Hello and thank you for reading! I have no idea what this is going to turn into, but I just enjoy the pairing of Hermione and George. This is going to be a slow burn as there is a lot of things going on in the Wizarding world. Obviously, I do not own the characters or story of Harry Potter, but I do hope you all enjoy!

Chapter One:

Hermione POV:

There were very few places in the world where Hermione felt completely safe and protected. Surrounded by her favorite wizard family with flaming red hair was one of those few places. She was thankful that her mother allowed her to spend part of her Summer holiday with the Weasley's. It wasn't like last year where she stayed to go to the Quidditch World Cup at the Burrow. That seemed like worlds away now.

That was before You-Know-Who returned.

That was before Cedric Diggory was murdered at Hogwarts.

She was admiring the comforting feeling that the people around her brought to this damp and dusty place. The Weasleys' somehow breathed life into anywhere they were. Ronald and Ginny were busy playing Wizards Snap Infront of a roaring fire in the living room. The twins were enjoying messing with Crookshanks with the muggle toys that Hermione had packed for her cat. The room was filled with soft music that was playing from a record player in the corner of the room, something that was from the muggle world but enchanted to magically switch vinyl records as a side was finished so one didn't have to get up and change the music.

Although the children were filled with life and messing around in the living room, they knew they were missing out on vital information from the closed door in the room down the hallway. The Order was meeting again.

"Deep in thought, Hermione?" George teased as he plopped next to her and looked at the book she was reading. "It can't possibly be about Hogwarts a History. This copy looks like it's going to fall apart."

She rolled her eyes. "If you must know, I was deep in thoughts unrelated to the book. However, this book is falling apart because it's a fascinating and comforting read that I like to return to now and again."

Fred apparated to be behind her and he snatched the book from her hand. "I don't think I've ever read this. Even when I was supposed to in my first year."

The girl snatched her book back from his hands. "That explains a lot."

"Does it?" Fred challenged. "I would argue that Georgie and I know that school better than you like the back of our hand."

"We do have a rather lot of experience running away from Filch and Mrs. Norris. We know all of the secret passageways."

Ronald spoke up. "A lot of that is thanks to the map. Harry has that now."

"Our success isn't part of the map… sure we started off that way." Fred began.

"But how do you explain us not getting caught still after giving him that map years ago?" George wiggled his eyebrows and leaned his head against the velvet sofa.

"I'm still mad you didn't give me the map. I was in school at the time. I could've snuck off to Hogsmeade with that." Ginny frowned and swiftly took victory over the hand of Wizards Snap which made Ron grunt in frustration and demand a rematch.

"Mum would've killed us." George laughed.

"Why am I going to kill you?" Molly Weasley asked. She was looking rather stressed out and skinny. She had lost weight since they all moved into the old Black household. "Besides all of the wand waving that's been driving me mad. What else do I have to worry about?"

"Nothing mum!" Fred popped up and gave his mother a kiss on the cheek. "We are perfect angels of course!"

George did the same, jumping up and kissing his mother's other cheek. "It's why we are your favorite children of course! Out of all the lot."

Mrs. Weasley rolled her eyes and shooed them away. "Thank you, boys, but I've known you for your entire lives and I know when you're up to something." She rolled up her sleeves. "I'm going to begin making sandwiches for lunch. I will call you all in once they're finished."

Hermione put down her book looking at the dark circles under the kind mother's eyes. "Mrs. Weasley?"

"Yes, dear?" Molly smiled at Hermione. Their relationship had improved significantly from last year. Molly did not like her at all last year since she had believed all of the foul things that Rita Skeeta had written about the young girl. Now, she was watching over her like she was one of her own.

"Would you like a hand?" She got up from the green, velvet sofa and walked over to the women.

Mrs. Weasley looked like she could cry with the kind gesture. She had been under so much stress and was remaining as the strong mother figure of the family, taking care of everyone but herself. "I would appreciate that, Hermione. I would appreciate that very much."

George POV:

He felt guilty that he hadn't offered to help his mother make the sandwiches. How hard could it be honestly? He had a lot of respect for the younger Gryffindor girl. She was doing everything in her power to help the Weasleys' out and whenever they told her she didn't have to, Hermione would remind them that they were taking care of her and it's what family does.

Ronald seemed to beam anytime she would mention that.

Now, he wasn't even aware that she had left the room. He was so thick sometimes when it came to her. She clearly liked him by the way she festered over his appearance and habits. It reminded him of how his mother took care of others, making sure they were okay.

Mrs. Weasley and Hermione had been spending a lot of time together this Summer when the Order was not meeting. They were cleaning and cooking for the lot of people that were in the house. Ginny loved being able to get out of chores whenever she could, so she was grateful for Hermione.

After a while, Hermione came back into the living room. "Lunch is ready!" She smiled at the others.

"Good news. I'm starving." Ron hoped up and stretched his arms before rubbing his stomach. "What are the sides?"

Hermione raised an eyebrow. "You're welcome for helping prepare the meal, Ron. I know that's what you meant to say—thanks Hermione! I'm so happy your mom and yourself were kind enough to provide lunch for everyone." She rolled her eyes and walked into the kitchen with Ron trailing behind her.

"Well no one asked you to make the food." He huffed before slumping into one of the wooden chairs that were crammed around the long table.

Fred laughed. "You're digging yourself into a hole, mate."

George added. "It's best to stop while you're already in the hole. But I suppose if you want to keep digging you could use this spoon as a shovel?" He tossed the silver spoon towards his brother who caught it before sinking it into the pudding that was sitting in front of him.

"Honestly, it's like his brain is driven by food." Ginny laughed while she grabbed a turkey sandwich from the middle of the table. "Thank you, mum and Hermione. Everything looks great."

