A/N One of my favorite and most reworked and nit picked chapters. I am so excited for everyone to read, PLEASE let me know what you think!

Chapter 17

Neither Gideon nor Fabian had been best pleased with the pair of them for dashing off to the home of a Death Eater in the middle of the night without telling them. Even if he was on their side, anything might have happened. Seeming to forget—or just choosing to ignore—the fact that they were both fully grown adults capable of making decisions and defending themselves, his uncles had spent far too long lecturing them about being responsible and safe. George was their 'ickle nephew' after all and therefore somehow their responsibility.

Regardless, their lectures had been unnecessary. Both Hermione and George were keenly aware of the danger they were in. The day after their early morning warning from Snape, George had gone with Hermione to a public phone in the city to call her parents to let them know they wouldn't be able to meet them for a while. She had said something about being out of town, but George had been too focused scanning the street behind them to catch the whole conversation.

After that, they had spent the next several days extremely focused on their work. If their products were having such an unexpected impact on Voldemort's plans they would double down. That they stayed inside their strong wards for the time being, all the better. George wasn't afraid of a fight and neither was Hermione, but venturing out could put anyone around them at risk.

Unfortunately, his uncles were still working for Dumbledore. Apparently he had no problem continuing to put them in harm's way by sending them on missions. When they'd come home one night bloodied after a run in with the Death Eaters that had been tracking them, it was George's turn to lecture them.

"You two need to tell Dumbledore to sod off already! He knows you're both priority targets. There's no bloody excuse for him sending you out like this! At the very least, I don't see how you could possibly not be compromising any missions he is sending you on!"

"George…" Fabian frowned irritably up at George from where he sat beside his brother, patching up the slicing hex that had caught his side.

"No. Don't you, 'George' me. You know I'm right! What's he even playing at?" Still fuming, George paced around the room stopping in front of Hermione where she sat on the other side of Gideon. "Is this just another ploy to get us to work with him?"

Huffing and shaking her head as she inspected the changing diagnostic charm, Hermione mumbled through clenched teeth. "If it is, he's an even bigger idiot than I thought."

"Right? Does he think we're stupid?"

Gideon's dry chuckle became a hiss of pain at his brother's ministrations. "I thought you said you knew Dumbledore? He's always the smartest man in the room, didn't you know?"

Groaning and dragging his fingers through his beard, George paced the room one more time and threw himself into an open chair. "Underestimating us isn't doing him any favors."

None of them spoke after that, Hermione and Fabian focused on what they were doing. But George stared at the wooden beams running across the ceiling, growing more annoyed by the second. After his fourth dramatic sigh, Hermione sat up straight and glared at him.

"George. Stop that before I silence you." Glaring right back, he opened his mouth to retort but the sparks beginning to form at the ends of her curls made him pause enough to consider whether or not this particular hill was really worth maybe actually dying on. "I'm angry too, but dramatics won't get us anywhere, especially considering we're all more or less stuck here for the time being."

Before he could think of anything less inflammatory to say, Fabian canceled the diagnostic charms and stood. "Alright, that's it. We need to get out of here, all of us and go somewhere we know is safe." Hands on his hips, he looked down at George. "I know why you've been avoiding the Burrow but we've done the wards ourselves. It's one of the few places I'd feel safe. The boys would be thrilled to see us, especially you Hermione. And unless you're planning to move abroad after the war, you're just going to have to get over your aversion to yourself."

Gut beginning to churn, George looked away from his uncle. He was right of course, but that didn't mean he had to like it. Eyes landing on Hermione's, her small, encouraging smile was enough.

"Alright."

Just like their first visit to the Burrow and the times Arthur had brought the boys to theirs, Bill and Charlie were all chaos and excitement to see their uncles. Little Percy, always spending the better part of their afternoon visits with Hermione, ran up to her with babyish giggles and arms outstretched.

"Hello again little Percy!" She scooped him up, kissing his round sticky cheeks. "I missed your sweet little face."

George watched the moment with a smile and a warm feeling he was finally beginning to get used to again. It was still a little strange to see his uptight older brother as a happy toddler. He wondered at what point that had changed and if it would be the same this time.

