Quidditch After Party
The Gryffindor common room was buzzing with energy, every corner filled with the sound of laughter, shouts, and the clinking of glasses as students celebrated the team’s victory. The match against Slytherin had been intense, and now, the triumphant players were entering the common room, their faces flushed with victory and their robes streaked with dirt and sweat. It felt like the entire house was alive with excitement, and Hermione could hardly contain her own energy as she sat with Neville and Luna, still floating on the high of the match.
"Oi, Hermione!" Fred’s voice rang out across the room, breaking through the celebratory din. He waved at her with one hand, the other draped casually over George's shoulder. The twins were grinning, their eyes gleaming with that familiar, mischievous spark.
Hermione’s heart gave a little jolt at the sight of them—Fred and George, always so full of life, so impossible to ignore. She was still feeling the aftershocks of the game, adrenaline and excitement keeping her light on her feet as she stood up from her seat.
"Looks like we’ve got some real heroes among us," Fred called, his voice carrying easily across the room, making a few people laugh.
Hermione smiled at his antics and shook her head as she made her way over to where the twins were standing, her own smile bright. "I think I know who the real heroes are," she teased, giving them both a pointed look. "The whole team was incredible today."
Fred and George exchanged a quick glance, their grins widening in unison.
George raised an eyebrow. "Oh, we’re not talking about the team, Granger," he said with a dramatic pause, clearly enjoying the buildup. "We’ve been thinking…”
Fred leaned in, his voice dropping to a mock-serious whisper. "And we’re convinced it was you, Hermione. You were the real MVP today. Without your unwavering support, we might never have pulled off that win."
Hermione rolled her eyes, the corners of her lips tugging upward despite her best efforts to look serious. "You two are impossible," she replied, but she couldn’t suppress the warmth in her chest. "You know I didn’t do anything but cheer."
"Ah, but that’s where you're wrong," Fred said, a playful glint in his eye. "You gave us all the energy we needed to fly higher, Hermione. Your support made all the difference."
George nodded solemnly. "And that deserves a reward, don’t you think?" His voice was teasing, but there was an unmistakable edge of affection behind it.
Hermione raised an eyebrow at them both, not sure where this was going. "I don’t need a reward," she said, half-laughing. "You won the match, not me."
Fred didn’t miss a beat, stepping closer until the space between them felt almost too close. He cupped her cheek gently, his thumb brushing across her skin in a surprisingly tender gesture. "We’ve thought long and hard about this," Fred murmured, his gaze locking with hers. "And we’re sure you deserve something special."
Hermione opened her mouth to protest, but before she could say a word, Fred leaned in. His lips brushed against hers in a brief, electrifying kiss that left her heart racing, her mind momentarily going blank. It was soft but full of intent, and it caught her completely off guard.
As she pulled back, trying to catch her breath, George was already moving closer, a smirk on his face. Without missing a beat, he mirrored Fred’s action, leaning in to kiss her from the other side. His lips were equally gentle, but the kiss was just as passionate, leaving her reeling.
When they finally pulled away, Hermione was left stunned, blinking rapidly as the room around her seemed to come back into focus. The sounds of laughter, cheers, and conversation filled the air again, but for a moment, she could only hear the thudding of her own heartbeat.
The common room was filled with the sound of hushed whispers and stifled giggles as Fred and George pulled away from Hermione, their lips leaving a lingering warmth on her skin. For a moment, everything seemed to slow down. Time itself appeared to stretch as the room took in what had just happened. The victorious cheers from earlier were now drowned out by the heavy silence, and all eyes were on the trio in the centre of the room.
"Did they just...?" Ron’s voice cut through the quiet, his disbelief unmistakable. His mouth hung open, and his eyes were wide with shock, as if he had witnessed something that defied all reason. His gaze flicked from Hermione to the twins, then back to Hermione again, his face stuck in a kind of dazed confusion.
Ginny, sitting near the fire with Harry, had frozen mid-laugh, her expression shifting from surprise to amusement. She looked at Hermione with wide eyes, a small smirk forming at the corners of her lips. "Blimey," she muttered under her breath, raising an eyebrow. "Those two really don’t know how to do anything halfway, do they?"
Neville, who had been sitting quietly next to Luna, let out a nervous laugh that sounded a little too high-pitched. His face was the colour of a ripe tomato, and he shifted uncomfortably in his seat, unsure of what to do. "Well, I didn’t see that coming," he said awkwardly, his voice barely audible, as if the whole situation had caught him completely off guard.
