Hey guys! You will not believe the struggle I have had trying to get WIFI in my house. The lies, the deceit, the LIES! It's a story in itself but I finally got it. Anyway, finally back to old reliable but expensive Xfinity. Not my favorite chapter but I do want to show more interaction with Fred and Hermione. Next chapter is focused on Hermione and Sirius. Thanks for all the follows! I can't believe how much interest my story has garnered. And I love reviews!
Mama always said: Life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get." Forrest Gump
The Next Day
Hermione, Ron and Ginny walked into the dining room to see Molly Weasley walking in with the twins through the other door. They all saw a hint of the cleaning glint in her eyes.
Fred had to act quickly.
"There you three are! We were just about to tell mum about your offer to help us all with our homework Hermione," Fred exclaimed.
So, his improvising skills needed some work. George looked at him as though he had grown two heads. Hermione raised an eyebrow. She should consider having that look trademarked.
Molly stopped walking taken aback. She looked at him for a moment and smiled happy the twins finally were taking their schoolwork seriously. Beaming she turned to Hermione, "Oh that's lovely! Hermione, thank you! I'm sure with your help the twins will receive full marks dear. Tell me what would you like to eat tonight? I'll whip up something as a thank you for dinner." Molly continued to babble on expressing her gratitude but either the shock or happiness seemed to be too much as she continued walking out the door to the kitchen never bothering to hear a reply.
"Homework? Fred, I thought we were joking the other day? This place is actually driving you mad," George whispered the end in horror.
"Oh, come off it Georgie. Just because I said we were doing homework does not mean we're going to actually do it, "Fred said. George gave him a bright grin but it was quickly ruined by none other than their resident bookstore.
"Oh no Fred Weasley. Your Mother is going to rave about this all day! I refuse to blatantly lie to her. We are all doing our homework. Well you all are. I've already finished so Ill supervise you four, "Hermione proclaimed angrily.
Maybe it was the way she had her hands on her hip reminding him eerily of his mother. Possibly the way her voice became huskier as she lectured. Or maybe it was the innate response he had whenever anyone challenged him that compelled him to say the words that would lead to his doom.
"No," Fred replied.
Hermione straightened her posture. Walked deliberately up to Fred and stared straight into his hazel eyes. If it weren't for the next moment Fred might have had time to process the warm, chocolate brown color of Hermione's eyes and realize they were quite pretty. Instead he felt a sharp pain as Hermione pulled his ear and started dragging him out the room towards the second floor all while he moaned about why all the women he knew were violent and would he ever meet a proper, kind witch with a heart of gold.
George, Ron and Ginny stared at the scene befuddled unsure of the proper reaction.
"Scary. Is it me or does she remind you of mum," Ron asked shuddering at the thought.
"Well according to witch weekly men are prone to falling for women who remind them of their mother," Ginny pondered out loud.
George and Ron blanched at the thought. "Ew! Ginny must you ruin our day with that," George shrieked miming a gagging motion.
Ginny stared at them amazed they had missed what she referred to. Who was she kidding? Her brothers were clueless. Oh, this did not bode well for everyone's live life. "Oh, grow up. It's not like my day isn't already ruined being related to you clueless gits." With that she walked away to join Fred and Hemione.
"Clueless, "Ron asked, "who's she calling clueless?"
They had decided to work in Ron's room seeing as his was the furthest meaning Molly would have to walk a long while before she could reach them.
Ron and Ginny were both working on their History of Magic essays while the twins worked on their potions homework.
Well they were supposed to be working on it.
"Fred. George. Stop doodling and work," Hermione commanded from the armchair she was resting on rereading a biography on the founders of Hogwarts.
Fred and George looked up at her and grinned.
"But Professor Granger we are," George answered.
"No, you're doodling on your paper," Hermione said.
"Ahh, but Professor Granger the task requires us to explain Polyjuice potion and its effects. Which we did and now we are adding pictures to support our point," Fred answered proudly.
Hermione reached down from her spot and snatched the paper. She examined the rather detailed illustrations feeling her face burn as she observed each passing one.
"Ronald Weasley," she shrieked, turning sharply to stare into the eyes of her best friend.
Ron looked up startled. "What did I do," he asked confused. Why was he always in trouble?
Fred and George groaned. "And this Ron is why we chose Ginny and not you to train in pranking. What did I do," George groaned covering his face with his hands in shame.
"It's like he's asking to be caught," Fred yelled.
Ron felt his ears redden. "Shutup," he growled before looking back to the extremely annoyed brunette.
Hermione seethed. "Would you care to explain why your brothers drew me as a cat," she asked standing up waving the paper madly around glaring daggers at him. Ron felt his stomach drop.
"Oh come on Hermione, give us more credit than that," George said offended.
"We drew you as a kitty," Fred said gleefully ripping the papers out of Hermione's hands and showing their proud creation to his younger siblings.
Hermione glared at them.
"And we made bullet points!"
