Till There Was You

Chapter 5: I Think I Love You

Disclaimer: blah, blah, blah….

This morning
I woke up with this feeling
I didn't know how to deal with
And so I just decided to myself
I'd hide it to myself and never talk about it
And didn't I go and shout it
When you walked into my room.
"I think I love you!"
-I Think I Love you  David Cassidy

A/N: Here's the next installment! Finally some REAL Hr/F action. Now THIS is the stuff I've been waiting to write. I'm POSITIVE this part is going to be longer than then last one even though at the moment I'm not completely done writing it. So hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoy writing it!

Through the next few weeks Hermione spent most of her time in the attic working or spending time with Fred. She was surprised at both how much she enjoyed working for the twins and how much she looked forward to any time she was able to spend with Fred. She was concerned though that her time as their employee was growing shorter. She had almost done everything they needed her to do with financial and business issues. They caught on quickly to things she showed them and seemed to need her less and less. The twins were definitely the oddest pair Hermione imagined she's ever work for but their antics managed to keep her mind off of all her problems with Ron. Though things had improved between Hermione and her fiancée she sensed that they were both hiding unspoken feelings. Anticipating orders for the twins' pranks was an easy distraction though. They had sent tout the first issue of the catalog and were expecting orders to start flying in anytime now.

            Partly as congratulations for finally setting their company off, Hermione has enlisted Ginny to help her throw them a surprise birthday party. At first Ginny had told her she was to busy planning someone's wedding. However, she couldn't pass up the chance to throw a party and easily gave in to Hermione's pleading. They had invited all of the twins' friends from Hogwarts, many of whom they hadn't seen for a while, and each member of the Weasley family was going to be able to attend. Katie had offered to keep George away from the house all day the Saturday of the party, but Hermione was the easiest person to get Fred away from the Burrow while Ginny, Harry, and the rest of the Weasley's set up for the party. Hermione had gone to Fred that morning and sadly lied to him that Ron wasn't going to be able to come home for the weekend. Fred, as she had expected, had quickly offered to get her out of the house as a distraction. She had suggested Diagon Alley, where Katie was going with George. Later her and Katie had arranged to "accidentally meet" out side of Quality Quidditch Supplies.

            As they wandered around Diagon Alley, Hermione kept checking her watch nervously. It was almost time to meet Katie and George.

            "Do you want to head back yet?" Fred suggested seeming to be a little bored

            "No!" Hermione said a little to firmly, causing Fred to give her a funny look.

            "Okay, is there something else you still want to do?"

            "I just don't want to go back yet. That's all," she tried to cover up her outburst.

            "It's fine. You're my favorite person to do nothing with."

            "And you're mine," Hermione smiled. "Do you want to go look at the quidditch store?" she suggested trying to sound as casual as possible.

            "The quidditch store? You hate quidditch."

"Yeah but I'm the one making you stay here. We might as well do something you enjoy. Harry said they put out a new model in the Firebolt series," Hermione hopes this would spark his interest.

"A new Firebolt?" Fred seemed to get excited and Hermione silently thanked the lord. "I guess we could have a look." They headed for the quidditch shop and Hermione checked her watch to make sure they weren't early or late. To her relief she saw George and Katie heading towards the store from the opposite direction.

"Look Fred! There're Katie and George," she pointed to them. Katie waved and pointed them out to George. When they met up with each other Fred and George seemed to be on the same track of thought.

"There's a new Firebolt out!" the both exclaimed at the same time. They entered the store together and Hermione and Katie waited outside.

"Did you have any trouble getting him here?" Hermione asked Katie.

"Nah. I just started reminiscing about our quidditch days and mentioned I'd heard something about a new Firebolt. I almost had to run to keep up with him he headed over here so fast."

"Thank God for Harry Potter," Hermione laughed. He had told her about the new model as a suggestion to get Fred and George together.

" I don't think you're the first person who's ever said that," Katie pointed out. Harry's fame had only grown after he defeated Lord Voldemort for good.

"I suppose not. Do you think everything is ready back at the Burrow?"

"I hope so. You really put a lot of work in to this."

