A/N. So, everyone, I just read a very good fanfiction that I'd like to share with all of you! It's called Bond by Anna Fugazzi - it's a Drarry fic *smiles* In case any of you haven't noticed, I kind of have a thing for slash fiction *blushes* I can't help it. Drarry, Wolfstar, and even a little Dron. I also like Seamus/Dean sometimes.
Ack. Just. I, uh, yeah. Love slash. When it's done well.
And the dress, of course, mentioned later in the chapter is the one from the cover picture of Fred and Hermione at the pub drinking butterbeer.
This is a lengthy one, guys. Buckle up.
...~oOo~...
Chapter Twelve: A Lesson On Love Bugs
Once the kiss broke, and their lips and noses parted, Hermione slowly opened her eyes and looked down at Fred. He still had her firmly around the thighs, propped up against his chest, her feet dangling off the ground. Fred looked a little stunned for a moment before he face relaxed into a grin that made Hermione's toes tingle.
For that brief minute of victorious kissing, they'd been in a bubble - and once they'd stopped, the bubble popped with it and the sounds of cheering family and the chatter of friends flooded in and filled their ears.
"Well, er, yes," Hermione said, feeling flushed. Was she always going to swoon after kissing Fred, or would that go away? "I... good game, Fred."
"Bugger the game," Fred said. "That was brilliant!"
"Are you, um, going to let me down now, or...?" Hermione prompted, loving the warm pressure between her hips and his abdomen and their chests a little too much.
"I don't think I'm ready to," Fred said teasingly, playfully squeezing her thighs and it tickled.
Then Ginny came running over, her red hair whipping around her face. "Guys! Victors are going for drinks at the Leaky tonight! You two in?"
"Definitely!" Fred answered.
"Sounds great!" Hermione agreed, a little embarrassed now that she realized at least fifty redheads had probably watched them snog each other's faces off.
"Brilliant! First round is on me!" Ginny exclaimed, running to back into the house, probably to take her Quidditch gear off. She called over her shoulder, "Hermione! Meet me in my room, will you? I have something to show you!"
"Well, then," Hermione said, looking at Fred again. "I guess I better go. Ginny is probably going to fix my helmet hair or some such."
With only a slight reluctant pause, Fred put her down, dropping his hands after a moment and stuffing them into his pockets. She'd been so soft and warm and she smelt like vanilla...
And before he knew it, he was watching her petite form running for the house, looking like a million Galleons in only shorts, a tank top, and leather Keeper padding.
God, he had a problem. She was absolutely addicting and it was getting harder and harder to remind himself that they weren't in a real relationship... yet.
Fred could sense his twin and George came up next to him, though his eyes were still pasted to the invisible wake Hermione had left. Internally, he was having a party, but on the outside, he was just grinning like a fool, staring at air.
"That was... bloody awesome," George said, clapping his brother's shoulder. "Congratulations."
"Thanks, mate," Fred said, turning to smile at his brother. "I hope Amy gave you the same treatment."
His goofy smile was identical to his brother's. George said, "Oh, she did. That and a promise for more after drinks." He sighed wistfully. "I love Muggles."
"What's different between Muggle and wizard girls, exactly?" Harry said, coming up behind them at that moment.
"Simple, really," George said. "Typically, us wizards are considered old-fashioned. It's still a bit of a new concept to shag before marriage. Still very scandalous, but it's gotten better."
"But Muggles, however," Fred said, "have pretty much accepted sex before marriage as a given. It's amazing. Who knew Muggles were so incredible?"
Harry raised an eyebrow. "So you're just thrilled that your Muggle girlfriend puts out before witches?"
"That and Amy is the most wonderful human being I've ever met," George said confidently. "I love her. That's what makes her so great - yeah, the Muggle thing is a perk, but as all of Hogwarts knows, it isn't too much of a strife for a Weasley twin to work their way into even the most prudish witch's knickers."
Luna was standing right beside Harry and she said in her airy tone, "It's funny you say that, considering Fred is yet to have sexual relations with Hermione. And she's what they called a 'prude' in school yes?"
