A/N: As suggested by iLoveRomance2o11: A sequel to Lacewings, in which the potion is used to get Hermione. I hope it turned out the way you wanted it to!
Was it you who caught me staring?
As Fred had suspected, the Weasley family Christmas dinner was very, very fun. He, George, and Hermione had returned just as Mrs Weasley was putting the finishing touches on a large Yorkshire pudding. George, of course, followed too quickly through the fire, and ended up on top of Fred, who accidentally knocked into Hermione. The three of them ended up on the ground, a tangle of long limbs and ginger and brown hair. Hermione was blushing bright red, and Fred found himself liking the colour it brought to her face. Eventually, they all three managed to find their feet, and George hopped off to "Help mum with supper." Ron looked murderously at Fred, clearly not thinking about 'Lav-Lav'. Fred picked up Hermione's book and handed it to her, chucking to himself when she gave a soft sigh and pulled it into her chest, as though it was an old friend. His mum called from the kitchen that supper was ready, and with a small sigh, Hermione laid her book down again. Fred ended up sandwiched between George and Hermione, on the same end of the table as Bill, Fleur, and Charlie, as well as his dad, Lupin, and Tonks. Hermione's elbow brushed his every now and then, and Fred decided he liked the way it felt. George kept glancing at him and waggling his eyebrows, which thoroughly confused Fred. "Eggnog, brother mine?" George asked him, tipping some into his cup. Fred sniffed it gingerly before taking a big drink. "I hope there isn't anything else in that eggnog, George," His mum called from down the table. George shrugged noncommittally before returning to his discussion about Quidditch with Bill. "How are things at the store, Fred?" Charlie asked from across the table, "I hear you've got some great stuff." "We've just perfected two new products this afternoon," Fred told him proudly, "You'll have to come by and see the shop before you go back to Romania." Charlie agreed heartily, and Fred continued, "How are things with the dragons, eh? Found a girl yet? Done any quality snogging?" Charlie laughed, and his mum, who had, unfortunately, heard him, said, "Fred!" "Only joking, mum," He told her, before turning back to Charlie. "Well?" Charlie shrugged, "Been keeping busy with the dragons, and they're not much for snogging." Fred laughed aloud, and Hermione's elbow brushed his again, sending a pleasant tingling sensation up Fred's arm. He decided that he should inform her just how his elbow felt when she brushed it. After dessert, of course- his mum had made a spectacular arrangement of pies, and Fred wanted to put some of his newly made potion into the custard one. His mum stood and cleared the plates with a wave of her wand before bustling over to get the pies. Fred jumped up to help, reaching in his cloak pocket to find his little vial missing. Glumly, Fred levitated the potion-less custard pie on to the table before returning to his seat. Once he had finished trying every variety of pie his mum had made, Fred turned to Hermione and asked loudly, "Fancy a walk?" She looked surprised. "Er… sure, Fred, that sounds…. Lovely." George choked on a bite of his pie and Fred thumped him on the back enthusiastically. "All right, there, Georgie?" Still coughing, George nodded. "Right then, shall we, Granger?" She stood and took his proffered arm, allowing him to lead her out of the dining room. "What's up with Freddie?" He heard Bill ask, and George sniggered. Shrugging, Fred led Hermione to Ginny's room, where she grabbed a cloak, mittens, and a hat. He stopped off at his and George's old room, rummaging around until he found an old cloak from his days at Hogwarts, one of Ron's Chudley Cannons hats that George had nicked from his room for fun, and a pair of green mittens. They left the house, walking slowly away from the house. It was snowing, huge soft flakes that stuck to Fred's eyelashes, and Hermione's, too. Fred stuck his tongue out, trying to catch a few flakes. He spun around, swinging his arms in a circle. He snaked out a hand and snagged Hermione's arm, pulling her along. She laughed, and Fred thought it was a beautiful sound. He fell backwards, suddenly dizzy, into a snowdrift. Hermione squeaked, and he realized belatedly that he was still holding on to her arm. He let go of her, but not before she had also toppled into the snow beside him. She scrambled to her feet, the snow now clinging to her cloak and hat. He stood up too, and they kept walking. Finally, they stopped by a tree, the branches bare and white. "Hermione," He said, "I have something to tell you." "Um… Y-yes, Fred?" She said softly. "You look really beautiful tonight." "Thank you," She murmured, even more quietly. "I really fancy you, you know." He lowered his voice, trying to sound husky. She blinked, her hand feeling around behind her until it closed around a branch, which she clutched for support. "Look, if this is a joke, it's not funny," She told him. He leaned even closer to her, took her face in his hands, and brought it up to his face, meeting her lips gently with his own. "It's not a joke," He whispered, leaning his forehead against hers. She tilted her head up and kissed him, before whispering, "I… I fancy you, too, Fred." "Brilliant!" He smiled, taking her hand. "Let's go rub it in Ickle Ronniekins' face!" She looked shocked, but stayed silent. They made much better time getting back to the Burrow, the biting cold and the promise of a warm fire quickening their footsteps. Fred pulled Hermione on to the love seat beside him, and she relaxed into his side. George walked in, saw them, and let out a whoop. "I guess it worked, Freddie!" Fred narrowed his eyes, "What worked, Forge?" George pulled a tiny, empty bottle from his pocket. "Er… your potion?" He tossed it at Fred. "I knew all you needed was a little… confidence," "You knew?" George scoffed. "'Course I knew, mate, I'm your twin." "Oh." "In fact, I'd be surprised if everyone but 'Mione here knew. You're not very subtle, especially after a few firewhiskies." "Well, she knows now, too," Fred said, kissing the top of Hermione's head, "And I'd say the potion's a huge success."
