Still not mine, this chapter is longer than the first two, couldn't find a good place to break it up. Hope you like it.

sexymarauders – Thank you for all of your feedback. I really appreciate it. Tenses are the hardest part for me. Kind of new to whole writing thing. Any suggestions you have for me on how to be better J I will take.

I was wondering if anyone was going to ask, I had planned on addressing this in next chapter or two J

Everyone's heads turn slowly to look to Molly and Arthur to see them smiling, which is sign that they can relax a little. "She is basically family already just it will be official now." Molly says smiling and clapping her hands. Everyone erupts in applause and congratulations all around.

Ginny is jumping up and down and swings Hermione around in a big circle. Hugging her tighter and tighter, "I am so glad for you." In her ear she says, "George is lucky to have you."

Laughing and talking, almost like they forget that several of them are still waiting on letters that may change their lives. Harry and Ginny and Ron and Luna are already engaged, so they are safe from the law, they will not be separated. The ministry had decided that they may get a better response if they gave current couples the chance to stay together. If the couple is engaged and has registered with the ministry, in minimum one month before the letters were set to go out, they would be allow to stay in those relationship but would need to follow all other regulations set.

Like a shot, in flies the first owl, then the second, third and fourth. The owls land before each of the single Weasley men. Charlie, Percy, Fred and George. Breaking the ice, "I guess I will open mine and see my fate" George says. Hermione hits him and smiles. "Yep," he looks at Hermione, he leans over and kisses on her check, which everyone is a little shocked with the display of affection. "You are stuck with me."

"Ok oldest first, Charlie, open yours, then Percy and then Fred." Arthur says. "No time like the present, boys."

Charlie sighs and opens his letter and smiles "Amanda Cressworth, I know her, she is a healer at my reserve, she is really nice and a looker too. Helped me with a few burns not too long ago, can't complain with that one." His shoulders relax and he sits back in his chair.

Percy looks at his envelope like it is going to bite him "Sonia Abbott, not sure who she is, I wonder if she is any relation the Mr. Abbott in the office of Magical Transportation. I will have to ask him."

"Well old boy" Bill says clamping his hand down on Fred's shoulder "Your turn, go on open up yours."

Fred slides his finger in the envelope and pops the seal open. Hums to himself and slowly opens it, just to annoy everyone. "Good god man, open the damn thing already." Ron shouts. "Patience little brother," Fred says peeking into the envelope "Angelina Johnson! Can't believe it, I got to owl her I haven't seen her since we left Hogwarts."

Everyone looks relieved, in the scheme of things, they all faired very well. "It looks like the Ministry took some time and actually paired people together who might get along" Arthur states, smiling, happy for his family.

Bill gets up to leave shortly after the letters are read, he wants to tell Fleur everything, but before leaving he stops by Hermione, "You will never be able to make me look at you any differently than I already do, you are wonderful and beautiful. I am glad to be able to finally call you sister. Stop by sometime Fleur wants to see you and so we can discuss your nightmares that you have been having. Let me know if I need to beat some sense into him." Kisses her on the cheek and Floos home, Hermione and Fleur became close when Bill was helping Hermione heal after the incident at the Malfor Manor.

Percy leaves right behind him, "I will be in touch mum, bye everyone."

Charlie is also on his way, "Hermione, trust Mum, she is right, you did what you thought was right and kept them safe." He kisses her forehead and looks at his brother "She is far too good for you, you know that." And is off back to Romania to find Amanda and talk with her. She knows that there will always be a soft spot in his heart for her, he had surprised Bill with a visit the night they appariated to Shell Cottage. She would have never thought two of the Weasley boys would have played nurse to her, especially Bill and Charlie. She knows she will need to tell George about that too.

Everyone has starts wondering this way and that, doing their everyday thing. Molly is in the kitchen cooking and Arthur is out in his shop tinkering with some Muggle object he found at Diagon Alley. Ron and Harry are playing some wizard chess while Ginny has gone upstairs to lie down to relax. Fred is writing a letter to Angelina.

"Come on, let's go for a walk we need to talk." Taking him by the hand, Hermione pulls George through the kitchen.

