Harry was a little groggy, having been up all night doing advanced overnight surveillance training with the Aurors, when Hermione pounded on his door at Grimmauld Place mid morning.

He was not expecting his best friend to be scowling at him on his doorstep nor poking him in his chest with her finger as she channeled Minerva McGonagall and scolded him like a schoolboy.

"I simply cannot believe you, Harry. I am your friend and so is Bill. Why you would feel the need to threaten him simply because he and I had dinner together I just don't understand."

Harry closed the door behind her as she had pushed past him as she vented. He scratched his head and tried to figure out how not to get hexed as he said his piece.

"Hermione, I… I just don't want you to get hurt. He's older than you and he divorced Fleur…."

"Stop right there. First, Fleur left him and went back to France. Yes, he initiated the divorce proceedings but she was the one that walked out Harry, not Bill. Second, don't even go there about some supposed age difference. He and I are compatible in so many ways that it absolutely doesn't matter. And most importantly, we are both adults."

"Do you really think it's a good idea, Hermione? After…."

She frown and finished his sentence, "After what? Ron? Harry, Ron and I were never going to work. He accepted it, I accepted it and he's moved on already and we're still friends. I'm allowed to find other men attractive and interesting regardless as to whether or not they happen to be a Weasley. And this Weasley happens to be a perfect gentleman for the record."

Harry threw up his hands in surrender. "Okay. Okay. You win. It's just… you're like a sister to me and I don't want to see you get hurt is all."

Hermione threw her arms around Harry and hugged him tightly. "I know. But honestly, I have a really good feeling about this so please don't give Bill too much grief?"

Harry squeezed her back. "Deal."

George saw her enter the shoppe first, Fred a close second. Both blanched a little as they had been warned by Ginny that Hermione was irritated with them and an irritated Hermione was a force to be reckoned with.

They both manned up and made their way towards her.

She made a playful squinty face and wagged her finger at them. "You two."

"You didn't honestly expect…," George started.

"…that we were going to let the…," Fred continued.

"…opportunity to take the mickey out…."

"…on our ever perfect big brother…."

"…just pass us by now did you?"

She followed the conversation and shook her head.

George reached over and tweaked one of her curls. "And like it or not, you are a sister to us and you know how we are about Ginny."

She noticed Fred look away at the word "sister" and thought it a bit odd. Focusing on George she replied, "I know you do, but I am an adult and I can date who I like, even one of your brothers."

She caught George's eyes flicking towards Fred for second at her words and suddenly Ginny's words about seeing her with Bill or Fred rang in her ears. Had she missed something there? And if she had, for how long?

George teased back, "That's not how having brothers works, Granger."

Customers needed attention and both twins left her to her own devices for a bit. She wandered the shoppe, amazed as always over the incredible magic the two of them created. She had picked up a box and was reading the description of their latest daydream charm when Fred's quiet voice came from behind her. "He's a lucky git, my big brother."

She turned and saw a rather wistful look on Fred's face. Softly she asked, "I've been oblivious to something obvious haven't I?"

He shook his head. "No. Not obvious. I don't think anyone but George and Ginny had a clue."

She chewed her bottom lip a moment. "Why didn't you… say anything?"

He shrugged. "Never seemed to be the right time. Still isn't."

"Oh," she replied, then added gently, "I'm sorry."

He gave her a warm smile. "Nothing to be sorry for, Granger. Now if it was Percy in that picture…," he teased.

She giggled, his intention all along.

Her owl to Charlie was short and sweet. The two of them wrote each other often and she didn't feel the need to dissemble with him.

Charlie,

Really? What are you? Twelve?

Love always, Hermione

His reply was equally succinct.

Hermione,

Welcome to having brothers- ask Ginny how much fun it is. Or better yet, ask Harry.

Love, Charlie

P.S. I'm the only one who can actually kick Bill's arse if he needs it. Keep that in mind.

She cornered Ron at the Burrow as he worked on his broom out in the broom shed.

Ron turned his head when she approached him from behind. He grinned widely, a playful grin she couldn't help returning. "So am I the first one you're yelling at?" he teased.

