Disclaimer: I don't own it.

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Chapter Twenty: Weasley Twins

"It is, you just have to know the right people," a familiar voice behind her spoke up.

"Oh, and you're one of them, Mr. Potter?" Hope snarled, sarcasm in her voice.

"Nope, but there are two of them, and they just happen to be visiting their little brother in the Gryffindor common room."

Harry offered his hand to Hope. She looked at it, before shrugging and heading off to the stairs. She couldn't get to close to him. He would only become an even bigger threat to Voldemort if she did.

Harry was puzzled but followed Hope anyway. They reached the common room, and entered to find twin red heads.

"Who is this beautiful young lady?" One of them asked the other.

"I don't know, Fred, she's much too tall to be a first year. How is it we've not met you?"

Hope giggled and extended her hand.

"I'm Hope Collins," she said with a smirk.

"Well Hope, I'm Fred…"

"…And I'm George. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Hope shook her head. "How much time did Severus use of my free period, and how much is left?" She asked, turning back to Harry.

"Did she just ignore us, Fred?"

"I think she did, George."

Harry ignored the twins and answered her. "He dismissed class early, so we have about an hour left. Why?"

"I want to learn to fly," Hope exclaimed.

"You want to learn to fly, eh Hope?" George asked.

"There's more than one way," Fred said, picking her up. "Meet you on the pitch, Harry!"

Fred started running, with Hope over his shoulder, ignoring her shouts to be put down. He wasn't paying attention and ran straight into Professors McGonagall, Dumbledore, and Snape. He fell backwards, causing Hope to land on top of him.

"You idiot!" Hope screamed as she stood up. "Did it ever occur to you when I said I wanted to fly, I meant on a broomstick? That is how most people take it. I did not, in any means, want to be carried down six flights of stairs, on the shoulder of a raving lunatic who can't stand for a girl to ignore him!"

"Fred, I think she's a little upset with us," George said from behind him.

"A little! I'm beyond a 'little upset'. You two are the most selfish, idiotic prats I have ever had to meet…"

Instead of listening to her they cast a silencing charm and dragged her toward the doors.

"Goodbye Professors!" George yelled. "Good to see you again!"

Severus was trying to keep a straight face at the quandary his goddaughter faced. While he didn't like the Weasley twins because of the jokes that they all too commonly played, he had to admit they were the perfect thing for her at the moment.

The twins had dragged Hope all the way out to the pitch and had met up with Harry, who was laughing. Hope, still unable to speak, glared at him and smacked him on the back of the head.

"You couldn't just yell at me, could you Hope?" He complained, rubbing his head.

Hope moved her arms around before pointing to the twins, causing all three of them to burst out laughing. Hope, sick of it all pulled her wand and pointed it at them.

"Hope, I hate to tell you, but you can't do spells without being able to speak," Harry said behind her.

Hope glared at him as if telling him to rethink that. The twins took the threat to heart and undid the charm.

"Thank you!" She exclaimed. "Now, you two can either help me learn to fly, or you both can fly into a tree."

"You don't know how to do that," Fred said.

Hope muttered the levitating charm and Fred was lifted right over a tree. "Still think so?"

"We'll help!"

Hope levitated Fred back to the ground and smirked. "I'm glad you see it my way!"

Harry laughed and mounted a broom. "Mine is a little easier to learn on, so I guess I'll let you use it," he offered sarcastically.

"Not necessary Potter. Severus bought her a broom last night, when he learned she was trying to fly."

"What?" Hope exclaimed, staring open-mouthed at the broom.

"He owl ordered it. Said you were likely to kill yourself on the ones in the broom cupboard."

The Weasley twins laughed. "He's right, you know. Those brooms are made for the small little first years that are learning, not sixth years."

Hope sighed. "Why did he buy me a broom, though?"

"Well, you are his goddaughter," Draco replied, turning to walk off. "See you tonight."

"Since when is he nice to anyone?" Fred asked.

"Fred, you're missing the point, my dear brother. Hope is our favorite potions master's goddaughter."

Both twins got mischievous looks on their faces, causing Hope to sigh.

"I'm not helping you prank him. Now, can we get on with flying, or do you want to become friends with the tree?"

