Submitted for The Houses Competition Forum - Round 7

House: Ravenclaw

Subject: Muggle Studies (Stand-in)

Category: Drabble

Prompt: 9. (Object) Candles

Word count: 735

Warnings: EWE | Fred Weasley Lives

Scenting you

Hermione opened the candle and gave it a sniff, not knowing what to expect but she was pleasantly surprised with what she smelled. She inhaled deeply and the smell that assaulted her nostrils was one she was very familiar with.

"How the hell did they manage to do it?" Hermione asked aloud to herself, smelling her candle once more, before closing the lid and preparing herself to Apparate. "These two have a lot of things to answer for."

Hermione Apparated to Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, marching towards the counter where the owners were talking and laughing without a care in the world. Hermione tried not to let her vision of Fred laughing stop her rage, but she knew that she was failing already.

"Mi! The person I was waiting to see!" Fred exclaimed loudly, noticing the brunette witch marching towards him. "What brought you here today?"

"I want to know how you managed to put the scent of my shampoo in one of your candles! And I'm almost certain that it's my perfume that you put in too!" Hermione stomped her foot and she felt her anger from before returning, when she saw George snickering. "What did you two weirdos do?"

George laughed, "I didn't do anything, but you should ask Fred what he did." George smirked at his flustered twin. "Why don't you two go to our staff room and 'talk' a little, huh?"

Hermione huffed, but walked towards the staff room, hearing Fred's steps behind her. She wasn't really angry with Fred, but she didn't want them selling candles with her scent to all of the wizard world.

She waited until they entered the staff room, before turning to him, pointing an accusatory finger to him.

"All right, Mr Weasley, tell me why my scent is on this candle?" Hermione asked, making her statement clear, picking Fred with her finger.

"Aw, woman! What are you talking about?" Fred grabbed her finger before she could continue her assault on him. "I don't have a clue what you meant."

"The candle you gave me last week? I just opened today and I felt my scent assault my nose as soon as I took off the lid!" Hermione could feel that Fred was telling the truth, but she still wanted answers. "What have you done?"

Fred looked at his feet, blushing covering all of his face and Hermione started to feel self conscious of being alone with Fred. They had been alone before, but something today felt different, and she didn't know what was.

"This candle wasn't meant to be sold… It was one that I made for myself," Fred murmured so soft, that Hermione almost didn't hear. "I know that you probably think that I'm a creep now, but I just wanted to feel closer to you and the candle was a way to help."

Hermione blinked at Fred, not expecting that answer from him. She had had a crush on the redhead ever since they were at Hogwarts, but she thought that he would never look at her that way.

"You made a candle with my shampoo scent and my perfume because you wanted to be closer to me?" Hermione asked, coming near him and Fred looked up, and Hermione felt herself getting lost in his eyes. "Why didn't you say anything to me?"

"Because I never thought that you would feel the same, and I prefer to have you as a friend than don't have you in my life," Fred said, looking at her and cupping her cheek. "I prefer to look at you, being happy with someone else, than never see your gorgeous eyes ever again."

"We're both idiots," Hermione said, before closing the gap between her and Fred and kissing him. The kiss didn't take long, but she poured every feeling that she had for him on it. "You don't need a scented candle when you can have me, you know?"

Fred chuckled, and pecked her lips. "I don't know… I like to have your scent on a candle near my bed."

"In this case, can you make one for me with your scent?" Hermione asked mischievously, biting her lip. "I would love to sleep with your scent surrounding me."

"Cheeky witch," Fred replied before kissing her again. Hermione didn't mind the candle that George had given her, if in the end, she got exactly what she wanted: Fred in her arms.