Disclaimer: I don't own any recognizable characters. They belong to J.K. the Goddess, so I am only borrowing them to do this little story for me and then she can have them back, she still has two books to go.
A/N: Some of the Fuzzy Fluff that I was just dying to post, it makes me feel like a little girl again, all sweetness and light.Chapter Three
Home. It was cold and lonely. She felt a pang of loss when she thought of the couch. It had been one of the best sleeps she had ever had, when she awoke she felt rested, with no nighttime fears. She wondered to herself that she had followed the books' advice, and now felt exactly how it said she would feel, relaxed about life and 100% better.
The book lay on the coffee table where she had left it after she had read that word; Trust. She wondered if she should risk reading the next word. It had worked out the first time, with George being the object of her trust. She was curious about that, she had been friends with him forever, but had thought that Ginny would be the one that she confided in, but it didn't really matter, she guessed she trusted everyone, and it just happened to be George that showed up when he did. What was he doing up then any way? And why was he so certain that she had a secret boyfriend? She shrugged mentally, then walked over to the book. 'Why not?' she thought to herself as she picked up the cards and started to shuffle.
JOY
Joy is a deep feeling of happiness, with something causing that condition.
Joy in the Alphabet of love means that feeling of happiness and contentment that you receive when you are with someone. It is the lack of worries and the sheer pleasure in being in that persons company. You think about the person with happiness, and you anticipate seeing them again. In fact, the elation you feel when you see them is second to none.
You will encounter the person that fills you with joy at the place where you feel most comfortable, within the next 24 hours. Be aware of what your stomach does when you see this person, and pay attention to who your thoughts dwell on the most when day dreaming.
To meet this person you must go to the spot where you feel most comfortable. If you avoid the spot then you will be avoiding that person, and they are the one that brings you joy. Remember; a life without joy is a life without cause.
Joy? What was that supposed to mean. Feel joy over someone. Hermione felt joy over many people, and for different reasons. Joy with Ginny, because of the friendship they shared, joy over her mum and dad, because she never saw them enough, even joy over Eddy and Chloe because of the challenge of working on hard cases. She didn't feel that leap of happiness when she saw any of them though. In fact she didn't feel that leap with any one. Was she joy-less in love, she wasn't sure.
She threw on some clothes still pondering the Joy word. As she apparated to work though the thoughts of the book fell away. Today was the day that Cleveland was looking at the work her department had done. The three of them were very anxious over what he would say. They had developed a very haphazard way of allotting work, going by turns or personal preference. That system worked fine for them, in fact it increased their efficiency, but Hermione was sure Cleveland wouldn't like it, as he was obsessed with order.
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She arrived just in time to see Eddy being interrogated by the man himself. Cleveland was a fat faced, ruddy cheeked man who would have looked like Santa Claus if it wasn't for the eyes. They were squinty like a pig, and were constantly looking down Hermione and Chloes' tops. Hermione felt a wave of disgust as his eyes turned to her as she approached. They swept down to her legs, bare as she was wearing a knee-length skirt. Hermione hated feeling like a pound of flesh, and that was all he made her feel like. She had hundreds of jinxes running through her head but she stifled the emotion and smiled falsely at him.
"Good morning Mr. Cleveland, how are you this morning?" look at my eyes her mind was screaming as he looked at her chest. As if he caught the thought he looked up to meet her furious eyes. Eddy smiled at the sight. He knew that look well. Hermione was going to assert herself, and sure enough she did.
"Mr. C, I would appreciate it if from now on you kept your eyes to yourself, I am sick of being ogled at work and if I ever see you looking anywhere else but my eyes I will personally jinx you so that you can never look any where else but peoples eyes. My work ethic is the reason I work here, not the size of my bra. The jinx is irreversible, so it's up to you Mr. C." then to Eddy who was puzzled by what jinx it was she explained " It is a variation of the opticia blindousia spell". He looked impressed that she knew it. " Now Mr. C, what have you got to say about the way we run things here? Our efficiency is up, our customer service is impeccable and we are never behind, even when you change the dates of when you want reports in a transparent attempt to trip us up. We are the best department in muggle relations, and you know it. So, what is the problem?" Behind Cleveland, Eddy was clapping silently with a huge grin on his face. He had been told off by Hermione a few times and knew exactly how his boss was feeling, and thought he deserved all of it. Chloe had approached the group half way through Hermiones speech and was staring wide eyed at her. She had felt the same way but never had the guts to voice her opinion. Cleveland was also in shock his mouth opening and closing like a fish. Hermione stared haughtily at him for a few more seconds, then stalked away to her office. Eddy clapped his hand on Cleveland's back.
