Okay, I will be speedy.

I don't particularly like this chapter but it was the best I could do without completely stressing out, so I apologise in advance if it sucks :)

Sorry for the crappy updates, blah, blah, blah. I just suck at time management.

And finally this update is thanks to Spottedmask12, without them I doubt I would have even updated this week- so thank you :)

Please keep the reviews coming too,


"Hermy! Are you decent?"

Hermione couldn't help but roll her eyes as Shanna's teasing tone drifted through the door. She had actually been ready for the best part of half an hour but she had been staring blankly at the mirror for a good portion of that time, still trying to find any excuse as to not go with her aunt. She was in no fit state for this shopping trip, she had decided.

"Uh, yeah, one second," Hermione replied as she scurried around the room, frantically racking her brains for some sort of excuse or alibi. "I will meet you downstairs in a minute, just need to find my bag,"

Shanna's sceptical reply followed back shortly after, "Just get a move on, your parents have already left and the Twins are half way down the street pelting each other with snow,"

A small laugh escaped her lips as she pulled on her green parker coat and boots.

'Those two will never grow up, I swear.'


True to her word, Hermione met Shanna by the door several minutes later. Shanna was wearing a nice pair of dark jeans with a blue Christmas jumper that was covered in little white snowflakes. Hermione had also opted for a more seasonal outfit and was wearing a grey Christmas jumper underneath her coat.

The snow was still incredibly thick outside meaning they had no choice but to walk into the town. It was a short distance from the house but it gave Shanna more than enough time to quiz Hermione mercifully about Fred, something Hermione had been dreading ever since Shanna had found them earlier that morning.

"Is that why you invited him to stay at your house for the holidays? So you could cuddle up and have some fun, in you get what I mean,"

Hermione's face burnt bright red throughout the entire questioning. She tried to remain as tight lipped as possible but when Shanna's questions began to get a little more heated, Hermione couldn't help but to squeal out in protest.

"So…have you slept with him yet?" Shanna pried as she tried to act nonchalant by kicking her boots into the snow.

Hermione was so shocked at the question she could do nothing more than blink widely with her mouth hung open.

She managed to regain her composure after a few moments of gawking.

"Aunt Shanna! You can't just ask me something like that!"

Shanna merely laughed before nudging Hermione's shoulder, "I'll take that as a yes then, calm down Hermy, I won't tell your dad anything,"

Hermione's eyes grew even larger than before and she was starting to splutter out her responses.

"No! It was a no! I haven't slept with Fred and I don't plan on doing so for quite a while!" she breathed out as she flung her arms in the air, trying in vain to get the message across to her obviously oblivious aunt.

"Alright Herms," Shanna managed to squeeze out in between chuckles, "I believe you, no need to explode,"

Hermione felt her cheeks began to flush despite Shanna trying to calm her down. The tone in which her aunt had tried to calm her had done everything but, Shanna didn't sound as if she believed Hermione at all. It was more one of those, "Uh huh, of course I believe you," kind of things and it was doing nothing to settle Hermione's somersaulting stomach.

"Shanna please believe me, I have not had sex with Fred Weasley!"

Hermione paused in the middle of the street as she realised how loud she had just shouted that statement. Several people who were passing through the rows of shops stopped to stare at her. Some shaking their heads whilst others chose to ignore her and her random outburst.

Shanna however, found the whole thing hilarious.

"Alright, alright," Shanna was clutching her stomach as she was laughing so hard, "What happened to keeping it all on the down low?"

Hermione shook her head at the floor as she continued to walk beside her aunt. She couldn't believe she had just shouted that out in front of everyone! The looks she was getting were enough to permanently stain her cheeks red too.

"Please can we just go into some shops now?" Hermione begged as Shanna hooked their arms. "I don't think I can handle the looks I'm getting,"


After a couple of hours wandering aimlessly through the different shops, Hermione still hadn't found the perfect gift for Fred.

She had bought her father a set of books he had been asking for and a new filing cabinet that sorted all of your documents however you asked it to from Diagon Alley. It was a little pricey but definitely worth it.

Her mother would receive a set of cook books she had found in Hogsmeade and a beautiful sea green bracelet she had found in one of the muggle shops with Shanna. She had bought Nate a set of toy cars and trains along with a book all about witches and wizards. He might not have known she was a real witch but Hermione couldn't help but feel he had some family magic inside of him and wanted to open him up to the idea of magic even if he was only young. She had bought George a set of potions books from Diagon Alley to help with the shop ideas and a rather large assortment of Muggle sweets he had taken a shine to over the last few days too.

