With one lazy wave of his wand, George dusted the tops of the cupboards and swept the dust bunnies under the bed. He wanted the room to look acceptable, but not like it was done by magic. While this happened, Ron banged and screamed against the inside of the old wardrobe, but his loud moans and hysterical cries could not be heard loud enough against George's echoing uproarious laughter.

"So, what are you're plans for this year?" Hermione said as she folded a rather horrid pair of moldy dress robes that strikingly reminded her of the ones Ron owned. Hermione smiled to herself. Ron was definitely a character.

"What do you mean, 'what are my plans'? I'm going to my seventh year at Hogwarts, aren't I? At least, I think I am, there's no real point anymore, but I guess it could help business…" Fred said thoughtfully.

"So that's your plans for the year, making money?"

"Well, part of it. Make money, get the business going, pull really cool pranks, stir up trouble, make George and I legends if we already aren't, win the Quidditch Cup, and oh, score with the ladies."

"Excuse me?"

"Well, yeah. I've been single for like, what, a month in a half? Gotta get my goin' out on!" Fred said casually.

"And how do you expect to 'get you're goin' out on?" Hermione asked, clearly disgusted. "You've only been single a month in a half. Don't you need some alone time?"

"How do I expect to get my goin' out on? Simple. Alicia Spinnet."

"Didn't she always kind of have a thing with George?"

"Not anymore. It seems to me like George is getting one two many letters from Angelina Johnson." Fred said, with no bitterness in his voice.

"You mean your ex-girlfriend? How do you figure?" Hermione said curiously.

"Just because we're broken up, we're still friends, and we still send each other letters. But George has been getting a few more letters from Angelina, they're a little lengthier, and he's always smiling and laughing when he reads them. I wish I knew what they were talking about." Fred said.

"Are you, jealous?" Hermione said jokingly.

"No." Fred said confidently. "I gotta move on."

"And you don't care that George is possible moving on with you're ex-girlfriend?" Hermione said in awe.

"No. I mean, George is welcomed to date whoever he wants. Just because who he wants to date just happens to be my ex-girlfriend is a coincidence, and I can't fight his feelings." Fred explained.

"Wow, Fred. I think that's very sweet of you. Most people wouldn't let their brother or best friend date their ex-girlfriend, but you're mature enough to handle it." Hermione said proudly.

Fred laughed. "Yeah, mature, that's me. Actually, I think that I'll rethink my choices. Swooning Alicia Spinnet would not be a good thing. She's too much like Angelina."

"And is that a bad thing?"

"No, I just want a different type girl, and the possibilities for me are endless." Fred bragged.

"You amaze me." Hermione said, rolling her eyes but she couldn't help but smile.

"That's my job." Fred said, smiling. He then proceeded to open the cupboard on the far left. "AHHH!" He screamed.

"What?!" Hermione yelled.

"AHHH!!!!!" Fred roared, jumping on top of the bed. "Get it away! Kill it! KILL IT!"

"Kill what!?" Hermione cried, unaware of what it was, but jumped on the bed for fear it was something horrible.

"It's moving, it's moving!" Fred yelled, wrapping his arms around Hermione in fear.

"WHAT'S MOVING?" Hermione screamed impatiently.

"The RAT!" Fred shouted.

"Unbelievable!" Hermione grumbled, wriggling out of Fred's hold around her. "This is ridiculous! You're the one laughing at me for squealing a dead rat, yet you nearly have a heart attack for seeing a live one!"

"Yeah, that's the point, live. You won't hear me squealing about a dead rat." Fred retorted.

"Yes, but I will hear you crying about a live one. Honestly, Fred, it may start your heart for a second, but it's no big deal. You're making mountains out of molehills. And you're a seventeen-year-old boy scared of rats."

"Yeah, well, that rat literally popped out at me. Now that's scary!"

"Now that's enough!" Hermione sighed. "C'mon, are we done in here?"

"I think we are," Fred said nervously, getting off the bed. "Except for that cupboard which I refuse to clean."

Hermione walked down the flight of stairs, hoping that Ron was already done with his cleaning so that they could go outside together. She decided to peak in the bedroom he in George were cleaning just in case they were still in there.

Hermione opened the door a crack, no sign of Ron or George. But then, all of a sudden she heard a noise.

"George! George this is stupid! Let me out of here! George, I swear I'll- AHH! A spider! Oh God, Oh God, Oh God…" A muffled voice came from inside the wardrobe.

"Ron?" Hermione asked nervously, edging near the wardrobe. "Ron, is that you?"

"Why of course it's me!" He snarled.

"Why are you in the wardrobe?" Hermione giggled.

"Because I like coat hangers." He said sarcastically, and Hermione laughed. "Because George locked me in, that's why! I'll explain if you GET ME OUT!"

"Oh, alright, no need to be pushy." Hermione sighed happily, and unlatched the wardrobe door.

Ron, who was leaning against the door, fell out suddenly, right into Hermione's arms.

