A/N: I have no idea where this one came from. I just sat down one evening and it all came pouring out. Ah, well… keeps me off the streets… It's ridiculous, I know – just humor me.

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Chapter 1: Peek-a-Boo!

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It was a bright, sunny afternoon in August. Fred and George Weasley were sitting at a small table outside Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor, pouring over the inventory list for their joke shop, Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes.

"I reckon we should double the amount of Canary Creams for next week," George said, making a mark on his parchment.

Fred nodded in agreement. "Yeah. And don't forget – Hogwarts students will be buying their supplies soon. We'll need extras of the Skiving Snackboxes too."

George made several more scratches on the parchment then leaned back in his chair, crossing his ankles and placing his hands behind his head. "I'm glad Lee's helping us this summer… gives me a bit more time to relax."

But his twin hadn't heard a word he was saying, for when Fred righted himself to enjoy a bit of his sundae something, or rather someone, caught his eye.

Sitting only a few tables away, with a book in her lap and a dish of ice cream in front of her, sat a very pretty girl with long chestnut hair. Fred could swear she was looking at him when he first noticed her, but now she was looking at her book.

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x0x0x0x0x

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Aralyn Hallows enjoyed reading outside in the sunshine. Having a dish of ice cream in front of her was an added bonus. Shifting her weight, she brought her feet up onto the chair across from her and moved her book from the table to her lap – much more comfortable than being hunched over.

She looked up from her book to take a bite of the ice cream that was quickly melting from the blazing sun when she noticed two ginger-haired men sitting a short distance away. Twins. Very cute twins.

They, like she, were wearing Muggle clothing – something that wasn't common in Diagon Alley. Aralyn liked Muggle clothing, however, and found it much more inviting than long, heavy robes (not to mention cooler when the weather was warm).

She hadn't noticed that she was staring at the twins until one of them looked in her direction. Seeing her, he cocked his head and stared back. Aralyn looked away quickly, forgetting about her ice cream, and returned to her book.

A few moments later, curiosity got the best of her (not to mention that it's rather hard not to look at someone so good-looking), and she glanced in the direction of the guys again.

Oops! Got caught!

The twin was looking back. This time he flashed a grin that made Aralyn blush. She smiled shyly back at him and looked at her book again, trying hard to stay focused on what she was reading.

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x0x0x0x0x

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Fred looked around, wondering if the girl could have been looking at something or someone behind him, only to realize that he and George were sitting next to a wall and a hedge. Nothing interesting about the hedge, and a wall is… well, it's a wall. He turned back to the girl, and a second later she looked up again! Fred flashed her a grin, and to his surprise she smiled back!

Is she blushing? No… it's just the sun…

"Fred," rang George's voice, bringing him back to his senses. "What are you doing? I've been talking to you for five minutes."

Fred turned to his brother. "See that girl over there? The one with the Muggle dress?"

George nodded, looking somewhat confused. "What about her?"

"I think she was looking at me," Fred told him, wrenching his eyes away from the girl and onto his brother.

George shook his head, still staring in her direction. "You've been out in the sun too long." A punch in the arm brought him back to Fred.

"I mean it! I saw her looking at me – or I thought I did – and when I looked again she was looking back," Fred said, grinning.

"Or maybe, " George began, "she saw you looking at her and was wondering if she could consider you dangerous. I would." He grinned at his twin then frowned as he received another punch.

"I'm serious!"

"You're delusional. She reading a book and–"

The girl looked up again, seeing the twins eyeing her, and snapped her head back down, failing to hide an unmistakable grin.

Fred bent low and whispered, "See? I told you she was looking!"

George nodded, mouth open slightly, and then looked his brother over thoroughly.

"George, what are you doing?"

"Checking for stuff… You know – chocolate on the chin, a smudge on your cheek… a bogey on the end of your nose…."

Fred hurriedly grabbed a napkin and wiped his face, truly horrified at the thought of being seen with snot on the end of his nose.

George laughed and shifted in his seat. "She's looking again. Yes… she's definitely looking at you," he murmured.

Fred glanced at the girl. This time, she held his gaze and smiled grandly before focusing her attention on the book in her lap.

"That's it…" he said, standing up and smoothing out his shirt.

George quirked his brow in amusement. "Where are you going?"

"To find out her name…" said his twin with utmost determination. Fred cleared his throat, took a deep breath, and walked purposefully toward the girl.

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x0x0x0x0x

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Aralyn tried hard to focus on her reading, but she soon realized it was hopeless. She had just read the same sentence four times and hadn't taken in a word of it. Hoping to steal another glance at the twins, she looked up. Good. They were busy talking.

Sighing, she looked once again at her book, wondering if there was any hope in actually finishing the chapter. Of course, staring at the cute redhead seated at the corner table was much more appealing, and so she stole another glance. This time though, both men were looking at her so she dropped her gaze.

Damn! She thought, grinning. I really must get better at that. Look at me – I feel like such a child! Here I am playing peek-a-boo with a complete stranger! She sighed again then chuckled to herself. This stranger, after all, is also playing the game. This very cute stranger, mind you…

Resolving only to look one last time, Aralyn lifted her head. Only the brother was looking and quickly turned to say something to him. The twin casually glanced at her, and she decided enough was enough. Aralyn stared back and smiled.

