Hermione smiled as she came down into the great hall. She couldn't wait to see Fred and George. She had been worried that she would start to favor Fred because of his confession but that morning she had felt the same she had every morning sense being with them.
I can't wait to see my guys…
She smiled when she spotted them. They were sitting across the way from Harry Ron and Ginny. She walked towards the seat that lay open between them knowing it was for her. Ginny stood upon seeing her as did all her two other friends, and her boyfriends. As she walked to them she noticed they weren't smiling back at her before she could reach them and ask what was wrong Malfoy took a step in front of her.
"Nice face Granger." He said with glee dancing eyes and an almost too perfect menacing sneer.
"I'm sorry?" she inquired.
"Leave her alone Malfoy." Harry grabbed his shoulder and spun him around surprising Hermione. Harry seemed more angry at Malfoy then usual.
"Get your hands off me half blood." He slapped his hands away before turning to look at Hermione. "You know mudblood I think you looked better before… I don't think they fixed everything…"
"What are you on about?" she asked. He only laughed and headed back to his seat. "Harry what's going on?"
"Hermione let's get you out of here." Harry said. She began to notice how everyone was staring at her. Some with pitty some with fear, and the slytherins all with glee.
"No, what's going on?"
"Hermione we'll talk about it-."
"Harry." She said. "What is going on? Tell me." He slowly nodded before grabbing a daily prophet off the table and handing it to her. She took a small breath as she stared down at the front page.
THE FACE OF HATE
Article by:
Rita Skeeter
Below the headline was a picture of Hermione bloodied bruised and cut up. She blinked as she stared down at it. She knew when the photo was taken. She was in Mungos being treated after the murder of her parents. She read the tag line below the photo.
"The famous Friend of Harry potter a Victim of terrible hate crime…
She is the lone survivor after pureblood extremist Sirius Black slays her family the summer before this ongoing school term."
She looked around at all the people staring at her. She covered her mouth feeling sick. She stared at the Slytherins and their huge smiles. The rage she felt was crippling especially as she looked to Malfoy. He had the same expression his father had had the night he had murdered her parents. Before she could lunge at them she felt two hands on her shoulders.
"Hermione lets go…" Ginny said, Hermione rigid under hands.
"You think it's funny?" Hermione asked Malfoy with a shaking vocie. "You think it's funny your father murdered my parents?" He stood.
"My father did no such thing." He said getting in her face.
"Yes he did… You know he did." he only smiled at her. "So you do think it's funny?"
"Hysterical."
"You know what I think is funny?" she asked her friends gathering around her and holding her back.
"What mudblood?"
"The way your father looked at me when I slit his throat." she said softly. "I had never laughed so much in my entire life!"
"Come on Mione don't give him the satisfaction." Harry said as he and the others led her out. She looked Malfoy right in the eye as she was pulled out of the great hall the daily prophet held tightly in her hand. As they moved through the hallways her anger faded into something else. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest as she passed numerous students holding the prophet. All looking back and forth from one photo to the next. She started taking rushed breaths her hand to her chest.
"Guys…" she said her voice breaking. "Get me out of here…" Ginny cradled Hermione's head to her shoulder as they moved. She wanted so badly to shield her friend from the stares and the points.
"We're almost there…" Ginny said. They made it to the room of requirement. The doors instantly opened and they all went inside.
"Neville keep DA members out." Harry said seeing their other friend had tagged along.
"Right." He said going out the doors which closed. Hermione was gasping for air now Ginny sat her down taking her hands in hers.
"Breathe Hermione… Breathe…" she said. Hermione shook her head as her breathing slowly began to come back to normal. She looked back at the paper and stared before breaking down completely. It fell from her hands to the ground as she buried her face into her palms. Fred picked it up to see another photo one of two dead bodies twisted on the ground covered in blood.
"Those bastards." George said seeing it.
"I… I… I can't breathe… I… I… can't…"
"She's having a panic attack…" Ginny said looking to Harry and her brothers unsure of what to do.
"Love head between your legs…" Fred said as he and George moved to her. Instead she moved into their embrace.
