**Re-posted June 4/15, sorry about the horrible glitch. I fixed the paragraphs
Okay, this chapter is really all fluff with no real plot in it. Just Fremione relationship; which I guess in hindsight is kind of plot.
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The garden had collected an absurd amount of gnomes in the last several weeks. With everyone busy with their own wedding problems, and all seven of Mrs. Weasley's children working or going out during the day, the house had been neglected. Once everyone had arrived this morning for breakfast, Mrs. Weasley was quick to assign everyone to jobs to get her house back in working order. Hermione had been sent out to the garden promptly with Ron to rid the garden of the new generation of gnomes it had collected.
"If one more of these bloody gnomes bite me I might revert to using an Unforgivable Curse." Ron snarled as another one ran across his feet and tried to nip at him before jumping into a large hole. Hermione turned around and glared at his back, but he missed it when he tried to grab another one that slipped between her fingers. She would have told him to go back inside to help his mother with something else, but she had long since found this too amusing to allow him to leave. She and Crookshanks were doing rather well on their own, but Hermione had a feeling Crookshanks found Ron amusing as well.
"You're doing fine, Ronald. Stop cursing at them and they may not bite as hard." She saw the glare he sent her, but turned to hide her answering grin.
"Don't see why I had to be the one out here with you, I mean, Fred's here isn't he?" Hermione froze for a moment, but only nodded and continued to pull at the weeds, hoping the disturbance in the dirt would make a few gnomes run out.
"Yes, but he's also leaving in a few minutes to help George at the shop. You're the one that doesn't have a job to get to, Ron." a heavy sigh sounded right behind her, but she continued to ignore him, well aware of his ignorance to the importance of getting a paying job.
"I don't even get why he was here for breakfast anyways, George didn't show up, did he? Just Fred, which is really weird if you ask me,"
"I didn't ask you, Ron! Just, throw a gnome, and shut it!" her cheeks were burning but she still refused to look at him. He was strangely silent as she continued to pull at the weeds when a smallish gnome suddenly ran out from under a pile of compost, and darted away. Crookshanks nabbed it before it could get any further, and dragged it back to Hermione. She patted her cat's head fondly, took the gnome out of his mouth and twirled it over her head, ready to throw it over the fence.
"Did you sleep with Fred last night?" She stumbled, and the gnome went flying the wrong direction entirely, going a few feet before smacking into a tree and falling face first into a pile of unearthed potatoes. After making sure Crookshanks was on the dizzy gnome, Hermione spun around to look at Ron. He was watching the gnome in amusement before looking back at her, his amusement only growing.
"No! We did nothing of the sort. He came over because he was the only one in the flat, so we just, slept." She finished off lamely, looking away from Ron, who hadn't stopped grinning madly.
"Alright, sure."
She went over and smacked his arm, "I swear we slept! I was already half asleep when he came in. Oh, don't you dare!" She pointed into his face, and he laughed out loud. She continued to ignore his laughter, turning back to supervise her cat stalking more gnomes than they had been able to gather all morning. The pop of someone Apparating distracted her long enough to see one of the twins moseying his way up to the garden, something cradled in his arms. Another quick look over her shoulder told her it wasn't her twin and spun to give George a welcoming grin.
"Well hello party animal, how was your night?" George stepped right up to the low fence, delivering his own saucy grin, and revealing Treacle lying lazy in his arms.
"Only a bit better than yours, I imagine. Gonna have to make my brother an honest man sooner than expected, Granger?" He wiggled his eyebrows at her, and she felt once more, the familiar rush of blood go through her cheeks.
"Oh, I know Fred would have told you everything already, don't joke. Hello Treacle!" She swerved straight to the cat, ignoring any further embarrassing conversation with George. The half-Kneazle meowed loudly, like she was vying for her complete attention. Hermione gladly gave it, stroking the sleek coloured fur on her back, going with the arch Treacle made in a stretch. "Oh you beautiful girl, did the mean ginger take you away from your comfy bed?" Treacle meowed sadly, her fur turning down in an incredible pout. Cooing once more to her, Hermione lifted her gently out of George's arms, tutting and mewling to the kitten. Treacle did nothing but preen, purring incessantly as she received constant petting. Ron finally peeked over her shoulder at the new cat, poking at her large ears with a finger.
"You didn't seriously buy another one of these did you 'Mione?"
