Hermione was, in short, absolutely furious. Who did he think he was, rummaging through her stuff like that? And how did he get up the girl's staircase in the first place? If she was in her right mind, she would go straight to Professor McGonagall about this, but oh no, that was too easy. Too simple. To match someone like Fred Weasley, Hermione had to play a whole new type of game. And for that, she was going to need help.
"I've gathered you here today for a very specific reason," she told the group, which consisted of Ginny, Luna, and Parvati. The girls stared back at her silently, awaiting their orders. "Fred Weasley has declared war on us, and-"
"Us?" Ginny cut in. "I thought it was just your underwear drawer he was riffling through-"
"Yes, yes, well-" Hermione cleared her throat. "That is true. But if he can get up the girl's tower, then he can get into any of our rooms."
"Except mine," Luna said offhandedly in that dreamy voice of hers.
"Regardless," Hermione reiterated. "I need your help. So will you help me in my revenge plot or not?"
"Yes."
"Absolutely."
"Eh, why not?"
"Forge?"
"What, Gred?"
"I'll admit, I'm frightened."
"Whatever of, brother mine?"
"Well, didja see the girls this morning at breakfast?"
"Yeah, what of it?"
"They were plotting something…I can feel it. They're up to something, and we're gonna figure out just what."
"Indeed, Gred."
Phase One: Get George Away From Fred
(For this, Hermione needed someone else to help Parvati.)
Parvati watched as the red headed twins neared. She looked down at her books, pretending to be completely enveloped in what they said. 3…2…1…
"Oh! George, I'm so sorry!" Parvati yelped, letting her books fall to the ground dramatically.
He laughed cheerfully. "Ah, that's alright! I wasn't looking-" he told her as he helped her gather the spilled books.
She shook her head woefully. "I wasn't either…silly me," she laughed. "Oh! That reminds me- Angelina was looking for you. She's out by the front gate," Parvati told him, quickly slipping away before he could ask anything more.
Fred raised an eyebrow. "What was that?"
"Somethin' about Angelina by the front gate," George said with a shrug. "Better go see what that's all about. I'll meet you up in the tower in a bit." Fred just laughed and pushed his brother toward the direction of the gate. Those two were so in love, it was almost sickening, but Angelina made his George happy. If George was happy, then Fred would be happy, too.
When George arrived at the front gate, his darling Angelina was standing there wearing a beautiful dress and a smile to match. She gave him a kiss on the cheek and grabbed his hand. "Georgie?" she started out innocently. "How about we take a walk down by the lake and have some," Angelina ran a nonchalant hand up the unsuspecting twin's arm, "…alone time?"
George gulped and nodded blindly. "Uh, y-yeah sure…" he stuttered.
Phase One Complete
Phase Two: Get Fred In The Library
(This is when dear Ginny came in.)
"Fre~ed," Ginny groaned, plopping down on the couch in the common room next to her older brother. "I need help with this charms essay."
Fred snorted. "Why don'tcha get Hermione? She knows a lot more than me."
Ginny laughed in return. "If that isn't the truest thing I've ever heard," she muttered under her breath. "But anyway, she's busy planning the next D.A. meeting with Harry and Ron," she told him, lowering her voice.
He nodded understandingly. "Right, then. Where do you wanna start?" he asked, happily pushing away his own books.
Ginny looked like she was thinking for a moment. "Well, I need a book from the library, so we'll start there," she said, grabbing her quill and ink pot as she got up.
Fred groaned loudly. "The library? Seriously? Why can't you just wait for Hermione to help you? She'd love it there," he grumbled in a way that was far too overdramatic. Ginny narrowed her eyes at her brother. He was acting odd whenever she mentioned Hermione.
Throwing her suspicions aside, Ginny rolled her eyes. "I already told you why she can't help me, now let's go!" She grinned maliciously as she dragged her dear older brother down to his least favorite place in the whole castle.
Phase Two Complete
Phase Three: Get Fred In The Restricted Section
(Here, Luna was ready to do her part.)
"Honestly, Gin, I don't think you're gonna find your stupid book in here," Fred told his little sister, rolling his eyes for the millionth time.
Ginny just grinned, making sure he couldn't see it as she rifled hastily through a bookshelf right next to a private room of the restricted section. Poor sucker had no idea what was coming for him. Ginny spotted a flash of blonde hair through the bookshelves. Any moment now…3…2…1…
"Ow!" she cried, clutched her head as she fell down. The book that hit her in the head fell to the floor. She could hear light footsteps coming around the corner, just as planned.
"Ginny!" Fred shouted, leaning down to help her up. "What was that? Who pushed that book through the shelf?" he asked, eyes narrowing as he looked around.
Right on schedule, Luna came around the corner. "Oh dear, have the nargles been at it again?" she asked as if she was in a daze. "Did they get you, Ginny?" Luna asked as she helped the redheaded girl up from the ground.
Ginny recognized the secret code. "Yes, the unicorn was blue," she responded.
Fred glanced between the two girls, confused. "What are you talking abou-"
"Now!" Ginny shouted, shoving her brother back into the room. Luna pulled a key out and locked Fred in before he could even blink.
