Cast Aside

Kind Gestures and Tooth Healers

A/N I have to heavily thank my fabulous and amazing British new friend, Bekah Read, that has been helping me with this for this chapter. I relied on her extensively. You will see why. I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as we did! It was so fun to write! 

Chapter 12

The first thing George noticed upon waking was the crick in his back. The second thing was the warm body wrapped around his and the curls in his face. Huffing out an amused breath, he batted at the hairs that had tangled in his beard and caught in his mouth.

She snuffled in her sleep and shifted so that her lips brushed his neck. Shuddering, George traced a thumb down the side of her face as he stared at the ceiling. He should move her to the bed, or wake her. The sun peaking through the curtains told him they'd slept there on the floor all night.

He could sit there on the floor with her a little while longer. It wouldn't hurt anything. They didn't have any solid plans for the afternoon anyway. For now, he could just sit there and hold Hermione while she slept.

After the breakdown she'd had the day before, she no doubt needed it. He couldn't imagine having to relive all of his worst and most traumatic memories all at once. If it hadn't been for her skill at occlumency, he knew she would have fallen apart at Snape's feet. His own skill likely wouldn't have been enough, and he'd never been physically tortured. She was so strong and he loved her for it.

And someday, when they'd destroyed all the horcruxes and dealt with every Death Eater—if they were still alive—maybe he could tell her. He hoped it would be ok with Fred.

<>

Hermione stormed into the sitting room a few days later, hair still wet from her shower, looking much too close to either tears or an outburst of angry accidental magic for George's liking. Making his final move in the chess match he'd been losing to Gideon, he turned as she came to a stop right beside him.

"What's happened?"

"I've been so stupid, George!"

Reaching for one of her fisted hands, George frowned. "I doubt that very much."

Pinching the bridge of her nose with her other hand, she shook her head and sounded like she was trying very hard not to cry. "Oh George. I was wrong on the year. Regulus might have already taken the mark, but he's still a year behind Sirius. I don't know much about him but I do know that he finished school before he died." She looked back up at him, miserable. "We've at least a whole year before we can get the locket. I can't believe I thought we could have this done so fast. It was too easy. I should have known better, nothing in this war has ever been that easy."

His stomach dropped. A year. A year to keep her safe, to protect his family and watch over his brother. Feeling the frustration radiating off of her, George tried to think of something he could say.

"Well, I guess we'll just have to fight a little longer, love."

She scoffed. "But I'm tired of fighting. And running and hiding. I thought we could do this and maybe..."

George watched her as she wiped at her eyes and yanked her hand through her tangled wet hair. If he was honest, it didn't really change much. They had no idea how long it would take Snape to get the horcruxes from their various locations, and it wasn't as if they were going to be able to go back to their own time after they finished. He thought about telling her all of this, but he wasn't sure it would be helpful.

"What would you want to do after, Hermione?"

"I thought we could... Try to be happy here, build a life in the wrong time." She huffed a dry laugh. "It sounds ridiculous. But this damn war and that damn snake face bastard just..." Shaking her head, she shook her hand free from his and turned away. "I'm going back upstairs for a while. Have another look at my notes and see if I've missed anything else."