Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns everything but the plot.
Chapter 9: Kittens and Photographs"Um- Hermione?" Grace asked all of a sudden. "Which one?"
"Graceeee," Hermione groaned, assuming that the answer was quite obvious.
"So it is George then?" Grace asked with a laugh. In response, Hermione blushed a deep red. Then the two women dissolved into girlish laughter.
"Well this was quite the eventful day wasn't it?" Fred asked lightly as the twins walked home. George glared at his brother.
"I really don't think it was funny Fred. You don't understand how it is with her, you weren't there that first night when she was so upset. She confided in me, trusted me, and you wrecked that. And I told you I didn't want you butting into my relationships anymore, and you deliberately went against that," George lectured.
"Look, you're totally overreacting about this. She thought it was funny, George, funny! Anyways, it's not like she was a real date, it's just Hermione," Fred countered, giving his twin a suspicious look. George wouldn't look his brother in the eye. "It wasn't a real date, was it?"
"No, it wasn't a real date Fred," George answered hurriedly, though it sounded like he was trying to convince himself as much as Fred.
"Swell, I'm glad we've got that out of the way, because I was thinking of asking her out myself," Fred said, shooting George stealthy little glances out of the corner of his eyes, trying to gauge his reaction.
"No!"
"And why not? You may not have noticed how scrumptious she's looking these days, but I certainly have," Fred pointed out.
"You-you just can't. She's not ready to date. She's emotionally fragile," George stammered.
"She's emotional fragile? Are you sure it's not you who's emotionally fragile, little bro?" Fred asked. George just scowled back at him.
"Just don't ask her out ok."
"Why not?" Fred shot back.
"Because, I-" George tried to explain.
"Because why George? Just admit it, for Merlin's sake."
"Alright, you can't ask Hermione out because I like her. I like her a lot and won't having you ruining that," George managed to spit out.
"I knew it!" Fred exclaimed triumphantly.
Over the next few weeks, Hermione continued to see George and Fred. More often than not, all three of them met togehter. The boys would crack Hermione up with stories from home over lunch and proudly show her their newest inventions over dinner. Time spent with Fred and George was never dull. However, Hermione preferred the time spent with George alone, despite being incredibly embarrassed after admitting her feelings to Grace. Spending time with George always seemed to bring Hermione closer and closer to seeing the rest of the Weasley family. He never let her forget that there was a Burrow full of people missing and loving her a short train ride away. One night George even brought over a photo album from the Burrow to show Hermione. She saw pictures of Percy's wedding to Penelope. They looked so happy dancing in the starlight. She saw pictures of Ginny, looking so grown up, opening Christmas presents last year. Harry was sitting next to her on the couch, looking every bit the unkempt little boy that he'd been when Hermione first met him on the Hogwart's Express nearly twelve years prior. Hermione even teared up when she saw pictures of Mrs. Weasley rocking her first grandchild, Percy's son, Elijiah. As August faded into September, Hermione was beginning to accept the idea of going back to the Burrow.
One morning, about halfway through September, Hermione was woken up, entirely too early, by forceful knocking at her door. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, Hermione cautiously opened the door to find George standing there.
"George Weasley," she hissed as she opened the door wider so he could come in, "do you have any idea what time it is?"
"Erm, 4:30?" He answered, sounding a little unsure of himself. His uncertainty passed within a second and was replaced with his usual confidence. With a cheeky grin, he added, "and my, aren't you bright eyed and bushy tailed in the morning." She glared at him, trying not to betray her utter embarrassment at being caught in her pink striped pajamas.
"And what exactly are you doing here at 4:30 in the morning, if you don't mind my asking?"
"I just wanted to be the first to wish you a happy birthday," he said with a warm smile. The expression on Hermione's face softened considerably. She couldn't suppress the smile that appeared on her face, or the warmth in her cheeks. "I brought you something," he said, looking hopeful and excited. His tone of voice reminded Hermione of her childhood, when she would bring home school art projects for Father's day that were far from works of art. There had been one particularly hideous ashtray crafted from clay that still graced the desk in her dad's office, though he had never smoked a day in his life. Needless to say, Hermione was a little nervous to see what had George had brought her.
He sat down on the couch with his two packages, bouncing a little on the cushions out of excitement. Hermione sat down next to him shyly. He pushed the bigger box into her hands.
"Um, George? This box has air holes in it," she pointed out, quite afraid of what was inside. He only nodded enthusiastically. She pried the top off and was greeted by a meek "meow" from the creature inside.
"I know that she can't replace Crookshanks, but I just thought you might like a companion. She's part kneazle too." George said bashfully. Hermione cooed at the little gray kitten, lifting her out of the box and nuzzling it, nose to nose. George felt a rush of warmth at seeing the sweet, intimate little gesture between Hermione and her new pet. He cleared his throat and thrust the other gift into Hermione's hands. She opened it slowly, wondering what could possibly top the kitten. As the wrapping came off, revealing the treasure inside, Hermione inhaled sharply. She hugged the framed picture to her chest for a moment before throwing her arms around George's neck and hugging him tightly. All thoughts of pajamas and frizzy hair flew out the window as the effect of his gift hit her. It was a photograph of the Weasley family, plus Harry and Hermione, at Bill and Fleur's wedding the summer after Hermione's sixth year. They looked so happy, smiling and waving and hugging one another. In a year of sorrow and darkness, it had truly been a beacon of light. Tears spilled down Hermione's cheeks and onto George's gray Chudley Cannons t-shirt as she clung to his neck.
"It's perfect," she murmured. He tentatively wrapped his arms around her shaking frame and held her tight against him, perhaps a little too tight for an entirely platonic hug.
"I'm so glad Hermione," he whispered into her hairline as he kissed her tenderly on the forehead.
A/N: Hi everyone, I hope you enjoy this chapter. I probably won't be updating as often as I have been because my boyfriend has just gotten in to town (we're living in two different states for the summer) and will be here for the next two weeks. Though he is a total enabler of my fanfiction addiction, I hope you all understand that I will be a little preoccupied. I will write as much as possible in my free time and try to keep you all updated. As always, please review, they just make my day!