A/N: I'm really sorry for the long wait on this chapter. I hope the next ones won't take this long. I've been busy with life and I had a writers block for awhile. It was awful. I hope I'm getting over it now. Thanks to everybody who has reviewed, followed or favorited this! Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. JK Rowling does.
Hermione found herself on her bed the next morning, though she smiled when she realized Ron must've put her there last night before leaving. She couldn't remember when he left, though she knew they both fell asleep during the movie last night. When she sat up, she found a note on her nightstand. She recognized Ron's familiar handwriting and she picked it up to read it.
Hermione,
I'm sorry I had to head to work early in the morning. I didn't want to wake you because you looked so peaceful. Thanks for hanging out with me. I missed you. I'm sorry for everything.
-Ron
His words weren't anything special, though they still made her smile. Hermione was glad that the two were friends again, and she hoped they would stay that way for a long time. She just hoped that Lavender wouldn't try to get in the middle of their friendship like she had in the past. She looked at the time and widened her eyes when she saw that she was running late to work. She hated being late anywhere, even if the Weasley twins were her boss. She got ready in five seconds time and rushed down the street to where their shop was.
Hermione opened the door and looked around when she arrived. George hovered over a thick binder and Fred was nowhere to be found. She assumed that he was probably in the back room. George stifled a yawn and Hermione couldn't help but shake her head at him.
"Morning, sleepyhead," she said in a teasingly voice. Her voice caused him to jump, and she giggled lightly as he looked around and saw her standing there.
"M-m-morning Hermione," George murmured as his eyes drooped closed.
"Did you two stay up all night?" She asked curiously.
George nodded as he fought to stay awake. "Yeah, we're trying to work on new inventions. We were looking over our list of ideas from back when we were in Hogwarts but nothing stood out."
Hermione nodded before she looked around for Fred once more. She was surprised when she didn't hear him in the back room at all.
"Where's Fred? Is he helping you out at all now?" She asked finally.
George looked up at her and sighed sadly. "No…I think Fred's coming down with something. I was going to check on him in a little while. I have to stay down here until Luna comes over though."
Hermione couldn't help but notice that a small smile was starting to play on his lips. She chuckled softly though. "I could check on him for you. That way you could have some alone time with her when she gets here," she said teasingly, giving him a meaningful look.
George widened his eyes when he realized what she meant by her words and nearly dropped a pile of papers on the floor. "It's not like that," he said defensively. "Luna's just a friend." He turned a little red at those words, but tried to hide that fact. "While we are on the subject of relationships..."
Hermione's grin disappeared quickly and she tried to act casual at those words. She hoped he wouldn't ask her about…her thoughts were interrupted when he asked his question finally.
"What's going on between you and Ron? You guys kept eyeing each other during dinner the other night." George gave her a look and she ducked her head. She didn't like talking about her relationship with Ron even though it didn't last long at all.
"We made up last night. We're just friends." She lifted her eyes up to meet his finally to add emphasis on the next part. "I don't have feelings for him. I wanted to. There was just no spark on my part."
George looked extremely relieved when he heard that, and Hermione couldn't help but wonder why he cared so much. "Why did you want to know?" she asked gently.
She noticed that he carefully avoided eye contact and turned his attention back to his papers. "No reason."
They remained quiet for a few seconds and Hermione looked up the stairs and back at George again. "If you don't need me for awhile, I could check on Fred for you," she offered. She wasn't good at coming up with ideas for pranks, though she knew she would have to start trying of she was working for the Weasley twins.
George perked up slightly when he heard her offer. "Would you? That would put my mind at ease a little… we always worry about the other when we're sick. I almost closed down the shop to be with him, but Fred wouldn't hear of it." He shook his head in amusement before stifling another yawn.
Hermione couldn't help but chuckle at what he said. That sounded like the Fred she knew even if he was sick. "Yeah, I don't mind. You should come by around noontime. I'll make chicken noodle soup."
George looked extremely relieved again and actually looked more alert. "Thanks Hermione. You've just taken a load off of my shoulders."
