Day 56
"RISE AND SHINE!" Fred and George burst into Ginny and Hermione's room at the crack of dawn, already wide awake and full of excitement. "IT'S RE-OPENING DAY!"
The sudden awakening had Hermione jumping out of bed in a panic, wand drawn, but Fred had been ready for this and bounded over to her, covering her hands with his and pulling her into a deep kiss.
"Morning, Love!"
"Don't do that!" she seethed, slipping the wand into her pocket. "You almost gave me a bloody heart attack! Where did you come from, anyways, I thought you were still in bed with me?"
"I got up a while ago," he shrugged. "Thought I'd let you sleep a little more."
"Obviously not that much more," she frowned at the clock.
"It's re-opening day!" George cried, jumping up and down on his sister's empty bed. "Hold on, where's Gin?"
"Where do you think she is?" Hermione raised an eyebrow. "She's upstairs, you blind git."
"Where upstairs?!" George demanded, then seemed to realize what she meant. "That bastard! That no good, ruddy bastard! Sleeping with our sister!?"
"Oh, calm down," Hermione rolled her eyes.
"I will not! I'll kill the little prat!"
"You can't," Fred shook his head. "Because he's the Boy-No-Git-Could-Kill, and if you succeeded, poor little Gin would kill you while Hermione held you down."
"How are you so calm about this!?" George demanded. "Potter's shagging our sister and you just stand there like it's nothing!"
"You know, I never thought you'd be the one to have a conniption, George," Hermione gave him an amused smile. "I always thought it would be Bill, or maybe Charlie."
"Not Ron?" Fred asked. "Seems like he'll have a fit over anything these days."
"He was rather happy about it at first, actually. Now, who knows. As you know, we don't speak."
"HOW ARE YOU NOT BOTHERED BY THIS?!" George interrupted them.
"Because I'm sleeping with her," Fred pointed to Hermione.
"That's such a lovely way to put it," she rolled her eyes. "Her!? As if I were the neighbour's cat!"
"You know what I meant," he frowned. "Hermione's as good as Harry's sister, we decided we were on an even field."
"Excuse me?"
"We're dating each others sisters," Fred quickly rephrased. "We're not allowed to kick the piss out of each other for it."
"Well, that's good to know," she shook her head. "I'm going to go take a shower. You feel free to go wake up Ginny, though."
The boys were obviously too excited to realize she had been kidding, because a few minutes later she heard horrified screams coming from the room below the attic, Ginny's angry shouts rising above the rest of the noise as she executed one of her coveted Bat Bogey hexes. Smiling to herself, Hermione stepped into the shower only to let out a startled cry a second later when Fred apparated into the bathroom.
"What do you think you're doing?" she demanded, sticking her head out from behind the curtain.
"My eyes!" he cried dramatically. "Mione, my eyes! They burn!"
"Are you looking for sympathy?" she asked, stepping back under the water. "Because you're not going to find it here."
"I just caught my sister having a shag! My sister Hermione!"
"That's what happens when you apparate into people's rooms without knocking."
"Why are you being so nonchalant about this!?" Fred cried. "He's like your brother!"
"Yes, but I didn't walk in on them, now did I?" she grabbed a towel off the hook, wrapping it around herself before stepping out from behind the curtain. "It serves you right."
"How can you be so mean to me on re-opening day?!"
"You come to me on this, the day of my daughter's wedding," Hermione mocked in a terrible Italian accent.
"What?" Fred stared at her like she had gone mad.
"It's from a muggle film," she shook her head. "Anyhow, I'm not being mean, I'm just not pitying you. And I'm not pitying you, because it's your own fault. Now, get out so I can get dressed."
"It's not like I haven't seen it before," he pointed out.
"Out!" she cried, pushing him towards the door.
"Come on, Mione!" he pleaded, a mischievous look replacing the horrified one that had been on his face just moments before.
"Fredric Gideon Weasley!" Hermione slapped his hands away from her towel. "Get out!"
"You're a right tease, you are!" he sulked.
"I don't recall inviting you into the bathroom with me. Now, either you leave, or I'll tell Ginny where you're hiding."
"You wouldn't," he glared at his girlfriend, trying to decide whether or not she was bluffing.
"GIN-"
"Okay! Okay!" Fred rushed towards the door. "I'm going! But you owe me!"
"Ha! In your dreams, Weasley!"
"Always, Granger!"
- - PAGE BREAK - -
When Hermione went downstairs for breakfast, she found the twins huddled at the far end of the table, Ginny glaring at them, while Harry stared at his plate so intently she was sure he was trying to figure out its molecular structure.
"Morning," she greeted them all with a smile.
"Good morning, Dear!" Molly smiled back. "Sit down, I'll get you a plate."
Hermione took her usual seat between the twins and waved her wand at the kettle to make herself a cup of tea.
