U Got Owl

Chapter One

"Virginia Weasley!!!" A loud thunderous voice could be heard across the whole apartment. Ginny, who was busy typing documents on her computer laptop, was completely unaware of the loud ruckus. She had earphones plugged on both ears, as she listened to her favorite band. The door to her room opened with a loud bang. She look up just in time to see a livid, red-faced Hermione.

"Something wrong, Herm?" Ginny asked innocently but her voice contained amusement, as she unplugged one earphone.

Hermione stood in front of her, looking like she wanted to strangle Ginny with her bare hands. She angrily waved a letter up close to Ginny, almost shoving it to her face.

"Can you please tell me you don't have anything to do with this?"

Ginny, with an amused glint in her eyes, took the letter and silently read it. Her lips twitched into a slight smile but she said nothing. She, along with Harry, Ron, Fred, and George shared this apartment with Hermione for almost two years now.

It all started when Harry, Ron and Hermione decided to get an apartment together to save on expenses. Since there were still two rooms left unused, Fred and George rented one of the rooms. After she graduated, Ron suggested that she live with them and she readily agreed. She had pretty much mastered Hermione's moods; and judging from Hermione's looks, Ginny could tell how mad she was at that moment.

"Well?" Hermione asked, thoroughly exasperated.

"This letter," began Ginny, who was now grinning from ear to ear, "merely states that you are now officially a member of the Lonely Hearts Dating Club." She looked up at her, with the same smile plastered on her face. "So, what's the big deal?" Then as she couldn't control herself any longer, she suddenly burst into fits of laughter.

Hermione was not at all amused by Ginny's reaction. She felt like yelling herself hoarse, but instead glared at her furiously. Ginny, overwhelmed by laughter, nearly choked as she tried to say something.

"It's not funny, Ginny. Not funny at all," Hermione said. She shook her head, a look of warning on her face.

"It's not Ginny's fault. It's our brilliant idea!"

Hermione whirled around to see Fred Weasley standing at the doorway. He was leaning on the doorjamb, his arms crossed over his chest with a mischievous look on his face.

"Fred..." Hermione began, but was cut off by Fred. He placed his arm around her.

"It would really be fun, Herm." He winked at her, and playfully wrapped a strand of brown hair around his index finger. "Just imagine how many single guys you would be able to meet?" he said, chortling with laughter. Right then, Hermione jabbed her elbow down his ribs hard. "Awww! That hurts, Herm."

"That wasn't funny, Fred," she said. She looked daggers at him, then she stormed out of the room, and slammed the door with such force that the walls shook. Inside her room, Hermione flopped into the bed, with her fist curled into a ball. She was boiling mad, and she wanted to think how to get back at Fred. "That jerk. I'll get you for this," she muttered darkly.

Crookshanks jumped onto the bed and purred loudly for attention. "Oh, Crookshanks," she said softly; her anger started to fade a little as she stroke Crookshanks gently.

The door creaked open. Ginny peered her head warily, afraid that Herm might throw something at her. She was right. An object suddenly came flying right at her; she quickly duck, and it missed her by an inch.

"Oops," Hermione exclaimed, "I thought you were that scumbag, Fred."

"It's okay." Ginny giggled, as she curled up next to Hermione on the bed. "Fred is in the kitchen, cooking your favorite soup to make it up to you."

Hermione gave an angry snort. If Fred thought making her favorite soup would allay her anger...He had to think again, she thought angrily.

"Hey. What's up with my two favorite girls?" A warm voice floated from the doorway. They both looked up to see Harry grinning at them.

"Harry!!" They both shouted in unison, jumped off the bed and hugged him excitedly. Upon seeing Harry, Hermione's anger had quickly disappeared.

"I thought you said you won't be coming back till next month," chirped Ginny, her eyes lit up with happiness.

"Yeah!" agreed Hermione, smiling for the first time.

Harry kissed them both on the cheeks, then flopped on Hermione's bed. His eyes caught a crumpled letter on the bed.

"What's this. A love letter?" he said, curiously. Hermione made to grab the letter but Harry stood up and read the letter. Harry's eyes widened then burst into fits of amused laughter. He looked at Hermione, who was now scowling openly, sitting cross-legged on the bed. He glanced sideways at Ginny, who was already sitting on the bed next to Hermione, stroking Crookshanks affectionately.

