Signum Vitalis (a dramione story)

In which there are many Weasleys

Hermione stumbled when she landed in the Weasley's backyard. She had only brought her beaded purse and so both hands were free to windmill desperately until she got her footing. Having avoided soaking the knees of her jeans in the muddy lawn, she looked up to see who had witnessed her clumsy entrance. However, no one was there except the lawn gnomes. At a stern look and a brandished wand, none of them strayed too close. Picking her way along the edges of the path to avoid the deepest mud, Hermione called out towards the house, "Hello?"

There was some movement behind the curtains but the closed windows shut in any noise.

"Hello?" she tried again. As the silence continued she pushed aside the broom lying against the fence and pulled open the gate. Immediately, the squawking of a very distressed bird echoed across the grounds. Hermione stepped through the gate and the sound became so loud that she covered her ears. "Anyone?" she yelled over the screeching.

A door banged and George came running around the corner of the house. His severe look broke into a smile when he saw her.

"Hermione!" He did a complicated wave of his wand and the awful noise stopped.

"Thank you," she yelled back in relief.

He continued his run until he reached her and swept her up into a massive hug. Hermione laughed and hugged him back.

"I didn't know you'd be home," she told him.

He stepped back and shrugged. "Working on some experiments in the shack I've got set up here. The explosions seem to scare the customers." He winked. "Ron said you'd be stopping by. You going to stay for the night?"

Hermione shook her head and couldn't look him in the eyes as she mumbled, "Don't want to intrude... I was actually just going to say hello before I left."

"Thinking you're gonna get thrown out on your ear just because you aren't dating Ron anymore?" George guessed.

Hermione bit her lip and looked up for his reaction.

"I always knew you were too smart to be dating him anyway."

She giggled. "That wasn't really the problem..."

George smiled. "Well, if you ever need an ear, I'll lend you mine."

Hermione raised an eyebrow at his second ear pun.

"You'll have to return it, though, it's the only one I've got left."

She raised both eyebrows. "Are you usually this full of ear puns?"

"Depends on the person." George smirked. "I play it by ear."

Hermione groaned and his half-smile became full blown. As he turned his head she saw that his right ear was still the mangled clump of skin that had developed as it healed.

"You decided not to have it magically altered?"

"Those cosmetic witches charge a fortune and I did try a new prototype of the extendable ear but" –he pulled an exaggerated grimace- "there is a reason we mortals have the hearing limits we do."

Hermione laughed.

"It does mean I've got blackmail on literally everyone in the house." George waggled his eyebrows. "If you ever need it."

"I'm sure you've already found various devious uses for it," Hermione said, shaking her head. She pulled her coat closer as a gust of wind blew through her.

"I'm talking your ear off and you're shivering." He waved her towards the door. "Let's go inside."

As they approached the house, the muffled sound of music beat through the air. George pushed open both halves of the kitchen door and the warmth and smell of baked bread rushed out as well as the full impact of the radio being blasted in the kitchen.