School has been so far unrelenting with the homework, and I finally got around to writing chapter 3! Just want to say thanks to everyone who story alerted or favorited this story; glad to know that there are people other than me are reading it :)

Hermione opened the door to the room that Dumbledore had provided for her (the twins had a separate one) and was pleased to see that it wasn't much different from her old Gryffindor room. There was a trunk with the current school supplies and robes already there for her for tomorrow. The silence of the room reminded her of the strange situation she and the twins were in; Hermione decided that she didn't like the silence. To rid herself of the awful quiet that was contained in the entire room, she opened the door to their small common room in hopes of finding Fred. Or George she told herself.

She didn't have to go far, though, for Fred was sitting on the small couch, staring blankly at the roaring fire in front of him.

"Hey." Fred's head snapped up to meet hers as he watched her shyly make her way next to him. Fred took her small hand into his large Quidditch toughened hand.

"Hey yourself." Hermione's breath hitched as she realized how close Fred's face had gotten; she then realized that she was leaning in too. Fred's hand slipped up her arm to cup the back of her neck, and Hermione balanced herself by leaning her hands against his jean-clad thigh. She heard him breath 'Hermione' as his parted mouth descended upon hers. Their lips were nearly touching –

"Can you believe – oh." George. Who else could ruin a moment? If it wasn't one twin it was the other. Quicker than you could say "firebolt", the pair had split apart and both where the shade of house they were in.

"What was that Georgie? Can't believe what?" Fred, who was still a bright, tried to completely ignore what had just transpired.

Hermione stuttered a feeble excuse ("H-homework.") and left the room. She didn't realize until after the door was close that tears were pricking the corner of her eyes. Why did his brush off hurt? It's not like we actually knew what we were doing. Caught up in the moment. Yes, that was it. And with that, she wiped her eyes and forgot about for the night.

Meanwhile, Fred was still outside with George. George –who looked like the cat that caught the canary- sat down next to his twin (who was rivaling the color of a tomato). "So what were you d-"

"Nothing."

"Didn't look like –"

"No."

"Are you su-"

"Yes."

"What'd she s-"

"Go away." And with that Fred left his twin to go to safety of his room.

The next day had gone without much interaction between the twins and Hermione. Mostly because Hermione said she was preparing for the Sorting Feast- which was due to start in twenty or so minutes.

"Hermione, it is I, George, the handsomer, wittier twin. Come out or we're leaving you."

Hermione huffed and opened the door, and made her way to the Great Hall with the twins.

All the three were greatly unprepared for what they saw before them. They hadn't realized that the other students had already been sorted, and it seemed like they were just getting ready to eat.

Dumbledore must have noticed them from all the way at the Head's Table because he introduced them before anyone could start asking questions. "Ah! Yes. Attention, students- a quick announcement before you all eat this gloriously prepared food. We have three transfer students from another, smaller wizarding school just outside of Leeds. I present to you Mr. and Mr. Warren and Miss Granger, and Gryffindor I believe you have acquired three new members."

Clapping and whoops sounded from the table to their left (Gryffindor) and two boys had stood up to clap and cry above the rest of the crowd.

"Ready Fred?"

"Ready George." The trio made their way over to an empty area by the table where the other seventh years were. Hermione sat closer to Fred than usual; not that Fred minded of course.

Hermione took in the four boys seated in front of her. The two directly in front of her had shoulder length black wavy hair, and was quite handsome. He looked right back at her and gave a charming smile, "Sirius Black at your service milady." Sirius Black said while taking her hand and kissing the back of it. SIRIUS BLACK? Oh why didn't I think of it! Of course the marauders would just be starting their seventh year! Fred and George must have realized too because there faces had suddenly turned ashen (though they recovered faster than Hermione did).

The boy next to Sirius was the spitting image of Harry except that his eyes weren't as vibrant a green and were more hazel. He was also lacking the infamous lightening bolt that designated Harry as the Boy-Who-Lived. James. It's got to be Harry's father. "Sorry about him. Could charm the knickers off McGonagall that one. James Potter, and you are?" James Potter said.

"Oh! Hermione. Hermione Granger."

"And I'm –"

"Fred! And I'm-"

"George!" The twins grinned widely at the slights bewildered marauders. Sirius was first to stop gawking at the identical boys.

"Over here if Remus, and on the other side of James, is Peter." Instinctively, Hermione reached for her wand at the sound of the boy who caused the deaths of her best friend's parents. It was only the gentle pressure of Fred's hand capturing her wrist stopping her. He looked down at Hermione, who had begun to grow pale again. "Don't. You don't know if he was one of them yet. Looks pretty harmless if you ask me." He whispered to her while wrapping a comforting arm around her waist.

"Ohhhh. Hmm. So what're you? Together?" Sirius' voice broke through their little bubble. Sirius had his eyebrow arched and was giving them a questioning look; George and James had seemed to take an interest, too.

Fred removed his arm from around her and scratched the back of his reddening neck. "No. Nope. Just friends."

"Absolutely not!" and a jumble of other phrases like them at been heard being mumbled by the pair. Sirius just grinned roguishly at them and continued eating his breakfast with a smug smile on his face.

"Leave them alone Padfoot! They only just got here. Don't want to go scaring them away now do you?" Remus said, who had up till now been quiet. He was reading what appeared to be their Defense Against the Dark Arts book.

"Hush Moony, go back to your reading." Sirius threw bacon at his friend, only to get a spoonful of fried eggs tossed on his head by a sniggering James. Remus looked at the quiet trio, seeming to size them up.

"So how are you adjusting to Hogwarts? I'm sure it's much bigger than what you're used to." Adjusting you ask? I've been sent back twenty years and am currently having breakfast with my best friend's dead parents, godfather, and DADA teacher. I'd say I'm adjusting quite well, thanks. She settled for, "Oh yes! Quite different, though I think I'll like it. These two must be stilled stunned though. I've never heard them be so quiet."

George yanked one of Hermione's curls and continued to eat (Fred was trying to ignore Hermione's existence, though failing superbly). George had finally gotten his voice back and was able to strike up conversation once again.

"So I hear you four are quite the pranksters." Remus, Sirius, and James all had mischievous smiles tacked on to their face, while Peter just nodded enthusiastically, happy to be included in the little group.

"Ah, so our reputation precedes us." Said James, who still had a bit of potato stuck to his hair from his and Sirius' food fight.

"Our stunts have been heard of all the way to Leeds than has it, eh Prongs? Yes, yes. The marauders have pulled a great many jokes in their day." Sirius said.

Fred and George were, of course, not to be outdone. "Me 'n Georgie know just how trying being a jokester is, don't we Forge?"

"Indeed we do, Gred. Back at our school, we were quite famous for our pranks. Guess you could say we were the "marauders" of Leeds." George said with a challenging smile. Hermione groaned at the competitive nature of the boys.

"Guys." She moaned, drawing out the word. Sirius looked her way and gave her a charming little wink.

"Don't worry, love. Just a friendly little chat with the "Marauders of Leeds"." Fred didn't like the way Sirius was looking at Hermione. Stay within your own era of women, thank you very much.

"Yeah Hermione. We're just having a chat with the Marauders of Hogwarts. If they will even still have that title by the time graduation comes 'round." Fred countered.

And with that said, the Marauders of Hogwarts and the Marauders of Leeds had just initiated a friendly competition.