Hermione and Ron had travelled to the Ravenclaw common room fairly early that morning. Frankly, it could have waited a while, but Hermione was reluctant to risk bumping into Fred so soon, and Ron was quite similar, reluctant to go to the common room with his friend. As they walked towards the house, Ron began to chatter on about how strange and annoying Luna was, resulting in a harsh scolding from Hermione who told him he could go about being shy without hurting her feelings. Ron quickly shut down at this, looking away sheepishly as he realised she was right.
By the time they had reached the common room, Luna Lovegood was already standing outside the door in a large coat, holding the jar, and smiled as she approached them. "Good morning! How are you both?" she asked sweetly.
"I'm good, and you, Ronald?" Hermione smiled, watching his friend squirm awkwardly as he mumbled a 'me too'. Luna giggled at this, handing the jar over to Hermione.
"I understand you must be shy, but I was really flattered to be called your wife last night. Though I must admit that my stars have already set when my wedding will be, and its a long time from yesterday," Luna chirped, tilting her head almost owl-like as she looked at Ron intently. "But if you're really concerned, I can check yours to see if your wedding is on the same day as mine."
"Oh its… It's okay, really," Ron blushed. Hoping to track the conversation on, Hermione cleared her throat to re-establish her presence.
"Luna, thank you for holding onto the jar last night, how did you feel this morning?" Hermione asked.
"Oh quite fine, a lot better than what Harry must be feeling," the white haired girl replied. "And you don't have to worry about me telling anybody, by the way… Most people don't talk to me, let alone ask about the bugs I tend to host."
The two were taken aback by this, looking from her and then to each other for an idea of what to say. After a few seconds of silence, Hermione finally spoke.
"I'm glad you're willing to keep it a secret. Where are you off to by the way?" she asked, looking at her bright purple rain coat.
"I'm going towards the Forbidden Forrest. Neville heard from Hagrid that theres a very interesting mushroom colony a little bit inside, but since Neville has to study for his owls, I offered to pick them for him." Luna replied, digging her hands into her pockets.
"You're going alone?!" Ron asked startled as his memories of the forest flashed before his eyes.
"I'm quite fond of it. Even though it's forbidden, it's a very relaxing place to be, especially in the summer… but the cold is nice too, especially since a lot of the more dangerous creatures are either in hibernation or dead." she said flatly, receiving another strange look from the two. "If you'd like you can come with me." she offered.
Ron gulped as Hermione smiled in response. "I'm quite busy, but Ron can be quite fond of nature, so I'm sure he would love to join you," she smirked, feeling like quite the wing-man.
"I… yeah sure," was all Ron managed to stutter.
"Well lets go now!" Luna smiled. The two gave their farewells to Hermione, who smiled proudly at her both shy and terrified friend. He'll be fine, she thought to herself.
Hermione walked back to the common room with ease, paying no mind to the thought of Fred. She didn't know for sure whether he'd be there, but she did know that at some point they'd have to talk about the night before. To her relief, Fred wasn't sitting around the living area, and after placing the jar containing Rita Skeeter in her chest, she walked to Harry to tend to him.
As she sat by his bedside, Harry could barely open his eyes as he groaned endlessly. The mints that Professor Moody had gave her helped Harry greatly, though she was reluctant to give him more out of fear of making him worse. Now that he was awake, she hoped that taking it easy, drinking water and some soup would help him better.
"I feel like I may die," Harry complained. "Honestly I wish I had the sense to bring pain killers to Hogwarts."
"You and me both, but I'm sure that if anyone saw you take paracetamol they'd probably think it were a candy." Hermione giggled at the thought of muggle medicine being used at Hogwarts, the idea completely bizarre. "I'm sure this is just a hangover and if anyone comes around with anything I'll be sure to give it to you. If the symptoms persist we'll take you to the hospital wing, but with everything going on I'm sure you'd want to avoid that."
"Most definitely," Harry chuckled. "I can't remember a single thing you know, but I'm sure you figured. George told me I was out cold when they walked me to bed… Also told me something about you, but I'm sure you'll talk when you're ready." Harry was grinning ear to ear at his friend, his eyes still closed shut out of sensitivity to the light, but Hermione knew if they were open they would look ridiculously smug.
