Just a quick one-shot I wrote. Hope you like it.
George Weasley walked into the Gryffindor Common Room with the rest of his team, earning cheers from the group of students gathered inside. They all had soaking clothes and muddy shoes; the Quidditch match against Ravenclaw had been incredibly rainy and muddy, though the Gryffindor team had come out victorious.
After twenty minutes of talking to excited Gryffindors, George decided to take a break from the large crowd, and walked out into the deserted hallway. He heard someone follow him, and turned to see Hermione Granger climbing out of the portrait. She looked up in surprise at George.
"Hey," she said, walking toward him. "What are you doing out here?"
"I needed to get away from all of that," he motioned to the portrait of a dozing Fat Lady, laughing softly.
Hermione noted the way his face had laughing lines, the happiness of his life written on his freckled face.
She nodded knowingly, her damp hair clinging to her face.
"You played really well, congratulations," she said, her face forming into a sincere, shy smile.
"Thanks," he bit his lip as he smiled again. He motioned to the empty hallway, knowing that Hermione was headed in the direction of the library, "Shall we?"
"Sure," she agreed, falling into step with the tall, lanky redhead. She noted that his build was vastly different than Ron's. His feet, long legs and arms, long torso, large ears. His face, mostly the bridge of his nose and his cheeks, was peppered with freckles of different sizes, only adding to his goofy appearance. It suited him, though, the overall goofiness. Hermione couldn't imagine him looking any other way, while he performed his antics with his brother.
George, though he hadn't said anything, was leading Hermione in the direction of the library, and she couldn't help but smile at his gesture.
They walked in comfortable silence for a few moments, but George was the one who finally spoke.
"I'm surprised you came to the match today, I figured you'd choose the library over the rainy, noisy stands," he smirked over at her.
She couldn't help but laugh, "Yes, well, I decided I should support my house."
They walked and talked, George cracking the occasional joke which prompted Hermione to laugh, until they neared the library.
"Actually," Hermione, frowned, "Let's not go to the library."
George's eyes widened in mocking shock ,"Wait. Hermione Granger does not want to go to the library?" He felt her forehead jokingly, causing Hermione's stomach to flip nervously, "Are you sure you feel okay?"
Hermione only laughed, shaking her head. Though the feeling currently in the pit of her stomach almost made her sick, it was a good kind of sick. She'd never felt that before, and she couldn't help but want to feel it again.
"Where shall we go then," asked George dramatically. "Perhaps the Hospital Wing? I still think you're ill…"
Hermione bit her lip in thought. George couldn't help but note how cute she looked when she took her small, soft-looking lip between her teeth.
"Let's just walk for a while. We'll have some more stimulating conversation about my apparent state of illness." She bumped her hip into his playfully, surprised at her own nerve.
George, too, seemed surprised at her bold flirtation, though he quickly grinned and elbowed her side in return.
They walked the castle, George leading Hermione to areas of the castle she didn't know existed.
By the time they arrived back to the Common Room, well after midnight, the only inhabitant was a sleeping student on a far chair in the corner.
"Well, thank you for the entertainment," Hermione said, turning to face George.
"The pleasure's all mine," he bowed jokingly, earning a slap on the shoulder from Hermione.
"No, in all seriousness," Hermione snorted at George's words, "we should do this again sometime."
"Yeah, definitely," Hermione nodded, glancing downward at her shoes. When she looked up, George smiled softly.
Next thing Hermione knew, George's lips were kissing her cheek softly, his fingers running quickly through her hair.
"Goodnight, Hermione," he said, smiling and turning toward the boys' dorm.
Hermione fell asleep that night with the nervous, sick, happy feeling in her stomach and endless thoughts of George.