Fred's shoulder slumped and George frowned as well. "Way to stomp on my happiness, Luna," Fred grumbled.
"I'm sorry, did I say something awfully disappointing?"
"Just pointing out that Fred has come up with a big fat zero in terms of seducing Hermione," George said.
"Oh," Luna said, with an understand sort of nod. "I can see how that would put you down, Fred. They say that an extended period of time without sex - especially for active males - can really put a damper on one's mood. But you're in luck, of course. The Wargacks are out."
"How is that a good thing?" Harry inquired, looking genuinely confused. "I thought you said that the Wargacks would eat people with G's in their name?"
"Oh, yes," Luna said. "Or... rather, they'll try. They're very tiny, you see, and have very small teeth. Being attacked by one is very much like being bitten by a mosquito, with a very similar mark left behind. A small, raised bump."
"So... what's so awful about them, then? If they're just pesky little bugs?"
"Well," Luna said, looking like they should probably know this already. "Their mating season begins in February, where a very popular holiday about love is celebrated. The Wargack's bite is the reason for the myth of Cupid - a long time ago, people used to mistake the bite marks as tiny scars from little arrows, contributing to the tale about the baby with wings and a bow. They're bite is meant to erase inhibition and raise libido."
"So like a glass of Firewhiskey, then?" Fred clarified.
"I suppose one could say that," Luna said, seeming a slightly amused. "But the effects are a bit stronger. They say if you're bitten enough times, you could be driven mad with lust. It's why the Wargacks are nicknamed Love Bugs. I have an article on them from The Quibbler if you're interested?"
"Er, no, not so much, I think I'm... content," George was saying as Fred and Harry said at the same time, "You did such a good job explaining it, I feel I don't even need an article!" and "Maybe some other time, darling, but really, it sounds very interesting!"
"I think I'll see if Molly made pudding for lunch," Luna said with a pretty grin, her big blue eyes sparkling and she skipped away.
Fred and George both looked at Harry.
The Boy Who Lived shrugged. "I love her, what can I say?"
"I've heard that love is blind, but maybe it's deaf, too?" Fred said.
"Shut up," Harry said, shaking his head. "And do your best to keep it in your trousers, men, even with the Wargacks about. You are still in your parents' house, you know."
Fred and George both pouted.
"Thanks for the reminder," they said in unison.
George mumbled, "Well that's a mood killer if I've ever heard one."
...
"I have the perfect dress for you to wear to drinks tonight!" Ginny enthused, scouring her closet
Raising an eyebrow, Hermione said, "Why do I need to change, exactly? I'm already wearing clothes."
With a huge sigh, that could have knocked down the pyramids with its strength, Ginny looked bluntly at Hermione. "Hermione. You are about to go out to drinks with the man you fancy. You are seriously telling me that you don't see the use in changing from sweaty clothes you wore to play Quidditch into a pretty dress to go out in?"
"All right, I see your point."
"You better."
"But what time are we going for drinks? It's only four now... dinner will be soon, won't it?"
"Yes, but we have to touch up your make-up and fix your hair! There's a lot to do and we can't do it all right after dinner, there'll be no time! Really, Hermione, it's like you've never had to plan for a date before."
"To start, it's not a date," Hermione clarified. "The rest of you are going to be there getting bladdered, surely being obnoxious and thoroughly unromantic. Second, I have prepared for dates before and I've done just fine, thank you." She paused. "Well, except of course for the part where every relationship I've ever had sort of combusted and they left me for other, prettier, women."
"That was only Oliver, though, right?"
"No. Ron too. Even Viktor had someone back home, I think. Oh, well. Life goes on. Now, fix my hair and tell me more about why boyfriends have dumped me."
...~oOo~...
The sky was a lovely shade of lavender, spattered with silvery grey clouds and freckles of shiny stars just coming out in the twilight. The Quidditch victors - George, Amy, Luna, Harry, Hermione, Fred, and Ginny - were all walking out of the Burrow, manipulating their way around their family's tents and things. The younger kids were having a bonfire with Percy and Audrey's supervision, making s'mores.
