Chapter 2: Bloody Hell

Fred laughed at his brothers attempt to catch him. Fred had always been the fast one.

"You're going to have to do better than that mate!" He yelled back to George as he ran through a group of first year girls rushing to get out of his way. "Excuse me ladies!" Fred grinned and the girls giggled and smiled back. Fred chuckled under his breath and looked back "Your looking embarrassing George!"

"Never mind me! Keep your eyes on the road before you hurt someone!" George shouted back.

Fred laughed and turned his head. "I'm not going to – Look out!"

There was a sudden crash and two loud thuds followed as Fred and his speed bump hit the ground. A crowd quickly enveloped them.

"Oi! You alright Fred?" George made his way to the center of the crowd. "Make way folks." George laughed as he saw Fred sitting on the ground rubbing his cheek and bum at the same time. "I told you to look where you're going." George's smile faded as his eyes drifted to the body lying next to his twin. Fred seemed to have noticed the person as soon as George did.

Hermione lay motionless on the ground with a big red mark on her forehead from where she and Fred must have collided. She was surrounded by books whose pages had flown everywhere.

"Is she alright?" A voice came from the crowd.

"You killed her." George said stunned.

"I did not!" Fred retorted, still rubbing his cheek while crawling closer to Hermione. He put his ear to her chest.

"Oi!" George looked disapproving at him but Fred gave him a stern look that told his brother to calm down.

"Well, she's still alive." Fred reported. He lifted his head and stared at Hermione's face. Close up she waskind of pretty. Sort of a natural beauty. He shook the thought from his head. Why was this coming to mind now? "Hey Granger, you alright?" He said softly, shaking her shoulder a little.

When Hermione continued to show no signs of waking Fred put his face closer to hers. "Her-mi-o-neeee…" He said in a sing-song kind of voice. Slowly her eye lids began to twitch then slowly open. This should have been Fred's cue to move away but he didn't.

"Ahh!" Hermione yelled jumping back.

Fred jumped back too and the crowd erupted in laughs.

"Geez Granger, you scared me half to death."

"I should be saying that to you." Hermione said collecting herself, she suddenly noticed the red mark on Fred's cheek. "Did I hurt you?" She gasped.

Fred looked confused then noticed Hermione was staring at his cheek. "What this?" He pointed to his cheek. " It's nothing. Your quite soft." He teased.

Hermione blushed and looked away quickly. It was the first time Fred had seen Hermione blush. He was surprised he found it very cute.

"What's going on here?" A cold hard voice broke through the crowd. Snape towered over the students, sneering at Fred and Hermione still sitting on the ground. "Don't you students have some place to be right now? Anyone who doesn't want to lose points for their house should get moving immediately."

Snape rarely gave warnings so when he did, you listened to him. Fred helped Hermione to her feet and George gathered her books for her as Snape and the crowd departed.

"Here you go." George said, barely louder than a whisper.

"Thank you, George." Hermione smiled up at him taking her books. George managed a small smile back.

Smooth; Fred thought to himself.

"Sorry about that Granger." Fred apologized as George, Hermione and he walked the opposite direction Snape had taken. "Feel free to take your anger out on George."

George fake chuckled, shooting his brother a mean look. Fred merely grinned.

"Where are you headed? We'll walk you to your class. Won't we George?"

George nodding in agreement. "Sure will."

Hermione looked taken aback "Oh no, that's quite alright. I wouldn't want to make you late for your class. Thank you though, I'll be off now." She started walking slightly faster and left them behind.

Fred nudged his brother in the side and whispered out the corner of his mouth "Say something you idiot."

George who had been ogling Hermione snapped back to reality "Uh, hey!" He called out not very loud but managed to get her to turn around.

"Yes?"

George's eyes widened with the realization he had to say more. "Uh…Do you know...what time is it?"

Hermione looked questioning at George then at the giant clock that hung feet in front of him on the corridor wall. She glanced over at Fred who was staring at George with his mouth slightly opened and his eye brows raised. Hermione let out a small laugh "Its half past noon, George."

George blushed a little before nodding his thanks to her.

"What time is it?" Fred repeated taking George by surprise. "Great question Georgey." Fred turned to Hermione "Hey, Granger what year is it?" Fred mocked his brother. Hermione let out a small laugh, and then quickly hid her smile behind her books not wanting to embarrass George.

"Couldn't think of a better question then that?"

"You rushed me! What was I supposed to say?" George retorted.

"I didn't rush you."

"Yes you did, you nudged my side."

"That isn't rushing."

"Yes it is!"

"Is not! Granger is that-"Fred cut his sentence noticing that Hermione had slipped away somewhere between their disagreement. "Well, you've upset her now haven't you?"

"Oh shut up." George said going slightly pink.

