The recent Snape ordeal, as they had taken to calling it, had totally
changed Hermione's feelings toward Ron's elder twin brothers, Fred and
George Weasley. They were no longer the schools immature pranksters, the
reputation she had thought they deserved from her four years experience at
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. They were no longer Ron's
annoying older brothers that she was only chanced with seeing because of
him. She still thought they were rather stupid in constantly jeopardising
their place at Hogwarts through their jokes and pranks.
But now, after that surprisingly intelligent save from Snape in which they used more brains than Hermione thought they even had, she held them in a new light. Well, one of them at least.
After all, what's the point in having a crush on both of them?
Only now was Hermione beginning to appreciate their regular antics around the school, and was impressed at the way they managed to revise sensibly for their N.E.W.T.S while still upholding their infamous reputation. And to her hidden delight, about two months after the Snape ordeal, Professor McGonagall called her into her office to tell her that because of her exceeding success in her Defence Against the Dark Arts lessons, she felt it would benefit Hermione more to be in a more advanced class, with the seventh years of her house. She quickly found out this meant a class with the Weasley twins, who were both already studying the subject for their N.E.W.T.S., and was eager to start.
"Dear Diary,
I start my first DATDA lesson with the seventh years today. I keep telling myself there's nothing to worry about, but I'm frightfully nervous. For one, it's my first lesson with the twins. I still haven't quite decided which one I like better, which is rather pathetic really, as I should be able to control my feelings. But if I could control them, I would have this dreadful crush in the first place! Its awfully strange, having a crush on both of them. Awfully strange having a crush at all really. But I can't help it . . . every time I see either one I get butterflies in my stomach, and lose all my confidence and undoubtedly go a ghastly shade of red too. My friends must notice me acting so strangely. Well Harry has anyway, always the observant one. He asked me so I told him last night, but not Ron, as I don't know how he'd react if I said that I fancied his brothers. Harry seems to disagree and thinks I shouldn't keep secrets, but says he'll keep his word and won't tell Ron if I don't want him to. Harry's very sweet like that, makes me want to have a crush en, sorry, on (my fingers are shaking too much to write legibly) him instead and save all this hassle. But no, my affections are reserved for the two worst behaved boys at Hogwarts.
Well I best be off, it takes a while to get to the classroom my lessons in. Hopefully everything will go smoothly. Hopefully.
.x. Hermione"
Hermione lowered the quill and carefully hid it, along with her journal, under her dorm bed. She picked up the already pre-packed book bag waiting on her bed and checked she had the right books, before taking the stairs down to the common room. She spotted three distinctively red heads and a messy bundle of black hair, and joined the group of boys.
"Hi Herm, your extra Defence Against the Dark Arts class is now, isn't it? Stinks you have to give up your free lesson." Said Ron, scrunching up his nose slightly. She nodded absently, concentrating on not looking at the twins for fear of blushing.
"You have DAD?" asked Fred (Hermione had to look up to see which one had spoken as she could only tell them apart by the density of their freckles), using the nickname they'd given Defence Against the Dark Arts, because that was such a mouthful. Hermione could feel the blood rushing to her cheeks.
"Professor McGonagall said that a more advanced class would benefit me," She said with her head down.
"Well you can walk with us if you like, we're going too." Hermione looked up at the twins' eager yet always-mischievous faces. How could she refuse?
"Ok, thanks." Ron watched dumbfounded as she left with his elder brothers; a smile played on Harry's face when he noticed this. Ron knew that Harry knew something he didn't, and despised him for it. He spent the next hour chasing him round the common room threatening to "shove him face first into a Hippogriff" if he didn't tell him.
On the way to her first "DAD" lesson, Hermione asked Fred and George to give her a summary on what they'd been studying, so she could at least know some of what was going on. To her astonishment, they gave her a surprisingly brief but detailed explanation on what they'd been doing, which happened to be a study of Wolfins (which were a wolf-like creature who's back was covered in sharp spines, and breathed fire if threatened). Hermione was impressed -she knew the twins were bright, but they rarely showed it. She couldn't for the life of her work out why though. She suspected it was for fear of losing their reputation and ending up in the shadow of their older brothers, as they knew they'd never live up to their level, so they didn't try. As they approached the classroom, Hermione's nerves relaxed slightly, and she became faintly aware that she was in the company of the two biggest crushes she'd ever had, and was totally comfortable with it. Well, almost. Her heart still skipped a beat when either one caught eye contact, and her fingers let out an excited tingle when George's touched hers while handing her a book.
