The day passed in a blur of discoveries. I was shocked about Nevilleand depressed about Lockhart. Before I knew it, it was Christmas night, and we had two weeks before heading back to Hogwarts.
I offered to help Mrs. Weasley do the dishes, mainly to get away from the others. Sirius seemed to have lost all his Christmas cheer and was sitting in a chair by the fire moodily. Ron kept glaring at me for no reason, and Fred and George were being extremely quiet, which could only mean a prank. So I had quite eagerly offered to help Mrs. Weasley. Ginny was helping me, wanting to get away from all the boys for some 'girl talk.'
As soon as Mrs. Weasley left us to our own devices Ginny rounded on me, a big grin on her face.
"Spill it! I've been waiting to talk to you forever!" she exclaimed, grabbing a dish and drying it. I laughed at her excitement before using a silencing spell on the door.
"Okay, what do you want to know?" I asked, feigning ignorance. She snorted in annoyance and punched my arm. She hit extremely hard, probably because of the number of boys she'd grown up with.
"Ow!" I yelped, rubbing my arm. She apologized but promptly continued.
"What's going on with you and George? I thought you liked Ron?" I washed another dish as I arranged my thoughts. I handed it over to her before speaking.
"I did like him. Well, I thought I did anyway. I changed my mind after the Yule Ball. He was so rude and…" I searched my mind for an appropriate word but none came, "ignorant, that I just got fed up. It wasn't until October that I started to really notice George. He came into the common room late one night and we just talked for a little while." I smiled at the memories I had of him, from that night to our many DA meetings. "It just sort of happened. I didn't really notice it until it hit me upside the head the other night when they got banned and I wanted to grab George's hand that I realized I like him," I explained. She nodded her head understandingly, taking her pile of plates to the cabinet.
"I get it, it's like me and Harry. I really liked him, but got tired of being ignored. Now I've noticed Michael and moved on from him," she said, a smile forming on her face.
"Do you think George likes me?" I asked softly, turning my gaze back to the dishes. I felt her walk up behind me, but she didn't respond. I felt her lay her hand on my arm and I turned my head to look at her worriedly.
She was smiling softly and looked at me with sisterly love. "Hermione, George likes you. I should have thought it was evident when he nearly killed Terry for just talking to you."
"What?" I asked, completely unaware of what she was talking about.
"You really are brilliant, but can be completely unaware of the most obvious things!" she exclaimed with a laugh, turning back to the dishes.
I turned back to the sink, cleaning a few more bowls before the door suddenly opened.
I turned my head at the same time as Ginny, freezing when I saw George standing in the door way with a big grin. I panicked momentarily before I remembered I had cast a silencing charm, he wouldn't have heard a thing.
"Hi," I said, trying to sound nonchalant. I glanced at Ginny who looked from me to her brother before getting a big grin and setting her towel down.
"I've got to go do a thing, you know, that homework you left me, Hermione," she saidin an obvious attempt to leave the two of us alone. I blushed furiously at the wink she gave me before leaving the kitchen. George watched her leave with a small smile on his face. Once the door swung shut behind her he turned back to me, striding into the room, picked up the towel and started to dry a bowl I had just washed.
"Umm, thanks," I said, not sure what to do. He grinned and nodded his head, laying the bowl with the rest of the dry ones.
"So, looks like you got out of skiing," he said conversationally. I smiled nervously.
"Yes, I'm rather grateful too. I really didn't want to go. I'm actually kind of sad that it's already Christmas. That means we don't have much longer of our break. I really don't want to go back to Umbridge."
He snorted at that. "Me either." He looked over at me, his eyes brimming with happiness. "Thanks for the invisibility cloak. That was the coolest gift. You made Fred really jealous," he said with a big smile.
I laughed at that before answering. "It's big enough that the two of you can hide under it. I hoped you would like it."
He smiled softly as he grabbed the bowl from my hand. Our fingers touched and I jerked my hand away as though the bowl was on fire. The moment my hand had touched his I felt a shock; it was as though my whole body was aware of those two fingers. I could feel every nerve in my hand, and he'd just caused everyone of them to short circuit.
It terrified me.
George pretended nothing had happened and dried the bowl off. I made to hand him the next bowl, but he grabbed my wrist, taking the bowl out of my grasp and laying it gently to the side before turning towards me. I took a small step back so I could look him in the face, but my legs bumped into the counter. I looked up into his eyes, holding onto the counter behind me as I stared at his face.
"Hermione, I've got something I need to tell you," he said, stepping closer to me. My mind started to grow fuzzy at his nearness. He took one last small step forward, so that our shoes were touching and he looked down at me. "I've really started to like you. I'd like to get to know you better and was wondering if you'd like to give us a try," he said, speeding up as he talked. My eyes grew wide and my brain simply refused to process what he had just said. George Fabian Weasley, the incredibly cute, funny, smart, and genuine George Weasley could not possibly have just told me he like me, and wanted to try us out. One of the two cutest guys at Hogwarts could not possible be asking me if I would like to date. I was too boring, book-wormish, and bossy. He couldn't have said that. But I knew he had. He'd just asked if I would like to try us out.
George took a small step back, his face losing all the confidence that had radiated in it. He looked like a balloon that was deflating.
