A/N: Nothin' to say: So… On with the story!

Please note that as I write some of this I am staying up into all hours of the night to try and enter into PotterMore early… Its really a difficult choice: stay up all night and hopefully get in or go to sleep if that d*** quill doesn't show up within an allotted time period so you can hang with your cousins who are in town in the morning… it's a terrible choice…

Disclaimer: The usual- Don't own HP.

When we last left our beloved characters: "See ya, George."

~rAndOM sQuIRrel~

Ron entered the Burrow, much more calm and collected than when he had left. Before he even could take a breath someone pounced on him and hugged him tightly.

"Well, hello there Hermione," he said.

"Oh we've been so worried," she breathed. Hermione loosened her grip and looked at him. Harry, Ginny, and his parents watched him similarly.

"Why would you be worried?" he asked, trying to keep focused on Hermione.

She looked a little taken back, as though she hadn't expected an answer like that. She frowned a little, "Well, your mum said you sorta stormed out of here… And we didn't know where you had gone to."

Ron shrugged and said calmly, "I went to go see George."

"What?" Hermione asked.

"I went to go see George," he repeated. Ron ignored the staring as much as he could and put his hands in his jacket pockets. The apple from earlier was still there. He pulled it out, shined it a bit, bit out a large chunk, and sat on the nearby counter. Awkwardness seemed to hang in the air.

"How can you sit there like something isn't wrong?" a small voice asked. Ron looked up from his apple to find Ginny looking at him.

He stopped chewing and said, "What? Nothing is wrong." He took another bite.

"Well something isn't bloody right!"

"Ginevra language," her mother scolded, but was ignored.

"Ron you- you- I don't even know what happened to you! We were worried sick and then you storm out? What are we supposed to think?"

"That I'm going out… Like I said."

Ginny sighed. "Ron…"

"Ginny…" he said imitating her voice.

"Ugh, you're so childish," she said, rolling her eyes.

"Hmm…," he said tapping his chin and looking up in thought, "Yep," he replied with a nod to his sister. He took the final bite of his apple, "Sho," chew, chew, swallow, "Anything else?" he asked looking at his parents, Harry, and Hermione. "No? Okay. I'm gonna go play some quidditch," he said hopping off the counter and tossing the apple core into the bin of rubbish.

Ron exited the house and made his way to the broom shed. He reached the old outhouse and Hermione appeared next to him.

"Oh hey, 'Mione."

"Look at me, Ronald," she said sternly. He glanced at her a moment but turned his attention back to the lock.

"I'm not sure why we still have this on here," he said in frustration. "I mean Ginny gets into it all the ti-."

"Ron. Look at me," she repeated.

"What?" he asked turning to her once more.

"Are you drunk or something?"

"What?" he asked surprised. "No!" he laughed.

"Did you eat or drink anything over at George's?"

"Yeah. Some butterbeer," he said.

"Some butterbeer? How much is some?" she asked sternly. "The effects are normally minor in small quantities, but in large amounts-."

"It was just a bottle," he said with a laugh. "One bottle."

She frowned and thought a moment, "Did the bottle ever leave your sight? Did he do something to it?"

"No, he opened it right in front of me. Relax, 'Mione," he said again with a laugh. "I'm fine."

"Why are you acting like this all of a sudden?"

"Like what?"

"I don't know. You just seem- careless," she said watching him for a reaction. He shrugged. "That's it?" she asked.

"What am I supposed to say 'Mione?" he asked. His casual behavior was beginning to fade. He put his hands in his pockets and slouched awaiting a reply. She grinned. "What?" he asked with a laugh.

"There you are."

"There I am?"

"Exactly."

"Right," he said in an unbelieving tone. She smiled, grabbed his hands, and pulled him closer. She rested them on her shoulders and said, "Right."

Ron laced his fingers together behind her neck. He stared down into her chocolate brown eyes, before noticing a small tan sticker on the inside of his right wrist. He frowned and released Hermione and stared it.

"What's that?" she asked. Ron pulled the sticker off and examined it closer. In his inspection he noticed three small orange Ws.

"That prat!" Ron laughed. "He's gotta be mad!"

"Who?"

"George of course! It must be one the new products for when he opens!" Ron said.

"Opens? Opens what?" she asked, still completely confused.

"The shop of course! He asked me to help him out with the shop, and he's making more wheezes!"

"What? He's opening the shop? That's wonderful Ron!" she said.

"That barmy git," Ron said laughing to himself. He looked up at Hermione. "This is the why I have been acting as you say 'careless'. Its probably a mood enhancer or something."