George looked a little shy when he raised his hand feebly, "No, this one's mine." Ron looked up at his brother in complete astonishment, but continued to pet the cat. Hermione couldn't help but smirk, knowing he was only still petting it because she looked nicer than Crookshanks. She had no doubt when he found out she was a Kneazle he would be singing a different tune.
"Fred let you get a cat? Did you lock him up and threaten him? Why would he let a cat in the- oh, never mind." He glanced at Hermione and Treacle, and thought better of saying anything further. She finished petting the kitten and placed her on the same side of the fence as her, allowing the Kneazle to roam around.
"Why'd you bring her over?"
"Fred mentioned Crookshanks was helping you out in the garden, and suggested me bringing Treacle over to help him out." Hermione smiled and went back to watching Treacle stalking her first spotted gnome. Crookshanks had stopped dead in his tracks, his tail spiked full up in the air, and his beady eyes aimed straight to Treacle. The female half-Kneazle didn't seem to care another cat had seen her, as she continued to stalk the gnome perfectly, jumping on it in the next second. The gnome didn't see it coming, complete shock written across its face, and it had no time to move before Treacle had swung it over the fence in a perfect arch, following it over in one graceful bound. Crookshanks watched her jealously, but turned tail and tried to catch his own gnome, having to try three times before successfully nabbing one. Proudly, he brought it to Hermione, his chest puffed in pride and the gnome squirming so hard it fell on its face and ran back into the bushes. Crookshanks watched it go sadly, and Treacle meowed at him from her seat on the fence. Hermione, Ron and George all laughed at the cats, watching Crookshanks turn his back on Treacle and try to nab his gnome again.
"That relationship doesn't look like it will last," George motioned to the heckling Treacle, who had moved to lean into a rose bush and pulled another gnome out of the branches.
"Hopefully they get over it," Hermione said sadly, watching Crookshanks try his hardest to catch another. Ron seemed confused, but continued to watch the cats, "Because they'll eventually have to spend more time with one another."
Ron tried to look like he understood, but eventually gave up and looked to his brother. George rolled his eyes at his younger brother, "She and Fred are together Ronniekins. Basic math," Ron's eyes widened understanding and smirked at the ginger haired cat trying his hardest to prove himself worthy to his witch. They spent another half hour watching the half-Kneazle's work, until eventually the garden no longer squirmed with loose gnomes.
"Looks like we're all done then, are you coming in for lunch George?" Hermione asked the lone twin, moving to pluck Crookshanks up before he glared a hole into the calico kitten. George agreed and followed to two in to the kitchen, where Mrs. Weasley was just beginning to chop potatoes into chips.
"All finished in the garden dears?" The three nodded, and Hermione placed Crookshanks on a seat where he preened for Mrs. Weasley and was rewarded with a plate of milk. George then placed Treacle on the chair next to him, where she promptly jumped up to the table. "Who is this lively one then?" Treacle mewed back up at Mrs. Weasley and was given her own milk.
"This is Treacle; she's Fred and George's new kitten." Mrs. Weasley smiled fondly and pets the sleek fur.
"Why on earth did Fred get a cat?" Hermione threw her hands up in the air, ignoring Ron's mad grin in her direction.
"Did everyone but me know Fred hates cats?" It took a moment, but all three of them nodded to her and she gave up, "Right,"
"And I hope this one knows this is the only time she can sit on the table. Chairs from now on," Mrs. Weasley gave a nod to Treacle, who blinked up at her in understanding. Crookshanks just glared at the other cat, and drank his milk aggressively until he was finished and loped off to some corner of the house. Hermione giggled at her cat, and took a seat at the table. Just after sitting down, Fred and Harry arrived from the back door, completely covered in green slime.
"Dear lord, what is that?" Hermione exclaimed loudly, covering her nose up with both hands. George pinched his nose together, and Ron threw his entire arm over his face, making sure to cover both mouth and nose. Fred smirked from under the slime and began clearing himself with a quick Scourgify.
"Don't be rude 'Mione, it's not Harry's fault his looks aren't up to your standards." Harry glared at Fred, hitting the red head with a sharp poke of his wand. They finished cleaning themselves off, the stench only dissipating slightly, but the two boys took no notice of it, sitting down at the table with Hermione.
"We were cleaning out the broom cupboard, but the old Cleansweep must have caught something," Harry stopped talking, a revolted look crossing his face. Fred only grinned and plucks something green from his hair.
"It blew boogies all over every few minutes. It was wicked." George grinned at his twin, nodding along at the idea of a broom sneezing everywhere. Hermione only looked at the boys in disgust, deciding it was time to ignore them. Fred had another idea, changing the subject from broom boogies to the cat currently lapping up cream.
