Okay. Here's the next chappie! Sorry it's taken so long. I've got a couple of stories, plus my computer picked an unfortunate time to fall ill. It is, in fact, going to the computer doctor tomorrow so I don't know how soon the next chapter will come out, but I promise that I will be writing and as soon as I get my comp. back, I'll get a chapter up. Okay? Anyway...thank you to all of you that are reviewing. I'm really enjoying writing it. I'm glad you guys like it. I was told that I have possibly converted someone to the pairing with this story and, I must say, I am flattered by that! It's nice to have new readers...maybe we'll have some new stories ::hint hint:: Okay...now, on to the story!

Their Companion - Ch. 4

"You want me to go where?"

"C'mon, George," Hermione pleaded. "I'm bored. Just because you're house-sitting doesn't mean you can't leave the house."

"But Flourish and Blotts?" George said, looking horrified. "I haven't been in there in forever!"

"Oh come one, George. No one you know will be in there to see you anyway. And then," she continued while he looked affronted. "We can do anything you want."

"Anything?" George asked, grinning slyly."

"Within reason."

"Fine," George said, sighing. "I'll go to the bookstore with you, if you go to Zonko's with me."

"The Joke shop? George you own one of your own. Why would you want to go there?"

"To check out the competition, of course. See what products are out. Do some research, ya know? Why are you looking at me like that?"

"You're doing research? That's scary."

"Do you want to go or not?"

"Okay, okay," Hermione said, smiling. "Zonko's it is. I'd even consider going to the Quidditch shop if you buy me lunch."

"Ooh. A girl after my own heart," George said.

"Uh huh," Hermione said smiling. "Of all the men I know, all I have to do is say the word 'Quidditch' and I can have any of them do anything I want."

You can have me George thought to himself. Where the hell did that come from? He mentally slapped himself, filing that away for later...much later.

"Sure ya can," he said to her. "Any of them?"

"Well..." she said, walking towards the stairs. "I got you, didn't I?"

"How do you figure?" he said, following her to the bottom of the stairs.

"She stopped about half-way up and turned around.

"I got you to agree to buy me lunch, didn't I?"

"Well yeah, but I'm getting something for it."

"Exactly. You get to go to the Quidditch shop," she said, grinning slyly before heading back up the stairs. "I'll be ready in a minute," she called back to him.

He watched her go with a shocked expression on his face. He'd just been played. By Hermione Granger! He went and sat down to wait for her, shaking his head. He still couldn't figure out where his thoughts had been coming from. He hadn't thought about Hermione like that in...well ever. Well, she has grown up, his mind told him. He pleasantly told his mind to shut-up when as he heard her coming back down the stairs. He'd deal with it later...maybe.

"Ready to go?" she said, coming into the room. She was wearing a pair of blue jeans and a black, close-fitting shirt. Her hair was up in a messy ponytail and George couldn't help but stare. "George?"

"Huh? Oh yeah. Let's go," he said, walking to the fireplace.

Hermione watched him in confusion, glad to have his stare off of her. Why was he staring like that? she asked herself. Maybe he likes you, responded another voice that sounded suspiciously like the first. Don't be ridiculous, she said to herself, ending the conversation with herself. She followed George to where he was holding the pot of floo powder out to her.

"Ladies first," he said, grinning.

Feeling the head rise in her cheeks, Hermione took a handful of floo powder and stepped into the fireplace.

"Diagon Alley!" she shouted and disappeared into the green flames.

George took a deep breath and then shook his head before following.

Hermione was ,very roughly, thrown from the fireplace and into a table in The Leaky Cauldron. She stood up quickly, scanning the room to see if anyone saw her and silently thanked whoever was listening that George had not seen that.

She began to wonder when he was going to join her when, suddenly, the fireplace behind her flared up. George came sliding out, literally. In fact, he came sliding out and ran right into her legs, causing her to lose her balance and fall right on top of him. They lay there, face to face, in shock that they were in this position and it took some time for them to realize they should probably get up.

"Um...Hermione?"

