I'm actually so excited for Christmas! Only 8 days left. Hope you like this chapter :)
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Previously...
Hermione looked nervous. "It is safe, isn't it?" she asked.
" 'course, don't you trust me?" He asked stepping closer to her.
Caught off guard Hermione stumbled through her reply "It's not that I don't.. Well I mean..."
...
"I didn't know I effected you so much 'Mione..." Fred said with a crooked grin
"Fred! I'm not, I'm just cautious is all... You know I hate it when people call me 'Mione" she responded bright red with embarrassment.
"Whatever you say... 'Mione." He was interrupted by a reprimanding slap to his shoulder, "Alright woman no need to abuse a poor bloke. Come on give it here." He motioned for her to pass the tub. He took a generous swipe and dabbed it gently around her eye.
"Am I hurting you?" It wasn't until he said this that she realised how close they had become. She could feel his breathe against her face and even smell the sweet, slightly burnt scent that belonged only to Fred.
"'Mione?"
"Huh?" broken out her reverie she looked up at face.
"Oh, no you're not hurting me."
...
As she gazed up into his eyes Fred could see the similarities between the old Hermione and the girl staring back at him. She used to have an understated beauty, but perhaps that was because she was so disarmingly unaware of her prettiness. Her pale skin was always completely flawless with only a small smattering of freckles on her nose, now however it had a more translucent quality to it. The bruise on her eye contrasting so grotesquely with it.
She used to have the kindest pair of chocolate brown eyes trimmed by long gorgeous lashes, though now they had been replaced with the most striking blue. Hey eyes were always gentle, they always held a small warmth within them. He'd always thought the slightly rounder, more gentle curves of her face adorable but now her rosy cheeks and flawlessly sculpted lips, looked as if they were crafted by angels themselves. All these features set together on a delicate almost, angelic face.
She had always been a thinker, always with a plan and ready to help others. Even if sometimes she had to sacrifice things along the way. Perhaps that's why her skin glowed with ethereal allure, it was her inner beauty that shined through her eyes and softened her features, that made him truly see the old Hermione. Black hair and blue eyes couldn't hide her from him.
His schoolyard crush on her stemmed back from his 3rd year when he first saw her reading a book half her size in the Gryffindor common room. From then on he always tried getting her attention, good or bad. He'd purposely execute pranks right in her line of sight just so she'd come over to tell him off for terrorising other students. She never got any of the hints though and he ended up setting his sights elsewhere just to get her off his mind. But again she would come back into his life, whether it be holidays at the burrow or just around school and he'd be back to where he started. Panting over a girl 2 years his junior with just about no interest in her brothers older, prankster brother. Most would say it hopeless but Fred Weasley doesn't give up so easily.
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"I've gotta say Fred you've outdone yourself. This paste is absolutely amazing!"
" 'Course it is," said Fred bracingly. "Come on, I'll give you a tour through the back, that's where we're making the real money"
Hermione saw a darker, less crowded room. The packaging on the products lining these shelves was more plain and muted.
"We've just developed this more serious line," said Fred. "Funny how it happened . . . You wouldn't believe how many people, even people who work at the Ministry, can't do a decent Shield Charm," he laughed to himself
"Well, we thought Shield Hats were a bit of a laugh, you know, challenge your mate to jinx you while wearing it and watch his face when the jinx just bounces off. But the Ministry bought five hundred for all its support staff! And we're still getting massive orders! So we've expanded into a range of Shield Cloaks, Shield Gloves. I mean, they wouldn't help much against the Unforgivable Curses, but for minor to moderate hexes or jinxes and then we thought we'd get into the whole area of Defense Against the Dark Arts, because it's such a money spinner," he rambled enthusiastically.
"This is amazing Fred! I can't say I've always agreed with your pranks but this is truly revolutionary. The amount of good that could come from this I mean... Oh sorry I'm rambling..." she stopped before she made a fool of herself.
"No go on, I love the passion you have for others. Its... refreshing."
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Ooft, another chapter done are you proud of me?