Okay, not too much… Don't want him to think you're psycho. She dropped his gaze and casually looked down at the "prop" in her lap. That is what she decided the book really was – just an excuse to look away.

She heard a chair scrape across the ground and snuck a glance out of the corner of her eye. He's leaving. Just when I was having fun, too. She sighed and focused once again on her book.

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x0x0x0x0x

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Wiping his sweaty palms on his trousers, Fred edged over to the girl with the book. She looked up at him and lifted an eyebrow.

"Hi," he said hesitantly, standing next to her table.

She smiled. "Hi."

"Hi."

Aralyn breathed a small chuckle and set her book on the table.

"Taken?" he said, gesturing toward the chair across from her.

Aralyn pushed the chair away from the table with her feet. "Now…"

Fred grinned and sat down. "Fred."

"Aralyn."

"Pretty."

"Thanks…"

Fred leaned forward in interest. "Veela?"

Aralyn laughed. "Hardly."

"Possible," he said, raising an eyebrow.

She blushed. "Flattered."

"Dating?" Fred asked.

Aralyn shook her head. "Unattached."

"Surprised…"

"You?"

Fred sighed. "Single."

Aralyn smiled. "Intrigued…"

"Dinner?"

"Tonight?"

Fred nodded. "Seven?"

After a moment's hesitation she answered, "Perfect." Aralyn dug through her bag and pulled out a quill and a small piece of parchment. She jotted down her address and handed it to Fred.

George came up to them, staring with his mouth open wide. Fred reached up and pushed George's jaw shut, grinning. Then he turned back to Aralyn.

"George," he said, gesturing toward his brother.

Aralyn reached out a hand. "Aralyn."

George, still staring back and forth between the two of them, shook her hand. Then he turned to his brother. "Leaving."

Fred made a face and looked at Aralyn. "Work."

Aralyn shrugged. "Tonight."

"Seven," Fred reminded her, holding up her address.

"Bye!" she laughed, waving at Fred as George pulled him away.

Fred waved back, grinning.

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x0x0x0x0x

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"How did you do that?" George asked incredulously. He opened the door to their shop and stepped inside.

Fred smiled serenely and followed him inside. "Do what?"

The twins' best friend Lee Jordan looked over in interest. "What? What did you do, Fred?"

George turned around, shaking his head. "You managed to meet a girl and get a date in only twelve words! How did you do that?"

Fred shrugged. He pulled the parchment containing Aralyn's address out of his pocket and looked at it fondly.

Lee ran out from behind the counter. "You did what?"

George shook his head again. "We were at Fortescue's when Fred noticed this girl looking at him. He went over to her table and the next thing I know, he's got a date!"

Lee shook his head. "I don't follow…"

Fred grinned and walked over to a customer who needed help. George stared at him.

"You had to be there, Lee. You just had to be there."

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x0x0x0x0x

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Aralyn made her way back to her flat, threw open the door, and called for her roommate. "Callidora! HEY CALLI!"

A petite blonde came bounding down the stairs, wrapped in a dressing gown, rubbing her wet hair vigorously with a towel. "What's up?"

Aralyn kicked off her sandals and slid into an armchair. "I met a guy…" she said, trying to sound casual.

"You WHAT?" Calli said, dropping her towel, and flopped down on the sofa.

It was not in Aralyn's nature to come home announcing that she had met someone. In fact, Aralyn hadn't dated many guys at all. She wasn't prudish, just careful, and she never agreed to go out on a date with a guy she had just met. That is, of course, until today.

Aralyn giggled. "I met a guy!" she repeated with much more enthusiasm.

Calli raised an eyebrow. "Are you feeling well?"

"Yes," Aralyn answered indignantly.

Her friend just shook her head. "But you never­–"

"I know! I know!" she said, jumping out of the chair and pacing the room. "But… Oh, I don't know… This guy seems different."

"Different? Or creepy?" Calli replied. Aralyn just glared at her. "C'mon, Are, you know I'm only kidding! It's just very… out of character for you."

Aralyn rolled her eyes. "So? Can't I do something differently for a change? And don't call me 'Are!' Sounds like a pirate…"

Calli giggled. "That's 'aarrr,' matey." She barely ducked out of the way as a pillow came flying toward her head. "Alright! I'm sorry! Sorry!"

"Good. You should be." Aralyn sat on the sofa and tucked her feet under her.

Calli turned toward her. "So… what's the story?"

Aralyn smiled and told her friend everything. Calli's eyes got wider and wider as the story went on.

"And you accepted? You actually agreed to go on a date with a guy who only spoke in single-word sentences?" Calli said, letting out a low whistle. "Are you sure he's not just stupid?"

"Calli! No! On the contrary, he seems really witty," Aralyn replied, grinning.

Calli stood, shaking her head, and made her way back up the stairs, muttering, "Witty…" She paused halfway up and yelled, "Well, are you coming or not?"

Aralyn laughed and followed Calli up the stairs.