Sunday night dinner at the Burrow, is there anything better? Everyone talked and laughed at the table and later paired off around the house and outside holding hands and cuddling. Watching over them all were Arthur and Molly on their balcony off of their room doing the same, smiling down on the couples they could see and at the whispers of the others they could hear.
Hermione and George were walking around the orchard giving light touches. Hermione would walk just our of reach, around a tree, two steps ahead, stopping to inspect something. When George would come up behind her and almost get his hands on her or walk beside her and try to take her hand she would escape. It was driving him crazy. She didn't know she was teasing him, or at least he hoped she didn't know because if she did then she was just plain cruel. This felt like one of his dreams and if it were any minute now they would end up back at their house in their bed in the throws of passion. He closed his eyes and stood still.
"What are you doing?" She was standing in front of him with her head cocked to the side and her brow furrowed with curiosity. He opened his eyes with a sigh. So much for that idea. Before she could get away this time though he grabbed her around her middle and kissed her on the mouth.
"Have I told you lately that I love you?"
"Have I told you there's nobody else above you?" George looked above him to the trees.
"Okay..." He looked at her like she was crazy.
"It's from a muggle song, never mind."
"Have I told you lately?"
"Not since this morning, but it's nice to hear."
"Not since this morning? Well, it's about time I did. You should hear it all day. You make me very happy and I love you very much."
"George, you don't have to keep saying it, I know. You make me very happy too. I don't think I could have been in a better marriage or to a better man. Even if you did make me cluck like a chicken for an hour this morning."
"Yes well, I'm glad we have it cleared up now what exactly you meant when you said no testing products on you anymore. I'll try not to forget that again."
"You better or you'll be sleeping on the floor."
"I thought traditionally it was the couch?"
"You won't deserve the comfort."
"And tonight? Do I get to sleep in my own bed tonight?"
"Yes, you can sleep in OUR bed. Making everyone else cluck tonight with the mints made up for it."
He kissed her again, firmly took her hand and began walking again.
"I have to start packing for Hogwarts tomorrow."
"You don't go back until Wednesday I thought."
"Yes, but some of us like not to pack at the last minute and forget things. If I pack my trunk tomorrow I'll have time to remember things to pack Tuesday. That way I'm not running around on Wednesday morning looking for something in a panic."
"Well, of course, who did I think I was talking to." He smiled down at her and she smirked back with an evil glare.
"I wanted to ask if it was okay for me to put pictures up in my room and office of us or if that would be weird for you."
"Not a problem at all. Most of the older kids know me and the younger ones will soon enough. I see now harm in putting up pictures of this part of your life."
"Thank you. I want to show off what you look like when you are cleaned up and smiling nicely, not plotting in some dark corner, dirty from some experiment gone wrong or sweaty from a quidditch match."
"I think the girls liked me best sweaty. I am very manly."
"Oh yes, how could I forget?"
They were almost off the property now and started on their way back.
"I think we should say our good nights and go home and have some time together." He wanted to get in bed and read a book with her doing the same in the crook of his arm. They had done that some this afternoon before they had to leave to come to dinner and he wanted to stay like that forever.
"Very good idea. I'm tired and would really like to finish the chapter of the book I was reading." She had read his mind exactly.
When they got back they learned they weren't the first ones to leave. Back at their own house George had gotten very comfortable with Hermione being in the room and didn't even bother going to the bathroom when he changed into his pajama's. When she was brushing her teeth he came in, wrapped his arm around her waist and started brushing his. As soon as they lay down in bed he pulled her close and grabbed his book.
"Mr. Weasley?"
"Mrs. Weasley?"
"You do realize we haven't been married even a month yet right?"
"I don't see why you're bringing this up?"
"Your actions are that of a man married many years."
"I just don't see why I should dance around things. You know how I feel, I know how you feel. We've known each other for years. I have very little time left with you until you return to school so I'm taking full advantage of what time I have left. I don't see what the problem is."
"When you put it that way, neither do I."
"That's settled then. Now sit back and be quiet. I'm very busy learning how to make bubble gum that will melt your taste buds."
Hermione rolled her eyes but did just as her husband told her. She didn't remember falling asleep but she woke up later in the night with her book on the bed stand and she tucked in nicely with his arms around her. She sighed. Life was good.
...
Packing on Monday was miserable. Every item Hermione put in her trunk she felt a little further away already. She very carefully wrapped a few framed wedding pictures of them in his sweaters. She wanted to bring them so she could smell him and have some of him there with her. She knew she was being silly and that she wouldn't even have to wait a whole week to see him again but just thinking about it made it feel like forever. She wiped another tear from her face and sniffled.
"There's no reason to cry about it."
