Hermione smiled as the train pulled into the station and Platform 9 ¾ came into view. It had been years since she’d enjoyed this train ride, since she had felt the comforting click-clack of the rails and gentle swaying of the carriages as Hogwarts Express carried her between Hogsmeade and London.
When Headmistress McGonagall had offered her the History of Magic position last year after Professor Binns had soared out of his classroom never to be seen again, she had jumped at the opportunity. When the teaching staff had been offered the Easter break off in exchange for chaperoning the students taking the train to London for the holiday, she had jumped even higher.
A week off and the chance to surprise her boyfriend for his birthday? Yes please!
After checking all of the compartments for wayward (and in one case, snogging) students, Hermione stepped onto the platform with a smile. When she looked up, her face dropped to a confused frown. What was Fred doing here?
This wasn’t the plan.
Fred - her much loved but often exasperating brother-in-law - shot her a very un-Fred-like grimace before walking over.
“Hermione, my lovely Twin-law! So good to see you,” Fred ducked to kiss her cheek.
Hermione rolled her eyes affectionately at the ridiculous term Fred had coined for her and his determination to still use it every time he saw her.
“Freddie, what are you doing here? I thought our plan was for you to keep George out of the house for the morning so that I could sneak in and surprise him when he got home? If you’re here, where is he?” she looked around the platform in case George was waiting to jump out from behind one of the many columns.
“Ah, yeah… about that…” said Fred. “Slight change of plans.”
“What have you done this time?” Hermione eyed him, suspicion well-founded on years of experience filling her mind with endless possibilities.
When she looked closer, she noticed behind Fred’s chagrined face was a valiant effort to keep from laughing.
What in the world?
“You know those tweaks to the Wonder Witch potions line Georgie was telling you about at Christmas?”
“The love potions? Oh Fred, I do wish the two of you would stop selling those horrid things. They really are on the wrong side of the ethically problematic borderline.” Hermione sighed, her disapproval plain on her face.
“Ha, yeah well … we were trying to decrease the potency you know. Make them a little more teen-appropriate. Less intense if you catch my drift.”
“I’m a Hogwarts Professor with a curfew round, Fred. I’ve caught more than the drift on this one - I’ve witnessed the whole damned afterglow.”
Fred lost his fight against his laughing fit then, throwing his head back with a sound that Hermione could only describe as cackling.
You know what, ‘Mi? I think it’s best if you just see this one for yourself. It’s too good, I couldn’t possibly do it justice.”
“Fred….”
Her blasted Twin-law just grinned at her before hoisting her bag over his shoulder and taking her arm, escorting her from the station.
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“What the…”
Hermione spun around to face Fred, pointing over her shoulder at George. “What is he doing?”
Her wonderful boyfriend George, who was at present fawning over his own reflection in the door of the Twins’ microwave.
“Georgie?” Fred tried to get his brother’s attention, but had as much luck as he had an hour before (none at all).
“Frederick Gideon Weasley, if you don’t tell me why George is blowing kisses to himself right this second I’ll-”
“Steady on, ‘Mi. Here, let’s sit.”
Leaving George to his enthusiastic flirtations with various kitchen appliances, Fred and Hermione settled on the sofa.
“Okay, so I guess I’ll start at the beginning,” said Fred.
“I think that’s best, yes.”
“George and I were working on the products together, but it was taking too long so we decided to split our efforts. I’ve been experimenting with the Kissing Concoction formula while Georgie’s focus has been the Cupid Crystals. The Concoctions have been pretty easy to alter overall, easier combo of ingredients I guess? But we’ve been having real trouble with the Crystals so far.”
“Oh? What sort of trouble? Do you have any ideas as to why?” Hermione sat forward in her seat, and Fred smiled at her obvious switch into her Research Mode.
“Some, but we can discuss that later. Back to our lover boy over there,” Fred smirked, and Hermione eyed George with a concerned but adoring smile.
“I don’t know exactly what happened, mind, since I wasn’t in the room. But suffice it to say that his cauldron exploded - he’s okay! No cuts or other damage, I promise.”
Hermione sat back down, having jumped to her feet at the mention of an explosion.
“It exploded, the Crystals mixture he’d been working on got all over him, and I guess the first person he made eye contact with was his own bloody reflection in the bathroom mirror while he was washing some of it off. And well, the rest as they say is history.” Fred shrugged.
“How long ago did it happen? Do you know what was in the recipe he was brewing? How long will it take to wear off?”
Fred scratched his chin. “I don’t know for certain, but based on what we’d discussed and the ingredients I saw on the workbench … I’m thinking he’ll be good overnight.”
“You think?!” Hermione pressed him.
“Product creation is an art form, Hermione. There’s always a little room for uncertainty.”
Hermione sighed.
“What are we going to do with him for now? He can’t very well go back to work acting like that.”
“Ah, leave him here with his toaster,” Fred laughed. “He can’t do himself any harm.”
They watched George for a moment, still fascinated by his own image in the various reflective kitchen surfaces.
“Hi there, gorgeous,” George wiggled his eyebrows at himself. “You come here often? I think I’d remember those lovely strawberry lashes. You must be new here. Well stick with me sweetheart, I’ll show you a good time.”
George tried to send his reflection a lewd wink, but did a stunning exaggerated blink instead. Fred snorted, while Hermione struggled to contain her giggles.
“You gonna be good with him here? I should really head back down in case Verity needs a hand.” Fred stood up to leave.
“Yes, go on. I’ve got him,” Hermione got up from the sofa and approached her boyfriend who was oblivious to her presence.
“Say, do you have any cute brothers?” George was asking himself. “I know they’ll be jealous when I pick you up for our date tonight. You and me together? Wowee, so much hotness.” he fanned himself.
“Come on you, how about a nap?” she asked him. The more time he spent asleep, the easier this whole fiasco would be for all involved.
“If you think you’re going to distract me and steal this dashing fellow for yourself, young lady, you are sorely mistaken!” George resisted Hermione’s attempts to lead him away from Microwave George.
“He’s all yours, promise.” Hermione thought she deserved a medal for the effort it took to keep her face passive. “You want to be pretty for your first date, don’t you?”
“Of course!” George gasped.
“Well then come along, nap time. Beauty sleep is important, you know.”
George couldn’t argue with that. The mystery woman made an excellent point.
Before too long, he was zonked out on his bed without even removing his shoes.
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After a long nap, while Hermione listened to him muttering “no you hang up” on repeat, George finally woke up at what would normally be his bed time.
He felt something tickle his arm and turned over, surprised but happy to see his girlfriend asleep beside him.
George brushing Hermione’s hair from her face roused her, and he smiled down at her sleepy face.
“Hermione, sweetheart? How long have you been here?”
She blinked, realising George was fully recovered, and proceeded to laugh so hard that she fell off the bed.
THE END