out with a bunch of goody-goody Gryffindors anyway. I'm out."
Hermione heard someone calling her name, either Fred or George by their voice, but she continued walking briskly onto the dance floor, towards the bathroom on the other side. She didn't want her friends to see how upset she was.
Hermione was so intent on getting away from her friends behind her that she wasn't paying very much attention to the dancers in front of her. It was only after she crashed into a couple that stepped out in front of her that she really looked around. She was in the middle of the dance floor and there was fog that had somehow manifested on the floor. She started apologising automatically, looking at her shoes while she blinked back the few tears that sprung to her eyes.
"Oh it's ok Hermione. It happens on the dance floor sometimes," a familiar male voice said.
Hermione looked up confused. She hadn't expected to see anyone else that she knew at Gillywillow's. The couple she had accidentally run into were none other than Cormac McLaggen and Romilda Vane. He was smiling so much it made Hermione want to slap him. Then again, that was the effect Cormac usually had on Hermione. "Look we're engaged!" Romilda screamed and shoved her hand in Hermione's face to show off a gaudy diamond ring. Hermione had the feeling she was doing this to everyone who came withing a two metre radius of the happy couple.
What is it with everybody getting engaged all of the sudden, she thought bitterly, but what she said was, "It's... beautiful, Romilda. Congratulations. You two are perfect for each other."
"Oh there you are Mione," George said running up to her. "We were all looking for you."
"Oh were you," she said, but she gave George a desperate look which he immediately understood meant "please rescue me from this awkward situation."
"Well, now that I've found you, may I have this dance?" George said bowing deeply.
Hermione giggled and said, "Of course." The twins always did know how to make her feel better. She turned around to tell Cormac and Romilda goodbye but they were already locked in a passionate embrace, so she let George lead her away from the couple quickly.
A slow song was playing, so she and George began to dance, careful to keep a respectful distance apart.
"That was disgusting!" George said. "I never could stand that McLaggen git."
"Who could?" she said and looked around for everybody else. "Where's Fred and the others?"
"Harry and Ginny are out here dancing under the pretext of looking for you. Fred is dancing with Angelina and Ron is back at the table with Hannah and Luna. He wanted to come look for you too but he didn't want his date to 'feel awkward' or some such nonsense."
"Oh, he must like her."
"I guess so," George said with a shrug. "Does that bother you?"
She noticed he was looking at her very carefully. It threw her for a moment. Why should he care?
"Um, no. I think it'd be good for him to stick to one woman for a while." They danced for a few moments more when she realised something was bothering her. "Wait a minute. You said Fred was dancing with Angelina. Aren't you afraid of leaving your date with her ex-boyfriend?"
"Nah, Fred isn't nearly as good-looking as I am and besides he's in love with someone else."
She was surprised to feel a twinge of jealousy. I don't like Fred that way, do I? she thought. But she covered her jealousy quickly and instead asked, hopefully in a nonchalant tone, "Oh? Is it anyone I know?"
"Oh yes!" George said laughing. "Someone you know quite well."
The way George said it made Hermione suspicious. She thought back to how Fred was acting towards Blaise earlier, and it did make a weird sort of sense.
"Do you mean to tell me that Fred is in love with me?" Her voice squeaked unintentionally when she said "me."
"Oh no, Mione," we said waggling a finger at her. "I didn't mean to tell you anything. You wormed it out of me. Hmm, now that I think about it Fred is dashingly handsome. I'd better go rescue Angelina. Thank you for the dance."
George quickly ran about four metres away to where Fred was dancing with Angelina, dragging Hermione along with him. Wha? Fred loves me? He must be joking, right? Hermione thought while George pulled her across the dance floor. He shouted, "Unhand my date you varlet. Here take this one." and put her hand into Fred's.
Fred actually looked a little nervous as he asked, "Well, would you like to?"
It took a moment for Hermione's brain to get over the shock of seeing Fred Weasley looking nervous. "Hmm." Then she realised what he said, smiled belatedly and said, "Alright."
They started dancing to another slow song. This band really has a thing for ballads tonight, she thought. The silence left Hermione with entirely too much time to wonder about Fred's feelings and her own about him, so she endeavoured to fill the silence.
"So did you know Cormac McLaggen and Romilda Vane are engaged?" she asked
"I saw them making out earlier but I didn't know they were serious. Ugh, does that mean they're going to breed? Imagine those brats."
"I'd really rather not. They probably only got together because nobody else would put up with them."
"Yeah, but you've got to wonder if Vane gave McLaggen chocolates spiked with Amortentia or something," Fred said.
Hermione's eyes widened in surprise. "So you heard about that, huh?" she said, referring to the time Romilda gave Harry chocolates with love potion in them and got Ron instead.
"Yeah, well she did buy the chocolates in our store." When he saw Hermione raise an eyebrow in disapproval, he said hurriedly. "Now don't look at me like that. I didn't know what she was going to use them for when she bought them. I swear! I only found out about the whole Ron thing after it happened."
"Uh huh," Hermione said sceptically, but she smiled despite herself. "Well, if Romilda did give Cormac Amortentia, he probably smelled himself!"