George and Fred let out identical sighs.
"Let's skip drinks - " said Fred.
"And make s'mores!" followed George.
"What kind of adult men would rather eat s'mores than go for drinks?" Ginny demanded.
"Our kind of men!" Fred and George proclaimed in sync.
"Well, then, I'll just have to find a new date, won't I?" Amy said cheekily, teasing her boyfriend.
"I can help with that," Bill joined in, walking over to his friends and family on their way to the pub. "I'll happily escort you to the pub, Amy, if my baby brother isn't up to the task."
Scars or no, Bill was one dashing young man and Amy was no more immune than any other female. She blushed and gave a giggle. Even Hermione found herself lowering her eyes as he turned his charm on, full force. With a black on black vertically striped Oxford shirt, black denims, long red hair and piercing eyes...
Well, it was enough to make even McGonagall swoon, that's for sure.
And close behind him was Charlie, tall, muscled and tattooed Charlie. Two bad boys, through and through.
"And Hermione will be my date, won't you, love?" Charlie added, saddling up next to Hermione who chuckled. He waggled his eyebrows. "Real men don't make s'mores, after all."
"Charlie, I have pictures of you making and eating s'mores at my last birthday," Ginny pointed out.
"Shut up, Gin."
"Make me." Ginny stuck out her tongue in that typical baby sister way.
"Oi!" George said once he saw Bill putting his arm around Amy. "Hands off my bird. Brother or no, I'll kick your arse."
Bill gave a loud, full belly laugh. "Right! Like you could if you tried."
"Let's just go!" Ginny said, getting impatient and checking her watch for the dozenth time. "It's getting late!"
"It's a pub, Gin. And it's not like we have curfews," Charlie said, roughing up her hair.
"Stop it."
"Yes, Ginny, what is the rush?" Luna inquired. "You seem a bit on edge."
"I just want to get a drink is all," Ginny said. "The Harpies don't let you drink before or after games. They have restrictions on everything you eat and drink. It's miserable!" She went on to complain more about the new diet the Harpies had her on while they strolled towards the Apparition Point and all made their way to the Leaky Caldron.
...
"'ELLO, TOM!" the Weasley twins said as the blew through the doors of the Leaky Cauldron like a storm wind. "HANNAH, TOO!"
The girl behind the bar had rosy pink cheeks and her light blonde hair pulled into a braid. She grinned and waved at the boys and the Leaky landlord, Tom, standing near her, shook his head good-naturedly at the new arrivals and said, "It's been a while since a Weasley's stepped into this place. How've you boys been doing?"
George said, "Absolutely -"
" - Fantastic," Fred finished. "We're here with our girls and a few friends. Think you can handle the crowd, Tom?"
"If there's one thing I've mastered in my years of running this pub, it's how to handle the Weasley clan. Come on in! There's a booth in the back, and the rest o' yous can connect a few tables and chairs. Hannah here will be happy to help all of you." He gave the young girl a pat on the shoulder and she grinned some more, thrilled to be able to serve her old classmates.
"I heard she and Neville have been dating," Ginny said to Luna and Hermione while they began dragging a table up beside the back booth to make room for the boys who were already at the bar getting all of them butterbeer.
"Who's Neville?" Amy inquired.
"A very good friend of ours," Hermione said. "It's been a while since I've seen him, sadly. He's been apprenticing at Hogwarts, under Sprout. He's very good with plants," she added for Amy's sake. "Always has been. Well... apart from that one incident where he passed out in First Year because of a screaming Mandrake."
Amy giggled and said, "A screaming plant?"
"Oh, yes," Luna said, smiling serenely. "Plenty of Muggle plants scream, too. All you have to do is listen."
Amy looked a little bemused so Ginny motioned for her just to let it go. Luna had her quirks, after all. Amy would learn that soon enough - actually, Amy was getting a crash coarse on Luna's quirks, over the week.
The Leaky wasn't terribly busy that night. It was a week night, after all, but the usual wizards who were just exhausted after a long day's work were scattered over the place. The most noise and people came from the Weasley clan, though.
