A/N: hopecraycat: Yeah, as I said, I decided to ignore the deaths. I mean how can Fred be dead? It's unbecoming of him - mouldy green doesn't go well with fiery red :P. Thank you so much for the review. It makes me feel much better about my writing abilities.

silverbirch: Eh, yeah, well at least the pairing category and the genre I put it in suggests that :).

worldsapart: All of those (and other) issues will be explained in later chapters, don't worry.

Chapter IV

Days slowly turned into weeks and Ron was still adamant about his decision. He still had no idea where Hermione lived. She was careful not to go to the Diagon Alley right from the flat always apparating or flooing in and out. Fred kept his word and didn't tell anyone about her current location. Few weeks earlier she had met with Ginny and told her about her situation. Ron's sister was as understanding as the twins had been but she couldn't tell her where she lived. She might be angry at Ron but it doesn't mean he couldn't talk her into revealing the secret. Hermione liked Ginny very much but it didn't lessen the fact that Ginny was slightly naive when it came to situations like that. If Ron told her he was really sorry and that he wanted to make up with his wife Ginny might believe him and unintentionally give Hermione away.

Ginny convinced Hermione that all the Weasleys will take her side and that she should come to the annual Weasley Christmas Dinner which was coming near.

"Ron won't be there. He told mum he's working on the Christmas Eve. Please come Hermione. Everyone misses you, we haven't seen you since the beginning of the summer.

"Sure Ginny. I promise I'll come."

They said goodbye and Hermione apparated back to the flat she shared with George. Over the past few weeks she and George had gotten rather close. He was the perfect roommate. He didn't like mess, he cooked and he always lowered the toilet seat. Hermione still felt quite guilty about imposing on him so she offered to do the chores around the house while he's at the shop working on the new pranks. With time her furniture started to appear around the house, George either didn't notice or chose not to mention it. She tried looking for a job but it was fruitless. No one offered jobs she was interested in, after trying to apply for a job as journalist in couple of newspapers and being turned down she tried to find something in all the bookstores in Diagon Alley (contrary to popular belief there were more than Flourish & Blotts). That didn't work out either. She tried every single shop in Diagon Alley but no one was looking for new employees. She always wanted to be a healer but you had to have finished a three-year healer training in order to do that and she never had the chance. She felt awful doing nothing and waiting for the impossible to happen. She tried to make Ron sign those papers in all ways possible but he just wouldn't budge. George was really understanding about that. He constantly assured her that she can stay for as long as she wants and that she's not unwanted there, that she's not a burden at all. He had a hard time convincing her though.

"George! I'm home!" She took off her travelling cloak and went deeper into the flat. It seemed empty. She went to the kitchen to find a covered pot with a piece of paper on it. She took the paper and read its contents:

Hermione,

I'm at the shop. I had that great idea and I just couldn't wait till tomorrow to work on it.

The dinner's in the pot. I hope it meets your liking.

See you later.

Hugs,

George

She peeked a look inside the pot and smiled. For an outsider the thing that was filling the pot might appear off-putting but Hermione knew that the yellow paste was actually one of George's best creations. It was so delicious that she ate half of the pot at one go. Then she realised something. She haven't been at the joke shop since the time they passed it on the way to the flat. Might as well change it. She quietly descended the stairs and found herself in the backroom. George's back was turned to her and he was bending over his desk. She couldn't see what exactly was he doing from the place she stood at so she quietly advanced towards him and sneaked a look over his shoulder. He was stabbing a tiny glass ball with his want and muttering silent incantations under his breath.

"What is it?" So much happened in the next few seconds that Hermione didn't even notice when she was being slammed into a wall with a wand at her throat.

"George! George! It's only me! Calm down!"

"Merlin's pants Hermione! Do you want to give me a heart attack?! Don't you ever sneak up on me like that again! I could've killed you!" He was breathing heavily and had a great trouble with placing his wand in his pocket. He finally threw the offending item onto the desk.

"I'm sorry. I didn't want to scare you. I'll just... go" She started to move towards the stairs.

"No, don't go. It's me who should be sorry. I overreacted." She looked at him uncertainly. "Oh come on, I don't bite. Much." He smiled at her and she grinned back.

"So, care to share? What are you working on?" She went over to the desk to take a closer look at the glass ball. After examining it she realised it was a rememberall. "Is that what I think it is?"

"It depends on what you think it is but considering that you are the smartest witch of our age and you shared all your classes with one Neville Longbottom then yes, I guess it is what you think it is." He went over to her and took the ball into his hand. "It's supposed to lie. To convince you that you didn't do something you actually did. It was giving me a hard time before you came in. I got frustrated and that's probably why I reacted so violently when you spoke up."

"Not that I approve of lying rememberalls but... what charms did you use?"

"Confundus mostly. And some of mine and Fred inventions."

"Try Tergi Incantem. It may do the trick."

"The reverse charm. I hadn't thought about that. Thanks Hermione. I'll try it tomorrow. I'm too tired right now. Been working on it for few hours. Let's go upstairs."

