It Wasn't Meant to Be Like This

Summary: A George/Hermione fic. They have slowly become friends and they both want to be more, but with a jealous Ron and an angry Harry will it ever be able to happen?

Disclaimer: I'm making it clear that I do not own Harry Potter or anything appearing within J.K.Rowling's series, she is a genius, I am merely a fan.

Authors Note: THREE more days until Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince comes out! ARE WE EXCITED? YES WE ARE!

You're in the Air – R.E.M

You wanted a challenge that's calling you higher,

I landed on my feet by crawling,

I remember standing alone trying to forget you idling

I hate to admit that that's my reference point

But there it is you say you want me,

I'm what you found,

I'm upside down,

You're in the air

Last time:

They had been caught together so many times since then, each time Ron had become angry and suspicious, but with the forgetful nature of his younger brother it was never remembered.

Glaring at his wall George growled to himself,

"What's it matter…I don't need her, not now, not ever!"

Chapter Three:

Hermione wiped a couple of stray tears from her face, plastered a smile and picked up the heavy wooden knocker for her front door. She heard her mother's footsteps hurry to the door and felt reminded of the past by the comforting noise. The door swung open and for a moment her mother froze, blinked, then pulled her into a massive hug.

Hermione frowned as she looked at her mother's face; she looked so much older. People often told Hermione that she looked like her mother. They had the same bushy hair, the same pointy face and dark eyes. But her mother's hair was graying, her face held the look of an old, tired woman and it made Hermione feel ill.

How much have I been neglecting my family?

"Mum…" Hermione whispered into her hair, feeling her tears begin to fall again.

"Who is it Angela?" Hermione's dad called from across the room.

Hermione's mind was full of memories from her childhood, ones that made her sorely miss the muggle world. She remembered the time she sat in the garden with her storybooks, the times she would scale the trees in the backyard, or have tea parties in her cubby. She remembered a time when Ron had made fun of how prejudice muggles were, but now that she thought about it, pure blood wizards were more prejudice, snobbish, and much more ignorant.

Hermione's mother gently grabbed her shoulders and directed her to the living room,

"It's our Hermione, she's come home sweetie…"

A couple of days past and George spent them either sulking in his room, or in the attic mixing new products for his and George's joke shop. Usually inventing new jokes could remove figurative boulders from his shoulders, but today…today was different.

Fred watched his twin brother carefully, he saw George laugh at things he should be, and smile when he cracked a joke, but behind his eyes Fred could tell something was wrong. He would catch George sometimes staring out the window, his hands paused in the same position they had been minutes before. Fred was not positive what was bugging him, but he guessed it had something to with the abrupt departure of Hermione.

"She'll be back," Fred said suddenly. He could only see George's back, but from the way it stiffened he knew he had been heard.

"And what if I don't want her to come back!" George replied slowly, tapping the wooden desk with his fingers.

Fred flipped a bit of hair out of his eyes and chortled. "Yeah, and I'd be happy if our joke shop went under"

George turned around and Fred was shocked, no, he was terrified, because it looked as if George had been crying.

Fred subconsciously took a step backwards,

"Ok…what the fuck is going on with you? That is the only time I've ever seen you cry!"

George glared at him, "What about that time I started crying when that spider what is Ron's bed?"

Fred shook his head quickly, "I didn't mean crying out of laughter George"

George bit his lip and turned away.

Taking a step towards his brother Fred grabbed him by the shoulders,

"You know what mate? I don't care what's going on, you obviously don't want to talk about it. How about we just go out and get really pissed?" Fred declared.

Hermione's father froze in his spot; glasses falling down his nose he just stared at her. Hermione didn't know whether to cry or laugh, instead she settled for a gurgling sort of noise,

"Dad" she greeted, running into his arms.

She felt safe in her father's arms, at home. He patted her softly on the head and choked out a laugh, "Hermione…." Pulling away he cupped her face, "Hermione what are you doing here? I thought you were at the Weasley's?"

Hermione frowned and replied, "He didn't want me there" She then grabbed her back and made her way up the stairs to her room.

Hermione's father glanced at his wife and asked, "…him?"

The next few days were a healthy distraction for her, she slept, ate warm home cooked food, went on shopping and coffee trips into London with her mother, and read books at night with her father. Sitting at dinner a few nights later Hermione picked around with her food, oblivious to the concern etched on her parent's faces.

"Hermione…" her mother asked slowly. Hermione glanced up; "…what's wrong honey? You haven't been yourself…"

Hermione scoffed. "I have mum…I have been myself, this is apparently who I am, a sulky, boring bookworm!"

Hermione's mum looked confused, but Hermione wasn't listening she was remembering something George had said to her a few months ago…

FLASHBACK

A light snow had begun to fall and Hermione's cheeks were rosy from the chill. She glanced next to her and felt her heart jump when she saw George sitting next to her, staring out into the snow dappled hills.

"George…" she interrupted his thoughts.

He broke his stare and grinned at her, "M'dear?"

Hermione giggled. "George, I was wondering, are Christmas's always like this at the burrow?"

George rolled his eyes. "Ok…I'm sorry I dragged you alon…"

Hermione quickly waved her hand in the air, "NO! No…I loved it, I was just wondering are they always this good?"

George drew away from her, "YOU CRAZY! You liked Christmas here?"

Hermione chuckled. "Well…yeah…"

George hesitated, glancing around at the Burrow in the distance, after making sure no – one was about he leant in closer to Hermione.

"You really are one of the family aren't you?" he whispered into her ear causing shivers to run down her spine.

