Title: Split Screen: Intervention 4?

Author: Autumn

E-mail: J.K's creations, I just play with them.

Summary: An intervention is staged. Weasley style.

Rating: PG-13

Pairing: Fred/Hermione

Spoilers: HBP

A/N: AU of book six

A/N2: Thank you very much to everyone who reviews! It gives me a big smile.

The Burrow was bustling with warmth and bursting to the seams with four of the Weasley's adult children at home, as well as three significant others. In two days it would become even more crowded with the two youngest Weasleys, Harry and Hermione coming for their winter break. One redhead in particular seemed eager for their arrival.

"She's not going to get here any faster with you staring at the door ya know." Charlie smirked at his second youngest brother.

"I think you got knocked about too much with your dragons. I don't miss Ginny that much." Fred replied with dignity.

"Sorry, Hermione won't get here any faster then."

"George tell you then did he?

"George said nothing, twin 'o mine."George said, emerging from the shadow.

"So how does he know then?" Fred demanded.

"I have my sources." Charlie answered lazily.

"Shoulda been in bloody Slytherin." Fred muttered.

"I'm not entirely certain why you think it's a secret Fred. Bill knows, so Fleur knows. Fleur knows, so naturally everybody at Gringotts knows-"Charlie was cut off.

"I get the point. It's not a secret. So um, what is your point?"

"You have a problem little bro. A deep and disturbing fixation." George said solemnly.

"Letting things like this fester isn't good for you Fred. You need help."

"Professional help." George broke in.

"I thought you were my twin, and now you sound like a sodding mini-Charlie."

"Mini? I'm half a foot taller than him!"

"Anyway, the point Fred is this," Charlie said, "We've arranged, between us-"

"Your elder, wiser brothers" George said.

"To give you opportunities to talk to Hermione by yourself. There will be no interference from Mum, or ickle Roonil." Charlie concluded.

"And what might I ask, is the catch?" Fred asked warily.

"Catch? I'm wounded. Why on earth do you think that we, your flesh and blood would want to profit in any way from the deranged pangs of your heart?" George pretended to be deeply insulted.

"Yes, catch. What's in it for you?"

"Embarrassing you until you grow a pair and make a move." Charlie said bluntly.

Bill stepped into the living room. "Dinner's on."

The eldest Weasley waited for Fred to stalk into the kitchen before turning to his younger brothers. "Everything settled?"

"Yeah, and we should have loads of fun in the meantime." Charlie confirmed.

"Stupid git thinks we're bluffing. He always was the slower twin." George said, shaking his head.

"Excellent. This will be the best Christmas ever!" Bill said in a shrill, mock-girly voice that came off eerily reminiscent of Lavender Brown.

Meanwhile in the 6th year dormitory………

Hermione Granger wasn't one to dwell on things. She was little miss practicality to everyone around her. So it was only in these private moments that she would pull out the mysterious present she'd received for her birthday, and allow herself to imagine that Fred Weasley had been the giver. She had received a package containing a set of bookmarks from the popular muggle book and movie series The Lord of the Rings.

While bookmarks were a common gift to her, few of her friends were acquainted with the book, or even knew that it was a longtime favorite of Hermione's. It was the inscription on the parchment that gave her hope that it was from Fred.

(Flashback)

Hermione, letting her hair down for once was allowing herself to read a book for pleasure. Harry, Ron, Ginny, George, Bill, and Charlie were playing rugby, which Harry had described as quidditch without the flying, or the snitch. The bodily tackling seemed appealing to the crew, and they were playing with great vigor.

"That guy looks like Dumbledore, who is he?" Fred asked, pointing to the cover of the book at Hermione's side."

"Gandalf the White. He's one of the characters in this book." Hermione answered, surprised when Fred sat down next too her.

"What's it about?"
"Well, now that I think about it. It's kind of like an allegory to what's happening in our own wizarding world. See, there's this dark lord who creates these rings to control the people, elves, and dwarves around him. And everybody thought he had been killed, but he somehow comes back. And Gandalf, the wizard on the cover figures out what's going on and gets a fellowship together to destroy the ring, and end Sauron's chance at taking over the world again."

Fred seemed stunned. "Is this a wizarding book? Maybe the author is a seer or something."

"No actually a muggle wrote it, about fifty years ago."

"Odd. Can I borrow it sometime?"

"Sure." Hermione was always happy when someone took an interest in reading.

"Excellent. It's been an absolute pleasure Hermione, but as Bill's so old and infirm, I'm afraid I've got to take his place in the match."

"Care to give a fellow a kiss for good luck?" He asked gravely.

"Sod off Fred." She laughed.

He sighed. "Can't fault a fellow for trying. I bid you adieu fair Hermione, I go to fight for the honor of the Weasley name."

"Playing against Harry then?"

"Yes. He may be a Weasley at heart, but he's a Potter by name. It would be a travesty to let a pure Weasley line be tainted with a defeat against a mixed Weasley-Potter defense."

"Hmm, yes logical." Hermione laughed.

"Oi! Fred quit flirting and get over here. Potter's going down!" Ginny yelled

With a mock bow, Fred took Bill's place on Ginny and George's team, to fight for the glory behind the Weasley name.

Hermione shook herself out of the reminiscing. She unfolded the note surrounding the Gandalf bookmark. It was written in loopy scrawl.

"All you have to decide is what to do with the time given to you."

This bloke even SOUNDS like Dumbledore.

She smiled and rewrapped the gift, tucking the box away in her trunk. Perhaps it was possible after all. With Christmas at the Burrow this year, Hermione promised herself that if Fred was there, one way or another she was going to find out the truth.