"Why is this thing here? Now it will know where to find me," he sneered at the cat, who continued to drink with no notice of her wizard having arrived.
Molly looked like she was enjoying herself too much watching her son walk around the cat in a large circle to seat himself opposite of Hermione and Treacle.
"She's a lovely little thing Freddie, I'm sure she's not so bad." Fred gave his mother a dry look and pushed his chair back to further himself from the cat.
"She's a spawn of the devil. Actually, I'm pretty sure she lived with Voldemort for the first year of her life, and then ran away because he wasn't evil enough for her!" George burst into erratic laughter when Treacle popped her head up, stared at Fred, and licked her lips slowly. "She's gonna eat me!"
"Fredrick Gideon Weasley, she is a cat, not a monster. Just because she's half-Kneazle doesn't make her trouble. Just pet her, let her sit on you every few days, and don't starve her and nothing can go wrong." All the boys and Mrs. Weasley stared at Hermione in shock, none more so than Fred.
"She's half Kneazle?" Mrs. Weasley finally asked, even more enthralled with the kitten perched on her kitchen table.
"How do you know my middle name!?" Fred burst out, no longer bothered by the cat making her way to his side of the table, and finished with her cream. Hermione smirked at Fred, leaning back in her chair, relaxed now that she had defended the kitten. Fred stared at her, his eyes flitting from her eyes to the cat, and back to her face. Finally he turned to Ron, his face turning bright red, "Ronald!" Ron turned scarlet and babbled something out, nothing coming out making any sense. Fred turned back to Hermione, a pout beginning on his face.
"It's not my fault! The door in Kingsley's office asked me and I had to answer to get in." Ron burst out; Fred and George gave him strange looks, but Fred was too preoccupied to heckle his younger brother further. Treacle had made her way right to Fred's face, sitting on the very edge of the table, leaning in to practically touch their noses together. He stopped completely, a staring contest beginning instantly between the wizard and the half-Kneazle. It only took three minutes, with everyone else making no noise before Fred finally broke, throwing his hands up in defeat and allowed Treacle to plop herself on his lap. She took a moment to make herself comfortable, kneading Fred's jeans before curling up and falling asleep completely. Fred kept his hands up in the air like it was a neutral zone so he could make no contact with the fur ball in his lap. He glared back at George when his twin finally chortled, unable to keep it in any longer.
"Sorry Fred," Hermione grinned at the distressed red head that still hadn't put his hands down to touch the cat.
"Uh huh," he mumbled, but peeked up at her and screwed his nose up into an adorable grimace, and slowly brought his hand down to drag his fingers down her back once. Treacle stretched out, completely relaxed on the rigid lap Fred had made for her. Hermione grinned at him, making sure not to laugh at the picture he was making.
"I think she likes you, Freddie."
"Shut it, Georgie."
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Hours later, after the house had been cleaned, and everyone fed, Mrs. Weasley was saying goodbye to Harry.
"Are you sure you don't want to stay for another night, Harry dear? It's really no trouble." Harry only grinned at Mrs. Weasley, grabbing his wand and sticking it in his back pocket as his last item to pack up.
"I know, but I do need to get back to Grimmauld Place. It's still completely dirty, and Kreacher needs some looking after too." Hermione smiled at her friend, waving him goodbye before turning to the living room where Fred and George were prepping to leave for their flat. Harry hadn't reattached Grimmauld's fireplace to the floo network, so he had to Apparate. George and Fred on the other hand, had never turned their fireplace off and were able to Floo back quickly. George stepped in first, Treacle climbing in after him, and sitting patiently by his feet for the wizard to send them off.
"See you later, Granger." George winked at the bushy haired witch, threw floo powder at his feet whilst yelling out, "Weasley Wizard Wheezes!" He disappeared in a bright flash of orange only the Weasley twins could accomplish. Hermione had honestly never found out how they, unlike any other Floo user, could control the colours of their Floo travel. Before stepping in to follow his brother, Fred peeked around the doorway to see if his mother had sent Harry off yet. She was just packing him with more wrapped Treacle Tarts and looked like she would be trying to keep him for much longer. Mother properly distracted, Fred turned back to Hermione quickly.
Without saying a word, he leaned down and captured her lips in a searing, soft kiss. She barely had time to react or respond before he pulled back a couple inches to smile at her.
"You wouldn't want to come over tonight, would you?" He whispered gently, causing a blush to run over her cheeks. She silently cursed her father for having such light skin, and her mother for her tendency to blush at every moment.