"No, Harry had that pleasure," she replied as she stepped up beside him at the workbench.

"You know we're just looking out for you, right?"

"And I appreciate that. But this is Bill of all people. You know he's a nice guy and not some slimy git."

"That's why it's so much fun to take the mickey out on him."

"So it's all just some sort of joke?" she asked, crossing her arms indignantly.

"I never said that. Bill is the best of blokes and a great brother, but the rest of us are still going to look out for you. Everything's always come easy for Bill- school, girls, work. We all just want to make sure he appreciates you and how amazing you are."

"I… I don't know what to say to that, Ron."

Ron turned towards her and pulled her into an impulsive hug that she quickly reciprocated. "You don't have to say anything. That's the best part about having brothers."

She ran into Percy at the Ministry lobby when she stopped in to fill out a final piece of her employment paperwork.

"Hermione," Percy said as he swallowed hard.

This Weasley brother she took pity on, he was still struggling to fit back in with his family and was still a little unsure of how to act around everyone at times. "Thank you for looking out for me, Percy," she said with a smile.

With a little prideful tilt of his chin he replied, "I just want to ensure that my brother treats you with the respect you deserve."

Hermione leaned in and kissed his cheek. "I know," she said softly.

He grew flustered at her actions and made a show of smoothing his smart work robes then replied, "He's a lucky man."

Hermione blushed remembering the little crush she had had on Percy when she was a first-year. "We're both lucky."

Percy chuckled. "Yes, well… counting Harry, you've got six brothers ready to make sure that you always feel that way."

Her mouth fell open and he chuckled again.

Percy reached over and gave her hand a squeeze then said in a business-like manner, "I've got a meeting."

Hermione nodded and smiled to herself as he walked away.

Arthur was the last for her to confront. She found him out in his garage tinkering at his workbench.

"Mr. Weasley?" she said from behind him.

"Hermione!" he said with a large smile as he turned towards her.

She gave him a big hug first then pulled back and said honestly, "Your son was a perfect gentleman, for the record. Perfect. We had a lovely dinner and he saw me safely home."

Arthur clucked her chin as he often did to Ginny. "Of course he was. I never doubted that for a second. I just wanted to stress to him how equally important you are to our family as he is and to be sure to think through the long term and not just the short."

Hermione got a huge lump in her throat. With the obliviation she had done on her parents unable to be reversed, she really was, for all intents and purposes, all alone in the world. Arthur's words reminded her that that was false, that she in fact had a family who loved her very much, all their individual actions screaming it loudly.

The tears leaked from her eyes before she realized she was crying. Shakily she said, "I told Bill it would be weird if we tried and it didn't work out but equally weird if it did."

Arthur pulled his handkerchief out of his pocket and brushed away her tears. "If it works out wonderful is the word I would use, not weird."

She looked up and tried to smile.

He imparted another piece of advise, "Follow your heart, dear, that's all you can do. I know from the outside you two seem to be most compatible, that's always a good place to start, something to build on. Just follow your heart."

Hermione was trying to decide if the odd fluttering in her stomach was nervousness or anticipation as she waited for Bill to arrive for their date.

They had given poor little Gypsum quite a bit of exercise as they sent cheerful, teasing letters back and forth during the week as they planned their evening. They decided in the end to keep things rather simple and were going to have pizza at Muggle restaurant that Hermione was fond of, then off to a Muggle pub where a local band was scheduled to play. Both places were far removed from anything magical and both of them hoped it would keep them away from "prying wizard eyes" as Bill was fond of saying.

Hermione was not a young woman who spent hours primping and painting her face, but that's not to say that she didn't enjoy looking nice and wearing pretty clothes. In all honesty she had rather enjoyed Bill's expression when he had initially seen her on their first date, and they had, by mutual consent, decided to count Valentine's Day as their first official date even though it had started out as something different. So as she looked herself over a final time in the mirror she wondered what he would think this time around. She was wearing curve-hugging jeans and a rather clingy deep red turtle-neck sweater topped off by a beautiful jewel-toned silk scarf Harry had given her for Christmas. Her hair had been left down and let to curl as it was wont. She had applied a little makeup but not a lot, and again, like she had on their first date, still felt like herself and not some overly made over witch from a magazine.

