Chapter Seven
Hermione woke up alone the next morning, her head foggy and her chest throbbing. Luckily, she was alone as she said quite a few inappropriate words that she had learned from Ron and the Twin's while attempting to sit up. All three boys would rub it in her face and mock her with her most common reprimand of 'Language'. Once settled, she could easily observe the room. It was quite like the Twin's room at the Burrow. Two dark wood dressers laden with clothing half hanging out of the open draws. As she closely examined the bed, she could see that it was two twin beds pushed together to create a bed that could accommodate all three of them. She curled in a red plaid blanket that she knew was Fred's while George's blue plaid blanket was hanging off the bottom of the bed. As she turned towards the door, three purple potion bottles sat on the nightstand on her right. Swinging her legs over the edge of the bed she downed a potion.
Hermione grabbed a sweater off the ground, a classic Weasley sweater with a golden G knitted on the front, and slipped it on. It fit as a dress almost as long as the bright sundress she was wearing. She rolled the sleeves of the sweater to fit her wander out of the room. A quick stop at the bathroom down the hall and she made her way to the kitchen where she heard the familiar voices of the Twins. She hovered in the hallway as she watched the two redheads working at the stove together making breakfast.
"We should go over and give Augusta a piece of our minds," Fred argued as he moved his wand fixing the eggs to cook.
"Fred,"
"Did you see it? All night she clutched at her wand. Barely a week after facing Death Eaters, twice her age and she gets her wand threatened." Fred hissed again turning around his face instantly flushed as he spotted Hermione. "Well, we have a spy on our hands, Georgie."
"Oi, no spying in our own home," George said turning with a bright smile.
"You slept all day and night. Didn't even eat the food that George faced the outside world for." Fred joked as he plated the eggs and George added toast to the plates.
"It's not much but it will do," George said as he gestured to the table grabbing the kettle and teacups. "Sit and eat."
Hermione smiled as she settled down at the tabletop. The Twins always liked to make believe they were exact replicas of each other's but there were differences in their personalities. Fred was always the instigator, always wanting to seek out revenge while George tried to reign in his brother's behavior to a more mischief level.
"Thank you for letting me stay," Hermione smiled as she took the plate Fred handed to her. "No running after Augusta."
"Nev sent Pinky to drop of your potions. Said he would be back around lunchtime. She was beside herself with worry but threatened to hit us with her wooden spoon if we woke you up." Fred said as he tucked into his breakfast.
"You haven't been sleeping," George finished with a glare.
"I've been fine," Hermione said with a shrug. Fred and George looked at each other before returning both of their glares to Hermione. "Last night was the first time that I didn't have a nightmare about the ministry with Bellatrix's cackle ringing in my ears."
"Mum has told us about Ginny and Ron having nightmares as well." Fred began.
"It's the first time that you had to face Death Eaters and Voldy-face by yourselves." George continued.
"But if we would have known that sleeping with us would stop the nightmares,"
"We would have kidnapped you at the beginning of your break."
"We would never mind sharing our beds with you,"
"It is quite a large and comfy bed when we push them together."
"If it gets you in bed more often I believe we'll keep it that way,"
"Right you are Freddy,"
"You two are impossible," Hermione said with a small smile breaking through the serious expression she was attempting to keep on her face. "I won't lie and say it wasn't the best sleep I've had since this whole mess started."
"You see Georgie, she did enjoy trespassing in our bed last night," Fred said with his mischievous smirk that matched his twin.
"I don't think we'll let you out of our sight for the rest of our lives," George said with a definitive nod. "We shall place a sticking charm on you and you shall forever be next to us from now on."
"I swear I will hex you if your wand even comes close to my direction boys," Hermione said glaring at the two while she placed her wand on the table as a warning. The twins both lifted their hands in mock surrender before all three broke down laughing.
"You are welcome to stay with us until it is safe to go back," Fred said with a brilliant smile.
"Even in the same bed," George said with a wink.
Neville floo'd into the Twin's flat at exactly noon. He quickly embraced Hermione and then held her shoulders as he made sure she was physically fine. The twins had gone down to the shop to leave the two siblings alone.
"I was worried when you busted out of the manor. You took some windows with you you're your magic swirling all around." Neville said as he slumped down into the closest thing he could find which was a bare table that sat in front of the couch.
"I had no idea," Hermione said as she sat in front of him reaching out to grab both of his hands. "I'm sorry."
"Nothing that couldn't have been fixed with by house-elf magic," Neville said with a grin. "You also left Gran having to answer some awkward questions from the Malfoy's."
