I used a few lines from the book (CoS) in this chapter; so if you recognize it, it's not mine.
"Make way for the Heir of Slytherin, seriously evil wizard coming through..."
Fred and I made a point of leading Harry wherever he went, teasing about the rumours. Percy didn't find it very funny – tried to lecture us about it.
"Oh, get out of the way, Percy," said Fred. "Harry's in a hurry."
"Yeah, he's off to the Chamber of Secrets for a cup of tea with his fanged servant," I said, with a laugh.
The two of us got him around every corner – asking him who he'd attack next, trying to ward him off with talismans and such...Ginny didn't find it very funny, though. I may have to lay off a bit, for her sake...
-oOo-
Christmas was nice while it lasted...Ron and Harry showed up some time after dinner. "Hey guys, where's Hermione?"
They looked at each other, having a silent conversation with their eyes. Ron was the first to speak up. "Hospital wing, she's not feeling well."
"Well, what's wrong with her?" Ginny asked.
"Dunno, she won't tell us," Harry replied.
"Brilliant. I guess I'll have to go visit her later, then. Probably bring her some chocolate or something..." I muttered, drifting off into my own thoughts.
-oOo-
The next day, I decided to go visit Hermione after lunch. I summoned a bright pink Gerbera Daisy – her favorite flower – and headed to the hospital wing. When I got there and asked Madam Pomfrey where Hermione was, she told me she wasn't taking visitors. I asked her to at least bring her a note and the flower for me, and she obliged. I stayed just long enough to see her reach around a curtain, and made to leave.
"George?"
"Hey, Hermione. Feeling any better?"
"Not really. Madam Pomfrey? Is it okay if he comes to visit me? I won't ask about anyone else, just him, Ron, and Harry."
Madam Pomfrey sighed. "Oh, very well. Come with me, Mr. Weasley. I must warn you, though, before you step inside those curtains – her appearance is a bit...altered."
I nodded, and made my way over to Hermione's bed. When I pulled the curtain aside to step in, I gasped. "Wicked! How'd you do that, Hermione?" She looked like a cat!
She frowned, and beckoned me over. "Promise you won't tell anyone?" I nodded. "Polyjuice Potion. It was an accident, it's not meant for animal transformations..."
I was stunned. She brewed Polyjuice Potion? That's NEWT level! Blimey, she's so smart. "But why, Hermione? Who'd you need to impersonate?"
She looked at me hesitantly for a moment, and then sighed. "I can trust you, right, George?"
"Hermione! Of course you can!"
"Alright. Peek around that curtain and make sure no one's within hearing range..." I looked out, then pulled my head back in to nod my approval. "Millicent Bulstrode."
My jaw dropped. "Millicent? Why in the world would you want to be her?" I shuddered, picturing Hermione in Millicent's body, and then remembering last February.
"Remember, this doesn't leave this room..." She proceeded to tell me all about their plans to talk to Malfoy, and I just sat there, taking it all in. "Anyway, it turns out the hair I got from her was her cat's, not hers, which explains why I ended up like this."
"Merlin's pants," I whistled slowly. "You guys get into so much trouble. I don't think me and Fred have ever even done anything that crazy!"
"Fred and I," she corrected, "and we only do it to try and figure out the important stuff!"
"That's true."
We spent the next two hours just sitting and talking about anything and everything. It's so nice to finally get to spend some time, just the two of us, and catch up. "It's been too long. I missed this," I said.
"Missed what?" she asked.
"This," I said, motioning between the two of us. "Getting to just sit and hang out with you, catch up on everything, just talk. I feel like I never see you anymore – you're always off with Ron and Harry."
Hermione looked a little guilty at that. "Oh George, I'm sorry! I was so caught up in all this 'Heir of Slytherin' stuff that I guess I didn't realize how long it had been. From now on, I'll make sure to make some 'George time' in my schedule, for just you and me, yeah? I miss you too, you're my best friend."