All the boys came back with a round for everyone and they all started drinking.
Hermione was squished in the booth, sandwiched tightly between Fred and Harry, and as she sipped her butterbeer, she laughed at a story that Charlie was telling about a dragon that burnt off all of his leg hair.
Ginny continued to keep looking at her watch.
And then, before anyone was through their first drink, Hermione realized why.
Through the door came a young-looking girl with shiny blonde hair and the face of an angel. She was had a thin, willowy figure and every step she took was like she floated on a cloud.
And Ginny absolutely beamed.
"Out of my way!" Ginny commanded, pushing through Bill and Charlie's seats, walking quickly towards the girl Hermione knew to be Gabi Delacour. The girl was adorable by anyone's standards, with a sort of girlish look to her, even though she was seventeen. Maybe it was the innocent glitter of her ocean blue eyes.
Somehow, Hermione could understand why even Ginny would fall for Gabrielle.
"Is that... is that Fleur's sister?" Charlie asked, looked confused as ever.
"It is," Bill confirmed, the same bemusement in his own tone. "What's she doing here?"
Hermione shrugged, because even she didn't know.
Taking her cloak for her, Ginny led Gabi to their table. The girl looked absolutely overjoyed to see everyone. She had a sort of kindness to her expressions that were very different from Fleur's usual distaste with anyone less attractive than her (and let's be honest - not many people were more attractive than Fleur).
"Bonjour!" Gabi said with a wave to everyone.
"Most of you know Gabi, right?" Ginny said, one hand resting on the younger girl's shoulder. "Oh! Except you, Amy. This is Gabi - she's Bill's wife's little sister."
"Pleasure to meet you," Amy said, lifting her tankard in greeting.
"Ze pleasure is mine!" Gabi returned. "'Ello, Bill!"
"Hi, Gabs," Bill said, standing to give his sister-in-law a hug. "What are you doing here?"
"I am on spring holiday," Gabi said with slow, precise English. Last Hermione saw the girl, she didn't know a word of English - but now she was almost easier to understand than Fleur. "Ginny invited me."
"I didn't know you and Ginny were so close," Bill said, sounding pleasantly surprised. Honestly, he'd thought that if Ginny hated his wife, the same feelings would extend to her sister, but apparently that wasn't so.
"Oui!" Gabi said.
"Here, sit down," Ginny said, grabbing a seat from a table nearby to pull up for Gabi.
"Thank you," Gabi said, gracing Ginny's cheek with a kiss before sitting down.
Everyone was still a little shocked and confused with the new arrival, but Hermione was clever enough to say, "So! How's the Academy been, Gabi?"
"It 'as been magnifique!" Gabi went on to tell them a little about her year so far and her excitement about graduating.
Everyone exchanged silly stories and drank more. In an hour and a half, most of them had separated into smaller groups around the pub. Luna had insisted that Harry dance with her - despite the fact that there was no music. Maybe they should have known better than to serve Luna alcohol, but Harry was ever the loving boyfriend and went along with it, spinning her and dipping her and such. They were quite the pair, they were. Neither were particularly good dancers - well, Harry wasn't, and Luna was a strange dancer seeing as she was doing some sort of imitation of a bird that was part of some cultural dance she was telling Harry about.
Hermione, George, Fred, and Amy, were in their own group, laughing about some stunt they pulled on a customer.
"You actually turned that poor man's face purple?!" Hermione exclaimed in disbelief, laughing. She knew she should have been scolding them, but her belly was too warm and the butterbeer too delicious to bring herself to do so.
Fred said, "That's what happens when you claim a Weasley Wheezes product doesn't work!"
Amy was shaking her head, and then started looking around. "Hold on... we're missing people! We came here with... Where's Ginny and Gabi?"
"Dunno," George said, sounding unconcerned. He swung an arm around his girlfriend's shoulders and kissed her cheek. "Don't worry about it, love. They're probably off trading beauty secrets or some nonsense."
Hermione studiously pressed her lips together and looked down at her mug. Her butterbeer was almost gone.
"I'll get you another one," Fred said before she could even make a comment.
