Chapter Text
Weasley Wizard Wheezes normally provided a perfect distraction from Fred’s quarter-life crisis. No one could blame him for his preoccupation. Nearly dying would do that to a person. But overall, Fred was thankful for George, WWW, and his weekly mind-healer appointments for all keeping him on track.
Today, even the small explosion from the second floor had a hard time drawing him out of his introspection. Until, that is, a beautiful brunette at the Pygmy Puff display caught his attention. She had her back to the counter and was talking to someone hidden from view behind a nearby aisle, but what he could see intrigued him.
She spoke with her hands, enthusiastically gesturing to her companion about whatever topic they were discussing. Her glossy hair hung in waves down her back so smooth that Fred could only imagine how silky it would feel between his fingers. And her ass in those muggle jeans…
Fred shook himself out of his reverie. It had been a while since a girl had affected him to this degree. He’d been spending most of his time trying to avoid panic attacks and get back into a routine at the store. He guessed it was probably a good sign as far as his mental health was concerned, but she was a customer. She had come here to shop for doodads, not dates.
Professionalism. That was the order of the day.
Okay, to be fair, that was a lot to ask for right now. But courtesy he could handle.
Or at least stop leering at her. Merlin’s beard, get yourself together Weasley, he thought to himself.
He tried to go back to restocking the Puking Pastilles near the counter, but his eyes were drawn to the young woman. Something about her was so fascinating. So...familiar.
Finally, Fred couldn’t resist the temptation any longer. He decided to approach the mystery woman to at least put a face to the figure he had been tracking for the past twenty minutes. She had separated from her companion earlier and moved through the store, stopping to inspect various items but somehow always facing away from the curious twin. He assumed her friend was returning because he saw her turn towards a voice when he was about ten feet away.
The friend’s voice was even more recognizable than the girl. But it did help identify why she seemed so familiar to him.
His sister’s red hair appeared from behind a stand of novelty candies. The attractive female turned, revealing her profile.
Hermione.
He had been ogling Hermione Granger.
It wasn’t enough that she was brilliant. And kind. And funny when she wasn’t being uptight.
Now she had to go and get hot as well.
He was thoroughly fucked.
Well, he at least hoped he could be.
Good Godric. What the hell was wrong with him? He needed to wash his brain out with some disinfectant. Or take a cold shower. Or shower in cold disinfectant. He started to turn around. He needed to turn around and get away from…
“Oh, hi Fred!” Ugh. If he was being honest with himself, her voice had always done something to him. When they were younger, it amused him to listen to her spout facts like an encyclopedia and boss his little brother around. Before he and George had left Hogwarts, her voice meant a tongue-lashing was coming, leaving him a bit exasperated.
Today, he was feeling something very different from amusement and exasperation. He shut that part of his brain down to keep his wits about him. However, her voice drew him in and he turned back towards the ladies as if only just noticing their presence in his shop.
“Well, if it isn’t Hermione Granger! Imagine seeing you here. And little sis...running low on Skiving Snackboxes to get you out of Harpies practice?”
“I would never try and skip out on a practice like that, Fred.” The younger woman rolled her eyes as the older one met his eyes and chuckled at her friend’s indignation at her brother’s accusation.
“I know, I know, sweet sister of mine. So what are you ladies doing in Diagon today?”
“Just browsing,” Hermione answered.
“You said you needed to check something out in here, Hermione!” Ginny put her hands on her hips as she confronted her friend. “You convinced me we should eat a later lunch because you just had to get here to look for something. Now we’re ‘just browsing?’” Ginny sounded affronted.
“Is there something I can help you with, Hermione?” Fred asked curiously. She was usually more apt to condemn their products than purchase one, making Fred even more interested in what drew her into the shop today.
Oddly, the older girl’s cheeks started to turn red as she avoided both Weasleys’ gazes. She looked around and grabbed a pack of Ton-Tongue Toffee from the closest shelf.
“Oh, uh, no thanks. I found what I was looking for!” Hermione sounded overly cheerful and utterly unconvincing. Ginny raised an eyebrow at her friend. Fred just watched her suspiciously.
“You want the Ton-Tongue Toffee?” Ginny began.
“That you yelled at us for repeatedly and as recently as a year ago,” Fred continued.
“That you took off a combined fifty house points for over numerous incidents,” his sister said.
“After accusing us of possibly suffocating people and turning us into McGonagall and later sending in an ‘anonymous’ complaint to the Ministry for Health and Wizard Services?” Fred finished, smirking to show he didn’t hold any of these instances against her.
Hermione opened her mouth to respond. Then closed it. Then opened it again.
“Yes?” she answered hesitantly.
“Have it your way,” Ginny sighed. “I’m starving. Buy that if you’re really sticking to that story and let’s go. Bye Fred!” She started for the exit to wait for her friend.
Hermione followed Fred back to the counter to pay for her obviously impulsive purchase.
“So what were you really looking for? I can be discreet if it’s something you don’t want GInny to know about.” Fred wanted to know what could have possibly drawn her into the shop that she would hide from one of her best friends.
“Nothing! Really. Just wanted to check out...stuff.”
“Stuff, huh?”
“And things.” She cracked a small smile.
“I hope you found all of the things to your satisfaction,” Fred replied, not pressing her any further when she obviously wasn’t ready or willing to answer his question.
She met his eyes and held them for a beat longer than normal.
“I think I will. Find them satisfying,” she said finally.
Fred swallowed. That sounded kind of...but no. Not Hermione.
“I hope so,” he answered lamely.
“Me too. See you soon, Fred,” she said and turned after giving him a genuine smile that crinkled the corners of her eyes.
He watched her as she walked away.
Soon couldn’t come fast enough.