Hey guys here's the next chapter. I hope you enjoy!
It was thanks to Hermione, Bill and Charlie that Fred and George didn't end up blowing the entire house up. Once mum found out about the two's idea's for a joke shop she was livid, confiscating every single sweet they had made. The three of them where locked in a shouting contest for the better half of an hour before Bill calmed Fred, Charlie Mrs Weasley and Hermione George. All it took was a hand placed gently on his arm and a murmur of 'lets go outside' and George was leaving the argument. His hands still shaking face beet red. He stormed after Hermione who walked quickly in front of his, hand clasped around his sleeve ensuring he was following her.
Only once they had gotten of the Weasley's property, The lovegood's house towering in the distance did Hermione stop turning to him in a hurry. George opened his mouth to start spewing complaints about his mother only to be stopped when the girl dived at him, arms wrapping tightly around his waist clinging onto him. He stood, at a loss for a second before hugging back.
"She was out of line" Hermione mumbled into his chest, George's mouth falling open in shock. Was Granger actually saying she didn't agree with Mrs Weasley. "But she's just upset about your OWL results. She'll come round" She urged.
"I doubt it" George said, anger slowly seeping from him as the hug went on for longer. "My results weren't that bad. Just because they weren't perfect like percys... It's just. We spent so long getting those just right. I can't believe she'd just bin them" George moaned. "How dare she just bin them! We worked hard. Fine I get it isn't the work she wants us to be doing but why can't we be happy!" George started, rant evidentially about to start.
"I'll help you make more"
"Excuse me?" George questioned, finally pulling out of the unusually long hug to look at the girl in front of him.
"I said I'll help you make more. If I'm there your mum won't suspect anything if any minor explosions happen. It wasn't fair of her to completely disregard your work, or your dreams, like that. So I'll help you, but you have to promise me that they won't go anywhere near Hogwarts. Okay?" She said resolutely.
"Seriously?" George asked, shocked.
"Promise me and yes"
"Okay. I promise you that anything you help make will not ever enter Hogwarts" George said quickly, the girl studying his features, once she knew he was telling the truth a smile broke out.
"Good. Now, go apologise to your mother, you said some rude things back there"
"bu-" George argued.
"You can still be mad at her. Just apologise for being rude" Hermione ordered. George went to object when the bushy haired girl opened her mouth again. "If you don't I won't help you"
"Are you blackmailing me Granger" George joked.
"Needs must." The girl declared "now lets go say sorry" With that the girl begun the trek back to the house George groaning slightly before making up his mind and running after her. His arm quickly finding it's place draped round her shoulders.
Getting their products confiscated for the second time was the last straw for Fred and George. The two made up their minds not to talk to Mrs Weasley again, unless it was completely necessary. No amount of Older brothers or Granger talks helped that fact. Leaving for the quidditch world cup was a bitter sweet affair. The twins excited to be going to such a big event but the fact they didn't have any products to sell put a damper on the event. The two sadly trudging in the middle of the ground. Hermione and Ginny where in front of them, the pair talking excitedly, Arthur walked a few paces in front of the girls, occasionally yelling out to pick up the pace. Behind Fred and George where Ron and Harry. George turned his head round to look at his younger brother and the boy who lived. Both looked dead on their feet. Sliding slowly through the grass, bleary eyed and yawning. Harry's mop of hair worse than usual.
George's mood was only turned worse once Amos and Cedric Diggory joined them. One because he still hadn't completely forgiven Cedric for beating Harry last year, sure the guy had offered a rematch but it still wasn't fair, and two, because of the small blush both his little sister and Hermione got when they saw him, turning their heads closer together and whispering. Soon a chorus of giggles sung out between them. Fred and George huffed unanimously. There moods brightened somewhat when they arrived at the portkey though, George watching the thoroughly confused harry as they crowded round the boot. Harry just grabbed it before they where spiralling sickeningly fast through. Although George was entering his 6th year in Hogwarts and had grown up in the wizarding world he hadn't used portkeys very often. Only 2 or 3 times in his life. Which meant he still hadn't got the hang of landing. His feet slipping out underneath him as the slammed into the floor, a hard thump against his chest signalled he wasn't the only one to fall. Cracking an eye open he looked around, Harry, Fred and Ron where also strewn on the floor, Cedric already helping the boy who lived up.
