Chapter 12
Probation.
Hermione Granger was on probation.
Hermione Granger was on freaking probation and McGonagall had the nerve to tell her she was lucky.
Godric this must be what death feels like. Slow and painful.
Harry said she needed to calm down. She shot a stinging jinx at him for it and he said it wasn’t his fault she needed better priorities. Also, that hexing students while on probation could get her expelled.
Hermione wanted to die.
How did this happen? Why did this happen?
I mean, she knew how it happened. She hadn’t come back from Hogsmeade by curfew, obviously Harry had gone to the professors, and when she walked back into the common room and had been unable to explain herself except that she and Draco had been somewhere (they didn’t know where), with someone (they didn’t really know who), McGonagall had spent a full ninety minutes lecturing her on decorum, rules, safety, and respectability. And then she’d informed her about probation and Hermione had cried. That’s when she told her it could’ve been worse. Worse. This was humiliating and she couldn’t even do anything to fix it. McGonagall thought she was being difficult, but Hermione really had no memory of how they’d ended up at Regulus’s house. And though she might’ve been able to help herself by telling them who Regulus was, something about what he’d said made her not want to give him up. If he was supposed to be dead, that meant that by being alive, he was most likely in danger.
So, she hadn’t had a real excuse and one of her favorite professors had looked at her with such disappointment that she’d cried. And when she'd gotten back to the common room she told Harry everything. Now he was just staring at the fireplace wordlessly.
“Say something.” She pleaded; hands rested on the knees of her jeans. They were alone there. Everyone else was still asleep because it was the weekend.
“Something.” He said, but he wasn’t looking at her.
“Harry.”
“Hermione.” His voice was faraway.
“What do I do?” He looked at her then, biting his lip in thought and Hermione waited, hoping for answers.
“I don’t know.”
“You don’t know?”
“What do you want me to say?”
“Anything.”
“Okay, er, I think you should tell McGonagall about Sirius’s brother.”
“Anything but that.”
He gave her an unimpressed look.
“Don’t you dare. You and I both know I’ve told you enough times over the years to go to professors and you never have.”
“Yeah, but that’s different.” He shrugged.
“How?”
“You could be in danger. Hermione, you were in danger.”
“I wasn’t in danger. And so have you. Real danger. Like last year. Or the year before, or the year before that.”
“But you could have been. You don’t know that.” He tried to ignore her comment, but she wouldn’t let him.
“How is that any different than what you’ve done?”
“Because it’s you, Hermione. You could get hurt. Something could happen to you. You don’t understand. When you left, I—” he swallowed, and she could see his Adams apple bob.
“When I left where, Harry?” she asked. She’d been trying to figure out what had happened ever since she woke up, but there was nothing there. Harry shook his head but after a moment he started speaking. Hermione listened in surprise as he had explained everything that happened after they left the bookshop.
“Hermione when you disappeared—Theo, I’ve never seen someone panic like that.”
“But I didn’t know! I don’t even remember! Why would Draco and I not notice that something was going on?”
“I don’t know. You’d been acting weird when we got downstairs and I think you were avoiding Draco for some reason and then we got in a fight, and Malfoy tried to defend you like he knew you better or something, and I just—”
“Harry,” She tried to stop him, like Draco knew her better? No one knew her better than Harry. But he waved a hand dismissively and kept going.
“I know. I just. It bothered me. He gets you Hermione and I’m glad. You deserve someone to be swotty around when I can’t keep up.” He smiled slightly at her, and Hermione knew her cheeks pinked a little at the reminder of Draco. “But still, I felt like…I dunno.” He shrugged awkwardly. “You’re still my best friend, even he’s your friend too.”
“Obviously,” she assured him. To some people it might seem ridiculous, after all they’d been best friends for years now, but to Hermione, she understood him.
Neither Harry or she had grown up with many friends, both getting bullied often at school for their looks or the fact that sometimes things had happened around them when they were young that they couldn’t control. Friends had always been temporary until Hogwarts. Now whenever people latched onto one another over similar interests, it was easy to worry you’d get left behind again. And being a celebrity worked both ways for Harry. On the one hand no one cared that he’d been raised by muggles because technically he was still a half blood, but on the other she knew he worried people were using him sometimes, especially after things had gone south during second year.
“But that doesn’t matter anymore because Hermione I swear, I get it and I’m sorry and I promise I’ll never let you walk into an abandoned building that you don’t think is abandoned because it’s actually occupied by a not-dead-kidnapper-man ever again.” His words were really fast and by the end she rolled her eyes.
“You’re ridiculous.”
