A/N: I know a lot of you got mad at the end of my last chappie. As I said before, happy story out of not-so-happy album. It'll get better, I promise.

I close both locks below the window

I close both blinds and turn away

Sometimes solutions aren't so simple

Sometimes goodbye's the only way

...

And the shadow of the day

will embrace the world in grey

And the sun will set for you

-Shadow of the day

"Hermione!" George called after her as he tried to push through the crowd. Before he was halfway across the room the flames in the fireplace burned green. He slowed, knowing that she had left already. A few seconds later he saw Harry disappear into the fireplace following her.

"What happened?" Ginny blocked his way.

"I..."he replied, swaying slightly on the spot. He couldn't keep his thoughts straight, much less put them into words.

"You're an idiot," Ginny snapped, grabbing his arm. She twisted on the spot and they were taken to his flat, where he immediately fell down.

"Hermione," he muttered again. "Where's 'Mione?"

"She looked really upset as she ran from the room. What happened?"

"Amanda..." he murmured before rushing to the bathroom to vomit.

"What did you do with Amanda?" Ginny stood in the door when he had finished, arms crossed.

"She kissed me," he answered, sitting against the bathtub. "I was going into the kitchen to get some water, I'm feeling a little drunk..."

"You're acting very drunk," Ginny rolled her eyes.

"I was in the kitchen, she talked to me, then she started kissing me. Then Hermione... oh, Merlin, Hermione. Where is she?"

"I'm not sure."

George looked up at her with pleading eyes. "You gotta help me. I gotta talk to her."

"If she wanted to talk to you, she'd be here now."

"Can you go get her to talk to me?"

"That depends. Did you mean to kiss Amanda?"

"No! I love Hermione, Ginny."

Ginny nodded. "I can talk to her, but I don't know what will happen."

"Thank you," George said gloomily.

____

"Hermione?" Harry's voice came as he cautiously entered the room. Hermione was curled in a tight ball on the couch, eyes unfocused, tear streaks running down her cheeks. "Oh, 'Mione," he murmured, sitting next to her, enveloping her in a hug. She let off a soft sob. "What happened?" he asked.

"I walked into the kitchen, and he was kissing Amanda," she whimpered.

"He what?" Harry asked in shock, but he quieted quickly as she sobbed again. He held her for several minutes while she sobbed into his shirt before her crying subsided and she pulled herself away. She took a deep breath as she recounted what had just happened. Harry stroked her hand softly in support as she finished, wiping her eyes with her other hand.

"I don't get it, Harry. I thought things were going so well," she said quietly.

Harry didn't respond for a moment. He was afraid of sounding like he was taking sides.

"Am I being stupid, Harry?"

"You? Being stupid?" Harry answered almost instinctively. The very concept seemed foreign to him.

"First I dated Krum, and he was too old for me..."

"And not the sharpest knife in the drawer..."

Hermione gave a weak smile. "And then I dated Ron, and he was gay and I didn't see he was unhappy with me. Then I dated George and he goes off and snogs another woman..."

"Hermione," Harry started. She quieted and looked at him. He continued cautiously. "Do you think that maybe you're overreacting slightly? Maybe you should hear his side of the story."

Hermione sighed in frustration. "Do I need to hear his side of the story? He was snogging another woman in the kitchen at a well-attended party. If he cared enough about me he wouldn't have been doing it."

Harry sighed slightly. Hermione was stubborn to a fault sometimes. He knew, as well as most people did, that George had participated in a drinking game earlier. Drinking didn't excuse what he did, but there was a good chance it influenced him in some way. The best he could do was be supportive for the time being, and offer his advice later. "Do you want to stay here for a little bit, Hermione?"

Hermione started sobbing anew. She had enjoyed living away from Ron and Harry. She had no desire to move back, but nowhere else to go at the moment. "I'll come back for a couple days until I can find my own flat."

Harry nodded, hoping that a couple days might negate the need for her to look for a new flat. "You're always welcome here," he muttered. Hermione nodded, then headed towards the spare bedroom to get some sleep. Harry walked into his bedroom, where Ron was sitting on the bed, watching TV.

"Is she OK?" Ron asked, muting his show.

"She's upset," Harry shrugged. "You could go in to talk to her."

Ron shook his head. "The last thing she needs is to see a Weasley that hurt her."

_____

George woke the next morning in a haze. He looked over on Hermione's side of the bed and felt nauseous again. It took great effort for him to get out of bed and get showered. He opened his wardrobe, saw the magenta robe, and had the sudden urge to use a Flaming Hex on it. Sighing he grabbed the fabric and pulled it on. He stumbled downstairs and unlocked the store.

"Hi, boss," Devon, his stock boy, was standing there, waiting. Behind him he saw the figure of Amanda, standing with her back to the door.

"Morning," he murmured. "Um, the Hogwarts kids are gone, it's Sunday morning, I'll be doing paperwork in my office." He quickly retreated before he had to face Amanda.

Half an hour later there was a knock on his door. "Come in," he called.

"Hey, George," Amanda entered, closing the door.

"Hey," George replied, looking down at his paperwork.

"Listen," she said sitting across his desk from him. "What happened last night shouldn't have. I had a few too many, I had..."

George raised his hand to stop her. "It shouldn't have happened. But it did."

"I know, and I'd like to forget that it did."

George nodded grimly.

"Did I cause you problems with Hermione?"

George's downward gaze said it all.

Amanda frowned and looked guiltily at the desk. "I think it might be best if I quit."

"I can't ask you to do that," George asked. "I know you need the job for your flat."

"I talked to a friend last night. She just got a job at this new pub opening up near the Ministry. She told me that she could get me a job, and I think it'll be for the best if I go."

George nodded. "Finish out the day, then?"

"Fine," Amanda stood and moved back towards the front. "I'm really sorry, and I hope you can work things out with Hermione."

"Me, too," George said as she left.

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