"You meet your prince, a charming prince

As charming as a prince will ever be."

"A Lovely Night," from Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella.


Hermione dropped her trunk on the floor with a bang, looking around the entrance way as she did so.

"Professor Lupin!" Her face brightened.

Lupin smiled tiredly. "Welcome to Grimmauld Place, Ms. Granger."

"Hermione, dear!" Mrs. Weasley bustled into the room, smiling widely. "You made it! You'll be staying with Ginny. Ron!" She turned and yelled at the stairs. "Hermione's here! Come down and show her to her room!"

Hermione looked up in time to see a red head poking around the corner.

"Ron's a bit, uh, tied up at the moment." Fred winked at Hermione as she blushed. "Hello, Granger." He turned back to his mother. "I'd be glad to show Hermione to her room."

He brandished his wand, levitating her trunk. "Right this way, dearest Hermione." He turned and started up the stairs.

"Dinner will be soon, Hermione, why don't you go get unpacked until then, dear."

Hermione smiled. "Thanks Mrs. Weasley." She turned to Lupin. "It was nice seeing you again, Professor." She turned and began to follow Fred up the stairs.

"So, Granger, how has your summer been so far?"

She shrugged. "It was decent. Nothing much happened; I just finished my summer homework."

"Already?" Fred asked. "Ron hasn't even started his yet."

"Yes," Hermione huffed. "I am well aware of the value that Ron puts into his school work. I hope you are more dedicated this year since it is your NEWTs year."

Fred laughed. "Of course! Since when have I ever not put my grades first?"

Hermione just looked at him with an eyebrow raised.

"Fine, I never have, but that's just because I'm a genius and don't have to study." Hermione blushed and turned to continue up the stairs as he waggled his eyebrows at her.


"Be quiet," Hermione hissed to Fred. "I can't hear what they're saying."

"Perhaps I can help with that," Fred smirked.

Hermione huffed. "Of course you can help. You can shut up so I can hear what they're saying."

Fred pulled back from her, his hands going to his chest. "Dearest Hermione, you wound me!"

"Shhh! I can almost hear them. I think they're saying something about guard duty. . .but what are they guarding?" She huffed, frustrated.

"Well, they could be talking about two different things. The guard duty on Harry or the guard duty on whatever they're protecting in the Department of Mysteries."

Hermione turned to him in shock. "How do you know that?"

Fred smirked. "I told you I could help."

"How. Do. You. Know."

He held his hand out to her. "Extendable ears. We just finished them." He watched as she took it from his hand, turning it over and examining it closely.

"What is it made out of?"

"Sorry, trade secret."

"And the spells you used?"

"It was a combination. And we even invented a few of our own. But other than that, I can't tell you. It's a-"

"Trade secret, yeah, I know." She turned and started walking down the hall, grabbing his arm as she passed. "Come on."

"Why Granger, I know I'm jaw-dropping handsome, but if you're planning on dragging me somewhere private so you can have your wicked way with me, I must protest."

She cuffed the back of his head. "Don't be an idiot."

He seemed to deflate. "You mean you don't want to have your wicked way with me?"

"That's not what I said."

He brightened. "Oh, so you do want-"

"Oh, for goodness sake, I just want to talk to you somewhere private so you can tell me everything you've learned from eavesdropping."

"Fine, I guess I can do that. But maybe after that. . ." He waggled his eyebrows at her.

Hermione blushed, moving faster down the hallway and dropping his arm.

Later that night, after the Order meeting, everyone was sitting at the dining table. They weren't all there willingly. Mrs. Weasley had had to almost drag Fred and George down from their room. She had tried to guilt trip Snape into staying as well, but he had used Fred and George's protests as a distraction and slipped out while she was looking the other way. For some reason, Mrs. Weasley had decided to put Lupin next to Tonks. He seemed uncomfortable, while Tonks seemed ecstatic. Ginny was sitting across from them and was watching the drama, looking thoroughly entertained. Fred and George were sitting as far away from each other as their mum could put them, with George next to the soap opera that was Lupin and Tonks and Fred next to their parents, with Hermione sitting across from him.

"So Professor, what exactly can we expect for our OWL year?" Hermione asked Professor Lupin from across the table.

"Well, your teachers will focus a lot more on the practical side of things, which means you'll be doing less essays, but you'll also be using more of your magical core, so you should feel more tired."

"So how will that affect-" Hermione broke off as she felt something brush her leg. She glanced across the table at Fred's smirk, glared at him and moved her leg.

"Hermione?" Lupin asked.

She jumped. "Oh. . .yes, um. . .what were we talking about?"

He looked at her strangely. "Your upcoming OWLs."

Hermione nodded. "Right. So do you know who the new defense teacher is?" She felt Fred's foot caress her calf again. She glared at him, pulled back her foot, and slammed the toe of her shoe into the bony part of Fred's calf. He flinched, biting his tongue.

"Fred? Are you feeling alright?" Mrs. Weasley asked, concerned.

"He said earlier that his stomach was a bit upset," Hermione responded innocently. "Maybe he needs a stomach-soothing potion."

Fred glared at her. "I don't know what you're talking about, Granger. I am perfectly fine."

"Are you sure, dear? It has been a long day. Maybe you just need a nice nap."

"What! I don't need a nap! I am perfectly fine, mum!"

Mrs. Weasley looked closely at him while Hermione smirked, George snickered, and the rest of the table sat there looking confused. "Well, if you say so, dear."

"Yes, I do say so."

As Mrs. Weasley turned back to her conversation with Mr. Weasley, Fred looked across the table at Hermione, his eyes narrowing. She just smiled sweetly back at him before returning to her conversation with Professor Lupin.

After the meal was over, Fred pulled Hermione aside. "What was that for?" He hissed.

Hermione blinked innocently back at him. "I'm sure I have no idea what you're talking about."

Fred huffed indignantly.

"Anyway," she smiled dangerously at him, baring her teeth. "You started it."