Chapter Seventeen

Author's Note: Thanks so much for reading! I hope no one's mad at me for last chapter. I decided to post this chapter really soon so people couldn't be upset with me for too long over last chapter. I think this was the hardest chapter for me to write yet. I went through about three versions of it and I think this is the most satisfactory, so I hope everyone likes it!

Hermione stumbled out of her fireplace still feeling awash with lingering frustrations and disappointments from her conversation with George. She raced to her bedroom, still stung by the words with which George had left her, and immediately pulled off her jeans and tee shirt and found a comfortable pair of flannel pants and an old camisole. Feebly, she climbed into bed and pulled her duvet snugly around her, feeling foolish about all George-related events. It wasn't like her to so willingly snog and begin to fall for a bloke with whom she was not officially involved and who evidently didn't have feelings for her.

"I guess we're having fun," He had said. "Having fun." She wasn't entirely able to articulate why his simplistic explanation had left her feeling so empty, but knew that his wasn't a satisfactory response.

"It's because you deserve more than someone who just wants fun," Hermione spoke aloud to herself as she lay curled up in her bed. "If he doesn't see that, he's not worth your time," She spoke definitively to the corners of her bedroom even though she wasn't entirely sure she believed the sentiment. "Now, you're going to ignore that prat, go to sleep, get up early, and get lots of work done….no harm, no fowl," Her tone was defiant and convincing. Hearing the reassurance, even if it was only she who spoke it, already made her feel a bit better about the events of the evening.

"Hermione! Hermione!"

Hermione hadn't even been in her bed for five minutes when a loud voice rang through her flat, shocking her out of her contemplation. She jumped out of bed, with her lavender duvet still wrapped around her, and ventured into her flat to see what had made the commotion. Unsurprising, George was climbing out of her fireplace. George had managed to put on his shirt again before coming over, but his hair still looked messy from their moments of passion and his lips were noticeably chapped. His face was flushed and his expression was anxious.

"What are you doing here, Weasley?" Hermione asked blatantly, without greeting him and with a touch of distain in her voice. She wasn't particularly prepared to see George. Nevertheless, she didn't tell him to leave and instead sunk into her comfortable recliner. Sitting like a cat with her legs tucked underneath her, she rested her head against the arm of the recliner while her blanket continued to envelope her.

"I'm terribly sorry to barge in like this. But, I had to see you Hermione," George replied immediately. "It's important. Can we talk?"

"I suppose,"

In several strides, George claimed a spot on Hermione's couch. He sat on the side of the couch closest to Hermione's recliner and looked at her with undeniable intensity in his bright blue eyes and she remembered distinctly why she had such an aggravating tendency to be flustered in his presence.

"You didn't think I wouldn't follow you after you ran out on me like that?" He asked sincerely.

"I am sorry about that George…But you have to see, it made sense," Hermione contended. While her hasty exit had been rash, she still was certain that it was the appropriate action.

"Well, of course it did. I would have left a git like me in the lurch as well" – George responded quickly with a wry chuckle – "I don't know what I was thinking, Mione. I shouldn't have said that."

"No, you were right. We were just having fun. The moment it stopped being fun, I should have left," Hermione muttered, hoping she didn't sound overly bitter.

"That's not exactly what I meant when I said we were having fun," George said quietly, his blue eyes saturated with care. He didn't lean against the back of the couch as he normally might; instead he sat erect, maintaining eye contact with Hermione, an expression of concern darkening his features.

"Then what did you mean?" Hermione questioned exasperatedly. His easygoing take on their situation had seemed pretty clear only a short while ago.

"I don't entirely know. You do realize that you caught me at a moment when my head was elsewhere, right," George's embarrassed-looking grin caused Hermione to chuckle despite her prevailing confusing and frustration. "The thing is…I am having fun. I didn't anticipate having fun…with you…in this way. You see, this is all rather a shock to me…a very unexpected and very pleasant shock…I didn't expect connecting with you in this way…I never would have guessed that I would have started falling for you the way I am…"

"Falling for me?" Hermione exclaimed, lifting her head off the arm of the recliner and sitting up a little straighter. "George…I-I…" She stammered, unsure how to process George's seemingly about face. She had gone from believing that he wasn't interested in her at all to discovering that he was falling for her in such a brief amount of time. It struck Hermione as rather confusing. "I didn't know…" She abruptly finished without completing her sentiment.

"Of course you didn't know. How could you when I'm acting like a prat and telling you that I just want to have fun with you and letting you leave my flat without putting up a fight," – George grimaced – "I felt like rubbish the moment you got into the fireplace."

"I'm sorry,"

"It's not your fault."

