As Hermione had promised, she stayed up for Harry to come back from the Hufflepuff common room safely.
None of them took the invisibility cloak, thought Hermione as she worried over her friends.
Just as she was about to dig up Harry's map of Hogwarts, she heard some hushed voices make their way into the red common room.
"Hey Hermione!" Said Harry cheerily as he walked in with the group he left with.
Ron was slightly flushed and Ginny looked annoyed while the twins were very quiet.
"Did you guys have fun?" She asked as she sat up from the couch and walked over to them.
"Well, Ron had a bit too much butter beer and damn girls annoyed me all night, but other than that it was fine. You didn´t miss out on much." Said Ginny, sighing at her brother who was giggling to himself.
Harry sent Ron off to bed while Ginny went to go change out of her day outfit and into her cozy pajamas.
"I think we´re off too then. Night Harry, Hermione." Said George as he smiled warmly at them.
Hermione smiled back at the twins but noticed that Fred was not smiling like his twin was, instead he wore a small frown on his face.
The minute they left, Hermione looked at Harry with a puzzled look.
"Let´s wait for Ginny to come back and we´ll fill you in." Said Harry.
They both sat in front of the fireplace, chatting about quidditch practice and homework due the following week until Ginny crawled over to them and joined them.
"So what happened? Ron seemed to be happy, but Fred seemed quite off." Asked Hermione, not wanting to seem like she was asking about the red head´s older brother.
"Well, when we arrived it was fun. Very fun actually." Started Harry and Ginny agreed.
They told her about all the drinks and snacks Hufflepuff managed to sneak into their dorms and about all the games they played, including truth or dare and seven minutes in heaven. Ginny gushed about the teenage muggle games Seamus had introduced to them and giggled at certain points of the night.
"But then, Angelina came over to Fred to, you know... sneak off somewhere." Said Harry and Hermione blushed.
She had somehow forgotten about the list but was once again reminded.
"She was all over him Hermione, you should´ve seen it. I´ve never seen Fred so uncomfortable." Added Ginny.
"Uncomfortable? I thought they were a thing?", asked Hermione, "Maybe he didn't like her approaching him in public?"
"We all thought they were a thing, but the minute Angelina started grabbing him away, Fred began to tell her off", Answered Ginny, "Said that he didn't want to be with her and that she should know when she's making people uncomfortable instead of trying the push herself on to them even more."
Hermione was surprised, she had never once witnessed Fred turn down a girl. Not to call him a player or anything, but whenever girls would come on to him, he'd playfully flirt back in a harmless way or turn them down nicely.
"Angelina was so embarrassed, she pushed him and walked away. When we left, she was glaring at all of us, probably blaming us for Fred's rejection." Continued Ginny.
"Did you ask him why he said no to her?" Asked Hermione, still not understanding why Fred would reject Angelina. Any guy would be crazy to, she was very attractive and sporty, definitely a good player in the quidditch team
"We tried to, but he simply ignored us or changed the subject." Sighed Ginny, annoyed that she couldn't get more information.
"When we left, Katie said some nasty things to Fred. Good on her for defending her friend, but she did say some pretty mean stuff... I'm surprised Fred didn't say anything back, he just smiled at her and left." Added Harry.
The three teens chatted some more before calling it a night, all of them exhausted.
"I'm never drinking again." Mumbled Ron as he sipped on some pumpkin juice and chewed some toast.
"No sausages today? You must really be hungover eh?" Commented Seamus.
"It´s all because of your stupid muggle games." Retorted Ron with a frown.
Seamus laughed at him.
"Muggle games are the best, ain't they Hermione? My favourite's never have I ever." He said and Hermione laughed.
"Of course that's your favourite." She said as she rolled her eyes at her friend.
"What's never have I ever?" Asked Ginny.
"Well, you sit with a group of people and you go around saying things you've never done. If someone has done it, they need to drink." Said Harry and Ron gagged at the thought of drinking alcohol, making the group laugh.
They all settled down as two tall red heads joined them
"What are you all talking about?" Asked George as he took a seat next to Hermione.
"Never have I ever." Answered Harry and explained what the game was.
"Oh, sounds fun! Want to play, Hermione?" Asked George as he winked and nudged her with his elbow.
She smiled at him as she shook her head at his comment, silly boys.
Breakfast went by pretty fast after that, the group was quiet as they ate. A couple of snide comments from girls were thrown at Fred, who sat next to George, but they were all ignored.
"Say, Fred, why did you reject her?" Asked Ginny, finally asking what the whole group didn't have the guts to ask.
"Say, Ginny, why don't you mind your own business?" Retorted Fred with a cheeky grin on his lips.
"At least you've got your good mood back." Mumbled Ron as he rested his face in his hands.
"I'm always in a good mood." Stated Fred, stabbing a sausage with his fork.
"Cheery chap he is." Added George, stabbing a sausage as well.
Hermione stared at them as they both shoved their food in their mouth at the same time.
How could they be this silly and still be considered in the top 10 of Hogwarts, wondered Hermione.
The twins could feel the bushy haired witch's eyes on them and they both turned to face her, winking at her at the same time.
"Lost in thought?" Started Fred
"Are you my dear?" Ended George
She looked at their grinning faces and though, nevermind, that's why.
"She's just confused as to why you're both in the top 10." Answered Ginny.
Hermione turned to face her with wide eyes.
What the hell Ginny?, She thought, embarrassed that the list was publicly being brought up once more.
"Oh! You know about that?" Laughed both of the twins, giving each other a high five.
"Top 10 of what?" Asked Ron, suddenly very interested in the conversation.
"Well, top 10 Hogwarts wizards in bed my dear Ronnie." Answered Fred with a satisfied smirk on his face as he showed off his rank.