Shanna had, not so subtlety, pointed out a purple knitted jumper with small hearts sown onto the hem and a pretty set of earrings from the Muggle jewellers.

But the one person she was struggling to find a Christmas present for was Fred. And as she looked to the clock above the door of the Jewellers, she realised she was running out of time. Fast.

When they had been shopping Shanna had tried to point out countless sets of clothes, some hideously neon and others stupidly tight, all of which Hermione turned down. She needed to find the perfect gift for Fred because she had no doubt he would find something equally as perfect for her. Even before they had been dating, or even really good friends, Fred had always given her amazing Christmas gifts- one year she even got a collection of rare charms books that she had only seen on sale for a ridiculous price.

They had ventured into London to continue their shopping and Hermione suddenly had an idea as she caught a glimpse of a familiar street.

"Shanna, I still need to get something for you. Why don't we split of for an hour and by the time we're done it will be time to go eat?" Hermione suggested as she tried to look for any sign of life down the darkened side street she had wandered down so many times before.

She felt a little bad for lying to Shanna but she figured this would be the only way to find something for Fred. She needed something magical. Literally.

"Okay," Shanna replied suspiciously, "You're not running off to go fool around with a certain redhead now are you?"

"Shanna! I'm serious, I need to shop. Now go," Hermione blushed whilst pushing Shanna off into the opposite end of the street.

"Meet you back here in an hour, okay?" Hermione shouted out as she watched Shanna's back retreat into a safe distance from the side street.

"Sure, just remember Hermy, this present better be good!" Shanna shouted over shoulder, just as Hermione entered the dark, dingy looking front of the Leaky Cauldron.


"That will be 4 galleons please Miss Granger," the cashier at Flourish and Blotts asked as he handed Hermione the leather bound book.

After leaving Shanna some 45 minutes ago, Hermione had been scouring Diagon Alley for a gift for Fred. She would have brought Shanna along but as no one outside of her mum and dad knew she was a witch she had to go alone, meaning she was free to run to one of her most loved shops.

Mr Broman, the manager of Flourish and Blotts, had been spectacularly helpful on Hermione's search for a gift. After spending most of her allowance at his bookshop over the last few years and gaining respect on a first name basis, Augustus Broman had been more than happy to find the perfect gift for Fred.

They had looked through the entire first floor but found nothing of specific interest so Augustus had suggested they look at the private third floor. Hermione had only been allowed up there once before, it was a large room at the very top of the building that was reserved for very important people, usually Healers looking for more cures or potion masters.

"Are you sure I would be allowed up Mr Broman?" Hermione had asked as he stood at the top of the staircase that was sectioned off by a velvet rope. It had been lovely for him to offer but Hermione had felt like a Christmas present, no matter how important it was to her, wasn't exactly worthy of the mysterious third floor.

"Please Hermione, when I inherited this store from my father I think you were the sole reason I stayed in business. It's the least I can do, and please call me Gus. 'Mr Broman' makes me sound like some old book shop owner when in fact I am a very young book shop owner,"

Hermione laughed as she had reluctantly followed him up the stairs. Gus was the youngest shop owner in Diagon Alley at the ripe old age of 24, meaning he was more than happy when the older Hogwarts students stopped by. Hermione could imagine spending everyday with people nearly twice your age wasn't exactly a recipe for a fun.

When they had finished catching up, it had been almost a month since Hermione had last stopped by after all; they finally found the gift they were looking for.

A hardback, leather bound notebook with a small locking system on the side had caught Hermione's interest. After asking Gus how to unlock it he had told her that every new owner has to set a password and tap it with their wand.

"At the moment the password is very original and mysterious," he chuckled before pressing his wand to the cover and whispering, "open,"

The book opened to reveal nothing but blank pages and Hermione, despite laughing at the creative password, found herself rather disappointed.

Gus had obviously noticed her less than enthusiastic response and asked her for a quill. She passed him one cautiously from the shelf behind her and watched as he began to write. He filled the page with writing and random scribbles before tapping it with his wand and saying "hide". The writing began to fade as Hermione looked on until it was replaced with what looked to be the inside of a normal charm textbook.

She smiled broadly as she realised what this book could do. It had the same charm as the Marauders Map, meaning if Fred wanted to write down all of his product ideas, with one small tap he would be able to hide it to look like a normal textbook. It would be perfect for his inventions and anything else he wanted to keep private.