"He's really quite brilliant," Hermione said with a small laugh.

"You know what? I think I'm gonna go talk to Ginny before the effects wear off," he said trotting up the hill to the house. Hermione simply rolled her eyes.

"Hey Ginny?" Ron said knocking lightly on her bedroom door. He slowly opened the door. Harry and Ginny were sitting across from each other on separate beds. Both looked up when he walked in.

"Hey, Harry? Could you give us a moment?" Ron asked, looking at his best mate. Harry gave a single nod and stood, leaving the room.

"What do you want Ron?" Ginny said, lying back on her pillows.

He shrugged as he spoke, "To talk."

"We have nothing to talk about, as apparently nothing is wrong," she replied angrily.

"Oh, come off it, Gin. I'm a bloke, I don't talk about my feelings," he sat down at the foot of the bed and watched her. He sighed, "If I make a small exception, will you feel better?" he asked with a pained expression. He didn't wait long for a reply, as he expected he wouldn't get one.

He opened his mouth to speak, but stopped to think about his words. "Last night I-," sigh, "I began thinking about some of the stuff that happened to Harry, Hermione and I over the past few months-."

"Malfoy Manor?" Ginny asked.

"How do-."

"Harry was just telling me."

"Right. Anyway, yeah. Malfoy Manor seems to constantly haunt me, no matter how many times 'Mione says she forgives me," he paused again. "I couldn't breath or see, and it started replaying in my head along with- the explosion. I heard Hermione sorta calling me and I was back in the living room." He remained silent and waited for her to say something. Anything.

After what seemed like ages, she finally said quietly, "We thought you were dying or something."

"I won't pretend I know exactly what happened, cause I don't. All I know is that I will try and prevent it from happening next time," he said, the last bit more to himself than her. He smirked and looked up at her, "Okay, the exception is over."

She snorted and rolled her eyes. They sat there quietly for a moment. "He's getting better," she said.

"Who?"

"Harry. He is opening up a bit, but it's hard for him. I mean he's not only a guy, but he had to deal with a lot and never really talked about it. And I think Teddy kinda helped in a way."

"I think a lot is an understatement," Ron chuckled. He looked at her, "We're good?"

She said, "We're good," with a slow nod.

"Good, cause I can't stand this bloody girl talk much longer," he said with a smile as he stood up.

"Neither can I," she replied, returning the smile.

He chuckled and left her room. Harry was coming down the stairs, from his room, and stopped next to Ron.

"Ron! Owl for you dear!" his mother called from the kitchen, presumably starting dinner.

"Not another one," he groaned quietly so his mother wouldn't hear. Harry grinned.

"All those nice people are thanking you for what you did! I hope you wrote them back!"

"How the bloody hell does she do that?" Ron asked. Harry shook his head.

"Language, Ronald Weasley!" she called. Ron rolled his eyes, and Harry snickered. "Don't you roll your eyes at me!" Ron gaped at his best mate. "Now come and get it. Oh! It's a letter from George, dear."

"Really?" Ron asked anxiously, entering the kitchen.

"It's over there," she said pointing to an envelope on the counter.

Ron swept it up and quickly opened it.

Ron,

Fill out the enclosed application and come by the shop tomorrow at 12:00.

~Georgie Porgie

P.S. How'd you like your surprise?

"Excellent," Ron said a bit sarcastically, pulling out the job application. He sat down at the table and summoned a quill from his room. Mrs. Weasley began humming to herself as she worked.

"What's that?" Ginny asked, walking into the room.

"An application nosy," he said. "George thinks it's funny to make me fill one out, when he asked me to help him," he said.

"An application for what?"

"The shop."

"What shop? Not the joke shop?" she asked.

"What other shop would I be referring to?" he said, still not looking up from the paper in front of him.

"I don't know, silly. What do you need an application for? He's not opening it is he?"

"Yes, he is. Now shut it," Ron said focused on filling out everything properly.

"Rude," Ginny breathed, then left the room.

Ron read through and came to a short questionnaire. "Am I decisive?" he asked himself aloud. He frowned and then filled in a dot, "Unknown."

The next day he arrived at Diagon Alley an hour early to roam around a bit. He browsed some of the shops including Magical Menagerie, 2nd Hand Brooms, and Gambol and Japes Joke Shop.

He passed by Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour and noticed for the first time that it had reopened under the new management of the son of Florean Fortescue, who had been killed by Death Eaters. Ron had just enough sickles and knuts for a small vanilla ice cream with Chocolate Frog syrup. He wandered about the street eating his ice cream, watching vendors and shoppers go about their lives.

