Disclaimer: I forgot to do one of these last time, but I'm assuming you all know I don't own Harry Potter. 'Cause I don't.
A/N: This story is Christmassy and I'm hoping to have it done before Christmas. Please keep reviewing; it really motivates me. Thanks so much for those who reviewed.
Hermione met an aggravated George on the stairs. He nodded to her, mumbling "I don't know why he insists on wrapping things the muggle way. He's beyond bad at it!"
"Fred?"
"The one and only wizard moronic enough not to use magic when making certain holiday preparations." George confirmed.
Hermione laughed. "Is it that bad?"
George nodded. "It's definitely that bad. You should see our room!" He shook his head in mock dismay and continued down the stairs.
As Hermione walked down the hall past the twins' room, she couldn't resist taking a peek. She knocked softly on the door. "Fred?"
"Come on in."
Hermione opened the door and burst out laughing. Fred sat on the floor amid several unwrapped boxes and miles of crumpled tissue paper. The Scotch tape had obviouslygotten little use, as it alone was sitting on the bed. But what really got her was the bow stuck to the back of his head.
"Hey!" Fred said defensively, looking small and helpless in the middle of all the wrapping supplies. "As if you could do better!"
"I'm sure I could!" Hermione sensed a challenge in his words.
"Have you ever tried to wrap the muggle way?" Fred said indignantly.
Hermione picked her way through the mess and sat on the bed. "The question is, have you?" Fred tried to look hurt. "Yes, I have." She answered his earlier question. "But not since I was twelve."
"Right…" Fred said.
Hermione snorted. "Really, Fred! It can't be that difficult!"
"You try it!" Fred countered. He handed her a box labeled "George."
Hermione eyed it distrustfully. "Is it something that will explode?"
Fred shook his head no.
"Implode, then?"
"No, Hermione, it's safe to touch." Fred told her deliberately.
Hermione took it and decided, "Well, first we need to find a big piece of wrapping paper." She sat on the floor next to Fred, grabbed a piece of crumpled paper, and smoothed it out on her lap. "This'll do it." Then Hermione took the tape and scizzors and went to work. After several minutes of intense concentration, she handed it to Fred for inspection.
Fred surveyed the mess of tape and paper, heavy on the tape. "Hermione," he said carefully, "You do realize that George is going to have to open this, right?"
Hermione tried to look offended, but broke into giggles as she looked at her 'masterpiece.' Fred started chuckling too, and soon the pair was laughing uncontrollably.
"Maybe," Hermione gasped between giggles, "He could use his teeth?"
"Or, we could get him a hacksaw!" Fred suggested. This set them off again. The image of George trying to open his Christmas present with a hacksaw was too much for them.
After they had calmed down a bit, Fred told her, "We'd better get going; there's more to do!" He gestured to a pile of boxes in the corner.
Hermione looked at him quizzically. "You mean you want me to do the rest like this?"
"Sure!" Fred said with a mischievous grin, "What's more fun than giving a present that doesn't open?"
Hermione laughed and glanced at the half-emptied roll of tape. "We're going to need more tape."
Fred gave her a weird look as he conjured one up. "Are you a witch or aren't you?"
Twenty-two presents and nineteen rolls of tape later, Hermione lay on Fred's bedroom floor. "Well, that's the last of them."
"Yup." Fred agreed, pulling a piece of tape out of her bushy brown hair. "And I couldn't have done it without you."
Hermione glanced at the stack of over-taped packages that only partially resembled Christmas presents. "Well, that doesn't say much for either of us then, does it?"
"Not really." Fred said. "Hey, can you believe we've been at this for over two hours?"
"Two hours!?
"Over two." Fred corrected her. "Lighten up- it's Christmas! We have a few hours to spare!"
Or waste, Hermione thought darkly. Shouldn't she be working? "I should be working." she told him decisively.
"Oh. Well, thanks for the help then." He offered her a hand, but she was already up.
"You're welcome." Hermione replied before plucking the bow off his head and handing it to him. He took it and grinned.
Hermione went into her own room, sat down, and pulled out a piece of yellowed paper, on which was written what looked like gibberish. But instead of decoding the codes and deciphering the ciphers, Hermione thought about Fred. She and Fred weren't even friends, really. More like acquaintances, she decided. They didn't hang out or anything; he was just her best friend's older brother. And he was handsome.
She rolled her eyes at her own absurd thoughts. "I'm just jealous because Ron and Harry are both in love and I'm not." she reasoned aloud. This knowledge did not make her feel better. "And I must be really desperate to think that Fred Weasley is attractive!" That statement made her feel even worse.
Well, she didn't need to be in love to be happy, she told herself. Some things were more important than love, and work was one of them. If she wanted to get that promotion, she couldn't let frivolities like love distract her! She could make herself happy just by working up to her full potential! Alone! And she would prove it.
Determined to beat her own challenge, she turned to her ciphers with renewed energy.
Fred looked after his brother's friend with mixed feelings. She was really nice, he thought, and even kind of pretty. But she seemed too uptight, and she spent way too much time working, he concluded. It was a shame, really.
Then a burst of inspiration hit him. He could fix that. Why let her waste her potential when he could show her how to have fun? As he climbed into bed, he developed a plan to help Hermione. It sounded like a challenge to him, and Fred could never resist a challenge.
A/N: Ok, so it was slightly corny.I was actually going for cute, but whatever...Anyhow, I'll try to get chapter three up by Friday or Saturday. Please review!