disclaimer and a/n: As usual, don't own anything remotely Harry Potter related nor do I own Somebody to Love by Queen. Both are simply the basis of my story. The end. And sorry it took so long for me to update. I kinda forgot... :-D Anywho, enjoy!

Chapter 4: Girls' Day Out

"Come on, Jaya, you promised! I'm only here for two days and you said you'd show me the town!"

Hermione let herself be dragged through the streets of London by her friend Lexie, an American, one of the few other actress witches in the world who did both Muggle and wizarding films. The two had starred in a couple movies together in fact and had formed a fast friendship. This was Lexie's first trip to London and she had called Hermione up to see if she wanted to do something.

It was a few weeks after Ginny's engagement party and Hermione had a couple of days break from shooting so she was having a girl's day out with her American friend.

"Lexie, stop," Hermione laughed, pulling her friend to a stop. "You're going to miss it!"

"Miss what?"

Hermione pointed to the Leaky Cauldron sitting squashed between two buildings.

"Oh, don't tell me that's the entrance," Lexie said, sounding dismayed.

"The one and only. Let's go."

Lexie sighed and followed her into the pub. The two women were drawing several interested stares from the male population in the pub, but they both ignored it with practiced ease. Hermione led them back to the alley behind the pub then tapped the necessary bricks. As the entrance unfolded she bowed dramatically and gestured through the archway. "Welcome to Diagon Alley, Alexia."

Lexie smacked her lightly on the arm. "Oh knock it off." Then she grabbed Hermione's arm and dragged her over to the first shop. "This is so cool! It's a lot different from the Alleys back home though."

Hermione nodded in agreement. The Alleys in America were a bit more modern feeling, many with Muggle ideas incorporated into them, but there was just something about Diagon Alley that she loved. It had a timeless quality to it that took her breath away.

They wandered the shops for an hour, buying ice cream from Fortesque's in the process, before Lexie asked, "What's a wheeze?"

"What?"

Lexie pointed to the sign for Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes. "What's a wheeze?"

Hermione laughed. "Oh, that's the best joke shop in Britain, though I may be a bit biased in that."

"How so?"

"I'm friends with the owners. Come on, let's go in."

Fred Weasley glanced up when the two women in Muggle clothing came in and grinned when he recognized Hermione. His brother had told him what had happened at Ginny's engagement party with meeting her and such. He didn't think George knew it yet, but Fred suspected that he fancied her.

Hermione caught sight of him just then and made her way over, her friend following behind her. "Hi, Fred."

He smirked and continued stocking the shelves. "Now how do you know I'm not George?"

She smiled at him. "I'm a genius. You're wearing a wedding ring, Fred."

He looked down at his hand as though surprised to see it there. "Well, so I am! Fancy that!"

"Besides," she continued, her eyes sparkling, "George is less obnoxious."

"He is not!"

"I am not!" Both twins protested at the same time, George coming up behind Fred. The twins were glaring at her in mock indignation.

She laughed. "Fine, fine. I take it back. You're both completely obnoxious, happy?"

They both grinned at her. "Very."

She shook her head in exasperation then turned back to Lexie. The American girl was barely containing her laughter and her eyes were twinkling like mad. "Lexie, meet Fred and George Weasley, the best pranksters since the Marauders. Fred's the married one so you can tell them apart."

Fred turned to his twin. "We're losing our edge, George. People can tell us apart too easily now."

George nodded. "We need to do something about that."

"Yeah, you need to get married too, then no one will be safe."

George grinned, though his ears turned slightly red. "Yes, sir."

Hermione noticed this but didn't comment. "Anyway, back to the introductions. Fred, George, meet my friend Alexia Frost, or Lexie, fellow actress in both Muggle and magical films. She's here on a short holiday from America."

They both shook her hand and said in unison, "Nice to meet you."

Lexie blinked and smiled at them, clearly not used to their twin-speak just yet.

George sent Fred a brief look which asked in their silent twin-speak for Fred to make himself scarce and hopefully take Lexie with him too, to which Fred nodded and smirked slightly. I knew it, I knew he fancies her.

Out loud though, he said, "Miss Frost, would you like to see some of our new products? They just came out this month."

"Call me Lexie. And sure, why not."

"Don't eat or drink anything he gives you, Lexie," Hermione warned.

The twins gaped at her then Fred said, "Hermione, I'm shocked that you would insinuate-"

"-that we would ever slip our products-" George continued.

"-to someone without their knowledge." Fred concluded.

Hermione gave an unladylike snort and shook her head. "This coming from the two who were testing their products on students my fifth year without telling them."

They grinned and tried to look angelic, failing miserably at it. Hermione just shook her head again and Fred led Lexie over to the counter and started showing her the various things they'd come up with.

George turned back to Hermione with a grin. "So how's your shoot going?"

She smiled. "It's going great actually. We're filming up in Scotland at an old castle there and I get to wear this wicked costume and use a sword. It's fantastic."

"So is this one Muggle or magical?"

"Muggle. It's a King Arthur film and I'm playing Guinevere."

He smiled. "That's awesome."

"I think so too." Struck by a sudden impulse she asked, "Hey, would you want to come to the set sometime? It might be fun."

He blinked at her in surprise then nodded. "Sure, sounds great. When?"

"I have today and tomorrow off, so Monday, maybe?"

"Monday it is. I'll just get Fred to run the store that day."

She scribbled the location of the set on a piece of paper and the apparation point near there. "Just give your name to the security people there and they'll let you through. I'll let them know ahead of time."

He accepted the piece of paper and grinned at her. "Fantastic."

Lexie walked up just then with her newly purchased bag of pranks. "We'd better go, Jaya. I have an appointment with my publicist in half an hour."

Hermione nodded and couldn't help giving George a saucy wink. "See you Monday, Sparky."

The twins waved as the girls made their way out of the shop. As soon as the door was closed Fred turned to his twin grinning from ear to ear. "She fancies you."

"What!"

"I saw that wink she gave you, mate. She fancies you."

"We're just friends, Fred."

"Right. And what was that 'see you Monday, Sparky' thing about?"

"She invited me to come check out the set of her new movie she's shooting."

Fred smirked. "She fancies you."

"We're just friends, Fred."

"Right."

Out in Diagon Alley the girls were having much the same conversation.

"Oh Lexie, come on. I don't like him like that."

"Sure you don't. Then what was with that wink? And calling him Sparky? And inviting him to your set? If those don't mean you like him I don't know what does."

Hermione shook her head and rolled her eyes. "We're just friends, Lexie."

"Right."

"We are!"

"Right." Lexie drew out the word again, clearly not believing her.

Hermione let out a frustrated sigh and threw up her hands. "Okay, whatever. Even if I did like him like that, he doesn't feel the same anyway, so-"

"So you do like him!" Lexie interrupted.

"I didn't say that!"

"Yes, you did, or close enough anyway."

"Gah! I give up."

Lexie grinned at her then said, "So, do they have any brothers?"

"Yes, four in fact. And no," Hermione replied, preempting the next question. "None of them are single. All of them are married or engaged except George."

"Aw. Bummer. I can hope, can't I? Well anyway, I'd better go. It's been fun. Call me if you're ever in LA."

"Will do. Bye, Lexie."

With that Lexie disapparated with a pop. Hermione shook her head again then apparated to her flat in London. Her friend was insane. She didn't like George like that… did she? Now she wasn't so sure. Suddenly she felt the need for a long, hot bubble bath so she could relax and think.