"Everyone knows…" she cried. "Everyone's seen… Seen what they did…"
"I know love…" Fred said.
"We'll get through this…" George added.
"You can get through this." They stated in unison. She pulled away and buried her face into her hands.
"I can't take any more." She said standing. "Every time things get good its goes bad I can't do it anymore." She ran from them to the doors which instantly opened. They watched as she ran as fast as she could from the room.
"Hermione!" Neville called as Fred and George ran right past him and after their girl who was falling to pieces with each step. When they rounded a corner she had rounded just moments before they found no one in sight. They stopped their running having no clue where she could have gone.
"Where is she?" Ron asked as he and the others caught up to the twins.
"She shouldn't be alone." Ginny said seeing Hermione now where in sight.
"We had an eye on her then she was just gone." Fred said.
"Harry get the map we have to find her." George said.
"Yeah alright…" they all headed to the Gryffindor common room. Harry ran up the stairs when they reached the tower and came right down looking it over.
"I can't find her… Everyone look for her name." He said holding it out. After a few minutes they fell silent staring at the piece of magical parchment.
"She's gone… How is she gone?" Ron asked.
"She's not gone… She can't apperate and Umbridge has all the floo networks on lockdown." Harry said. "She has to be here." They looked the map over again.
"She's not on this map Harry." Ginny said.
"She's off grid." The twins said.
"Off grid?" Ron asked.
"She's somewhere that the map doesn't see." George explained.
"Forbidden forest is one of the places…" Fred said.
"Great." Ron drawled.
"She shouldn't be in there alone." Ginny said. "She could get hurt…"
"The forbidden forest is huge though." Harry said. "It's almost better to wait for her… Or we need someone who really knows it." he smiled. "I know someone."
"Who?" they all asked.
"Luna… Ron come with me." he said. "Ginny Neville your on map watch she shows up use the coins to signal us and we'll come right back here." He said referring to the DA coins. "George Fred… Think of anywhere else that's off grid and look for her."
"Right." They said as they headed off. They began thinking over all the quirks they had found out about the map.
"Secret rooms can't be seen such as the room of requirement…" Fred said.
"She ran from there though…" George muttered thinking hard.
"Where else does Hermione know to hide other than the library?" George asked. They stopped and looked to each other before running off to the one eyed witch passage. They snuck through the secret passage and then into the caller of Honeydukes. They then crawled out a window and headed out into the snow which crunched under their feet as they ran to the shrieking shack. When they got inside they moved up the stair well of the swaying building. Fred and George moved through all the rooms until they met each other in the hallway.
"She isn't here…" George said.
"I'm worried about her… Where else could she have gone?"
"We need to think like Hermione…"
"That impossible she's scary smart." Fred said with a sigh. After a long while they came up with nothing. "Let's head back to the school." Just as he had said it the coins in their pockets buzzed.
"They found her." they said in unison.
-o-
When they got to the common room they found everyone waiting.
"Where is she?" they asked.
"With umbridge." Ginny said and the twins could honestly say they had never seen her look so angry. "I saw Draco and his goons drag her off." Dean stated. Most of the Gryffindor DA members had gathered.
"What would she want with her?" Fred asked.
"We don't know… But they said something about detention…" Seamus said. "Let me tell you… you don't want detention with her." he held up the back of his hand to show the scars of an etching session with Umbridge.
"What should we do Harry?" Neville asked.
"We have to wait." He said. "I know it sounds awful but we have to wait for her."
"Poor Hermione to go through so much and be forced to go through it again…" Ginny said.
"Look everyone when she comes back she's not going to want to face a group." Harry said.
"Right let us know what happens." Neville said. Everyone cleared away except for Harry Ron Ginny Fred and George. They waited a long time every once in a while a Gryffindor would walk through the room and immediately go up to their rooms knowing they were not to be in the common room at that time. It had been hours now sense they had begun their wait and still Hermione had not shown up.
"It's getting late…" Ron said looking to the clock.
"Good thing tomorrows Sunday Hermione will be able to sleep in… She'll be tired if Umbridge has had her this long." Harry said quietly. Fred and George kept staring at the portrait hole. Finally around eleven it opened. Hermione slowly walked in her fists clenched at her sides.