The prompt knock on her door settled the nervousness versus anticipation debate. Anticipation won.

She opened the door to see Bill there in his own jeans and deep blue jumper with a bouquet of tiny pink tea roses in his hand.

He smiled widely as he met her eyes.

"Hi," Bill said simply.

She returned his smile and stepped back and said, "Please. Come in."

He stepped inside and handed her the roses. "For you, since I didn't get to do it properly on Valentine's Day."

"I am rather fond of my purple rose, I'll have you know," she teased and pointed to her mantle where the lone rose preserved with a charm was beautiful as ever in a tall, skinny glass vase, "These are lovely, though, I love tea roses."

Bill looked around in interest as Hermione busied herself putting her new flowers in water. The flat was tiny, two small rooms not counting the loo, this main room and a bedroom. There was a little kitchen area tucked into a corner and a small dinette set for two near it. She had fashioned a sitting area near her fireplace with a comfortable wingback chair an a small overstuffed love seat serving as her sofa. Bill smiled seeing a familiar knitted afghan on the back of the love seat, without question his mother's work. Hermione didn't have many personal items around but then Bill reminded himself that she might not have many personal items to put out anymore. That thought made him sad, compiled more when he turned to see her transfiguring a water glass into a pretty crystal vase.

But watching her arrange the flowers found him focusing instead on her. Her hands were sure and graceful, all of her movements purposeful. Her hair was down and loose and he wanted lose his hands in it to find out if it was as soft as his fingertips remembered. He struggled a bit trying to keep his eyes on her face, but it was hard, those jeans and tight sweater reminding him of how perfect her body had felt against his.

She caught him staring. She smiled and teased, "Do I have something on my face?"

Bill stepped towards her and cupped her cheek in his big hand. "Not yet," he said softly as his mouth claimed hers in a searing kiss, desire evident in his eyes.

The flowers were quickly forgotten as the kiss deepened and their bodies molded against one another like they had been doing this for years.

Bill knew she could feel his erection through his denim, there was no way she couldn't as hard as he was. Her breathing was as ragged as his and he didn't doubt for a second that if his hands wanted to go exploring under that jumper or in her jeans that she would welcome them wholeheartedly. Had she been any other bird he would have and then most likely would have taken her right there on her little dining table. But this was Hermione and he had promised himself that he would take things slowly, properly, and build something with her before they ever physically took things to that level.

Pulling back a bit he rested his forehead on hers and said between breaths, "I am not a slimy sixth-year."

Giggles overtook Hermione's own attempt at calming her breathing. Her hand brushed his face, over the scars he had received courtesy of Greyback. Her hand moved over them, past them to stroke a lock of his hair. "You are most certainly not and I took great pleasure in telling all of them that."

She brushed her lips against his and they separated a bit. She finished arranging the flowers and set the vase in the middle of her dinette table. The happy flowers instantly cheered the little space.

Their conversation over pizza at the cheerful little restaurant of Hermione's was just as full and fluid as it had been at the bistro.

They talked about his new position and the exciting and challenging cases that Gringotts was assigning to him. He had become the curse breaker all the other curse breakers came to when they couldn't figure something out. He got a posh office and big pay raise as part of the deal.

They talked about how excited she was to be starting her Ministry position, even though it was entry level.

They talked about how she had confronted all his brothers. Bill had an especially good laugh over Charlie's response.

All too soon their meal was finished and their check arrived. Bill took it before she could reach for it and confidently counted out Muggle pound notes to cover it and leave a generous tip for their pleasant waitress.

They left the restaurant and decided to walk the dozen blocks to the pub. This evening though, Bill gave into his desire and put his arm around her as they walked. He was quite pleased when he felt her arm snake around his back as she tucked herself closer to him.

