Hermione took a deep breath as she looked at the Burrow. It had been two years since she had stepped foot in Britain.
The week after the final battle, she took the first portkey she could to Australia to find her parents. It had taken her a week to find them then three days to reverse the memory charm she had placed on them. She had assumed they would be thrilled to see her, if not a little angry. How wrong she had been. They viewed her actions to save them as a betrayal; they wouldn't be persuaded to see reason. Her parents informed her they wanted nothing to do with her. They stayed in Australia, telling her she was an abomination and they hoped they would never see her again.
The permanent loss of her parents cut Hermione to her core. The horrors she had faced over the past year had come rushing to her. She couldn't imagine going back to England; seeing everyone's faces at the relief of Voldemort's reign of terror finally being over, moving on with their lives. It was a cowardly move she admitted to herself, but she couldn't go back.
She wrote letters to Harry, Ron, and the Weasleys explaining what happened with her parents and that she just needed time to herself. She still carried her beaded bag with all her belongings so she went to the Australian ministry and took a Portkey to New York. She arranged to take her NEWTs and immediately after started working for MACUSA as a Prosecutor.
Hermione kept in touch with everyone she loved, they had even visited her in New York over the past two years. Eight months after her abrupt move to New York, she received an owl from Ron, letting her know he had fallen in love with Luna Lovegood and they had married. She was thrilled for them, the small bit of hurt she felt wasn't from any lingering affection for Ron, that had ended with his dalliance with Lavender Brown in 6th year. No, the hurt was because it was a stark reminder at just how alone she was.
Everyone back home had moved on with their lives as best they could and Hermione was stuck.
She still dealt with nightmares almost every night and the crudely carved word on her arm had never healed. The blade that Bellatrix used had been cursed. Hermione wasn't even able to glamour it so she wore long sleeves no matter the weather.
The truth was, she had never tried to move on. She hadn't dealt with her demons. The letter from Ron had been the kick she needed to start moving on. She started seeing a mind healer twice a week to help her deal with the trauma and PTSD she was suffering from. While she couldn't say she was fully healed, she could say that she was trying; trying to move on, trying to actually live.
She hadn't dated at all since moving to New York. She was asked on dates occasionally but she always politely declined. Hermione couldn't imagine dating someone when her heart wasn't in it. The truth was, she had given her heart away at the end of her sixth year and had never gotten it back. He was the one person who had never written to her, the one person she desperately wanted to hear from. She had written to him a few times and never received a reply.
It had started innocently enough. He sent her a letter after Christmas when he heard about what an arse Ron had made of himself. By that point, she was over the entire situation. She no longer harbored even a tiny crush on Ron. He had written to make sure she was alright and had sent her a patent day dream charm.
'You said these were brilliant so I thought you could use one.'
It had just been friendly owls exchanged for a couple months, then it turned into more. He was sharing things with her he had never told anyone and she was telling him about her fears; how tired she was of being the smart one, the one who always had to have the answers.
At Dumbledore's funeral, he was there dressed in black dragonhide. He pulled her aside after to make sure she was fine from the small battle that had seen his brother attacked by Greyback and forever changed.
"I've been so worried for you, I haven't been able to sleep, I've not pranked anyone in days. Fred keeps threatening to take me to St. Mungos."
George pulled her close and was holding her as if she might disappear. Hermione pulled back slightly so she could look into his eyes. He gently caressed her cheek before leaning down and lightly pressing his lips to hers.
George had been the one to help Hermione after she spelled her parents to leave for Australia. He held her as she cried in the middle of her childhood living room, terrified that she would never see them again. He had known she was planning something with Harry and Ron but hadn't pressed her for more information.
The night of Bill and Fleurs wedding had been amazing. They danced, laughed, and shared more than a few inappropriate kisses outside the tent, far away from Molly Weasley's eye. When Kingsley's patronus had interrupted the reception, the last thing Hermione saw before she twisted away with Harry and Ron was George's face and him screaming her name.
There was no way to safely contact anyone while the trio had been on the run and wearing the Horocrux had started to eat away at Hermione. Logically she knew what the locket was making her think and feel was a byproduct of the Horcrux; but after constantly having a voice in her head telling her she was worthless, that George would never love her, that everyone would be better off without her, she started to believe it.
Hermione didn't see George again until Hogwarts, just before the battle started. There was no time for anything more than a quick kiss. After the dust settled and everything was over, Fred was dead and George wouldn't speak with or see anyone. She tried to speak with him before she left for Australia but was refused. Hermione had no idea how he was, if he was still single, nothing. She had specifically asked not to be informed of anything he was doing after her fourth letter went unanswered.
Deciding there was no use putting it off any longer, she started the short walk to the Burrow. Harry and Daphnes wedding was scheduled for that weekend, Hermione would be standing up with Harry as a 'groomswoman' of all the ridiculous things. The couple had come to New York several times and Hermione and Daphne had become quite good friends, owling each other several times a month.
There was another reason for Hermione's visit home besides the impending nuptials. Kingsley had asked her to return as Head the Legal Department at the Ministry for Magic. She would be home permanently, starting her new job in two weeks time. Hermione had not told anyone yet, having decided to wait until after the wedding to share that bit of news.
She knocked on the door and took a deep breath. The door was flung open and a red headed blur threw themselves at her.
"I can't believe you're actually here! MUM! Hermione's here! Come in! Merlin, I've missed you."
"I've missed you as well."Hermione grinned, pulling back to look at Ginny Weasley. "It's been almost a year, you giant Quidditch star! How are you?"
"I'm doing alright I suppose," Ginny said, laughing as she dragged Hermione inside. "I've made the English National team for the World Cup next year! Don't tell anyone, don't want to take anything away from the big day."