Hermione walked up to Fred and forcefully grabbed the essay, if it could even be called that, away from him. "Step one. Find someone you want to look like. Preferably, a handsome person because what if this goes wrong and you're stuck with an ugly face? Step 2. Obtain a book that lists out the ingredients and steps. Step 3. Steal from the greasy haired man responsible for grading this paper. We are not responsible for the detentions that may occur and if you get caught you deserve them anyway. Step 4. Find a girl's bathroom that everyone avoids. Step 5. Make the potion. Step 6. Bottoms up. Step 7. Turn into other person (please refrain from shagging as this person because that would be an awkward paternity test) Step 8. Do the stuff. Step 9. Turn back into other person and try to hold back the tears if you are uglier or prettier. Either way its sad. Potential side effects could be turning into other animals if you're stupid enough to not make sure what hair you have," Hermione read aloud trying to ignore the identical grins flashing her way and the attempts of the other two Weasley's at hiding their laughter.
"Best homework we've ever done Freddie," George said wiping a fake tear from his eye.
"See Hermione you've managed to do what no one else has done. We did homework," Fred exclaimed proudly, "and we had fun!"
Hermione turned to face Ron. "Ron that was supposed to be a secret between us three," she said angry at Ron's utter lack of discretion.
Ron groaned. Of course, she would yell at him first. "Hermione, I overheard Terry Boot saying he heard a rumor you made a Polyjuice potion sometime in our third year and Ernie Smith said there was no way you could have. Not even you were that smart. I couldn't let that wanker insult you and-," Ron said before Hermione interrupted.
"-and you wanted to show off," Hermione said haughtily crossing her arms across her chest in annoyance.
"No," Ron exclaimed quickly trying to wiggle his way out. "What's the point of having a brilliant best friend if you can't show them off?"
Hermione felt her face flush. "You really think I'm brilliant," she asked quietly. Ron nodded in earnest and Hermione felt butterflies stir in her stomach.
"Smooth," George whispered to Fred not noticing his twins small frown.
"Either way Ron, you have to be careful! We could get expelled if Headmaster Dumbledore ever found out! And then we could never have a career after we finish out schooling and," Hermione said anxious trying to breathe.
"Ahhh don't get your knickers in a twist Granger, the whole school knows you three should be in Azkaban with all the illegal things you three have done," Fred teased interrupting her before she had a full-blown panic attack.
"Really, it's a miracle you, Harry and Ron haven't been expelled," Ginny added.
"Please, if we haven't been expelled there's no way those three would be, "George boasted.
"Yes, you two pranking the school is in the same league as us three risking our necks every year to save the Wizarding World from You Know Who ," Ron said dryly.
Fred and George bowed. "Thank you for noticing," they said gracefully.
"Would you all stop? You are supposed to be working on your classwork. Fred, George. You two have completely missed all they key points. First off, you should actually list the ingredients used in Polyjuice potion-,"
25 minutes later
"and not to mention that you should. ARE YOU WRITING ALL THIS DOWN FRED WEASLEY,' Hermione yelled angrily noticing Fred writing furiously.
Fred looked to his brother who was drawing a picture of Crooshanks and at Ron and Ginny, both had a glazed look in their eyes, leaning against each other trying not to fall asleep. He was the only one who apparently had been listening. He looked back to the seething bushy haired girl in front of him. "Yes," he said unafraid.
"You are supposed to do this on your own Fred, not copy down everything I say," Hermione exclaimed.
"Well you said you would help us. And then you started telling us what we should write. You never said I couldn't write down what you were saying and," Fred paused for dramatic effect, "you were the one who took twenty five minutes to notice I was copying everything down and I assumed since you never stopped me you were okay with it. So should I be blamed for your mistakes," Fred asked confidently.
Hmmmmm wonder if mum will be able to live without Fred. I suppose if he dies and I live it's like having the same thing. And I think she likes me more. George spared a glance at his two younger siblings looking at Fred in shock. Few people challenged Hermione and walked away without receiving one of her famous rants that left everyone in a mile radius deaf.
Hermione's mouth dropped. After a moment she regained her composure and closed her mouth. Then opened it ready to argue. Then closed her mouth again. "You're right," she whispered so softly had it not been for the complete silence no one would have heard. Fred looked like the cat who caught the canary. Ron and Ginny were biting their nails nervously. George grinned widely. "I'm sorry. I should have been more clear. I suppose it's okay for you to use it in your essay." Ron shot up quickly.
"That is a load of," Ron cried out but Hermione stopped him.
"Ron, be quiet," Hermione snapped back.
"Every time I try to write what you say I have to write it in my own words and that the moral outrage of copying-"
"And you're my best friend Ronald! You know better! I've never offered the twins my help before and I can't hold them to the same standards as I hold you"
"But I don't know better!"
Ginny tugged at her brothers shirt pulling him back down to the bed to avoid Hermione's wrath.
"Now all of you have papers to write. Fred I expect you to work on changing the paper around to have your own voice," Hermione said giving him a warning glare. Fred nodded grinning.
"Can we put drawings of cats in it," Fred and George asked at the same time eager.
"NO," Hermione yelled.