"Hold on, you two, I want to have a little talk with you." Molly says turning around and giving her best mum look, "Please sit down, I am not going to yell or be cross with you, I just want to ask a few things. For my own sanity, I need to ask. Like George, when did you start calling her Meenie?"

"It was something I came up with during her first year because she could scare just about anyone, with just a look sometimes. I figured, Hermione, Moine, Meenie easy train of thought for me." He says laughing, "But then once we starting talking and working on school work together, it became my pet name for her."

"Next question, young lady, what gave you the idea that it was ok to sneak into the boy's dorm and get in bed with a teenage boy. I know you said nothing happened and I believe you but something could have. What would have happened had you gotten caught?"

"I know, Molly, not the brightest thing I have ever done but I didn't plan it, it started after a fight Ron and I had, don't even remember what about. I was in the common room, crying after everyone had gone to bed, George was coming back from raiding the kitchen. He sat down with me and started talking. We both were comfortable and before I knew it, it was morning. George conjured a blanket and stayed on the couch with me. I felt safe with him. Sooooooooo," dragging out that simple syllable as long as she could, "after the Troll incident, I couldn't sleep and was scared, I had Harry's invisibility cloak and decided I wanted to talk to George. So in I went and luckily he wakes easier than Fred and didn't come up swinging. I had only planned on talking for a little while but I was cold so I got under the blanket and fell asleep. Fred woke us up before any of the others got up. I didn't plan it that way but it happened."

"The boys did catch on later that year after another time she slept there but I told them, I would hex them into next week and Fred backed me on it if they said anything to her. Really it didn't matter to them, they just wanted to see if they could fluster Hermione and I told them not to. They knew they couldn't embarrass me but I knew she would be mortified." He shrugged his shoulders.

"How often did you go in there Hermione?" Molly asked exasperated.

"Not really all that often, maybe once or twice a semester, tried to not make a nuisance of myself. All the girls in my dorm wanted to talk about was clothes and boys, which I had no interest it. If I want to talk with someone, it had to be Harry, Ron or George and since Ron was most likely to have been the one to annoy me, I couldn't talk to him and tried not to put Harry in the middle. I promise before the nightmares last year I never snuck around the Burrow. I just didn't know how to deal with it all. I hope that you believe me and that it was never an ulterior motive."

Molly is now, rubbing her temples "It's just a lot to take in. We knew you were friends but no one, I think, realized how close you were."

"We didn't want anyone to know, not that there was anything to be ashamed of but we didn't want all the pressure of everyone saying boys and girls can't be friends. You that crap that there always has to be a motive. Mum, we have never even kissed other than me giving her a kiss on the forehead or cheek. It just wasn't something that ever came up." George said. "I just really liked spending time with her and she was no drama to me, to Harry and Ron, she was like a mother hen." He is laughing and she smacks him, hard on the arm. "It's the truth, you always told them, what to do, when to do it and how to do it. That doesn't mean they always listened but you tried to make them. She had a way to get them to do things. Me too, I guess, she is the reason I passed a few of my classes so well. She would make me sit there with her and do my work." Putting his arm around her and kissing her on the temple.

"Ok, I guess, I will never understand why or how you kept it a secret but I am happy you did. You might not have this strong of a friendship. I can't say I ever expected this but I couldn't be happier for you. Now go on, I think you two have a lot to talk about." Getting up and squeezing both of their hands and turning back to the sink and stove.

"Molly?"

"Yes, dear?" she says turning back around.

"Thank you," Hermione pulls Molly in close and whispers to her, "I love you "mum" I just wanted you to know that. I will always miss her but know I will never miss out on a mother's love with you here." A small sniffle passes between the two of them.

Molly swats at her, "Get before I put you to work, love." Wiping her eyes, she is going to be ok, it will take time but she is going to get there.

Grabbing her hand and pulling her out of the kitchen George asks, "What did you say to her, just then?"

"Nothing, just a little something between us. Let's go, we can sit down by the creek and talk." Hermione starts running and it is not long until George has past her by, his legs are considerably longer than hers. She starts slowing up to a jog as they near the creek. George is already under the shade tree, propped up on an elbow. He pats the grass next to him. She starts by saying "Thank you."

"For what?"

"For doing what you did, you didn't have to petition for me, you didn't need to make that sacrifice for me. I am lucky to have a great person like you in my life. I could be marrying someone awful, someone who doesn't want to be with me."

