Chapter 5 – A Weasley Surprise
HG
The weeks went by fast as Hermione's parents worked full time to make up on their vacation time. Hermione herself was busy with her extra schoolwork as she met with Cedric three times a week and almost every study break was the two of them flying in the yard as Hermione helped him practice and of course, trying to keep her fear of flying/falling under bay.
When August rolled in, she wondered if she would see any of the Weasleys this summer. With her parents busy at work, she hadn't had the heart to ask them. She received weekly letters from the twins and got two letters from Charlie after he had settled in. When she was with Cedric, she didn't really think about it, but now when she's sitting home alone, she wondered. Last week she spent the night at Katie's, and she received a couple of letters from Angelina and Alicia.
Now she was sitting in her living room as the rain poured outside, reading the third year herbology book professor McGonagall got her. She was so busy reading her book, she didn't notice a head pop up in the flames of the fireplace.
"LITTLE GRANGER!"
Hermione's book flew in the air due to fright. Her heart stammering fast in her chest as the book landed with a thud on the ground behind the couch. She clutched her heart as she glared at the head of Fred Weasley in the fireplace.
"Sorry." He grinned sheepishly. "Didn't mean to scare you."
"Right." Hermione stood up and walked closer to the fireplace, crouching down in front of it. "Then why did you come in here all screaming?"
"I was just very surprised to see you."
"How so? I live here."
"Can we just come through; my knees are killing me."
"Oh, -" Hermione backed away from the fireplace. "- okay."
Fred's head disappeared and not a minute later George stepped out, followed closely by Fred. Their smiles were wide as they stepped closer and engulfed her in their twin hug, nearly crushing her bones.
"Can't... breathe." Hermione merely got the words out. The twins only partially let her go, as they both still held onto her shoulders.
"We missed you." George said, hugging her again as he picked her up and twirled her around.
"It's not even been two months." Hermione chuckled when George put her down, but she felt the same. The twins, after all where one of her first real friends, even though it took some time with Fred.
"It feels longer." George grinned, bopping her nose. "Beside we've been popping our heads in for the last few weeks and never been able the get a hold of you."
"I've been busy." She smiled.
"Clearly." The twins said in unison.
"We heard about your girls' day."
"We want to go to the arcade." Fred whined.
Hermione rolled her eyes at the two pouting boys in front of her. She walked around the couch and picked up her book. When she turned, she saw George clapping the back of Fred's head.
"I told you to you to take it easy."
"I was surprised and excited, so hex me." He grinned, not even feeling a little sorry.
"Not that I'm not happy to see you two, but is there a reason you're here?"
"We were wondering if you wanted to come over to the burrow, mum's making her famous meatloaf."
"Oh, now?" She asked as she looked around. "Uhm, let me call my parents first." Hermione walked over to the telephone and dialled the number of their dentist office. Fred and George right behind her, inspecting her movements. "Hello, Doris. It's Hermione, are one of my parents available?"
The twins heard a voice on the other side of the line but couldn't make out what she was saying.
"Hey, mum. The twins popped over and asked if I wanted to go to the burrow and stay for dinner." Hermione answered the slurred voice. "Yes, I'll be home before 9, I promise." Another silent pause. "Thanks, mum. See you tonight." She hung up the phone and turned to see the twins hovering over her. She pushed them back a little before she said. "All good, ready to get going then?"
"Brilliant." The twins said, giving the phone one last look before locking their arms with hers and walked to the fireplace. When the three of them stepped in the cramped place, Hermione asked with a grin, just before Fred tossed the floo powder. "Is Bill going to be there?"
"You hurt us, little Granger." Fred said in mock hurt voice as it lingered in the room as they disappeared.
HG
The three of them nearly toppled out of the fireplace of the burrow. George still had his arm looped with hers, keeping her upright, but Fred flat out fell to the floor, arms and legs spread. Hermione and George snickered behind him. Fred turned his head to glare at them.
"You think that's funny, do you?" He pursed his lips. "You're going to be sorry." He said as he scrambled to his feet.
