Chapter 13

Hermione'd been pacing back and forth in the hall just inside the front door for thirty minutes. George had told her that he and his uncles were stepping out for a quick errand and would be bringing home lunch. That was hours ago. Having been so absorbed in her research, she hadn't noticed their extended absence until her stomach reminded her she'd skipped lunch. Casting a tempus and realizing how late it was had sent her into a near panic.

They were in the middle of a war. Every time they stepped out of the heavily warded house there was a risk they might not come back. Normally she wouldn't worry so much, especially as they'd said they were going for lunch in a muggle neighborhood. But they were hours overdue and every possible scenario played out in her mind as the minutes ticked by with no sign of them.

Pacing away from the door, noise from the stoop had her whirling around with her wand ready. She held her breath as the lock clicked and the door swung open. When Gideon stepped through, infuriating laughter falling from his smiling mouth, anger welled up and found release in the form of a stinging hex to his shin.

He yelped in pain. "Dammit woman! What the bloody hell?"

"'What the bloody hell' he says? Where the bloody hell have you been?"

Fabian came in behind his brother, wand up and ready to defend. "What do you mean? George told you we were stepping out. We were a bit longer than we meant to be but…"

"A bit?!" Hermione could hear how shrill her voice was getting but she was too angry to care as George brought up the rear, looking contrite. "A bit? Do you have any idea what time it is? You've been gone for hours!"

George held up a hand, the other seeming to hold something just inside his jacket. "I'm sorry, Hermione. We got a bit lost on the tube and…"

She was aghast. "The tube? You lot took the bloody underground? Why in the world… that's a confusing mess for the uninitiated muggle. If you wanted to see some bloody trains so badly, why didn't you ask me to come? Do you have any idea how worried I was?"

Gideon attempted to get between her and George. "Now, Hermione, don't be too mad at George. It's not his fault we're so late. Blame Fabian…"

When she raised her wand at him, hair beginning to spark and glaring ferociously, Gideon wisely backed away. Approaching her cautiously, George truly did look sorry but she had been so worried about him and she was furious at how they all seemed as though it was no big deal.

"Some… I'm sorry Hermione. We didn't mean to worry you but I…"

She couldn't help it. She smacked him hard in the arm. "Anything could have happened. Death Eaters could have found you. You could have been hurt or worse! Why didn't you let me know you'd be so long? Couldn't you have at least sent a patronus or something?"

Wincing, George shook the sting from his arm, his voice low so only she could hear. "We didn't think about it... and you know I… you know I can't cast that anymore, Hermione."

Blinking rapidly as she realized what she'd just said, nearly all of her anger dissipated. Looking into his hurt, brown eyes, guilt and exhaustion replaced the earlier anger. "I'm sorry, George. I shouldn't have… I'm just so… I was so scared, George. But I… I'm sorry."

Hanging her head and squeezing her eyes against tears, she heard the kitchen door open and close behind her as Gideon and Fabian left them alone in the hall. George's warm hand settled on her shoulder and gently tugged her towards himself. Giving in, she allowed him to wrap an arm around her, dropping her forehead against his chest.

"Hey, I'm sorry too. You're right, we should have warned you. I could've had one of them do it… I really didn't mean to worry you. Just the opposite actually."

She tipped her face to the side so she could see him. "What do you mean? What was your errand?"

His small huff of breath stirred the hair around her face and he dropped his arm so he could fish for something in his pocket. "Well, I guess it seems kind of pointless now given how much it's upset you but…" He pulled out a small business card and placed it in her hand. "You'd mentioned it the other day… I thought maybe it might cheer you up to see them. If it was up to you I didn't think we'd go any time soon."

First Rate Smiles

Dr's. Granger and Granger, DDS

Appointment reminder: 14, April at 11:30

For: Helen Wilson

"I have one too. Never had my teeth cleaned before. Your Mum was so shocked when I told her, she insisted I schedule one for myself as well. I'm seeing your Dad."

"Oh, George…" Now she felt even worse for her outburst. The damn sweet man, he was making it so hard not to go and fall completely in love with him. She wanted to kiss him. Instead she clutched the appointment card to her chest and smiled widely up at him. "I can't believe you did this. But… Why did you take the tube?"

Looking sheepish, he adjusted whatever he had in his jacket and ran his free hand through his hair. "Well… I guess I thought we could make a day of it. Get out of the magical world for a bit. I wanted to… try it on my own. Thought you might be impressed if I knew how to make my way through muggle transportation without you having to hold my hand." He laughed. "Didn't go as well as I'd planned. It's a bloody confused mess, those trains."

Amused, she shook her head. "But you managed in the end?"

"Ah well… It was a group effort but, yeah—ouch!" Wincing he peeked into his jacket. "Alright mate, steady on."

