Chapter Ten

No One Messes With a Weasley

"Well, the seeds of doubt are definitely planted," Lee reported cheerfully as he met up with the twins outside the Great Hall, handing them various breakfast foods (the twins were avoiding Hermione as much as possible, which usually meant missing most of their meals).

"She bought it?" George said smugly.

"No, but Ginny seemed to think it was possible you were telling the truth," Lee replied, stuffing his Extendable Ear back into his pocket. "Unfortunately, Ginny suggested they worry about Fred for now and put George on hold."

"Damn—what else?" Fred asked.

"I left right around then, Harry and Ron came in and I was running out of time to get you breakfast."

"Well," George said as they headed up to Charms, "should we switch the focus back to Fred, or put the spotlight on yours truly?"

"Take your pick, considering we don't have a plan either way," Lee said.

"I think we should keep her confused," Fred said, shooting a dirty look at Lee.

"Well, then, any ideas?" Lee said bluntly. "How are we going to convince her that George likes her, and what are we going to do to keep the war going with her and Fred?"

"We could, I don't know, send her chocolates from George—" Fred began.

"Now you guys are spending money on this?" Lee said incredulously.

"Who said anything about money? That's what the kitchens are for," Fred replied.

"I don't think she'd eat anything I'd send her," George said, "she'd think they were jinxed."

"That's a great idea!" Fred exclaimed. "We'll put a love potion in some chocolates, and if she eats them… she just might eat them, you know—"

"Yeah, after she's had someone test them," Lee interrupted. "Like Lavender or Parvati, or Harry, or maybe even Ron or Ginny. Not that it wouldn't be... interesting, and really funny, but I don't think either of you want Harry or your brother or sister falling in love with you."

"Good point," George said. Fred nodded, grimacing. "You know," George went on thoughtfully, "this me-liking-her thing might not be the best of ideas. I mean, surely she'll figure out that there's no way in hell I'd do that to my twin brother."

"Actually, I think you're our best angle," Lee said. "She might think you really do like her… I mean, Hermione realizes you're not hurting Fred's feelings, she knows everything with Fred is bull, right?"

"Right," Fred said. George frowned, noticing the faintest of blushes on Fred's cheeks. Was something going on that his twin wasn't telling him about?

They finished their breakfast and went to Charms, waiting until Flitwick set them a spell to learn so they could talk without being overheard, which was even easier now, what with Angelina, Alicia, and Katie keeping their distance. "I have an idea," Fred told them. "What if we told her George and I had a fight?"

"She'd see through it," Lee said.

"Yeah… but what if we tell everyone else Fred and I had a fight?" George said excitedly.

"Then she'd still think you were just using it to get her to like George," Lee said.

"Not necessarily, she might get pushed more towards George… I mean, say George likes Hermione, but Fred and Hermione are pretending to be exes, so in the interest of making sure George can inconspicuously have a go with Hermione, Fred agrees to say he and George had a fight?" Fred mused.

"I'd say you're pretty good at the whole talking-about-yourself-in-third-person thing, but what would we do when we got together to plan?" Lee said. "You two couldn't be seen together."

"I could be forcing the Hermione war to a standstill, too," George said. "You know, keeping Fred from getting Hermione… and Fred can't fight me for Hermione without letting on that I'm shamming it…"

"This is making my head spin," Fred said, frowning. "All right, it's got kinks, but it might work… we'll save it for later, then, if we can get it to be flawless. In the mean time, why don't you go at her again, George? Maybe kiss her a little?"

George winced. "Fred, you've still got the bruise from where she kicked you outside Snape's classroom, and I'd kind of like to avoid getting one myself. She was an inch away from crushing your kneecap."

"You should go at her anyway," Lee said, rather reluctantly. "You both should… I don't know what we'll say if someone asks if Fred knows George likes her, but I think we should keep the two of you trying. George should get as little audience as he can manage, though, and I don't think the kissing thing matters."

"All right, then," George said, "I can do that. I'd like to point out, however, that you owe me for this, Fred. It's highly embarrassing."

"It's worth it," Fred said, an evil gleam in his eye. "It's time she learned an important lesson: No one messes with a Weasley."

