A/N: Sorry guys, this is the end. This story was written for a contest at the Third Floor Corridor.

Brighter

Chapter 8: Lucky

Beth and Fred walked slowly around the town, not saying much. Beth was really nervous being around him, but she had had a few shots of firewhiskey at the pub, so she wasn't as bad off as usual. She was actually a bit giggly. Fred smiled down at her and she melted again. That smile could kill. She wondered if George had the same one, and if it affected Hermione the same way. She sighed out loud and smiled back at Fred.

"You know, you might be seeing more of me, Beth." He winked at her.

'Oh really?" She raised an eyebrow. "And why is that?"

"Well, George and I have a meeting with a landlord here tomorrow. We might open a shop."

Beth squealed. "Oh that's fantastic! I won't have to use your mail order system anymore!" She grinned.

Fred laughed. "You better be careful. You're Headmistress now!"

"So?" Beth shrugged. "I like slipping my students fake wands now and again." She smiled. "So, if you get the space for the shop, are you going to be here for a long time?"

Fred shook his head. "Well, long enough to build, get the shop stocked, and then get people to run it for us. But we'll be here on occasion to check on everything."

Beth nodded. "Well I insist that you come to the school for dinner when you're here."

Fred's eyes lit up. "Food? Wicked!"

"Well, I think we need to go meet the love birds." Beth giggled.

"You think that's what they're saying about us?" Fred asked.

"Probably are."

Fred put his arm around her and they began walking to Honeypie's Sweet Shop. He stopped in his tracks. Beth looked up at him curiously and then to where he was staring. There was just some couple snogging on a bench.

"What?" She asked him.

"Well, would you look at that?" He pointed.

She took a closer look at the couple, and couldn't believe her eyes. It was Hermione and George on the bench in front of Honeypie's; snogging like no one else was around. Beth's jaw dropped.

"Wow."

"Yeah. Talk about making a move. Go George!" Fred grinned.

"I think we should give them some more time…" Beth said, turning around.

"Yeah, give them time to GET A ROOM!" Fred said loudly as he turned around and began walking away, smiling.

Beth followed him. "So, what do you want to do till then?"

"Well, my twin has given me a few ideas…" He said grinning mischievously.

Beth slapped his arm playfully. "Fred! We've only just met!"

"I know, I was kidding." He smiled at her.

"Well, I'll give you this and that's it." She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. "And, there's plenty more where that came from." She winked at him and began walking ahead. Fred was frozen in his spot. He knew his ears were red also. He put a hand up to his cheek and grinned, before running to catch up with her.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

6 Months Later…

"I'll expect your essays to be finished by the beginning of class on Friday. You're dismissed." Hermione said to her class. They all got up and left the room noisily, some calling their goodbyes to the Transfiguration Professor.

Hermione sighed and gathered her paperwork and shoving it in her bag. She began the short walk to her room, when she ran into Beth in the hallway.

"'Mione! There you are!"

"Hey, Beth. What's up?"

"Well, I wanted to let you know the boys are coming up tonight for dinner." Beth grinned. The boys she was speaking about were the Weasley twins, of course. They had been working in their shop that had just opened in Holly Hill, and were taking Beth up on her offer of free dinner at the school on a regular basis.

"Oh really?" Hermione blushed. She couldn't believe she still did that. She and George had been officially dating for 6 months already, yet she still blushed when she thought about him.

"Yes, of course. You know them. They think with their stomachs." Beth smiled. She and Fred had been seeing each other for a few months also. It was really nice that her friend was dating her boyfriend's twin, because they could relate to each other. It was disturbing how many habits the twins shared.

Hermione sighed. "Wow. I feel like its only yesterday he asked me out."

Beth smiled. "Yeah, I remember that day all too well. You two, snogging in front of Honeypie's, not caring that you were in public."

"I can't even believe I did that! It's not like me at all." Hermione blushed again. "He makes me forget about all that stuff though. That's why I love him."

"Yeah, his brother is just the same, I promise."

The two women headed to drop off Hermione's stuff, and then down to the entrance hall, where two tall red heads were leaning against the wall, deep in conversation.

"Hey!" Beth called out, running at Fred and nearly knocking him over. A few of the students walking past laughed at their Headmistress, as they were used to her sudden crazy outbursts.

"Well, hello to you too." Laughed Fred, catching her in his arms.

George held his arms open, and Hermione snuggled into him. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head. "Missed you." He whispered into her hair.

"Missed you, too." She whispered back. Their moment was broken by Fred's stomach grumbling loudly.

"I think it's time to eat then." He rubbed his tummy.

"I agree, dear brother." George grinned.

The four walked into the hall, and up to the teachers table. Beth leaned over to her and smiled. "How did we ever live life without these two?"

Hermione smiled, and looked over at George, who smiled back. "I honestly don't know."

-End-