October 30, 1993
"Ugh! This is a magical school! You would think there would be a way to keep rats out of our things!" Hermione screeched, causing Ginny to get up from her bed and stand near her.
"Moine, what are you talking about? There aren't rats in Hogwarts, the house-elves won't allow it." Ginny said, confused.
"Look! There's a rat over there- under Pavarti's bed. I saw it this morning, under Lavender's bed. I thought it was weird then, but this is a mess!" Hermione explained, pointing to her dorm mate's bed. Ginny caught just enough of the rat to understand the situation.
"Hermione, love, that's the kind of thing you mention before classes start, not just before curfew," Ginny said, grabbing Hermione's hand and pulling her down the stairs.
"Ginny, where are we going? We can't go anywhere right now! Like you said, it's almost curfew," Hermione questioned, struggling a bit to keep up. "Honestly, Ginny, I've not even got pyjama bottoms on!"
"Fred! George!" Ginny said, still pulling Hermione along while completely ignoring her.
"They've already gone up. What's up, Ginny?" Ron asked, looking at his sister. Then he caught sight of Hermione trying to pull a football jersey down far enough to cover her bottom, causing him to blush.
"Come on, let's go to yours. Can you run up and get Fred and George? They need to hear this," Ginny asked, unintentionally using puppy eyes on her brother. Ron caved and ran up to get the twins. Harry and Neville looked at the redhead questioningly. Neville also started blushing when he caught Hermione's wardrobe predicament.
"Please," Ginny said, cutting off their questions. "Just go up to your room and we'll discuss it there. Away from the group."
Harry and Neville dutifully trudged up the stairs and ushered the girls into their room. Ginny sat down on Harry's bed, while Hermione just stood awkwardly next to her.
"Here they are," Ron said, leading the twins in.
"Mione? Ginny? What are you two doing on this side of the tower?" George asked.
"And, Mione, where are your pants?" Fred inquired, staring.
"Does anyone have a pair I can borrow?" Hermione asked, blushing hard. "Ginny pulled me out before I could finish dressing."
Ron supplied a pair of boxers because Harry seemed to think he was missing some. When he commented on this, Hermione and Ginny snickered a bit before sobering up.
"Tell them, Hermione. Tell them what you saw today," Ginny said. Before Hermione could speak, though, Ginny finished her thought. "The Rat Bastard is in our room. Watching us."
"That's not what I said, Ginny. I said there was a rat with a missing toe watching us from under Lavender and Pavarti's beds. That's all," Hermione corrected.
"The rat was watching you?" Harry asked, slowly, turning from where he was shoving boxers into a wardrobe door.
"Yes. Is that important?" Hermione replied, confusion coloring her face.
"The rat with the missing toe was watching 13 and 14 year old girls get dressed this morning?" Harry asked, more himself than anyone, fists clenching and face turning red.
"I think I'm going to be sick," Ginny said, running for the boys' bathroom as the situation fully sank in.
"He was in your room?!" Fred asked, not hiding his anger.
"Yes, the rat was in our room! Am I secretly speaking French? Il y avait un rat dans la chambre!" Hermione screeched, pulling at her hair.
"That Rat Bastard!" George said, kicking the wall. "And he's still up there? At this time of night?"
"I wouldn't know. I pointed it out to Ginny and she dragged me over to this room. Why do you lot keep referring to it as male? It's just an animal," She looked at the boys surrounding her. "It is just an animal, right?"
"That particular rat is a middle aged man who recently escaped prison in his animagus form because the Auror department is useless," Fred explained through clenched teeth.
"So, this morning, when we were undressing with a rat under Lavender's bed… He was actually a … I think I'm going to be sick," Hermione said, rushing for the bathroom and losing her supper.
Later, when Hermione and Ginny were somewhat recovered, Harry found himself in the awkward position of helping Ron hold Ginny down. Ginny's illness had swiftly given way to anger.
"Let me go! I'll kill him myself!" Ginny screamed, trying to break out of Harry and Ron's grasp. "It won't take long! You can keep my wand! I'll make it look like an accident!"