"George." His attention snapped back to her, looking for a moment like a caught out child before a smile that made her heart race split his face. "What have you got there?"

"Well…" George looked, for the first time since before the end of the war, truly like his old self. Mischief and the bubbling anticipation of her reaction to whatever it was he was up to lit his eyes as he looked exaggeratedly between her and his jacket. "This morning as we were making our way down Diagon, I happened to see something I knew you'd like. We left the future so abruptly, and I'm sorry to say I'd forgotten about poor Jacksy."

Hermione frowned, curiosity peaked. "George, Jacksy won't even be an egg yet, what are you on about?"

Smile unwavering, he held his jacket open just enough so that he could see what he was hiding but she couldn't. When she craned her neck to try and get a better look, he shifted slightly away from her. "And I know how badly you missed that orange beastie of yours. It was good of you to leave him with your parents but I know it killed you to do it, even if you never said."

Gasping, she grabbed him by the sleeve to keep him from moving away when she tried harder to see what he had. "George! Show me what you've got right now!"

The amused grin widened as he finally opened his jacket, revealing a small, black and white ball of fluff clinging to his shirt by its claws. "I have no idea how old Crooks was so we'll keep an eye out for him whenever we're in Diagon but for now… I saw him in the menagerie and knew he was meant for you."

She could only hold out her hands as he gently tugged the kitten's paws free from his shirt and handed him to her. "Oh George! He's perfect!" The tiny half-kneazle had a squashed face too, and bright green eyes that stared up at her with familiar intelligence.

"The man at the shop said he was the smallest from his litter. There were two others with him still but this one…" He pointed at the cat who was now nuzzling under her chin. "I just knew he was the one for you."

As a comforting purring hummed between them—George watching them with a satisfied smile—Hermione remembered with sudden anguish just how long it would take them to end the war. She'd promised herself she would keep her feelings for George contained until then, until it was safe. But the wonderful man...

It wasn't just the cat or even the appointment with her parents. It was so many little things over the last several months, the last few weeks… the year ahead of them felt even longer than it had that morning.

"Are you alright, Hermione?" Smile fading, George tucked a loose curl behind her ear as his brows knit in concern. "Should I not have got him?"

I love you, you sweet man.

She shook her head. "No, I'm fine. Perfect actually. Thank you, George."

Beautiful smile firmly back in place, George ran two fingers along the back of the kitten. "You're welcome, Hermione."

Standing on the street outside her parents first dental practice, Hermione felt paralyzed with anxiety. She'd been a little girl in that office. Learned to read in the lobby on the cozy, simple chairs when her parents had a free minute between patients. But the people in there weren't her parents. They were young and newly married and little Hermione was still months away.

"We're going to be late, love. Your Mum seemed very nice, I'm sure it'll be ok."

Swallowing her nerves, Hermione nodded. He'd had a similar reaction to meeting his parents again and she'd taken his hand and reminded him it would be alright. Now here he was, doing the same for her. Smiling her thanks, she took his offered hand now too.

It was exactly as she remembered, minus the small shelf of books they would eventually keep for her and other children. Clean and comfortable. Happy memories brought a smile to her face as she followed George to the familiar front desk.

"Good afternoon, Dr Granger. Nice to see you again."

Her mother grinned brightly up at George and stood from the desk. "George, and you as well." Familiar blue eyes took in Hermione. "This must be your Helen?" Apparently noticing their similar features, her mother paused, her lips pursing in a way that Hermione knew meant she was considering something she thought ridiculous. "Wilson was it? I wonder if we could be related. My mother was a Wilson."

Shaking her head with a small laugh, she shrugged it off. "My name is Helen as well, I'll be checking your teeth today. Your fiancé mentioned you'd had your wisdom teeth out recently?" She came round the desk with a clipboard and pen.

"Yes. Just about a month ago now. I've not had any pain but I thought I'd like to have them looked at. And establish care now we're living in London again."

"Wonderful. Well, here…" She handed her the clipboard and pen. "Fill this out, and here George is one for you, and let me know when you're done. Richard is just finishing up and we'll be ready for you both."

Her mum headed back to the exam rooms, leaving them in the lobby to fill out their forms. "I'd forgotten they didn't hire Marge until after they'd had me."

"Marge?" George looked up from his form and tugged her to the seat beside him when he realized she was still standing and staring at the place her mother had been.

"She'll be their receptionist, very sweet older lady. Used to sneak me homemade biscuits once in a while when my parents were busy with patients."

He smiled to himself as he turned back to his form. "Sounds like a nice lady."

"She was… is."

Hermione filled out her own form and a few minutes later her mother returned, taking their forms and beckoning them to follow her back. They discussed her dental history and her more recent surgery before getting down to the exam.

