A/N: WOW. I so cannot believe all the reviews I've gotten. It's completely boggling my mind. Never did I think I would have over 900. It's so flattering. Especially for my first story. But I think it jinxed my other stories. : ) I love you guys so much-you rock. And I'm very glad that nobody minds at least ten more chapters. Cause it will take that many to wrap things up. And maybe an epilogue or two. The reason this update took so long is because I'm trying to make the chapters longer by only writing a section or two at a time. Writing the whole chapter at once is what makes me stop so soon. So forgive me if the updates don't come as frequently as you (or I) would like.

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The Lady LuthienIt's not strange. Why do think I started writing this.

MrsVincentCrabbeYeah, I got that. Also no need to pout.

Sassy SmirkI laughed so hard when I read your review that I had trouble catching my breath. I'll see what I can do.

AntanaquiWith me now-deep breath. In. Out. Don't you feel better now?

avovistoI may write another story after this, I'm not sure. I'll let you know. But I must say that George and Fred-Absolutely. Not. The. Same. Just to clarify.

HuskerinexileKeep looking in the older ones, there are some great ones. 'Baby Bliss' is an ongoing one that is HYSTERICAL. I highly recommend it. But I'm not sure about the twisted reference. I know I'm crazy, but how did you: )

Pheobe CaulfieldHe, he. Another conversion. My plan is working. You are too sweet. Fred is my favorite character, and I'm glad you approve.

Damia - Queen of the Gypsi'sI'm glad. I laugh at certain parts when they pop into my head, but I never know if you guys will think they're funny or not.

Marianne Brandon: I hope it's a good party. : )

Monica7725: No, no. Ron does have one. Fred doesn't. I think I've confused you. Sorry.

Corvi: Yay, I plan to wear it from now on.

unperfectwolf: You sound like you have experience with that.

LadyJennaofSlytherin: I asked, but it wouldn't tell me.

Preetoaka Raven Potter Weasley: Don't worry about it. I've been there.

emilychristinad: Have fun.

penguininpink: I always thought the same thing myself. : )

sandiwandi: I'm betting on the slow, torturous route myself.

wockygal: I don't want to give things away, but no. She's not.

JTBJAB: All in good time my dear.

SVS: I hope not. Death due to fanfic might get me into trouble. I have enough already.

Evil Lady of Darkness: Thank you. And welcome to the ship. It's fun here.

Heart of Flame: Many apologies. But we didn't see it because they don't remember it.

Riality: Yes, it's summer. But I have a little thing called a job to contend with. Be patient.

Brice Halliwell: Thank you, and I'll think about it.

FaeRie Fire: Well I could, but I'm evil.

Not so sour Lemons: Was that sarcasm? Either way you're welcome.

MALFOY-LOVER555: Nope, sorry. Not in the cards.

SingMeNething91: Sad? How?

degrassichick: Yay, I converted another one. Nice to have you.

pyro the dark angel: Who doesn't love him?

ali-lou: I had the same dream only it contained somebody dying. I was very sad. : (

WhiskersIsMyCat: Dunno. But I figured since wizards are legal adults at 17 in the books, it makes sense if they can drink at 17. Especially since the drinking age in Britain is 18 in real life.

Michellesdaughter: Sorry, he said it itched. But I'll put it back on before I send him home.

ashley48506:Welcome back.

KrazieChikadee: I have smelling salts on hand.

Tynwfiel: Good. I was worried everyone would freak out.

mt-threat: Well I'm sufficiently scared.

saintstonelight: Ya-a crown and a cape. Next stop: world domination!

Everybody Else: Presents for everyone!

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Disclaimer: You know the drill.

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Into Action

………………

"Hey George." Harry.

George looked up from behind the counter as Harry and Ron walked through the front door of the shop. As usual Ron looked very sulky.

"What are you guys doing here? I thought you were in training."

"Kingsley had to go to a meeting. We thought we'd stop by and see if you and Fred wanted to go get lunch." Harry explained.

"I'll go but I wouldn't count on Fred." George said slowly.

"Why not?" Ron asked trying unsuccessfully to keep the interest out of his voice.

George opened his mouth but a loud crash from upstairs cut him off. All three of them looked up.

"What was that?" Ron asked.

"Round seventeen." George muttered.

"Huh?" Both of them said.

"He and Hermione have been going at it like that all day." George told them.

'I thought Hermione worked on Saturdays." Harry said.

"She 'called in sick' as she called it."

"Hermione!" Both of them voiced incredulously.

"Okay, the talking in unison thing is really annoying. But yeah, Hermione said she was too sick to come in." George said as he began to stock the shelf behind the counter with the more 'dangerous' of the trick sweets line.