"Hermione…" Ginny got to her feet and rushed to her but Hermione put her hand out and shook her head.
"Don't… Touch me." she said before walking past them and up the stairs. Fred and George fallowed behind and saw her go to their door and walk in. they came in behind her shutting the door and watched as she went to their bed and lay down slowly. She looked fine but she moved like every inch of her body hurt. They walked over and sat down on the floor next to the bed.
"Hermione…" George said. She shook her head.
"Please…" her voice broke. "Don't… Talk…" a tear fell down her cheek as she closed her eyes tightly. "I'm… I'm so tired…"
"Go to sleep love." Fred said softly as he watched her slowly lay down..
"We'll look after you…" George whispered. They looked after her for a long while. As morning neared they began to notice something. Marks would show up on her body that weren't there before they were light but marks none the less. Fred looked to see Hermione's hand was gripping onto her wand. He moved forward and took it from her hand. The light marks instantly changed to deep bruises.
Their eyes fell to her cheek which had one second look perfect but was now slightly swollen and a deep purple. She now had a cut above a black eye. Her knuckles were busted open her fingers bruised. She had hand marks on her upper arms and wrists. George noticed the way her free hand lay on her stomach. He slowly moved it away and lifted her shirt up to harsh bruises covers her body. Then there eyes fell to her hand which had once been gripping her wand on the back something was etched in so deep it was still bleeding.
Mudbloods stay silent
Instantly the twins saw red. They had never felt such rage in that moment. Their once unscathed woman lay on their bed now broken and bruised. Hermione coughed and made a small noise as she slowly opened her eyes. She stared at them for a long moment before looking to see her wand had slipped from her grasp.
My glamour's gone… Which means they know… She tried to sit up but winced as pain filled her body.
"Hermione…" Fred said softly taking her hand in his, she tried not to whimper. She hated that even Fred touching her hurt her.
"Hermione tell us who did this to you." George said. She shook her head tears falling down her cheeks.
"Hermione who did this?" Fred asked his voice rising slightly. She shook her head again and looked away.
"Tell us Hermione." George said his voice shaking.
"Hermione what happened?" Fred inquired seeing the tears move down her bruised face. She shook her head.
"I'm too tired…" she said softly. "Hurts to talk…" they took a note of the hand mark around her neck.
"I can help…" they turned to see Emily the house elf. "I once worked for a hospital… I know all healing spells…"
"Help her…" George said.
"Please." Fred added.
"You'll have to leave the room." they nodded.
"We'll get Harry and Ron." George said seeing that Hermione had fallen asleep once more. They left as the house elf began to work over Hermione. They went up the stairs and walked into the room. Harry and Ron were already getting dressed to go searching for Hermione.
"She's in our room." they said in unison.
"What's wrong?" Harry asked seeing their infuriated looks.
"Someone beat the hell out of her." Fred stated. Instantly Harry and Ron came out of the room and fallowed. Before they could get to the room Emily the elf came out.
"Miss is at hospital wing… There were things too bad for me alone to fix I am sorry."
"Thank you Emily." George said before they all ran down the stairs to go to the hospital wing.
"What's going on?" Ginny asked fallowing them from where she had been waiting for Hermione in the common room sense five that morning.
"Hermione is in the hospital wing." Fred said.
-o-
When they got to the main doors of the hospital wing it was to find Dumbledore walked out. He had a distant look as he stroked his beard. He had seen cruelty in his time but the things Hermione had gone through he wouldn't wish on any one. He spotted the group of her friends and smiled the best he could.
"She can see you now." He said before walking off. Harry stared at his retreating form before they walked into the hospital wing only to see empty beds.
"Where is she?" Ron asked.
"Come with me." Madam Pomfrey said. They fallowed her into what all of them had assumed was an office only to see it was a private hospital room. Hermione was sitting up in bed her arm wrapped her foot elevated on a pillow. She still had a few cuts and a few bruises but she didn't look like she had before. "See if you can get her to talk Potter. She won't tell us a thing." He nodded as the door closed.
