AN: Sorry it took so long for me to post the next chapter - I had major mental block. Anyway, here it is. I've already started writing the next one, so it should be up soon!

Disclaimer: If you recognise anything or anyone in the chapter, then it doesn't belong to me! L !! It belongs to JKRowling.

George's POV:

As Hermione and I walked back into the entrance hall, I was pleased to note the shocked look on Ron's face as he spun round.

"Ok Ron?" I asked grinning. I glanced at Hermione and she smiled knowingly.

"What are you two doing?" Ron spluttered, unfortunately spraying his lemonade all over a None-Too-Pleased Lavender.

"Um…Well we're not sure yet," Hermione said, "We were thinking of heading up to the common room in a minute," She slipped her hand into mine. Ron had turned so red, I thought he was going to transfigure into a tomato. His face was so comical; I had to bite my thumb to stop from laughing.

"Shall we go now?" Hermione asked and started to walk up the front stairs.

"I'm sure we can find something to occupy ourselves 'til later." She added brazenly. It was all I could manage not to laugh out loud. Ron's face looked such a picture. I took the stairs two at a time and as soon as we reached the common room, I cracked up.

"Did you see his face," I blurted, "He really didn't think we were joking!"

"Aw, poor Ron. He definitely deserved that one though." She added.

I crossed the room and collapsed on the sofa.

"Sure did," I muttered. "So, what shall we do now?"

Hermione sat down on the couch and turned to face me.

"I dunno, you're never short of ideas when you're in class."

Right where she was sitting, her face was lit up in the lamplight.

Suddenly I felt nervous all over again. It was silly really. We had spent time together all summer; just now it felt awkward and different.

"sure…" I trailed off.

Hermione shifted uncomfortably.

"George…You do like me, don't you?"

She looked really disappointed,

"Yes," I blurted. "I mean, sure I do," I leant across, and kissed her firmly.

She paused awhile,

"And you're not mad at me, for…you know…"

"Yeah, course I am," I replied sarcastically, trying hard to keep a stern face without laughing. She tensed a little, but relaxed when she realised I was joking.

"You shouldn't look so stern, George Weasley. It doesn't suit you!" She informed me mockingly,

"Oh, and I guess this does!" I asked and pulled a face.

Laughing she knocked me lightly and tried to tackle me. After a while, I gave up; Embarrassed to realise that Hermione was now pinning me down against the side of a wall. I held my breath and tried desperately not to catch her eye. I felt nervous enough as it was.

"Pretty good for a girl," I started, grinning. I had to stand up, even if it seemed rude. I didn't want it to go any further, because deep down, I was still convinced that this wasn't really what Hermione wanted. I wriggled out and stood up.

"Give up George?"

"Sure! You win." I wiped the trickle of sweat off my neck and lifted my hands in mock surrender. I couldn't think of anything else to say. Well, nothing that I didn't think I'd regret later. I bit my thumb nervously.

"You want to go back to the Hall?"

"Um, I don't really feel like it at the moment." She replied, picking up her shoes, "You can go without me though," She encouraged, obviously mistaking the thoughtful frown on my face.

I walked down the front stairs slowly, glancing across the hallway, for any sign of George or Ron. Feeling hot, I loosened my tie and collar and almost walked straight into Lavender. In fact, I had to do a double take to make sure that it really was Lavender, because her face looked awful. The excessive eyeliner and mascara she had had on earlier was now streaming down her face and settling on her cheeks in blotches.

"Lavender, wait up, are you ok?" I called after her, and kicked myself; she obviously wasn't ok. She slowed down but didn't reply.

"Look, if it's about the lemonade…"

"Yeah, like you care, I bet you thought it was funny," She said turning round and sniffing.

"Then what…"

"Ron just…he said…" She burst into a fresh set of tears. I stood awkwardly, not knowing whether I should inch away, or find out what was wrong.

"…Yeah?" I prompted,

"He said…" She sniffed, wiped her eyes on a tissue, and took a deep breath.

"He can't go out with me…." I frowned, thinking that I really had missed the point here. Everyone knew that Ron didn't fancy Lavender. Lavender even knew that.

"So…" I asked, puzzled.

"He said…He can't because…He likes Hermione," She blurted out.

I still felt like I was missing the point.

"Well, yeah…They are best mates…" Well not any more, I thought, but kept it to myself. I didn't think Hermione was best pleased with Ron at the moment.

"No…He likes her,"

Suddenly, something clicked,

"Ron fancies Hermione?" I blurted; rather louder than I had meant to.

"You are joking?"

Lavender sniffed indignantly.

"George Weasley, you obviously do not understand girls very well. Of course I wouldn't lie about something like that when I've just had my heart broken." She added dramatically, even managing a tear to run down her cheek. I snorted in a very untactful way, recovering from the shock of her previous statement.

"Well, I'm really sorry Lavender. I never did understand how Ron could resist your charm," I grinned, in what I hoped was a sincere, and not too sarcastic manner and made a quit exit.

