I don't own the characters or setting, they belong to JKR :)
The week passed by, uneventfully. They read books with the hopes of finding new information, but were unsuccessful so far. Hermione helped George work on a plan for a reopening. They slept, and in the night they held each other. They fell into a routine and time passed quickly. They had yet to return to the Burrow. Hermione had sent letters back and forth with Harry and Ginny and she knew George was owling Fred. Neither had heard from Ron. An owl landed on George's bedroom window, late Friday afternoon, just eight days since the night of the shower. St Mungo's sigil was waxed to the front of the letter. Hermione gave the sweet owl a little pellet as thanks and turned back towards George.
"Our first appointment, tomorrow" She said, a frown on her face. George let out a huff and took the letter from her, reading it himself.
"At least we don't have to bring anything" He said with a tight smile. She nodded and grabbed the purple beaded back from the table. It still had the extension charm in it, and she had frequently rearranged the things she kept in it, although now that did not include a tent or rations. She pulled out the purple journal.
"I wanted to add something that I found out, and tell you about it. I'm not quite sure if it is what I think it is, but maybe you can help me" She said, and he nodded, sitting beside her at the desk.
"Well, I think we can… I don't know how to explain this… I think we can feel each other through the link… emotions and wellbeing" Hermione said, pausing throughout. George nodded along, and when she finished he smiled.
"That makes sense Granger, you know, I wasn't going to say anything, but I can tell when you're having a nightmare, the magic in my hand gets so intense it wakes me up" He said, rubbing the back of her neck. She nodded, eyes wide. It made complete sense. She didn't know why it was happening, but she was relieved to gain even a little bit of knowledge about their problem. They both jumped as the floo in their living room chimed. They looked at each other confused. Hermione felt fear bubble up inside her, she tried to remember she had nothing to be afraid of now. They jumped up and quickly moved to the living room, both letting out a sigh as they saw the red hair of the young Weasley sister.
"Ginny, what's wrong?" Hermione asked, expecting the worst. Ginny's floating head laughed.
"Nothing, I've just got something for you two, can I come over?" George nodded and her head disappeared. The floo let out a whoosh as Ginny's body materialized. Hermione gasped as she saw the many bags Ginny was holding.
"Ginny, what is all this?" Hermione managed to get out as she watched Ginny put the five bags down on the floor near the sofa. Ginny laughed and pulled Hermione to sit next to her. George stood beside Hermione, an amused smile on his face.
"I went out and picked you up a few things of course! Living with this one is a bit nuts, I would know I did eighteen years of it! I got you some new clothes, toiletries like new shampoo, and your favourite tea" Ginny summarized and Hermione felt a smile fill her face. She hugged her friend tightly.
"You really didn't have to, '' Hermione breathed with a smile, lifting a box of her favourite Earl Grey from a bag. George gave his sister a grateful smile, he had felt awful knowing Hermione had only a bag of things. Ginny led the way to their room, putting the bags of clothing on the floor.
"Does she not have any drawers George? Wow, very rude" Ginny tittered, hands on her hips. George looked sheepish and Hermione jumped in.
"Well I only have like three outfits anyway, I didn't need one" She said, defending George. Ginny shook her head.
"This won't do. Come on then, make some room for her, or give her the closet, what have you got in there anyway?" Ginny said, making her way to the closet doors. She swung them open to find a small room filled with old products from the store and papers everywhere. George groaned and walked past them.
"Fine I guess I can move this down to the storeroom" He waved his wand and the room organized itself into boxes and then filtered out the door. Ginny grabbed the bag, and started putting things on the hangers. Shirts, jumpers, pants, shorts. She had gotten Hermione a pair of black heels, and a pair of new runners as well, placing them on the floor of the closet beneath the hanging clothes. Finally, Ginny pulled the last bag of clothes towards her and Hermione squeaked as Ginny pulled out a handful of thongs and lace underwear. Her cheeks turned warm instantly and she felt George's magic burst through her fingers. She glanced up at him and he was smirking.
"Ginny please! I can deal with those" Hermione rushed out, stuffing her friend's hand back down into the bag. Ginny laughed as they stood up.
"We will have to get you a small chest for in here as well" She stated matter-of-factly and Hermione felt George nod. They sat on the two beds, side by side. The sun was beginning to set outside. Hermione finally managed to force herself to ask the question that had been on her mind for days.
"How is Ron?" She felt George's energy change through the magic, he was uncomfortable. It was getting easier to read the longer she spent time with him. Ginny sighed, running a hand through her hair.
"He threw himself into Auror training with Harry, he hasn't really spoken to any of us. I think he was a little put out by how you acted even if it was within good reason. As his sister I feel like I have to ask Hermione. What happened with you two?" Ginny pressed and anxiety knotted in her stomach.
"We kissed during the battle… but instantly I knew it was a mistake. I thought I was going to die, that we all were, and then we didn't. He thinks I'm his girlfriend and… well I'm not, I don't feel that way" Hermione rushed out, anxiety threatening to burst from her chest. George squeezed her hand. Ginny gave her a knowing smile.