“I know.” He gave the slightest hint of his Harry smile and she felt calm. “You’re alive.”
“Of course I’m alive.”
“Not of course, I thought you were dead. Theo thought you were dead.” His face sobered as he frowned.
“Harry?” she asked when he didn't continue.
“Theo really thought you were dead.” The words weren’t really said to her, more in a whisper to himself like he was back in that moment.
“He did?”
“I’ve never seen someone look so scared, Hermione. I thought he might die from fear alone.”
“Really?” Her gut panged with remorse as she remembered his curled-up frame. He must’ve been crying by himself in that dorm room for hours.
It was like Harry read her mind. “I tried to stay with him, but Karkaroff wouldn’t let me.”
“Who?”
“They’re headmaster. He’s terrifying.”
“Oh.”
“Is he doing better?” Harry’s eyes were hopeful, and she nodded.
“Yeah, seeing Draco really helped, I think.”
Harry hummed.
“They’re really close.”
“Clearly.”
“No, it’s like they’re family. It’s sweet.” She hadn’t wanted to disturb them, but she’d sat there for nearly an hour watching Draco comfort his friend before they noticed her and it had all just seemed profound.
“You’re my family.” Harry said suddenly, and Hermione realized she’d gone quiet.
“What?”
“You and Ron.” He looked in his lap, adjusting his glasses that never seemed to fit quite right, no matter how many times Hermione tried to fix them for him. “You’re the closest thing I’ll ever have to family. I just…” he shrugged again. “Nott…I get it.”
“Yeah,” she sighed, squeezing his hand tightly between hers.
“I mean, I think I’m actually lucky, you know?” Harry finally looked up.
“What?” she frowned. “How on earth do you think that?”
“My parents. They’re dead. And it’s sad, I guess. I mean, obviously.” He laughed to himself, but Hermione recognized it for what it was, one of his coping mechanisms. “And I’m not saying the Dursleys are…” he trailed off. There was no explanation necessary. Hermione already knew enough to know they were horrible. If Ron’s family hadn’t already tried, she would have invited him to come live with her parents immediately, they had the extra room. Dumbledore had told them it wasn't allowed though, he had to stay with his family. “But it’s not like I can miss them in the same way. Because I didn’t know them.”
“Harry,” that was awful. Hermione didn’t know what she’d ever do without her mum and dad. They may have missed the first five years of her life, but they’d more than made up for it in the time since. They were everything.
“No, it’s fine.” He shook his head, but it wasn’t. “I—I’d rather that than…than know them and lose them like Theo. I can’t imagine. And I know that you and Ron have your own families when you leave school, but for me, it’s just you. You guys are mine. And I think for Theo it’s the same. Draco’s his. If I had to lose you…I don’t know what I’d do.” He got that faraway look again and she tightened her hold on his hand, trying to pull him back to her.
“You’re not losing me.” She needed him to believe it. “I promise. I’m going to be here no matter what.” And because she was Hermione and not entirely the best at the somber emotional thing, she added, “Someone’s got the stick around to force you to open a book every once in a while. Otherwise, who knows if you’d ever graduate.”
It had the intended effect and Harry grinned. “Yeah, Mione?”
“Yeah.”
“Good. I’ll hold you to it.”
“Good.” And then because she was Hermione, and he was Harry she scooted next to him, so he had to move over and put her head on his shoulder. After a few minutes something occurred to her. “Where’s Ron?”
“Weasley?”
“Obviously.” She poked him in the stomach.
“It’s a Sunday.” He said, like that was any kind of answer.
“And? Wasn’t he worried when I didn’t come back?”
Harry stayed silent until Hermione sat up and looked at him.
“Shut up.”
“He didn’t notice.”
“How?”
“He went to bed.”
“And he didn’t ask?”
“I think he was kind of pissed.”
“He was pissed?”
“Well—”
“He doesn’t get to be pissed! He was the arsehole!”
“I know, but—”
“No!” she shook her head, crossing her arms over her stomach, maybe like a child. But in her defense, Ron was one of her best friends. Sure, she hadn’t forgiven him for how he’d treated her yesterday and he still needed to apologize. But didn’t safety beat feelings? Shouldn’t her best friend have noticed she was missing, and that Harry never came to bed because he stayed downstairs waiting in case she showed?
“Hermione” he said it again and she threw a glare at the stairwell leading to their room before turning back to him.
“What?” she pouted.
“He was also kind of…pissed.” Hermione stared at him, waiting for further explanation until it hit her. He wasn’t just annoyed ‘pissed’ he was…
“HE WAS DRUNK?” she shouted, standing and determined to go knock some sense into that idiot until Harry grabbed her arm.
