1 The Burrow

A/N: Beware the M rating in this chapter.

George went to dinner at The Burrow the following evening. Ron was going to announce the big engagement to the rest of the family. Hermione was coming along, as were Ginny and Harry. Neville was staying away. George decided that this dinner needed to be about Ron and his news. Anything George had to say could wait.

Unfortunately, his big-mouthed soon to be sister-in-law opened her big mouth.

Ron hadn't even been able to give his news yet. The whole family was there when George got in. Bill was sitting on the couch with Fleur, who was looking uncomfortably pregnant. Her pregnancy seemed to make her glow even brighter and George wondered if that happened to part-Veelas. George, of course, had always been immune to the charms of Veela, but he'd had a hell of a time poking fun at Fred about the Veela. Ginny and Harry were sitting on the coffee table, facing Bill and Fleur and the four were deep in conversation. Charlie wasn't there. It was too difficult to get him away from the dragons anymore. Percy was standing in a corner, glasses in his teeth, flipping through a book. He seemed to be trying hard to ignore the cacophony around him. Auntie Muriel (damn, George didn't know she'd be here) was sitting in front of the fire with Arthur, sour look on her face as always and complaining about the new ministry. Ron and Hermione seemed to have gotten there just before George, because they were just handing their coats to Mrs. Weasley.

"Where's Neville?" Hermione asked George quietly. Only it wasn't quietly enough.

"Neville Longbottom?" Molly asked. "Why are you asking that?"

George shrugged and tried to ignore his mother.

"George," Hermione tugged his sleeve. "Maybe you should say something."

"Hermione, you don't get to interfere in my business. You aren't a member of this family yet." George commented through gritted teeth.

"Yet?" Molly asked.

"That's right, Mum." Ron put his arms around Hermione from behind. "I've asked Hermione to marry me." A slight pause and Ron continued, "And she said yes!"

"That's fantastic news!" Arthur left Auntie Muriel's side and ran over to give Hermione a hug.

"Oh my," Molly looked flushed. "There'll be so much to do! When's the date?"

"Not until after I leave Hogwarts," Hermione explained.

"Oh," Molly suddenly looked much happier and relieved. "So you're not....I mean you don't need to get married quickly."

Ron rolled his eyes, but Hermione smiled and politely said, "No. It's not like that at all," while George smirked behind Molly's back.

Arthur went to the kitchen and came back with several bottles of wine. George, Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Harry, not quite recovered from the previous night's drinking, all looked a bit nauseous at the thought of drinking more. But they each accepted a small glass to make a toast.

Arthur stood on a chair and raised his glass of wine. "To Hermione, who will soon be my daughter-in-law. And to love and marriage."

Everyone raised their glasses, "To love and marriage!"

Dinner was a great celebratory affair. The only downside was Auntie Muriel's not-too-subtle hints about Hermione being muggle-born. By this point, everyone had learned to mostly ignore Auntie Muriel, though Arthur couldn't resist sticking up for Hermione, who he'd always considered such a good influence on Ron.

After dinner, Harry, Ron, Ginny and Bill headed outside to play a two-to-a-side game of quidditch. Molly, Fleur and Hermione began doing the dishes. George sat at the kitchen table, blank piece of parchment in front of him and began trying to fill the sheet with ideas for new products. Arthur came in to the room, grabbed the last treacle tart and sat across from George, "What are you working on?"

George sighed, "We need new products at the shop. Returning customers are starting to get bored with what we already have."

"Maybe Neville could help," Hermione said slyly. George shot her a murderous look.

"What's this about Neville?" Molly asked companionably. "It's the second time his name's been brought up."

"Hermione, can I talk to you in private?" George asked, voice dripping with faux sweetness. He grabbed her arm and yanked her into the parlor, not even caring that her hands were dripping in dishwater. He cast a quick muffliato charm at the door before turning on her, "What the hell are you doing?"

Hermione looked indignant. "They're your family. You need to tell them."

"The hell I do! It's my business and I'll decide what to tell them and when."

"So you're just going to live with having a major part of your life being a total secret? Your family loves you and wants you to be happy."

"That's not the point. The point is that it's my decision, not yours."

"Neville told his Gran. And George, you know she's way more formidable than either of your parents. The only one who'll care is Auntie Muriel, and aren't we all past caring what she thinks anyway? She'd still probably like Neville more than me, because at least he's pureblood."

"Hermione. Stop. You have to let me do this my way."

"If you wait too long to tell them, then you'll have to contend with them wondering why it took you so long to say anything. Then you'll have to deal with them possibly being offended that you didn't think enough of them to say anything. You're twenty-one years old, George. Just...." Hermione trailed off. "You owe it to yourself to be able to be who you really are. I mean, George. Aren't you sick of keeping it a secret?"