Or was it me who caught you?
The Weasley's living room was warm when Hermione returned from Weasleys Wizard Wheezes. She took a deep breath, and got out of the way of the hearth. Fred came next, and managed to almost get to his feet before George came flying out of the flames and knocking into him. Fred, for his part, managed to knock Hermione over, and she ended up somewhere in the middle of the two boys. Hermione tried to force her way out of the pile, but Fred's (or was it George's?) leg was twisted around hers and if she moved her leg, the twin breathed in sharply, as though it hurt. Eventually, they all managed to extract themselves from the tangle, Hermione's face warm, and her patience with the twins quite frayed. Fred made up for it, though, by handing her back her copy of Hogwarts, a History. She sighed happily and hugged the battered book, fully appreciating the way it smelled faintly of Fred, even though he'd only touched it long enough to hand it to her. Just then, Mrs Weasley announced supper, and Hermione had to put her book down again. She was situated between Fred and Ron, and kept getting brought into Ginny's heated conversation with Mrs Weasley and, occasionally, Ron. Fred was talking loudly with Charlie, prompting a stern, "Fred!" From his mum. Hermione chuckled briefly before having her attention reclaimed by a question from Ginny about her O.W.L.'s. Desert passed unceremoniously, Hermione stuffed herself with pie, and Ginny and Mrs Weasley kept peppering her with questions. "Fancy a walk?" Fred asked Hermione, once she had finished as much pie as she could eat. She looked up, startled, from her conversation, stopping halfway through an answer. "Er… sure, Fred, That sounds…" She searched for a second for the right word, "lovely." Fred had been acting more boisterous then usual at the table, and Hermione had a feeling it was because of something George did. "Right then, shall we, Granger?" Fred offered her his arm, and she took it, liking the pleasant way it felt, and the way he smelled, standing that close to her. He led her to Ginny's room so she could grab her Hogwarts cloak, mittens, and hat, all embroidered with the Gryffindor house crest. Fred stopped by his old room, too, and came out in a hat that clashed horribly with his hair and look vaguely familiar, a Hogwarts cloak, and some plain gloves. They headed out into the snow, both walking slowly. Hermione watched the flakes fall, poking her tongue out to catch one that floated close to her face. She nearly bit her tongue when Fred grabbed her arm and started spinning her around, going faster and faster until he fell backwards. He was, unfortunately, still holding her arm, and she squeaked with shock, as the ground was suddenly not below her feet anymore. Fred released her arm, and she landed in a rather deep drift of snow. She had to squirm around a bit before she could get her feet under her again. She stood up, now covered in snow. Fred joined her quickly, and they continued walking. Fred stopped and Hermione looked up into the branches of a snow-covered tree. "Hermione," Fred said, his voice low, "I have something to tell you." Suddenly a bit nervous, she stammered a bit. "Um… Y-yes, Fred?" "You look really beautiful tonight." She felt her cheeks warm. "Thank you," She mumbled, her voice soft. "I really fancy you, you know." Hermione was shocked. She had fancied Fred for years, but he had never seemed to pay her much attention. And now, to find out that he fancied her… he fancied her! Suddenly, she remembered Fred's boisterousness at dinner and her suspicion of George's involvement. She thought maybe it was all a joke they'd cooked up, and her hand reached out behind her, looking for something to hold her steady. IT closed around a branch as she tried to keep her voice firm, "Look, if this is a joke, it's not funny." His face was awfully close to hers now. He smelled like all of Hermione's favourite things. Suddenly, her mind went blank as his lips met hers, and she thought maybe it wasn't a joke after all. "It's not a joke," Fred told her, his forehead touching hers. In a sudden burst of courage, she tilted her head and kissed him back. "I… I fancy you, too, Fred," she whispered. "Brilliant!" He sounded happy, and held her hand. "Let's go rub it in Ickle Ronniekins' face!" Hermione decided it would probably be better not to say anything at all. Fred led her to the fireplace when the got back, though, and she happily curled up into his side on the love seat. George walked in, grinned at them, and let out a loud whooping sound. "I guess it worked, Freddie!" Hermione's eyes widened, "What worked, Forge?" Fred asked, his eyes narrowed at his twin. "George produced a bottle from his pocket. "Er… your potion?" he threw it to Fred. Fred didn't seem upset. "I knew all you needed was a little… confidence," "You knew?" George sounded indignant. "'Course I knew, mate, I'm your twin." "Oh." "In fact, I'd be surprised if everyone but 'Mione here knew. You're not very subtle, especially after a few firewhiskies." Hermione stifled a laugh. "Well, she knows now, too," Fred said, kissing the top of her head, "And I'd say the potion's a huge success." Hermione smiled, thinking that she had known all along that George was up to something.