"I don't know Gin. I mean I love your brother more than anything, but I just feel stuck here. Like I'm not doing anything with my life here. It's driving my insane!" I said to Ginny while I was on my lunch break with her.

"Where would you go?"

"I don't know… maybe New York."

"So what? You're just going to leave us all here? Me? Harry? Ron? Neville? Luna? George? Fred? You know Fred will do everything in his power to either stop you or come with you."

"Yes I would. I want to start over. Where I'm not a hero. Where if I'm going to be famous I'm bloody well going to work for it."

"Again what about you and Fred?"

"And again I don't know. It's not like I wouldn't visit and write all the time."

"Somehow I don't think that would be good enough for Fred…" Ginny said hesitating a moment.

"…. Ginny what do you know that you are not telling me?"

"Do you know how many times I used to sit outside their door listening to Fred rave about you and for how long I did it?"

"No…?"

"I started counting when I was in my fourth year. Between then and the day they moved out, I sat there 78 times and listened to Fred go on about you for four hours each time Hermione. That's 312 hours. My brother is in love with you. Think about that when you leave. Oh and he's asked me about twenty different times if I thought you'd marry him if he asked." Ginny said as she walked out of the café we were eating at.

"Hermione? Break's over sweetheart."

"Okay Shannon. Thank you." I said as I took one more bite of my salad, then slid out of the booth Ginny and I were eating at then went back to the kitchen to grab my waitress apron. Yep, I Hermione zabini, war hero and brightest witch of her age am a fucking waitress. I hit rock bottom a couple of years ago when my adoptive parents were killed in a car accident and I was left with nothing but what I had earned myself to pay for the funerals as well as the debts they had. It was then Fred found me. I was a walking train wreck looking for a job. Lucky for me the twins had just fired Valerie. They gave me a job till I could get back on my feet. And I think Fred more than picked me up.

"Hello, my name's Hermione and I'll be taking care of you this afternoon. Can I start you off with something to drink?" I ask someone with false enthusiasm.

"Yes ma'am. I'd a steaming cup of you baby."

"Sorry either you can tell me what you'd like to drink or I can come back." I said sharply to the old guy.

"Oh alright. I'll have a Coke." He said placing his head on his hand looking dejected. I told him I'd be right back with his drink and turned around to leave. As soon as I turned around I felt a hand smack my butt. No one touches that but Fred. And I mean no one. I wheeled around to face him.

"Listen to me closely. Touch me again in any way shape or form and I can guarantee that a nice steaming pot of coffee will end up all over you when I trip. Got it?" he looked at me with wide eyes. "Good." I said before I turned back around and stalked off to the kitchen.

"THERESA?" I called into the kitchen.

"Yeah Hermione?"

"Can you take table three for me? I'll take any table of yours you want! Please!"

"Sorry baby I just got off," she said as she pushed passed the doors to leave. I cursed under my breath as I filled a glass of Coke. This is going to be a long table. I walked back to the table and placed the Coke in front of him.

"There you go, sir."

"Thank you sexy."

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me baby."

"Are you ready to order or can I go tend to my other tables?"

"No no you can go doll," he said as I turned around. Again he hit my arse. I stormed into the kitchen.

"VINCE!"

"WHAT'S ON FIRE?"

"Nothing. I'm just warning you there's some old guy out there, and if he touches my one more time I will dump a fresh pot of coffee on his dick."

"Unless you want to keep your job go ahead." He said as he turned on a heel and strode back into the storage room. I stood there, mouth gaping open before going to check on all my other tables then going to check on the freak.

"Are you ready to order or should I come back?"

"No, no I'm ready."

"Okay what can I get for you?"

"One slice of cheese pizza."

"Okay anything else?"

"Are you available?"

"Nothing else? Okay I'll get this right in for you." I swung my arm back as I spun around. He grabbed my wrist but I shook him off and went to the front of the café, grabbed a fresh pot of coffee, and walked back to the old creeper's table. He looked at me as I dumped the whole pot on his lap. I smirked as I leaned over and said, "Told you."

I walked back to the kitchen and found my boss standing there, arms crossed and tapping his foot.

"Yeah, yeah, I know, I'm fired." I said as I took off my apron and handed it to him as I began to storm out of the cafe.

"Wait Hermione," he said grabbing my wrist, "You're not fired. I'm sorry after watching that guy I understand the situation so keep your job. I'll take care of him. Okay?"

"Thank you so much Vince. I really appreciate it," I say re-tying my apron around my hips. I finished my shift and walked into the muggle library across the street. I checked out a few books, walked down the alley and went back to Diagon Alley and ended up at WWW. "Hey Georgie, where's your brother?"

"I have five brothers Hermione. Which one do you want?"

"Well let's see, I've dated one and haven't spoken to him since. And then rarely talk to Charlie. Bill's married and you are dating some new girl so that leaves the one that looks like you. Where's Fred?" I asked flatly.

"Here, there, everywhere," he said teasing me.

"GEORGE! Where. Is. He?"

"Storage room crabby." I glared at him over my shoulder.