"Of course I'm sick of it. I wish things were different and I wish gay wasn't this terrible thing to be. I wish Ron had handled hearing I'm gay the same way he would have handled me saying something like, 'I don't like watermelon.'"

"The longer you wait the stranger it's going to seem to your family."

"Not another word, promise me Hermione."

Hermione nodded. She'd said what she wanted to say. Now it was up to George to think about what she said.

Hermione and George walked back in to the kitchen just as Ginny, Ron, Harry and Bill walked back in. Molly looked up at Hermione and George, "What were you going to say about Neville?"

"You told them about you and Neville?" Ron asked incredulously.

"No, but your dear fiancé seems to be forcing my hand about it." Ron looked at Hermione like he wanted to admonish her. But she just crossed her arms over her chest and looked away, nose slightly in the air.

"What is going on?" Arthur asked looking bewildered.

"Yes, I'd like to know what this is about Neville Longbottom and what George could possibly be trying to keep us from finding out."

George looked around. Everyone except Percy and Auntie Muriel were in the kitchen, and every single person was looking at him, save for Ron who was still staring at Hermione, trying to catch her eye.

"It's nothing." George said after several seconds of silence. A breath that everyone seemed to be holding collectively was let out in a disappointed sigh.

"George," Ginny said quietly. "This is stupid, just tell everyone. Please."

George looked at his only sister. After him, she'd taken Fred's death the hardest of everyone in the family. George knew that Ginny adored all her brothers, but she had a special place in her heart for the twins, who made being the youngest of seven children something fun and exciting. The twins more than any of her other brothers considered her a contemporary and not some little doll that needed protecting. And especially now that she was seventeen and had turned in to quite the skilled witch, quite possibly the most magical member of the family. And knowing what she'd gone through at the hands of the Carrows George found himself actually respecting her. And so, it was because of the look, the pleading look that Ginny gave him, that George found himself opening up to his family.

"I'm gay," he said quietly.

No one said anything for a second. Finally Bill spoke up, "George. That's fine. Really, we're fine with it, right?" He looked at Fleur.

Fleur nodded emphatically. "I know eet might be a beeg deal 'ere. But I can assure you George, that een France, there eez way less, how you say...prejudice against gay wizards."

"Well," Arthur said, clearly wanting to defend Britain, "It's not that bad here either. Most witches and wizards don't care."

"Right," George said. "Most. But not all"

"George," Arthur said. "We just want you to be happy. All right? However you find happiness is fine with me. With all of us, right?"

There was a murmur of consent and nodding heads. "What is this about Neville then?" Molly asked her voice had the slightest quaver to it.

"Oh yeah." George sucked in his breath and held it for a moment before exhaling and saying, "I've been kind of seeing him for the last few weeks."

"They seem quite happy together," Hermione said to everyone brightly. "We just saw them last night. And really, George and Neville are quite good together."

Ginny snickered and everyone smiled at Hermione's pomposity. Even Hermione herself was smiling. The only person left unsmiling was Molly, who was quietly standing there with tears streaming down her face.

"Mum?" George asked.

Molly shook her head, "I'm sorry George. I just need some time to think about this," she brushed past him and went up the stairs to the master bedroom. Everyone could hear the door shut from the kitchen.

"Thanks," George said to Ginny and Hermione sarcastically. "Great advice. Tell everyone." George grabbed his coat and walked out the door and disapparated on the spot.

George was being sucked through space and quickly appeared in front of Neville's Gran's house. He didn't really feel like speaking to Neville's Gran, so he skulked around to the back of the house, hoping to find Neville there. Sure enough, Neville was working by candle light, weeding out the frosty back garden.

"Psst." George called.

Neville looked up and smiled. "George! Do you want to come in for tea?"

George shook his head. "No. Come back to the flat with me. Stay with me tonight."

"All right. Let me get washed up."

"Just meet me there. Apparate right inside the flat, OK? I think some of my family members are probably by the front door waiting for me. So just, apparate, right at my bed like you did the day you passed your exam."

"Is everything all right?"

"No. Just...come."

Neville nodded seriously. "I'll be there in a few."

George turned on the spot and within seconds he was standing in his work room. Sure enough, he heard pounding on the door. "George! Are you in there?" It was Hermione and she sounded like she'd been crying.

"George!" That voice was Ginny's. "Let us in, please."

George tiptoed to his bedroom, which was lit only by the light of the full moon. George went to the window stared out for a few moments. The full moon always reminded him of Remus. He wished Fred would come to him in another dream and this time George would ask if Fred had seen Remus or Tonks. God, he missed those two so much.

Pop! George turned around. Neville was standing there, worried look on his face. "I can hear people knocking on your door."

George nodded. "I'm not talking to them right now."

"Want me to send them away?" Neville asked.

