Why Can't We Be Friends?
Once they arrived back at the castle Alex was bombarded with questions concerning her whereabouts for the day. "Where have you been all this time?" Ginny asked her, looking at Alex's muddy jeans, and messy hair.
"You should try asking your brothers. It's no thanks to them I look this way." Alex smiled at Ginny. "Always getting me into trouble those two are."
"I think you highly enjoy it, you just act like you don't." Ginny suggested. She was three years younger than Alex, but not much smaller. Ginny was looking Alex in the eyes, but there was a twinkle in her eyes, that Alex knew she was begging to hear the whole story.
"You want know what happened?" Alex asked, though she already knew the answer.
"Do tell!" Ginny plopped on the bed next to Alex, who explained the events of the day.
"Well they woke me up rather rudely before the crack of dawn, after giving me some kind of new treat they'd invented and pretended like I'd made plans to do something crazy with them today. They had me very confused. Then when I refused to go Fred grabbed me, threw me over his shoulder and took me to a secret passageway. And then they made me trudge all the way to Honeydukes where they made fun of me all day. Oh and they had me believing that we were going to cut Dumbledore's beard off, which I was trying to tell them was a bad idea."
"That's all?" Ginny asked, slightly disappointed by the fairly uneventful day.
"Hey, at least you weren't dragged out of bed before the sun was even up to do all this and not even get anything out of it." Alex stood up. "I need to change out of these dirty clothes and take a shower."
"Did I hear the word shower?" George popped his head inside.
"Conserve water. Shower with a friend!" Fred stuck his head inside next to George.
"Who may I ask, should I have for a shower buddy?" Alex prompted.
"I'd be happy to oblige." Fred told her.
"Of course you would. How do you two manage to get up here anyway? Isn't there supposed to be some sort of security, because right now I'm feeling particularly violated."
"Now a good magician never gives away his secrets." Alex rolled her eyes.
"You shouldn't talk like that in front of your little sister!" Ginny piped up from the bed.
The boys blushed. "Sorry Gin, didn't see you there." Fred said.
"Obviously." She smiled as she left the room.
"Now if you will excuse me I need to get clean. I'm feeling really dirty right now."
"Now wait a minute, did I hear you complaining about today. We gave you a grand time and you complain about it?" George asked, looking very offended.
"I enjoyed today. Happy?" Both boys nodded. "Okay then. It's time for me to shower." Alex headed towards the bathroom.
"We could still use the rumors about Alex sleeping around. Practically everything they say to each other sounds like they do." Ron just gave Harry a look.
"Ron, if they keep doing these stupid stunts and nothing big, what are we going to do to get revenge?" Harry asked.
"Honestly Harry, I don't know when you got to be so stupid-" Just then Ron was cut off by a loud scream. Hermione came running down from the girl's dormitories.
"FRED! GEORGE! I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!"
"I think Hermione is on our side now." Ron laughed. "Hermione, come here!" Hermione stalked over to them.
"What?" Her tone was nasty. Ron filled her in on their plans of revenge. She instantly calmed down.
"I can come up with a much better plan. Just give me time. Plus we have our own secret weapon." The boys looked at Hermione dumbfounded. "Alex you idiots. And Ginny. Alex is likely to tell the plan to Ginny. I can get it from Ginny." With that Hermione stalked off to confront Fred and George.
Alex walked into the common room feeling refreshed after her shower, only to be greeted by shouting. A row was going on between Fred, George, and Hermione. Well truthfully it was one-sided, Hermione was screaming at the boys, while they just sat there looking dumbfounded.
"-STUCK IN MY BED! THOUGHT IT WAS FUNNY DIDN'T YOU! IF YOU EVER-" Hermione was ranting.
"Hermione I think you should calm down." Alex yelled. Her efforts fell on deaf ears so she tried again. "Excuse me! I just cleaned up and I'd prefer not to have a shower of spit."
Hermione stopped and glared. "Sorry Hermione, but I had to get you to stop somehow. Anyway, what's going on?"
"Hermione here is accusing us for sticking creepy crawlers in her bed." Fred explained.
"Well you did! Who else would have done it!" Hermione spat back at him.
"First off, what are creepy crawlers?" Alex asked.
"Fake bugs that move like their real!" Hermione exclaimed.
Alex laughed. "Sorry." She shot Hermione a look of apology. "But what is the point when you can use real bugs?"
"They're easier to clean up." George said seriously. Alex had to suppress more laughter.
"You know Fred, she does have a point. Who else would do that? " Fred looked ready to kill her. Hermione grinned.
"Well Alex, you accuse your friends so easily also."
"Did you do it, Fred?" Alex asked. Fred never lied to her.
"NO!" Alex looked at Fred. He didn't appear to be lying to her.
