Huge Undertaking
Hermione and Ginny got along so well, it felt like they were sisters. They talked about anything and everything. Ginny loved staying at Hermione's house and they fixed up the guest bedroom for Ginny to use anytime she wanted to come over.
Ron came over twice during the week that Ginny was at Hermione's. They owled Harry to see how everything was going for him, but they never received any response.
The morning Ginny was supposed to go home Fred, George and Ron came through the floo.
Fred wanted to show George the television, so he told his Mum they were going to pick up Ginny. They spent the rest of the day watching movies. After they left it was so quiet. It would be hours before Hermione's parents would be home and she was restless. She went to the computer and she was looking up random things when she started thinking about Neville and his parents. She was still hurting for him and wished there was something she could do to help.
She was looking up head traumas and she was so interested in what she was finding that she was still on the computer when her parents came home. She talked to her parents about it and her father suggested using the University Medical library if she wanted more information. So, the next day she took the bus and went to the library to do some research. She ended up going every day for two weeks. She took tons of notes.
Hermione was thinking that she was onto something and that there was something that could be done to help the Longbottom's, but she felt like it was a very huge project and she would need help with it. As she thought of who could help her with the project her first thought was Professor Snape, but she knew that would never be an option. Then she thought of Fred and George Weasley. True, they were jokesters but they were brilliant at inventing things. She didn't know any other people that could invent potions and create new charms as well as they could. She thought about it all weekend and on Monday morning, she floo'd to the Weasleys.
Mrs. Weasley was happy to see her. She told her that Ginny was still sleeping, but Hermione told her she was there to see the twins.
"Go on up Dear, I've heard them all morning. I don't know what they are up to."
Hermione knocked on the door to the twin's room and was told to enter.
"Hey Fred, George. I hope I'm not disturbing you but I wanted to talk to both of you and it is very serious. Do you think you could come to my house for a while so we can have some privacy?"
They heard the seriousness in her voice and didn't even make a joke which they usually would have done. "Sure, we'd love to. Let's go tell Mum where we'll be."
Mrs. Weasley told them they could talk there, but Hermione was adamant that they needed to speak privately, so Mrs. Weasley told them they could go but they had better behave themselves.
Hermione got them something to drink then sat down with them. They were exchanging glances with each other because neither one knew what was going on. Finally, Hermione said "What I'm about to tell you can't be shared with anyone. It was told to me in confidence, and I don't want it getting out. We won't go any further until you promise."
"This sounds serious." said Fred.
"Should we be worried?" asked George.
"There isn't anything to worry about, but it is serious and a secret, so that's why I need to know I can trust you to not say anything to anyone. My parents know about it and if you two agree to it, we can let your parents know what we are up to, but other than that no one can know."
The boys looked at each other and both said at the same time, "I promise".
Hermione told them about Neville's parents and about the research she had done and how she had an idea on a potion they could make to help them. She told them she didn't know anything about inventing new potions and they did, so if they agreed they could work together and get it done. Fred and George agreed that they would do this together. Fred and George both expressed shock at what had happened to the Longbottom's.
They talked all morning about this. Hermione took them to a Pizza Parlor a couple of blocks away for lunch. They tried pizza and coca cola for the first time and they were amazed. After lunch, she showed them the notes that she had so far and they talked until late afternoon. They had to go home, but they said they would be back in the morning to talk some more and start throwing ideas out. Hermione asked them to see when their parents would be available so they could let them know what they were up to.
George went through the floo first and before Fred left he said "You know Hermione, if you wanted to spend more time with me you could have just said so. This is a good idea you have, but you didn't have to invent a reason for us to be together." As soon as he said this he pressed his lips to hers and with that he left a thoroughly flustered Hermione behind.
After he left she sat down and thought to herself. 'Am I doing this to spend time with Fred? I do get nervous when he's near me, and when he held my hand I couldn't think straight, but no, I am doing this for Neville. I need to make sure Fred knows this. I will have to make it clear to him next time I see him.' With that final thought, she felt better.
The next morning the boys arrived bright and early. They told her that their parents would be by after their Dad came home from work that evening. They started out reviewing the notes that Hermione had taken. Hermione was very thorough in her note taking, so they were at a good starting point. They reviewed the notes all day and they were there when Hermione's parents arrived home from work. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley would be arriving soon.
Mrs. Weasley started crying when they explained to them what they were trying to do. Mr. Weasley told them that several Healers had done all they could do for the Longbottom's, but Hermione explained to them that they had not tried Muggle remedies, and that her, Fred and George were going to attempt to make something that would help by using information from the Muggle medical books. If it didn't work out no one would know because the only people who knew about this were the ones in the room at that moment. They all agreed that it was a good project. Fred asked Hermione if she wanted to come to the Burrow tomorrow so they could start the project.
Fred never brought up the subject of Hermione wanting to spend time with him, so she didn't either. But both of them were very aware of the other whenever they were near, and when they were apart they constantly thought about the other. Of course, Hermione would never admit to this.