Hermione nodded and started to walk toward the stairs. She opened the door to their flat and walked in. She looked around and saw that the flat pretty much looked the same as it had the last time. She looked on the couch, though she saw Fred wasn't there so she headed toward his room.
She could see him sleeping when she looked in, so she slowly walked over toward him so she wouldn't startle him.
Fred opened his eyes before she even said anything when she reached his bed and smiled slightly when he saw her. Hermione felt her heart flip when he smiled at her, though she tried to ignore it.
He shifted in his bed and narrowed his eyes at her. "Hi Hermione," he said weakly. Hermione was about to answer back when he started talking again. "Are there two of you here today?"
Hermione widened her eyes at the question, and shook her head. "No, there's only one of me here today. There are two of you though," she added with a smile.
Fred chuckled lightly and she was glad to see that he still had his sense of humor. She rather liked it even though his was a bit wild for her taste. She also liked his smile though she would never admit that to him.
"Well you still look beautiful," he muttered and Hermione stared down at him quietly.
"Thanks," she said finally after a moment. She thought that he was on lot of medicine so she decided that he didn't really mean it. She smiled though she decided to ignore the comment even though it had an effect on her. He stared up at her when she reached over and placed her hand on his forehead. "Oh, you're hot," she muttered quietly, wincing slightly. She didn't think George realized how sick Fred really was this morning.
Fred chuckled and Hermione gazed down at him curiously. "Thanks, I know I am," he answered, wearing that crooked grin of his. Hermione stared at him in amazement, though a huge grin had spread across her face at his words.
"You still have that ego even when you are sick," she said, shaking her head. She held back a chuckle.
"Well, yeah. But I hear it often so it must be true," he tossed back, and Hermione couldn't help but chuckle that time.
"If you say so," she teased back. She grinned down at him. "I'm going to be taking care of you today so George won't worry about you. I'm going to get started on some soup. Do you want anything?" She stood up and started walking toward the door again after she said those words. Hermione glanced back and saw Fred's eyes were twinkling and knew that whatever was coming next couldn't be good.
"Yeah…you," he answered, winking at her. Those two words caused her to stop in her tracks. Her heart started dancing though she didn't want to get her hopes up. He began covering up his tracks when he saw how nervous she was. "I meant that I wanted your company, silly. Could you stay with me for a while please? I hate being alone when I'm sick." He gave her a pleading look.
Hermione hesitated and gave him an uncertain look. "All right. But if I get sick, I'm blaming you," she warned. Fred looked rather pleased with this idea and she couldn't help but wonder what she had just gotten into.
"I'm fine with that," he said as he leaned back against his bed frame and gave her room to sit down at the end of his bed.
Fred gave her a kind smile once they comfortably settled into their spots. "We haven't talked by ourselves in awhile," he said, and she nodded. "How are you, Hermione?"
She stared at him and raised an eyebrow at him. "You're concerned about me when you're the one that's sick?" She asked in amazement. He nodded seriously, and Hermione looked away for a moment. She didn't like talking about herself very often because the conversation always seemed to lead up to her parents.
"I've…been okay," she answered honestly after a few moments. She could feel tears starting to come, so she closed her eyes and shook her head quickly. "I don't want to talk about…about that though. Please." She felt Fred wrap his hand around hers and she opened her eyes again.
"It's all right, Hermione," Fred answered in a reassuring voice. "I'm sorry. We can talk about something else."
Hermione nodded as she took in a deep breath to relax again.
"Why don't you tell me something about you that most people don't know?" Fred asked her gently.
She bit her lip nervously and tried to rack her brain for something. Hermione was usually at a loss when people asked her those types of questions. "Well…I had my first kiss when I was eight years old," she said finally.
Hermione looked over at Fred to see what his reaction was. She saw that his eyes looked like they were about to pop out. "What? I've kissed boys before," she said defensively. She had only kissed three before, but they still counted as experience.