"We can't tell anyone tonight. We've got no proof. And no, Hermione, we're not sending you back up there," Fred said.
"Hey, Harry," Neville said, catching everyone's attention. "Do you still have your two-way mirror?"
"Oh, Nev! You're brilliant! We can't tell anyone because we'd get busted! But Padfoot can! Fred, George, one of you will have to hold Ginny while I do this," Harry cheered.
Harry rummaged through his trunk for a bit before triumphantly pulling the mirror out. He called for Padfoot a few times.
"Prongslet? What are you doing up so early?" Sirius asked when he came into view.
"S'not early, Padfoot. It's almost midnight. What, can't stay up late anymore, old man?" Harry said, snickering at his godfather's antics.
"I'm not old, I'm well refined," Sirius sniffed. "Now what's so important that you interrupted my beauty sleep?"
"Hermione said there was a rat hanging around the girls' room this morning, watching the them get dressed," Harry deadpanned.
"WHAT! THAT LITTLE RAT BASTARD! It was bad when we were in school but this is a new low!" Sirius yelled, fully awake. "Don't you worry your pretty little head, Mione dear, this will not happen again. Go to Moony's office. You need to explain all of this to him, understand? I'm going to get Moody and the other Aurors. We'll get this figured out."
"We can't go to Moony's office tonight. We promised Minnie we'd stay out of trouble. That's why we called you. So you can tell Moony," Harry explained. "And also to tell you that Hermione and Ginny are staying in our dorms tonight. We're not letting them go back to the girls' side until someone finds him."
"Excellent. Good, fine plan. Wish we'd have used it in school. I'll alert Moony and Minnie to the situation. You sleep," Sirius said. Rustling could be heard in the background as the connection broke.
"Oi!" Seamus Finnigan shouted, reminding everyone that he and Dean Thomas were very much part of this room as the other three. "Don't we get a vote as to whether or not the lass stays?"
"Shut up, Seamus," Ron said, punching him in the arm.
"Well, that's that. Who's sleeping where? Ginny, you're more than welcome to sleep in here with me," Harry said, winking.
"Not on your life, Potter," Ron said, grabbing Ginny away from Harry.
"I can speak for myself, Ron," Ginny said, pulling away from her brother. "And he's right. Not on your life," Ginny informed Harry.
"C'mon, Mione. They'll get this worked out. You can stay up in our room. Doesn't smell like dirty socks and unbathed boy up there," Fred informed her, causing George to snicker.
"Um… Okay. Ron, I'll return these later," Hermione said, gesturing to her borrowed shorts.
"Yeah… That's fine," Ron blushed.
"Now, why am I sleeping upstairs?" Hermione asked as she turned to leave.
"Simple. We've got more space. They can barely pack one more in that room, let alone two. Even if it's two scrawny girls like you," Fred explained, leading Hermione and George away.
"Three sickles she hexes the bollocks off of at least one of them," Ginny said, staring at the door.
"Naw, Hermione has that bluebell flame almost down to wandless and non-verbal. She'll light everything they own up before she resorts to hexing," Harry said with a smirk. "So, I'm putting my three sickles on Hermione's flames."
"Naw, you're both blind. She'll be down in Fred's clothes in the morning, all blushing and stuff. You'll see. Five sickles," Neville crossed his arms and smirked. Then, still smiling, Neville tucked himself in and went to sleep.
"C'mon, Ginny, you can sleep in my bed. Harry'll take the floor," Ron said, shoving Harry to the ground.
"Oi! If I'm sleeping on the floor, why doesn't she just take my bed?" Harry asked, indignent.
"Because, that would be weird," Ron said as if it were obvious.
"Let's all just go to sleep, yeah? Is that too much to ask? Maybe I'll get to kill the Rat Bastard in the morning," Ginny said with a roll of her eyes.
"So, I'm sleeping in Fred's bed…. with Fred. Isn't that weird?" Hermione asked.
"You could always sleep over here with me," Lee suggested.
