Chapter 16
Hermione and George arrived back at the hotel an hour before Mason would pick them up. They dropped their bags on the floor and slumped down on the sofa.
"When does Mason get here?" George asked. Hermione glanced at her watch.
"An hour. I'm just going to close my eyes for a bit." She said yawning.
"Me too." George wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close both falling a sleep a few minutes after. They were jolted awake when a knock came from the door.
"George? Hermione?" Mason voice rang in the silent room.
Hermione groaned as she rubbed her eyes. "George wake up, Mason's here." She poked George's side. George grumbled and turned his head.
"Sleepy." He mumbled.
"I know but we promised, now get up." She chuckled and threw a pillow at his head as she walked to the door. "Sorry Mason, we drifted of."
"No worries. Why don't you two make yourself ready and I'll wait out here." He gestured to the hallway. "George how do you feel?"
"Bit tired but good." George said as he walked up behind Hermione. "Mione why don't you use the bathroom, I'll change in here."
She nodded at him as she made her way to the bathroom. "It will just take a minute."
"How fancy is this place?" George asked Mason.
"Just a dress shirt and some jeans will be fine."
"Right. I'll be out in a sec."
"Take your time." Mason smiled as he leaned on the wall on the opposite side of the hallway.
George was just buttoning up his black dress shirt when Hermione walked out of the bathroom wearing a little black dress. It stopped just above her knees and had a simple boat neckline. Her sleeves stopped just over her shoulders were it flared out a bit.
"George, you look handsome." She placed a kiss on his cheek.
"Me? Look at you! You look amazing Mione."
"Thank you. Would you mind helping me out?" She asked holding out her necklace. It was a silver necklace with a blue dewdrop pendant on it.
"Fred searched for the perfect birthday present for you for weeks. You had to see him." George chuckled as he placed the necklace around her neck. "Going in and out of stores like a crazy man."
Hermione laughed softly as she touched her necklace. She turned when George clasped it shut. "It's one of the best presents I've ever gotten." She whispered.
"One of them?"
"Yeah, the best present was on valentine's day."
"Ah yes, the ice skating accident." George laughed. "Come on, let's go eat."
Mason apparated them in the alley behind the bar. When they reached the front door there was a sign in bright neon lights. "The Lunar Eclipse" Hermione turned towards Mason, with an eyebrow high.
"My business partner is a werewolf." He shrugged. "He came up with the naam. But don't tell my family. That wouldn't go over well." He said as the bouncer at the door let them in. He took them to a secluded table in the back. Large windows behind them showed a garden full with flowers in bloom and the full moon high in the sky.
"It's enchanted. We can make different backgrounds but this one is my favorite."
"That's incredible! Can you tell me how you make them?" George asked excitingly. While George and Mason talked about the enchanted windows, Hermione looked around. In the left corner was a stage were a DJ or musicians can set up. A large dance floor in the front, which was still empty. Dozens of round tables were lined against the walls. Every table was occupied with witches and wizards all talking, eating and laughing. Next to the dance floor in the middle of the room was a large oval bar that went all away around. At least 5 bartenders were walking from once side to the other trying to get everyone drinks. When Hermione thought about what to drink, a glass of butterbeer appeared in front of her. Her eyes went wide alongside George's as he looked from her to the glass.
"How?" He started.
"Everything tonight is on the house." He held out his hand as they started to protest. "So just think about what you want to drink or eat and it will appear. Ah" He said as three menu's appeared on the table and handed them out. "Here are the menu's. Just think about it and drinks will appear immediately, food takes a little longer, depends on what you want."
George looked over the menu and a second later a glass of firewhiskey appears.
"Brilliant" George said before sipping from his drink and looked back at the menus considering what to eat.
"There are house elves in the kitchen." Mason explained as Hermione still frowned. "They get paid, don't worry. And they don't have to work until 3 in the afternoon."
"Don't they get days off?"
"They don't want to. It was hard enough to let me pay them. But if you are worried you can talk to them if you want."
Hermione bit her lip as she glanced around. "Maybe another day, not tonight."
"Just tell me when." Mason smiled before he looked at the menu.
After they ate a band walked up to the stage. "Every Saturday we have live music."
They dance floor filled up quickly as the tables emptied. George looked expectantly at Hermione.
"Fine." She sighed but a tug on her lips gave it away. "But don't start complaining if I step on your toes."
George grinned and pulled her to the dance floor. The music was up beat and George did the weirdest dance moves Hermione had ever seen. She was laughing so hard that her side started to sting.
"Merlin George, I thought nobody could dance worse than Fred." She chocked out between laughs.
"Worse? Best, you mean! I dance freely and wild."
"Yes, that I can see." She laughed again as George waved his arms in the air, making goofy faces. The music changed to something slower and George held out his hand to twirl her around.
"This is much better." She smiled. "Now I'm not afraid to loose an eye."
"You can't be to careful, I'm a Weasley after all." He winked. George looked over at Mason who was sitting at the table looking at his glass. "Maybe we should find someone for him to dance with."
Hermione followed his gaze and looked at the curly head boy. "I think he's really unhappy here. He doesn't trust anyone here, someone in his family killed his mother. He has no one."