Everything was almost as it had been when he was younger. The shops and colors were as bright as he had imagined them and the smells were just as memorable.

Ron spotted Ollivander's Wand Shop and decided to visit as he still had thirty minutes before he needed to be at the shop. The ancient store looked a little less damaged, Ron noticed as he stepped inside. A familiar ring of a bell signaled his entering.

The same dead flowers from when he had replaced his wand in 1993 still sat in a vase in the corner. He lightly chuckled to himself.

A cheerful Mr. Ollivander seemed to appear out of nowhere. "Mr. Weasley! How wonderful of you to drop by! I hope your fourteen inch willow with unicorn hair is in order?"

"Oh. Yeah. It's all right. Just thought I'd pop in. Kinda spur of the moment really."

"Ah, yes," Mr. Ollivander said. They stood there quietly (and quite awkwardly), and Ron was beginning to regret coming in until he thought of something and broke the silence.

"So…uh…How's business?"

"Oh! Wonderful, my dear boy. Busier than ever!" Ron looked around the shop, seeing if he had missed someone standing in the corner, but no- only he and Mr. Ollivander occupied the shop. "Students from last year are lining up for their wands! Not to mention even more first years starting term in the fall. Haven't stopped making wands since I returned to my shop!"

"Oh. Well, don't let me delay you, Mr. Ollivander," he said. Ron checked his watch, which read 11:45. "I really must be going anyway…"

"Oh, yes! Certainly my boy!" he said as Ron turned to leave. "And don't hesitate to bring your wand in if it needs a tune up!"

Ron nodded and left the shop, turning up the street to 93 Diagon Alley. As he approached the building he vanished his ice cream glass back to the parlour. He reached out and grabbed hold of the handle. He felt a burning feeling immediately and wrenched his hand away.

"Bloody hell!"

"Watch yourself there!" A voice called behind him.

Ron recognized the owner of the voice at once to be Lee Jordan. "How you doin' there, River?"

Lee smiled. "All right. You?"

"All right. So what's George playin' at?" Ron asked nodding to the door.

"Security measures. Ever heard of the Flagrante Charm?" Lee asked.

Ron remembered the break-in at Gringotts, "Oh yeah."

"Right. There are other spells as well to ward off magical assaults. Well, since you are now part of the team I can disclose the only way to disarm the enchantments," Lee said. He leaned over and whispered something to Ron.

"I don't think I heard you right," Ron said with a frown. Lee repeated it, and it sounded the same as it had before. "You're not serious are you?"

Lee nodded, "Completely. Leave it to your brothers to come up with that one, eh?"

"Got that right," Ron said, starring at the door.

"Go ahead and try it out. It only works if used nonverbally. Saying it aloud will only make you look like a numpty."

Ron snickered. "Okay here goes nothin'," he said pulling out his wand. "Voldy's arse," he thought. The second he finished saying it within his mind, orange sparks emitted from between the doors and spelt out 'Welcome Mr. Weasley and Mr. Jordan".

"Wicked," Ron breathed.

"That's what I said," Lee said, stepping forward and opening the door. A rush of cool air hit his face, as well as hundreds of scents and colors.

George was at the top of the stairs carrying a box. "Hiya, Ronnie! Lee show you the protective enchantments?"

"Yeah," Ron showed his burning red palm, "A little too late, actually."

George put the box down and rested his foot on top of it, "Happens to the best of us. I probably should have mentioned them in my letter."

"Probably," Ron stated.

"Come on up to my flat, an' I'll fix you up," George said jerking his head up the stairs. Rod nodded and followed after him.

"For future notice, the third door in is mine," George said. He pulled out his wand and rapidly tapped the doorknob three times. "Watch this one," he said putting his wand away and opening the door. "Doesn't burn you, but gives a nasty shock. Fred and I set it up when a bunch of first years broke into the flat first day open."

The flat was just as cluttered as before, if not more. George went into his bathroom and began searching through the cabinet, muttering to himself as he scanned the bottles and vials, "Anti- Paralysis, Brain Elixir, Befuddlement Draught… Ah! Here it is: Burn- healing paste. Damn it, we're all out. Well the next best thing will have to do," he said pulling a medium bottle of brownish liquid. George handed it to him, "Reckon you dealt with this on your travels: Essence of Dittany?"

Ron nodded, "Yeah. Cheers." He unstoppered it and let a few drops fall on his palm, which looked and felt instantly better. Ron replaced the bottle in George's bathroom and found him in the kitchen.

