George crept down the stairs of the Burrow from his room on the second floor toward Ginny's room on the first. This had sort of become routine whenever he couldn't sleep. He did feel bad for waking her, but she had made it clear that she didn't mind one bit. After Fred died sometimes it seemed like the only thing that kept his grip on sanity was his little sister's calming smile and understanding words. He put his good ear to the door and listened for a moment. Dead silence. That was odd. Ginny was a snorer. It was soft and kind of endearing, but a snorer nonetheless. When he went to turn the handle it was locked. Curiosity got the better of him and he slipped an extendable ear beneath the door.

At first there was nothing really, then he picked up the sound of labored breathing. Before he could even wonder what the hell was going on, little quiet moans of pleasure joined the chorus. George was frozen with disgust. His little sister was making those sorts of noises, not something he enjoyed hearing. Was Harry in there with her? The thought made him shudder and a small amount of protective anger rose in his chest. Yeah, they were both old enough to be smart about that kind of thing, but it didn't mean he was going to like it and it definitely didn't mean he wanted to hear it. He was just about to pull away, go back to his room, and pretend for everyone's sake that this never happened, when something stopped him in his tracks.

The voice mewled his name. A soft moan of pleasure that clearly said George. A shot of desire ripped though his abdomen and would have disgusted him to no end if at that very same moment he hadn't realized that it wasn't Ginny he was listening to. It was Hermione. And then he couldn't bring himself to pull away, or even move. George listened as her moans became a little more intense and his name fell from her lips numerous more times. Desire settled in his gut, tying his insides into hard knots. He heard the bed creak under her ministrations and couldn't take it anymore. He had his wand out and the door unlocked before he could give his actions a second thought. The girl gave a yelp of surprise and George shut the door behind him, thankful that the silencing charm she had used would still be intact.

"How…George, get out!" Hermione was trying franticly to cover herself with her arms and was failing quite miserably.

"You really want me to leave, 'Mione?" His voice was thick and low and sounded a bit unnatural. He grinned at her confused expression, moving a step closer. "I can undo a locking spell in my sleep and silencing charms are no match for an extendable ear." Realization dawned on her face and was quickly replaced with embarrassment.

"You heard…?"

"Every moan. Every time you whispered my name." George was nearly at the bed. Hermione shuffled back against the headboard, pulling her knees against her chest. She wouldn't meet his gaze and her face was as red as his hair.

"Urm… sorry… could you, please leave? Pretend this never happened?" She probably should've been angry that he'd been eavesdropping, and she probably would be later, but at that moment she was too mortified to do anything except try to make him leave. He chuckled darkly.

"Not bloody likely."

"George…" Her voice trembled and her eyes met his. When had he gotten so close? Silvery moon light filtered in from the window, illuminating the left side of her face and her right arm from shoulder to elbow, which was still wrapped tightly around her knees. The rest of her pale skin was visible, but dimmed by the veil of a shadow. The bed squealed under George's weight when he sat, tracing the milky-white skin of her forearm and calf. Gooseflesh erupted wherever his fingers skimmed and Hermione shivered.

"Yea' 'Mione?" She couldn't find her voice and shivered again against his touch. She bit her lip and felt him lean closer. His hand moved up to her opposite shoulder, gripping her upper arm as if he was afraid she was going to pull away. George's lips met hers and for a moment they were both frozen, unable to move, but Hermione sighed and relaxed into him. Well as much as she could with her knees pulled up to her neck. One hand moved from around her legs and tentatively placed her palm against his chest, right over his thumping heart. He pressed further into her, pinning her body fully against the headboard, his hand moving up to tangle into the back of her hair. The kiss became more urgent as one of his calloused hands danced across her smooth flesh, the other firmly planted at the base of her skull. She mewled his name again against his lips and his reciprocating moan was much more guttural.

George moved his kisses to her jaw, licking and biting against the expanse of skin then down her neck, his stubble scratching her slightly. He found purchase at the spot where her neck met her clavicle, loving the sounds that fell from her mouth. As he continued his ministrations, his hand moved from the back of her head to her left wrist, attempting to pull her arm away from her legs. Hermione resisted at first, but gave in, loosening her grip on her legs and allowing them to unfold away from her body. George pulled back, drinking in the sight of her nude body. She blushed and moved to cover herself again, but he caught her wrists, shaking his head. "You are beautiful." The way he looked her in the eye, she could feel the sincerity of his words. And it made her feel confident. She leaned closer to him, her fingers nimbly began working on the buttons of his shirts.