"I'm sure that made her ecstatic," Hermione said hiding her face in her hands. "How mad is she?"
"I think she's mad at me at this point," Nev said rubbing the back of his neck. "You'd be proud I finally stood up to her. It just was for you instead of myself."
"Nev," Hermione groaned. "I don't want you to get in trouble with her too."
"No. She was out of line. To confiscate your post, trying to take your wand and not understanding that you are injured. You were the only one that was injured severely all of us could be sent back to our dorms with nothing other than a reprimand from Madam Pomphrey." Nev huffed.
"She has a point. I probably shouldn't have been studying greyer magics in first year." Hermione confessed. "It was just so fascinating. The power behind the magic, the theory, everything was challenging unlike what we were learning at the time."
"Speak for yourself, I very nearly failed half of our classes," He bemoaned. "You have always found our classes easy and the spell work we are doing to be simple. Honestly, the professors should have offered you a private study. You also have already explained that it wasn't to became this dark witch but to protect us, your family."
"She won't understand that. It was dark magic that harmed your mum and dad." Hermione again sighed.
"No, it was a crazy witch that had lost her mind at the death of her dear lord," Nev said through a clenched jaw. "Who you eliminated from the battle to protect Harry's godfather."
"But Nev—," she attempted to explain her reasoning again.
"With the amount of dueling practice, you have done with Viktor and even with the DA, you were acting on instinct. I saw it with my own eyes, Hermione." He stood from the table and started waving his arms as he spoke. "You would finish fling one spell before twisting on the spot and helping Luna or myself with another Death Eater. You aren't this super powerful witch but you have been training for the last few years for this exact thing. One person from our side would be dead if it wasn't for you probably more if they weren't surprised by one of their own going down. She needs to realize that she will not be able to keep US from the war that is coming and the better we are prepared the odds are in our favor for surviving this thing. No one that was there that night will argue that you did the wrong thing by preparing yourself."
"Nev sit down," Hermione said grasping on to his harm and pulling him down the sofa with her. "I'm not going to apologize for feeling like I've dragged you into this, but I won't argue with you anymore about it. Fred and George have been telling me the same thing all morning as did Harry and Ron when I finally told them everything."
"Good," He finally said after a moment of silence. He let Hermione pull him into her side. The height difference was becoming a little awkward now that Nev was hitting his growth spurt but it was nothing compared to the twins yet. Hermione had given up on growing taller since she had reached her current height in her third year. "Gran wants you back home with us. She knows she made a mistake. Yesterday was a hard day when she was visiting Mum and Dad. Not that it's an excuse but she saw them having tantrums all morning and she imagined that you and I were next to them. She fears that she'll lose us too."
"I don't know if I can go back today." Hermione hummed. "It was such a violation of trust for her to try to take away my wand. I'll be seventeen in a few months and to think I would be without my wand and my direct access to my magic." She shivered as she just imagined the emptiness she would feel. "I can't right now."
Nev nodded as he rubbed Hermione's arm trying to comfort her. "That what I told her. I said to give you at least a week. I knew you were safe with the Twins and it wasn't like you can't protect yourself if need be."
"Did you tell her I was here," She asked.
"Nope. I said you were with the Weasley's, I just didn't specify if it was at the Weasley's home or the Twin's flat," Nev shared a cheeky smile.
"Is our little Neville Longbottom," A voice made the teenager's head twist towards the doorway. Hermione smiled as she spotted Fred followed by George entering the flat.
"Finally learning to lie," George continued.
"We are so proud," They declared together with beaming smiles.
"Oh shove off," Hermione said with a laugh.
"But, love, it looks like you'll have to put up with us all week," Fred said pulling her from her spot next to Neville. He started leading them in a gig.
"Which we very much appreciate," George said as he came up stealing her away and continued the dancing that Hermione could not find the rhythm to. She just laughed as each twin stole her every which way around the living room.
"Oi, I'm the one that lied," Nev said with a chuckle as he tried to steal Hermione from George but instead was twirled around by Fred.
"Correct you are mate."
With a kiss placed to the top of her head, Hermione was led back to the couch and gave in to her boisterous laughter as she watched both twins lead Neville around in what looked to be a waltz. As she watched her adopted brother get twisted and twirled in the living room, Hermione for the first time thought in a long while that everything would be alright for now. She had her family, her friends and what more could she ask for.
It only took three days for her content little routine with the Twins to shatter as they were awoken in bed by a large wolf Patronus that spoke with Professor Lupin's voice.
"Fred, George. Come to the headquarters there has been an attack on the Granger residence and we haven't been able to find Hermione. She wasn't with the Longbottom's or at the Burrow."