Fic: Semper Vigilans (12/20)
Title: Semper Vigilans
Author: Buffybot76 (aka GredMione Fan)
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, they are the property of J.K Rowling. I am simply borrowing them for my amusement and non-profit entertainment.
Pairing: Fred/Hermione/George
Rating: M
Summary: The twins had always known that they were different from other children, even those among their own family. It wasn't until they were older that the twins found out just how different they truly were.
Warnings (if applicable): Mild violence
Genre: Romance/Supernatural, eventual crossover
Semper Vigilans
- Chapter 12 -
Hermione watched from her crouched position beside Oliver as George raced out of the shop after Fred. Her heart was still racing in her chest, but was beginning to slow down as the adrenaline began to seep from her body. It had been scary to watch Fred acting so feral as he had pinned Oliver to the wall in such a vicious way. Remembering the sandy haired man, she turned back to check on him, trusting that George would take care of his brother.
"My goodness, Ollie, are you alright?" she asked, clutching his shoulder gently in comfort, but he flung it off a bit forcefully as he made to stand.
Hermione, surprised by his action, backed away, her eyes wide as she climbed to her feet as well. She stared at him in confusion.
"I'm fine." he said sharply, his eyes looking past her towards where Fred had disappeared.
Upon seeing George reenter the shop, he began to make his way back to the store room, to the exit beyond. Hermione's brows furrowed as she watched Oliver leave, a bit of guilt mixed with the hurt settling in the pit of her stomach for being the reason that Fred had done what he had.
George walked up behind Hermione, the weight of his hand coming to rest upon her shoulder was comforting, and Hermione sank back against his chest. She glanced around, noticing that Fred wasn't with him.
"Where's Fred?" she asked, pulling away to turn and face George. She noticed that his eyes were back to their normal blue, and also that they held a great deal of worry in their depths.
"He's... gone. For now." George uttered. "I think he just needs time. I'm sure he'll be back at the flat by the time I get there." his eyes flitted to the back where Oliver had gone. "He alright?"
"I suppose," Hermione shrugged, looking over her shoulder to assure that the other man had truly left. "He was a bit angry, though."
"It was his own fault. Shouldn't have kissed you like that without your permission." George argued. "He didn't have your permission, right?" he added, a bit of uncertainty mixing with the worry already present.
Hermione gave a half-hearted laugh. "No, he didn't. He sort of sprung it on me suddenly. I didn't have time to react before you and Fred intervened." she said, wanting to make him aware of how unwanted Oliver's kiss had been. "I would have pushed him away if Fred hadn't grabbed him first."
Her words brought both of their thoughts back to the absent twin. They knew that Fred would be more upset by his actions and that made them both concerned for his need to be alone. The sound of jingling rang out and Hermione and George's eyes shot to the door, hoping to see Fred, but instead saw a new customer enter the shop.
"I guess I've got to get back to work," Hermione said, pulling George to her for a hug.
He wrapped his arms around her tightly, holding her to him for a moment longer as he breathed in her scent in an attempt to calm himself. The agitation of not knowing exactly where his twin was bothered him. It was as if Fred had severed their connection and it hurt.
Pulling back, George looked down into Hermione's eyes. "It'll be alright. I'll go back to the flat and wait on Freddie. I'll call you tomorrow, okay?"
"You do that," she whispered as she withdrew herself from George's embrace. "Don't forget." she stepped away slowly.
"I won't." George promised and she nodded, turning to tend to the customer. George ran a hand through his hair tiredly, and with a sigh, left the shop.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Deep within the woods bordering Diagon Alley and high atop the tallest tree, Fred Weasley sat. His legs ran along the length of a branch, ankles crossed, while his back rested against the trunk of the large oak. His elbows were bent, allowing his forearms to be crossed behind his head as the red head's eyes trained on the darkening sky above.
As the sun began its descent below the horizon, his thoughts lingered on what had taken place earlier in the bookstore. He had been more than ready to rip Oliver Wood's head off, and to be honest, he wasn't entirely sure if he would have felt all that bad about it.
The look on Hermione's face as she looked up at him from beside that bastard... her brown eyes, normally so soft and with filled with affection had been wide and horror-filled.
It was that look of fright on her pretty face, and the trembling in her voice as she pleaded with him to let go, that had given him pause. Then the thought of Oliver's lips on hers had given him another. If their bond with the brunette was as strong as they thought, then why was she letting that prat kiss her?
Feeling the rage that had consumed him earlier beginning to rise again, Fred forced the image in his mind away. He had to stop thinking about it, about Hermione and him. Would this intense jealousy - this fierce desire to protect - be what was brought out of him by the bond that he and his twin shared with her? He almost felt too possessive of her, surely that wasn't healthy?
The lack of control he had felt was frightening. No wonder George had looked so alarmed. He didn't want this. Doubt and Fear began to expound upon him as Fred continued to try and come to grips with everything. It all boiled down to the bond, when it had been forged, oh so long ago. It had happened without their consent, but they hadn't questioned it. Instead, they had went with it, allowing it to grow with each milestone reached as their uniqueness developed.
'Perhaps we should have.' Fred thought. 'Maybe... maybe we shouldn't have let this happen.'
Their attraction to Hermione had been growing steadily, had been present even during school and they had done nothing to dissuade it. He had happily dated before, he recalled. If not for Oliver fucking Wood, then he and Angelina might even be still together now. Maybe even married. The 'what ifs' began to build in Fred's mind.
What if he had given Angelina a second chance?
What if he had questioned more about these feelings for Hermione?
The feelings had grown, yes, but where did they stem from?
Were his affections for her truly his own?
'Maybe it's time I put a little distance between myself and Hermione.' Fred pondered,
'Georgie too, if I can persuade him. A little distance, to help clear our heads.' he nodded to himself at the decision. 'Yeah, I think maybe that's what we need.'
~*~*~*~*~*~
It was late, nearing three in the morning when Fred silently entered the darkened flat. His stealthiness was for not, however, as suddenly the living room was flooded with light and George stood up from the couch in which he had been camped upon for most of the night.
He didn't say anything at first, just stared at his brother. The worry had built as the night progressed, and it had taken a toll on the older twin. Now that Fred was back home, safe, George couldn't help but feel a bit mad at Fred. Instead of staying and letting him help to work through what had happened at F&B's he had fled. George couldn't understand it. For as long as he could remember, they had never held back anything from one another. They'd always made it a point to be there for one another, so why had Fred run away?
"You alright, Freddie," George fought to hold back the irritated edge that tinged his inquiry, but he knew Fred could sense it. He had apparently opened the link back up between them.
Fred walked past his brother. "I'm fine, George," he responded as he slowly made his way to his bedroom door. "Nothing a bit of sleep won't cure."
"A bit of sleep?" George looked in disbelief at his brother's back as Fred hadn't bothered to turn around. Instead, the younger one simply began toeing off his shoes, kicking them to the side of the bedroom door.