"That's what I thought… as much as it will hurt he does need to know" Ginny stated and Hermione nodded.
"I am planning on telling him next time I see him. We have our first appointment tomorrow and then maybe we will come over for Saturday dinner" Hermione sighed, and George nodded at the idea of Mrs Weasley's cooking. Ginny gave them both a hug, and headed home for the night. Hermione's watch showed the time as eight at night. Not late enough for either of them to be tired. They sat on the couch in the living room in comfortable silence, both reading their own books, sipping the tea Ginny had brought over earlier. George was going over notes for the shop, reading a textbook on advanced potions, and Hermione smiled. He was so much smarter than people gave him credit for.
"Are you happy to see Fred tomorrow?" Hermione smiled at George, and he nodded his head.
"We've been owling but I'd like to see for myself that he is doing alright" George answered her and then tilted his head. He reached up to rub his neck and Hermione knew this was going to be an uncomfortable question.
"So Ron's going to be there…" He trailed off, not even asking the question she was sure he was going to ask. Hermione sighed in annoyance.
"He is just going to have to move on. I was the one in a coma. I don't know what to say" Hermione puffed out and George nodded, putting a hand on her shoulder. He suddenly got a weird look on his face, and something stirred in her stomach. A moment of silence passed.
"Should we get to bed? I know we have to be up early for the appointment tomorrow" George finally said, and Hermione nodded. She woke up in the night, plagued by nightmares, and he held her close.
The nurse closed the purple notebook with a frown. They had been at the appointment for four hours now, running tests and going over their vitals. She tested their magic between them and finally she had them all sit.
"This is really interesting. You two seem to be deeply connected by this magic. The tests prove that both of your magic is running through each other. We appreciate that you two are doing your own tests, now I'd like to see the outcome from when you pull your hands apart. I understand you've only been able to get them slightly apart?" The nurse asked, writing things down in her own notebook. Hermione nodded and they turned facing the nurse. They raised their connected hands into the air, and Hermione hesitated.
"It usually drains our magic quickly, we haven't been able to get our hands farther than a tiny gap big enough to pass clothes between" She said, her expression nurse nodded and wrote more down in her notebook.
"We will be monitoring you two closely, we'd like for you to try to move your hands farther apart this time, as best as you can" The nurse stated and Hermione sucked in a breath. She felt George's magic pulse through her hand. Slowly they both nodded and turned to each other.
"Ready Granger?" George asked, a reassuring smile on his face. She nodded and slowly they pulled their hands apart. The magic was strong, making it harder to get their hands farther than before. Purple sparks flew between their fingers. She felt faint, and she could see George's eyes screw shut. They were further apart now, just barely, the room swam around her. The nurse suddenly chimed in.
"Alright, you seem to be the same distance as before. I'd like you to try something new now. Instead of focusing on pulling your magic away, try pushing it into the other person as you pull your hand away" The nurse continued writing as she was speaking, watching the screen that showed their vitals. Hermione froze, eyes locking with George's electric blue ones. He looked as surprised as she felt. They nodded to each other and then Hermione Closed her eyes, focussing all her attention on her magic. She tried to push it out, let it surround her and George. The room started to feel electric and heavy. She heard the nurse suck in a breath. Hermione's eyes snapped open and she gasped. Their hands were about a foot apart, and there was purple magic swirling around their hands. George's eyes were still closed, and as soon as he opened them they lost focus. Their magic sparked dangerously, and the room swam around her. She leapt forward, reaching for him. He desperately grabbed at her hand, pulling her into him. The room was quiet, and then the nurse cleared her throat.
"Wow, that was… like nothing I'd ever seen before" The nurse whispered, quickly filling the pages of her notebook. Hermione felt heat rise in her face as she realized she was still in George's arms. She quickly slipped back and turned to face the nurse, trying to hide her red cheeks.
"What did that mean?" Hermione asked, rubbing her head. The start of a headache began to spark behind her eyes. George seemed to feel the same. The nurse finished writing and looked up, meeting Hermione's gaze.
"It means that hopefully, with practice you won't have to stay connected by your hands forever. Until we can figure out how to separate your magic, it should make living more comfortable for the two of you. You two are a couple, yes?" The nurse asked suddenly and Hermione choked on the air she sucked in, letting out a series of coughs. George awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck.
"No uh I'm just a friend of the family" Hermione forced out after a moment and the nurse looked unsure.
"Oh, well for now, I'd say to not stress too much. We will figure this out. This is good news. I'd like you to practice this a few more times before our next appointment, but don't overdo it. Come straight here if anything changes before I see you again. Have a great rest of the day" She smiled and then slipped out of the room. Hermione sat staring at their hands for a moment, feeling uncomfortable but also relieved. This might be over soon. George stood up and she followed him.
"What time is it then? Should we head back to the flat or go grab something to eat? I didn't expect to be here for like six hours" George said with a frown. Hermione gave him a weak smile.
