Harry Potter 1. Chapter 1 - Tuesdays

**The Baker's Dozen**

Tuesday. It was always Tuesday when he came into the bakery. She'd been so busy with customers that first time that she nearly missed his name when selected one of the pastries from the dessert counter. Every week he came back, seemingly determined to try each of the desserts that the _Baker's Dozen_ offered. He never ordered the same thing twice, further confusing her as to why he had become such a loyal customer. But today, things were about to change.

It had been three months since she opened the _Baker's Dozen_ in London, a wonderful mix of book store, coffee shop, and dessert bar. Hermione combined her love of books and her talents as a pastry chef into a very successful shop that was now attracting regular patrons. Two of her favorite customers were a kind, elderly couple, Mr. and Mrs. Dayley. They always came to 'visit', as they called it, on Tuesdays. "Sundays are for church and rest," Mr. Dayley once said, "Mondays are to run errands, and Tuesdays are to enjoy. So, here we are!"

On this Tuesday, as she was helping the Dayleys, a familiar red-haired man came into the café and began looking into the dessert case. "I'll be right with you," Hermione called to him while refilling the two coffee cups.

When she turned, Hermione saw that he was staring intently into the case. Smiling, she asked what he would like. When he looked up, Hermione could only stare into his clear, blue eyes. She was so enthralled by them that she almost missed his question, "What would you recommend?"

She laughed demurely, knowing she should expect that question from him, and would have if she hadn't gotten lost in those small pools of blue. "Well, they're all quite good. But, my favorite is the apple pie."

"Ok, apple pie it is. And, can I get a cup of coffee, too?" Bill asked with a friendly smile on his face.

"Sure, make yourself comfortable," she said while motioning to the empty tables, "and I'll bring it over."

Hermione busied herself with cutting the perfect slice of pie, carefully lifting it onto the plate so that the apple filling didn't fall out of the sides. Elizabeth, a friend of Hermione's that had started working at the bakery since it opened, started snickering as she watched the meticulous work.

"Let me guess," she said while scanning the tables, "Mr. Tall, Ginger, and Handsome is back again, isn't he."

Blushing slightly, Hermione pretended not to hear her. Elizabeth had taken it upon herself to keep track of how many times he came to the bakery. Hermione hadn't really paid attention; he was a friendly face - a handsome, friendly face at that - but her thoughts never wandered to him for very long. She was convinced that he came to the bakery, for the last six weeks in a row according to her friend, because he enjoyed the desserts and coffee.

Gently sliding the apple pie in front of him, Hermione smiled when he quickly took a bite, letting a small moan of appreciation rumble from his throat. He managed to swallow as she filled his coffee cup. "My compliments to the chef," he said in a full, rich voice, before adding more quietly, "and to those who prepared it."

"You're welcome," she managed to say before turning away, afraid that she would start to stare into his eyes again.

Mrs. Dayley raised her cup in Hermione's direction to get her attention for a refill. "Have a seat dear, Mr. Dayley has gone to stretch his legs."

Taking the only empty seat at the small table, Hermione found herself in a position to see most of the café and its patrons. "You know, your friend is right. A smart girl, that one," Mrs. Dayley said cryptically. At the look of confusion on her face, the older woman continued, "She's not the only one to notice your admirer."

Hermione kept her eyes on her task of topping off the cup, stumbling over her words as she said, "I . . um . . hadn't really noticed . . . ."

"Of course not, he's been very subtle, except for stopping by for nearly two months straight," she added with a slight chuckle. After a short pause, she said thoughtfully, "That's the kind of attention you want; that which is patient and persistent. You don't see it because he isn't arrogant or overly pushy. A man who has this much dedication to getting your attention is sure to cherish it once he's received it."

Hermione let her eyes wander to his table, feeling her face heat up as he met her gaze. The charming smile directed toward her made her mirror his gesture. It wasn't only the blush rising into her cheeks, Hermione had a nervous excitement starting to fill her. It was nice to have this kind of attention, something she wasn't used to. Only Mr. Dayley's return to the table could cause her to look away.

Feeling shaken by this epiphany of hers, Hermione wondered how she had missed it for all of these weeks. Nervously straightening the already neat items behind the counter, she began to doubt the incident altogether; Hermione had almost convinced herself that her friends had been mistaken when she saw two hands rest on the counter space in front of her.

"You were right; the apple pie is the best dessert I've tried so far."

Gathering her courage to, for once, be bold and pursue this - whatever it is, Hermione graciously accepted his praise for her baking skills before adding, "And, I believe you've sampled most of what we offer. Will this be the one you ask for again?"

Hoping she hadn't been too forward, Hermione was relieved to see his charming smile back on his face. "The food is wonderful," he began before resting his arms on the counter and leaning toward her, "but the company is even better. And, yes, I think I'll look for it again next week."