"I understand if you don't want to, if you're not interested in that, would rather just be friends. What with Ron and every-" My brain finally unfroze and I processed what he had said, and the fact that he thought I was rejecting him. I stepped forward hastily and grabbed his arm, turning his retreating figure back to face me.
"I am interested," I blushed furiously as I looked up at his eyes. "I mean, I don't like Ron, I like you George. I just never thought that you'd-" My speech got caught off as he stepped towards me, bringing one of his hands up to cup my cheek and he grabbed my hand with the other. He was smiling brightly, looking as happy as he did when the Gryffindor team had won the Quidditch Cup. He leaned down towards me, and I was leaning up and we were going to kiss, when the kitchen door burst open.
George and I jumped apart and turned towards the door at the same time. The one and only Ronald Bilius Weasley. He was breathing hard and had a look of utter rage on his face. I hadn't seen him look so mad at any time in my life. I stepped back and next to George, who wrapped his arm around my shoulders protectively. Ron's eyes shot to my shoulder and George's arm around it before he turned his eyes to George's face, and then to mine.
No one spoke for a long moment. ThenRon, with his fists clenched, stepped forward. "Can I talk to Hermione alone George?" he said, his face red and his voice strangled. George furrowed his eyebrows.
"No you may-"
I cut him off though, giving him a long look, trying to tell him I would be alright. "Yes you can Ronald."
George looked down at me, clearly wanting to argue, but I shook my head slightly. George gave my hand one last squeeze before slowly leaving the room. The glare he gave Ron was very pointed, and oddly possessive, something I didn't know a glare could be.
Ron walked forward, towards me with dark, angry eyes.
"What …the…bloody…hell…do…you…think…you…are…doing?" he asked, pausing after each word, reiterating them with a step in my direction after each one. I felt oddly emboldened as I stepped towards him. He didn't scare me, never had. I no longer was worried about hurting his feelings and making him not like me. He was just a friend, we'd never be anything more.
"I was talking with George," I answered, making it a point to leave all emotion out of my voice.
"You mean you were about to kiss him!" he said, his voice rising in pitch.
"So what if I was?" I asked, my voice betraying my anger despite my efforts.
"You two can't be together!" he yelled, turning even redder.
"You can't tell me who I can or can't date, Ronald," I said, forcing myself to stay calm. I would not get in a yelling match now. "And if you wanted to date me then why didn't you ever ask?"
"Because you drive me crazy! I'd never live up to your expectations!"
"My expectations? Are you mad? I only wanted you to notice me! Three years! I wasted three years trying to get it through your thick head that I liked you!"
"Yeah right! Don't forget about Vickey! You never liked me!" he yelled. I took a step back and hit the counter, my hand gripping it for support as I stared at my-well, what I thought had been-second best friend.
"You're crazy. I kept trying and kept trying to get you to notice me. I don't think you ever cared about me at all, you just wanted someone you could cheat off of," I said, tears filling my eyes. I no longer liked Ron, but it still hurt to have him think all of that of me. I had started yelling, unable to stop myself despite the fact that the entire Order of the Phoenix could probably hear every word we were saying.
"Just proves what everyone's always said," he said, breathing heavily. "You're a nutter! That huge brain of yours has finally snapped!" The tears fell from my eyes as I stared at him in shock. "I actually feel sorry for George. He's going to be begging somebody to hex him so he doesn't have to listen to you and your insane rambling! He'll be begging Terry Boot to take you off his hands."
That did it. I took the step forward separating us and slapped him across the face before I ran from the room, tears streaming down my face. I didn't stop running until I reached my bedroom, and then I packed my trunk, ignoring the insistent knocks coming from the door.
Once my trunk was packed I sent it ahead to the resort my parent were at, knowing they'd watch it for me. I then turned aroundand, furiously wiping the tears from my eyes, I walked forward and opened the door. Ginny, George, and Harry were standing right out side the door.
They all said my name at the same time, rushing towards me, but I held up my hand to stop them.
"No, I'm leaving. I can't stay in the same house with that, that-"
"Prat," Ginny offered,
"Git," George suggested. Harry just looked at me beseechingly, clearly not knowing what to do.
"Yes, I can't stay here." I gave them each a hug as they escorted me downstairs, ignoring their protests.
"I'll see you back at Hogwarts," I said as I opened the door. George looked at me sadly, and I was reminded suddenly of our almost kiss. I had a reason to look forward to Hogwarts now.
"Don't forget to do your homework," I said with a sad smile before I turned and walked into the dark night. I raised my wand, and before anyone else could protest I had called the Knight Bus. George came running outside before it arrived and grabbed me in a crushing hug. I hugged him back, pouring all my feelings into the hug.
"Don't believe a thing that stupid git said," he whispered in my ear as the bus pulled up. "You're not a nutter. You're a smart, beautiful witch, and I'm thrilled you would even consider us." I smiled into the hugs, tears filling my eyes again, but they weren't of sadness this time. It took everything I had to let go of him and get on the Knight Bus. He waved at me the entire time before the bus sped off.
Thanks for your thoughts and comments guys, And don't forget to read and Review! They make my day and are the best! let me know if theres anything you'd like to see, or if you have any ideas for plots or changes to the books you'd like to see.
Ps. Thanks to Ninja Goldfish for taking the time to beta read this chapter.