Oh please forgive me! I know I haven't updated in such a long time but I have been busy and trying to get the computer in my house is a feat next to impossible! So I hope this makes up for it! As always thank you so much for the reviews, it means so much to me! Oooooh, I also have a new fic up, a Lily and James one, I've been wanting to do one for ages, mostly for the pleasure of being able to write Sirius, I love to bits! Please have a look, it would mean so much to me!

Doodleflip- glad you liked the last chapter! Sorry this one didn't come too quickly, hope it's worth the wait!

Eratosthenese- I don't mind babbling, the longer the review, the better! That's why most of the ones I give other people are HUGE. And have no point to them at all! Glad u like the fleur/bill match- I always thought they made a cute couple! And l/j does mean lily and not lupin- I'm not that weird! Please have a look at it!

Pixieballerina- hope the 'unknown reasons' are good. Thank you for being a loyal reviewer!

Crazygirl47- yay! Favourites list, I love it when that happens! Hope you enjoy the update!

Ririana- starting to sort itself out here, hope you like it!

Crazyvoice22- I know just what you mean, it's weird how you can prefer one identical twin isn't it? Well, I'm really glad you like the story so far, hope it goes the way you like!

My anonymous reviewers- thank you guys too!

And of course, HGW as always- my little star!

You know, I always feel like I'm at the Oscars when I write this out! Ah well, never mind!

'Chocolate or toffee?'

'Chocolate all the way!'

'Ok, Charms or Transfiguration?'

'Charms, it's so much more fun.'

'Ooh, here's a good one...Snape or Umbridge?'

'What? That's not fair!' and before he knew it, a cushion had flown straight at George's head which hit him straight on the nose and knocked him off the sofa.

'Ouch! Bloody hell Hermione, you trying to kill me?' George got to his feet gingerly, nursing his nose and concealing the offending cushion before he caught Hermione off guard and got her squarely on the side of the head. Hermione yelped and chucked it back at him but this time his Beater reflexes came into play and he'd caught and relieved her of all the other cushions close to her before Hermione had even blinked.

'Sorry,' she grinned sheepishly up at him and George grinned. You couldn't help grinning when Hermione smiled at you.

'You didn't answer my question.'

'And I said it wasn't fair.'

'Just because you have underlying passions for your Potions master-'

'Eew! That's gross! Get away from me you sicko!'

'It's nothing to be ashamed of. Actually I've always had this thing for McGonagall,' and seeing the horrified look on her face, George burst into laughter and added 'don't worry 'mione, just kidding.'

'That was not a pleasant picture George. Actually scarring and very wrong,' and Hermione shivered as she made a mental note to try and forget that comment before the beginning of term. It could have disastrous consequences in Transfiguration.

'Oh, I'm sorry. Bet you're going to have fun at school next term!'

'Oh please.'

'We're really going to miss you guys when you go.'

'Really?'

'Yeah, well, maybe not Ron so much, but it's been fun having some different faces around the house-'

'Different people to prank on?' offered Hermione.

'Yeah, that too. Although the best reaction was Ginny's. Did she tell you about that one?'

'Glow in the dark hair? Yeah she told me all about that one,' and she tried to look sternly at him, as she would have done two years ago. It had been more and more difficult to do that lately. Since she and George had made up, she had barely stopped smiling, barely thought about her parents at all, or about him to go back to Hogwarts. Try as she might, she couldn't raise her spirits about going back to school. She wanted to stay. After a pause, Hermione said quietly, 'I'll miss you when I go too.'

'Really?' asked George sceptically.

'Well... I... I'll miss you all of course,' she continued hurriedly, 'because, you know, I... um... like it here and you... who really wants to go back to school anyway?' she finished rather too quickly to pass as an excuse. George, however grinned at her.

'Hermione Granger? Hermione Granger doesn't want to go back to school? Well I never...' and he shook his head in mock disbelievement.

'Hey meanie! I...I'm... I've...'

'Changed?' offered George.

'Exactly.' And silence fell between them. Then Hermione said, 'Anyway, you haven't answered a question I asked you a while ago.'

'Oh really? And what would that be?' but he looked like he already knew the answer.

'Do you really enjoy the whole joke shop thing? I mean, I know you enjoy pranks and everything, but... well... do you?' George looked uncomfortable and pensive at the same time. He looked as though he was working out an adequate answer.

'Well, I do enjoy it, you know, it's kinda been this thing that Fred and I wanted to do, even when we were about seven. But, in the end, it's not quite as fun as I thought it would be. I like the manufacture of it all of course, and if it gets a reaction out of mum then we know the products going to sell,' he grinned, 'but... I dunno. It's just...'

'Not fulfilling?'

'Yeah.' They were however, interrupted at that moment by Harry and Ron bursting in through the kitchen door, broomsticks in hand, and quite as wet as if they had been doused in the lake at school.

'WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!' came Mrs Weasley's screech as they plodded into the dining room, obviously hoping to nick something to eat. 'OUT! THE BOTH OF YOU! AND GET YOURSELVES DREID OFF IMMEDIATELY!'

