Being Assertive by WeasleyForMe

Could Hermione be the demanding, bossy, assertive woman of George's dreams?

Thanks to Grande.Vanilla.Skim.Latte for beta reading for me!

Chapter 3

George plastered a smile on his face. "It's a surprise," he told Hermione as he led them very slowly down Diagon Alley. "So, how's work?" he asked, biding his time while he tried to think of something she might like to do.

"Well, working at the Ministry is quite interesting. I've learned so much in the short time that I've been there," she told him happily.

"That's wonderful," George told her, distractedly. They had reached the entrance of Lustre de Cristal, and George noticed Hermione glance warily from him to the restaurant. He forced himself to keep walking further down the alley, silently wracking his brain. "So, don't you have a promotion coming up at the end of the year?" He brought up a piece of gossip he'd heard from Percy, hoping she'd keep talking.

"It's not a guarantee, but there is a possibility. It would really be an honor for someone my age to be promoted in my department. I've been working really hard, and I suppose that persistence pays off in the end." She paused to smile up at him. "How's business for you and Fred? I noticed some books in the front window of your shop. You aren't going intellectual on us, are you?" she joked with a bright smile.

Books! It was the answer to his prayers at that exact moment. They were about to pass Flourish & Blotts, and in a split-second decision, George grabbed Hermione's hand and pulled her inside.

"What are we doing?" she sputtered as she was unceremoniously yanked off the street. When she realized where they were, she smiled and bounced a bit from excitement. "Oh, I adore Flourish & Blotts! But why are we here?"

"It's, um, part of our date," George told her uncertainly as he looked up and down a long row of books. He quickly came up with a plan. "I know you like this store, and I wanted to treat you to a book."

"Really?" she asked excitedly. He nodded and smiled as she turned slowly in a circle looking at the many aisles and nooks she could get lost in. "This was such a sweet idea, George! Thank you," she told him when she was finally facing him again. She reached out to take his hand again and pulled herself up to gently kiss his cheek. "This is very thoughtful of you."

George nearly passed out from the intimate contact of her soft lips against his face, but he maintained his composure. "Where do you want to look first?"

"How about Arithmancy?" she asked and led the way to the back of the shop. George watched as she browsed the rows of books, occasionally pausing to pull one from a shelf to further explore its topic. He was trying to think of somewhere else they could eat dinner, but became distracted when Hermione stood on her tiptoes to reach a particularly high tome. The green fabric of her dress was creeping up her thigh, revealing more creamy flesh then George could have ever hoped to see. He was completely captivated by her smooth, shapely legs, and a dreamy look found its way to his face.

"George, can you reach this one down for me?" she asked, causing him to blush and stumble forward to reach the book of her choice. "Thank you."

"Uh, I'm just going to check out a Quidditch book. I'll be back in just a minute, all right?" Hermione nodded her consent as he backed down the aisle, taking one more glance at her legs. When he reached the end, he turned and sprinted out of the bookstore and into the hustle and bustle of people out for the night in Diagon Alley.

"Shit, what am I going to do?" he asked out loud, earning some concerned looks from a strolling couple. He raked his hands through his hair, looking first to the left and then to the right. Then he spotted a cute café which was still open. He smoothed his hair down and ran inside. He groaned at what appeared to be a cranky, old witch ordering lots of food. He tapped his foot and tried to wait patiently, but she was taking forever.

"Excuse me, ma'am? Could you please do me a huge favor?" he asked, causing her to turn and face him with a scowl.

"What do you need, young man?" she asked angrily.

"Please, for the love of Merlin, can I order my food before you, so I can leave quickly? You see, the girl that I just realized I'm crazy about agreed to go on a date with me, and she didn't want to go to Lustre de Cristal, even though I had a reservation. And I just left her in Flourish & Blotts, but I have to go back before she thinks I ditched her. But I can't go back without a replacement dinner, or everything is going to go further downhill incredibly fast. Please let me in front of you, because I really need to impress her, or else there is no way she'll go out with me again." George finished his speech breathlessly, and the elderly witch's scowl soon turned to a faint smile.

"Young love, eh?" George nodded quickly. "Go ahead, then," she told him as she stepped to the side.

"Can I help you?" the girl behind the bakery case asked him.

"Can you just throw a bunch of food in a bag?" he asked. "Honestly, anything will do, as long as it's quick! And something to drink!" The girl shrugged and started to pack a brown bag with miniature sandwiches and pastries. George tapped his foot and muttered, "Come on. Hurry up." She finally returned with the bag, and he threw a small stack of galleons on the counter. "Thanks! Keep the change!" he shouted as he ran past the generous old witch, quickly waving to her.

Once he was back on the street, he took a deep breath and hurried through the crowd of people until he reached the bookstore. He looked up and down the rows until he found Hermione in the Quidditch section. "There you are. Merlin, I thought you'd left me here for a minute," she told him.

He was slightly out of breath but managed a smile. "Never." The memory of her lips on his cheek had him riled up, but he was trying to remain calm.

"What's in the bag?" She certainly was curious.

