Disclaimer-J.K. Rowlings owns everything in this fic. I only own the plot.
Only You
Chapter 5-We Meet Again
I'll never get over you, Hermione Granger," George Weasley thought as he stood at the counter of his Hogsmeade shop. It was a busy day at Weasley's Wizard Wheeze because Hogwarts was having a Hogsmeade weekend, but that didn't distract George from his thoughts of his exgirlfriend. His twin noticed the distraction and after they had closed their business for the day, decided to talk to George about his troubles.
Once the doors were closed Fred asked him, "What's the matter with you today Forge. We made a ton of money today and caused the Hogwarts teachers quite a lot of mischief, you should really be in a better mood. What's wrong? Dd you swallow one of our depress-mints?"
"I don't know. Maybe I should have, it's not like it would have affected my mood any." George sighed. "I saw Hermione last night."
"And?" his twin questioned. "Did you talk to her?"
"No she was with that bloke in Ron's year. Finnigan, I think is his name. Bloody stupid chap that fellow is."
"Sounds like you're a little bit jealous there, brother."
"Well, hell yeah I'm jealous! This is Hermione, the love of my life, we're talking about. You'd be fucking jealous too if it was you!"
"Wooh, there. I get the point."
"What do you know about them? Are they together? Is she sleeping with him. Oh, he better not be." George said as he clenched and unclenched his fists.
"Calm down, there. I don't think they're together. Ron says they're just friends and have been hanging out together a lot lately. And besides, you really couldn't do anything about it even if they were seeing each other, George. She's not your girlfriend anymore."
"I know that. I'm not stupid, but dammit, I want her back!"
"You know that you should find someone else. You know that whole, 'there's other fish in the sea' bit. You've really got to move on."
"No, I don't, and no, I won't! I don't want anyone else. I'm never going to love anyone but Hermione, and I know that someway, somehow I'll get her back."
"Whatever you say, George. But you better not do anything to hurt her."
"Of course I won't hurt her! What do you think I am? I love her."
"You have before," Fred pointed out. The twins were silent for a few moments and then Fred said, "How do you do it anyway?"
"Do what?" George asked irritable because the conversation had not been going the way he had hoped.
"Go without sex for a year. I don't think I could ever do that. Thats killer."
"I don't want anyone else. I want Hermione. I will never again take any other women to bed as a substitute for her. I've learned my lesson there." George gestured to the door. "Get out of here. I'll close up. I don't relly feel like talking with you about this anymore."
"Hold on there brother. I wasn't finished yet. So are you ever going to talk to her, or are you just going to keep stalking her and asking me a million questions about how she's doing?"
"I have to. She won't talk to me, and Ron won't tell me anything about her."
"So make her talk to you. You're good at that kind of thing. She loved you once, maybe she'll forgive you if you tell her what a good boy you've been."
George punched his twins arm and said, "Get to work, Fred. I don't feel like being here all night."
"Uh, uh. You already told me to leave, and that's just what I'm going to do, brother. See you later." and with that he walked out of the door whistling a cheerful tune.
"Bastard," George murmered under his breath as he flicked his wand and sent the broom leaning in the corner into animation.
Thirty minutes later the shop was clean and George was grumpy and tired and he thought that drowning his sorrows in a nice glass of firewiskey sounded like a good idea. It sure as hell beat going home to an emty house.
Meanwhile Hermione Granger checked her watch for the third time. Lavender Brown was late as usual. Hermione didn't know why she hadn't learned to show up at least twenty minutes late when meeting with Lavender. There were many places Hermione would rather be than sitting at a table in the dim pub that reminded her of her Hogwarts days. She didn't know why she even bothered. It's not as if they were best friends or anything, and half the time Lavender didn't even show up. Hermione was seriously considering going home to read a book by the fire when she saw a flash of red hair at the door.
"Great, as if my day couldn't get any worse." Hermione grumbled to herself. she decide three minutes would be all the time she would allow Lavender, and it would be less if George Weasley tried to speak with her. She hadn't spoken to him since they broke up, and she wasn't about to begin today.
George, however, had different plans when he saw Hermione sitting in the corner, looking annoyedly at her watch. He'd left her alone for a whole year, and now he was going to talk to her. Well, at least he was going to try.
