Chapter 13

POV Hermione

Hermione was even more nervous than in Hog’s Head. But how she felt there was nothing compared to now. Their first actual meeting. All thanks to Dobby, without him they would have never found it.
Hermione relaxed a little bit when George entered the room along with Fred and Lee.

“Strange I think we’ve been here do you remember George?” Fred asked.

“Yeah, didn’t we hide from Filch. But back then it only was a broom cupboard.” George answered whilst looking around the room. Eventually his gaze stopped at Hermione. She noticed how he was looking at her. She once again was playing with the necklace he gifted her. It was a new habit she had developed when she was stressed. She saw how he smiled at her before he went over to his brother who wanted to show him something.

Sometimes Hermione wondered how it would be if they were a public pair. But then again, she thought that Ron really wouldn’t take it well if she told him she’s in love with his brother. She had thought about telling Harry, but it wouldn’t be fair then to not tell Ron as well.

Usually, Hermione wasn’t interested in Quidditch at all. But since one of the player’s was her boyfriend now she decided to not take a book to the game. Till now she usually read during the game. As soon as Harry caught the snitch she and Ginny got up and started to walk down to the team.

But when she arrived on the pitch Harry, George and Ron where missing. And the rest of the team looked shocked as if they just lost.

“What happened?” Hermione asked Angeline, who was standing closest to her.

“Malfoy happened. He said something about Harry’s mother and George’s father. They started to fight and now they’ve left with McGonagall.” Angelina answered.

“And what about Ron?” Ginny asked.

“I don’t know I haven’t seen him since the game ended.” Angelina replied before she went into the changing room.

Hermione and Ginny decided to go up in the common room. She was sure that Harry and George will go there as soon as they are finished with McGonagall.

Hermione and Ginny were the first ones to be back in the still empty common room. Soon after they arrived Harry and George entered the room. They looked miserable. Still in their Quidditch gear but without their brooms. Hermione couldn’t help herself. She went up to George and hugged him. He returned her hug and held on to her as if his life depended on it.

“What” Harry asked, looking to Ginny for help.

“They’ve been together since the summer.” Ginny replied and asked, “What happened with McGonagall?”.

“They are what … Umbridge came and banned us lifelong from Quidditch.” Harry answered with an astonished look on his face.

“SHE DID WHAT?” Hermione nearly screamed and looked up to George.

“She even banned Fred even though he didn’t do anything.” George said as if he still couldn’t believe it.

“I think I need to shower now.” George added and detached himself from Hermione.

“Me too” Harry said and followed George to the boy’s dormitory.

Before Harry and George returned the majority of the Gryffindor’s came back to the common room.

“Have you seen Harry and George?” Angelina asked as soon as she entered the common room.

“Yeah they are in the showers” Ginny said with a pained expression on his face.

“And what did McGonagall say to them?” Angelina asked nervously.

“McGonagall isn’t our problem. Umbridge came and now Harry, Fred and George are banned from quidditch.” Hermione answered.

“How long?” Angelina asked with a shocked expression.

“For life” said Harry.

Hermione hadn’t noticed that he and George had returned.

“FOR LIFE!” Angelina screamed. The rest of the team looked as shocked. Fred dropped down in the nearby armchair.

“Yess” George said resigned.

Hermione got up and pulled him to her spot on the sofa. She didn’t care what the others would think.

She sat down with her legs over his lap and leaned on his shoulder. Hermione was sure that if everyone wasn't already sitting there in shock, they would have been puzzled at the latest when George kissed her on her hairline. But she didn’t care. The only important thing for her in that moment was to make sure George knew she was there for him in this hard time. She knew how important Quidditch was for him. Banning him was like banning her from going to the library. It wasn’t fair. Malfoy provoked them and he only got detention.

Ron still hadn’t returned when the first Gryffindor’s started going to bed. Around ten o’clock only Harry, Hermione and George were left.

“Even if I enjoy you nearly sitting on my lap, I think I’m going to bed, so sadly you need to get up.” George whispered in Hermione’s ear.

under normal circumstances Hermione would have turned red by those words but today wasn’t a normal day. She stood up and took a few steps away from Harry to give George one last kiss. Even though Harry took it quite well, she was not yet ready to kiss George right in front of Harry.

Hermione was about to pull away from George when suddenly a loud voice made them jump apart.

“WHAT IN MERLIN’S BEARD ARE YOU DOING” It was Ron who had just entered the common room. He still was in his Quidditch gear and he had just dropped his broom.

“It’s called kissing.” George answered dryly.

Even though Hermione knew George was having a hard day today, she jammed her elbow into his side and gave him an angry look. His comment wasn’t helping.

“Why don’t you go to bed I will talk to him, alone” Hermione whispered to him, and she emphasised the last words.

George nodded and disappeared into his dormitory. Meanwhile Ron still stood there seemingly frozen in his action. Hermione literally snapped in front of his eyes to get him out of his daze.

“Are you okay?” Hermione asked gently.

“Am I okay? Are you okay? you know that’s my brother you’re kissing there, right? I thought we were friends.” Ron said his face went form white to red. “Did you know about this Harry?” Ron asked as soon as he noticed Harry was also in the room.

But before Harry even had a chance to answer Hermione replied to Ron’s questions.

