Magical Mugwort

A short time later we were sitting back at Fortescue's, me holding a charmed cloth around my hand to help the swelling go down. Fred had ordered a fresh round of firewhiskey for all, and we were nursing them slowly.



Taking a sip and letting it burn its way down my throat, I caught both guys looking at me. “What?”



“You are bloody amazing, Maggie,” Fred said. “I just can't believe we've never met. You're unlike any girl we've ever met before.”



I smiled thinly. “Well, call it chance, call it fate, whatever. I call it my brother's finally ready to transfer schools, so that's why.”



“Oh who cares why?” George kept a close eye on my hand, staying close to me, our bodies barely touching but it was a nice reminder. To his brother, he said, “You know, she reminds me of mum a bit, don't you think?”



Fred shrugged. “Oh, I don't know, George. I don't think mum would be caught dead in an outfit like that.”



“And what's wrong with my outfit?” I teased.



“Not a damn thing,” Fred answered truthfully, smiling and taking a moment to survey me once again. “How's that hand doing?”



I looked down and felt warmth coursing through my hand. Pulling away the compress, I found my hand was back to normal. “Good,” I replied, always surprised that there was magic to make anything better right away. I set aside the compress and flexed my fingers. No more throbbing, no more strain.



“Excellent.” Fred reached forward and took my hand, gently turning it over in his. His touch was soft, but there was an underlying strength in his grasp that spoke of many other things those hands were capable of. “So now that all that is over with, I think it's time we get back to matters at hand.” He fixed me with a gaze, a knowing smile on his face.



“Oh, yeah? And what is that?” I asked.



Fred watched me for a moment or two more before he said, “You coming to our shop, of course. Seeing as you've had up close and personal experience with at least one of our products, I think it would be fabulous to have you take a look at some other items. Perhaps get back at your brother.”



I laughed. That was completely not what I was expecting, and it was actually a nice surprise. “I may have to do that,” I said at last, realizing that I was finally starting to relax. “After all we've been through today, it would be downright rude of me not to support your thriving business.”



“Surely there's someone in your life who could use a nice Ton Tongue Toffee, or perhaps Fizzing Whizzbees Alternate Formula, or perhaps a collapsible wand,” suggested George. “We do have many products to suit your every joking need to provide the most entertaining prank for all.”



I laughed again. “Nice slogan. I'll think about it. I'm sure someone I know could use a good laugh. Well, I could, anyway.”



“If it's laughs you're looking for, luv, look no further,” Fred said. He nodded at his brother and added, “We've got the market on keeping you laughing, have no worries there.”



“Laughs always were a bit of a turn-on for me,” I admitted.



The two guys exchanged a glance and a grin over my head that was not lost on me. “Excellent,” they said at once.



It was cute, the way they spoke together. I'd always wondered if twins did that. “Do you guys do that often?” I asked.



And again, they asked in unison, “Do what often?”



A grin spread over my face. “That! Speak at the same time. I'd wager you even finish each other's sentences and thoughts.”



This time they both looked at each other, broad grins on matching mischievous faces. Fred said, “We usually only do that when--”



“--we're thinking the same thing,” George finished.



I admit it, my mind went back into the gutter. All I could think about was what else they did together, and would I be one of them? I had never been with more than one person at once, so a threesome was a new concept for me, at least in real life experience. In my fantasies, I was a goddess. And what with sitting between the two of them, practically feeling the warmth radiating off their bodies, I wondered what might come of this meeting and friendly banter. Fred was right when he said he'd seen me looking at both of them. What was I supposed to do, deny that I was attracted to both of them? The odd thing was, neither one seemed threatened by the other; in fact, it seemed as if they were working as a team to score. Another question, did they do that often?



Sitting up straight, I looked from one to the other appraisingly. It was difficult to tell the difference between them, honestly. For the moment, the only thing that made me certain which one I was talking to was that Fred had a slightly crooked nose, and I had to study him to make sure that it was right.



“So what else do you do together?” I asked finally, trying to keep my voice neutral, conversational, yet allowing the innuendo to remain strongly in place.



I caught the glimmer in both their eyes at my question. Again, that exchange of looks that I was slowly getting used to.



“Fred! George! There you are!”



Both heads looked up at the door, and I glanced up as well. Striding inside was a ridiculously large group of people, several of whom were red-haired just like the twins. I counted an attractive middle aged woman, a middle aged man, a young girl around thirteen, young man around sixteen, as well as a honey-brown haired young woman and a young man with unruly black hair and glasses, both about the same age of sixteen. It suddenly occurred to me that this was the twins' family. And I was about to meet them. Oh, damn.