"Ah, hello Gideon, Fabian. Good to see you." Arthur sidled into the room, hands in his pockets and a comfortable smile on his face. "George, Helen! Lovely to see you again. I see you've found your little friend, Helen. He's been asking to see you ever since we came round last time. Poor chap's not been getting the attention he's used to anymore. I'm sure he's just thrilled you're here."

Hermione laughed, adjusting Percy so he sat on her hip. "I'm happy to spoil him while I'm here. How is Molly feeling today?"

"Absolutely knackered, but as happy as ever." He ruffled Percy's hair and smiled at Hermione. "I really appreciate you offering to do lunch. Even with magic, when they stop sleeping properly about this time, there's really nothing for it. Especially with two of them at once."

George smiled as he watched his father follow his brothers and Gideon out to the garden. He really had had such a wonderful childhood.

"Shall we go make lunch, Percy? I've brought biscuits, would you like one?"

Percy shrieked with delight and clapped his hands together. "Bee-coot!"

Her laugh was musical and the smile she flashed him before turning for the kitchen was beatific. Just like always, for a moment George could almost forget about the war. Fabian had been right, they needed this. If only they could stay there in that peaceful bubble forever.

"Alright, George?" Fabian stepped up beside him, hands on his hips and a knowing smirk on his face. "You up for some quidditch?"

GH

"Oh Percy, your Mum really is amazing. I don't know how she makes this much food three times a day." Hermione bustled back and forth between the stove top and the counter where different things peeled and chopped themselves.

"Magic helps. I feel bad for muggle women with so many children."

She nearly upset a platter spinning around in surprise. "Molly! Ah… you must be Molly."

The other woman, so much younger than she remembered, walked into the kitchen and sat down beside her son. Hermione clenched her fists to stop herself rushing her for a hug. Ever since she had come back from her first trip to Australia without her parents, Molly had been there for her. She couldn't hug her now though. She didn't know this Molly.

"And you must be Helen. I've heard all about you and my newfound cousin from Bill and Charlie. Your hats are amazing but… did you really ride a dragon?"

Hermione breathed a nervous laugh and smiled. "Yes. Once. It wasn't as exciting as it sounds. Terrifying, actually."

"Really?" She looked astounded for a moment before chuckling and reaching to take a biscuit from the tin in front of Percy. "I thought for sure they'd made it up. Well, no wonder they were so excited."

Ending the spell that was mixing the fruit salad, and the other making the sandwiches, Hermione brought the platters to the table and sat beside the other woman. "I guess it would seem fantastical to a little boy."

Laughing around a bite of biscuit, Molly shook her head and wiped the crumbs from Percy's cheeks. "It seemed fantastical to me! Even Dumbledore said they must have misheard you. Couldn't believe it himself."

All the humor drained from Hermione at the mention of the headmaster, but she forced her smile to stay and only allowed a hint of curiosity into her voice. "Dumbledore? Did you visit Hogsmede?"

"Oh goodness no." Molly laughed again. "He dropped by for a visit just the other day. It was such a surprise, he's never visited us before. Said he heard from my brothers about the twins and thought he'd been late in bringing us something. Two wooden rocking Babbity Rabbitys and a lovely roast that we ate on for two days."

Her smile turned thoughtful and after a moment she looked back at Hermione curiously. "He did ask an awful lot about you, Helen, and George. Of course, I'd not met you yet. Arthur went on and on about your shield hats and the boys told him all about your dragon… oh and how well your George can fly." She chuckled softly. "It almost seemed like he wanted…" Her brows knit and she started to say something else but she stopped herself, shaking her head to dismiss whatever thought she'd had.

"Anyway, the babies are both sleeping, and at the same time too. Thought I'd come down and see if you needed any help."

Blinking rapidly and trying to ignore the rising dread, Hermione decided she needed to speak with George immediately. "Um.. well I think I've finished, actually. I'll just go call in the boys, shall I?"

Molly's smile was wide as she sent her on, but Hermione could only nod politely in return. Once outside, she waved up at George and the others, calling them in for lunch. As everyone traipsed through the garden and back into the house, George immediately noticed her anxiety and stopped beside her.

"Everything alright?"

"Did you…" Looking over his shoulder to make sure everyone else had gone in, she cast a quick muffliato. "Do you remember having a wooden Babbity Rabbity rocker as a child? You and Fred both?"

