Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the associated characters or worlds. Which is unfortunate for me but definitely fortunate for the rest of the world..

Warnings: Some strong language and sexual references.

Chapter 3: George

For the first time since the marriage law had come into effect, Hermione was excited. She had been assured by Ginny, after her two previous dates, that she would have a good time. She had been told that this one would make her laugh. Hermione had begged Ginny to tell her who the date was with but again her friend refused to answer and instead said she would enjoy herself.

She had been informed that this date would not be like the other ones. To start with her prospective suitor was going to pick her up from her house instead of her meeting them at whatever location they had selected. She had also been told to dress casually as this would be a more relaxed date.

Hermione couldn't pretend that request didn't cause her some trepidation as her last date had been so casual it had not felt like a date at all.

She looked at herself in the mirror again, checking her outfit. She had gone for form fitting skinny jeans with a plain black t shirt with a v neck that showed just the right amount of her generous cleavage. She had paired this with her favourite dragon hide heels and a long flowing silk cloak which had a red to green ombre. Her hair fell in long slightly curled tendrils down her back. She had applied the minimum amount of makeup so that she could be mistaken for a natural beauty.

Fidgeting with one of the bracelets she was wearing, she glanced at the clock in her hallway again. There were still ten minutes until her date was supposed to show up.

Her doorbell rang, the repetitive tones of Fur Elise chimed throughout her house. Smiling at the music, she opened her front door.

Her smile increased when she saw George Weasley.

"Hi George, are you alright?"

George returned her smile. He was nicely dressed in a loose flannel shirt and fitted jeans.

"Yeah, I'm good. How are you?"

"I'm good. I wish you would have told me you were coming over. I've actually got something else I need to do."

George's smile faded slightly as he frowned, "Oh?" he asked.

"Yeah, Ginny, Harry and your mum have set me up on a date. It's probably going to be terrible, they have all been so far. Honestly I've got some dating horror stories! So I suppose what's one more?"

She laughed. George looked uncomfortable.

"Anyway what can I help you with?" she asked.

He stared at her, not saying anything. Hermione glanced back into her house at her clock, it was one o'clock, her date would be arriving soon. She needed George to go. Unless he wanted to come on her date. She started to laugh and then stopped when she realised with horror.

"Oh Merlin! George, are you my date?"

George nodded solemnly and an awkward silence stretched between them. Then he seemed to shake himself out of it. His easy smile reappearing.

"Yeah, I am."

Hermione felt so embarrassed, she wanted to close the door and hide in her bed.

"Oh, no. I've messed this up. I'm so sorry. Is there anyway we can rewind the last few minutes?" She asked as she felt a blush spread rapidly across her face.

George laughed, ignoring her discomfort. "I think you used up all of the time turners."

She laughed gratefully back.

"But I'm sure I can come up with something." George had a glint of mischief in his eyes.

"Oh no, you don't need to George," she said.

He shook his head, smiling ruefully at her.

"Go back inside your house and close the door."

"What?" she asked but when she realised he was serious she did as he asked.

Once she closed the door to her house she stood thinking about how embarrassed she was. George was a good friend of hers and he had really struggled after the war. She would make sure this date went well. Although she really couldn't understand why Ginny, Harry and Molly would set her up with George. She had dated Ron for so long, it felt wrong to be going on a date with his brother.

She was surprised out of her thoughts by a cheerful knock on the door.

She opened the door and was presented with a large bouquet of roses in reds, pinks and whites.

"Hello, Hermione, my name is George and I will be your date tonight." George said, appearing from behind the flowers and giving her a mock bow.

She laughed and returned a curtsy. The roses floated in past her and a vase appeared on her hall table. The flowers settled into the glass vase and she watched as the vase filled with water.

"That, is a lovely bit of magic George." she said turning back to face him. He leaned towards her and placed his arm around her.

"If you like that just wait until you see what I have planned for you." He smiled at her mischievously and then apparated them both away.

They arrived at Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. Although they were inside Hermione could tell where they were straight away from the bright colours surrounding her and the unmistakable scents of dragon hide and gunpowder. There was also an odd sweet aroma that seemed to waft through the building. Hermione sniffed appreciatively at the scent. George noticed and smiled at her.

"I wondered if you would notice. I shouldn't have doubted you. Nothing gets past you." he laughed lightly and guided her into the back room.

The room was the main workshop area where George and Ron created new products. The walls were lined with shelves with neatly organised merchandise. Some Hermione was familiar with and others were either brand new products or ones they were still trying to work out the kinks on. As she scanned the medium sized room her eyes fell upon the large cauldron in the center of the room. It seemed to be emitting the enchanting smell. Hermione noted that the usual work benches had disappeared and now only one slightly smaller one stood next to the cauldron.

"What is that for?" Hermione asked, walking closer to the cauldron.

George followed, watching her intently.

"I thought, perhaps I could show you how we make the products here as I know you like to learn new things and then I realised it would be more fun if we made a new product together."

Hermione beamed at George. "I know it's not really started yet but this is hands down my favourite date."

She almost squealed in excitement and relief but she contained it within her and instead lifted a ladle into the cauldron. Scooping up some of the potion she poured it back into the cauldron and watched the strange pink liquid turn to glitter as it fell.

"Is it a variation of Amortentia?" Hermione asked turning back to George.