"Oh!" She giggled.

"Sorry, s-sorry." He said nervously.

"No problem." Hermione said, her cheeks turning red as she let go of him.

"Thanks for, um, getting me out of there." He said.

"Well, someone had to do it." She laughed. "So, how did you get in this mess?"

"George and I were cleaning, everything going fine, when all of a sudden he yells, 'Hey, there's a Sickle in the wardrobe!' I, like a normal wizard would, ran into the wardrobe to get it before my brother. George, like the mastermind he is, set the whole thing up, and locked me in there for his entertainment." Ron said bitterly.

"How horrible!" Hermione gasped.

"Yeah, and I was in there for at least an hour." Ron told her.

"That's sickening. Why would he do that to you?" Hermione asked, appalled.

"Well, I knew that I wouldn't be in there all day, because George has a heart deep down and Mum would find out, but yeah, that boy's pretty clever when he wants to be. You understand, though, you spent a few hours alone with Fred." Ron said.

"Actually, he wasn't like that at all." Hermione confessed. "I mean, yes, he talked about all the crazy things he and George do but he didn't do anything to me. And he talks about himself in a way that leads you to believe that according to him every girl in the school likes him but somehow even with his pompous remarks about himself, the stories about all the immature things he does, the way he thinks that he's the hottest guy on the planet, his plans trouble he's hoping to stir this year, he can somehow get away with talking about them without getting me mad. He's very…smooth, you know? If somebody else talked about women the way he did I might have to slap them, but not Fred. He has a way of saying what he wants but making it complement everyone. Does that make sense? He's very….charming."

"Oh, no." Ron said nervously. "Oh, no, no, no, no, no."

"Oh no what?" Hermione said, suddenly frightened.

"You're under his spell." Ron whispered.

"What do you mean?"

"I thought you were different, Hermione. I thought you wouldn't fall for these things." Ron said, shaking his head.

"What things!" Hermione panicked.

"Fred and George are probably one of the most popular boys in the school. They're funny, clever, cunning, charming, smooth talking, good Quidditch players, practical jokers, and what every girl seems to think, good looking. Now I know about two girls in this school who don't have crushes on them, and that's you and Ginny." Ron said sadly, and Hermione knew he was right. Lavender and Parvati had suggested to her, 'If your so good friends with Ron, you should become closer to Fred and George. Maybe get Ron to put in a good word for you.' She had heard Angelina gush to other girls that she was dating Fred Weasley, and all the girls cooed and said things like 'You're so lucky!'

"Well, why do you think I'm under his spell?" Hermione asked stiffly.

"Because you're mesmerized by him! Talking about how good he is, how charming he is, probably thinking about how handsome he is…" Ron grumbled.

"Ron Weasley are you…jealous?" Hermione asked curiously.

"I'm jealous of Fred and George if that's what you're thinking."

No, that was not what Hermione was thinking. It was more along the lines of 'Are you jealous that you think I like Fred, not are you jealous of Fred and George's popularity', but this would do.

"I mean, everyone thinks they're so great, but they aren't. Like, last summer, for instance. Fred, George, and I went to Ottery St. Catchpole and met these two muggle girls. Now, George took a fancy to one of them, and as it so happened Fred and I were both vying for the attentions of the other girl, who in my option was much prettier."Hermione's stomach seemed to squirm with jealously, but Ron went on. "We're both fighting over Miranda, her name was, both trying to outdo the other, but then, Fred had to play dirty and tell Miranda that I had some kind of infectious disease they although you couldn't see, was nastily horrible and very contagious only to the opposite sex. Miranda, of course, bought it, stayed away from me and started dating Fred. Luckily, Miranda was George's new girlfriend's cousin and left two days later and Fred never heard from her again, but still, it hurt me. I'm always teased by them and I'm sick of it! Don't get me wrong, Fred, George, and I are actually very close and I love them to death, but what some people don't realize, mostly girls, is they have a dark side. I thought you of all people, Hermione, we're clever enough to realize that, but it seems that Fred's good looks and irresistible charm have overshadowed his dark side in your case." Ron complained.

"Oh, Ron," Hermione sighed. "I do realize that Fred and George are up to no good! The side I'm more used to is the dark side! I was exposed to a good part of Fred for the first time today! And don't think that one day's going to change anything!"

"And another thing, it's hard to live up in Fred and George's shadow, and on top of that I'm in Harry's shadow! 'Fred and George, Hogwarts legends,' 'Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived,' And Ron Weasley, 'Harry Potter's sidekick'? Yeah, that's impressive. I think I've even been called 'Hermione Granger's sidekick' or 'Granger's boyfriend'." He said bitterly.

"Well, every great hero needs a great sidekick, Ron." Hermione whispered. "And every great woman needs a great man. Just something to think about." She started to walk away, but before she left the room she said, "Oh, and for the record, I think Robin is way hotter than Batman."

Ron just stared at her, mouth lolling open. "Note to self," He thought. "Find out who Batman and Robin are."