She really had been oblivious to him over the last few weeks; his words seemed to take her by surprise.

Sensing that she was flattered by his words, but looking a little nervous, he thanked her again before paying for his food.

As he walked out of the _Baker's Dozen_, he thought to himself, 'what an amazing muggle.'


	2. Chapter 2 - Getting to Know You

**The Baker's Dozen**

Like clockwork, when the next Tuesday rolled around, Hermione found herself having brief conversations with the Dayleys as she served the day's patrons. Apparently, Mr. Dayley located the military history section of the book shop, much to his wife's chagrin, and had taken to quoting battle statistics constantly. Hermione was having a hard time politely excusing herself from their table when the chimes over the door rang, announcing the newcomer's presence and offering her a reprieve from Mr. Dayley's exuberant ramblings.

Looking toward the door, Hermione saw Bill wiping his feet on the welcome mat and scanning the room. When he met her gaze, his searching face broke out into a smile that sent tingles into her and made her heart flutter. A light blush spread across his cheeks as she returned the smile with one of her own. To anyone else, their expressions would have appeared muted; but to them, the warmth was unmistakable.

Hermione was excited to see that Bill had returned, just as he said he would, though she was nervous. She had been waiting for Tuesday to get here, anticipating his return and now she battled the shyness that she found herself fighting when he was around.

She had just stepped behind the dessert case when Bill reached it and asked, "What would you recommend?"

His casual and familiar question calmed her nerves. Smiling softly at him and trying not to get lost in his blue eyes she said, "You know, most people have a favorite, or at least a preference when they order . . . but it's always something different for you."

Looking down into the case, she spotted the last cinnamon roll she had baked that morning. They were among the few things that she felt just tasted better shortly after they were made. "How about this?" she asked while reaching into the very front of the case.

When she pulled the tray out, the smell of cinnamon and the vanilla-creme icing elicited a sound of appreciation from him. "I'll take it. And, can I . . . ."

"get a cup of coffee, too?" she finished for him, speaking more boldly than her shyness usually allowed.

"See, I do have a preference," he added with a mischievous grin.

Hermione fixed his plate, drizzling caramel over and around the cinnamon roll. Elizabeth, wanting to tease her friend, offered to take the plate for her since the _Baker's Dozen_ was so full. Hermione's immediate 'no' sent Elizabeth into a fit of giggles, having finally heard from Hermione that she was starting to notice their most regular bachelor.

She carefully balanced his order on a serving tray and navigated the surprisingly crowded room. She almost stumbled when a little boy in front of her jumped out of his chair to chase a run-away toy but she managed to avoid the mortification of falling in front of him.

Wishing that she had the opportunity to talk with Bill, Hermione was disappointed when several customers all seemed to need her attention at the same time.

It was over an hour later when the morning rush finally died down. Hermione had kept her head down and focused on business to the extent that she didn't even know if Bill was still here. Finally looking over the somewhat disheveled café, she saw him reading a newspaper and tilting an apparently dry cup until it was over his head to get the last drop.

"Let me get you a refill," she said kindly.

Noticing that she looked a bit tired from the busy morning, he offered her the empty seat at his table. "Why don't you join me? You could use the break and I could use the company."

After getting herself a clean cup, she took him up on his offer, sighing the moment her feet left the floor.

Bill thought she looked cute sitting across from him with the Neapolitan-striped half apron tied around her waist and her eyes closed as she savored that first sip of coffee. When she opened her eyes, both of them blushed - him at having been caught staring and her for losing herself in her coffee.

Clearing his throat, Bill said, "This is an amazing café. How long have you been working here?"

She cocked her head to the left, mentally counting the weeks the shop had been open. "We opened a little over three months ago. Business was really slow for a while, but we have a few regular customers now." Bill returned her smile at her subtle mention of him.

"All of them will be 'regulars' soon. This is a great place."

"I've been wondering," Hermione began, not sure why this question had been pestering her for the last week, "what keeps people coming back. I mean, you . .um . . some of them don't even find something they like well enough to order it again." Hermione wanted to dive under the table at her slip.

"That's been bothering you, hasn't it?" Bill asked with a glint of humor in his eyes. More quietly, he added, "The food and the coffee, and I'm sure the books, are very nice. But, _I_ have been trying to get the attention of the pretty waitress who is always so helpful."

His emphasis on the 'I' wasn't lost on Hermione. She began to run her fingers around the rim of the cup, a nervous habit she didn't realize she had.

"Um . . ." she mumbled at a loss for words.

"Hermione, would you like to go out with me some time?"

"Well . . I don't know you very well, Bill," she answered slowly and timidly.

