Disclaimer: Damn copy write rights… which I don't own for Harry Potter.
ooooo
"Come now, everybody out," Mrs. Weasley bustled. She hurried her family out of the kitchen and into the living room, having trouble tearing her youngest son away from the buttered biscuits. "You ate enough, Ron! We don't have all day for this; your father needs to be at the Ministry at one o'clock."
"Mum, that gives us four and a half hours," Ron protested. "And does it really matter if Dad isn't there?"
Mrs. Weasley gave her son a stern look and then turned to the fireplace. "I feel more secure with your father there, Ronald, and I won't have you arguing with me." She turned back around, a flowerpot full of green powder in her hand. "Now, line up. Fred and George first, yes, there you go. Harry dear, you go after George, and then Ron can go fourth." She watched as George disappeared into the green flames.
Harry stepped up, took some of the powder in his hand, and then walked over to the glowing fire. He threw the shimmering dust and stepped into the augmented flames, saying the words 'Diagon Alley' to the brick flue. He began to spin, and Mrs. Weasley's voice grew more and more blurred and incoherent before a great rushing noise flooded over him and blocked out everything else. He spun faster, everything blurred, and in a moment Harry found himself standing in front of an unfamiliar fireplace. Harry felt Fred take his hand and he was pulled off to the side where George was standing.
"Gotta get you out of the way, Harry," George explained. "Don't want Ron falling on top of you, now do we?" He raised his brow in question, smirking at his brother. Fred rolled his eyes and gave a little sneer, invoking a laugh from George. Harry stood confused, not understanding any part of the exchange that had just taken place, but grateful that he had been pulled out of the way; Ron had just appeared in the spot he had been occupying seconds before.
"You made it this time, Harry," Ron joked, coming over to his best friend and older brothers.
Seeing Ron, Fred realized that he was still holding Harry's hand and he immediately let go. Harry looked at him with sad eyes, but the understanding smile he wore reassured Fred; both of them would have loved to remain as they were, but it would have raised unwanted and awkward questions. Harry moved to make room for Ron in their circle, stepping close enough to Fred that their arms were touching. Fred's heart beat at the contact, and he couldn't help a smile from speeding across his face.
Harry looked around, and saw a number of fireplaces lining three of the four walls that made up the small square room. "Where are we? I've never been here before."
"That's because you ended up in Knockturn Alley last time," Ron answered Harry.
"Yeah, I remember."
"This is where the Floo Network opens to Diagon Alley."
"It's just a room full of fireplaces."
"Of course it is! What else would you need? It's just for transport for those who can't or don't want to Apparate. Speaking of, why didn't you two?"
"Why didn't we what, Ron," George asked.
"Apparate. Why didn't you just Apparate here?"
"Because everyone else was taking the Floo."
"You never do things just because it's what everyone else is doing."
"We thought a little change would be fun, but all this grieve you're giving us is ruining it."
"What are you ruining now, Ron," Ginny asked. She laid a hand on his shoulder and looked up at him with a smirk. "You're always ruining everybody's fun."
"Shut up, Ginny." Ron's cheeks colored and he brushed his sister's hand from his shoulder.
"Aw, play nice, Ronikins," George snickered.
"George, stop it," Mrs. Weasley broke in. "Honestly, you would never know that you were of age. Now, let's go!" She hurried out of the room, her husband at her side and her children in-tow.
Three hours later, they had purchased all the necessary books, quills, bottles of ink, rolls of parchment, and potions supplies, and were headed to the second hand robe shop to buy Ginny and Ron new robes, when George said he was leaving to go do some shopping of his own. Mrs. Weasley protested, not wanting any of her children off on their own.
"I don't need new robes, so why should I wait around wile you pole around through all these old robes?"
"Molly, he's seventeen, just let him go," Mr. Weasley had argued.
"Fine," Mrs. Weasley dejectedly gave in. "Just meet us in an hour so we can leave together."
They began to enter the shop, but George held Fred back. "You know, Harry doesn't need new robes either," he said with a wink.