"Yeah, sleep." Fred snarked, "You know, that thing we do on a nightly basis to keep our devilish good looks?"
George ground his teeth to keep from growling at his twin. "Fred, we need to talk about what happened earlier. You know, work it out. You can't just go to sleep." he hissed. Fred had yet to turn around and face him.
"No, we don't." Fred's reply seemed cold, and when he finally looked over his shoulder at him, George could see that his expression matched his voice. "And I've already worked it out, so don't worry about it."
With a tight-lipped smile, Fred entered his bedroom. The sound of the door closing, followed by a lock being turned left George standing alone as a feeling of unease began to build within him.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Flourish & Blotts - Wednesday Morning
Hermione went to work as she normally would, but the contentment that she usually felt at being among the things she enjoyed was dampened by the worry of running into Oliver. She had yet to hear from George this morning as well, so she was still in the dark concerning Fred and how he was dealing with what he had done. After what had happened yesterday with the kiss and Fred's actions following it, she was a bit uneasy with facing Oliver today. Would he be mad at her for what Fred had done? Would he complain to his grandfather, her boss, and get her fired in the process?
When he made an appearance around noon, Hermione tensed for just such a consequence. Instead, much to her surprise, Oliver greeted her with an easy smile.
"Morning, Hermione! Hasn't been too busy for ye today, has it, lass?" he asked cheerfully. A bit too cheerfully.
Hermione crossed her arms and gave a look that said "cut the crap, Ollie" which he noticed right away. Bringing a hand up, he rubbed the back of his neck at having been silently called out on his act.
Thankfully there were no customers in the store at the moment, so Hermione was able to speak freely to the Scot. "Oliver, I know you were upset yesterday, so you don't have to put on an act. I can understand if you're mad at me for what Fred did to you." she said a bit nervously.
"Nae, never think that, Hermione. I could never be mad at ye." he protested, his accent getting a bit thicker as he spoke. "I was a mite upset, for sure, but afterward I realized I was outta line with kissin' ye like I did." his cheeks tinged a bit as he remembered the brief taste of her he had managed to steal. "I can'na say I regret it though," he added.
Hermione blushed a bit at his admission. "It was unexpected, Oliver," she said, shifting a bit as she leaned her hip against the counter. "It was even a bit nice if I'm being honest. But there are certain feelings to consider and I'm sorry, but I just can't ignore them."
"Ye mean the twins, I take it." he responded darkly.
At her small nod, Oliver reacted, stepping close to her as he reached out to grasp her shoulders. "Ye need ta be careful around 'em, lass. Can'na ye tell they could be a danger to ye?"
Hermione felt a weird mixture of gratitude and anger. Gratitude for his consideration for her safety and anger at what he was implying about her twins by voicing his concerns. Fred and George had been her friends for the longest time, her very first true friends, in fact, and she trusted them unconditionally. She even figured that, if the need ever called for it, she could trust them with her life.
"Listen, Oliver," she began, "I appreciate your concern, really I do, but it's completely unnecessary. The twins would never do anything to harm me. What happened yesterday? That was unprecedented, and honestly, I can't see something like that happening again."
"I don't know, Hermione." Oliver objected. "That was really intense yesterday. Fred might well could'a killed me."
"But he didn't." she pointed out in turn. She felt the desire to defend Fred against Oliver's slander. "And I'll ask you to please refrain from speaking ill of either Fred or George again, thank you," she said hotly, as all her previous anxiety of maybe being fired was now gone. If he was so petty as to get her booted for taking up for her friends, then so be it.
Oliver held his hands up in surrender. "A'right, lassie, no need ta get uppity. I'll say nary another word on the matter." he backed down both figuratively and literally as he stepped away from her. "I suppose if'n ye are not willin' ta take my warnin' then it's on ye then. Take care, Hermione." the Scot gave her one last lingering look before shaking his head in regret, then turning to leave.
Stalking up to the door, Hermione locked it behind Oliver, then put up the 'Out To Lunch' sign. It was nearing her break anyway, so she grabbed her cell phone from her purse as she had the sudden need to hear either of the twins' voice. Plus, she wanted to check on how Fred was doing.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The Twins' Flat - Wednesday Afternoon
The sound of the cell phone ringing at his bedside had George fumbling from beneath the covers in an attempt to silence the offending sound. After waiting up half the night on Fred to make it back in, followed by the odd exchange that followed when he finally had, George was exhausted and half-asleep as he finally grasped the vibrating device and looked groggily at the screen.
When he made out Hermione's name, however, he perked up a bit as he remembered he was supposed to let her know how Fred was doing once he'd returned. He paused before punching the accept button. He wasn't entirely sure what he should tell her. His twin had seemed... off somehow... when he had finally come back in the middle of the night. Though he had said he was fine, George was having a hard time believing him, and that gave the older twin another reason for concern.
They had never made a habit of lying to each other before.
Finally, after the fifth ring, George hit 'Accept' and placed it to his ear. "Morning, love. How's work so far?" he managed to mumble as he swung his legs around and struggled to sit up on the side of the bed.
"Good morning, George," Hermione's voice was soothing, and despite how tired he was, he found a smile tugging at his lips at the sound. "I'm sorry if I disturbed you," she apologized, having noticed how his voice sounded slightly slurred and correctly guessed that she must have woken him with her call. "I was just wondering how Fred's doing. He did make it home okay last night, right?"
George had stood up by now, rubbing his fingers across his eyes to wipe away the vestiges of sleep pooled at the corners. "He did make it home last night," George assured her, though he left out in what state his twin had returned in.
He made his way into the living room, glancing at his twin's door and noticing it was still shut. He reached out with his side of their link, searching for Fred's presence. He relaxed slightly when he sensed him, a sigh of relief escaping him in a soft exhale. For a moment, George had worried that he had slipped away again, but Fred must have just had the same idea as him about sleeping in.
"Well, that' good." Hermione's voice came over the speaker, bringing his attention back to their conversation. "I was thinking I might drop by this evening after work if that's alright. I'd like to let him know that... well, I'd like to just check on him."
"That's fine, Hermione. We both slept in a bit this morning, but I'm fixing to wake Fred up now. It's about time we opened the shop, as I fear we've been a bit too neglectful this past week." George stated, knowing it was true. The shop had, for once, been the last thing on their minds after 'The Incident' last Thursday.
"Oh! Well, then, I'll leave you to it. My lunch is about over anyway and I need to get back." Hermione's voice sounded relieved at the news that they were back to business as usual, though George was uncertain how true that was. He guessed he would see in a moment once he woke up Fred. "Goodbye, George. I'll see you both tonight."
"Bye, Kit, see you tonight." he replied, ending the call and placing the cell phone down before walking over to the door leading to his brother's room.
He knocked lightly, remembering that Fred had locked his door upon entering it last night. When there came no response, he tried again, rapping his knuckles a bit harder against the wood. The sound must have carried this time, as he heard shuffling from within the room, followed by his brother's distinct grumbling.