"Here you are," Molly placed a heaping plate in front of her. "You've got a busy day ahead, you'll need your energy."
Hermione stared at the plate in horror. It had been two months since they came home, but her appetite was still practically nonexistent. That didn't stop Molly from trying to fatten her up, though.
"I'm not very hungry," Hermione started to argue, but Molly walked away without a glance and Fred inched the plate closer to her.
"Eat some bacon," he ordered.
"Fred," she groaned.
"Hermione," he imitated her. "Look, toast!"
She rolled her eyes, but picked up her fork and started to pick at the contents of the plate.
"Moving the fork around doesn't count as eating," he poked her after a few minutes. "You have to actually lift the fork to your mouth and chew."
"I know that," she hissed. "Would you please get rid of some of this? It's making me feel ill."
"I've got you covered, Herms," George grinned and started emptying her plate.
"Oi!" Fred smacked him. "Leave some from her."
"Please don't," Hermione mumbled.
"Eat!" Fred waved a piece of bacon in her face.
"We have to leave in fifteen minutes!" Ginny announced, looking over at the clock. "We've got a lot of work to do before 10."
Hermione started to stand up, but Fred and George each took a shoulder and pushed her back into her seat.
"Eat!"
With an annoyed groan, she split the remaining food on her plate in half and took a few mouthfuls. When a quarter of the plate was empty, she pushed it away.
"Hermione, you should eat more than that," Harry frowned at all the food she had left.
"If I eat any more I'm going to be sick. Now, I'm going to go finish getting ready, and you're all going to let me or so help me I will sic Ginny on you."
All three boys gave her unhappy nods and allowed her to leave the kitchen before finishing off her plate.
- - PAGE BREAK - -
As soon as they stepped through the front doors, Ginny and Hermione started giving orders.
"Fred, George, get the fireworks displays set up!"
"Verity, Lee, final checks on all the products."
"Charlie, stop playing with the pygmy puffs!"
The entire family had come along to help, except for Ron. Fleur had even offered to assist at the cash registers. They had also employed the use of Lee and Angelina, who had been more than happy to offer any help they could, and convinced Verity to come back to work- and even bring her friend Melinda along.
Under Hermione and Ginny's close supervision and occasionally dictator-like screams, everything was ready at exactly 9:45, allowing the group to gather in the back of the shop away from the prying eyes of the hoards gathered out front.
"Alright," Fred looked over the group. "We just want to say thanks for all your help today, we really appreciate it."
"Yeah, we would never been able to get up and running again without you," George agreed. "You're a right good bunch, even you Potter."
"Thanks," Harry nodded.
"Now, everyone knows their jobs?"
There was a collective nod.
"Alright, well, happy re-opening," Fred beamed. "Off to work!"
The group split up, each of them making their way to their designated sections, Hermione heading into the back and Fleur making her way over to the cash registers behind Fred and George, who had planned an elaborate fireworks display for when the doors opened.
"Ready?" Fred turned to is twin.
"Ready."
They threw the doors open and lit the fireworks.
"WELCOME!" They cried excitedly. "TO THE AMAZING WORLD OF WEASLEY'S WIZARD WHEEZES!"
Hermione watched the fireworks display from the workshop door before getting the cauldrons up and running, not wanting to run out of anything.
The adrenalin coursing through her veins stopped her from thinking about how terribly crowded the shop had suddenly gotten. In fact, the sheer number of people and amount of noise that surrounded her didn't hit Hermione until she left the back room to restock some shelves, thinking that she would be perfectly fine.
She had just stepped onto the floor, a pile of boxes hovering over her head, when a small child set off a row of firecrackers right beside her, at the same time that a customer bumped into her. The boxes dropped to the floor with a loud crash, half of them hitting her as they fell, bringing her to her knees. She felt the panic rising in her chest, felt her breath catch in her throat as the room started to spin and the noise became both louder and farther away at the same time.
Fred saw all this happen from a few feet away and sprinted over.
"Miss, are you alright?" The customer that had bumped into her knelt down to help Hermione up. At the sight of the man's hand reaching out to her, though, Hermione let out a terrified cry and shrank away from him.
"Thank you," Fred put a hand on the man's shoulder and pushed him away.
"I think she hit her head," he frowned.
"I've got it," Fred insisted. "Thanks."
Without another glance at the confused wizard, Fred scooped Hermione into his arms, ignoring her desperate struggles and whisked her back into the workroom.
"No! No!" she screamed, struggling against him. "No, let me go!"
"Hermione," he set her down on the floor carefully, his voice low and even. "Hermione, it's me. It's Fred. Mione, can you hear me?"
"No," she continued shaking her head, pulling her knees to her chest and rocking back and forth, her breaths coming in short angry bursts that would soon lead to hyperventilation.
