A/N: pstibbons: Sorry, I will not use your ideas. I've already written a few chapters and I know exactly where this story is going. Thanks for the R.

silverbirch: You'll have to wait and find out :). Thanks :).

infinite horizon: I'm trying hard to make it different. Thanks :).

connie w.: I like the prat!Ron in fiction. It suits him well :). Thanks for the comments :). More goosoup to come.

Chapter III

A loud pop.

"WHAT THE HELL?!" Hermione groaned and slightly opened her eyes only to be faced with an angry face with mop of red hair on top. Oh my God. Is it Ron? Had he found me already? How the fuck did he do it? She opened her eyes more and realised that it wasn't Ron who assaulted her.

"Hello Fred, nice to see you." That seemed to anger him even more.

"Nice to... Nice to see?! What the hell are you doing in my bed and who are you for God's sake?! George sure didn't waste his time already having girls over!" Only when he said it did Hermione notice that half of her face was covered with the sheets and that he didn't recognize her because of it. She sat up on the bed and let the bedclothes fall onto her thighs. "Hermione?" The look on his face matched the look of someone who had just seen a singing baboon. "What are you doing here?"

"I was sleeping before some angry redhead decided it would be a great idea to wake me."

"I'm sorry. You just startled me."

"No harm done. Why don't we go to the kitchen so I can explain my presence here to you?" She walked out of the room to be joined by Fred about 3 seconds later. She walked into the kitchen and found George pacing in the middle. He looked anxious but excited all the same. "George?" He looked up and smiled at her but was so preoccupied with whatever he was doing that he didn't notice Fred standing right behind her.

"Hermione! You won't believe it! I was sleeping and I had that dream and I woke up and.. and" He was hyperventilating by now.

"George! Calm down! I can't understand the word you're saying. Start over!"

"Ok... Breathe in, breathe out... I had that dream last night and I woke up and I just had to cook it. Wonderful idea! And sooo yummy. It's in the stove! I can't wait till it's finished! I was so inspired! In the dream EVERYONE loved it!"

"Are you this excited about... food?"

"Not just any food! Wait till you see it! Aaaah! It's here!" After a slight ping George opened the door of the stove and took out a roasting tin filled with something that looked like a mix between tentacles and concrete. George looked at it with love in his eyes. Hermione thought that he's start pampering the tin if she weren't there.

"Um... What is it?" She knew that she shouldn't judge the meal just by the look of it. After all the blue goosoup turned out just fine. More than fine actually. It was brilliant.

"I don't know. But it smells nice. Want some?" He dipped a spoon into the pap and after taking out a spoonful he brought it under her nose. She actually started opening her mouth when they were interrupted by the until now forgotten Fred.

"Are you actually going to put that thing into your mouth?" George was so surprised to see his twin in the kitchen that he barely prevented the roasting tin from falling out of his arms.

"Fred!"

"Hello bro. Trying to poison our Hermione are you?" George looked as offended as if Fred just told him he's dull. "I tell you Hermione, don't trust his cooking. No one does. I'll be damned before I swallow something he prepared. I had to eat takeouts all the time when I lived here. I'm so glad Angelina can cook." George's face resembled the face of a child that was told that there's no Santa Claus. "Sorry George, but that's the truth, you couldn't cook even if your live depended on it" So THAT'S why George was so happy when I told him I liked his goosoup! I was the first person ever to appreciate his cooking!

"What are you talking about Fred? The blue goosoup was marvellous."

"The blue goosoup? You're mental Hermione." But instead of saying anything to that she just took the spoon full of the greyish pap from George and slurped it clean. She made a big show of licking her lips from any possible leftovers and ended the whole ordeal with a contented "yummy!". It was true she only did it for George because she would never have put a tentacle pap into her mouth without at least analyzing the contents first. She was yet again surprised by the wonderful taste of the mush. It tasted like a very well done cheesecake.

Fred was dumbstruck. He couldn't believe that someone would be crazy enough to try something that looked as disgusting as that. "I think I'm not going to comment this. As much as I'd love to stay around and watch your displays of stupidity all day. I'd really like to know what are you doing here in George's shirt and boxers no less."

After explaining everything to Fred they had to force him to sit on the couch and abandon killing Ron on the spot. Fred was furious at his brother. It wasn't only Hermione that he had betrayed but also their mother, by not obeying the rules she set for them, by not following her examples, by disgracing the Weasley name for some third-class whore.

"That's not all Fred" said Hermione. She placed her hand on his shoulder in futile attempt at keeping him seated. He looked at her in surprise.

"Is there something worse than cheating on your own wife?"

"He refused to sign the divorce papers. And you know there's no way around it. He HAS to sign them." Said George. He noticed that Hermione wasn't too keen on reminiscing about the events of the previous day so he told her that she should go and take a shower while he tells Fred about the stupid brother of theirs. She gladly obeyed. After she left the room George sat on the opposite couch and sighed.