"Gus, this is brilliant! Can you change the words to open it and the words to make it change?" she asked as he closed it once more.

"Yeah, I can help you set it up if you want to buy it, it's a proper steal too- only 4 galleons."

Hermione nearly jumped in excitement. This would be perfect for Fred! He needed somewhere to keep all of his important designs and this would also give him the opportunity to hide it if a nosy teacher or student ever found it.

Once they had gone back to the front desk, Gus had helped her change the commanding words. To open the book and reveal his writing Fred would have to say 'I solemnly swear that I am up to no good' and to make it disappear he would just have to say 'mischief managed'. Gus had given her an odd look at her choice of words but she knew Fred would get the humour. Since he had given away the Marauders Map to Harry in her third year, she thought it would be nice for his most cherished phrases to be used again.

"Thank you so much Gus, you have no idea how much Fred is going to love this," she smiled as she handed over the money. Gus grinned, before sending a wink back.

"Oh I think I do, those Twins have always been my most mischievous customers,"

Hermione didn't even want to think about the things Fred and George had got up to with the help of Gus, they must have been a right little team throughout their years at Hogwarts.


"So what did you get him?" Shanna asked excitedly as she bounded up the path back to the spot they had been an hour before.

"This book he's been wanting for a while and a sports shirt," Hermione replied carefully as she tried not to let slip the real secrets of the book and the fact the sports jersey was for a team Shanna had never heard of and for a sport that she didn't know exists.

"Oh," Shanna seemed quite disappointed but put on a smile, "I'm sure he will love them,"

Hermione couldn't help the grin that spread across her face at that.

"I'm sure he will,"


"Table booked for Granger?" Hermione asked as she and Shanna stood at the entrance of 'Milliso', the posh Italian restaurant her parents had chosen for their festive meal.

With only a matter of days before Christmas and new years they had decided they would go all out for the meal and make it a Christmas treat after the shopping trip.

"Right this way madam, the others are already seated," the waiter smiled as he ushered them over to a large circular table near the back of the restaurant. It had started to snow again as Hermione and Shanna had walked to the restaurant and was now becoming rather dark, making the restaurant feel cosier and more subdued.

At the table her parents sat next to each other with Nate on their left and then the Twins were seated opposite them. Shanna, after a rather loud greeting that turned several heads, sat down next to Nate leaving the only remaining space sandwiched in between Fred and her aunt.

Not her ideal seat but she supposed it could have been worse. Especially seeing the daggers her father was currently sending Fred, who was busy trying to pretend he was reading the menu and not flushing under her dads scrutinizing glare.

"So how did the shopping go everyone?" Shanna asked after sensing the tension between her brother and Fred.

"It was brilliant, we had a great time, didn't we Nate?" Hermione's mother replied as Nate nodded proudly.

"I gwot a new bwook, look mwione!" Nate giggled as he held up a large book entitled 'How to Rule the World and Kill everyone who stands in your way'.

"Wow, that looks like quite a read Nate," Hermione laughed as she took in the interesting title. Nate was a lot like Hermione when it came to books, his reading age was well above everyone else his age and he was starting to venture into larger, more challenging reads. Hermione was so proud.

"Alright Nate make sure you put it down before you actually kill someone, that thing is huge," Shanna chuckled as she ruffled his hair.

Nate swung his arm to try and lower the book into his bag under the table. Unfortunately the book was a little too big and ended up slipping out of his hands.

It knocked straight into a glass of wine, sending the drink skidding across the table until the entire content spilled into Fred's lap.

He sprung up as quickly as he could, red wine rolling off of his clothes in waves.

'Oh bloody hell! Can't we have just one normal meal?' Hermione thought bitterly as she offered to help clean him up.


:)

Okay, so it wasn't too exciting but I'm on a bit of a tight schedule so its gonna have to do I'm afraid. I hate sending out these crappy filler chapters but I hope you guys enjoyed it anyway!

Please, please review- your feedback has been so flippin fantastic over the last few weeks and I love hearing all of your thoughts :')

And as a final note, please check out my other Fremione fic; 'How to Trick the Ministry into Thinking you're in Love' its new(ish) and I would love to hear your thoughts on it!

Love SophieSolemnlySwears.

Oh and Gus the bookshop owner was inspired by Augustus Waters from The Fault in Our Stars- if you haven't read that book yet, go and do it now. It was so amazingly sad, I was balling my eyes out by the end!