"Hermione," he knelt in front of her and put a calming hand on her knees. "Hermione, listen to me, you need to take deep breaths. You're alright, you just need to take deep breaths."
"No, no, no, no," she gasped for breath between each word, backing into a corner.
"You're alright, Hermione," Fred repeated, his tone never wavering. "Just focus on your breathing, okay? Deep breaths, in and out."
He knelt in front of her, slowly reaching out to take her hand so as not to scare her, calmly instructing her to breathe and assuring her that she was safe.
While he tried to talk Hermione down, Ginny slipped into the room and sat down a few feet away, not wanting to disturb them, but making sure they knew she was there.
"You're alright, I've got you. Everything is fine."
As her breathing slowed, the tears came and Fred immediately moved to sit beside her, pulling her into his arms.
"Shh," he smoothed her hair away from her face and rubbed soothing circles on her back. "Shh, you're alright. I've got you."
"I'm sorry," Hermione sobbed. "I'm sorry, I'm ruining everything!"
"Don't be silly. You're the only reason that any of this happened. It's alright."
"It's not alright," she shook her head. "I'm a mess and you're stuck in here with me instead of being out there doing what you love."
"I'm perfectly happy where I am, thank you very much."
"You're just saying that."
"I am not," he shook his head. "And you're not a mess at all. It was just a little panic attack, it's fine."
"It's bloody ridiculous, is what it is!" Hermione snapped. "I'm the brightest witch of my age! I kept Harry-blooming-Potter alive for six years, and I fall down screaming and sobbing because someone bumped my shoulder."
"Alright, listen to me," Fred ordered, forcing her to meet his eyes. "You went through something terrible. You witnessed things that the rest of us can't even imagine, and I refuse to let you put yourself down like this. You are the brightest witch of your age- of any age if you ask me, these panic attacks don't change that. There is nothing wrong with you."
Hermione bit her lip and tried to look away, but Fred forced her to keep looking at him.
"There is nothing wrong with you," he repeated. "Say it."
"Fred-"
"Say it."
"There's nothing wrong with me," she whispered.
"There," he smiled warmly at her. "Now, was that so hard? If you ask me, you're bloody perfect."
"I'm with him," Ginny finally spoke up. "But we might be a little biased."
"I think we're all a bit biased. Now, are you alright?"
"Yeah," Hermione wiped her eyes. "I think so."
"Alright, do you want me to stay with you for a few more minutes?"
"No, you should get back out there," she shook her head. "I'll be alright."
"I'll stay," Ginny promised.
Fred nodded and started to get up, but stopped halfway and leaned back down to kiss Hermione soundly. "You're brilliant, you are."
"You too," she smiled.
"Are you really alright?" Ginny asked once Fred was gone, taking his place on the floor.
"I just feel stupid," Hermione shrugged.
"Don't," Ginny ordered. "This doesn't mean anything."
"Of course it does," she scoffed.
"No," Ginny shook her head. "It doesn't. It's just something that happens. It's a thing that your body does without any regard for you. You don't have any control over it."
"That's the bloody problem!" Hermione snapped. "I can't do a damn thing about it, no matter how hard I try. In fact, the harder I try, the more they happen."
"They'll get better," Ginny assured her. "I promise."
"You don't know that," Hermione sighed.
"Yes I do. Because you are the strongest, most brilliant person I know, and I know that you won't let this beat you. Sure, they might not go away, but they're not going to get you. It's going to get better. I mean, really, they already have. When you first came back to the shop you wouldn't have been able to work in here alone," Ginny pointed out. "And a month ago you wouldn't have even considered going out there to stock a shelf if the place was empty. I know it doesn't seem like it, but you really are getting better."
Hermione stared at her for a few seconds, tears collecting in her eyes, before letting out something between a laugh and a sob, and pulling Ginny into a hug
"Merlin, what would I do without my Weasleys?"
"We ask ourselves the same thing about you," Ginny assured her.
They sat with their arms around each other, laughing quietly until Hermione got to her feet and lit a fire under the closest cauldron, ready to get back to work.
"I really am alright now," she promised as Ginny hopped onto the counter.
"I'm sure you are, but my feet are killing me. So I'm going to sit here for a while."
Hermione didn't buy this explanation at all, but figured it would be easiest just to let her be.
- - PAGE BREAK - -
When the last customer finally left, Fred locked the doors and leaned heavily against them.
"Bloody hell!" he huffed. "I forgot how hard this is!"
"Harder than fighting Deatheaters?" Ginny challenged.
"I'd say it's about even," George sighed.
"You're both nutters," Hermione laughed. "God, I'm starving!"
"It's a miracle!" Harry cried. "Quick, get her some food before it passes!"
