Author's Note:

Thank you EVERYBODY for reading and following and favouriting and especially to Pinup95 and AnnaCelestine for reviewing.

Anna- Lee does have a bit of a storyline in this chapter but will mostly be a bigger part in the rest of the story, and Fred is hyper, well, just because he's Fred I think!

This is totally unbeta-d and seems to be another chapter just setting the scene really. So, Enjoy, and on with the show!


Hermione was pissed off.

She was hungry, overly sweaty and the boy she was supposed to dump had beat her to it.

She kicked at the overgrown lawn angrily, and the boot-shaped dent she left eased her anger somewhat. So she stamped around in a circle.

Feeling better once she'd ruined Mrs Weasley's landscaping, she sank down cross-legged in the small flattened-down patch of grass she had created. (Because of Primary school, it was almost impossible for her to sit down comfortably without her legs being crossed. Something to do with muscle memory, she reckoned.)

She discovered that as she sat down, the length of the grass reached well over her head. She was camouflaged and well out of view from anywhere further away than about a foot. Perfect. Ron had a penchant for trying to find her and apologise-slash-argue-his-corner whilst she was still angry and trying to calm down by herself. Although her temper flared up at the slightest provocation (read-slightest provocation from Ronald) she calmed down fairly fast and was able to talk about the issue calmly and logically. As long as she was left alone. Which Ron was never patient enough to do, unfortunately.

So he usually got his head bitten off. And made her more angry than she was originally.

Well, she reasoned, her anger was due to Ron. But that wasn't a new occurrence. Actually, it was mostly due to Ron acting before he could think about the consequences. Which really wasn't a new occurrence. But she was still mildly pissed off at him, really. Why would you ask a girl out, nay, tell a girl you loved her, then sleep with multiple slappers?

Her pride had been mortally wounded. And she was not impressed with his ungentlemanly conduct. Hermione narrowed her eyes at the daisy chain she was absent-mindedly stringing together. She expected an apology, preferably with chocolate.

Just then, as she was about to place her daisy crown on her head, a red, gangly, heavy thing hit her.

"Oof." It said, from it's position, diagonally strewn across her torso, "What the bloody hell was—"

"RONALD." She pushed at the body, trying to get him off her "I have nothing left to say to— oh." The body had rolled over. "You're not Ron."

"Hermione?" He rubbed at his knee, "Why are you crouching in my Mum's lawn?"

"George?" She reached out to touch his arm. "Are you alright?" He waved his hand as if to shush her.

"I'm a big boy, Mines, I think I can deal with a little bruise." He raised an eyebrow, in silent question. She rolled her eyes.

"If you must know, I'm hiding from your brother."

"Which one?"

She sighed and leant on him quite heavily. "Ron."

"Ah." George nodded knowingly, "that's the best course of action with him I think. Especially as you're going to be living with him for the next couple of months." He picked up her mangled day chain and tried to replace a couple of the flowers, "he's only tolerable little and often. Like snacking."

Hermione sighed again.

"Well, it's more the fact that I was severely pissed off at him because he asked me out then had the audacity to shag other people before I told him my answer."

George gaped at her. Full on, mouth wide, eyes bulging, fish gape.

"Really?"

"Yep." Hermione said, with an air of tolerance. "To be fair though, I kept him waiting a full year."

George placed the daisy chain back on her head. And leant back on his arms, one of which was behind her, and tilted his head towards the sun.

"He still should have waited though, Mines," he turned his head towards her and squinted one eye open, "if he really loved you." He finished, softly. George didn't know precisely what Hermione's feelings were about his younger brother and so he was ready to pounce with hugs and an offer of ice cream if she started crying.

"Well," Hermione drew out, with a resigned shrug, "he obviously doesn't, and I really don't love him. Not in the romantic sense anyway."

A pause. George scratched his nose and frowned. Hermione joined him in sunbathing.

"So what exactly is the problem here?"

"Well, you know how my pride can get." Hermione chuckled, and tilted her head towards George.

"Easily wounded?" He ventured, teasing.

"Yeah, basically." She stuck her tongue out at him. "It was a dick move though. I can't blame him for not pretending to be in love with me though."

"Mines, excuse me if this is rude, but didn't he ask you out again last night at the graduation thingy?"

Hermione shrugged and lay back on the grass.

"Yeah, apparently he still wanted to give me the option of spilling my potential love for him so he could let me down gently I suppose." George scrunched up his nose.