“Oh, hi, mum, dad,” George greeted, taking a sip of his drink.



The matriarch had her hands on her hips and was frowning at the two. She had a mane of stunning red hair and a demeanor that could easily scare small children. Probably young adults, too. “What is this I've been hearing about you brawling in the streets like some common miscreants?” she demanded. “It's all anyone's talking about right now. Explain yourselves this instant!”



Fred opened his mouth to answer, but Mrs. Weasley (I felt I could safely assume) turned to the other man who wore horn-rimmed glasses and had a friendly air about him. “Honestly, Arthur, I don't know what's gotten into your sons. Last year they leave Hogwarts to start this—this joke shop business, now they're brawling in Diagon Alley!” She heaved a long suffering sigh.



Arthur set a hand on her shoulder. “Perhaps if you let them explain first, Molly. Then you may be angry with them.”



She looked at her husband through squinting eyes for a moment, before she turned on the twins, still brow furrowed. “Well?” she demanded. “What do you have to say for yourselves?”



George looked at his mother fearlessly. “It's all quite blown out of proportion, mum. Draco Malfoy is the sorriest little git and he got what he deserved.”



Molly Weasley looked slightly horrified as the other young man laughed. “Malfoy! What did you do to him? Turn him into a slug, I hope.”



Fred grinned. “Not quite. He got the Bat Bogey Hex, though. Our finest work yet, I feel, Gred.”



“Absolutely, Forge.”



“This is not funny!” Mrs. Weasley nearly shrieked. “Now tell me what happened this instant or so help me I will drag you two out of here by that long hair of yours.”



“Mum, calm down,” Fred said, standing up. “It wasn't a brawl, not at all. We were out chatting with this lovely young lady when the very rude young Malfoy interrupted and made some very disparaging comments as to the quality of this lady.”



Mrs. Weasley suddenly looked at me, seeing me for the first time. She appeared frazzled and surprised at once. “Oh! My dear, I'm so sorry, we haven't been introduced.” She shot a frustrated look at both her sons.



I stood up at once. “I'm sorry, Mrs. Weasley, I should have said something. I'm Maggie Charleson.”



“Oh, from America. Are you starting your year at Hogwarts as well?” she asked.



I smiled as Fred and George both laughed. “No, mum, she's out of school,” George said.



“Oh. I see.”



“What happened out there was no one's fault, really,” I explained. “We were outside chatting, and this Draco Malfoy came up, making terrible comments about your sons. He then proceeded to, well...”



Fred put a hand on my shoulder and continued. “He called her a whore and tried to have his way with her, mum.”



There was a small collective gasp from the group. “What?” hissed one of the girls.



Mrs. Weasley looked appalled. “He did what?”



I gave a small shrug. “In not so many words, yes. Basically, he thought I was a pureblood, and I should only speak with purebloods, and once he found out I'm not what he thought, he made a complete change of heart and decided that he should hand me around his friends down Knockturn Alley. But, I managed to persuade him otherwise.”



“Oh, you should have seen her, mum, she was absolutely brilliant,” George grinned. “Me and Fred were ready to curse him, but she wouldn't let us. Then all of a sudden he called her a whore, she reached out and had him by his bits until he said he'd leave her alone.”



“Actually, I was trying to make him shut his mouth about you and your family,” I said quietly. “I couldn't abide him acting as if he was a gift from the gods and you were dirt. Then again, I am lower than dirt, aren't I?”



Fred grinned, a wicked gleam in his eyes. “Easier to trip up the high and mighty when you're down here with us.” To his family he said, “She told him that if he didn't stop trashing her or us, she'd finish him off. So, she let him go, we all start to leave, and then he calls back at her...” He looked embarrassed.



“He called me a slut,” I said simply. “I went back and punched him in the face same time as the boys did a very nice hex on him. After that, he finally left. I'm afraid it wasn't very civilized, but at the same time I couldn't abide him insulting your family the way he was. He seems the worse kind of pompous wizard.”



“You have no idea,” muttered the young red-haired man from behind his mum.



“Taking on a Malfoy like that,” Mr. Weasley looked half torn between admiration and stern admonition. “That may not have been the wisest thing to do. Yet I can't help but be pleased that this young lady seems determined to defend not only herself but you boys as well. I don't suppose you've thanked her yet?”



The twins exchanged a glance. I waved a hand. “No, no, it's all right. And I apologize if this caused you any embarrassment. I had to defend myself, and your sons were there at the wrong time. I just wanted to let you know that they weren't brawling, they were trying to defend me. Very gallantly, I might add.”



