For Mary and the HP Fic Exchange! I hope you like it, although it's probably not quite what you were expecting…
The prompt-
Setting: Hogsmeade, winter. Objects: Peppermint toad, Head Boy badge. Dilemma: Hermione simply cannot find Crookshanks, but soon discovers the half-kneazle has a lover of his own. Rating: Any. Ship: Hermione/any. Time: Hogwarts years.
"Oh, for goodness sake, Ron!" Hermione cried impatiently.
"I'm not going to help you look for that bloody cat, you know what he did to my rat!" Ron replied indignantly without looking up from the game of Exploding Snap he was playing with Harry.
Hermione crossed her arms and narrowed her gaze. "You know perfectly well that Crookshanks had nothing to do with that. You just don't want to go out in the storm!"
"Well, no, I don't. But neither does Harry, do you Harry?"
Hermione and Ron both looked at Harry, waiting for an answer.
Harry avoided their eyes and played another card before sighing. "Can't you solve this without involving me?" he asked, finally looking up.
Hermione stomped her foot in a indignation and let out an exasperated huff as Ron pushed his chair back and exclaimed, "Oi!" Hermione stalked out of the room, wrapping her scarf around her neck as she went.
Harry grinned at Ron. "Erm… your go?"
The road to Hogsmede was nearly empty. A storm had rolled in during the night, winds blowing the already deep snow into drifts up to Hermione's shoulders. She wasn't sure why she had picked Hogsmede as the place Crookshanks might have disappeared to, but at least there'd be warm butterbeer at the end of the road, kneazle or no kneazle.
"Crookshanks!" Hermione called out half-heartedly into the wind. She could hardly hear herself over the howling. She pulled her cloak tighter and headed in the direction of the Three Broomsticks.
The soft glow of the fireplace warmed Hermione, fingertips to toes, and she slowly sipped her butterbeer. As she began to thaw, she grew more worried about Crookshanks. She knew he was a clever animal, but the storm had come on fierce and sudden. What if he'd gotten stuck somewhere? What if he had shelter, but no food? Hermione gazed at the dancing flames, so engrossed in her thoughts that she didn't notice the shadow at her elbow.
"Mind if a join you?"
Hermione jumped slightly and Fred Weasley laughed.
"Didn't mean to surprise you," he said, sitting down and not waiting for a response. He took a Honeydukes bag out of his pocket and began munching on peppermint toads out of his pocket. "Somefing ah your mhind?" he asked, his voice muffled by the candy.
Hermione offered a weak smile. "Crookshanks is missing," she explained. She gestured towards the window with her butterbeer. "I'm worried he's stuck in the storm."
"Oh, I don't think you have to worry about him," Fred replied, leaning back in his chair. "Haven't you read Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them?" he asked with a grin. "Kneazles are prized for their ability to always find their way home. He's probably waiting for you in the common room right now."
"I hope so…" Hermione said anxiously. She looked out at the storm. The snow was falling to thickly she could hardly see to the sidewalk. The wind rattled the window panes, the draft making the fire flicker wildly.
Fred followed her gaze. "I'd love to catch up, but if you don't leave now, you'll be snowed in here and you won't want to get behind on your homework."
Hermione gaped at him slightly before Fred laughed.
"Just because you neglected your course work doesn't mean it's a joke," Hermione retorted haughtily.
"Yes," Fred said as he stood. "And it's turned out very poorly for me, hasn't it?" he asked dryly, thumbing the trim of his dragon leather jacket. But he smiled and turned to Hermione. "I'll walk you back to the castle. The last thing we want if for you and Crookshanks to be lost in the storm."
Hermione tugged her cloak on and fiddled with her gloves. "You don't need to do that, I'm sure I'll be fine."
Fred shook his head, "No, really. I know a different path back, it won't take so long. Besides, mum would kill me if she knew I let you walk back alone in this."
"Alright then," Hermione said uncertainly, suddenly very aware of how wind worn her appearance must be. She tugged her hood around her unruly hair, put off by this revelation. Fred pulled the door open with difficulty and held it for Hermione as she walked through.
"This way," he directed, taking Hermione's elbow. They walked silently for a while, Fred concentrating on the path, and Hermione watching out for paw prints.
"How's business?" Hermione asked after a while, raising her voice to be heard over the wind.
"Oh, fine," Fred answered. "Everything we've developed has sold so well, except for something George and I developed with Lee. Turns out, there's not much of a market for candies that look bad, but taste good. We thought it'd be a good anti-theft bit, you know? But they were too gross, no one would eat them."
Hermione laughed. "Some of what you've developed has been really magnificent work. You have a real head for charms."
"Oh, stop…" Fred drawled, but her smiled, keeping his eyes on the ground. "All these compliments, Hermione, they'll go to my head."
Hermione could feel the pressure of Fred's hand on the crook of her elbow. His grip had tightened suddenly, but lessended almost as soon as she felt it. Perhaps she'd a imagined it? But her query was broken by what she saw slightly off the path.
"Oh! Fred!" Hermioned exclaimed, grabbing his hand and pulling him with her. "Paw prints! They're fresh Crookshanks is out here!"
Fred shook his hand, trying to tug Hermione back in the direction of the castle. "I don't think this is a good idea. If he is out here, he'll find his way back."
Hermione turned back and Fred prepared himself for pleading, but Hermione's brown eyes were narrowed and determined, not wide and pained. "I'm not leaving Crookshanks in this blizzard. You can come with me or go back to Hogsmede."
