A/N – Look at this, an update that didn't take 6 months! It's miraculous! Anyway, this is kind of short, but hopefully it's okay – enjoy!
"George?" Hermione's voice drifted into the workshop.
George made an unintelligible noise and Hermione poked her head through the door, bursting into a fit of giggles as she saw her husband with a pile of books and potion ingredients in his arms, his wand held between his teeth. She hurried in and relieved him of some of the items, placing them on the workbench. George removed his wand from his mouth with a crooked grin.
"Sorry, bit much on my plate right now," George smiled, gesturing at the golden plate that sat on the workbench.
"Do you need any-"
"One second," George interrupted, rushing over to stir a potion that was bubbling away in a small pewter cauldron. Seven time anticlockwise, Hermione noted. "Yes, sorry, I'm back. I've got…" He paused, glancing at a sand timer that stood above the fire. "…Seven minutes and twelve seconds," he continued.
Hermione walked towards her husband and placed her hand softly on his arm.
"Maybe you should get someone to help?" She suggested gently. "You can't do this all alone."
"I can't," George grimaced. "I don't have the time to teach someone the ropes and still get the new set of products out when I want them to be."
"I could help," Hermione suggested gingerly.
"I couldn't let you do that," George said, drawing his wife into a hug and kissing her gently on the top of her head. "You spend more time working than I do, and you know how tough it's been for you," he murmured, squeezing her gently as they both thought of their argument a few weeks before.
"That's the thing," Hermione paused.
George drew back and looked into her eyes, catching sight of the embarrassment, or was it fear, hidden there.
"What do you mean?" George asked softly, stroking Hermione's hand with his thumb.
"I, it's just…" Hermione stumbled over her words. "Iwasthinkingofquittingmyjob," she burst out.
"You are?" George looked slightly confused. "But you love your job."
"I do, honestly, I do. But," Hermione wrung her hands nervously. "It's just been so busy and we barely see each other and I know that you've been struggling and I just thought that maybe if I left the Ministry I could help you and we'd all be happier and…" She trailed off, looking up at George nervously, an eyebrow raised.
"Trust me, there is nothing more I want to do than spend more time with you," George smiled, pulling his wife in for a quick kiss. "But are you sure you've thought this through?"
Hermione responded with a snort of derision. Pulling a stack of papers out of her bag, undetectably extended, of course, she spread them on the table, careful to avoid a slightly ominous looking patch of green liquid.
"Me?" She smirked at George slightly. "Not plan something?"
"I'm sorry," George laughed. "Stupid question. So you think we could actually be better off if you left the Ministry? Not that money matters," he added quickly.
Hermione squeezed his hand.
"I may be a war hero," Hermione said, screwing up her face up at the phrase. "But the Ministry is not known for its generous salaries," she said with a laugh.
"And from the look of this," George said, gesturing at the piece of paper he was reading studiously, "you think we can make a lot from this place."
"Well, it would require some of the knowledge of a handsome genius," Hermione laughed as George preened. "As well as his less good looking, idiot of a brother, George," Hermione added with a sly smile.
"You'll pay for that!" George jumped back from the table, launching forward to tickle Hermione.
She giggled, writhing under his fingers, before twisting round and unleashing revenge on him.
"Nooooo," George laughed. "Not my ribs," he said, with a slightly girlish shriek.
He then pulled Hermione towards him, trapping her arms under his and, when she huffed indignantly, leant down to kiss her softly. She relaxed immediately into his embrace and returned his kiss, her arms snaking around his waist.
The kissing intensified for a few minutes until a small ding broke the pair apart, both looking slightly flushed.
"Ahh, time to stir again," George said with a longing look at his wife before he turned to walk towards the cauldron.
"Let me," Hermione offered with a grin.
"Of course," George replied, stepping aside to let Hermione pass him.
She walked to the cauldron and stirred easily and precisely before removing and drying the rod and hanging it back up on the rack. She felt George's arms slip around her waist from behind and she interlocked her fingers with his, leaning her head back onto his chest.
"I could get used to this sort of work," George murmured from behind her, his head resting on hers.
"Don't you get your hopes up, George Weasley," Hermione said strictly. "We have to get actual work done here. No shenanigans, you hear me?"
George responded by pinching her bum gently and running away, giggling to himself. Hermione looked briefly annoyed before breaking into a smile, turning round, and chasing after him.
"When I find you, Mr Weasley, you're dead!"
A/N – I hope you liked it. I know it's not my best, but yeah. Also, I feel like such a loser asking for reviews, but they make my life infinitely better so… Please? Thanks for reading.