"Hermione…" Ginny came to her friends side. "What happened?" she asked seeing all the bruises.
"I fell down some stairs." She said with a soft expression. "I was coming back from my detention and I just slipped." She stared at her wrapped hand that held the message Umbridge had had beaten into her. "Nothing more Nothing less…" she looked up with a smile. "I'm sorry I made you all worry."
"What's making us worry is your lying to us." Fred said walking over and sitting next to her along with George.
"I'm not." She said. "I'm sorry I don't have a grander story…" she said.
"Hermione…" Ginny said. "In a time of controversy… You do not flinch." Hermione looked to her. "You're flinching." Hermione's eyes began to tear up.
"All that matters is I'm fine okay?" she asked her voice breaking.
"Just give us a name at least…" Fred said.
"Just tell us who did this to you…" George pleaded.
"Who do you think did this to me?" she asked them with empty eyes.
"Malfoy?" they asked.
"More than Malfoy…" she said quietly closing her eyes to push away the memory.
"How many?" Harry asked. She didn't say anything.
"Mione… You're flinching again…" Ginny said and Hermiones jaw clenched. "How many sis?" she asked.
"Six…" she said quietly. "I only know Malfoy Crabbe and Goyle for sure." She laughed with no feeling. "Like Fathers like sons… Am I right?" they only nodded. She didn't say anything else for the rest of the day. The whole time her friends and boyfriends had stayed right beside her. Trying to make her feel better with stories and jokes. Around ten Pomfrey said she was free to go back to her dorm to rest for the next few days as she was excused from class. Fred and George helped her out of the room their hands steadying her by taking one her hands and setting their free ones on her back. When they got to the stair well Ginny helped her up to her dorm and then came back down a few minutes later.
"She wants to be alone…" she said quietly. "I wish I knew what happened to her."
"We all do." Harry said. "Now Ron and I are going to go find out who else was involved in the beating… Then we'll get together and plan what we're going to do about it." Fred and George nodded in agreement before heading up the stairs. They wanted so badly to go up to her dorm but they knew the charm made that impossible. They got ready for bed and sat down on their beds which had been joined because of how often Hermione stayed with them.
"We promised to protect her." George said.
"We failed…"
"Again." They said in unison. A small knock sounded on the door. They looked up as it opened to reveal Hermione wearing cotton pants and white long sleeve shirt. They both stood instantly as she closed the door and looked to them.
"Can I stay here tonight? I uhm… I don't want to be alone…" George crossed the space between them and lifted her up into his arms. He carried her over to the bed and laid her down between him and Fred who had flipped off the lights. She could see them clearly thanks to the moonlight shining through their window. She was silent for a long moment. "I want to tell you what happened. But I'm afraid of what you might do…" she said softly her voice barely above a broken whisper.
"Hermione what happened?" Fred asked.
"You can tell us." George added.
"Promise me; promise me you won't be rash."
"We promise… We just want to know so we can help you deal with it." George said. She nodded slowly a tear slipping down her cheek Fred instantly brushed it away. She sat up and leaned back against the head board while Fred and George sat up facing her.
"I ran off away from you guys and hid behind a statue so you guys thought I would be gone…" they nodded. "After you passed me I went to double back to the Room of requirement knowing you all wouldn't be there again and probably wouldn't think I was there… On my way the inquisitorial squad picked me up… Dragged me to the astronomy tower. When we got there, tons of a few older boys were waiting… With beater bats." They looked to her. "I tried to fight back, got a few hits in but Crabbe slammed the bat into my side… and I went down… I stayed down… there were times they took breaks from hitting me and in that time I could have done something but I just couldn't… I had no fight left in me…"
"Hermione…" George whispered.