"Shut up, I'm sure whatever you've been told was rubbish," Hermione replied, trying to hide the cheer in her voice.
"I dunno, I feel like as Freds twin brother, he would be a very credible source," Harry chirped back.
"That I am!" a far too familiar voice spoke from behind. Hermione turned her head to see only one of the two twins. "Its Georgey, just so you know, Potter."
"What do you want?" Hermione asked, furrowing her eyebrows in frustration as George took a seat at the end of Harrys bed.
"To spend time with my brothers best friends. You guys are basically my family- Granger quite literally may be any day now." both him and Harry chuckled together at his low blow of a joke while Hermione simply just huffed. "But really, I just came to see my dear sister in law and tell her that my brother is looking for her. Said to go meet him the same place as last night, very raunchy if I do say so myself."
Hermione huffed again and looked from a grinning Harry to a grinning George and rolled her eyes. "What time did he say?" she asked in defeat.
"Right about 10 minutes ago, you'd be best to hurry," the redhead chirped, chuckling along as Hermione quickly rose to her feet and expressed a very disgruntled goodbye to the two boys.
It took her a fair amount of time to get up to the seventh floor, but as she did the door was already there waiting for her to enter. Hermione knocked twice before scolding herself for being so ridiculously polite for a boy that found joy in being an unbearable flirt and jokester. To the young girls surprise, she didn't enter the room to the pool she was acquainted with, but instead a ginormous room filled to the brim with artefacts and junk of all sorts.
"Fred?!" she shouted out, knowing that looking for him would be futile.
"Up hear, love!" she heard his voice bellow. Hermione looked from side to side before scanning up the giant hill of furniture and knick-knacks to find her dear ginger haired boy sitting at the top on a recliner chair of some sort.
"What the bloody hell are you doing up there?!" she yelled, startled and worried he would fall at any minute.
"Admiring my kingdom!" he cheered back, rising to his feet and quickly running down the unstable mountain. Hermione watched as he swiftly jumped from chair to table to random object of no real description, before landing smoothly on his feet. "Wanna be my queen?" he asked flicking his hair dramatically.
"This has been the most disturbing feat I've ever witnessed," Hermione grumbled, amazed by his skill and disgusted by his cocky facade.
"I'm glad you haven't got a taste for the arrogant type," Fred smiled, returning to his far more casual attitude to Hermione's joy. "I was actually worried you wouldn't show up. But I know you're far too sweet for that."
Hermione rolled her eyes, feeling her cheeks heat up dramatically. "So what do you want?" she asked, now looking at the things in the room instead of Fred directly.
"I want to spend time with my girlfriend, of course," he smirked, taking her hand and and bringing her attention back to him. "Don't tell me you forgot already?"
Hermione could see the mild insecurity in his eyes and felt guilty for wanting to avoid him. But while she was happy she was with the boy she truly liked, she couldn't help but feel the same fear she often did those days.
"I didn't forget," she retorted, looking up at him and smiling weakly. "I'm just still a bit torn. I want to be with you, of course, but I… I dunno. It's funny though, right? I've made plenty risks in my life with Harry and Ron, but I still can't seem to make the move here."
"Wanna know what I think?" Fred asked, his eyes soft and sweet as he took Hermiones hand and began walking from the door further into the maze of items. Hermione replied with a soft mhm, as the two began their stroll. "I think it's because you've never taken a risk for yourself. You're always putting other people ahead of you, but when it comes to it you've never been the priority, have you?"
Hermione looked at him in surprise, amazed at the accuracy of his words and taken completely off guard. "You're… you're right."
"Of course I'm right, I'm only the smartest person Hogwarts has ever seen," he smiled brightly, squeezing Hermione's hand with his own.
"You're absolutely right," she teased back as she rolled her eyes. "Its why they put you in Gryffindoor, because you're far too smart to be in Ravenclaw of course." The two chuckled away at this joke as they continued to roam the room, Hermione deeply intrigued at the obvious wonder of this room.
