It'll all get better in time

Hermione looked at her empty room one last time. Everything was packed into her trunk. Grabbing her luggage, she prepared to apparate, but thought twice. The noise would wake the Weasleys and she couldn't afford being followed. Not if she wanted a chance to move on. Quietly, she walked toward the door, willing herself to not look back. If she did, she didn't know if she would ever leave.

She walked out of the Burrow feeling devastated. She knew things between her and Ron were over. She had for a long time. The magic was gone. The kiss they had shared during the war seemed to mean nothing to him now. Maybe it was all just done in the heat of the moment. If only it was meaningless to her too. How could I be so stupid? she thought.

"Going out for a stroll at this hour?" George's voice sounded hoarse. He hadn't been seen outside of his room since Fred's funeral.

Hermione, after overcoming the initial fright, thought about what to say, "Well I was just-"

"It's okay Hermione, I was wondering when you'd come to your senses." He chuckled but the sound was nothing compared to what it once was. It sounded tired. "You know, for being the brightest witch of your age and a Gryffindor, it took you a while to leave him."

Hermione was left speechless. "Umm. What do you mean?"

"You don't love him. You may think you do, but you don't. You deserve better, and I'm sure that person is waiting for you." He took a moment and looked up at the sky and looked back at her. His eyes showed so much pain. "Go find them Hermione. They are a part of you even if you don't know it and if you lose them, a part of you will be gone. You don't want to live with that. Trust me." Hermione's vision blurred as she fought, and failed, to keep her tears from spilling. He truly lost half of himself she thought.

"Will you give him this?" she handed him a letter she was going to originally send via owl. She hugged him and began to walk off, but stopped soon afterward.

"Hey George?"

"Yeah?"

"I know you said I don't love Ron, but I think I do"

"Not in a way that would've worked"

She thought about that for a moment.

"So who is it that deserves me according to you?"

"I think we both know the answer to that" He looked deeply into her eyes "Or well, maybe only we knew…"

We…. "George?"

"Yeah?"

"He really was your other half wasn't he"

"I never saw a future without him. I always felt him. I knew when he was sad, frustrated, in the mood for a prank. Now I don't feel anything. He's not coming back is he?"

Hermione thought about her parents. As a tear rolled down her cheek, she whispered "He's not."

Sensing that she was familiar with the pain, he asked "Does the pain go away?"

"No." she sighed and smiled "but it'll all get better in time"

She had her back toward him so she didn't see the first smile to grace his lips since Fred's death, but she somehow knew things would turn around for both of them. She thought about Hogwarts and apparated to the front gate, leaving George to his thoughts.

Once Hermione was gone, George looked down at the parchment in his hand. Curiosity got the better of him and he opened the letter.

'Ron,

When you asked me to marry you, I was ecstatic. I had fallen head over heels for you. The war was over and we could settle down and have some well-deserved peace, but you and Harry had different plans. You left less than a month after the war was over to begin your Auror training without even a "good bye". Harry visits Ginny often, but where are you? He always says you're busy, but send your love. Does he only say that out of pity? I look back and wonder what we had in common aside from aiding "the-boy-who-lived". You only have room in your mind for food and I love being surrounded by books. I have decided to leave you. By the time you read this letter, I will be long gone. If you truly meant what you said when you proposed, look for me. I won't say I'll be waiting because I should be moving on. If we're only meant to be friends, let me know. Please don't give me false hopes.

Once yours,

Hermione'

George tore apart the letter and incinerated the pieces. It would all get better in time, but, knowing her brother, he would chase after her only to have the cycle continue. Hermione didn't need him holding her back. With a sigh and one last glace at the night sky, George headed indoors, thinking about the list of possible additions to the Weasley Wizard Wheezes products he and Fred had made that was currently somewhere in his room. He had to keep the store alive; it was what Fred would've wanted. "It's about time the entire wizarding world knows about Weasley Wizard Wheezes. Ready Fred?"

A gust of wind blew through as George opened the door to the Burrow. "Ready George"

George stopped in his tracks. "Fred?" had that really happened? Maybe it would happen again "Hey do you think you and I are the only ones to know who Hermione likes?" no reply "You know, I'm starting to think she's not that smart…" another gust of wind passed by and carried Fred's laugh.

George smiled one last time before heading inside to look for that list. Maybe he wasn't alone after all…

A/N: So this is a one- shot but I don't know if I want to make a story where Hermione finds the one. What do you guys think?