"Hermione, run!" George pushed her out the room as they ran away from Fred, who laughed loudly behind them. Fred didn't get to them because they took shelter under the watchful eyes of his mother.
"Frederick Gideon Weasley, don't you run in my house!" She said pointing a spatula at him. Fred mumbled a quick sorry, before he glared at his twin. "Hermione, dear. How good to see you." Mrs. Weasley gave her a hug. It became tighter when she whispered. "And thank you for getting those two to study."
Hermione pulled back, smiling as she waved her hand, pointing out she did nothing. Mrs. Weasley just smiled at her. "Your parents know that you're here?"
"Yes, I called them." She smiled at the matriarch.
"Called them? On a fellophone?" Mr. Weasley's voice came from behind her. She turned and saw that he had just entered the kitchen, his hands full of muggle electronics.
"Telephone, yes. Hi, Mr. Weasley." Hermione gave a small wave.
"Sorry, hello Hermione." He gave a smile before he turned to his sons. "Did you see it?"
"Yes, dad." They groaned, but Hermione could hear the smile behind it. And so started the big telephone discussion of 1991. When Mrs. Weasley could finally distract her husband, the twins dragged Hermione out of the kitchen.
"I thought it was never going to end." Fred laughed as they entered the living room, which was now occupied by Ginny, Percy and Ron.
"Hello, everyone." She waved; the three red heads looked up at the sound of the new voice.
"Hermione." Ginny smiled but wasn't as eager as before, as she calmly stood up and walked over giving her a hug.
"You grew." Hermione said, as Ginny came a few centimetres higher since the last time she saw her. The red head smiled before she sat back down on the couch, picking up her magazine. Hermione looked surprised at the twins.
"We told her to cool it down for a bit." George whispered in her ear.
"Ah." Hermione nodded as she understood. "Thanks, didn't want to hurt her feelings" She sat down next to Ginny on the couch as she watched Ron and Percy play wizard chess. "Ron, ready for school?"
Ron mumbled something but didn't take his eyes of the board. Percy rolled his eyes at his younger brother before turning to look at her. "You can't get a decent answer when he's focused on the game."
"Oh." She said as she watched the pawns on the board attack each other. She turned away and nudged Ginny in her side. "Have you been stealing anymore brooms." She whispered to the girl.
"Maybe." A wicked grin appeared on her face as she read her magazine.
"I've been practicing too." She said a little too loudly and the twins who had been whispering looked up.
"Practicing what?" They asked.
"Oh, I've been flying, quidditch." She said softly, a little unsure.
The twins squinted their eyebrows as they looked at her.
"How?"
"Where?"
"When?
"Oh, with a broom of course." She grinned at the boys, who stuck out their tongues. "Where, at Cedric's. When, during study breaks."
"Cedric?" The twins mumbled.
"Yes, he's going to try out for seeker this year, remember? And if the weather allows us, we're practicing."
The twins were quiet for a moment, before they looked up grinning. "Show us what you got then, little Granger."
"Now?" She asked taken aback.
"When else." George said, standing up. He walked closer and held out his hand for her to take.
Hermione looked from George to Fred before her eyes landed on Ginny. "Only if Ginny can come too."
Ginny looked up in surprise. The twins frowned as their eyes shot from her to their little sister. "She's too young." Fred said adamant.
"Too bad, it's a package deal." Hermione said, leaning back. The twins looked at each other and had a silent twin conversation before looking back to the two girls.
"Fine, you win." Fred sighed. In the corner of her eye, she saw Ron's mouth drop open in shock. "Let's go."
The four of them walked out of the house and to the shack where they stored their brooms. Fred grabbed four brooms and handed them out. "Probably not as fancy as Cedric's." Fred said unsure as he handed an old broom.
"Pretty much the same." Hermion shrugged. "I use Mr. Diggory's old one, so it's probably older than this one."
The three Weasleys visibly relaxed at that as they went out to the field. The twins flew up first, leaving the girls alone on the ground.
