Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns everything important, but I can claim the plot.
Chapter 7: Broccoli Bouquets"You're George's SECRET GIRLFRIEND?" Fred bellowed.
"Secret girlfriend? Is that what he told you?" Hermione shrieked, very aware of the attention they were receiving from the rest of the restaurant.
"Well, not exactly…I suppose he just let me believe that because he wanted to keep you hidden. He probably wanted all the credit of finding you on his own, so Mum would love him best!" Fred realized. Hermione shook her head and pulled Fred onto the bench next to her so he would stop shouting and jumping about.
"Listen Fred, I told him not to tell you. I didn't want anyone to know about me, especially your mum." Hermione said, hoping Fred would understand.
"Oh nooo. Mum! I wrote her a letter about George's new girlfriend! She thinks he's nearly engaged by now. She's going to be distraught when she finds out it's just you," Fred said with a sigh.
"Gee, thanks," Hermione mumbled, "but I actually don't want your mother finding out yet. This is really important to me, ok Fred? Fred? Oh nooo…" Her voiced trailed off as she and Fred both noticed a very irate, red-faced George charging towards their table. The entire restaurant was watching with rapt attention.
"Get away from her Fred!" George bellowed. "She doesn't want to see you. Just leave now before you upset her even more!" George tugged at his twin's arm, trying to get him to leave.
"George, George!" Hermione hissed, trying to get his attention. "He's not upsetting me. Would you please just calm down? Maybe we'd better leave now before we get thrown out for disturbing the peace." Hermione scooted along the bench, pushing Fred out in front of her. George had just enough time to drop a few galleons on the table before Hermione drug him from the restaurant by the sleeve.
As soon as they made it outside, the boys erupted into more irrational bickering about keeping secrets and fake emergencies. Though Hermione knew she was largely at fault for the misunderstanding, she hastily told George that she was leaving, and apparated back to her office. Once there she put her head in her hands and sighed. What a disaster, she thought to herself. Just when she'd thought Fred and George had grown up into mature, businessmen, this had to happen. Though she really shouldn't have been too surprised, it was completely characteristic. Suddenly, she could not stop laughing. It had not seemed funny at all when she was in the restaurant with everyone gawking at her, but now, the whole mess was really quite hilarious. These were the Weasley twins she had known and loved. She found she could not stop laughing, even when her door flew open to reveal a very curious Grace.
"You little sneak, I've been staked out in front of your office for an hour waiting for you to show up and you just had to apparate in. What are you laughing at?" She inquired. Hermione try to catch her breath enough to explain the story but it took a moment. Grace settled into an extra chair as she listened to every word, interrupting from time to time.
"He kissed you?" She exploded.
"Well, technically yes, but it really wasn't a kiss. He thought I was some random girl George had been hiding from him. And of course the rational thing to do in that situation is to pounce on her from behind and trick her into thinking you're the other twin and then snog her senseless." Hermione said with as much seriousness as she could muster. Grace collapsed into giggles.
"If Ron was half as much fun as his brothers, then you really were wrong to tell him no," Grace exclaimed, still laughing outrageously. The smile slid off Hermione's face and Grace immediately knew she had said the wrong thing. "Oh Mione, I'm sorry. I didn't mean that," she started to explain.
"It's ok, Grace," Hermione said, mustering a brave smile, "it's hard for me to admit this, but meeting up with Ron's older brothers has actually convinced me that I did make the right choice, and not vice versa."
"Oh Hermione, I am so happy for you. And of course you made the right decision. Because now you can marry George!" Grace exclaimed, clapping her hands together like an excited six year old. Hermione just rolled her eyes when someone knocked so vigorously that the door nearly fell in.
"Hermione, let us in! We know you're in there!" One twin, maybe George? shouted.
"Yeah, let us in before we kick down this door!" The other one said. Hermione opened the door up quickly, and in tumbled Fred and George.
"Oh, well that was easier than we thought," said one of them, as he picked himself up off the floor. The other dusted himself off and held out a bouquet, well, a bunch of broccoli as some sort of peace offering? Or perhaps a romantic gesture? Maybe just a simple reminder to eat her veggies? Hermione wasn't sure but she accepted the broccoli graciously and shut the door to avoid the prying eyes of the rest of her co-workers.
"Listen we want to apologize," one started. Hermione looked for the scar and noticed it was George, as she was disoriented by their matching clothes.
"Well mostly, George wanted to apologize. I'm not sorry at all for what I did, and I'd do it again in a heartbeat," Fred said with a wink. Grace tittered from behind Hermione's desk, trying not to go all-out girly and giggly. Though Hermione knew she should probably be quite cross with Fred, she couldn't help being thoroughly amused.
"Why don't you two sit down and we chat for awhile. George and I can explain everything to you, Fred," she said, conjuring a comfortable couch in place of her stiff desk chairs. Grace took this as a hint to leave and politely excused herself. Then Hermione sat down to explain how exactly she had met up with George and everything that had happened since, while George interjected funny things from time to time, including an explanation of the broccoli, much to Hermione's relief.
When Hermione finally got Fred and George to leave (she wondered ifit was to become a common occurrence) she collapsed in her chair, wondering how she could get any work done that afternoon. Suddenly the door was flung open again. Hermione was half expecting the twins to be back for another round of childhood anecdotes, but instead found every girl in the entire building trying to crowd into her office.
"Graceeee" Hermione asked questioningly. All of a sudden the crowd gave a collective squeal as everyone pressed closer to her desk, asking a million questions.
"Were there two of them?"
"How long have you known them?
"Are you dating them both?"
"When's the wedding?"
"Is that broccoli?"
Hermione could not take it anymore.
"All of you! Out now! Out! Out! OUT!" She shouted. The girls quietly shuffled from the room, scared to make another peep. Grace tried to slip out unnoticed, but Hermione caught her just in time. "Grace Seville take another step towards that door and I will hex you into last Tuesday!" Grace shut the door gingerly and turned around sheepishly, expecting to find a very livid Hermione. She was surprised though, as Hermione was smiling wider than she'd ever seen. Hermione let out a squeal that rivaled Grace's as she danced around her office in excitement.
"What has gotten into you?" Grace exclaimed. Hermione picked up the broccoli and spun around with ita few times, her skirt billowing around her knees.
"I like him!" She whispered excitedly. "I LIKE HIM!" This time much louder.
"You like him?" Grace squealed back. Hermione jumped up and down a little bit.
"Um- Hermione?" Grace asked all of a sudden. "Which one?"
A/N: Hi everyone! I just wanted to thank you so so so much for all your reviews. I adore all of you, really I do! Please let me know what you think of this chapter!