Hermione's POV:

As I reached the common room, with George, I could just picture Ron's indignant face, standing there at the bottom of the stair way.

"Did you see his face? He really didn't think we were joking!" George laughed uncontrollably. He looked so sweet standing there, and I couldn't help but laugh with him.

"Aw, poor Ron. He definitely deserved that one though."

"Sure did," he mumbled. "So, what shall we do now?"

I walked over and sat next to George, nervously. I twirled a strand of hair round my finger unconsciously.

"I dunno, you're never short of ideas when you're in class." I couldn't help but add. There was a long pause. I sat awkwardly, waiting for him to say something. He looked down nervously.

"sure…" He mumbled.

I stopped twirling my hair and sat still. Suddenly, I got the feeling that he didn't want to be here at all. Maybe he'd just said all that stuff earlier to make me feel better.

"George…You do like me, don't you?" I whispered carefully, trying not to let my disappointment show.

"Yes…I mean, sure I do," He leant over, and pressed his lips to mine.

I thought about it a minute, and caught his eye.

"And you're not mad at me, for…you know…"

I still felt guilty about lying to him, * Well at least not telling him the whole truth anyway *

"Yeah, course I am," He replied, failing to keep a stern look on him face. For a split-second, I thought he meant it, but he burst out laughing.

"You shouldn't look so stern, George Weasley. It doesn't suit you!" I teased.

"Oh, and I guess this does!" He crossed his eyes and scrunched his face. He looked so silly; I couldn't help but laugh. I leant across and attempted to rugby tackle his legs, knocking him off balance. Determined, that I wasn't going to get the better of him, he tried to grab me. We messed around for a while, before I finally decided to end it, and held his shoulders against the wall. He swallowed, and looked away, before turning back to face me.

"Pretty good for a girl," he said, grinning. He wriggled out of the grip and stood properly.

"Give up George?" I asked mockingly.

"Sure! You win." He brushed his forehead and admitted defeat. He glanced nervously at his feet.

"You want to go back to the Hall?"

I didn't feel like facing Lavender or Ron.

"Um, I don't really feel like it at the moment." I answering, picking the shoes up, I'd kicked off earlier, "You can go without me though," I added, realising from the look on his face that he obviously wanted to go. I decided that I'd rather have the time to myself to think about things. He left through the portrait, leaving me alone in the common room. *A week ago I didn't even like George * I realised suddenly. I didn't know why everything had all changed like that. Now, when I thought of him, I got nervous, but the strange thing was, I didn't fell anything for Fred. He was much more outgoing than George. Perhaps it was just because I had never bothered to take the time to talk to George before. I had never realised how sweet he could be. I sighed and stretched my legs out across the sofa. I was just deciding whether I should use my spare time to finish my late assignment for Professor Binns, when the sound of the portrait door opening reached me. I stood up abruptly and spun round, expecting George to have come back, but instead I was facing Ron.

"Oh, sorry 'Mione, I didn't realise anyone was up here."

"um…Ron, I told you me and George were coming up here, half and hour ago," I reminded him, exasperated. I nearly laughed, but realised that he wasn't looking too happy.

"Where's Lavender?" I asked, realising that he must have left her downstairs. "Has she gone to redo her makeup?"

He still didn't smile. Over the surprise of Ron walking in distressed, I remembered why I was supposed to be angry with him, and gave an agitated sigh.

"Well, I have to go now anyway, see you. And if I see Lavender I'll tell her you're looking for her ok?" I put my feet into my shoes and walked briskly towards the door.

"No, don't," he pleaded. Pausing, I turned round to look at Ron. He looked so helpless, I forgot that I was mad at him all over again and sat back down on the sofa.

"Look, I know Lavender is a bit…" I searched for a word to describe Lavender. "um…enthusiastic sometimes, but you really don't have to be sacred of her," I said trying not to giggle. Ron looked at me seriously, before staring at the floor. His face was burning.

"Oh, did she get mad at you, because of the lemonade?" I tried.

"No, I told her to get lost…because…" He looked up at me again, turning even redder. I sighed impatiently; about to remind him that he was always telling Lavender to get lost, when George barged through the portrait hole. He was out of breath, and looked a little more than surprised to see Ron standing there next to me.

"Oh, sorry, I didn't realise you had company," He shifted uncomfortably.

"Oh, it's ok, Ron was just talking to me," I replied smiling. I winked at George, and mouthed 'girl troubles', but he just stared back blankly.

"Oh," he muttered, glancing at Ron.

"I'll leave you two alone then," He said, and left.

* * * * *

Thanks for reading so far ! And thankyou sooo much to all you guys who have reviewed especially JoeBob1379, Saranimal, Talian, for the cool ideas. Any ideas for the next chapters will also be greatly appreciated too and any constructive critism! It does actually help! Lol! (p.s. I reaslise that I spelt Parvati wrong - I am sooooo sorry J ) Kim