"A few hours later Umbridge came in and forced me to write muggleborns stay silent 500 times… then to beat in the message she had them take a final hour to hit and kick me on the ground. Then they let me leave… I put my glamour on because I didn't…" her voice cracked as more tears came. "I didn't want you to think I was weak. I'm always hurt around you… I didn't want you to know I was hurt…" she wiped the tears away. "I wanted to go to my dorm… but I was… Afraid." She spat the word hating the way it tasted. "I still am." She admitted before breaking down completely. "I'm so sorry…" she sobbed. "I'm so sorry…" Fred and George moved forward and wrapped their arms around her. They laid back down in the bed their bodies completely surrounding hers as she cried. "I try to be strong and I keep failing…"
"Shh love…" Fred cooed as she continued to cry louder.
"You're the strongest woman we know…" George said as her body wracked with sobs.
"We're here…" they said in unison. "You're safe." They added. Eventually she had cried herself to sleep and when she had finally begun to breathe calmly and easily Fred and George looked to each other having the same thought.
Revenge…
-o-
Fred and George woke up the next morning to the sound of a click. The opened their eyes to find their arms instead around a one Hermione granger, around each other.
"Bloody hell!" they said in unison as they both leapt off the bed.
"Why were you hugging me!" Fred asked.
"You were doing the hugging!"
"Like hell I was!"
"Wait… Where's Hermione?" George asked. They book looked around seeing she was nowhere in side. George saw a note on a pillow and picked it up. "Dear Fred and George I had an early meeting with Dumbledore not sure when I'll be back or if I'll see you today. I'll plan to meet you tonight in your room. You're Hermione…" George handed it over to Fred so he could see.
"Alright… Let's get ready and we'll get some breakfast."
"Good plan." When they went down to breakfast Hermione was still the topic much to the twin's dismay. They had hoped for her sake it had boiled over. Their hopes had been squashed. The tables were more filled then they ever were in the morning all the students hoping to catch a glimpse of the Gryffindor princess as she had been labeled by the profit.
"Hope she's alright…" Ginny said quietly over a plate of untouched eggs.
"There she is." Harry said straightening up. Fred and George stood instantly. Hermione walked past the numerous students watching her. She held her head high as she smiled softly at her friends.
"Didn't know how brave she was till this moment." George said quietly. Before she could reach them Crabbe Goyle and Malfoy walked up and blocked her way.
"Mudblood." Malfoy greeted. "Have anything to say?"
"Actually I do…" she said as she grabbed a goblet of Ron's pumpkin juice. She smiled softly as she poured it down Malfoys shirt. "You have something on your shirt." She said.
"You little bitch." He said raising his hand, he went to slap her across the face only to have someone grasp onto his hand.
"You don't touch her." George said through gritted teeth before slamming him back into the Slytherin table. Crabbe went to tackle George off him only to have Fred block his attack and punch him across the face dropping him to the ground.
"Hey!" Goyle shouted rushing at Fred Hermione picked up a gold plate and slammed it across his face before he could hit Fred. Goyle stumbled back before falling to the ground. Fred smiled at her before he rushed past her and punched a Slytherin who had tried to attack her from behind. Hermione watched as fred rushed up to the nameless Slytherin on the ground.
"Don't!" he kicked him. "Ever!" he kicked him again. "Come after!" he stomped on his chest. "Hermione!" he kicked him across the face. "Again!" he shouted kicking him so hard the Slytherin rolled across the ground a good five feet. Fred rushed to George pulling him off Malfoy who he had been hitting over and over again.
"We have bigger fish to fry George." Fred said.
"Who?" he asked. Fred pointed to two large boys. They recognized them from the Quidditch pitch. They were beaters for the Slytherin team, and their rivals. "Hermione recognize these two?" George asked glaring into the boys who looked enraged.
"They were the ones with the beater bats." Hermione said quietly.
"Thought so." Fred said.
"You two…" George said as he cracked his knuckles.
"Are about to get your asses kicked." Fred finished. The two beaters ran away from them.
"We'll get them later." Fred said.
"With our beater bats." George added.
"I like the way you think brother of mine." Fred said nudging him.
"This isn't over!" Malfoy said getting to his feet face covered in blood from George's beating.
"Your right it isn't!" Fred shouted as he ran out.
"We need to get you two out of here before Umbridge comes." Neville said getting to them. "Hide out in the room of requirement we'll cover."
"Come on guys." Hermione took their hands in hers and led them away from the great hall at a swift run.
