Chapter 9
"Alright, just through here," Fred said as he motioned Hermione through the empty shop, his hand gently on her lower back.
"Hmmm, seems a bit sad, a quiet joke shop, doesn't it?" Hermione mused as she walked into the workroom.
"I guess a little, though it can be pleasant to have a respite from the chaos every now and then."
"Now Fred Weasley, that's a surprise. You seem to thrive in chaos," Hermione said. She was feeling a bit nervous as she realised this was the first time she had ever actually been alone with Fred.
"Perhaps, but quiet is nice as well. So, Miss Granger, let's see to this eye shall we," Fred said as he looked through cabinets. "I really do feel bad about all of this. George is a prat, he forgot to warn Ginny."
"I heard," Hermione said with a laugh, she began looking around at the odd bits littering the work table in the middle of the room, her eyes flitting from scratched out reminders to halves of the skiving snack box sweets, even an opened box of their daydream charms.
"Here we are. I-I can put it on for you if you'd like, or there's a loo just through that door if you'd prefer," Fred said looking a bit curiously at Hermione, he rather liked the interest she seemed to showed in his work.
"I think it probably best if you do it, I can't see where it put it with my eyes closed after all," Hermione said feeling a bit bold, she knew her excuse was flimsy at the very best, but she didn't care. Fred didn't seem to either.
"Good point. I'll just..." Fred reached down and scooped her up bridal style, then placed her gently on the work tables surface. He laughed at the sudden gasping noise she made. "Sorry love, you're a tiny thing, I needed you up here at eye level."
"Oh, yes, right. Of course. That makes sense," Hermione said flustered, she was mentally willing the butterflies that had suddenly made a home in her stomach to settle down. Hermione tried not to compare Fred to any of the other boys she'd been interested in in the past, but all she could think at that moment was she had never had that reaction from a simple touch from anyone else. It scared and delighted her at the same time.
"Alight, just close your eyes, I'll get you back to rights in no time," Fred said, the tip of his ears were slightly pink.
Hermione closed her eyes without another word, she didn't trust herself to say anything else just then. She sat waiting for Fred to move for what seemed like minutes, finally she cracked one eye open slightly and asked if everything was alright.
"Yes of course. Sorry, just remembered something I needed to tell George," Fred said lamely, cursing himself for getting caught looking so intensely at Hermione. Shaking himself a little Fred dipped a finger into the small tin in his hand, scooping a good sized dollop of the thick yellow paste. Very gently Fred began to apply the paste to Hermione's face, smiling at her quick intake of breath at the initial touch, then a long sigh as the paste began to work dulling her pain.
"Oh, that feels much better," Hermione sighed again, her eyes still closed. Fred finished applying the paste and Hermione jumped slightly when she felt him brush away a loose lock of hair before tucking it behind her ear gently. Hermione felt the air move around her face as Fred moved closer, she could nearly feel the heat from his skin, smell his light cologne, hear his breath catch. Hermione kept her eyes closed as she waited for the kiss she could feel coming. Then in an instant he was gone. She opened her eyes abruptly and saw Fred's back as he put the small tin back in the cabinet.
"Well Granger, we have a party to get back to," Fred said with a laugh that was a bit too forced.
"Uhm, yes. Right, we'd better get back," Hermione said, hopping off the table. She walked purposefully toward the door.
…
Sirius was having an incredible time. An owl had just swooped into the restaurant where everyone was milling around, and delivered the evening edition of 'The Daily Profit' a full page story on the trial and acquittal was on the front page. George and Harry took turns reading dramatically from the paper, about how deep down the wizarding world really knew Sirius was innocent the whole time.
Sirius watched how after the four fire whiskies he had forced down Remus' throat he was finally talking to Tonks. Flirting even, in a very dry, bit stuffy, Remus Lupin sort of way. Laughing at the awkwardness of his best mate, Sirius went to get another drink. As he did, he saw as the door opened and in walked two very stiff awkward people. Sirius immediately walked over and took hold of Hermione's arm gently. Sparing a scathing glare at the uncomfortable Weasley who was with her he pulled her away.
"What happened, kitten?" Sirius all but growled.
"You really do sound like a dog when you do that," Hermione said. Seeing that he wasn't in the laughing mood, she continued. "Nothing happened, exactly, miserably, annoyingly nothing happened. We'll talk about it later, I promise."
"Yes we will," Sirius said, glaring once again at the matching Weasleys' across the room.
"What is going on? Why is Hermione upset? And why is Sirius murdering you in his head?" George asked as Fred pulled him to the side.
"I've cocked everything up, Georgie," Fred muttered miserably.
"What did you do?" George asked accusingly. Fred was his twin, his best mate, his everything, but Hermione was slowly becoming one of his favorite people as well. George knew Fred wouldn't do anything too drastic, but he did have a tendency to take things too far sometimes.
"I almost kissed her," Fred said. "I couldn't help myself. She was just sitting there on the table, eyes closed, looking bloody gorgeous. She was everything all wrapped up, beautiful, brilliant, sexy as hell but oh so innocent."
Fred was not expecting what happened next, he figured George would yell at him, tell him what an idiot he was, or even to sadly clap him on the shoulder, telling him how badly he'd messed things up. Instead, George started laughing.
"Well, I'm so happy that my pissing off the best witch I'd ever met is funny to you," Fred said a bit crossly.
"Oh dear, my sweet misguided, oblivious fool of a twin. Why is it you believe she's angry with you?" George asked, trying very hard not to laugh.
