A Few Weeks Into The Year

"Gilderoy Lockhart!" Ron snorted in disgust, "What a load of junk!"

Hermione glared at him, "And what would you know? He's done loads of things, most you've ever done is manage to blow up a forgetting potion." Ron opened his mouth to say something, but stopped and sulked instead.

George came up next to Hermione, "Pretty savage words to defend someone you don't even know-"

Fred flanked her other side, "Perhaps the result of a schoolgirl crush?"

Hermione shrugged, "So what if I do, not that I do. He's smart, handsome, brave-"

George and Fred jumped in front of her, doing jazz hands, "Like us!"

George smirked, wrapping an arm around her shoulder, "And there's two of us."

Hermione rolled her eyes, "Does this twin thing actually work on girls?"

George let his arm drop, bringing his hand up to his mouth, "Are you saying you're immune to our devilishly good looks and amazing charm?"

Fred seemed aghast, "Impossible!"

"Intolerable!"

"Inconcievable!"

"Oh stop being so dramatic," Hermione said, rolling her eyes.

Fred shrugged, "Alright, we were running out of 'I' words anyway. But really Granger-"

"Is Lockhart actually your type?" Finished George.

Hermione stared at them, "Type?"

George grinned and shoved her shoulder playfully, "You know-"

Fred wiggled his eye brows, "The kind that catches your fancy."

Hermione shrugged and started walking away, "Perhaps."

The two let her go. Fred then leaned over slighty to George and together they whispered, "We'll fix that."

After Mr. Weasley And Lucius Malfoy's Fight

"Brilliant!" George exploded, grinning from ear-to-ear.

Molly Weasley glared at them, "It was not brilliant. Your father could have really been hurt and he may even lose his job."

"I doubt I'll be fired, and even if I do get canned, it'll be worth it," Arthur responded, smiling at his son.

George laughed, but stopped when his mother smacked him over the head. Fred grinned at the exchange, he then manouvered himself until he was next to Hermione, "So what'd you think of the fight?"

"I think...Lucius was asking for it," Fred smiled, "But your father should have ignored him, he really could get in trouble at the ministry."

Fred laughed and jumped in front of her, walking backwards, "Are you telling me that if Malfoy, the little one, said something about someone you love, you wouldn't clock him?"

Hermione suddenly seemed embarrassed, "I'll admit, I'd probably curse him-"

"And if you didn't have your wand?"

She huffed a bit, "I always have it."

"Granger..."

She sighed, "Alright, suspending reality, if I didn't have my wand, I would not punch him."

Fred stopped walking, causing Hermione to crash into him. She grunted and looked up at Fred. He looked hurt, "So even if he said something really bad about me and my family, you wouldn't punch him?"

Hermione shook her head slowly, Fred nodded and turned to walk away. Hermione jumped forward, grabbing his arm, "Fred!" Her turned around, now looking surprised. She looked down at her shoes but still held onto him, "I wouldn't punch him because I don't know how to."

Silence.

Suddenly Fred was shaking with laughter. Hermione blushed angrily, "What!"

Fred tried to calm himself down enough to answer. After a few minutes he finally succeeded and said, "I'm sorry it's just-," laughter, "I overreacted," laugh ," w-what do you mean you don't know how to punch someone?"

She bristled, "I don't know how."

He stopped laughing slowly but still kept a smile on his face. He brought her hand up to his and held it. Swinging their clasped hands he said, "I'll teach you."

Hogwarts Express - On the way to Hogwarts

"Have you seen Harry and Ron?"

"Nope, sorry."

Hermione closed the compartment door, sighing.

"Granger!" Hermione turned around to see the twins and the young girl she recognized to be Ginny.

"Hi Fred, hi George." She responded glumly.

"Aw, why so glum sugar plum?" Fred asked, coming around to wrap an arm around her.

"I can't find Harry or Ron." She responed sadly.

George shrugged, "Sit with us."

Fred brightened, tightening his arm around her, "Yeah! You can bond with Ginny!"

"You don't have to," Ginny responded, blushing.

Hermione smiled encouragingly, "I'd love to."

A Few Minutes Later

"So Granger, want to learn how to fight?" Fred asked after they had barely settled into a compartment.

Hermione looked around at the setting, "now?"

Fred shrugged, "Why not?"

She rolled her eyes, "Is that your motto or something?"

Fred smiled, "Or something." He pulled the second-year up and put his fists up to his face, "Do as I do."

Hermione did so, "Now what?"

George looked up from his Quidditch magazine, "Goodness Granger, you look less intimidating than a mouse."

Fred lowered his stance, frowning, "He's right." He came around behind her and fixed her hands, "Like this."

"Better George?" Hermione asked, making as mean a face as she could.

George grinned, "Now I'm scared."

Fred looked down at her small form pressed against him and he suddenly let go, "Right, so George here will take over now."

George looked at him strangely but got up, "Right."

Hermione however, was not as easily calmed, "What?"

Fred smiled tightly, "I'm more of a lover than a fighter, George here'll take care of you." He ruffled her hair before taking the spot his twin just vacated.

George grabbed her hands, "Right, so you put your hands here." He moved them to the right position, "Good."

Fred watched them for a moment, but soon picked up the discarded Quidditch magazine.

A Half Hour Later

"Okay, what was that?"

Fred blinked at his twin, "What?"

George glared at him before saying mockingly, " 'I'm more of a lover than a fighter'?" Fred began slipping into his robe and George raised his eyebrows, "Well?"

Fred shrugged, "Just get changed, Ginny and Granger will be back soon."

"They could see me in my boxers for all I care, now tell me what happened, you looked to be enjoying yourself all cuddly with Granger. Not that I don't like the little bird, but she's not exactly my type." He stared at his twin, "What's wrong now?"

Fred sighed, "She's a second-year."

"Yeah, and?"

"She's so small. I forgot, and I've practically been harrassing her since the day we met." He collapsed on the seat, "I'm practically a pervert!"

George rolled his eyes and sat next to him, "Granger was right, we are a bit too dramatic."

"Eh?"

"You're what? A year older than her, maybe two?"

"Yeah."

George shrugged, "So what does it matter?"

Fred sighed, "It just...it matters."

George leaned back against the wall, "Ah, my brother is falling in love."

Fred punched his twin, "I am not! I just have a hard time turning my natural flirting down around her. She's like a sister."

George rolled his eyes, "Yeah, right." He punched Fred back.

The two ended up on the ground, playfully wrestling. Until the two girl's opened the compartment door. Unfortunately, a stray leg sent the eldest girl onto the pile of wrestling brothers.

Fred looked up at the sound of a crash and his eyes widened, "Hermione!"

George looked at the source of the crash, "Uh."

Hermione slowly opened her eyes looking at the twin she landed on, "George!"