"He has us now. We won't let him fall when we get Fred back. Oh look I think that bird has an eye for him." George pointed at the bar were a young witch was eyeing him. Hermione took out her wand and flicked it to Mason. Mason looked up as he felt a gust of wind. He found her eyes and she tilted her head to the witch at the bar. He just shook his head and looked back down.
"Stay put, I'll give a hand." George said before walking to the bar. He told something to the witch, she nodded and walked over to Mason with 2 drinks in hand. Then she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned and saw a wizard with long black hair in a ponytail before her.
"Dance with me."
Hermione looked over her shoulder and saw George making his way back to her. "No thank you."
The wizard didn't like her answer and grabber her arm. "Dance with me!" he demanded. Hermione pulled her arm away and started to grab for her wand when she felt a hand on her waist.
"I think she said no." George asked almost growling.
"I think it is non of your business!" The wizard glared at him. George started to breath heavily and Hermione saw his hands turn in to fists.
"She's my sister, of course it is my business and she said NO!" George yelled. People around them started to watch him closely. The wizard threw his hand back and was just about to try and punch George when a hand grabbed his.
"I think it's time for you to leave. Bron?!" Mason called out to the bouncer. Bron was a head shorter then the wizard but twice as wide. He grabbed the wizards arm and dragged him outside. "Where were we?" Mason asked the lovely witch as he turned back to her.
"I think we were about to dance." She said smiling.
"Let's go then." Mason guided her a bit further.
Hermione turned back to George. "Thanks George. Are you okay?" She asked as she took his hand, giving it a squeeze. George was still watching the door the wizard disappeared through in anger. "Come on, let's sit down for a bit."
George let Hermione lead him to their table. She ordered them or rather thought about a couple of firewhiskey's and they appeared right in front of them. Hermione handed him a glass and took one for herself.
"To Fred!" She raised her glass. George looked up as he held his glass in the air.
"To Fred." He said with a small smile. They tapped their glasses against each other and both drank it in one go. They drank firewhiskey for the rest of the night as they reminisced about Fred.
"Come on Mione!" Ron whined. "It's only two weeks before school starts and we've barely seen you."
"I have a job Ronald." Hermione shot back as she unpacked the boxes. She was working at WWW when Harry and the rest of the Weasley's stopped by to get their school supplies.
"With the twins. They can give you a couple of days of."
"No, I see you guys every night. And in two weeks we'll be at school so I'll see you all the time." She answered not looking up from the box.
"Fine." Ron grumbled and stomped of to look at other products.
"You know he's just jealous that you spent all your time with his brothers and not him."
"I can spend my time with who ever I want Harry. I see him almost non stop for 9 months."
"I know but-"
"Hermione?" Fred called from downstairs.
"Yeah?" She called over the banistar.
"Could you give me a hand?"
"Sure be right down." She quickly shelved the remainding products and headed down the stairs with Harry on her heels.
"Harry I'll be right back." Harry nodded shortly as Hermione walked to the back room. "Fred?" She asked as she closed the door behind her. Fred slided up from her left and wrapped his arms around her waist pulling her close before leaning down to kiss her.
"Sorry." He said with a grin as he pulled back. "Needed help with it."
"I'm happy to be of service." She smiled seductively and wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him again.
"Uh-hum." Someone cleared their throat behind them. They pulled back and looked wide-eyed at each other before turning to see who was standing behind them.
"Harry." Hermione chocked out.
Harry's eyes flickered from Hermione to Fred and back. Fred rubbed his neck nervously. "Harry.."
"Fred-" Hermione looked back at him. "Can you give us a moment?"
He nodded and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before heading back in the shop. Hermione was playing with the hem of her sleeve.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"I wanted to Harry." Hermione sighed as she dropped on George's chair. "But you know how Ron would react and I didn't want to put you in the middle, again."
Harry walked over and placed his hand on her shoulder as he leaned against the desk. "You know you can tell me anything. You are my best friend to Mione." He smiled at her. "Are you happy?"
"I am." She smiled broadly.
"And he's good to you."
"Yes Harry." Hermione chuckled. "Is this the big brother speech?"
"Well yeah." Harry chuckled nervously, shuffling his feet. "Fred's going to get one too."
"Good luck with that." Hermione laughed, shaking her head.
"How long is this going on?" Harry asked as he sat down on Fred's chair and rolled closer.
"He kissed me the night Umbrigde came after us in the room of requirment. And we got together a few days before he left."
"That's almost four months. Who else knows?"
"George and Ginny. And Verity the girl who works here with the twins. So are you mad?"
"No I'm not mad. It's just a surprise. I knew you got closer to the twins, to Fred but I never – you two are so different."
"Opposites attract?" Hermione chuckled as she shrugged her shoulders.
"As long as you're happy, I'm happy. But the longer you will keep it from Ron the worse it's going to get."
"I know but I'm not quiet ready yet. He even got mad for me working here."
"One day he'll get his head out of his -"
"HARRY!"
"Sorry." He chuckled as he stood up. "Okay now it's time to have a talk with Fred."