"I want this Hermione, I want you with me, not someone else. I don't consider this a sacrifice for me, if anything you have to put up with me. I was serious when I said what I said earlier. I care very deeply for you." He sighs "Last year when you were gone all the time with Ron and Harry, I worried about you constantly. Always wanting to know where you were, if you were ok and if you were coming back." Looking at her, chewing on his bottom lip.

"George. You only bite your lip when you are anxious, what is it?" staring at him, she has an idea of what it might be. She was surprised no one had asked it when she told her story.

"You went back to reverse the curse didn't you? I understand if you don't want to say but I want to help you. So I had to ask." Laying down and putting one arm behind his head and extending the other to her pulling her in close.

"I wouldn't expect anything else from you. Can it wait for another time? I have several things I need to tell you but I just want to enjoy sometime with you. I have missed this." Poking him lightly in his side "But you lied your mum, you did kiss me, once, or have you forgotten?" She giggled sleepily.

"No, I hadn't forgotten" she hears the smile in his voice "but I think telling my mum, I kissed you because Ron was being a prat would have sounded bad. Plus that was just one kiss and not a snog." He is playing with her hair, curling a lock around his finger and she has her hand on his chest. His breath is slowing down and he is relaxing, so is she, just like they always do. They have a relaxing factor for each other.

Flashback

Yule Ball, she is dancing with Victor, who is incredibly sweet and thoughtful but also incredibly dumb. As the song is finishing, he is taking her by the hand, leading her to a chair, placing her in the chair, kissing her hand and bowing quickly before walking away to get them a drink. She is smiling and thinking to herself, this is the most fun I have ever had. I can't believe all of those people are staring at me and wanting to be in my shoes. Ron flopping down in a chair next her and starts trying to make her feel bad about enjoying herself. Going on and on about how he is using her and that Victor didn't really want to bring her, he just wants to snog. Getting more and more frustrated, she is finally yelling at both him and Harry. Sending both of them to their room, as they storm away Ron is telling her she is crazy. She is now sitting on the stairs, crying, frustrated and wondering why she lets him get to her. Not realizing that Fred and George had been standing right there, they watched and listened to Ron treat her so badly. George walks over and sits down.

"Meenie," he says quietly kneeling on the step in front of her, "Don't worry your pretty little head about him, he is a prat and doesn't realize that there is a beautiful witch in front of him." leaning in to her and kissing her lightly on the lips, cupping her face with his hand. "Sooner or later, everyone will see the side of you I see. Smart, funny, loyal, beautiful and if I may say so a terrific snuggler." Getting her to smile a little. "Don't worry, most of us guys grow up sooner or later. If he doesn't, we will beat him in his sleep in the Burrow this summer. Go upstairs, go to bed, tomorrow will be better." Walking back to Fred and their dates, throwing an arm around Katie and they all wave good night to her. Fred, Angelina and Katie all look at him, not sure what is happening but with the twins, sometimes that was just how things go.

Katie didn't get jealous, they were just friends anyway. In fact she stopped by the next day at breakfast and told her "George is right, they will figure out sooner or later, that you are more than meets the eye, you are special. And if not, tell the twins they will get them. You are ok Hermione." Katie walking off, turning one more time to wink at her and out the Great Hall doors.

End of Flashback

They lay like that until Hermione is being woken up by Ginny shaking her lightly.

"Hermione, dinner's almost ready, mum sent me out to get you. Wake George and come back to the house." Ginny says quietly, normally she would have yelled at George as loud as she could but they looked so peaceful and comfortable, she couldn't bring herself to do it. After the emotional day Hermione has had, she wanted to give her friend sometime to enjoy things.

She is stretching and is starting to get up, "No, come here, I don't want to get up." George pulling her close to him, he has always hated getting up.

"George, dinner is almost done, Ginny was here, do you want you mum to send Fred or Ron for us next?" She says looking down at him. I really could have done worse, George is quite handsome, never really crossing her mind before. She leans down and pecks him on the cheek, "Come on, get up." Running her hands through his hair scruffing him up a bit.

"What was that for?"

"For being you, now get up or I am leaving you here by yourself." She gets up and dusts herself off and starts up for the house.