The younger Weasley boy snorted, along with a round of mutters from the others. “Fred and George, gallant? Surely you've met them, otherwise you'd know better.”



“Ronald!”



He shrugged. “Oh, come on. They're not exactly bleeding royalty on manners. You know that, mum.”



“Be that as it may, we are still in front of a guest. Behave yourself.” Mrs. Weasley turned to me, a look on her face I couldn't quite place. “My dear, that may have been a foolish thing to do, but at the same time I can't help but say the little twit got what he deserved. To think he would say such things to you, and right out in public! It's terrible. Obviously it won't do any good to speak with his family, so I will just have to say thank you. Thank you for standing up for my sons. They've always been a little rash, and to think you would take so to their wellbeing is, well, a blessing, really. Thank you.”



I felt my cheeks flush and I tried to hide it. “Really, it was nothing.”



Mrs. Weasley turned to her sons. “And you two. Defending this girl's honor. Are you sure you're my sons?” She peered at them closely.



“Mum!” they said at once.



“All right, all right. It's good to see I didn't raise a couple of monstrous brats. Thank God you've got some sense in you after all.” She smiled then and turned to me. “Maggie, I am sorry that you had such an unfortunate time today. It does seem all of you were fortunate to have been together, though.”



“We were the lucky ones,” George said, flashing me a smile. “No better way to spend company than with this beautiful girl.”



There was a half-stunned silence as the group stared, perhaps wondering if George had in fact hexed himself. “George, are you feeling all right?” asked the brown-haired girl, concern on her face.



“I'm actually starting to wonder if Malfoy didn't do something to him out there,” said the black haired young man.



As the clan seemed to gang up on George, I felt Fred grab my arm and pull me off to the side. I looked up at him curiously. “What is it?” I asked.



He glanced at the group once, then back at me. His eyes were practically glittering as he leaned close to me. “Maggie, you are the most amazing girl. I want to see you again, only this time just you and me. What do you say?”



There was a slight flush in his cheeks and my eyes focused on his lips. The idea of spending more time with him was intriguing and exciting. I looked back up to his eyes and grinned. “Of course.”



“Brilliant.” He reached for my hand, and gently touched squeezed. His hand was soft and strong, sending little shivers down my body. His eyes were focused on nothing but me, that innocence and mischief shining down on me. My heart beat faster, and I wanted nothing more than to lose myself in that fire that possessed him. “When can I see you?”



I smiled. “How about tomorrow?”



“Smashing.”



“Fred, will you tell this lot that we're doing just fine?”



Fred looked up, reluctantly dropping my hand. “Never better! What's the trouble, mum?”



Mrs. Weasley strode over and placed a hand on both her sons' shoulders. “As impressed as I am that you've managed to prove that you are decent young men, it would be helpful if you remembered the rest of your manners and introduced everyone else here, like your family.” She raised her eyebrows meaningfully.



“Oh, right.” The twins exchanged glances.



George shrugged and placed hands on my shoulders. “All right.” He cleared his throat. “Listen up, you lot. This is Maggie, manhandler extraordinnaire, the Slayer of Slytherin gits, and all around captain of the Wizards Against Malfoy league.”



I slapped his arm. “Knock it off, George.”



“Hey, I preach the truth. You broke his nose, luv, you deserve praise.”



“You broke his nose?” The youngest redhaired girl looked positively ecstatic. “That's brilliant! I mean,” she added quickly, seeing her mother's look, “that's awful.”



“Maggie,” George continued, “this is our mum, Molly Weasley, our dad Arthur Weasley.”



Arthur stepped forward and shook my hand, a pleasant smile on his face. “Pleasure to meet you, Maggie. I have to say if you can bring out any sense of proper behavior in these boys, it's a great honor.”



I chuckled. “I don't bring out anything that isn't already there, Mr. Weasley. But it's a pleasure to meet you as well.”



He smiled again. “How very kind of you to say so, but obviously you don't know them well yet.”



“Dad!”



“Well, you have to admit, son, that you and your brother can be slightly...” He paused, searching for the right word. “Unruly,” he decided on.



“Unruly, he says,” George shook his head. “Don't you mean stubborn?”



“Out of control?”



“Love a lark?”



“Pain in the arse?”



“Fred Weasley!”



Fred grinned. “Sorry, mum.”



“Anyway,” I said brightly, turning to the others. “I'm Maggie.”



Mrs. Weasley motioned to the other two. “This is my daughter Ginny, and my other son Ron.”



“Nice to meet you.”



Ron was looking at me a bit in wonder. “Hey, you mind coming with us to Hogwarts? We could use you there, you know.”



