“Human beings are funny. They long to be with the person they love but refuse to admit openly. Some are afraid to show even the slightest sign of affection because of fear. Fear that their feelings may not be recognized, or even worst, returned. But one thing about human beings puzzles me the most is their conscious effort to be connected with the object of their affection even if it kills them slowly within.”
- Sigmund Freud
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“Are you positive it’s safe?” she asked again, eyeing the present which was covered in wrapping paper of a nude and dancing Santa in her lap.
George’s face split into a thoroughly unreassuringly evil grin, while Fred feigned a look of hurt as he placed a hand to his heart. “Why, Hermione! Are you saying you don’t trust us? After everything we’ve been through?” And he pretended to wipe away a single and nonexistent tear.
Hermione fought down a smile. “Fine. I’ll open it, but if I die, I’ll kill you.”
Fred chortled and both twins slid into the spare seats on either side of her. This soothed her trepidation somewhat, knowing that whatever was inside was not bad enough to have the twins taking large steps away. She tore away at the paper to reveal an innocently while box, and slowly she lifted up the lid.
Hermione stared down at the harmless looking Santa hat and coffee mug, wondering for longer than she normally would have done if she had not accepted the glasses of wine Ginny offered her why the twins would give her such a present. But then it hit as she recalled their new invention.
“You gave me one of your embarrassment hat whatchamacallits?” she asked.
“We did, yeah,” said George, nodding. He leaned in and picked up the hat. “You can set it to the most recently humiliating moment, or the worst one.” Hermione watched him turn the little fluffy ball at the tip around. The word Recent appeared briefly in golden letters. “When you’ve done that, you find your victim and conveniently offer them a hot beverage.” He nodded over to Fred, who was holding the mug.
“You fill this with whatever you want,” he explained, “coffee or hot chocolate usually, and offer it to your victim, sliding on the hat as they go to drink it. They’ll get a blank look in their eye, which is your cue to sit back, watch the images in the mug, and enjoy the ride.”
Hermione frowned, mulling it over. “Isn’t this an invasion of peoples’ privacy?”
Fred shrugged. “We’ve worked to prevent any really, reallllly embarrassingly inappropriate moments from showing themselves, though…”
“We think we succeeded, but we can’t be sure. Which is where,” George grinned, wiggling in closer to Hermione, “you come in, Hermione, dear.”
She took in the identical devious glints in their eyes with apprehension. “What exactly do you want me to do?”
“Well, George and I have tested it, and we think it’s okay and safe to sell to the public, but we need an outsiders opinion to test it for us.”
Hermione’s head whipped around to look at him, and then back to the other. “Oh no. There is no way I’m trying out that hat.”
“Aw, c’mon Hermione!” whined George. “We’re pretty sure it’s fine.”
The words ‘pretty sure’ stood out the most to her.
“Why not just get Harry or Ron?” she asked, indicating her head to the Christmas tree, where both boys were stationed grinning and talking with Bill about the new broomsticks each got.
YOU ARE READING
A Wonderful Fortuitous Love
Fanfiction"You see, Draco Malfoy, without your sarcastic replies to endure each morning and that arrogance only you could carry, I find myself somewhat missing you." Draco thought the biggest problem living for a year under the same roof as Hermione Granger w...
