Author's Note: I loved how everyone was saying how bad they felt for George and how awful Hermione was! The fact that I could make you guys dislike Hermione (who is one of the best characters EVER) makes me super proud! Don't worry, everything will get better! Still not Rowling!

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The rest of the week was tense, to say the least, in the Granger-Weasley household. Not a word was spoken. Schedules even changed so they would avoid each other. Anger and hurt clung to the very air, seeping under the doors and in the cracks in the windows, growing so heavy, it was almost like a third person in the house. It was as if a dementor had taken up residence, forcing every thought to be tinged black, wiping any possible trace of a grin off faces in the house.

…

The first few days of Hermione's relative absence were a non-issue for George. He was furious and hurt that Hermione would be so cruel. He was fine with her avoiding him – he didn't want to talk to her either! Although her huffily leaving the room, glaring all the while as she left any room he entered, was a bit annoying, he could have cared less. He thought of staying at the Burrow and possibly enjoying a few glare-free days, but then he would have to explain why he was there and why Hermione wasn't. Just thinking about Mrs. Weasley's reaction was giving him a headache. That was definitely not a viable option. If that was how she wanted to be, let her. She was the one being the bitch.

…

George was simply infuriating Hermione. Even in silence, she couldn't avoid him. He somehow always entered a room she had just gotten comfortable in. She would not let him do this to her. This was all his fault and she wasn't going to give him the satisfaction or the courtesy of remaining in the same room with him. He was a complete arse and she wasn't going to deal with it. She thought of going to stay with her parents to escape him, but then, like a slap in the face, she remembered where her parents were. That just made everything worse. She was pregnant and she couldn't even share it with her parents. She couldn't ask her mom for help. Everything was just getting more and more awful. She thought of staying at the Burrow and having a few George-free days, but then she would have to explain why she was there and why George wasn't. Just thinking about Mrs. Weasley's reaction was giving her a headache. That was definitely not a viable option. Whatever. If he wanted to leave, he could. He was the one who was the problem, not her.

…

After a few days and missing the Weasley family dinner, mostly because neither one wanted to break the silence and ask if they should go, the aura of the house had begun to change.

…

'This was ridiculous. She just needs to see that it happened in the spur of the moment and it was not premeditated. We were drunk for Merlin's sake! How could it have been? It was just a mistake. I mean we're not even ready to be parents.'

Pictures suddenly flew through George's mind, like a movie in fast-forward. Him teaching a little red-headed boy how to fly for the first time. Being hugged by a little girl with brown, curly hair. Helping a little red-headed boy and girl with their homework at the kitchen table, while Hermione watched, a smiling brunette baby in her arms.

George's heart hurt as he pictured these scenes. He wanted that. No, he ached for that. Fred had always made fun of him when they were younger, saying he was meant to be a girl because every time a cute baby or toddler was near, George got all doe-eyed and had to grit his teeth to stop himself exclaiming how cute they were. George knew deep down he was meant to be a father. He had always been the most protective of Ginny, her being the only girl and being the youngest. He had always felt it was his duty. Now he couldn't stop thinking of being a dad, and being protective of his own little girl.

He couldn't let this continue. He couldn't let Hermione continue on in angry silence. He wanted a family. He wanted a family with her. He wanted Hermione back.

…

Hermione had to admit it – she missed George. She missed his stupid jokes and his constant smile. She missed his blue eyes that sparkled when he teased her. She missed talking to him about, well, about everything. She missed him. And she was getting tired of being mad. She was never very good at staying mad for long, except at Ron. He had always been so infuriating that he made it easy to stay mad at him. But George wasn't like that. George was effervescent. He was like a ray of sunshine; he lit up any room he walked into.

'That must have been why everything seemed so much harder after the war,' Hermione thought. 'George was always the one to cheer everyone up, and with him in such a deep depression, it made everything seem just that much worse. That must have been why Mrs. Weasley was so excited when he started getting back to his old self – everyone needed a bit of that happiness he radiates.'

Hermione thought about what had happened and all she had said to him. Her stomach squirmed with guilt. She felt so bad for having said all those horrible things to him. Horrible, untrue things. As much as Hermione hated to admit it, George was completely right. It was both of them together, and looking back, she knew she had wanted it just as much as him. She just let these awful mood swings take over her and ruin what should have been a happy moment. She just wasn't ready to be a mom.

