A/N: Thanks for all the reviews! Once again, look at the bottom!

Disclaimer: see first chapter.

Love and War

Chapter Four: One Disaster Leads to Another

Ginny woke up to find a bushy mane of red hair shrieking in front of her face.

"What on earth ?" she began, but then she recognized the shrieks of fear and disaster as Hermione's. "Hermione?" she asked, trying to be heard over the purple girl's cries. "Hermione, what happened?"

"I don't know!" she cried, pushing her hair out of her purple face. "I woke up and looked in the mirror to see if my hair was back to normal, and it's not - it's RED!"

Ginny wanted to laugh. She really did. Hermione had vividly red Weasley hair. But Hermione looked like a very angry purple-skinned girl with flaming red hair. So Ginny didn't laugh, out of fear of injury.

"We followed the directions and everything!" Hermione wailed, climbing off of Ginny's bed now that she was awake. "I don't know what we did wrong!"

"Actually Hermione, it doesn't look that bad," Ginny said encouragingly. The younger girl quickly shut her mouth as Hermione snarled in her direction. It was then that Ginny noticed the time. "Why did you wake up at four thirty in the morning Hermione?"

"I was too excited. I was so sure last night that the hair dye has worked! Let's just hope the make-up covers this stuff, I can't take any more disasters!"

Shuffling out of bed, Ginny mad her way over to Hermione and hugged the poor girl who were older twin brothers had sworn vengeance on. "Let's get started on the make-up now then. The sooner we get started, the sooner we'll know." Ginny and Hermione quietly snuck out of Ginny's bedroom and headed for the better of the two bathrooms.

"Well," Hermione said when they were near finished. "How does it look?"

"You look like you've got one hell of a bad tan."

Just then someone started banging on the bathroom door. Hermione and Ginny jumped and then hastily started cleaning up the cosmetics all over the bathroom counter. "Give someone else a chance in there, will you? It's seven o'clock in the morning! How early did you wake up just to get first dibs?" Fred called from the other side of the door.

Hermione and Ginny froze, staring at one another with wide eyes. Hermione's hands immediately went up to her hair. She looked in the mirror, worrying her lip as she surveyed her appearance. "Of course!" she hissed so Fred wouldn't hear. "We cover the purple skin only to deal with red hair!"

"Shush!" Ginny prodded. "Quick! Take my robe and cover your head! I'll distract Fred long enough for you to get away without him noticing too much!"

Hermione complied, and ducked behind the door as Ginny opened it and stepped out into the hallway. "We woke up at four thirty, since you asked," she replied smoothly. She closed the door a bit on her way out, and Hermione heard their voices drift the opposite way of Ginny's bedroom. Quickly, she secured her temporary head-covering and bolted out of the bathroom.

"If you do anything else to her, you do realize she'll kill you?" Ginny was saying, keeping Fred's back to Hermione's hasty exit.

"Not if she can't tell the difference between me and George."

"That won't stop her. She'll just murder you both, and she'll be clever enough to make it look like an accident."

"She threatened us first; I don't think that's fair!"

"Well if you pull any more pranks on her, I'll tell Hermione how to tell you and George apart!"

Fred looked aghast. "You wouldn't! And how do you know? That's supposed to be a secret!"

Ginny flashed a big smile. "I'm not telling. But I will tell Hermione if you're not careful!" Cast a quick look behind Fred, Ginny was relieved to see Hermione disappearing down the hall.

Fred turned to his left see what she was looking at behind him. Ginny quickly ran to his right and followed after Hermione. "Hey!" Fred called, just catching sight of Ginny as she disappeared as well.

An hour later Mrs. Weasley began calling everyone down to breakfast. Platters of eggs and bacon were heaped high, and hands grabbed what they could as more people came to join the table. Fred and George Apparated into the kitchen just as Harry and Ron were walking in, and the collision caused a number of bruises and angry remarks.

"Hermione?" Ron asked. He was eyeing her warily, as was everyone else. Hermione was wearing the big floppy hat that Mr. Weasley had bought last night at the mall. Mrs. Weasley had been successful in turning it black, and for this Hermione was grateful. She could just imagine covering red hair with a red hat. "Hermione, what's with the big hat?" Ron asked.

"Good job stating the obvious," George said.

"I was just wondering -" Ron started to say, but Hermione turned her head and the brim of the hat knocked into his face.

"But really Hermione, why the hat?" Fred asked. "Were you unable to cover the hideousness of your -"

"Will you lot eat!" Mrs. Weasley demanded. "Maybe this year we can get to London in relatively good time!"

