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CHAPTER 24.
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Fred had indeed gotten better by evening. Hermione claimed that the potion did it's job but Fred thought that the cool compresses that she lovingly put on his forehead did the trick.
He was almost tempted to pretend that he still wasn't feeling all too well, so that he could receive tender loving care and full attention of a Ms. Hermione Granger, but he decided against it.
After all, she really was guilty about him falling sick and it was enough for Fred that she had willingly stayed back to look after him.
Hermione was rather excited for the upcoming wedding. Two of her best friends were getting married and she couldn't be happier.
At the same time, time for George and Angelina to come back was looming closer. Saturday was the wedding and they were returning on Friday.
That meant, Hermione and Fred had only 5 more days to live together. Once things got back to normal, Hermione would shift to her apartment, 2 floors above George's and Fred would go back to his which was right above George.
Technically, they were only a floor apart so it's not like they would never meet. But still, something deep down was bothering Hermione about it and she rather wished that George and Angelina would have to extend their trip, of course after attending the wedding. She would never want George to miss out on his brother's wedding.
She had rescheduled her date and today since Fred was feeling better, she thought she could meet up with the other Fred. They were not really going out anywhere special. Tomorrow was the actual date but Fred McIntosh had discovered a new bookshop in Muggle London that he was sure Hermione would love.
So they were only going to check out the books over a cup of tea
Fred was not exactly pleased that she was going on her date again. And that too two dates in two days!
It was as if the guy was extracting a penalty from Hermione for cancelling her date yesterday.
His considerate thoughts about waiting for Hermione and letting her be were soon replaced by jealousy and the need to do something active to show Hermione that he was interested in her.
He loved her. But telling an unsuspecting friend that you love her would really be too much. So he settled for letting his feelings across in a more subtle manner. As subtle as a Weasley twin could be.
He noticed that Hermione had returned rather quickly today and she hadn't seemed that excited or flushed as she always was when she had returned from her dates.
This gave him some confidence. Maybe she wasn't exactly happy with this bloke. Or she didn't know really what was going on. Because on a few occasions, Fred had tried asking her what exactly her status with this fellow was, but she had not really given any thought to it.
Hermione, meanwhile, had looked forward to the bookshop. Also she needed to meet the other Fred. She needed to find out if he really interested her only because they had the same interests and he was a male version of Hermione or because of him as a person.
The closeness that she had experienced with Fred lately scared her and for some reason, it was the closeness she would have expected to develop with the other Fred by now. It wasn't that she was being overly cautious or a prude, it's just that something kept pulling her back.
And although she enjoyed his company, today after going through most of the books, she was content and ready to leave. The other Fred had seemed a little down that she would want to leave so quickly but he knew that tomorrow would be a better date, since they were going out for dinner.
Hermione had sensed that he was probably going to lose patience and she mentally decided that tomorrow she would take the step forward in their relationship, by declaring that they indeed had a relationship.
She knew it wasn't fair on her part to keep him hanging, and she did enjoy his company (why do I keep repeating this to myself as if I'm convincing myself about this. She thought. ) And looked like he liked her too, since he had waited for her for a long time.
It had been a long time since someone had taken an interest in her and she liked him too, so she was going to take the initiative sooner rather than later before he decided that she wasn't worth the wait.
Fred had decided that he couldn't let this come in the way. But he needed to know her true feelings towards him. Also he really wanted to prevent anything from happening between them. He could not lose her.
And it had been a long time since a prank had been played.
And tomorrow, just before the big date was the perfect time to play the prank.
Dan and Bruce, your help is going to be required! Fred thought as he went on to prepare for his prank.
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Just before Hermione went to take a shower before getting ready for her date, Fred had replaced her usual shower gel with a little something that he had invented some time ago.
And now for the part two of the prank. He hoped that Dan and Bruce would remember their parts well and not give away the whole prank.
Fred was nonchalantly reading a book and the twins were on the floor of the living room playing with some toys.
Hermione entered from her room and was about to announce her departure, when Fred gave a slight nod to the kids.
"I want gween." Dan said.
"I like gween. Mine!" Bruce said.
They started fighting and crying.
Hermione decided to intervene.
"Now now boys, what is it that you'll are fighting for? Let me see." She asked.
Fred came over at the same moment.
The 'gween' in question was a chewing gum. Fred knew that 3 year old kids being allowed to eat chewing gum was out of the question. He knew that Hermione would definitely not tolerate it.
"Oh no! Where did you get that from kids? You'll can't eat it! It'll get stuck!" Hermione said.
"Peter gave. I want gween. Brucie not giving me gween." Dan cried.
"None of you'll are getting green or red boys. You'll can't have it." Fred said.
The boys started bawling all the more and started hitting each other's hands and Dan tried to snatch the green one from Bruce.
Hermione looked with alarm towards Fred.
"Boys boys. No dearies, neither of you can have any. Now give it to me here." Hermione tried to reason with them.
At this, they started crying even louder and fought more violently.