"Not really."

Before anything else was said the twins came back out of the store chatting excitedly.

"I don't know how they'll ever make a broom better than that thing in there," Fred shook his head.

"That's what I thought about the first Firebolt. Remember when Harry got that thing? Wood was so jealous," George added.

"And you weren't?" Katie pointed out to him.

"Yeah well… I think we should head back to the burrow." George decided to change the subject

"Sounds good to me," Katie agreed. "Mione, Fred, do are coming?"

"I don't think…"

"Sure. I'm getting a little tired anyway," Hermione cut Fred off.

"Okay then, I guess we'll come," Fred changed his mine.  Hermione looked at Katie and they apparated together, quickly followed by the two twins.

Hermione and Katie arrived in the Burrow living room just a few seconds before the twins. It was decorated and filled with people but all the lights were off. Just after the girls arrived there were two more small pops and the twins too appeared in the Weasley living room.

"Surprise!" the crowd cheered out as the lights went on. The twins jumped back a little before they burst out laughing. 

"I guess this what we get for all the little surprises we've given all of you over the years." George laughed.

            "Now who's responsible for this?" Fred looked around the room. Everyone shifted his or her gaze to Hermione who blushed brightly.

            "It was nothing really…" she tried to push the attention off of herself but was attacked by two red headed twins on either side of her.

            "Thanks Mione," they said sincerely before releasing her to greet all of their guests.

            "Hermione said you were working this weekend!" Fred spotted Ron.

            "We had to get you out of the house somehow," Ron explained.

            "You gave up a day with your beautiful fiancée for us? Aww Ronny, we're touched." George teased giving him a rub on the head and continuing on. They said hi to all of their brothers and Ginny. They hugged their best friend from school Lee Jordan. After awhile Fred, George, Harry, and Oliver Wood, were congregated in a circle most likely discussing the Firebolt, Fred and George had seen earlier that afternoon.

            "Thanks for all your help," Hermione sat down next to Ginny. "I couldn't have done it without you."

            "You're thanking me now. Wait till your wedding day," Ginny smirked.

            " I'm sure I'll be impressed." Hermione jumped when she felt someone sit down on the other side of her and put their arm around her. It was Ron.

            "You surprised me!" she looked over to him.

            "Not as much as you surprised Fred and George."

            "Ugh. I can't believe Fred didn't suspect anything. I was a nervous wreck all day. I must have checked my watch a thousand times."

            "Well it turned out great, just like everything you do."

            "Thanks Ron," Hermione smiled at him. She was glad they weren't fighting for once. "So how was your week at work?"

            "Horrible," he rolled his eyes. "No offense Hermione but muggles are the most horrible things in the world to deal with."

            "Then why did you go in to Muggle relations?" she laughed at him.

            "Don't ask me!" he shook his head. Before they could chat anymore the sound of a clinging glass echoed through the room and Harry gained the attention of all the people in the room.

            "Um, sorry to interrupt you conversations. But I just wanted to take this chance to wish the twins a Happy Birthday and congratulate them on the start of their business. I know I'll be a faithful customer. And since this it will probably be a while until I have all the Weasley's in one room again, I'd like to say something that I've been thinking about for a awhile now. You guys have always treated me like family, and I'll always be proud to call you mine. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, you treat me like your son, and I know I can some to you when I need some good parental advice, or just a decent home-cooked meal. Bill and Charlie you gave me all the advice an older brother should give a younger one. Percy you tried to teach me to be responsible even if I didn't always catch on, and Fred and George taught me just what it meant to cause trouble. Ron you've been my best friend since the day I met you and in fact you were the first friend I ever had. And then there's you Ginny," Harry turned to meet Ginny's eyes and approached her. "When I first met you, you were this shy little Weasley with a stupid-crush on the-boy-who-lived. But then you grew up and became this strong independent woman who's not afraid to stand up for herself. You could make me laugh and have fun, but I could talk to you and trust you. You made me fall in love with you. And over time Gin, I've come to realize that I can't imagine a day in my life without you in it. You ARE my life. So what I'm trying to say is," he paused as he stuck his hand in his pocket and got down on his knee. At this gesture Ginny, who already had tears in her eyes, put her hand over mouth, and her legs began to shake. "Virginia Moira Angela Weasley, will you marry me?" he opened the box to reveal a large diamond ring. He lifted it out of the box and Ginny gave him her shaking hand to place it on. The minuet he stood up she threw he arms around him, tears staining her cheeks.