Hermione had tried to keep herself surrounded by people, but unfortunately she had to go to Ancient Runes and Arithmancy, which neither Harry nor Ron took. She had to walk to and from both classes alone, unless by chance she happened to run into a Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw in the same class on the way, which was unusual. So George was able to catch her on the way to Ancient Runes the Tuesday after confronting her outside Arithmancy, and this time, they were completely alone; he'd been waiting for her in a secret passage.

Hermione stopped and stared at him coolly; the passage was too narrow for her to get by him without pushing him, and she preferred to keep her distance for the moment. "What is it, George?" she asked, sighing.

"I meant what I said, you know," George told her bluntly. "I have feelings for you."

"You expect me to believe that?" Hermione said, giving a derisive snort.

"It's true," George insisted. "I just… is there any chance at all you'd consider…?" He stopped, biting his lip, a blush creeping up his neck. God, this was embarrassing.

"First of all, I don't believe you," Hermione replied, "and second of all, things with Fred—"

"What things with Fred?" George demanded.

"I like him," Hermione said simply.

"Since when?" George asked, adopting a sullen face to keep up appearances.

"Since the last summer when we started going out," Hermione responded calmly.

George blinked. "That's rubbish, and you know it. You've never been with Fred…"

Hermione gave him a look of such utter surprise that George trailed off. "You mean, he's told you there's nothing between us!" she said, looking slightly hurt.

"What are you talking about, I've known all along—"

"Oh," Hermione said, her tone becoming frosty. "I see. He'll let everyone know the truth but his own brother, will he?"

George knitted his eyebrows together. "You're not making sense."

Hermione threw up her hands in exasperation. "You honestly don't know?"

"Don't know what?" George demanded suspiciously.

Hermione gave him a long, searching look, then said, "George, I have been seeing Fred since last summer, don't you see?" Her face softened. "I'm sorry he didn't tell you—"

"Oh, come off it, Hermione," George laughed. "He'd have told me."

Hermione shook her head. "I didn't want anyone to know. I figured he'd tell you anyway, I mean, it's what I would've done… and after all I told my best friend…"

"Yeah, right, Fred's been shagging you for ages without telling me," George said, rolling his eyes.

Hermione nodded. "He has. Ginny's the only one who knows the truth, I suppose, though Harry probably suspects by now…"

"Uh-huh," George said skeptically. "So why are you so pissed at him, then?"

"Because he told everyone," Hermione said, still in a soft, kind tone, as though expecting him to be upset now that he knew and trying to comfort him in advance. "We'd both agreed not to tell anyone, and if anyone did find out we'd deny it. Back at the Burrow, it was because of Ron and because of your parents, but then it became about Hogwarts, you know, rumors and such… I mean, in the past few days I've had to deal with all sorts of annoying comments and gossip about me and Fred… plus there's Ron, too. I just… I hope you understand why he didn't tell you…"

George was silent for a short while, thinking it over, but he forced himself to remember that Fred was a lot more trustworthy than Hermione (at least, when it concerned George), especially at the moment. "Sorry, Hermione, but there's a few gaping holes in the story."

"Oh, come on, George, do you honestly think I'd kiss just anyone the way I kissed Fred? Well, Fred and you," she said, and she blushed. "I… I am sorry about that, I got confused, you know…"

"If he'd been lying since last summer about shagging you, why wouldn't he tell me the truth when he told Parvati and Lavender?" George demanded.

"I don't know," Hermione said, "you'll have to ask him that." She headed up the stairs to him. "I'm going to be late," she said, "I have to go…" She patted his arm consolingly as she passed.

George remembered quite suddenly that not too long ago, he'd wondered if Fred was keeping something from him… Lee had said "she knows everything with Fred is bull," and Fred had blushed a little… was it possible Fred really had been seeing Hermione under his very nose? Was it possible their little war wasn't some extended revenge for a practical joke, but an actual fight between girlfriend and boyfriend? Come to think of it, surely Hermione wouldn't kiss Fred like that, no matter the stakes… no one kissed that intimately as a joke, especially not a girl like Hermione…

George hurried off to Transfiguration, his mind full of questions.