Back To December
So my cousins like Taylor Swift, as does a friend of mine. I do not like Taylor Swift, but I find that this is one of her songs that isn't as annoying as the rest. Actually, it isn't half bad. I wanted to do a George/Hermione, and this was it. Yes, I had to kill Fred. I'm sorry, but it had to be that way. Basically, George and Hermione get together in her 6th year, she breaks up with him when she's on-the-run (looking for Horcruxes) and gets a chance to see him in December. She asks for forgiveness.
I dedicate this one-shot to a good friend of mine, ritzbitz14, who just started on . She likes Harry Potter and Taylor Swift. She also helped me with some ideas on the story.
~GreyEyes7
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter (or any characters, settings, or items that you might recognize). Nor do I own Back to December by Taylor Swift.
It was nearing midnight, and he really shouldn't have been working, but he was. It helped him. It helped him to forget. The happiness that he brought to others helped him to forget the horrid things that he'd seen and done. It helped to blank out the war, his losses, and… the two that he loved.
George Weasley was a simple man. He respected Albus Dumbledore, Fabian and Gideon Prewett, Harry Potter, the Marauders, and his brother. Oddly enough, only one out of that small list made it through both wars. He wore his hair the same every day. He and Fred both grew their hair out so that it covered their ears (just so that they could be identical again). It worked for awhile. When Fred died, George cut his red hair back to the way that they'd always liked it. He wore muggle-inspired robes that looked much like a suit, but had a certain… wizard likeness. He wore magenta robes when the store was open. He was 6'3", and was muscular from Quidditch. His eyes were the deepest blue. He was identical to his twin.
When Fred died, George didn't know what to do. Fred was his best friend. No one could tell them apart except for… her. His heart ached when he thought about Fred and her. He wished she had stayed.
He heard a knock at the door. It was soft and barely noticeable, especially to someone with only one ear, but he heard it. He put down his prototype and moved to the door, quietly. He pulled his wand and prepared for some Death Eater who wiggled their way out of the chance to go to Azkaban by saying that they were under the Imperius. A lot of times, they tried to bring their Lord back.
It wasn't a Death Eater, though. It was her. She looked as beautiful as he remembered. Her honey-colored hair was in perfect, albeit slightly bushy, curls. Her eyes were the color of toffee. Her skin was flawless. He towered over her height of 5'6", and he loved her womanly figure with her flat stomach, generous curves, and long legs. He loved that she wore no make-up other than gold eye-liner. She wore skinny jeans, a Gryffindor t-shirt, and her favorite gold high-tops. He loved everything about Hermione Granger.
He opened the door. She was barely audible when she said, "Hey, George. May I… may I come in?" Not saying anything, he moved to the side, allowing her entrance. Hermione's small body moved inside and sat on a stool near the cash register. He sat opposite to her. "How's the family? I haven't seen them in awhile."
His guard was up. He was rigid in his seat. "Ginny's playing for the Harpies. She and Harry are getting married next month. Bill and Fleur had another baby. Percy and Audrey got married. Ron's proposing to Lavender soon."
"How about you?"
"I've been good. The shop's busier than ever. I'm not sure if it's because the products are great or because I have twice the work load." They sat in silence for a long while before he asked, "Why are you here? You left and… I really needed you. When you left, you just went. Your explanation was—" he cut himself off. Hermione recalled their break-up.
"I'm sorry, George."
"I don't understand."
Her eyes drifted towards the snow, as she was determined to look anywhere towards his face. White. So white that it sparkled. "We can't be together. If they find out what happened between you and I, they'll come after you."
"Hermione, they come after me, anyways. I'm in this war, too, you know."
"I just don't want them to hurt you. They've taken away everything I love, and I don't want to lose you, too. When the war is over, I'll come back. I need to go now, though. We need to end. They can't know about you. I won't have it."
"Love, wait—"
"I'm so sorry, George. I love you. I always have and I always will."
"I told you that I'd come back."
"Why'd you wait so long, Mya?"
She froze when he used that name. He was the only one to ever call her that. "I needed to gather my thoughts. I just… I couldn't stand it. I left to protect Fred and you. When Fred died, I knew that I had failed you. I thought that you'd be mad."
"Be mad?"
"That I did it for nothing. That I threw what we had away for nothing. That night… if I could go back, it wouldn't have happened. I would be here with you, still. All I ever think about is you and how I've failed. I failed. I can't sleep—I'm constantly reminded of my failure. In my 3rd year, my Boggart was failure. I'm living my greatest fear. I miss you so much…" Their minds both drifted back to the summer before her 6th year.
