I could use a dream or a genie or a wish to go back to a time much simpler than this.. Somebody take me back to the days before this was a job, before I got paid before it ever mattered what I had in my bank.-B.o.B. 'Airplanes'
"Where are we putting the fireworks-AGH!" I looked up from the shelf I was trying to right with an amused grin as the box of fireworks in question went off in Ron's hands. A loud laugh echoed from the other end of the shop as Fred shot a spell at the box, stopping the other fireworks from going off.
"Honestly, Ronald," Hermione said, rolling her eyes at her second best mate in a age old way that made me want to laugh, "Molly, Ginny, Alicia, and I are separating the items. You're simply to bring the salvageable items to us."
"Oh." Ron said, his ears flushing as he made his way over to the witches. Hermione took the object, shaking her head in amusement as Ron went back to the rubble he'd been sifting through.
It was actually amazing I hadn't been more injured, looking at the mess the explosion had left behind. I could understand now just why it was that Hermione and Fred had been so scared about me.
I should be sad, I'd been devastated yesterday, but I wasn't. I straightened up from where I had been trying to lift a broken crate of canary crèmes and looked around the shop, smiling at what I saw. Everyone was here to help us, all of my siblings, mum, dad, Hermione, Harry, Fleur, Lee, Oliver, Alicia, even Luna had shown up to help us repair the damage. They were all taking time off their own jobs and commitments to help Fred and me rebuild our dream. That's where I'd gone wrong earlier. I'd tried to do it all by myself, I'd barely let Fred even help. I'd forgotten I wasn't alone.
My eyes came to rest on something in a pile of rubble in front of it. It was something metallic that was catching the light from the sun. I stepped towards it and freed it from the rubble, grinning when I saw what it was. A simple plaque, one that I'd obtained during Umbridge's reign of terror.
BY ORDER OF THE MINISTRY OF MAGIC
ALL WEASLEY PRODUCTS ARE HENCEFORTH
BANNED FROM THE GROUNDS
The above is in accordance with Educational Decree Number one hundred and eleven.
Signed: Cornelius Oswald Fudge, Minister for Magic
The plaque had been badly burned and was falling apart in my hands. My smile faded to a frown as I re-read it. Life had been so much simpler back then. All that had mattered to me was making people laugh and making sure that Umbridge didn't get away with her madness. Pranks had been more important to me than galleons. I realized now that I'd lost sight of why we'd built this store to begin with. I'd lost sight of the humor, the love, the simple joy a prank brought me. I wanted to get back to that, I wanted to go back to the way it used to be. Back before this was a job, back when all that mattered was making people laugh.
Before what mattered was how much I had, when all that mattered was Fred, when all that mattered was that we were together and alive, and everything was so perfect. If growing up meant losing that joy, that peace, then why the hell had I let myself grow up?
How weird is it that it took that dream literally blowing up in my face for me to realize that? I finally realized why that was written on Dumbledore's tomb stone. Where your treasure is there will your heart be also. My treasure had switched over the years, and it was just now finding its way back to where it belonged.
We'd make it because we had each other, and that was all I really needed. Everything would work out one way or another.
"George!" Lee called from the other corner of the shop. I looked up from the plaque to see what he needed and grinned when I saw him trying to lift a shelf. I dropped the plaque to the ground and jogged over to him, helping him lift the shelf up.
"Thanks, mate." Lee said, wiping his brow with his robe sleeve. "I'd have gotten Fred, but he's rubbish at that."
"Oi!" Fred said from behind us indignantly. "I heard that! I am not rubbish, I could have lifted it by myself." I grinned and stepped up next to him, placing my hand on his shoulder.
"Sure," I said in a tone one would use when they were speaking to a small child, "We all know you could, Freddie." He scowled at me, frowning even more when Charlie laughed from behind us.
"You're taking the mickey on me." He accused, poking a finger into my chest.
"Quite the contrary, actually." Percy said, stepping towards us with his broom. He had dust on his nose and his normally perfect robes were mussed and his glasses were crooked. I'd never seen him look so unkempt. "We all know you're perfectly capable of lifting these heavy shelves." He deadpanned, causing a faint grin to lift Fred's lips. Percy rarely joked, but Fred was the first to laugh at whatever he joked about. The two of them had a weird connection since the battle. Not a magical connection or anything, they were just closer than before.
"Well, at least I look presentable." Fred intoned, tweaking his robes. He was nowhere near presentable. He was covered in soot, crèmes, and his robes were ripped from where they had gotten snagged on part of the window earlier.
"I'm starving, mate." Bill said, coming up to our little group. "What are we doing for lunch?"
"Nothing, you didn't actually think we'd feed you?" I stated, keeping my face surprised.
Percy shook his head before turning to Bill. "We're going to the Burrow in about ten minutes for lunch." He glanced at mum with a fond smiled before pushing his glasses back up his nose. "You know how much she loves feeding the entire family."
"Brilliant, I could use some home cooking." Charlie declared, tossing a bit of wall into our garbage pile.