The lesson started well; Professor Flitwick was acting as substitute and there was a Wolfin at the back of the room in a large, rusted cage, but the little man refused to touch it as he had little knowledge or training in dealing with such a creature. So, to Hermione's great relief after the initial shock of seeing a giant spiky wolf in her classroom, they began the lesson with a written essay on the eating habits of Wolfins. Hermione found this quite easy, as it was just using the information in the textbook, and finished the work quickly, as did most of the other students. She was sitting in the back row, and much to both her pleasure and unease, was between both George and Fred. As the lesson progressed she watched as they as they became increasingly restless. They hurried to get their work done, and when completed, they shared a look, their token playful look. Whatever their plan was, they had that unique ability that twins have of both sharing it. They nodded; setting Hermione's curiosity ablaze, and then went up to Professor Flitwick. Hermione followed, but didn't catch what they'd said. Suddenly, George had flicked his wand at the lock of the Wolfins cage, and it fell to the floor with a clang that Hermione never heard over the whole classes exclamations of shock. Hermione watched as the slavering creature had jumped up at the first chance it got, almost as if it had been waiting, and bounded out of the cage, it's scabby tail wagging furiously and it's eyes shining putrid pus yellow. Hints of fiery embers glinted in between rotting but still horrifically sharp teeth that paralysed Hermione on the spot and made her whole body tremble. Fear grabbed the rest of the students in the same way it had her, gluing them to the spot, and making the only qualified adult in the room dive under his desk life a scared child. The beastly Wolfin seemed to sense the spreading feeling of fear that had clutched the room, and like a cat playing with a mouse, it slowly strutted forward, taunting them by baring it's awful jaws and salivating liquid fire that sizzled and evaporated like acid rain on the cold, stone floor. A girl let out a gulped sob, and the wolf snapped his head around and barked ferociously in her direction. She gasped in terror and cowered into the corner, tears running down her face.
A chorus of screams erupted when the Wolf-like creature turned around and leapt forward, hideous, spine tingling growls being emitted from deep in it's throat. Clearly enjoying it's sudden freedom and power over the terrified students, the wolf put one paw out, and then another, painfully slowly padding forward, and to Hermione's utter despair, in her direction. She took a step back -the wolf took a step forward. Her only thoughts were that she was going to die, she was going to be ripped apart limb from limb, and her body would become a feast of sinew and torn flesh for her disgusting murderer. The wolf stepped forward again. Hermione stepped back. It was over, those deadly teeth would soon be munching on her neck. Last instincts taking over, she pulled forward her feeble wand with a quivering hand, and pointed it forward.
"Pa-pa-paralium!" she managed to gulp out, but before the stream of blue that shot out of her wand hit the wolf, it had leapt forward, anger gleaming in its eyes. Its jaws opened horribly wide, and a fallen, sobbing Hermione watched as it gathered a huge ball of twisting fire that rose up from its throat and was balanced precariously on its tongue. The Wolfin let out a horrendous snarling noise, and the fire rolled off its tongue and towards the hopeless, petrified girl before it, who was too choked with fear to even let out a raspy scream, she watched in horror as it blasted through the cold air, toward her, this was it, this was the end . . .
But now, after that surprisingly intelligent save from Snape in which they used more brains than Hermione thought they even had, she held them in a new light. Well, one of them at least.
After all, what's the point in having a crush on both of them?
Only now was Hermione beginning to appreciate their regular antics around the school, and was impressed at the way they managed to revise sensibly for their N.E.W.T.S while still upholding their infamous reputation. And to her hidden delight, about two months after the Snape ordeal, Professor McGonagall called her into her office to tell her that because of her exceeding success in her Defence Against the Dark Arts lessons, she felt it would benefit Hermione more to be in a more advanced class, with the seventh years of her house. She quickly found out this meant a class with the Weasley twins, who were both already studying the subject for their N.E.W.T.S., and was eager to start.
"Dear Diary,
I start my first DATDA lesson with the seventh years today. I keep telling myself there's nothing to worry about, but I'm frightfully nervous. For one, it's my first lesson with the twins. I still haven't quite decided which one I like better, which is rather pathetic really, as I should be able to control my feelings. But if I could control them, I would have this dreadful crush in the first place! Its awfully strange, having a crush on both of them. Awfully strange having a crush at all really. But I can't help it . . . every time I see either one I get butterflies in my stomach, and lose all my confidence and undoubtedly go a ghastly shade of red too. My friends must notice me acting so strangely. Well Harry has anyway, always the observant one. He asked me so I told him last night, but not Ron, as I don't know how he'd react if I said that I fancied his brothers. Harry seems to disagree and thinks I shouldn't keep secrets, but says he'll keep his word and won't tell Ron if I don't want him to. Harry's very sweet like that, makes me want to have a crush en, sorry, on (my fingers are shaking too much to write legibly) him instead and save all this hassle. But no, my affections are reserved for the two worst behaved boys at Hogwarts.
Well I best be off, it takes a while to get to the classroom my lessons in. Hopefully everything will go smoothly. Hopefully.
.x. Hermione"
Hermione lowered the quill and carefully hid it, along with her journal, under her dorm bed. She picked up the already pre-packed book bag waiting on her bed and checked she had the right books, before taking the stairs down to the common room. She spotted three distinctively red heads and a messy bundle of black hair, and joined the group of boys.