The twins shrugged and mounted their brooms. "You have to get on your broom first."

Hope mounted the broom and followed the others as they kicked off. Hope started to wobble and repositioned herself.

"Good Hope! Now lean forward!"

She did as they said, and found herself flying forward.

They few around for a few minutes, Hope quickly catching on, before getting bored and starting a race.

"We'll do it in groups. Fred and I first, then Harry and Hope. We'll do the final race right after classes and before dinner," George said, as he mounted his broom.

Hope watched as the twin boys raced off, neck and neck, until the very end when Fred pulled ahead.

"Yeah!!" Fred yelled as George hit him on the back. After a few moments of celebration, he turned to Hope. "Now you two!"

"Guys, I don't know if this is a good idea," Hope said as she nervously mounted her broom.

"GO!" Fred and George yelled at the exact same time, ignoring the younger girl's worry.

Hope raced off and fell behind Harry immediately. Deciding to take a risk, she leaned all the way down on her groom and felt it take off. Soon enough, Hope was landing a mere second before Harry.

"You let me win!" She accused him, as they made their way up to the common room to get their books. Harry denied it with a smile the entire way. Once they got up to the common room and were about to split up to go to their respective dormitories, Harry caught Hope's hand.

"You're right, I let you win, but you're cute, so it was completely worth it," Harry said with a grin. He quickly kissed her on the cheek before going to his dormitory.

Hope walked up to her dormitory and got her books in a daze before meeting Hermione to go to Charms. She half listened as Hermione described the rest of the day.

"We're supposed to be learning a new charm today!" She said excitedly.

"Excellent," Hope said, feigning enthusiasm.

Hermione entered the classroom and took a seat up front with Ron and Harry while Hope lingered back. She didn't want to give the wrong idea to Harry, nor did she want to become too close to him.

Draco entered with Blaise and sat on the other end of the room from the trio. Hope went and set her stuff down beside his.

"Hey Draco," she said, receiving a wave in return. She sighed. "Since I am in both houses, I was wondering if I could sit here with you and Blaise..."

Draco shrugged before continuing his conversation. Hope sighed again and sat down, before pulling out her book and some parchment.

Hermione was wrong. They weren't learning a new charm today. Instead, they were assigned to read.

Hope pulled out some parchment instead and started writing:

Draco,

I'm sorry for how I've been acting. It's not your fault and I shouldn't be angry with you. Forgive me?

She folded the note and passed it to him. He opened it and read it before scribbling something back.

Hope was almost afraid of the reply as she unfolded the note. However, she smiled as she read his reply.

Hope,

On one condition. Sit with Blaise and me at lunch. You are after all, as you say, a Slytherin as well.

She finished just as the bell rang and gathered her things before meeting with a waiting Draco and Blaise at the door. She laughed on the way down as she unknowingly passed an upset looking Harry.

Severus was talking with Dumbledore when the students entered the Great Hall for lunch. He watched the trio as they went to their usual spot at Gryffindor's table, and was surprised to see that Hope was not with them. He kept watching however, and saw Draco and Blaise enter with his giggling goddaughter.

Severus turned back to the headmaster, who was smiling.

"Apparently, Severus, the situation is not as hopeless as you thought."

Severus ignored the double meaning on Hope's name in favor of smiling at the group of teens, now all overcome with laughter.

He never looked away as he answered, "Maybe it's not."

Harry watched as Hope went to the Slytherin table with Malfoy, and put his head in his hands.

"I blew it," he said to Hermione and Ron.

"Why do you think that?" Hermione asked.

"She's avoiding me. What else am I supposed to think?"

"Maybe she's not avoiding you, Harry. Maybe everything is fine and she just wants to spend time with Draco."

"Yeah, mate. She's a Slytherin too, you know? Maybe she's just trying to get to know some of them," Ron added in, through a mouthful of food.

"Maybe. I guess I'll find out during the flying competition tonight."

Hermione and Ron nodded and went back to their meals.

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A/N: Hey!! Thanks to imajesus for reviewing so many times!! I really do appreciate it. Maybe now the rest of you will learn from her and review? Hmm...now there is an idea!! Lol.

Thanks for betaing Nita!

Kayla