Kind of inspired by the story of Ron's proposal in my previous fic 'Bad Timing' - not that you have to read that though! Rated for the Weasley language.

A one-shot of Ron and George discussing Hermione, Fred and the things that need to be said. Brotherly love.

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Things That Should Be Said

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"Wow. That is actually quite nice," George praises his younger brother appreciatively. "Good choice little bro, didn't think you had this ability in you."

"Yes, the hard part is truly over, isn't it?" Ron replies moodily before snatching the ring back. He sinks into his office chair, a fake wand squawks before turning into a chicken wearing a Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes jacket. Ron angrily chucks it away.

"Why the hell are you so pissed off? Shouldn't this be a happy occasion? Or do you really think she'll say no? Can't say I would blame her – imagine waking up to your ugly face every morning for the rest of your life."

Ron scowls as he turns the little blue box over in his hands. A purple pygmy puff bounces around his head, the chatter of excited school children wafts into the room. George begins to shoot stink pellets at the pygmy puff, eventually missing and hitting Ron on the nose.

"Oi!"

"Merlin you've got a rotten temper. So," he continues quickly in an attempt to keep angry Ron at bay, "Hermione. The ring. The question. Which is the problem?"

"Nothing. Everything. I don't know."

"Well that clears everything up."

"I just… Is it the right time? D'you actually reckon she will say yes?"

George rolls his eyes. "Listen, Hermione – for reasons unknown – thinks the sun shines out of your every orifice. As crazily independent as she is, she's probably been waiting for you to ask for ages. She will say yes and she won't give a shit about the way you say it."

"Yeah but I want to say it right. She's so good with words and I'm –"

"Inept? Mental? Brain dead?"

"Well, shit with feelings and stuff was what I was going for. But yeah, I suppose all three of those things could work."

George smirks as he unties an order form from the owl that had just flown into the shop. Ron rushes away to scold two teenagers mucking around with one of the love potion displays.

"So, yeah," he continues after returning, "now we've established that I am inept, how do I do this? I mean, deep down I think I know that she'll say yes but I want to make it…." He trails off rather embarrassedly.

George raises his eyebrow before Ron continues gruffly, "She means so much to me and I want to let her know. I want this to be special. I don't want to screw it up by being all….me."

Ron is looking down at his hands, absent-mindedly picking at one of the numerous small scars on his fingers.

That's how you could always tell Ron was feeling a particularly strong surge of emotion. Oh sure, there was the Weasley blush which Ron had always had a particularly strong case of. However, the Weasley blush only indicated rage or embarrassment. The telltale sign for Ron, who had always been embarrassed by feeling too much - despite his emotional nature - was that he always glanced down at his hands, as if avoiding eye contact would make things less embarrassing and would make this emotions less obvious.

George had witnessed this behavior many times over the years. The most prominent memory of it being shortly after the funeral, the first time Ron had really talked to him since it had happened. He had walked up to him slowly, wringing his hands together with every step he took, and threw himself down unceremoniously into the seat next to George. He bowed his head, staring intently at his clasped hands and said, very ineloquently, that it was shit that Fred was gone but he didn't know what he would do if George was gone too so he was "fucking glad" he was still around. It was a little speech that might have been insensitive from anyone else, but it was Ron and that's probably as heartfelt as it gets from him. He can be a git but Ron was the only person who was truly honest with him that day and it helped George – a lot.

Ron was still looking at his hands, the scratch he was picking at slowly becoming inflamed. "Look, Ron," George starts, "If she's in for the long haul, it'll have to be all 'you'. I'll admit that what you say sometimes isn't the most... sophisticated but what you do say – it's the truth. It matters and you believe it. I'll never forget what you said to me after Fred… It was and is shit that he died but you reminded me that I am still here and that's what people care about."

Ron looks up from his hands, "Of course people care, George."

"I think I knew that but hearing it from you… It put everything into perspective. So, in terms of Hermione, it doesn't matter the way that you ask, it doesn't even matter how you say it - just say what you feel and she'll say yes."

"But, where do I start? I mean," his gaze returns to his lap, "I just feel so much, y'know."

"Well, yeah, I do."

Ron looks at him questioningly. "I've had a few girls over my time little brother, and this latest one is pretty special, but they are nothing compared to what you and Hermione have – I don't think anyone could match that – but the closest thing I can think of is how I feel about Fred. He's my soul mate."

The questioning look turns to disgusted horror. "Eurgh, you and Fred? That's disgusting! Merlin I –"

"Oh fuck up you git, not in that way. Soul-mate isn't just a romantic term."

"It isn't?" He quips, obviously unconvinced.

"Of course not. I mean it can be but it doesn't have to be. Fred was my brother, my best friend, my business partner, my twin. We finished each other's sentences. I know everything about him and vice versa. It didn't feel right when we weren't together. It would freak me out to be honest. I could tell exactly what he was feeling or thinking by just looking at him. We just worked and fit just the right way. He was, and pretty much still is, my everything. D'you know what I'm saying?"

"Yeah, I actually do. It's the exact same with her. Well," Ron smirks, "some things are maybe a bit different." There's a pause as George turns to file some papers. Ron gulps before saying, "How did you ever let him go? I don't think I could ever do it. I couldn't go through what you went through."

Ron and George had definitely become closer over the years. Of course they were brothers before hand but after becoming business partners, they had finally become proper friends. They were honest with each other, sometimes to a fault except for one thing – they rarely talked about Fred or the feelings associated with him. Ron wasn't sure if he had over stepped the line asking, but it was the most they had talked about him in a long time and given the fact that they were both kind of putting their hearts straight out there, he figured that this would be the one time he could ask.

George stiffens before taking a deep breath. "I'm not going to lie, but… it was horrible. I wouldn't wish it on anyone. That's why you should do it though, one moment it could all be… Well. I know that we never said those things to each other but it was there and I wish I did say it." He turns and sniffs loudly, "Which is why you should say it. It won't matter how garbled or stupid it sounds because Hermione will just know it already but saying it… Saying it will just make it perfect because some things should be said, even if it feels like there's nothing to say, no way to explain it or that it just can't be said. Because it matters, it really does."

"Mate," Ron begins nervously, "Fred knew all this, you know he did."

George smiles, "Yes, but like I said, you've just got to say it sometimes. And Hermione, you've known her for Merlin knows how long and been in love with her for about a year less than that, she will just love you even more for it."

"And I can kill you if she says no?"

"I suppose so."

The two brothers gaze at each other, a shared understanding evident in their eyes. Ron reaches out to squeeze his older brother's shoulder; George extends his own arm to clap Ron on the back.

"You're a good brother, y'know?"

"That is one thing I do know, young one."

"Of course you do but some things, they should be said."

Hope you guys enjoyed that! I see Ron and George becoming really close after the war and I hope I captured their new found relationship in the right way.