Lost and Found
Hermione sighed in relief after peering into the window of Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes and not catching sight of the twins. She was just going to sneak into the shop retrieve the item she had left behind the night before and then return to work without anyone being the wiser. At least, that was her plan.
The moment she tried to slip into the store, however, the charmed entry rug whistled and sang out, "Nice bum, toots!" The commotion caused George to pop his head up from behind a shelf he was restocking.
"Oi, Hermione," he called. "Is there something I can help you with?"
Blushing and mentally cursing herself, Hermione shook her head. "No, n- no," she stammered. "I'm just looking for something I left here yesterday when I stopped by to consult with Fred."
George nodded. "Lost and found is behind the counter," he informed her, before squatting back down to keep stocking the shelves.
Hermione's face got even redder. She really doubted that if anyone had discovered the item she'd "lost" that they'd leave it behind the front counter, but she checked nevertheless. The lost and found box contained a couple of unmatched gloves, a stocking cap, a Muggle paperback, and a Hogwart's Prefect badge. It did NOT, however, have her missing item.
"Any luck?" George asked, walking toward the front of the store.
"No, I think I'll check in the back room though. I might have put it down in there."
"Sure. Yell if you need any help looking."
As Hermione made her way into the twins' work room, she was assaulted with images from the night before. She had stopped by the store to ask Fred a question about an experimental potion the Ministry was developing. However, just like their other recent consultations, talking had turned to snogging, which had eventually turned to something else even more enjoyable. Unfortunately, it had also temporarily addled her senses and she had ended up Apparating back to her flat leaving a personal effect behind.
As she bent to look under the table for her missing item, she felt a warm hand on her back and then dangling before her eyes were a pair of pink, satin, knickers.
"Looking for these?"
Snatching them from the freckled hand, Hermione straightened up and stuffed the garment into her coat pocket. "Stop teasing me, Fred," she huffed.
"You probably wouldn't be so forgetful, if you would just agree to spend the night with me, instead of running home after our every encounter," Fred smirked.
"I am not going to spend the night in the bed of someone I'm not even dating!" she responded tensely.
Frowning, Fred asked her, "Would it be so bad?"
"Would what be so bad?"
"You and me dating. You and me being a couple. Would that be so bad?"
Raising her eyebrows, Hermione replied truthfully, "I didn't realize it was an option."
"Well it is," he replied quickly. "That is if you are interested."
Smiling broadly, she stepped into his embrace and wrapped her arms around his waist, murmuring, "I am. Very interested."
"Good. It's about time we stopped hiding and made it official," he told her, kissing the top of her head.
"And just think of the fortune I'll save from not having to replace lost knickers," she joked.
"If you want to save even more money," he leered. "You don't have to wear knickers when you visit me at all!"