George smiled and gave his mother a kiss on the cheek before sinking into one of the wooden chairs. "Really it looks great! Thanks!"

Fred looked at Hermione. "Georgie… I think you forgot to give Hermione her kiss as well." He jumped up. "I got it for you!"

Hermione dodged out of the way while her face turned into a dangerous red color from blushing. "No really… that's fine! A verbal thank you is fine, Fred."

Fred snapped his finger. "Rats. I thought that's how you thanked everyone… no wonder Oliver Wood is always so confused when I thank him after Quidditch practice for being a great captain."

Ginny choked on her pumpkin juice as she laughed at the image of Fred kissing Oliver's cheek after Quidditch. "I would pay to see that." She said after she composed herself again.

Mum was shaking her head when Sirius and Remus appeared for lunch. "Sandwiches, pudding, and salad for lunch today. I'll have it all cleared for the Order meeting later today. Figured I would feed the children and anyone else who wants before—"

"Everything looks wonderful." Remus smiled as he patted her shoulder.

Mum sighed in relief. She must've been worried that they were going to be upset. The next Order meeting must be soon if she was worried about cleaning up. The children took this cue to hurry up and finish eating.

Ron was the only one to complain about feeling rushed. The twins both leaned over and smacked the back of his head gently signalling him to stop complaining when they saw their mother's worried face. "Sorry, mum. I didn't mean that. I'll take some food into the living room with me if I'm still hungry."

She smiled but it didn't reach her eyes. "Sorry, Ron. I'm trying my best."

George cleared his plate off in the sink and wrapped an arm casually around his short mother. "Your best is better than anyone I know, mum. Honestly!"

Fred jumped up and followed suit. "We will show ourselves out! Gotta get busy to not try and ease drop on any meetings…"

Mrs. Wealsey's dark eyes lit with a flame. "You better not! Fred, George… I mean it—" she was cut off by George and Fred dissaparating into their room upstairs.

Fred smiled at his twin. "It doesn't count if we didn't hear the entire sentence, right?"

"When has being told to not do something every stopped us in the past, Freddie."

"Right you are, George." His twin reached deep into his jeans pocket and pulled out the prototype for the Extendable Ears. "Let's try her out again and see if there are any changes. Do you have the notes from the last attempt?"

George went rummaged through his desk. "Right here!" He waved his notes in the air and the boys smiled mischievously to each other. "Ready, Fred?"

"Ready, George."

"Let's go." They said in unison as they crept to a hiding spot they found in the house to lower the string by the door of the Order meeting to try and catch any information they could possibly discover.

The twins were listening so intently that they hadn't realized they were being watched. "What on earth are you two doing?"

George jumped by the sudden voice behind him. Hermione Granger was standing with an eyebrow raised. She had her arms crossed over her chest with the copy of Hogwarts a History tucked into the bag that was slung over her shoulder. There must've been many books in that plain leather bag because that book was poking out the top looking like it would fall. "Trying to listen into the Order meeting. It helps if we have peace and quiet."

"Run along, little Gryfindor. This is for the big boys." Fred winked to show her that he was joking.

"I think I've faced enough danger in my life to be able to listen into a meeting. May I join?" She looked hopefully at the twins.

They pretended to deliberate the pros and cons of letting her in before they said in unison, "You're in."

"What exactly am I in?" She giggled while setting her bag down next to them.

"Top secret mission, join the Order and infiltrate by obtaining information, of course." Fred said while holding the ear so that it was low enough for her to hear.

Hermione stepped closer to the twins and moved her hair behind her shoulder to better hear. The twins leaned lower to be able to hear since they had to lower the extendable ear. George felt Hermione hesitate at the closeness before getting close the to magical object again. He felt her heat radiating off of him and realized that she smelled like mint and books. What an odd combination that somehow… smelled like it could've been sold as a potion because it was so intoxicating.

He was lost in thought and hadn't even realized that the meeting was over until Fred was frantically trying to pull up the other end of the Extendable Ear before his mother could catch on to what they were doing. Hermione grabbed her bag of books and smiled casually at the twins. "Thanks you two. I promise if I ever invent something as useful as that I'll share it with you both."

"That's a verbal agreement." George smiled at her. "I'll take you up on that. Anything Hermione Granger invents, I'm sure it'll be useful stuff."

She rolled her eyes and was off to her and Ginny's room. Fred was looking at his twin. "What did you think of that?" He said with a twinkle in his eye. "I can't believe that they're keeping Harry in the dark."

George blushed a little from embarrassment that he hadn't caught any information from the meeting. "Yea… that's crazy."

His twin turned on his heels and stared him as if to examine him. "Yea… crazy. What was the craziest part of the meeting?"

"Oh you know… Harry… stuff about Harry…" George smiled sheepishly and rubbed his hand against the back of his neck. "Sorry, I kind of zoned out during the meeting if I'm being honest."

"Well what on earth were you thinking about?" Fred looked at him with a curious look.

"Er—an idea for the joke shop actually. I think we should do something with Amortentia and sell it as love potions but in smaller doses so it's not as intense as what we worked on last year in Snapes' class." George lied through his teeth but realized that it was actually a good idea.

"Brilliant!" His twin smiled. "You should start making the potion, I'll finish tweaking the Extendable Ear. I bet if we work hard, we could get both products done by the end of the week. Perfect for mail orders."

George smiled as they bound up to their rooms to begin working. He stole a glance into the girls room as the door was open. Ginny and Hermione were laying on the ground staring at the ceiling and giggling. He wonders what they were thinking of before he had to steal his attention away and focus on Amortentia potion to make. He hoped that he would smell that strange combination of books and mint once again.