Harry let out a low whistle. "Something big must have happened. Any ideas?"

George shook his head. "Neither of them have come downstairs all morning. And I value my life too much to go up there."

"They were fine yesterday. We had lunch with Hermione and everything seemed normal." Harry said.

Ron had been suspiciously quiet through the conversation and now told them both to be quiet. Harry and George looked and notice he had plucked a set of Extendable Ears from the shelf and had it fixed to the ceiling.

"I hope you're planning to pay for those Ron." George told him.

"Shh. Do you want to know what's going on or not?" Ron shot back at him.

George looked at Harry and they both shrugged.

After a few seconds of silence a group of customers came in and Ron was forced to pull the ears away from the ceiling.

"Well?" Harry asked. George finished ringing the customers up and joined them.

"Apparently, Hermione and Fred both got drunk when they went out with Oliver and Katie last night and it's all Fred's fault somehow." Ron answered with a grin on his face.

"Hermione drunk? I don't believe it." Harry murmured.

"That doesn't seem like a reason for such a blowout." George muttered.

Ron shrugged.

At that moment there was another loud bang and Hermione's voice rang out clearly through the floor. "FINE!"

'I think we should be going now." Harry said as he grabbed Ron's sleeve and all but pulled him from the shop.

'Duty calls.' George thought.

………………

George knocked softly on the door to Fred and Hermione's flat. Nothing. He pushed it open slowly. There was a broken plate on the floor of the kitchen and one of Fred's Quidditch pictures was laying in tatters across a chair. Not good.

"Hermione?" George called softly.

She didn't answer, but a sniffling sound drew from the couch drew his attention. He saw Hermione lying on her stomach, sobbing into one of the throw pillows. George's heart went out to her. He knew how much she hated arguing with anyone she cared about. He walked over and sat beside her on the couch. "Hermione?"

Muffled sounds were all George could hear as Hermione talked. He gently pulled the pillow away from her and she was forced to look up at him. She looked miserable.

"Are you okay?" he asked her softly.

"No." she replied.

"Do you want me to kill him? I will." He offered.

Hermione smiled. "No you won't, but I appreciate the offer just the same."

"What happened?" he asked, conjuring up a box of tissues to hand to her.

"Fred let me make an absolute fool out of myself last night and refuses to apologize." she snapped.

"How?"

"He let me get drunk." Hermione stated flatly.

"Let you? Hermione I've known you a long time and no one can stop you once you set your mind to something."

Hermione scowled at him. "I guess."

"Talk to him." George patted her on the back.

"I will. If he ever comes home." she promised.

"He'll come home. I'll make sure of it."

Hermione smiled at him. "Thanks George."

He was about to walk out when something occurred to him. He had heard a very interesting word thrown around during the argument earlier and hadn't thought much about it at the time. Now it seemed important. "Hermione?"

"Yeah?"

He asked her what it had meant when she said it and all the color drained from her face. "George I can't answer that." she whispered.

"I can always ask Fred."

Hermione seemed to be involved in some sort of an internal battle with herself. Finally she sighed. "Alright. I'll tell you. But under one condition."

"And that would be?" he asked plopping down beside her on the couch once more.

"You remember that favor you owe me?"

………………

Fred couldn't remember the last time he had been so angry. She got plastered and it was his fault? Then she insisted he join her and that was also his fault? Not only that, but their sleeping together was all his doing as well? Unbelievable.

He walked into the Leaky Cauldron and sat down at the bar. He'd been wandering around Diagon Alley for hours and was exhausted. He ordered a fire whiskey. He intended to sit there and stew over it for along time. Then go home and apologize. He knew his life wouldn't be worth living if he didn't.

He was nursing his second glass when who should sit down beside him but Oliver. He took the glass out of Fred's hand and placed his own coffee in front of him.

"Do you mind?" Fred snapped.

"Considering the way you consumed this stuff last night not one bit." Oliver answered.

"You noticed? The last thing I remember is you and Katie making out like teenagers at the table."

"We are teenagers. At least for a few more months. But it was hard not to notice you and Hermione."

"Why?" Fred asked even though he dreaded the answer.

"You two were all over each other. Tom had to ask you to leave." Oliver grinned. "It was actually pretty funny. The whole place was cheering you guys on."

Fred groaned and allowed his head to fall onto the bar. "Ow."

"You don't remember?" Oliver asked.

"No."

"I'm not surprised. You never could hold your liquor. I'm amazed you can still talk after a glass and a half." Oliver said as he glanced down at Fred's glass.

"Hangover. A wonderful buffer." he said dryly.

