Disclaimer: JK owns HP; Always.
1989
Chapter 12
(October 28th, 1989)
It was Thursday afternoon, and Hermione was beyond starving. Since her arrival to the past two months ago she had gained back most of the weight she had lost while on the run, but that still didn't stop her from looking forward to each wondrous meal served in the great hall.
As she left the History of Magic classroom, as Professor Binns was still droning on about Goblin rebellions, her thoughts were more on the hot soup and freshly baked bread she planned on eating for lunch, than on the heavy bustle of other students around her. Completely distracted by the thoughts in her head, she didn't see the flash of pink that suddenly crossed in front of her, nor did she hear the loud 'Wotcher!' that was shouted out in warning.
Hermione was brought crashing back to reality as she felt the toe of her shoe become trapped in the strap of someone else's bag. She shrieked as she lost her balance and toppled over, barely catching herself with her hands as she hit the stone floor.
"Oomph." She said to herself as she regained her senses. She did a once over of herself to make sure she was okay before looking up at the person she had collided with.
"Sorry about that." The hufflepuff girl with bubble-gum pink hair said as she kneeled down to help Hermione gather her misplaced things back up. "I'm such a klutz! Wasn't paying a lick of attention to where I was going."
"No, it's-" Hermione started to say before realizing exactly who it was she had just ran into. "Tonks?"
She couldn't believe she hadn't realized Tonks would be here too, and had to repress the smile itching to come out at the sight of another familiar face. Like Charlie, she was much younger than the last time she'd seen her; with a paler face and shorter by an inch or two as well.
"Yeah?" Tonks said with a smile as she handed one of her books to her. "Have we met before?"
"N..No." Hermione stammered. "I've just heard of you is all."
"Oh?" Tonks looks surprised. "All good things I hope."
"Yes of course!" Hermione assured her as she finished gathering the rest of her things and placed the strap of her bag over her shoulder. "I'm new here this year and you were pointed out as a metamorphmagus."
"Yeah I am! I get it from my mum's side." She confirmed as they both stood up and brushed the dust from their knees.
"Well I love the pink hair." Hermione complimented her honestly. "It suits you perfectly."
"Really?" Tonks asked with a large smile, her fingertips coming up to touch the tips of her own hair. "Thanks!"
"Jean!" Charlie suddenly called from down that hall.
Hermione and Tonks both turned at the sound of his voice.
"Hey!" He said as he approached. "I was hoping I'd run into you before lunch." He suddenly noticed the girl beside her. "Oh, hey Dora."
"Hey Charles!" Tonks responded, looking glad to see him. "Long time no see."
"Ugh, you know not to call me that." He cringed.
"Just like you know not to call me by my first name either." She teased him.
"Touche." He sighed but nodded. "Anyway, I didn't know you two knew each other."
"Oh we don't." Tonks said. "Just met actually. After I tripped her by accident."
Charlie chuckled. "Why am I not surprised?"
"Oh shut up!" Tonks smacked his arm. Hard. Causing Hermione to snicker behind one hand at them.
"You both okay?" He asked, rubbing the spot she'd just hit, though still trying to show he cared even if he clearly liked to pester the both of them.
"Peachy." Tonks replied. "Anyway, I got to run. Nice to meet you Jean." She nodded at the Gryffindors. "Catch you later Charlie." She bid over her shoulder, leaving Hermione and Charlie alone in the hallway.
Charlie snorted at his retreating friend. "A bit of a mess isn't she?"
"A little." Hermione agreed, knowing the woman quite well. "But I like her."
"Yeah, she's great." Charlie agreed, as he placed one hand on her back to steer her toward the great hall. "Our mum's are friends so I've known her practically forever."
"Oh, that's nice." She replied simply, as to not give away how much she already knew.
"Anyway." He changed the subject as they continued on. "I don't know if you heard, but the students get to visit the village of Hogsmeade on designated weekends."
'Uh, oh.' Hermione internally cringed. This is what Sarah and Laura had warned her of. He was about to ask her to go with him. And as much as she would love to spend another day alone together, she knew she shouldn't. Not only was she forbidden from purchasing anything while she was there, but going would probably result in him trying to kiss her again. And as much as she sometimes wished that they had, doing so would mean that they were in a relationship, and starting a relationship that was doomed to end in only six months was not something she wanted to lead him into unknowingly.
Oh, and because of Ron. She couldn't forget Ron.
"Yes." She answered promptly. "The girls were telling me about it a few nights ago."
"Well, I know the village like the back of my hand." He started to turn slightly pink. "And since you've never been before I just thought maybe you might want to go."
It was cute how nervous he was.
