Chapter 2: A Simple Mistake

For the rest of week, Fred Weasley had spent his mornings and afternoons searching for a certain frizzy-haired fifth year, but she was nowhere to be found. Even during lunches and dinners, she seemed to have disappeared off of the face of the earth.

"Do you know where Hermione is?" Fred asked his twin brother while seated at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall.

"If you don't know, then I don't know," George shrugged, shoveling food into his mouth while talking to Lee about their products.

"What's that?" Lee pointed into the open brief case.

"Oh, that's a love potion. We think it'll be a seller once Valentine's Day hits, you know?" George explained. He waited patiently for his brother to continue from his last sentence, but Fred was busy staring at the door, as if he expected someone to burst through any second.

Noticing that Fred was not going to participate in the conversation, George decided to just finish the description himself, "But it's still in the making, so we don't know how long the effects will last… or how severe the effects will be. McGonagall found one of them, and she banned it, saying they were unethical or some other rubbish like that. Fred's thinking we try it out on the first years, but we'd have to sneak it past the prefects."

"Sounds good," Lee smiled, eyeing the other products.

"Do you know where Hermione is?" Fred repeated. His foot was tapping anxiously on the ground causing George to eye him skeptically while conversing with Lee.

Ron and Harry both shrugged their shoulders, trying to ignore how Fred's eyes were practically piercing into them.

"She's probably studying," Ron answered nonchalantly. "Now will you quit staring?"

Fred turned his head away from the pair and back to the door. Why was it that no one seemed to care where Hermione was or what she was doing? For all they knew, she could've fallen into the Hogwarts Lake again. The lakes' inhabitants could've drowned her, and she could've died hours ago. Yet here they all were, calmly eating their food as if everything was okay.

"I'm gonna head out to the common room. I'm not hungry today."

George, who was becoming quite engaged in his chat with Lee, momentarily stopped mid-sentence after hearing what his brother had announced. His eyes gazed over the untouched plate of food. Since when was Fred not hungry? Since when was a Weasley not hungry? The answer was never.

"You feelin' alright, Freddie?" George asked, standing up to put a hand on his brother's forehead.

"I'm fine," Fred murmured, swatting George's hand away. "Honest. I'm just not hungry. I'll see you a bit."

"Do you want me to come with you?"

"No, go eat."

George stared at his brother for some time, but then sighed and sat back down. With that, Fred walked out the Great Hall, and proceeded upstairs to the common room. He wasn't sure why he suddenly felt the need to escape the crowded area. Even his stomach was objecting to his impulsive decision, since it began grumbling on his way down the corridor.

Upon entering the common room, the grumbling of Fred's stomach ceased almost immediately, for on the couch was the person he had been looking for all day. She was napping peacefully, clutching a pillow to her side.

"Hermione!" Fred said, a bit too excitedly, but realized a little too late that she probably did not want to be disturbed from her sleep.

Jolting awake, Hermione immediately searched the room for the intruder and made brief eye contact with the redhead. Without a word, she grabbed her textbooks and parchment as fast as she could.

"What's the rush?" Fred asked uneasily. Even though the reason Hermione was never around was most probably because she was avoiding Fred, the idea still surpassed his mind until now.

"I'm going to the girl's dormitories, it's late and I'm tired," Hermione stated dully, yawning for emphasis. "And don't you dare come up there with me."

"Wouldn't dream of it," Fred answered flatly, losing enthusiasm as the conversation dragged on. "Are you avoiding me, Hermione?"

Hermione glanced at him apprehensively. "What makes you say that?"

"Oh, I don't know. It's just that I haven't seen you at all this week ever since you fell in that bloody lake."

Hermione shifted uncomfortably. "Well, you don't expect me to be following you around like a tail, do you? I thought not."

"But it doesn't hurt to show up to dinner or lunch," Fred grimaced. "Honestly, doesn't Harry or Ron think you're acting a bit odd lately?"

"And since when were Harry and Ron in charge of what I can or cannot do?" Hermione snapped.