Hermione wasn't sure if it was something to brag about, but she shrugged it off.
"Top 10 what? There's no such list, is there?" Asked Harry, his face slightly flushed as he faced Hermione for an answer.
"Well... There's one in the girls bathroom." Said Hermione quietly, not really wanting to talk about the twins's sex life while having breakfast, or at all really.
"And you're in the top 10? Bollocks." Said Ron, frowning.
Hermione couldn't help but wonder if Ron was slightly jealous of the twins, but wasn't really sure of it.
"Not top 10, we're in the top 5. Charlie's included." Said George, making Ron frown even more.
Harry stared at his plate, both of his cheeks red. Hermione felt bad for him. Of course he didn't want to talk about the sex other people were having in front of the only girl he'd ever want to have sex with.
Ginny rolled her eyes, not knowing that Harry was sneaking glances at her to see how she was reacting to the whole conversation.
"Not sure if that's something you want to brag about, George. To get into a list where all girls vote, you two must have gone through a fair share of girls." Stated Ginny. Hermione nodded at this.
"We're not embarrassed of our after hours activities." Said George.
"Nor our school hours activities." Said Fred.
"You two really know how to put off a girl." Said Ginny, pushing her plate of scrambled eggs away.
The two boys laughed loudly.
"Have you seen who else was on the list?" Asked George at the two girls and they both nodded.
"Who would've thought Wood could get wood for something that wasn't wood, am I right?" Said George as he nudged his twin with her elbow, laughing.
Hermione couldn't help but laugh at this, shaking her head with Ginny at the younger twin's lame joke.
"Hold on, who else is on this list?" Asked Ron, his ears turning red.
"Malfoy's in second place with Zabini in third. Then there's George and Charlie." Answered Hermione, remembering the names on the parchment Parvati had shown her.
"Very attentive Granger, 10 points to Gryffindor." Said Fred, getting eye rolls from both girls.
"Then it's Lee, Terry Boot, Cedric, and Zacharias Smith if I'm not wrong. And Wood is in tenth place." Continued Ginny.
Ron furrowed his eyebrows.
"Wait, where does that leave Fred then? Don't tell me only George is in the top 10 and you included yourself in the list because you're twins." Said Ron as he narrowed his eyes at the older twin as a mocking smile rested on his lips. Hermione sighed, she knew Ron knew better than to taunt his older brothers but he couldn't help it.
He's definitely jealous, she though as she rolled her eyes at the tone of her friend's voice.
Fred's eyes turned dark, something that would've been barely noticeable if Hermione hadn't been sneaking glances at him all morning. His overall atmosphere changed, he was now intimidating. She saw the corner of his lips turn up into a mischievous smile, one she recognized far too well from all the dinner table arguments the brothers had whenever Hermione would stay at the Burrow.
"I, little Ronnie, am number one." Said Fred, his voice sounded lower than it actually was as he taunted his younger brother.
Hermione could feel the hairs on her arms stand as she got goosebumps. She had never heard Fred's voice change so much. He went from a loud and happy tone to a dark and mysterious one. She didn't understand why she could feel her heart in her throat or why she couldn't catch her breath.
She was trying to get her breathing under control when she caught George's stare at the corner of her eye.
She turned to face his slowly but noticed that his eyes were trailing the goosebumps on her arms as a smile made its way on his lips. His eyes raised to meet hers and he winked before facing away from her.
Shit! Had he noticed?, thought Hermione as she panicked slightly.
Hermione got up abruptly, ignoring the angry comments from Ron as he argued with his brother.
"Hermione? Where are you going?" Asked Harry, finally speaking up after being quiet during the uncomfortable conversation.
"I-I'm going to the library, have some homework to do." She said, smiling shyly at him as he nodded and waved her goodbye.
Hermione did really have some homework to do, it just wasn't due for another two weeks.
She remained hidden in a quiet corner of the library, her hair tied up to control her wild curls and her books sprawled all over the table to hint that she really didn't want anyone sitting next to her.
Sighing, she closed her potions book after she memorized the ingredients for a Draught of Peace potion.
Her head was pounding slightly, something it tend to do when Hermione began to study too much too fast. She rubbed her eyes and began to pack up her books, deciding to come back later once she felt better so she could actually retain the information.
She didn't notice when a tall boy sat on the corner of the table, looking at her expecting to be noticed. However, after a couple of minutes of witnessing Hermione fussing about putting the right books back in the shelves, he decided to clear his throat.
"Merlin!" Gasped Hermione as she jumped slightly, not expecting anyone to be near her.
She turned around and saw the familiar mop of red hair and smirking face.
"George, what are you doing here?" Asked Hermione.
After the years, Fred and George had gotten used to Hermione being able to tell them apart. They were no longer surprised to be called their actual names, and they no longer wore a shocked expression.
"Just wanted to have a chat." He answered as he pulled out a chair and gestured Hermione to sit down.
Hermione sat slowly, aware of her surroundings.
Had he set up another prank?, she thought as she looked around.
"Relax Granger, we're already been banned from doing pranks in the library. We've messed with Madam Pince one too many times and were, and I quote, banned from doing anything apart from studying while in the library until the end of time." Said George and Hermione let out a relieved sigh.
"Right, well what's this about then? Do you need help with studying?" Asked Hermione.
"Study-what? Hermione I'm two years ahead of you." Said George, furrowing his brows.
Hermione shrugged at this, and George breathed out a laugh, knowing that the young witch probably knew more than him.
"Then, what's up?" Asked Hermione, curious as to why the twin would ever step foot in the library.
George smirked at her and Hermione's stomach flipped as she had a sinking feeling but didn't know why.
Her heart stopped as the words left his mouth and her palmed began to sweat.
"So, got a little crush on Fred have we?"
Shit.
