I'm not so sure that I really like the ending so much!!! The story kinda got more serious, but more happens at the end of this chappie. Anyway, read on J !

George's POV:

I turned round from Lavender and walked back up the stairs two at a time. I did feel a little bad about leaving her there in such a state, but Lavender was always upset about something, so I didn't think that it would matter, just this once. Exhausted after climbing seven flights of stairs, I mumbled the password and practically fell into the Griffindor common room. I was about to open my mouth to speak, when I looked up and came face to face with Ron standing right next to Hermione. I cursed under my breath.

"Oh, sorry, I didn't realise you had company," I muttered, wondering what on Earth he would be doing talking to Hermione, after what he'd just done to her. She didn't look even vaguely distressed though and grinned, straight at me.

"Oh, it's ok, Ron was just trying to tell me something," she replied, winking, and mouthed something that looked a bit like, 'hurl rubble' - even though I couldn't work out what she really meant, I still felt like doing that anyway - I wasn't going to forgive Ron fast. A sinking feeling spread in the pit of my stomach. Ron had obviously already told Hermione that he liked her.

"Oh," I said, feeling completely empty.

I glanced at Ron, but he wouldn't catch my eye. He just stared at the ground. I figured from the way Hermione was smiling at me that she obviously didn't mind, * She's probably liked him for years * I realised, * Why else would she be round our house so much – certainly not to see me, that's for sure *

I guess I had known that all along. I turned round and walked straight out, not even bothering to close the door behind me.

Feeling completely depressed; I walked slowly up to West Turret. It was close to where our astronomy lessons were held and was one of the highest parts of the castle. It was the one place I knew I wouldn't have to face anyone. I loosened my tie enough so that I could take it off, unbuttoned the top of my shirt and slouched down against the wall.

"Damn, damn, damn," I muttered out loud.

Hermione's POV:

I Watched George leave the room. He looked really cut up about something, and although I was dying to hear what Ron had been about to say, there was no way I was going to leave George looking like that.

"Sorry Ron, I've gotta speak to George, I'll be back in a minute."

I shoved my shoes back on my feet and went out through the portrait hole. Glancing over towards four or five staircases, I tried to see which way he'd gone, but I couldn't see him, and there were too many staircases to simply pick one at random. I sighed and headed back to the common room.

"He must've run," I mumbled to Ron, "Anyway, what did you want to say before?"

"Um, nothing really, it doesn't matter now," he said, sitting down. There was a long pause.

"Ron – Why did you have to tell George that I'd only asked him out as a dare?"

He flushed red again, and wouldn't meet my eye.

"I didn't want you to get with George," he said simply,

"There's nothing wrong with George – He's really sweet," I said, surprised. Ron was getting really weird.

"Well I guess I'd better go and talk to Lavender." I improvised "She's probably really upset about losing her 'date'," I added grinning.

"Well I'm certainly not," Ron spluttered, turning back to his usual self.

I walked out into the corridor, without any intention of speaking to Lavender. * She's probably with Parvati by now anyway * I thought. Instead I walked up to one of the portraits on the wall.

"Hello?" I asked. A man, with a large moustache and beard walked back into the frame.

"Yes?" He snapped,

"Excuse me, but have you seen a boy with red hair walk past here recently?"

"Most certainly not, I'm not a doorman you know." He said and strode out of the picture.

"Yes dear, I did see a rather scruffy looking child walk past a few minutes ago," A voice behind me said. I spun around. A lady who compared in size to the Fat Lady was looking at me, hands on hips.

"Did you see which way he went?"

"It wasn't a 'he'," She replied indignantly. I sighed in exasperation and started to walk away.

"Although…I did see a boy go past earlier. I followed him for a bit. Looked like he was going to cause trouble. Headed up that a ways - towards one of those astronomy places."

I ran up the stairs - or rather, I was walking, by the time I'd got to the top of the first flight, because I was so exhausted.

George's POV:

I must have been sitting there for about fifteen minutes when I heard someone coming up the flight of stairs that leads to the turret. At first I thought it was probably Fred with Angelina, trying to find somewhere quiet – we occasionally came here to set off filbuster fireworks, but then I realised that it was only one person.

