A/N: I'm so sorry for being a terrible writing and not updating like my usual. There's just a lot of things going on and my confidence level just hit rock bottom and I just couldn't find the energy to write.
But I'm never abandoning this story! I started it, I'll finish it. ;) You guys are the only source of my happiness right now, I appreciate all of you sooo much, more than you'll ever know.
70 reviews! Thank you so much guys. :D
Enjoy! :)
Disclaimer: Not even in the wildest of my dreams would it ever be legal to call it mine.
"Rambling"
by SJRegina
Hermione always found herself rambling whenever in the presence of the one and only Fred Weasley, but that's just how Fred liked it.
Chapter 20: The Onsets of Jealousy
Hermione was in between her two bestmates, Fred and George, walking in Diagon Alley eating their ice creams. Hermione used her other 2 sickles to buy ice creams which George was very grateful for.
Along the way, Hermione met her mother and introduced them to Fred and George, this was their first time meeting them.
"Hello, you must be Hermione's sister." Hermione remembered fondly about Fred and George's flatter to her mother who blushed and giggled and leaving his father awe-stricken at their synced motions and speech.
The three of them were laughing and just enjoying each other's company walking to Flourish & Bott's when they met up with Mrs. Weasley who just came out, her hair messy and her face looked like she had just gotten into a quarrel.
"Mum!" Fred and George said in sync. Mrs. Weasley searched where the sound came from and her eyes landed on the trio. She smiled motherly and Hermione couldn't help but smile back.
"Good afternoon Mrs. Weasley, I hope everything's doing well?" Hermione greeted her.
"Oh Hermione dear, all's well. Just had some trouble with your new set of books. Bit me you see." Mrs. Weasley pulled up her sleeve and a fresh red bite mark was etched on her wrist. Hermione gasped and Mrs. Weasley just shrugged it off.
"Bloody Hell!" George cursed.
"This is why I don't read!" Fred mused earning a glare from Hermione and Mrs. Weasley.
"Language boys!" Hermione and Mrs. Weasley had very similar poses, their hands were on their hips and a wrinkled face was etched on their faces.
"Reading happens to be fun, and books are the perfect epitome of such a wonderful, 'art.'" Hermione said dramatically, but seriously. Making Fred and George hold giggles.
"Riiiggght."
Mrs. Weasley looked at Hermione and her face immediately transformed into a happy one, "I had a... little argument with the book keeper and he wouldn't allow me to get The Monster Book of Monsters for you since you weren't there. I would've pitied him really if he wasn't so rude. Would you mind getting them for yourself darling?"
Hermione was too busy listening to Mrs. Weasley that she didn't notice Fred and George poking around a display on the shop.
"I don't mind Mrs. Weasley." Hermione nodded at Mrs. Weasley with a smile as Mrs. Weasley left and told Hermione to watch over the boys.
Who had just gotten a large pile of books fall on the floor in the outside display.
"Oops." Fred and George grinned innocently making Hermione shake her head in disbelief.
"Not even a couple of seconds has passed since Mrs. Weasley told me to be in control and you already cause a mess."
"But I reckon-" George mused and slung his arm on Hermione's shoulder.
"That's why you love us anyway." Fred slung his arm on Hermione's other side.
"Don't you Hermione?" They both said in sync with identical grins making Hermione giggle.
"I do. And I wouldn't have you any other way." Hermione looked at his best mates and wrapped her arms around the two. Her fingers slightly grazing on their matching bands.
. . .
The three of them entered the bookstore and Hermione sniffed the wonderful smell of parchment paper and ink. It was a scent she never grew tired of.
Fred and George left Hermione to do the bidding as they wandered off to the Quiddicth section.
She looked over the bookstore to find the book keeper and found a trail of ripped paper and small paper bits leading to where the book keeper was. He was hiding beside a bookshelf with his legs near his chest. He looked knackered.
Knackered wouldn't have even described how tired he looked.
"Excuse me sir, ermm. Are you alright?" Hermione aksed with genuine concern.
"Spiffing doll." The man rolled his eyes and stood up. "Howarts student?" He shuddered saying those words. Hermione nodded and the man's face turned into a face of fright. Frightened as if Hermione's presence was as intimidating as a troll did to Quirrel.
