Author: Sazmuffin

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Harry Potter

A/N: This is a Hermione/George oneshot. Not my best, but meh. Reviews and crits and flames are welcome!

Weather

Why the weather never showed his emotions, George never knew. It always seemed that if someone is his home were happy and merry, it'd be sunny and warm, with birds chirping and the water in the nearby creek ice cold. It would then change to the feelings of the next person, and so on. It always seemed that George was skipped, in this circle, for he was torn.

If, by chance, the weather did show poor George's emotions, it'd go along as if the hardest storm in history hit, as if the sun shone more brightly than ever, as if the coldest snow had fallen. He was angry, happy, and hurt, all rolled together in the body of George Weasley.

It never seemed George was so upset, since he looked like one of the most carefree beings that walked this Earth. The way his feet dragged as he walked, the way his long bangs fell into his face, the way he was so comfortable on a broom stick, the way he handled his business with his brother. No one would've guessed that the woman he fell for all those years ago was Ms. Hermione Granger.

The only problem with a wooing-said girl, was that his youngest brother had already claimed dibbs on her. They had been together for only a mere six months, but it was common knowledge that Ron and Hermione would hook up one day, be it until death or until Hogwarts was over.

Their relashionship would never be anything more except him looking at her from afar. In his eyes, Hermione was so perfect it was almost unreal. Fred, being his twin, knew of the infatuation with her, and tried to see what George saw, but he couldn't. Hermione to Fred was just an innocent girl, about to have a very complicated life, what with being Ron's girlfriend.

"Beauty lies in the eye of the beholder," George told him, time after time whenever this event occurred.

At this point in his life, he was staying at home on account of the new year approaching. As always, Harry and Hermione came to the Burrow, much to George's dismay. He was afraid he'd do something stupid and end up having both Hermione and Ron hate him.

Too late.

As soon as he laid his eyes on her, every feeling of love came back to him. He fought to keep his legs from betraying him, but then it was she who walked to him.

"Hey, George. How are you?" she asked, giving him a sisterly hug.

"Fine," he smiled, but in his head he was screaming for her to stop.

"It's good to see you again. How's the business going?"

"Great, Fred and I just launched a new product," George said, fighting to keep his voice under control.

"What's it called?"

He held a finger to her lips and said, "It's a secret."

She rolled her eyes and played along, but then she replied, "I guess I'll just have to find out for myself later. It was nice talking to you," she gave him a big smile and walked around the other members of the Weasley family.

A short while after, George excused himself and walked upstairs, to his room, and slammed down onto his bed, ranting into his pillow. He hated himself for thinking these things about her, he hated that he was going for his brother's girl, and most of all he hated that he couldn't have her. When he was growing up, he and Fred always had dates, but he could never work up enough nerve or gut to ask Hermione.

Turning over, he saw that his legs and feet hung at least six inches over his bed. It's about bloody time, he thought. Those beds were even too small for Ginny. Looking up, he saw the stocky frame of his brother, Charlie, at the door.

"You're getting older, George. There is going to be a time when you fall for a friend's girl. Even if that friend happens to be your brother," he said, as if he knew from experience.

"How do you know?" he snapped.

"I fell for one of Bill's once," he admitted, sitting down in the small space between the end of the bed and George.

He sat up, and replied, "You did? What did Bill do when he found out?"

"He didn't do anything because he didn't know. The girl did, though. As it turns out, she felt the same way for me when I told her. We snuck around for a bit, until Bill broke it with her. He had said he wanted to be alone, but I didn't believe him. I felt so bad that I had been with her while he had, that I begged him to take her back. He wouldn't. And still to this day I don't know if he knows the truth."

"I don't want that to happen to me and Ron. . He may be a git sometimes, but he is still my brother .."

"You should tell both of them, George, when the time is right," Charlie patted his brother's knee, stood, and walked out of the room George and Fred shared.

George let his head fall back against the wall. Tell Hermione that he fancied her beyond all reason? Tell Ron that he fancied his girlfriend? How would he be able to do that? Tangling his fingers into his ginger locks, he tried to think clearly . . .

Jumping down the stairs three at a time, George reasoned that he wouldn't get himself killed before actually having told the truth. He was just so enthusiastic that he couldn't wait to get this off his chest and to see her reaction. Of course it could be her walking backward in horror and disgust after he told her, or her jumping into his arms and declaring love of the highest accord for him.

Walking into the large and crowded kitchen, he saw his brother, Harry, and Hermione, all talking together at the table, whispering so no one would hear them. Hermione looked very serious, Ron a wee bit queasy, and Harry very relieved. George guessed he must've told them something that had happened over the summer that he couldn't tell them in owl post. He turned his head slightly to one side as he gazed at her, noticing how her eyebrows grew closer together as she thought hard. .

Pacing over to the table, he placed his hands down on it, to get their attention. Having Hermione look up at him almost made his heart stop with joy, but he got to the point.

"I need to say something to Hermione," he told them, glancing at each.

"Okay," Ron said, waiting.

George glared at him and then added, "Alone."

Hermione's eyebrows raised ever so slightly as she heard this, but then she shrugged and stood. "Where to?"

He took her hand, even surprising himself, and led her to the past the rickety stairwell, away from the family clock, and outside into the garden. George lifted their hands so they could be seen by both of them. "Hermione, I need to tell you something."

"Yes, we established that," she said, laughing, but still not removing her hand. "What is it you need to tell me?"

George winced, and breathed in and out a few times to calm his nerves. This worried her, and she looked up into scared eyes.

"George? What is it? Are you okay?" Hermione lifted a hand up to his cheek, thinking it was something less serious than love.

The fourth Weasley man closed his eyes, savoring the feel of her hand against his skin. "I'm fine, Hermione. . I just need to tell you that for the longest time .. I-I've. ."

"You've what?" the was a hint of desperation in her voice.

"I've felt things for you that I shouldn't be feeling. ." George opened his eyes, expecting to see something, but receiving something much, much different.

"George, it's okay. I know that I annoy and aggravate you sometimes, but that's what our relashionship is! Me getting on your nerves about the wacky stuff you do," at this point, she was giggling and had removed both hands from George.

"No, Hermione, you don't understand. . It's got nothing to do with our past fights. These feelings I'm talking about, are feelings that another in my family feels for you. . Feelings of happiness and frustration and passion all rolled together into one person!" Hermione opened her mouth to speak, but George continued. "I hate to do this to you, but I've felt all these things for you since your fourth year. . I love you, Hermione. ."

Hermione looked so shocked George was afraid to might faint. He was about to call for someone, when she said, "I'm so sorry. ."

"What?"

"I'm sorry. . I don't. . I don't feel that. . For you," she said, her nose runny and her eyes welling up with tears. "I'm going to do you a favor, George. I'm going to pretend like this never happened .." She hugged him, barely reaching his shoulders, and then walked back up to the house, leaving George standing there. .

The End