A/N: First off - please promise not to throw things at me! Secondly - Hermione does not get her revenge yet! ducks thrown objects But she will have revenge in the next chapter! I swear!
The thank-you's to all my reviewers can be found at the bottom.
Disclaimer: I am not JKR, please don't sue.
Love and War
Chapter Five: Differences and Disappearances.
Hermione was finally happy when the train stopped and they had lost Fred and George in the hustle of people. Ron, Ginny, Luna, Harry and Hermione all hopped in a carriage (Luna smiled and waved at one of the thestrals) and it was nice to finally be away from the chattering rumors that had quickly begun.
Lavender and Parvarti had aced perfection in making sure everyone knew that Hermione had been found snuggled into Fred Weasley's lap and that they were also an item. Hermione knew, as did her friends, that they'd be dodging and replacing these rumors for the next few days, maybe in the next few weeks if the twins could help it. Fred and George were likely to make up new ones just to harass Hermione some more.
"Red and purple doesn't suit you Hermione. You'd look better blue," Luna had commented bluntly, smiling away with her wide, surprised eyes. Hermione's scowl deepened, but she said nothing in reply to this statement.
"Ron, Ginny - your brothers are dead if they do anything else to me."
"We won't miss them," Ginny replied evenly, knowing it was best to just agree with her.
"I don't even care if it's just one of them that pull the next prank, both of them will die," Hermione said, with a lot of determination behind her voice.
"We understand Hermione, really, we do," Ginny said, gazing out the carriage window as they tumbled along the road.
"I mean, who can even tell them apart? If you can't tell them apart then I'll just have to punish both of them. It's not my fault they're exactly the same!"
At this, Ginny let out a muffled snigger. Hermione turned and looked at the petite red-head.
"What's so funny?" she demanded.
"Actually, there is a way to tell them apart," Ginny replied, her tone teasing.
Hermione's memory sparked up again at this. "Yes, you were saying so on the train earlier. They seemed surprised that you know, though."
"They had no idea I knew," Ginny giggled. "I found on accident and didn't bother to tell them that I knew their little secret. I threatened Fred that I'd tell you if they did any more pranks, but that was before we left for the station this morning."
"Well then you are obliged to tell me, since they both pranked me again!"
Suddenly the carriage stopped, and as Harry and Ron bustled out, Ginny looked to Hermione and replied, "I'll tell you later." Hermione nodded but looked sour about their interruption. Things were just starting to look up for her too!
"You want to do another prank?" George said incredulously. Fred merely nodded, an evil smirk showing in the corners of his face. "You do realize that's four jokes in two days on one person!"
"Yes, but it's Hermione!" Fred reasoned. He and George were seated at the Gryffindor table, awaiting the arrival of the new first years.
George glared at him. "All because she threatened us?" he asked. Fred nodded manically. "Ginny threatened us too; you realize that, don't you?"
"I'm aware of this. But this is Hermione's war. Ginny's our little sister -"
"- Our only sister -"
"- Exactly, and that's why we can get her back anytime we want to."
"Mum will kill us," George muttered.
"Don't worry about mum; we've got more important things to worry about."
"Like what?"
"Like how the hell Ginny found out about -"
"Will she tell Hermione?" George asked, suddenly alarmed. He turned to look at Fred and the bowed their heads further as Hermione, Harry, Ginny, and Ron walked past.
"Of course she will, they're not stupid!
"Is this why we're pranking Hermione again?"
"That's up to your opinion," Fred replied. Then he looked George in the face and asked, "Are you in, brother dearest?"
"Of course. Pass me the pouch with those pills and let's hope they work."
"A few start of term notices that I must give out, because the old faces forget and the new ones are unaware," Dumbledore remarked as he gave the Start-of-Term speech. The first years had been sorted (Gryffindor had twelve new students), and they were all waiting for Dumbledore to finish his speech as their stomachs rumbled.
"Doubt he changes his speech must," George muttered in Fred's ear. "Let's find out." Fred winked at him in understanding.
"The Forbidden Forest is out of bounds to all students -" Fred, George, and Professor Dumbledore said in unison. Hermione passed the twins horrible looks.
"- Mister Filch has posted more items that are not to be used at Hogwarts. The list is attached to his office door, and you are free to check it at will."