"What d'you want, George? I'm try'n to sleep in here!" came the irritable protest.
"Yeah, I know, Freddie. But we really need to get up and tend to the shop some today. It won't open itself, you know." George leaned against the door, listening as his brother tossed about upon the bed. He then heard the distinct sound of feet hitting the floor a bit forcefully and he straightened up just seconds before the door was unlocked and yanked open. He was met by his mirror image, looking just as haggard and worn out as he was sure he himself did.
"You are most definitely the annoying twin, I hope you know," Fred said glaringly before disappearing back into his bedroom to dress.
George tried to grin, but it came a bit forced. Not bothering to shoot a joking retort at his twin as he normally would, he returned to his room to dress as well.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
They opened the shop shortly around one, and not long afterward customers were flooding in. The twins' giddiness at how successful their little business had become never faded and today was no different. They came in droves, young and old alike, always looking for a product that would suit their pranking needs. If the brothers knew nothing else, they were certain that above all else, people always yearned for a reason to laugh.
And that is what the Weasley twins excelled at.
As the afternoon wore on to evening, however, George began to take note of something alarming. Whenever a pretty bird ever entered their shop, it was a given that the handsome owners would flirt outrageously in hopes of making a sale or several. Ever since their bond with Hermione had reached the stage it e as now, neither twin had taken it seriously, always politely declining invites to meet up after work or accepting slips of paper with phone numbers hastily scribbled down.
So when George witnessed Fred allowing a pretty blonde to slip just such a thing into the pocket of his trousers, George did an immediate double take.
He watched incredulously as Fred smiled winningly at the broad who was flaunting her rather obvious assets at him. The woman laughed at something Fred had said to her, leaning in closer than was strictly necessary to do so. When Fred actually reached out and tucked a lock of flaxen hair behind the woman's ear, his hand gliding along her cheek and down the arch of her neck in the process, George had seen enough.
Finishing up the last transaction, George slammed the register closed a little too hard, startling the customer he'd just rang up and causing them to jump a bit.
"Excuse me, please." George managed to say politely through gritted teeth that he tried to pass off as a smile, but by the young boy's expression, he didn't think he succeeded.
Making his way around the counter, George stalked over to where Fred appeared to be about to lead the blonde off somewhere towards the back of the shop. His hand was settled at her waist, though his fingers were dipping a tad lower into a set of full hips.
He reached out and grabbed Fred by the shoulder, his hand fisted the material of his twin's shirt tightly as he tugged him away from the blonde, who pouted in disappointment. Fred protested at the rough handling he was being submitted to as George hustled him through a door in the back that lead to a storeroom. Once inside, George slammed the door shut as he thrust Fred away from him, Fred stumbling a bit in the process.
"What the bloody hell was that out there just now?" he demanded as Fred righted himself and whirled around to glare at his brother.
"What was what, brother-mine?" Fred retorted, his voice sounding more defensive despite the look of innocence he plastered on his face.
"You letting some bird give you her number," George replied, with shock that Fred could act so innocent about it, throwing a hand back toward the door.
"So? It was just a number, Georgie. Not like I'd have actually called it." Fred shrugged. "It was just an option, you know."
"Option? What the... since when do we need options? We have Kit?" George questioned with a perplexed look at his brother. "We don't need all those floundering birds."
"I just..." Fred faltered a moment, a conflicted look crossing his face, but then as if resolving himself, he began again. "Do you realize how close I came to killing that wanker yesterday? I could have ripped his sodding head off and not gave a fuck about it."
"I realize. I was there as well." George shot back.
"No, you don't." Fred swallowed hard. His twin may have thought he knew how it had felt, to be so out of your mind with rage that you were nearing a feral state, but Fred doubted George actually comprehended it fully. "I think it was because of the bond that I acted that way. It was as if I wasn't myself, I was so out of control. If Granger hadn't called out when she had..."
"Granger? Since when is she 'Granger'?" George looked at him as if he had grown a second head. Hermione had always been Kit to them, not Granger and for Fred to use her surname was troubling.
Trying to remember all of the reasons he had come up with to justify his decision on distancing himself from Hermione, Fred gave his twin a firm look. "Since I decided I want to take control of my life, George, and not let some bond that came out of nowhere govern who I want to be with."
"So, you're saying you don't want to be with Hermione now?" George couldn't believe what he was hearing.
"I'm saying, dear brother, that I want to... make sure it's real. You may be willing to trust that this is all natural and jump feet first in with her, but given what this bond caused me to do yesterday... just because he kissed her?" Fred shook his head. "Is it so bad to want a relationship that's normal?"
George looked closer at his brother, "I thought it was a normal relationship. Gred, listen, are you sure that all the negative thoughts that you are having aren't just you feeling guilty for nearly maiming Wood?" he asked, tilting his head to the side.
"Maybe," uncertainty rose again for a brief moment, but Fred was stubborn and once again shoved it deep down. "But maybe not. I just want the chance to figure it out on my own."
George, slightly annoyed that his twin was questioning a bond that they had both relished in for years, ran his hand through his hair. He knew that if they continued to discuss this now, then it would turn ugly. "What do you say we finish the day out and talk about it later tonight, yeah?"
Fred shot his twin an appreciate glance, before diverting his gaze, not really able to bring himself to meet his brother's eyes.
"Sounds like a plan." he nodded shortly, then glanced at the wall clock near the back of the store room. "Blimey, it's past closing. Guess we'd best clear out the shop then." and with that, Fred spun on his heel and exited back into the store front.
George watched silently as his twin walked out of the room before running a hand wearily over his face, the palm coming to a stop covering his mouth as he contemplated the conversation that had just transpired between him and Fred. Apparently what had happened yesterday had had more of a negative impact on his brother than he had thought.
When Fred had disappeared into the woods, effectively blocking their link on his end for hours that night, followed by the indifferent air he had felt surrounding the brief moment they had spoken once Fred had returned should have clued him in that something was terribly wrong. A more in depth talk later was definitely in order.
Dropping his hand as he exhaled heavily, George followed his double out of the store room.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Malfoy Manor - Wednesday Night
Dobby did his best to dodge the tray that had been lobbed at him by the petulant young man lounging on the settee. Despite his age, he was still a spritely old man so the he managed, though only partly. The tray grazed him as it sailed past to clatter on the floor behind him, the contents that had been carefully laid out for Master Draco's dinner upending and making quite the mess around it.
"M-m-master Draco, please, calm down. Winky spent hours preparing that meal, sir." Dobby cringed, as he knew he had spoken out of line, but hadn't been able to hold back the words.
"Shut up!" Draco growled as he slouched even further in his seat. His mangled leg was propped up before him on an ottoman and some pillows and a cane that almost, but not quite, matched his father's leaned against the wall nearby. "I don't care about how much time was spent on preparing anything. It was probably rubbish anyway."
"Now, now, Draco. You should know better than to play with you food." Lucius purred as he entered the room.
