Little Sisters and Big Worries

The evening before they left, Hermione had gestured to a big gift basket, mumbling something about Fred leaving it as a gift, before she fell asleep. Ginny had looked through the basket in curiosity, hoping her brother had left something good. However, as she looked through the basket she got the distinct feeling that it wasn't really meant for her. There were more of the daydream charms, which the boys had warned her off of. There was parchment, which she was not at all interested in. Even the candy was much more the type that Hermione liked.

The thing that cemented it, however, was the letter at the bottom of the basket. Ginny knew she shouldn't snoop, but she was overcome with why a basket from Fred and George would have a letter addressed to Hermione. So she very carefully and quietly opened it. She had learned well from her trickster brothers, after all.

Hermione,

I wanted to wish you a happy year. Don't stress yourself out studying too hard. Even though you probably will. But if you didn't, you wouldn't be the Hermione we all adore. If you ever have a bit of free time, however, I wanted to ask if you'd like to pop on over for a bit of lunch at some time. Maybe at your first Hogmead weekend. Or sooner, if you want. It's up to you. Just let me know.

Troublingly yours,

F.

Ginny looked over at Hermione's quietly sleeping form. The bushy-haired girl couldn't possibly know about the contents of this letter. She wouldn't have just calmly gone to sleep if she had. Unless she did. Unless this wasn't the first. Ginny shook her head. Of course this was the first. Hermione would have told Ginny instantly if she was dating Fred. Just as Ginny told the other girl each time she had started dating a new boy.

So this was a new development. Fred, still newly single from his time with Angelina, was now setting his eyes on the brightest witch of the age. But he was chickening out. He had left the basket as "for both girls", and had asked her to lunch in a letter instead of doing it in person. Ginny could only see one reason for that. Fred didn't get scared often. He must really like her. He was head over heels.

Would Hermione say yes, though? Somehow, Ginny felt she knew the answer. The smart, bushy-haired girl had never even spoken a word about Fred. It had always been Ron, though the boy was too dumb to see it. Ginny could feel her head pounding with the complication. Even so, she could see the merit in Fred's line of thinking. He was a very smart guy, despite having a streak of trouble ten miles long. They would definitely challenge each other. And anyone would admit that Fred was much more thoughtful, observant, and even more exciting than the youngest Weasley boy.

Ginny put the letter back in the envelope and resealed it. Things were about to get interesting. Indeed they were. And Ginny, very much the twin's favorite sister, was quite ready to see where things would go.

The moment Hermione read the letter, Ginny knew it. The mischief-minded girl had left the newly sealed letter right at the top of the basket. She had also left the basket right on top of Hermione's trunk so that the girl would have to deal with it straight away. She squeaked like a mouse that had been trodden on, and threw the letter down as though it had burned her.

Ginny watched her through barely open eyes, pretending to be asleep. She could see Hermione pacing back and forth, wringing her hair while she was deep in thought. Then, the girl did something strange. She took one of her own curls and pulled it down, then released it. Ginny could have sworn she heard Hermione whisper "boing", and then her face turned absolutely cherry red.

"Oh my…" She whispered, and Ginny felt like she was going to burst out laughing. She moved to cover her mouth, but it was enough motion to grab Hermione's attention.

"Ginny!"

"Everything okay, Hermione?" Ginny asked, looking as innocently as she could manage.

"I...yes? Maybe? I'm not sure…" Hermione stumbled and stuttered, a thing she rarely did. This news had really thrown the poor girl for a loop. Ginny wondered if she was going to have to go on pretending she had no idea.

"Ginny, have any of your brothers ever talked about me?" Hermione broached the subject diplomatically.

"Yeah, of course they have Hermione. You're brilliant. And Ron's best friend. You come up in conversations occasionally. Do you mean something more specific?" Ginny could feel the secret welling up inside her. The question gave her pause, however. Had Fred ever given an indication that he liked Hermione as more than a friend? They had done a good deal of talking over the summer. Ginny had spent a lot of time with the twins, trying to avoid Fleur and her mum. Had Fred ever mentioned it?

"I mean...do you think any of them like me?" Hermione asked, losing diplomacy all together.

"Hmm...I'm not sure." Ginny was honest in this response, still trying to think of a moment that might hint at the beginnings of this infatuation.

"Do you think they'd joke about it?" Hermione asked, and surprisingly she picked up the letter and held it out for Ginny to read.

"No, Hermione. That's definitely not something they would do." Ginny was reassuring as she took the letter and pretended to read it. "Fred would not joke about something like that. He's much more of a romantic than you might give him credit for."

"Ginny…" Hermione groaned loudly and threw her hands over her face. "I said something incredibly stupid yesterday."

"Oh? That's not like you, Hermione." She replied with a bright chuckle.

"I told him his Daydream charms were conceited...because I had thought about him," she whispered, her right hand reaching back up towards her hair. "But...I...thought he had tricked me. I thought they had rigged the charms. But..." Her words trailed off.

"Well, at least he likes you too. Even if you were a stick in the mud about his charm." Ginny said, now laughing.

Hermione laid back with her head on the floor, hands still stifling her face. However, Ginny was sure she could hear the girl giggling just slightly. She sat on the floor next to the girl and patted her knee reassuringly. This just made the girl laugh even harder, and Ginny joined in until they were both laughing with tears in their eyes.

Catching her breath, and quite red in the face, Ginny finally was able to speak, "So what now?"

"Well, I suppose… I suppose I send him a letter and apologize for being so daft. And we set up a date!" Hermione gasped between breaths. Ginny hugged her friend excitedly. This wasn't the outcome she had expected, but by golly she was for it!