She whipped around to see George standing in the bedroom doorway.
"Yes there is. I'm leaving the day after tomorrow and leaving you behind." She said sadly sinking back down.
"You're not leaving me behind, I'm just not going as well. We'll see each other again this weekend, it's not like it's the whole year or anything."
"Even that feels like too long."
"I think you might have been slipped something at dinner. I swear it wasn't me!" he quickly defended.
"No, you just don't understand. It's all wrong. I certainly didn't plan on this happening and quite frankly I hate it. I've finally realized that I'm in love with you and now I have to leave and it's killing me." Her small rant made her head rush with blood. She had said that out loud, she was sure. Well, now he knew and she couldn't take it back. A moment of silence passed with no snarky replies or silly jokes about her feelings. Her curiosity was getting the better of her and she looked up to where he was standing next to the bed.
George reached to cup her cheek. When she didn't pull away and leaned in and kissed her. He whispered "I love you" and kissed her again. "Don't cry. Please don't make my first memory of you saying that have you crying." He kissed her again. He couldn't help himself, he was so happy.
"I can't help it. I feel like such a ninny saying it that way. And for not even seeing it when it was right there all the time." Another kiss. "I love you George." Kiss. "I don't want to leave. I want to stay here with you." Kiss. "Please don't make me go back there and leave you." Kiss.
"Hermione, right now I would give you anything you asked for so I'm not going to answer you in hopes that I'll have my senses later."
This time she kissed him. He would give her anything. All he ever hoped for was love from her and she was finally giving it to him. She must have loved him all this time and not been able to see it because this didn't feel like the beginning of something, it felt like the next glorious part. He climbed up on the bed, pushed all of her things off and lay her back on the pillows. He didn't stop kissing her and she loved it. Maybe if she could get him to keep doing it Wednesday she would miss the group going back to school and just stay home with him. He started kissing her cheeks and her neck. Okay, she thought, that feels really good. She let him keep going until she felt light in the head.
"George."
"Yes?"
"Are we about to... you know?"
"Well, I hadn't thought about it, but perhaps. It does take the magic out of it a bit to stop and talk about it though."
"I thought so." She leaned forward and kissed him this time. "I love you." She looked in to his eyes and conveyed that she wanted to continue. He lept at her and kissed her hard. In no time at all she could feel him hard on her thigh. She wasn't exactly a cold fish laying there. She was hot, antsy and could tell she was getting very worked up... down there. She wanted him to touch her. She hadn't thought that about anybody, ever before. She wanted him to take her shirt off and touch her bare stomach. As if he could hear her thoughts he did just that. He kissed her stomach and along the ridge of her pants. She reached down and pulled his shirt off. He let out a large huff of air when she ran her hands down his back the up his stomach and his chest. Her hands wound in his hair at the base of his neck as he kissed her breasts along her bra. In no time at all they were naked. It had been kissing, touching, gasping and a building up inside of her. It was making her feel like her head was spinning and about to explode. The moment he slightly lay on top of her she knew what was coming. She had heard so many differing stories, read many things in books and on the internet about how this moment would feel. She relaxed and closed her eyes. George took this as his cue to enter her. It was a twinge of pain in a place she hadn't felt before. When he pulled out it made her blood rush again. When he entered her she saw light behind her eyelids. This was perfect. She didn't know what she was so afraid of. She opened her eyes and looked up at George to let him know she was fine. He smiled down at her and panted.
George was trying so hard to go slow. Not only for her sake but for his. He was so happy that she had said she loved him and touching her had worked him up so far that he knew things weren't going to last much longer. Hermione started to pant as well. Her eyes closed and her eyebrows raised. She was tightening around him and he thanked the gods that he wasn't the only one who was going to finish so soon. Suddenly the tightness got unbearable and she was moaning with her release. He sped up a little and finished as well.
He couldn't move for a moment when they were done. He physically couldn't move. She pulled him down by the back of the head and kissed him hard. That hot lava feeling pushed on his chest as she did. Even after the intimacy they just shared he still relished kissing her. Now he could move. He lay down next to her and she backed up so they were spooning.
"Would it be terribly rude to go to sleep now?"
"Not at all. You fall asleep. I'll keep you safe."
"I know you will. I love you husband." She yawned and snuggled against his chest a little closer.
"I love you too wife." He pulled her a little closer and kissed the top of her head. Perfect night.
...
The sun wasn't even up yet but they were both mourning the day. It was Wednesday morning and in a few hours Molly Weasley would be taking the students back to school. George was lightly running his fingers along her arm and she was cuddled up close to him.
"I don't want to go back."
"Now that would be a waste."
"I'm happy here. I don't need to finish school to prove myself. I could take my NEWTs today and still score higher than any of the rest of my class."