Phase Three Complete
Phase Four: Payback Time
"Hey! Ginny! Get back here!" Fred shouted loudly, banging his fists against the door. On cue, a bucket of honey fell down on him. Fred screamed, tumbling back onto a lever, which instantly triggered a large sack of feathers to tumble down from above.
Flour began shooting out from all sides, along with bits of confetti and pounds of glitter. Last but not least, the books around him started chanting, "Fred Weasley, he's so sleazy! Fred Weasley, he's so cheesy!".
Fred almost wanted to laugh. He knew who was behind all this- the pattern was far too obvious. First, Parvati had to spill her books to catch George's attention, thus rendering Fred alone. Then, Ginny had to get Fred to the library for a book. Then, Luna pushed a book through to hit Ginny in the head to distract him. And now, he was stuck in a room full of singing books. Really, could she be any more obvious?
"Hermione," Fred shouted over the loud chanting. "Come on out, love! You can't hide forever!"
"Silencio! Immobulus!" her voice shouted. The mayhem stopped in mid-air. With a simple flick of her wand, all of the mess was gone, except for what was on Fred, of course. He would have been happy that the flour and glitter had stopped, except for the fact that her charms also rendered him completely frozen and silent.
"I have a few things to say to you, Fred Weasley," Hermione said calmly, walking out from behind a bookshelf.
If he could have, Fred would have gulped. Hermione's eyes glittered with a look he could only call revenge. Her hair was completely fanned out around her head, making her look as frightening as a 5'4" witch could be.
Fred Weasley was terrified.
"First of all," she started, "I want to know how you got in my room. And second, I want to know what you were looking for. You have one minute. Your time begins," she commanded, unfreezing him.
Fred gasped for breath. "Okay, first of all, I want to congratulate on this prank, but the books theme was a bit obviou-"
"Silencio!" Hermione called, once more making him fall silent. "That's not what I asked for. How did you get in my room, and what were you looking for?" she ground out, her arms crossed tightly. "This time you have only thirty seconds."
Not for the first time, Fred found himself spellbound- pun not intended- by Hermione Granger. She really was quite intimidating when she wanted to be, and it was bloody hot. The second he got his voice back, he started speaking.
"Well it's really just a simple spell to get up there- seriously, figured it out second year- and what I was looking for, I can't tell you," he told her quickly, matching her mischievous grin.
Hermione was seething. He wasn't making this easy. Not that she'd expected it to be easy in the first place…he was Fred, after all. Ridiculous, tall, handsome Fred. Wait, what? She shook her head and got herself back on track. "I know you were looking for something, Fred. Ginny and Luna won't let you or me out until I say the code words, and I won't say those words until you tell me what I want. Now why were you in my room?"
Fred could feel himself giving in. He couldn't tell her, he simply could not tell her. She'd laugh…or maybe punch him. Yeah, probably punch him. He made an act of zipping his lips shut and tossing away the invisible key.
Her patience was wearing thin. She raised her wand to cast another spell, but stopped. It was an idea, a ridiculous idea, but one that would probably get her further than this futile interrogation. Summoning up all of her Gryffindor courage, Hermione stepped forward, grabbed Fred's tie, and crashed her lips onto his honey drenched ones.
Fred was shocked to say the least, but his shock soon turned into pleasant surprise as he pulled her in and moved his lips against hers. Sweet honey transferred from his lips to hers, and Fred snuck his tongue in to get a taste, as well. When they separated, Hermione gasping for air, the truth tumbled out of his mouth.
"Ron spilled that you had a diary where you kept all your secrets and I wanted to find it," he told her in a rush.
She looked dazed for a moment, but then a light went off in her eyes. "Oh! Right, that. Um…why did you need it?" she asked softly, blushing violently.
Fred stuttered, suddenly finding himself just as bashful. "I…I wanted to know if you'd written about me," he mumbled, holding onto her tightly as if she might slip away when he told her the truth. "I wanted to see if you…liked me back."
Hermione blinked owlishly. "Oh."
The two stared at each other, unsure of what to do. The front of Hermione's robes were now covered in honey, flour, and glitter, and her lips were a tale tell sign to anyone who knew of her plot. A knock on the door made the two jump apart.
"Hey, did he spill the beans, yet?" Ginny shouted.
Not breaking eye contact with Fred, Hermione shouted back, "Just a minute more."
Before she could say anything, Fred had grabbed hold of her, backed her up into a wall, and was kissing her again. Hermione found herself clutching onto his jumper, one hand running desperately through his soft ginger hair. When she came upon a sticky patch of honey, she laughed, causing their lips to part. Fred began laughing too, unable to help it.
"All of this because you were trying to find out if I had written about my school girl crushes in an old diary," Hermione laughed, shaking her head.
Fred chuckled, pressing one last kiss to her lips. "I got my answer, though."
The look of pure bliss in Hermione's eyes suddenly changed into uncertainty. She stumbled back, hand reaching blindly for the door handle. "Ginny! Open the door!" she shouted when it wouldn't unlock.
"What's the magic wor-"
"Honey Lips!" Hermione shouted, frazzled and blushing like mad. Right when the door opened, she ran out, leaving a confused and comical looking Fred.
Phase Four…somewhat completed.