"With me, that is." He added for clarity.
"Oh." Hermione said, cringing as they walked on in solitude. "Charlie, it's really sweet of you to invite me and all, but I'm not allowed."
He looked disappointed, but quickly tried to hide it. "Oh, why not?"
"Dumbledore's orders." She lied. "Because of that whole keeping a low profile thing."
"Yeah, of course." He shook his head slightly, as if cursing himself for not thinking of that already.
"It sounds nice though." She added in an attempt to make him feel better.
He smiled slightly at that, as they joined the rest of the students who were already loading up their lunch plates. "Yeah... Guess I'll just be stuck with Devon's handsome mug instead."
Hermione couldn't help but laugh. "How terrible." She added sarcastically.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
That evening, Hermione had her notes spread out on one of the larger tables in the common room. Since most of her friends were at quidditch practice, and several other students off to watch it for the evening, she had decided to take advantage of the rare peace and quiet by getting as much of her homework done as possible.
Though there were a few other students around, she was still surprised to see Fred and George huddled up by the fireplace. They usually weren't in the common room this early, and also they liked to watch their older brother's practices so they could get tips for next year's tryouts.
In fact, for once they were being quiet, only snickering at each other every once in a while. This honestly worried her, as that could only mean they were up to something.
So knowing that leaving them unsupervised was a disaster waiting to happen, and also curious as to what it was they were up to, Hermione set her quill down so she could watch them from afar. Their backs were turned to her so she could easily watch them without them realizing, and they seemed to be playing with a very large piece of parchment. Parchment that Fred was currently poking at with his wand.
After a few seconds, his face turned red and George chuckled at him, though quietly and behind his hand. Getting an eerie feeling, Hermione decided to move in closer. She grabbed one of her smaller books and moved to one of the sofas in the middle of the room, acting as if she was just changing positions. Now that she was a bit closer she could hear just a few hints of what they were whispering to each other.
"...insulting…"
"...but genius…"
"Agreed….but still."
"...makes me wonder who Moony….and Prongs are?"
Hermione froze. 'Moony? Prongs?' She asked herself. 'Lupin and James Potter?'
And then it dawned on her.
"They must have the map." She whispered to herself.
Knowing she needed visual confirmation, she closed her decoy book and approached the pair slowly, so as not to startle them.
"Are you two actually staying out of trouble this evening?" She asked them in as friendly of a voice as she could muster.
The twins jolted, having not expected to be interrupted at all, much less by their brother's friend. George scooted the map under his bag, slowly so as not to draw attention to it, but not before Hermione was able to sneak a peek at it.
Scrawled in familiar writing were the words: Padfoot thinks these wee scrawny gingers are indeed up to no good.
But Prongs has to ask, is it enough?
Hermione wanted to laugh. She had always known that Fred and George had stolen the map from Filch's office when they were first years, but it was funny that she was actually able to witness it. She had also always wondered how they figured out how to use it, and by the looks of things they were close. It looked like they just had to prove to the imprints of the Marauders that they were indeed troublemakers and they would then be handed the instructions.
"Trouble?" Fred asked, looking like that cat who ate the canary. "Us?"
"Never." George added, looking relieved now that he had the map hidden.
"You must have the wrong twins." They said together, as if that line had been rehearsed several times.
"I'm sure." Hermione snorted. Those two had not changed one bit over the years. "Working on homework are we?"
"Uh, yeah." George agreed.
"Just finished actually." Fred added.
Hermione glared at them disbelievingly. "Mhm, I'm sure." She said as she turned to go back to her makeshift desk. "Well, have a good night boys."
"Goodnight Charlie's girlfriend!" They both said together.
Hermione turned to glare at them. "I am still not his girlfriend." She said sternly.
"Riiight." George rolled his eyes as they both stood and gathered their things.
"We'll be sure to tell him that." Fred snickered.
And before she could respond, they had both run up the stairs to their dorms to escape her watchful eyes.
"Boys." She huffed under her breath as she began to clean up her mess on the table.
And as Hermione cleaned, her mind began to wander.
It wandered to thoughts of all the times her and her friends had used that map Fred and George had just discovered. The map that she still currently had hidden inside her beaded bag, alongside Harry's invisibility cloak. It had been nice of those two to have given it to Harry even though they still had two years left when they passed it on. It had saved them from getting into trouble loads of times over the years.
And then her mind wandered to the specific workings of the map. Of how it showed where everyone was and how it specifically labeled everyone's set of footsteps.
And then Hermione froze again, though this time in horror.
If Fred and George figured out how to use that map they would see her on it.
And because the map never lies, they would see that her name was not Jean Walters, but Hermione Granger.