"No, no! You've been paying for me all night," Hermione said, snatching her tankard from his reach. "It's my turn. And I'll get you another Firewhiskey, as well."
"What kind of boyfriend would I be if I let my girlfriend pay for our drinks?" Fred asked as he followed close on her heel while she made her way to the bar.
"Not any kind of boyfriend, because I'm not your girlfriend!" Hermione laughed back to him, setting their glasses on the bar and asking Hannah politely for another round.
"Not yet, anyhow," Fred said cheekily, leaning on the bar next to her suavely. He winked and Hermione chuckled some more.
I've been laughing too much, she reflected. Perhaps she shouldn't have anymore. She didn't want to get drunk, after all. "Actually, Hannah, make that just a Firewhiskey?"
"No problem!" Hannah answered.
"What, you cutting yourself off?" Fred inquired, brow furrowing. "The night is young!"
"It's for your own good," Hermione said, handing him his now-full mug. "I get silly when I've had too many. Ask Harry and Ron."
Before she got the chance to, Fred put his money on the bar and then quickly nudged her away. "What if I want to see you silly?" Fred asked.
"You were just hoping that I'd get drunk and stupid and you'd get lucky," Hermione accused, though her smile was wide.
Something like exactly that, he told himself. "Come now, you think I'd take advantage of you?"
"Wouldn't you, though?" Hermione said, her mouth twisting coyly, though it looked like she was suppressing a case of the giggles.
"Undoubtedly," he confessed, stepping close into her personal circle. He playfully tugged on the blue ribbon that wrapped around her thin waist on the sky blue dress. It fell to her knees and had black buttons down the front with a halter top part. It was modest, yet sexy, and Fred was dying to take it off of her.
"But it'd hardly be taking advantage if you were - you know - my girlfriend," he whispered loudly, mockingly conspicuous.
"Unfortunately, though, I'm only your fake girlfriend," she said, trying to imitate his ridiculous PygmyMort pouting face.
One of his hands drifted to her hips, using his thumb to draw circles on her. "We could change that."
Then, before Hermione could answer, there was a loud TING TING TING noise, signaling a toast and everyone's heads turned to the bar where Ginny was standing on one of the stools, high above everyone, tapping her glass with a spoon.
"Ahem!" Ginny said, grinning. "Hello, everyone!"
Everyone said hello in return, laughing. Ginny obviously wasn't drunk, but definitely looked silly to the rest of the drunks.
"My name is Ginerva Weasley and I have something to tell all of you," she said confidently.
Hermione's eyes grew huge. Oh, no. No no no! What was Ginny doing? This was NO way to -
"Tell us, Gin!" George encouraged.
"Yeah! Out with it!" Fred joined in.
Before they knew it, the whole pub - now consisting of only the Weasley family and friends since the moping business men didn't fancy the rowdiness - were calling out, chanting for her to spit it out.
"You see that beautiful French girl, right there?" Ginny said, pointing to Gabi who was sitting femininely, ankles crossed, at one of the tables with a glass of wine. Gabi's smile was radiant as she realized what her girlfriend was doing.
"We sure do!" George said, Fred following with a wolf whistle.
"Well, Gabrielle Delacour - that beautiful, wonderful girl - is my girlfriend! In a very NOT platonic sense, of course," she clarified as an afterthought.
There was a long, slow sort of silence where Charlie and Hermione both cringed, waiting for the response.
Strangely enough, it was Hannah who started clapping first. Followed by Charlie... and then Hermione. And then Fred and George - after sharing a sort of "when did this happen?" look - began applauding as well, sending out a few encouraging "Good for you, Gin!"s and "Guess that's what happens when you have six brothers, eh?"
Hermione hadn't heard him walk over, but Bill was suddenly next to her, and looked more than a little puzzled. "Did she just say what I thought she did?"
"Yes," Hermione confirmed.
"She's dating my wife's little sister?"
"Yes."
"Isn't there some kind of rule about that?"
"There isn't," Hermione told him. "She's checked."
"Oh." Bill mentally straightened himself out before saying, "I'm going to need another drink." And made his way over to Tom and Hannah.
