A/N: I was hoping for more reviews than I got, but I am happy all the same. Don't got much to say. On with the story!!!

Ch 17 A Talk with George

They all went into the kitchen to find Mrs. Weasley. When they explained everything they were surprised to hear her agree to it. Ron especially was surprised, because if anyone would put down public humiliation it was his mum.

"I think it's a brilliant plan. Well done Hermione!" Said Mrs. Weasley. Hermione smiled with complacency.

"You're agreeing to this mum?" Said Ron surprised.

"Ron, I think everyone here agrees it's about time those two got a taste of their own medicine."

"I know that's right," said Ginny. Everyone laughed.

"Anyway your father's coming home early tonight, because of that and Hermione coming home safely I'm making my homemade peach cobbler." She said glowing.

"Oh man mum's peach cobbler is the best." Said Ron joyously.

"Which you won't be having out of because of your behavior today young man." She said giving him a disappointed look. Ron lowered his head and frowned. Hermione looked at him with sympathy, because she was part of the reason he got in trouble in the first place.

"Are you sure you don't need any help?" asked Hermione.

"Oh no dear. Dinner should be ready in an hour or so and Arthur will be home soon. By the way, Ginny, would you make another place at the table for your father or is that too much to handle?"

"No mum." Ginny said sarcastically. Hermione looked at Ron still frowning and decided to do something to cheer him up.

"Ron!" Hermione said in a little scream. He immediately turned towards her. She walked over to him and squatted down next to him. He stared into her eyes listening attentively. "Let's get the Chinese Checkers out and see if you can beat me. If you're... up to it?" She said smirking.

"You bet I'm up to it." He said avidly. He got up and she stood erect.

"Well let's go then. Harry! Ginny! Come watch Ron get schooled in Chinese Checkers."

"Oh you're talking now just wait until I get caught on." Ron warned. They followed Hermione into the other room. She explained the game, and when she was sure everyone understood they started the game.

The games went on for some time and it was getting darker. Within that time, Hermione beat Ron 5 times, Harry beat Ron 3 times, and Ginny beat him twice. Ron demanded a rematch.

"One more match; I know what I did wrong now. Just give me one more please." By now everyone was tired.

"No Ron! That's enough. I'm tired. You won't win. Even Harry and Ginny beat you, no offence, and you still lost."

"No, I get it now." Said Ron defensively.

"No you don't. Face it Ron, this is not your game; you've met your match." Said Hermione fatigued. She got up to leave. Ron grabbed her hand before she could pass him.

"C'mon Herm just one more time, for me. Please." He said with a sad puppy face she couldn't refuse. She groaned and looked at Ginny and Harry, who urged her on.

"Go on Hermione what harm could you do? Anything to stop his whining." Ginny said yawning.

"Alright, Ron, but last time tonight. Ok."

"Sure." He said looking satisfied with himself.

She set up the board again. They started to play and again Ron was losing. He claimed to be thinking, and she was sitting patiently waiting. Then two tall lanky redheaded figures were visible at the door. It was Fred and George. Everyone glanced at each other comprehensively.

"Hello Everyone!" They said simultaneously.

"Hi!" They all said trying to suppress their excitement. Hermione and Ron looked up from their game. The twins hung up their things and Fred whipped around and saw Hermione. He stared at her, and gave her a look that was mixed with bewilderment and desired interest. She looked at him quizzically. Ron didn't like the look Fred gave and frowned very perturbed. Fred approached her slowly.

"Who are you?" He asked out of the blue. She looked at him shocked and a little annoyed that he'd ask such a question. She sent questioning looks to the others who returned the same look. She thought it was a joke and then smiled.

"Oh come off it Fred." She said amused. Fred was surprised.

"How do you know I'm Fred?" He questioned. Hermione frowned again.

"Ok what's going on?"

"I'm trying to find out who you are. You obviously know me, and which one I am."

"Fred I can tell you two apart. You're taller than George is, and what do you mean find out who I am?" She said annoyed. Fred turned to Ron who was wondering what they were playing at.

"Eh Ron new girlfriend?" Ron's ears turned bright red.

"What?! She's not m-m-my-" Ron stuttered in absurdity. Hermione decided to step in.

"No. It's me Hermione." Fred took one step back.

"WHAT?!" Said George coming towards her. "You're pulling our legs right?"

"No. It's me."

"I don't believe it. You've changed!"