"So you still wanna be my girlfriend?" Fred asked, swaying his hand in her own, embracing the comfort of it in case it were the very last time he could feel it.
"Of course I do," Hermione smiled. The aura in the room had completely lifted and Fred smiled far more brightly than he did before, the pit in his stomach disappearing completely. Hermione felt the same, as if all the guilt and worry had disappeared the moment Fred pointed it out to her. "We still need to stay a secret, though."
"Wouldn't want it any other way," Fred spoke softly and took her hand, facing her completely now. "Besides, the second the other boys find out about the hottest guy in school having a girlfriend, they'll want to start competing for your attention, too."
Hermione smiled as she rolled her eyes, taking a step closer to Fred. "Smartest boy in Hogwarts history and the most handsome? What can't you do, Fred?"
"I dunno, I think I'm almost the epitome of perfection," he smiled back, taking a step closer and now completely towering over his newfound girlfriend. "the blueprint for perfection being you of course." Rolling her eyes one last time, Hermione kissed the boy before she could burst out laughing at his unbearably ridiculous compliment. Fred followed her into the kiss, nearly reaching to hold her face before the young witch did the unexpected- she burst out laughing into his mouth.
Fred looked at Hermione in utter shock, the girl now leaning over and laughing even louder, the hysterics growing more and more before she was finally on the ground, laughing to the brink of tears. Slowly but surely, Fred became just as bad as she was, rolling on the ground beside her; the two bursting out laughing every time they made contact, making their cackling worse and worse every time.
"The-" Hermione cut herself off to laugh. "The….. The…." she couldn't hold it together, laughing and Fred laughing along at every attempt she made to speak. "The blueprint for perfection!" she finally blurted, the two laughing, rolling and crying together on the ground in a fit, even their echoes managing to make their loop repeat. The laughter continued for another full ten minutes before they were starting to feel sick and cramped in their stomach muscles.
"I cant…." Fred went to catch his breathe, breathing calmly as Hermione did the same. "I can't believe you laughed into my mouth."
"Would I really be Fred Weaselys girlfriend if I didn't?" Hermione smiled, far more out of breath than the athlete beside her.
"Good point," he smiled. The two sat on the ground a bit longer before rising to their feet again, in the position they previously had before their laughing fit. "I don't want to sound rude, but I can't kiss you here without laughing."
"I feel the exact same, how about we do something else instead?"
"Well its a fair enough day, wanna go to Hogsmeade? We'll take George and Ron and Harry if he's feeling up for it." Fred offered, taking Hermiones hand and walking them to the door. Hermione made a mental note to tick all the times Fred pulled her around, noticing it was quite a habit for him.
"Harry could barely open his eyes the last I saw him and Ron's looking for mushrooms with Luna," Hermione replied, Fred smiling to himself at her statement.
"Well someone in the family had to be a hippie- though mum was always sure it'd be Bill," he replied casually. "Let's go get Georgie and some drinks, then."
By the time the two had gotten to the common rooms, Harry was up and about, completely recovered from his unofficial hangover. George told the two that after Hermione had left, he sought out Professor Moody and asked him to help Harry once more, telling them that Moody had actually brewed some kind of a potion to help Harry specifically and give him a full recovery. Hermione felt a tinge of suspicion for some reason, but brushed this aside as she felt the overall joy of seeing her best friend up and well, even eager to go get some butterbeer.
As the four walked down, Hermione caught Harry up completely on the entire night, telling him that Rita Skeeter was currently in a jar in her bedroom. Harry was quick to remind his companion that Rita was of course still a person and would probably need to eat and drink sometime soon, comparing Hermione to a prison guard, but she only brushed it off in return, stating that she would be free by tomorrow once the terms of their contract were written up.
As Fred walked ahead with George, he couldn't help but smile at the evil genius of the girl behind him, and how lucky he felt to know someone so disciplined yet hilariously strange. As the four scuffled into the warmth of The Three Broomsticks, it came to their delight to see Ron, Luna and Ginny sitting in a booth together.
"What've we got here?" Fred started as the twins walked up to bully their brother.