"I take it the Mrs. isn't too happy with you today?"

"She broke a picture over my head." Fred offered as an explanation.

"Ouch. Well what are you doing here? Go buy her some flowers and beg her forgiveness." Oliver pulled him up and pushed him towards the door.

"Why? It's not my fault she got drunk!" Fred protested.

"No, but you didn't have to join her."

"She made me!" Fred shouted.

Oliver looked at him like he was crazy. "Yeah I can see how scary Hermione is. No wonder you do whatever she tells you."

"I do not! And you've never seen her temper."

"No, but I do know that she would never really hurt you. She loves you, she did married you after all." Oliver said as he continued to push Fred towards the exit.

He finally managed to wrangle Fred outside and looked at him. "Go apologize. Neither of you will be happy until you do. Trust me, I've been there."

Fred groused. He bade Oliver goodnight and went off in search of flowers.

………………

Hermione looked up as the door to the bedroom opened. Fred walked in slowly with a sheepish look on his face. "Hey." he said and offered her a bouquet of daisies. The witch at the shop had tried to talk him into roses, but Hermione preferred daisies.

"You didn't have to do that." she said as she took the flowers.

"I wanted to. You were right. I shouldn't have gotten drunk last night. If I hadn't, nothing would have happened. I should have thrown you over my shoulder and drug you home after your first glass."

Hermione laughed. "As much fun as that would have been, I shouldn't have gotten drunk either. I started the whole mess." she summoned a vase into the bedroom and pointed her wand at it. It filled with water and she placed the flowers in it.

"Why did you do it anyway?"

Hermione sighed. "I was a little nervous about the whole evening. I've never spent that much time with your friends. Plus, all the Quidditch talk bored me to death." she confessed.

He had no idea she felt that way. It was almost laughable when he thought about it. "I'm sorry for not picking another subject. It's hard with Oliver. And you don't have to be nervous around them, they already like you."

"Really?" Hermione was dumbfounded. "But they hardly know me."

"Hermione, everybody who knows you, except Malfoy, likes you. It's hard not to." Fred told her. Hermione blushed. "Sorry I was such a pain."

"Even?" he asked, extending his hand.

Hermione took it and shook. "Even."

"Great." Fred all but collapsed onto the bed and yanked his shirt over his head. He kicked off his shoes and sprawled out next to her.

"Are you going to change?" Hermione asked him.

"Why?"

"Because the last time you went to bed in jeans you tossed and turned all night and kept me awake."

"Fine." he got up and grabbed a pair of pajama bottoms before disappearing into the bathroom. Hermione heard the water turn on and thought about earlier. Should she tell Fred about her conversation with George? He would just get angry again and that wasn't good for either one of them. Better to wait until later. Fred came back into the bedroom in his pajamas and crawled into bed, pulling the covers up to his shoulders. He looked over at Hermione. "Did you clean up everything yourself?"

"I clean when I'm upset."

"I helped make the mess though." he protested.

"But you were gone all day. And you know how I feel about messes."

"Sorry." he muttered.

"Don't be." she assured him. Images of their room flooded through her mind then. She had been so embarrassed picking up the torn clothes and under garments that were strewn all over the room. She couldn't imagine what it would have been like if Fred had been there.

Just then Fred jerked uncomfortably. "What's the matter?" she asked.

"My neck hurts. Some deranged woman broke a picture over my head." she could hear the grin in his voice.

She laughed. "You shouldn't have called me a midget."

"I didn't mean it."

"I know. But I fixed the picture and hung it back where it was." she told him. "I wish I hadn't done it. I feel horrible."

"It's alright. I deserved it." he assured.

"Yeah, well." Fred glared at her and she grinned in response.

Fred twitched again. "Come here." Hermione instructed.

"Huh?"

Hermione sighed and pulled on his arm until he was closer to her. She sat up and turned him to lie flat on his stomach. He was about to ask again what she was doing when she began to knead the muscles in his neck and shoulders. 'That feels really good.' She moved on to his shoulders and down his back. He moaned softly.

"Better?"

"I hereby forfeit every future fight. You win." he murmured.

Hermione smiled. "I'm gonna hold you to that."

Fred merely nodded as he drifted off to sleep.

………………

"How do you think it's going?" Hermione asked Fleur.

Fleur poked her head around the partition from the kitchen into the living room where Fred had set up a large dining table. She looked back at Hermione. "With Cherie and Michael, very well. Ron and Luna, not so good." she answered in her heavy accent.

Hermione sighed. "One out of two is better than nothing."