"I'm on it!" George jumped up and ran out the front door in a hurry to grab takeaway from the pub across the street, only to run into Ron.
"Oi, watch it Mate-" he started to scold, then stopped when he saw who it was he had almost run over. "Ron?"
"Thought you'd still be open," his brother muttered.
"We just closed up," George stared at him. "Uh, come on in though."
"That's okay," he shook his head. "I'm just waiting for Lavender."
"Brown?"
"Do you have a problem with that?" Ron asked, his tone immediately turning defensive.
"Course not," George shook his head quickly. "Is that where you've been hiding lately?"
"Sometimes," he shrugged vaguely.
"I thought you were getting food!" Hermione called, sticking her head out the door when she saw George standing in the window. "Ron?"
"Ron's here?" Fred stuck his head out over top of hers.
"Yeah," George turned, allowing his youngest brother to come into view. "I just about ran him over."
"I should be going," Ron shook his head.
"He's meeting Lavender," George filled them in.
"Brown?" Hermione frowned.
"That's what I said."
"Yes, Lavender Brown," Ron said, his voice full of annoyance. "Do you have a problem with that?"
"No," Hermione shook her head. "You're free to see whoever you like."
"Well thanks so much for your permission," Ron sneered at her.
"Right," she sighed. "I'm just going to go back inside now."
She slipped out from beneath Fred and headed back to the counter where the others were gathered.
"Why do you have to be like that?" George huffed.
"Because he's a sodding wanker," Fred glared at his younger brother, then followed Hermione inside, leaving George and Ron alone again.
"Why can't you let her be?" George asked again.
"Because she killed Percy!" Ron yelled.
The sudden shout floated through the doors, grabbing the family's attention.
"Would you stop saying that?!" George cried. "You know full well she did her damnedest to save him!"
"Ron!" Lavender's high-pitched shouts suddenly joined the mix, and everyone rushed from the counter to the doors to see who had joined the argument- all except for Hermione, Fred and Harry.
"Is that-?" Harry looked at Hermione in shock.
"Oh yes," she nodded. "It's back."
"Merlin," he sighed dramatically.
"Ron, are you ready to go?" Lavender asked, skipping up and kissing his cheek sloppily. "I'm famished!"
"Yeah," Ron nodded, though he didn't look away from George. "Let's go."
"Is your friend coming?" she asked, giving George a curious look.
"I'm his brother," George seethed.
"Oh, of course!" Lavender nodded. "You're the one with the twin. Now, which one are you? The one that stole his girlfriend, or the other one?"
"Have a nice evening," George said sarcastically.
Obviously not realizing she had been dismissed, Lavender seemed quite put out when George turned on his heel and walked back into the shop, slamming the door in their faces.
"Well," Ginny broke the silence that had settled over the group. "Anyone see that coming?"
"Bloody hell," Harry sighed, still in shock from this revelation.
"She's barmy," Charlie scoffed.
"No more than he is," George rolled his eyes. "I've got a right mind to pound him."
"No one is going to pound him," Hermione scolded.
"Just a little?"
"No! He's going through the same things we are, and none of you are going to do anything to him. He can date whoever he pleases, it's not our place to judge him." She met each of their eyes, making sure they understood her.
"Fine," the twins huffed.
"Harry?" Hermione turned to her adoptive brother.
"What?" he tried to look innocent.
"Leave him alone."
"Fine," he gave an unhappy nod.
"So, still hungry?" George turned to Hermione.
"Not so much," she shook her head.
"You haven't eaten since breakfast," Ginny frowned. "Come on, let's go down the pub."
Hermione started to shake her head, but Ginny wasn't taking no for an answer.
"It's not up for discussion," she shook her head. "Harry, grab her and let's go."
"Don't you dare!" Hermione took a step back, only to have George throw an arm around her shoulders.
"Come on, Herms. I think we could all use a drink."
"Definitely," Fred took her hand and pulled her and George out onto the street.
"Gin, lock up, will you?"
"Right," she nodded and flicked her wand towards the doors.
"That's our life's work there," George called back to her. "You take care of that!"
"Oh, honestly," Hermione rolled her eyes, flicking her own wand at the shop. "Happy?"
"I told you she'd come in handy," George grinned.
"Course I do! Someone's got to be the brains of this operation and it's certainly not you two!"
"Well!" George gasped dramatically. "I've never been so insulted!"
"You don't listen much, do you?" Hermione smirked.
"Merlin, I love you!" Ginny laughed. "It's just so lovely having someone else around to take the mick out of you boys with."
"At your service, love," Hermione called back.
"Well, at least I know where your loyalties lie," Fred huffed.
"Girl Power," she shrugged. "Don't you listen to the wireless?"
"What?"
"The Spice Girls," she explained. "Don't worry, we'll work on your Muggle music."
"Something to look forward to," he chuckled.