Fireworks by WeasleyForMe
When Hermione interrupts a prank, George's temperature goes through the roof! Hermione/George
This was written for the Twin Exchange November Monthly Challenge :)
Prompt: Peeves, Pairing: Hermione/George, Quote: "I remember"
Cackling and causing quite a ruckus, Fred and George traipsed through the Gryffindor common room toward the portrait hole. Their arms were filled with oddly shaped packages, and their faces were full of mirth.
"Where are you both off to at this hour?" Ron asked them, looking up from his game of chess with Harry.
"And what are you carrying?" Harry added, pushing his glasses further up on his nose.
The twins exchanged a secretive look. "Well children, we happen to be going to the library to study," Fred informed them.
Ron snorted, and Harry shook his head and grinned.
"I don't think they believe us!" George exclaimed to his twin.
"We would never tell a fib, Ronnie," Fred told him, false honesty coating his features.
"Right, well while you're in the library, tell Hermione to get back here and help us with our Potions essays," Ron told them, although he knew full well that they weren't heading to the library.
"Hermione's in the library?" George asked suddenly. Harry and Ron both nodded, curious as to why he was interested.
Fred rolled his eyes. "Oh great, now we'll have to stop at the library so he can stare at the Bookworm some more," Fred muttered, adjusting the bulky packages in his arms.
George promptly stomped on Fred's foot and cleared his throat loudly, hoping the others wouldn't hear his twin. It was a secret, after all, that he harbored a crush on the current Gryffindor Prefect.
"Time to go!" George declared, pulling Fred rapidly through the portrait hole and out into the corridor where he glared at Fred. "That is a secret, and you know it!"
"George! I think you broke my toes!" Fred hobbled around, shaking his foot.
"Sorry," George muttered, pulling out his wand and magically fixing Fred's toes.
Fred chuckled and started walking. "Just get over yourself and tell the girl how you feel."
George started to jog along behind him. "And risk the embarrassment and rejection? I think not. Now, where are we headed?" he asked, changing the subject.
Fred thought for a moment as he led the way down a set of stairs before they moved into a new position which would cause them to walk into a wall. "Well, Peeves usually hangs out near the Prefect's bathroom at this time of night. I think we should go set off his birthday fireworks around there."
Fred and George had been waiting all week to celebrate Peeves' birthday in appropriate style. They quite admired the poltergeist; he was the only other troublemaker who matched their talent for mayhem.
"Hey George?" Fred asked, as they quietly made their way past the Transfiguration classroom. "How did you know today was Peeves' birthday?"
"He's been singing a song about it, counting down the days for the past week."
They tiptoed down a narrow hallway, still juggling the packages in their arms.
"Hang on a second, are you sure poltergeists even have birthdays?" Fred asked as they paused in the dimly lit corridor.
"Now that you mention it, I don't know," George told him.
"Oh, who am I kidding…. We don't need an excuse to set off a fireworks display!" Fred happily decided.
"That's the spirit!" And the twins marched on.
When they had reached their destination, the landing outside the Prefects' bathroom, they started to unwrap the bulky fireworks they had lugged around the castle. Almost silently, they worked as one, assembling the whizbangs and lining them up in order. Suddenly, the silence was broken by a terribly loud growl coming from George's stomach.
"Merlin, George, didn't you eat enough for dinner?" Fred whispered.
"Dinner was hours ago," George guffawed as his stomach rumbled again.
Fred looked around to make sure nobody heard them. "We're going to get caught if you keep that up."
"I'm not doing it on purpose," George insisted, lining up the final few fireworks that would spell out Happy Bloody Birthday, Peeves! once the fuse had been lit.
Another loud rumble of hunger, and Fred agitatedly started to dig around in his pockets. "Here, eat this," he told George, handing him a piece of chocolate. "I'm pretty sure that is a plain piece."
"Pretty sure?" George asked, eyes narrowed. "If it's a Puking Pastille, I'll tackle you, I swear."
"It doesn't matter anyway, mate. We have all the cures back in our trunks, remember?" Fred asked with a grin.
"Yes, I remember," George grinned back as he ate the piece of chocolate, grunting his approval of the creamy flavor. Fred was pleased that his twin's stomach was momentarily abated.
While George swallowed the candy, Fred went over the plans. "Ok, once we light the fuse, you run straight down the hallway, and I'll run up the stairs."
George's vigorous nod turned into random head bobbling. "I suddenly don't feel so great."
Fred froze before furiously digging around in his pockets once again.