"Yeah you look hot." Said Fred. He then gave Ron a thumbs-up. They blushed madly.

"Oh stop it. I haven't changed that much." She said coyly.

"Oh yes you have. Now I remember. Ron said you went traveling."

"Yes, Just a few places."

"And that you would be staying here... until school starts." He said implyingly at Ron, who glared at him. Hermione noticed this and decided to ignore it.

"Yes."

"Well stand up. Let me look at you." He lifted her up by her hand and spun her around slowly. Then he broke into a small dance. Ron was fusing with the urge to punch Fred in the nose. The little trick on them was sounding more and more of a good idea. George whispered in Ron's ear.

"Can I talk to you outside?"

"Why?"

"Just C'mon." He said grabbing his arm and dragging him outside. He was reluctant to go and leave Fred with Hermione, but he left anyway. They walked off away from the house and stood outside in the cool evening air. Ron noticed him smiling.

"What are you smiling about? Embarrassing me right." Ron spat. George laughed a little.

"You're so obvious Ron it's annoying and cute all at the same time. I can tell you like her."

"Oh really." Ron said sardonically. "How's that?"

"By the way you turned red like a tomato when Fred called her your girlfriend. Or by how you're so green that Fred can compliment her easily and you can't. Or by how your face twist up when I joke about you guys, or Fred dancing with her. Shall I go on?" George finished. Ron remained quiet, pretending to ignore him. George laughed. "Chill out Ron I was only joking. Just some test. Now I know you really like her. I bet you've snogged her too."

"That's really none of you're business." Said Ron defensively.

"And that'd be a yes. How was it?"

"I said it's none of your business." Ron said angrily.

"Ok. Ok Calm down. You don't want to tell me you don't have to. I don't think she would want to kiss you anyway. Not the sort to be kissed are you?"

"What's that supposed to mean? I'm perfectly the sort to be kissed. In fact she kissed me!"

"I knew you guys kissed by how you two were acting, and I got you to tell me too." George said laughing.

"You know you're not funny." Ron said nastily. "Ok Ron what's your problem? Things gone wrong?"

"I told you already it's none of your business, and we're not together." Ron insisted.

"Ok that explains your bitterness."

"I don't need this. I'm already not in a good mood, and I don't need you bothering me." Ron said making to walk off.

"You know the funny thing is you claim to not be intimate or what have you now when actually, we've known that you guys had a thing for each other for a while now." He said loudly. Ron stopped.

"Well as I'm told, who hasn't?" He said coming back. "I wish you all would stop saying that." George pretended to not notice the angry look on his face.

"I couldn't see why before, but now I can see why." He said implyingly.

"Shut up. George." Ron said brusquely. George laughed again.

"I'm just kidding. Hermione's great. You've got brains and now beauty. That's hard to find in some girls, and she likes you-"

"Not like that. We're just friends."

"How do you know?" Asked George. Ron was silent again.

"What are you talking about? I just know."

"How?"

"Because I just know ok!" He said indignantly. "Can we drop this?" He said irritatedly.

"How do you know?"

"Because she told me herself ok! Is that what you want to hear?"

"Oh, She dropped the F word. That's rough." Ron said nothing. "I guess that's why you're in a foul mood."

"That and that stupid game she got me."

"So are you going to... you know just for fun?" George said avidly.

"What are you talking about?"

"You know because if you won't I-"

"Shut up!" Ron spat realizing what he meant. George laughed.

"I bet she already has. The people and places she's been."

"SHUT UP GEORGE! Don't you dare talk about her like that." Ron said threateningly. "You don't know her. Hermione's caring, beautiful, and bloody brilliant, and might I add a great kisser."

"Wow! I was just joking. Well don't worry little Ronny. I won't take your little girlfriend and neither will Fred. She's a prude and, we're out of her league." He said pompously. Ron gave him a disgusted look.

"Yeah. She's not your type. You know, the loose and easy trash you two are used to picking up on the pub corners." Ron said contemptuously.

"Oh touché little brother. I see I've struck a nerve."

"Well maybe you'll shut your trap about things you don't know. Tell me something, besides just getting a laugh at my expense, why do you care about Hermione and me anyway? Why did you bring me out here? It was surely not for some heart-to-heart talk?"

"Really Ronny you're so oblivious. I'm trying to help you round her up." He said impyingly.

"What?" Ron said in disbelief.