"I play with whatever I wish, father." Draco replied as he glared at the older Malfoy. "Which is why I'm angry. Why haven't you brought Granger before me yet? I want my revenge."
"Patience, Draco," Lucius soothed his disgruntled son. "I have Crabbe and Goyle following her and when the time is right, they shall bring her to me."
"To you? But it was me who was assaulted. I should be the one to discipline her." Draco argued.
Lucius arched a silver brow as he looked down at his son. "And why, pray tell, do you think you're man enough to... discipline... Miss Granger? Look what happened the last time you were in her presence. Surely you've learned your lesson."
Draco's face grew red, this time though, it is not because he is mad. "I deserve to be the one to teach that little witch a lesson." he protested. "Because of her I'm maimed for life!"
"Nonsense. Gus assured me that nothing serious was punctured and your leg will heal with time." Lucuis looked down at Dobby who had been cleaning the spilled food from the floor throughout his masters' conversation. "Dobby."
"Yes, sir." Dobby replied obediently, though he did not stop with his task. Rule number 1, never stop working unless you're told.
"Once you have finished with this, I want you to go fetch my son another plate of food."
"Yes, Mr. Malfoy, sir." Dobby hastened to finish gathering everything in order to carry out his next job.
"Now then," Lucuis turned back to his son, who still had a defiant expression on his face, though he held his tongue, knowing his father would grow weary of his backtalk soon. "I want you to eat your dinner, and when you are done you will go prepare for bed like the good son I know you are." the words "good son" held a hint of mocking that mad Draco grumble quietly under his breath.
"Yes, father." he seethed through gritted teeth, then glared at his father's retreating back the entire way to the door.
Once he was sure his father was out of hearing range, Draco let out a string of curses that left Dobby's ears ringing. "This is ridiculous. When will he stop treating me like a child?"
Forgetting for a second about his stitches, the blonde growled as he kicked at the ottoman in frustration. He was instantly rewarded when a searing pain shot through his thigh as the stitches became strained.
'Pehaps when you stop acting like one.' Dobby thought bitterly to himself, instantly regretting such a thought. He wasn't supposed to think ill of his masters.
Once the pain had subsided, Draco snapped at Dobby to hurry up and bring him some more food. As the old man scurried to do so, Draco settled back into the settee, his mind wandering over the many things he planned on doing to that Granger bitch once he had his hands on her.
And his father had best not spoil it for him.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
It was nearing 9 p.m. when Hermione made it over to the twins' shop after getting off work, figuring she could afford a few moments to stop by and check on Fred. Feeling the need to let him know she was not upset about what had happened between him and Oliver at the book store, she made her way up to the door and knocked hard enough to alert them to her arrival.
Fred opened the door and Hermione smiled brightly at him "Good evening, Fred." she greeted cheerfully, fully expecting a similar greeting, or maybe even a hug, but all she got was a shrug of his shoulders, and a muttered "Hey," as he turned to go back inside, leaving the door ajar for her.
For a moment, Hermione stood in the doorway, confused, as she watched Fred move to the stairs leading up from the shop to their flat. That had to have been one of the most unenthusiastic greetings she had ever received from one of the twins.
"How are you feeling this evening, Fred?" Hermione inquired as she followed him up the stairs, hoping to open up the communication flow between them. Her attempt failed though, as all she received was a shrug of the shoulders and a grunt in return.
Once they made it to the top landing, Fred opened the door leading to their apartment, once again not bothering to invite her in or acknowledge her in anyway really. He went over to the chair positioned opposite the couch and slumped down into it. Hermione was left to stand near the doorway, for the first time in her life feeling like an unwelcome visitor in her own best friends' home.
"So, where's George?" she asked, growing uneasy. Her chest felt like it was clenching tighter the more Fred ignored her. A yearning to have him speak to her, to just look at her, was growing more and more with each passing second.
Fred heaved a sigh, as if having to put effort into actually responding. “He’s in the shower. Should be out soon." his reply was short and bittersweet, and it tore at Hermione's heart a little bit more.
"Oh," Hermione whispered faintly.
Just as the silence was becoming nearly too uncomfortable to bear, the bathroom door opened and out stepped George. He was dressed in a pair of sleep pants, but no shirt, his hair still slightly wet from his shower. At any other time, Hermione would have happily taken the chance afforded her to admire the well toned abs and broad, freckled shoulders that were now on display, but Fred's odd behavior was distracting her from doing so.
"Kit!" George's greeting to her was as vastly different from Fred's earlier greeting as was Summer to Winter.
Where Fred's had been awkward and unbelievably cold, George's was comfortable and glowing. Her bright smile returned under the warmth of that one simple word from him.
"Hi, George," she greeted feebly. "I just thought I'd pop around to say hello and to check on Fred."
She glanced over at the other twin just in time to catch his eyes dart in her direction. Their gazes locked long enough for her to recognize the soft look in them, before they hardened once again, as if he were forcing himself to before he looked away.
From the moment he had opened the door, Fred had to struggle to keep the happiness that always filled him when in Hermione's presence at bay. If he was going to distance himself from her in order to make sure the bond wasn't the deciding factor in his affections toward Hermione, then he had to do it now. Forcing a short greeting out instead of wrapping her in a welcoming embrace like he really wanted ('That's the bond's doing,' he insisted internally) he turned and led her up to the flat.
He could tell she was confused by his stand-offishness, and for a brief moment he felt ashamed. Collapsing into a chair, he tried to take on an air of casualness, but really an awkward tension was building the longer they didn't speak and was growing uncomfortable. When she asked of George's whereabouts, Fred had to bite his tongue to keep a teasing "Why worry about Georgie when you have the better looking twin at your disposal?" from escaping his lips. Instead, he kept it short. Simple. Easy.
And then the silence descended again. Just as it was nearing unbearable, George emerged from the bath. Fred watched as an exultant expression lit up his twin's face and couldn't stop the twinge of regret at not having allowed himself that emotion. He looked to Hermione and was nearly blown away by her beauty as she practically beamed at George. She had offered him that same expression, but he had been too focused on his plan to start weaning himself off of their connection, that he hadn't taken time to bask in it.
When she spoke his name, her gaze moved in his direction, their eyes locking and for a split moment his resolve faltered. No, he couldn't allow this stupid connection to cloud his mind. Not when it caused him to lose his grip on rationality and control to the extent of wanting to harm someone. With a bit of effort, he hardened his eyes and looked away.
Hermione felt as if she had been punched in the gut. Shaken by Fred's obviously not wanting her here, she began to stammer. "But I realize now how late it is, and obviously Fred's okay, so I'm just going to go."
Though George protested, Fred did not.
With stinging tears threatening to fall, Hermione turned and fled.
tbc...
A/N: Can I just say how extremely difficult writing angst is for me? I hate reading it, the only way I do is when I am certain there is a happy ending to counteract all the emotional pain I've subjected myself to while reading the angsty bits. I try to avoid reading outright angst so writing it is going to be a struggle. There will be a happy ending though, just so you know. ^_^
Author: Buffybot76 (aka GredMione Fan)
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, they are the property of J.K Rowling. I am simply borrowing them for my amusement and non-profit entertainment.
