"Alright mate. First thing we gotta do is figure out what style house you want" Bill said at the head of the table.
"Yea, so we got some real estate flyers here, and we'll go through and see whats out there, pick our favorites, and then you can check them out later." Charlie said while passing out the booklets filled with real estate listings.
"So what do you think you guys want?" Bill asked.
"I'm not sure. I kind of thought I'd know when I saw it" Fred said, looking at his booklet with bewilderment. He had no idea that there were so many options when buying a house.
"Let's start easy. How many bedrooms?" George asked.
"Um, probably 3 at least. We definitely need a room for an office with bookshelves. I keep tripping over the books Hermione has stacked in the room." Fred said.
"Just 3 rooms Freddie?" George said through a snicker as he elbowed Fred in the side.
Fred reached over and hit the back of his brothers head. "How about you stop being such a prat?" he asked. "Or did you learn nothing this morning?"
Bill and Charlie looked at each other, and then back to the twins. "What happened this morning?" they said at the same time.
"Is that what it sounds like when we do it?" Fred asked.
"Downright unnatural that is" George answered. "And as for this morning, I got to see, how do I put this delicately…" George tapped his finger on his chin. "Ah I know. I got to see Hermione's sweet rack while Fred was out cavorting in the donut shop down the street." George finished with a smile on his face.
Fred's face started to turn that unnatural shade of red he sported earlier, and he let out an angry snarl as he rose up from his chair to start punching his twin again.
George backed away slowly. "Uh-uh Fred. What would Hermione think if I told her you were beating me up again after she asked you to play nice?" he said in a mocking voice.
Fred sat back down again, and concentrated on his breathing until he calmed down. Bill and Charlie watched this with interest.
"So what actually happened?" Charlie asked.
"He walked in on Hermione before she had a chance to wake up and get dressed." Fred said slowly, his eyes closed as he visualized Hermione's kind face and trying to keep his anger in check.
"Yes but Fred, why was she naked in the first place?" Bill asked waggling his eyebrows as the guys all laughed.
Fred blushed, and picked up his booklet again. "Let's just get back to the task at hand eh?" he said, the blush still tinging his cheeks.
The conjured whiteboard behind them held a complicated algorithm of house needs and wants, with various inspiration pictures stuck all over it. At the bottom sat the pictures of the two houses they had finally decided on, circled in red ink.
"Well what do you think Fred, should you go have a look at these places?" Bill asked, setting his pen down.
"Yes. I don't think I can choose between them without going to see it." Fred said standing up and looking around the room. At some point, the house hunting committee had grown to include Ginny and his mum.
Mrs. Weasley bustled over with a tray of tea for everyone. "I think that sounds splendid dear. You should go today, before Hermione gets home," she said, placing a cup of tea in front of him.
"Alright. George, ya wanna come with?" he asked his twin as he downed his tea quickly.
George looked longingly towards the cake his mum was cutting. "I suppose," he sighed.
They apparated to the first house on the list. It was a flat in central london, close to both of their jobs, which was the main reason he considered it. They walked upstairs and walked around the empty flat before meeting again in the living room. It was a beautiful flat, completely modern with stainless steel appliances and an all white paint job.
"I don't know George, it just doesn't scream 'us' you know?" Fred said.
"Yea I know," George answered. "Lets go check out the other place."
They apparated again and appeared in front of the other house on the list. It was a beautiful georgian country home built out of brick in the last century. It had a large yard covered in bright green grass. In the distance they could see the gardens filled with bright hollyhock flowers and roses sticking out among the sea of color. Before they even walked in, Fred knew this was the house. He could imagine Hermione coming out to meet him, and kissing him on his way home from work, their kids playing in the garden.
George turned to him, momentarily shocked by how beautiful the house was, in contrast to the flat they had just looked at. "Well, let's see inside shall we?" he said.
The inside of the home was bare, but just as beautiful as the outside. The master bedroom was much larger than the one they currently shared in the flat, and the other 3 bedrooms were the perfect size for guests, and in the future, kids. The house even came with a moderately sized office space that he knew Hermione would love to turn into a library. He met his brother again in the foyer.
"What realtor was this place listed with?" Fred asked.
"Uh, Magical Manifest" George said, consulting the booklet in his hand. "They're in Diagon Alley."
"Right, I'm off to speak with them. Go back to the flat, wait for Hermione to come home, and take her to the Burrow. Keep her distracted. I'll meet you there later," Fred said quickly.
George nodded. "Aye-aye captain" he said with a salute as he apparated away.
Fred waited until he was sure George was gone before doing a little dance. Hermione was going to love this place.
