The next day at breakfast Ron scooted over to make room for Hermione as she entered the Great Hall. Hermione stared straight forward and marched over to Ginny instead, smiling at her and sitting down.
Harry and Ron exchanged a look. Hermione was going to be difficult about this.
Fred looked up from the suspicious box Lee had been gleefully showing him and George, and said curiously, "Really, what did you do to break up the dream team? You two had better fix it before that girl finds better friends."
"Why do you think it was something we did?" Ron asked hotly around a mouthful of sausage.
Harry added, "Yeah, Hermione could have done something.
Fred gave them a look that could only be described as mocking pity before turning back to Lee and George. He nudged George and glanced meaningfully at Hermione. The twins stood up and sauntered over to the girls, placing themselves on either side of Hermione.
Fred whipped an orange out of his pocket. "Orange you glad to see us, Granger?"
George added, summoning a peach, "You're a real peach!"
Ginny groaned, and Hermione snapped, "If you two hadn't given Harry that stupid map I wouldn't need to worry. Harry would be staying inside Hogwarts where it's safe."
Fred and George backed up hurriedly as she whipped around, George making anxious cutting motions at his throat to get her to stop while Fred pulled out his wand to defend himself.
"Honestly, if you two aren't the most witless...bumbling...PAIR!" She shrieked, hurling exploding pears at them with her wand. George dropped his wand in shock and crouched on the floor to escape the explosions, while Fred was too amazed to put his wand to any use. He didn't even shield himself until a pear exploded right over his head.
Harry and Ron shook their heads resignedly over their pumpkin rolls as they watched Hermione's outburst. She was barely heard over the regular breakfast din at the Great Hall, though Katie Bell and Angelina Johnson were nodding appreciatively from where they sat and Draco Malfoy had turned from his regular seat directly behind Harry to perform an instant replay for the ever-appreciative Crabbe and Goyle. The two guffawed heartily, spitting out chunks of pumpkin-flavored mash and sausages.
The twins fled the Great Hall, and chunks of pear fell from their limbs and hair as they ran. Hermione huffed angrily.
Ginny gaped at her. "That was brilliant, Hermione," she squeaked, "but also rather terrifying."
Hermione simply sniffed and turned back to her breakfast.
In another universe a slightly unhinged Hermione looked at Ginny with a maniacal gleam in her eye and hissed, "Keep the boys on their toes."