"I'm so sorry George" George's eyes moved from the others to Hermione slumped on top of him.
"It's fine." George said honestly, hands coming to waist on the girls waist ready to push her up into a sitting position.
"I really am sorry"
"It's really okay" George laughed, his bad mood disintegrating as the sounds of cheering quidditch fans filled his ears.
"Okay" The girl said nervously.
"Good"
"Get a room" Fred shouted, Hermione flushing red and suddenly flying off of him causing Fred to howl with laughter.
The tent wasn't all too exciting, a pretty normal tent in the wizarding world. Watching Harry and Hermione's faces however was pretty thrilling. The wonder that shone through every pore. Of course Hermione had read of things like this but this was her first time seeing it. George could practically feel her nerd boner growing.
"Girls, your tent is next door" Mr Weasley said as the boys started choosing beds. Fred moving towards a tucked away bunk bed, George hot on heels. The two fought over who would get the top bunk whilst the girls went to check out their tent.
"I'm older" Fred whined.
"It doesn't seem like it Gred." George joked. The two watching each other for a moment.
"Race you for it" The twins spoke at the same time, before climbing quickly onto the top bunk, which only ended up in the two lying together, cramped on the tiny bed. A loud pop echoed before Bill, Charlie and Percy wandered into the tent. Bill looking to them with a fond smile.
"Ron, Harry could you go get some water" Mr Weasley asked. Ron and Harry looking out of their respective bunks before harry was moving. The boy to use to doing chores quickly and efficiently. Ron followed him sluggishly.
"When's lunch" Fred shouted from next to George.
"When they get back with water." Mr Weasley called out.
"I have to go work" Percy snorted before striding from the tent.
That night, Fred and George felt a nervous energy running through them whenever they though about their bet with bagman. If they win then they might be able to start their shop earlier. That is of course if Mum stopped throwing away there inventions. Dinner was a lot quieter than lunch. The group of them sitting by a small fire outside eating burnt sausages. People slowly tapered off. Mr Weasley the first to go to bed. Then Percy. Ron and Harry followed soon after.
"I'm going to go change" George announced, wandering back into the tent and grabbing his pyjamas. The next time he left the tent it felt a lot chillier. The thin pyjamas doing next to nothing against the wind but it was a lot comfier. Especially when he settled down by the fire. It seemed his idea was a good one because soon after those left awake rushed inside to change.
Bill was the next to go to bed. When it was only the twins, Charlie, Ginny and Hermione left out Charlie pulled out a bag of marshmallows. The group sat roasting them over the dwindling fire. For a while, George reaching over to grab another log to throw on it when he realised they had run out.
"I'm going to go get a bit more wood" George mumbled, slipping his shoes on and wandering into the forest close to the camp ground. Around 15 minutes later he came back, His twin no where in sight.
"Fred went to bed. Said he'd get the top bunk whilst he could" Charlie informed him, laughing when George muttered a ;"prat" under his breath. The fire had gone out whilst he was gone. The few left awake sitting around the charred remains. George quickly rebuilt the shape with the help of Charlie, before pulling his wand out to light it.
"No." Charlie said, easily pushing his wand down.
"You're not going to make us try and light it the muggle way are you" George asked with a groan, causing Charlie to laugh.
"Course not. Ginny, Hermione. Do one of you want to light it?" Charlie asked, Ginny preening at the idea of being able to do under aged magic. Hermione noticing this waved for Ginny to do it.
"No one tell mum" Charlie said as Ginny pulled her wand out, quickly igniting the wood. Another 20 minutes and Charlie stood up. "right little sis. Time for you to sleep."
"What?" Ginny asked with a laugh.
