Book Club: How The King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories

Prompts:

[dialogue] "I thought you could use a little nonsense"

Word Count: 950

Fred had never seen Hermione so worked up before. Her OWLs were coming up, and as far as Fred knew, she hadn't slept a wink in the past week. She was up all night, memorising the textbook definitions as she paced in the common room, her hair scrunched up in a messy bun. The bags under Hermione's eyes were so dark now that people had begun wondering if she had turned into a vampire over the course of the month.

When he asked Harry and Ron about Hermione's tight schedule, Fred was horrified to learn that she hadn't even been eating properly for fear of missing out on important study time. Fred realised he couldn't let her run herself ragged. And so, a plan began to form in his mind.

The very next day, Fred and George used their trusty prank products to set the library on temporary fire. As the flames leapt up towards the ceiling, Fred ran towards Hermione, who was too absorbed by her oh-so-riveting Potions textbook. "Merlin, witch! Get out if you want to live!"

Without hesitation, he swooped in, picked her up, and threw her over his shoulder before running through the relatively safe flames. Hermione coughed and tried to cover her mouth. "But... my books! I need to study for the Potions final!"

"Forget the fucking books!" Fred roared as he carried her through the hallways. He ran straight down to the Great Lake and deposited her on the bank. "You're a crazy, crazy witch."

"We have exams coming up, Fred, and I need to study," she stated, standing up and dusting herself off. "Why did you bring me out here? Shouldn't we have gone back to the common room?"

"I thought you could use a little nonsense," Fred said before he shoved her into the lake.

A string of swears—that would have made Ron proud—left Hermione's mouth as she surfaced from the clear water, spluttering and choking. Fred grinned as he called out, "Cannonball!"

Before Hermione could swim away, Fred leapt up into the air and came splashing down an inch away from her. She squealed as he wrapped his arms around her waist and dragged her down. "Fred, let me go! I need to—"

"You don't need to do anything right now except relax and have fun," Fred said, pulling her closer. He reached up and tugged on her wet curls. "You're so stressed out all the time…"

"OWLs are—"

Fred shook his head and asked, "Do you think you'll be able to remember anything if you're tired and stressed out all the time? Your health should be your first priority, and because you're not focusing on that, I will."

Hermione's gaze softened and her heart warmed at his words. She nodded and placed her hand on his chest. "Very well, but I have to get back to work soon."

"I'll be quick," Fred teased. He swam them away from the shoreline, and Hermione allowed him to lead her.

Once they were far enough, Fred let go, and Hermione sighed as she leaned back, closed her eyes, and let the water wash over her. It did feel good to let go of all her worries for some time. Maybe Fred was right—okay, yes, Fred was definitely right, but she didn't want him to get too cocky.

Though she was trying to relax, the thought of all her undone research kept prickling at her mind. Just then, Fred splashed her with some water, and Hermione's eyes snapped open. "Stop thinking," he ordered, staring at her pointedly.

"Are you reading my mind?"

In an impulsive move, she grabbed his head and shoved him under the surface. He squawked in indignation and came up, spluttering, his hair plastered over his eyes. Hermione burst out laughing at the sight, and Fred tried to glare at her, but his eyes weren't visible to the brunette. Still giggling, Hermione reached up to push his hair out of his eyes, slowly uncovering them.

Suddenly, the air between them seemed to change; it became evident when Fred's gaze on her turned heated. Hermione swallowed, unable to look away from him. Fred slowly moved closer, gripping her waist tighter as he dipped his head towards her.

Heat rose from Hermione's stomach to her chest as Fred's lips got closer, and her heart skipped a beat. Her lips parted, and his presence washed over her like a wave of warmth. Their lips finally met, and Hermione's toes curled, the kiss unfurling all her senses as the taste of him nearly silenced all thoughts.

Fred's whole body tingled, the feel of her frame pressing against his as his arms wound around her felt almost forbidden. He pulled her in, claiming her mouth, hungry and intense until Hermione's knees gave in. By the time Fred became aware of his fingers, they had already slipped under her uniform shirt, her skin smooth and radiating heat, unlike anything he'd ever felt before.

At that moment, nothing else existed for the amorous couple as they tried to bring the other even closer.

When they finally parted for some much-needed air, Fred's chest heaved as he choked out, "This wasn't part of the nonsense, was it?"

Hermione shyly smiled, her ears turning red as Fred cupped her face again. "No, no, it wasn't."

Fred beamed, and his heart soared when Hermione pulled him down for another fierce kiss. Though he'd had a crush on her since his fourth year, he hadn't ever expected to have a chance with her. But now that he had her in his arms, Fred knew he wasn't going to let go so easily. Who knew taking care of the witch had such benefits?