            "Yes! Yes, I'll marry you!" she cried out. The rest of the room burst out in applause. Hermione sat next to Ron shocked at what had just happened. Harry hadn't even hinted that he was planning on proposing to Ginny.

            "Well he finally did it," Ron sad smiling not surprised

            "You're not surprised?" she looked at him.

            "He told me he wanted to do it a month ago. I was beginning to wonder if he was ever going to go through with it."

            "He told you? He didn't tell me!" she was a little offended.

            "Well he didn't really want to tell me because he thought Ginny should be the first to know he was proposing to her. But he wanted permission from all her brothers first so he had to tell."

            "You all knew! And nobody told me?"

            "Like you could have kept the secret," Ron teased. "You said yourself you barely could keep the party from Fred today."

            " Yeah I know." They sat in silence for a while but then Hermione suddenly asked a question.

            "Ron, why did you propose to me?" she said. He looked over her for a second before responding.

            "What do you mean why did I propose to you?"

            "I mean why did you do it? What made you decide you were going to marry me?"

            "We dated for five years Mione! It was about time for us to take the next step." " Oh," she replied lamely before getting up to go congratulate Ginny.

            That night as the party started to wind down Hermione wandered out on to the patio in the Weasley's back yard and sat on the wood bench that was up against the house. She wrapped her arms around her self as the breeze blew coldly up against her skin. She was thinking about her conversation with Ron and wondering why it had left her so unsettled. She was so lost in her thoughts she didn't notice the red head slip out on to the porch and sit next to her.

            "Penny for your thoughts," Fred sat looking straight out in to the yard, where Hermione's gaze was also set.

            "Just thinking about Harry and Ginny," she lied still looking straight ahead.

            "He really does love her doesn't he," he observed.

            "Yeah he does," Hermione agreed. "She's in love with him too."

            "Somehow I can't imagine Gin with anyone else. Then again I guess every guy thinks their sister deserves to marry one of the greatest hero's in wizard history."           

            "Yeah but that's not why you want them together. You want them together because you love Ginny, and you know Harry, not the infamous boy who lived Harry Potter, just Harry. You know Harry's a good person and that he loves your sister and much as he does." Hermione responded. Fred sat there for a minute pondering this.

            "Mione," he began. "What's love like anyway?"

            "What's love like?" she repeated.

            "Yeah. How do you know when you're in love with someone? How does it feel?"

            "Wow. I guess love is everything you hear it is. It's friendship, and caring, and helping each other. But its also lust, and passion, and feelings you've never experienced before. When you're with that person you loose yourself in your own little world where it's just you and them. And you're completely comfortable around them no matter what. But just a light touch from them can put goose bumps on your skin and send shivers of electricity through you're body. I guess that's what I think love is." When she finished Fred sat there again thinking about her words.

            "Is that how you feel about Ron?" he asked still looking out at the yard.

            "Why are you asking me all this?" she suddenly felt a little defensive and turned to look at him.

            "Because if what you just described is really what love feels like," he paused and turned to look back at her. " Then I think I'm in love with you." He stared at her, his face emotionless. She opened her mouth to respond but nothing came out. Before she could think of anything her mouth was suddenly covered with Fred's. Her first instinct was to pull away but she soon found herself overwhelmed with the passion of their kiss and found herself melting into his arms.

A/N: hehehe cliffhangers… Well I hope you enjoyed the fifth chapter, I think its my longest so far so that's good! I got this written and up a lot faster than I thought I would. I guess inspiration just came to me. I'll probably get the next chapter up soon. So keep looking back to see if I've updated.

            Love,

            Bella

PS Did anyone catch my teeny little Peter Pan reference??