I smiled at that, and checked the clock on the wall. "Oh! It's almost dinner time! I should probably head out. Want me to bring you anything later?"
Hermione smiled. "No thanks, I think I'm doing alright. Plus, Harry and Ron are coming by later to bring me my school stuff. Go on ahead to dinner, I'll see you later. Thanks so much for coming to visit me, and for the lovely flower. You're a great friend, George."
"No problem, Mione. Have a good night! I'll come see you again sometime soon." I leaned over to hug her, then gave her a smile and a wink and headed out.
-oOo-
It's Valentine's Day, and Hermione's been fur-free and out of the hospital wing for about 2 weeks now. Currently, she and I are making our way into the Great Hall for breakfast...what's this? Merlin, Morgana and Medusa, I think I'm blind! So...much...pink... Lockhart clearly enjoys this holiday far too much. I sat down next to Fred, who looked up at me from his breakfast and said, "You know, George, I don't think I've ever wanted anything more than my desire to be colorblind right now." I chuckled, agreeing with him. Lockhart was speaking, but I didn't really care to hear any of the mindless drivel that's coming out of his mouth. I caught the last few words of Ron's plea to Hermione, and her reaction...oh man. Did she really send a valentine to Lockhart? I'll have to have a chat with that girl. That's just unacceptable.
-oOo-
Harry got a singing valentine on his way to class – or so Hermione tells me – and they think it was from Ginny! This is too good.
No, wait. Now it's even better; she's just recited it for me:
"His eyes are as green as a fresh pickled toad,
His hair is as dark as a blackboard.
I wish he was mine, he's really divine,
The hero who conquered the Dark Lord"
Oh, Ginny. Ginny, Ginny, Ginny. You're never going to live this down, simply because we'll never stop singing this to Harry!
-oOo-
Aaaaaaand it's April 1st! I was woken up when Hermione pounced on me, starting to tickle my sides. "Happy birthday, Georgie!" she exclaimed.
"Oh, this means war, Granger," I said amidst laughter, my voice husky from sleep, and proceeded to tickle her back. It had turned into a full-scale tickle war when I heard Fred grumble from his bed.
"Oi! Go back to sleep!"
Hermione and I ceased our battle, looked at each other, and then tumbled out of my bed. We silently counted down together from three, and then leaped onto Fred's bed and started tickling him. "Happy birthday, Freddy!" He growled, and tried to shove us off of him...but it only ended up with him joining in our tickle war.
Lee sat up, looked over, and then shouted, "Hey! You forgot to invite me!" He jumped straight off his bed and onto Fred's, and joined the battle as well. "Morning Granger! Happy birthday, Fred and George!"
A shout from the other side of the dormitory had us pausing our skirmish. "Oi! Keep it down! It's too early!" Kenneth Towler yelled.
"Sod off, Kenny," Lee replied, "it's their birthday!"
All throughout the day, we played as many pranks as we could. The best prank of the day, though, was the pair of gloves and bucket of soapy water we had following Snape around all day, periodically grabbing hold of his hair and washing it. No one could resist laughing at that.
All too soon, the day was over. It was enjoyable, though. And I got a nice stash of sweets again from my family and Lee. Hermione, brilliant girl that she is, gave me a muggle magic kit. I can't wait to try it out! Muggles certainly have an interesting perception of 'magic'...
-oOo-
It's the beginning of May, and we're to play quidditch against Hufflepuff today. Wood's been so obsessed with us winning this game that he's held practice practically every night. I barely have time for anything but quidditch and school – haven't gotten to hang out with Hermione in ages, and I've only gotten to see Lee because we share a dormitory. Oh well; after this game, hopefully he'll let up some.
We made our way out onto the pitch, kicked off...and then Professor McGonagall came practically running down to the pitch and announced that the match was canceled. A collective groan went out over the stadium. I chanced a look at Fred, and then flew down to where McGonagall was standing, just in time to hear her say, "Potter, I think you'd better come with me. Yes, perhaps you'd better come too, Weasley..."