"Well, your gums look like they've healed nicely back here as well. It's quite clear you've been taking proper care of your teeth."

When her mother pulled her tools out of her mouth and handed her a cup of water to swish, Hermione held back a laugh. "Yes. Proper dental care is quite important to my parents."

Her mother snorted with amusement. "I almost wish I'd taken George. Did you know he's never seen a dentist? Not once? Said he had unconventional parents." She shook her head. "Well, Richard will set him right. How did you two find each other anyway? He seems like a lovely young man, smitten as he should be. Did you meet on the continent?"

Blushing at her mother's inquiries and assessment, Hermione laughed softly. "Yes, unconventional… I love his family though. And no, we met here, in school actually."

Helen smiled ruefully as she rolled her chair back from Hermione's side. "It's a good thing you love his family. My Richard and I married young as well… went through Uni together. But his mother, oh she was just horrible." Thankfully she had turned towards a cabinet as she continued. Hermione was unable to hide her eye roll and amused smirk. She had heard this story countless times. Her mother and gran had never got on.

"Such a harpy that woman, no one could ever be good enough for her 'Richie.' And she did her absolute best to try and break us up, went completely mental when she found out we'd eloped." She turned around, a wicked smirk on her face. "But unluckily for her, Richard is no mummy's boy. Told her he loved me and that was that. She could accept it or not, but we were married and he couldn't be happier."

Laughing with her mother, Hermione nodded. "My mother always told me to remember you marry the family, not just the man."

"Smart woman, she is."

They both eventually fell silent, Helen watching her with amused confusion. "You know—and this is so unprofessional, forgive me but—it just feels like I've known you for ages. We've only just met but… it feels like we should be friends?"

The earlier anxiety came back and she didn't know what to say. On the one hand it might not be a good idea, especially considering eventually little Hermione would come along and that would likely be rather strange. And with the war, it could potentially be dangerous. But then again, they had both problems with the Weasley's and she really wanted this. Her mother had just given her the perfect excuse. Opening her mouth to respond, she was cut off when a loud bark of laughter came from the other exam room.

"Well, it seems like they're getting along well too." Helen stood from her rolling stool and poked her head out the door. "What's going on out here?"

Her father and George came into view around the open door, both looking pleased with themselves. "Oh nothing, love. Just enjoying a chat on the way out. All done as well?"

Hermione stood too, smiling again, and joined them in the hall. George took her hand as she turned back to her mother. "When do you take your lunch? Perhaps I could drop by later this week or next?"

"That'd be lovely!"

GH

Out on the street, George watched her for a while as they walked, his hands in his pockets. "I think I quite liked your dad. I can see where you got your brilliant hair."

She snorted. "Yes well… I think I got my sense of humor from Mum. He's so boisterous sometimes and honestly a bit mischievous." She glanced at him. "Not unlike you, actually. Though of course not half so good at it as you and Fred were… will be I guess."

Unable to help the small smile, George nodded. "He seemed like a kindred spirit."

When she leaned into his side, he put an arm around her shoulders as they continued walking. "Do you think it's a good idea to get close with your parents? We're more or less unknowns right now but with all we're doing it's possible we might become targets."

"Maybe… but I need this too, George. We can always set up wards around their house."

He squeezed her shoulder. "Alright. We can do that."

They walked in silence for a while before she spoke again. "So, why didn't you just take the Knight Bus when you realized you'd gotten so lost?"

George groaned. "Pure stubbornness. And Gideon was right. It was definitely Fabian's fault. I wanted to take the right route from the start but he seemed to think we needed to change trains loads of times to get there and we ended up on the other side of London."

Laughing, Hermione shook her head. "Did they really get dates?"

"Apparently my uncles are real casanovas." He shook his head. "Guess they used to go out with their muggleborn friends pretty regularly. 'Those blood purists don't know what they're missing.'"

She scoffed. "I should be offended but… well there are striking differences in muggle and magical dating customs." A suppressed smirk twisted her lips as she looked up at him with mock suspicion. "Any plans to join them the next time they go out looking for muggle ladies?"

If he wasn't fairly confident of her feelings for him, George might have been offended. "Definitely not. What would my fiancé say?" When she laughed, he wished it weren't just for show. Steering her around an oncoming gang of teens and wanting to avoid thinking of all the things he couldn't let himself have, George changed the subject. "I know how much you love shopping, but I'm tired of transfigured clothes."

"I guess you're right." She sighed. "We'll need robes as well. I can't imagine we can avoid the greater magical community forever."

"So… shopping and lunch?"

A/N Shout out to amk41196 I so appreciate all of your comments! Definitely not a bother, I love comments even if its just a smiley face to let me know your there! I am so glad you are enjoying this, and you're right; it would be hilarious to see George and Percy time travel together!