Confused at the seemingly random question, he frowned thoughtfully but shook his head. "No… I don't think so. And something like that, surely Ron and Ginny would have used as well. Can't say I remember anything like that. Why?"

She sighed, her suspicion confirmed. "Well, your Mum's just told me…"

George's attention swung back to the kitchen window. "You've met Mum?"

"Yes, George, I know you're anxious to see her as well but listen will you for a moment?" He turned back to her, wincing apologetically. "She's just told me that Dumbledore's been round this week."

"What? Why would he come here?" Frowning deeply, he thought for a moment before slowly shaking his head. "I don't think he's ever visited the Burrow. What was that about Babbity Rabbity?"

"Apparently he said he heard about you and Fred from your uncles after you were born and thought he was late in bringing something over. He brought them, and asked a lot of questions about us."

George sighed. "Bloody old bastard."

"I don't like it. It might be nothing, but I've a bad feeling, George."

He nodded. "I do as well. You're right, it could be nothing but I'm not comfortable with him badgering my family for information about us."

Canceling the muffliato, they headed for the house. "Well, hopefully we're just being paranoid and nothing comes of it."

The moment they stepped back into the kitchen, Hermione felt George tense beside her. His eyes locked on Molly where he stood rooted to the spot just inside the garden doorway.

"Mum…" Thankfully, his whispered appellation went unnoticed beneath the comfortable meal time chaos. Molly smiled warmly when she noticed the pair of them come in. Her eyes lingered on George, smile turning thoughtful and vaguely confused, as if she recognized him but could not remember from where.

Seeing that he would not move on his own, Hermione slipped her hand in his and gently tugged him along towards the table. Blinking hard, he smiled at her appreciatively and followed.

"So this must be my cousin, George?" Molly, broken from the trance as well, looked to her for confirmation.

He nodded and offered a small, somewhat awkward wave across the table. "Yes. And you're Molly. Your family does nothing but sing your praises. Uh.. congratulations by the way."

She smiled again, the same smile she'd had for Harry and Hermione so many times. As if it made no difference your age or relation, you were family. "Thank you. And I've heard alot about you and your Helen from my boys."

"Sit by me, Helen!" Charlie was practically standing in his seat to get her attention. Chuckling, she pulled George along and they sat beside his exuberant brothers. The rest of lunch passed in a sort of happy, strange haze. George seemed somewhat out of sorts, as though confused by the overlap of childhood memories and the strangeness of being there so out of time with his whole family. But they made it through.

Eventually Molly's wand chimed and she jumped up from her seat. Taking one more bite of her lunch and thanking Hermione for cooking, she headed back upstairs.

"That's the twins awake then." Arthur chuckled, helping himself to more fruit salad. "I should head up in a bit to see if she needs anything. You boys planning to play some more quidditch after or…" Pausing abruptly, his mouth hung open around whatever he'd meant to say next. All his amusement vanishing, replaced with mounting confusion—he stood abruptly from the table.

Gideon was standing too, following him to the nearest window with Fabian close behind. "Expecting more company, Arthur?"

"No, I am not."

All three men standing watch, bodies rigid, the sudden tension in the usually joyful room was palpable. Hermione and George stood as well and went to the other window, unsure of what they were looking at. "What's wrong? Has something happened?"

"Someone's crossed the wards." Arthur looked back at his sons, fear tightening his eyes. "Five someones, all at different points."

The bad feeling she'd had at the mention of Dumbledore's visit returned as she looked back outside, scanning the treeline for intruders. At first there was nothing to see, then two black clad and masked figures stepped into view. From the other side of the room, Arthur swore.

"Death Eaters."

Fabian slammed his hand hard on the window sill as he drew his wand and ran for the door. "Impossible, they shouldn't be able to get past the wards!"

"Well they have, haven't they." Arthur was already moving, wand out as well. "Bill, Charlie, you know what to do."

Bill grabbed Percy and the three boys ran from the room to a cupboard in the middle of the house as Arthur shouted up the stairs. "Molly! Bring the boys down here now! There's Death Eaters inside the wards!" Standing by the stairs as he waited on Molly, he pointed to the front door. "George, Helen, take that side would you? It seems like they're trying to surround the place."