"George, if you don't mind, can I look around your shop? I never really visited it before."

"Yeah. Sure. Make yourself at home. It's already closed so no one should bother you. I'll be upstairs." He started to climb the stairs and she went through the door to find herself in pranksters' heaven. She slowly walked around and examined all the items to be found in a shop. My, my... They really are brilliant. Hermione never really paid attention to the twins' pranks back at school. She only scolded the brothers for trying them out on younger students but she never actually stopped to think how complicated the process of inventing all that stuff was. I can't believe I thought they were stupid. Some of those are genius! After she was finished she went back to the flat. She spotted George on the couch and sat next to him.

"You're smarter than I thought."

"Are you saying you once thought I was stupid?" He made a very offended face.

"I'm sorry! It's not like that! It's just that.." She was so embarrassed that she didn't notice the twinkle in his eyes.

"Hermione! Calm down! It was a joke. I'm not accusing you of anything!"

"George, you prat!" She smacked him in the arm.

"Hey! Hey! No need to get aggressive!" They sat on the couch for few hours after that, talking about everything and nothing, laughing, being themselves. She really liked those evening talks, they helped her get her mind off Ron and all her problems and just feel free for a while. She would always drink hot raspberry tea from her orange cat mug and cover herself with a warm blanket, staring into the fire while he'd just sit next to her and listen to whatever she was rambling about. He was a great listener. Ron never let her talk it was always about him and his work and his players and their sticks. She also lamented about how he never allowed her to get a cat and how she couldn't live with one of those. She told him all about Crookshanks, how smart he was, how loving and how Ron hated him right from the start. During those talks George has always wondered how the hell did she put up with Ron for all those years. She's too patient for her own good. Hermione tried to talk him into talking to Fred few times but he still couldn't get over the fact that his twin had kept something from him. That night was no different.

"George, he's really sorry you know. You're not the only one that feels like half of themselves is missing"

"What do you know?" He grunted.

"Look I know that you're trying hard to conceal your true feelings, but sometimes you lose your guard. You'd just sit and stare into the fire then and murmur his name when you think no one's listening. You can't go on like that. Talk to him."

"I know you're right... But I just can't, not now."

Christmas was getting nearer and nearer and Hermione started her quest for the presents. She wandered around Diagon Alley, mostly window-shopping, only stepping inside when she found something really interesting on the shop window. That's how she found a perfect present for Harry. The always-missing-snitch. He'll have fun finding it... She bought a necklace for Ginny and colour-changing wool for Mrs. Weasley. She went out to muggle London for a bit to find something for Mr. Weasley. She finally decided to buy a portable CD player along with some CDs. She decided on a joint present for Fred and Angie and bought them 'Charms for Couples- an exclusive guide on how to make your life even better than it is'. Her biggest problem was George. She couldn't find anything for him on Diagon Alley and in the nearest muggle shops. She didn't even know what she was looking for. She wandered aimlessly until after an hour or so something finally caught her attention. Maybe... Yes! It'll be perfect. Oh... But it's so expensive... all my savings will have to go. It's worth it Hermione and you know it. The look on his face when he sees it will be priceless. Hermione looked into her wallet to find the exact sum needed to buy the present. Guess it's my lucky day today...But I will have to find a job. I don't care if I'm a fucking cleaner or a secretary. I need money. She tried saving as much as possible so the money she quickly grabbed from Ron's would ensure living for longer but the moment her funds are gone had to come sooner or later. She went into the shop and asked the shopkeeper for the item. She was very satisfied with her choice. George will glow! She apparated back to the flat and hid the presents in her closet.

She walked into the living-room with the intention of reading a book when she noticed something's clearly missing from it. What's Christmas without Christmas Tree? She took out her wand and conjured a beautiful fir in the corner of the room. She also conjured some baubles when George came in.

"What are you doing?"

"Dressing the tree. I hope you don't mind me conjuring it. I just didn't feel really Christmassy without it"

"I don't mind at all. Do you need some help? I see you're doing it the manual way."

"Is there any other way?"

"It's called Wingardium Leviosa. Reckon you've heard of it." He said with a smirk playing on his lips.

"Prat. Besides, where's the fun in that? Better help me with the star. I can't reach the top and you're so tall it'll be no problem for you" She was standing with her back to him and hanging the baubles on the middle branches. He walked over to her and stood behind her waiting for her to move so he could place the star on the top of the tree. He cleared his throat but she just laughed.

"Stop Umbridgeing me. Just place it while I'm hanging the baubles. You'll reach anyways and this way it'll be quicker." He seemed to agree with her because not a second later she felt him move and suddenly his warm chest was touching her back, his hand was on her shoulder and he was bracing himself with her while sticking the star to the tree. Hermione stiffened under his weight. Stop your mind before it even goes there Hermione. It's George. The long-haired girl-like George. Well, his chest doesn't feel girl-like at all! Stop. Right. There. That was the moment when George had finally freed himself from the star and took a step back. He took the remaining baubles and started hanging them next to Hermione's. Their short moment forgotten in the midst of Christmas preparations.

End of Chapter IV