"How about Fred sleeps with you and I get my own bed. I'm emotionally exhausted and still a bit creeped out if we're being honest," Hermione replied with a flip of her hair.
"Oh! That's good! You should keep the new attitude!" George crowed.
"I'm being serious. I want my own bed. You lot figure the rest out. Now, George, where will you be sleeping? I'm taking yours," Hermione informed the boys, tucking herself into George's bed. The fifth year boys looked at her with equal parts awe and annoyance.
"Ginny, c'mon, you can't wear Harry's clothes. That's just ridiculous!" Ron shouted.
"Why? His clothes fit better than yours or Neville's!" Ginny retorted, pulling a pair of Harry's pants on.
"Come on! Let's go! I can't wait for Draco to see this!" Harry crowed, pulling Ginny down the stairs. The others followed, not wanting to miss the excitement.
They met Hermione, the twins, and Lee Jordan in the common room. Hermione was leaning against a study table, reading a book. Fred and George were propping each other up, half asleep, taking turns flipping Lee the bird for laughing at them.
"Hermione…. Are those Fred's clothes?" Ginny asked, staring at the baggy pants with rolled hems gracing Hermione's hips and the oversized Oxford threatening to drown her. Even the red and gold tie around her neck was too big.
"Hmmm…" Hermione asked, looking up from her book. "Oh, yes. They are."
"You do know that you're a witch, right?" Ginny asked, staring harder at her friend.
"Hmmm…" Hermione asked, looking up from her book again. "Oh, yes. I'm a witch. Why?"
"Hermione! Focus! Why didn't you just flick your wand and make the clothes fit?" Ginny asked, shaking Hermione by her shoulders.
"Ginny! Stop!" Hermione laughed, grabbing Ginny's hands. "I didn't feel like it."
"You didn't feel like it," Ginny repeated slowly.
"You don't look like you bothered to alter Harry's clothes," Hermione retorted. At that, Ginny blushed and ducked her head.
"We're so going to kill Draco with this!" Harry smirked.
"Harry James Potter! You are such a prat!" Hermione said, smacking him with her book.
"Let's all get to breakfast before someone dies, shall we?" Fred said, leading a trail of second, third, and fifth years to the Great Hall.
"Draco! Draco, look!" Harry shouted, unable to contain himself.
"What's the matter with you?" Draco asked, after reaching the group.
"Look at Ginny! Look at what she's wearing!" Harry crowed, grabbing Ginny and holding her in front of him so that Draco could get a clear view.
"Seriously Potter? What did you have to do to get her into your clothes?" Draco glared.
"It isn't what it looks like," Ginny sighed, ignoring the two boys.
"I think it is a fair estimate of what is happening," Harry said, wrapping an arm around her shoulder.
"Harry," Ginny said in a warning tone.
"Gin, you know you can stay in my bed, right?" Draco suggested.
"Or, you could sleep in my bed," Neville suggested. "We could make this a love square instead of a love triangle. Expect, oh wait, I'm not gay," he looked pointedly at Harry and Draco.
"No! No! No! No!" The two boys immediately began protesting, holding their hands up in mock innocence and backing away from each other.
"There's a lot of protesting happening very fast," Hermione said, smirking.
"That would explain a lot," Ginny said, thoughtfully. "But I'll just tell you two now: I'm not doing threeways."
"Ginny!" Ron squeaked. "You're 12!"
"Yeah, well Bill and I caught Charlie and his dragontamer friends doing something weird this summer. I asked Charlie about it. He said he's something called omnisexual. As long as it can give consent and orgasms, he's okay with it," Ginny explained.
"Ginny… do you know what 'orgasms' are?" Hermione asked, very carefully.
"No, but Charlie said I could figure that out later. Like, when I'm 30," Ginny shrugged her shoulders. "I called him a hypocrite, because he's only 20."
"Hermione, are those boys clothes?" Lavender had the nerve to ask after potions.
"Yes, they are. What of it?" Hermione replied.
"And… you didn't come back to the dorm last night. Did you?" Lavender probed.
"Again, your point?" Hermione asked.