"Come on I'm the adult in charge now Bill and dad are asleep and I say bed" Ginny looked to her older brother with a raised eyebrow. "Hermione, make sure George doesn't stay up all night. Lets go Ginny, get back in your tent. I mean you must be very tired, time to leave these two night owls to it yeah.
"but I don't want to slee.. yeah. I'm knackered. Night Hermione, George" Ginny stood up, doing an awfully fake stretch and yawn before walking into the tent. George turned to Charlie to ask him what but instead just got a happily smiling Charlie and a thumbs up before his older brother disappeared into the tent. A second later however he popped back out. Throwing a blanket at George.
"Goodnight guys" Charlie said, looking practically giddy.
"Um" George grunted whilst Hermione sung a goodnight.
The pair sat in silence for a while. Watching the flames as they danced in the wind. The two sat on opposite sides of the fire. The blanket Charlie threw over sitting unused next to George.
"So how are you liking your first real wizarding event?" George asked finally ending the comfortable silence.
"It's amazing" The girl replied, looking up to him brown eyes, eyes shining, face lit by the fluttering fire. "There are so many wizard's and witches here and watching them try to act like muggles is hilarious. Not to mention uplifting"
"uplifting?" George asked.
"Sometimes it feels like I know nothing about the magical world. I mean, sure I know of it. I've read about it but still I don't know what it's like to see it. Like the tent today, it was so magnificent to actually see that but it..it made me feel embarrassed that this was a new thing for me. Watching you all walk in like it's nothing. Then watching everyone here. Trying to pretend to be muggles. It just shows me that even if I'm not use to this world yet at least I have some idea of what to expect where as a lot of wizards and witches are totally clueless about my world." Hermione spoke whilst watching the fire.
"Although the muggle world is your world, you do know this is your world to right. You don't ever have to feel like an outsider here, it doesn't matter whether you're seeing it for the thousandth time or the first time, you still belong here...and Are we really that bad?" George asked, Hermione head shooting up to him before quickly shaking her head.
"No. I mean. Not you, just some of the people here, they have absolutely no clue about the muggle world. It's rather comical." The two lapse back into silence. This time it's Hermione who breaks the silence.
"Are there any Marshmallows left?" She asks, peering to Georges side of the fire. George nods, grabbing at the bag of Marshmallows and moving round the circle to flop unceremoniously next to her. Placing the marshmallows in-between them.
"thank you" The begin once again roasting Marshmallows holding a conversations as they do so, talking about everything and anything. Occasionally it's about Hogwarts, other times about the muggle world. Hermione's old life before Hogwarts Before long it's just her talking, talking about her muggle classmates. Speaking of the different lessons they did. George watching her face flickering in and out of the warm glow of fire light. George noted she didn't talk about friends, when she spoke of people she would talk about the teachers or just name a classmate and say something they did in class. Rather than talking of a time they had outside of class. Like she would know if asked about Hogwarts. Her stories would be full of Harry and Ron. Others including the Twins and Lee. She took a breath, licking her lips to wet them before she continued on about school. George should have noticed he was watching her too closely when he noticed the goosebumps beginning to appear. Instead he reached round the fire, grabbing the blanket and carefully wrapping it round her shoulders as she continued to talk. His hands gently pulling her hair out from underneath the blanket so it could splay down her back rather than clinging around her neck. Her eyes found him, Lips upturning in a smile.
"thank you. So where was I...Right. So P.E Is basically-" She continued. George found himself another marshmallow, passing her one as he stuck his own onto the end of his stick and hung it near the fire to toast. Hermione followed his lead. Explaining what P.E was as she went, going into the different games and sports they would play. She pulled the blanket from her shoulders, slipping closer to George, still holding her marshmallow over the fire. Once the two's thighs where pressed together she laid the blanket over their laps. George dropped his free arm over her shoulders. Before she pulled the marshmallow out of the fire, carefully taking it from the stick and nibbling away at it. Talking in between small bites. George vaguely heard something about a game called bench ball when a large smile lit up her face. She popped the rest of the marshmallow into her mouth. Some of the melted goo falling onto her bottom lip as she turned to finally face him.