"I don't even pretend to understand Ron's logic."

Hermione chuckled again.

"Anyway!" George jumped up and dusted off his bare legs. He'd finally got them out that morning, but they were usually shy and hid behind his trouser legs. Because of this, they were embarrassingly pale and actually reflected glare off the sun.

Hermione squinted at his kneecaps.

"Yes?"

"I need to speak to Fred about this new product, so I'll be— actually, you'd be useful with all those brains. Come with me and help us fix these Whizzpop things." He held out a hand to Hermione and helped her up. "Essentially, the idea is to have a lollipop that someone licks and steam and mini little fireworks come out of their ears."

Hermione nodded. "Fred told me about these. He said they blew up in your tests."

George grimaced. "They reduced Dirk the Test Dummy to ashes."

Hermione's eyes lit up.

"Lead the way, soldier!"


"Hermione you're a genius."

"You know, I think I've been told that once or twice." Honestly, the problem was so easy to fix, she figured it out in under thirty minutes. And put it right in thirty seconds.

George was looking up at her reverently.

Fred was bowing to her.

Clive the Elvis Presley-singing cactus was crooning quietly in the background. For some reason, as Hermione had cast the charm which made the product work, he had sprouted purple flowers. And seemed to be enjoying them.

"Hermione, am I right in thinking you don't have a job this summer?" asked George, musing something over.

She looked at him out of the corner of her eye. "I don't have a job, period."

"Freddie, are you thinking what I'm thinking?" George stared at Hermione. Fred rose from his half crouched worshipping position.

"I do believe I am, dear brother, I do believe I am." He also began staring at Hermione. Hermione was becoming faintly uncomfortable.

George drew himself up to his full height and cleared his throat in an official manner.

"Hermione, Weasley's Wizard Wheezes would be delighted to offer you a place in our development team and any other kind of job that needs covering."

Fred cut in; "Basically, Mines, want to join us for a bit until you figure out what you want to do?"

George frowned and elbowed him in the ribs. "Mate," he hissed, "I was trying to be formal and everything there."

"George," Fred whispered back, "since when are you formal?" George blinked at him, and conceded the point. They turned back to stare at Hermione.

"So Mines," George sheepishly grinned, and scratched the back of his neck, "want to be an honourable Weasley twin?"

Fred beamed. "Except we won't make you dye your hair ginger to fit in. Obviously."

"Obviously." George echoed. Hermione held back a small smile.

"You know what guys, I accept your job offer." Her smile morphed into a smirk. "But don't tell your mother, otherwise I have to pay rent."

Fred protested forcefully. George chuckled and saw she was going to fit in. Actually, speaking of rent…

"Hey, Freddie," George caught his attention from where he was pouting melodramatically. "Can you back out of that bet with Lee, and move back into the flat?" Fred puffed out his chest.

"Why, dear brother of mine, missing me already?" George crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow.

"Actually, Fred, it was much quieter and tidier with Lee as my flatmate instead of you." he leant back against the counter. Hermione had become distracted by Clive's flowers.

Fred looked confused. "So why do you want me back? My good looks, wit and charm?" George rolled his eyes.

"No." He sighed. "Do you remember how Lee has been sickeningly lovestruck over the past year? And how he wouldn't tell us who his new boyfriend was until he'd left school?"

Fred nodded and made a continue gesture.

"Well," George swallowed and steeled himself for this next tidbit of information. "Well, his boyfriend finished school yesterday. And moved into Lee's room. And had loud, celebratory 'I missed you' sex with Lee all of last night. And I don't feel comfortable hearing Draco Malfoy's moans in my flat to be honest."

Fred blinked.

Hermione tuned back into the conversation. "Hey, Draco's nice! Well he was once he told his dad to piss off and came out."

"I know, he's probably a really friendly kid, in fact he made me apology coffee this morning, for keeping me up last night, but I don't know if I'll be able to deal with no sleep ever." He rested his forehead on the side of his hand in a sort of cradle.

Hermione gaped at him. "George…"

George looked up. "Yeah?"

"You're a wizard. Use a silencing charm you idiot."

"Ah. Didn't think about that."

Fred pulled his best puppy dog face. "Does that mean I'm not moving back in?"

George patted his shoulder.

"Yes mate, it means you're staying at the Burrow." George grinned. "And I never have to put up with your dirty boxers in the fruit bowl again." Fred raised an eyebrow and looked warningly at George.

"Never say never, dear brother of mine, never say never."