That night at dinner Hermione could feel a pair of eyes burning into her. They were unnerving her but she wasn't going to look up from her roast, she didn't need to see who was looking at her; don't give them the satisfaction, nope she wasn't going to give into the p- ok that's it!

When she looked up she made sure she wore a glare that would easily burn through any one's head.

There looking dumbstruck as hell was Fred Weasley, just sitting there staring at her, not even realising she was staring back, his eyes were glazed over but you could see there was some serious thinking going on.

Hermione realised she wasn't going to get anything out of him with him spaced out like that, she reached under the table and stretched out her hand until she reached his thigh, he jumped at the contact but now his eyes were no longer glazed over like before. He was with the world again.

"Penny for your thoughts?" she mouthed

Fred put a hand over hers and mouthed back "later". He didn't want to talk to her in front of his family, he could already feel Harry's eyes on him and he could see out of the corner of his eye George bouncing up and down in his seat with his cheeks puffed up like a puffer fish, looking like he really needed to use the loo.

Hermione gave Fred a shy smile and went back to her roast, not eating it but just proceeding to play with her Yorkshire puddings.

Fred turned to George who was still bouncing in his seat desperately, Fred stepped hard on his foot, "Git" he muttered "try to be subtle next time why don't you".

"uh hum" Hermione coughed "Mrs Weasley may I be excused please, I need to send an owl" she lied, she really just needed to get away from the crowded Weasley table and think, just think by herself for a while

"Of course dear, I'll leave your dinner out for later shall I?"

Hermione nodded, gave her a thank full smile, left the table and descended up the stairs as quickly as she could. Again, she felt eyes on her back, a lot more than just Freds.

Hermione reached her room, she was now staying in Percy's old room as Harry was now staying with Ginny in her room (much to Mr Weasleys, Ron's, Charlie, Bills –well all of the Weasley boys disgust) and really Hermione didn't fancy listening to them all night long.

"Blah" Hermione fell stomach first onto her bed and just lay there thinking, Thinking about the Ministry, Voldemort, Death Eaters still on the loose, Harry, Ron, Her parents that decided they would stay in Australia and make a new life there and last of all..

Fred Weasley.

Fred. Why was he flirting with her; he carried her to the burrow when she hurt her ankle, kept winking at her and even made Hermione BLUSH! Hermione never blushed especially in front of Fred that just wasn't right. He was the older brother of her ex- boyfriend ,best friend of 8 years, she remembered after hers and Ron's 'Heat Of The Moment kiss" they started dating but it didn't last long only about a month, they realised they were too much like brother and sister and not boyfriend and girlfriend.

Suddenly Hermione had an urge to see what Fred's lips would feel like instead of Ron's or him shirtless or him pressed up a- NO, just no, you can't think of him like that, it's not right. She knew he didn't think of her like that, who would think of me like that." She said aloud.

"OOF"

"Hermione we keep meeting like this, we really can't keep doing this anymore" he winked at her again.

Fred Weasley

What was with that, always to her no one else, just her?

"FRED get off me" she flipped him off her "what do you want" she said coldly standing in front of him, Hermione didn't really appreciate him apperating on her like this.

"Whoa calm your farm Hermione, is it your time-" he cut off early when he saw the glare Hermione was giving him; if looks could kill he would be on the floor dead, chopped up into pieces, very small pieces.

"At dinner tonight you asked me a penny for my thoughts, so out of the complete goodness of my heart I thought I would come up here and give them to you for free" he flashed her rugged smile

Hermione giggled, NO don't giggle, absolutely no giggling from you she thought to herself.

"I have a favour to ask from you" he started.

"Hm" Hermione narrowed her eyes and made her way to her bed, sitting cross legged in front of him. A favour from the Fred; the cheekiest of the Weasley twins was never good "I'm listening"

"Well uh- me and George"

Him and George? Oh this was not going to be good

"We were kind of wondering, since you- you know what happened to our other worker at the shop" Hermione nodded and cringed she knew what was coming. "That maybe you could, ah you know- help us out with the shop for a while since you haven't got a job at the moment"

Hermione lifted one eyebrow and tried to read Fred's face to see if he was playing a joke or something, she didn't think he was his face looked completely sober.

" Is this one of your stupid jokes Fred?"

"Nope" he said popping the p

"If I did take this what would I be doing?"

"Uh you know, just things like cleaning up, helping with the customers, advertising"

Hermione took a deep breath and thought about the offer; she really didn't have another chance of getting another job anytime soon, but did she really want a life in a joke shop? Well she didn't want any more drama in her life like she had before, but she didn't want her life to be boring, since when had Fred and George even been boring though?

"oh what the hell, why not!" she blurted out

"YES!" Fred shouted jumping up in triumph "um I mean thankyou Hermione, you won't regret this!"

"hm" she said. She already was.

"oh and George an I where thinking, if you are working with us we can set up the spare room in our flat above the shop and you can stay there, it'll make the travel easier for you we thought? You wouldn't have to pay rent because you're working for us"

"I suppose it would make things a lot easier" she said. Fred was looking at her with hopeful eyes . "Oh fine Fred, fine, I'll move in with you guys"

"Thank you, thank you, thank you, Hermione you really wont regret this I promise you!" he picked her up into a tight rib crushing hug and spun her around.

"FRED put me down; you've 'got to stop that"

"Sorry" he mumbled with his head down. He looked so cute just like a little kid being told off. He went to walk out of her room

"Oh and one more thing" he said before he left " you wouldn't mind helping us test out some products would you?" he knew this would stir her up, he loved it.

"She narrowed her eyes. "Don't push it"

Fred chuckled "you start in two days" and with that he walked out to find George and tell him the good news.