"What time is it?" George continued to repeat his own words to himself as he laid his head on his desk in Transfiguration class. "I must have sounded so stupid to her."

"Don't beat yourself up over it." Fred put his hand on George's shoulder. "She's probably used to you sounding stupid by now."

"Yeah, great. Thanks Fred." George didn't even bother to raise his head and moaned quietly into his lap.

As Fred laughed to himself Professor McGonagall approached their table. "Mr. Weasley may I see you after class?"

"That's awfully forward of you professor." Fred replied in a flattered voice.

"Not you Fred I'm talking to George." McGonagall sounded un-amused.

At that George raised his head from his desk. "Huh? What did I do?"

"We will discuss it after class, Mr. Weasley. You on the other hand are free to go." McGonagall gestured to Fred.

"That hurt Professor." Fred called out to her as she walked away.

"Perfect. I'm in trouble and class hasn't even started."

"Don't worry, she probably just wants to go over your N.E.W.T's with you." Fred assured him.

"Yeah, maybe." George nodded.

Fred's theory however proved wrong when George returned to the boy's dormitory later that evening. He fell back on his bed and looked rather put out with his hands covering his face. Without removing them he told Fred what had happened.

"Extra lessons?" Fred looked confused.

"Yeah, she said my grades have been slipping since the start of this quarter. If I don't take the extra lessons I'm likely not to finish my Seventh year."

"Wow, that's rotten luck mate." Fred looked truly concerned for his twin.

"I have to take extra lessons an hour a day for the next two week. If my tutor says I've improved by the end Professor McGonagall said she'll pass me." George said stared up at the ceiling.

"Well there you go. Just take the lessons and suck up to this tutor." Fred pat George on the back.

"Yeah right. If I could learn this thing in two weeks I would have learned it by now. There's no way I'll pass-"George suddenly sat up in an instant turning towards his brother.

Fred could tell he had devised a plan and he wasn't going to like it. "What?"

"You know this stuff backwards and forwards." George grinned.

Fred's eyes widened. "No way, mate!" Fred turned to walk away, George followed.

"It would only be for two weeks. Maybe shorter if you can show this tutor how fast you can learn this stuff! I'd really owe you!" George pleaded.

Fred turned to face him. "There's no way I'm wasting an hour a day for a week"

"Two weeks." George corrected him.

Fred rolled his eyes. "Yeah, two weeks in some dusty cramp class room with some snobby teacher who thinks I'm a bloody idiot. No offense."

"None taken. I am an idiot, that's why I need your help. I'll never pass on my own. Please Fred!"

Fred glared at his twin then at the ceiling considering it. He was sure he could pull it off, after all very few people could tell them apart, aside from their family and a few close friends. He was certain no teacher could. He did know the lesson very well as Transfiguration was one of his favorite classes.

"You owe me big time." Fred finally responded.

George looked as if he had won the lottery. "You're the best mate! Honestly, anything you want just name it!"

"Oh, don't worry I plan to collect, when this is all over." Fred scoffed.

The next day Fred dressed to impress as he prepared for his first lesson. He wore George's clothes, which were a shade darker marooned then his own. This helped people tell them apart. He parted his hair an inch more to the left just as George did. Fred grinned looking at himself in the mirror. He really did look exactly like George. It would take a genius to tell them apart.

After Fred had had the night to analysis George's plan he realized it wasn't all that bad. He was sure with a little brains and charm he could get the tutor to cut that time in half.

"Have I told you you're the best Fred?" George had not stopped thanking him since the night before.

"Yes, but it's always nice to hear the truth from someone else." Fred straightened his robes.

George held out an apple. "You ready?"

Fred took it from his hand, tossed it in the air once then caught it and winked. "Piece of cake, mate."

George applauded as Fred walked out the Common room with great confidence.

As he neared the classroom he took a deep breath. He was not so sure of himself now that it was time to play the part. He had to do it thought. It was for George. He knew if the tables were turned George would have done it for him. As he reached the Transfiguration doors he took one last deep breathe. "For George!" He went in.

Fred looked around the classroom. It looked larger with no students in it. "Hello?" He spoke loudly. "Is anyone in here?" The room was completely empty. "Where are you, you great git?" Fred said under his breathe. A noise came from the back closet. Fred turned around quickly. Out walked a person who was not a teacher at all.

"Granger?" Fred said surprised.

"You finally showed up." Hermione walking out of the closet. "I've been waiting for ages. Of course I got here extra early. I was too excited to wait." She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and smiled at him.

"Excited about what?" Fred prayed it was not what he thought.

"For our lessons. I'm going to be your tutor." Hermione said bashfully yet beaming with excitement.

Fred's eyes widened in disbelief. "Bloody hell."