Pairing: Fred/Hermione/George
Rating: M
Summary: The twins had always known that they were different from other children, even those among their own family. It wasn't until they were older that the twins found out just how different they truly were.
Warnings (if applicable): Mild violence
Genre: Romance/Supernatural, eventual crossover
Semper Vigilans
- Chapter 12 -
Hermione watched from her crouched position beside Oliver as George raced out of the shop after Fred. Her heart was still racing in her chest, but was beginning to slow down as the adrenaline began to seep from her body. It had been scary to watch Fred acting so feral as he had pinned Oliver to the wall in such a vicious way. Remembering the sandy haired man, she turned back to check on him, trusting that George would take care of his brother.
"My goodness, Ollie, are you alright?" she asked, clutching his shoulder gently in comfort, but he flung it off a bit forcefully as he made to stand.
Hermione, surprised by his action, backed away, her eyes wide as she climbed to her feet as well. She stared at him in confusion.
"I'm fine." he said sharply, his eyes looking past her towards where Fred had disappeared.
Upon seeing George reenter the shop, he began to make his way back to the store room, to the exit beyond. Hermione's brows furrowed as she watched Oliver leave, a bit of guilt mixed with the hurt settling in the pit of her stomach for being the reason that Fred had done what he had.
George walked up behind Hermione, the weight of his hand coming to rest upon her shoulder was comforting, and Hermione sank back against his chest. She glanced around, noticing that Fred wasn't with him.
"Where's Fred?" she asked, pulling away to turn and face George. She noticed that his eyes were back to their normal blue, and also that they held a great deal of worry in their depths.
"He's... gone. For now." George uttered. "I think he just needs time. I'm sure he'll be back at the flat by the time I get there." his eyes flitted to the back where Oliver had gone. "He alright?"
"I suppose," Hermione shrugged, looking over her shoulder to assure that the other man had truly left. "He was a bit angry, though."
"It was his own fault. Shouldn't have kissed you like that without your permission." George argued. "He didn't have your permission, right?" he added, a bit of uncertainty mixing with the worry already present.
Hermione gave a half-hearted laugh. "No, he didn't. He sort of sprung it on me suddenly. I didn't have time to react before you and Fred intervened." she said, wanting to make him aware of how unwanted Oliver's kiss had been. "I would have pushed him away if Fred hadn't grabbed him first."
Her words brought both of their thoughts back to the absent twin. They knew that Fred would be more upset by his actions and that made them both concerned for his need to be alone. The sound of jingling rang out and Hermione and George's eyes shot to the door, hoping to see Fred, but instead saw a new customer enter the shop.
"I guess I've got to get back to work," Hermione said, pulling George to her for a hug.
He wrapped his arms around her tightly, holding her to him for a moment longer as he breathed in her scent in an attempt to calm himself. The agitation of not knowing exactly where his twin was bothered him. It was as if Fred had severed their connection and it hurt.
Pulling back, George looked down into Hermione's eyes. "It'll be alright. I'll go back to the flat and wait on Freddie. I'll call you tomorrow, okay?"
"You do that," she whispered as she withdrew herself from George's embrace. "Don't forget." she stepped away slowly.
"I won't." George promised and she nodded, turning to tend to the customer. George ran a hand through his hair tiredly, and with a sigh, left the shop.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Deep within the woods bordering Diagon Alley and high atop the tallest tree, Fred Weasley sat. His legs ran along the length of a branch, ankles crossed, while his back rested against the trunk of the large oak. His elbows were bent, allowing his forearms to be crossed behind his head as the red head's eyes trained on the darkening sky above.
As the sun began its descent below the horizon, his thoughts lingered on what had taken place earlier in the bookstore. He had been more than ready to rip Oliver Wood's head off, and to be honest, he wasn't entirely sure if he would have felt all that bad about it.
The look on Hermione's face as she looked up at him from beside that bastard... her brown eyes, normally so soft and with filled with affection had been wide and horror-filled.
It was that look of fright on her pretty face, and the trembling in her voice as she pleaded with him to let go, that had given him pause. Then the thought of Oliver's lips on hers had given him another. If their bond with the brunette was as strong as they thought, then why was she letting that prat kiss her?
Feeling the rage that had consumed him earlier beginning to rise again, Fred forced the image in his mind away. He had to stop thinking about it, about Hermione and him. Would this intense jealousy - this fierce desire to protect - be what was brought out of him by the bond that he and his twin shared with her? He almost felt too possessive of her, surely that wasn't healthy?
The lack of control he had felt was frightening. No wonder George had looked so alarmed. He didn't want this. Doubt and Fear began to expound upon him as Fred continued to try and come to grips with everything. It all boiled down to the bond, when it had been forged, oh so long ago. It had happened without their consent, but they hadn't questioned it. Instead, they had went with it, allowing it to grow with each milestone reached as their uniqueness developed.
'Perhaps we should have.' Fred thought. 'Maybe... maybe we shouldn't have let this happen.'
Their attraction to Hermione had been growing steadily, had been present even during school and they had done nothing to dissuade it. He had happily dated before, he recalled. If not for Oliver fucking Wood, then he and Angelina might even be still together now. Maybe even married. The 'what ifs' began to build in Fred's mind.
What if he had given Angelina a second chance?
What if he had questioned more about these feelings for Hermione?
The feelings had grown, yes, but where did they stem from?
Were his affections for her truly his own?
'Maybe it's time I put a little distance between myself and Hermione.' Fred pondered,
'Georgie too, if I can persuade him. A little distance, to help clear our heads.' he nodded to himself at the decision. 'Yeah, I think maybe that's what we need.'
~*~*~*~*~*~
It was late, nearing three in the morning when Fred silently entered the darkened flat. His stealthiness was for not, however, as suddenly the living room was flooded with light and George stood up from the couch in which he had been camped upon for most of the night.
He didn't say anything at first, just stared at his brother. The worry had built as the night progressed, and it had taken a toll on the older twin. Now that Fred was back home, safe, George couldn't help but feel a bit mad at Fred. Instead of staying and letting him help to work through what had happened at F&B's he had fled. George couldn't understand it. For as long as he could remember, they had never held back anything from one another. They'd always made it a point to be there for one another, so why had Fred run away?
"You alright, Freddie," George fought to hold back the irritated edge that tinged his inquiry, but he knew Fred could sense it. He had apparently opened the link back up between them.
Fred walked past his brother. "I'm fine, George," he responded as he slowly made his way to his bedroom door. "Nothing a bit of sleep won't cure."
"A bit of sleep?" George looked in disbelief at his brother's back as Fred hadn't bothered to turn around. Instead, the younger one simply began toeing off his shoes, kicking them to the side of the bedroom door.
"Yeah, sleep." Fred snarked, "You know, that thing we do on a nightly basis to keep our devilish good looks?"