Fred racked his brain to think of something to retort with, but ended up softening his tone. "Well, I think you should come to the Great Hall. You look hungry."

"Good night, Fred," Hermione said sharply, motioning up the stairs. Unfortunately, as she was traveling up, one of her textbooks dropped on her foot with a loud thud. Hermione screamed in pain, reaching down to grab the book, but ended up slipping on the step below her and falling backwards. With a crash, Hermione landed on the common room ground with books and parchment scattered around her.

"Ow," She mumbled, holding her head.

Fred wondered whether he should go towards her and ask if he could get her anything, or if he should just let her deal with her problem herself. After all, Hermione wasn't too pleased the last time he offered his help.

"Fred! Fred!"

Fred turned around to see a flustered looking Weasley appear.

"What, George?" Fred asked, a hint of anger in his voice.

George looked around the common room; first at his surprisingly irritated twin, and then to the girl sitting at the bottom of the staircase; one hand on her head and the other collecting her books.

"What happened, Hermione?"

Hermione turned to look at George and smiled softly. "Oh, I just fell, that's all."

Fred scoffed. The minute he showed up, Hermione just wanted to get out of range as swiftly and quickly as possible. Now when George comes in the room, Hermione flashes him a smile like she was actually gladto see him. What did Fred do to deserve such treatment? Nothing of course, he only saved her life, but what's the big deal?

"Oh! Fred and I designed this product that prevents bruises. We're not sure what to call it yet, but you can have a free trial," George grinned, opening up the brief case and handing a small vile to Hermione.

"Oh no, I think I'll just go see Madame Pomfrey," Hermione said, accepting the vile but looking at the liquid swimming in it nervously.

"Nonsense! The might be the last time you'll ever get a free product again! Better use it now or the offer will expire, and we'll give it to some other pretty lady," George winked, causing Hermione to giggle slightly.

Fred glared at his brother even more. When did George become so charming with the girls? Fred was always the one juggling girls left and right; not to say George wasn't getting any action, but it was mainly Fred. Fred Weasley was, not to seem arrogant, the heartthrob of the school, he was the one girls were swooning over. Not George.

"Thank you, George," Hermione said again.

She was smiling stupidly, and then it hit Fred. It was the same dewy-eyed schoolgirl look she had flashed Viktor Krum numerous times in the past year. Hermione Granger? In love with George Weasley? Impossible!

"Well all right, good night Miss Granger," George grinned before elbowing Fred in the ribs. "Quit daydreaming, will ya?"

"Yeah, yeah. Let's go," Fred grumbled, pulling George by the arm out of the common room.

"Good night, George," Hermione called out, causing Fred to flinch a bit before walking even faster.

"My God, what's the hurry?" George teased once they were out of the common room.

"Nothing, I'm hungry."

George yanked his elbow from Fred's clutches and stared at his brother sullenly. "Fred, I know when something's up. We're twins, for God's sake. So are you going to tell me, or do I have to beat it out of ya?"

Well how was Fred supposed to answer that? He himself didn't even know what was wrong with him. He just knew that he had to get as far away from Hermione as possible, and most importantly, he had to focus on the products he and George were creating. Ever since the Lake incident, he hadn't been able to put his head in the game, and it was about time to do so.

"Wait, you don't still got a crush on Hermione, do you?"

The question came out of nowhere, and took Fred by surprise. "Still? What do you mean still? I never had and never will have a crush on Hermione—!"

Before Fred could finish what he had intended to say, a hand slapped over his mouth harshly. Not a second later, a briefcase landed on the floor, and Fred watched curiously as his brother opened it up and began digging through it.

"Hold that thought," George said, rummaging through the briefcase frantically. "Damn it!"

"What?" Fred wondered, peering over his brother's shoulder to see what he was looking for.

"Freddie, do you remember when I told you how we were gonna sneak the love potions past McGonagall?"

"Yeah… you said you were going to—"

"Put them in viles—"

"And disguise them as bruise-preventing potions—"

"And I just happened to give one to Hermione."