"Ha! How true! Good one Mione!" Fred laughed and started twirling Hermione around the dance floor, totally off-time to the slow tune being played. When they moved close to their table, Hermione saw Luna sitting talking to Ron, Hannah, Harry and Ginny, who had sat back down at this point. She kept turning to look outside the dome every chance she got. It made Hermione wonder...
"Hey Fred," she asked, trying to make is sound casual. "What's going on with you and Luna?"
"Nothing. We're just friends. Why?"
"Well, I was just wondering why you brought her with you tonight." Merlin, she wondered. Do I really sound that catty. What is going on with me tonight? First Blaise now Fred? True Fred isn't as gorgeous as Blaise, but he's cute, sweet and a lot more considerate, even if he is an incorrigible prankster...
Her jealousy must have shown on her face because when she looked up, Fred was smirking at her.
"Well Luna came into the store one day when we weren't particularly busy and we started talking. I happened to mention Ginny was getting us together on Valentine's Day. Luna considers Ginny one of her closest friends, so she seemed a bit miffed that she wasn't invited and then when she heard we were coming here, she started talking about Ashtrays or Ashrays or something. I guess they're nocturnal sea thingies that the Quibbler writes about, so of course she believes in them absolutely. She went on about how she wanted to see them for a full ten minutes! I didn't have anyone to go with so I asked her and here she is. After all, if my fitter-than-fit self were to show up at a swank place like this, I would be mobbed by all the ladies and their dates wouldn't be too happy with me."
"Makes perfect sense," Hermione said laughing. "But why didn't you find a more romantic date? I mean it is Valentine's Day."
"Well ever since I saw Gilderoy Lockhart in pink and those dwarves dressed up as cherubs, I've kinda thought that Valentine's Day was overrated. Besides," Fred said, as the tips of his ears turned red. "The only woman I wanted to be with already had a date... and Luna really, really wanted to come."
"Well that was nice of you."
Fred shrugged. "Yeah, I guess so. When I saw you, you and George looked pretty chummy on the dance floor. What were you guys talking about?"
"Oh you know. This and that," Hermione said, looking anywhere but Fred's eyes.
He smiled and said, "You do know you're absolutely terrible at being evasive right?"
She sighed. "Fine. We were talking about you. Happy now?"
Fred paled and when he spoke, his voice actually quivered a bit. "Wha, what did he say?"
"Um, he said you, uh, had feelings for me... more than friendly feelings... but I figured he was joking. He was just joking, right?"
"Well, Mione, um, what I mean to say is..." Fred said tapping her feet nervously.
"Oh sweet Merlin," Hermione said. "Um, how long have you felt this way."
"Oh I'd say about two years now, give or take. But before you say anything, I don't know how it happened. I just woke up one morning thinking about you and it never really stopped. But you were with my brother, so I figured if I ignored it, it would just go away, but it never did, and then when you guys broke up I thought you needed your space from all of us and I didn't want to push you. But then I saw you here with that arsehole Zabini. He doesn't deserve you, even if you don't want to be with me. I mean..."
"Shut up Fred! I only came here with Blaise because Ginny set me up and we got in a row when I didn't want to go, so here I am... Wait a second, how do I know this isn't some elaborate practical joke at my expense."
"Hermione, do you really think I would do something that cruel to you?" Fred asked, looking hurt.
"Yes!" she said quickly but then reconsidered. "No. I don't know anymore. Blaise seemed nice but he was just a small-minded arrogant git. My instincts are off these days."
"Well, I wouldn't do that. I love you and I'll prove it to you. I know I'll serenade you." He started singing loudly, with no discernible tune. "Oh Her-my-kneeeeee, will you be mine-yyyyy, I'll treat you divinely-yyyyy, because you have a nice heinieeeeee!"
"Oh no!" Hermione said turning beet red as everyone near them turned to stare. She surprised herself by leaping at Fred and kissing him. She rationalised that she was doing it just to shut him up but a small voice in the back of her head whispered sarcastically, Sure, you are. Oh shut up already, she told herself and threw herself into the kiss.
Fred was kissing her back with unbridled enthusiasm. Hermione was surprised yet again by just how much she was enjoying kissing Fred. It just felt right somehow. It wasn't rushed or angry like her kisses with Ron often were, but instead it was teasing and playful, just like the man himself. She broke the kiss after a few moments longer than she meant to.
"Wow," she said breathlessly.
"I knew the serenade would work," Fred said. His exuberance sounded in his voice and he grabbed her and hugged her tightly. As he pulled back slightly, he noticed something sticking out of her hair. He reached up and pulled it gently. "What's this?" he said.
"What's what?" Her hand flew up to her bun and found Fred's hand holding the stick in her hair. "Oh," she said, laughing sheepishly. "That's my wand. I shrunk it slightly to put in my pocket of my robes, but then I realised I wasn't going to be wearing my robes, so I thought I'd use it to keep my hair up."
"Huh, Well, I never thought to put that there…"
"Yeah, well I'm pretty creative sometimes."
"Hmm, I wonder if your creativity extends to the bedroom," he said waggling his eyebrows suggestively.
She rolled her eyes and blushed but smiled despite herself. "Wouldn't you like to know."
"Well, maybe I'll just have to find out for myself," Fred said, pulling Hermione in for another kiss.
~Fin~
A/N: Please review! Pretty please with sprinkles on top! Come on you know you want the sprinkles!
Thanks for reading!