"Lousy git," Fred mumbled.
"Quidditch tryouts will be posted on your House bulletin boards, as will Hogsmeade trips and club meetings," Dumbledore announced.
"Who made captain this year?" Fred asked. George only shrugged.
"And lastly, later in the school year, Hogwarts will be hosting a Spring Ball -"
"- Let's crash it!" George said excitedly.
"Shhh!" Ginny reprimanded.
"The Ball will only be held if the schools behavior is acceptable. All those fourth year and above are welcome. Now, I think it is time for you to all eat."
"Finally!" Ron exclaimed, and was welcomed with the sight of fresh food appearing on the silver platters before him. The new first years made audible gasps, but quickly dug in. Fred and George, each grabbing some pork chops, took quick glances at Hermione, and smiled innocently. Hermione failed to notice.
"She'll be angrier than an old hag," George whispered to Fred.
"I know," his twin replied, attempting to block a smile. "If only Lee were still around, he'd love a good laugh like this."
"You did fill the goblet with pumpkin juice, didn't you?" George asked, taking a sip his own goblet.
"Of course, you git."
Ginny watched as her twin brothers huddled together, whispering secretly. She tapped Hermione's arm.
"They're up to something. Be careful when we head up to the Tower."
Hermione glanced down the table at the twins. "I'd like to see them try and do another trick," Hermione said, trying to sound more confident than she felt.
"Well, you can guarantee that if anything goes wrong this year and that Spring Ball doesn't happen, you'll have a lot of angry girls ready to murder them." Hermione giggled at the thought.
"So, Hermione," Harry said, piercing a potato onto his fork, "are you looking forward to not being purple tomorrow?"
"Harry's right," Ginny remarked, "the dye only lasts for thirty six hours. By morning you should be as good as new."
"Except the hair," Hermione said, running her hand through her now red bushy mane.
"You'll just look like a Weasley for a few weeks, no big deal," Ron replied, shoveling some more chicken into his mouth. Hermione winced as bits of food flew from his mouth as he spoke. "Sorry," Ron said, finding the decency to blush.
Hermione reached for her goblet and took a sip. It was after she put the goblet down that she noticed Fred and George smirking at her from down the table. She immediately froze, glaring at them in alarm.
"What did you both do?" she demanded. Their grins widened.
"I said what -" Hermione started to say, but she felt an odd sort of pull in the corners of her mouth. She reached a hand up to her lips, and was shocked to discover that her lips had moved. Ginny looked at her and gave a short shriek.
"Hermione!" she cried. "You're mouth!"
Indeed, something had happened to her mouth. It had completely disappeared from her face.
She let out a scream, but it was muffled, as if someone had covered it. Her throat could issue noise, but she could not make it understandable. Her attempted scream though brought the attention of the entire Great Hall to silence.
Fred and George were laughing so hard they were crying. Harry and Ron, although feeling very sorry for their friend, couldn't help but laugh at the slight of a mouth-less, purple skinned, red-haired Hermione. They ducked their faces under the table to avoid her tantrum.
Hermione had stood up and was waving her fists at Fred and George. They merely laughed harder.
"Hermione, let me take you to the hospital wing," Ginny urged, trying to pull on her friends arm.
"This is priceless!" Fred gasped through his laughter, clutching his side. George had toppled off the bench already.
Hermione let out another muffled scream of revenge. It sounded as if she was gagged, and the twins howled with peels of laughter all over again. Everyone knew she was cursing their utter existence, even though she wasn't speaking any actual words; the message was clear nonetheless.
"You are both dead, you realize that, don't you?" Ginny said to the twins. They were too busy laughing to pay her any mind. Ginny finally smacked Ron and Harry on the side of the head, and the three of them hauled Hermione off the bench and out of the Great Hall.
"Where do they come up with the ideas for such pranks?" Ginny wondered aloud as the three of them dragged a kicking Hermione off to the hospital wing. She was still attempting speech, her muffled screams of rage echoing strangely off the stone.
"No idea," Ron answered. "But we're going to have to take a few of their jokes and use it on them."
"I agree," Harry said, as he grabbed Hermione's ankles and hoisted her entirely off the floor. A sharp kick nearly made him drop her, but Hermione was too enraged to even realize.
