Author's note: I am so sorry for the long absence. Finals came, and Christmas and then a lack of inspiration. But, I am back in a creative mood, so hopefully will start writing again. Can't promise an update every day, but more is forthcoming. So, thank you for reading, and sticking with me. Hope you enjoy!
Disclaimer: see Chapter 1
Sure enough, Hermione got work that Professor Vector had some kind of accident and all the afternoon Arithmancy classes were cancelled. Whether she forgot the Weasley twin's request, or she was purposefully avoiding them, she went to her usual table in the library during her free time. The Durmstrang champion was there, sitting near her as he had the past few days. As before, he sat reading, watching her over the top of his book. She tried to put his attention out of her mind, musing that she was getting a lot of practice, but the gaggle of girls who followed her admirer came into the room and broke her concentration. She was about to despair of ever getting any work done when he hopes were completely dashed by the arrival of a certain pair of redheads.
"Told you she'd be here," they said to each other. They sat, one on either side of her, though there wasn't really room for them.
"Thought you were going to come pass the afternoon with us," Fred said, feigning emotional distress.
"Oh, I'm sorry, I forgot," she murmured in return, trying to keep her voice down to stay on Madam Pince's good side.
"Hurt our feelings," George pouted dramatically.
"I just forgot, I didn't mean it," she insisted, trying to keep them from making a scene.
"Well, come on then," they cajoled her. George finally noticed Viktor Krum's particular attention to Hermione, and pointed it out to Fred. The mischievous looks that crossed their faces had her a little bit worried.
"Okay, let's go!" she said suddenly, trying to keep them from doing anything along the lines of what they usually did in this kind of situation. She walked quickly out of the library, her arms loaded with the books she always seemed to be carrying. George took them as he walked up beside her, passing half of them across her to Fred.
"How does a little thing like you carry these around all the time?" Fred groaned, looking at the books he carried.
"Maybe there's more to her than meets the eye," George suggested with a wink. Hermione sighed and led the way back to the common room, where the twins gave her back her books to take up to her room. "You think she'll come back down?" George asked his brother.
"Sure she will. She'd better, if she doesn't want us to try and improvise a way to get past the wards," Fred responded. Neither boy took his eyes off the stairway, though, until Hermione reappeared.
"So what is it you boys have in mind for this afternoon?" she asked brightly, surprising the boys at her sudden willingness to go along with their plans. Hermione was surprised at herself as well, but some feeling told her it was better to go ahead with them then try to stop them. She wouldn't want to see what they would do to get their way.
"Oh, nothing much," Fred said innocently.
"Just a bit of planning, really," George added.
"Why do I have a feeling you're not planning your study schedule for the year?" Hermione questioned.
"Who plans their studying, other than Ravenclaws?" George quipped, earning himself an elbow in the gut from his brother.
Hermione raised an eyebrow. "Besides me?" she asked pointedly.
"Well, you're a special case," George added, clutching his stomach and trying to breathe normally again.
Hermione smiled as they continued down to the lake and found a nice spot to sit on the still green grass, all three lined up with their backs against one of the craggy rocks the dotted the landscape. "What is it you have in mind?" she finally asked, once they were comfortable.
"We need your input," Fred opened. When Hermione didn't immediately object on principle, he continued. "We know you're always helping Harry and Ron with these kinds of things and everyone says that you're the cleverest witch around, so we thought you might help us with our little…project."
"For one, I only help Harry and Ron because they'd try to do it themselves if I didn't, and probably end up killing themselves. And second, I'm not the cleverest, there's Ravenclaw seventh years that've been at this longer than I have. Now, what kind project are you talking about?" she finally asked.
"Well, that's the other thing," George added. "We can't exactly tell you what it is."
Hermione gave each of them a sceptical look in turn. "You expect me to help you with this, and not tell me what you're doing?"
"We're just not sure how it will turn out, and we don't want to get you in any trouble, if we can help it," Fred explained.
"So, really, we're looking out for you," supplied George.
Hermione rolled her eyes.