A/N: So sorry for the long delay, but I hope you enjoy this chapter. As stated, updates will be sporadic. xoxo
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, or any affiliated characters, and make no profit, in any form, from the production of this work.
Chapter Two
"So, Granger, ask away," Theo said, smiling at her. "I can see the gears in your head are turning right now."
Hermione bit her lower lip. "I honestly don't even know where to begin."
"Well, why don't we order dinner first?" Fred suggested. "I ordered us a bottle of red wine; Ginny told me that's what you preferred."
"It is," Hermione hummed, picking up the menu. She knew the restaurant was Italian, but she wasn't quite sure what she wanted to eat. Her mind was racing, and she was having a hard time focusing on the words written in front of her.
"Are you ready to order?" Fred asked, breaking her from her thoughts.
Looking up, Hermione saw the waiter had come over. "Oh, yes, sorry," she murmured. "I'll take the chicken florentine, please." Handing the menu to the waiter, she listened as Theo and Fred both ordered. Theo got some steak, and Fred also got a chicken dish.
"Okay, now ask away," Fred pressed once the three of them were alone again.
"So, Ginny knows?" Hermione asked, looking at the two of them. "That you want me to be with you both?"
"Well, you know Ginny," Fred said with a shrug. "Once she gets an idea in her mind, she sees it through."
"She's the one that suggested you," Theo said, surprising Hermione.
"She did?" Hermione asked, definitely not expecting that little detail.
"Mhmm," Theo said. "Pointing out that you and I have a lot in common, and that you've fancied Fred in the past."
Hermione blushed. "She told you that?" Looking at Fred, she saw that he was smirking.
"I never knew you fancied me," Fred said, reaching across the table, covering her hand with his. His thumb brushed the top of her hand slowly as his gaze found hers.
"How could I not?" Hermione said quietly. "You're funny, loving, and very loyal to your family. I know I never presented myself as a troublemaker, but I always admired you for the mischief you caused and how care-free you were doing it."
"Well, you were a stickler for the rules," Fred said, grinning. "Honestly thought you hated me for all the trouble I caused."
Hermione shook her head, her blush deepening. "Opposites attract, and all that." She then turned to Theo. "And we do have very similar personalities."
"Our love of books," Theo added, grinning.
"Would your parents be approving of me joining in your… relationship?"
"Well, I don't give a flying fuck what my parents think," Theo added. "My father is in Azkaban, and my mother barely speaks to me since I've 'dishonoured the family name'." He scoffed.
Hermione reached across the table. "Theo, I'm sorry," she murmured, taking his hand. "I didn't know."
He shrugged. "They were never great parents, to begin with," he said quietly. "It became worse during our sixth year."
Hermione nodded in understanding. She did know that Theo's father was a Death Eater.
"And Hermione, you know my mum adores you," Fred added. "She'd be ecstatic if we dated."
"Even though it'd be the three of us?" Hermione asked.
"Pretty sure my uncles were in a triadic relationship before they were killed," Fred said. "It's not a new concept, Hermione, especially in Pureblood families. Triads used to be very popular."
"It's not common now, but not unheard of," Theo assured her. "How would your parents react?"
"Well…" Hermione bit her lower lip. "My parents are still in Australia with no idea that I exist."
"I thought you reversed the Obliviation," Fred interrupted, looking at her, his eyes wide with surprise.
She shook her head, frowning. "I'm still researching. Honestly, I've been going back and forth between trying to fix them and leaving them be." She let out a deep breath. "It's been hard." She sniffed, resisting the urge to cry.
At that moment, their food arrived, and Hermione was grateful for the reprieve.
"Well, now that we got the heavy stuff out of the way, let's eat," Fred joked, picking up his fork.
Hermione laughed, the heavy mood between the three of them dissipating.
"So, Theo, what have you been up to since Hogwarts? I haven't seen you much besides the brief glimpses at the Burrow," Hermione said between bites of her dinner.
Theo launched into his project with passion. He was in the process of buying an old shoppe on the outskirts of Knockturn Alley - which was currently being re-modelled to remove the negative connotation that the alley previously held. He was going to turn it into a book shoppe.
Hermione shared that she was sort of in limbo. She was currently interning at the Ministry in the Auror department, but she hated it. She thought she'd enjoy being an Auror along with Ron and Harry, but the more time that passed, the more she realised that it wasn't her thing.
As dinner progressed, Hermione found herself more and more at ease with Theo and Fred. The conversation flowed between them easily, and she wanted to get to know more about both of them. When Fred paid the bill, ignoring her insistence that she pay for her share, she knew she didn't want the night to end. The initial spark of curiosity had turned into a flame, one that demanded she gets more of the two wizards.
"So, what do you say, Hermione?" Theo asked once the three of them were outside of the restaurant. "Do you want to come home with us, see how it could be? Or do you want to think about it a little longer?"
"Or did you change your mind and aren't interested?" Fred added, looking at her carefully.
"No matter what, it's up to you," Theo said. "No hard feelings either way."
"And no awkwardness," Fred promised. "Would never bring it up again if that's what you wanted."
"Yup, this date would never have happened," Theo assured.
Wetting her lips, Hermione made her decision. Her cheeks warmed, and she honestly couldn't wait to get to their place. She wanted both of them, equally. She wanted to know what it would be like to be with them together. "Take me home, Fred, Theo," she murmured, reaching out to take Fred's hand.
Fred smirked. "Hold tight, little witch," he murmured, pulling her into his arms and Disapparating them both.
