Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling is the author and owner of the Harry Potter characters. No copyright infringement is intended.

a/n: Sorry for the delay, everyone. I got caught up reading fanfics lately instead of writing them, LoL. Well, I hope you like this one too J

Chapter 5

Long Time No See

            "One galleon is your change, lil fella. Try not to have too much fun with your Trixo Bubbles!" Ron advised the small boy as he closed the register.

            Fred was stocking one of the shelves with more Trixo Bubbles when he overheard what Ron said to the little boy. "Oi, Ron, what do you think you're doing? That's our business right there," he nodded over to the boy "We want them to come back for more!"

            "Oh, relax, Fred! I'm just giving the boy some caution. After all, the poor kid has Snape for Potions and is also a Gryffindor. Snape would definitely give him detention just for being a Gryffindor; he doesn't need to get in more trouble because of the Bubbles."

            "Oh, Ronniekins, since when have you cared about not getting into trouble? What gives with you today anyway? You seem to be…I dunno…occupied with something else." Fred walked over to Ron behind the counter to put the empty Trixo Bubbles box away. "Care to talk about it?"

            "Well, I'm sure you've heard about Hermione's upcoming wedding, to Draco Malfoy, nonetheless."

            "Oh, yes. Mum apparated here this morning to tell George and I about it. She wanted to make sure Katie and George and Angelina and I were free that day before she owled the RSVP. Then she went to do the same with Percy, Bill, and Charlie."

            "Yes, well, she sent the RSVP. I gave Mum a little attitude and she tried to set me straight. At the end of our conversation, we got to the root of my attitude – my true feelings for Hermione and my disgust over this wedding," Ron summarized.

            "So you finally admitted your feelings huh? Well, damn, it's about time! George and I almost lost all hope!," Fred exclaimed as he brotherly slapped Ron on the shoulder. "Hey, George!!! Did ya hear?"

            "What's that, Fred??," George yelled from the supply room. Fred started to walk towards the supply room and shouted, "Ron finally confessed his feelings about Hermione!" At this, George excitedly ran to the doorway causing Fred to stop suddenly. George had an ecstatic look plastered on his face as he ran towards Ron at the counter. "You mean, you told Hermione?"

            Ron didn't know exactly how to react. Was he the only one who was clueless about his own feelings??, he thought to himself. "Actually, George, I only told Mum. Telling Hermione….well…that's another issue. Mum gladly informed me that Hermione's staying at The Leaky Cauldron for a few days. She's planning on checking some of the bridal shops in Diagon Alley. She seems to think that I should go over there and pay Hermione a visit. What do you think? Should I? And if I do, should I tell her right away that I want her to marry me instead of Draco?"

            George was just about to answer Ron when the front door bell rang, indicating that a customer had just entered Gred & Forge's Joke Shop.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

            "Hermione!," Fred shouted with surprise.

            As Hermione walked towards them, Ron couldn't help noticing that she looked different. Maybe it was due to not seeing her for six years, or maybe it was the way how her hair looked – straightened. Ron had to admit it was a big improvement from the bushy and frizzy hair from their Hogwarts' days. Her hair's straightness brought more attention to her face, which was home to eyes that were lined with eyeliner. He noticed that her eyes sparkled. The next thing he looked at were her lips, covered with a shiny lip gloss that made them look full. She then broke into a huge smile as she approached the counter, sort of breaking into a run when the three brothers walked out behind the counter.

            George stretched out his arms and gave Hermione a huge older brother type of hug, and Fred did the same after George. After Fred greeted Hermione, there was a short period of silence and awkwardness. Hermione and Ron stared at each other for a few seconds and Fred and George looked at each other uncomfortably. It didn't last long, however, because suddenly, Hermione broke into an enormous smile, stood on her toes and wrapped her arms around Ron's neck. Ron had grown a few more inches since she'd last saw him so he bent over a little to accommodate Hermione. He had put his arms around her also and smelled her hair.

            "Oh, Ron, it is so great to see you again!" Hermione shouted as she disengaged from the embrace. "I'm so glad to see all three of you!" She looked from Ron to Fred to George and back to Ron.