Madam Pomfrey was not at all happy to see students on the first day. "Classes haven't even begun and I already have a patient!"
"Sorry," Ron muttered. "But you'll get used to us, I'm sure."
"Yeah," Ginny continued. "Fred and George are back."
"Oh no! Anything but those two terrors! If they come in here looking for my help, I'm sending them straight to Albus for him to cure! I won't have them be my patients for eight years straight!"
Hermione sat grumbling and mumbling on a bed, as Madam Pomfrey went looking for a cure. Harry and Ron had headed up to the dormitories to try to find out the password, promising they'd come back and tell them later.
"Here," Ginny said, searching through a bedside table for a piece of parchment. She grabbed a bottle of ink and a quill from Madam Pomfrey's desk as well. "Write out what you plan to do my brothers. I can't understand a word you're trying to say to me."
Hermione was more than pleased to get her ideas out. She scribbled furiously, the scratching of the quill the only sound for awhile in the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey was having a hard time finding a cure that didn't require putting it in Hermione's mouth, seeing as how she didn't have one.
When she finally did return, she carried a jar of some yellow goop, and sat down on the side of Hermione's bed. She took an odd glance at Hermione's face, and then pulled out her own wand. "Must I even ask why you are purple, dear?"
Hermione's eyes narrowed as she remembered. Ginny was the one to answer. "A prank my brothers did."
Madam Pomfrey gave a nod of understanding. She tapped Hermione's face with her wand and the left over make-up vanished. "I'm not sure I can cure the purple -" she began to say, but Hermione held up a scrap of parchment that declared: "It'll wear off in less than twelve hours."
"Ahh, I'll leave it be then so we can avoid any possible screw-ups," she answered, and Hermione tried to smile, but then remembered she had no lips to show for it.
"And what about your hair…I do remember it as brown, right?"
"Their second prank," Ginny answered.
"So this would be their third prank or her?" Madam Pomfrey asked, a little disbelieving.
"Fourth, if you count rumors."
Madam Pomfrey's eyes widened and she looked at Ginny as if she'd grown two heads. "Anyway," Madam Pomfrey continued, clearing her throat, "you're mouth should be back in a little while, this doesn't take very long, I promise." Hermione jumped as she applied the yellow goop to where her lips would be; it was very cold.
Ten minutes later, Hermione had been awarded with speech once more, although her mouth would not reach its normal size until the morning. Madam Pomfrey had also warned her not to open it too wide, because the corners would tear since they were still healing. Ginny did much of the talking on the walk back to Gryffindor Tower, Hermione murmuring along.
Lips barely moving, Hermione said, "We must think of better pranks."
"I agree," Ginny replied, "but it'll take a lot of work. Those two may not have scored well on their exams, but they know how to pull a joke. They are clever wizards in that respect."
Hermione suddenly paused, and her new mouth curved into a sly grin.
"What did I say?" Ginny asked, suddenly very afraid. "Hermione?"
"Wizards…they won't know many muggle products…oh, this could be fantastic - OW!"
"You were warned not to open your mouth too wide," Ginny scolded gently as a corner of Hermione's new lip cracked slightly. Hermione rubbed at the pain, and the two girls kept walking. When they reached the portrait of the fat lady, they found Harry and Ron waiting.
"Password is "gobble-de-gook," Ron replied. "And why are you grinning like a nutter Hermione?"
"She has a plan," Ginny answered. The four of them clamored through the portrait hall, following a suddenly very gleeful Hermione. Fred and George were in their usual corner, hunched over a sheet of parchment. Hermione suspected it had nothing to do with Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. Squaring her shoulders, she flounced across the room and up the staircase to the girls dormitory. Harry, Ron and Ginny watched as Hermione skipped off to bed.
"She's still purple, she'll have red-hair until it grows out, her mouth disappeared, and she's suddenly happy?" Ron asked.
"Ginny, what did you suggest to her to make her so…so…cheerful?" Harry prodded, unsure of how to voice his question. Ginny though was looking just as unsure about things herself.
"I'm not sure," she answered slowly. "But I'm quite scared for Fred and George. They're not going to be seeing this coming, I'm afraid."
A/N: Her revenge is coming! Next chapter folks! Thanks for reading, and especially to those who have reviewed!
