If You're Not Here With Me

Chapter 1

"Well, well, well. Look what the kneazle dragged in."

Hermione Granger smiled as the door to Weasley's Wizard Wheezes shut behind her. George Weasley stood behind a grand, antique golden till checking out one of the few customers that were in the store. Being the end of November, the store was still two weeks away from hosting a hoard of last-minute holiday shoppers.

Hermione approached the counter as a woman took her bag from George and headed for the door. George looked a lot like how he had three years ago, with the main difference being that his hair had been cut short and he now sported a gold band on his left hand.

"How are you, George?" she asked as she attempted to scan the rest of the shop for an identical mop of red hair without being too obvious.

"I'm good," George answered with a nod and then a smirk before adding, "So is Fred."

"I wasn't asking about Fred. I was asking about you." She grabbed his hand and pulled it closer to inspect his ring. "How's married life treating you?"

"Wonderfully. We celebrated two years last month and have started to look for a proper house." He leaned in close and whispered, "Our flat is going to be too small in another six months." Hermione gasped and beamed up at him but he put a finger to his mouth. "Mum's the word. We're telling everyone at Christmas."

"Congratulations!" Hermione whispered. "And send my love to Angelina."

George nodded and stood back up. "So, what brings you back around these streets?"

"I've officially moved back."

"Really? For good?"

"Yeah, really for good," Hermione laughed. "It was a long journey but my parents finally have their memories back and without any lasting side effects, thankfully."

"That's great news. Ginny has been keeping me up on most of it. I can't believe it took that long."

"Didn't Fred tell you about any of it? Merlin knows I wrote him enough letters about it all."

George's face fell and he shook his head. "I don't recall him getting any letters. He must have decided to keep them to himself."

Hermione frowned. "Oh. Maybe." Finally confronting the question she had been avoiding, she asked, "How is he?"

"He's doing well. Anyone who doesn't know him wouldn't be able to tell a wall almost crushed him to death."

"And those that do know him?"

"He has some lasting nerve damage on his left side," George said with a grimace. "There's a slight limp to his gait now if you watch closely and his left hand isn't as steady as it used to be. Luckily he's right-handed so it hasn't affected his spell and potion work. I think he'd be downright intolerable if that ability had been taken from him."

Hermione nodded and rapidly blinked back tears that were starting to form. She couldn't help but choke up a little when she asked, "Is he happy?"

George moved his hand to cover hers and gave it a squeeze. "I think so. He's been seeing Bethany now for almost two years and she seems to be good for him."

"I sense a but..."

George nodded and said, "But it's hard to get a read on her. She doesn't come around often, and when she does, she's vague and overly sweet. Like she's covering up something and doesn't want anyone to get too close." He shrugged and continued, "Fred hasn't had any extraordinary complaints though so I assume they get along well." He frowned at Hermione and gave her hand another squeeze. "I'm sorry. I know that's not what you wanted to hear."