It was the day of the first meeting and everything was going according to plan thanks to Neville and his brilliant find of the Room of Requirement. They all met up doing their best not to attract attention and avoid all suspicion. Everyone was excited, nervous, anxious, worried and quite terrified but they hid the mix of emotions knowing that there were many others about to go through the exact same experience.
“Alright is everyone ready for the first meeting of the DA? Is everyone happy to start?” Harry asked them.
“Yeah!” was the response from everyone.
“Alright before we start some of the spells are going to be quite difficult but I don’t want any of you to be unnerved if you’re struggling everyone has different strengths and different abilities. Also I want to make it clear if anyone exposes the group it will be shut down and we will be punished and as far as I see it this is our only chance for protection so I wouldn’t want it to be ruined. If someone were to disclose the secrecy of the DA there would be consequences so just a warning. On a lighter note good luck and I hope these meetings go well!” Harry said.
With that said the meeting began the first task was disarming everyone paired up and began. Hermione, Ron and Harry who already knew how to disarm went about helping everyone.
“Fred, no fair! You best go get my wand now!” George yelled at his twin.
“Get it yourself!” Fred shouted back.
“You sent it flying, you go get it!” George shot back.
“Now, now Georgie that is the aim of the spell!” Fred laughed.
“Would one of you just get the damn wand?” Hermione said shaking her head at them.
“And why can’t you get it Granger? You are supposed to be helping!” George pointed out jokingly.
“Yes I am and if you don’t watch it the next spell going your way might just be a hex!” she warned him.
“Easy now I was just joking!” George said throwing his hands up in surrender.
“I know but I wasn’t so I suggest you pick up the wand, Weasley!” she said smirking at him.
“Since when do you call me Weasley?” George asked.
“I’m not sure but if you and Fred can call me Granger I don’t see why I can’t call you Weasley!” Hermione pointed out.
“It’s a good point, very true. I suppose it’s fair!” George shrugged going to retrieve his wand. He turned back quickly to face Fred and yelled, “Expelliarmus!” disarming him and sending his wand flying straight into George’s hand.
Hermione began clapping, “Very good boys,” she said with a smile.
“I know we’re just so talented,” Fred agreed.
“Talented doesn’t begin to describe us Fred!” George grinned.
“Yes so talented and ridiculously modest too!” Hermione said sarcastically rolling her eyes at the two.
“I get the feeling you’re being sarcastic! You should know it’s never clever to cross a Weasley twin!” George warned.
“Neither you nor your twin would dare touch me!” Hermione said.
“So you seem to believe,” Fred said.
“You’d think the smartest witch of her age would know better than to trust us?” George sighed and shook his head.
“I never said I trusted either of you!”
“You implied it!” chimed Fred.
“Are you trying to say you don’t trust us?” George asked strangely hurt by her words but trying not to show it. Despite trying to mask his emotions Hermione could see it in his eyes.
“No, I didn’t mean it like that of course I do trust you both!” Hermione said quickly.
“I wouldn’t mind if you didn’t but Georgie boy might take it to heart!” Fred grinned at his twin.
“Shut it Fredrick! Just because I’m the twin that was born with feelings!” George said.
“I really am sorry George, I honestly didn’t mean it!” she apologised again.
“It’s alright you better go it looks like Neville’s struggling,” George said with a smile.
“Alright I’ll see you later! Sorry again!” she called back as she walked away.
George watched her walk away smiling after her. Completely lost in his thoughts; living in his only little world. Luckily he had a twin to disturb him.
“Hello! Earth to George!” Fred yelled.
“What do you want now?” George asked annoyed at being disturbed.
“You’re staring at her again!” he said in a sing song voice. He walked up to his twin, “Now, I will take my wand and you my twin should listen carefully and take my advice. So you like Hermione...” Fred was interrupted.
“No I don’t! You know that my feelings are stronger than that! I love her!” George whispered to his twin.
“Yeah okay I get it! Well what is it with you? Any other girl you flirt with and win over with your charm! You know the ladies can’t resist a Weasley twin!” Fred grinned.
“I know but there’s something different about Hermione, I just don’t want to mess things up before we’re even anything more than friends!” he sighed.
“Then give it a chance you don’t know how she feels until you try things! This isn’t the first time I told you that why don’t you just take your chances? If this is your one chance at love d’you want to look back and say you let it get away or are you going to able to say you chased love and whatever happened is for the best?”
“Fred my twin, I don’t know what I’d do without you? But seriously when you get all deep you really creep me out but thanks man, I appreciate it!” George told his twin honestly giving him a half hug sort of thing.
“It’s alright,” with that the first meeting ended Harry told them how well they did and then they left, every single person anxious for the next meeting. Hermione distributed the coins and explained how they worked giving a final warning to those who may betray them.
After the meeting they went to dinner and Hermione sat next to Seamus an empty seat next to her; strangely not Ginny, Harry or Ron took the spare seat but instead it was George.
“Hello Hermione,” he said as he sat down.
“Hey George,” she replied.
George opened his mouth to speak again but quickly shut it before repeating the process to afraid of being rejected. He groaned, “what’s- wrong- with- me!” he said between hitting his head on the table. Everyone on the Gryffindor table were giving him odd looks and whispering to each other.
“George are you okay?”Hermione asked grabbing his head gently to stop him.
