A/N: Fred finds out who Hermione really wants to kiss under the mistletoe. Fremione. Another Christmas-related fic.
Submission for:
The Battleship Challenge II: "I knew it. You want to kiss me, don't you?"
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
Hermione woke up groggily one morning at the Burrow. She turned to the right and saw that Ginny's bed was empty. She pondered the disappearance for a moment before the smell of cinnamon wafted up the stairs, through the open bedroom door and straight into her nose. Now things made sense. Only food could get Ginny up this early on the holidays.
Hermione slipped on her slippers and ran downstairs, letting the lovely smells lead the way. She noticed that overnight, the Burrow had been decorated for the Christmas season. Red and green garlands were on the railings and large red and green baubles floated in the ceiling. There was even a tree in the living room already, its top bent to fit in the space by the window and the fireplace.
"I decorated it myself," Fred announced loudly as he came up beside her, almost causing her to jump out of her night shirt.
"I helped," a grumpy-looking George shouted from behind Fred.
Fred just grinned and threw an arm over George's shoulder, "Fine, we both worked on it last night as a surprise for everyone."
George pushed Fred off and then said, "And we have a new creation for the Christmas season." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a little green sprig.
Hermione looked at it and then raised an eyebrow to the two of them. "Holly?" she asked. This was it.
"Not 'Holly?'," Fred mocked her tone, "But 'Holly!'" he screamed. "This is special mistletoe. When a person throws it into the air, it will go to float over the person in the room they really want to share a Christmas kiss with. Want to give it a try, Hermione?"
Hermione blushed and hastily said, "No, no thank you. I think I hear breakfast calling me." She knew exactly who the sprig would float over and couldn't have everyone knowing her secret if their little plant worked (and she didn't doubt that it did).
After Hermione had practically ran away from them, George nudged his twin. "Hermione has a bit of a crush, Freddie."
Fred grinned, "I always knew she'd fall for dashing good looks and my soft baritones."
George chuckled, "Or maybe she's finally seeing Ron a whole new light. You know Mum loves talking about how they'll be together."
Fred's mouth opened, ready to retort, but he knew it could be true. His Mum loved talking that way. No one cared that Fred may feel anything for Hermione, except George. He didn't even have to tell George but he didn't wonder how he found out. George probably noticed the way Fred always tried to stand close to Hermione, or the way his gaze would always linger on her face when no one was looking if she was in the room. Fred followed behind his brother silently. He had to find out Hermione's crush.
Hermione sat at the breakfast table, thinking about Fred and his invention while she dug into a stack of pancakes. She had told Ginny about her crush on her brother, who gagged and jokingly asked if she couldn't have had a crush on any of her other brothers. Bill and Charlie were easy on the eyes, but they were much older and she had never really spoken to them. Percy was too much of a stickler for the rules, even for Hermione.
Loud laughter cut off her thoughts. George was caught up entertaining the table. Fred was laughing but then caught her eyes and winked at her. Hermione blushed and looked away. Then she saw Ron and Harry, who were both laughing with their mouths full. Hermione stabbed her fork angrily. Why couldn't things be easy?
After breakfast, the table had cleared and the party moved out, leaving Hermione, Fred and George the last people at the table. Fred and George rose from their chairs as Hermione was finishing her morning tea. George turned to his brother and said, "I have an idea."
George walked up close to Hermione put the tiny sprig on her arm. Then he cried out, "Hermione, there's a bug on you."
As expected, Hermione screamed. She grabbed at the tiny thing on her arm and threw it up into the air. It flew up into the ceiling, circling a bit before hovering over Fred's head.
"I knew it. You want to kiss me, don't you?" Fred said as he and George saw her horror-stricken face.
Hermione jumped out of her chair, "No, no, this must be a mistake. Your little sprig is confused."
George said, "Hermione, our products are never confused."
Fred walked up to her quickly and added, "And neither am I." Before Hermione could protest, Fred pulled her lips towards his. The mistletoe fell to the floor at the their feet but they didn't care.
George quietly came up and picked up the sprig before saying, "I'll keep the others out of the kitchen for a while. Congrats you two."