Luna, on the other hand, remained calm as ever. She gazed at Hermione with a soft, ethereal look, as if the kiss between Fred, George, and Hermione was a perfectly natural and predictable event. Her large, silvery eyes sparkled with a quiet understanding. "I think," Luna said dreamily, her voice soft and serene, "they’ve given you a most interesting reward, Hermione."
Hermione blinked rapidly, trying to process what had just happened. Her head was still spinning. She could feel the warmth of the twins' kisses lingering on her lips, her heart racing with the confusion of it all. She glanced around the room, her cheeks burning bright red as she saw the stunned faces of her fellow Gryffindors. Some students were exchanging shocked glances, while others whispered animatedly behind their hands, casting curious glances at the trio.
Fred and George, completely unfazed by the attention they were receiving, exchanged smug, self-satisfied grins. The twins were clearly revelling in the chaos they had just stirred up. Fred, never one to miss an opportunity to make a dramatic move, slid an arm around Hermione's shoulders, pulling her into a casual half-hug. His grin widened, a gleam of mischief still dancing in his eyes.
George, standing on the other side, grinned with his usual irrepressible confidence. His eyes sparkled with mischief. "We can’t help it, Hermione," he said, his voice teasing but sincere. "You’re just too irresistible."
Hermione, still trying to catch her breath, pushed her hair behind her ears, her fingers trembling slightly as she did so. Her heart was racing, her chest tight with a mixture of surprise, embarrassment, and something else—something she couldn’t quite name. The weight of the room’s collective gaze pressed down on her, and she felt as though she were a deer caught in headlights. Her cheeks flushed crimson, her lips still tingling from the unexpected kisses. She opened her mouth to say something, but the words stuck in her throat. Instead, she muttered under her breath, barely audible, "You two are unbelievable."
Her voice, though laced with disbelief, held a hint of laughter. She could hardly deny the small, surprised smile that tugged at the corners of her lips. Despite the shock, despite the way her heart was hammering in her chest, she couldn’t bring herself to be angry. She had known Fred and George would never do anything halfway. But this? This was… something else entirely.
Fred and George, ever the experts at reading Hermione, both laughed, clearly enjoying the flustered effect they had on her. They exchanged a look that was equal parts amusement and pride. Fred gave Hermione a playful nudge, his tone dropping into a mock-serious whisper.
"Now, now, Hermione," Fred teased, his voice low and warm, but still full of mischief. "Don’t act like you didn’t enjoy it." His eyes twinkled with playful confidence, his lips curving into a grin that was impossible to ignore.
Hermione’s face flushed even deeper, her heartbeat speeding up. She shot a look at Fred, her mouth slightly open as if to argue, but the words didn’t come out. Instead, she shook her head in exasperation, though the smile tugging at her lips betrayed her. "You are absolutely impossible," she muttered, her voice laced with a mix of disbelief and reluctant amusement. "You can’t just go around kissing people like that."
Fred leaned in slightly, his grin never faltering as he lowered his voice to a whisper, just for her. "You’re the one who got us all fired up, Hermione," he said, his breath warm against her ear, sending a small shiver down her spine. "We were just showing you how much we appreciate it."
Before Hermione could formulate a response, George chimed in, his voice equally playful. "Besides," he said with a wink, "You’re far too modest. You deserve a bit of recognition for all that cheering. We wouldn’t have won without you there, Hermione."
Hermione’s heart skipped a beat. She swallowed, trying to regain some semblance of composure. The twins had a way of turning everything into a joke, but there was something in their eyes—something a little more sincere, a little less playful—that made her second-guess herself. She didn’t know what to make of this. But one thing was certain—life with Fred and George Weasley was never, ever boring.
Still flushed and a little overwhelmed, Hermione glanced around the room. Most of the students were watching with wide eyes, some looking at her with curiosity, while others were smiling knowingly. Ron, though still trying to make sense of it all, shook his head in disbelief and muttered something under his breath. Ginny, with her arms crossed, gave Hermione a teasing grin that said it all.
Hermione tried her best to ignore the attention, but the truth was, she was still processing the whirlwind of the last few moments. She looked at Fred, who was still standing close to her, his hand casually resting on her shoulder, and then to George, whose smile seemed to promise that this was far from over.