He smiled slightly and Hermione thought he might have even blushed.

"Sort of. Initially we wanted to use it for our patented daydream charms but we found the charms were more effective and easier to hide. Fred-" George suddenly cut himself off. Hermione watched as the ever present grief over the loss of his brother consumed him. The family had been worried about George for a while now. The loss of Fred had been hard on them all but it seemed to utterly break George. He had lost the other half of himself and didn't seem to know how to go on.

They had all tried to help. The Weasleys and Harry and Hermione would alternate spending time with George so that he was not alone but after a month he had disappeared one day with only a note left saying he needed to go away and learn how to live in a world without Fred and to discover who he would be in that new world. It had taken the better part of a year but he had returned. Still none of them knew where he had gone. Hermione suspected Ron might know as George and Ron had grown incredibly close since Fred's death. Ron had left his job at the auror department a few months ago to help George run the shop.

Suddenly Hermione understood why Molly had set her up with George. They were both lonely souls trying to make the best out of a bad situation.

She forced herself to smile and pointed to the cauldron, "So, what do you have planned for me then?"

George smiled hesitantly, he appeared grateful for the change of subject.

The rest of their date passed by in a pleasant haze; Hermione delighted in experimenting with George. They even created a new product for the shop, it was a cat collar that would allow cats to place minor curses on witches and wizards who irked them. Hermione thought it was brilliant and had one to give to Crookshanks whom she was sure would get a lot of enjoyment out of it.

The day turned to late afternoon and, as early evening creept upon them so did that lingering melancholy from earlier. Hermione and George were sat drinking some elfin wine when the topic of Fred appeared again.

"I just wish he could see what I've done." George said wistfully.

"I know," Hermione agreed softly. She knew it was important to never forget Fred but she felt so sad thinking about him.

"He would have been so proud. He is so proud." She corrected herself. She had never been one to believe in an after life but after her experiences in the magic world and the proof of further spiritual existence through ghosts, she logically had to accept the existence of an afterlife. It was during conversations like this she was grateful to know that on some other plane Fred weasley was for lack of a better word, still alive.

"Yeah and that helps, knowing that he's still out there and that I'll be with him again but it feels wrong being here without him. We came into this world together and I always thought we would go out of it together, you know?"

"I know, but you have to know that you're doing so well. The shop is amazing and so are you." She blushed as she said this, cringing at being so open in her praise of him.

He laughed gently at her obvious discomfort and put his arm around her shoulders, lightly squeezing her.

"As are you, Mione." He sighed and his eyes grew cloudy as he was lost in his thoughts once more.

"George, thank you for today. But I should be getting back home as I have work early tomorrow."

"Scared you off didn't I?" He asked bitterly.

"What? No! Don't say that, I really have to-"

"It's okay Hermione, if I were you I would leave too. I'm not as fun as I used to be." He said, removing his arm from her shoulder.

"You are fun. I have enjoyed our date so much. My others have been utter crap compared to this."

"High praise, I'm sure." He said sarcastically.

"George.."

He paused for a moment as he seemed to mull something over. "I think we are both looking for the same thing and because of that neither of us can provide it for each other."

"Surely if we have the same goal then we stand a higher chance of achieving it with each other than with others who do not." She didn't know why she was arguing; it was more habit than anything else.

"Maybe if what we were looking for was something else but not this." He sighed and gave her such a tender look of comfort, sadness and contentment. Hermione's head was starting to spin from the emotional charge in the air. She knew what he was referring to and yet she needed to hear him say it.

"What are we looking for?"

His smile grew and a sense of hopefulness seemed to project from him. "Happiness, Hermione. We both just want to be happy."

The front door bell rang and George left to answer it. Leaving Hermione with her thoughts. She supposed she could argue that they would make each other happy but she knew he was right. She needed someone who radiated joy and a love for life that she had fought so hard to regain after the war. She wanted someone who could make her feel whole again after all that she had been through. She wanted a life of laughter and adventure and weirdly she knew George could not provide her with that. If only she knew who could.

The door to the back room opened and Hermione was surprised to see Ron walk in. He was carrying a large box in his arms. Hermione noticed that he was in a tight short sleeved shirt again. She really couldn't help it. His biceps were calling her attention with their bulging nature. She never understood why he didn't just use his wand to levitate objects and instead always insisted on carrying everything. It was one of the things that had irritated her when they were together.

However looking at him now she couldn't help remembering how much he had made her laugh. She watched as he placed the boxes down, eyeing her and the room, assessing the scene in front of him. He opened his mouth to speak but at a call from his brother he simply smiled and walked out of the room.

Hermione got up and made her way out of the back room, she headed towards the fireplace to floo back to her home. As she reached for the floo powder she watched the two brothers jostle each other and their boxes, laughing as they did so.

The date had reminded Hermione of the many losses they had suffered and she could now see why the marriage law was important to the ministry. She still didn't agree with it but she no longer believed they were trying to ruin her life. She hoped George would find someone who would make him happy however she knew that person wasn't her. He needed to carry on healing and she needed to figure out what she wanted. She was running out of time.

However as she glanced at the Weasleys one last time she couldn't help but think that it would be nice not to be alone...

AN: Thank you for your patience, I'll try and upload in a more speedy manner next time.