They arrived at the pub and found it crowded in anticipation of the band beginning to play. They found a small table off to one side and pulled their chairs around so they faced the band. They ordered a couple of pints and sat shoulder to shoulder quietly talking until the music began. The music was good. It was upbeat and fun and even their slow ballads were of a happy flavor. It was during one of those that Bill took the opportunity to take her hand and entwine her fingers with his. Hermione smiled when he did and they sat that way for the rest of the show.

It felt good to both of them to not feel like they were on display, they could just be themselves. They weren't war heroes here who had a distinct lack of privacy, no, here everyone thought they were simply just another young couple out on a date enjoying themselves. No one here knew who they were.

Or so they thought.

They had no way of knowing that the photographer cousin of the band's drummer who was busy taking shots of the band was, in fact, a Muggle-born wizard who worked for the Daily Prophet and was moonlighting in the Muggle world to help out his cousin. He had felt like he had been hit with a stunning hex when he saw Bill and Hermione. He had quickly shaken it off and surreptitiously began photographing the pair under the guise of photographing the whole crowd in the pub.

They apparated back to Hermione's little flat and again stood outside her door. This time, however, there was no question about whether or not there would be a good-night kiss.

"Do you want come in?" she asked, gesturing towards her door.

Bill shook his head. "I better not. I might not want to leave."

Hermione blushed and Bill took the opportunity to claim her mouth with his.

It was like fire between them. That was all Hermione could think. She melted against him, savoring the feel of his lean, strong body against hers. It was just as good as their first good-night kiss, perhaps even better as there was no hesitation. She could feel her arousal growing intensely, something that had only ever happened in brief flickers when she had kissed Viktor, when she had kissed Cormac, when she had kissed Ron. And it definitely wasn't the same as when used her fingers in the dead of night to bring herself off before falling asleep. This was wholly different and felt all-consuming.

The disappointment washed over her when he pulled away from her and put a bit of space between their bodies.

His hand was still in her hair and he toyed with a curl, wrapping it round and round his finger.

If she had thought she had seen desire in his eyes earlier it was nothing compared to the raw intensity she saw in them now. He wanted her. And truth be told, she wanted him, but she was glad in a way that his gentlemanly manners had asserted themselves. Well, at least most of her was glad, certain parts of her anatomy were certainly not. Mentally, she wasn't quite ready to have sex with him, though she couldn't help but think that losing her virginity with Bill would be an amazing experience and not the boyish fumblings her roommates at Hogwarts had experienced and bemoaned. But it all felt unbelievably fast, rather like she was using a Portkey and spinning out of control, and she didn't want to rush into anything.

He kissed her again, softer this time, less carnal. He pulled back again and cleared his throat. Softly he said, "I think we should say goodnight before we're tempted to rush into anything."

How he had managed to say the exact same thing she had been thinking to herself was a mystery, but she nodded and replied, "That's probably a good idea. It's a little… intense between us."

Bill grinned. "Yes, it is. Is that okay? Am I moving too fast for you?"

She shook her head. "It's definitely okay. It's just unexpected, is all, and a lot to process," she replied, then quickly added, "But in a good way."

"That it is," Bill agreed.

Hermione decided that he needed to know the significance of her hesitation. "There's something you should know… about me… so you don't get the wrong impression," she dropped her chin and looked away, a little embarrassed, "I… um, well, I haven't actually gone any further than this with anyone. Even if I might have wanted to, it was just never the right time. So if I hesitate…."

Bill blinked. Of all the things she could have said in that moment he never expected that. If he had had any doubts about trying to take things slower her admitting to being a virgin completely erased them.

He tucked his finger under her chin and lifted it so he could meet her eyes.

"First, that's nothing to be embarrassed about. Everyone does things at their own pace and no two people are alike. Except maybe Fred and George but that's a whole other story that's best left to the imagination on this topic," he said lightly.

Hermione grinned and Bill continued. "Second, I will never push you for things you're not ready for, not ever, so I'm glad you told me. This isn't just about me getting into your knickers, Hermione, I care about you and I like spending time with you. I want do this thing between us properly, give it a real chance and see where it takes us."

