1Chapter Ten

"Once a Fool Always a Fool"

In the month that passed, Hermione and George spent a great deal of time with each other. They made sure not to forget their friends but they enjoyed spending any of their free time, what little they had, in each other's presence. George had even taken to joining Hermione in the library when she needed to study, however he didn't quite like the "creepy" place.

"Why do you like this...library?" George frowned at her from across the table.

"You say library like it's a dirty word," Hermione shook her head with a small smile.

"In my family it is...well if you don't count Percy, and none of us do. It's just that it's so stuffy and boring, you can't even talk above a whisper or the old hag will kick you out."

"George Weasley," Hermione admonished. "Madame Pince is not an old hag, she is a quite a nice lady when you take time to get to know her."

"Oh, I got to know her all right...maybe a little too well."

"What are you talking about," she asked hesitantly.

"Let's just say that I never wanted to see Pince and Filch in that close of a relationship," George answered with a shudder.

"No," Hermione gasped in shock.

"Miss Granger, Mr. Weasley, you must lower your voices or I will have to ask you to leave." Madame Pince stood just behind George and gave both of them firm glares. She turned on her heels and marched away, no doubt to hunt for students who were talking above a whisper.

"Do you think she heard us?"

"With those bat like ears, I would say so," George nodded wisely.

"You know, I have never been admonished by Madame Pince before, at least not until you arrived."

"I bet Pince admonished Filch all night long," George smirked.

"Oh, that is just not right," Hermione shook her head disgustedly.

"I know, I always thought Filch and Mrs. Norris were an item."

"George, don't make me sick," Hermione turned back to her books, striving to tune him out.

"I wonder if Mrs. Norris is jealous about Pince...Ohh, maybe Mrs. Norris get's in on the action."

George could have gone on if it weren't for Hermione throwing a book in his face, sufficiently ending all conversation for the rest of their time in the library.

Another Hogsmeade trip arrived and the students were running around preparing for the day. It was getting colder so Hermione made sure to choose something that was both warm and attractive, however, she seemed to own too many lumpy sweaters.

"I see the problem," a voice commented from behind Hermione's shoulder. Parvati was looking into the closet and nodding her head. "I think I have just the thing. Put on those black skinny jeans that make your butt pop and I'll be right back."

Hermione tentatively grabbed the jeans hanging in her closet and turned to the side so she could see her butt in the mirror. "These really make my butt pop?"

"They sure do," Parvati called back from her closet. "Now hurry up and put those on, we don't have all day."

Hermione hurriedly pulled on the jeans and Parvati handed her a beautiful baby blue sweater with a square neckline. It was perfect. "Thanks Parvati," Hermione smiled back at her fellow roommate.

"Not a problem. I know you've noticed George's excitement of late so I think he has something special planned for this Hogsmeade trip. You've got to look your best."

"If it's anything like what he thought up for our last Hogmeade trip, it will be well worth the effort."

"George slow down," Hermione said with a laugh as he dragged her down the path to Hogsmeade.

"Sorry, but I just want to show you something, and did I mention yet today how gorgeous you look?"

"Only about fifty times," she giggled, his excitement seemed to be catching.

"Only fifty?" George stopped and his jaw dramatically dropped. "Then I need to do a lot better. I plan on reaching one thousand today, so make sure you're keeping track."

"I'll try," Hermione shook her head in amusement as they began walking.

"Oh, wait, I forgot something," George stopped once again.

"I told you we left in too much of a hurry, let's go back now if we need to," Hermione started to turn around back towards Hogwarts when she felt arms wrap around her waist. She was pulled tight against George's chest and without thought to the other students who walked past them, George planted a firm kiss on her lips. Hermione became so dazed in their passionate moment that she barely heard the cat calls emanating from the crowd they had no doubt created.

George reluctantly pulled away and shot the bystanders a nasty glare. "Go on, this isn't some show," he waved them off. Hermione blushed when she heard them grumble about displaying public affection.

"Don't worry about them, all I care about is being here with you, my darling Rumpelstiltskin."

"What?" Hermione pushed on his chest to look up in his eyes. "Rumpelstiltskin? Where did you hear that name?"

"Dad said that it was a fairy tale about a beautiful woman named Rumpelstiltskin. He said the name was used by Muggles as a term of endearment."

"Rumpelstiltskin was an ugly dwarf who tried to steal a woman's first-born child, definitely not a term of endearment."

"Oops, sorry, guess I have to take what Dad knows about the Muggle world with a grain of salt."

"Yeah," Hermione patted his arm. "That's good advice."

