Disclaimer: I don't own anything. This is just a figment of my imagination

Chapter fourteen: Look-A-Like

George picked up the newspaper and read the article on the front page. Hermione said nothing. When he was done, he pulled up a chair and hugged her.

"That's why you're scared? Because of an article?"

"It's just like they said. Coughing...Sneezing...That day Parkinson came to the office I hid in Hoot's room for a while. I remember thinking he should take up some sickleave because he was coughing so loudly...It's just like in the article!"

She burried her head in his shoulder and started to sob.

"Calm down. We'll go see a Healer today and when we get back you'll know you're as healthy as the next person."

"But what if I'm not?"

"You will be."

"But what if I'm not?"

George sighed. "I want you to calm down. First you're going to have some breakfast and then you're going to call the office to say you're ill."

She nodded silently.

A sudden loud crack caused both of them to jump.

"Hermione!" Tess exclaimed. "Did you read-"

"I did." Hermione interrupted.

Tess bit her lip. She could see Hermione had been thinking along the same lines as she had been.

"It might not be what you think it is." she said quickly.

"We'll know soon enough." George said. "I'm taking her to a Healer. Can you cover for her today?"

Tess nodded subdued. "Listen, I've got to go if I'm going to cover for you. Tell me what they said as soon as you get back. I want to know everything."

Tess waited until she had heard Hermione say yes before she said a quick goodbye and disapparated. George looked at Hermione as she took a tiny bite of her toast with difficulty. He found himself wondering what would happen if she really was ill, if she really had been infected with that weird disease. He forced a smile on his face.

"You know what, let me apparate to Fred for a moment. I remember him saying something about the shop. I just need to make sure he can cope, then I'll be back to go with you to the Healer's."

She nodded, keeping her eyes fixed on the table. George flicked his wand with one last look at her and then disapparated. He landed in his own bedroom with a thud and stumbled out the door. What if she had been infected? The thought just kept coming back to him.

He headed into the kitchen where he kew he would find Fred on his lunchbreak.

"Fred?" he called as he opened the door. "Fred, I need to talk to you."

Fred's head appeared from behind a newspaper.

"Wow. Didn't think I'd see you here again. Had a fight with Hermione?" he asked casually.

George shook his head. "No, it might be worse...You must've read that thing about Parkinson. And now she thinks she's got the same disease as her old boss did."

Fred lowered his paper slowly. "Does she?"

"I said I'd take her to the Healer's, but...I'm...I'm not sure I can."

"Are you...scared?" Fred asked.

George said nothing.

"Well...I suppose I could- No, wait, I've got an appointement. That old girlfriend of yours at Hermione's office wanted to talk about the shop today."

"...I could go instead." George opted quickly.

But Fred shook his head. "You can't do that, George. You've got to take care of Hermione now. She comes before the shop."

George let out a deep sigh. His brother was right.

"Now go on, she needs you. You need to handle this." Fred pointed his wand at his brother.

"Alright, you don't need to hex me."

"Just making sure."

When his brother had disapparated again, Fred shook his head slowly. He was already feeling sorry for Hermione, whether she was ill or not, she wasn't to be envied with a boyfriend who had tried to split at the first sign of trouble.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"I can't really say much about it, miss Granger. This illness is fairly new and we don't know a lot about it yet. I suggest you take some time off work and relax and you'll see it was probably just the flu."

Hermione twisted the tissue she was holding. "I can't take time off, not now! They need as many people as they can get!"

"Suit yourself, miss Granger. All I can do is give you this advice. Should you find yourself to be ill after all, we're already working on a cure."

"Doesn't that take a lot of time?" George asked the Healer.

The elderly man behind the desk shuffled his feet uncomfortably. Normally a remark like this seemed to ease people's minds

"Well...Yes." he answered truthfully. "But we are making progress. Almost the entire St. Mungo's staff is working on it."

He looked at the clock above his office door. It was nearly time for his next appointement. He cleared his throat and looked back at them.

"If you don't have more questions..."

Hermione shook her head slowly and George said nothing.

"Thank you for your time, sir." Hermione said as she got up.

"Remember my advice. Lots of rest and healthy food might clear the whole thing up."

Hermione shook his hand half-heartedly and took George's arm, dragging him into the corridor. They walked towards the entrance hall in silence. Hermione clenched her hands in her pockets and tried very hard not to cry.

She wasn't even sure why she felt this horrible. Was it how the Healer had pushed her aside? Or did she feel this way because George was so uncomfortably quiet? She looked at him and he quickly gave her a smile. He took her hand out of her pocket and squeezed it encouragingly.

"It'll be fine." he said. "You heard what he said. Probably just the flu. You'll be fine, Hermione."

She turned her eyes back towards the floor. She wanted nothing more than to believe she was fine. But she felt too horrible and she couldn't say or think of anything that could make her feel better.

"I'll...go to the office, then. If I'm fine." she said for lack of anything to say.

"That's great! That's exactly the atitude you need. Tell you what, I'll drop you off." George said with a smile. "Come here."

He pulled her into a hug. She closed her arms around him and nodded her head against his shoulder.

"Sure..." she whispered.

