Sway
Chapter 2: Good Morning!
Author's Note: Hey hey! Thanks to those of you who have reviewed. I like this story. It is coming along nicely and I am now inspired to pick up my other story called Moving Forward starring Ginny Weasley so if you like this go check out that one too and an update should be coming up this week. But this is the story we are focusing on right this moment so enjoy and please R&R!
The next morning dawned bright and… late for those occupying the Weasley household. After staying up late and reminiscing as well as catching up, everyone had gotten a late start and seeing as it was Saturday it mattered little.
The only two people up before twelve were Hermione, of course, and Fred Weasley. Hermione was up at 8 simply out of habit. She hated wasting her day with sleeping and going to bed at 2 am that morning was certainly not going to start the habit of sleeping in.
Hermione woke up and commenced with her usual routine. She made some coffee, which proved difficult in Mrs. Weasley's magical coffee pot. The pot sang every setting you punched in and refused to make decaf calling it the 'anti-coffee'. After coffee she went for a jog around the Weasley's immense backyard where she encountered the other early bird-Fred.
Hermione slowed her pace and gazed thoughtfully at Fred. He had not seen her yet as his back was to her. He was sitting on a rock near a small spring that ran the back edge of the Weasley yard. She smiled when he skipped a rock and slumped his shoulders when it only made two jumps.
"Good Morning Fred!" She greeted enthusiastically.
Fred jumped at the sound of her voice. He did not normally wake up this early, but this morning he had found he could not sleep. It was June 29th and should have been his wedding day to Katie Bell who had been in his year while they were in school as well as a chaser on the Gryffindor quidditch team. They had picked this day because it also would have been the three year anniversary of their dating. But no, it hadn't worked out that way.
"Hermione you scared me!" Fred held one hand to his franticly beating heart and pretended to look horrified, but he was really just giving himself a chance to look her up and down. It may have been a sad day for him, but Fred was, after all, a man and to be fair Hermione really was a vision in her tight black tank top that rose above her belly button, showing off her abs, and the short adidas running shorts that also showed off her toned legs.
"Sorry," and she gave him a grin that let Fred know she was not sorry in the least, but rather amused.
Then a silence fell. So to break it Fred asked, "What are you doing up so early?"
Hermione shrugged. "This is what I always do! I hate wasting my days."
"O." That was all Fred said, but he smiled nonetheless because he could understand although this might have been a day he would have liked to sleep in. Less of the day he was awake to think. Then he continued right when Hermione had been about to excuse herself to continue running, "Want to come back to the house with me? I expect no one is awake yet, not even mum, so I can make you breakfast." He said it a completely off hand tone like it didn't matter, but truth be told Fred really needed the company to keep him from brooding some more.
"No," responded Hermione and his face fell. "But," she continued, "As soon as I finish this lap I will come in and we can eat together. I'll even help you cook!"
"Alright," agreed Fred and he smiled big at her. Smiling. He found he did that a lot around her and it almost made him feel stupid except for it felt so good to be comfortable enough too smile with another woman. Even if she his little brother's best friend and therefore of no romantic connection or interest.
15 minutes later Hermione walked through the same screen door from the previous night to find a breakfast of pancakes already laid out for her and Fred. "Well! I am impressed Fred! I didn't know you could cook."
"Ya, well… It's funny the things you don't know about people, isn't it?" He shoveled some bacon onto both of their plates. He went to the ice box to get some juice continuing on as if he had not said something profound and sad.
Hermione had not missed it, however, so she spent the time Fred was busying himself with juice to decide whether or not to ask him about it. Hermione was inqusitive by nature so of course she asked once he had sat down to her right, laying his napkin across his lap and picking up a fork. "What made you say that?"
Fred stopped with a forkful of pancakes halfway to his mouth and answered her question with one of his own. "What makes me say what?"
"The thing about not knowing people."
"O that." Fred was silent for a minute, then he continued. "Well, it's true. For example. You, Miss Granger who are very intelligent and a great asset to all things ahem Phoenix related when it comes to divulging information from people did not know I could cook, did you?"
Hermione nodded, admitting without words that he was correct. She also gave a sad smile at the mention of her job at the order. Hermione was excellent at reading people. More often then not she was called to observe people and divulge if they were lying or not. It was a hard job in that she sometimes felt like she was betraying people. Even those she did know. Looking into their eyes and telling what they were really feeling.
The rest of there private breakfast was a cheerful affair. They made small talk and joked until the dishes were put away, having been washed by those who had used them. It was now only ten o'clock and other members of the household had to make an appearance so continuing on the conversation was no inconvenience to either Fred or Hermione. While putting away a final piece of cutlery Hermione asked, "How is the shop going?"
Fred grew quiet for the second time that morning and it was beginning to make Hermione feel awful. She felt like she was the cloud that was always hiding the sun on some days in the way he instantly stopped smiling and his eyes clouded over when she said certain things. It was not a pleasant feeling.
"And here, Miss ganger is where you learn something else I am all to familiar with. People change."
This confused Hermione so she told him this and he continued.
"You will be the only person to know this and I can't believe I am telling you this, but! I do not want to run a joke shop anymore."
Now this Hermione had really not been expecting. This was Fred! What else could he do? Instantly Hermione was ashamed of thinking like this. It was such a judgmental and stereotypical. Although he was a prankster, she knew for a fact that Fred Weasley received high marks in school. Despite low OWLS he received many NEWTS when he went back to Hogwarts for his WQD, Wizard Qualification Degree, very similar to that of a muggle GED.
"What is it you want to do then Fred?" Hermione asked finally.
"I don't know exactly. All I know is, I want it to count. I want to make a difference. Not juts in the order either, but in my everyday life." He puffed up his chest proudly at the end of his answer as if daring her to tell him he couldn't do it.
Hermione stepped across the tiny kitchen, pushing of the counter she had been leaning on during this conversation with impressive grace if one compares it to how she stood up from her chair the other night. Hermione really was something of a klutz for all her perfection. She placed her comparatively small hand on Fred's cheek, looked him in the eye and said, "You will."
She said it with such conviction that Fred just stood there for a moment, rooted to the spot with her hand still on his face. He stared at her intently thinking, 'What happened to the bookworm? Where did this self-assured, confident in herself and everyone else woman come from?' He reached up and placed his hand on her where it was still on his face and then suddenly Mrs. Weasley burst into the kitchen.
"O my goodness! I cannot believe I-o hello Fred, Hermione. I am so sorry for keeping you waiting! How about some breakfast! Never mind, lunch?"
She looked so upset and so apologetic that Hermione and Fed forgot about their own moment and Hermione kindly offered Mrs. Weasley a gentle explanation of her and Fred's morning meal, telling her it was all right she slept in and she deserved a good sleep while Fred silently snickered a his mother and slipped out onto the porch.