But it was still rather late when they finally left. Pig had managed to swallow another of Fred and George's inventions, but now he had sprouted rabbit ears. Ron stuffed the noise-some Pig in his cage and stormed down the stairs so fast he ran into Ginny, who tumbled the rest of the way down, landing quite harshly on the loads of trunks at the bottom.

A few more yells, lots more bruises, and a couple of angry scratches from Crookshanks later (who downright refused to be put in his basket), they had made the trip to King's Cross Station. With a half hour before the train was to leave, Mrs. Weasley had relaxed a good deal.

While Mr. and Mrs. Weasley went off to fetch trolleys, Fred and George put their heads together and began to whisper. Hermione, fearful of her hat blowing away had retreated to the safest corner she could find. Ginny followed her, the two of them wondering if the twins were planning something horrible yet again. It didn't take long to find out.

"Hermione, sweetie," Fred cooed. He was stalking over with innocent smile on his face. George was suddenly no where to be seen. Hermione, floppy hat flapping, looked for an exit. Ginny stood strong by Hermione's side.

"I won't bite Hermione," Fred replied. "Not hard at least. I just want to know what you're hiding under that hat of yours. Won't you be a doll and tell me?"

"You're impossible," Ginny huffed. Hermione, plucking up her courage put her hands of her hips and nodded.

"Watch it!" Ron suddenly yelled.

Fred dodged the line of fire just in time, but Hermione and Ginny were not so lucky. George had snuck up with a bucket of water, dousing the girls completely. Ginny sputtered a moment, and then shook her head, trying to rid her face of the water.

"Sorry about that Ginny," George was saying. "That wasn't meant to get you, but -"

"More pranks on Hermione?" Ginny shrieked. "Haven't you done enough?" Ginny whipped at her eyes, then realized that Hermione wasn't moving. She couldn't see the girls face, since the floppy hat had sagged. "Hermione?" Ginny prompted, lifting the hat a bit of Hermione's head and peeking underneath. "You ok under there - oh no."

Ginny could now see why Hermione was not moving. The make-up they had worked so hard on earlier to conceal Hermione's skin had smeared when the water hit her face. Hermione's hands were now covered in purple and beige water droplets.

Things got worse then. As Mr. and Mrs. Weasley returned and began putting trunks on the trolley's, a strong gust of wind took the floppy hat from Ginny's hand and away it went, leaving Hermione's streaky face and red-dye job on her hair in plain sight for all.

"So THAT'S what you were hiding, Hermione!" George exclaimed loudly. Muggles turned to see what all the sudden fuss was about. Hermione, knowing that her face would attract more attention, pulled up the collar of her robes and hurried to hide somewhere. Ginny ran over and smacked her brothers.

"This is all your faults!" she yelled at the twins. Fred and George didn't even flinch. Both of them were still gapping at Hermione's appearance, unsure if they should laugh or torment her some more.

"You look like you got in a fight with some bubblegum," Harry said, trying very hard to smirk. Ron's mouth was hanging open; he looked highly amused by Hermione's new look.

"Hermione, that's not the color I bought for you," Mr. Weasley said. He walked over to the poor girl and patted her hair. "Red? What did you girls do wrong?"

Hermione didn't answer him. Hermione was glaring at both Fred and George, who were now busy howling with laughter.

By now, a lot of muggles had started staring and pointing at the small group. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley divided the group in two, hoping that by doing so they'd be able to sneak onto the platform a little easier. Mr. Weasley took Hermione, Ginny and Harry, leaving Mrs. Weasley to her sons, who she planned on kicking in the shins the whole time.

"You just stay between us all Hermione," Mr. Weasley said, keeping walking in front of the three of them. Hermione, her collar still up, was steaming. Ginny and Harry were sure they heard her mumbling underneath the collar of her shirt. It was clear Fred and George were in her hell.

As slyly as possible, since so many people were watching them, they slid onto the hidden platform and a second later came face to face with the gleaming scarlet engine that was the Hogwart's Express. Hermione always thought she'd be happy to see it.

"Hermione?" A high pitched girly shrieked sounded from behind them. Harry, Ginny and Hermione turned. Running towards them was Paravrti Patil and Lavender Brown, fellow Gryffinors in Hermione's year.

"Hermione, what happened to you?" Lavender asked. She eyed Hermione's bushy red locks of hair with disgust. It was Pavarti that noticed the mess on her face.

"Eww, what did you do to your face? You're all purple and, eww."

If looks could kill Hermione would have been charged with murder.

"Fred and George pulled a prank on her and the purple and red are the results," Ginny answered none too kindly. Just then, the twins came charging through the barrier at full speed and nearly ran over a small group of second years.

"I didn't know they were coming back," Lavender replied.

"Mum made them," Ginny said, watching as her older brothers ruffled the hair of one of the second year boys, who looked up at him with narrowed eyes and a scowl.