Fred watched his brother walk down the street and disappear around the corner. A small grin played across his face and he entered the shop. Fred searched out Harry amongst the racks of used robes and found him absently looking at a number of deep blue dress robes. He whispered in Harry's ear and a smile of his own spread across Harry's face. He followed Fred and they walked over to where Mrs. Weasley was helping Ginny pick through a long wrack of black school robes.
"Mum, Harry and I are going to leave too. We'll be back in an hour."
Mrs. Weasley gave a sigh. "Alright, go. Ginny, this one looks right. Go put it on. Just be careful, Fred. And you too, Harry."
"Bye Mum."
"Goodbye Mrs. Weasley."
As soon as they were out of the shop, Harry turned to Fred. "So, where are you taking me?" Fred blushed at the question.
"You make it sound like a date."
"It isn't," Harry questioned, casting his eyes up at Fred as he put a pout on his face. Fred's face burned and he looked away.
"Well, I guess you could call it a, a date," Fred stumbled over the words. He turned back to Harry, saw that his pout had been replaced by a smile, and couldn't help but smile himself. If it was a date, it would be their first one.
"So, where do you want to go on our date?"
"I thought you were taking me somewhere."
Fred thought a moment. "Is ice cream okay?"
"Ice cream sounds great."
Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor was on the other end of Diagon Alley, and the walk there took longer than it normally would have. Fred, his mind still swimming with the thought that this was their first date, had inadvertently quickened his pace, leaving Harry a few steps behind him. Harry, seeing that Fred's nervousness was the reason for their separation, had skipped forward and took Fred's hand in his own. Fred had been surprised by the open gesture, but squeezed Harry's hand in approval just the same. Their pace now one, they had strolled down the street leisurely, looking at everything the numerous shops had displayed behind their large windows.
Florean greeted them when they entered, and he personally scooped them cones of chocolate licorice and butterbeer. When Fred tried to pay for the ice cream, Florean refused the Knuts, insisting that there was no need to pay. Fred gave up and put the money away, still embarrassed by the kindly gesture. They thanked Florean and left to sit outside under the yellow and white stripped awning.
"Does he always do that," Fred asked Harry.
"Yeah, though I'm not sure why. He always refuses my money."
"Hmm." Fred licked his butterbeer-flavored ice cream.
"I remember the summer before my third year, when I was staying at the Leaky Caldron, I would come here almost every day and he would give me free sundaes. It was probably the only thing that kept me sane, being here with nothing to do."
"All the shops not enough to keep you entertained?"
"There's only so much one can buy."
Fred looked at Harry, and he wondered what it would be like to be able to buy practically anything you wanted. He guessed that it must have showed on his face, because Harry hurried to apologize.
"Oh, I didn't mean that, Fred. It's just, you know… money isn't everything. Some people may think that it is, but I don't." Harry buried himself in his chocolate licorice.
"I know you didn't mean it like that, it's just that I wonder sometimes, you know. And I know that don't care about money. If you did, why would you be out with me?" Fred laughed, and Harry couldn't help but laugh along with him.
Their laughing died down and fell into a hush. They sat for a few peaceful minutes, enjoying the cool treat and the presence of the other.
"I've never had chocolate licorice," Fred said, breaking the silence. "Does it taste any good?"
"Mmm… yeah. It's really chocolaty. You wanna try some?"
Before Fred could answer, Harry held out his cone for him. Fred leaned forward and licked the dark brown ice cream, the thought that Harry's tongue had been doing the same thing only moments before the only thing on his mind.
"I like it."
Harry grinned. "I see that. You have chocolate on your face."
"What? Where?"
Harry leaned closer. "Right there, below your lip. Wait…" He moved forward and took Fred's mouth in his. They kissed deeply, and Fred tasted the chocolate on Harry's tongue. As they began to pull apart, Harry softly bit Fred's bottom lip, running his tongue over the skin that had been covered in chocolate.
