Off to the Burrow – Chapter 4

Hermione awoke with a start: her head pounding and her mouth dry. She panicked for an instance as to her whereabouts before she recognized the heavily decorated walls of Angelina's flat and the comfort of the plush sofa. She vaguely remembered leaving the bar after it closed, stumbling back to the flat, laughing and singing with Angelina. Whimpering slightly at the fragments of memories, she tried to stand up, intent on finding Angelina. Gravity, however, had other ideas and she feebly sunk back into the couch, burrowing her head into a cushion. Her attempts at trying to make the room cease its spinning failed miserably. Her eyes sprang open when she realized that she hadn't spoken to any of the Weasley household since the previous morning. Letting out an audible groan, she was certain that her adopted family must be worried sick. The last time they had seen her she had been storming angrily out of their house without telling anyone where she was going. While she was still wallowing in guilt, Angelina's flat lit up with a bright green glow. Two identical red-heads stumbled out of the fireplace, their laughter and animated chatter filling the room.

"Ah, Hermione, we heard that we would find you here," Fred teased, flopping into the wicker lounger.

"Looking a bit wrecked, eh," George echoed Fred's jovial tone and climbed onto the couch, getting comfortable at Hermione's feet.

"You don't need to yell," Hermione moaned, sinking deeper into the sofa. "What is happening?"

"Oi, dear brother, if I'm not mistaken, our very own Prefect is right hung-over,"

"Rough night, Granger?"

"Good night, Granger?"

"We've all been there,"

"I should have known better than to trust our little one with Angie,"

"Can't handle a newbie, light weight like our sweet Hermione,"

"She is much more accustomed to those behemoth Quidditch players she hangs out with,"

"I'm what?" Angelina angrily questioned, stumbling into the living room. She tumbled into the wicker lounger and adopted the fetal position, her head in Fred's lap.

Fred gently stoked his girlfriend's disheveled hair. Hermione suddenly became very conscious that she was still in the previous night's outfit. She violently yanked at the hem, concerned that George was able to see up her disheveled dress from his vantage point.

"We brought you girls some breakfast," George handed Hermione a bag containing a scone and then passed the same to Angelina.

"Pumpkin juice for Ang. And here's some black Muggle drink for you Mione," Fred gestured to the steaming cup of coffee on the table.

"I don't know if eating's going to happen," Hermione struggled to prop herself up on one elbow and buried her face in her hands.

"This is for that. Drink this; you'll feel better," George chuckled and pulled a small glass bottle out of his pocket. It was filled with a smoky, purple potion not quite resembling a vapour nor a liquid. Sitting upright with her legs curled beneath her, Hermione accepted the container from George, conscientiously not making eye contact with him and careful not to brush his hand with her fingers. George tossed an identical bottle to Angelina. Pulling out the stopper, Hermione poured the contents into her mouth, adopting the same manner she had used to pour back shots the previous night with Angelina. Immediately the bile disappeared from her throat, her head cleared, and her world ceased its spinning.

"I didn't know you had this in you, Mione," Fred whistled admiringly. "When Ang owled me that you were going to spend the night, I have to say I was picturing something much more along the lines of girls' sleepover." He waggled his eyebrows suggestively at Angelina. Angelina playfully slapped Fred's face away from her. Fred laughed and pulled his girlfriend snuggly into his lap. He leaned down to nuzzle her neck with his nose. Angelina rolled her eyes, feigning annoyance at her boyfriend, but Hermione got the sense that her friend enjoyed the affection. Hermione felt a vague wash of jealousy at the couple's display of good-natured teasing. She and Ron had never developed that type of closeness and she figured the Ministry had prevented her from ever achieving such an organic intimacy with someone.

"We didn't get that crazy, right Mione," Angelina stated innocently, pulling Hermione back to reality. From her reclined position, she flashed Hermione a knowing grin and raised her arm to mock the awkward fist-pump dance moves they had found hilarious the night before. Hermione fought the urge to dissolve into giggles before she remembered what had troubled her upon waking

"I suppose that you're family is pretty furious at me for taking off like that…"

"Oh, I don't know, everyone was pretty distracted, you know."

