Chapter 5: Castle Balmoral

George made his way to the movie set on Monday feeling slightly nervous for some reason. Also inexplicable was the fact that his conversation with Fred wouldn't leave him alone. Hermione was just a friend and she for sure didn't see him as anything else… didn't she? Suddenly he wasn't so sure.

His thoughts were interrupted as he approached the security fencing.

"Can we help you, sir?" One of the guards asked.

"Uh, yes," George said as he stepped closer. "I'm here to see Jaya Hunter."

The two guards exchanged a dubious look. "Do you have an appointment, sir?"

George shifted a bit on his feet, feeling a mite uncomfortable at the attention. "Yes, actually. She asked me to come."

"Did she?" The first guard stated in a tone that clearly said he didn't believe him. Although now that George thought about it, it made sense. These guards probably had to deal with far too many people hoping to get a meeting with Hermione and it made them clearly skeptical. He refocused on the men in front of him when he realized they were asking him a question.

"I'm sorry, what was that?"

"I asked you your name, sir," the second guard repeated.

"George Weasley."

The guard consulted his clipboard and looked decidedly unhappy when he actually found George's name there. "And do you have ID?"

George handed over the Muggle ID, glad he'd decided to get one a few years back. Truthfully the only reason he had was that he thought the unmoving picture was intriguing.

The guard examined the photo of him then scowled again. "Just one moment, sir."

He stepped back a few paces then started talking into a little black box that George sort of recognized from his father's many Muggle gadgets at home. It was called a walkie-something or other. The guard came back over just then with a decided scowl on his face. George hoped that didn't mean that they weren't going to let him in because suddenly he found himself really wanting to spend time with Hermione.

"Someone will be coming in a few minutes to collect you. Wait here."

George breathed a sigh of relief then stuck his hands in the pockets of his Muggle jeans. The jeans were one thing he'd picked up from his brother Bill and he found that he actually quite liked them, much to his mother's chagrin.

"Meester Weezley?"

George turned at the sound of his heavily accented name to find a petite blonde woman who appeared to be in her mid twenties.

"Yes, that's me."

"'ello, Meester Weezley. My name is Brigitte. I am Mz. 'unter's azeestant. I weel take you to her now."

George followed after Brigitte with a smile and looked around in fascination at all the equipment as they walked across set.

"Zis is your first time on a movie set zen?" Brigitte asked after a few moments.

"Yes, it is. It seems fantastic."

"Yes, eet is." She gestured to a white canopy underneath a huge tree they were coming to. "'ere we are. I weel announce you to her."

George glanced at the folding chairs sitting to the side of the canopy but decided to remain standing and looked up at the castle where they were filming instead. It was a moderately-sized castle, much smaller than Hogwarts, but it still had an Old World strength and charm to it. He could see why they had chosen the location.

"Beautiful, isn't it?"

George smiled when he heard Hermione's voice behind him and turned to greet her. What he saw made his jaw drop in awe. She was a vision, dressed up like a warrior queen of old. Her hair cascaded around her shoulders in dark chestnut waves and she wore a leather corset-style jerkin, tall leather boots, and hardened leather gauntlets covering her forearms and the back of her hands. The ensemble was completed by a gold circlet atop her head that was teardropped onto her forehead. She looked absolutely gorgeous!

He was doing such a good impression of a guppy that Hermione couldn't help but laugh. "You know, the average person swallows eight spiders in their lifetime. I'd hate for you to add to that number."

"Huh?" He asked, looking at her bewildered. Then what she was saying penetrated and he prompted shut his mouth with a snap. He could feel his ears turning hot and he could guarantee that they were a nice shade of crimson. A spot on the ground suddenly arrested his attention and he stared at it intently. "Sorry." He muttered in apology.

She laughed again and sent him another breathtaking smile. "Don't be. Come on. I have a little time before I need to be on set. I'll show you around a bit."

George nodded and moved into step beside her.

"Welcome to the Castle Balmoral, much beloved by Queen Victoria herself." George listened, fascinated as Hermione made the subtle shift into what he termed her "knowledge-quest" mode. Clearly she'd done a lot of research on the topic. Realizing that he had drifted off, he focused once again on what Hermione was saying.

"The earliest known record of it is in 1484 when the son of—" she stopped. "I'm sorry. I'm doing it again. I'll stop."

"Doing what?"

"Being a know-it-all. People get tired of it. I'm trying not to bore people to tears with the endless information like I did in school."

George shook his head. "Hermione, stop. You have an amazing intellect and a thirst for knowledge. It's part of who you are. Don't apologize for that."

Hermione's mouth dropped open then she closed it with a snap. She wasn't used to that response from people. "A-all right. Um…" She tried to remember what she had been saying. Clearly his statement had her flustered. "Well, we're filming around this way."

George inwardly chuckled. Seeing her like this was rather fun. She showed him around the rest of the set until her assistant Brigitte walked up.

"Mz. 'unter, zey are asking for you now."

"Oh!" Hermione looked at her bewildered for a second. "All ready? What time is it?"

"Nearly nine o'clock, Miz."

"Oh!" She turned to George. "I have to go. You're welcome to stay and watch if you'd like. Brigitte can show you where to go."

George nodded and watched her as she rushed off. He and Brigitte followed at a slower pace and Brigitte handed him some earphones.

"'ere. Zis way you can 'ear zee dialogue."

He accepted them with a nod and placed them over his ears. He could immediately hear the chatter of people preparing to roll film. The sounds were all too chaotic for him to make out anything so he removed them again and tucked the earphones in his pocket until they actually started filming. Instead he just sat in the seat indicated and watched all the people go by. One person in particular caught his attention. She was talking to the director, her chestnut hair bouncing slightly as she nodded. She was beautiful.

Hermione turned as if sensing that she was being watched and gave him another of her gorgeous smiles then returned her attention to the director. George smiled in return even though he could feel his ears heating up at being caught watching her.

All he could think was, Fred's right. I think I do fancy her.