Title: Comeuppance is Never a Good Thing
Rating: T
Pairing: Fred/ Hermione
Disclaimer: I don't own anything at all! Anything you don't recognize from J.K. Rowling's series is from my own mind, but everything you do recognize is hers.
Summary: Unwilling to take any more of Umbridge'scruel detention methods, Hermione joins forces with Fred and George to get revenge on the Toad Lady. Little do anyone know what this new partnership will bring.
Notes: This takes place before the DA gets discovered by the Inquisitorial Squad.
Chapter 1: Partners?
The hall was quiet save for the occasional muffled sniffle. Being prefect, Hermione cautiously walked toward the sound, wand held out in front of her. As she turned the corner, she saw the huddled form of a small boy sandwiched between two identical redheaded boys. The two older boys seemed to be trying to comfort the little first year.
Hermione dropped her wand, her motherly instinct kicking in as she rushed over to the trio sitting on the bench. She knelt on her knees, ignoring the surprised gazes from the Weasley twins. "What happened, Michael?"
The little boy sniffled in response and moved to wipe some of his tears, a flash of red on the back of his hand catching her attention. Hermione felt a tightening in her chest as she gently pushed his hair to the side to look him in the face.
"It was the nasty Toad Lady, wasn't it?" At her nickname, the boy managed a weak chuckle as he nodded.
This wasn't the first time she'd seen the poor boy, whose love of learning reminded her so much of herself, here. He'd gotten detention before for answering questions without being called on. It wasn't his fault the Toad Lady would ignore him whenever he raised his hands. Hermione had the same problem.
Pushing aside Fred and George's hands, she gathered the little boy into her arms, whispering soothing words, "It's okay, Michael. I'm here now. Don't worry." She heard a rustling from her side and turned to face Fred who held some sort of cream in his hand.
"It's for his injuries. We created it after we got sent in there a few times for our own detention," Fred explained. She took it gratefully from him and immediately placed some of the peach colored cream on Michael's hand.
Hermione heard the little blond boy hiss at the sting, but slowly his body relaxed as the healing salve worked its magic. The angry mess that had been left behind from Umbridge's detentions dulled to a light pink.
"Hem. Hem." Jerking in surprise at the newcomer, Hermione immediately turned to face the Toad Lady. Dolores Umbridge, in her bright pink tweed suit, gave Hermione and the twins a satisfied smirk as the boy she just held in detention cowered away from her.
"As you know, Miss Granger, young children who disobey my rules ought to be taught a lesson. Surely you should know that by now." Umbridge's eyes flickered to Hermione's own healing hand before smiling smugly. Hermione clenched her fists, ready to retort. "Best get out of the hallways before curfew. Wouldn't want you to break another rule, do we?" Her eyes glittered arrogantly at the trio before she turned back into her office.
Hermione let out a sound of frustration. "That horrid toad of a woman!"
"Don't worry. Hermione," George replied as he casually laid his arm around her shoulder and glared at Umbridge's office door.
"By the time we're through with her she won't even know what hit her." Fred filled in as he wound his arm around her waist.
Hermione huffed, wishing she could just march in that office and hex the mind out of the horrible teacher. She glanced at Michael who looked oddly out of place. "Go on, Michael. Don't want to get caught in the hallways after curfew." To the twins' surprise, the little boy had flung himself into a hug with her then gave the twins quick hugs before scurrying off to his common room.
"That was," George paused not knowing how to describe it.
"Unexpected," Fred finished. Hermione shook her head at their antics before looking thoughtful.
"Count me in."
"What?" George asked at her sudden change of subject.
"I said 'count me in.'"
"Yes, we know that Granger. We may have had an odd experiment or two fail and explode in our faces, but we're not deaf. Count you in with what?"
Her eyes twinkled with mischief. The only other time they had seen her giddy like that was when she exclaimed that she didn't care whether the DA got caught or not and how exciting it was to be doing something that broke the rules.
"Uh oh, Brother, I think she's crossed over," Fred commented as they began the walk back to the common room. Hermione shoved him playfully before skipping ahead a few steps. "Oi!" Fred called as they watched her spin on her heels to face them and continued walking backwards.
"Count me in whatever you two are concocting, obviously!" With a roll of her eyes she turned on her heels again. To her annoyance, the twins stopped in their steps, their faces clouded with surprise. She stopped and turned to face them. "What?"
"Who are you and what in Merlin's ball sack have you done to Hermione Granger?" She bristled at Fred's comment. Ron had said the same exact thing to her. Honestly, was it so hard to believe that she could be just as much of a prankster and rule breaker as everyone else? For Merlin's sake, just look at all the rule breaking she did every year she attended Hogwarts!
She huffed and folded her arms across the chest. "Mind your language, Frederick Gideon Weasley!"
"There's our Know-It-All Granger!" Fred grinned playfully, earning him a punch in the arm.
"Honestly!" Hermione huffed as she swiped agitatedly at a tendril of hair that had landed on her face. "Is it such a surprise that I, Hermione Granger, would willingly choose to join forces with Hogwart's famous prankster twins?" The twins shared a grin before shrugging. Turning her around, Fred slung his arm around her shoulder as George placed his arm around her waist. They continued on their walk back to their dormitory.
"You know, Hermione, it's not such an easy thing being us prankster twins," Fred began.
"I mean you have to live up to everyone's expectations," George continued.
"You have to be able to manipulate charms, spells, potions."
"In ways that many would deem hazardous."
"If I don't recall, I believe you've given us a verbal reprimand plenty of times for such hazardous actions."
"Well yes, but-" Hermione tried to explain, but was interrupted by George.
"It's hard trying to plan out a scheduled pranking. It could take days, weeks, and sometimes months before it can be done."
"Do you have the passion for mischief, cunning and stamina? How do we know you're not just going to turn us in or bugger out halfway through?" By that point Hermione was thoroughly agitated at their attempt to confuse her with their back and forth talk. Being her, though, it was a fruitless attempt.
"Oh stuff it both of you! I want to get her back for everything she's done. That witch deserves what she's got coming," she spat out as she idly rubbed the back of her hand remembering the harsh sting as she wrote I must not speak unless told an infinite amount of times for three nights straight. All the horrified, tortured looks the underclassman had as they too returned from her office for various reasons also floated in her mind. "I'm in it 'til the end. When have I ever not finished something I started?"
Fred tightened his hold on her, earning a questioning glance from the small witch. "I do believe, brother, that we've got a new partner in crime." Fred grinned.
"I do believe you're right. And with a bookworm on our side-ouch, Hermione!- everything will be done faster and more effective- not that they weren't already, but it's always good to have another sharp mind in the mix." George gingerly rubbed his nose where Hermione had instinctively wacked him with her wand.
"Good," Hermione, still grinning from George's compliment, swiveled around to face them before entering into Gryffindor common room. She stuck her hand out in front of her. "Partners?" The twins shared another glance before they both shook her hands, identical grins spreading across their freckled faces.
"Partners."
A/N: I know. I'm horrible for starting another story, but I can't help it! I love Fred/ Hermione stories and I've read so many lately my eyes are going to go cross-eyed! Anyway, I hope you liked the beginning of this! I'm hoping to get around ten reviews before posting chapter two, so if you liked it, hated it, let me know!