"Charlie and Erin came over shortly after you left,"

"They're still engaged!" The Ministry mat…"

"And we knew you had to work. Mum just figured you were going to run some errands beforehand. And then Fred told everyone that you were planning on spending the night at Ang's." The fact that George had interrupted his twin just as he was about to bring up the Act wasn't lost on Hermione. She suddenly felt very awkward to be sharing a couch with her betrothed.

"We should have tagged on long with these girls, Georgie. I'm feeling our night was too-low key,"

"Only one glass of Butterbeer apiece, pathetic of us Freddie" George shook his head in mock ruefulness.

"Not like us to be out-partied by our ladies," Fred snickered.

Hermione silently cursed Fred for referencing their predicament. She knew it would have to be eventually addressed, but she wasn't ready for that moment to occur just yet. Hermione finally allowed herself to steal a glance of George. At the same moment he turned to look at her. There was a trace of uneasiness in his eyes that Hermione wouldn't have expected from one of the confident Weasley twins. She tried to force herself to say something, but couldn't formulate the proper words.

"Hey gang, we should head to the Burrow. Mum's expecting us lot for lunch. Apparently there are a couple of engagements that need celebrating." For the second time in a matter of moments Hermione thought less-than-kind Fred related thoughts.

"Mione and I are in no condition to go anywhere. If you guys don't mind sitting tight, we'll be ready in a few."

A couple quick showers later the girls were ready to go. In a sky-blue baby tee and khaki shorts borrowed from Angelina, Hermione made her way back to the living room to find the boys in a quiet, heated discussion. Their voices were low and muffled and Hermione was unable to make out what they were saying. As soon as she entered the room, the twins abruptly stopped and turned to look at her expectedly.

"Ahh, lovely. You girls look smashing. Ready to go?" Fred took Angelina's hand. Tossing some floo powder into the fire, he gently assisted his fiancé into the fireplace. Yelling "The Burrow," loudly and clearly, the couple instantly vanished.

"Well, ah, after you…" George faltered. Hermione sighed; she hated floo travel having never grown accustomed in the way those raised in the wizard community. "Or, er, if you want we could go at the same time," George offered, clearly having sensed her nervousness. Hermione nodded gratefully. Her mouth still felt dry and she was unable to formulate a sentence. Hermione silently chided herself – generally speaking up wasn't a problem for her and she never had difficulty talking to George before even though the two had never really shared a one-on-one conversation. Of course, they had also never been engaged before.

George grabbed a fistful of floo powder from the wicker basket beside Angelina's fireplace.

"Ready?" he asked, wearing a crooked grin.

"Yup," Hermione answered softly, aware of the slight creak in her voice. George sprinkled the powder into the grate before him. He turned and nodded at Hermione. Placing a gentle guiding hand on her lower back, he applied a slight pressure to lead Hermione into the fireplace ahead of him. Hermione was surprised to feel a jolt of electricity at his intimate touch. She decided to accredit it to nerves. Both staring at their feet and without speaking the two climbed into the fireplace. George yelled out their destination and, with that, Angelina's flat disappeared.

-o-O-o-

The instant Hermione climbed out of the Weasley's fireplace she was pulled into a smothering embrace by Mrs. Weasley.

"Lovely, I'm so very glad you could make it, dear," Mrs. Weasley whispered gently and sweetly, apparently forgetting that Hermione lived at the Burrow. She seemed ready to overlook Hermione's earlier outburst and disappearance as she didn't bring it up or display any coolness towards the girl. Hermione felt a jolt of relief coupled with guilt; she didn't feel her behaviour warranted such compassion. "Everyone is outside having a swim before lunch. Hermione, Ginny is upstairs getting ready."

A she made her way up the Burrow's narrow staircase it occurred to Hermione that Ginny most likely hadn't joined the group because she wanted alone time with Hermione. She gulped slightly at the thought and hoped that the feisty red-head wouldn't be too angry at her roommate.

