I awoke the next morning feeling refreshed. The sun was up, and it was so bright out with the light reflecting of the blanket of snow.

I noticed warmth in the bed next to me, and for a moment, wondered where I was. I only wondered for a moment, though, before the previous night came flooding back to me. Going out with the twins and their friends. Running into Malfoy at the club. George taking me to the cabin. The discomfort and misunderstandings, and finally the sex.

I had made love to George. I did love him. I hadn't lied. George had, for all intents and purposes, been my first. But I realized in the bright light of morning that I loved him the way I loved Ginny and Fred and the way I used to love Harry and Ron. The way I still did love Harry and Ron when it all came down to cases. I was annoyed with them, absolutely. But I would still follow Harry into battle. I would be there for them until I died. A botched attempt at romance wouldn't really change that…

Now, what was I going to do about George? I don't want to hurt him. But I don't want to spend my life with him either. In the dark of the night, I had thought that what I wanted was George, forever. But in the bright light of day?

What the hell…oh damn it, what am I going to do?

I know the Weasley family. I certainly know them well enough to know how George was going to react to this kind of thing…at least with me, his "little sister" turned lover, best friend of his sister and younger brother, who his mother had always assumed would one day officially be joining the family…

He is going to want to make an honest woman out of me.

There was a time when I wanted to be an honest woman, waiting until I was with my one true love. Even last night, when it was happening, all I wanted was to be safe in his arms. Forever.

This morning, though, I just want to be in control of my life.

Just then, George started to wake up. I noticed his had moving under the blankets as he stretched the way he usually did in the morning, his breathing speeding up as he began dragging himself towards consciousness.

He stopped moving abruptly when his hand encountered my breast, blue eyes shooting open.

"Hermione!"

"Yes, George?"

"Why are you and I in bed together? Naked?"

"Well, you see George, sometimes, when a man and a woman have certain feelings…"

He cut me off.

"Hermione! That's not what I meant! Oh…" remembrance was dawning…. "we, uh…last night….uh…I mean….we…"

"Yes, George. Last night we had sex. Please don't apologize. It was my idea, and I enjoyed it."

"Oh." His mouth split into a grin. "Good, was I?"

"Well, George, I can only compare it to Malfoy. Compared to him, yes, it was great."

The grin fell quickly, he didn't noticed I was smiling at him, joking.

I was smiling back. I think it was the first time I had been able to think about what had been done to me by Malfoy without feeling like I was going to vomit. Apparently, though, George didn't get the joke, the grin completely disappeared from his face.

"Hermione, I…"

"George, please. I didn't mean to upset you or compare you to Malfoy. You were wonderful, exactly what I needed. You were gentle and showed me that sex was not something to be afraid of. I already said I enjoyed it."

Getting up, I stretched and slowly bent over, collecting my pajamas from the floor. Picking up the discarded clothing and rummaging for something to wear that day in my suitcase, I barely noticed that George had turned his face away, which had turned the reddest I had ever seen a Weasley turn, which is saying something, and he wouldn't look at me naked.

Like he didn't see it all last night.

Once I had made my clothing choices, I headed into the bathroom, purposefully putting more sway in my hips than was normal, as I noticed him looking at me out of the corner of my eye.

As I was getting dressed for the day I heard a lot of noise coming from the other room, but as there was no swearing or screaming, I didn't worry about it.

When I had finished up I cautiously opened the door to see George dressed in some sweatpants and a tee-shirt, the bed having been folded up into a couch.

"George, why didn't you let me help you with that?"

"Hermione, I am quite capable of folding up the sleeper-sofa."

"So, what were you planning for us to do today? And are we staying here tonight as well? I go back to Hogwarts in two days…"

"Well, I was, um…hoping that you wouldn't mind…um…making breakfast." He blushed.

I laughed. "Do all Weasley men think with their stomachs?" I asked. "No, I don't mind cooking. Did you bring stuff?"

He didn't answer me, instead he pointed to the little kitchen. There were some bags on the counter, one of which included the ingredients for pancakes, minus the eggs. Looking further, I found the eggs in a cold-storage box.

Setting all my ingredients on the counter, I began to prepare some breakfast. While the pancakes were cooking, I put butter and syrup on the table, then went back to flip the pancakes.

There is something quite homey about the smell of pancakes. It has always reminded me of my gram's house. It makes me think of sunny mornings and her big yellow kitchen. I don't know if George feels the same way, but he also seemed to be sniffing the air, a big smile on his face.