"But you told me you just wanted to have fun….and…and…to-to carry on the way we were…" Hermione added skeptically, trying to recall the exact words he had uttered.

"Well, yes…but we were snogging on my couch, of course I wanted to carry on in that way," George laughed and Hermione felt a soft blush arise on her face.

"I thought you were just interested in me as an easy shag," Hermione voiced quietly.

"W-what? That's daft…" George chuckled. "I never viewed you as just an easy shag. I know you better than that…I know that you're worth more than that." He continued in a quieter voice.

"But you didn't try to contact me…" Hermione simply stated the fact without accusation in her tone.

"I wanted to," George smiled guiltily.

"You did? They why didn't you?" Hermione resumed her straightforward questioning.

"Well...I didn't know if you wanted me to…I didn't know if you wanted to get a hold of me or if you would rather just ignore everything that happened between us…and then when you didn't contact me either, I was certain that you wanted nothing to do with me," George replied in a flustered manner that was very unlike his typical detached confidence. "

"I didn't even think of it in those terms…" Hermione speculated. He was right that she hadn't tried to contact him either, but bringing attention to the fact didn't particularly make her feel better about the week of frustration.

"I thought maybe you regretted everything…and that's why you were so keen to leave. This entire time, I've been wondering if you've been feeling guilty or stupid or something about snogging your best friend's older brother…"

"That's not-"

"Hermione," George interrupted with a gulp. His expression was earnest. "The thing is, you see…I'm not very good at this, Hermione…I'm actually quite rubbish at all this," George frowned and idly rubbed a non-existent speck off the sleeve of his snug, pale blue shirt before continuing "Hermione…You have to realize…This is all very new to me…I'm not used to things being serious…I'm more accustomed to just having fun…But it doesn't mean I don't care about you…" He aggressively ran a hand through his hair, causing his shaggy locks to stand on end. Hermione was so used to seeing George so confident and laidback, but, based on his anxious ramblings, she had to wonder if he was, perhaps, not as self-poised as she had originally assumed. "When I said we were having fun, I didn't mean it as an insult or to put you down or to discredit what was happening between us. I said it because it's the truth…I've been having so much fun getting to know you."

"So, you didn't mean you wanted nothing else to do with me other than snogging?" Hermione asked expectantly.

"No, Hermione." George rapidly continued. "I'm sorry you thought that…I suppose I didn't do much to convince you to think otherwise…but I'm not just interested in you as a snog buddy or as an easy shag. You're more than that…You-you're brilliant…clever…compassionate…gorgeous…and yes, you are a lot of fun to be around…and…and…I guess what I'm trying to say…very inarticulately, evidently…is that I like you…I like you very much." Once again, George rumpled his bright red hair as he came to the end of his bumbling declaration. He sat in stillness on Hermione's couch, his only movement the gently drumming of his fingertips on his knees. Hermione sat up perfectly straightly and stared at him momentarily, taken aback by his compassionate sentiment.

"I didn't know," Hermione responded in a stunned whisper, shocked that her impression of the situation had been so wrong. "Why didn't you tell me this before?"

"I should have, but you left before I had time to think everything through….I guess your question took me by surprise…you're taking me by surprise! But I should have told you this far earlier," George replied apologetically." I just didn't want to ruin everything. I've been really happy with what's happening with us…and not just the snogging…everything," He grinned. "I've been such a prat," He cursed himself under his breath.

"You haven't," Hermione said, even though she had mentally called him a prat several times since she had climbed into his fireplace. Hearing his explanation already helped her feel better about the evening's events. She realized that she had probably overly-hastily reacted to his comment. Talking it through with him was informative, helpful, and reassuring.

"I have…I've been such a prat. I'm just so rubbish at all this," George reiterated. "It's no surprise that I've never really had a girlfriend."

"You haven't," Hermione tried to hide the surprise in her exclamation. She had always assumed that the handsome Weasley twin was very popular with young witches.

"No…I mean, not like a real girlfriend…not anything that's been serious…I haven't even ever brought a girl home to the Burrow." George said slowly, almost as if he was only realizing the fact for the first time as he said it aloud. "I guess, I've always just been so busy…with the shop…playing Quidditch. And I was in Egypt for the past few years. The team and the blokes kept me so busy, there wasn't a lot of time for, you know, forming relationships."

"Hmm…" Hermione replied considerately.

"Yah…and you've met my family…you know how they can be…how Mum can be."