George and Fred looked put out. They had worked hard on drawing Hermione as a kitty.
"Fine! But we are only writing one essay with both our names on it," George said defiantly.
Hermione thought for a second. She supposed she couldn't ask for much and she did not want to lose another argument. She nodded and Ginny quickly muffled Ron's mouth with her hand to prevent him from speaking again.
The next day
Hermione, the twins, Ron and Ginny were in the sitting room relaxing. They had spent the morning cleaning and dusting the room and then had lunch. An order meeting was taking place in the dining room and they wanted to keep the young teenagers away so Molly gave them a few hours off hoping they could entertain themselves.
Hermione looked up from her book to stare at blank walls. All the paintings had been deemed depressing by Molly and they had taken them down. She continued to look around noting the completely barren room besides the furniture. There were three couches in the room. Ron, Ginny and herself were each sprawled out one one while Fred and George were hunched over the coffee table talking secretly and writing something. There was a large, ornate fireplace. At the corner of the room there stood a grand piano. Hermione had asked to clean it. She had taken lessons as a child and wanted to take care of it properly.
She couldn't help but think of how sad this room felt. The walls were painted grey and the hardwood floors creaked whenever they walked. Almost as if all the new people had broken their silence. She turned her attention to the twins in front of her.
Their backs were turned away from her but she could see glimpses of potion ingredients and question marks all over the page. Interesting.
"Would one of you help me set the table and finish serving dinner," said Mrs. Weasley as she walked in.
"The meetings over, " Ron asked eagerly.
"Yes," Molly answered, "finished half an hour ago but I was keeping an eye on dinner as well."
Hermione started to move to stand but George beat her to it. "I'll do it mum," he said winking at his twin before walking toward his mother. No doubt he hoped he could sweet talk his mum into disclosing some information from the meeting.
Mrs. Weasley stared at him clearly wondering if this was truly her son. Choosing to believe the best she accepted the help. "Dinner should be ready in half an hour. All of you best have your hands washed and be sitting in a chair by then," she instructed. There were murmurs of agreement as the pair left.
She looked down to see Fred quickly jotting down some notes. Without George in the way she could see more clearly. It seemed the twins were making something but she could see some flaws. "Those two won't work together. Their effects will cancel each other out," Hermione whispered only loud enough for Fred to hear. Fred stilled before dropping his quill to look over at Hermione giving her a questioning look. "Blood root and essence of dittany. I can see how you would think a healing root might stop the poison from reaching its full effects but since our stomach bile is acidic the dittany would just be useless."
His eyes narrowed and he played with his fingers processing her comment. "Well what do you suggest," he asked.
"Well, what are you trying to accomplish," Hermione asked sitting up. He turned around, grabbed the paper and sat next to her angling his body toward her in interest.
He opened his mouth, excited to pick at her brains for help but then he remembered who he was talking to and stopped. Thinking it was best to not spill he tried going for a hypothetical. "Well...hypothetically...let's say you were injured and there was blood and you needed it to stop...what would you do," he asked nervously.
"Go see a healer, "Hermione answered quickly.
"Riiiight," Fred drawled. He really needed to work on his improvising. He tightened his grip on his paper trying to find the words. He felt a light touch on his hand. He looked down to see Hermione's hands on his.
"Let me see Fred," Hermione whispered. He let go and she grabbed the paper. She couldn't understand all the abbreviations but he seemed to be trying to cause a nose bleed. There were various potion ingredients listed out with some things being crossed off and some with question marks. None of this would work. She grinned. "Fred this is simple!" She looked over at Fred who wore an expression clearly asking her to explain because this was not simple. "You're thinking too hard about this. Answer this, what causes a nose bleed?"
Fred thought hard but shrugged his shoulders. He wasn't a healer, how was he supposed to know?
Hermione laughed. Honestly, she had no idea wizards accomplished much. While their education covered much of the basic magical branches there was so much more to discover. Like anatomy. "Changes in temperature, particularly from cold to dry or dry to cold . Or chemical irritants. Considering the latter is dangerous to ingest I would try to replicate the conditions of the first one. Rather than forcing the body to bleed you should manipulate the body into believing a rapid change in temperature is occurring. It's a bit tricky but I think it can be done," she finished pleased with herself. While she wasn't sure of the ingredients to use she felt proud to know the knowledge she learned in the muggle world would help. She looked over at Fred to see him grinning from ear to ear.
"You are brilliant, "Fred whispered excitedly. He could feel a new rush of ideas flooding his brain.
Hermione blushed. "No, not really. I I've just read a lot of books on the subject and-"Hermione stopped as Fred gave her a bone crushing hug.
"Granger learn to take a compliment, you're brilliant and you know it," he whispered into her ear.
She didn't know why but her stomach started to form a small know. "Well ummm thank you Fred. Happy to help," she said nervously trying to hide her blush.
His body movements became more anxious and excited. "I can't wait. I have an idea of what to do now. We've been working on this product for our joke shop for months and we weren't getting anywhere, "Fred rambled before standing up and calling out for George.
Wait. Did he say joke shop?
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