AN: Just a head's up! I've decided to change the tense in the story, and while I could go back and change it in the previous chapters, that's quite a bit of work, and it really doesn't change the story much until now.


Chapter 12

The first DA meeting was set to take place and Hermione was quietly setting up, waiting for her friends to arrive. She and Harry had talked and agreed to start basic, so not much was needed, but she still wanted to be prepared.

Meanwhile the rest of the members were sneaking off in two's or three's to get to the seventh floor. Nothing looked suspicious, but with Umbridge being her usual overbearing self, they wanted to take every precaution.

Fred and George slipped into the room first, pleasantly surprised that they weren't the last to arrive like usual, and took a moment to examine the room Hermione had asked for. It was highly reminiscent of a dance studio, with mirrors along one floor and not much else. Hermione was in a corner levitation cushions so people could sit before they started to practice and the boys sauntered over to her.

"Hello, Princess!" Fred cried, startling the young witch into dropping the pile of cushions she was levitating. She smiled at the boy, evilly, and then flicked her wand. The cushions she was previously laying out all flew, rather abruptly, towards the ginger, who took off running. Hermione of course just flicked her wand, causing the pillows to zoom faster, and smiled triumphantly as they smacked him in the back of the head one by one, and then came back to rest where she wanted them.

"Hi, Love." George greeted, after laughing at his twin. He wrapped his arms around his petite girlfriend's waist and pressed a chaste kiss to her temples. She smiled up at him, while Fred pretended to gag, before sending a cushion after him again.

Harry and Ron walked in at this moment and stared at the magicked cushion gliding after one of the gangly boys. Harry called a quick hello to Fred, since the other twin hugging Hermione was obviously George, and then continued his discussion with Ron. Ron shot an angry glare at his brother and friend before grudgingly turning back to Harry. Hermione stopped the charm on the cushion eventually, as more people showed up, and the meeting got under way.


The first meeting went well, with Hermione getting Terry's wand every time as they practiced the disarming spell, and Luna spending a large bit of time talking to Ron, who despite being confused, didn't get angry with the blonde once.

"Look at that." Harry had said to Hermione, pointing at the two. She smiled when she saw it and Harry mimicked her.

"It's nice seeing him behave. I figured she'd piss him off but that doesn't seem to be the case." Hermione muttered as the two walked around the room, helping others as they practiced. They exchanged grins, before going separate ways.

When everyone else had left Hermione joined the twins and Lee, who were waiting for her, and they slipped out of the room, ready to head back to the common room.

"Sheesh, Hermione, I knew you were smart, but wow. Did Terry manage to hold on to his wand at all?" Lee asked, his arm flung over her shoulders. He grinned at her and she laughed, shaking her head no. "Kitten's got bite." He muttered then, causing the brunette witch to laugh more. Fred and George were behind the two, discussing some idea or another, and smiling as their friends laughed and joked.

When the two cut off rather suddenly the twins glanced up, to see one rather smug Draco Malfoy standing there. The boys all glared at each other, and Hermione tried to tug them forward, to no avail.

"Come on, let's go." She muttered, one arm still flung around Lee's waist from when they were walking earlier, and her other hand reaching back to grab George's wrist. The foursome tried to walk past, Hermione dragging them a bit, but Malfoy shot an arm out across the hall, stopping their progress, and causing Hermione to stop short, lest she bump into him.

"Where do you think you're going?" he sneered and Hermione just raised her eyebrow.

"Well, if you bothered to use your brain, you would remember that our common room is just round the corner, and then, assuming you had common sense, you would get that we are on our way back to our rooms. But I can point it out for you if you wish." Hermione said, smiling sweetly at the blonde before her. He glared down at her, his arm dropping, and taking a step into her space.

"What was that? Sounded like filth talking." He responded. Hermione sighed and then with more bravado then she really felt, pushed past him, making sure at least two of the three boys were in her grasp before turning back to look at him.

"Malfoy, you really need to take a class in insults. They, like the rest of everything you do, fall flat and are sub-par." She said, in a fake voice meant to be helpful. The twins hooted at the look of rage on the boys very red face, before following the witch in front of them back to the common room.

"You know," Lee began, turning to look at Hermione, "Every time I see him now, I just can't forget that you socked him one right in the nose." He said, laughing, as we claimed a couch in the common room. Ron sent a glare towards them, muttering about peace and quiet, but they paid no heed. All in all everyone settled into a good routine, and with the DA something to look forward to, there were less detentions, as we were no longer pissing Umbridge off as much.


