Willow

Willow

"NO! You have to pour in the cat blood before you sprinkle the phoenix ash and then mix!". Hermione was helping Ron with his potions homework in the Gryffindor common room. Harry, seated in a large armchair by the fire beside them, let out a sigh.

"Hermione he's never going to get it. Snape won't pass him even if he does. It's no use."

"Hey!" Ron stood up, facing Harry. "Thanks for the vote of confidence!" And the two boys started up a heated discussion about the probability of Ron passing potions.

"Ron," Hermione said through gritted teeth, "either you sit down here and learn something or I'm leaving! You can just fail potions." When she received no response from Ron she let out an exasperated sigh and stood up. "Fine then" she muttered under her breath. And with that she stalked off to the other side of the room.

Silence.

"Hey Harry? Where did Hermione go?"

~*~

Hermione made her way in between the other Gryffindors, dodging chess sets and games of exploding snap, and headed towards two boys with shockingly red hair. They were huddled in the corner so Hermione could only see their backs but she knew enough to assume they were up to no good.

As she approached them Fred turned and, upon seeing her, whipped back around hastily to alert George. Hurried whispers were exchanged and in a matter of seconds, George had stood up and was walking briskly towards the stairs to the boys dorm. As he passed Hermione he gave a curt nod and said, "Hi Hermione", and walked on with his head down. She smiled as she noticed an odd shaped lump underneath his homemade jumper.

"So what is it this time? Hair growth bubblegum? Or perhaps some musical milkshakes... guaranteed to make you sing everything for a whole day." Hermione said as she plonked down in a chair next to Fred.

"Hey, that's a good idea!" Fred replied, "Have you ever considered the carefree vocation of a prankster?

"I don't think so. You know me, goody-goody Hermione." She flashed him a cheeky smile.

Fred grinned back. He was in 7th year and she was only two years younger. But you would not recognise her as the geeky, frizzy haired student she was before the last holidays. Her hair was now wavy (a trait she had become quite fond of after the Yule Ball) and her body had obtained a little more "curvature" over the summer.

The two remained engaged in conversation for a while, Fred describing some of the twins less, how do you put it... illegal experiments, while Hermione smiled and laughed in all the appropriate places. God she looks gorgeous when she smiles, Fred thought. That smile didn't last for much longer, when Hermione glanced at her watch and gasped.

"Fred!! Dinner Started 15 minutes ago!" Already in a panic over being late for once in her life, Hermione quickly gathered her things together, and hurried towards the portrait hole, pausing slightly for Fred to catch up. The empty common room watched them leave in a flustered silence.

~*~

"Hey Hermione! You're late for once in your life! Enjoying the experience?" Ron grinned at her when she sat in the place He saved for her.

"No need to rub it in Ron," Hermione gave him a dry smile as she put her things down. Fred sat opposite Hermione, next to George, and they began to talk about their latest invention. Hermione again, was trying to coach Ron into passing Potions. Occasionally, Hermione looked up when she felt Fred looking at her, and they both glanced away when they caught each others' eyes.

As Fred turned away from George to ask Hermione something, Malfoy sauntered up, with a sly smile.

"Flirting with a Weasley are we, Granger?"

"Piss off Malfoy," Hermione dismissed him without a second glance. Malfoy, not used to being rebuked like that, instantly turned on his charms. "Well well Hermione..." She glanced up, surprised, when Draco addressed her by her first name.

"What do you want Draco?" she said, returning the 'favour' of communicating on a first name basis. Her eyes strayed to the two sneering sheep that followed Draco day and night.

"Don't forget that Transfigurations assignment McGonagall gave us today..."

Ron snorted.

"Yeah right Malfoy, she's the one that should be reminding you!" A freckled face with a slight red fringe and another lean face framed with sleek white-blond hair gave each other a dirty look, before Malfoy left with an abrupt, "See you tomorrow Weasley" and a curt nod to Crabbe and Goyle, indicating that they were leaving.

Harry, Hermione, and the Weasleys' eyes followed the Slytherin trio as they walked off.

"Oh guys!! Malfoy reminded me, I've still got some work to do in the library for that assignment!" Hermione suddenly remembered. As she started to walk off, she heard a rushed "Wait up Hermione!" She turned, only to see Fred say something to George that looked suspiciously like a "I'm just going to get some info. on you-know-what" The last part of his sentence was said in a hurry, as he jogged to catch up with Hermione.