"And you are wearing way too many clothes." She pushed the article off his shoulders and he finished the job, tossing it onto the floor. Then his mouth was covering hers again, their tongues meeting in the middle, battling for dominance as Hermione unbuttoned his pants. George grabbed her wrists in one hand, pinning them above her head against the wall behind her, stretching her naked body out in from of him. It took a lot of willpower to keep focused on her face, and even more to force out his next sentence.

"Are you sure about this?" She nodded, almost eagerly, pressing her mouth back against his. He relaxed for a moment, but then pulled away, grimacing. "This is so wrong… You're Ron's…"

"Ex-girlfriend. And can we please not talk about him right now. Actually, can we please just not talk right now." George smirked, eyes going wide in slight shock.

"Hermione Granger, what a perfectly indecent thing to say." She smirked, initiating another kiss.

"I'm thinking of galleons of indecent things to do to you." She mumbled against his lips. He groaned and pressed into her. George gained a bit of control and pulled away again.

"This is wrong." The pained expression on his face made Hermione feel a tad bit guilty. She wiggled one of her hands free of his grasp and touched his face.

"No. This is right." Her lips lingered so close to his that she could feel his warm moist breath. "And maybe a little wrong." A smirk played on her lips when she touched them to George's once again. "You need to stop been so uptight." His hands ghosted down over her curves.

"That's my line." He parted her lips, exploring the inside of her mouth with his tongue then sucked her bottom lip into his mouth. Massaging and nibbling the soft piece of flesh with his teeth and tongue. He pinned both her wrists against the wall again and her head leaned back as he moved down her neck.

"George…" His name was a breathless moan in her throat, her eyes fluttered between closing in ecstasy and wanting to watch him tease her skin. And tease her skin he did, every inch until Hermione was practically begging him to touch her in a place a little more intimate. "George…" Her voice was more of a demand this time, a needy moan. He moved back to her lips.

"Patience." He wanted this to last as long as possible. Hermione didn't want to be patient, she wiggled her hips in protest and George chuckled. "Tell me what you want love." He whispered, eyes glimmering on hers.

"George…" He grinned.

"Well it's pretty obvious you want me. I need a little bit more specific than that, love." Hermione grunted in frustration, using her body to push him backwards onto the mattress so she was straddling him.

"You talk too much." Her hand made quick work of the fastenings on his pants and pulled them off his body. She smirked and placed her hand against the bulge of his tented boxers. George hissed and pulled her mouth back against his. She did just as he had done to her. Kissing, licking, biting, even scratching every inch of his skin, except the place where he so obviously wanted to be touched.

"'Mione…" He moaned her name and she smirked against his skin, her fingers dipping just barely beneath the waistband of his boxers.

"Tell me what you want, love." George growled slightly at her using his words against him and rolled them over, so Hermione was pinned between the mattress and his warm body. Hermione opened her mouth, but the sudden interruption of a sharp knock on the door made them both freeze.

"Hermione? You awake? You locked the door again, have you seen George? He wasn't in his room. Hermione?" And then George was gone, with a pop he had apparated from the room. Hermione didn't even have time to process the sudden coldness that his absence brought, she had never hated her best friend more than in that moment. She grabbed her blanket off the floor and covered her whole body, including her head, pretending to be asleep. Ginny unlocked the door when she didn't receive an answer. She must have fooled her because within ten minutes Hermione could hear her soft snoring. Hermione was wide awake now and more wound-up than she could ever remember being in her entire life. She tossed the blanket aside and threw on the first set of clothes that her hands landed on.

Then she was tiptoeing up the stairs toward George's room. She could of apparated, but she was afraid that in her state she might end up splinching herself. She didn't even knock before walking in, not that it mattered considering the room was empty. Where the hell would he apparate to? He was in his boxers for Merlin's sake. The thought made Hermione think to grab a random shirt and pair of pants off the floor before heading down to the kitchen. He wasn't on the main level either and she figured he wasn't in the Burrow at all. He couldn't have gone far. It was a cool night and she knew she had to find him. Her first thought was the meadow a quarter mile or so to the south of the Burrow. She didn't have the time or patience to walk that far, so she took out her wand and was gone with a pop.

