Old Books and Firecrackers: Chapter VI

A Harry Potter Fanfic

Fred noticed Hermione sitting alone in the common room, so he grabbed his parchment, quill, and ink and plopped down in the chair next to hers. She had been civil to him all day, but didn’t speak much unless she had to.

He glanced at the wide array of books scattered around her and picked up Magical Remedies for Common Ailments.

“Mind if I borrow this?” he asked, opening it up to the index. Hermione snatched it out of his hands.

“You are not using my textbooks for your Skiving Snackboxes.”

“Relax,” Fred told her. “It’s for my Herbology essay. Though I do plan to kill two birds with one stone.” She looked at him darkly, but didn’t protest when he took the book again.

He should apologize. He knew he should, but he really didn’t want it to turn into another argument. “I know Harry is in detention,” he said, “but where’s Ron? Shouldn’t he be studying too?”

Hermione sighed. “Your guess is as good as mine. He’s been disappearing every night and I’m afraid his grades are going to suffer. And he’s supposed to be setting a good example as a prefect!”

Fred sat with the book open on his lap, but he didn’t read it. Instead he watched Hermione pour over her own book. “I’m sorry for yelling at you last night,” he said finally.

“I’m sorry too,” she said quietly. “I shouldn’t have said–what I said.”

He hesitated. He wanted her to understand, but was afraid of saying the wrong thing. “The first years were never in any danger, you know.” She said nothing. He forced a small smile. “I hope you don’t actually think I would do anything to them that might be dangerous.” She kept her gaze on her book. The smile slid off his face. “Oh.”

Now she looked up. “Fred–”

He waved her comment aside and looked back at the book. “Don’t worry about it. I don’t care what you think of me.” If only that were true. “It’s good to know where you stand, I guess.”

“No, it’s just–” she sighed and snapped her book closed. “To be honest, I don’t know what to think of you. You’re one of the smartest and kindest people I know.” His eyes snapped up to hers. “But sometimes–I just feel like you can be reckless and not think things through. Like the joke shop. I actually do think it’s a good idea. A joke shop would be perfect for you and George, but where are you going to get the money? Even the best ideas, if you don’t think them through, can backfire, and I’m worried.”

Fred smiled. He felt as though a heavy burden had been lifted off him. She thought it was a good idea! It wasn’t his mother’s approval, but it was something.

“And if we already have the money?” The look of fear on her face made him hastily backtrack. “I mean a plan for it, anyway.”

She crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair. “I’d want to know what this plan involves.”

Fred shook his head. “Much as I want to tell you, I can’t. But we have thought it out more than you think. And the same with the testing. We’ve tested all the products on ourselves. Extensively. They’re perfectly safe. The only reason we’re using the first years is to make sure other people don’t react differently.”

Her eyes grew wide. “Are you still using first years?”

He froze. “Uhh–”

“Fred! What are you thinking? Someone could get hurt, or you could get caught, or–”

“No one’s going to get hurt. Haven’t you been listening? We only test the products that work perfectly on them.”

She buried her face in her hands. “It doesn’t matter. You can’t test those things on younger students!”

He smirked. “So you want us to sell untested products?”

“Test them on someone old enough to make an educated decision to volunteer!”

“Are you volunteering?”

She shivered. “No. Who knows what you would give me.”

He laughed. “They’re not that bad.”

“Regardless, no.” She opened a new book. After a moment she spoke again. “I hope you know that just because I’ve stopped arguing for the moment does not mean I’m giving you permission to test those things on first years. If I see you doing it again, you will be in trouble.”

Fred grinned. “Of course.” He paused then said, “Are you really worried about us?”

She closed her eyes and rubbed her temples. “I’m always worried about you.”

He smiled and turned back to the book. When he finished his essay, he rolled it up and grabbed his ink and quill.

Hermione looked up in surprise. “Are you finished with all your homework?”

“No, but let’s be honest. If I went to class tomorrow with all my homework done, the professors would think I had cheated.” She pursed her lips and Fred laughed.

He got up and crossed behind her chair. He paused, put his hands on the back of the chair, and squeezed it tightly. “Hermione?”

“Yes?”

Before he could lose his nerve, he leaned down and kissed her cheek. “Good night.”

She looked at him and a small smile spread across her face. “Night.”

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