Once again the couple began walking towards the village and finally they reached the Three Broomsticks. George held the door open for her and she was immediately caught up in a huge hug.

"Hermione, it's so good to see you," the man who held her cried out. He suspiciously sounded a lot like George.

"Gred, would you please let go of my gal," George spoke from behind her and almost immediately she was let go.

"Your gal? Did I hear correctly that my twin brother is finally off the market? What will we do now, our bachelorhood is at stake here."

"Why would I want bachelorhood when I have the most beautiful woman on my arm," George smiled down at Hermione and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"It's nice to see you too Fred," Hermione nodded at the man in front of her who seemed to be staring at her in a new way.

"Please let's sit," Fred motioned to a table he seemed to already have occupied and George helped Hermione take off her coat and pulled her chair out for her. Hermione was pleased to see what a gentleman he had become.

Fred sat across from Hermione and she could have sworn he looked down at her chest but almost immediately he began a conversation with George. For the rest of the afternoon the three of them sat and Hermione was regaled with stories of their youth in which they either pranked or were pranked by friends, family, and teachers. Hermione's sides were killing her after a couple of hours because they kept making her laugh. They even managed to get her to spew Butterbeer out her nose, which is not a good feeling by the way, after a particularly funny story.

It would have been a perfect afternoon if it weren't for the constant touches or flattering comments by Fred which were beginning to make Hermione more than a little uncomfortable. She snuck side long glances at George and could see even he noticed the behavior of his twin brother. Finally after the fifth touch of Fred's hand on Hermione's, George stood up and with a fake jovial smile asked Fred to walk outside with him.

"Why, it's bloody cold out there and I have a better view from in here," Fred looked pointedly at Hermione's breasts.

"Then grab a coat," George commented hauling Fred out of his chair and outside the pub.

Hermione sat at their table for awhile but began to get a little worried when after ten minutes they still had not come back. Grabbing her coat, she paid Madam Rosmerta for the Butterbeers and walked outside into the blustery air. Looking around she didn't see either Fred or George and thought they might be in the alley between buildings. As she grew closer, she heard a heated argument between two men, which she new without a doubt were Fred and George. She was about to round the corner and see what the problem was when what she heard stopped her point blank.

"Do you love her?"

"No, how could I love her?"

It was difficult to hear with the wind howling in her ear but there was no way she could have misheard. She was about to turn away, the pain in her heart nearly palpable when what was said next broke her heart entirely.

"...just a little bet between friends..."

"Does...mean anything?"

"No..."

Tears fell down Hermione's cheeks and she leaned her head back against the brick wall, no longer caring about how cold she was feeling because she wasn't quite sure if she could feel anything after this moment. Steeling herself she turned around and marched away from the alley. She wasn't going to stand there any longer and listen to his hurtful words. Hermione could have hit herself for being put in the same situation again. She made a fool of herself and it was noone else's fault but her own. She knew she should have stayed away from George.

On the walk back to Hogwarts she heard footsteps running behind her, she moved to the side in case someone was taking a mid-afternoon jog but looked up when the footsteps stopped next to her.

"Sorry that took so long," George said out of breath. "Fred and I had a nice long chat. I mean those touches he was giving..."

"Enough George," Hermione held up a hand to stop him. "I'm tired of the lies. I don't want to hear anything more that you have to say. We're through, or well, we were never together in the first place. How could I have been so stupid?" She groaned and began to walk again before she felt a hand on her arm pulling her back.

"What are you talking about?" George asked, confusion written on his face.

"I heard you George, just like I heard you the first time, you obviously haven't learned anything since then. I heard the argument you and Fred had and I'm not going to be fooled anymore by your lies. I never want to speak to you again."

Hermione tugged her arm out of his grasp and before walking back to Hogwarts she saw George's pale face and knew she was right. She managed to make it back to her room before she was taken over by sobs. It felt as if her heart had been ripped out of her chest, but the worst of it was that after his first betrayal, she continued to love him, and she knew that even though he had broken her heart a second time, a small part of her still held that same love for him. All Hermione could do, at the moment though, was curl up on her bed and cry and try to pretend she didn't love him anymore.

Oh no...what's going to happen to Hermione and George? Did Hermione really hear their argument correctly or is there something more to the situation? Ok folks, I'm planning on, I think, one more chapter and it will be all wrapped up. Thank you for all who have been reading, reviewing, putting this on their story alerts and/or favorites. It really means a lot to me. Please take a moment and let me know what you think of it so far and what you think the final nickname is going to be.