"George, the reason I asked you here is I wanted to tell you something important." Katie stared at herself in the mirror. "He'll never understand." She sighed and Apparated. She was supposed to be meeting George in Diagon Alley at two o'clock. She was already late, and she saw him at once.
"Hi, Katie!" he called, running up to her. "It's been a while, hasn't it?"
Katie nodded nervously. "I have something to say and it's...really important, so...I'd better sit down." She took a seat on a bench nearby. "You should too," she said, pulling him down next to her. Katie took a deep breath and looked into George's eyes. "You know that we've always been really good friends, but...ever since last year, I've-I've been wanting more."
"Katie--" George began disbelievingly.
She held up a hand. "Please, George, let me finish." She inhaled again. "I've been spending a lot of time here with my dad, and well...I see you a lot too. And the more I see you and Hermione...together, I find myself getting a bit envious." She put a shaky hand to her forehead to push away her hair. "What I'm trying to say is...I--I'm in love with you."
George didn't say anything--he couldn't! His best friend had just proclaimed her love for him. He didn't know how to respond. Anything he said would hurt her feelings. Though he wasn't looking at her, he could feel her gaze upon him. Finally, Katie looked away.
"I'm sorry, George," she said shakily. "I--I shouldn't have said anything. Um, I should be going." She stood up and started off.
George Apparated to catch up with her. "Katie, why didn't you say something sooner? Like last year, when we were still in school together."
She seemed surprised to hear those words come out of his mouth. "I didn't realize how wonderful you were until now." Katie wasn't crying, but it looked as though she could at any moment.
"Why am I wonderful?" George asked suddenly. "I'm just a normal person like you--there's nothing special about me!"
"But there is!" Katie protested. "You're just too close to see it!" She took his hands, grasping them tightly. "You are a wonderful person, George, and anyone who can't see that doesn't deserve you." And before George could react, she pulled him into the most passionate kiss he had ever been involved in. He couldn't help but kiss her back. Sure, he felt guilty. The thought of a tear-stained Hermione crossed his mind before they broke apart.
"This is everything I've ever wanted," Katie said breathlessly. She was still clasping his hands.
George stepped away. "You can't tell anyone about this, Katie. I won't do that to Hermione."
Katie narrowed her eyes. "What do you mean?" Her eyes widened in realization. "George, please don't do this to me. I love you, there's nothing purer than that. Tell me you feel the same way!"
He shook his head slowly. "I don't. I'm sorry."
Biting her lip, she turned away. "Good-bye," she said sadly.
He tried to stop her, but with a loud crack, she was gone. George sighed and went home. Just like that he had lost his best friend; in a span of fifteen minutes his companion had left forever. George spent the next few days brooding over what had happened. He didn't want to lose Katie as a friend, but even if he managed to patch things up with her, their relationship would never be the same. Even if they were dating, it would still be awkward. Besides, it would be wrong to abandon Hermione now--she seemed too fragile. George didn't know what to do; he was utterly befuddled.
But he wasn't the only one having trouble, Fred had just told him that Angelina had been seeing another man. "She said it meant nothing--it was her boss or something."
"I don't get them," George said suddenly.
"Who?"
"Women," George replied. "How do their brains work, anyway?" He rubbed his aching neck and stared out the window. He closed his eyes, recalling the events of the last week: Hermione, crying beside him in the rain, and Katie professing her love for him.
"So, now you have two girls, George?" Ron asked, suddenly appearing at the foot of the stairs. "How many do you need, anyway?"
"I don't have two girls, Ron," George said coldly.
Fred smirked. "Two just want him." Ron rolled his eyes at him. "What, tad jealous?"
"Why would I be jealous of him?" Ron jabbed a finger in George's direction.
"Because he knows how to treat girls respectfully?" Ginny, the youngest of the Weasleys pushed Ron out of her way as she came down the stairs. "Unlike you."
"Sod off, Ginny," Ron said nastily. "Nobody asked you."
