Fool Me

She ignored them like the plague, refusing to be even in the same room for longer than it took to leave it. Her silence was the worst sort of punishment. Even when she was forced into a room with them, she kept absolutely quiet as if she’d lost her ability to speak. She kept her chin tilted and her eyes stubbornly forward, unless she was buried behind a book. They honestly didn’t think there could be anything to inflict greater torture than the Crucio Curse, but five minutes of losing Hermione and they were ready to do anything, say anything to have her back.

They’d tried offering her flowers, sweets – the good sort even, not their joke – and even in one case, they tried swaying her with a new book, but each gesture was rewarded by a sharp sniff and the sight of her back as she marched away. George even went so far as to block her path, just so Fred could help her into the lovely, blue robes she’d wanted when they’d gone to Diagon Alley. The results had her wand tapping warningly between his legs and her brow arched challengingly for him to keep standing in her way and see what would happen

He’d been a smart man and leapt aside instantly, hand cupped protectively over his cowering parts.

They were running out of ideas and each day seemed longer without hearing her laugh, or seeing her smile had them becoming more-and-more determined to make her see she needed to forgive them. Their pranks just weren’t as funny, or as clever without her to impress, and there was no one to help put them back together when one of their experiments backfired. They missed her cocky smirk, and her twinkling eyes. They wanted to hear her tell them apart and smile that special smile that she gave only to them. Why hadn’t they seen just how much they depended on her each day until now? Her very presence made their day the brightest it ever could be.

Well, they’d learned their lesson. Nothing was worth losing the only person who meant so much to them. They were going to get their girl back, even if they had to do the one thing they’d never done in their lives. Apologize!

“We could spike her drink.” George suggested. “Slip a couple of drops of love potion into it.”

Fred shook his head. “That wouldn’t last. Besides, she’ll be even more pissed once it wears off.”

“All right, what do you suggest?”

“I think we’re going to have to pull out the big wands, George,” Fred stated, inhaling as if bracing himself.

As expected, his brother’s eyes went wide. “You don’t mean…”

“’Fraid so…”

“But we’ve never…”

“I know…”

They sat in momentary silence as the realization of what they needed to do rain around them. It was George who sucked in a deep inhale of air and got to his feet.

“Right, well, let’s do it! She is worth it after all, and I’m just about going mad here without her. I’ll do anything to get her back, short of kissing Malfoy or Snape. Hell, for her, I’ll even do that.”

Fred sighed, nodding. “This is a big leap for us. I think it shows how much we’ve matured over the years.”

“Yea, and mom thought we’d never mature. Too bad she can’t see us now. She’d completely lose it.”

“But first, we need to get her to talk to us.”

“How? She won’t even look at us!”

Fred tapped his chin with his fingers, his eyes narrowed in contemplation. “We need to make her talk to us. That means we have to get her in a position where she can’t escape and has no choice but to hear our apology!”

George grinned sinisterly. “What do you have in mind, dearest brother?”

“I think it’s time we saw just how well Miss Granger can tell us apart with a blindfold on!”

With matching, evil smirks, the twins got to work gathering their supplies for what was sure to be a long night for all involved, especially if Hermione had anything to say about the matter, and they were hell-bent on making her accept their apology, even if it took days, weeks even.

But first, they needed to execute the first step of their plan!

“We need to get rid of Ginny.” George decided, looking over their plan carefully.
Fred nodded, taking the parchment from his brother. “What will keep Ginny busy for a while?”

They exchanged glances, and stated in unison. “Harry.”

They found the Boy-Who-Lived playing toss the Bludger with Ron. Green eyes narrowed warily when they voiced their plan that he distract their sister for the night.

“Why?”

Fred slipped up alongside him and hooked an arm around his shoulders. “We’re mates, aren’t we, Harry?”

The dark-haired boy shrugged. “I suppose.”

“Well, mates help each other out,” George piped in, flagging his other side, “So we’re going to help you win Ginny over.”

Fred nodded. “We’ll even pay for whatever restaurant and hotel you take her to. Just keep her out and happy for the night.”

“You’re both up to something,” Ron observed, eyeing his brothers warily. “What are you planning?”

George gasped in mock horror. “How could you say such a thing, Ron? What sort of agenda could we possibly have for Harry taking Ginny out? Honestly? What could we possibly gain?”

Harry glanced at his best friend. “What do you think, Ron?”

The red-head shrugged. “I still think they’re up to something.”

Harry turned back to the twins. “You’re not planning anything, are you?”

Both boys put their hands up in solemn promise. “We swear we’re not doing anything to you, Ginny or Ron.”

The other two spared a look between them, and shrugged.

“Okay, but I’m keeping you to your promise!”

Fred and George grinned. “Absolutely, Harry.”