"Meenie, wait, I am coming." She turns to wait for him, he stands up, putting his arms high above his head, she never noticed how tall and lean he is. Twisting this way and that, to straighten his back out. "Going to have to stretch out before Quidditch practice tomorrow." He is working at the joke shop with Fred and still playing on Puddlemere United with Oliver Wood. Jogging to catch up, putting his arm around her neck and pulling her along. "Slow poke, get a move on its dinnertime."

Coming into the bustling kitchen, Hermione looks around at all of the commotion. She has always felt at home in this kitchen, noisy, busy, warm and welcoming. Heading around the table to her normal spot next to Ginny, when Molly's voice cuts through the air "Where do you think you are going, missy, your spot is next to George now. You can still across from Ginny." Hermione blushes a very deep shade of red, turning around to head back to where she came. Arthur smiles and pats her on the back as she walks around him. Settling in to dinner, not much is being said, it's Tuesday, so everyone is back to work tomorrow. The Ministry of Magic had declared today a holiday so that families could gather like this and take in the news together. After a few minutes, "So what is everyone doing this weekend? Will you be around for dinner on Saturday Hermione dear?"

Before she can answer, Ginny pipes up, "We are going out!" throwing her arms up in the air and laughing, "I have a hot date at dance club we like."

"Hot date?" confused Harry asks.

"Yep." Shoveling more food in her mouth, Ginny can eat just like her brothers "Hermoine. We planned on having dinner and then going and getting our groove on." Looking around and everyone, she shrugs. "What?"

"Don't you think, you two should have someone go with you?" Arthur suggests.

"Dad, who is going to mess with us? Huh? They would have to be crazy. I can hex like no other and Hermione has a wicked punch. Plus it is the same club we have gone several other times, just her and I."

"We could go too." Ron offering up his and Luna's Saturday night. "Then Harry and George can too. Like a group date."

"Un uh, I haven't gotten any alone time with Hermione in a while. I want her to myself. Plus now that she is going to be shacking up with my brother I want to get some gossip in."

"Ginny! I am not shacking up with him, that's not nice." Offend Hermione says. Now it is her turn to get elbowed by George with a grunt and a look. "Sorry George, I didn't mean that, the term shacking, just don't like it." Now growing redder and redder "It just sounds dirty and …." Now everyone is looking at her and grinning, all knowing that she is continuing right into a Hermione ramble, where she just keeps going and going. "Sorry." She says quietly. "How about this Ginny, you and I get dinner and then anyone who wants to can meet us for dancing?" hoping this might please everyone.

"I guess. I mean you are still my dance partner for the night, don't want anyone else getting you." Ginny smiles at her and winks. "Going to make you stay out all night with me. So be warned anyone who comes out, it's going to be a long night." Laughing loudly and patting Hermione's hand.

"Don't worry Ginny, it will be like last time, we can get breakfast before we go home."

"Breakfast? You guys stayed out long enough to get breakfast?" Ron asks, now looking like he is questioning his idea of going out.

"Well, if you want to, you meet us at 8, we will be out on the floor at Nirvana, it is a wizard run establishment in London, that is also open to Muggles, so be warned." Hermione tells them all.

When done with dinner, Molly shoves leftovers into Hermione's hands and sending her on her way with a hug and a kiss. "See you soon, love, let me know when you want to start planning the wedding."

The wedding bringing her back to reality, she had been enjoying everyone's company, so much so, she almost forgot about what was going on. "Hey, you ok, what's on your mind?" George asks quietly. He had escorted her around the corner into the living room, so that Hermione could Floo home.

"Oh nothing, just tired, got a lot to do at work tomorrow." Not wanting to let on the she is getting worried.

"Well, when you are ready to really tell me what is going on up there, you let me know. Do you want to try for dinner this week sometime? So that we can talk, just the two of us?" Leaning into her, squeezing her tight with both arms. "Bye Hermione, this will all work out, we will be ok."

"How about I owl you tomorrow after I see what all I have a work." Picking up Floo powder and stepping in the fireplace. "Bye George, we will talk soon. Hermione's House." She says and throws her Floo powder. Sliding out into her house, she is ready for bed. She does just that, settling in bed after changing and brushing her teeth. Closing her eyes.