Fred immediately broke their fight and took the green one from Bruce and popped the gum in his mouth before either could do or say anything.
Hermione frowned at him giving him an I can't believe you stole a sweet from a child look.
Then the kids started fighting for the red one and were hitting each other.
Desperately, wondering what to do, and seeing that the kids were not going to stop anytime soon, she too snatched the red one from Dan and popped it before any of the kids had a reaction.
Fred smirked at her. She sighed and shrugged.
Well. He wasn't sure if she would've fallen for the trick and eaten the gum. That's why he had replaced the shower gel. He had to make sure that at least one of the pranks would work.
And now that she had fallen for it, he was ready and excited for her to come back.
She was going to kill him but at least he would be a step closer to getting rid of this annoying bloke she kept going out with.
The twins immediately stopped fighting and knowing that their task had been accomplished, they started playing on their own again.
Hermione was relieved that the kids weren't throwing another tantrum.
She said goodbye to everyone and left.
By the Hermione had returned, it was quite late and the kids had already gone to sleep. Fred had already cast the quieting charm on the kids' room in case Hermione yelled at him for pranking her. Thank goodness he did that because he was definitely not ready for her outburst when she came home.
"FRED GIDEON WEASLEY!" She yelled, apparating directly into the living room.
Her hair was crackling with anger and she looked scarier than she had when she had become fat.
The use of his full name scared him and one look at the witch in front of him and he knew that he was in trouble.
"What. Were. You. Thinking.?" She hissed. "How could you ?"
"I know I ruined a date once for you. But I didn't know about it. Today you very well knew I was going for one. And you know how I feel about this guy. Yet. Yet you find it funny to prank me today of all the days. You think it's funny that the moment I go to kiss my date, garlic burps come out of my mouth. You think it's funny that whenever my date comes close to me and tries to hugs me or touch me, painful boils and blisters erupt on his palm? What the hell are you trying to do?" She yelled.
Fred knew that she wouldn't exactly be happy by his prank, but he had no idea that she would be this upset. He hadn't known that Hermione had consciously decided to further things with her date and Fred's prank wreaked havoc with her plan.
She had tears in her eyes and was very very upset with him. Fred hated to see her cry because of him and went ahead to comfort her, but she held out her hand putting distance between them.
This small act pained him more than seeing her cry and he for a minute wondered if her anger would ever become better or drive a wedge forever between them.
"Hermione, I .. Listen.. I.."
"I what Fred? I what ? You thought oh now we're friends, I know all her secrets and fears and now she's fine, so let's continue the prank war! She won't suspect it now. And I'll win. Is that what you thought? Or did you think that poor Hermione, anyway who'll want to date her, plain old Hermione who can't even dress like other women and is not good looking at all? Let me spare the poor bloke who's doing her a favour by dating her. Is that what you thought?" She yelled.
"One guy. One guy I found that I liked and who liked me back for who I was. Not because who he wanted me to be. I know I'm not pretty and I don't hold a candle to most women out there. But he really did like me Fred. And for once I liked him too. And now you've chased him away with your silly prank. One month I waited to see if things could progress with him. Which guy these days will wait so much for a girl? And that too me? I'm no supermodel and I know that, I'm not even your regular girl next door.
And today of all the days when I'm ready for him, you .. You .. Give me garlic breath and him boil covered hands! And you call yourself my friend and tell me you'll be there for me always. Is this how you plan on being there for me? By bringing me face to face with my inadequacies?"
She had stopped for a breath by now but she still continued crying.
Fred's stomach felt like a heavy metal ball was pulling him down. He was speechless. His one silly prank led her to think all this?
Where did she even get the ludicrous idea that no man would ever be interested in her and that she was bad looking?
If she only knew why he had done this, all her baseless arguments about herself would vanish. How could she be so oblivious to her own beauty?
There was so much he wanted to tell her right now but he couldn't even move in shock.
"Hermione please. Listen.." He started.
She turned around and gave him a pained look that said I can't talk to you right now.
"I'm really glad George is coming back soon. I don't think I could've lived with you any longer."
She said the words with great difficulty as if it pained her more to say it than it did for Fred to hear them.
She turned around and slammed her door shut.
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Please don't hate me!
I know you hate it that they had a fight!
I do too!
But it can't always be hunky dory all the time can it?
Fights make you stronger!
But still, even if you didn't like the chapter bcoz of the fight, do review and let me know.
I promise they'll clear the air in the next chapter. I'm not the one for being quiet and ignoring. And I'm sure Fred isn't either.
He's going shout out his defence to her and she'll have to listen.
I was really sad while writing this chapter.
But if you'll liked it, it'll make me feel a bit better.
So do review and tell me!
i know over 50 people are reading this story, but i dont know the response to the story except from a few loyal reviewrers..
if u do want me to continue writing and u like the story please tell me!
ive pretty much planned the end, just need incentive and ul wanting me to continue will be incentive enough!
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Thanks for reading!
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