As Christmas drew nearer, the sting Hermione felt from her altercation with Fred was joined by the sting of icy winds. At first he'd tried to pretend it hadn't happened. When he became one half of FredandGeorge again, it was as though he thought he couldn't be held responsible for his own actions and words. Strangely enough, Hermione had almost fallen for it.
"Alright, Granger?" They'd said together when she sat down to breakfast the next day.
"Yeah, I'm-" She looked from George to Fred and then back again. "I'm fine, George, how're you?" His smile had faltered and she saw him look sideways at his twin before answering with the usual bolster:
"Very well indeed, Granger, very well indeed," before turning away from her in a clear indication that the conversation was over. He didn't try to speak to her again, and she ignored all attempts by Fred to catch her eye. She wouldn't be treated as though her feelings didn't matter. It was of no great loss to her if the twins chose to remove themselves from her acquaintance as a package deal – she'd been perfectly happy with two friends, if she lost some of the bonus ones she'd gained in the past few weeks then so be it. Family, my left foot, came an unexpectedly bitter thought.
It was another two days before they tried to talk to her again, this time in the warm refuge of the Common Room. It seemed they weren't as resolved as she thought on cutting themselves off from her.
"Going home for Christmas, Granger?" George asked, as he overheard her say something of the sort to Harry and Ron as they relaxed on fireside armchairs.
"France, actually – with mum and dad."
"Sounds fancy."
"Well, it's the first time I've been away so long, we wanted to do something nice together," She explained.
"While we, poor unwanted children are left to brave the snows alone in Hogwarts," Fred lamented.
"It is gonna be weird not being with everyone at the Burrow on Christmas," said Ron.
"I can't imagine what it must be like growing up with all that family," said Hermione, half horrified, half wistful, and Harry nodded sagely.
"Well you're more than welcome to join us some time, Granger," said Fred, flashing his teeth at her.
And according to Weasley rules-
-that means you basically are family-
-so we're really all on the same side-
"No," she said shortly, looking him in the eye for the first time since their arrival, "I don't think I am."
His head twitched in an involuntary movement, a warning or a plea. Don't do this.
"What's going on?" asked Ron, ever the tactful mediator, "have you two had a tiff?"
He looked from Fred to Hermione curiously, but it was George who answered.
"Freddie's just a bit peeved that you lot won't tell us what you're up to," he provided.
"It sounded to me like Hermione was the peeved one," Harry pointed out.
"Yes, well..." George glanced at his twin before continuing, "the peeved-ness on Fred's side may have resulted in some regrettable implications." Everyone in the group looked at him, nonplussed. "He called her a snitch."
"I did not!" Fred seemed unable to continue to allow his brother to speak for him.
"You might as well have," said Hermione.
"Is that all?" Ron still looked confused, "he called me a wanker when I said I wouldn't tell him, and I'm not complaining."
"Well I apologise for not having your superior character," she hissed and then stood up to leave.
"Oh, come on, Hermione, sit down," Again, it was George who spoke, not Fred, "do you really want to leave for the Holidays with this hanging over your head?"
Hermione opened her mouth to say something cutting in reply but found she couldn't. For one, George had called her by her first name, which neither of the twins had done before and it affected her in some deep inexplicable way. Secondly, as loathe as she was to admit it… he was right. She didn't want to leave Hogwarts with an unresolved fight waiting for her on her return – her tendency to overthink meant that she wouldn't be able to enjoy her holiday in the meantime. She turned back, although she didn't sit.
"I didn't realise you asked everyone else too," she said quietly, looking at George. He cocked his head.
"Well, you were our first choice, and then we tried to force information out of Ron," he counted them off on his fingers, "and then we tried Harry, but we couldn't really put our hearts into it - he's just so precious and noble." Harry's face flushed as George pinched one of his cheeks.
"'I can't tell you, I made a promise and it could put everything in danger'" said Fred in an unsettlingly good imitation of him.
"And I suppose I was your first choice because I'm such a tattle-tale?" Hermione was still refusing to look at Fred, folding her arms across her chest.
"It was more that we figured you were the brains of the operation," supplied George, "no offense, you two." Harry and Ron shrugged as if to agree with the logic and Hermione made a note to be pleased with herself later.
"Well-" Hermione began, but before she could get going Fred cut her off, his voice weary.
"Look, I didn't mean whatever I said, okay – if you're not gonna tell us what's going on can we just move on?" He didn't appear to be enjoying this very public dissection of their argument, and Hermione suddenly had a moment of guilt at making him do this. Well. Making George make him do this. She looked into his dark brown eyes as his half-scowl gave way to resignation. "Please?" It was too much. She was embarrassed for him, feeling herself blush. Best to end this as quickly as possible, she thought.
"Okay." She forced out.
"Really?" said George, surprised. Harry and Ron had made equally astonished noises on either side of her but she didn't look at anyone, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
"Yeah. It's fine. I don't want to do this anymore." And neither do you, do you? She met Fred's eyes one more time and he gave a miniscule nod, relieved.
"Brilliant," he said out loud, but she had left for the dorms before he could finish.
Okay so I had a little trouble writing this. In my first draft this was a proper row but it didn't really feel right for the characters and their relationship this early in the game. What do you think?