"I know you have…you've kissed my brother after all," Fred said, giving her a pointed look.
Hermione turned red at those words and cleared her throat. "We don't have to talk about that either…nobody else knows about my next-door neighbor though. We kissed on a dare," she added when she saw Fred was looking mildly interested
"Have you ever been in love?" Fred asked her seriously after a moment.
This question didn't seem to bother Hermione as much as his first one had because more people knew about. "No…I've kissed three boys in my life but I was never in love with either of them."
She nudged him with her foot lightly. "What about you? Have you ever been in love with any of the girls you've been with?" She asked him teasingly.
Fred laughed and shook his head in amusement. "Ok, what did you hear and who did you hear it from?"
Hermione shrugged and brought her knees to her chest. "I've just heard that you were a player…and I heard it from Lavender and Parvati."
Fred looked at a corner in disbelief. "Well, I've only been with two girls; Katie and Angelina. Not at the same time though," he added quickly when Hermione got a strange look on her face. "Katie was my first kiss in third year. Angelina and I went out until the war ended and we broke up because of distance. We're just friends now though."
Hermione nodded in satisfaction when she heard that. She had always been curious about the twin's relationships. "Parvati Patil used to have a huge crush on you," she said, grinning at the memories.
Fred looked flabbergasted at that confession. "No she didn't," he said stubbornly.
Hermione nodded her head vigorously. "Yes she did. She used to draw your name in hearts. You were popular with girls at Hogwarts."
The two laughed together for a moment before they grew quiet. Hermione decided to tell him another confession she hadn't told anybody.
"Do you remember the first time I came to your shop?" she asked nervously.
Fred glanced over at her curiously, though he smiled and nodded. "Yeah…you had a black eye from one of our punching telescopes. I'm sorry again about that," he added.
Hermione waved him off casually. "It was a long time ago…do you remember when you gave me that Patented Daydream Charm for free?" She asked him in a shyer tone.
Fred beamed at the memory. "Of course I do, you said they were extraordinary."
Hermione blushed when he said that and nodded. "I did say that…and I did end up using the daydream charm," she admitted slowly.
Fred looked at her in astonishment. "Hermione Granger actually used a Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes product?" He asked incredulously. "Did you use it during class time?"
Hermione shook her head. "No…I used it when we were on the run. I couldn't sleep well after…after Bellatrix tortured me. I decided to use the charm when I couldn't sleep."
"What did you daydream about?" Fred asked her gently.
"I daydreamed about—" The door opened and it cut Hermione's words off. She saw George and Luna standing at the doorway.
"There you are! Luna's here now! We're starving, aren't you two ready for lunch yet?"
Fred threw George an irritated look. "George! You forgot about the knocking rule," Fred said pointedly, throwing a pillow at him.
George threw up his hands in defense. "What did I do?" he demanded.
"You interrupted a private conversation," Luna answered knowingly. Fred nodded. "Yes, you did. Next time knock first," he said, and he stood up.
Hermione held a hand out to stop him. "It's ok, we lost track of time. I didn't fix soup for you after all, so I should stop at the Leaky Cauldron to get some. Luna, do you want to come with?" She asked quickly. She nodded her head slightly so Luna would get the point.
Luna gave her a curious look, but she answered a second later. "Oh yes. I would love to go with you, Hermione. Did you know that you have Wrackspurts around you?"
Hermione shook her head quietly, though she decided not to say anything about Luna's strange comment. She was used to them by now, though they still threw her off guard sometimes. She had meant to save Luna from witnessing a fight between the twins, though she ended up with her instead. She supposed she should start trying to get along with her, especially since she hung around the shop often now. Luna was practically a second assistant at times.
A/N: I'm so sorry again about the two month delay for this update. I tried to make this chapter longer for you guys. I hope most of you are still with me after all this time. I will try to have the next chapter out this month. I will be starting work next week though, so it may only be updated once a month. I hope everybody had a good holiday season! The next chapter will have the wedding in it. Thanks for reading. Please leave a review!