I grinned. “Well, perhaps if things get dire, you can always owl me.”



The young woman nodded and offered a small smile. “Hermione Granger. Pleasure.”



“Same here.”



“Oh. I'm Harry,” the young man said, offering a smile.



I tilted my head, studying him a bit closer. “Harry Potter?”



The smile became a little uncomfortable. “Um, yeah.”



Harry Potter. The Boy Who Lived. Every witch, wizard, Squib and half-blood knew him. He was taller than I thought, and perhaps more sheepish than bold. Good-looking kid. I decided he had enough of people fawning over him, so I decided to play it safe. “Pleasure to meet you, Harry,” I smiled gently.



There was an unspoken relief in his eyes, and I could tell he knew that I knew who he was, and he was grateful I didn't make a fuss. “Pleasure to meet you,” he said at last. “Never known anyone who actually took on Malfoy. He'll be sore for weeks.”



“Well, I've only met him once, and that's enough.”



“Well, not to try to break this up, but I do think we've gotten everything we need,” said Mrs. Weasley. “Come on, everyone, let's get back home. Maggie, it's a pleasure. I do hope that we get to see you again, dear. If you can be a good influence on these boys here, then perhaps you should come around quite often. If you can get them to clean their room or even not blow it up, then by Merlin, I might ask you to move in.”



I laughed. “Well, I can't guarantee anything, Mrs. Weasley, but I can give it my best shot.”



She smiled. “Don't be a stranger, dear. Fred, George, come along, I need your help carrying Ginny's supplies.”



“Mum...”



I shoved them both gently. “Go help your mother, boys. I can definitely tell she's a formidable woman and I would not put it past her dragging you off.”



“Oh, so you've heard about that time when we set off nifflers in the house?” Fred said.



Oh, sweet lady. “No, I haven't. You'll have to regale me with that story another time.”



I hung back as the group made their way towards the door, Fred chatting with Ron and Harry. They were an amazing family, and I had only just met them. But I could tell that they loved each other, beyond anything else, and that was the most important thing. My family was rather like that, just smaller. Just me and my brother. Speaking of my family, I figured I should look for mine soon.



“Hey, beautiful.”



I looked up at George, and smiled. “Yes, sweetheart?”



He grinned. “Hey, I wanted to catch you alone for a second. I want to see you again. What do you say?”



Wow, I really was the popular girl today. I felt a small blush creeping up in my cheeks. I couldn't help it. “Oh....” I drawled, taking my sweet time in answering. “I think we can arrange something. What'd you have in mind?”



A knowing smile spread over his lips. He raised an eyebrow, watching me steadily. “All too many things, luv,” he said in a low voice. “And I wager you just might enjoy a few of them.”



I'd be deaf not to know what he inferred, and it made my insides all warm and fuzzy. So many dark and dirty thoughts ran through my mind, and I was up to explore where it all went. I returned his smile, sending him a heated look of my own. “We'll have to see, won't we,” I said. “How's Thursday for you?”



“All right by me,” he answered. “Let's keep this between you and me, all right? My brother doesn't need to know everything.”



I thought that was a little odd, but truthfully, I wasn't sure what was happening between these twins and myself. So maybe a little discretion was in order so I could get to know each of them a little better, and then we could see where things were going. Besides, and I felt a little guilty for it, a little sneaking around with brothers sounded like a very interesting time.



Nodding slowly, I said, “All right. Mum's the word.”



“Brilliant.” He glanced towards the door, where everyone was gathered, preparing to leave. Turning back to me, he lowered his voice. “Normally I wouldn't be so bold, but in the interest of keeping you wanting me for a couple of days...” He reached for my head and pulled me to him, and suddenly his lips were on mine.



I froze in surprise, but my eyes shut just the same and my lips responded just the same. He had a firm grip on my head and his lips were ever so sweet, powerful, teasing. I felt my legs actually weaken a little. Time froze, just for a minute.



And then just as quickly, he disengaged himself and stepped back. When I opened my eyes, George was grinning at me wickedly, as if he had just seen inside the dirty thoughts in my head. His lips were slightly swollen and all I wanted to do was kiss him again.



“I'll see you soon, Maggie,” he said.



I nodded, not quite sure my voice was working correctly. “Mm-hmm.”



George chuckled and made his way out.



I watched him go, surprised at myself. This kid, this damn kid I'd just met, had made me weak at the knees. And I was about to embark on a very interesting week. And for the record, he looked damn nice walking away.



I blew out a long breath and decided that there was a lot I needed to do in the next couple of days.