"Your guess is as good as mine," George thought. "You'll see in a few minutes," he told her with a nervous laugh.

She gave him a funny look. "Well, I picked out a book. It was a tossup between New Theories of Numerology and Numerology and Gramatica, but I'm going with the second one. You don't have to purchase it for me, though. I can get it. In fact, if you want a Quidditch book, I'll treat you!"

"I wouldn't dream of it," he told her. She tried to protest, but he wouldn't let her. "I'm the one that asked you to go out, and I want to get you a book." Hermione sighed and placed the book in George's free hand.

"Thank you, George."

"My pleasure." He paid for the Arithmancy book, and they strolled out of the store. Hermione's stomach audibly growled and she blushed. "Lucky for you, I've got dinner right here," he told her with a laugh.

"Thank Merlin," she chuckled. "So it's a picnic, then?"

"If that's what you want. If not, we can eat it back at my flat."

"A picnic sounds nice. It's warm out, and there's a park over there. Want to go?"

"Lead the way." She took him to a quiet park set back from the main walkway. "I didn't even know this was here," he told her as she walked to a picnic table. He set the bag down and began to remove their food.

"This is where I ate lunch with my parents the first time I came to Diagon Alley. Right at this very table." She smiled at the memory as she took a seat on one of the benches. George sat across from her.

"Tell me about them. Your parents." George opened a butterbeer and handed it to her.

"Well, they are rather boring actually, but they are probably the nicest people you could ever meet," she said with a shrug. She took a bite of a sandwich before telling George all about growing up and going to a muggle primary school.

"Why do they call it 'mathematics'? It sounds like Arithmancy to me," he told her, causing her to giggle. George rolled his eyes at her and stuffed a biscuit into his mouth.

"Because then the muggle world wouldn't really be separate from the magic world," Hermione explained. "There are so many differences between the two, but I honestly feel at home in both worlds."

"I can see that. I just can't imagine growing up as a muggle, and then finding out about an entirely different world," he explained. He was no longer as nervous as he had been.

"You never told me what the books in your front window were."

He smiled. "Just some muggle magic tricks. Fred's idea, actually. Kids love them. How's the food?"

"It's delicious; I love cucumber and watercress sandwiches. Where did you get everything?"

"I can't even remember, actually," George told her with a shrug and a half-smile. Hermione looked at him a little oddly.

"You are an interesting date, did you know that?" she asked, shaking her head. George immediately became nervous again. Hermione noticed his face drop and added, "Not in a bad way or anything like that. Just interesting. I like things that are interesting; they keep me intrigued." George noticed Hermione's cheeks were flushed, and he was rather proud that she found him interesting. "Well, we've been talking for a long while, and it's getting late," she said as she fidgeted with a button on her cardigan. "Will you walk me back to your shop so I can Apparate home?"

"Of course." George stood and took their garbage to the rubbish bin. Hermione followed him and slipped her small left hand in his large right one. George looked at their hands for a moment before he started walking in the direction of his shop. They strolled along in a comfortable silence, Hermione gently swinging the bag containing her book; George reflected that this was the first date he'd had with an intelligent girl in a good long while. Sure, he'd enjoyed looking at Hermione's legs, but he had also liked talking to her. She was assertive and brilliant, and George liked the way she took control of the picnic situation. Granted, he was rather relieved that she wasn't as bossy as she had been when she was technically clocked in at the Ministry; that would have made for an even more awkward date. Nevertheless, there was something about her that commanded attention and order.

Hermione was shocked to find that the date with George, which was only supposed to be a way to quiet their nightly laboratory work, was actually more than enjoyable. She knew the twins could be charming, but George had been something more than that, and she had tried in vain to stop her hand from reaching for his in the park. When they reached Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes she thanked him again for the book and dinner.

"You don't have to thank me anymore, honestly. I wanted to take you out. I'm just really happy you let Fred bribe you into it," George told her with a slightly sad smile.

"About that," Hermione started as she looked down at her feet briefly, taking a deep breath. "Would you want to go out again, maybe?" she asked, meeting his startled eyes.

"Really? You want to go out again? With me?"

"Yes, yes and yes." She smiled at his questions.

Hermione was asking him out? George tried to compose himself. "Sure. I think that would be great." His heart was pounding, and he wasn't sure exactly what he's said, but he was pretty sure he'd agreed.

"Well, I'll stop in soon or send you an owl. Good night, George," she whispered, as she tried to slip her hand out of his, but he held on firmly. She turned questioning eyes to his but they soon fluttered closed as he leaned down and lightly brushed his lips against hers. It was the briefest of kisses, but it sent a rampaging flock of butterflies through Hermione's tummy.

"Good night," George whispered, finally releasing her hand. She took a deep breath and smiled before apparating away. When she arrived in her flat, she let out a squeal of delight at exactly the same moment George bellowed "Yes!" for half of Diagon Alley to hear.

There we go... an extra long chapter for everyone who reviewed! If you haven't reviewed yet, give it a try... it's fun and easy, and it makes me giggle!

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