About a month after George and Hermione started dating, George pulled the young witch aside before entering the great hall.

"Hermione," he began hesitantly, and Hermione was on her guard. George was only hesitant when if knew he was in trouble or he was extremely nervous, and neither seemed like good things. For Hermione, everything had been going great. She studied with people instead of alone, and when it became too much she went to the library and her friends respected her privacy. George was always there if she needed a hug, or she just wanted to snog on the couch, and his presence made her smile for no reason. The two held hands, walked each other to class, sat next to each other at every occasion, and weren't ashamed to be seen together. And through it all George was confidant and outgoing, so a nervous George was something to pause for.

When it became clear that he would continue to stare at his shoe unless prompted, Hermione nudged him gently and smiled encouragingly. "Yes?" she asked, and he gulped.

"DOYOUWANNAGOONADATEWITHME?" the redhead shouted quickly, and Hermione drew back in shock at the volume he used. George immediately started to go red, starting at his ears, but quickly engulfing his entire face, as Hermione tried to separate the jumbled mess of words he shouted at her.

"George, slow down… what did you ask?" she finally replied, and if possible, he seemed to blush harder.

"Wanna go on a date? With me? Hogsmeade? Real date?" he asked in halting sentences, staring at something over her shoulder.

"George." She tried, but he didn't meet her gaze. The brunette placed her hands on her waist and stared up at her boyfriend. "George" she said again, and he looked down at her. He smiled despite himself, at how cute she looked, and she smiled back. "Of course" she breathed, once his eyes landed on hers and it took him a minute to process what she had said. When it finally got through that she said yes he whooped, jumping a bit and fist pumping the air, and Hermione raised his eyebrow at his antics. She shook her head fondly at him, before kissing him softly on the jaw and then heading into the great hall.

Fred and Lee winked at her, knowing what had George so excited, and her cheeks turned a flattering shade of pink before she smiled a bit shyly and then turned to Neville to talk about Herbology. George pulled Fred and Lee into a very serious conversation, the three sending glances her way every now and again, before shaking heads or sighing dramatically. Hermione found it distracting, but Neville didn't mind, he was happy to be able to talk about his latest pet project without anyone getting annoyed.


Neville must have noticed something was bothering her because he took it upon himself to walk with her back upstairs.

"Hermione, is everything okay? You were really distracted earlier." He said, as they waited on a landing for the stair case to move back.

"Oh! Neville! I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to be rude." She cried and he smiled sweetly.

"I'm not offended, besides, I know you were listening, but you just seemed, overwhelmed." He replied, and Hermione sighed.
"I'm sorry, I was being a lousy friend." She slumped dejectedly and Neville put his hand on her arm.

"I'm really not offended. I just want you to know, if you need to talk about it, or get away from Harry or the twins, I'm your friend, even if Ron's a right git, and even if you did body bind me in first year." He added with a chuckle, making the slight girl smile up at him. "Just keep in mind that I'm here."

Hermione hugged the boy in front of her in gratitude before replying. "Thanks Neville, I really appreciate it. I didn't mean to be so rude, it's just, Ron still won't talk to me, and he's downright nasty during DA, not to mention that its hurt George's relation with him and Fred's by proxy. I don't know how to fix it, short of breaking up with George, and I don't want to do that." She sighed, and then smiled ruefully. Guess you don't want to hear about my dating problems though."

"If you need to talk, I will listen. I might not give good advice, or understand, but I can listen if you want. And honestly, I don't think you could fix Ron. I don't think anything is wrong with him, I think you are just seeing what's really there." Hermione hummed at Neville's response as the two finally moved up another flight of stairs.

Hermione broke their comfortable silence just in front of the portrait. "I guess you're right, and if so, I shouldn't feel guilty to date George anymore, or to go on dates with him. Thanks Neville, and if I do ever need to talk, you'll be the one I seek. You're a good friend."

Neville smiled at her, flung an arm around her before pulling her into the common room and onto a couch, both ready to settle down with a book and forget the drama that always seemed present in the common room, at least for a little while.


AN: So college starts back up again this week and I've been busy getting ready and getting started. I apologize for not updating as regularly as I had hoped, that was a bit naive of me, but I hope you stick around and I promise not to just stop writing.

Please review, favorite, and follow.

To the guest who insist on writing "write more soon" I am flattered, but it is neither constructive nor helpful. I hope in the future you could spend a moment to properly reply, and I will, in the future, post as often as I am able.

Much Love, T!