"Hey, Gin, you there?" Hermione asked cautiously, slightly opening the door of the girls' bedroom.

"Mione!" A small but fierce force engulfed her. "Look what Harry gave me!" Ginny was bouncing up and down, one arm snaked around Hermione's waist.

"What is it?" Hermione felt a small smile breaking on her face; the younger girl's excitement was contagious. Ginny waved her left hand in Hermione's face. Hermione caught it to steady the other girl's erratic gestures. "Merlin," Hermione whistled appreciatively. There on Ginny's finger was a clear and perfect, square cut diamond set in a white gold band. The band was adorned with a series of increasingly smaller diamonds leading away from the impressive centre stone.

"Apparently Harry's had it in his vault forever. It belonged to his Grandma and he was just waiting for the right time to give it to me!" Ginny squealed happily. Hermione couldn't help feeling a genuine wash of happiness for her friend. She felt a pricking at the corner her eyes. "He surprised me by showing up after practice and proposed to me in the middle of the pitch after everyone had left. Could you imagine how awful it would have been if the Ministry broke us up," Ginny stopped short, her eyes wide, evidentially clued in to the fact that this very fear of hers had happened to Hermione with her boyfriend.

"Erm.." Hermione faltered. "That's so exciting Ginny. I'm so happy for you." She stated with an honest conviction. Her voice broke though with her following comment, "I'm guessing you're family…you…are pretty furious at my antics yesterday…" She lowered her gaze, not prepared to meet the anger she was sure she'd find in Ginny's eyes.

"No one was mad at you, Mione," Ginny spoke sympathetically. "Everyone was just as upset as you were. We all think this law is sick and cruel. George felt just awful. I think he blamed himself a bit. You know, I think he felt that you were really upset to be paired up with him."

Hermione felt awful at that revelation; she hadn't even considered how her outburst would have looked to George. Surely he must have felt that her furiousness stemmed from his involvement; that her overreaction was caused by finding out she had been assigned him.

"It's not George…it's everything, you know, Ron…stuff…everything. Ugh, I just feel so bad about how I reacted."

"Don't"

The young witch grabbed her companion's hand and squeezed it gently.

"Friends?"

"Of course, and, Ginny, I don't want you to think I'm not happy for you. You're ring is gorgeous and you and Harry are amazing."

"I know. And Mione? It's going to be fine. I just know it."

The two girls shared the knowing look of comradeship, wordlessly acknowledging their sisterly bond. Hermione felt her throat tighten at the sight of Ginny's understanding eyes and caring expression. She was concerned that the tears threatening behind her own eyes would burst through. She felt a wave of relief when Ginny interrupted the moment to remind her friend that they were expected outside. Hermione started rummaging through her top drawer looking for the shorts and T-shirt she normally wore to swim in the Weasley's backyard lake.

"Here, try this," Ginny said tossing Hermione a couple of pieces of flimsy-looking, purple fabric from across the room. The younger girl had already changed into her emerald green bikini that Hermione was certain she had chosen largely because it perfectly matched the colour of Harry's eyes. Hermione wasn't sure about accepting the revealing two-piece from her friend, but she gamely tried it on, mostly so she could finally convince her roommate that she looked like rubbish in such an outfit.

"Perfect, we're ready to go!" Ginny exclaimed once Hermione had the suit on.

"Really? I don't know about this, Gin," Hermione hesitated gesturing to her body, feeling self-conscious about the way the suit hugged her curves.

"You look great! It's time to go outside. Let's get the hell out of here!" Ginny exclaimed excitedly. She hastily slipped into a pair of sandals and ran outside, her towel dragging behind her. Hermione sharply pulled her breath in past her teeth; she snuggly wrapped a towel around her torso, and followed her friend down the stairs to meet the sunshine.

Author's Note: Thanks so much to everyone following my story! I know it's been mainly set-up so far, but I'm thinking it's going to start picking up soon.