A.N. Takes place in the summer holidays before Harry's 6th year.
Fred and George's worries about the shop not making any money ease after two weeks. They figure out a system so they can supply students products that they believe in theory should pass any search or security test Filch could think of to find their products in the first place. They set up an owl-ordering service and as soon as they open up the dark-arts area money starts scaling in. They are so busy getting hold of ingredients and making sure they are on top of inventory that neither of them had even left the shop yet.
George ran a hand through his hair, despite the shop being burst at the seams, his mind often wandered to Harriet. The holidays had begun and he knew she would be stuck at her relatives once again, most likely dealing with Sirius's death all alone. So far no one had heard from her. For her protection George had promised not to go rescue her, extra precautions were being set up at the Burrow, and Harriet would be allowed to stay once everything was up and running.
"I thought you might like to take Harriet up the hill for a picnic, Georgie." his mother smiled at him sweetly, "the wards run that far that she'll be protected, but it's also far enough away that you'll be able to feel alone -"
George resisted the urge to roll his eyes. His mother meant well. But his mother did not have any sense of timing. Planning a date for him in front of his siblings and Hermione at breakfast was not what George thought they'd be talking about. The problem was now his mother knew about them dating, it was all she could talk about. So everyone in the room as well as probably most of the Order knew. So much for keeping their relationship a secret.
"I might do that with Fleur." Bill said, "Thanks for the idea mum."
"And I'm sure she would think that it is a lovely idea, but you, however, can take Fleur further than the grounds of The Burrow."
Bill shrugged his shoulders. "How is Harry?"
Several faces turned towards him.
"Am I still the only person who has heard from her?" George asked. Hedwig had turned up three weeks into the school holidays and had been waiting for him upon his return from work.
"We've sent letters, no reply," Hermione said.
The last letter George had got had been three days ago, the letter didn't say much, the longest had been the first one he received. George told them as much. "I haven't had anything-"
His sentence was cut short as Hedwig appeared at the window. A letter with his name on within her beak.
G,
I'll see you soon. Dumbledore sent a letter explaining that your mum had offered to have me the rest of the holidays.
Which is super nice of her as always. I can't wait to come. I'm counting the days down. Though it'll be super odd not seeing you there.
I bet your mum's loving the peace and quiet now you and Fred have moved out officially.
I hope you'll be stopping home at some point though. I look forward to seeing the shop in person and you obviously.
I suppose I'll be allowed to come and see the shop now everyone knows a certain someone is back.
H
"Not much of a love letter," Fred said over this shoulder. "didn't even sign it off with a kiss."
"You shouldn't be reading George's mail from Harriet, Fred," their mother scolded.
"Well, she's staying." George mentioned, "but doesn't answer your question of how she is," George somehow knew better, part of the letter sounded resentful, he eyed the words I suppose critically, yes Harriet didn't seem to be that impressed.
"Right see you later mother," Fred said, "We've got a shop to open before someone gets all lovesick and hopeless to deal with."
George punched Fred in the arm.
"Leave George alone," their mother said, "And you don't hit your brother."
George didn't get the time to pop over to the Burrow as he had hoped to do. The shop was so busy with students, that neither of them could afford to leave it. So the next time he happened to see Harriet, he couldn't even warn her that everyone knew. One moment he was advising a customer with a product when whispers caught his attention.
"It's really her."
"Is it me, or did she get fit over the summer?"
Geroge looked up wondering what the cause of the whispers was and felt his heart miss a beat. Harriet Potter was not fit. She was beautiful. Her hair was up though part of her hair had fallen loose framing her face. He hadn't realised how much he had missed her until now.
'"Patented Daydream Charms ..."' Hermione said picking up the box, '"One simple incantation and you will enter a top-quality, highly realistic thirty-minute daydream, easy to fit into the average school lesson and virtually undetectable (side effects include vacant expression and minor drooling). Not for sale to under-sixteens." You know, that really is extraordinary magic!'
'For that, Hermione,' Fred said behind them, 'you can have one for free.'
Harriet laughed. "Nice sign outside by the way."
Fred waved her off. "That's nothing. Let me give you the tour."
George finished off helping his customer and dashed through the crowd paying no attention to any other customers.
Fred pushed back a curtain beside the Muggle tricks and Harry saw a darker, less crowded room. The packaging on the products lining these shelves was more subdued.
'This is where we're making the real money,' Fred announced happily. 'We just developed this more serious line ... funny how it happened ...'
'You wouldn't believe how many people, even people who work at the Ministry, can't do a decent Shield Charm,' George explained from behind them. 'Course, they didn't have you teaching them, Harriet."
Harriet seemed to freeze on the spot. Turning her head slightly, and Geroge for the first time in months got to see her bottle-green eyes.
"Let me show you where we keep the other good stuff," Fred said creeping away back through the curtain along with Hermione.
George doesn't get much chance to tell Harriet anything, because his arms are suddenly full of her, the second they had become alone, they had both wrapped each other up in their arms. Then George was kissing her, and Harriet Potter had never tasted so sweet.
"How are you?" he finally asked, his hand cupping her face, his thumb caressing now her cheek. "You OK with this, with everything going on? That-" Geroge's words got stuck in his throat. He had promised her they would go at her pace. He thought Harriet would be completely mad with him.
"Hermione has been driving me up the wall," Harriet sighed softly, "I think she expects me to fall apart at a moment's notice. As for us. Yes, no regrets here. Sorry I've been so ... quiet, even with my letters."
"That's OK," George said. "There's no rush for anything. We're still doing this at your pace."
A pretty young witch with short blonde hair poked her head around the curtain; she too was wearing magenta staff robes. She blinked a few times at Harriet.
'There's a customer out here looking for a joke cauldron, Mr Weasley."
'Right you are, Verity, I'm coming,' George said promptly, 'And you're to refuse payment from Harriet Potter.'
"Wait, what?"
"You don't pay here," George told her firmly. "Take what you want, just tell people where you got it from. You gave us the start-up loan, we haven't forgotten. Also," George whispered in her ear, " you're my girlfriend, and our girlfriends don't pay." He winked at Harriet, before heading out of the curtain he said. "Ask Ange if you don't believe me."