"What, not threatening to tell my mother?"
Hermione opened her mouth indignantly but Fred cut her off.
"I'm joking, I'm joking. I'll come with you. Let's go." Fred kept his grip on Hermione's hand and walked off the path into the drifts with her. He wasn't letting her go off on her own in this weather. And if he did, it probably would get back to his mum…
Hermione pointed out the tracks. "Is that the way towards the castle?"
Fred nodded. "I think so. But are you sure these are Crookshank's prints?"
"Yes," Hermione said certainly.
"Positive?"
"Yes!" Hermione said, irritated.
Fred held up a hand in a gesture of self-defense. "But there are two sets of prints."
"Oh. I." Hermione tilted her head at the second set of prints. "That's… That's odd."
Fred nodded, but didn't say anything. They walked on for a few meters before the tracks stopped.
"Oh no," Hermione said softly and Fred squeezed her hand.
"Don't worry yet," Fred said, pulling her a few feet further. "Do you see that?"
Directly in front of them was a row of snow-covered hedges.
"Do you think he's in there?" Hermione asked, not waiting for an answer as she let go of Fred's hand and tried to peer past the snow. Hermione received a gentle yowl in response and Crookshank's head appeared out of the bush. "Oh, Crookshanks! You naughty boy!" Hermione exclaimed, holding her arms out. Crookshanks jumped eagerly into them.
As Crookshanks nuzzled Hermione's wind stung cheeks, another head poked out of the bush. A large, wild looking black cat meowed loudly. Crookshanks leapt from Hermione's arms back to the ground and intertwined himself with the other cat.
"Well," Fred said, grinning. "I think Crookshank's has found himself a girlfriend."
Crookshanks and the cat nipped at each other gently, tails lacing together, as if in parting. Crookshanks rubbed against Hermione's legs and started back towards the path. He looked back and waited for Hermione and Fred to follow.
Fred laughed. "See, after all this, he still wants to take you home."
"Maybe I should have listened to you…" Hermione said, starting back to the path.
"Hermione, you're not admitting you were wrong, are you?" Fred asked slowly. He took Hermione's hand in his. "I'm writing this down. I'll never forget it."
"Oh, stop," Hermione said, but she was smiling, glad to have found her cat. "You don't have to walk me back from here, I'm sure Crookshanks will see my back safely."
"I have no doubt," Fred grinned. "But I think I'd like to see you back personally anyway."
"Hmm," was all Hermione said.
"Something wrong?"
"Well, I've… I've been under the impression that you weren't always incredibly fond of me, I suppose," Hermione admitted softly, barely audible over the wind.
Fred stopped walking, but didn't let go of Hermione's hand. "Ah…" he started slowly, looking more uncomfortable than Hermione had ever seen him. "I suppose perhaps I've connected you a bit with someone else in the family at times." His eyes darted down to her Head Girl badge. "But you're… You're really… You're just… Well, I'm… I'm fond of you, alright? Intimidated, perhaps. Sometimes annoyed, sure… But mostly just… Awed, I suppose."
Hermione blushed fiercely, appreciative that it was indiscernible from the pink tint caused by the cold weather. "I don't know what to say," she managed, her tongue feeling a little too big for her mouth.
"That's certainly a first." Fred turned back towards the path, still smiling, but Hermione could see his disappointment. His hand loosened on hers a bit.
They followed Crookshanks through the snow. It was beginning to fall more softly and soon the outline of the castle was visible. Hermione thought it seemed that Fred was walking more slowly as they approached, but she couldn't really be sure that it wasn't her own doing.
They stopped at the doors of the Great Hall. "I had a lovely time," Fred said, letting her hand go. His voice sounded cheery, but forced. "I suppose I'll see you over Christmas hols?"
Hermione nodded and Fred turned to go. She jumped up and down on the balls of her feet, feeling overwhelmed and very small.
"Fred! Wait!" she found herself calling, much to her surprise.
Fred turned quickly and stepped back.
"Oh, I…" Hermione bit her lip and Fred smiled.
"Hermione, don't, really. It's fine, I-"
"You're the only person who's every made me speechless before," she interrupted. "I don't know what that means." She paused and looked at Fred. "I think maybe I'd like to find out."
Fred blinked a few times. "I'd like that."
Hermione smiled, the flush returning to her cheeks and down her neck. "Alright. I'll, um…" How does this work? "I'll owl you. There's another Hogsmede weekend coming up, I don't know if…" she trailed off, but Fred picked up the thread.
"We'll figure it out." He stepped a bit closer and Hermione felt her breath catch in her throat. She looked up, meeting Fre'ds gaze steadily when-
"She's 'ere!" a voice cried in her ear. "She's 'ere by the door!" Filch had flung the door open. He glared at Hermione and Fred, who was suddenly standing a few feet away and looking a little pink himself.
"What're you doin' 'ere, Weasley?" Filch scowled.
Fred ignored him. "I'll see you, Hermione." Just before he turned to go, he leaned in and kissed her cheek. She smiled brilliantly and waved as he started back towards Hogsmede.
She walked past Filch, not saying a word. Crookshanks walked around Hermione's legs, his tail straight up in the air.
"You're not quite smart enough to be able to take credit for this one," Hermione told him, smiling at him. She scooped him up in her arms and nuzzled his soft neck. "But thank you anyway."