It Started with a Dream - Fremione

Chapter 6 - Diane and Paint

Hermiones POV

For three weeks after, my life remained the same. I went to work at the joke shop everyday, Fred came over to assist with renovations, and I tried my hand at flirting slash seducing him many times. One time George locked us in the office by messing up one of their experiments. It took hours to find the correct charms to release us. We spent that time laughing and playing things like 'never have I ever'. We got very close to kissing, but Fred backed off again. The next opportunity I had was when he was helping me arrange the office. I got stuck behind the file cabinet leading him to terrorize me while I was back there. He leaned over to help me push it away from the wall, only to stop when our faces were inches apart. Surprise, he backed off again.

After our first lunch together, Fred held true to his promise. He took me to lunch every single day. Sometimes we would go to my house to cook, once the kitchen had been finished, to his apartment above the store to do the same, or the cafe. My face had been all over the prophet for two of those weeks once I had stopped covering up everything I loved about my body. I remember Fred bringing me the paper on Saturday grinning.

'War Heroine Hermione Granger: Not so Good Girl?'

Much of the headlines were similar. Apparently seeing my tattoos sent a bunch of the older wizards and witches into a tizzy. At this point in my life, I couldn't care. I fought in a war to protect them at 17, they could get over it. Wedding planning for Ginny had relaxed a bit. We had gone to Diane's store a couple times to get jewelry and extra little items we might need. Diane met us for girls night the past few times we've had it.

I was to the painting stage of my renovations now that I had installed the flooring. I was become a little handyman with all of the stuff I was doing. This weekend I would be in my garden to make sure it's all kept perfect for the wedding. Thank Morgana for magic because I could keep all the flowers fresh and alive. I didn't exactly have the best green thumb.

At the shop I had finally finished organizing the several stacks of Fred and George's papers. I actually found quite a few orders they never received. Now I was in communications with those companies to right that. The boys probably wouldn't have noticed at all. Their lab below the shop was where I was now. I offered to clean up after their latest experiments. I wanted to get away from the books for a minute. That wasn't the real reason, but that's what I said.

I had made no progress with Fred. We spent so much time together, but nothing more than a few heated conversations and small touches occurred. I felt like I was ready to burst from all the sexual tension. I scratched my head and adjusted my wand which was holding my hair up at the moment.

"Mione, Ginny's here to see you...again." Fred had come down the stairs as I was organizing their shelves of supplies. His eye roll made me giggle. Ginny had been here almost everyday. She was in her off season for the harpies and was bored out of her mind. I followed him back up the stairs to see what she wanted today. I heard her laugh before I saw her. She was standing with Diane next to an aquarium of giggling guppies, George's invention of fish that giggle. I honestly don't know what people saw in that one, but they sold like crazy.

"Hey girls," I said drawing their attention from the fish. Ginny looked to me, but Diane's eyes stared past me.

"Hi," she almost whispered. I turned my head to the tall man standing behind me.

"Hello," Fred said offering a sloppy grin. I felt my entire day just shatter. Diane moved past me and began a conversation with Fred. I stood in my spot not moving.

"I'm Diane."

"Fred, nice to meet you."

"Oh you're one of the twins," she said. I could hear the smile on her face. Fred must've nodded or something because she spoke once more. "Ginny you didn't tell me your brother was cute." Fred laughed loudly at that. She placed her hand on his chest and batted her eyes at him.