“I’m fine thank you I’m very well aware of the fact that he is your brother what I wasn’t aware of is that me being together with one of your brothers would automatically mean that we aren’t friends anymore!” Hermione was trying to keep it down as the rest of the Gryffindor’s weren’t supposed to hear them, but she was so angry by Ron’s reaction that she had a hard time not totally loosing it.

His reaction confirmed to Hermione that it was a good idea to wait to tell him. She knew that she hurt him but she also knew that she wasn’t doing anything wrong.

“And for your information, Harry just found out today. Along with majority of the Gryffindors. And I don’t know if you care but Harry, Fred and George got banned from the Quidditch team. Something you would know if you had been around after the game.” Hermione was so furious that her eyes filled with tears.

She didn’t want Ron or Harry to see her tears so she stormed over to the window and stared out the window. She heard that Ron and Harry sat down on the sofa.

“You are banned?” Ron asked Harry confused.

“Yes, Umbridge came to McGonagall’s office and banned us. For life.” Harry replied.

Hermione couldn’t understand the rest of their conversation as the started to whisper. But in that moment, she realized that there was smoke coming out of Hagrid’s chimney.

She turned around to Harry and Ron and said, “I know something that will cheer us all up.”

“Oh really, what is it” Ron replied angrily.

“Hagrid is back.” Hermione answered still with tears in her eyes.

POV George

On his way to his dormitory George thought to himself that today was at the same time the worst day of his life and one of the best. Yeah, it really really sucked to be banned for life from playing Quidditch but at the same time he doesn’t need to continue hiding his relationship with Hermione. Now that Ron knew along with majority of their house Hermione surely wouldn’t insist on meeting only in private. Which was exciting for George.

When he woke up the next morning, he still was happy. He maybe even could sit next to Hermione at breakfast. He was sure his idiotic little brother would give her a hard time. He climbed out of bed, feeling cheerful. His joy was somewhat dampened when he saw the depressed look on his twin brother's face.

“Are you coming to breakfast?” George asked his brother.

“Sure” Fred said.

George’s mood lifted even more when they met Hermione in the common room.

“Good morning” George said with a smile on his face and went over to Hermione. He gave her a quick kiss before he asked, “Wanna eat breakfast with us?”

“Yeah why not, I’m sure Ron still doesn’t want to talk to me.” Hermione replied and took George’s hand.

George realised that this was the first time they held hands. Not only in public but in ever. He also realised that he liked that very much.

POV Hermione

December arrived and Ron seemed to have come over the fact that she was his brother’s girlfriend. Even though he avoided speaking directly to both. He stopped being openly against it. Which was a real improvement in Hermione’s opinion. She enjoyed being in an open relationship with George. He had much more time since he had no Quidditch training anymore. He usually sat next to her whilst she was doing her homework, patiently waiting for her to finish.

The first time Ron directly talked to her was when she told Harry that she would go skiing with her parents during the Christmas holiday.

“What is skiing?” Ron asked her. Hermione remembered how confused she was when he asked her a direct question. He didn’t fully understand her explanation but since then he spoke to her again.

December went by so quickly and before she knew it, the last D.A. meeting was already over.

“You can go ahead, and I’ll catch you later.” Harry said as Hermione and George were waiting for him to come along. Ron and Fred had already left.

“Okay, see you later” Hermione answered. She grabbed George’s hand and pulled him out of the room. She was surprised how much she liked to hold his hand.

After a few steps he took the lead and led her in an empty classroom. She sat on one of the tables before he started kissing her. He positioned himself between her legs. As he deepened his kiss Hermione started to feel his bulge. It hadn’t been the first time she felt something. It wasn’t like Hermione didn’t want to do more but an empty classroom certainly wasn’t the place she wanted to have her first time. She slowly pulled away from his kiss and said,

“I don’t like to say it, but we really should go back in the common room before someone finds us here. And for anything further than what we are doing now I really would prefer a cozier environment.” Hermione said and her last words made George laugh out loud.

“Sure, let’s go back.” George replied and helped her down from the table.

Luckily they didn’t run into anyone on their way back from the common room. To Hermione's surprise, harry wasn't back yet when they arrived in the common room. Which was good because like that they didn’t need to explain why it took them longer even though the left before Harry.

Ron was sitting by the fireplace. “Where’s Harry?” He asked a bit confused.

“He said we should go ahead.” George replied and left after he gave Hermione a quick kiss.

Hermione sat down next to Ron they sat in a uncomfortable silence for a bit but fortunately Harry showed up quickly.

“Where have you been?” Ron asked Harry as soon as he entered the room.

“I was with Cho.” Harry replied shortly.

“Have you kissed?” Hermione asked, she noticed that his lips were a bit read which made her wonder if her own were coloured the same way.

“Yes” Harry answered.

“How was it?” Ron asked curiously.

“Kind of wet.” Harry said with a slightly confused look on his face.

“Why was it wet?” Ron asked.

“Did she cry? I’ve heard she’s doing that often lately.” Hermione said before Harry even could answer.

“Are you such a bad kisser Harry?” Ron asked jokingly.

“Oh, come on she’s probably feeling guilty. Because of Cedric.” Hermione answered instead of Harry.

“Do I have to understand that?” Ron aske now fully confused.

“No you don’t, since you seem to have the emotional range of a teaspoon you probably can’t understand this. And now if you excuse me, I’m going to bed. Goodnight.” Hermione said before she got up and went to her dormitory.