            "Likewise, Hermione!" Fred exclaimed, "We've missed you while you were at medical school!"

            "Oh I've missed all of you too. I'm really sorry I haven't been keeping in touch with you all as much as I should; it's just that medical school kept me so busy. And I know that's really no excuse --" Hermione tried to explain.

            "Oh hush, Hermione," George interrupted. "We know medical school isn't easy. You shouldn't be sorry at all. We understand," he took her hand and patted it.

            "So what brings you here, Hermione?" Ron asked. They were all surprised to hear him speak, since he had stayed quiet this whole time.

            "I assume you've all heard my news?" she curiously asked.

            "About your wedding? Of course! Actually, Ron just told me Mum sent the RSVP a few hours ago," Fred answered.

            "Fantastic! So you'll all be attending, I hope?" Hermione raised her eyebrows as she surveyed the brothers' faces.

            "Well, of course, Hermione! You're practically part of our family; we wouldn't miss this big milestone of your life. Although, we are quite confused and dumbfounded with the choice of groom. Draco Malfoy??? Excuse me if I sound rude, but I think I speak for the whole Weasley family when I say 'Draco???' I mean, your history with him doesn't exactly warrant as a loving one," George questioned. Ron was amazed that George asked Hermione. He felt the same way as George did, of course, but he surprisingly didn't have the boldness to ask Hermione the question that was in everyone's mind.

            Astonishingly, Hermione smiled back at George. "It's quite okay, George. You aren't the first to ask me that question. My response to you and everybody else that have asked is that Draco is not the same person that we all knew at Hogwarts. He's changed quite a bit."

            Ron, Fred, and George all looked at each other anxiously. Fred cleared his throat and said, "Hermione, you know our family has never trusted the Malfoys."

            "I know that, Fred, but Draco is just a normal person who unfortunately inherited the Malfoy last name. He's not at all what we thought him to be when we were still at Hogwarts."

            "This is just all too hard to believe, Hermione, even for natural jokesters like me."

            "Well, you do trust me enough to know that I would never decide on something as important as my future husband without thinking it through thoroughly, don't you?" she asked all three of them.

            There was an awkward silence in the room. Hermione does have a point, Ron thought. Back at Hogwarts she was always the researcher and pondered all the consequences before she made a decision; I guess she took this same approach when it came to people too. Ron finally broke the silence and meekly said, "Er, sure we do, Hermione," and quickly stared at the floor. How could he just lie like that? Sure he trusted that Hermione thought things thoroughly, but he didn't believe she made the right decision.

            "You're a bad liar, Ron. You don't trust that I made the right decision do you? Like I said before, Draco has changed quite a bit. All he needed was someone to understand him. He's not the same Draco from Hogwarts, Ron, and I'll prove it to you."

            "How?" Ron asked unconvincingly. He didn't believe a Malfoy could ever change for the better.

            "I'm staying at the Leaky Cauldron for a couple of days because I'm looking at a couple of shops in Diagon Alley. Let's have lunch there, I'll get you caught up with the last six years of my life and vice versa, and then maybe you can have dinner with Draco and me. Is Friday good for you?"

            Bloody hell, what's he supposed to say?  He didn't mind the lunch and talk part, but dinner with that git Draco? He'd rather vomit slugs. But after considering it, he caved in and agreed. "Yea, sure, Friday's good with me," he said unenthusiastically.

            Hermione smiled again, "Great! I'm looking forward to it!"

            "Well, it's been nice seeing all of you, but I have an appointment with the cake shop in fifteen minutes," Hermione explained. She each gave Fred, George, and Ron a goodbye hug.

            "It was nice to see you again also, Hermione. Do come visit more will you?," George implored.

            "I will try my very best. Don't forget about Friday, Ron!"

            "Don't worry, I won't."

            She smiled, waved goodbye, and walked out of the joke shop.

            After Hermione was out of view, Fred went up to Ron, "So you're thinking of still telling Hermione of your 'feelings'?"

            Ron glared, "Are you kidding me? How can I?!" He shook his head, "Friday is going to be very interesting."

a/n: I will be having finals for the next two weeks, so if you don't read anything from me for a while, you know why.