"That's pretty fucked up bro. But why doesn't he want to sign the papers? If he was cheating on her then it clearly means that he's no longer interested. Why keep her then?" Fred tried to comprehend his brother's logic but it was too much, even for him.

"He told her that he won't let her embarrass him like this. That their divorce will be splattered onto the front pages of every paper in the city. And that he will not let people think that his wife left him." George sighed again. His brother was so unreasonably stupid that it pained him to know that they're related.

"I can't believe I'm related to that scum" George smile at Fred. Even though the situation was far from perfect he still couldn't help being glad that he and Fred were still able to think of the same things at the same time.

"What are you smiling at Forge?"

"Nothing, I'm just glad to see you Gred. Are you here to get your things? They're are right where you left them, in your room." George waved his hand in the general direction of the said room.

"It's not really my room now, is it? Speaking of which, how long do you plan on letting her stay here?"

"For as long as she wants. Probably till Ron finally gives her the divorce. She can't afford a new place now. I don't think she has a job and even if she finds one it would take months of saving up towards new flat so basically she has to wait for Ron's money."

"Isn't it weird? Living with her?"

"It's only been two days so I don't really know but everything's better than living alone. You know I hate living alone." George's previous mood concerning Fred's sudden move was quickly coming back to him. "Why didn't you tell me Fred?" His voice was quiet. Too quiet for Fred's liking. The room was silent and you could only hear a faint noises coming from the bathroom.

"I'm sorry George. I couldn't bring myself."

"Couldn't bring yourself, eh? I'm your twin Fred! We tell each other everything! And you decided to omit something like THIS?! From all the things you could've kept from me you decided to pick the one that hurts most. You should've warned me. I could've prepared myself for this. But no! It had to be a shock, eh? One minute we're living together and then BANG you're suddenly off with Angie and I'm here in an empty flat with your packed stuff lying around. Did you even think about how I will feel?"

"Yes, of course George. I've been thinking about this all the time. I was afraid of your reaction. I was afraid you would try to stop me." Fred was watching his brother intently. He knew he hurt him, but it had to be done. He didn't see any other way but being frank.

"Stop you?! Why would I stop you? I know you love Angie. I would never try to stop you. I know we have our own lives Fred and not one, like most people seem to think. I didn't expect we'll live together for the rest of our lives either as bachelors or happy families. I knew we'll have to part our ways some day. I just thought you'd have enough respect for me to warn me beforehand. Seems I was mistaken." George slumped down into the couch again taking his head into his hands. He let out a sigh and then a choked sob. Fred couldn't take it anymore. He sat down next to him and put his arm around George's shoulders.

"I'm sorry George. I never meant to hurt you. I thought it was for the better. Not telling you." Fred squeezed his eyes shut. Looking at George's form now let him see that he had made a huge mistake.

"You look just like me and yet I don't recognize you anymore."

"George, you'll always be my twin, and I'll never truly leave you. You know I love you."

"Do I?"

"Excuse me..." Hermione stood in the doorway for few minutes now but she couldn't bring herself to interrupt them before. She felt bad for eavesdropping but at least now she knew how George's feeling about this whole situation.

George shot up from the couch upon hearing her voice. "Oh, Hermione! How was the shower? Water didn't give you a hard time, did it? Speaking of shower, I think I'll go and take one.. right now". He hurtled out of the room and they could hear the door to the bathroom shutting behind him. Hermione looked at Fred who looked really drained and dejected.

"He'll come around." She tried to soothe him.

"I know he will. I just don't know when. Promise me one thing Hermione..." She looked at him questioningly. "Take care of him when I'm not here. He's very dependent on people. Even if you don't see it on the first sight, deep down he's just like a baby, needing to be taken care of. I've known him all my life and I know that he just can't stand to be alone." Hermione seemed to contemplate the newfound information. She looked Fred in the eyes and saw a silent plea there.

"I promise Fred"

"Thank you"

Pop.

When George came back to the living room he found it empty. He went to the kitchen and found Hermione at the table munching her way through his creation. She had no idea how much it meant to him that she enjoyed his cooking. She was the first person brave enough to even try it. He knew his food didn't look great but he liked experimenting with different tastes so much that he always forgot about the visual part. He knew that earlier that day when she tried that greyish pap in front of Fred without any complaint she only did it to make him feel better. He never expected her to do something like that for him. It meant a lot. He took a spoon from a drawer and joined her at the table eating the pap with her. She smiled at him. He could get used to that.

"Excellent nosh George"

"Wait till you try the sticky green beans. That's my favourite."

"Can't wait."

And just then, for a short moment, life wasn't as bad as it seemed.

End of Chapter III