Chapter 13 – It's Time
The time had finally arrived for George and Hermione to return to the burrow and the nerves had well and truly set in for both of them. Professor McGonagall had been keeping watch of the burrow in her cat form all afternoon and was able to tell George and Hermione what the Weasley family and Harry had been up too. Mr Weasley and Percy were at the Ministry, working, Molly had been out in the garden doing some gardening while the boys and Ginny had played some Quidditch. Hermione had enjoyed some alone time, sitting by her favourite tree in the garden, reading.
"What about Bill and Charlie?" George asked.
"I didn't actually see them." McGonagall answered.
"Wouldn't Bill be at Shell Cottage with Fleur?" Hermione wondered.
"Oh yes, he probably would and they'd both be working at the bank." George answered.
"I think Charlie was helping your Father and Percy out at the Ministry." McGonagall said. "Are you both ready to go?"
"I don't know if I'm ready or not." Hermione answered in a low mumble.
"Yes I'm ready." George answered. "If not a little nervous."
"Did you do what you needed to do?" Hermione asked.
"Not yet. I will do when we get there. All I need to do is slip into Fred and George's room and leave George and Hermione their letters with with the time turner." McGonagall replied. "Then I'll watch them so I know when you're free to enter the house."
Hermione and George took mental notes of the plans so they knew what they'd be doing. Even though they'd be with McGonagall, they still were worried about something going horribly wrong.
"What if our other selves go back in time and get themselves killed?" Hermione asked George quietly.
"Surely they won't, if we didn't?" George wondered.
"I'd like to think that is how it works." Hermione answered.
They followed McGonagall out of the castle where they apparated to just outside the protective wards of the burrow. None of them could see the Weasley home though as they needed to enter the wards that were still cast around the burrow.
"How can we get inside?" Hermione wondered.
"I'm going to change into my cat form first and go and watch for a few moments. You both wait here." McGonagall stated.
She instantly changed into her cat form then popped through the protective wards with ease, leaving George and Hermione. They found two large rocks to sit themselves down on while they waited.
"I wonder how long she'll be?" Hermione wondered.
"Hopefully not long. I'm itching to see everyone, especially Fred." George answered.
"Me too." Hermione admitted.
"Will we tell them about what we did?" George asked.
"I don't think we should." Hermione answered. "Remember we have to act like we didn't do anything."
"Oh shoot." George said. "I was planning on giving everyone a huge hug too, even Percy."
"So was I until I remembered that we have to act like we've been there all along." Hermione answered.
"This is going to be harder than I thought." George said.
"Yeah it is." Hermione answered. "Maybe we should tell everyone."
Hermione knew that when she returned and seen Fred alive, that she'd probably cry and want to fling her arms around all her friends. They had fell into a comfortable silence while they waited patiently on McGonagall returning. It must have been a good 15 minutes before she did and she turned into her human form again.
"Everything alright?" George asked.
"Yes. We are good to go." McGonagall answered. "George and Hermione have found their letters and are currently reading them in the twin's room."
"So they should be leaving soon?" George asked.
"Yes they should. Fred is currently outside with the other boys." McGonagall answered.
"And the others?" George asked.
"Ginny and Fleur are helping Molly in the kitchen and Arthur is in the living room with Percy, Bill and Charlie." McGonagall replied. "I think we should get going."
Hermione and George threw the cloak over themselves and followed McGonagall to the edge of the protective wards. Hermione took George's hand in hers while George took McGonagall's. He did think holding the hand of an ex professor was very odd but knew it was for good reason. The disappeared with a massive crack, landing just feet away but on the stony path that lead up to the burrow.
"Home sweet home." George whispered into Hermione's ear.
"Here we go." Hermione whispered, nervously.
George gripped Hermione's hand even tighter as they followed McGonagall to the front door. McGonagall only had to knock the once for Molly to come rushing to the door to answer.
"Oh hello there Minerva." Molly smiled at the older witch.