Ginny steered Hermione into the kitchen where Mrs. Weasley was baking what looked to be a massive chocolate wedding cake. "Mum, look who's here!"
Mrs. Weasley turned around and gasped. "Oh Hermione! We've all missed you so much! Look at you, all grown up and thin as a rail! Sit down, sit down! I'll get you a snack! How long are you staying? You're more than welcome to stay here if you don't have anywhere else, dear."
Hermione smiled as she watched Molly bustle around the kitchen. Some things, thankfully, had not changed.
"I'm staying for a week." Not a lie. "I've gotten a room at the Leaky while I'm here, thank you for the offer though. How have you been? Did you enjoy those cookbooks I sent you for Christmas?"
"Yes," Molly said as she sat some tea and a sandwich in front of Hermione before sitting down next to her. "Thank you, it was so thoughtful!"
Before Hermione could reply, the door opened.
"Hey Mum, I know I'm early but my..."George Weasley looked up to see Hermione staring at him, wide eyed. "Never mind, I've got to go."
Hermione was frozen. She hadn't expected to see George so soon and definitely not so suddenly either. She came to her senses as soon as he turned and ran back through the doorway. Hermione jumped to her feet and flew out the door after him.
"Wait, can you turn around? George! Can we talk for a moment? Please stop!"
"Hermione," George said, coming to an abrupt stop but refusing to turn around and look at her. "I can't do this right now. Please, just leave me alone. Once the wedding is over, you can run back off to wherever it is you've been and we never have to see each other again."
Tears were sliding down Hermione's face as George spoke, breaking her heart when she thought there was nothing there left to break. When she left and George refused to see her, it broke her a little bit. When he never responded to her letter, well that shattered her.
"George, please, can we just talk for a moment?" Hermione pleaded. "I have these feelings that I'm tired of holding on to. I know when I left for Australia you were mourning Fred and didn't want to see anyone, even me. I was in a bad place after everything with my parents and I know I took the coward's way out by not coming home and speaking to everyone; especially you, but I just couldn't. I don't know why you never responded to my letters and I don't care but I-"
"What letters?" He turned around suddenly to look at her. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
Hermione looked at his beautiful blue eyes and saw nothing but confusion. "When I moved to America, I wrote you several letters. I told you everything that happened with my parents and about the job I had taken at MACUSA. I never got a reply from you."
"Where did you send them?"
"I figured you wouldn't be at the Burrow so I sent them directly to your flat."
George grimaced and scrubbed his hands down his face. "I put a mail block on my flat through Gringotts. Once I pulled myself out a bottle of Ogden's, I started the business back up with Percy. We told the goblins to only accept mail that was for the business, everything else was rejected. I can't say I would've replied though." He let out a deep breath and looked away from her, taking a few steps back. "You left me. You were the love of my life. My brother had just died Hermione, my twin. I know I wasn't up for much company but dammit, I would have wanted to know you were leaving! You just left without telling goodbye for fuck's sake!"
"I tried to see you, you bloody idiot!" Hermione yelled. "If you cared so much about me being gone, why didn't you ask Harry or literally anyone else in your family where I had gone? Everyone knew where I was! Harry and Daphne visited, even your mum and dad came to see me."
There was no stopping the tears, no stopping the sob that broke out at the end of her rant.
"I came to your room so many times the week before I left," Hermione choked out between sobs. "I banged on your door so hard, I bloodied my knuckles. I couldn't get your door to open no matter how many spells I threw at it." George was staring at her like he had no idea what she was talking about, infuriating her further. "Well? What's your excuse for that? Silencing charms? Wards? I tried George, I really tried."
"Will you even believe me if I say yes?" George asked, looking at her with shame in his eyes. "I didn't want to see anyone that first week, not even you. I assumed you'd be there waiting for me when I was ready to see people. When I finally came out of my room and you were gone it just sent me spiraling back down. That's not an excuse and I know it's not your fault but I didn't know how to keep living without Fred by my side."
Hermione didn't know what to say. She had specifically asked that no one mention George to her so she had no way of knowing how he had reacted after she left.
Suddenly, George was walking towards her and before she could stop herself, she was reaching out for him.
"I never stopped loving you, Hermione. I've been in love with you far longer than I think even you realise."George pulled her against his chest and wiped the tears from her face. "You are my only one, Hermione. There's no one who gets me like you do. I know I made mistakes, let you down. I ran my whole life into the ground. I will gladly spend the rest of my life apologising. I know what we had between us is broken. I can't give you a reason, not for my actions. I know you're in America, but do you think we could pick up the pieces?"
This was everything Hermione had dreamed of over the past two years. Instead of answering, she lifted up on her toes and gently pressed her lips to his. George's arms tightened around her, lifting her off the ground.
"I've missed you so much,"Hermione whispered, "you have no idea. I love you George Weasley. We'll make up for all those times. Every second we were apart. Your love, I don't want to lose it. Not again."
Suddenly, George's mouth was back on hers, kissing her with such passion. She ran her tongue against his bottom lip and he immediately granted her access. Hermione moaned, kissing George was just as addictive now as it had been two years before. Maybe even more so now that they had admitted their feelings for each other.
They both pulled back slightly, gasping for breath. George laid his forehead against hers.
"Merlin, I've missed that. How long are you here for? Just the weekend of the wedding? I gotta say, now that I've got you I won't be letting you go anytime soon."
Hermione smiled. "Well actually I don't have to go back for two weeks."
"Really?" George asked. "Will you stay with me then? We can figure out how to make a relationship work. I should have Percy look into opening a shop in America, then I could be over there all the time."
Hermione gently kissed him to make him shut up.
"I have to go back in two weeks to pack up my flat, George. I'm moving home. I start at the Ministry in a few weeks."
George whooped, picking Hermione up again and spinning her around as she laughed. "You're my only one, too, you know."