Chapter 5- Mind Games

Hermione stood on the deck of the ferry. The wind was rushing past, and she hugged herself to guard against the chill. She glanced from the horizon to the place on the other side of the ship, where Fred had a group of small children gathered around him. He was doing simple muggle magic tricks to entertain them, throwing in a little real magic when no one else was looking. The children were entranced and couldn't stop looking at him. Hermione was equally entranced, watching the effect he had on the children. A hand suddenly captured her from behind, and she jumped.

"George, you scared me." She grinned at him. He took off a jacket he had been wearing and draped it around her shoulders.

"No getting sick, how are we supposed to party if you're in bed all day?" he teased. She smiled gratefully at him. She returned her gaze to his brother.

"Fred is certainly having a good time already," she said. George's eyes lost some of their sparkle.

"Yes, well he's always been good with the little kids. He's still one himself." Eying Hermione, George decided to take a chance. "You don't fancy my dear brother, now do you, Miss Granger?" he winked, hoping in his heart that she would answer negatively.

"No, no," she answered, making him grin, "of course not, that would be strange, wouldn't it? You two are like brothers to me." George silently cursed his luck, and impatience. He stared out at the horizon, wondering how he would be able to accept Hermione as just a little sister. Hermione clutched the jacket to her, lost in her own thoughts.

An hour later, Hermione and George had found a pack of playing cards and were engaged in a cutthroat game of blackjack. Fred had shaken his crowd of admirers, and now joined his brother and Hermione.

"Who's winning?" He asked, frowning a bit at the jacket around Hermione's shoulders.

"Hermione," George admitted sheepishly. "She's right sneaky when she wants to be, you know."

"Speaking of sneaky," Fred said, raising one eyebrow, "Why is it that you asked us to come with you, Hermione?"

"What?" Stunned, Hermione dropped the deck of cards she had been holding. Laughing at her discomfort, the twins helped her to retrieve the cards. But this topic definitely would not rest.

"Yes, Hermione," George added, grinning at his twin, "why DID you ask for our company? Why not our little brother or Harry?" Hermione panicked. She hadn't thought about the twins asking why she'd asked them along.

"They're both busy with work, of course," Hermione stated, then regretted it as soon as the words were past her lips.

"OH," Fred said, in mock hurt, "so OUR jobs don't count as much, all WE do is run a store." George brought his hands to his heart, feigning a heart attack. Hermione knew that she had to think, and think fast.

"The truth is," she said, "that Alexandria has just broken up with her long term boyfriend Jonah, and she's heartbroken. I thought that you two could cheer her up. After all, if anyone knows how to make someone smile, it's you two." She smiled, hoping that the two wouldn't see through her ruse.

Fred and George smiled at each other. They saw right through her, all right. But they'd be damned if they'd let her know it.

*-*-*

Alex was waiting for them when they got off the ferry.

"So THESE are the Weasley twins. Nice to meet you both, at last. Hermione says SO MUCH about you both." The twins gave each other a glance, and then looked at Hermione, whose face was turning pink. Alex grinned at her friend and then winked.

All four of them made their way to the bagel stand, talking in a group until they were sure that no one was looking, and then slipping inside the secret customs office. Alex waited while they were checked in, and then they made their way toward Alex's apartment, in Northern Virginia. Alex drove a beat up little Volkswagen Rabbit. She sped through the streets, dodging traffic, as the twins sat in the back, and Hermione clung to the door handle for dear life. Finally they arrived at a complex of townhouses, and Alex led them to hers.

"I'm sure you guys are tired from all that traveling," she said, "so tomorrow you'll get a tour of AU, and then tomorrow night," she raised an eyebrow at Hermione, "there's a party that we will all be attending, where Hermione's dear college friends will thoroughly embarrass her with college stories." Hermione grinned, and scoffed at her friend.

"You're not telling them ANYTHING," she teased.

Some time later, they were all settled in rooms about the townhouse. Fred and George were sharing a room on the second floor, and Hermione was on the pull out bed in the living room. Before they all drifted off to sleep, Alex cornered Hermione.

"Good Choice," she said. Hermione grinned.

"I know. But Alex, I don't know if I can—"

"Hush," Alex said, "We'll see what we can do." And winking again, she ran off to her own room.

 *-*-*
It seemed that the entire city of Washington D.C. was crammed into Alex's townhouse that night. Hermione had spent the day showing the twins all around American University. They had been somewhat interested, but both very distracted. Now it was time for Hermione to be a social being, and interact with her friends, who had all brought THEIR friends to Alex's home. The twins were having a wonderful time; they were finding people to talk to and laughing and joking around. The Americans were intrigued by their 'accents' and wouldn't stop making them say things. A few of the girls looked at them with longing grins, and ventured gestures that just happened to involve leaning on one of them.
Hermione kept one eye on the twins at all times. She was overjoyed that she could see her friends again, but was feeling like a jealous girlfriend watching over the Weasleys. She would occasionally call one or both of the twins over to meet someone, tearing them away from the crowd of females they had accumulated. The twins tried hard not to show that they loved all the attention, especially that radiating from a certain female friend of theirs.
Alexandra was more than mildly amused at her friend's behavior. She made a promise to herself to have a word with the twin Hermione had a crush on, and start the ball rolling. It was plain to see that both twins had a thing for the girl; it was just a matter of figuring out what to do with the other one. Alex grinned. She had a pretty good idea.
The night dwindled; a large group decided that they'd like to watch movies in another room; about half the people who had come originally were left. Some small groups were still having animated conversations, but most people gravitated toward the television as subjects to talk about started to be in short supply. Hermione headed toward the group watching tv, motioning for the twins to follow her. Then, entering the front hall, Hermione stopped dead in her tracks.
"Hey, Alex, sorry I'm late for the party, but you never told me where you live—" he stopped short, seeing Hermione standing there, in shock, not moving.
"Hermione," he breathed. Hermione blinked, trying to remember how to talk again.
"Matt."