March 2001
"Horrible night," Fred sighed, "absolutely shit. How do we come back from this, Georgie?"
"Don't remind me," George groaned.
"I just... can't believe him," Fred rubbed his eyes, frustrated with the situation, "I mean, he's the reason why we started our business."
"...And now we're the reason why he's going out of his," George continued.
"Guys, come on, cheer up," Hermione tried.
"There's nothing to be cheerful about," Fred said dramatically, sprawling his long limbs across the sofa.
"Honestly, I don't understand why you didn't see this coming," she continued, "of course Mr. Zonko isn't fond of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes - you've been stealing all of his customers for years"
"He still didn't have to go off on us like that," Fred sulked.
"We should've known, Freddy. It's always disappointing meeting your heroes," George winked at his twin brother, to which Fred just scoffed.
"Alright, that's it," Hermione said resolutely, "I'm not going to join this pity party. Either you cheer up or I'm going home."
"Hermione, love," Fred groaned, still annoyingly theatrical, "you can't leave. You're the only good thing that's happening today."
Hermione laughed at him, "well, get up from the sofa, and let's go do something then."
"Are you going to get us ice cream?" Fred pouted at her, "and maybe caress my hair?"
"Mine too," George battered his eyelashes suggestively at Hermione.
"You both seriously need girlfriends," Hermione laughed at them.
July 2001
They had only been tanning for about ten minutes before Fred started squirming around, sighing every time he moved.
"Keep still, Fred."
"I'm so bored!" he sighed dramatically before getting to his feet, picking up a rock in the process.
"You are such a puppy," Hermione chuckled, "why can't you just lie down for five minutes without any entertainment?"
"Lying still, doing nothing is so grown-up - not to mention boring!" he said and tapped the rock with his wand. The rock immediately transfigured into a ball, "Wanna play?" he asked while juggling the ball with his feet.
George nodded eagerly and followed Fred to the lake, while Hermione stayed on her towel. She could hear their excited voices in the background while slowly dozing off herself.
A couple of minutes later, however, she was quickly woken op by something wet slamming into her.
"Get off, will you," she muttered to the guy lying on top of her.
"Only if you join me in the water," Fred bellowed against her ear.
"Go play with George," Hermione groaned.
"He wants to swim for a bit. Says he's gotten fat lately."
"Then go do something on your own. I'm not coming."
Fred wiggled on top of her, "this is so much more fun!"
He was cold and clammy from the lake and his wiggling around made Hermione squeal slightly, "alright, alright! I'll join you - Just stop doing that, please!"
"Promise?" He said, wiggling again.
"I promise."
"You're so easy!" Fred said, stood up and held out his hand for Hermione to take, "well, come on then," he said as she didn't move a muscle.
Hermione still had no intentions of bathing. She was definitely more of a sun-soaking person.
"I don't care if I have to drag you into the ocean - you're going to join us. You promised!" He said with a pout.
"I'm just getting warm now," Hermione groaned, "and I hate bathing. I want to stay dry."
"I will literally lift you up and throw you into the lake if you don't come willingly," he put his hands on his hips, trying to look stern.
"You wouldn't dare," she squinted her eyes playfully.
"Oi, are you testing me?" he said, leaning down, getting ready to scoop her up.
"If you do this, I swear..." her voice trailed off.
"You swear that... what?" he grinned, putting his hands underneath her body.
"Fred, don't," she tried even more sternly but he could tell that she wasn't completely serious. With a devilish grin, he easily picked her up from the towel and started walking towards the lake.
"Fred, put me down," she cried out, "George can see my arse!"
"I don't care. You violated your promise."
"Fred please," she begged him as they reached the water's edge.
"No mercy. And I'm telling you; the water is all cold," he splashed his feet and Hermione squealed as a few cold drops hit her body.
"Fred Weasley!" she said sternly as the water had reached his waist, "Put me down!"
"As you wish," he said and let go of her. Hermione fell from his arms and plopped into the water.
When she finally resurfaced, Fred was looking at her, grinning from ear to ear.
"YOU ARSE," she laughed, splashing water in his face.
Fred filled his lungs with air before he suddenly dived. He emerged next to Hermione a couple of seconds later, a lot closer than she had anticipated. "Daaa-DAM!" he hummed gloomily trying to look dangerous, "the great white Brit stalks its prey," he said mimicking an Australian accent.
"Stop it," Hermione laughed.
