Hello again! So yea... sorry, this week's updates got kind of messed up. I work with little kids and got pretty sick this weekend. Hope this chapter and the next few make up for it!
Thank yous to all the Followers and Favorite-ers these past few days. Especially: pianomouse, GinnyPotter6891, Binka Fudge, lilyflower49, MissesE, and CarmesiLight. You have no idea how much I appreciate your comments. =)
Hermione's POV
"Hermione…" Ginny muffled her voice a bit so that they wouldn't be overheard by Mrs. Weasley as the two younger witches helped Molly with the lunch preparation. "What were you doing in Fred and George's room last night?"
Hermione's face flushed slightly and she flexed her hand before she remembered that she actually had a reason why she had been there, "Oh… Well, Fred is helping me with a rather complicated charm that I'm trying to investigate. And since I still have the trace on me, I can't really do the practical side of the research myself."
Ginny cocked her head slightly, mulling over the explanation. But she decided that it seemed legitimate, "What's the charm you're working on?"
"I don't want to jinx it. I'll tell you when we're closer to perfecting the spell." Ginny nodded her head and took the green beans to the table.
After lunch, Mrs. Weasley directed all the children to assist in cleaning up the dreary looking sitting room. Sirius had protested, claiming there was nothing that could be done to make the space more livable; which in turn had alerted his mother's portrait of what was going on. The painting then went into a very shrill tirade about filthy blood traitors and mudbloods touching her precious house.
Hermione was angry and embarrassed that she still reacted to that word; no matter how many times she told herself it didn't matter and that it wasn't worth being upset over. But even when a disturbed portrait said the word, her fingernails dug into her palms and her jaw clenched. Sirius apologized profusely for his deranged mother and huffed off to wrangle her heavy curtains closed again.
Ron, Ginny, Fred and George followed Mrs. Weasley into the sitting room, but Hermione remained in the hallway trying to quietly collect herself and suppress her emotions. She must have taken a few minutes too long, because Fred came back to the hall looking for her.
"What's taking so long, Granger? Trying to devise an escape from the dust bunnies?" Fred chuckled to himself before he fully observed the tight expression on the witch's face. "Hermione?"
Without thinking Hermione stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Fred's waist and buried her face in his chest. The redheaded wizard quickly returned the embrace, looping his arms carefully around the girl's shoulders.
Hermione took several deep breathes before she finally felt her shoulders relax. She pulled free of Fred's arms and smiled a little shyly, "Sorry. I just… I know it's just a stupid portrait, and it's just a word..."
Fred held up his hand to stop Hermione from rambling further, " 'Mudblood' is an awful word and you're allowed to be effected by it. I don't mind being used for moral support either, so no worries." He offered her a warm, genuine smile and went to hold the door to the sitting room open for her.
Hermione noticed something in her stomach begin to flutter and pull.
A few days later, Hermione sat on the floor of the Black's library thumbing through another heavy tome trying to find more information about linking spells. Sirius had caught her earlier in the day hiding from Mrs. Weasley and her incessant need to clean the entire house. Hermione had covertly asked Harry's godfather some general questions and advice about the charm she was researching and tried to make him believe that it was something she had found during her preparations for O.W.L.s.
Hermione wasn't sure if Sirius completely believed her, but the older wizard had simply smiled and had not asked for any further details. He did suggest a few books for her to peruse through though.
The door creaked open behind her, and Hermione scrambled to tuck the book away before it was seen.
"Calm down Granger, it's just me," Fred laughed openly at the anxious expression on the witch's face.
"Good Lord, Fred… you scared me half to death. I thought it was your mother! She's probably furious that I'm not dusting something," Hermione covered her face nervously and glared at the twin who had taken a seat next to her on the floor.
Fred leaned back on the bookshelf so that he was facing the bushy brunette, "Lucky for us all, they're having a meeting tonight so Mum's busy making food and ordering Ginny and Ron around the kitchen."
Hermione's shoulders sagged with relief, "What about the others?"
He smirked a little at the witch's anxiety, "I think Sirius is upstairs feeding Buckbeak, George disappeared up into our room to work out the recipe for a new product, and I came to see if you've made any more progress on your project. Everyone is accounted for; no one left to sneak up on you. So let's have an update."
"Well, I did find a few more books to check. Sirius pointed them out to me earlier today."
"You've told Sirius what you're up to?" Fred's eyebrows got dangerously close to his hairline.
Hermione laughed at the twin's ridiculous expression, "Not exactly. I may have mentioned something about wanting to be prepared for my O.W.L.s when he asked what it was for. Which isn't a complete lie; I'm sure there is bound to be something advanced like this on that test."
Fred burst out laughing, "You little liar! Do you think he believed you?" Hermione blushed lightly at the almost proud expression on the twin's face.
"Well, I'm not really sure. But he didn't ask many questions, so I didn't have to explain anything else," Hermione tilted her head down and began reading again.
"Very good with loopholes, aren't you." Fred poked her gently in the arm and flashed her a dazzling smile when she met his gaze, "Remind me to ask you about some ideas I have about Owl orders, before the summer is through."
"Fred, I'm not going to help you smuggle forbidden items into Hogwarts," Hermione narrowed her eyes playfully at the redhead in front of her.
He crossed his arms casually, "I bet I can change your mind about that; or at least find a suitable loophole to help myself." Fred winked and he placed one of those warm smiles on his lips.
Hermione let her hair fall a bit over her face as she returned to her book. Those genuine smiles of his were wreaking havoc on her stomach again.
Slow and steady wins the race people. I hope you all can understand (and not hate me completely) when I tell you that this isn't going to be one of those fics where I put two characters together and then they're instantly in love.
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Misha
Ps. Check out my other stories too! 'Thrown Back,' 'Begin Again' and 'Penelope Jackson.'