"Thank you butt head," I said as he looked offended. I smiled and he lifted his head as a "sure thing" I'm guessing.

"Okay. There are thirteen of those, those, and those. There are three orders for that for kids at school so that means me need-"

"Thirty-nine of each," I said as I saw him struggling to think of the right number.

"Hey," he said pulling me into his arms, obviously very happy to see me. "How was work?"

"Usual. Boring. Nothing interesting."

"But didn't you have lunch with Ginny?"

Pulling away I said, "Yeah, she's not too happy with me right now."

"Why?" he asked in a confused tone.

"Umm... now's not the time," I replied not wanting to take his focus from work. "How much more do you have to do?"

"Quite a bit love, but don't worry about it, I got it. Go finish everything you need to. Okay?" he said snaking his arms around my waist once more.

"Are you sure?" I asked placing my hands on his chest looking into those gorgeous eyes perfectly place on his face. He placed a soft kiss on my lips. And damn, that's what I really needed. I never wanted it to stop.

"Positive. Oh! And don't worry about dinner tonight. Okay?" he told me smiling.

"Okay..." I said looking at him suspiciously but none of the less went up to our flat and read one of my new books for about two hours then got into the shower. I may have used all the hot water in the building but hell, I really didn't care. After I got out I blow dried my black brown curly hair, then straightened it so that it fell down my mid back.

"Hermione? Are you in here?" Fred called as I grabbed a bright red mini skirt from my closet and black band shirt from my drawer.

"Wow Herman that looks really good. So good it's monitory I take you out and show you off. Come on." he said as he ushered me back into out room to grab some shoes. I grabbed a black pair of heels and walked back out and laced my fingers with his as he walked me out of the flat. Somehow, even in my heels, Fred was still at least a six inches taller than me. He pulled me and apparated to a restaurant.

"You ok?" he asked after we landed.

"Perfectly fine." I replied as I stood after losing my balance in my heels.

"Okay. Let's go," Fred said lacing his fingers in mine again and crossing the street. "Hello reservation for two."

"Name?" The man asked scrutinizing me as we spoke.

"Weasley."

"Right this way," he said running his eyes over me before he led us to a table.

"She's perfect isn't she?" said Fred when he noticed the host looking me over.

"Hmm. Someone will be right with you," he said flatly turning on his heel and walking away. I looked across the table to see Fred with a nervous look on his face. Before he stuck his nose into the menu. Literally.

"Fred?"

"Yeah?" he asked looking up for a moment.

"Are you okay?"

"I-I-I-I'm fine. W-w-why do you ask?"

"Because you've started stuttering and you only do that when you're nervous."

"I-I-I-I'm okay. I promise."

"Okay," I said skeptically as I looked back down at the menu.

"Hey. Herman." I giggled at the new nickname he'd given me.

"Yes Fred?"

"It's in French."

"What is?" I said confused.

"The menu..." he whispered back

"Yes it is... I said slowly still not exactly following where he was going with this.

"I can't read iiiiittttt." He said reminding me of my first time at the burrow.

"I laughed. "I see and would you like some help?" He nodded and I began to explain to him what was on the menu.

"I'm sorry. Hi guys. Can I get you something to drink?" Our waiter asked when he came. We ordered our drinks and our food as well. Then Fred excused himself to go to the loo. I sat at the table waiting for our drinks and made a list of pros and cons of leaving for New York.

Pros

-New Country

-New Life

-Fresh Start

-A chance at my singing career

Cons

-Leaving everything I know

-Leaving my friends and family

-Most likely leaving Fred

-Having to find a place to live

I looked over my list at least a dozen times and the pros would have by far out weighed the cons despite the living concern. If it wasn't for Fred. I had then started of thinking of what Ginny had said earlier. "312 hours." And that's only what she counted. And then he'd asked her if she thought I'd marry him. My thoughts lingered at that moment on what my answer would be. Yes. Yes every single time. How could I just leave him just to start over? I couldn't and I wouldn't. Either I was going to stick it out or Fred was coming with me. I looked up to see Fred walking back from the bathroom his eyes bloodshot. That's it. I was going to get out what was bothering him if it took me all night. He sat down and gave me a shaky smile.

"Fred. What is wrong?

"Nothing Hermione. I promise."

"Fredrick Gideon Weasley. I am not stupid, nor am I blind. Do not treat me as such," I snapped getting officially annoyed.

"I know you're not Herman."

"Then tell me. Please Fred.

"You wanna know what's wrong?" I nodded. "Ginny stopped by the shop after you went upstairs."

"What did she say?"

"She said you were leaving everything and everyone and heading off to New York. And I just can't handle losing you."

"That's not what I had said. I had said I felt like I was stuck and I wanted to go but I didn't know-"

Fred cut me off. "Hermione have the last three years meant so little to you that you could want to take off to New York? If so... Go. I won't stop you," he said as he went to leave.

"Fred!" I called after him. That was the second Weasley to leave me alone in a restaurant that time of day. And that was SO not how I was planning to tell him I wanted to go to New York. Oh well nothing I could do right now. He told me to go. Guess I'll go.