"'Nother Butterbeer?" George asked.

"Yeah, just don't test anymore products on me, without my permission," Ron said.

"I think we can work something out," George said tossing him a bottle of the cold drink. "Besides, I imagine Hermione will want you all in one piece, so she can snog you properly."

Ron reddened a bit, "Yeah. Right."

George gave Ron two more bottles, "Take these down to Angelina and Lee, then we'll get started."

"Angelina's here? I didn't see her when I came in."

"She's in the stock room."

"Right."

Ron passed out the drinks and the four employees began stocking and cleaning. Besides the occasional loud pop or squeak, the next four hours went by slowly and quietly. The work was tedious and strenuous and Ron was exhausted by the time he apparated home.

He leisurely climbed the minor slope up to the house, past the pond. The moment he stepped through the door Hermione hugged him tightly, gave him a quick peck, and said quietly, "I missed you." He smiled down at her, but resisted snogging her because everyone was watching him anxiously awaiting his accounts of the shop.

"So? How was it?" Ginny asked.

"Boring actually. Hard work, even with magic. Most exciting thing was the protective enchantments," he said showing his hand.

Hermione gasped and examined it, "Are you all right?"

"Yeah. It doesn't hurt anymore. Flagrante Charm. George let me use some Dittany."

"Anything else?" Hermione asked raising her eyebrows questioningly.

"No," Ron laughed. "George promised to not test anything on me without my knowing."

"Good."

~rAndOM sQuIRrel~

The next few weeks passed quickly and went without incident, and Hermione didn't come by the Burrow very often (much to Ron's disappointment), but he stayed busy helping George around the shop. Ron received an owl from her as an explanation.

Dear Ron,

The owl I'm using is quite impatient so I'll make it quick:

I'm sorry I haven't been at the Burrow recently. I felt I needed to spend more time with Mum and Dad to make up for last year (I have the reason to believe my mum is still a bit angry at me for not only using magic on them, but protecting them as that is 'their job').

Also while I've been here I have been searching on the internet (like we did in Austrailia at the Library) for the explanation of what happened at dinner that night. I think I figured out what and why it happened.

I will see you soon.

Love,

Hermione

The parchment smelled like her. He knew it was stupid, but he brought the parchment closer and took in a deep breath- just as Harry walked in.

"Bloody hell," he thought, "Now Harry is gonna take the mickey out of me."

"Blimey Ron. Were you really just smelling Hermione's letter?"

"Oh, shut up Harry. I know you watched Ginny on the Marauders' Map every night before bed."

"Yeah, well… that's different."

"Sure it is," Ron said sarcastically. "So what did you want?" Ron asked.

"Oh, your mum wanted me to tell you lunch is ready," Harry said.

"Right. Be down in a minute."

"What? Have to smell your letter one last time?" Harry cheeked.

"Oh shove it!" Ron said throwing a pillow at him.

"Fine! Don't get your knickers in a twist!" Harry said blocking it with his arms and running out the door.

Ron chased after him, "Hey there's no need for that!"

"Well I wasn't the one smelling my girlfriends letter!" Harry called, running down the stairs as fast as his legs could carry him.

"Come back here you specky git!"

"Not likely!"

Harry jumped the last two steps and tore into the sitting room. Ron was right behind, jumping the last four steps.

"Harry!" Ron yelled.

They raced past Ginny and his parents, who were sitting at the table waiting for them, into the kitchen, and out the back door.

"Harry?" Ginny called after them.

Ron pulled his wand out and aimed it at Harry's back, "Steleus!"

The force of the spell knocked Harry to the ground and he began sneezing violently. As he continued to sneeze, Harry pulled out his wand. "Achoo! Achoo! Flipendo! ACHOO!"

The sneezing stopped as Ron was knocked backwards. Harry began running again. Ron sat up and yelled, "Locomotor Mortis!" He stood and watched Harry fall flat on his face. Ron jogged over to Harry, undid the leg-locking curse, and helped him stand.

"We even?" Harry breathed.

"I reckon so," Ron said.

"So how 'bout some lunch?"

"Sounds brilliant."

~rAndOM sQuIRrel~

A/N: Seems like a short read doesn't it? It's longer than what I have been posting though… hmm… Read, Enjoy, Review!

I don't know about you, but I love the last bit… Boys being boys amongst the rubble of life…

Psst… I need a beta- reader… So if you want to help shape the story a little and read the chapters first, let me know…