Weddings with Weasleys
Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot.
Part Four- Charming Company
George and Hermione had a busy Saturday. George came by her flat in the morning, bearing breakfast danishes and muffins. They met Molly in Diagon Alley at mid-morning to choose flowers and food for their wedding. Next, the women forced George into Madam Malkin's to be fitted for his wedding robes. There, he commiserated with Percy, who was also buying new robes. Tonks had decided to follow wizard tradition and wear dress robes as well, though hers were purchased in Hogsmeade.
After the robe fitting, Molly left George and Hermione to help Percy and Tonks plan their ceremony. So George and Hermione left to visit the real estate witch he'd spoke with that morning. She promised to have several listings for them to see that afternoon.
The first house was too far north for Hermione's taste, and it was too cramped for George's style. He wanted a space for an inventing lab as well as a room for Hermione to use as an office.
The second house was an immediate "no." All three wizards felt lingering effects of Dark Magic around the property, so the real estate witch promised to Floo the Ministry so that Aurors could come investigate the area.
The third house they visited was perfect. It was just outside Cambridge, and it was in close proximity to three other wizarding families. The house itself was two-story, and it had a basement which would accommodate George's creativity. It had a large living area, and two of the upstairs bedrooms had fireplaces. There was an extra room just off the kitchen for Hermione's workspace.
As soon as they were left alone, George looked at Hermione and said expectantly, "So?"
"Well," she began thoughtfully, "it is very roomy and cozy. And I like the area very much."
"So?" George asked again.
"I love it, but..." she trailed off.
"But what?" George asked anxiously.
"Give me a moment, I'm thinking," she replied hastily. "It does need a bit of fixing up."
"Hermione, we're wizards," George said with a laugh. "We can fix it up in two shakes."
"I do have some in savings at Gringott's," she said slowly, "and with our combined incomes...I think we can afford it!"
George let out a loud whoop and threw his arms around Hermione, swinging her around. She laughed and hugged him tightly. When he finally released her, she kissed his cheek and grinned at him. George was blushing deeply.
"Sorry, got a little excited," he mumbled.
"It's okay," Hermione giggled. "You're cute when you blush."
George smiled bashfully at her again before hurrying off to tell the real estate witch they wanted to buy the house.
That evening, George and Hermione had dinner with Remus and Ginny. Fred and Angelina were meant to join them, but they'd decided to visit Angelina's parents to tell them about the wedding.
When George and Hermione arrived at Remus' cottage, it was quite obvious that Ginny had moved in. Boxes of her things were everywhere, and her Potions stores were strewn about in one corner of the living room. George and Hermione exchanged a knowing look.
They told Remus and Ginny of the new house during dinner. The other couple promised to help clean and fix it up over the next week. At the very end, during dessert, Remus and George discussed the Hogwarts governors' appointment of Severus Snape as Headmaster, while Hermione and Ginny whispered "girl talk" across from their fiancés.
They adjourned to the sitting room where Remus opened a bottle of port wine to celebrate their engagements and George's and Hermione's new home. After finishing his glass, George pulled Ginny aside to ask for her help on a Potion he and Fred needed for a new invention.
"So," Remus said with a smug smile, "how's it going?"
"Oh, it's okay, I supposed," Hermione replied with a shrug. "Better than I thought it would." She raised an eyebrow at Remus as she took a sip of her wine. "I needn't ask you how it's going for you two."
Remus chuckled briefly. "You know I love her more than anything, don't you?" Hermione nodded, and Remus turned serious. "I never thought I would find someone, especially at my age. I'd been alone for so long, and I was content with it. But Ginny brings out things in me that had been silent for so long."
"I'm happy for you," Hermione said. "Ginny loves you very much."
"Did you know that when we ran into each other that day, that I didn't even recognize her?" Hermione shook her head, and Remus continued, "Nope, I had no idea who she was. All of a sudden, this beautiful young woman was talking to me, as though we were old friends. Then she mentioned Fred, George and Ron. Now those were names I knew. I was amazed at how Ginny had grown up."
"So you wanted to see her again?" Hermione asked.
He reached and refilled his glass. "Actually, when I asked to see her again, it was strictly for professional reasons. You see, I needed someone to make the Wolfsbane Potion for me, and Ginny seemed highly qualified. I merely assumed that I would see her each month, and that would be that. She was the one to ask for my Floo number and wanted to make plans for a date. I refused, because after all, she'd been my student at one point, and I didn't figure she would want to spend time with me. But she was quite persistent. Weasleys, you know, they never back down," he said with a smile.
