•••
Harry, Ron, George, and Ginny found Fred about a half an hour later, dangling from a tree. He had what was seemingly bird food all over him, so owls were coming and going, pecking at him. They all roared with laughter, with the obvious exception of Fred.
"George, I swear on Mum's life that I will be dead by New Years if you don't find yourself a new girlfriend!" snarled Fred.
"Well Fred, we had sixteen years together. I'll miss you!" said George, pretending to cry on Ron's shoulder. Fred glared at him. Ginny left the little gathering, still laughing, to go find Anna. She didn't have to go very far. Anna was sitting on a nearby bench, listening to the whole scene take place. Ginny sat down on her left.
"All this trouble just because Fred eavesdropped?" said Ginny. Anna laughed. "It was far too necessary. By the way, has he found a way down yet?"
"No," laughed Ginny. "I think Harry will eventually let him down though."
"True. Harry's way too nice to let Fred suffer," grinned Anna.
"So…" began Ginny. "I guess you and George are kind of official now?"
"Oh…um…yeah, I guess…" muttered Anna.
"I don't get it! I mean you're a normal human being, why are you dating one of my brothers?" asked Ginny, looking slightly disgusted. Anna laughed.
"Are you trying to say that George is a bad guy?" she asked.
"Well, I'm just wondering! I mean what's so likeable about him?" exclaimed Ginny.
"Well, first off. He's a twin, and I don't have any siblings so I think having a twin is really cool. Second, he's a beater, like me, so we have that in common. He's in Gryffindor, and I've wished I were since my second day here. I mean…well, I guess I like that George is more than just another prankster, you know?" said Anna.
"So then why do you like George and not Fred?" asked Ginny.
"George is quieter, and smarter too. Don't tell Fred I said that, though! And just, the way he treats me. Like, I feel like I'm not in the most hated House in Hogwarts. And he doesn't talk to me like I'm a year younger, like Fred tends to. And in my own humble opinion, I think George is cuter, anyway," said Anna, smiling. "Plus, he's a damn good kisser," she added.
Ginny shook her head several times. "Ugh, thanks for mentioning that minor detail about my brother that I never needed to hear in my entire life!" she said, now evidently disgusted. Anna grinned.
"I dunno though. Fred and George are probably my favorites out my brothers; I just can't see how girls that are more than half-decent can like them like that. I'm still don't get how a girl like Hermione can like a guy like Ron," said Ginny, shuddering slightly.
"Why's that? Ron's not bad. Although, evidently, I have a preference for George," smirked Anna.
"You like him a lot, don't you?" asked Ginny.
"Yeah. But it's hard to tell, cause I've only known him for a few weeks and all," answered Anna. Ginny nodded. "Think you two will be together for a while?" asked Ginny.
"I hope so…why, are you bored of me already?" said Anna.
"No!" laughed Ginny. "It's just that…well, none of my brothers have ever gotten a girlfriend before seventh year. And none of those relationships have lasted the full year. But the thing is, I've never gotten along with the girl before, so I think you and George will be different."
"What do you mean 'different'?" asked Anna curiously.
"I think you guys are going to last. Which naturally means that you have to come and visit this summer," said Ginny. Suddenly she grimaced.
"What?" asked Anna.
"Oh, Mum's going to be revolting when George tells her about you. I can already hear her in my head," she put on a high-pitched voice imitation. "Oh Georgie! That's marvelous! You'll have to tell me all about her! Is she smart? Does she play Quidditch? How are her grades? Is she pretty? Of course she's pretty, silly me! Oh dear, when will I get to meet her? She'll have to come over of course! Oh my, this is wonderful! Is she a prefect? Who are her parents? Do we know them? And she'll go on and on and on. At least that's how she reacted to Bill, Charlie, and Percy. Maybe she'll just faint when George tells her. Or she'll ask him if you're brain damaged, cause she'll wonder who in the hell could fall for George, like I did," said Ginny.
"Someone imitating Mum back here?" asked Ron, who was coming around the corner with Harry.
"Yeah that was me. Where are Fred and George?" asked Ginny.
"Well, Fred, apparently, does not wish to be within Anna's line of sight for the next few days. But anyway, George said he needed to ask Dumbledore something, and Fred joined him," answered Ron.
"Why does George need to see Dumbledore?" asked Ginny curiously.
"Dunno. Why were you imitating Mum?" asked Ron, as he and Harry took seats on Anna's right.
"None of your business," said Ginny, crossing her arms.
"Oh yeah? She's my mum too, and I wanna know why you were mocking her!" said Ron.
"You prat. I can have my own conversations, whether they're about mum or not," said Ginny fiercely.
"Just out of curiosity, who else do you talk about behind their backs?" snarled Ron.
