Hermione woke the next morning feeling well rested and considerably warm. She opened her eyes and was startled to see that she was lying in a Queen-sized bed next to Ginny, and after checking under the covers, was strangely relieved to find she was still fully clothed. Hermione's brow furrowed as she fought to remember how she'd gotten to the bed in the first place, since the last thing she remembered was lazily snuggling up against Harry, leaning her head on his shoulder as the large van rumbled down a long, winding road. After coming to the conclusion that someone must have levitated her into bed, Hermione began to get ready for the day, rummaging through her suitcase for her toiletries and clothes then walking towards the bathroom on the upstairs floor that the bedroom she apparently shared with Ginny was on.
'Did you have a good night, then, dear?' Mrs Weasley asked Hermione kindly as she arrived downstairs for breakfast. Hermione was surprised to find everyone except Ginny [and Bill and Charlie of course, seeing as they weren't present on the trip sitting at the table tucking into some sausage and eggs. She blushed to think she must have slept in late.
'She certainly looked pretty happy last time I saw her,' Ron said, sounding as if he was mocking her, though Hermione wasn't sure she'd done anything worthy of mockery. 'You know,' he prompted, and why did he just nudge George? 'All cuddled up in George's arms!'
Oh.
'What!' squeaked Hermione defiantly, 'I never –'
'Sure you did!' grinned Ron and Hermione felt like slapping his stupid smile right off his freckled face and into his scrambled eggs. Hermione could barely look at George, had she really cuddled up to him instead of Harry?
'There's nothing to be blushing about, dear,' Mrs Weasley told Hermione sympathetically, shooting a glare so viscous at Ron that he immediately shoved half a sausage into his mouth, making himself gag and Harry, Fred, and Mr. Weasley burst into roaring laughter as he rushed for a glass of water. Only George seemed to not find this hilarious; his eyes, instead of being fixed on Ron's purple face, were fixed on Hermione and she made a point of staring at Mrs Weasley questioningly.
'George only carried you from the van to your bed. Best he did too; otherwise you'd have countless bruises all over your pretty little body from the boys trying to levitate you up!' Mrs Weasley smiled at Hermione kindly but Hermione didn't feel like smiling back. She spun to face George and Ron almost choked all over again at the sight of her incredulous face.
'You – you carried me?' asked Hermione, feeling the heat of his stare start to get to her as suddenly, the room was a million degrees warmer. George frowned.
'Course I did, you didn't expect me to let these thugs carry you, did you? It would have been safer to let them levitate you!' Hermione's mouth hung open as she stared at George.
'But – but why didn't you just w-wake me up?' George swallowed his last forkful of eggs and began to gather his things.
'You looked cute.' He told her bluntly, as if this was the most obvious thing in the world. Hermione blushed even more furiously, if that was possible. She gaped at him, at a loss for words as he brushed past her to wash his plate in the sink.
'W-well, thank you, George,' Hermione stammered and he grinned at her, drying his hands on a towel.
'Oh no, Hermione, it was my pleasure, let me assure you.' George winked at Hermione before disappearing up the stairs and Hermione felt the blush that she thought was finally leaving her face race right back into it again.
Hermione, still feeling quite dazed, accepted the plate of breakfast Mrs Weasley pushed into her hands and scooted into a seat next to Fred who had apparently just finished telling a joke judging b the way Harry, Ron and Mr. Weasley were laughing.
Hermione smiled at Mr. Weasley when he bid her good morning and returned the greeting.
'Well I'll see you children later; I'm going to the Tourist Information Centre to find out what you can do around here.' Mr. Weasley told the table, rising from the table with an enthusiastic smile on his face. 'Isn't that exciting? Amazing, really, how muggles organize themselves! Tourist Information Centre's! Brilliant!'
Harry rose from the table hurriedly, looking slightly panicked.
'Uh, Mr. Weasley, are you sure you don't want some company? After all, those muggle contraptions such as the tourist computers can be quite difficult to use, perhaps someone with more experience should tag along… for educational purposes, of course,' Harry smiled encouragingly at Mr. Weasley who stared back, looking a bit confused before breaking into a large smile.
'Yes, yes! Of course, Harry, thank you very much!' As Mr. Weasley walked off, muttering in a sort of daze about the wonder of muggles, Harry shot Hermione and Fred, the only two left at the table, a relieved smile and hurried off to get ready in case Mr. Weasley forgot he was to have company on his little escapade and left on his own.
'So, what's news, Fred?' Hermione asked him, forking a small amount of egg into her mouth. Fred grinned at her, turning towards her on his chair.
'Nothing much, shops going well…' he mused, a hand on his chin. Hermione remembered the joke shop Fred and George owned; Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes; it was huge hit for the students in Hogwarts. The Weasley twins were renowned for their pranking abilities.
'Oh come off it,' Ginny told him, having arrived in the kitchen looking disheveled and hungry, she turned to Hermione. 'Mum's making them go back to school to finish their seventh year at Hogwarts. She says there's no reason they shouldn't go back, now that they've got more than enough employees to keep the shop running and that Umbridge woman is gone.' Mrs Weasley made a noise of approval from over at the sink and Hermione turned to Fred, eyebrows raised in surprise.
'Really?' she asked him, smiling. Fred smiled drily back.
'Really, really. She's a tough one, our mother.' Mrs Weasley made another noise of approval.
'Well that's brilliant!' Hermione congratulated him, 'Now you and George can have a proper education!' Mrs Weasley abandoned the noises and proudly told Hermione what a bright girl she was.
Fred straightened in his chair, looking offended as Ginny sat down with them.
'And our education isn't proper already?' he bristled in a lofty voice. Hermione giggled.
'All I'm saying is that I think it's wonderful that you've chosen to come back to Hogwarts and I can't wait to see you back in the common room,' she frowned, 'though if I see you harassing those first years again mark my words, I'll be doing something about it!' Fred up grinned at Hermione innocently as she stood up to wash her plate.
'Now Hermione, don't you think my dear brother and I have matured enough to stray away from our sinful habits?' Ginny snorted into her eggs and Hermione laughed lightly.
'No, Fred, I don't think either you or George have matured at all, to be honest.' And Ginny gave a hoot of agreement.
