Summery: Fred teaches Hermione to smile. Fred and George never left Hogwarts.
Featuring 'Ordinary Day' by Vanessa Carlton
.com/watch?v=ngoKmZCZ4s4
Hermione sat on the window sill staring out onto the grounds of Hogwarts. She hugged her knees to her chest, a deep frown sitting on her face. She watched as her schoolmates ran around and jump into giant piles of leaves as they fell from the trees. Hermione loved Autumn. It was the perfect time to curl up somewhere with a nice book and cup of hot cider. She lay her head on her knees and watched the leaves fall from the trees.
The sound of laughter reached her ears as Fred and George Weasley came bounding through the Common Room entrance. She watched them collapse onto the couch, identical smiles on their faces. No doubt because they just pulled a prank. Hermione rolled her eyes. It was a pity, really. Hermione had always thought the twins to be brilliant but they seemed to enjoy wasting their brilliance on elaborate pranks, rather than school.
Just a day,
Just an ordinary day
Just trying to get by…
Fred looked around the room when he got the feeling of someone watching him. His eyes landed on Hermione and she looked away. Smiling, he jumped up from the couch and walked over to Hermione. He sat on the window sill in front of her and didn't say anything. He simply watched her.
"What on earth are you doing?" Hermione asked, not taking her eyes from school grounds.
He flashed her his trademark Weasley smile. "Trying to figure out how to make you smile."
"I don't smile." Hermione said.
"Oh come now! You can't be so uptight! You need to live while you can!" He said.
Just a boy,
Just an ordinary boy,
But he was looking to the sky…
"I don't see the point in smiling. And I'm not uptight."
"Oh come on, Hermione. Everyone smiles. Just takes a bit of work for some." Said Fred. "It's no fun following the rules all the time."
Hermione rolled her eyes. "I happen to like rules." She said, finally looking at him.
"Fine, like your rules, but at least come hang out with me for one day and I'll show you how to smile."
"I told you, I don't smile."
"That's because you don't have fun." Fred said. "Come on. By the end of the night, I bet I can make you smile." He said and stood up.
Hermione looked at him and then down at his hand, which he had offered. She bit her lip and glanced back up at him. Taking a deep breath, she placed a small hand in his large one. Fred smiled and pulled her out of the Common Room.
And as he asked if I would come along
I started to realize
That everyday he finds
Just what he's looking for,
Like a shooting star he shines…
"Where are we going?" Hermione asked as Fred pulled her down a maze of corridors.
"You'll see." He said as he pulled her into an old classroom. "Just watch." Fred said as he pulled the drapes closed.
"What am I watching?" Hermione said. "I can't even see anything now."
Then is started. The two of them watched a white light started to spin around them. Suddenly the white light was full of images. Memories. Hermione watched in awe as memories from first year started to play. She was being placed into a house. 'GRYFFINDOR!' The hat yelled and she ran over to the cheering table. The memories flashed to second year. She was running through the stands towards Snape. Hiding beneath his bleacher, she set fire to his cape. The memory burned up and began showing a third year memory. Her and Harry chasing after Sirius as he pulled Ron into the Womping Willow. It showed her and Harry jumping over and through the branches. Then it turned to her memory of her and Harry breaking Sirius out of the tower. The smoke from the explosion turned into another memory. This time from their fourth year. They were walking through the camps at the Quidditch World Cup. Then her fifth year appeared.
"What if Umbridge does finds out?"
"Who cares? I mean, it's sort of exciting isn't it? Breaking the rules."
"Who are you and what have you done with Hermione Granger?"
Hermione felt the sides of her mouth start to twitch. Fred watched her, waiting for her to smile. "You know you want to smile, Hermione." He said.
He said take my hand,
Live while you can.
Don't you see?
Your dreams lie right in the palm of your hand…
"I don't smile."
Suddenly the memories were gone as someone came bursting through the classroom door. "Hey! You're not allowed here!" Came Filch's voice as he started towards them.
"Run!" Fred grabbed Hermione's hands and ran past Filch and his cat.
Finally getting rid of Filtch and his cat, Fred pull her along the grounds towards the entrance of Hogsmead. They walked through the crowds of people until they came to an odd looking shack of a house. Fred pulled her inside.
"You've got to be kidding me." Hermione said as they walked in.
There was a bar along the right wall, with barstools lined up against it. On the wall in front of them was a large stage with a band singing. The left wall was full of tables. In the middle of the room was a large dance floor, full of dancing wizards and witches. Hermione looked up at Fred and shook her head.
"No. No way am I dancing." She said and started to turn towards the door.
"Oh no you don't." He said and stopped her.
He pulled her over to an empty table and sat down. "I'm gonna go get some drinks." Fred said.
Hermione sat back in her chair and sighed. Watching the people on the dance floor, she couldn't help but think about how much fun she had at the Yule Ball. A small smile started to form on her lips. She didn't even notice when Fred came back to the table. He watched her and smiled as he saw her start to think. She was thinking of something happy, he could tell. There was a sparkle in her fiery eyes that he'd hardly ever seen before. He looked out at the dance floor then back at her.