'Have a little sympathy woman,' muttered Ron as he and Harry trailed up the stairs, leaving a trail of mud and rainwater behind them. Hermione giggled. Mrs Weasley came into the living room and, upon seeing Hermione and George seated there addressed them.

'Alright there dears? We're just going to have some lunch and then we're going off to Diagon Alley and meet up with Fred there, alright? Is there anything in particular you wanted?'

'I wouldn't mind the new Firebolt 3, mum,' grinned George.

'I meant for lunch,' growled Mrs Weasley who then rolled her eyes and walked off in the direction of the kitchen, muttering furiously to herself.

'You'll be the death of her George,' said Hermione trying hard not to smile. 'You'll turn her hair grey!'

'Nah, her hair will remain stubbornly red, just like mine,' he scowled.

'I like your hair. It's individual. Not like mine. Brown,' she tugged at her hair.

'Oh I wouldn't call it brown,' said George taking one of her curls and winding it round his finger.

'Really?' asked Hermione slightly breathlessly at the contact. 'What would you call it?' George deliberated for a few seconds while Hermione started up at him, breathing rather shallow. I can't let this happen.

'Mud.'

'Oh you!' and she punched his arm hard.

'Ow!'

'You deserved it!'

'LUNCH!' came Mrs Weasley's voice.

A few hours later, Hermione found herself sitting outside Florean Fortiscue's with Harry, Ron and Ginny, licking her way through a cherry chocolate sundae.

'Where's George gone?' asked Harry.

'Off with mum to Madam Malkin's. Apparently he said he'd treat her to a new set of dress robes,' said Ron.

'That's nice of him,' commented Hermione.

'Yeah, I think he feels a bit guilty about having more money than us, he treats us quite a lot really. Fred does too,' Ginny said, putting far too much raspberry sorbet into her mouth and almost choking. Thumping her on the back, Harry said carefully,

'Have you noticed he's been a bit... different lately?'

'You mean happier,' said Ginny recovering. 'Yeah he has.'

'Wonder what's up...' mused Hermione.

'I think we might be about to find out,' said Harry. 'Here he is now.' Fred came over to their table and plopped himself down between Ginny and Hermione.

'Hey Fred,' said Ginny. 'How's the shop doing?'

'Pretty good actually. We recently hired a new worker person thingy... what are they called?'

'Employee?' offered Hermione.

'Yeah, one of those. Well he's a bit stupid, but he does the job. Stan Shunpike mean anything to any of you?'

'The Knight Bus guy?' asked Harry. 'Yeah, I know him. Lots of pimples?'

'That's the one. Well, apparently after the old driver died, he was offered the job but he actually managed to crash it. I mean, that's a bit of a feat, it's charmed to be uncrashable. So he was fired but I thought it sounded quite cool so I hired him.' 'Is that a terribly safe idea?' asked Hermione concernedly.

'Safe shmafe,' said Fred tucking into Harry's choconut sundae. 'Who cares?'

'George might,' muttered Hermione, but no one heard her. The rest of the group continued chatting for another half hour until George and Mrs Weasley appeared, both smiling widely. George plonked himself next to Hermione and whispered

'I have to tell you something. All of you except Fred,' and Hermione nodded, curious. After a while, Fred took Mrs Weasley to Gringott's to go and get out some money for the rest of the afternoon and George seized the opportunity to tell Harry, Hermione, Ginny and Ron what had happened.

'Well, basically, we were in Madam Malkin's and Mum was taking ages to choose the fabric so I said I'd pop out for a few minutes and went over to Quality Quidditch supplies. So I was in there, looking at the new Firebolt-'

'Drooling more like,' said Ginny.

'Excuse me? Who's telling the story? Anyway, someone came up behind me and hugged me round the middle and whispered "guess who?" and I was a little confused and I turned around and-'

'Who was it?' asked Ron. George gave him a look that scorches and continued.

'Angelina Johnson.'

'Oh, how is she?' asked Hermione.

'Shhh. That's not the point. When she saw it was me she said "Oh, hey George. Sorry, I thought you were Fred" and then we chatted for a bit and-'

'She thought you were Fred?' asked Harry, a grin beginning to steal across his face.

'Exactly,' said George. 'Have any of you noticed-'

'He's been a lot happier recently?' asked Hermione. 'Yeah, we were just discussing it before he turned up.

'And he's been down here almost every day this week, "checking on the shop". What's the likelihood that's not all he's been doing?' They all laughed, including Hermione. In her opinion, this was almost one of the best things that could have happened. At that moment, Mrs Weasley came rushing back and, gasping slightly said,

'George dear, do you have my vault key? Fred's gone on ahead to his own vault, but blast it all, I can't find it!' He checked his pockets and found it in his jacket. 'Thank you dear,' and giving him a peck on the cheek, hurried off again. But just as George wiped the lipstick off him cheek, a large explosion from the other end of the street attracted their attention. Screams and shouts began to punctuate the air around them and both Ginny and Hermione fainted as they realised that it had come from Gringott's bank...