Chapter 3

"Morning! So we're leaving this afternoon for the match, is that okay Hermione? It's quite a short journey but we want to get settled tonight before tomorrow's kick-off don't we? I mean, it could be a long one – the last one was over four days!" Ron had burst into the kitchen with a spring in his step and a grin on his face, and was filling in his friend on the day's plans while pouring himself some orange juice.

"What? Oh, the match. Erm, yeah, Ron? I don't really feel like going to watch the Cudley Channons today …" Hermione trailed off pathetically.

"CHudley CAnnons, for the last time Hermione! But why don't you want to? You were all for it a few days ago. Are you ill? Wait a second, I'll go and get Mum-"

"No Ron I'm not ill. It's just the match – it's really not my kind of thing." Explained Hermione. " I'm sure if you gave my ticket to someone else they'd much prefer it, and Harry's too 'cause that's spare as well isn't it? Hey what about Fred and George, they like the Cud-Chudley Cannons don't they?"

"I suppose," mumbled Ron, his smile disappearing for the second time in two days. "I thought it would be fun though, just the two of us, seeing the greatest team on Earth-"

"Steady on Ron, they're not that fantabydoobilus," commented Fred as he entered the kitchen in front of his clone.

"No, sorry Fred, but I have to disagree with you for the first time in my life, as they actually are that fantabydoobilus," said George matter-of-factly.

"Cheers George," said Ron. "Say, would you two want to come to the match, now that Harry and Hermione can't? Or won't …" he added with a regretful glance at Hermione.

"Hell yeah! Nice one Ronners, we really need to get out, those pie fumes are suffocating us, seriously." Said George, slumping into a chair next to Hermione and seizing the tickets in Ron's outstretched hand.

"Err speak for yourself matey," said Fred. "I'll pass thanks, I'm only obliged to see teams that are100percent fantabydoobilus."

"Will you two stop it with that word? It's not even real …" muttered Hermione irritably, but no-one took any notice.

"Fine then, it's just you and me then George," sighed Ron depressingly; his former jolly mood was progressively ebbing away.

"Tsk, don't sound too pleased darling baby sibling, I'm not sure whether I want to go now with someone who has a face like a smacked ar-"

"Oh I know who'd want to go with you – Lee. He's at a bit of a loose end as his folks have gone away, why not invite him?" Fred butted in.

"Sure, why not …" murmured Ron, as he sloped out of the kitchen, for the first time passing up breakfast.

By the time of their departure, George had managed to cheer up Ron, reminding him of how "awesomely fantabydoobilus" the game would be and after they had left, the house seemed much quieter.

Hermione was just lying on the sofa in the living room reading a book when she heard someone enter and sit down opposite her. She turned to see Fred.

"Missing your beloved twin already?" She asked, shifting so she could face him comfortably.

"Nope. You miss yours?"

"Mine? I don't have one. Blimey Fred, I know you didn't exactly pass your exams with flying colours but I would have thought you might be qualified enough to notice –"

"Yes yes very good. I meant Ron – he follows you around enough that you two could be called Siamese inseparables, wouldn't you agree?" Fred smirked, looking uncannily like a certain white-blonde Slytherin that Hermione wasn't too fond of.

" He doesn't follow me around that much …" Hermione sighed at the prospect of another debate about her and Ron's relationship. "If you're going to harp on about me and Ron like Ginny, then –"

"No don't worry, I'm not. And it's 'Ron and I' I think you'll find," he added, with a huge grin plastered on his face. "Do you realize that I just corrected you? Bow down Granger! For I am the new –"

"Oh be quiet," Hermione chuckled, lying back again to continue reading her book. She muttered dismissively, "you look and sound just like Malfoy …"

"HEY! Don't you compare me to that little son of a –"

"I wasn't! It was a joke. You know, they're those things that you say that aren't supposed to be taken seriously? You should be familiar with those, seeing as all you ever seem to do is take the –"

"Now now! I will not allow such language in my quarters! I am the head of the house you know. Well, apart from Dad."

"And Bill."

"Well yeah, but –"

"Oh and there's Charlie."

"Well he doesn't-"

"And of course let us not forget Percy, someoneI can relate to much more …"

"Yes alright, alright Missy Bookworm, but they're not here. In fact, I am the only male in the house!"

"Well actually there's-"

"Pigwidgeon doesn't count! I am the only human male in the house and so I am now the head, which is above you Hermione Granger!" Cried Fred, jumping up onto the armchair, with one hand on his hip and the other in the air, as a salute.

"Oh don't be such a drama queen Fred, honestly …" Hermione tutted as she tried to continue reading her book. "Anyway, I was going to say that you 'take the mickey', not what you were presumably implying. And besides, you nearly said 'son of a-'"

"Aha! There you go again! You know you're a real hooligan Hermione, I'm going to have to let darling Ron know about this extremely un-ladylike behaviour, then maybe he'll think twice about what he's letting himself in for, following you around 24/7 like a lapdog!" Fred laughed.

"Oh shut up you bully!" huffed Hermione, trying to hide her grin by sinking down further into the sofa and holding her book higher on her chest. Then it was knocked onto her fore-head by a cushion that had been thrown by Fred at her head. She immediately returned it, but widely missed her target.

"Me a bully? You're the hooligan! But deary me, we should have really gone to that game today shouldn't we? Perhaps to get some tips from the chasers on how to throw objects without missing their aims, oh and of course you can get hooligan tips at Quidditch matches …" laughed Fred, scampering from the room before Hermione could grab another cushion.

A/N: Please let me know what you think so far, and if you have any ideas on what could happen next!