Hermione smiled, remembering George had said the same thing. "Yes, I know," she said softly.
Remus leaned closer to her and whispered conspiratorially, "Let him."
Hermione looked to him for explanation, but George and Ginny returned to the room. Since it was getting late, George and Hermione Apparated back to their respective flats. However, after a moment, George Apparated to Hermione's flat, looking pale.
"Mind if I stay here for a bit?" he asked. "Fred and Angelina are home." He offered no further explanation.
"Sure," Hermione replied, indicating the seat next to her on the sofa.
George sat down, and they made idle chat for a while before George sensed that Hermione wasn't in the mood to talk. He opened the Potions book he'd borrowed from Ginny and began to read. Hermione also opened a book, but instead of reading, she studied George.
His brow was furrowed in concentration as he read. He had a habit of thumbing the pages of the book as he read, and occasionally he would lick his lower lip unconsciously. He also made affirming grunting noises whenever he read a particularly fascinating part. Had it been anyone else, these idiosyncrasies would have driven Hermione batty, but George was positively adorable.
After an hour, she finally gave up reading and laid her head on George's shoulder. He glanced at her briefly and said nothing. Hermione decided it was a nice shoulder. It wasn't bony or skinny like Ron's or Harry's, but muscled and soft. She liked the way it flexed under her cheek as he reached to turn the pages. This was a shoulder that she wouldn't mind resting her head on in the future.
Another half-hour passed, with only George's grunts filling the silence. During that time, George noticed that Hermione had wrapped her hand around his upper arm and gently stroked the skin just under the sleeve of his shirt. Whether she was doing this on purpose or not, he didn't know; nor did he particularly care. He just knew that it felt nice.
When he finally reached the end of the section in the book, he closed it and arched forward, stretching his back. Hermione sat up, yawning.
"I'd better go," he said. "It's late, and you, Miss Granger, could do with some sleep."
Hermione smiled in response, stifling another yawn. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow?" she asked.
"Yes, remember the birthday party?" he reminded her.
"Oh, right," she replied, slightly puzzled. "It's Bill's and Fleur's oldest...is it your niece or nephew?"
"How should I know?" George asked. "They've got a bloody herd over there. Shall I get a gift from the both of us?"
"Please," Hermione said. "I don't pretend to know anything about children."
"Okay, I'll pick up something at the shop tomorrow morning," George decided.
"George!" Hermione cried. "You can't get something like that for a child. It could be dangerous. Get a book or something practical."
"You're right," he agreed. "You don't know anything about kids. If I get something practical, I'll get laughed out of the family." At her stern gaze, he relented. "I'll see what I can find."
"Good," Hermione said triumphantly. She sighed quietly as George leaned down to kiss her cheek.
"Come by the shop at two tomorrow afternoon, and we'll go from there," he said, stroking the back of her head. She agreed, and he Apparated away.
When Hermione entered the joke shop Sunday afternoon, an attractive Weasley redhead greeted her.
"There's my favorite fiancée," he said. He swept across the room and engulfed her in a warm hug.
"Last time, I checked, Fred, I wasn't Angelina," Hermione replied cheekily.
He looked at her in shock. "You ruined my fun," he pouted. "How'd you know it was me anyway?"
"I'm curious as well," George said from the doorway.
Hermione giggled at their skeptical expressions. "Well, George has a freckle in the corner of his mouth, and I noticed when I walked in that you don't, Fred," she answered.
Fred laughed at her. "You are the most observant witch I know, Hermione," he said before heading into the back storeroom.
Hermione turned to George, expecting a smile, but instead he was wearing a suspicious expression. "What?" she asked. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Nothing," he mumbled. "I'm just surprised, that's all. So where is this freckle exactly?"
"Right here," she said, reaching up and gently brushing her finger across the blemish and inadvertently grazing his lips. She pulled her hand away hurriedly, but George closed his eyes in disappointment at the loss of touch.
"We'd better go," he said rather gruffly.
They Apparated to the Burrow, which had been decked out in festive colors; balloons levitated in every corner, and the kids were running around and screaming. Hermione immediately tensed up, and George chuckled next to her.