I quickly caught up with them as they started walking away, and announced my presence. "Professor, what's happened? Why do you need Harry and my brother?"
She stopped and gave me a calculating look, just as Fred caught up to us. "Hmm. Yes, well, maybe you two ought to come as well. Follow me." We followed her up to the hospital wing...this can't be good. "This will be a bit of a shock," she said in a surprisingly gentle voice. "There has been another attack...another doubleattack."
My stomach dropped as we hesitantly followed her inside the wing. There was a 5th year girl with long, curly hair being tended to by Madam Pomfrey, and on the bed next to her was –
"Hermione!"Ron groaned. I fell to my knees, just trying to remember to keep breathing. Fred came over and put his hands on my shoulders.
"Breathe, Georgie," he whispered in my ear, "she's only petrified, she's still alive. They'll be able to restore her soon." I nodded slightly, and then scooted my way over to her bed to hold her hand. I wasn't listening to anything that was being said; I was just trying to keep it together. My best mate...I'm just grateful that Fred's with me for this. "George," he said quietly, grabbing my arm, "McGonagall's taking us back to the tower now." I nodded and stood up. I summoned another Gerbera Daisy – orange this time – and placed it on her end table before following Fred out the door.
-oOo-
The last month passed by slower than I could have ever imagined. I wasn't allowed to visit Hermione – no one was allowed in the hospital wing – but I figured out a way to help her, regardless. After Herbology one day, I stayed behind to talk to Professor Sprout.
"Yes, Mr. Weasley?" she asked.
"Professor, I was wondering if it might be possible for me to help you with the Mandrakes. I feel like I need a way to help Hermione."
Professor Sprout smiled sadly at me. "Of course you may. I hadn't realized you were so close to her...how about you come down here after classes every Monday and Wednesday, and we'll see what we can do."
"That sounds brilliant, Professor, thank you."
Fred had been shocked when I told him I was willingly helping out in the green houses twice a week. I guess he got used to it, though, because he stopped teasing me after about a week.
And now it's the end of May, and Percy's just come tearing into our dormitory. "Fred! George! McGonagall's downstairs in the common room. She wants to talk to us." We followed him down the winding stairs, and both blanched at the grave look on her face.
"Boys, I think it's best if you're sitting down for this." We sat, and waited for her to continue. "A student's been taken down into the chamber. We're not sure if we'll be able to rescue her, though we're trying..."
"Who is it, Professor?" Percy asked in a small voice.
She heaved a great sigh. "Ginny."
It's a good thing I was sitting down, because my knees would have buckled. I looked over at Fred, and he'd doubled over himself. I put my hand on his back, rubbing soothing circles on it. I knew I'd have to be strong for him, as he'd been for me when Hermione was attacked. As strong as my bond with Gin was, Fred's was stronger.
"I'm going to go to the owlery and send a note to Mum and Dad," Percy said quietly. Professor McGonagall gave a forced smile, and said she'd walk him there.
-oOo-
A long, tense while later it was announced that there was going to be a feast. Wait, a feast...that means, "GINNY'S ALRIGHT!" Fred and I shouted together, totally unplanned (for once!) We raced down to the Great Hall, not caring that we were in our pyjamas, and immediately sought out our family. Harry and Ron were there, and said that Ginny was in the hospital wing. We would be allowed to go see her after the feast. We sat down beside them and started eating, but paused a few minutes later when the Great Hall fell silent.
There, at the doors, were all the people that had been petrified. Hermione took off towards our table at a run. She was yelling, "You solved it! You figured it out!," and then fiercely hugged Harry and Ron. She then came over to hug me and Fred, and that's when I noticed the orange daisy in her hair. After we had gotten our hugs, I said to her, "nice flower," and winked.
She winked back and replied, "thanks, some nice bloke came to visit me in the hospital wing and left it for me."
I smiled at her attempt at humour. "Glad to have you back, Hermione."
Posted: 24 June 2011
Word Count: 2,423