AN: Written for the Wand Wood Challenge Prompt: Hazel - Write about an argument.
AN2: My first attempt at this pairing/trio, never thought of pairing them before today, I hope I do them justice.
"It's madness, why can't you see that?" Hermione argued, glaring at the twins.
The three of them had gathered in the room of requirement that looked like a cross between the Gryffindor common room and the library. They would meet there secretly after curfew a few times a week to plan and research. Hermione, like Harry, was a secret partner in Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. Unlike Harry who had provided money for the start-up of the company, Hermione provided knowledge and ideas. The twins were creative on their own, but paired with Hermione they were incredible. It wouldn't seem it from her attitude towards rules and learning, but Hermione was as mischievous as the twins; the skiving snack boxes had been her idea.
"Of course it is mad, but it will work, we just need the perfect time to put the plan in action." Fred grinned, his twin wearing a matching expression.
"And when you get caught? What then? I can't see either of you just going along to her detentions like Harry is." Hermione pressed, trying to get the twins to see reason.
"You're right, we won't. She's not going to get the chance to torture us. We'll make an example of her and then we'll leave." George retorted, sharing a quick look with Fred who nodded to him.
"Things are nearly all done with the shop, there is no point in letting it sit empty." Fred reasoned. "This way everything will be set up in time for the summer holidays."
"Leave? What do you mean leave?" Hermione asked sharply, "This was an argument about you setting off a tonne of pranks all over the castle to annoy Umbridge. How did that turn into you leaving? What about your NEWTs? What about trade within Hogwarts? What about me?"
"We aren't learning anything by being in classes here, we learn better on our own you know this. We'll take the NEWTs at the Ministry next summer." George replied.
Fred was nodding his head fervently, knowing that both Hermione and their mother would kill them if they didn't take their NEWTs. "As for sales here at Hogwarts we'll leave that to Lee, it will give him something to do without him pining for us." Fred joked.
"And me? What about me missing you?" Hermione asked.
"We'll write to you daily through the journals you charmed." George spoke.
"And we'll apparated to Hogsmeade and sneak into the castle for our meetings." Fred continued.
"You'll barely have time to miss us, what with the OWLs coming up and the DA, never mind keeping up with Harry and Ron; you'll have no time to miss us." George finished.
Hermione just glared at them, knowing that this was one argument that she wouldn't win. Their arguments were sound, they didn't learn well at school, they could take the NEWTs independently at the Ministry and they could spend the time getting the shop open for business. It was also a good idea to keep the twins away from Umbridge, it wouldn't be long before they made the woman snap, and she was sure that the punishment they were given would be extreme.
Hermione knew that it would be hard on her, the OWLs were stressing her out as well as all the hassle with Umbridge, a smile from either of the twins could keep her going for the rest of the day. It would be odd not to hear them joking and laughing around in the common room.
At least she would still have their nights in the room of requirement, as long as the twins were successful in sneaking in to the castle undetected. She had no idea what sort of punishment that would be inflicted upon them if they were caught sneaking into Hogwarts as Umbridge and the Ministry would be involved.
"Okay." She conceded, "You have to visit every Hogsmeade visit as well even if it is for a group outing with the others as well."
The twins agreed easily, after all they would miss Hermione just as much as she would miss them. They put talk of their mad scheme on the back burner, their conversation turning towards planning and creation of new products instead. They had managed to coax Hermione into sitting between them when they had finished their discussion and the three of them were snuggled together reading from a book in Hermione's lap. This was one of their regular reading positions, that or the three of them lying on the floor or a bed sprawled all over each other as one of them read aloud to the others.
When Hermione awoke the next morning she was sandwiched between the twins in the bed that the room of requirement had turned their couch into. She lay for a while between the twins just enjoying being in their presence before the alarm she had set on her wand went off. Hermione sighed before beginning to wake the twins so that they could all sneak back into Gryffindor tower. Once they were awake she grabbed the bag she had left by the door the previous evening, kissed each of the twins, the left the room of requirement heading towards the prefects bathroom. She was going to take a nice long soak in the bath before she had to face the day. She didn't know how long she had left with the twins at the school but she was going to make the most of it whilst she could. Even if it meant that she spent less time in the library in favour of the common room, where she would pretend that she didn't find her boyfriends' hijinks amusing.