"I'd like to take a quick shower before we go tonight, is that alright?" Hermione asked, looking down at herself. George chucked with a nod.
"Good idea" They headed back to the flat, and Hermione pulled him to the couch when they entered the living room. She quickly pulled out the purple notebook, scribbling the new information down.
"I want to make sure I get everything down here. Did you have anything to add?" She showed him what she had so far. He read it carefully, and then shook his head.
"You seem to have everything I was thinking. Listen Granger, I know this isn't ideal. I promise we will work on it until we're both free. You have a life you want to live and I won't get in the way yeah?" He said with a sad smile. She noticed his eyes swimming with something else again, and she frowned. She could feel the remorse in his magic as he said the words. Her chest felt tight.
"Let's just go shower quickly and not think about it tonight okay? My brain feels like it's going to explode" She let out a forced laugh. He smirked at her.
"That big brain of yours finally full? Wow I never thought I'd see the day" She resisted the urge to smack him, leading the way to the washroom. They dressed down to their underwear again, and stepped in, taking turns once again. It never got less uncomfortable being almost naked in such an enclosed space with him. Her heart pounded in her chest. It was her turn under the water, and she was struggling to wash her hair, she needed two hands. She turned slightly, to make eye contact with George.
"Um, can we maybe see if we can separate our hands again… I'd really like to wash my hair properly" George seemed to hesitate, not wanting to put either of them at risk. After a moment he nodded.
"It'll just be for a second, I'll be quick" She insisted and he nodded. They closed their eyes, and she felt the air become thick with magic. They were doing it, she could tell. She slowly opened her eyes, still focussing on her magic, noticing that George's Eyes were open this time, staring at their hands. He looked determined, completely focussed. Slowly she brought her hand to her hair, farther than they had done at St. Mungos. She heard George suck in a breath, and her vision swam a little. She could do this, they could do this. She washed her hair quickly, rubbing shampoo through the curls. It felt good. Seconds ticked past, and she heard George grab the wall with his free hand. She turned, ready to pull their hands back together, just as the light faded from George's eyes. He slid to the floor of the shower and Hermione yelped, shutting off the water. She grabbed his hand in hers, willing her magic to go back to him.
"George, George please, wake up" She yelled, pushing his damp hair out of his eyes. He didn't respond and Hermione felt anxiety fill her chest. She tried to grab her wand, tried summoning it from across the room, but her magic was too drained. She'd have to lift him without magic. She huffed as she pulled him by the arms out of the small glass shower, laying him on the floor of the bathroom. She grabbed a towel and wrapped it around his long frame. Tears slipped down her cheeks and she tried to shake him again.
"George, come on" She whispered, and grabbed her wand. She levitated him back to their room, stumbling across the hall, and dropping his body on his bed. Her vision went spotty, the magic draining from her body. She had to stay awake, she had to make sure George was okay. His hand twitched in hers and she felt magic rush back into her hand.
"George!" She whispered, relieved. Slowly he opened his eyes, confused by the change of location. He looked down at himself, in his soaked boxers, covered in towels. He brought a hand up to his throbbing head, then locked eyes with the watery brown eyes of Hermione. She sobbed and slipped into his arms.
"George I am so sorry, I didn't think it would be that bad, I tried to be quick, are you okay?" She rushed out, pulling back and touching his forehead gently. He gave her a weak smile, grabbing the hand that she had placed on his head.
"I'm okay, let's just not try that again for a bit yeah? My magic needs some time to regenerate" He laughed quietly. Hermione nodded with a small smile. George reached his hand up and wiped the tears that had trailed down her cheeks. She sucked in a breath, just realizing how close their faces were. Her stomach flipped, being so close to him. Strawberry filled her nose and her eyelids slid closed. She opened them and they locked with his, and this time she didn't pull away, whether it was from the exhaustion from losing her magic or the relief from him being okay, she let him close the distance between them.
His lips grazed hers, her eyes sliding shut instantly. They were warm and soft, and they molded against hers perfectly. He was hesitant as if scared of startling her. When she leaned into him, his free hand found her hair, drawing her in closer. They kissed slowly, gently, both afraid of ruining something that had yet to begin. Hermione was the first to pull away, her face red and her eyes bright. He had a smile on his face, and his eyes were swimming with hope. She could feel the magic swirling around them. After a moment she looked away, suddenly very aware that she was still in her knickers. He noticed too and his eyes got dark, in a way that was too intense for Hermione to look at.
"Uh let's get changed and then go over" She stated, pulling the towel off of George and around herself. He laughed and the tension eased. She dragged him to her closet, and pulled on a simple pair of black trousers and a white long sleeved shirt. George had closed his eyes when she changed, giving her privacy that she was grateful for. She did the same for him and when she opened them she noticed he was wearing grey sweatpants and a red hoodie. Her heart panged. He looked good, with his damp wavy hair and toned body. He didn't notice the look, which she was thankful for.