George ground his teeth to keep from growling at his twin. "Fred, we need to talk about what happened earlier. You know, work it out. You can't just go to sleep." he hissed. Fred had yet to turn around and face him.
"No, we don't." Fred's reply seemed cold, and when he finally looked over his shoulder at him, George could see that his expression matched his voice. "And I've already worked it out, so don't worry about it."
With a tight-lipped smile, Fred entered his bedroom. The sound of the door closing, followed by a lock being turned left George standing alone as a feeling of unease began to build within him.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Flourish & Blotts - Wednesday Morning
Hermione went to work as she normally would, but the contentment that she usually felt at being among the things she enjoyed was dampened by the worry of running into Oliver. She had yet to hear from George this morning as well, so she was still in the dark concerning Fred and how he was dealing with what he had done. After what had happened yesterday with the kiss and Fred's actions following it, she was a bit uneasy with facing Oliver today. Would he be mad at her for what Fred had done? Would he complain to his grandfather, her boss, and get her fired in the process?
When he made an appearance around noon, Hermione tensed for just such a consequence. Instead, much to her surprise, Oliver greeted her with an easy smile.
"Morning, Hermione! Hasn't been too busy for ye today, has it, lass?" he asked cheerfully. A bit too cheerfully.
Hermione crossed her arms and gave a look that said "cut the crap, Ollie" which he noticed right away. Bringing a hand up, he rubbed the back of his neck at having been silently called out on his act.
Thankfully there were no customers in the store at the moment, so Hermione was able to speak freely to the Scot. "Oliver, I know you were upset yesterday, so you don't have to put on an act. I can understand if you're mad at me for what Fred did to you." she said a bit nervously.
"Nae, never think that, Hermione. I could never be mad at ye." he protested, his accent getting a bit thicker as he spoke. "I was a mite upset, for sure, but afterward I realized I was outta line with kissin' ye like I did." his cheeks tinged a bit as he remembered the brief taste of her he had managed to steal. "I can'na say I regret it though," he added.
Hermione blushed a bit at his admission. "It was unexpected, Oliver," she said, shifting a bit as she leaned her hip against the counter. "It was even a bit nice if I'm being honest. But there are certain feelings to consider and I'm sorry, but I just can't ignore them."
"Ye mean the twins, I take it." he responded darkly.
At her small nod, Oliver reacted, stepping close to her as he reached out to grasp her shoulders. "Ye need ta be careful around 'em, lass. Can'na ye tell they could be a danger to ye?"
Hermione felt a weird mixture of gratitude and anger. Gratitude for his consideration for her safety and anger at what he was implying about her twins by voicing his concerns. Fred and George had been her friends for the longest time, her very first true friends, in fact, and she trusted them unconditionally. She even figured that, if the need ever called for it, she could trust them with her life.
"Listen, Oliver," she began, "I appreciate your concern, really I do, but it's completely unnecessary. The twins would never do anything to harm me. What happened yesterday? That was unprecedented, and honestly, I can't see something like that happening again."
"I don't know, Hermione." Oliver objected. "That was really intense yesterday. Fred might well could'a killed me."
"But he didn't." she pointed out in turn. She felt the desire to defend Fred against Oliver's slander. "And I'll ask you to please refrain from speaking ill of either Fred or George again, thank you," she said hotly, as all her previous anxiety of maybe being fired was now gone. If he was so petty as to get her booted for taking up for her friends, then so be it.
Oliver held his hands up in surrender. "A'right, lassie, no need ta get uppity. I'll say nary another word on the matter." he backed down both figuratively and literally as he stepped away from her. "I suppose if'n ye are not willin' ta take my warnin' then it's on ye then. Take care, Hermione." the Scot gave her one last lingering look before shaking his head in regret, then turning to leave.
Stalking up to the door, Hermione locked it behind Oliver, then put up the 'Out To Lunch' sign. It was nearing her break anyway, so she grabbed her cell phone from her purse as she had the sudden need to hear either of the twins' voice. Plus, she wanted to check on how Fred was doing.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The Twins' Flat - Wednesday Afternoon
The sound of the cell phone ringing at his bedside had George fumbling from beneath the covers in an attempt to silence the offending sound. After waiting up half the night on Fred to make it back in, followed by the odd exchange that followed when he finally had, George was exhausted and half-asleep as he finally grasped the vibrating device and looked groggily at the screen.
When he made out Hermione's name, however, he perked up a bit as he remembered he was supposed to let her know how Fred was doing once he'd returned. He paused before punching the accept button. He wasn't entirely sure what he should tell her. His twin had seemed... off somehow... when he had finally come back in the middle of the night. Though he had said he was fine, George was having a hard time believing him, and that gave the older twin another reason for concern.
They had never made a habit of lying to each other before.
Finally, after the fifth ring, George hit 'Accept' and placed it to his ear. "Morning, love. How's work so far?" he managed to mumble as he swung his legs around and struggled to sit up on the side of the bed.
"Good morning, George," Hermione's voice was soothing, and despite how tired he was, he found a smile tugging at his lips at the sound. "I'm sorry if I disturbed you," she apologized, having noticed how his voice sounded slightly slurred and correctly guessed that she must have woken him with her call. "I was just wondering how Fred's doing. He did make it home okay last night, right?"
George had stood up by now, rubbing his fingers across his eyes to wipe away the vestiges of sleep pooled at the corners. "He did make it home last night," George assured her, though he left out in what state his twin had returned in.
He made his way into the living room, glancing at his twin's door and noticing it was still shut. He reached out with his side of their link, searching for Fred's presence. He relaxed slightly when he sensed him, a sigh of relief escaping him in a soft exhale. For a moment, George had worried that he had slipped away again, but Fred must have just had the same idea as him about sleeping in.
"Well, that' good." Hermione's voice came over the speaker, bringing his attention back to their conversation. "I was thinking I might drop by this evening after work if that's alright. I'd like to let him know that... well, I'd like to just check on him."
"That's fine, Hermione. We both slept in a bit this morning, but I'm fixing to wake Fred up now. It's about time we opened the shop, as I fear we've been a bit too neglectful this past week." George stated, knowing it was true. The shop had, for once, been the last thing on their minds after 'The Incident' last Thursday.
"Oh! Well, then, I'll leave you to it. My lunch is about over anyway and I need to get back." Hermione's voice sounded relieved at the news that they were back to business as usual, though George was uncertain how true that was. He guessed he would see in a moment once he woke up Fred. "Goodbye, George. I'll see you both tonight."
"Bye, Kit, see you tonight." he replied, ending the call and placing the cell phone down before walking over to the door leading to his brother's room.
He knocked lightly, remembering that Fred had locked his door upon entering it last night. When there came no response, he tried again, rapping his knuckles a bit harder against the wood. The sound must have carried this time, as he heard shuffling from within the room, followed by his brother's distinct grumbling.
"What d'you want, George? I'm try'n to sleep in here!" came the irritable protest.