"Just wondering what you got up too, is all," Lavender replied, looking at her nails and pretending to clean them. "Noticed Ginny didn't come back either."
"Family tradition," Hermione said.
"What?" Lavender asked, shocked.
"In case you haven't heard the widely publicized fact that Harry's parents died, died, on Halloween, I have news flash for you. Harry's parents died on Halloween. Protecting him from Voldemort. So, on Halloween, we do everything we can to distract him. Since there is little to no chance for trolls or basilisks this year, we're having a massive three day sleepover. So, stop whatever rumor mill you've put in place and get over yourself," Hermione sneered.
Harry, Ron, and Neville caught the end of the conversation and headed to help Hermione.
"That's the worst of girls," Ron commented. "They always fight dirty just because they're afraid they can't win in a fair fight."
Hermione rolled her eyes, but that was all the more she had to say about that.
"Not a lie, family tradition was the best excuse you could have come up with. The best ever! Speaking of family traditions, when are you going to start your animagus studies? You've been ignoring it for weeks now. What did you see?" Harry tormented Hermione.
"Leave me alone, Potter," Hermione narrowed her eyes in warning.
"Seriously, Hermione, it can't be that bad. It really can't. I've heard of people being bugs before. It's not worse than that, is it?" Harry implored in the irritating way 13 year old boys do.
"I said leave me alone, Potter," Hermione said again, storming away.
"What's gotten into her?" Ron asked as they headed up to Gryffindor Tower to drop their school things off before supper.
"Not a clue," Harry said, leading the way. They were held up by a queue outside of the portrait hole. "What's going on? Neville forget the password again?"
"Thanks, wanker," Neville said, coming up behind them. "I'm not causing this pile up, but trust me when I say I will be the one to succeed where Voldemort failed."
"Oh, yeah?" Harry said. "How d'you figure that?"
"Easy. I'll push you off these stairs and kill you," Neville smirked.
"I'd like to see you try!" Harry said, but any further comments or action were quelled when Percy barged by them.
"Let me through! I'm the head boy! Let me through!" He demanded. Once he got to the portrait of the Fat Lady, he asked, "What's all this about?"
"She's gone!" Angelina Johnson explained. "None of the portraits have seen her and we can't get in."
Dumbledore and Minerva joined them at that moment, curious as to what was going on. There were explanations, followed by a quick perusal of the nearby portraits. Finally, the Fat Lady was found hiding in a portrait of the Sahara.
"It was him!" She shrieked. "He slipped in as a rat and tried to demand entrance! It was Peter Pettigrew."
"That's it. The castle will be searched. Everyone, to the Great Hall now!" Dumbledore demanded. The Gryffindors groaned and followed, complaining all the while about their locked up brooms, clothes, and books necessary for the next day's studies.
Supper was had, pyjamas were found, and the entire student population camped out under the stars of the Great Hall's enchanted ceiling. Just as the Gryffindor third years, with their token second year and Slytherin friend, were dozing off, Harry said:
"Oh, look, another completely normal, not at all weird, totally fine Halloween. To bad everyday can't be this boring."
Gabs: Sorry about Hermione's French. My high school didn't do French, it did Spanish. And I passed that on some very shifty terms….. Ah small town athletic privilege.
Kat: I took French and missed the day of the alphabet for a Cross Country meet… huh. Sorry for the late posting, somebody lost her cellphone.
Gabs: It is gone forever. Tomorrow I will shop for a new one so this doesn't happen again.
Kat: Maybe I should drop mine in the toilet so I can get a new one!
Gabs: Yeah… no you won't. I know you. Thanks to all our lovely reviewers. And followers. And people who favorited. Is there a word for that? 'Favoriters' maybe?
Kat: That's what I've been calling them. You all rock! I have put up the One-Shot of Draco and Ginny. If you're a Hinny person, chill out. You will get a One-Shot too.
Gabs: Just not today. Today is packed with other things. Like an update and a One-Shot.
Kat: Please review and we will post on Saturday. Promise!
XOXO
Gabs & Kat