"Yes George?"

"M-maybe we should get up?"

"Yeah, probably," she said, and after a bit of moving around, they were both upright, red-faced and looking everywhere but at each other.

"Shall we go?"

"Yeah," George said and they quickly made their way to the back of The Leaky Cauldron.

By the time they had tapped the brick wall and crossed into Diagon Alley, they had both calmed down enough to talk to each other again.

"So where to first?" Hermione asked.

"The bookstore."

"Excited about it after all, are you?"

"No," he said with a grin before walking away. "I just want to get it over with."

Hermione sighed and followed him.

"Hello, Hermione," the shopkeeper at Flourish and Blotts said as she and George walked in. "I was wondering when I'd see you again."

"You know I can't stay away for long," she said.

"And...is that a Weasley?" he said, slightly surprised.

"Yes," she said as George wondered away. "I had to bribe him."

"I don't doubt it. I've never seen one of the twins in here voluntarily. Well, if there's anything I can help you with, don't hesitate to ask."

"Thanks," she said, moving away to browse through the books.

An hour later, George was bored. He'd found one book on inventing that looked useful, but that was it and now he was ready to go. After hunting for about five minutes, he finally found Hermione next to a pile of books.

"Aren't you ready to go yet?"

"Yes," she said with a sigh. "Just let me pick a few from this pile and pay for them."

Picking 'a few' ended ten minutes later with Hermione deciding to 'splurge' and get them all. There were about twelve and George figured she'd have them read in about two weeks. Once they had paid for their books, they were on their way to Zonko's.

"So," Hermione began with a smile. "You got a book."

"I did. And don't go saying I told you so. I had to find something while I was forced to be in there."

Hermione smiled as they reached the door of the joke shop.

"Well, I guess I'll have to do the same."

They went into the shop and George was off. Hermione could tell he was making notes in his head to tell Fred when he got back. She walked around with him and he told her about all the different products. To his amusement, she was quite fascinated by all of it. An hour later, they emerged from the joke shop, both having bought many things and having come with some very interesting plans for when everyone else got home.

"So where do we want to eat?" George said as they walked out onto the street.

"What about the Quidditch shop?"

"After lunch," George said. "I'm hungry."

"Alright," Hermione said as they turned down the street. She noticed he had turned them away from The Leaky Cauldron. "Um George. The Leaky Cauldron is that way."

"I know. We're not going to The Leaky Cauldron."

"Where are we going then."

"There's a new restaurant I want to try."

"Oh," Hermione said as they stopped in front of a building.

"Here we are."

"The Wizard's Wand? George this place is supposed to be really expensive."

"I've heard it's not that bad. Besides, I get tired of The Leaky Cauldron all the time," he said, leading her inside. "C'mon."

Inside it was really nice. The lighting was low and Hermione thought how it was a pretty romantic place. Which, of course, made her blush and she was grateful for the low lighting.

They were seated and had given their orders almost immediately and were currently enjoying their meals.

"This is really good," Hermione said and George nodded.

"We'll have to eat here again," he said, and then realized how that much have sounded. He felt the heat rise in his face and suddenly found his food very interesting.

Hermione, it seemed, was having the same reaction. Her mind was racing a mile a minute wondering if he had really just suggested they go out together again and she just couldn't bring herself to look up at him right then.

They ate the rest of their meal in silence.

The silence actually did them some good and by the time they were done eating, all embarrassment had gone away. At least they could look at each other again. That was, until the check came.

"Alright, let's see what we've got here," George said, reaching for the check.

"No, George, that was way to expensive. Let me pay for mine," Hermione said, also reaching for the check.

The result was his hand landing on top of hers and causing another short round of silence and looking away. Their hands, however, didn't move.

"Now Hermione," George said finally, after clearing his throat several times. "I promised you lunch."

She nodded as he reluctantly slid his hand out from under hers, along with the check. After he paid the bill, they were on their way to the Quidditch shop. Silently.

There it is! Hope you liked it. Please review and tell me what you think!