George was exactly where she thought he would be. The sight of him on the ground in his boxers would've been comical, except that there was nothing funny about George kneeling in front of Fred's grave. Hermione approached silently, reverently, and leaned over with his clothes stretched out in front of her. "Put these on. You'll freeze out here in naught but your underwear." He took the material from her hands, his face conflicted as he met her eyes for a moment, then looked away. George pulled the shirt over his head, then stood and slipped on the jeans.

"You're wearing his shirt." George said, not looking at her. Hermione didn't have to ask to know he was talking about Fred. She looked down and realized that she had in fact put on the shirt she had taken off George earlier. She hadn't known it had belonged to Fred though.

"Oh, sorry. I'll, uh, go take it off…" The redhead shook his head, attempting to meet her eyes again.

"No, it's alright." He was doing his best not to look awkward, it wasn't working too well. He ran a hand through his already disheveled hair. "I don't even know why I apparated here. I don't remember thinking it." Hermione stood closer to him, intertwining her fingers with his.

"I know." She didn't know, but she did know that he didn't have to be consciously thinking about Fred. Fred was always there somewhere in his mind. She felt his body tremble and at first thought he must be cold, but when she looked at his face she saw the tears. Hermione wrapped her arms around his slender waist and held him tight. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

"You're sorry? Ginny's the one who should be apologizing. Little prat ruined a bloody brilliant night." George chuckled, trying to laugh away the tears. She loosened her grip on him and smiled lightly.

"You don't have to do that." George frowned slightly.

"Freddie's alright, right? He's up there and he's alright. So I guess that's all that matters. I mean, yeah, it hurts, bloody hell it hurts, but I'll see him again." Hermione couldn't help the tear that slipped down her cheek, George brushed it away with his thumb and she leaned into his touch. "None of that now." He smiled. But Hermione frowned. He was the one who needed comfort, not her. He was the one who lost the most important person in the world to him, not her. She decided the best way to cheer him up would be to be optimistic with him. She smiled, not a fake pathetic even-Malfoy-could-tell-you're-faking smile either. She pulled on a freaking shit-eating grin that stretched from one ear to the other. This made George give a small curious smile.

"You know if he were here he'd tell us both to stop being pansies and make some sort of joke that would make us laugh like everything's right in the world." George gave a nod.

"He would." Neither felt the need to add, if he was here, everything would be right in the world. They both looked at the headstone for a moment in silence, Hermione squeezed his hand with hers. "You're not half bad, Granger." Hermione smiled to herself, in George words he might as well have called her amazing. "Why did that git brother of mine let you go?" She grimaced and sighed, she had to talk about it sometime. Now was as good a time as any.

"We just… fell out of love I guess. That sounds stupid, but… I guess I don't really know what happened." She rambled slightly, but it was true. Ron just told her one day it was over. It was odd, she wasn't really even sad. Angry, yes, about how he did it, but not heartbroken. George tugged lightly on her hand and they began the trek back to the Burrow.

"If that's it, why such the aversion to talking about him?" Hermione smirked at him.

"Considering our situation at the time, Ron was not what I wanted to be thinking about." George waggled his eyebrows in a suggestive manner, which made Hermione laugh.

"I see. Wanted to be thinking only about me. I get that. I'm a pretty fine specimen, I am."

"Actually I was picturing Gilderoy Lockhart in my head." She spoke with as much seriousness as she could muster but burst into laughter at the look of complete and total disgust on George's face. He shook his head as if trying to rid himself of unwanted thoughts.

"That's not even funny. Don't even joke like that." He shuttered again for emphasis. "Ew."

"Oh come on. Where's your sense of humor?" George nearly said, six feet under, but thought better of it. He couldn't keep the dark thoughts off his face completely though and Hermione gave him a sorrowful look. He released her hand, rubbing the back of his neck for a moment, before letting it fall to his side. "I should be angry at you, you know." She mumbled pensively.

"And why is that?"

"Why? Oh dunno, maybe because you eavesdropped on me, barged into my room in the middle of the night, and snogged the daylights out of me without so much as asking first." George gave a snort of laughter.