“Shhhhh!”
“Harry!”
“No! Shush!” he yanked her back until she fell on the couch, glaring.
“How the hell did he end up drunk?!”
“Seamus and Dean may be bad influences.” He wouldn’t make eye contact with her, and Hermione’s jaw dropped.
“What?”
“And Fred and George, who are really to blame for the whole issue, along with Lee Jordan.”
“What?”
“It appears we missed a lot.” He shrugged and her eyes were wild. “Apparently, things got hectic in The Three Broomsticks, but on the bright side,” he tilted his head towards her, and she just knew it wasn’t going to be a bright side. “You’re not the only one who was put on probation for yesterday!”
“No.” she gasped.
“Yep.”
“I’m on the same level as the Weasley twins.” She groaned. “Could this get any worse?”
“Er, yeah. You could be dead.”
Hermione mock glared at him. “Shut up.”
“No. I’m right. And you know it’s not actually that bad, you’re just being dramatic.” Hermione was about to fight him on the merits of how actually horrible this was for her, but before she could say anything, a group of students wandered down the stairs noisily.
Hermione looked behind them, realizing the sun was fully risen and the whole castle would be waking soon, and contemplated what they should do. Conveniently, her stomach took that moment to decide for her, loudly. “Breakfast?” she asked, and Harry nodded.
--- --- --- --- ---
“Mione.” The noise was barely a grunt as she ate her food. Hermione turned around and her face immediately fell into a glare at what she saw.
“Ron.” Her voice was still but he just threw his head to the side in a lopsided manner.
“Please, just give me five minutes before you lay into me.” He said, sliding into the seat next to her. She didn’t try to hide her annoyance one bit. “I know I deserve it; I was an arse to you yesterday and I never should’ve said what I did.” Oh? “But my head’s really killing me so can I just grab a bite before you start?” the last part was an annoyed grumble.
It was so close to being a real apology…so close.
“Whatever.” She rolled her eyes and he seemed to take that as a cue to start dumping things on his plate. Hermione looked at Harry who just shook his head, engaging would only make it worse. They sat in silence for a few minutes, the only sound between them was the clinking on silverware on plates.
“Okay.” Ron pushed his plate away from him, making a loud noise across the entire hall. Then he turned to her and took a deep breath. “Now you can go.”
Hermione stared at him. “Sorry?” she asked, hoping he might change his answer.
Ron threw Harry a ‘here it comes’ look and Hermione wanted to scream. “I said, now you can go. I know you’ve been waiting to tell me how whatever, I am.” He threw a hand between them, “So…go.”
“I—” she didn’t know what to say. He was just so impossible. So bloody clueless and thoughtless and impossible. “No.”
Ron frowned. “Hmm?”
“I said no.”
“No?” he looked at Harry—what the hell did he think Harry was supposed to do? “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means no.” she said firmer. Her confidence growing at the confusion on Ron’s face. That’s right. I can act cool too. Harry’s not the only one who can pretend like things don’t bother him. “I don’t have anything to say.”
He frowned deeper, his face practically squishing for a moment.
“I don’t understand.”
“What?”
“I don’t understand.”
“Ronald if you want to say something just say it.” She shook her head, taking a sip from her glass.
“Aren’t you going to yell at me?”
“For?” she almost choked at the absurdity of his words, but luckily didn’t.
“I got sloshed last night and treated you like shite.”
Hermione lifted her brows as if to say ‘and…’
“You’re not going to spend an hour scolding me?”
“I’m not your mother Ronald.” He was such a child and quite frankly Hermione was tired. She’d never really noticed it before, but after spending the last week around Theo and Draco so much, she’d realized that Ron really was immature. She didn’t have to worry about helping them, or them getting her into trouble—the events of Hogsmeade not included. Because Draco and Theo took care of themselves. Looking at him now, she decided she was done making excuses for when he treated her poorly or made bad choices.
“What’s up with you?” he sneered.
“Pardon?”
“Why are you being this way?”
“This way?” Her voice was rising.
“Yeah, you’re kind of being a bitch, Hermione.” He shrugged, like it was her fault. Like it was her with the problem. Like she was doing something wrong by deciding it wasn’t her job to take care of him.
“Ron” Harry started but Hermione didn’t let him finish, unintentionally banging her fist on the table in frustration.
“UGH! You are so bloody childish! Grow up Ronald! Everyone else has!” She stood and turned to Harry, “You know what, I can’t deal with him anymore. Your turn. I’ll see you later.”
