"Come on, you lot!" Mrs. Weasley said wearily, "It's about time we take a break."
"Oh, finally!" Ginny threw down her cleaning rag and sprinted out of the room. Fred and George just Apparated away.
"What Kreacher has been doing all these years is beyond me," Ron said, his voice muffled by the old t-shirt he'd used as a mask. Kreacher was the ancient house-elf that went with Sirius' ancient house. It was really quite gruesome; his life goal was to end up decapitated. He was one of the foulest beings Hermione had ever come into contact with, excepting Draco Malfoy, but still she thought if he was exposed to some small amount of goodness, he'd become more bearable. Had Kreacher been human, she wouldn't have given him the time of day.
"Lay off him," Hermione ordered, taking a deep breath as soon as they were out in the hall.
"Hey, it's kind of quiet, don't you think?" Ginny asked softly. It was indeed quiet, only Sirius could be heard, humming as he went to feed Buckbeak. Hermione pointed to the once handsome man, a smile slowly spreading across her face.
"Harry must be coming," Hermione said.
"Finally," Ron sighed, "Hedwig is still out to get me!"
"He's going to be pissed," Ginny laughed nonetheless, because with Harry there, cleaning was that much easier. Hermione knew the feeling. Had this house been a Muggle one, it would have been condemned and destroyed. The three went up to Ron's room, which was where they nearly always hung out, and was the only place in the house Fred wouldn't try to snatch Hermione and sneak off. For Hermione, it was just the cleaning thing anyway. Ginny still said 'Harry' with much more interest than 'Michael Corner.'
Fred and George appeared with a crack, George landing almost in Ginny. Both fell to the floor with a loud bump, and Fred grabbed onto Hermione as George grabbed Fred's ankle and tried to yank him down too. Hermione jumped over Ginny's legs and pulled Fred with her. Their combined weight sent Hermione down onto the edge of the unused bed. Fred straddled her in an effort not to flatten her with his weight. Hermione was breathing heavily, staring up into Fred's soft brown eyes for probably a moment too long.
"Get off her," Ron said angrily. Fred twisted and sat down next to Hermione.
"I don't see why you couldn't just fall," George said.
"You all right?" Ron asked, frowning at his brother.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Hermione said, still trying to catch her breath, "Knocked the wind out of me that's all..."
It was impossible to miss the self-satisfied grin that had stretched across Fred's handsome face.
George scrambled up to his feet as there was a soft knock on the door.
"Ginny- why're you on the floor, dear?" Mrs. Weasley asked, peeking her head in.
"I fell over," Ginny mumbled.
"Well why did you fall over?" Mrs. Weasley demanded, glaring at each of her sons in turn.
"I came running into the room too quick," Ginny mumbled.
"Right, I'd like you all to stay upstairs for a little bit," Mrs. Weasley said, "Harry'll be coming along in a little while."
With one last suspicious look at Fred and George, Mrs. Weasley turned and shut the door behind her. After her had footsteps receded, Ginny turned her death stare to George and Fred.
"I'm sorry," George said weakly, but his grin betrayed him. That tended to happen a lot to the Twins.
"I'm going to go write-" Ginny hurried off before she could finish her sentence, and Hermione knew she was going to write Michael Corner.
"Who's she writing?" George asked.
"Is it really any of your business?" Hermione said.
"We are her brothers," said Ron, glancing at the door as it slowly creaked shut.
"I hadn't noticed that, Ronald," Hermione said, standing, "What a stunning observation!"
"Why are you all mad?" Fred asked, grabbing her arm gently as she went to follow Ginny.
"Will you leave her alone?" Ron said, and George turned his amused look to his youngest brother.
"What would you do if I told you-" George stopped as there was a crash in the hall.
Fred did not pick up on his twin's sentence, rather cutting him off with, "Harry's here!" Which could have, technically, been an end.
"He's going to be furious," said Hermione weakly as Fred released her arm with a not too reassuring smirk.
"It'll be fine," said Ron, glaring at the Twins as his mother had, "You two, go away."
"Your wish-" Fred bowed.
"-Is our command," finished George. With that, and a loud crack, they were gone.