Ginny glared at him. "Well, I always fancy having a chat about you, of course! Who wouldn't entertain themselves by talking about their stupid git of a brother who snogs a picture of his great aunt for fun?" Ron's ears turned bright red. Harry, who recognized this as a danger sign, leaned toward Anna and whispered to her, "Let's get out of here, trust me, you do not want to be caught in the middle of a Weasley feud." Anna grinned, and the two of them got up as quickly and quietly as they could, just as Ginny pulled out her wand.
"Don't you just love it when siblings fight over something with a purpose?" asked Anna sarcastically. Harry laughed.
"Ron and Hermione's bickering beats Ron and Ginny's by a long shot," he said. Anna grinned.
"I dunno Harry, Fred vs. George might beat Ron vs. Hermione," she said.
"That might be true, but at least Fred and George have a purpose for their fighting," said Harry.
"Someone say my name?" called out Fred. He walked towards Harry, then, upon realizing who Harry was with, stopped dead in his tracks and opened his mouth to scream.
"FRED!" shouted Anna. "If you scream one more time I will turn you into a baby mouse and give you to Hedwig." (A/N Thank you Sterling Fire Kittie for the suggestion )
Fred looked alarmed, and then he slowly calmed down.
"Where's George?" asked Anna.
"Down with Ron and Ginny. I didn't want to get in the middle of that so I decided to take a trip to the loo. And now here I am on my way back downstairs," he said.
"Where were you two?" asked Harry.
"George had to ask a favor from Dumbledore," said Fred.
"What favor?" asked Anna.
"Never you mind, missy. Honestly, you're as nosy as Percy!" said Fred. Anna glared at him. She could see the fear in his eyes. Fred dropped to his knees and grabbed the hem of Anna's long jacket.
"Please Please Please don't hurt me Anna!" said Fred in a very good imitation of a crying baby. "Please! I don't wanna be a mousie! I don't want to be a mousie!"
"What in the name of Merlin's saggy left buttock is going on here?"
George, Ron, and Ginny had just come from around the corner to find Fred on his knees, crying desperately onto Anna's feet. So yeah, they had a right to be confused and slightly disturbed.
"What does it look like George? I'm proposing to your girlfriend! And I don't think Merlin would like the use of his left buttock in that context," said Fred, who ceased his crying immediately.
George, Ron, and Ginny looked beyond confused at that point. They looked at Harry, who shrugged, then to Anna, who laughed. Ron looked up and said, "Blimey! I nearly forgot, it's Christmas Eve!"
Anna looked suddenly worried, as Fred muttered something about how slow Ron was.
"I'll be back," she muttered, and sprinted down the hall.
"Where do you reckon she's going?" asked Ron.
"No idea, so what the hell were you doing at her feet, Fred?" asked Ginny.
"Oh, I was just begging her not to turn me into a baby mouse. You know, just being a normal teenager," said Fred.
"Yeah…normal's the word," muttered Ginny so Fred couldn't' hear.
"So George, why did you need to see Dumbledore?" asked Harry.
George mumbled something that sounded like "Mind your own business."
Ginny smirked at him, and dragged George away. Fred, Ron, and Harry made to follow again, but Ginny turned around and said, "Frederick Gideon Weasley! One would think that you learned to never eavesdrop on people earlier today. Now unless you still wish to be turned into a baby mouse, I would get out of my way!"
Fred stopped dead in his tracks. He saluted Ginny, and marched towards the Gryffindor common room, with Harry and Ron following.
"Sit. We need to talk," demanded Ginny. George looked slightly taken aback, but sat down.
"If we're about to have a sibling-to-sibling chat about my feelings again, then I'm going," said George.
"Well, unfortunately for you, we are going to chat about your feelings, and you're not going anywhere!" said Ginny fiercely.
"Oh c'mon Ginny why can't you go bug someone else?" he whined.
"I already bugged your girlfriend," Ginny said quietly.
"You did what?" asked George incredulously.
"I had a lovely little chat with Anna about you. In fact, I'm surprised she still likes you after what I told her," said Ginny, now smirking. George looked dumbfounded. He gaped at Ginny; he looked on the verge of tears. Ginny looked taken aback. "George! C'mon I was just joking! All I did was ask her what she got you for Christmas!" This was not entirely true, but Ginny couldn't bear the sight of George, one of the pranksters, nearly crying because of her. George looked immensely relieved.
"Promise you said nothing that would embarrass me?"
"I promise. But why is it such a big deal anyway?" asked Ginny. George muttered something under his breath.
"You really like her don't you?" asked Ginny quietly. George nodded. Ginny smiled.
"That's so cute! One of the pranksters has a crush!"
"Shut up Ginny."
"Ah George don't be so dispirited. It's Christmas Eve!" exclaimed Ginny. And for the first time that day, George wanted nothing more than to see the look on Anna's face when the next day came.
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That chapter was kind of short too. Now, I PROMISE that next chapter will be about Christmas morning, and you will find out what the lovebirds got each other for the festive season ) REVIEW PLEEEEAAAASSEEEE!