"Yeah, I know, Freddie. But we really need to get up and tend to the shop some today. It won't open itself, you know." George leaned against the door, listening as his brother tossed about upon the bed. He then heard the distinct sound of feet hitting the floor a bit forcefully and he straightened up just seconds before the door was unlocked and yanked open. He was met by his mirror image, looking just as haggard and worn out as he was sure he himself did.
"You are most definitely the annoying twin, I hope you know," Fred said glaringly before disappearing back into his bedroom to dress.
George tried to grin, but it came a bit forced. Not bothering to shoot a joking retort at his twin as he normally would, he returned to his room to dress as well.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
They opened the shop shortly around one, and not long afterward customers were flooding in. The twins' giddiness at how successful their little business had become never faded and today was no different. They came in droves, young and old alike, always looking for a product that would suit their pranking needs. If the brothers knew nothing else, they were certain that above all else, people always yearned for a reason to laugh.
And that is what the Weasley twins excelled at.
As the afternoon wore on to evening, however, George began to take note of something alarming. Whenever a pretty bird ever entered their shop, it was a given that the handsome owners would flirt outrageously in hopes of making a sale or several. Ever since their bond with Hermione had reached the stage it e as now, neither twin had taken it seriously, always politely declining invites to meet up after work or accepting slips of paper with phone numbers hastily scribbled down.
So when George witnessed Fred allowing a pretty blonde to slip just such a thing into the pocket of his trousers, George did an immediate double take.
He watched incredulously as Fred smiled winningly at the broad who was flaunting her rather obvious assets at him. The woman laughed at something Fred had said to her, leaning in closer than was strictly necessary to do so. When Fred actually reached out and tucked a lock of flaxen hair behind the woman's ear, his hand gliding along her cheek and down the arch of her neck in the process, George had seen enough.
Finishing up the last transaction, George slammed the register closed a little too hard, startling the customer he'd just rang up and causing them to jump a bit.
"Excuse me, please." George managed to say politely through gritted teeth that he tried to pass off as a smile, but by the young boy's expression, he didn't think he succeeded.
Making his way around the counter, George stalked over to where Fred appeared to be about to lead the blonde off somewhere towards the back of the shop. His hand was settled at her waist, though his fingers were dipping a tad lower into a set of full hips.
He reached out and grabbed Fred by the shoulder, his hand fisted the material of his twin's shirt tightly as he tugged him away from the blonde, who pouted in disappointment. Fred protested at the rough handling he was being submitted to as George hustled him through a door in the back that lead to a storeroom. Once inside, George slammed the door shut as he thrust Fred away from him, Fred stumbling a bit in the process.
"What the bloody hell was that out there just now?" he demanded as Fred righted himself and whirled around to glare at his brother.
"What was what, brother-mine?" Fred retorted, his voice sounding more defensive despite the look of innocence he plastered on his face.
"You letting some bird give you her number," George replied, with shock that Fred could act so innocent about it, throwing a hand back toward the door.
"So? It was just a number, Georgie. Not like I'd have actually called it." Fred shrugged. "It was just an option, you know."
"Option? What the... since when do we need options? We have Kit?" George questioned with a perplexed look at his brother. "We don't need all those floundering birds."
"I just..." Fred faltered a moment, a conflicted look crossing his face, but then as if resolving himself, he began again. "Do you realize how close I came to killing that wanker yesterday? I could have ripped his sodding head off and not gave a fuck about it."
"I realize. I was there as well." George shot back.
"No, you don't." Fred swallowed hard. His twin may have thought he knew how it had felt, to be so out of your mind with rage that you were nearing a feral state, but Fred doubted George actually comprehended it fully. "I think it was because of the bond that I acted that way. It was as if I wasn't myself, I was so out of control. If Granger hadn't called out when she had..."
"Granger? Since when is she 'Granger'?" George looked at him as if he had grown a second head. Hermione had always been Kit to them, not Granger and for Fred to use her surname was troubling.
Trying to remember all of the reasons he had come up with to justify his decision on distancing himself from Hermione, Fred gave his twin a firm look. "Since I decided I want to take control of my life, George, and not let some bond that came out of nowhere govern who I want to be with."
"So, you're saying you don't want to be with Hermione now?" George couldn't believe what he was hearing.
"I'm saying, dear brother, that I want to... make sure it's real. You may be willing to trust that this is all natural and jump feet first in with her, but given what this bond caused me to do yesterday... just because he kissed her?" Fred shook his head. "Is it so bad to want a relationship that's normal?"
George looked closer at his brother, "I thought it was a normal relationship. Gred, listen, are you sure that all the negative thoughts that you are having aren't just you feeling guilty for nearly maiming Wood?" he asked, tilting his head to the side.
"Maybe," uncertainty rose again for a brief moment, but Fred was stubborn and once again shoved it deep down. "But maybe not. I just want the chance to figure it out on my own."
George, slightly annoyed that his twin was questioning a bond that they had both relished in for years, ran his hand through his hair. He knew that if they continued to discuss this now, then it would turn ugly. "What do you say we finish the day out and talk about it later tonight, yeah?"
Fred shot his twin an appreciate glance, before diverting his gaze, not really able to bring himself to meet his brother's eyes.
"Sounds like a plan." he nodded shortly, then glanced at the wall clock near the back of the store room. "Blimey, it's past closing. Guess we'd best clear out the shop then." and with that, Fred spun on his heel and exited back into the store front.
George watched silently as his twin walked out of the room before running a hand wearily over his face, the palm coming to a stop covering his mouth as he contemplated the conversation that had just transpired between him and Fred. Apparently what had happened yesterday had had more of a negative impact on his brother than he had thought.
When Fred had disappeared into the woods, effectively blocking their link on his end for hours that night, followed by the indifferent air he had felt surrounding the brief moment they had spoken once Fred had returned should have clued him in that something was terribly wrong. A more in depth talk later was definitely in order.
Dropping his hand as he exhaled heavily, George followed his double out of the store room.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Malfoy Manor - Wednesday Night
Dobby did his best to dodge the tray that had been lobbed at him by the petulant young man lounging on the settee. Despite his age, he was still a spritely old man so the he managed, though only partly. The tray grazed him as it sailed past to clatter on the floor behind him, the contents that had been carefully laid out for Master Draco's dinner upending and making quite the mess around it.
"M-m-master Draco, please, calm down. Winky spent hours preparing that meal, sir." Dobby cringed, as he knew he had spoken out of line, but hadn't been able to hold back the words.
"Shut up!" Draco growled as he slouched even further in his seat. His mangled leg was propped up before him on an ottoman and some pillows and a cane that almost, but not quite, matched his father's leaned against the wall nearby. "I don't care about how much time was spent on preparing anything. It was probably rubbish anyway."
"Now, now, Draco. You should know better than to play with you food." Lucius purred as he entered the room.