George could feel the warmth of her leg pressing against his. Her breath dusting over his face. Honey eyes shining that's all for me is all he could think, she didn't need to be telling stories of her past but here she was, sitting talking about her past, trying to explain the finer points of something called bench ball to him. She'd yawned a few times, she was obviously getting sleepy but still she sat with him. Talking quietly under the stars, the warmth of the fire slowly dying out as it got smaller and smaller. A new thought entered his mind as His eyes trailed across her not so bushy hair. To her crinkled in happiness eyes. To her button nose dotted with a few freckles and finally to her mouth. She was smiling, George wasn't even listening to what was making her smile but could still feel his lips turning upwards happily as he watched her, too large front teeth protruding further than the rest as she let out a small chuckle. She's perfect rung round and round in his head. From her bushy hair and bunny teeth to her bookworm nature she's perfect. There wasn't a single thing he would change about her.
"George?" She asked quietly. I love you George replied in his head, blinking dumbly a few times before he caught up with his mind. His eyes widening and his body pulling away from hers slightly. His mind was suddenly running a mile a minute what in merlin's name did you just think. George shook his head to try and get the three words that where circulating, begging to be spilt into the quiet night, out of his head.
"George" The girl tried again, George pushing everything to the back of his mind.
"yeah" He asked, voice hoarse. He wanted to tell her to shut up, tell her to go back to her tent and leave him to his existential crisis.
"Your marshmallows on fire"
"what?" George stared into her eyes, trying to figure out how that linked up to his thoughts at all before he felt the aching in his arm. Eyes travelling over to it still held near the fire, Marshmallow blazing brightly on the end of his stick. "oh" George said, still confused before his mind kicked in again. "OH!" George quickly pulled it away from the fire blowing hard on the charred sweet. He left it a few seconds before carefully biting into it. Only to find out it was burnt through not just a charred outside. With that revelation he threw it into the fire. He could hear the sweet sound of Hermione laughing ringing in his ear before a pressure was on his shoulder. His head whipping over to see the top of a bushy head of hair. She's leaning on you. So what she's done that a hundred times George scolded himself as he watched the top of the head. Taking a few deep breaths he calmed his racing heart. It's just because it's a relatively romantic situation and you're tired, you don't have feelings for Granger. With that in mind George placed his arm back round her, his arm having left her shoulders when he noticed his burning marshmallow.
They fell back into their normal dynamic, this time George was actually listening to her and joining in the conversation. Time past quickly, George proud that no more dangerous thoughts had popped into his mind, which meant that yes it was just a one time, I'm tired and not thinking straight thought. The hours flowed by, the two leaning on each other more and more as time past eyes getting sleepier and sleepier. Before long the darkest hour had a approached. Hermione standing up suddenly George jumping at the sudden movement. Blinking the sleep out of his eyes.
"Lets watch the sunrise!" She exclaimed. The fire had long since burned out and the girl had taken the blanket with her in her rush to stand up leaving George shivering in the cold morning air. He had no time to object, a hand grabbing his before he was yanked up and the two where running through the quiet camp-site. She stopped when they where both madly panting for breath, standing outside of the camp-site. Looking over the sloping prairie, the darkness beginning to fade as an orange hue painted the sky, the few clouds looking pink in the light. The two stood there panting as they watched the sun slowly come from it's hiding place, peeking over the horizon. The morning dew dusted the emerald grass. Hands still clasped they watched it's simple beauty. George couldn't remember the last time he watched the sunrise. It made him feel like he was missing out every other morning as he looked over the scenery. His heart swelled, the sun shinning on them it's allure filling him with the feeling that he could do anything. Climb a mountain, open a joke shop, you name it he could do it as long as the sun shone like this. Many people over the country where sitting watching the sunrise, or travelling to work but no matter how many times you saw it, you always got the same feeling whilst watching it's glory, the feeling that it was for you.