"I don't know if I would be more scared of your mother, or your sister," she whispered back, causing Fred to bite his tongue quick to stop himself from laughing and giving them away to Mrs. Weasley.
"They both have their own special quality to their scariness." Fred mumbled into her lips, his breath rushing over her face. She didn't think about being embarrassed or shy any longer as she leaned into him, starting the kiss again. He tried not to grin into the snog, distracting himself with twirling his fingers into her hair and giving them each a separate tug. With his hands occupied, Fred couldn't pull her closer without using the wall behind her, and that would most definitely signal his mother.
"Fred, go home. I'll see you tomorrow." He heard her whisper between their lips, but he only groaned at her in disagreement and just let go of her hair to clutch at her hips roughly. Now able to pull her closer, Fred did so with relish and mashed their lips closer and making a squeak emanate from Hermione.
"If you go home with me I can see you tomorrow morning." He whispered back after another tense moment, both completely aware how open they were being. She gave him one more push, actually breaking the lip-lock this time and propelling him towards the fireplace.
"I will see you tomorrow morning, because you'll mooch breakfast off your mother. Go away, good night." He grinned over his shoulder at her, blowing a dramatic air kiss her way before following his brother through the fireplace, disappearing in a puff of orange smoke. Hermione stared at the fireplace grate stupidly, before shaking herself out and turning around to grab a glass of water to take upstairs with her. Her whole body stopped when she saw Mrs. Weasley standing in the doorway between the kitchen and the living room, watching Hermione with a small smirk on her face, reminiscent of the devilish twins she had raised.
"How long were you standing there?"
"Long enough to tell you I'm alright if you'd like to comeback in the morning." Mrs. Weasley smiled even wider at Hermione, who was still only staring at the older witch. Mrs. Weasley rolled her eyes and sighed with a small laugh. "Hermione, I've seen my sons in love before. I know what to look for and I've learned to ignore, or allow," she amended at Hermione's slightly scared look, "my children to do as they like. I know you too; I know you're mature and have a plan inside that big brain of yours. If you want to go, I know you'll be responsible, and I'll see you in the morning." Hermione closed her mouth, realizing she had let her jaw drop somewhere in the one sided conversation.
"I don't know if I," she stopped, having to swallow quickly before she choked.
"You do, it's alright my dear. I'll leave you to it." Mrs. Weasley gave Hermione one more smile, squeezed her shoulder as she passed her in the room to cross to the staircase, and walked up to her and Mr. Weasley's room, closing the door silently. Hermione was left alone in the living room, standing in the center of the carpet, staring up at the bedrooms. It only took her another moment to decide, grabbing her beaded purse from behind the couch in its hidden spot, checking her wand was in her pocket, fluffed her hair, and stepped in through the Floo, disappearing in the next second.
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"No Granger, Freddie?" George asked as soon as Fred arrived in the living room of their flat above the joke shop, spinning around once to be sure he was where he was supposed to be. It had become a bad habit from the war, double and triple checking his surroundings. For what he didn't know any more, it had just become a habit he couldn't shake.
"No George, go to bed. It's your turn to open the shop in the morning, get a good rest up." George waved him away and mumbled a small good night before closing himself up in his room, the light going off almost immediately. Fred sat down on the couch, too wound up to try and sleep. The image of a thoroughly snogged Hermione wouldn't leave his head, and was starting to affect him all over again. That couldn't have possibly happened to him, not with that lovely witch; not Hermione Granger. He couldn't remember a time he had openly begged a witch for something like sleeping over before. Sure, he'd brought up shagging or a quickie before a Quidditch match, but actually inviting her over just to sleep was driving him a bit mad.
Not another minute later, his Floo lit up and spat out one thoroughly snogged Hermione Granger, small beaded purse in hand and a frightened look on her face. "Hermione? What-?" She practically jumped across the small space, covering his lips with the tip of her finger.
"Not a word, don't ruin it. Your mother sent me, and I'm honestly quite finished with questioning it. Off to bed, yes?" She asked quickly and efficiently, receiving a stupefied nod from Fred. Quickly, Hermione dragged him up and allowed her to be pulled into the room, and shut the door firmly behind them.
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I think that's quite enough of that, only so much mush I can do in one go. Besides, Doctor Who is calling my name now, and I wanted to get this out tonight.
Let me know what you think, or don't whateves, I know how many people read it that's all that matters.
Thanks, AJ