"No really Ron you're 17 and you haven't had a proper love life. It's quite sad."

"What do you- Ok did Harry or Ginny talk you into this, because I told them to bud out."

"No Ron. I can see for myself, and I don't really know the background story. But I can tell you really like her and this rejection is really affecting you." He said in a genuine tone Ron wasn't accustomed to hearing.

"What do you care?"

"Ronny that hurts. It hurts me that you can't talk to your older brothers about these things. Especially when we have so much more... experience."

"Well what do you expect when you call me Ronny like I'm you're pet dog? You embarrass me in front of friends, put me down, and always play tricks on me! Sometimes I go along with your tricks, but other times you go too far. You guys act like bloody jackasses sometimes just like you did in there! You knew she was coming and going to be the only addition to our house today. I mean who else could it have been! Yes she's changed a lot, but you don't have to rub it in or over exaggerate it do you? Or make overt implications do you? And it's not just you. Harry and Ginny do it too. They tell me I should say this and say that, and she'd feel the same way! And Hermione herself saying she didn't feel a thing and practically accusing me of taking advantage of her when she kissed me! And mum not giving me any cobbler because of my behavior when I wasn't the only one arguing today!" He said turning red from yelling.

"You done?"

"No! And where the hell do you get off telling me about my love life? Like I said to all of you, it's none of your business!"

"Are you done now?" George asked unfazed.

"Yes."

"Feel better now."

"Sort of, but I'm still mad at the whole lot of you."

"Ok Ron. We'll take this one piece at a time. We treat you like that cause you're our little brother. Ok we do get out of hand sometimes, but we don't mean to hurt you or nothing like that. You're our favorite brother. You're more like us than the others are, and we relate to you more. That's why I wanna help you with this Hermione problem."

"Really?" Asked Ron confused.

"Yeah and you got to admit we don't play the really bad tricks on you. We save that for that stick in the mud Percy." They both laughed.

"Yeah that's true, but all I ask is that you treat me more like I'm 17 and not 10."

"Ok done. I can't fix the Harry, Ginny, Mum, or even that part about someone taking advantage of someone. But I can help with the girl trouble."

"What?" Ron said almost laughing.

"Come off it Ron. You're the only one who hasn't had a real relationship."

"You guys don't have relationships. I've seen you two with tones of girls when you let us visit."

"Not true, and that's different."

"How?"

"Stick to the topic." Fred said dismissing the question. "I mean Harry had Cho, Ginny had that Michael guy, and Hermione had something with Krum." Ron scoffed at the mention of that name. "And you might not know this, but Fred and I were shacking up with a girl all the time at Hogworts when we weren't making stuff or planning mischief for old Filch. How is he by the way?"

"Oh yeah. You two were real ladies' men George." Ron said sarcastically.

"You know it." He said grinning broadly.

"I don't want to talk to you about this George."

"Ok I was afraid of this. She rejected you after the kiss right? It wasn't there for her was it?" George said with a lamented visage and as if he felt sorry for Ron.

"I'm not even going to ask how you know that. Just like everything else you guys have done, if I ask how I'll never be the same."

"Good because I'm not going to tell you, and I can guess on the first part. Now you have to be honest with me, and I will be honest with you. Deal?"

"Sure."

"Do you love her?" George asked. Ron was silent and didn't really want to tell him. But if he denied it, he knew George would know he was lying, so he had to tell him the truth.

"Yeah." Said Ron quietly.

"Oh! This complicates things even more. I know you got a taste, but how'd that happen?"

"Well I guess it's built up over the years. But I didn't realize it until last year. She kissed me, but it wasn't just a short peck. We were snogging for quite a while. When her lips were on mine it was like sparks were flying and this sensation came over me. But the thing that set it off the most was when I looked into her eyes. They were hypnotic and compelling. I would've kissed her again if I didn't feel so awkward about it, and if we didn't need to help Harry." Ron finished. George groaned in the background. "What is it?"

"Sparks, sensations, hypnotic eyes, Ron my boy, you've got it bad."

"Who you telling? The thing is we finally got courage to talk about it earlier and it turned to this fight. I hurt her feelings, and she hurt mine."

"Yeah that's not good. You got to watch what you say to girls. They get really sentimental." George interrupted.

"Well she told me she didn't feel anything in the kiss and that she only wants to be friends. Now I'm stuck with all these feelings I can't get rid of. I don't think she even likes me very much any more after today." Ron said hopelessly.