Standing up, he walked in front of her and held out a hand. "Let's dance."
"I don't dance, Fred."
"Yes you do. You're just afraid to have fun."
"I shouldn't be having fun. There's a war coming." Hermione said, her smile vanished.
"Live while you can."
And as he spoke, he spoke ordinary words
Although they did not feel
For I felt what I had not felt before
And you'd swear those words could heal...
Fred led Hermione out onto the dance floor. He smiled down at her as she started loosen up. She was beautiful when she danced. He couldn't take his eyes off of her. Hermione finally smiled a real smile. Everything around them seemed to vanish and all Fred could see was Hermione finally smiling. The entire room seemed to brighten just from her smile.
The music changed and they looked around. Everyone was now paired up in each other's arms. Fred held out his hand again and Hermione looked up at him. His eyes were a gentle hazel, but they were covered some by his hair. Hermione reached up and brushed it out of his eyes. She placed a hand in his and he pulled her closer as the music played on.
And as I looked up into those eyes
His vision borrows mine.
And I know he's no stranger,
For I feel I've held him for all of time.
Hermione and Fred walked back through Hogsmead. It was getting dark and most of the crowd had left. Fred took Hermione's hand and brought her over to the broom shed. Unlocking it and grabbed his broom, he got on and waited for Hermione, who shook her head.
"I don't fly."
"You also said you don't dance." He smiled.
Hermione took a deep breath and climbed onto the broom behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist. Fred kicked off and laughed a bit when Hermione tightened her arms around him and laid her head on his back with a small gasp. He placed a hand on hers, which were clasped together on his stomach.
"It's okay, Hermione. Look." He said.
Hermione slowly raised her head from his back. She couldn't help but smile as the wind rushed past them as they flew around the castle and through the outdoor corridors and over the lake. They hovered over the water and watched the castle. It stood out against the hills, its windows lit with flickering candles.
Please come with me,
See what I see.
Touch the stars for time will not flee.
Time will not flee.
Can you see?
Fred looked over his shoulder at Hermione. "You should smile more often."
"It's hard to." She said, looking at him.
"Promise me something."
"Depends." Hermione smiled.
Fred frowned a bit. "When the wars over, promise you'll smile more."
Hermione looked down. "When the wars over, will I have a reason to?"
"You've always had a reason, you just couldn't see it." He said, and brushed his lips against hers…
Hermione's eyes fluttered open and she starred at the red head laying next to her. She placed a soft kiss on his sleeping lips and pushed the covers off of her. Pulling on her cloak, she made her way through their private corridor and into the school corridors.
Just a dream, just an ordinary dream.
As I wake in bed
And the boy, that ordinary boy
Or was it all in my head?
She made her way down the quiet corridors until she got to where she wanted to be. A gold plaque hung on the newly built gray stone. She reached out and ran her fingers over the engraved name. No one knew how much she missed him. Not even his brother. She pulled her hand back and kissed her fingers, then held it against the engraving.
She continued down the corridor and down the steps into the Entrance Hall. She stopped to stare into the Great Hall. Suddenly every breakfast, every lunch, every supper, every holiday….every memory came rushing back. She pulled her cloak tighter around her and walked through that large wooden doors and down the stone steps. Following the dirt path, she soon found herself surrounded by graves. Reaching the bottom of the hill, she turned and stared up at Hogwarts.
Did he asked if I would come along?
It all seemed so real.
And as I looked to the door,
I saw that boy standing there with a deal.
She turned and continued on her way down the dirt path until she got to the grave she was looking for. Her legs grew weak and she fell to her knees. Her body shook with frustration. She couldn't believe that he was gone. She pressed her palm against the polished stone.
"He's happier."
Hermione sniffled and let herself be pulled up. She finally let the tears flow from her eyes and buried her face in her bestfriend's chest. He tightened his arms around her and let her cry. She had avoided the funeral and the graves since the war had ended a year earlier. Holding her close against him, he let Hermione cry a year's worth of tears.
And he said take my hand,
Live while you can.
Don't you see?
All your dreams lie right in the palm of your hand.
In the palm of your hand,
In the palm of your hand.
"I just can't believe he's gone." She cried.
George kissed the top of her head. "I know, 'Mione. I miss him too."
Hermione and George stared down at Fred's grave. After an hour, the cold began to seep its way through their cloaks. On their way back to the castle, they walked in silence. When they reached the top of the hill, they stopped walking and looked back at the graves. George took her hand in his and brought it to his lips. After a moment, they continued on towards the castle. George looked over at her. He now knew why Fred Weasley, the original prankster, had fallen so hard for bookworm, Hermione Granger. George watched Hermione the rest of the way to the castle. He took her hand in his, their gold engagement bands coming together. He always promised Fred he would take care of her…
Just a day,
just an ordinary day.
Just trying to get by.
Just a boy,
Just an ordinary boy.
But he was looking to the sky…