"C'mon, 'Mione! Live a little!" Fred yelled.
"I will not 'live a little', Fredrick Weasley! Using your pranks on—"
"The others in the house is the same as using them on helpless 1st years," Fred and George recited. Hermione huffed.
George swaggered over and leant down next to her, breathing into her ear. "I dare you to, Mya." Her breath caught. "Do it."
"Fine," she whispered. 30 minutes later, Ron was a canary.
School started again, and Hermione owled George constantly. They both made excuses for it, but everyone knew what was really happening. One day, the girls were going up to their dorm when an owl came and knocked its head on the window.
"Who's it from, 'Mione?" Fay Dunbar asked.
"George."
"Oh! Another from George?" Lavender gushed.
Mya,
Ron told me that there's a Hogsmeade weekend coming up on Saturday. He only told because he was asking Fred and I how to properly ask some girl out on a date. Lavender, I think. Hermione smiled to herself. Lavender would be happy. She'd fancied Ron for ages. Fred and I will be there because we're setting up a store there. Fred's meeting Angelina for lunch and I was wondering if I could do the same with you.
I solemnly swear that I'm up to no good,
George Weasley
Weasley's Wizard Wheezes
Hermione's grin widened. She pulled out a quill and parchment and wrote back.
George,
Lavender will be excited. I can say that I'm disappointed that Ron didn't tell me, yet he told you. Just kidding. Or am I? What Hermione didn't know what that George loved her odd sense of humor. Congrats on the second shop. I'd love to meet you for lunch.
I solemnly swear that I'm up to nothing but good,
Hermione Granger
Student of Hogwarts
He looked down on her, still in love. He wanted to wrap his arms around her petite frame and forgive her for all of her mistakes. She'd done that, before.
She looked up at him. His skin was still perfectly tanned and his smile was as sweet as ever. She wished she could wrap herself inside of those muscular arms of his, just as she did when he first saw her cry.
"George," Hermione called, entering Grimmauld Place. The Order was around the table, discussing ways to retrieve Harry. Everyone looked up. Every single member was stunned. Tear stains marred her rosy cheeks. Water swelled within her eyes.
No one spoke as George bolted over, wrapping his arms around her. "What happened, love?"
"They're gone. Gone!" she sobbed.
"Who?"
"My parents."
"What do you mean?" he pulled back and bent over, putting a hand on either cheek and forcing her to look up at him.
"I… I Obliviated them. I wanted them to forget all about me so that if the Death Eaters came, they wouldn't know anything. I made them think that they lived in Australia. I went back to the house today to check and make sure that they'd left. The… the Dark Mark was above the house. When I went in—" she collapsed on the floor in a fit of sobs. George picked her up, bridal-style, and floo'd them to WWW, where they laid in his bed. She let her tears all out, and he comforted her by not telling her lies like 'it'll be alright'. He told her the truth. 'I love you', he had said.
"I still love you. I promised you that I always would. I kept this," she said, holding up her left hand, where a diamond-encrusted band clung to her ring finger. He was shocked, not knowing that she kept it. "Maybe I'm just carrying water to sea," she sighed. "I had just hoped that I hadn't failed you. That's all I've thought about this past year." He didn't realize that it was the anniversary of the Final Battle. Well, he had, which was why he didn't go to the honorary ball at the Ministry. It was why he buried himself into work that day more than ever. It just hadn't dawned on him when she came that she had on the anniversary of what she thought was her failure. "I just want you to know that if I had a time-turner, I'd go back. I swear that I would. I get if you don't want to—" she was cut off by his lips.
The feeling was one that she missed. She loved the way that he held her, the way that she felt tiny in his arms. She loved everything about him.
"I love you," they whispered, simultaneously.
"Swear that you'll never leave, again."
"I swear."
"No, I mean swear." He got onto one knee. "Marry me, Hermione. Before, I asked and knew that we'd marry someday. I ask, today, wanting you to marry me, now."
"Now?"
"Yes, now. Like run down to the Ministry and do it. Just go for it. I don't want to lose you, again. I love you too much."
She smiled, "Yes. I never wanted to leave, but I didn't want you to be mad at me. I've dreamt of the day we'd marry since I was younger."
"Then let us fulfill both your dream and mine."
"What is your dream?"
"Holding you in my arms, again."