Nodding, they ran through the house. Hermione's heart pounded and her mind was filled with outcomes as Molly barreled down the stairs, a screaming infant in each arm and hell-fury on her face. "How is this possible? I thought the wards…"

"We don't know yet Molly, love. Just get them in the cupboard with the other boys."

George burst through the front door ahead of Hermione, warm afternoon air hitting her face—a pleasant contradiction to the imminent violence. Coming around him, wand fisted in her hand, she counted two more Death Eaters approaching the house from the lane. Sliding into a ready stance beside her, George spoke harshly under his breath. "Bill never mentioned this…"

Her protego shimmered briefly over them both as Hermione hissed a reply, not taking her eyes off the approaching enemies. "Dumbledore has something to do with this, I know it."

"We'll have to worry about that later."

Furious, both at Dumbledore and the approaching Death Eaters, Hermione didn't wait for them to strike first and neither did George. Beginning with a confringo that missed its mark just past the low limestone wall, she focused completely on the fight. When one of the Death Eaters attempted to cross the stone barrier, her knockback jinx threw them from their feet. They would not get past, they would not make it to the house.

Beside her, George advanced from the house and closer to the protection of the stone wall and she followed. Using the distraction of George's rapid fire slicing hexes, Hermione sent a reducto at the Death Eater she'd knocked to the ground that landed with fatal accuracy.

One down, she looked up in time to see George—his face a mask of concentrated fury—cast a sectumsempra that ripped through the robes and thigh of his own opponent.

"George! That spell!"

He glanced back at her, confused for a moment before realizing. "Bollocks!" Dodging a poorly aimed return curse, he sent a stupefy that the injured Death Eater just managed to block. "Guess I'll just have to kill 'em too."

Before he could make good on the threat, the wall between them and the bloodied Death Eater exploded. Bits of limestone rained down on them and white dust blurred the air. Flinching away expecting pain, all she felt was the heat of George's chest at her back and his arms sheltering her head.

"Are you alright?"

Dust from the blast continuing to give them cover, she scoffed at his concern for her and twisted around in his embrace to examine him. Blood trickled down the side of his face from somewhere beneath his hair and he winced in pain when her fingers glanced across his shoulder.

"What about you?"

"I'm fine." A red jet of spellfire passed narrowly between them, forcing them apart and dragging their attention back to the fight. Faced with them both, their single, wounded enemy fought viciously before finally succumbing to George's entrail expelling curse.

Both breathing heavily, they looked around at the destroyed yard. Wiping dust from her eyes, she tried to listen for the sounds of Gideon or Fabian fighting on the other side of the property. Hearing a shouted spell and feeling the ground tremble from impact, they had just begun to move to join them when a scream tore from the house.

"Mum!"

As he turned from her, running for the still open front door, Hermione nearly choked on his name when she saw the state of his back and shoulder. His white t-shirt was covered in blood and it seemed from where she ran behind him, stumbling on the rubble strewn ground, that his left arm wasn't hanging quite right.

"George!"

But he was already storming through the door, calling for his family. He was too worried to remember he was supposed to be someone else, that he was supposed to call them by their names. Truthfully, so was she.

"Mum! Dad!"

Hermione was right behind him as they tore around the wide staircase in time to see Fenrir Greyback toss Arthur aside like a rag doll and turn his wand on Molly. The boys clamored from the cupboard behind her, but her wand didn't shake as she stared down the massive half-man.

Before he had the chance to attack his mother, George plowed into the werewolf—only succeeding in knocking him aside thanks to his focus on Molly and the children she protected. Greyback snarled furiously and turned his glowing yellow eyes on George.

"That's right, beastie." George's slicing hex caught him across the face. "Come on then!"

Hermione was knocked onto the stairs as George leapt past her and towards the door, Greyback bearing down on him. A second slicing hex grazed the monstrous creature's arm as George stumbled into a support beam, his already injured shoulder hitting it hard, and fell backwards beneath the werewolf. For one stunned moment all Hermione could do was watch, her fingers digging painfully into the wooden step beneath her.

For six rapid heartbeats, they wrestled on the floor before George's cry of agony and the sickening sound of bone snapping spurred her into action. Forgetting her previous warning in her terror for George, she hit Greyback full on the side with a sectumsempra just as Molly came around the corner screaming curses. Injured but largely undaunted by their efforts, Greyback stood slowly and turned towards them.