"Oi!" Ron called from the other end of the shop, we turned towards him with an upraised eyebrow. "Get back to work!" He exclaimed, ducking a moment later as we tossed a box of puking pastilles at him.
We were going to be just fine.
-o-O-o-
"George, Hermione's upstairs. I'm going to Diagon Alley to get some supplies, but I'll be back in a little bit." Mum called from the kitchen as I finished straightening the sitting room. She'd been kind enough to let us use the space to re-concoct some of our products while we repaired the shop. I called back that I heard her and then stepped into the kitchen in time to see the green fire that marked the Floo network fade away. I fixed myself a glass of pumpkin juice and sat down at the kitchen table for a minute.
I was bored.
Hermione was here though, so I had no reason to be bored. I grinned at the thought and pushed away from the table, leaving my pumpkin juice behind as I climbed the steps two at a time.
I checked her room first, grinning excitedly as I looked around for her. She wasn't in it so I went towards Ginny's room, maybe she was looking for something in it.
"Help, I need somebody, Help!" Five words echoed from the door across the hall and it set my heart to racing. That was Hermione's voice, she was calling for help!
Now, all of you muggles are probably realizing what actually just happened, but if you didn't well, you're about to be surprised with me.
I charged across the hall and grabbed the door knob, jiggling it like crazy in an attempt to open it. It was locked tight, and the fact that it was the loo did not even cross my mind. Nor did I notice the fact that the shower was on full blast at the other side of it. My heart was pounding in my chest and panic was overtaking me. My only thoughts were of getting to Hermione and removing her from harms way.
"Alhomora!" I thought at the door, unlocking it before I threw it open and charged into the room.
Hermione was standing with her back to me in the shower, her head thrown back as she let the water spray across her. Her long, curly hair, was clinging to her back as she raised her shapely arms, playing with the spray of the water. Her eyes were closed and her lips open as she sang at the top of her lungs.
I stood in the door way completely frozen, my mouth open in shock and my wand drawn as I stared at her.
She realized the door had been open and spun around, her hands rising to cover her bare chest as she let out a scream. I spluttered and stepped back, my eyes rising to the ceiling as I realized she'd been singing some song, not calling for help at all.
"Sorry!" I yelped before stepping out of the room and shutting the door. I stood still for a minute before turning around and slumping against the door, completely winded by what had just happened. Hermione was going to kill me, she'd never believe it had been an accident.
Merlin's beard, she was hot thought! How had I never seen that figure before? How did she keep that body hidden?
I was no longer the least bit bored, but I now had other problems. My mind was going in overdrive, taking the image of Hermione's bare, and wet body, and placing the two of us in compromising situations everywhere. I was growing hot leaning against the door and extremely uncomfortable. I barely heard the water cut off, and that brought me back to my senses. I pushed away from the door and raced down the steps, not stopping until I was back at the kitchen table.
I moaned and slumped against the table, burying my head in my arms as I tried to calm my over excited body down.
"George?" Only Hermione's voice could have made me look up. I did so, and frowned when she glared at me.
"What just happened?" she questioned, sitting beside me. I wanted to avoid her eyes in embarrassment, but I forced myself to look at her eyes.
"I was coming up to see you when I heard you call for help." I explained, my voice dropping. Her eyes widened in surprise, and she blushed.
"Oh…"
"I swear to god I didn't realize you were singing. I lost it, I just threw the door open and ran in."
She blushed even brighter and dropped our shared gaze, looking at my pumpkin juice. "Alright."
"Seriously?" I asked before I could stop myself. She looked at me with a bit of a darker blush. "You're not going to hex me?"
"George," She started, fidgeting with the table, "we're going to be married in pretty much a week. You'll have to see me na-naked eventually."
My eyes widened in surprise at that.
"We probably actually need to start discussing that bit." She mumbled.
"Yeah," I replied, standing up and reaching for her hand. "But not here," I added when she grabbed my hand, "Outside. Mum could be back at any moment and I really don't fancy having that conversation anywhere near her." Hermione nodded her head and stepped around the table, not quite meeting my eyes. I lead her outside and towards my favorite tree at the outskirts of the Burrow's garden.
We sat down at the base of it, side by side. I had my arm around her and she was leaning into me slightly, her hand resting on my leg.
"So, what questions do you have?" I finally asked, breaking the heavy silence.
"Well, I think we should ask the obvious question first." She said, looking at something on the edge of the garden.
"Yes?" I said, waiting for her to ask the questions.
"Have you ever had sex before?" She asked, her voice painfully shy and scared. I sighed and felt my chest tighten in guilt. This was going to hurt her, and I never wanted to hurt her.
"Yes."
A/N: The song Hermione was singing was 'Help' by the Beatles. That actually happened to me, it's how my husband and I first met :) We were on a mission trip in Mexico with our youth groups, and I was taking a shower. He'd never heard that song before-or anything from the Beatles, (I've since fixed that.) and thought I was in trouble. I was mortified at the time, but it's really funny now.
Long story short, we became friends and kept in touch after the trip. We went to the same college and ended up getting married. :) He now says 'Help' is his favorite song.