When Hermione awoke the next morning, she rolled over, and immediately sat up. She was on the ground, but that wasn't where she was when she had first fallen asleep. Looking over at the twin bed she had originally been sleeping in, she saw Persephone's strawberry blond curls flowering the pillow. Aggravated and trying to restrain herself from yanking Persephone out of the bed, Hermione rolled back over and tried to fall back asleep on the rock solid floor.
*
"Huh?" Ginny looked over her shoulder towards Hermione's bed. Only, Hermione wasn't there. Hermione was on the floor. The bed next to her had been slept in, but if it had been Hermione, she had somehow ended up on the floor. "Hermione? You awake? Hermione?" Hermione rolled over sleepily and glared at the girl.
"This better be worth waking me up over, cause I'm grumpy," she stated matter-of-factly.
"Why are you on the floor?"
"Cause of your cousin. Speak of the devil." Persephone walked through the door, hair sopping with a towel wrapped around her slim frame.
"No devil here, just me." Persephone smiled sweetly at Hermione.
"Close enough," Ginny grumbled before getting up, muttering about the bathroom.
Persephone fluttered about the bedroom collecting articles that she would need to get ready for the day. A rather bitter Hermione watched on.
"That's a lot of makeup, got much to cover up?" Persephone just smiled and giggled. Hermione smiled as well, but not a real smile, only the kind that's a smile from the lips rather than from the eyes. Suddenly, Persephone's eyes got wide as she saw something sticking out of Hermione's trunk.
"Ooh!" she squealed excitedly as she grabbed it. "I'm gonna use just a dab," she promised without even asking. As she squeezed a glob into her hand, Hermione was able to read the half of the label marked 'Hair Potion'.
"No Perse, that's all I've got…" But it was too late. Persephone threw the empty tube on the bed.
"You're out."
"If you had asked, I wouldn't be out." Angrily, she stood up and grabbed a handful of blankets and pillows and left. She didn't even bother to knock, but rather, barged right into the room where Harry and Ron were sleeping. "Ron, Harry," she hissed, angrily trying to wake them.
"What Hermione?" Ron asked without bothering to open his eyes. Harry finally decided to, but looked at the clock rather than at her.
"Hermione! It's six o' clock in the morning."
"You think I don't know that? Peresphone woke me up. She used all my hair potion AND she put me on the floor so she could sleep in MY bed!" Hermione was almost shrieking. Ron rolled over and slammed his pillow over his head, and from somewhere under it you could hear a muffled 'Shut up!'
"I will not shut up, she's your cousin. So move over, I'm sleeping in here." Cramming in, she climbed under the covers next to Ron.
"Hermione, there's not enough room."
"There's plenty of room, unless you would like the floor!"
"Ok- note to self: never talk to Hermione this early in the morning."
"New one for you?" Harry asked, "I think that self-note has been crammed up there forever."
"I hate you both." Hermione said, although, underneath the covers she was smiling. "Now, be quiet and sleep!" The trio all eventually fell back into a peaceful dreamland where there was no evidence of You-Know-Who, weird corridors, spiders, or Persephone.
But downstairs, there were plenty of signs of Persephone. Mrs. Weasley was busy in front of the oven, baking a huge breakfast. Complete with French toast, pancakes, bacon, eggs, orange juice, and one clumsy assistant. Persephone, with remarkably sleek hair, was trying to help Mrs. Weasley make breakfast by using magic, but seeing her Muggle background, she kept breaking things. Mrs. Weasley was struggling to keep the smile on her face as her favorite flowered dish crashed against a wall.
"Oopsies!" Persephone giggled and shrugged her shoulders. "Sorry Aunt Molly! You know, maybe I'd be better off helping the boys pack." She spun on her heel and went upstairs, leaving a very strained looking Molly Weasley with her mess.
Persephone ran upstairs to Fred and George's bedroom which was completely void of anything except boxes. "You guys need any help?"
"No thanks Persi."
"Ok." Persephone sat down on the unmade bed and watched Fred and George as they finished packing up their belongings. "So George, how's Hermione?" George turned red, but made sure no one noticed.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean how're things between you two?"
"She told you?" he asked her, surprised.
"Did she tell you about us, too?" Fred was completely aghast at Hermione's frankness with his cousin.
"You two, too? So, you do the three-some thing?"
"WHAT?" the twins yelled together, staring at Persephone.
"Well you're both sleeping with her…I just assumed…Oh, do you wizards call it something else? Abra Cadabra, maybe?" she asked, smiling slyly.
"Perse- get something straight, and understand it now. Nothing is happening with Hermione and EITHER of us. Got it?"
"Is? Does that mean there ever was?"