"Now," Fred said promptly. "Back to what we were talking about... you know, before my sister came out of the closet on a bar stool in the middle of a pub -"
"Hermione!" Amy trilled, running over. Her face burning bright red. "George just had me taste Firewhiskey! It's... it's awful!"
Hermione laughed and said, "George! Shame on you!"
George shrugged, his eyes wide with innocence. "I don't know what you're talking about. She wanted to try it!"
"Should have known better," Hermione said, trying to be stern. "Just like you testing products on First Years!"
"Yes, yes, very nice, good old times maiming First Years, moving on," Fred said impatiently. "Now, back to what I was saying -"
"'Mione!" Harry's voice said from across the pub. "Luna's not feeling too good! Do you have anything in your purse?"
"I'm fine, Harry," Luna said, though she did look quite green in her pale face.
Hermione, her old crisis instinct kicking in, jogged over to where she left her handbag in their booth and dug around inside of it for the right potion. She rushed it to Luna and her face returned to its normal milky white.
"Thank you very much, Hermione," Luna said. "I feel much better."
"I think I'll take you back to the Burrow anyway, love," Harry said, sounding concerned. Luna agreed and he took her hand to lead her out. They said goodbye to all their friends and then swung their cloaks on to leave.
Then, out of nowhere, Hermione was being scooped up around the waist and being cradled mid-air. She let out a surprised squeak and then saw it was Fred. Somehow, she was getting used to Fred randomly lifting her.
"What're you doing?" she asked, just a formality now.
"You and I are going to talk if it's the last bloody thing I do tonight," Fred said firmly, walking her towards where their cloaks hung by the door. He placed Hermione on the ground, draped her coat around her shoulders, and then took her by the shoulders and steered her out the door.
Once they were outside, they noticed three things. The streets of Diagon Alley were mostly empty. It was pitch black. It was raining.
It wasn't a heavy rain, but it wasn't a drizzle either and Hermione walked into it with a smile.
"What're you doing?" Fred asked from under the dry awning of the pub, arms crossed.
"Don't tell me Fred Weasley is afraid of getting a little wet," she taunted, stripping off her coat and tipping her head back to let the cool drops hit her face. "Come on, we can talk out here." She waved for him to join her in the middle of the road.
In the center of the road, Fred looked down at Hermione with a benign and amused expression. Hermione's hair was getting frizzier by the second and her mascara was running, but Merlin, was she beautiful. The powder on her cheeks washed away, revealing her light dusting freckles once more.
"So, tell me, Fred," Hermione said. "What was so important that you had to talk about right now? Because the Fred I know is never an urgent man. Maybe a little eager, but never hurried."
Fred answered simply, "I just wanted to talk to you without someone interrupting every other second. You're a very in-demand girl. Everyone needs you for some reason or another."
It was true, Hermione realized. Most of the people in her life needed her for some reason or another. Ron needed her for help with homework in school, Harry needed her to basically keep him from doing anything stupid and killing himself. Bill needed her as a release, someone to talk to about his problems. Ginny needed her to play doll with.
With a sigh, Hermione nodded. "Yeah. Needed." When was she ever going to just be... wanted? Not a necessity, not a good resource, but just... wanted. She crossed her arms and looked up. The sky was going to clear up soon.
"But, you know... you don't always have to be there with a plaster every time someone falls and skins their knee," Fred told her, seeing the look in her eyes. "You're not their nurse - you're their friend."
Hermione shrugged. "I suppose. But I wouldn't be a good friend if I wasn't there for them."
"There's a difference between being there for someone and being their mother," Fred said bluntly with a knowing smirk. When Hermione didn't say anything, he said, "Come on. Let's go to the shop. I have something I want to show you."
Fred took Hermione's hand and they began walking down the streets of Diagon Alley in the dark, in the rain.
...~oOo~...
Challenge: 1. Favorite part and line? 2. What does Fred want to show Hermione? 3. Ginny is now out to half her family. How will the rest of them find out?
~ So Long And Thanks For All The Fish ~