"Were… They holding hands?" Seamus asked.
"She was just leading them out." Ron Harry and Ginny said at the same time.
-o-
When they got to the room of requirement Hermione made sure the doors closed quickly so no one would see them go in. she turned instantly to see George cradling his hand.
"George…" she said quietly walking over a rag appearing in her hand as she did. She took his hand in hers while looking it over. "Fred can you wet this for me?" she asked holding out the rag. Fred pointed his wand a light drizzle came out dampening the rag. She moved it over George's knuckles slowly while leading him over to a couch that had appeared. "George how hard did you hit him?" she asked seeing the skin completely off his knuckles.
"Only really hard." He said with a smile. "I'll be fine…"
"Your poor hands…" she said quietly before taking one and covering it completely with hers. She closed her eyes and took a breath. He felt something warm before she pulled away to show that his hand was healed. "Next one…" he slowly placed his hand in hers. She covered it and closed her eyes before taking another breath. He felt the warmth from before and smiled as she pulled away to reveal his other hand was unscathed. "How do they feel? Flex your hands." she said. He did as she asked. "They feel good…" he said Hermione smiled and got up the blood rag disappearing.
"Hermione you know windless magic?" Fred asked beating George to it.
"Of course don't you?" she asked with a tilt of her head.
"Only the simple stuff…" George said.
"Me too…" she said.
"That wasn't simple you just healed my hands."
"They were just scrapes…" she said with a shrug.
"What else do you know?" George inquired.
"Oh you know levitation… Most defensive spells… All warding magic-."
"How long have you been able to do it?" George asked.
"Fourth year…" she said.
"Why didn't…" Fred stopped himself. "Never mind."
"Why didn't I use it when the death eaters attacked my parents or when Malfoy and those guys attacked me?" George and Fred nodded. "I can't do it when under extreme pressure… or extreme pain… Trust me I did try with my parents…" they nodded. "I'm getting better though got a few stupefys out of my system two nights ago before you know they got their beater bats…" she sat down and looked at her hands. "You guys really aren't going to take on those two beaters are you? Because trust me when I say they are really good at hitting people with bats…"
"We're not going to let what they did to you lie." George said.
"They're going to get theirs…" Fred said. "Don't worry though we're really good at hitting people with beater bats too."
"I just don't want you guys to get hurt." She said.
"We didn't want you to get hurt either…" George said quietly. Hermione looked to him and then to Fred.
"Do you guys feel that bad about me getting hurt?"
"Yes." They said in unison.
"We promised to protect you and we failed." George said.
"Guys I ran off it's my fault no one was around to help me get away from those goons…" Hermione said. "I shouldn't have run off like I did… You guys shouldn't feel bad."
"You're not going to be out of our sight any more… That understood?" Fred asked.
"Fred…"
"He's right." George said.
"Guys." She said.
"We're not kidding Hermione." Fred said. "We'll walk you from class to class and to the library and-."
"Nothing." Hermione said. "You're not doing any of that. I hate feeling dependent on people." She muttered.
"You're going to have to start relying on us a little more love." George said.
"Well then you guys can walk me to the library… I think it's blown over…" she said standing and stretching. The light pink sweater she wore rose revealing the jagged scars of her summer attack. Fred looked away while George looked at his hands. "Thought they didn't bother you…" she said with a soft expression.
"The look of them isn't bothersome it's." George explained.
"How I got them…" Hermione finished.
"It's like she reads minds George." Fred whispered with a smile.
"Only when I really try." She said with a knowing smile. "Now pip pip." She smacked them on the butts making them jump. "Let's go then." They laughed as they headed off.
-o-
When they had gotten to the library they had found Luna and Ginny who had asked Hermione for help with some of their studies she had jumped at the chance. Fred and George had wanted to stay but Ginny would hear nothing of it so they were forced from the library. They decided to head back to their room which they knew Hermione would meet them later. As they worked over a new puking pestal flavor George noticed Fred kept glancing at him over the recipe book. After the sixteenth time he looked up at Fred with an annoyed expression.