At least she didn't turn me down, he thought. He could tell that she was nervous, so he set out to reassure her that he was worth getting to know. "My name is Bill, which you already know." Her smile encouraged him to continue, "I work for the government. On Tuesdays I have to work late so I have the mornings off. A few weeks ago I stumbled upon a café and I've never had a bad dessert there - though the apple pie is my favorite so far. I like sports, but I don't play as often as I would like. Had I not been so fascinated by the café, you would have had to push me out of the door once I found the bookstore. Hmmm . . let's see, what else . . . I have a handful of brothers and one sister, all of whom are younger than me. And . . ."

By the time that Bill had to leave for work, Hermione had agreed to go on a date with him Friday night. His charm and kindness were evident. The longer he spoke, the more excited she became to spend more time with him. On his way out the door, he turned and waved one last goodbye before disappearing into the sea of pedestrians.


	3. Chapter 3 - Molly Burrow

**The Baker's Dozen**

Tuesday afternoon proved to be as eventful as the morning when one of Hermione's commissioned bakers stopped by the store to deliver an assortment of cakes and pies.

During one of her first visits to the grocery market back in the summer, Hermione met a kind, motherly woman who was gracious enough to show her around the open-air market to find the best quality ingredients. As they shopped, Hermione learned that the woman was a witch, too; Molly, as she introduced herself, had spent much of her adult life cooking for her large family and many extended guests that had become associated with the family.

At the time, Hermione only had thirteen recipes that she rotated at the bakery. She and Molly quickly came to an agreement that suited them both: in return for monetary payment, Molly would bake desserts on a weekly basis and deliver them to the shop while Hermione would benefit from the wider variety in the café. Through this arrangement, the two women established a good working relationship.

On this afternoon, Hermione and Molly sat in the kitchen visiting with one another when Molly made mention, once again, of how the younger woman was becoming too consumed with work and should get out more. Before Hermione could share her good news of having met someone, Molly invited her to an afternoon picnic that she and her husband would be hosting. "Hermione, you must come on Saturday. The entire family and some of our friends will be there; it'll give you a chance to meet more witches and _wizards_. I know it can't be easy meeting people when you work in the muggle world. Besides, if my Ginny had gone to school in another country, I'd hope someone would welcome her."

She should have been suspicious as the inflection Molly used on the word _wizards_ coincided with a gleam in her eyes that looked like the one Hermione's own mother gave when setting her up with 'a nice young man'; her business friend often mentioned numerous sons that she was sure Hermione would just love to meet.

Not wanting to hurt the witch's feelings, Hermione eventually agreed but only on the condition that she be allowed to bring food to the picnic. For some reason, Molly originally balked at the idea that someone would bring food with them. Hermione gently assured her that it was a muggle custom and that she would be bringing dessert so as not to interfere with the meal Molly was planning.

"Wonderful! Now, just use the floo and call out 'The Burrow'. One of us will be there to greet you." With that, Molly disapparated, leaving Hermione alone in the kitchen once more.

The introductions between the two witches had been rather informal at the market during their first meeting. Hermione had been so grateful for the help that she didn't think to ask Molly's last name. As the weeks passed, she felt it would be rude to ask a friend for their last name, instead she had been paying attention in hopes of catching it when Molly used it next. Molly Burrow. It wasn't a common last name, but Hermione understood that many wizarding families, and establishments for that matter, used a word associated with the building. It must be the Burrows who lived there.

Hermione knew her Friday would be even more hectic now since she needed to bake extra desserts. Thinking back through her basic thirteen recipes, she decided to bake apple pies; after all, it had earned Bill's praise - something which made her heart speed up as she remembered his rich voice complimenting her and the charming smile that accompanied it.

Bill. Bill Weasley. His name sounded so nice when he had jokingly re-introduced himself. This wasn't the first time Hermione had been on a date with a muggle, but it was the first time she had chosen to as opposed to being set up by some well-meaning friend. Even Elizabeth had been known to do this. The fact was, Hermione didn't date much; she was shy and happily kept busy with her work. But this date was already more special than any of the others; she planned on enjoying an evening with the handsome Bill Weasley - hmm, she was beginning to like the sound of his name even more.

On Friday afternoon Hermione left Elizabeth in charge of the café while she set to preparing and baking the apple pies for tomorrow's picnic. Although she was an accomplished witch, Hermione had no training in using magic in the kitchen. She relied on the tried and true recipes passed down from mother to daughter in her family, including the one she was currently making.

She barely had time to rush home and get ready for her date before Bill was supposed to meet her at the café. Right on time, he stepped through the door, turning heads as he walked toward Hermione. Bill always looked nice when he came to the café, but tonight was different. He was every bit as handsome as usual, but it appealed to her even more since he was dressing to impress _her_. Of course she noticed the attention he garnered from a few of the female patrons, but he seemed to only have eyes for her, something that thrilled her to no end.