"And nobody asked you to come down and interfere with George's social life," she shot back. Ginny poured herself a glass of milk, gulping half of it down. "Maybe I can help, George. Considering I've had admirers."
"I had a girlfriend, Ginny," Ron said, "until George decided to steal her away from me."
"You're talking about Hermione, then?" George interjected. Ron nodded as if daring him to go on. "For your information, she came to me, I didn't go to her." He stood up and headed for the stairs.
"That's not what she told me," Ron said, crossing his arms.
George turned around. "What are you talking about?" When Ron said nothing, George said, "I'm the one who pushed for her to settle things with you before even thinking about me."
"Funny, Hermione had a different story," Ron said casually.
"And what was that?"
"She said you were pressuring her," Ron said. "Claimed she felt trapped--didn't know what to do."
"Stop lying to me, Ron." George started up the stairs. Then he stopped and turned to face his younger brother. "She might not be my girlfriend in a year, or even in a month, but I know she'll never be yours again."
"That's not the point!" Ron protested. "I'm telling you the truth! Why do you think she was so upset that night in the rain? Because she's confused! She doesn't think she can get out of this relationship with you. And she can't, can she? Because you won't let her."
"That's rubbish, Ron, and you know it," Fred said, standing up. "You're a filthy liar."
"Hurts when the shoe's on the other foot, doesn't it?" Ron smirked.
"I still don't believe you," George stated. "If Hermione wants out, all she has to do is say so."
Ron shrugged. "Whatever." He grabbed a biscuit and walked outside.
George stared at Fred. "He's lying. I just spoke to Hermione--she said she wouldn't miss the opening of our shop for the world." He climbed the stairs and shut himself in his bedroom, turned off the lights and fell into bed.
George grinned at her. "Everything's ready--we open in a week, just in time for the start of the school year. You're coming, right?"
Hermione smiled. "I wouldn't miss it for the world." After a minute, she asked, "Ron won't be there, will he?"
"Maybe," George answered, kicking a rock into the stream beside him. "He still isn't talking to me, though." He glanced back at her. "You'll still come, won't you? Because if he is there, we can just hide you in a closet or something."
She laughed. "I'll be there, don't worry."
"George, get up! Fred, you too!" Mrs. Weasley pulled the sheets off of their beds to wake them. "I won't let you be late to your own shop opening. Come on! Breakfast is downstairs for you."
The twins pulled on their clothes and hurried downstairs for a bite to eat, and then they Apparated to the Weasley Wizarding Wheezes premises. It was already decorated for the occasion (they had done that the night before in case there was a situation like the one they encountered that morning). Balloons hung magically from the ceiling, bewitched so they would never fall or pop, and confetti constantly fell, seemingly never landing. Fred and George dressed in their finest robes and stood by the door, greeting each customer as he or she entered.
Lee Jordan, Fred and George's best friend came in and bought a few things. Oliver, of course, came by ("I probably wouldn't have, but I'm only about a block away," he had said), along with Angelina Johnson, Alicia Spinnet and her sister, and Harry Potter. How Harry had gotten there, George wasn't entirely sure.
However, he wasn't very concerned with that. He was worried he hadn't given Hermione sufficient directions--although even if his directions had been bad, it wouldn't have taken her this long to find the shop. George checked his watch again, for the fifth time that minute. It was still seventeen minutes after five.
"Come on, George," Fred whined, pulling his twin's arm. "We've got to close up now. Just face it, Hermione's not coming."
"She said she would," George protested. "Maybe something came up."
"Maybe." Fred looked around. "The others have left. We should go now too." He thought a moment. "How about leaving a note?" Fred reached behind the desk and produced a quill and a piece of parchment. "To Hermione, my dearest?"
George shook his head. "Hermione's fine."
"All right." Fred scribbled something down on the parchment quickly. " 'Dear Hermione, I waited long after closing, but you didn't arrive. See you soon. Love, George.' How's that?"
"Good." George walked out and Fred stuck the note to the door. He hoped she would see it.