"I play with whatever I wish, father." Draco replied as he glared at the older Malfoy. "Which is why I'm angry. Why haven't you brought Granger before me yet? I want my revenge."
"Patience, Draco," Lucius soothed his disgruntled son. "I have Crabbe and Goyle following her and when the time is right, they shall bring her to me."
"To you? But it was me who was assaulted. I should be the one to discipline her." Draco argued.
Lucius arched a silver brow as he looked down at his son. "And why, pray tell, do you think you're man enough to... discipline... Miss Granger? Look what happened the last time you were in her presence. Surely you've learned your lesson."
Draco's face grew red, this time though, it is not because he is mad. "I deserve to be the one to teach that little witch a lesson." he protested. "Because of her I'm maimed for life!"
"Nonsense. Gus assured me that nothing serious was punctured and your leg will heal with time." Lucuis looked down at Dobby who had been cleaning the spilled food from the floor throughout his masters' conversation. "Dobby."
"Yes, sir." Dobby replied obediently, though he did not stop with his task. Rule number 1, never stop working unless you're told.
"Once you have finished with this, I want you to go fetch my son another plate of food."
"Yes, Mr. Malfoy, sir." Dobby hastened to finish gathering everything in order to carry out his next job.
"Now then," Lucuis turned back to his son, who still had a defiant expression on his face, though he held his tongue, knowing his father would grow weary of his backtalk soon. "I want you to eat your dinner, and when you are done you will go prepare for bed like the good son I know you are." the words "good son" held a hint of mocking that mad Draco grumble quietly under his breath.
"Yes, father." he seethed through gritted teeth, then glared at his father's retreating back the entire way to the door.
Once he was sure his father was out of hearing range, Draco let out a string of curses that left Dobby's ears ringing. "This is ridiculous. When will he stop treating me like a child?"
Forgetting for a second about his stitches, the blonde growled as he kicked at the ottoman in frustration. He was instantly rewarded when a searing pain shot through his thigh as the stitches became strained.
'Pehaps when you stop acting like one.' Dobby thought bitterly to himself, instantly regretting such a thought. He wasn't supposed to think ill of his masters.
Once the pain had subsided, Draco snapped at Dobby to hurry up and bring him some more food. As the old man scurried to do so, Draco settled back into the settee, his mind wandering over the many things he planned on doing to that Granger bitch once he had his hands on her.
And his father had best not spoil it for him.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
It was nearing 9 p.m. when Hermione made it over to the twins' shop after getting off work, figuring she could afford a few moments to stop by and check on Fred. Feeling the need to let him know she was not upset about what had happened between him and Oliver at the book store, she made her way up to the door and knocked hard enough to alert them to her arrival.
Fred opened the door and Hermione smiled brightly at him "Good evening, Fred." she greeted cheerfully, fully expecting a similar greeting, or maybe even a hug, but all she got was a shrug of his shoulders, and a muttered "Hey," as he turned to go back inside, leaving the door ajar for her.
For a moment, Hermione stood in the doorway, confused, as she watched Fred move to the stairs leading up from the shop to their flat. That had to have been one of the most unenthusiastic greetings she had ever received from one of the twins.
"How are you feeling this evening, Fred?" Hermione inquired as she followed him up the stairs, hoping to open up the communication flow between them. Her attempt failed though, as all she received was a shrug of the shoulders and a grunt in return.
Once they made it to the top landing, Fred opened the door leading to their apartment, once again not bothering to invite her in or acknowledge her in anyway really. He went over to the chair positioned opposite the couch and slumped down into it. Hermione was left to stand near the doorway, for the first time in her life feeling like an unwelcome visitor in her own best friends' home.
"So, where's George?" she asked, growing uneasy. Her chest felt like it was clenching tighter the more Fred ignored her. A yearning to have him speak to her, to just look at her, was growing more and more with each passing second.
Fred heaved a sigh, as if having to put effort into actually responding. “He’s in the shower. Should be out soon." his reply was short and bittersweet, and it tore at Hermione's heart a little bit more.
"Oh," Hermione whispered faintly.
Just as the silence was becoming nearly too uncomfortable to bear, the bathroom door opened and out stepped George. He was dressed in a pair of sleep pants, but no shirt, his hair still slightly wet from his shower. At any other time, Hermione would have happily taken the chance afforded her to admire the well toned abs and broad, freckled shoulders that were now on display, but Fred's odd behavior was distracting her from doing so.
"Kit!" George's greeting to her was as vastly different from Fred's earlier greeting as was Summer to Winter.
Where Fred's had been awkward and unbelievably cold, George's was comfortable and glowing. Her bright smile returned under the warmth of that one simple word from him.
"Hi, George," she greeted feebly. "I just thought I'd pop around to say hello and to check on Fred."
She glanced over at the other twin just in time to catch his eyes dart in her direction. Their gazes locked long enough for her to recognize the soft look in them, before they hardened once again, as if he were forcing himself to before he looked away.
From the moment he had opened the door, Fred had to struggle to keep the happiness that always filled him when in Hermione's presence at bay. If he was going to distance himself from her in order to make sure the bond wasn't the deciding factor in his affections toward Hermione, then he had to do it now. Forcing a short greeting out instead of wrapping her in a welcoming embrace like he really wanted ('That's the bond's doing,' he insisted internally) he turned and led her up to the flat.
He could tell she was confused by his stand-offishness, and for a brief moment he felt ashamed. Collapsing into a chair, he tried to take on an air of casualness, but really an awkward tension was building the longer they didn't speak and was growing uncomfortable. When she asked of George's whereabouts, Fred had to bite his tongue to keep a teasing "Why worry about Georgie when you have the better looking twin at your disposal?" from escaping his lips. Instead, he kept it short. Simple. Easy.
And then the silence descended again. Just as it was nearing unbearable, George emerged from the bath. Fred watched as an exultant expression lit up his twin's face and couldn't stop the twinge of regret at not having allowed himself that emotion. He looked to Hermione and was nearly blown away by her beauty as she practically beamed at George. She had offered him that same expression, but he had been too focused on his plan to start weaning himself off of their connection, that he hadn't taken time to bask in it.
When she spoke his name, her gaze moved in his direction, their eyes locking and for a split moment his resolve faltered. No, he couldn't allow this stupid connection to cloud his mind. Not when it caused him to lose his grip on rationality and control to the extent of wanting to harm someone. With a bit of effort, he hardened his eyes and looked away.
Hermione felt as if she had been punched in the gut. Shaken by Fred's obviously not wanting her here, she began to stammer. "But I realize now how late it is, and obviously Fred's okay, so I'm just going to go."
Though George protested, Fred did not.
With stinging tears threatening to fall, Hermione turned and fled.
tbc...
A/N: Can I just say how extremely difficult writing angst is for me? I hate reading it, the only way I do is when I am certain there is a happy ending to counteract all the emotional pain I've subjected myself to while reading the angsty bits. I try to avoid reading outright angst so writing it is going to be a struggle. There will be a happy ending though, just so you know. ^_^