"Hi Herm, your extra Defence Against the Dark Arts class is now, isn't it? Stinks you have to give up your free lesson." Said Ron, scrunching up his nose slightly. She nodded absently, concentrating on not looking at the twins for fear of blushing.
"You have DAD?" asked Fred (Hermione had to look up to see which one had spoken as she could only tell them apart by the density of their freckles), using the nickname they'd given Defence Against the Dark Arts, because that was such a mouthful. Hermione could feel the blood rushing to her cheeks.
"Professor McGonagall said that a more advanced class would benefit me," She said with her head down.
"Well you can walk with us if you like, we're going too." Hermione looked up at the twins' eager yet always-mischievous faces. How could she refuse?
"Ok, thanks." Ron watched dumbfounded as she left with his elder brothers; a smile played on Harry's face when he noticed this. Ron knew that Harry knew something he didn't, and despised him for it. He spent the next hour chasing him round the common room threatening to "shove him face first into a Hippogriff" if he didn't tell him.
On the way to her first "DAD" lesson, Hermione asked Fred and George to give her a summary on what they'd been studying, so she could at least know some of what was going on. To her astonishment, they gave her a surprisingly brief but detailed explanation on what they'd been doing, which happened to be a study of Wolfins (which were a wolf-like creature who's back was covered in sharp spines, and breathed fire if threatened). Hermione was impressed -she knew the twins were bright, but they rarely showed it. She couldn't for the life of her work out why though. She suspected it was for fear of losing their reputation and ending up in the shadow of their older brothers, as they knew they'd never live up to their level, so they didn't try. As they approached the classroom, Hermione's nerves relaxed slightly, and she became faintly aware that she was in the company of the two biggest crushes she'd ever had, and was totally comfortable with it. Well, almost. Her heart still skipped a beat when either one caught eye contact, and her fingers let out an excited tingle when George's touched hers while handing her a book.
The lesson started well; Professor Flitwick was acting as substitute and there was a Wolfin at the back of the room in a large, rusted cage, but the little man refused to touch it as he had little knowledge or training in dealing with such a creature. So, to Hermione's great relief after the initial shock of seeing a giant spiky wolf in her classroom, they began the lesson with a written essay on the eating habits of Wolfins. Hermione found this quite easy, as it was just using the information in the textbook, and finished the work quickly, as did most of the other students. She was sitting in the back row, and much to both her pleasure and unease, was between both George and Fred. As the lesson progressed she watched as they as they became increasingly restless. They hurried to get their work done, and when completed, they shared a look, their token playful look. Whatever their plan was, they had that unique ability that twins have of both sharing it. They nodded; setting Hermione's curiosity ablaze, and then went up to Professor Flitwick. Hermione followed, but didn't catch what they'd said. Suddenly, George had flicked his wand at the lock of the Wolfins cage, and it fell to the floor with a clang that Hermione never heard over the whole classes exclamations of shock. Hermione watched as the slavering creature had jumped up at the first chance it got, almost as if it had been waiting, and bounded out of the cage, it's scabby tail wagging furiously and it's eyes shining putrid pus yellow. Hints of fiery embers glinted in between rotting but still horrifically sharp teeth that paralysed Hermione on the spot and made her whole body tremble. Fear grabbed the rest of the students in the same way it had her, gluing them to the spot, and making the only qualified adult in the room dive under his desk life a scared child. The beastly Wolfin seemed to sense the spreading feeling of fear that had clutched the room, and like a cat playing with a mouse, it slowly strutted forward, taunting them by baring it's awful jaws and salivating liquid fire that sizzled and evaporated like acid rain on the cold, stone floor. A girl let out a gulped sob, and the wolf snapped his head around and barked ferociously in her direction. She gasped in terror and cowered into the corner, tears running down her face.
A chorus of screams erupted when the Wolf-like creature turned around and leapt forward, hideous, spine tingling growls being emitted from deep in it's throat. Clearly enjoying it's sudden freedom and power over the terrified students, the wolf put one paw out, and then another, painfully slowly padding forward, and to Hermione's utter despair, in her direction. She took a step back -the wolf took a step forward. Her only thoughts were that she was going to die, she was going to be ripped apart limb from limb, and her body would become a feast of sinew and torn flesh for her disgusting murderer. The wolf stepped forward again. Hermione stepped back. It was over, those deadly teeth would soon be munching on her neck. Last instincts taking over, she pulled forward her feeble wand with a quivering hand, and pointed it forward.
"Pa-pa-paralium!" she managed to gulp out, but before the stream of blue that shot out of her wand hit the wolf, it had leapt forward, anger gleaming in its eyes. Its jaws opened horribly wide, and a fallen, sobbing Hermione watched as it gathered a huge ball of twisting fire that rose up from its throat and was balanced precariously on its tongue. The Wolfin let out a horrendous snarling noise, and the fire rolled off its tongue and towards the hopeless, petrified girl before it, who was too choked with fear to even let out a raspy scream, she watched in horror as it blasted through the cold air, toward her, this was it, this was the end . . .