"Is it my wicked smile or my blue eyes that makes you find me so fetching today?"
"What?" Fred asked confused.
"You keep glancing at me mate and its getting uncomfortable… What's going on?"
"Aren't you worried about Hermione?"
"Fred she's with Luna and Ginny, she's fine… You've seen the way those girls duel."
"How are you not worried?"
"Of course I'm worried. Can hardly concentrate on this bloody potion my mind keeps going to Hermione so much." George said sitting back on his desk.
"Wish there was a way we could look after her even when we aren't with her…" Fred said quietly.
"We could create something." George said. They looked at each other for a long moment before shaking their heads.
"She'd kill us." They said in unison.
"We should take her out tonight." George said.
"You mean you take her out it's your turn for the date." Fred said.
"No I mean us… She likes spending time with both of us too…"
"True.. You wouldn't mind?" Fred asked and his twin smiled.
"Course not, we're all in a relationship together it's only natural for us to have time with her together… Besides I kind of like sharing her with you… Sometimes."
"Oh sometimes?" Fred asked and George laughed. "So… Where do we take her tonight then?" they smiled having the same thought and knowing they both had both had it.
"I'll set it up." Fred said.
"I'll get what we need." George added. They clapped their hands.
"Break!" they said at the same time. It took them both a few hours to get things ready so when darkness came they headed back to their dorm, each smiled as they walked in to see Hermione looking over a cauldron with her head tilted. She then looked at them.
"Boys…" she said. "What have you been cooking?"
"Just a new product love." Fred said.
"Is the product supposed to be puke green and crawling about?" they rushed to the side
"Not again!" they said.
"We're all out of Mungus root now!" Fred said.
"Are you?" Hermione asked. "That's too bad… Why were you doing a transfiguration potion?"
"Clever girl." George said kissing her on the cheek before Fred did the same.
"You're not going to tell me are you?"
"Never." They said in unison.
"So Hermione how was studying?" Fred asked.
"Great I think I may almost be ready for my OWLS."
"Almost ready?" Fred laughed.
"Hermione you're more than ready." George said.
"Sometimes I don't feel that way… Oh I saw Cho at the library… You know she's with Harry?"
"Yeah." They said.
"Well you'd think she'd be happy about it but she looked absolutely miserable… Went to ask her if she was okay and she practically ran from me." she shrugged. "Made Ginny so mad."
"Why would it make Ginny mad?" Fred asked. Hermione stared at him for a while before twirling a strand of hair around her index finger.
"Oh you know because Cho, she was… Being… Snobbish…" she said. George tilted his head.
"Ginny was mad because Cho was being a snob?" Hermione examined the strand of hair.
"Yep." She rocked back and forth on her feet.
"Hermione are you lying to us?" they asked. She stared at them for a long moment.
"No…" she said before nodding.
"You nodded your head yes." Fred said.
"No I didn't…" she nodded it again.
"You just nodded her head again love." George said.
"Did I?" she asked trying not to look them in the eye.
"Hermione why was Ginny mad at Cho?" Fred asked.
"Because… Of the snobbery…" she said her voice getting a little higher. She glanced from her twirled strand of hair to the twins and back. She did it a few times before the hair slipped from her index finger and curled tightly at the side of her head."Oh fantastic." She muttered before going to their mirror and trying to fix it.
"Come on Hermione why is Ginny upset with Cho?" George inquired.
"Can't say Ginny swore me to secrecy." She said quietly.
"We hate it when you keep secrets from us…" George said fanning a pout.
"Ah cheer up." she pinching his cheek. "All in due time."
"Well then what are you doing tonight?" Fred asked.
"I was thinking of going down to dinner."
"Not anymore." They said taking her hand.
"Where are we going?" she asked.
"You'll see."
-o-
They walked together outside the grounds Hermione looking all around as they did. Fred and George held onto her hands which she gripped a little more then she usually did. George glanced down at her to see her eyes were dodging about. Mostly likely looking for danger that might lurk in the area around them.
"Love, don't worry we're in the clear." He said.
"Yeah George and I sneak about all the time." Fred added.