They picked up the dishes they had been 'preparing' and walked back over to the table. At one end Bill was telling Cherie and Michael how much they had in common. Cherie obviously couldn't have cared less, her eyes were glued on Michael. He, however was acting as though he were riveted to everything Bill was saying. He really was a good friend.

At the other end of the table Fred was chatting lightly with Luna, trying in vain to get Ron to participate. Even discussing the Cannons didn't work. Ron still looked as though he had swallowed a toad. Hermione and Fred had seriously considered running for cover when Ron walked into the flat and saw Luna sitting on the couch. His face turned the violent shade of red that signaled an imminent blowout. Only the lure of the food had convinced him to stay.

Hermione returned to her seat between Michael and Fred, and Fleur sat across from her with Bill on one side and Luna on the other. Eventually Fleur managed to get the whole table involved in a discussion about the Tri Wizard Tournament back at Hogwarts. Michael and Cherie hadn't been there and only knew what they'd read in the papers. This lead to a discussion about Beauxbatons and to her sister Gabrielle, who it turned out had a massive crush on Harry.

Fred brought up Ginny's lifelong infatuation with Harry and how she was now engaged to Neville. He had asked her if she was willing to wait until he finished his Healer training as it would take three years and she readily agreed. She was now sporting a lovely ring and really couldn't have been happier.

A sour expression came to Ron's face when Cherie asked him if he and Luna were making plans yet. "No." Luna answered before Ron could open his mouth.

"Hey Luna, what's with that blood pack thingy?" Fred piped up.

Hermione kicked him under the table. "Ow." he hissed.

"It's a tradition in my family. Betrothals go back generations and many used to break them and elope, like you did, and then it was decided that the pact was necessary to ensure the marriages would happen."

"Oh." he said sheepishly as Ron glared at him.

"So basically you have to get married to whoever you parents choose?" Michael asked.

"Or never marry." she said simply. She continued eating as it if the most common of dinner discussions. Ron looked ready to cry.

"You eloped?" Cherie suddenly asked Fred.

"Yeah." he said.

"But Bill said everyone in your family was betrothed. I just assumed…" she trailed off and looked towards Hermione.

"No, I was betrothed to some crazy French girl, no offense," he glanced at Fleur, "but Hermione and I eloped."

"Was she upset?" she asked with a quick look at first Bill then Michael.

"Livid. " Hermione said.

"It was more about honor. We never met before she showed up and threatened Hermione. Mental." Fred had a very dark look on his face.

Ron shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

"Honor?" Bill asked.

"It vas sort of dishonorable to 'er family. And yours." Fleur said slowly.

"What if they had both wanted out of it?" Cherie asked with another side glance at Michael she apparently thought no one noticed.

Fleur shrugged. "That vould be different."

"What about Percy? That girl he was betrothed to eloped. She had to pay some fine. We didn't." Fred added.

"Mum said that was a law where she lived. Doesn't apply in England." Bill explained.

"I think the whole thing is unfair." Ron muttered.

Everyone looked at each other uncomfortably. They had no idea what to say to that. Luna sat and stared at him as dreamily as ever.

"Dessert anyone?" Hermione asked.

………………

"Night." Hermione called to Michael and Cherie. He lived not far away and offered to walk her to stop for the Knight Bus as she didn't like to aparrate. Bill, Fleur, and Ron had already left and Luna offered to help clean. But Hermione eventually convinced her that it was okay for her to go.

"I'm sorry about Ron." she said.

Luna just smiled at her. "He'll come around."

"I hope so." she murmured after Luna left.

………………

"All in all it wasn't too bad." Fred said as he brushed his teeth. Actually, it came out muffled around the foam, but Hermione was used to it and understood perfectly.

"Spit." she said.

He did. He reached around her and grabbed a towel to wipe his mouth. Hermione moved to give him room. She rinsed her face and began to brush her hair. Without even thinking, she handed it to him when she was done and he returned it to it's place in the medicine cabinet. She filled up the two glasses she'd brought from the kitchen and handed him one. He walked over and turned off the light and then to his side of the room. Hermione stood at her side. "I wish Ron had behaved better."

Together they took hold of the comforter and pulled in down. "Ron's always been that way. If he doesn't like something, he pouts." He crawled under the covers and turned to face her. Hermione looked over at him. "I've noticed."

"What about Cherie and Michael?" Hermione wondered.

"I think Bill will be a free man by the end of the week." he yawned. She yawned in return.

"Night." he grinned at her.

"Night."

………………..

A/N: In the next chapter Ron continues to get up to no good. What's he doing? Just have to wait and see. And Molly makes Hermione realize something that was right in front of her face. What? Who knows? I'll give you a hint-it really scares her. Until then.