"Of course you did!" Hermione shouted.
"Hermione calm down. We don't know that for sure." Fred and George looked at her. She gave them a 'we'll talk about this later' look.
"You know 'Mione, we would have used real bugs if we were to do that."
Over in the corner Ron was shaking with silent laughs. "What is so funny?" Harry asked him.
"I'm the one who put the bugs there. I just wanted Hermione's help and I figured it was the best way to get it."
"Ron if she ever finds out we're dead."
"Which is why she won't."
"Well since there is no proof Fred or George did it, you'll have to let it drop Hermione."
"Fine!" She stalked over to Harry and Ron.
"Hey, why can't we all be friends?" Alex asked after her.
"Yeah, sure, friends!" Hermione didn't even turn around to say this. "I'll get even." She muttered quietly to herself.
"No one knows how to take a joke around here anymore." George quietly said to Fred. Alex turned around and nodded.
"We'll deal with her later." Alex mouthed to the twins. Within a few moments the common room had returned to normal and the troublesome three were able to relax once again. "Who do you think did that to Hermione?" She plopped down onto the couch with the twins.
"It was probably Ron, or Harry, or maybe Neville by accident. Ron and Harry are always trying to get us back for the pranks we play."
"Yeah, that makes sense." Alex agreed.
"Well, let's not worry about it."
"So do we mind telling me what exactly we did today? That wasn't even a real prank or anything. We do that all the time anyway. And what was all this talk about a 'Master Plan'?" Alex asked once more.
"Well, part of a training program to see how well you could sneak around. You obviously didn't pass." George smiled. Alex shook her head.
"You have got to be kidding me right?" Alex asked. The twins were sneaky about their pranks, but everyone always knew it was them. No one else had the minds to pull off the stuff they had, so Alex wondered why there was any need for this so called training camp.
"You see, Alex, we have a plan, but you forgot. This plan will eventually be put into action. Some…events have to fall into place before we do anything." Fred chose his words carefully. Alex couldn't tell if they were joking or serious.
"So you're telling me that you guys have some brilliant plan that I can't know about until certain things happen? And in that case, why did you tell me before?" Alex asked.
"No." Alex looked at Fred confused. "What we're saying is that we do have a brilliant plan, that you will not know about until it's about to happen. We told you before because we knew you would forget; that's why we tested a new product on you. You will help us with this; I will not accept no for an answer."
"Oh really? Would you rather I never talk to you again?"
"You know you couldn't go a day without talking to us."
"Is that a challenge?" Alex asked.
"I believe it is." George smiled.
"Fine, starting right after I finish this sentence I will not speak to either of you for twenty-four hours." And with that Alex looked at her watch and walked away.
"Alex!" George called after her.
"This is going to be fun." Fred laughed.
"There is no way she will be able to do it."
"I know. That's what makes it all the better." Fred and George followed Alex all the way around the common room until she left for the dorms.
"Stupid idiots." Alex muttered as she fell onto her bed. "I'll show them."
"What was going on out there?" Ginny walked into the room.
"The boys challenged me. I can't talk to them for twenty four hours." Alex sighed.
Ginny giggled. "Think you can do it?"
"Of course not. But I have no choice or I will never hear the end of it."
"Well then I recommend you do something to keep yourself busy for hours on end."
"Well I could shag the entire population of seventh year boys." Alex suggested. Ginny's eyes grew huge and she blushed. Alex laughed. "Ginny, by now you shouldn't be embarrassed by the subject. And it is only me. It's not that big of a deal.
"I know. But it's kind of strange to talk about that…stuff with your twin brothers' best friend."
"Hey I talk about sex with your brothers all the time." Ginny turned so red Alex thought she might explode.
"Don't worry Ginny; I've never had sex with either of them." Alex figured Ginny has mistaken what she was saying.
Ginny blushed an ever darker shade. "I didn't need to know but that's good. Other people think you have."
"Really?" Alex was slightly surprised. "I can see why they think that though. Well I'm not like that."
"I know. So what do you plan on doing about my brothers? You know they won't leave you alone." Ginny conveniently changed the subject.
"I'm not sure yet. But I'll come up with something."
"So Hermione, what's the plan?" Harry asked
"Would you give me some space? And Harry, how stupid are you. You've given me fifteen minutes to form a plan!"
"Harry, I think we should leave Hermione alone." Ron suggested.
"Yes, that would be nice." She responded snidely
"Should we meet you in the library in a few hours?" Ron asked.
"Yes, now just go away!" Ron and Harry hurried off.
"Why is she acting like that?" Harry asked Ron.
"Isn't it obvious!" Harry stared blankly at Ron. "PMS!"
"Well what are we supposed to do until she's ready?" Harry asked.
"You can do whatever you want mate. I'll see you around."