"Why doesn't that comfort me?" she asked with a small smile. "I'm just worried Malfoy and his goons are going to jump out at us… Those beaters were in the library…" Fred and George looked to her. "They kept giving me these looks… I think they would have tried to pull something if Luna and Ginny hadn't been around. Maybe I'm just paranoid maybe they were there because the needed to study."
"Yeah… Maybe…" George said staring forward.
No way those two study… He thought
Greggins and Jenkings actually reading? Too many bludgers to the head makes that impossible for them… Fred thought lost in his own head. George looked to Hermione.
They're going to try and get to her again… Fred and George thought at the same time.
"Look how nice the water looks…" Hermione said drawing their attention back to her. "Boys where are we going I'm getting excited?"
"We're here." They said at the same time. Hermione looked around to see the boat house and then turned.
"The boat house? Are we going boating? Because that's against the rules."
"Only if you know the rules." Fred said with a wink.
"But I do know the rules."
"We don't." she smiled.
"Anyways we're going boating a little later; first we thought dinner and a show." George said as he and Fred grabbed her hand.
"Come on love." Fred said as they led her into the boat house. They started to move up the stairs when they got to a door George pushed it open. Hermione smiled as she walked in.
"Awe… Guys…" she said with a small smile. There was a large room with wooden floors and stone walls except for one that lay completely open revealing the beautiful scenery of the lake. A bunch of pillows were set up in front of it along with a basket. She turned and smiled at the twins.
"Is this a date?" she asked.
"Oh no she's onto George."
"What do we do?" he whispered to his twin.
"Guess we have to kill her…" he whispered back. Hermione moved forward and wrapped her arms around them.
"Uh Love, when someone threatens you, you probably shouldn't hug them." George said with a laugh.
"You guys are great…" she said before pulling away and heading to the pillows. Fred and George smiled at each other before going to the pillows and sitting down beside her on either side. "We're just in time for sunset." She said softly. There was something nostalgic in her tone and in her eyes that made the twins looked closely at her.
"What is it Love?" Fred asked as he began setting out the plates while George set out the goblets.
"Just thinking…" she said.
"About what?"
"Not important." She had a soft smile.
"When did you stop telling us things I wonder?" George asked with a good hearted poke to her side.
"I was thinking about that night when the death eaters attacked my parents and I. A few hours before my mother and I had been on the back patio watching the sunset and my dad for the first time ever joined us. He wasn't even drinking. It was the first time I felt like my family was my family instead of my family was just my mother…" she smiled. "It was nice… One of the most beautiful sunsets I had ever seen. Much like the one before us now." She had a good hearted smile before looking to them. "You guys have helped me a lot." She set her hands on theirs. "You've made my life worth living again. You've entrusted me with a debt I may never repay… but I promise you both I'm going to try…"
"You don't have to repay us for anything." George said nuzzling her neck while Fred kissed her forehead.
"I know you guys feel that way, which is partly why you two are so amazing… But I'm going to try and you have to at least let me."
"Does this payment involve lingerie of some sort?" Fred asked making Hermione laugh while George just gawked at him. She took a long slow sip of wine before smiling softly.
"If you play your cards right." She said. George then gawked at Hermione with a deep blush. Hermione laughed and touched his cheek.
"That's adorably handsome…" she said brushing her thumb against the tint.
"I'm blushing too." Fred whined.
"Awe…" she kissed his cheek.
"What about me?" George asked. She kissed him as well.
"You guys aren't going to start fighting over me again are you?" she asked a little nervous.
"Not at all. We plan on sharing." They said at the same time.
"But before that happens… How does chocolate sound?" George asked.
"Chocolate?" she asked her eyes brightening. The twins loved the look in her eyes. She wasn't a girly girl often but when she was it was always linked to chocolate. They would make sure that from now on they would have it on them at all times.
"Which first?" George inquired.
"Chocolate cake of course." She said like it was the most obvious thing. They all grabbed forks and dug in. "You guys are too good to me…" she said as she took a sip of red wine. "Luckiest girl in the world… That's me." The twins smiled at each other.
We did good here… they thought in unison.