"You knew about this?" Harry asked and seeing the expression on her face knew the answer already. He laid on the bed next to Hermione's left, his arms over his head. "So whose idea was it? Fred's or George's?"

"It was both our idea." It was George...he stuck his head by the door, knowing fully well what was to come next. True enough, a pink stuffed bunny came sailing across the room and nearly smacked George's face. He was wise enough to duck. Next came, a brown teddy bear, followed by a medium sized Garfield stuff toy. The toys fell on the carpeted floor, not one managed to hit the target.

A few seconds later, George waved a white kerchief into the air as a sign of surrender. He was chuckling when he entered the room. He flopped down beside Harry and nudged him on the elbow. "You're back early," George said to Harry.

"Had nothing better to do. So, here I am," Harry answered, nonchalantly.

Ginny crinkled her nose and said, "Hey, it's getting a little too crowded in here!" but George ignored her completely.

Seeing Hermione glaring at him, George grinned at her apologetically. "C'mon, Herm. Don't get mad. We were only thinking of you."

"Oh, yeah," snorted Hermione, giving him another deadly glare. "If you had forgotten, you two were also the genius behind that Christmas blind date last year!"

This time, Ginny, Harry and George all doubled up with laughter as they remembered what happened to that disastrous date. Enraged, Hermione pushed all of them down the carpeted floor. Hands on hips, she glared at them. "Will you three stop laughing? Just forget it, okay?" she said angrily. Me and my big mouth! She cursed herself for bringing that up.

Harry, who was holding his stomach from laughing too much, said, "But it was really funny, Herm. Admit it."

Hermione didn't answer. She had been the butt of jokes for months, after it turned out that her blind date who described himself as mature, handsome and eloquent, turned out to be former Professor Gilderoy Lockhart. It was a real shock seeing the ultra vain but admittedly attractive older man, standing in their doorway with a huge bouquet of flowers in his arms. Because she used to have a school girl crush on him, so she decided to push through with the blind date. But she got bored to tears when he droned on and on about what else but himself. She kicked him hard on the shins when he wanted to kiss her on the lips. That creep!

Ginny chimed in, "At least, Colin Creevey's cousin Jake was cute."

Hermione looked furiously at Ginny. "And you call yourself, my friend?" she hissed at Ginny, red-faced with anger. How could she forget. Ron was the brains behind it. He set her up for a date with Colin Creevey's cousin Jake. Yeah, he was cute alright. Up until he splashed ketchup and champagne all over her lovely but very pricey body hugging cocktail dress. The jerk ogled at her chest the whole time. She hadn't spoken with Ron for a month and it took three dozen white roses and five long sorry notes before she forgave Ron.

George gave one last chuckle before he sobered his expression. "Herm, we just don't want you moping around and waiting for Sea.."

Hermione cut his words before he could continue. "I know. It's just that setting me up in blind dates and listing me in dating clubs might not be all that helpful," she said softly. She knew deep inside that they all didn't want her to be sad and pine for a guy who already had someone else.

She stood up and leaned over to George and kissed him lightly on the cheek. "I know you care about me. But this is really getting a little overboard," she said. Then she got back on her bed, looking thoughtful but at least no longer angry.

All of them fell silent. Harry glared at George angrily. They all had an unspoken agreement not to mention that name again most specially when Hermione's around. She really fell hard for the guy and went steady with him since their 7th year in Hogwarts. It was obvious she's still not over him yet. Hell, it would be bloody hard to forget someone you went steady with for three long years, thought Harry.

Hermione saw the pity in their eyes. She pursed her lips determinedly. I'm over him, she thought. She smiled a little too brightly then looked at them. "C'mon. I'm hungry. Let's go and see what Fred's cooking in the kitchen."

They all headed down the kitchen in a comfortable silence. Out of the blue, Ginny speak out, "Can Herm back out of that Dating Club?"

All three of them looked expectantly at George, waiting for his answer. George eyed them nervously. "T-t-that I think, only Fred knows the answer." He quickly dashed towards the kitchen.

"GEORGE WEASLEY!!!" The three of them shouted, then chased after George.

*~*~*~*