Hermione didn't reply, choosing to softly kiss him again instead.

When they parted, she stroked his cheek and said confidently, "I really enjoy spending time with you, too."

Bill forced himself to step back away from her a bit. "Good. Then I'll owl you tomorrow and we'll plan our next adventure."

She nodded and said softly, "Goodnight, Bill," before turning and opening her door.

Their eyes met a final time before she closed the door and Bill took that opportunity to say his own goodnight.

She closed the door and he disapparated.

A pounding at her door roused Hermione the next morning. She grabbed her wand and threw open the door. Ginny, with a copy of the Daily Prophet in her hands, pushed her way into the apartment without waiting to be asked in. Hermione closed the door and turned to face her friend.

Once again, Ginny had a cat-ate-the-canary look on her face and a copy of the Daily Prophet in her hands.

Hermione gestured for her to get on with it and asked, "Do I even want to know?"

Ginny unfolded the paper and handed it to Hermione. Taking up half of the front page was a non-moving picture of Bill and Hermione holding hands at the pub. The headline read, "Prophet Exclusive! War Heroes Hermione Granger and Bill Weasley Take Their Romance To Muggle London."

"Oh, for the love of Merlin!" Hermione exclaimed.

Ginny's laughter filled the room. "Just so you know, Mum's seen the paper and is ridiculously happy over it."

Hermione grunted and dropped the paper on the dinette next to the vase of tea roses Bill had given her. Irritated she clanked the kettle as she filled it and put it on the stove. "We went Muggle for this date just to avoid this. How on earth did they find us?"

Hermione stomped off to the loo, leaving a very amused Ginny to sort out the tea. When she returned, little Gypsum was perched on one of her dinette chair backs. Ginny handed her the letter the little owl had delivered and said, "Guess Bill's seen the paper."

"All of wizarding Britain has seen it by now," Hermione griped and opened her letter.

Hermione,

I'll assume Ginny has pounded on your door with the paper already this morning. Turns out that photographer last night is a wizard who works for the Prophet that was helping out his Muggle cousin out by taking pictures of his band. It was just a weird coincidence.

I've got an early meeting with a client out in the field today so I've got to keep this short. Don't let this bother you. We had a great time last night and I refuse to let the Prophet ruin that.

Yours,
Bill

P.S. We look good together, no?

Hermione couldn't help but grin, hearing every word in Bill's rich timbre. She looked up to see Ginny watching her with a knowing look on her face as she prepared tea for them both. Wordlessly she exchanged Bill's letter for the mug of tea Ginny held out to her.

She was lost in thought as she sipped her tea while Ginny read the letter. She looked up when Ginny said softly, "He really likes you, you know."

Hermione nodded. "I really like him too. We fit so well together."

"Good. You've both earned that I think. Don't let anyone tell you any differently, either."

Bill took the little scroll from Gypsum's leg and gave the happy little owl a scratch behind his head before unrolling the note and reading it.

His smile was wide and instant as he read her succinct reply.

Bill,

Yes, we most certainly do.

Have fun today and be careful, we'll talk soon.

Yours,
Hermione

Bill felt a similar sense of relief as he had after getting her response after Valentine's Day. She wasn't put off by them appearing in the Prophet yet again. Nor was she put off by his quickly scratched out note that he had written quite literally as he was heading out the door to meet his client. Fleur had often been irritated with him when he didn't take the time to wax poetic even in the most basic of correspondence between them and it pleased him to no end that not only was Hermione not seemingly bothered by it but had replied in kind.

He tucked the note carefully in his vest pocket and walked up the long drive to the small chateau nestled deep in the woods. His client had recently inherited the place and its contents but was concerned about some of artifacts containing dark magic. He wanted them either cleansed or disposed of before he opened the chateau up as an exclusive wizarding resort and had requested that Gringotts assign Bill specifically as his reputation was sterling.

As the beautiful stone chateau came into view Bill wondered if a stay here would be something Hermione would enjoy.

tbc...