"I didn't hear you complaining before. Oh George…" His voice went up an octave on the last two words and was far too airy and high to sound remotely close to her voice, but the way he also sounded breathless made it clear to what he was referring to. Hermione blushed furiously at his incessant teasing.

"I don't sound like that." She countered lamely.

"Sure you do, love." George slipped behind her, making Hermione stop mid-stride. His lips hovered near her ear, brushing against her hair. "You talk too much." His voice was high and airy again, but not as breathless, more determined this time. Hermione turned, pushed her palm against his chest to create a little space between them. Her face was still bright red with embarrassment, but her eyes looked a little angry now, maybe slightly hurt. She looked like she was going to say something or yell at him, but her jaw clamped shut at the last moment and she turned and stormed away. "Hermione!" George called after her, his voice apologetic and a little exasperated as well. She didn't stop so he caught up to her, grabbing her wrist to stop her.

"What?" She snapped, turning back toward him. Tears glistened on her face in the moonlight and George frantically wiped them away with the hand that wasn't still around her wrist.

"I was just messing Hermione. Only joking. Really." This wasn't like her. Crying, getting so upset about being teased. George didn't understand. So he gave a small smile. "Where's your sense of humor?" This seemed to make her angrier. Brilliant.

"It isn't funny, George. It isn't. It's fucking embarrassing and I'd appreciate it if you'd let me go. I've embarrassed myself enough for tonight I think and I would like to go hide under my blankets until morning." He simply stared at the seething girl for an extended moment. Had Hermione Granger just said the f word?

"What's embarrassing Hermione? Honestly, I was only joking…" Her anger was gone, replaced by a sheepish and very self-conscious look that simply didn't belong on her face.

"I know I'm noisy, I don't need you to make fun for it. Ron did, plenty of times." She realized how that sounded and turned scarlet again. "I mean Ron and I never actually… but when we were making out or whatever…" Her eyes looked anywhere except George, this was all far too embarrassing.

"You and Ron never…" George sounded a little… surprised? Relieved? Hermione pulled out of his grip.

"No well… I mean we were always at Hogwarts or here… I guess it never felt right…" She still wasn't looking at him, wondering why she couldn't seem to shut her mouth. "I would've normally never let you get that far either, but you caught me off guard and in a rather compromising position." George couldn't help but chuckle at the way she made even that situation sound so platonic. Laughing, however, didn't appear to be the right thing to do in that moment. Seeing she was about to storm off again, he pulled her closer with the hand that still had her wrist.

"Ron is a git. Let me let you in on a little secret, 'Mione, if I tease you about something, it's because I like it." He waited for her to realize what he was saying without him actually having to say it, but she just looked more confused. George gave her a lopsided smile and pinched one of her curled locks of hair between his fingers. "It's like a boy pulling a girl's hair because he wants to feel how soft it is, but he doesn't want her to know that."

"That's stupid. Why not just say how it is?" He rolled his eyes, always the logical one. Then she blushed again, it seemed like a permanent condition with him around, realizing what he was telling her in its entirety. "Oh." It was a whispered gasp of realization. He wasn't making fun of her being vocal. The opposite actually. His hand moved from her hair to the side of her face, gently caressing her jaw with his palm. This all seemed way too fast for Hermione. They weren't even a couple for Merlin's sake, all they had was an extremely intense snogging session. That hardly qualified for heartfelt conversations and the way he was touching her at the moment. But Hermione couldn't pull away, she didn't want to pull away. She had known George since first year at Hogwarts, given back then he was just an immature prankster to her that just happened to be Ron's older brother. She couldn't really say exactly when she began to develop feelings for him. It happened over time, snuck up on her. Tragic that she realized it the day George's world was turned upside down, the day Fred died.

"Hermione?" Her eyes refocused on his, golden brown meeting green hazel, and she realized she had zoned. "What are you thinking?"

"This is all happening a little fast, don't you think?" She croaked. Her voice was thick and she realized thinking about that day always had the same effect on her. Hermione cleared her throat.

"This?"

"You know what I mean, George. Whatever this—" She gestured at the two of them with her hands. "—is."