He winked at her and leaned in for a kiss but then she started to sneeze again. Immediately he pulled his head back and looked away. Hermione bit her lip and started walking.

"Come on." she said quickly. "Tess is waiting for me."

George followed her in silence again. He was sure she was acting strange, but he didn't want to bring it up if she didn't. Once they had reached the office she looked at him uncertainly. He stared back with the same look. Was he going to kiss her goodbye or would he turn his face away, she wondered.

But he did lean in and kissed her tenderly.

"You don't have to worry about anything, okay? So don't frown." he said softly. "You look so much prettier when you smile."

She smiled, feeling slightly embarassed.

"What are you going to do today, then?" she asked.

"I'm going to help Fred. Said he had an appointement with Viv. About the shop."

"Oh."

He kissed her again.

"I'll see you tonight?" she asked.

"Of course. Your place or mine?"

"Mine, then. At eight?"

He nodded and, with a wink, turned around. Hermione watched him walk towards the office she disliked so much. Vivian Kramer opened the door as soon as he had knocked, welcoming him inside. Looking past her, Hermione could see Fred sitting at her desk. Vivian allowed George in with a warming smile.

She looked at Hermione over his shoulder and smirked as she closed the door. Hermione gritted her teeth and managed to produce a smile. As soon as the door fell shut, her smile disappeared again. She headed towards her own small desk where she was greeted by a nervous Tess.

"So?" she asked as she fidgeted with her pen.

Hermione shrugged her shoulders.

"Nothing." she said gloomily. "Stupid bloke said it was just the flu."

"He was sure?"

"...Not really. But I felt so stupid. Like I was making a fool of myself."

Tess slammed her pen down on her notebook. "Bloody old codger...Well, at least you know now...almost. Better safe than sorry, right?"

"But I still don't know anything for sure." Hermione whined as she reached for her new mail. "He said I needed to take a lot of rest and all that. But what if he's wrong? There's no antidote yet, no remedy or cure!"

Tess leaned forward on her elbows. "But he's a Healer. A professional. Surely he can tell a rare virus from the flu."

Hermione sighed and opened her first letter. "And then there's George." she added.

Tess raised her eyebrow. "What about him?"

"I don't know...he just acted to distant today. I think he feels really awkward about this situation."

"What, you being ill, you mean?"

She nodded.

"Well, he came with you, he brought you here, didn't he. That shows he cares for you. He made sure you got here safely."

Hermione looked at her letter, not really seeing it.

"Hermione?" Tess asked.

"Well...actually I'm not even sure that's why he came along. Remember when he came to the office the other day? Kramer's apparentally an old girlfriend of his...That's why they know each other. And the reason they broke up was because he forgot to write her after he and Fred had dropped out of Hogwarts."

She kept her voice casual, but this was exactly what was worrying her ever since George had met Vivian the day before.

"...You're scared he'll forget about you the way he forgot about her? But you two must be closer than he ever was with her. He's known you longer than anyone except his family, doesn't he. I can't imagine him preferring a bimbo like 'dear Viv' above you. She's too superficial. If I were to fall down a hole as deep as her, I'd just bump my toe. At least you have depth."

Hermione smiled embarassed. Tess was right. Vivian Kramer had the depth of a Tequilla glass. With a satisfied grin she threw the unread letter in the bin and reached for the next one. She looked up to thank Tess for her kind words, when she saw that Tess' eyes were wide open and a 'I-told-you-so' grin washed over her face.

Hermione stared at her curiously and started when she felt a pair of hands on her shoulders. She looked up and smiled.

"Hey." he said cheerfully.

"Hello to you too." she said happily.

He leaned in and chastely pecked her cheek. Tess laughed.

"You don't have to hold back just 'cause I'm here." she said with a smirk.

To her surprise, both of them started to laugh. Hermione eyed him with a smirk and winked.

"Well, darling? What do you think?"

"I have to say it's very tempting, dear. But it's best if we don't. George wouldn't approve much, I think."

Tess looked at them strangely. "George? But you-"

Hermione chuckled loudly. "Tess, I'd like you to meet Fred. George's twin brother."

Tess said nothing for a moment, then she looked at Hermione. "You never told me they looked so much alike! How do you tell them apart?"

Hermione shrugged. "Dunno. Just do."

Fred laughed too. "When you figure out how you do it, can you tell mum? She still gets us mixed up. I swear, if I showed up with you on my arm she'd assume I'm George."

"Sounds interesting...Almost worth a shot!" she exclaimed.

Fred grinned and turned around so she couldn't see his face. "I, er, I've got to go now...Shop's unmanned and all. Can't leave it all up to Verity. Well, I'll see you later. Nice to have met you, Tess. Bye Hermione!"

"Bye Fred. See you later." Hermione said, unable to wipe off the smile she had on her face.

They waved at him as he left. When Hermione turned back, she found herself looking at a very amused Tess.

"What?" she asked alarmed.

Tess shook her head. "You're not all that smart after all, are you?"

Hermione raised her eyebrow.

"Thanks." she said bemused. "And what do I owe that to?"

Tess just shook her head with a vague smile and said nothing.

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