“His turn?” Ron muttered to himself, as though he was processing the sentence out loud. Hermione scoffed. “Oi! Hermione!” But she was already walking away, and there was no way she was stopping to hear whatever else he had to say.
Once she’d left the Great Hall though, Hermione didn’t really know where to go. It was a Sunday and she’d gotten all of her homework done on Friday in preparation for the weekend. A part of her had hoped she might see Theo and Draco again, but she didn’t want to seem clingy. They were probably busy doing, whatever it was that they did.
So, she decided to head back to Gryffindor tower, hoping to take a shower and put on a fresh pair of clothes. And it was on her way back that she got stopped.
“Well, hello, Hermione.” They spoke and walked around the corner at the same time, catching her off guard.
“Holy sh—oh. It’s you.” She frowned. “You know that’s really creepy when you do that?”
“Yeah,” George shrugged. “That’s why we do it.”
“Well, that’s wonderful.” She rolled her eyes and started walking past them. That is, until Fred grabbed her by the elbow and pulled her back.
“Oh no you don’t.”
“We want to talk to you.” George finished.
“That’s really great. I need to change though so…”
“We’ll just be a minute madam.”
“If you could spare the time?”
She sighed, “What do you want?” Fred and George took a lot of energy for her to deal with on a regular day, much less one where she’d barely gotten any sleep.
“Just to talk.”
“Only for a minute.”
“Okay?” she watched them hesitantly.
“You look mighty tired Ms. Granger.”
“She does. Fascinating George.”
“Indeed Fred.”
“Almost makes you wonder…” He shrugged looking up as though gazing off into something. Hermione frowned. Where were they going with this?
“I couldn’t agree more. I’ve been wondering so much. Like whether she got much sleep last night.”
“She had to have, right? Granger goes to bed early when she’s not working. But she wasn’t working working last night, so that doesn’t make any sense.” He shook his head. “There wasn’t any kind of party, and we would know.” He said the ending with emphasis and Hermione rolled her eyes, remembering what Harry had told her about them and Lee Jordan last night.
“Yes, we would.” His brother nodded.
“Which begs the question.”
“So many questions.”
“Why Ms. Granger wasn’t in Gryffindor tower last night.” What?! Her eyes widened, panic shooting through her. McGonagall had told her they were going to keep quiet what had happened. How could the twins know? She looked at them both, but they looked gleeful.
“What do you know?” she asked, her hands fidgeting as she watched them. If the whole school found out, then she really would die of humiliation. Pansy was never going to let it go and Merlin knew she didn’t need any more ammunition to make her miserable.
“Know? Whatever do you mean, Ms. Granger?” Fred grinned and she realized he was still holding her elbow. She pulled it away.
“I—”
“We don’t know anything.” George added, smirking down at her.
“Yeah, we’re just two down on their luck students looking to spread joy. Really, this place is oppressive with all their rules…and punishments.”
“Oh, those are the worst.” George’s eyebrows flew up like he’d just remembered something, and Hermione grew even more suspicious. “Disciplinary action. Minnie’s all too liberal with it, don’t you think Freddy?”
“Oh absolutely. People who don’t deserve it, getting put with things they shouldn’t. It’s awful.” He shook his head, and she swore her heart was racing.
“Terrible. Especially when it’s someone who’s keeping a secret.”
“Yeah, when they’re doing something, they shouldn’t but it’s to help someone else…”
“Just sad, really. Tragic even.”
Hermione’s jaw would be on the floor if she wasn’t so shocked, she couldn’t move it. She didn’t know what to do. They knew. Clearly, they must know everything. So why were they telling her? Why let her know it was them who let the news out? How many people had they already told? Her mind was spiraling with questions when George spoke up again.
“Which is why it’s horrible when things like that get out.” His expression turned somber, and her stomach sank. Suddenly she was regretting all the times she’d called them ridiculous. She should’ve been nice. Told them how wonderful they were so they’d take pity instead of revenge.
“I—” she stared to protest. Maybe she could bribe them to keep their mouths closed. But instead of letting her talk, Fred cut her off with a wolfish grin. She closed her eyes and braced for what he’d say.
“I personally always say everyone should learn to use a silencing charm.”
What?
“Oh indeed, Freddy my boy. Especially when telling someone in a public space. Otherwise, who knows who might overhear you.”
“Yes, it could be truly problematic.” He nodded, “People finding out all kinds of secrets they’re not meant to know. Sometimes they’ll get lucky and someone else will cast the charm for them but…” Fred tsked, shaking his head.
Someone else?