"Bull."

"What?"

"Oh sorry I was thinking out loud."

"Ok but what's bull?"

"I saw her face she feels the same way you do, and I can tell I just don't get the denial. Something else is going on with that girl." George said baffled.

"Why does everyone say that?" Ron said exasperated. "Am I the only one who can't see it?"

"You know it could be the fact that you are best friends. It's very weird when you cross the line of being friendly and friendlier. Maybe she's not willing to take that risk." Said George in deep thought.

"Well I am." Said Ron distraught.

"Things are different with girls. They feel a lot of things deeper, care more, and think things through more than men you know. Very sensual and sensitive girls are. That's why they make great mums." George said in an expertly tone. Ron gave him a look of bewilderment. "Some guys feel that way too, but we know what sort they are." He finished implyingly.

"George."

"Oh sorry. Anyway Ron, I always said she was a funny one. Not only because of this but the way she can know that much. It's uncanny?"

"I know, but that's what I like about her. That's what makes her special and unique among other things and girls."

"Ah well. Maybe you need to get another girl. One less complicated and one you get along with better."

"But I don't want another girl. I only want her." Ron said dejectedly.

"Yeah that's deep Ron." He said giving him a pat on the back. "But I can smell dinner from here and it is really enticing and I'm really hungry " He said walking back. "I'll see what I can do after dinner. We Weasleys think best on a full stomach. Later Ronny." He called to him. Ron caught up to him and stopped him before he went in.

"One more thing." He said in a hushed voice.

"What?"

"Stop calling me Ronny. It's strictly Ron ok."

"Deal... Ronny." George said grinning. Ron frowned at him. "Just one more for the road." They both laughed. "Just one more question you didn't answer before."

"What's that?"

"If you two don't get together are you going to be friends with benefits?" He laughed

"George!"

"Just joking." He laughed more and walked back in.

"That George." Ron groaned. And followed him back in.

Fred and Hermione had finished their little dance and were now talking. Ron slipped back in and sat at the table. She seemed to have not notice him being gone.

"Well you are stunning." Said Fred. Ron took note of their conversation. How he made her smile and blush uncontrollably without losing his cool. He wished he could do that.

"Oh Stop it." She said blushing.

"No really."

"Well thank you. Where'd you learn to dance like that? The last time I saw you dance you knocked people down." They laughed together.

"You're not the only one who's been to Italy and France. We've got some business investments and partners there, and they like to dance on recreation."

"That's true. I'm glad you're business is going well."

"Yes but tell us about your trip."

"Ok but some other time. I have to finish my game with Ron." She came to sit down with Ron who tried to feign concentration. "You haven't moved yet?" She said surprised.

"I'm still thinking!" He replied agitatedly.

"What are you playing?" Asked Fred.

"Something you wouldn't know about so bud out."

"Ron! Don't mind him. We're playing Chinese Checkers. I love the game, but I'm afraid Ron hasn't caught on yet." Said Hermione. Ron looked up and gave her a 3-second glare. "What? You haven't, and don't look at me like that."

"Yes mum." He said mockingly.

"Ron I don't appreciate that." She said with her face contorted with agitation. Everyone gave each other a comprehensive look of an argument on the verge.

"Well you don't have to bad mouth me. I'm just trying to learn this game."

"I was just pointing out the obvious-"

"Um let me see." Said Fred intervening. Hermione looked at Ron with a flustered expression. Fred looked at the board and moved things around. Hermione then moved her pieces. Fred made one more move and won.

"How the bloody hell did you do that?" exclaimed Ron in awe.

"Nothing really, you just have to have your wit's about you. It's easy. Got a lot to learn little one." Fred said ruffling Ron's hair.

"Forget it. It's a stupid game." Ron said folding his arms.

"Oh hush up Ron. You just don't like it because you don't win."

"No I don't!"

"Yes you do." Replied everyone in the room. Ron looked around flabbergasted.

"Well I didn't know you had an echo Hermione." He said folding his arms. Hermione rolled her eyes.

A/N:Welll that's that. I added this chappie for some comedy and to prolong things a lil. I also wanted to let George say something. But the next chappie will have more funny and the trick. So be prepared to read and laugh!!! LoL. No dramatic questions today. You all know what they are and can ask yourselves. LoL. Till the next chappie on my fanfic, ttyl!!! PLZ R/R