"Hello there Molly. Mind if I come in?" McGonagall asked.
"Yes of course, come on in. I'll make you a cup of tea or would you like something stronger?" Molly asked.
"A cup of tea would be brilliant. Thank you Molly." McGonagall replied with a small smile.
"Is everything alright Minerva?" Molly asked.
"Yes everything is alright, I just thought I'd pop around and see how everyone is." McGonagall answered. "I should have owled first, rather than just appear."
"Never worry about that Minerva, you are always welcome here." Molly grinned, waving a dish cloth.
As McGonagall followed Molly into the kitchen, George and Hermione seized the moment to rush up the wooden stairs to Fred and George's room. This was not an easy task as the stairs always creaked under everyone's weight and there was a trick step too that would trip people up who forgot all about it. Thankfully Hermione had the sense to cast a silencing spell around them so they wouldn't be heard.
"So how is everyone?" McGonagall asked Molly.
"Everyone is doing very well, considering." Molly answered, setting two cups of steaming hot tea down in front of McGonagall.
"How is Harry?" McGonagall then asked.
"Better than I expected him to be that's for sure. He's coping so well with everything. I just hope he's not bottling it all up." Molly replied.
"He is stronger than any of us give the boy credit for." McGonagall said.
"Yes that is very true but he was been through a shocking amount in his short 18 years. I do not know how he's managed to come out of all of this the way he has." Molly answered. "He's seeing my Ginny again which is great."
"He has been, Molly which is what has made him such a strong person." McGonagall said. "Oh that is great news. It is about time he found some happiness. I wish them both well."
"They remind me of James and Lily back in the day." Molly stated.
"Oh yes." McGonagall answered. "How are you and Arthur coping?"
"Very well actually. Arthur has been very busy with the Ministry but we're all alive and that is the main thing." Molly answered. "What about you?"
"I'm doing well Molly. Of course I'm heartbroken about the mess the school is in and over how many innocent lives we lost at the battle." McGonagall admitted.
"None of them died in vain, Minerva, they all died fighting for a better world for us to live in." Molly said.
"That is very true." McGonagall said.
Meanwhile George and Hermione had made it up to Fred and George's room. The other George and Hermione were not there meaning they had just disappeared back in time.
"Are they gone?" Hermione wondered.
"I think so." George answered, going straight over to his window. "They aren't outside."
"So we can go downstairs?" Hermione asked.
"McGonagall said she'd give us some sort of a clue as to when we can leave the room." George answered.
Just as the words had left George's mouth there was a ringing sound in George's room which sounded like a school bell ringing.
"That must be it." Hermione said.
"We did it Hermione, we actually did it." George grinned, hugging Hermione tightly then lifting her up and spinning her around the room.
"Did it actually work?" Hermione wondered.
"I guess we should go and find out." George answered, excitement replacing the nerves in his stomach.
Hermione gave George another hug and placed an unexpected kiss on his freckled cheek.
"What was that for?" George asked with a laugh.
"To say 'thank you'." Hermione answered.
"For what love?" George asked. "It should be me thanking you."
"For having faith in me and for being a great friend." Hermione answered.
"Oh Hermione, of course I would have faith in you and you are a very good friend." George smiled, keeping his hands on either side of Hermione's slim waist.
There was a moment where Hermione looked straight into George's sparkling blue eyes and he looked into her pools of chocolate, a moment that they shared that neither had ever experienced before between the two of them. The moment where Hermione realised that she liked George and where George realised he liked Hermione. This moment was broken by the sound of laughter from downstairs.
"We better go downstairs." Hermione gasped, finding her voice.
"Yes we better." George answered.
George took Hermione's hand in his as they left his bedroom.
"I think we shouldn't hold hands, it will look suspicious." Hermione said.
"Oh right, yes." George answered, sadly.
They took the steps slowly due to the fact both were feeling quite nervous. Fred had just entered the hall way in a bid to go up the stairs, meeting George and Hermione there.