"Really?"

Neville nodded.

"You can try." George lay down on the bed while Neville went to the work room. George could hear everything going on.

Neville yanked the door open. "George said he doesn't want to talk right now."

"Hello, Neville," said a deep voice.

"Hi Mr. Weasley."

"Can you ask him please?"

"Sorry. He'll talk to you later. Just not tonight."

"Neville-" Hermione started, but Neville shut the door before she could get another word in.

Neville went back to George's bedroom. "That's that." Neville smiled when he saw that George had taken his shirt off.

George looked up at him, smile on his face, "My hero," he said, pressing his hands over his heart.

"What was that about?" Neville kicked off his shoes, pulled off his socks and removed his own shirt before climbing in to bed next to George.

"Eh," George said waving his hand like he was pushing something pesky away. "My family found out I'm gay tonight."

"How'd they find out?"

"I told them. It didn't go so well, and I don't really feel like talking about it, if that's OK. I just want shag the hell out of you."

Neville knew George was using sex as an excuse not to talk. But it's not like Neville was going to say no, so he leaned in and touched his lips to George's gently.

If Neville had planned on being gentle to help George's feelings, George had other plans. George grabbed Neville by the back of the neck and pulled him in for a deep bruising kiss. He ground his hips hard into Neville's and Neville pushed back with a soft "oh..."

George began fumbling with the fly on Neville's pants, trying to kiss him at the same time. It was difficult and the two had to separate and quickly shuck the rest of their clothes.

George pushed Neville back on the bed and climbed on top of him. Both of them were excited, as demonstrated when George thrust his hips in to Neville's. Neville grabbed on to the burgundy comforter as George began trailing kisses from Neville's mouth, down his neck and on to his chest.

Neville sighed contentedly while George ran his tongue along the length of Neville's abdominal scar, while pinching Neville's nipples lightly. But Neville had to bite his lip to keep from crying out as George let his tongue wander lower and lower.

Nothing, no amount of guy talk in the Gryffindor common room, no amount of anything Neville could imagine, could prepare him for what it felt like when George first took him into his mouth. Neville could barely keep from thrusting his hips skyward. His eyes were wide open and his breathing became ragged as George worked his mouth up and down the length of Neville's cock.

Something with his tongue. Neville recognized that George was doing something amazing with his tongue, but he couldn't figure out exactly what it was and frankly he stopped trying to even figure it out and just lay back and enjoyed what was happen, what George was doing to him. The familiar build up, and finally Neville moaned, "George....I'm about to come."

George pulled off, to Neville's slight disappointment, and finished Neville off with his hand. Neville came all over his own stomach. While Neville panted and caught his breath, George grabbed his wand to clean Neville's stomach off. Then he lay on top of Neville and kissed him hard.

Neville reached between George's legs and began stroking his cock slowly. Neville pulled out of the kiss. "George. I don't really know what I'm doing," he admitted.

George smiled. "It's all right. Just go for it and I'll tell you if I need something different."

Neville looked incredibly nervous, but he nodded. He pushed George off of him and had him lay face-up on the bed. Neville tried to mimic what he remembered George doing to him. Slowly planting kisses down George's body. While Neville was unsure of himself, George's reaction seemed to be that he was doing all right. Finally, Neville held George's penis, gave it a couple of strokes before taking it into his mouth tentatively. The low moan from George's throat gave Neville a shot of confidence and he began working his mouth up and down, trying to maintain the same rhythm as George's hips. Neville couldn't take all of him, and used his hand to stroke what wouldn't fit in his mouth.

The rhythm became faster, George breathing small encouragements, like "Oh yeah, this is perfect," and not much later he said "I'm going to come!" in a strangled voice. Neville pulled off and finished George with his own hand, though he wondered if he should have attempted to swallow. Not that George seemed to mind. Laying on his bed, spread eagle, staring at the ceiling, and smiling, George seemed the picture of contentment. Obviously Neville had done a good job of taking George's mind off whatever had happened at The Burrow earlier.

Neville lay down next to George and cuddled in hard, kissing him on the temple. George turned his head and smiled, returning the kiss to Neville's lips.

"That was....." Neville whispered trailing off. "God."

George smiled. "It was, wasn't it?" He pulled Neville in for a tighter hug, and the two lay there, silent and wrapped up in each other for several minutes.

Finally Neville broke the silence. "What happened at dinner?"

George sighed and told him the story, while Neville looked sympathetic and rubbed his arms.

"So what are you going to do?" Neville asked.

George shrugged. " I just...I just didn't expect this from my mum. I'll talk to Ron tomorrow. See what happened after I left." George yawned. "I don't want to think about this anymore, all right?"

Neville nodded. "Good night."

George gave Neville one last quick kiss. "Night, Neville."