" Women huh. You just can't win. Now what was it you were saying Mr. C?" His boss looked at him then with a pop apparated out of the office. Eddy laughed out loud at that then exchanged high fives with Chloe. " Lets get to work, our way" Chloe nodded, still unable to speak, then she started laughing, and she laughed so hard that Hermione emerged from her office, slightly shame-faced.
"Do you think I was too hard on him?'" she asked worriedly. "I don't want to lose my job."
" Don't stress sugar, if he fires you then we will haul his butt up to the anti-discrimination council so fast his head will spin, and he knows it. No I think that Cleveland will be a lot more careful with how he treats women from now on. You sure know how to get a man where it hurts." He broke off laughing again, " Mr. C! Oh that's got to stick; I'll make sure it does. From now on Cleveland will be reborn as Mr. C." Hermione smiled at him then spoke in her honeyed voice.
"You dare to call me sugar after what I did to Cleve-Mr. C?" She tried to sound convincingly evil but the passion wasn't there, something Eddy had said was playing again and again in her head. 'You sure know how to get a man where it hurts'. Could she get Viktor in the same way that she got Cleveland?' She knew it would require a lot more subtlety and resolved to think on it carefully. George had said he would help her, and she knew that he would. George…he was so good to her last night, '" Hermione Granger, you are the bravest, most beautiful witch I know, and I will do anything you want to get revenge on him"' He thought she was beautiful? She had never considered herself beautiful. She had a proud, determined face, and her body was a little on the skinny side. Yet George had said she was beautiful. A small smile tugged at the corners of her face.
"Hello? Earth to Hermione. Are you in there?" Eddy was waving his hand in her face with a huge smile on his face. "You totally spaced out then. You can't tell me you don't have a special someone with a face like that. Who were you thinking about? Whoever he is is a very lucky man, because I'll hazard a guess and say it's not me." Hermione jerked back to reality. A special someone? She was thinking about George, not a special someone.
" I was thinking of you Eddy, I was thinking how great you would look wearing a bright red dress, that you couldn't take off. I do have the spell for that…"
"Fine don't admit it, but I will find out. I have my ways, my spies into the secret joy of your life." With that said he winked mysteriously at her and walked to his office. Hermione followed suite, seating herself in the comfy couch in her office.
Joy of her life? What had the book said? That she would think of her joy when she wasn't paying attention. Could it be that George was her joy, the one that gave her happiness? She thought not. Last night he had been there for her, that was it. She was still hung up on last night and so naturally George was in her thoughts, not for any other reason. She bent down to her work, ignoring the little voice that was reminding her what it felt like to wake up in George Weasleys' arms.
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George sat with Fred working out where their new stock for WWW should go. Their glowing potions were going on sale today, as was their new range of enchanted food, with the turtle tangelos that made anyone who ate one dance a tango in slow motion. George wondered if he could slip one to Hermione, he wouldn't mind dancing a slow tango with her. He thought of last night. She had trusted him with everything, how she felt and how it happened. They had talked for hours until exhausted they had fallen asleep on the couch. He had tried to take her up to her room, but she had clung to him and he couldn't do it. All he could think of was the feel of her warmth and the way she crumbled down when she realised that he would catch her. He must have had a goofy grin on his face, because Fred noticed his inattention and with a large shout of Wingarduim Leviosa he caused George to fly up to the ceiling.
"So twin of mine, who are you thinking of? I know that it is a girl, and I know that you are insanely happy about it, you keep drifting off. I normally wouldn't mind, you needed to get a girl, but it's the dopey grin that is sending me wild. What would people think if they saw you? They might think it was me… and I would never look like that."
" Get me down Fred or I will hex you till you resemble a tomato."
"A tomato hex? That's a great idea. Now are you going to tell me what's up, or will I try out the tomato hex, because your wand is sitting on the table…down here." He smiled wickedly. "Who is she George?"
"I refuse to submit to your crude tortures, I will tell you nothing, because there is nothing to tell. I have no girl, and no possibilities. I am simply happy for our sister. Have you seen how good she looks? Harry agrees with her, methinks." Please believe me George wished. He didn't want Fred to know how he felt about Hermione, because he would naturally try to set them up. George was sure that Hermione felt nothing for him, and that any attempt at match making would destroy their friendship.