"George. George Weasley, put me down this minute!" the shrill voice of Hermione shrieked as George carried her into the kitchen of the Burrow. He unceremoniously dropped her onto the bench at the long table, where she immediately tried to get up. He pushed her back down and she let out another shriek of rage when he sat on her.
"My goodness Hermione, what is going on?" Mr. Weasley asked as he came running into the room.
Hermione scowled at George before turning to her father-in-law. "I have been kidnapped!" she said venomously.
Before he could ask her what she was talking about, the rest of the Weasleys burst into the room, wands held aloft, prepared to fight the shrieking intruder. She ignored them, and carried on her tirade.
"I was taken from my couch, manhandled, side-alonged here, and then thrown about until iwas finally dropped unto this bloody bench!" she yelled, her voice growing in pitch the longer she talked. "I was waiting for Fred to get home, and George kidnapped me! I demand to know what is going on!"
At the bemused faces of everyone in the room, she shrieked and threw George off of her. "Give me back my wand George!" she yelled while she tried to hit every part of him.
"Ow woman, leave me be!" he yelled, trying to run away from her. She began chasing him around the table trying to get her wand back. "Oh I'm gonna hex you good George, just you wait" she yelled.
An arm shot out of the crowd and grabbed her around the waist. Startled, she stopped screaming and turned around to see Fred holding her close.
"Fred, I demand that you do something about that horrible twin of yours. He kidnapped me, and took my wand, and he won't tell me-" the rest of her words weren't understandable because she began to cry.
George looked stricken with fear. Hermione never cried, and if she did sometimes shed a tear, it certainly wouldn't be in front of his entire family. He stuck his hand out, allowing Fred to take her wand from him.
Fred glared at his brother. "My words were 'take her to the burrow, keep her distracted', not kidnap and traumatize her" he hissed.
"Well it's not my fault she wouldn't come willingly. I tried the nice route. She kept saying she had to wait for you!" George yelled in self-defense.
Hermione sniffled and looked up. "You put him up to this?" she asked.
Fred looked down at her tear-stricken face, and took it in his hands. He gave her a long slow kiss to calm her down before pulling into his chest for a hug. "I didn't ask him to be so rude about but yea."
"Why?" she asked, her question muffled by Fred's shirt.
Fred took her hand in his. "I've got a bit of a surprise for you, and I needed time to finish it up" he said softly. "Here, I'll show you."
He leaned down to kiss her again, and apparated them away. Before she could get her bearings when they landed, he put his hands over her eyes.
"Where are we Fred?" Hermione asked. She could smell fresh flowers, and felt a cool breeze on her face. The weather was cooler, so she guessed they had traveled north of the burrow.
"Just walk forward a bit. I promise I wont let you fall" Fred said, keeping his hands over her eyes.
Hermione followed his instructions. Fred led her to the perfect spot to view the house and the gardens around them. He leaned in close to her ear and whispered "Ready?"
Hermione nodded and Fred dropped his hands.
She saw the house first, and let out a small gasp as she turned and looked at the garden around them. Her hands flew to her mouth, and she turned to Fred, her eyes questioning.
"What is this?" she asked.
Fred took her hands and looked into her eyes. He smiled, and leaned down to kiss her. He rested his forehead on hers and whispered "Ours. This is all ours."
The tears she had been holding in swelled up and over. "Ours? But how?" she asked, unable to articulate more than short sentences.
"I had George distract you so I could put in an offer at the real estate office. It took longer than I thought because the owner immediately accepted. I signed all the paperwork tonight, this house is ours." He said.
Hermione laughed. "I cant believe it. Freddie, this is what we always wanted. Oh god, it's so beautiful," she said through the tears running down her face, unfettered.
He put his arms around her waist. "Come on love. Come see what it looks like inside before George brings everyone else over. I'm sure they're dying to see the place."
Hermione looked at him coyly. "Do you think we've got a bit of time?" she asked.
He looked over and saw her biting her lip. "Uh, a bit yea" he said, staring at the movements her mouth was making.
"Well then come show me this house" she said, walking ahead of him, trying her best to walk in a seductive manner.
Fred growled and chased after her, picking her up and carrying her into the house, intent on showing her how beautiful the walls in the library were, and if they had time, how sturdy the kitchen counters were.
A/N: I just wanted to apologize for the long time between this update and the last. My brother had a baby, my sister had tests she needed help studying for, my mom had a birthday, all on top of my own job and classes. I have written ahead a few chapters, and I'm going to post them all as soon as I've finished editing them! So, again, really sorry.
And to the anon that keeps complaining about them not telling Hermione, it was said in a previous chapter that it could give her brain damage. Give them a minute to come up with a way to tell her that won't turn her into a vegetable, jeez.