** This is a series of drabbles, ficlets and one shots following our dear Fred and Hermione from June of 1995 (shortly before the third task of the Triwizard Tournament) to an as-of-yet undetermined point post-war.**
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18 December 1995
"Let's move on to stunning and shielding again," Harry instructed from the front of the room. They'd just finished working on impediments, something Hermione was rather proud of her skill in.
Ron made to walk toward her but was quickly intercepted by George, who threw an arm around his younger brother's shoulder and dragged him toward the far wall.
Hermione was looking around the room for someone else to partner with, seeing as Harry had started to work with Neville again, when a familiar voice said quietly from behind her left shoulder, "Looking for me?"
Hermione smiled before she even turned around. Sure enough, standing there with a lopsided grin and his hands in his pockets was Fred. His tie was hanging loosely around his neck and his shirt sleeves were rolled up just below his elbows. The effect it had on her was… significant.
"I'm sure you'd like to think so," she replied cheekily. Against all odds, relations had significantly improved between them since they'd had it out in the empty classroom that day. They still squabbled on occasion, but he seemed to be making more of an effort not to do things she'd be forced to reprimand, or at least not to do them in front of her, and she in turn was trying to learn to let his more juvenile antics, and even the antics of others, roll off of her back a bit more.
He nodded to an open space not far away near the fireplace and they split off, facing one another with wands raised. Despite several attempts, they hadn't managed to practice together at any of the previous meetings thus far. Hermione was often monopolized by Ron, Neville or Ginny, and Fred in turn just ended up with George or Lee.
She was surprised to find that she was a little anxious about it; Fred was much faster at offensive casting than she was, and was able to do so silently to boot, but Hermione could put up a shield charm quicker than anyone else in their assemblage, even Harry. It would make for an interesting exhibition to be sure.
"Ladies first," Fred said, giving a sweeping half-bow with a sparkle of mischief in his eye. She was grateful he'd offered; her sluggishness in stunning would give him a false sense of security for when they switched roles.
"If you insist," she responded. She raised her wand and muttered the charm as quietly as possible, flicking her wrist at the last second, but his shield was already up and waiting, so the spell glanced harmlessly. They did this thrice more before she had to stop and pull off her jumper. The first one after that landed, catching him in the shoulder just before he dropped unconscious onto the large cushion behind him.
She crossed the room with a bit of a lilt in her step and crouched to rennervate him and offer a hand. As soon as he blinked his eyes open, he was chuckling to himself and shaking his head.
"What's so funny?" she asked, searching his face for any indication, but he just shook his head again and they resumed their positions. She tried twice more, failing both times, before Harry called out for them to switch.
Hermione changed her stance a bit and adjusted the grip on her wand. She then dipped dramatically into the same bow he'd offered her, and he let out huff of laughter that made Luna, who was standing nearby, look over curiously at them for a second.
Fred spoke the first two stunners aloud, likely in an attempt to put them on an even playing field, but she deflected them both with ease and arched an eyebrow at him challengingly. He nodded his ascent and threw the next one at her lightening quick and completely silently. She just barely managed to put her shield up in time.
They repeated this over and over, Hermione successfully repelling his attempts each time. Though his expression held a hint of frustration, the overwhelming emotion was something akin to admiration and she found herself trying not to flush under his gaze.
They were nearly out of time when he caught her completely off guard, throwing a bolt of purple light rather than the red she'd been waiting for and she hesitated for just a second too long; the tickling hex clipped her in the hip.
Hermione burst out laughing without any ability to stop herself, doubling over and clutching her ribs until she was gasping for air and crying. The sensation finally ceased with a quick "finite" from Fred, and she looked up to find him laughing almost as hard as she'd been. Dabbing at her eyes and straightening, she was a little embarrassed to discover that the whole room was turned and looking at them.
Harry awkwardly chimed into the silence after a pregnant pause, "Right… let's try and keep to the given exercise, alright?"
Fred and Hermione both intoned their apologies, she a bit more self-consciously than him, and Harry reclaimed the class' attention. Things quickly wrapped up as he wished them a happy holiday and promised they would begin working on Patronuses when they returned after the break.
Fred and George left shortly after that while Ron and Hermione stayed to help clean up, as they usually did. Finally, it was just the two of them other than Harry and Cho, and once Hermione noticed she dragged Ron from the room, despite his mumbled confusion as to why they weren't waiting for Harry.
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A/N: This night isn't quite over yet.