"I always thought they were cute," Parvarti said gushingly.

"Yeah," added Lavender, "In that adorably -"

"I don't want to hear this!" Ginny shrieked. Hermione gave a sudden squeal and hurried away. Harry and Ginny looked after her in confusion, and then they heard Fred and George.

"But Hermione, come back!" Fred called. "I think I found a lovely green dress that will clash elegantly with your current colors!"

"Give it a rest you two," Harry replied, shaking his head as Hermione ducked behind a luggage trolley. "Haven't you done enough to her?"

Fred looked aghast. "We haven't done anything!"

"It's not out fault she went and took a shower after we set up the prank!" said George innocently.

"Who were you planning to pull the prank on then?" Parvarti asked curiously. Lavender smiled and nodded next to her.

Fred and George exchanged looks. "We hadn't thought about who really -"

"-We just wanted to see if it worked first."

"And Hermione happened to be the lucky victim?" Ginny asked nastily.

"That's not our fault though, now is it?"

"Was it you that botched her hair color and made it turn red?" Ginny asked loudly.

Fred and George didn't answer her. "I think now is a good time to get our luggage into a carriage, don't you George?"

"Yes, I think you're right Fred. Let's go."

Ginny growled as soon as they were gone. "I hope Hermione beats them their own game!


After Hermione and Ron had gone to the Prefects carriage, they made their way to find Harry and Ginny again. Ron carried Pig, who still had bunny ears, and Hermione had put her Hogwarts robe over her head to hide her face, which she still hadn't fixed.

A lot of people had asked her questions and looked at her funny. Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson had snickered quite loudly and with that, word had quickly spread that Hermione was the current target of the Weasley twins who had returned to Hogwarts. The rumors only got worse the farther down the train she went.

"What you do Granger? Did you swallow an eggplant with one of their jokes inside of it or something?"

"I heard you were in the shower and they sprayed you with absinthe powder!"

"Is it true you're sleeping with one of them?"

"Lavender!"

"What? One of them hinted that they were, but who can tell them apart!"

"Well it's not true! How dare them…!" She stormed off, leaving Lavender and Parvarti standing in their compartment door. Ron hurried to keep up with Hermione's quick and angry paces. A few compartments down they found Harry, Ginny and Luna Lovegood all in one compartment. Sadly though, they were not alone.

"Hello Hermione, love," the twins replied in unison.

Hermione gnashed her teeth together. Narrowing her eyes, she looked at them and said through her clenched teeth, "Which one of you told Lavender and Pavarti that I was shagging one of you?"

"Why shag one when you can have us both?"

Hermione let out an angry hiss. "I'll just kill both of you then!" Quickly she pulled out her wand, and unsure which one to hex first, she moved her wand from one face to the next, wondering which hex she should use.

"I know how to tell them apart Hermione."

Fred and George swiveled around to look at a very smug Ginny. "You wouldn't dare!" Fred replied.

"How does she know?" George said loudly.

"You didn't tell him I knew, Fred?"

"AH HA!" Hermione yelled. "You're Fred!" she shrieked triumphantly. "You have got to be George!"

"Are you sure?" Fred asked.

"Oh, I can just ask Ginny how to -"

Just then, the trolley a sudden lurch and Hermione and Ron, who was still standing in the compartment doorway since Hermione had gotten in his way, fell over. Everyone else grabbed onto something to keep themselves in their seats.

"Why Hermione," Fred said, finding a fallen Hermione in his lap. "This is a pleasant surprise!"

"Oh shut-up you prat," Hermione seethed.

"Oh so it is true!" a high-pitched squeal said from the doorway. Hermione looked over to find Lavender and Parvarti.

"You can't fool us Hermione! It's obvious," Lavender said. The two girls were grinning from ear to ear. Hermione on the other hand, was gawking stupidly.

"NO!" she cried. "No, you have it all wrong -"

"Just let it go Hermione! Admit it: you love…well, I'm not sure which one is which, but you love one of the Weasley twins!"

"I would be Fred," Fred answered, smiling broadly and hugging Hermione to him in a cuddly fashion. Hermione squirmed and tried to smack him but failed.

"Aww, you both are so cute!" Parvarti gushed. The two of them walked away giggling.

"Let. Me. Go!" Hermione shrieked, struggling to be released from Fred's strong grasp.

"Now is that any way to treat your boyfriend - OW!"

"One of these days Fred Weasley, you are going to owe me for all the misery you put me through!"


A/N: Sorry if that seemed short, but the next chapter should be out soon and it will have plenty of prankage! Thank-you to everyone who reviewed! Please Review! Chapter Five should be out soon!