"Ready to blow their minds?" Hermione winked at the youngest Weasley, who grinned back at her. They both raced to the twins. Ginny being more comfortable than Hermione on the broom, turned, flipped, zigzagged in the air as they went up. With Ginny showing of Hermione reached the twins first and saw them both gape at Ginny.
"What in-"
"The world?!"
Hermione held back her laugh and waited until Ginny caught up to them.
"Ginny, how?" George gasped.
"I may or may not have stolen your brooms at night, or when you are away at school." The girl grinned, flipping her hair over her shoulders. When the twins stared at their sister stunned, Hermione took the beaten up quaffle out of Fred's arm and flew away from them. That got the twins out of the daze, and they turned to look at her.
"Look who's so comfortable on a broom." The twins said as they crossed their arms over their chest. It was then when Hermione saw the physical changes of the twins. Their shoulders were broader, the bit of baby fat on their faces completely gone, and their arms were definitely bigger. They probably trained all summer for the new quidditch season. And there was she, still the same with the same big front teeth and bushy hair, even Ginny who was two years younger than her, had changed more than she had. She shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts.
Hermione made it look like she was going to throw the ball to one of them, but she actually tossed it over them, where Ginny had taken place. When the twins were distracted, their eyes following the ball, first thinking Hermione tossed the ball horribly the wrong way, they chased past them, laughing.
"You've done it now, Granger." The twins yelled, chasing after the girls.
HG
When it started to rain again, they all lowered themselves to the ground and hurried in. But the rain was so bad they were soaked when they entered the kitchen.
"You three." Mrs. Weasley pointed at her kids. "Go clean up, dinner's ready."
Hermione shivered as the three of them disappeared on the stairs. Percy and Ron were setting the table, Ron looked a bit mad about it, but she shivered so harshly it didn't matter to her.
"Hermione, dear. Come here." Mrs. Weasley gestured her over. "We don't want to send you back with a cold now, do we?" She smiled as she waved her wand over her. Her clothes dried in an instant and a warming spell stilled the shivers.
"Thanks, Mrs. Weasley."
"No problem, dear. Why don't you sit down. I'll put on a pot of tea."
Hermione sat down at the table, not really looking at the seat she took. She accepted a hot cup of tea gratefully when the twins re-entered the kitchen. They looked at Hermione for a moment, before they walked up behind her and pulled her up.
"Excuse me?"
"You're sitting with us." They grinned and dragged her a few seats over. Mrs. Weasley rolled her eyes at the boys' antics as they sat down at their seats. When Percy and Ron sat down across from them, Ginny walked back in the kitchen wearing new and dry clothes. Just when Mrs. Weasley served the meatloaf, her husband stepped back in, and took the seat on the head of the table. When everyone was served, Mrs. Weasley sat down, and they all started to eat.
"Did you get your letter?" She asked Hermione.
"Yes, it arrived the day before yesterday." Hermione said after she swallowed a potato. "Don't know when we're going to Diagon Alley yet."
"I've spoken to your father, Hermione." Mr. Weasley smiled enthusiastic. "We're going together next Sunday. He checked your calendar, to make sure you don't have study date with Cedric."
"Oh, great." Hermione said surprised. "They probably tell me when I get home." She smiled. "Dinner is amazing, Mrs. Weasley."
Mrs. Weasley's smile went large at the compliment, and she put another piece of meatloaf on her plate. Their attention was diverted when George spoke up.
"Why are you looking so sour, Ronnikens?"
"You three get to play quidditch outside, while I had to set the table." He grumbled.
"We set the table yesterday in case you forgot." Fred pointed out.
And that's when the loud Weasley debate started up again. Hermione had to hide her smile at the siblings who fought, discussed over the smallest of things. So, at the end of dinner, Hermione volunteered to clean up the table. But of course, Mrs. Weasley wouldn't have any of it, as she shood her away to the living room as she and Mr. Weasley cleaned up.