Fred dived again and resurfaced on the other side of her, "DAAAAA-DAM," he sang, a bit louder than before, "he has been watching her all day, deciding on when to give her the blowing strike."
Hermione continued laughing. Fred dived again
"Fred, stop!" she pleaded, still amused however.
"The Great Brit will stop at no cost. It always gets what it wants."
"Well, if The Great Brit doesn't stop, I will hex its fin off!
February 2002
Hermione was aware that she was incredibly late! She had been stressing all day, constantly telling everyone at the office that she had to leave at 7 pm at the absolute latest - scandal or no scandal - but it wasn't until forty-five minutes past that she was finally able to run to the Ministry's many fireplaces and floo to Harry and Ginny's place.
"Hermione! I wasn't sure you'd show up," Ginny said as Hermione emerged in her fireplace. Ginny was already in her party gear, "I was just about to leave."
"Oh Gin! I'm so incredibly sorry!" Hermione said sincerely, "I couldn't get out of the office until now."
"Long day?"
"You have no idea," Hermione groaned, "we're trying to downplay a possible scandal at the Department of Mysteries before the Daily Prophet gets ahold of anything."
"Rough..." Ginny said, "are you sure you still want to go to the party?"
"Fred and George have been bugging me about it for weeks," Hermione whimpered, "they have put so much effort into surprising Lee. I think they'll be really disappointed if I don't show up although I'd much rather curl up with a book right now."
"Well," Ginny looked at the grandfather clock, "we'll definitely be late for the surprise but if you're up for it, I don't mind helping you with makeup and such."
"Ginny you're the best," Hermione groaned. She knew she wasn't good with hair and makeup but luckily, Ginny was a natural.
Ginny smiled broadly, "let's get to it then! Where's your bag with all your stuff?"
Hermione stiffened, "oh no... I think I accidentally left it at the office.."
"Well go get it then!"
Hermione looked at her watch with dread. Just as she suspected, it was past eight. "The Ministry's floo-net closed four minutes ago..."
"Not to worry," Ginny shrugged, "I have more than enough make-up and you can borrow some of my clothes."
Hermione raised an eyebrow at her friend, "Ginny, you and I don't exactly share the same body-type," she said, looking over her best friend with the very athletic body. Hermione on the other hand was more curvaceous.
"I have a dress, you'd look stunning in!" Ginny's eyes gleamed as she led Hermione to the big closet in hers and Harry's bedroom.
Forty minutes later, Hermione was looking at herself in the mirror, ready to take off to Lee's surprise birthday party. Even though the outfit she was wearing wasn't something she would have picked out herself in a million years, she had to admit that she looked good. Ginny had altered the black cocktail dress to make it fit Hermione's curves, and the way it snug to her body, made Hermione walk to the fireplace with great confidence.
A couple of minutes later, Ginny and Hermione stumbled out of Lee's fireplace to the sounds of an up-tempo song. Lee's entire flat was packed with people, most of which Hermione had never seen before. Quickly, the two girls scanned the room for familiar faces, their eyes almost immediately landing on Fred and George who were talking to Angelina Johnson and Katie Bell. George looked as if he was very interested in what Angelina was saying while Fred was looking mildly bored with the conversation. His eyes, however, lit up when he saw Hermione. Fred excused himself from the conversation, and slowly swaggered over to Ginny and Hermione. He looked rather tipsy and he was running his eyes up and down Hermione's body, suddenly making her very self-conscious about her choice of clothes.
Fred hugged both girls tightly, his hand lingering on the small of Hermione's back just for a moment longer than usual, but still long enough for Hermione to notice it. "Harry's in the kitchen with Ron," he said drunkenly to his sister.
"Well, excuse me then," Ginny laughed before she turned towards the kitchen, leaving Fred and Hermione alone.
Fred's eyes were constantly flickering between Hermione's body and her face. He was smiling broadly, and for once it seemed as if he was completely speechless. To top it off, he was wearing an expression that she couldn't quite place.
"Would you mind?" Hermione ended up chuckling.
Fred shook his head as if releasing himself from some sort of trance, "uh sorry," he said, sending her a very drunk, lopsided grin, "it's just..." he licked his lips, "well I've never seen you wear... anything like... that."
"I feel stupid," Hermione said nervously, "I miss my jumper."
"Stupid?" Fred looked flabbergasted, "Love, you look amazing. That dress is just... wow!"
Hermione blushed as Fred reached out and touched the fabric near her waist.
"Stop looking at me like that," Hermione smacked him lightly with her handbag.