He felt Hermione's gaze, his head flipping towards her only for her to burst out in loud snorting laughter. It took a matter of milliseconds before George was laughing to, unsure as to why.
"why are you laughing" he gasped out a few seconds later.
"Your hair" She squawked George raising an eyebrow to her, his body still rocking from random laughter. "It's the same colour as the sky" She cackled, George watching as she doubled over, one hand pressed to her mouth trying to stifle the laughs. Other hand still clasped tightly with the Weasley's. When she finally stopped laughing and looked back to him her eyes where watery. Her breath coming out in pants once again. Her body occasionally rocking with another laugh and a smile brilliant enough to stop George from noticing the sunrise spread across her face. You're so beautiful, I lo-NOPE George pulled his hand quickly away from hers. She didn't seem to notice though, eyes once again having found the sunrise. George stood watching her, mouth agape. This is not happening you cannot seriously be doing this brain, go fuck yourself you stupid George chided himself in his mind. Angrily swearing and screaming before deciding to once again go with the 'I'm just over tired' excuse.
"Lets head back" George spoke, trying to calm his raging heart. She turned to him, before nodding. The two walked back, every time she took a step closer to him he'd take a small, hopefully unnoticeable step away. The two finally made their way back to the tent.
"that's for coming with me" She said awkwardly as they stood outside the tents, the walk back had been a quiet one, thanks to George who would just grunt whenever she tried to start a conversation. George just gave a small nod in response. Before she kicked at some dirt a flash of hurt flicked across her face George mentally kicking himself as she went to enter her tent.
"Sweet dreams" He spluttered out. The girl turned to him, a smile now evident on her face.
"Goodnight George" She turned again, lifting the flap when George reached out grabbing her wrist.
"Uh..Granger. Thanks. For you know..dragging me to the sunrise"
"Any time. And I'm pretty sure it's meant to be 'oh and Granger' no uh"
"Well I'm tired I can make a few mistakes." He joked so fucking beautiful "GOODNIGHT!" George yelped stepping back away quickly and walking into his own tent leaving a confused Hermione in his wake.
Asleep in the doorway of the tent where Bill and Charlie. George looked to him confused for a few seconds before he went to make his way to his bed. Only for his ankle to suddenly be grabbed dragging it out from underneath him George tumbled to floor. Spinning over quickly to see Bill and Charlie looking sleepily at him.
"Where do you think you're going mister" Bill grumbled.
"To bed" George said, confused.
"Nu uh uh. Not until you spill every last detail. We have ten galleons resting on this" Charlie cooed, slowly crawling along the floor like a lethargic slug towards him.
"What the hell are you talking about"
"keep it down little bro. Don't want to wake dad and let him know you've been out till" Bill pops the tent flaps open peering out "sunrise. Damn you where out there a long time" He finishes, closing the tent flaps.
"So. Did you admit your love. Did she swoon" Charlie asks, hands now tugging at George's shirt
"Did she confess her undying love to Ron?" Bill asks.
"Did you kiss" Charlie all but whimpers
"Did she punch you for trying to kiss her" Bill argues.
"What the hell are you on about?" George snaps.
"Your undying love for Granger obviously" Bill and Charlie say at the same time.
"What. I'm not. She's just. I don't." George splutters, body turning a nice red like the earlier sky. "You're sick and I'm tired" George ends up going with before slapping Charlie's hands away and storming to his bed. Cocooning himself in the itchy blankets, he listens as Bill and Charlie wander to their respective beds, realising they must have been sitting eaves dropping all night until the eventually fell asleep. He ends up trying to think of ways to make eaves dropping easier, a possible product for the shop, it doesn't work to well. His mind continuously going back to Granger's smile. Just sleep, you'll be back to normal in the morning. George reminds himself every time. Eventually he falls into a fitful sleep. One he'll be woken from in a few hours as everyone prepares for the day.
Thank you so much for reading. Please Review! It really makes me want to write more and it helps me know what you guys are thinking about the story x