When I had all the pancakes sacked on a plate, I carried it to the table and watched while George moved several of the discs to his own plate. He smeared them liberally with butter and poured a puddle of syrup on them before taking his first bite. Closing his eyes, he let out a sigh of contentment.

"Hermione, you make the best pancakes I've ever had."

"Well, thanks…"

It didn't take long for him to finish the pancakes on his plate. While I was finishing the two I had placed on my own plate, he moved the rest of the stack onto his plate and made sure we didn't have to worry about storing leftovers.

We ate in silence, although it was companionable silence.

When we were finished, George collected the dishes and took them over to the sink, where he began washing up. Seeing him doing this domestic chore made me realize that someday some girl would be very lucky to have George. I looked at him closely. He was a handsome guy. Tall, well-muscled, gentle, kind…really good in bed…

Suddenly her turned around and faced me, his blue eyes looking at me, a quizzical expression on his face while he dried his hands on a towel.

I smiled at him, I was so lucky to have him as a friend.

He crossed the room in two steps to stand in front of me. Gently, he raised a hand to brush a strand of hair off my face while he dropped to his knees. My grin grew even wider as I realized that George on his knees was the same height as me sitting.

Apparently, George took my smile as an invitation, because he leaned forward and kissed me. At first it was a very soft, tentative kiss. But it didn't take long for it to deepen into something hotter. Grabbing my hands, George pulled me to my feet, his lips still locked with mine. Backing up with slow steps, he led us to the couch. When the backs of his legs met the frame of the sofa, he wrapped his arms around me and drew me with him down into the cushions.

The explorations that followed built on what we had discovered last night, and I had never imagined it was possible to feel so complete. Over the next two days we learned about each other, and I learned about myself. The last two days of my break passed quickly.

Finally, though, it was time for me to go back to school.

Our last morning together in the cottage, we made love for the last time. It was bittersweet, both of us knowing that our lives were about to change. I was going back to Hogwarts, back to my home, my friends, to Ron and Harry and Ginny and Neville, back to classes and duties. George was going back to his shop, back to his dangerous missions for the Order, to his twin, to his life.

In our time together, George had given me a gift. He had given me myself back. Only now I was stronger, braver. It was like I was a tempered version of myself. I had grown up. I had found an emotional shelter in George, and now I could face whatever life threw at me.

We arrived on Platform 9 ¾, ten or so minutes before the train was to leave, and all of a sudden I realized this was it. It hit me in that moment that no one I would be seeing had any idea of what had happened to me. Would they notice a difference in me? Or would they still see me as I had been three short weeks before?

"So, I guess this is it?" George said, looking at me with a question in his eyes.

"I guess so. It is going to be strange to be back at Hogwarts. Back with people who don't know…"

"Hermione, promise me you'll owl me and let me know you're OK."

"Of course I will." God, it was so awkward between us! "Give my love to Fred, and tell him thank you for me…for everything…"

"I will. Give my brother a hug for me. And Ginny, too. Will I see you this summer?"

"Of course! Are you coming to graduation?"

"Probably."

"Well, I'll see you then!"

"Gods, Hermione…"

It was then that I noticed he was crying. And a moment later I realized that a tear was streaking its way down my cheek, too.

"I've got to go, and you need to get on the train. Remember to write."

And with a pop, he was gone. Just as Ginny came through the barrier with her Mother and Father.

"Hermione! Gosh, what's wrong?" Ginny said loudly.

"Nothing, Ginny. Shall we hug your parents and find a compartment?"

"Good idea."

"Hermione! Good to see you." Molly Weasley had bustled over to us, followed by her husband.

"Well dear, you girls had best be going." She quickly enfolded us in hugs. "Hermione, I hope you had a happy break. Come along, Arthur."

Ginny and I got on the train and found a compartment with Neville, Luna, and the Creevy brothers. We waived out the window at the Weasley Parents as the train began to pull out of the station.

I noticed Ginny giving me a look. "Hermione, something happened to you over break. Something important. If you want to talk…well, you know I'm here for you."

"Thanks, Ginny. I'm really OK. You're right, a lot happened over break. But I don't want to talk about it. I just want to get back to school and have my life get somewhat back to normal."

This is the end of this fic. I decided this was a natural place to stop it, with her moving out of George's life and going back to school. I am sorry that it took so long for this last chapter, but between grad school and trying to decide what to do with this, it just didn't get done.

Don't despair, though, as I will probably write a sequel with what happens with Harry and Ron. Or maybe a one shot where George runs into Malfoy...hmmm...the possibilities...anyway, I hate when stories drag on and on...so I'm stopping this one here.

Please review and let me know what you think about a future story... You guys rock.