"I'll have 3 copies for the Monster Book of Monsters." The book keeper, who Hermione noticed just noticed had fresh scars on his face, suddenly went down to his knees and started to... cry?
"Sir?" Hermione was surprised at the sudden action.
"Please, please don't let me get another one of... those! Please get them yourselves! Please?" The man looked up at Hermione with pitiful puppy eyes that Hermione just couldn't resist.
"Well, if you say so." Hermione swallowed audibly, slightly hestitant of her acceptance to this request. But leaving a very satisfied book keeper who handed her dragon hide gloves and a bronze breastplate shield.
"Uhmm, don't you think this is a bit too much?" Hermione looked at the itemds dodgingly.
"You'll need them trust me."
Hermione wore the breastplate and the gloves nervously, here goes nothing. She swallowed audibly.
What had she gotten into?
. . .
"Ahh. Owww. Aaah!" Hermione flinched as George dabbed her freshly scarred skin with a cloth dipped in healing cloth. "George, it hurts!"
"Well it's going to hurt more if you keep on moving." George continued dabbing on the scars despite Hermione's flinches while Fred went off to the back-store to get some more healing liquid.
"More healing liquid!" Hermione hissed at the thought of more of that dreadful liquid being dabbed on her skin as Fred came bach to the stool where Hermione was sitting with George kneeling beside the cash register.
"Just what I wanted." Hermione said sarcasticly.
"You're welcome." Fred joked making Hermione laugh. But it was cut off as another "Oww!" came out of her lips as George dabbed a particularly sensitive spot.
"Nasty book! It practically killed me off!" Hermione breathed.
"Nasty book?" George's eyes widened in mock shock with an exaggerated dramatic sigh as his hand flew to his heart in fake pain.
"Hermione, don't you know that books are the perfect epitomes of reading?" Fred joined in, mimicking George's actions.
"Oh such wondrous fine art." They mused dramatically in sync and ended up laughing, making Hermione laugh as well. They never failed to make her smile.
But their laughing stopped as the bell rang indicating a visitor and a thud followed by an 'oww' sounded.
They all stood up and looked who it was. A girl's form was facing down flat on the floor, and no one even bothered helping her.
Hermione took her hand helping her stand up. The girl muttered a thanks to Hermione and straightened her clothes. The girl stood straight, towering Hermione and Hermione recognized her.
"You're Katy right? One of Gryffindor's chasers?" The girl nodded.
"And you're Hermione, that know-it-all bird right?" Hermione blushed at Katy's statement. "Just kidding." The girl winked at her. "Thanks for helping me, I must have looked pathetic, new shoes see?" Katy pointed to her high-heeled shoes.
That's why she was towering me, Hermione thought.
"They're nice." It was all Hermione could say because Katy's face turned into a very very happy one.
"Fred?"
"Katy!" Fred ran over the girl and hugged her.
Did they really need to do that here? I'm sorry but it's just too overrated. Fred~ pssh, she says it as if they were together. Hermione, what are you thinking! She needed to say something to cut off her thoughts.
"Hey George, Katy's here." Hermione looked over and saw George hiding behind the register making a slashing motion in his neck.
"Oh, nevermind. He's not here, I forgot." Hermione quickly covered up.
Fred curiously looked at her from Katy's hug and Hermione just shrugged, not looking at him straight in the eyes. She didn't know why but it just felt, foreign to her. She needed to get away, the feeling was like a dagger to her, what was it?
Using her quick wit, "I think I left the healing liquid bottle open. Got to make sure it doesn't dry up!" She mused and slowly walked backwards in an awkward manner near George. To hide as well.
As soon as Hermione reached the edge of the cash register, a hand dragged her down to the back. It was George. Hermione sat beside him and wrapped her knees to her chest as well.
She rolled her eyes like George did when the two giggled and laughed at each other.
George and Hermione looked at each other at the same time.
"You're jealous aren't you?" They both said in sync.
A/N: By the way, the bad news are cancelled! YAY! But for the mean time, I'm currently looking for a beta-reader who would be willing to beta my story in pursuit in the improvement of my story.
Mostly because I have no idea where this is going, I'm just keeping on writing whatever random thing pops in my head.
Don't hestitate to private message me! ^.~
And by the way, I won't kill Fred off. :)
Reviews are looooved~