" Well, I don't believe you for a second, but it is such a good lie that I will let you get away with it. Make sure you keep those dopey grins off your face though, you are making me sick. Now where should the Dutch Donkeys go, they are fighting with the Spanish Salamander Sausages." George returned to his seat, trying to blank out the happiness he felt when he thought of Hermione.
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Hermione finished work and went home. She had been busy all day, but could not block out the feeling of George wrapped around her, she could still hear his heart beating under her ear, it was the last thing that she had heard before she had fallen asleep, consequently it rung in her ears. What she needed was a warm bath and a visit to… the place where she feels most comfortable! That was where the person that filled her with joy was supposed to meet her. She rolled her eyes, she would never bump into anyone there, how was this person meant to meet her? She had never seen anyone down there that she knew.
The place that she felt most comfortable was the obsolete spells archives in the Ministries library. The library was in the dungeons of the ministry, and was nearly always deserted. Hermione felt at home down there, it was quiet and full of knowledge. The watch wizard knew her quite well, and always let her in to the archives, no matter what time it was. She could spend hours reading on the spells that had been forgotten by the wizarding world. The time spent down there let her forget that she worked in a dead-end ministry job, and let her pretend for a while that she worked in the spell chambers.
First though, a bath. The archives would wait, and the Joy-person, well she would never meet anyone there anyway, so that wasn't a problem…she thought. The traitorous heart of hers wondered if George Weasley would be looking up some spells tonight.
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George was worried. He and Fred were running out of ideas for their joke shop. The last idea, the glowing potion, was actually Rons' idea. In fact all the products released within the past 3 months were somebody else's ideas. They had joke shop block, and they needed to break it. They had no ideas, and no spells from which to build ideas on. It was a problem.
"Hello, Hello brothers of mine. How are you on this glorious evening?" Ginny breezed into the store, surprisingly without Harry. She noticed their glum looks and her voice became less flippant and more concerned. " What's up with you two? You look like the daily prophet just published all your recipes and spells."
"That's the problem Gin, the spells." Fred said in a woeful tone. George could only nod, he was too depressed. What would Hermione think of him if he had no job? Would she even look at him? Ginny looked surprised.
"What? They published your spells?"
"No, we have nothing to publish, we are out of ideas, we have no new jokes to sell. I think we have used up all the spells we know, and we can't find any more. We are going to start losing money soon, jokes have a very quick turn over rate, if your victim knows about it then it won't work. The new stuff always sells 100% better then anything over a month old." Ginny shared their worried look. This was bad. The twins rarely had mental blocks. Then something Fred said jogged her memory. 'We have used up all the spells we know.' Who did she know that knew more spell then the average person…Hermione Granger.
Ginny knew that George and Hermione had spent the night in each other's arms last night, but they didn't know that she knew. She also knew whom the book was going to be leading Hermione towards. Her own brother. She was pleased. They would be a good match. She wondered what word Hermione was up to, then resolved to find out tonight. In the mean time she thought she would share her brain wave with her brothers who were watching her closely, aware that she had thought of something, but unsure of what.
" Hey guys, you know who I think could help you out of your predicament…Hermione. She knows the most spells out of anyone. I bet she could find you a book of old jokes, that no one remembers, so you could use them here. I bet she could help you tonight too. I was just on my way over, do you guys want to come too?" this was asked with a grin, as she saw from George's face that he was indeed head over heels for Hermione and could think of nothing better then spending time with her. Fred was thinking of nothing but his business and how Hermione could fix it.
" Yeah, that's a great idea Gin, let's go. The sooner we have some ideas the better off we will be. I cant stand this stupidity, and Hermione is the best person to fix stupidity." This was from Fred. He glanced over at George, who was wearing the silly smile that Fred was so sick. "Will you stop that bro, I was serious about the tomato hex. I can go to Hermiones without you, if you want to stay here and vegetate." This snapped George back, go without him, no way.
" Yeah right" He threw back. " The only vegetable in this room is you, you said it yourself, you feel stupid…like a tomato." Ginny decided it was time to step in.
"You are both tomato's, now can we go, I want to get to her place before it gets too late to come over." This shut them both up, for different reasons they wanted to go to Hermiones place tonight, not tomorrow. They grabbed some Flue powder and left.