"Mmmm, butterbeer-flavored kisses are nice." Harry smiled and licked his ice cream. "I'm looking forward to more of them."
ooooo
The rest of August flew by quickly, and before anyone realized it, it was September first and they were all piling into the Ministry cars parked outside. The ride was brief, and Fred shortly found himself gazing upon the scarlet engine of the Hogwarts Express. They waved goodbye to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and moved to the nearest car.
As soon as they had boarded the train, Ginny left to find friends and Ron left for the Prefect's compartment, informing Harry that he would be back with them as soon as he could break away.
Standing there next to Harry and George, Fred realized for the first time what it really meant to be back in school for another year. There was no other student-save George-that was in his year, no other compartment full of friends that he could go to. Fred felt lonely, knowing that all his friends had jobs and he had another year of school to get through. If he already felt like this, before the train had even left, what would the whole year be like? But then he felt Harry take his arm, and he knew that even though his friends had moved on, this was going to be his best year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
ooooo
George stared out the window, watching the trees pass by as the sky darkened from the setting sun. He was holding a light conversation with Fred, who was gently stroking Harry's hand. Harry himself was asleep, his head resting on Fred's shoulder, a content smile on his face. George heard a knock at the compartment door, and it slid open to reveal Hermione and Ron, dressed in their school robes, their prefect's badges shining in the candlelight. George glanced over at Fred and met with nervous eyes.
"Hello Fred, George," she said, coming in and sitting down. "And Harry's asleep? Well, at least you're all in your robes already. What are you doing Ron? Come in here and close the door."
Ron walked through the threshold and tenuously sat down. He looked at Fred, who had stopped rubbing Harry's hand, but still held it in his lap.
"I'm supposed to tell you two about where you'll be spending the school year," Hermione continued.
"Um, wouldn't that be at the school," George answered sardonically.
"I meant where in the school. If you're going to act like that I'll just leave you alone to find your own place to sleep."
"Sorry Hermione. Where in the school will we be spending the year?"
"Well, Dumbledore has had a special dormitory set up for the two of you, not far from Gryffindor tower. You still are, of course, Gryffindors, so you will be given the password to the dormitory and are allowed in any time before curfew."
"Well, that's awful nice of Dumbledore, to do that just for us."
"Yes, well, this is the first time that anyone had come back for an eighth year at Hogwarts. Every other person who's failed their N.E.W.T.s has just taken whatever job they could find and moved on."
"We like to linger. It annoys people."
"Well, I'd be ashamed if I had to stay in school another year."
"That's why we'd never work out, Hermione. We're just too different."
"Shut up, George," Ron interjected.
"Oh, I would never think of stealing your girlfriend, Ron. Didn't you just hear me?"
"Really," Hermione huffed, her face going red. She got up and opened the door, an angry look on her face. "George, I really wonder at you sometimes!"
Before she left, Hermione turned to Fred, a smile on her face. "Tell Harry when he wakes up that the password is Poison Apple." She stalked out the door, and Ron got up to follow her. He sneered at George, then looked at Harry and Fred, his expression unreadable. When the door closed behind him, George turned to Fred.
"Well, I guess they know now."
"Yeah," Fred meagerly said. He resumed rubbing Harry's hand, but this time it was more for his own comfort than out of love for the sleeping boy.
"It'll be alright."
"I hope so." Fred closed his eyes and leaned his head so that it rested on Harry's. "I hope so."
ooooo
I'm sorry that I made you wait so long, so I made sure it was twice as long as normal. I want to say thank you to angelkat2502, Marie L., and fifespice for reviewing.
angelkat2502, I'm glad to please you with my pairing! I couldn't really find many fics with Harry and one or the other of the twins, so I decided to write one myself!
Marie L., I don't think I'll get into a threesome with this fic, but I have, um, twists waiting to be employed. It's hard to write a response, I don't want to ruin anything! But I have an idea for a different fic that would involve a threesome, but don't be expecting it too soon.
fifespice, thank you for reviews for each chapter! And yes, problems with George ahoy!
And of course thanks to Hobbit, a.k.a. ijrooney for beta-ing for me!