"Get used to it," he whispered to her. At her stunned expression, he explained, "I just meant that they're always like this when there's cake involved."
They greeted everyone, and Hermione and George fell into conversation with Ron and Katie and Fred and Angelina. Apparently, Fred had told them of his trying to fool Hermione earlier, but she was having none of it. They all laughed, but Ron, who said, "Nothing ever gets past Hermione. Trust me, Harry and I've tried more than once."
Katie poked him in the side, and he laughed and put his arm around her waist. Hermione flinched. Suddenly she felt bad about being so cold towards George. To compensate, she slipped her hand into his, causing him to jump. She was afraid he didn't want her touch, so she tried to pull her hand away, but George gripped it tightly and pulled her closer to him.
As it turned out, George and Hermione discovered that it was Bill's and Fleur's daughter Marie's seventh birthday. She was a bright smiling girl with strawberry blond hair. She had Fleur's eyes, but she looked like a miniature version of Bill.
When it was time to open her presents, George said to Hermione, "Don't worry; no canary crèmes, I promise."
When Marie ripped the wrapping, she pulled a card out. Bill, sitting behind her, read it aloud to everyone. "Happy Birthday! Hope you can put this to good use. It's never too early to learn. Love from Uncle George and Aunt Hermione."
Marie beamed at George, who seemed to melt at the gaze of his young niece, and opened the box. Inside she found a book, A Thousand Harmless Ways to Jinx Your Family.
Bill glared jokingly at George and said, "Hermione, I expected you to have more of an influence on him."
"She told me to get a book," George said innocently, before kissing Hermione's cheek, amidst everyone's laughter.
As they watched Marie open the rest of her gifts, George, still holding Hermione's hand, began to trace small patterns on her palm with his thumb. She shivered at the intimate touch but secretly hoped he wouldn't stop.
Cake came next, and Marie sat like a perfect young lady- no doubt her mother's breeding- and waited for Molly to serve her. Her uncles, on the other hand, clamored and grabbed, making a huge mess. Molly scolded her sons, and for a brief moment, Hermione's life flashed before her eyes. And she saw herself in Molly's place, scolding a brood of red-headed children. Tears came to her eyes, and she smiled at the thought.
George noticed Hermione's sudden change in expression and gently tugged on her hand. "Are you okay?" he asked with concern.
"Oh, yes, I'm fine," she replied. "Just had a little something in my eye."
"In your eye?" he asked with a devious wink. "Sure it wasn't on your nose?" Before she could answer, he poked her nose with a frosting covered finger.
She giggled at him, and went to wipe it off. Instead, George snatched the napkin from her and kissed her nose, taking most of the frosting with him. This gesture did not go unnoticed by the others, and cat-calls soon erupted from Fred and Ron. Hermione became thoroughly embarrassed and kicked George under the table.
Later, when all the women were helping clean up, Fred cornered his twin on the porch. "So," Fred began, "you're just a bit obvious, aren't you?"
"What are you on about, Fred?" George asked.
"You and Hermione, my dear twin," he said, smiling broadly. "You fancy her, don't you?"
"She's a nice girl," George said absently.
"Come off it, Georgie-boy," Fred pressed. "You're acting like a ruddy schoolboy!"
"Fred, you're nutters," George insisted. "I'm marrying her on orders from the Ministry, and that's it! Now, bugger off before I get mad."
"Okay, okay," Fred relented. "But I know you better than anyone else, George, better than you know yourself sometimes, and it's obvious that you're head over for Hermione. Don't think I don't know about your little crush back at Hogwarts. I often wondered why you didn't ever do anything about it back then. But no matter. The question is, what are you going to do about it now?" He patted his brother on the shoulder. "Think about it."
George glared at the retreating back of his twin before Hermione found him. "What was that with you and Fred?" she asked, concerned. She'd never really seen George look angry with Fred.
"It's nothing," he replied harshly. "My brother's just a sodding git, that's all."
"George!"
"I'm sorry, he just is such a bloody prat sometimes," George retorted.
"It's okay," she said, patting his hand. "Don't let him get to you. Honestly, I don't know how Angelina puts up with him."
George smirked at that comment. Feeling slightly better, he put his arm around her shoulders. "Come on," he said, "race you for seconds on cake." Laughing, the pair scurried back inside for more of Molly's baking.