“Huh? What? Me? Oh right sorry, yeah I’m fine,” he lied unconvincingly.
“Clearly there’s something wrong,” she pointed out still holding his head but turning it softly to face her.
“Go on George,” Fred whispered beside him.
George took a deep breath and gave a sideways glance to Fred for support who gave him a thumbs up and encouraging nod.
“It’s nothing really but thanks for the concern,” he grinned at her.
“If you’re sure, you can tell me anything you know,” she told him.
“I know. Hermione, would you like to um go for a walk with me err after dinner?” George asked stumbling over each word.
Hermione’s eyes widened and her expression went blank and in a moment of horror George was certain she was going to reject him.
“I’d like that a lot, thank you George,” she smiled at him as she turned bright red.
Sensing her embarrassment he just returned the smile before receiving a discrete high-five from his twin. The rest of dinner past and neither Hermione nor George spoke much each considering what could happen on their walk.
‘Stop being so nervous,’ George scolded himself, ‘How can I not be nervous Hermione just agreed to going for a walk with me what am I going to say? Tell her how you feel!’ There it was again that voice in his head that always seemed to argue with himself it sounded scarily like Fred. ‘No way I’ll be rejected! You don’t know till you try, plus if she were going to reject you why would she accept the invitation for a walk? She probably just felt sorry for me because I was bashing my head against a damn table! Where’s that Weasley confidence gone, huh? I don’t know it disappears anytime I think of her! Just focus on what you want and remember how much you want it. It? What I want isn’t an it, it’s a she! That’sgreat. Quickly, everyone’s leaving, you’re alone with her and it’s now or never!’
“Sooo...,” George trailed of awkwardly clearly things weren’t going to plan yet.
Hermione looked at him strangely, “George are you sure you’re feeling alright? You’ve turned bright red,” she pointed out.
“Have I? How strange, I can’t imagine why but I um I’m fine.”
“Right so... um you said you wanted to go for a walk?” she half asked half stated.
“I did? Right of course I did, let’s go then if you’re ready that is?” he was losing more confidence every second.
“I’m ready,” she smiled.
‘What’s wrong with him?’ she thought, ‘It’s not like him to be so flustered. Maybe it’s something I said? Something you said?Wow, for the smartest witch of her age you sure are dumb! Excuse me and what exactly is that supposed to mean? Can’t you see he’s crazy nervous he clearly has feelings for you! Hold on, WHAT? How the hell do you get to that conclusion? It’s just not possible there is absolutely no way on earth George Weasley could ever see me as anything more than a friend! Fine don’t believe me let’s just see what happens on your walk! Fine and then you can admit you were wrong! Oh God maybe there’s something wrong with me, I’m having conversation in my head with myself!’ Hermione was definitely going insane but you couldn’t blame her she was alone with George Weasley! How else would any normal person react?
“Great let’s go!” he said grabbing her hand and helping her up he’d given himself a mental pep talk and was ready for their walk.
They walked towards the heavy doors for outside and saw a sign stuck to it magically; it read ‘No students are permitted to leave the school building after 8 o’clock.’
“So I’d say forget it and let’s go anyway but personally I don’t feel like another detention with Umbridge. We could just take a walk round the school if you don’t mind?” George suggested.
“Sounds good to me,” Hermione smiled a blush tainting her cheeks still very much aware he was holding her hand.
They walked around for a while the topic of conversation drifting back to the joke shop. Suddenly George was reminded of what he’d wanted to tell Hermione so they took a seat on a nearby bench.
“Hermione, see the thing is I haven’t been completely honest with you. I know earlier I told you there was nothing wrong but technically that was a lie. It’s just I’ve been very frustrated lately about a certain feeling that I’ve been having and just haven’t been able to tell anyone about, well besides Fred that is. But that’s just about to change because I’m finally deciding to tell you,” he moved closer to Hermione so their faces were just inches apart. He froze he couldn’t tell her he was a fool to believe for a second that he could his eyes flickered with the emotions.
“Yes, George?” Hermione encouraged her heart fluttering as she awaited his words.
“Well, I-I...” He was so ready to continue but clearly fate had other plans.
They heard a very loud and annoyingly familiar throat clearing...Umbridge. Of course if there were ever a toad face with the worst timing in the world it was her.
“Mr. Weasley, Ms. Granger are you not aware of one of the most recent proclamations which clearly states that girls and boys are not permitted to be within 8 inches of each other,” she said that same look of superiority across her face and visible in her deceiving smile.
Hermione and George both looked up at the same time the same look of hatred burning in their eyes.
“Sorry Professor,” George said moving away from Hermione slightly but not releasing her hand.
“Your hands. Or would you prefer for me to separate them?” Umbridge asked.
Hermione reluctantly removed her hand, “That won’t be necessary Professor.”
“Very good now off to your common room and if I see the two of you so close again there will be another detention for each of you,” she warned smirking as a look of pain crossed their faces and they subconsciously touched the backs of their hands.
The two walked silently back to the common room each wondering what could have happened had they not been interrupted. They said quiet goodnights and each left to their dorms angry and curious.
So how did I do? Did you love it? Did you hate it? Do you have suggestions? Don't be shy please leave a review that's why the box is there after all! Thanks to all of my readers and reviewers I love you all and can't thank you enough for all your encouragement! Again leave a review because your thoughts and opinions matter to me! Jenna :)
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