Being Assertive by WeasleyForMe

Could Hermione be the demanding, bossy, assertive woman of George's dreams?

Thanks to Grande.Vanilla.Skim.Latte for beta reading for me and being so huggable!!

Angelina rounded on Hermione. "How is this your fault? I thought Fred just said you were the only one he isn't dating," she challenged.

Hermione bit her lip before answering. "I wrote the letters," she murmured.

"Well I'm glad you did," Angelina said as she shook her head. "I'm out of here." She stormed out of the store without a glance back at the others.

Sobbing, Katie balled up the letter and threw it at Fred. She followed Angelina out of the store. Fred looked torn between staying and following them outside to try to explain himself. George was gaping at Hermione; he couldn't believe she had written the letters. Part of him was angry that she had done that to his twin, but another part was happy that someone had set these events in motion.

"Fred," Alicia said as she shook her head, "I don't understand why you weren't just honest with us. I told you I was also seeing Dean, but you never mentioned anyone else. I thought we were mates, you know, from Hogwarts days." She sighed and turned toward the door. Hermione was holding her head in her hands, not sure what she should say or if she should say anything.

"Alicia, wait," Fred called.

She turned and stuck her hand out. "No, Fred. I'll contact you when I'm good and ready." Before Fred said anything else, she was gone.

Fred was rubbing his face wearily, and much to everyone's surprise, Luna reached out and patted his arm. "Are you all right, Fred?"

"No," he groaned.

"If it makes you feel any better, I'm not mad at you. If anything, I think you had a really good thing going," Luna assured him. "I think you should have a chance to date around before you decide who you want to spend your life with."

Fred, George and Hermione all stared at her, thoroughly confused before Fred rounded on Hermione. "I can't believe you did this!" he yelled at her. She winced again.

"I'm sorry, Fred. I was just angry and wasn't thinking," she whispered.

He clenched and unclenched his fists. "You know what? You're being horrible, Hermione. You won't even talk to George, and then you go and do this!"

"It's not her fault, Fred!" George said as she stepped between Hermione and Fred. "If anyone here is to blame, it's you! I love you, Fred, but you can't keep doing what you've been doing, especially not to me."

Fred stood stock-still, thinking before he opened his mouth and made anything worse. "You're right, George, and I'm sorry. I shouldn't have made you meet up with Alicia." He looked past George at Hermione and smiled a bit. "Sorry, Hermione."

Hermione just nodded, not really trusting her voice. Luna took Fred's hand and pulled him toward the stairs that led to the twins' flat. "Let me make you some tea before you have to go back to work," she suggested. "Do you mind, George?"

When George shook his head, she led Fred upstairs. Hermione saw that Luna was rubbing soft circles along Fred's back as they climbed the stairs side by side. He seemed to visibly relax at from the loving contact of her hand.

Turning away from the pair, Hermione reached out and gently placed her hand on George's arm, and he turned to face her. "Oh Merlin, I'm so sorry I did that," she told him, and he could read the honesty in her eyes. "I was, well I was jealous and not thinking clearly, and I should have thought about what would actually happen to Fred before I wrote the letters."

George smiled. "You were jealous?"

Hermione nodded and then rolled her eyes. "Maybe just a little bit, but I've completely and utterly embarrassed myself, so it really wasn't worth it. I'm not sure why, but the whole situation brought out the worst in me." She chewed her lower lip as she examined the smile on George's face; he was so happy to see her, making her next words even more painful for her to say. "And, I don't know, but perhaps you and I just don't go well together George," she finished in a whisper, no longer meeting his eyes.

The smile promptly fell from his face. "What do you mean? Hermione, you make me so happy… what could be wrong about that? I've been thinking about you since the whole incident with Alicia started, and… I missed you," he said nervously. "I'd have been jealous too if I were you, honestly," he rambled, but Hermione stopped him by holding up her hand.

"George, it's not that, really. I think that I'm just too assertive, or possibly you aren't assertive enough. I don't think it will work. Anyway, my lunch break is nearly over, so…" She took a deep breath but never finished her sentence as she pressed herself onto her tiptoes and leaned toward George. She brushed her lips against his and his eyes fluttered closed. As she worked her lips gently against his, George's heart pounded for a million different reasons, but mainly because he didn't want to give this up. Before he had a chance to show her how he felt, she had pulled away and turned, walking out of the shop.

He watched her go, walking along past the window where he had met her for their first date. She was headed back to the Ministry to finish her day at work, leaving George alone in his store. He didn't want to miss her; there was something more important to him about her than her legs or her assertiveness. He argued with himself before making up his mind and running after her. He ran past some shoppers and didn't stop until he was turned around facing Hermione. She looked up at him, surprised, but he could tell by the look in her eye that he had done the right thing.

"Hermione, go out to dinner with me tonight."

"What? Dinner? Tonight?"

"Tonight," he leaned down and took her face in his hands before resuming their kiss. It wasn't long before Hermione's fingers were weaving through his hair, and she sighed gently as he deepened the kiss.

"Sure," she whispered against his lips. "Dinner, tonight." She was so happy that he had come after her, and she had missed his kisses. She let George scoop her up into his arms.

After a few long minutes, when George could hear an elderly woman loudly suggesting to her friend that he and Hermione get a room in the Leaky Cauldron, he pulled away from her. "I'll pick you up around seven," he told her.

She nodded. "But this doesn't mean we're officially together… it's just dinner," she reminded him.

Deciding to be forward once again, he leaned down and placed a noisy kiss on her cheek. "We'll see about that."

I know I said this would be the last chapter, but I'm thinking about a short epilogue! So that should happen soon!

The reviews have meant so much, thanks! And thanks a ton to the Twin Exchange ladies!