He was wiggling his eyebrows at her, "like this?"
Hermione laughed at him. It was weird having him staring at her like this so she wanted to change topics, "George looks busy," she said nodding in George and Angelina's direction. She was leaning up against the wall while George had his palm placed close to her face.
"Oh yes!" Fred snickered evilly, "let's observe the train-wreck unfold before us, shall we?" he led Hermione to a vacant sofa facing Angelina and his twin brother.
"Train-wreck?"
"When it comes to Angelina, George is the absolute worst!" Fred snickered once more.
"How so?"
"He has had a major crush on her since forever! Being around her makes him so nervous that he stumbles over his own words and he drops everything. She makes him a bit of a clumsy fool, really," Fred chuckled, "he's such an idiot."
"He looks confident enough to me."
George was leaning closer and closer to Angelina, clearly trying to smooth-talk her. By the looks of it, he was doing a tremendous job because Angelina was blushing ferociously, batting her eyelashes and smiling seductively at him.
"Blimey! You're right!" Fred said, rubbing his chin and eyeing his twin brother's every move. Suddenly, and without warning, he bellowed, "Oi! Georgie! She wants you to snog her senseless!"
George glared at his brother for a second before he turned his attention back to the girl in front of him. Angelina was nodding slowly, smiling up at George. George put his hand on her chin, tilting her head slightly upwards, before he captured Angelina's lips in a tender kiss.
Fred was clapping and whooping loudly.
May 2002
"They're snogging again," Fred rolled his eyes, pointing to his twin's bedroom, "they're horrible, really..."
"Give them some space. They're in love, Fred."
"They've been joined at the hip since Lee's party! You can't seriously mean that you don't think it isn't getting just a tiny bit annoying?"
"Are you jealous?" Hermione laughed.
"Jealous?" Fred spluttered, "what would I be jealous of? I've never been attracted to Angelina!"
"Not jealous of George. Jealous of Angelina, of course."
Fred went quiet for a couple of seconds before he spoke, "I don't understand why we can't all hang out? Why does she have to lock him up in there?" Fred glared at his brother's bedroom door.
"Give them some space. They just need to have some time to themselves."
"You don't see you and me needing time to ourselves..."
"That's because we're not in love," Hermione rolled her eyes at him but Fred just sent her a weird look.
October 2002
Fred and Hermione was trying to ignore what was going on in the next room.
"Why can't they cast a silencing charm?" Fred muttered under his breath, trying to concentrate on his next move with the gobstones.
Hermione too had had just about enough of George and Angelina who had been at it for almost forty-five minutes. At first, Fred and Hermione had found all the bumping noises and the sounds that Angelina was making amusing, but now it was just plain annoying.
"Do you think they get off on it?" Fred looked at her with wonder.
"On us listening in? Merlin, I hope not!"
Fred chuckled at her, "you look immensely uncomfortable, love."
"Well I am!" Hermione stated. She had felt her cheeks flush every time Angelina seemed to reach her climax, and was currently painfully aware that her face must have the same colour as a tomato.
"Want to get out of here?" Fred asked her with a laugh.
"Yes please!" Hermione groaned and got to her feet, "Want to grab dinner?"
"Are you asking me on a date?" he winked playfully at her.
"Anything to get out of this, right?" Hermione laughed as George had started grunting loudly in the next room.
"A date it is!"
April 2003
Hermione had come to surprise them for their 25th birthday but found that George hadn't even woken up yet. She knocked softly on Fred's bedroom door before she opened it and poked her head in; it was completely empty. She contemplated waking up George but knew that the twins had gone for pre-birthday drinks with Lee the night before, making her decide against it. Instead, she went to the kitchen, made herself a cup of tea and read The Daily Prophet while waiting for the birthday boys to wake up.
She was no more than half a cup of tea and a few articles in, before she felt the need to use the loo. She checked on George on her way to the restroom only to find him still completely passed out on his bed. Quietly, she tiptoed from his bedroom and to the bathroom in the other end of the flat.
As she opened the door to the bathroom she was immediately met by a half-naked guy standing in front of the mirror, shaving his face wearing nothing but a towel. Fred's hair was damp from the shower and it was slicked back. His torso was glistening in the morning light from the window, accentuating his abdominal muscles nicely. Hermione could not pry her eyes away from him.
"Love?" Fred asked when he realised he had company. He put down the razor and turned around, now facing Hermione.