"I'm burning up over here," George announced, fanning himself with his hand. "Oh bollocks, Fred! You fed me a Fever Fudge! Give me the other half so I can get rid of it!"
"I can't find it," Fred hissed, checking and re-checking each pocket. Out of the corner of his eye, Fred saw Hermione turn down the corridor just as his fingers came into contact with the antidote half of the Fever Fudge. A devilish smile appeared on his face.
"Now, Fred! Hurry up! I feel like a giant boarhound is sitting on my head!" George was flailing his hands in front of his face and bouncing around.
"I'd be happy to give you the antidote, but you'll have to do one small thing for me," Fred informed his twin, conspiratorially.
"Name it," George said, panting and wiping a layer of sweat from his brow.
"You'll have to snog the next girl who walks down the corridor."
"Fine," George conceded. "Now hand it over." He waited with an outstretched palm.
Fred tried not to laugh at George's expense; his poor twin hadn't even seen who was walking toward them. "Oh, would you look at that, George! Here comes Hermione! Hi, Hermione!" Fred called down the hallway, catching the attention of the Prefect.
"Oh bugger," George gasped, dropping his still empty hand back to his side as Hermione rushed toward them.
"If you want the other half, you know what to do," Fred sang with a chuckle.
Once Hermione was close enough to see that they had fireworks covering the floor, she crossed her arms and asked, "What's all this mess about?"
"It's just a birthday present for Peeves," Fred quickly dismissed with a wave of his hand. "More importantly, George has something he wants to ask you."
Hermione turned a bit to face the other, slightly sickly looking twin. "Yes, George?"
Taking a deep breath, George muttered, "Some twin you turned out to be," as he leaned toward Hermione. With an apologetic look, George reached out, took Hermione gently by the shoulders and closed the distance between them.
Hermione almost lost her footing as his lips made contact with hers. He gently and yet persistently kissed her, and Hermione realized she was rather enjoying the feeling. As his fingers started to find their way into her curls, she gasped quietly, allowing George's tongue access to her own.
George made a mental note to thank Fred if he was ever able to take his hands and lips off Hermione; she felt like perfection in his arms. She had her hands wrapped around his neck, pushing herself onto her tiptoes as he explored her mouth. He ran his tongue along her lower lip before nibbling on it and running his thumb along her cheek. Sighing, Hermione ran her hand up along his jaw and across his cheek. Next thing George knew, she had pulled away from his kisses.
"George, you're so hot," she told him.
Blushing profusely, George managed to stutter out a thank you. Fred, who was now a few yards away was snickering to himself.
"No, you're really really hot!"
George ran a nervous hand through his hair. "Well I always thought you were awfully cute too, Hermione." She turned the color of his Weasley red hair at the admission.
Fred burst into riotous laughter, and both of them turned to face him. "She's talking about your fever, you ninny!" He was gasping for breath, finding much humor at George's expense.
"Oh…" George managed to articulate.
Hermione smiled in spite of herself and George's look of self-deprecation; Fred's laughter was contagious. She ran her cool hand across George's forehead and gazed into his bright green eyes. "Are you sure you're all right?"
"I'll be fine," he muttered, unable to maintain eye contact with the witch he had just snogged.
Hermione bit her lip. "Well if you need to take some Fever Reducer potion, I have some. Just let me know."
George nodded mutely, happy that Fred had finally stopped laughing.
"Well, I'll be going then," Hermione announced, glancing at the fireworks littering the floor. "Oh, and please clean this mess up before I am forced to remove House points." Quickly, before she could change her mind, she pressed herself back onto her tiptoes and kissed George's warm cheek. "I always thought you were awfully cute too, George," she announced as she stepped over Peeves' birthday gift and headed for Gryffindor Tower.
As they watched her leave, Fred thumped George on the back. "Well, what are you waiting for? Go get her!"
George took off at a jog after Hermione, then came skidding to a halt and turned back around. He hastily grabbed the antidote from Fred's fingers and shoved it into his mouth as he sprinted around the corner after his bushy haired crush. "Hermione, wait up!" he called.
Fred hummed happily as he did a final check of the fireworks display. "All in a day's work," he mumbled, magically lighting the fuse and running down the stairs before he could be seen.
Peeves greatly enjoyed his 348th birthday treat, and bounced around in the air singing himself a tune while the glittery whizbangs, courtesy of the twins, woke up all of the teachers and ruined Filch's evening.
George also enjoyed the fireworks display that he saw while snogging Hermione well into the night.
Oh George Weasley, ever the charmer :) Please leave a review... they make me smile!
And big thanks to Clover Bay for beta reading for me!