A/N: Hello everyone! Sorry this update took so long. Finals were a bitca. I hope you enjoy it.

OH! Sorry, I had to add that this chapter was beta read by Lament of Meow. She was very disgruntled when I neglected to cite her. Pfft. Whatever. Just kidding. She's my best friend so I like to give her a hard time. I'M SORRY MEOW! CREDIT TO YOU!

Disclaimer: The Harry Potter universe belongs to the richest woman in Britain, J.K. Rowling.

Chapter Seven

Hermione had just put on a fresh lavender blouse when she heard some considerable noise downstairs. She looked at her hair in a small green compact and wondered which of the Weasley men had arrived before grabbing a brush off the bed. She was working it through some particularly stubborn tangles when a knock sounded on the door.

"Come in," she said and Ron entered.

"Charlie, Bill and Fleur are here. Mum wanted you to know that dinner's nearly ready and we'll be eating as soon as Dad and Percy get here," he said, rocking back and forth on his heels with one hand on the doorknob.

"What about Anne?" Hermione asked, putting the brush down.

"Anne?" he tilted his head, looking confused.

"Didn't Fred tell you about Operation Cupid?" she asked, grinning.

Ron walked into the room and threw himself on the bed opposite her, "Nah. What's it about?"

Hermione leaned forward with an eager smile, "Well, you know George and Anne are mad about each other, but after Fred recovered George had no reason to visit the hospital anymore. So, Fred and I came up with a brilliant plan to throw them back together again."

"George fancies Anne?" Ron said, clearly surprised.

She rolled her eyes, "Honestly, Ron, they can't be in the same room with each other without losing a considerable amount of dignity."

He shrugged and grinned sheepishly, "You of all people know how oblivious I can be."

She stared at him before blushing and continuing on, "Our plan was to make sure your mum invited her to every family dinner so that they have to see each other on a weekly basis."

Ron chuckled, "I never pictured Fred and you as matchmakers."

She shook her brush at him, "They'd better give us our due at the wedding reception."

Ron grimaced, "With any luck it will be a very long engagement. I don't fancy another circus so soon after the last one."

Hermione smirked, "You may be right, but it was fun while it lasted."

He stood up with a stretch and Hermione thought he might have grown another two inches since he walked in the door, "The party was fun, but working for mum was a ruddy nightmare. Speaking of which, I have to help in the kitchen. See you downstairs." He gave her a grin before letting himself out. Hermione could hear his loud progress down the stairs even through the thickness of the door. She chuckled quietly to herself before tucking her wand into her jeans and heading downstairs as well.

The noise increased dramatically as her altitude decreased. She could hear Fred and George joking about something and loud laughter, belonging to Bill or Charlie, rang out in response. She finally came into view of the living room where most of the Weasley family was gathered and gave a sad smile. They were all tangibly happy, and it made her terribly homesick for a fleeting moment. Another moment and she missed her footing on the last step, slipping and landing unceremoniously among the company of redheads.

There was a general outburst of laughter and Hermione turned bright red as she tried to brush her hair out of her face. Charlie, who was closest, helped her up with a grin.

"Graceful," he commented, giving her a wink. She muttered her thanks, glaring playfully, and brushed herself off.

"And I got it on film!" Fred crowed, waving a camera that looked similar to Colin Creevy's.

"No!" Hermione shouted, covering her mouth in horror.

"Yes!" Fred answered, cackling madly, "It'll be your employee of the month photo."

"Excellent," Harry said, giving her an impudent grin from the sofa. Ginny, sitting next to him, laughed. "But what's that about employee of the month?"

"Hermione's working for us over the summer," George said, grabbing the camera from Fred and snapping another picture of his mildly irate employee.

Bill affected a look of horror, "Why sacrifice Hermione when Ron would make a perfectly good worker? If we lose him, mum still has six more."

"Hey!" Ron squeaked indignantly from the kitchen, "I heard that!"

Everyone laughed again, Hermione included. She really did love these people.

"Arthur! You're right on time for once. Hello, Percy dear," Molly's voice sailed over the noise in the living room, "Bill, Charlie, did you fix the tables?"

"Yes mum," both spoke obediently in unison.

"Fred, George, did you set the silverware?"

"Yes mum!" the twins said, saluting the kitchen.

"Alright then. Ron, Ginny, help me carry the food out."

Ginny sighed, but pulled herself off the couch and headed to the kitchen.

Harry caught Hermione's eye and they both grinned. She took Ginny's spot by Harry and enjoyed the company for a few more minutes until Molly spoke from outside.