Suddenly, images zoomed before Hermione's eyes. Holding a smiling baby with curly red hair and blue eyes. Bathing a smiling little girl with curly brown hair who was giggling and splashing, making the toy boat in the water rock as if in a storm-tossed sea. A little red-headed boy running into her arms, beaming as he told her about his adventure of the day. Putting two little red-headed toddlers to bed, her head resting on George's chest as they watched their children smiling in their sleep.

Hermione was shocked as she felt tears dripping from her chin. She had not realized she had been crying. She realized that she had been lying to herself all along. She wanted it, more than ever because her own mom was not there. She wanted to be the one who could mend booboos and kiss it all better. She wanted to see her kids off at Platform 9 ¾, seeing their beaming faces as they stepped though the barrier at King's Cross for the first time. She wanted to be someone's mommy.

…

Hermione opened her bedroom door quietly and looked around. George was nowhere in sight. She tiptoed to his room, feeling her stomach squirm again for having kicked him out as she saw the rumpled bedcovers. He was not there and she did not hear running water from the bathroom, so she tiptoed towards the living room. She peeked around the door, not wanting to possibly upset George with her presence, and saw him pacing around the living room, running his fingers through his hair in an agitated manner. She could tell he was still not completely used to having short hair – his hands grasped to pull at hair that had been there for years and was only recently absent. She padded quietly into the room, waiting for him to turn and pace in the other direction, facing her. George got to the end of the room and turned around, but froze suddenly. Hermione saw the flash of shock in his wide, troubled eyes. No one spoke for a moment.

"I'm sorry," Hermione whispered, although it carried like a shout in the painfully silent sitting room.

George looked at her for a second, wary, then said quietly, "Me too." He walked towards her slowly, but stayed out of arm's reach, which made Hermione's stomach clench as she realized he did so out of fear that she might attack again. She had made her own husband somewhat afraid of her, and she felt disgusted with herself. She walked a step closer, and was thankful he did not step back.

"George, I'm really sorry. I said some simply awful things that were all untrue and you didn't deserve it. It was something we both did when we were drunk and it's really no one's fault." She looked at him imploringly, desperate to hear she was forgiven and be in his embrace. She had messed up – she knew that know – but all she wanted was to have everything fixed again.

…

George watched her in silence, weighing the words he was desperate to say, trying to hold them in, in case it seemed to be bad timing. He watched her as she apologized and he saw the hurt in her eyes. He shouldn't have stood that far away, but he had done it without thinking, which probably made it that much worse. He saw her eyes brimming with tears, begging him to make everything better.

"Itwasn'tamistake," he blurted out. She looked at him, confused.

"What?"

He took a deep breath and started over. "Whatever happened, it wasn't a mistake. I can understand you being upset and being shocked, but I wouldn't take back what we did. I want a family, Hermione. And I want a family with the woman I love. If you aren't ready, or if you're still upset with me I can understand, but I want to fix this. With you." He stopped, out of breath, and looked at her. Her eyes were filled with tears and a few were sliding down her cheeks.

"Oh Hermione, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"You love me?" she asked.

"I just- wait, what?"

"You said you loved me."

"I did…," said George, not sure where this was going.

"You love me?" she asked again.

"Is…that…bad?" George asked hesitantly, not sure if this was a trick question or not.

Hermione suddenly let out a watery chuckle. "No, it's just, you've never said so before."

"Oh. Well, we were probably too busy not talking for me to tell you," George replied, a little grin pulling at the corners of his mouth. Hermione chuckled again, and looked up at him, smiling.

"I love you too, George." They smiled at each other, then suddenly, Hermione was in George's arms and he was spinning her around. When they finally stopped spinning, he looked down at the smiling girl in his arms.

"We've made right fools of ourselves, haven't we?"

She grinned. "Yes, and it's all my fault. I'm sorry."

"Shhh! No more of whose fault was what." Suddenly, his voice became crisp and business-like, a perfect imitation of Percy. "So, Mrs. Granger-Weasley, are you prepared to raise a child with that fool you call a husband?"

She grinned at him before replying in an equally snooty voice. "I am quite prepared, thank you. And it's Mrs. Weasley, if you please."

They smiled at each other as if nothing else was important besides the person in their arms. They sat down together on the couch, and Hermione rested her head on George's chest. They remained like that for a few minutes before Hermione's head snapped back and she stared at George with terrified eyes.

"What?" George asked worriedly.

"We have to tell the family," she said. George looked at her questioningly for a moment, then it hit him and he groaned.

"Oh Merlin. We have to tell Mum."