"And you will at the end of the year."
"Why don't you want me to stay?"
"When would I see my girlfriend if you were here all the time?" She playfully smacked his chest and a soft rumble came from him.
"Why?" She asked again. He turned to her and propped himself up on his arm.
"Just what I said, it would be a waste. Yes, you may be able to get out now, but then Percy would be right. I'm not going to make you miss a most important part of your life because you want to be here with me. To this day Fred and I wish we would have stayed through seventh. Don't tell anyone that, but we think we missed a lot. I've agreed to you not going on to University but I won't let you stunt your Hogwart's career as well. You'll see me often enough and I'll be the first person you see and here will be the first place we go once you've graduated, I promise."
"It just seems cruel that I just got you and now I have to go away." She snuggle back up and hugged him close. He pulled her even closer and kissed the top of her head.
"And I'm sure it will feel the same way every time, for me too, but this is just the way it has to work. You'll come home Friday evenings and I'll send you back on Monday mornings. Now, as the most practical girl I know you will find a way to get a hold of this and make it work. You're Hermione Weasley, smartest girl of her age, in centuries even, you can do this."
"May I ask a favor?"
"Anything."
"Will you go to the shop late today and take me to Hogwarts? I don't want to leave before I absolutely have to."
"Of course. I'm sure Fred will understand. After all, it's only polite for a man to make a woman breakfast after a night of shagging." He jumped out of the bed and pulled on his pajama pants. "I'll meet you downstairs. You go ahead and shower and get ready." He leaned down and gave his wife a kiss then bounded out of the room and down the stairs. She was glad he left her to slowly move around and get cleaned up. Perhaps he knew she would be embarrassed and uncomfortable and was giving her time to herself on purpose. Her hips ached more than anything. A good slow stretch was enough to get her to the hot bliss of the shower to relieve her muscles. When she came back out to their bedroom she changed the sheets with her wand and laid out her clothes on the bed. Today she wore a grey pleated dress with a white shirt underneath rather than her baggy sweater and long skirt. She felt more womanly today and wanted to feel it on the outside too. Her hair curly and pulled back in a pony tail and pulled on her school robes and headed downstairs. She smelled the heavenly scent of bacon, eggs and toast as she made her way to the kitchen. When she got there George turned to her, put his spatula down and walked over to her. He slowly parted her robes and wound his hands around her waist. Looking down her body he looked back up and kissed her full on the mouth.
"You're giving me one hell of a schoolgirl fantasy right now." Hermione giggled and looked down at herself. It was true, she did look a little sexy in her almost knee length dress and knee high socks. After last night she could understand if he had all sorts of sexual thoughts about her, she wasn't at all shy once they got started. She was sure she would have plenty of dreams about him while she was away.
"How very lecherous. But I suppose that's what I get for being married to such an old man. I can't even remember the year you graduated, it was so long ago."
"Then I suppose I should get a picture of you to show off to all my old man friends. It's very ego building to say that you robbed the cradle and show off your arm candy."
She laughed and kissed him. "Breakfast smells great." Her stomach was aching she was so hungry. The heartwarming smell of breakfast comfort food wasn't making it feel any better. She felt like she could eat a cow.
"Well have at it. I made plenty, I was just waiting for you to get down here to start eating."
At first Hermione was savoring her food but then her mind started to wander to leaving again. She slowly chewed a piece of bacon and George noticed that she seemed distracted.
"Is something the matter?" he asked through a mouthful of toast.
"No, nothing."
"You can tell me."
She looked up at him with unshed tears in her eyes. "I'm thinking about leaving again. I feel like such a blubbering baby about all of this."
He moved across the table to sit next to her. "You're not a blubbering baby. This has all happened in such a whirlwind, I can understand and sympathize with your overwhelmed feelings. Now you're going to have to go back to school and me the shop as if nothing has changed."
"Exactly. How am I supposed to just go back to my studies and all my Head Girl responsibilities when I want to be here planning dinner and planting in my garden?"
"Well, I will look forward to that sight. You bent over a patch of dirt grunting and sweating."
"I'm serious George."
"So am I!"
She leaned against him and he hugged his arm around her and smoothed her hair back to her ponytail.
"Everything will be fine. I'm going to be a wreck too when you leave. I'll be no use to Fred today whatsoever. I've even started to think up a new product to make people cry so that I won't be the only one."
"That would be awful. Making people cry just because you are."
"Hey, you know what they say; misery loves company." The clock chimed in the next room.
"And it seems my misery is quickly approaching." They were all to meet at the Burrow in an hour, half an hour if they wanted breakfast there. Usually she wouldn't take away Molly's pleasure of cooking for her family, but she wanted more alone time with George this morning.