"Dinner's ready!"

"Now, one more guest is coming, but she said she'd be a bit late and to start without her," Molly said, looking around at her family with a fond smile. She felt so happy today that she thought she might burst with the feeling. Her family was here, safe, and about to eat a delicious home-cooked masterpiece—if she did say so herself.

Her husband, sitting across from her with a content air and helping himself to some pot roast, seemed to be the only one to hear her, "Who's coming, dear?"

Molly slapped a glob of mashed potatoes onto her plate next to her roast beef, "Anne said she'd come. I thought inviting her to dinner would be the least I could do after what she's done for us."

"She's a sweet girl," Arthur agreed, making a noise of appreciation when the roast hit his taste buds.

"Ron, stop hogging the potatoes!" Ginny scolded from down the table, as her brother piled the roast tubers onto his plate with gusto. She caught Fred's eye and fell silent when he gave her a wink before going back to watching his younger brother.

"There's still one left," Ron grinned, offering her the last potato—small, scraggly and slightly mashed.

She glared at him and ignored his offer before taking Hermione's presented plate of green beans. Ron shrugged and stuffed a whole red potato into his mouth. George looked to his left at his twin and they both sported identical evil grins as Ron continued to shovel the vegetables into his mouth. A second later, Ginny cackled as words slowly appeared on Ron's forehead. A purple-inked scrawl spelled out a succession of insults a millimeter above his eyebrows like a living billboard. Git, Prat, and Tosser shone out like an advertisement, making those who could see it snort with laughter.

"What's so funny?" Ron demanded, finally noticing that the people across him—Fred, George, Charlie and Harry—were staring at him, doubled over with hilarity.

Hermione, engaged in conversation with Fleur, didn't notice the prank until she looked to Ron for answer to a question and nearly spit out her pumpkin juice. She fought the urge to giggle as she pulled out her compact and gave it to Ron.

He stared at himself in disbelief before glaring daggers at the twins and hissing, "Fix it."

"Sorry, Ronnie," George laughed.

"Doesn't wear off for twenty-four hours," finished Fred, receiving an appreciative slap on the back from Charlie.

"Give me the camera," Harry asked Fred, holding out his hands.

"Harry, no," Ron moaned, smoothing his bangs fruitlessly in front of the bright purple letters.

"Alright, alright," Harry relented after Hermione gave him a narrow-eyed look, "But I think it's rather fetching."

"I agree. Purple's definitely your color," Ginny smiled, grabbing a plate of hot dinner rolls.

"Still causing trouble I see," a voice said from the gate. Anne had just entered, carrying a glass bottle wrapped with a pretty, red bow. Molly greeted her with a hug and she handed over the bottle saying, "I hope you like elf-made wine."

"Thank you, dear. You didn't have to bring anything," the matriarch laughed, directing her to the only empty chair at the table—to the right of Ron and directly across from George, who managed to look ecstatic, horror-stricken and nonchalant all in the space of three seconds.

"H-Hello everyone," Anne stuttered, turning slightly pink under George's gaze.

"It's good to see you, Anne," Hermione said fondly around Ron, who was still moodily flattening his hair over his forehead.

"You too, Hermione." The Healer spoke more easily now that she wasn't looking at the one-eared twin, and she gave Ron an amused look, shaking her dark head, "How're you feeling, Fred?"

Fred grinned and swallowed a mouthful of bread, "Fantastic, Anne darling. I think George is feeling a bit under the weather, though. You might want to take a look at him after dinner." George looked at his brother confusedly.

"You do look a bit pale," Hermione agreed, nodding soberly.

"I never get sick," George argued, blushing red under Anne's close scrutiny.

The Healer finished her inspection and took a bite of her dinner, "Maybe, but I'll still take a look at you just in case."

"He's due for a physical, too," Fred added as if it was an afterthought, and Hermione and Ginny suppressed giggles while George kicked his twin under the table.

"I suppose I'll have to see to that, too." Hermione looked delightedly at Anne, who looked both shocked and pleased at her own bravado.

Fred had to stuff a roll into his mouth to keep from cackling at his twin, who was bright red but grinning.

The dinner continued long into the night and everyone enjoyed themselves immensely, quite stuffed by the end of the feast. For dessert, Molly had created a masterpiece of chocolate that had the whole lot asking for seconds.

Fred winked at Hermione and threw a quick glance at his brother. She looked over and noted happily that he and Anne were immersed in conversation and only knocked over a couple of dishes and a stray cup every once in a while.

A/N: Reviews are love.