When prankster meets bookworm

Magical hands: part 2

She groaned as she rolled her shoulders. She didn't know what she had done, but her back was hurting so much. And not only her back actually... Her neck and shoulders seemed to have decided to torture her as well while she tried to make up a schedule for what Harry could teach them that Wednesday. She had only find time now because of all the homework and revision she had to do for her owls, but it had been her idea to start the D.A. and Harry was busy enough already so she had offered to make up schedules of what they could see during their 'classes'. The fact that she was the one staying up till past midnight, easily slipped her mind. Stretching her back and rolling her shoulders once more, she winced in pain.

"You alright there Mione?"

The brunette looked up to see the only three other people still in the common room. The twins and Lee had been working on some joke stuff ever since she had started on her work, but they had been so quiet she almost forgot they were there with her.

"Yeah, I'm alright." She lied terribly. The moment she had turned around so she could see Fred and the others, she had groaned because her body didn't agree with that movement and she knew the guys had noticed it too.

"You're a terrible liar you know." George scoffed, rolling his eyes at the fifth year.

"Kinda disappointed in you, Mione." Lee spoke. "If you can't even lie to us, how are you gonna lie to all the big, bad Slytherins and the pink toad?"

She knew they were just teasing her, but her face fell anyway. That was one of the things she had been worrying about too... How were they gonna keep this a secret and make sure no one got expelled because of actions she had supported?

She didn't look up when she felt the weight of two hands that got gently placed on her shoulders.

"You're too tensed, Mione." Fred spoke softly. "They were just joking around." He started knead her tensed muscles and she bit her lip to keep herself from groaning again. "Your shoulders feel as if they're carrying the weight of the whole world."

George and Lee had walked over as well and sat down in the empty chairs next to the couch Hermione was sitting on.

"With the amount of paperwork you have laying around here, I wouldn't be surprised if you actually did release Atlas from his task." George muttered, looking at all the parchment covering the table. Hermione looked at the boy, a brow pulled up high.

"Don't be so surprised, Mione. We do know our ancient Greek." Lee joked. "You're not the only one who reads."

"I don't doubt that. I have seen what you three have managed to make... I would be surprised if that was all luck." She leaned into Fred's hands a bit more as he started rubbing circles over her neck to release the stress. He was doing her an immense favour.

"Look at that. I think that's the first positive thing we've ever hear you say about our merchandise." Fred chuckled.

"I have said positive things about your magic." Hermione murmured, trying to come up with an example.

"I doubt that." George answered.

Hermione opened her eyes again and looked closely at both Lee and George before turning her head slightly so she could look at Fred. None of them seemed to be insulted, they were just stating a fact. Fred gently turned her head back so he could go further with her neck, giving her a gentle smile.

"I think I've only heard you tell us off about testing the products and being reckless and stupid." He said. "But it's alright." He shrugged his shoulders.

"After all you just want to protect the small first years." George said.

"The three of you do some extraordinary magic." Hermione said quietly. "I might not show it often but I'm really impressed by what you're doing. I can only wish to be as good as you sometimes." The last sentence was barely a whisper.

"Did I hear that right? Hermione Granger, impressed with us?" George asked, pulling up a brow.

She decided not to answer and closed her eyes again, just giving over at the feeling of Fred's hands loosening up her muscles. For a while, it was just a comfortable silence that filled the common room, only interrupted by the soft sound of a quill on parchment.

"We're going to bed. You coming Fred?" She heard George ask.

"Nah, I still owe our dearest Hermione a massage so I'm just gonna finish it."

She guessed Lee and George had left the room because suddenly even the sound of quill on parchment had disappeared.

"You should look after yourself, Mione." Fred muttered, his hands going down to her shoulders after he had loosened up the muscles in her neck. "Your body... It's so tensed. You don't have to carry the weight of the world all by yourself."

"If someone is carrying the world, it's Harry, Fred. But thank you for your concern." She muttered.

"Can you lay down for me?" He asked. She laid down for him on the couch, opening her eyes to look at the ginger.

"You know you don't have to do this, right?" She asked quietly. "I mean, I like giving massages so you don't have to pay me back for it."

"Are you enjoying this?" Fred asked quietly, sitting down next to her on the couch, and letting his hands travel over her back, before starting to work on her upper back so he could work out the knots that were present there.

"I definitely could use it yeah." She said softly. "Thank you."

He kept sitting next to her and kept massaging her back. He payed attention to every single knot in her back and by the time he was through with every single one of them, Hermione was fast asleep.

"I wish you would take care of yourself, Mione." He whispered softly. "It hurts me to see you like this." He kissed her forehead before conjuring up a blanket. It was two in the morning, he knew she had nine am classes. He could better let her sleep than disturb her night rest even more. Making sure she was comfortable, he went up the stairs and with a last look at her. He went to bed.