She looked at him again and his expression had softened. “Don’t you agree, Mione?”
“I…what?”
“That people should learn to use silencing charms more often?” George nodded. And then it clicked.
“You?” Her gaze bounced between them and when it landed on Fred again, he nodded slightly so it was confirmed. Her eyes went wide but as what they were saying dawned on her she realized they were both really wonderful. And then she hugged him because she was so relieved and also grateful, and because some Weasleys might be arseholes, but the twins certainly weren’t.
“Fuck.” She sighed; her arms wrapped around Fred’s middle. He hugged her back and she could feel him chuckling from his chest. “Thank you.”
“Well, Mione, if I’d know all it took was eavesdropping to get you to fall all over me, I would’ve done it months ago.” She froze, pulled back and levelled him with a look.
“You ruined it.” She shook her head. He'd always made those jokes to her, especially after she'd stayed at the Burrow for a bit this summer. But Hermione knew he didn't really mean it. She'd heard Ron complain about both of them flirting with everyone they met plenty over the years to know she was no different. Plus the most obvious part...she was Hermione. She turned to George who looked at her like she was crying child and shook his head to keep her away. “Too bad.” She grinned and hugged him too.
“Y’know, this is really more Freddy’s thing.” He said, patting the top of her head awkwardly with one hand. “I mean, I get that we’re both technically your type, but…it doesn’t exactly work the other way around as well.”
Hermione just started laughing at him as she let go, shaking her head “Shut up.”
“Yeah, see I’m not very good at that either.” He looked at his brother, “How about you Fred? Good at shutting up?”
He smiled but shook his head as well. “Nope. Not even a little bit. Sorry Granger.”
“Oh, bother then.” she rolled her eyes playfully. “Thank you, by the way. You’re being incredibly kind.”
“Not at all,” George shook his head. “Purely for personal reasons. We plan to use this as extortion.”
“Extortion?”
“Yeah. You’ve gotta join our club or else we’ll tell the whole school.”
“Georgey—”
“Hush now, Freddy. I’m making a deal.”
“A deal?” she laughed. “What kind of club even is it?”
“The fun kind.” He waggled his brows.
“What does that even mean?” she looked at Fred who shrugged.
“Don’t look at him. Look at me.” George snapped a finger right in her face and Hermione glared at him, immediately raising a brow. “Sorry, ma’am.” he said, looking scolded as he took a wide step backwards before continuing. “You’ve got to cheer for us.”
“What?”
“You’ve got to cheer for us.”
“When?”
“During the tournament of course.” He looked at her like it was obvious.
“You can’t compete.”
“That’s what they told you.” He said slyly.
“That’s what the rules are.”
“And are rules not meant to be broken?” he tilted his head towards her, she looked at Fred who just nodded.
“But it’s magic. You can’t put your names in. We know this. I saw you try and fail last month.”
“Ah, yes. But that was last month.”
“And?”
“And we’ve come up with a way.”
“You’ve come up with a way? It’s not going to work.”
“You don’t know that.” He said proudly and when she crossed her arms he smirked. “Yet. They’re pulling the names on Friday, Hermione. And when they pull one of ours, you’re going to be our biggest fan.”
“Your biggest fan?” there was laughter in her voice though. Maybe they were wonderful, but George was definitely still ridiculous.
“Ah yes.” Fred snapped his finger—nowhere near her face though, clearly he was the smarter brother—seeming to have now caught on the his brother's schemes. “You see that’s the club Granger.”
“The club?”
“The fan club.” He did jazz hands and she almost laughed. “You have to be our number one fan.”
“Fine.” She shrugged and both their eyes practically bulged.
“Fine?” they repeated in unison. “What do you mean fine?”
“I mean fine. I’ll do it. If your names get pulled. Which they won’t. Because you’re not old enough.”
“She doesn’t believe in us Freddy.”
“She’ll learn. We’ll just have to prove her wrong.”
“You can try.”
“Oh, we’ll do better than that.” George smirked and she grinned.
“Sure, you will.” She took a step back, inching away from them when Fred noticed and raised a suspicious brow. “Please, if that’s all? I’d really like to put on a new jumper. I don’t exactly know where this one’s been.” She pulled it away from her and was surprised when he practically glared at the poor thing while George grimaced.
“Yeah, course Mione.” Fred nodded. “That’s all we wanted to talk about.”
“Thanks.” She smiled.
“Anytime. Hey, be careful, alright?”
Hermione rolled her eyes. “Obviously.”
And then she walked away, though as she did, one of them shouted, “And don’t forget what we told you!”