Molly shrieked and backed away at the sight of him, blood dripping from his half-changed mouth as he made to leap at her.

"No!"

Throwing herself between Molly and Greyback, Hermione's wand shook as she remembered the last time she'd been this close to the monster. When he'd dragged her to Malfoy manor, growling in her ear in explicit detail what he would do once the Malfoys were done with her. His breath—hot on her face like before—was infinitely worse mixed with the copper tang of George's blood.

Smelling her fear, Greyback's mouth stretched in a terrifying rictus and he snarled a mocking laugh. "Oh I am going to have fun with you."

Mouth going dry and throat closing as remembered torture and fear overwhelmed her, the next spell she managed bounced uselessly off his chest. Behind him from the floor, George groaned her name but Hermione couldn't see him. She couldn't help him. All she could do was stand between the only mother she had left and the massive werewolf and hope he accidentally killed her quickly.

"On your right, Helen!"

"And your left!"

Gideon and Fabian charged past her on either side but she still couldn't move. She watched, wand arm still hanging uselessly in the air as they traded a few spells, finally chasing Greyback from the house. A loud crack of apparition a few moments later signaled his final departure.

Air—sharp and painful—rushed into her lungs all at once and Hermione nearly stumbled in her haste to get to George. When she finally saw him, she did, her already weakened knees giving out. Crawling along his right side, warm blood seeped through the denim of her jeans and covered her hands and the edges of her sleeves. When she reached his face, her hands hovered around him helplessly, for a moment afraid to touch him and find him still.

"Oh… George… oh no… George!"

Movement flickered across his far-too-pale face as his eyes opened and sought hers. His hand knocked weakly against her leg as he tried to reach for her and she snatched it immediately, bringing it up to her cheek.

"Are you…" He coughed with the effort to speak, his words hardly audible. "Mmm-right?"

Sobbing angrily, she forced her eyes from his face to assess what she could see of the damage. "Gods…" Unable to bear it, Hermione turned away and brushed the blood-matted hair from his face. "Dammit, George. I wasn't the one ravaged by that monster."

Fabian, coming back into the house, crouched on his other side and immediately began casting diagnostic charms. He looked increasingly grim as he read them, the lines around his eyes tightening as he spoke. "We need to act fast or he's going to bleed out. It wasn't a full moon at least but…" He looked back over his shoulder to where Gideon and Molly crouched beside Arthur. "How's he doing Molly? We're going to need help over here."

Molly cast a renervate on her husband, causing him to jolt awake with a groan of pain as Gideon answered for her. "He'll be alright. Just knocked out. Could do with a pain relief I reckon."

Sniffling and wiping at the tears in her eyes, Hermione tried to think of what she needed for George's injuries. Since they'd originally been planning to return to the battle at Hogwarts, she had anticipated something like this happening and packed accordingly. It wasn't a full moon, did she still need the powdered silver?

"Accio beaded bag!"

Molly, having ensured her husband was well and given Gideon a pain potion for him, joined her at George's side just as her bag zoomed into her hand. "What does he need? How can I help?" When Hermione glanced anxiously back at the cupboard as she dug frantically through her bag, the other woman shook her head. "No, don't worry about the boys, they're fine."

"We need to stop the bleeding but the wounds are cursed… I have powdered silver…" She held it up, examining the label to be sure she'd finally found it. "They need to be cleaned too and the bones…"

Canceling the charms, Fabian took the vials of blood replenisher Hermione thrust at him. "Here, let's get him off the floor and out of this debris first."

Together they levitated George from the floor to the hastily cleared kitchen table. He was losing consciousness again, but still groaned in pain and muttered deliriously as they moved him. By the time they'd gotten him settled, Molly was there with everything they needed to clean and dress his mutilated shoulder. With a precise severing charm, she removed and banished his ruined shirt.

"Oh, Gods…" Vision blurring again, Hermione felt sick. Everything looked so much worse without his shirt obscuring most of the damage.

Fabian squeezed her shoulder gently to get her attention. "Hermione, are you going to be able to do this?"

Gasping, she scrubbed her sleeve across her eyes and nodded. "Yes…" Focusing on George's face and forcing herself to breathe evenly, she began occluding. She had to do this. She had to save George. "Yes. Alright let's start here…"