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Hermione was sitting in the living room, brushing Crookshanks and reading a book on the properties of various muggle medicines in medicinal potions. She was going to leave for the library after she finished the chapter…
"Hi Hermione' Came Ginny's constantly cheerful voice. "You have a few visitors." Hermione looked up as Fred and George emerged from the fireplace after Ginny.
" Well it looks like we are going to need more tea. I'll go make some" she said to cover for the fact that she had no idea of what to say to George. Last night was very intimate, and now she felt like she should excuse herself to him, but didn't know what to say. She bustled around the kitchen yelling out to them inane niceties like "make yourself at home" and "I'll have the teas out in a minute". Ginny came in to help her carry them out. Then Ginny sat down on the floor leaving only one available seat, next to George on the sofa. Hermione thought to herself that it seemed a deliberate move on Ginnys behalf to have her seated next to George then thought she must be imagining things. Fred started to talk and Hermione stopped analysing everything she could.
" Hermione we need your help. You know the most about spells and stuff, and we" he indicated to himself and George, "need your help. We don't know any more spells that we can use to created more tricks and jokes for our shop, we are officially out of ideas.'
" Can you help us Hermione?" this was said by George. He wore a look that was very confusing to her. He seemed to be a bit nervous, and Hermione realised with a start that she was too. What if things turned weird between them? The secret they shared was weighing heavy on both their minds.
" I can help you quite easily. There is a part of the ministry of magic that is full of what you need. It's the archives of the obsolete spells. I'm sure there is a section that contains mild jinxes and humorous spells. I was going there soon, I will see if I can find a book for you and I will give it to you tomorrow." Fred looked relieved. For a minute then he thought that she was going to make them find the book themselves, and was trying to think of a way to get her to find it for them. He noticed that George looked a bit disappointed. Several things clicked together. Hermione had not stayed for breakfast in the burrow, she had left before the sun was up, and George had spent the night on the couch. George had been wearing a dopey look all day and Hermione was looking scared of him. When he had asked if she could help them she had actually jumped. George and Hermione huh? He wondered how it had happened…what had happened to get those two together. He noticed that Ginny was also giving the two of them an appraising look. He wasn't the only one that was on to the two of them. He tried to think of a way to get George to go with Hermione to the library.
"Hermione thanks for the offer, but you might not be quite sure of what we need. Maybe if George goes with you he can say if what you find is right for what we need, that way you don't have to make two trips. We are so considerate aren't we brother dear? And incase you have any ideas, I called not going to the library. You have to go. I win you lose." He said the last part triumphantly, quite proud of his maneuvering of the situation. Now George would have to go with Hermione, giving them time together. Hermione couldn't protest, he was being considerate.
" I guess that would be fine" Said George darkly, looking like he wanted to kill Fred, Ginny was giggling behind her hand. She was aware of what Fred had done. Hermione wasn't sure what was going on, but now she knew that George was going with her to the library, her comfy spot, just like the book said. She realised she was blushing and stood up rapidly.
"Well let's go then George. We will apparate to the Ministry then walk down to the library." Then she apparated with a loud CRACK. George looked over at an openly laughing Ginny and Fred and said menacingly,
"You ever breathe a word of this to anyone and I will hunt you down and feed you to a flobberworm." Then he was gone too, leaving two Weasleys laughing so hard that tears rolled down their faces.
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Hermione had appeared only a split second ahead of George, yet when he apparated she was only a distant speck. He had to run to catch up to her. What was wrong with her? It was like she was mad at him for something.
"Hermione, wait up. What's wrong? You are acting like you are angry with me. What did I do?" this was asked on a plaintive note, he didn't like it when she was mad at him, especially for something that he didn't know about.
"You know perfectly well what you did. You told your twin about last night. That was a set up if I ever saw one, and Ginny knows too. I'll bet that the whole Weasley family knows, huh, every one just desperate that we get together. Well I have news for you George Weasley. You might be my trust and my joy, but you will never be my love. So you can tell you family that I'm not co-operating with you." She turned on her heel and stalked off, clearly in tears. George watched her go, with a lump in his throat. Why had she reacted to the match making like that? He knew she hated to be pushed around by other people, but her reaction was taking it to extremes. He made up his mind to run after her, although she clearly didn't want company. He must sort things out with her, or forever berate himself for missing his chance.