"Poor Ginny, left here to third wheel her big brothers dates. It's okay Gin, the twins are here now," George added as he sat next to Ginny, holding her as if she were some kind of a child and receiving shoves and slaps in return. Hermione lowered her head in second hand embarrasment for the younger Weaselys and Luna as Harry slid in beside Ron and Fred pulled up two chairs for him and Hermione.
"Do you mind if we sit with you guys?" Hermione asked, despite the other three already making themselves comfortable.
"Not at all," Luna smiled sweetly as she was pressed up against the wall, Ron and Harry taking up most of the space on their row. "Though if one of you doesn't mind, could you please get me another drink?"
Hermione smiled and nodded, asking everyone else what they wanted and taking it to mind before walking to the bar.
"Quite the gentleman, aren't you?" Fred snickered as he joined her side, leaning against the bar as he watched the rest of his siblings and their companions talk amongst each other. "But you don't seriously think I'd let you carry seven drinks by yourself, do you?"
"You would have if this were a month ago," Hermione retorted before listing their order to the bartender.
"I'm appalled at that accusation, love." the boy replied, drooping across the bar dramatically. "I would never have my lover carry drinks on her own."
Hermione shushed him with wide eyes, looking around worriedly to see who could hear, and then slapping his arm softly. She silently wished she could hold his arm, even kiss him as he leaned against the bar. She pushed these thoughts aside quickly and took three of the butterbeers to the table, Fred quite professionally holding the other four and distributing them with her along the booth.
For the rest of the day the group goofed and joked about the night before, mainly about Luna and Ron but sometimes also about Fred and Hermione and their hour long walk to the common room. Unsurprisingly, Fred took this a lot better than Hermione, who mumbled and blushed the accusations away, grateful for the boy beside her when he managed to flip the joke onto Harry and his apparent girlfriend, Lavender Brown.
"It's not like that! It's… It was an accident!" he whined, prompting the group to laugh. Hermione noted as she watched Ginny look over at him, especially happy to hear that him and Lavender were not at all an item.
"Sure it was!" Fred began with a devilish grin.
"And we're actually time travelling centaurs," George finished, prompting a light laugh from the table.
"Sod off," Harry replied, burying his face from both shyness and laughter.
Not before long, curfew for Hogsmead was approaching and the Hogwarts student began to slowly exit. The twins and Ginny were the first to leave, leaving Harry, Hermione, Ron and Luna alone to make their way. While Hermione felt slightly sad that Fred was gone, she was happy to be with her friends.
"So how was your day today?" Hermione asked the two in front of her as Harry swung around to sit beside Hermione.
"It was quite nice. We collected the mushrooms for Neville and he let me keep some. They aren't very useful, but if they continue to grow a bit longer they can become quite friendly companions," Luna replied sweetly.
"Oh that reminds me," Ron piped. "Didn't want to say it in front of him because I knew he'd somehow turn it to make a joke out of me, but Neville saw Fred and Angelina snogging it up at the ball last night."
Hermione kept her smile up, but her mind and body began to crash down on the inside, not so much with sadness but more-so humiliation. "Doesn't surprise me very much." she managed without a single hitch in her voice.
"Really? I honestly thought he fancied you, but he's a strange one he is," Ron took a large gulp out of his drink to finish it before continuing. "What surprised me most was that Angelina was Georges date in the first place. Asked Neville if he got them mixed up but he swore by it, said it was the exact robes Fred wore."
Underneath the table, she felt Harrys hand squeeze her own supportively, all the while Hermione forced herself not to show a single sign of upset or betrayal. She was incredibly hurt, but she didn't want her friends to know it all, though with Harrys reaction she was certain he had picked up.
"Hey, I just looked at the time I was supposed to see uh… Mcgonagall, yeah about the next task. Hermione could you come with? We'll need to run," Harry said, standing up quickly as Hermione weakly rose to her feet. "You take the lead Mione, I'll pay for the tab."
Hermione stood at the end of the booth looking at Ron and Luna awkwardly sitting, and gave them a quick soft goodbye before walking out the door, leaving them and Harry behind.