The trio worked on their project every day. Sometimes Hermione would go to the Burrow; sometimes she would go to the library for more information. They spent a lot of time together. Ginny and Ron were told that Hermione was interested in the things the twins invented so she was taking notes and was going to write their inventions down for them and that is why she spent so much time with them. They accepted that since Hermione always wanted to learn more and more.
One day Hermione and Ginny were at Hermione's house and Hedwig arrived with a letter from Harry.
Dear Hermione, The best news! It will be in the daily profit tomorrow, but I am letting you, Ron and Neville know today. Sirius has been cleared. He is a free man. The best part is that since he is my Godfather the Ministry said he is my legal guardian. He arrived today with some Ministry staff to take me to his home. I don't have to stay at the Dursley's anymore. If you need to contact me you can contact me at # 12 Grimwauld Place. After I get settled in you can come and see me. Love, Harry
Hermione was so excited when she read the letter. She handed it to Ginny to read while she immediately sent a reply with Hedwig letting Harry know how happy she was for both him and Sirius. She told him she was connected to the floo and to floo call her when he wanted to get in touch with her.
The summer was almost over and they had worked on the project every single day. Hermione was sitting on one of the beds in the twin's room when Fred said, "I think this is it. I think it is ready to be tested." The problem was that they couldn't test it until they tried it on the Longbottom's. They hadn't planned what they would do after they got to this point so they enlisted the help of Mr. Weasley. He set up an appointment with the Head Healer at St. Mungo's for the next day and he took the day off work so he could accompany them. The three of them spent the evening going over everything they would say and give to the Healer. They were so excited. Surely this would work. They had done their research thoroughly and Hermione had taken tons of notes.
The next morning, they gathered up everything and went with Mr. Weasley to St. Mungo's. The Healer was a friendly looking man and he listened to everything they had to say then he took their notes and told them he had to look over everything with his team before they would decide if they would try it out on the Longbottom's.
The school term started again and still they had not heard anything. They went about their days as if nothing was happening, but Hermione was so anxious to hear something. Anything. She knew Fred and George felt the same way.
Hermione was in Charms two weeks after school had begun, when Professor McGonagall came in and asked for her to accompany her. When they got into the corridor she told her to go put their books away and to go to Professor Dumbledore's office. When she was coming down from her room Fred and George were going to put up their books. She waited for Fred and George. Hermione had an idea what it was about, but didn't want to say anything. When they got to the Headmasters office Mr. Weasley was there to escort them to St. Mungo's. Professor Dumbledore went with them.
They went to the Healers office where Neville and his Grandmother were holding onto a man and woman. Neville saw them and went up to them and embraced them. Everyone stood back and let them hold each other for a while before the Healer cleared his throat and asked them all to sit down. The Healer told the group how he had been approached by the three students to try out a potion they had invented for the Longbottom's, and how his team researched everything they had been given and that his team was eager to try it out. They gave the potion to the Longbottom's and in a few minutes, they seemed to regain brain activity. They instantly contacted Mrs. Longbottom. They had been observing and testing Alice and Frank constantly for two weeks. Mrs. Longbottom had sent for Neville to come join her. Today they would be going home. They contacted Mr. Weasley so he could go get the three students and bring them to St' Mungo's to see the results first hand. It was such a happy joyous time. Hermione felt so good to be able to help Neville and she felt sure Fred and George felt the same way.
Professor Dumbledore let Neville go home with his parents and grandmother for the remainder of the week. He would be returning to school on Sunday evening.
"I have never been as proud of any of my students as I am right now with you three." Professor Dumbledore told them. "It is acts of kindness such as these that makes what we are fighting for worthwhile. Go enjoy the rest of your day. You are excused from today's classes".
"Thank-you, Professor." Was said by all three of them.
"Professor, do you think it would be all right if we floo'd home and told my parents and the Weasley's about this? We would not be gone long. But we would love to see our parents and let them know everything worked out. I know Mr. Weasley knows, but we don't know if Mrs. Weasley knows and our parents were just as excited as us for this to work out." Hermione asked.
"Yes, I think you can do that. When you floo back, say 'Hogwarts, Headmaster's office'."
"We did it! Fred, George, we actually did it. Isn't it exciting? We did it." Hermione was saying. "Let's go to the Burrow first", so one by one they followed Mr. Wesley through the floo to the Burrow.
"Mum" yelled George as they arrived.
Mrs. Weasley ran in asking "What's happened, what's wrong".
"Mum, Professor Dumbledore let us come home to give you and Dad the good news. I know you already know, Dad, but Mum doesn't." said George.
"Mum, it worked. The Longbottom's are ok. They were released from the hospital a few minutes ago." said Fred the excitement evident in his voice.
"Neville got to go home with them for the rest of the week and we are excused from today's classes and we were given permission to come tell you and my parents." Hermione added.
Everyone was so excited and happy. It wasn't long before they decided they needed to go tell the Grangers. Mr. Weasley went back to work, but Mrs. Weasley decided to accompany them to tell the Grangers. It was the same scene with the Grangers as the Weasleys. Everyone was so excited and the three students went back to school happier and prouder of themselves than they had been in a long time.