He ran all the way to the entrance of the library with no sign of Hermione. The watch wizard at the desk just ushered him through the door, saying to him,
"She's hiding behind the enchanted plants section. You don't hurt her any more or I will hurt you." George looked surprised at this, but the guard was serious, Hermione had friends in very unusual places. George nodded his agreement and walked towards the section indicated.
"Hermione, Hermione please answer me, I just want to see you, talk with you" Hold you, love you, never let you go. There she was behind the far bookshelf.
Hermione was so mad at him, why had he come into her safe spot? He was nothing to her, she wasn't going to let him talk to her, she was going to talk first.
" How dare you come into my head all day. I couldn't think of anything but you. The book is running my life, and I don't like it. Fred and Ginny have been trying to manipulate me into your arms and I can't do it. I don't want to be with anyone, because I can't cope. Every time I get close to a guy I freeze up, and I don't want to be frozen around you, I want to be warm. When I freeze up I can never talk to the guy again, and he doesn't want to see me. I want to see you again and I want you to want to see me." She drew breath and continued in a slightly less angry voice. " I don't want to have to live without you" she finished and looked at George who had been coming closer and closer to her the whole time she was talking. Her mouth was a heartbeat away from his, he could feel her breath dusting his face. "I'm sorry" she apologised, " I guess that didn't make much sense, I just don't really know what is going on, I feel like you're the one causing this confusion, so I am blaming you." She took a quivering breath, but George stepped in before she could start again.
" Hermione, you will always be warmth to me. I will never not want to see you again. But if you need time to think then that's fine. I will let you calm down, you know where to find me. Before I go I have something to do." He bent his head down further so Hermiones lips tingled with the nearness of his, then she lifted her head and initiated the kiss, unwilling to wait any longer. George was surprised but pleased, he deepened the kiss, holding her close with his arms. It felt so right to have her in his arms, like she was only meant to be there. He knew at that moment that he would wait for Hermione forever because no one else would ever feel right there. He was content.
Hermione felt the same way, she could feel the beating of his heart in her chest, and her heart seemed ready to jump out and start doing back flips. She felt like she had come home, and she never wanted to leave again. George was the first one to break contact, pulling back to look her in the eyes.
"How much time do you need? I don't think I can wait long if you are going to kiss me like that, I will always want to kiss you. Please don't deny what you are feeling, you need me too. Hermione, we are meant to be together. You are not cold to me, you are still warm." Hermione smiled slightly at that, her mind still fuzzy. How could she be cold with his arms around her? She smiled up at his face and kissed him lightly on the nose.
" I will see you tomorrow. I think I need to think." Then she walked back out of the library, with a last look back at him, and a call of "The books you need are on the shelf you are leaning on. Study hard."
Thanks to those who reviewed.
A special thanks to those that reviewed my Chapter 1, but were not thanked in Chapter two. You reviewed in the time it took for me to check who had reviewed and post my story. So;
Gwen Potter: Thanks for the encouragement.
Coriander: You really should write a Weasley fan fic, it's the most fun I've had in ages. (I need to get out moreJ )
Smudged: I bet you can work out who Hermiones going to be with, it's pretty obvious.
Halfling: I love your signature, remember Sirius Black… How could any one forget?
Now to all who reviewed my chapter two.
Cosmicangel2001: Heres the next chapter for you. Don't die on me I need my reviewers.
Clare: Thanks again Clare, I love a repeat reviewer.
Tara: Thanks. I appreciate your comments.
Jade: Thanks also to Jade, another repeat reviewer.
Gwendellen Snape: I love your name, very cool, thanks for the review.
Singtoangels: A big thanks to you Sing, those sites will be very handy, I love a constructive review. Plus you got the Molly Ringwald question so that's extra bonus points to you. Thanks a million.
Gwen Potter: Thanks Gwen for the repeat review, and the lovely comments.
Blood57- I read your story, I really enjoyed it. Thanks for the kind words.
Thanks also to those who read and didn't review, you are legends too if you read my fluffy little story. I love any one who loves Hermione and George as a couple. George kicks arse over Fred, but that's just a personal bias.
If anyone has a story they want me to read I will, especially a Hermione/Weasley or A Draco/Ginny. Sorry, but I cant stand Harry as a character.
Happy camping guys and I will see you all soon with an action packed chapter Four. We find out more about certain consequences of certain action, and its not what you think. Interested? Come back in a few days.
Love,
Muse.