Disclaimer: All characters and ideas from the Harry Potter series belong to the lovely J.K. Rowling, though I covet them regularly, and I make no profit from this story; I only get personal enjoyment out of doing with the characters as my mind pleases.
"You can do this. It's not like you have to give him every reason under the sun, you just have to tell him how you feel and hope he accepts it. You care about him too much to not tell him. Just go in there and tell him with a smile on your face." Once she concluded her pep talk, she opened the kitchen door to the Burrow and stepped inside. Suddenly rueful that she had intentionally picked a day where everyone but Ron was out and about preparing for the start of term, she padded softly across the floor, through the den and began to make her way up the stairs to her almost-boyfriend's room.
However, upon reaching the landing to Ron's bedroom she was greeted with the sound of moaning in a register that was definitely high above Ron's. Steeling herself for what she was certain was going on behind the almost-closed door, she pushed it opened and stepped inside. What she saw upon entering caused more sadness than she wanted to admit. There he was, sprawled on the desk thrusting wildly as none other than Daphne Greengrass rode his dick like some stupid American tramp on one of those Muggle mechanical bull contraptions. The display was infuriating and nauseating in a violent way, but Hermione took two long strides until she stood, parallel to the desk, watching Ron as he finished, most likely prematurely. Hermione broke through the couple's oblivion with trite applause. Ron and Daphne were jolted back into reality as she gave them both a sickeningly sweet smile and declared, quite sarcastically what a magnificent performance Ron had put on, really, before she strode out of the room without a second glance.
As she flew down the stairs, ignoring Ron's pleas with her to stop as she heard the rustling of bed sheets-no doubt trying to half-ass clothe himself to come after her, she couldn't help but chuckle that Ron had undoubtedly embarrassed himself with his bed partner for finishing so quickly. In her absentmindedness she barreled straight into George as he, Molly, Arthur and Ginny all returned from their trip to Diagon Alley. "Oh! I am so sorry George!" she said meekly as the remaining Wealsey twin caught her in his arms to keep them from both falling into the kitchen table. Looking up she saw his brown eyes had a very tender look in them-too tender to be innocent; she also noted that his arms stayed wrapped around her for a few moments longer than appropriate seeing that, as far as he knew, his younger brother was dating her. The scene around them came back to life as a door slammed upstairs and Molly helped Hermione out of George's slightly unwilling arms.
"Mrs. Weasley, it is so good to see all of you but you've caught me on my way out. I was just leaving from...er...a quick visit."
"Oh, Hermione dear, won't you stay and have dinner with us? We eat at 6:30 every night, but, you already knew that didn't you dear?" said Molly. Sometimes it was hard to believe that such an unbelievable ass like Ron could possibly be this sweet woman's son.
"Thank you so much for the offer, really, but I have to go. My mum will be wondering where I am, I didn't tell her I wouldn't be home for dinner." As she spoke she saw the undeniable disappointment on George's face so, when he offered to walk her to the apparition point on the outer edge of the garden, she was hardly surprised. Taking the arm George offered, Hermione waved goodbye to her second family and walked silently, trying to hold back her anger. Her efforts were to no avail though because, once out of sight of the Burrow, George stopped abruptly and turned to her. " 'Ne, what has my git brother done to drive off such a beautiful lady?" Smiling at his pet name for her, she responded in a clipped tone "Don't worry Georgie, the beautiful woman is probably still there. I'd even wager that she can't find her knickers in that disaster he calls a bedroom."
Stunned at the implication of Hermione's words, he stared at her for a long moment before wrapping his arms around her and pulling her to his chest. The moment her head touched his broad chest she began to cry not out of sadness because of a lost love, but because after all they had been through Ronald Billius fucking Weasley didn't care enough to break things off before taking someone else to bed. No, they had never had sex, but the point was he didn't think enough of her to be faithful. That thought sent her from quiet cries into a heavy sob.
As he looked down at the girl...no...woman in his arms coming apart at the seams, from what he thought was heart break over a lover, he couldn't help but feel disgusted at himself even more than he was at his prat of a brother. All he wanted to do was take her for his own now that Ron had obviously been stupid enough to throw away the best woman who had ever walked into their lives. He wanted to hold her forever and make her forget that Ron even existed. He wanted to lift her up on a pedestal and treat her like the queen she was; but at that moment she was his to comfort and console, nothing more. 'After all, if she had tried to start a romance with me while I was in the throes of grieving for Fred I would have...well, perhaps that's not a good example,' the thought to himself, 'I would have been with her in an instant. After all, I've been slowly falling for her since before the War was fully started. And she was the only person I would let near me after Fred was gone for the first two months. The first time she gave me a kiss on the cheek I 'bout melted, didn't I?'
George was all the time looking at Hermione in the most tender yet possessive way when she looked up to meet his gaze, interrupting his inner dialogue. She had come round from her intense crying jag when she realized the way George was stroking her hair in a very intimate way; it wasn't at all sexual, just protective, comforting, and very familar. The look in his eyes was that of a man completely smitten and something else, but she wasn't quite sure what that something was.