As George walked over to her table she immediately began to stiffen. It hurt him to see that she had changed so much since the last time he had seen her. She looked so different. She looked so much older and more sophisticated, and unhappy. And it was all his fault.
"Hello, Hermione."
She glanced up at him and replied a clipped greeting. Her hands began to turn white as she gripped them tightly together on the table. George could tell that she was close to losing her composure and he didn't want to see her cry.
"You look beautiful. And very different. You're not the same Hermione anymore."
"No, I'm not. Thanks to you." Hermione shot him a deadly stare. "Now if you'll excuse me. I think I will be leaving now."
"No, not yet." George said. "We're going to talk first." and then he sat down in the seat across from her.
Hermione sighed and stared at him blankly. "Why should I talk to you? Talking to you isn't going to make my life any better. Why should I help ease you're conscience."
"That's not what I'm here for. Do you think that could ever happen? Do you think I could ever forgive myself for hurting you? I thought I knew you better than that."
"Well, so did I, and look where that got me." Hermione spat.
"I deserved that. Does it make you feel any better now that you've said it? Do you want to take any more shots at me. You can. You deserve it."
When Hermione was silent, George began speaking again. "I'm not going to lie to you and tell you that I want to be your friend, because I want so much more than that. I miss you, Hermione. Every day, I ache for you. I know you know what that feels like. You're probably feeling it right now. I love you. I'll always love you, and I think that you know that."
"Well, it doesn't matter now does it. I can never be with you now. Don't you understand that I could never trust you again. I don't want to live my life wondering if my husband is really away on a business trip or off vacationing with his mistress. I'm not going to put myself through that."
"You know me, Hermione. I wouldn't do that to you."
"You did."
"But I won't again. I'll never make that mistake again."
"You're right there," Hermione said. "I'll never let you get that close to me again."
"I love you. Doesn't that mean anything to you anymore?"
"Why are we doing this, George? There is nothing good going to come of it."
"And what's going to happen if we keep ignoring each other? Neither one of us will be happy either." George said and then reached across the table to take her hand. When she jerked it off the table, he looked up at her, his eyes filled with sadness. "What can I do, Hermione. I want to fix this. I want you back. I love you, Hermione, and I will never have a life without you. I haven't been with anyone else, since we broke up. I haven't wanted anyone else. I have no life without you. I love you, and I know that you love me. I still see it when I look into your eyes. You don't want to love me, but you do, and you always will, just like I'll always love you. Why can't you just forgive me?"
"Because I can't be hurt like that again. I will never love anyone again."
"Not even Seamus Finnigan?"
"What?" Hermione exclaimed. "Where did you here that?"
"I saw you together last night."
"So? Why is it any of your business who I'm with?"
"I didn't like it."
"It doesn't matter if you liked it or not. It's my life, and my life doesn't involve you anymore."
"So you're dating him?"
Hermione sighed deeply. "No, I'm not. You've ruined that one for me. I just told you I'd never let myself fall in love again. I'm not an innocent young girl anymore. I won't allow myself to feel that deeply about another person."
"I'm sorry that I ruined your life, Hermione. It was never my intention, and I really do want you to be happy, even if your life doesn't include me."
"You know what,George? That doesn't make me feel any better." Hermione said just as Lavender reached their table.
"I'm so sorry I'm late. I got caught up shopping for the wedding and..." she stopped suddenly when she noticed Hermione's companion. "I can leave if I'm interupting something."
"No, Lavender. Don't bother. I'll leave," George said. "Goodbye, Hermione. I hope that you think about what I said. I'll always love you." He leaned over and kissed her cheek before she could stop him and walked out of the door.
"What was that all about?" Lavender asked.
"If you don't mind, I'd really rather not talk about it. In fact, can we do this another time. I really don't want to be in this place anymore."
"Of course, honey. And if you need to talk, you're always welcome at my house."
"I know Lavender, thanks."
Hermione waited until she was well away from the Three Broomsticks before she let the tears fall. As soon as she composed herself she took out her wand and apparated away. When she landed she knocked on the door of the little cottage that she had landed in front of. When Seamus opened the door, her tears fell freely and she simply said, "Seamus, I need you," and let herself be comforted by his strong arms.