"Persephone, we have a lot of work to do, we'll talk to you later." Fred began to herd her out of the room.
"I'll take that as a yes," and she walked out.
"That girl's got something up her sleeve."
"At least we don't have to deal with it." And they both began to fervently pack. When they had finished, they headed downstairs, expecting what was waiting for them.
"Fred! George! Come here!" Mrs. Weasley ran to them and showered them with kisses and hugs.
"Mom! Mom!" They tried to push her away, but it was to no avail. Her little boys were leaving her and she was going to savor these last few precious moments with them. They gave up fighting with her, and she soon ushered them towards the table which was covered in mountains of various breakfast foods.
"So you'll be full for your journey." The twins looked at each other and smiled.
"Mom, we're Apparating!"
"I know, but you never know, do you?"
"No, I suppose you don't," said George, just to appease her. The twins dug in, knowing they would have to eat a sufficient amount before their over-bearing mother was happy.
"Hey Fred, why don't you go wake Harry and Ron, I'm sure they'd love some of this. And get Hermione as well."
"Sure thing Mom." Fred stood and walked up to the boys' bedroom. He knocked on the door, and listened for a few moments but only heard a pulsing silence on the other side. "Harry? Ron?" he asked quietly as he proceeded into the room. He glanced over at Harry's bed, and was debating whether or not to wake him, but decided that Ron would be the much safer choice. He walked over next to his bed, and shook Ron's shoulder for a few moments, but finally gave up. "I swear Ron," he threatened as he pulled down the blanket. But he never finished his threat. Because staring up at him was not his red-haired brother, but rather, his chestnut-haired ex-girlfriend, and she was screaming. And that was all it took to wake Ron and Harry.
"What's going on?" they asked confused, having been startled from their slumber.
"Oh my God…Oh my God," Hermione was looking terribly green in the face.
"No Hermione, it's ok…I understand. You and Ron. Great, wonderful, whatever!" Hermione looked at Fred and a look of understanding graced her face.
"Oh my God! That's even worse! Me and Ron! Ew! No! Never! And…" But she was cut off by Ron, who had suddenly woken up.
"Ew? What's that supposed to mean? Why am I Ew? Why is that so unbelievable? I think we could be a couple…I mean not that I'd want to be…but why is that so gross?? Harry, am I ew???" The confusion in the room was deafening.
"Wait so you weren't…" Fred questioned, pointing at Hermione and Ron.
"How am I supposed to know if you're ew? I don't know, and personally, I really don't care."
"Of course we weren't." Hermione assured Fred.
"Then what were you 'Oh my God'-ing about?"
"WHY ISN'T IT PLAUSABLE THAT HERMIONE AND I WERE HAVING SEX?" A very startled Ron was trying to get an answer out of someone.
"Cause I'm in my nightgown. Sorry I screamed."
"Wait, now I'm confused. I can see you in your nightgown, but I can't have sex with you?"
Hermione sighed, exasperated. "Roooon, you don't get it. You're…well…not a boy, but Fred is."
"I'm not a boy?!?!"
"Well from my point of view, you're not."
"I am very SO a boy, Harry back me up!"
"Woah, buddy, this isn't something I'm to experienced in." Hermione and Ron both glared at Harry, but he just shrugged.
"Ron, you have to understand," she gestured to Fred, "now Fred here…" She suddenly stopped, realizing that while she and Ron had been arguing, Fred had quietly slipped from the room. "Maybe we should go downstairs," she suggested quietly. And she stood and headed for her bedroom.
"You know," said Harry, rather cautiously, "That is a rather tiny nightgown she has on."
"I know," said Ron appreciatively.
"And do you also know that neither of us noticed it? At all?"
"Yes, that thought had popped into my mind."
"So, do you really think that we're chicks to her and she's just one of the guys?" They both looked at each other inquisitively, then simultaneously, said, "Nah!" and proceeded to get dressed. When they finished, they ran downstairs, the aroma of breakfast their only thoughts.
'Good morning' was muttered in their general direction, but they ignored it and headed right for two empty seats and began to load their plates. They continued to eat nonstop, not even hearing the noise of the family around them, but they stopped when that noise had stopped as well. They looked up and saw Hermione coming down the stairs. She wasn't dressed any differently, and she didn't look different in any way, but for some reason, every person at the table was looking at her.
Fred and George seemed embarrassed as Persephone kept muttering something about Abra Cadabra. Harry and Ron were still pondering whether or not they found Hermione as a girl or not. Ginny was giving Hermione the eye. You know the eye, the eye every girl seems to understand. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley called out, 'Good Morning' to her. Hermione seemed oblivious to the silence at the table as she sat across from Ron and Harry. The three looked at each and laughed. The argument was over. The talking at the table began once more, and breakfast was uneventful.