Hermione pulled away slightly, only to be grabbed from around the waist. George's arm against her body was radiating heat and she knew she wanted more of it, if only she hadn't been so afraid…

She could make out George's face leaning into hers and it just felt so, well, wrong at that moment. Edging away she quickly stood up and George fell face first into the snow. He glared up at her, his face turning steadily red.

"What was that!" he demanded. Hermione paused, she wasn't used to an angry George.

"Er…"

"So Lee was right then eh?" George drawled his eyes narrowing at her, "…you are just a boring bookworm!"

Hermione could feel a tear roll down her cheek as he stormed off towards the house.

"Bastard…" she muttered.

END FLASHBACK

"Bastard…" Hermione muttered, causing her father to give her a reprimanding look.

There was a loud knock at the front door, and her parents exchanged looks.

"Oh" her father said, "I wonder who that could be?" he continued a small smile playing on his lips.

Looking between them Hermione frowned, "What! What are you guys up to?"

Hermione followed them to the front door and squealed when she saw who was standing there.

"TRISH!" Hermione screamed running towards the girl

The girl was tall and slim, she looked a few years older than Hermione with long brown hair, and similar dark eyes.

"Mione how you going?" she replied. "Long time no see!"

Hermione sobbed into her cousin's arms causing Trish to send a distressed look to her aunt and uncle. The both just shrugged at her.

"Well then…" Trish spoke carefully, "…I guess we'll just be going now to absolutely smashed!"

Hermione shook her dark jumper on as they approached the well known pub "Button My Lip", she wasn't too happy now she realised where they were going, it was renowned for being full of rowdy young people. She watched Trish waltz up to the door and talk to the guy manning it, Hermione didn't want to be like Trish, but she certainly did admire her. Trish had dressed in a mini skirt and sparkly top, whereas Hermione had settled for some jeans and a V – neck sweater.

"Do you think I'm dressed a bit conservative?" Hermione whispered to her cousin who proceeded to look at her.

"Yeah…but Mione, nobody will remember what you're wearing tomorrow…"

Hermione stiffened. She really didn't like these types of places.

The room was dark with lights flashing over what she assumed to be the dance floor. Hermione closed her eyes, as she smelt the room, a mixture of sweat and alcohol it was seriously foreign to her nose. Before she could gawk at the strange mix of people in the room Trish had dragged her over to the bar and plonked her down on a seat.

"Now what will you two ladies have?" the barman asked. Hermione eyed him off, he had to be at least her father's age but he was wearing a leather jacket and had his hair slicked back.

Trish nudged her to stop laughing and greeted the man.

"I'll have a shot of vodka, and my friend here will have a double"

She had never been much of a drinker; in fact, she was often ridiculed for her lack of knowledge on alcoholic beverages. It hadn't mattered much before, even though George was a big drinker he never really cared what she had done. Watching the clear liquid in the glass in front of her Hermione roughly picked it up and flung it down her throat, "Fuck George"

Usually George was eager to go this places with his brother, they had enough money to now buy a shitload of drinks, they were good-looking enough to get some girls, and he found it interesting watching all the different people but tonight was different, he just wasn't in the mood. He watched Fred pounce across the room, attaching himself to various girls and laughed, Fred was the charmer really…he was the more subdued one. Realising Fred wasn't going to force him to do anything George made his way to the bar, a place he knew quite well.

Button My Lip had been the bar of choice for Fred and him when they were younger because it was a muggle one and nobody there would recognize them. The whole dance scene had never really interested him, and although the drinks here were good George would rather be off at the local down the road.

"Evening my red haired friend!" the barman shouted at him, "Your brother here as well?"

George nodded, watching Fred making a fool of himself on the dancefloor.

"So what'll it be then?" The barman continued, wiping a glass.

George ran his fingers through his thick hair, knowing that in his current state of mind he probably shouldn't be drinking,

"I'll have a scotch thanks mate" he answered, grabbing the cool glass and flinging the drink down.

Nursing his third scotch George turned his eyes to the dance floor, and noticed a commotion on the far side of the floor. Spotting Fred on the other side of the room he relaxed with the knowledge it was not his twin causing the disturbance. Over the next few drinks George came to a conclusion; the only people who sat and drank at the bar were people too unattractive and alone to be anywhere else.

"Well I'll be damned if I become one of them…" George muttered darkly, causing the bartender to glance at him curiously. Hoisting himself off his stool, hesitating for a moment on wobbly legs he made his way to the commotion on the other side of the room, at least there would be some excitement there.

"BITCH! BITCH you stole my man! YOU STOLE MY MAN!"

George cringed as he recognised the voice as an angry screaming female. Getting closer he noticed a short, chubby brunette being restrained by some friends as she was flinging about trying to attack another girl. George glanced at the other girl who was leaning on one of her friends looking slightly off her face.

"I didn't…didn't steal him, he came to me…" the girl slurred back, pulling out of her friends grasp but then nearly tumbling straight onto the floor.

"YOU DIDN"T FUCKING STEAL HIM? YOU WERE ALL OVER HIM BITCH!" the angry girl bellowed back. She ripped herself out of her friends hold and ran towards the other girl, realising he was in her path George edged away. A slight smirk forming on his lips George turned too look at the other girl. As the girl looked straight up George felt his heart plummet, the other girl was Hermione.

Authors Note:

Well, well, well…what will our George do? Will he cut and run or will he save Hermione from the rampaging bull? Anyway, I kind of got writer's block for this chapter, hopefully I can go full steam ahead for a while. And if this is the last chapter I write before the next Harry Potter comes out I want to wish all my readers a happy Harry Potter reading…I AM SO EXCITED. Oh, and thankyou so much to all you guys who have reviewed, I am really happy with the amount I've received so far, you guys rock!