"We've known each other for over seven years Hermione." She smiled because he was right. It wasn't like he was some stranger. He was George. He smiled down at her, tucking her hair behind her ear. The moonlight shone brightly on her face, hiding her freckles and making her skin glow. "You're beautiful." He breathed and her eyes fluttered shut. George's lips touched hers, tentatively, almost like he was asking permission and Hermione pressed further into him, melting against his lips once again. His tongue skimmed along her lower lip and her lips parted, granting him entrance. Her tongue met his in the middle this time, brushing and pushing in a delicious sort of dance.

Then without warning the sensation of being pulled through a rubber straw hit Hermione full force. They were apparating, still wrapped around each other. When they landed Hermione was completely disoriented, she hated side-along apparating and doing it without warning made it worse. She was fairly certain that the only thing keeping her standing was George's arms as he bodily moved her backwards. His lips were still moving feverishly against hers and she responded with equal passion. She didn't even have the opportunity to get properly oriented, all she could focus on was his lips, his hands, the way his chest moved against hers with every breath. She didn't even know where they were, but when she felt the back of her legs hit a mattress she assumed they were in his room.

Hermione fell back on the edge of the bed and George climbed over her, leaning her back against the pillows, and he settled on the other side of her, leaning over her slightly. All without ever breaking their kiss. When his kisses moved across her jaw and neck, turning into love bites, Hermione couldn't help craning her neck to give him better access or the small moans that slipped past her lips. "George…" Her voice shook, it was uncertain. She was getting to the point where he was clouding her rational thought, to the point where she wasn't sure if she'd be able to tell him to stop. George seemed to understand. He moved back to her lips, placing a final kiss on her mouth before relaxing back on the bed and wrapping an arm around her waist. He pulled her close, nuzzling her hair with his nose.

"Guess I just can't help myself." He chuckled, voice low with arousal.

"I'm a pretty fine specimen, I am." They laughed quietly for a moment and Hermione sighed. "I should probably go back to Ginny's room." But George held her waist a little more tightly.

"Please. Stay… I just, don't want to be alone." She couldn't have denied him if she wanted to. Prior to these last two months, George had never been alone. Fred was always with him, the two were practically joined at the hip. She wrapped her hands around his forearm, pulling it up so she could hold it against her body, placing small kisses on his rough hand.

"I'm not going anywhere."

Hermione knew it was late by the time she had fallen asleep, but she didn't realize how late. It was noon the following day by the time she awoke, George's fingers tracing gentle patterns on her arm. She yawned. "How long have you been awake?"

"Not long. We slept through lunch you know. Mum thought I must've died or something."

"You're mum seen us sleeping…?" She asked and turned so she was facing him, suddenly worried. George shrugged.

"I told her it was innocent. I think she actually believed me." Hermione chortled.

"Innocent is not a word I would use for last night."

"What she doesn't know can't hurt u…me." George caught himself, him and Fred used to say the phrase all the time. He had to get used to saying 'me', not 'us'. Hermione smiled gently and kissed his jaw.

"Oi, George- bloody hell…" The suddenness of the outside voice made Hermione nearly jump out of her skin. Ron was standing in the doorway looking furious. He stormed off without another word. George sat up, about to follow Ron, but Hermione grabbed his arm.

"I'll go talk to him."

"I'm his brother…"

"Yes, but there's less of a chance of him punching me." She smiled. "Let me talk to him." George gave a nod and she jogged out of the room just in time to see Ron disappearing up the stairs. She went after him. "Ron!" He ignored her. "Ronald Weasley!" By this time she was one the landing above the second floor, Ron was a few step ahead of her, but he turned back.

"What?"

"You have no right to be angry!"

"You were in bed, WITH MY BROTHER!"

"It wasn't like that, and even if it was, you broke up with me!"

"Wasn't like what Hermione? You're wearing his bloody shirt for Merlin's sake!"

"You broke up with me! Almost two damn months ago, you have no right to behave this way! So what if I like George, so what if he likes me? What does it matter to you?"

"I don't know! I mean, yeah we broke up, but… does it really have to be my brother?" Hermione glared.

"Who would you prefer Ron? Should I make a list of who I can and cannot see? Right hypocrite you are, don't act like you haven't been running around snogging any girl who'll give you the time of day." Ron turned a little red at her words.

"Er… you know about Katie then?"

"And Lavender and Parvati. You're not allowed to freak out on me because I'm starting to like someone else." Ron sighed and nodded, seeming to understand how irrational he was behaving.