As soon as the meal was over, Fred and George announced that it was time for them to leave. Bill bounded down the stairs as they called for him. The twins were going to a special training program for all wizards interested in a job at Gringotts. The twins, unsure of their futures, decided that they would sign up for it. Bill had come home to visit, then take them with him.
"You guys ready?" he asked, flinging a small sized bag, which was obviously filled with unfolded clothing, over his shoulder.
"Bill, you sure you don't want me to do any of that laundry?" asked Mrs. Weasley, eyeing the bag as if it was evil.
"I'm sure Mom. I'm a big boy." He kissed her on the cheek. "Bye Dad," he added, shaking his father's hand. "Gin!" he exclaimed, kissing her as well. His goodbyes were said to Persephone, Ron, Harry, and when he reached Hermione, he whispered into her ear, "Don't let those two get you in trouble. You're a bright girl, and they're just up to no good." But when he pulled away he was smiling.
"Don't worry about me, I've got them trained." She put a hand on each of their shoulders, and they looked questioningly at her. She and Bill laughed together. Her laughing ended abruptly. George was standing in front of her, looking very apprehensive. Out of the corner of her eye, she realized that the entire family was watching their every move.
"You take care of yourself," she whispered into his ear, then cautiously hugged and released him.
"You too," he smiled at her. Now standing in front of her was Fred.
"Hey, sorry about this morning."
"No biggie," she replied with ease. "Have a good time, and be careful."
"You sound like my mother," he teased.
"I'm honored!" she laughed. "Well, goodbye." And she hugged him as well. Then, he joined George and Bill, and wands in hand, they Apparated.
"Well," said a misty eyed Mrs. Weasley, "I should probably clean up breakfast."
"I'll help you, Mom," said Ginny, with her arm draped across her mother's shoulder, "then we'll have some tea." Mr. Weasley followed the girls into the house. Persephone seemed to be daydreaming, so Harry, Ron, and Hermione decided to leave her alone.
"Let's go out by the Quidditch pitch," Ron suggested, "we can hang out there." The three slowly made their way out there. They sat in the grass, directly under the warm rays of the sun. Hermione layed back and closed her eyes. Sitting on either side of her, Harry and Ron exchanged looks, urging each other on.
"What are you two arguing about?" Hermione asked, without even opening her eyes.
"This," said Harry, and he leaned over and kissed her. Open-mouthed on the lips.
"What the?" asked a very startled Hermione, sitting up.
"And this," added Ron, also kissing her.
"What are you two doing? Are you crazy?"
"Anything?" Harry asked Ron, ignoring Hermione's question.
"Nope, how bout you?"
"Nada."
"Seeing as I was the subject of this little experiment, could you please clue me in as to what is going on?"
The boys looked at each other, then seemed to agree. "We were trying to see if either of us had feelings for you."
"Do you really think of us as just girls?" asked Ron, seeming to dread the answer.
"Of course I don't!" Hermione laughed. "But you're different that's all. You're my best friends. And I love you both, but please don't ever, ever, for any circumstance, kiss me again. Promise?"
"Ugh, promise," said Ron.
"YES! Promise!" agreed Harry.
"But Persephone's right, Harry. You need a little work." Harry's face turned beet red, and Ron rolled on the ground with laughter. "Don't be so cocky Ron, you're not so great yourself."
"Oh, aren't we all high and mighty? Ms. Experienced?"
"More so than you obviously!" she teased.
"How are you supposed to know?" he asked her.
"Oh please, you wish!" Their conversation was interrupted by Persephone who suddenly seemed very eager to join their group.
"Hey Harry! You busy?" He eyed Hermione and Ron, then turned to answer her.
"Not really. What's up?"
"Let's go swimming!"
"I don't have my suit on!"
"Isn't that the point?" She grabbed his hand and pulled him away. Hermione and Ron watched as Harry was dragged away.
"You know, I'm beginning to see why you're family doesn't particularly care for her."
"You just hate to admit that I was right and you were wrong."
"No that's not it at all, she seemed so nice at first, but now she just seems to give off this vibe…it's almost evil." Ron snorted in her face.
"Right, an evil Weasley. Almost as likely as a nice Malfoy."
"Well, you never know."
"I do, and I know for a fact that there was never any evil blood in our family."
"Well I just don't like her."
"Join the club. C'mon, let's go inside. I don't want to hear them 'swimming'."
"You don't think Harry would…"
"I don't wanna think about it at all." The pair headed inside, trying to ignore the sounds of splashing behind them.
A/N: Sorry it took so long, I broke my finger and it was difficult for me to type. Anyway- thanks for reading, and I hope that you take the two seconds it takes to review!
Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me.