"That's true," Hermione smiled. She could imagine how intimidating it would be for the younger Weasleys to bring new friends back to the loud and bustling Burrow. Angelina had told her that it had taken close to a month before she had felt entirely comfortable surrounded by the tight-knit Weasley clan. Both Mrs. Weasley and Ginny – as friendly and good-natured as they generally were – could be, at times, rather skeptical of and imposing towards the Weasley men's new girlfriends. New girlfriends, Hermione knew, could expect thorough interrogations from the Weasley matriarch and youngest. Hermione still felt for Bill's wife, Fleur, and the lengths through which she had gone before being fully accepted by the Weasley family, particularly the Weasley women.

"I know…and you…" George continued, breaking Hermione's concentration. "It's all the more complicated with you involved…you're a favourite of the family…and you're one of my oldest friends. I can't bugger this up…if I do, I'll lose a friend. If I hurt you, I'd feel like rubbish…and…and….it's just all very complicated. I mean, what about Ron…what if he hates me for going after his old girl? And Ginny…she's your best friend…" George rambled, in a way completely unlike his usual easygoing manner. "What if she doesn't approve of me making a play on her friend? Fred would have a fit if I screwed this up…Ang adores you…And Harry…Harry...he'd never forgive me if I hurt you…" George paused, mulling over the concept.

"George," Hermione tried to interject, smiling at George's charmingly befuddled demeanor. George continued regardless.

"And think of what it would do to Mum. Do you know how poorly she took your breakup with Ron? She was completely crushed. I think she already had 'Hermione Weasley' penciled into the family book. Could you imagine what it would do to her if once again she thought she'd get you as a daughter, only to have me make a mess of everything?" He looked at Hermione with pleading in his eyes. "You see, it's all very complicated…you're not just some girl-"

"Whoa…George…" Hermione interrupted his constant stream of concerns. "Ah…George…maybe we're over thinking this…" She suggested, suppressing a chuckle; generally she was on the receiving end of suggestions to not to over think. "Maybe we don't focus on your family right now…what if we started slow instead of getting ahead of ourselves?"

"Start slow?"

"Exactly…there's no need to get ahead of ourselves."

"That sounds manageable," George's crooked grin radiated relief

"Brilliant…because George…" Hermione hesitated, needing to find the proper words. "I quite like you too, George," She eventually voiced, both assuredly and yet cautiously.

"You do?"

"Of course I do," Hermione responded. His display of insecurities had taken her aback. She had always seen the Weasley twin as so cool, so cavalier, so confident. It was enlightening to discover that he was just as insecure and awkward in regards to relationship issues as most. Hermione was comforted to discover that he was evidently plagued by the same doubts and confusions that she had been battling ever since their first kiss; it wasn't just she who had been worried and stressed. The pair paused and stared self-consciously at each other for some time before either spoke.

"Really?" George asked eventually. "I had no idea…" He added quietly.

"You didn't? The snogging wasn't a giveaway?" Hermione teased relieved that the tension and the awkwardness between her and George had started to subside.

"It doesn't always mean something,"

"Well, It does for me…and I do…I quite like you," Hermione chuckled.

"Brilliant," George breathed happily. "So how do you propose we start slowly with this thing between us?"

"Ah, maybe just spend some time together?"

"Brilliant," George reiterated. "So what are you doing tomorrow?"

"Library," Hermione answered hastily. Even though things were cleared up between her and George there was no reason to let him derail her plans.

"Well, what are you doing right now?"

"Just sitting here with you, I guess." Keeping her duvet wrapped around her, Hermione crawled out of the recliner and joined George on the couch. She gently laid her head on his shoulder as he entwined his arm around her. Neither spoke, neither made a move for the other's mouth, neither tried to make the moment about something other than just sitting in stillness. Hermione liked it that way. She enjoyed the feel of his arm around her, the sound of his breath, and the gentle undulations of his chest underneath her. George gently stroked her shoulder through her duvet. His touch contained no seductiveness; it was only out of reassurance, a representation of their nearness. Hermione sighed gratefully, pulling her feet beneath her and letting her head fall heavily against George's shoulder. Finally, there was a peace between her and George. The questions with which she had been battling fell away and were gradually replaced with comfort, security, and tranquility. The evening that had earlier taken such a frustrating turn was finally perfect.

Author's Note: AHHHHHH….I really hope everyone liked that chapter. I'm super nervous about it. I hope that I managed to clear everything up ok. I'm particularly nervous about George's character. I hope people didn't think I made him out of character in this chapter. I think that I have a fairly good understanding of what I'm doing with George's character and from my point of view what he's doing make sense. But I worry that I'm not communicating him quite right…that I'm making him too laidback…too much of a prat, etc…it's difficult to convey his character when I'm writing only from Hermione's perspective and I worry I'm making a mess of it. Drop me a comment if you'd like. I really appreciate it. If anyone has concerns, PM me and I'll try to address them.