"I should start packing up the last of my things. Will you be okay cleaning up?"
"I'll be fine. I'll be up in a minute to help."
Hermione trudged up the stairs and slowly started to collect the last of her toiletries and things here and there to put in her trunk. George walked in and nuzzled in to her neck from behind her. He held a hand out in front of her with a box in it.
"Don't forget to take this with you." Hermione put her hand to her mouth in surprise. He nuzzled closer to her and kissed her neck as she gingerly took the box from his hand and opened it. Inside was a necklace with a pendant. The chain was featherlight and delicate. The pendant was in the shape of a key. It was covered in diamonds so crystal clear they seemed blue. At the top was a fleur de lis where the chain looped through.
"Oh George, I love it. It's so beautiful."
"I wanted to give you something to remember me by. Whenever you think of me or feel lonely I want you to touch your necklace. When you touch the key it will make my watch feel warm against my wrist and vise versa. Will you wear it?"
"Oh of course I will! Will you help me put it on?" She still faced away from him and pulled her hair to the side. He took the necklace and pulled it around her throat and latched it in the back. It lay delicately against her skin and George traced the chain with his lips. Hermione just stood there relishing the feeling that his kisses gave her. As time went on he turned her toward him but kept his mouth in place. He rubbed her sides and continued to suck on her throat lightly. She responded to him with little mews and panting breaths. This would have escalated had it not been for the clock telling them they had been standing there for near half an hour.
"Oh my goodness, we have to get going."
"Hold right there." George drew his wand and waved it at her neck. "Wouldn't want that broadcasting to the world." He had given her a hickey just now and knew she would be embarrassed had anyone seen it. She touched the spot where she knew it was and blushed.
"Thank you."
"Alright then. You grab your jacket and I'll take the trunk. Meet me at the door." He kissed her, turned her toward the door and swatted her bottom. She gasped in surprise but went on her way with a smile. He was at the door before she made it down the stairs. He held out her jacket, took her trunk in one and and her hand in the other and apparated them to the Burrow.
...
"Hello everyone." George said announcing their arrival. "Sorry we're late, I was busy lavishing my wife with gifts."
"You aren't late, you're right on time." Lavender corrected snidely.
"Well, right you are Lavvy. Thank you." George made a spectacle of looking at his watch and acting surprised. He touched the watch face and Hermione touched her necklace at the gentle warmth it generated. "Should we get this show on the road then?"
"She doesn't have to show off by touching it." Lavender mumbled under her breath. Ron had spent every last penny he had on Lavender, but considering he never worked for more than a couple weeks a year at his brothers shop, every last penny didn't amount to all that much. Hermione felt superficial being glad that her husband had money, but also proud that he had found something to do with his life and it was something he enjoyed. George was glad he had money to spend on his wife and hoped he would be able to for the rest of his life. She looked beautiful in her necklace and he was glad she accepted it and showed it off rather than fighting him on it or trying to hide it under her shirt.
They all congregated outside then one by one started apparating away. When it was George's turn he grabbed Hermione by the waist, kissed her and apparated them away. Harry and Ginny laughed and were glad that Lavender weren't there to see it so they wouldn't have to hear more grumbling from her about how Ron wasn't a spontaneous romantic.
"Oh, but they'll see them at the gates." Ginny reminded.
"Oh yes. Well, perhaps we should wait a moment longer and give them a head start."
"Wonderful idea Mr. Potter." Ginny pulled him close by his jacket lapels and kissed him.
...
Lavender did in fact grumble at seeing the couple kissing when they appeared. Ron had gasped, turned pink and quickly turned away to walk up to the school.
"Come on Lav, I want to talk to Seamus before class starts."
"Coming dear." She said in her sweetest voice. She reached for his hand and snuggled against his side as they walked up the path.
"I have a feeling you're going to be subjected to that lovey dovey scene all the time."
"With the exception of weekends."
"Of course." George gave her a quick peck on the lips.
"It's very sad that she's even married to him now and she still feels the need to show me that she's better for him."
"She has another thing coming if she thinks she's going to get a jealous rise out of you. Right?"
"Right." She kissed him this time. "Well, I should get up there. Class starts in 10 minutes and I don't want the teachers to think that I'm slacking now that I'm married." She looked at her shoes not sure how to let go of him and walk up the path. He lifted her with his nose and hugged her close.
"I'll see you on Saturday."
"Alright."
"I love you," he whispered.
"I love you too," she whispered back in to his shoulder.
At that moment a flushed Harry and Ginny appeared and offered to walk with Hermione up to the school. She accepted and hauled her trunk behind her. George watched the whole way until she disappeared behind the door.