Her eyes ran over his toned arms and freckled chest, heat rising to her cheeks when she realised that Fred looked... good. Why hadn't she noticed before?
Fred cleared his throat, causing Hermione to wake up from her trance and look him in the eyes.
He was smiling widely, "like what you're seeing?" he smirked.
"Oh, oh!" Hermione spluttered and hurried out of the room, closing the door behind her with a thud, "I'm so sorry!" she called through the door.
"No worries," she could hear him laugh from the other side of the door.
"And... uhm... Happy birthday," she said sheepishly.
"One might think it was your birthday," Fred called back, "you know, with the long peek you just got."
"Oh shut up," Hermione groaned, embarrassed by how she had behaved.
September 2003
"I brought you chicken-soup," he said proudly, "I thought you might like some."
"I'd love some," Hermione said, her voice weirdly nasal from all the phlegm.
Fred handed her the container with the clear liquid, "there you go!"
"Thanks, Fred! Do you want to come in?"
Fred gestured a clear no with his hands, "as cute as you look with that red nose of yours, I think it's best if I don't get sick either," he laughed, "George and I have a big meeting with an investor tomorrow. I just thought I'd bring you the soup."
Hermione shot him a pout, "You're the best."
"Do I win the main prize in the best friend-category?" He shot her a proud look.
"Always. I wish I could hug you right now."
"Well, you do owe me like a million hugs for this. You're so lucky that you have me, you know."
November 2003
"I told you to bring an extra scarf," Fred chuckled at her.
Hermione was shaking, trying to keep warm by running her hands feverishly over her body. "Who decides to go to a quidditch match in November?" she said with clattering teeth.
"I thought you'd love it," Fred laughed, "Come on, it's a particularly bloody match!"
Hermione glanced nastily at him sideways.
"If you're cold, you can always take my jacket," Fred offered.
"Then you'd be cold," Hermione argued.
"If it means you'll stop sulking and actually enjoy the game," he said and unzipped the green puffer jacket, "here, take it."
Unwillingly, Hermione pulled on Fred's lovely coat. He wrapped his arms around her - for the sake of the heat, he stated.
"Thanks, Fred," Hermione muttered as her teeth finally stopped clattering.
"You're welcome, love," Fred pulled her a bit closer, "please follow the game now. Ginny would have my bollocks if she knew I made you miss her game against Angelina's team."
"Who are you rooting for?" Hermione laughed, "your sister? Or George's girlfriend?"
"I'm rooting for that bloody fantastic-looking beater," Fred nodded in the direction of a blonde beater from Angelina's team, "maybe I should find her afterwards and ask her if she wants to borrow my jacket."
Hermione gave him an elbow to the ribs, making him laugh, "aw, are you jealous love?"
"Yeah, you'd wish!" Hermione snorted even though she had to admit that yes, she was a tiny bit jealous.
December 2003
Hermione was helping Mrs. Weasley cook Christmas dinner for all the guests that would be arriving the very next day.
"How are things at work, dear?" the matron asked while they were peeling potatoes.
"Very good, thanks. I hope to get promoted in the new year. I feel like I've really earned it."
"Of course you have. I always knew you'd amount to something grand one day," Mrs. Weasley looked very proud, "I always tell Arthur that you're going to be Minister for Magic one day!"
Hermione laughed, "well, we'll see about that, won't we?"
"And how about Fred?" Mrs. Weasley bumped her hip against Hermione's with a soft giggle.
"Fred?"
"Yes - Is he treating you nicely?"
"Uh yeah, he's being the perfect gentleman," Hermione answered, a bit confused.
"Oh, that warms my heart. You know, I always was a bit nervous with Fred and George. I'm happy that they have found such sweet girls in you and Angelina."
"What?" Hermione stopped peeling, looking at the woman in front of her.
"Hermione, dear, I hate to ask, but one cannot be too careful; are you using protection? I know that Arthur and I already had Bill and Charlie when we were your age but we were far too young if you ask me."
"Mrs. Weasley," Hermione interrupted her carefully, "Fred and I aren't dating."
Mrs. Weasley's smile faltered, "are you sure dear?" she said.
"Positively! We're just friends. We'll never be anything apart from friends," Hermione assured Mrs. Weasley, "I'm far too serious for him."
"Oh..." the matron said disappointedly, "I guess I just thought..." her voice trailed off.
The two women in the kitchen went completely quiet as they peeled the last bit of the potatoes. What they didn't see, however, was Fred and George in the doorway, sharing a look