"So why George?" Hermione smirked.

"He's sweet and funny and a very good kisser." Ron made a face.

"Hermione…" He complained.

"What? Were still friends, I'm not allowed to tell you things?"

"You can tell me anything you want, 'Mione, unless it involved snogging my brother." Hermione laughed and nodded.

"Alright." She waggled her eyebrows in a very George-like manner. "So Katie Bell huh? Going for older women now?" Ron laughed.

"George has already begun to rub off on you. I actually really like Katie and she's only a year older than me." Hermione spotted a small fleshy blob creeping up the stairs. She motioned to the extendable ear and gave Ron a wink.

"I know we're not together anymore, but want to go on a date Friday night with me?" Ron smiled in such a way that Hermione knew that he was going to play along.

"What about Katie? And George?"

"No one has to know, I just need to blow off a little steam. If you know what I mean." Hermione said suggestively.

"Alright, 'Mione. It's a date." George suddenly burst into the stairwell, looking angry and quite hurt. Hermione simply grinned.

"This, my good sir, is why we do not eavesdrop." He looked between her and Ron, realizing that he had been played. This however, did not seem to ease his aggravation. He shot Ron a scary look that clearly said leave. Ron obeyed only after receiving a reassuring nod from Hermione. George took the stairs swiftly up to the landing on which Hermione was still standing. His presence was overwhelming, he wasn't even touching her and she felt like he was all around her.

"You are a cruel witch." Anger emanated from his body and he stepped toward her until she felt her back hit the wall. He was within an inch of her, but still not touching. His eyes locked on hers. "Playing with a man's emotions like that." Hermione wasn't sure if she should feel scared, but she didn't. She felt… aroused.

"G-George…" She bit her lip, unsure what to say. He grunted and then was literally all over her. His lips met hers with a bruising force, his body now flush against hers, his hands holding her wrists against the wall behind her. His hands moved from restraining her wrists, following her curves down until they found her hips. He lifted her off the ground, pinning her to the wall with his body, so her lips were level with his. Hermione instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist, every movement caused her hips to brush against his. His lips broke away from hers, and he hissed out a curse before he began to ravage her neck.

"It wasn't funny 'Mione." He mumbled against her pulse-point, the vibration sending an electric shock through her system.

"Stop being so uptight." She breathed. "Where's your sense of humor?" He growled and sunk his teeth into the flesh of her neck, nipping and sucking afterwards. Hermione knew he was marking her, but she couldn't bring herself to care. She moaned quietly at the sensation, grinding her hips purposely into his. His mouth stopped for a moment.

"Dammit, Hermione." She did it again and he responded by pressing her hips against the wall his hands, forcing her to still. "Hermione." His voice was more a warning that time, but she pressed her lips against his and wiggled her hips as much as she could. She knew fighting his grip would cause her to bruise, but she couldn't help it, it felt too damn good. "Merlin, Hermione! Stop wiggling!" George gasped.

"What if I don't want to?" George made a low, throaty sound before forcing her legs from around his waist and setting her back on her feet.

"Do you have any idea what you're doing to me?"

"I believe the term is 'snogging'." Hermione smirked.

"Really? I thought it was 'drive George insane'." He said, voice low and rough. She gave a mischievous grin and brushed her hips against his once again.

"Well, that too." Her voice was barely a whisper as she looked up at him through her eyelashes. His eyes were dark on hers for a moment, pupils dilated with his arousal, and then in one swift movement he had slammed Hermione back against the wall, ravishing her mouth, hands exploring everywhere. "George!" Hermione cried out in surprise, but then was cut off by his intense kisses, strings of moans and incoherent noises of pleasure escaping from her throat. She felt his hardened arousal pressed against her thigh and instinctively shifted and bucked her hips.

George let out a guttural moan at the feel of her warm center brushing purposely against his bulge and nearly took her right there in the middle of the stairwell. Instead he apparated them to the only place he knew they'd get a semblance of privacy in that house. There wasn't a single moment gap between reappearing and George ravishing her all over again. He murmured incantations as he began undressing Hermione, because at the moment George only knew two things. Hermione was noisy. And he was going to make her scream his name to the high heavens.

Fin

A/N: Read and Review :) perhaps if I get enough reviews I'll add what happens next ;)