* Please don't come up here * I thought. I turned round to face Hermione in the doorway. I looked down at my feet.

"Hey, George, are you ok?" She asked, crouching down next to me. I rubbed my forehead.

"I thought I was," I muttered. "But you seemed quite happy to be with Ron,"

"Ron?!" She said sounding surprised and laughed.

"Yeah, I know I was mad at him before," she added, "But he seemed pretty cut up about something when he came into the common room, so I was just making sure he was ok."

She looked genuinely surprised.

"He was only like that, 'cause he fancied you," I said bluntly, "…not that I don't blame him though…"

"Who – Ron?!" She spluttered. "How do you know that?"

"Lavender," I replied evasively, "Anyway, that's why he had to tell me that…you know…you didn't really like me before. He was always telling me I didn't stand a chance with you,"

Hermione sat silently, obviously trying to take it all in.

"Well he obviously got quite a few things wrong, didn't he," she added quietly.

"What?" I realised that my voice was quite hoarse. She gently put her hands around my neck and, kissed me. I opened my mouth and responded. Eventually, she pulled away.

"Ok, I think I know what he got wrong," I answered. She was still sitting on my lap. I sat there silently, twirling strands of her hair around my finger unconsciously. Hermione was running her finger down my bare chest, from where I had unbuttoned my shirt.

"Are you staying at the burrow this Christmas?" I asked suddenly. She nodded.

"Mmm, Ginny invited me - although I'm not sure Ron would be too happy about it though." She put her arms around me, and laid her head on my shoulder.

Hermione's POV:

I opened the door to the West turret quietly. I saw George slouched down against the wall, but he didn't seem to notice me. He'd taken his tie off and unbuttoned his shirt right down the front, * Wow, he looks hot! * I thought nervously.

"Hey, George, are you ok?" I said crouching down.

"I thought I was, but you seemed quite happy to be with Ron,"

"Ron?!" I blurted. Why would he think that? I guess he got confused 'cause I wasn't biting Ron's head of.

"Yeah, I know I was mad at him before, but he seemed pretty cut up about something when he came into the common room, so I was just making sure he was ok."

"He was only like that, 'cause he fancied you…not that I don't blame him though…" I couldn't believe what George was telling me. This was Ron we were talking about – the guy who had been one of my best friends since I was eleven.

"Who – Ron?!"

* He would have told me, if he thought that, wouldn't he? * I thought, then realisation hit – maybe he had been trying to tell me - I'd kept cutting him off.

"How do you know that?"

"Lavender…Anyway, that's why he had to tell me that…you know…you didn't really like me before. He was always telling me I didn't stand a chance with you,"

I felt really sorry for George. I must have put him through so much, I mean; first I was flirting with him, and then he got told it was only a dare. We made up and then he realised that Ron liked me…

"Well he obviously got quite a few things wrong, didn't he," I whispered.

"What?" He said in a hoarse voice. My heart was beating really fast now. I caught George's eye. He was so gorgeous. Carefully I leant across and pressed my lips to his. He responded gently. After a few minutes, I pulled away, leaving my arms round his neck.

"Ok, I think I know what he got wrong," He added. I felt really nervous being so close. His shirt was still unbuttoned all the way down his chest. His arms were also really muscular - presumably from playing beater, in quidditch.

"Are you staying at the burrow this Christmas?" He asked.

"Mmm, Ginny invited me - although I'm not sure Ron would be too happy about it though." I put my arms back round his neck, and George placed his hands on my waist, tickling my sides.

"Ron would be so jealous if he were here now," George whispered into my ear, grinning.

* * * * *

Wahey, I finally finished, my first fic!! – ok, I lost the story line a bit along the way, because I just wanted to finish it, so as a result the last few chapters lost their direction. Anyway, hope you enjoyed reading it, and thanks for all you guys who have reviewed, I'm really grateful, especially the tips on how to carry on when I got stuck!! See you guys!! Loadsa luv, Kim x