"Because, I almost kissed her. She isn't interested in me, how could she be? I cocked it all up… now she's going to hate me. She's Ron's girl," Fred spat out.
"You are incredible thick," George said rolling his eyes.
"What are you talking about?" Fred asked flabbergasted.
"I'm talking about the fact that Hermione is completely nutters for you," George said a bit forcefully.
"Are you mad?" Fred asked, starting to worry about his brother's mental stability.
"No, but you are. Have you not noticed the changes in her? The way she looks at you? The way she flirts with you? Sirius and I have been trying to get you two to open your bloody eyes for weeks! The only reason that witch is upset with you, you tosser, is because you didn't kiss her!" George said his frustration replacing his amusement.
"Wait, what?" Fred asked.
"And as for her being Rons girl, not hardly. He is mad for her sure, he's just too thick to realise for himself. A trait, I see is prevalent in more than one Weasley at this party." George rolled his eyes again. "Furthermore I do believe it is Hermione's decision on who she fancies, so here, have a drink and let's see if we can't figure a way to get you out of this mess while you still have time."
….
"Wait, you did what now?" Sirius was howling with laughter.
"What? I was convinced he was attempting to throw Harry off his broom. It's not my fault I didn't see Quirrell behind him muttering as well," Hermione said defensively. She looked to Harry, who was sitting on the couch beside her. He was no help, shaking violently with silent laughter. Even Remus chuckled lightly at the story, even though he'd just been cursing the lot for being so bloody loud, he was still nursing a bit of a hangover from the night before.
"So you set his robes on fire? That is bloody incredible. Oh Merlin! What I wouldn't give." Sirius barked out a laugh.
"Yes, well. I felt just awful afterwards. It was a horrible mistake, although, it did end up working after all. All the commotion ended up knocking Quirrell over and Harry was able to get back on his broom," Hermione said, smiling despite herself.
"Thank you again for that," Harry said, finally regaining his composure. "Just the first of many times you've saved my life."
"I'd say any time but you're likely to take me up on that," Hermione joked, she put her feet up and kicked his leg lightly, making sure he didn't take her too seriously.
"Well if I could have anyone on my side I'd always pick you first," Harry said, he squeezed her foot lightly, leaving them on his leg. A knock on the door brought the foursome back to the present.
"Come in," Sirius called, still laughing a bit.
"Hullo everyone. I hope I'm not interrupting," Fred said as he looked in the library. The scene that met him was homey, very much what one would see upon walking into the Burrow on a Sunday evening. Though his chest tightened slightly at the closeness of Hermione and Harry. She had her head propped up on the arm of the couch and her feet in Harry's lap, Harry was absentmindedly rubbing on of her feet.
"Of course not, come on in," Sirius said, a touch coldly. He was still a bit cross with the young wizard, even if Hermione wasn't. She'd told him about what had happened at the joke shop when they gotten back to Grimmauld the night before. Sirius had a few choice words before Hermione smiled at him. She told him that she knew Fred loved her, or that he would in the future, there was no way she could have used her the necklace if he hadn't. Perhaps he, Fred, just didn't know it yet. Hermione could hardly be angry with him for that.
"Actually I was just hoping to borrow Hermione for a bit," Fred said nervously. After spending the night getting pissed with George, the best plan the two of them could come up with was to use her promise of help to get her to talk to him, then not be so stupid again. George made it quite clear that if the opportunity to kiss her came up and Fred cocked it up again that George would kiss her for him. Fred was surprised at how angry the comment made him.
"What for?" Sirius asked harshly.
"Sirius!" Hermione admonished. "Of course Fred, let's head to the kitchen, I could use a cup of tea anyway."
"I'll be just in here if you need anything, kitten," Sirius said a bit loudly. Hermione ushered Fred back through the library door, poking her head back through and sticking her tongue out at Sirius. Loud laughter was heard as she shut the door.
"So what can I help you with Fred?" Hermione asked as she set about making tea.
"Well I was hoping your offer to look over the love potions still stood," Fred answered.
"Of course, I'm happy to help, have you brought the recipe?" She asked, sitting down across from him at the table.
"Yes, we used the basic Amortentia recipe, but we wanted to add a twist. Normally the potion fabricates the emotions of love to whoever drinks it. Making the drinker believe they are in love with whoever gave it to them, we thought it was a bit unfair that way. We want one that only works if there are already mutual feelings on both ends," Fred told her as he showed her his notes on their previous experiments.
"So, less love potion, more of a way to see if someone shares your feelings. That's surprisingly ethical of you," Hermione chuckled.
"Hey, we are decent wizards, you know," Fred said a bit defensively.
"I don't doubt that in the slightest," Hermione said distractedly as she looked over the notes. "I rather like this idea. Normal love potions always made me a bit queasy to be honest. Takes away one's right to consent."
"Precisely, we wanted something that could give you a leg up, so to speak. To be able to know for certain before making a fool of yourself," Fred said, thinking that he would have possibly slipped a bit in Hermione's tea if he had a working product.
"Impressive, and ambitious," Hermione said, her mind was already taking apart the Amortentia potion and trying to work out a way to rebuild it into what Fred was asking for.
"That's our motto," Fred joked, he was delighted to hear the laugh come from her. The pair spent the better part of the afternoon dissecting every aspect of the problem, discussing ingredients and possible outcomes. There was a fair bit of flirting thrown in as well. They only stopped working when Molly came in to begin supper. Hermione was happy with the way the afternoon had gone, thinking to herself that hopefully they were now on the right path.