Fred didn't mind the squeezing sensation that came along with Apparation so much anymore. A broom was preferable, to be sure, but not nearly as quick. Fred couldn't help but wonder if that was why those who'd passed their Apparation tests did it so often following their certification, to become used to the feeling. Fred shook out his leg awkwardly once he'd landed back in his and George's room. He felt like he'd left part of him behind, but he wasn't missing any limbs.
"Still have my eyebrows, don't I?" asked Fred, raising one playfully.
"As far as I can tell," shrugged George. Mad-Eye's advice had lead their Mum to discovering at least three of their hidden caches of Extendable Ears. George opened a small trunk and extracted a knot of them. "Dammit! We've only got 13 left."
"Yeah, but they're easy enough to make," Fred plopped down on his bed, calling the way Hermione had looked at him to the forefront of his mind. She'd looked adventurous and excited, awake. He'd only see her look that way a few times before.
"Fred!" repeated George, snapping his fingers. He chuckled quietly, "Stay with me, Freddie, I'm losing you."
"Huh?" Fred smacked the side of his head repeatedly. He needed to focus-
"If there's a witch up there she won't come out," sang George like he'd heard Bill and Charlie tease each other. George examined one pair of Extendables, pulling it up to his ear. Fred was startled when George dropped it like it'd burned him and jumped backward into the dark wardrobe with a crash.
"You all right?" asked Fred, standing, and picking up the Extendable Ear wearily.
"Don't-!"
"Ah!" Fred recoiled violently, dropping the Extendable again. "Hermione was right, Harry's pissed!"
"Shall we?" George rubbed his ear, making an odd face, "I think I've gone deaf."
"Just in the one?" Fred chuckled. He could now hear Harry without the help of the Extendable Ear, and he was not happy in the slightest.
"Harry clearly isn't taking the news all that well," George straightened and grabbed a handful of Extendables. Then he repeated, "I think there's a meeting on downstairs."
"Let's see if we can't cheer him up," Fred grinned, "And figure out what the hell is going on while we're at it."
They spun and after a brief moment of terrible confinement, Apparated into Harry and Ron's room. Fred appeared just behind Hermione, still grinning, and wrapped one arm around her waist.
"Hello, Harry," George beamed. Hermione started, jumping away from Fred.
"Stop - doing - that!" She hissed, pushing Fred playfully.
"Thought we heard your dulcet tones," George continued.
"You don't want to bottle up your anger like that," Fred nodded solemnly. "Let it all out Harry. Might've been a couple of people fifty miles away who didn't hear you."
Harry looked and sounded very grumpy and a little ashamed as he said, "You two passed your Apparation tests, then?"
"With distinction," Fred boasted proudly, and George handed him a few Extendable Ears. They explained to the poor, under informed, regrettably dark haired angst filled boy what his money had been used for.
"It's no go," Ginny called, and only Hermione caught the slight pause and little half-breath she did when she saw Harry. She walked into Ron's room, which was going to get crowded if anyone else decided to sneak in.
"Well how'd you know?" asked Fred, slightly irritated. He really had wanted to listen in on the meetings. The entire summer he'd gotten nothing but fragments about something they were guarding. Ginny explained about the dung bombs, which were technically Fred and George's in the first place. Fred had known she was sneaking into their room!
Their Mum came in near the end of her explanation, and the Twins Apparated away to hide their beloved inventions.
"What was that with Fred?" asked Ron, glaring at the floorboards where his brother had stood.
"He's just trying to get me going with the Apparating thing," Hermione lied. Ron nodded and bounded out of the room after Harry.
There was another crack at her side as George reappeared, making her jump again, "Can't believe he bought that bull shit."
"Oh, shut up!" Hermione exclaimed, touching a hand to her heart.
"Yet another cutting remark from Granger," George chuckled as he disappeared with another crack.
.o0O0o.
Holy fuck guys I get to see Star Wars on Friday and I do not even have the words that describe excitement anymore!
lyhart24: Thank you very much!
Fandomqueen104: Same :P
badwolfinwinterfell: Trust me, protective Sirius is going to become a thing. Love him :D
Electrocorrosive: Hermione is a fiesty one. Sirius and Remus are my life (outside Fremione)
