A/N: Sorry about the lack of updating. I just moved to Florida. Anyway, this is written for a contest at The Third Floor Corridor.

Brighter

Disclaimer: Not mine…Oh I wish.

"I've seen love die, way too many times,
When it deserved to be alive.

I've seen you cry, way too many times,

When you deserved to be alive…alive."

'Emergency' – Paramore

Chapter 5: Can't Hardly Wait

After she finished packing, Hermione spent the rest of the day exploring and meeting the rest of the teachers. When she arrived back in her room after dinner, she saw a barn owl sitting on her owl perch. She took the letter from its leg and scanned through it, smiling. She then opened up the small package the bird had come with. It was a 3W Patented Daydream Charm. She grinned and decided to save it for another day. She wrote George a letter back, inviting him to come visit that coming Tuesday. She fed the owl a treat and decided to let it rest. She turned in for the night with thoughts of a certain red head on her mind.

The next morning Hermione awoke to a loud hooting from the other room. She walked into her office to see Mac perched happily next to the large barn owl. She remembered her letter and gave it to the barn owl, which hooted its thanks and flew out the window. Hermione patted Mac affectionately on the head and turned to get ready for the day. On her way down to breakfast she ran into Beth.

"Good Morning!" Beth called, waving.

"Mornin' Beth, How are you?" The two women exchanged pleasantries on their way down to the hall.

"By the way, I was thinking about heading into Holly Hill this Tuesday, I was wondering if you'd like to join me? I could show you around." Beth asked, as they dug into their eggs.

"Oh, I'm sorry Beth, I'm meeting a friend down there on Tuesday. But, I could go down with you until I meet with him." Hermione smiled.

"Oh. Him? Who is the lucky guy then?" Beth grinned.

"His name is George. And he's just a friend." Hermione tried to look convincing. It was obviously failing.

"George…not Ron's brother? And you can't fool me, Hermione. I know that face. You fancy him."

"How is it you know Ron and his family?"

"How could I not? All the information about you and your friends was practically beat into my head the last few years of school. Harry Potter, the 'Boy Who Lived' and all his friends were very famous here in America. Still are, really. You were the ones who saved the whole Wizarding world!" Beth grinned. Hermione blushed. "Isn't George one of the twins? They're pretty handsome…I've seen pictures you know."

She nodded. "Yes. Poor Fred though, he's going through a rough time. I feel terrible." Beth gave her a puzzled look, so Hermione jumped into a short explanation. Beth frowned.

"The poor thing! It must be so hard for him!"

Hermione nodded, a small idea forming in her head. "Maybe I will take you up on that offer to go to town on Tuesday. I'm going to floo George and see if he'll bring Fred with him, so you can meet him."

Beth grinned. "Oh…wow! That sounds great Hermione!" A look of panic crossed her face. "What am I going to wear?"

Hermione burst out laughing.

XxXxXxXxXxXxX

George was sitting behind the counter at work again, holding two letters in his hand. The first one was from Hermione, asking him to visit that coming Tuesday. The other was from a landlord who owned an abandoned building in Holly Hill, asking him to meet on Wednesday to check it out. He smiled to himself and jotted a quick response to the landlord, saying he'd meet him around noon. He stood up and stretched. The store was empty and Fred was down one of the isles packing out a box of fake wands. He walked into the back office to look over some paperwork and he almost had a heart attack when he saw Hermione's head in his fire.

"Blimey Hermione!"

"Well, hello to you too, George." She smiled at him.

"Sorry, you scared me! Hello, Hermione my dear. How's things?"

"Peachy. I'm hoping you got my letter."

"Yes, just this morning." He waved the paper in the air.

"Good. I had a question." He nodded for her to continue. "Well, I've befriended the Headmistress here, I'm sure I told you a bit about her in my first letter, well anyway, we were speaking about you and Fred, and she'd like to meet you both. I was hoping you'd be able to convince Fred to get away for a few days. I'm worried about him."

George nodded. "You and me both, 'Mione. I'll see what I can do."

"I figured he needs to get his mind off things."

George smiled at her. "So, talking about me, were you?" It was hard to tell with Hermione's face being in the fire and all, but he was pretty sure he saw her blush.

"Only good things don't worry." She smiled back.

"Well I should hope. There's never anything bad to say about us Weasleys." He puffed out his chest a bit.

Hermione giggled. "Except that your egos hardly fit in a room."

"Hey!" George pretended to look hurt.

"Well, I must be going. I'll see you, and hopefully Fred, on Tuesday? Say around noon?"

"Sounds good. I'll owl you if Fred won't come, although I'll probably threaten him if he tries to back out. Oh and he told me to tell you he said hello, I forgot to include it in my letter."

"Send him my love, and I'll see you on Tuesday." She smiled.

"Hermione?"

"Yes?"

"I…can't wait to see you." George grinned sheepishly.

Hermione returned a sheepish grin. "I can't wait to see you either. Goodbye, George."

"Bye, 'Mione."

Hermione's head disappeared from the fire and George slumped down in his desk chair. Fred poked his head in a moment later.

"Oy! Twin! Bit of help out here?"

"Sorry, Fred. Coming." George stood up and headed out to the floor. "Oh, don't make any plans this week. You're being kidnapped." He gave his twin brother a grin and began to take care of the impatient customers at the counter.