Bill couldn't believe how lovely Hermione looked; he thought she was adorable in her work apron that was often streaked with flour, but tonight - he was at a loss for words. She was truly beautiful, her dress gently caressing her figure and her hair cascading down around her shoulders. Having only seen her hair tied back, Bill definitely hoped he would get the chance to see her like this more often.

"Hermione, you look wonderful," he said almost reverently before continuing more playfully, "I'll have to watch out for other blokes trying to steal you away."

"Thank you. You look very nice, too," she said quietly while looking up into his eyes and seeing the happy crinkle around them form as he smiled. She refused to be shy tonight. More confidently, she bantered back playfully, "I think I'm the one who should be concerned about someone stealing their date; even in my own shop they're eyeing you."

Extending his arm to her, Bill led them out into the night and toward a quaint Italian restaurant Hermione had only seen in passing. "How is it that after all these weeks, I didn't know you owned the café?" And, from there, they got to know each other even better during the leisurely seven-block walk to dinner; their conversations only paused when the waiter showed them to their seats, leaving them to peruse the menus.

"I'm not sure what to order. I've never been here before."

Answering her unasked question, Bill suggested several things from 'the best Lasagna on this side of London' to chicken cannelloni that would 'melt in your mouth.'

With an elegantly raised eyebrow, Hermione looked at him for a moment as if trying to decide something. Feeling his face heat up, Bill realized that their section of the restaurant only had tables for two and his familiarity with the menu suggested that he had been here many times before. "Oh, no . . I mean, that is . . my brothers and I came here one day for lunch. Between the six of us, we sampled most of their specials."

Feeling silly at her assumption, Hermione had the grace to blush while letting her hair fall forward to cover her embarrassment. "I shouldn't have thought badly of you. And I am really, really happy to be here with you tonight." After a brief pause, she said, "So, the chicken cannelloni is good?"

Reaching forward, Bill gently tucked her hair behind her ear, letting his fingers brush the faintest amount of skin on her cheek as he withdrew. "The best. And, for the record, I wouldn't want to be anywhere else tonight."

And he was right; the food was some of the best Hermione had ever tried. Their plates had been cleared a while ago and still they sat enjoying each other's company. At one point, Bill had taken her hand laying on the table into his, occasionally brushing his thumb across her knuckles. The excitement that his touch elicited made her feel like a teenager about to receive her first kiss. She reminded herself over and over to focus on his words; but, the tenderness of his touch had melted her heart, at the same time causing it to flutter uncontrollably.

After the bill was paid, they walked outside where he hailed a taxi. Following his directions, they soon arrived at a small outdoor theater. Hand-in-hand, Bill carefully helped Hermione down the steep steps of the amphitheater until they found the perfect spot for watching the night's performance. Anticipating that the stone seats would be cold to sit on, Bill silently cast a warming charm on them. He noticed the curious look on her face when she sat down, but chose to ignore it in hopes that his efforts wouldn't be detected by his beautiful muggle date.

It became more crowded as the time for the curtain to be lifted approached. Neither of them minded shifting toward the other in an effort to make more room for the late-comers. Hermione leaned into Bill's shoulder as he wrapped his arm around her, shivering as his hand gently teased the skin of her arm.

When he saw this, Bill assumed it was caused by a cool breeze and leaned down to ask, "Are you cold?"

His rumbling voice so close to her ear made her eyes flutter as she tilted her head up to him, whispering 'no' before glancing at his lips.

Before Bill could say anything else, the show began. They cuddled together throughout the entire performance, though neither took note of the unseasonably warm temperature.

Long after their date began, Bill escorted Hermione to her door. In a gentlemanly effort to convey his feelings without assuming too much, Bill placed a kiss on her cheek before pulling back to look into her eyes. "I've had a wonderful time tonight, Hermione. I hope we can do this again. Soon."

Hermione agreed, "Yes it has. I would love to see you again."

"We can decide over dessert," he said with a cheeky grin. "Until Tuesday, then."

"Until Tuesday."


	4. Chapter 4 - Welcome to My World

**The Baker's Dozen**

Elizabeth could tell by her friend's constant smile and overly pleasant tone that last night's date had gone well. On the rare occasion that Hermione had been convinced to go out with someone, she'd return to work the next day avoiding customers and opting to take kitchen duty to clean the pans. Something must have been different with this one. She was happy for her friend, but she wanted the details.

"I take it that you and Mr. Tall, Ginger, and Handsome had a good time last night?"

"Hmmm . ." Hermione began non-commitaly, "I guess you could say that."

But Elizabeth would have none of this. "And _I_ guess you could say more than that about what's gotten you into such a good mood."

With a quick glance over the café, Hermione began to fill Elizabeth in on her wonderful date with Bill. Unlike her friend, it had been a very long time since Hermione had a date worth remembering, much less talking about. By the time she'd finished describing dinner and the play, Elizabeth was grinning as much as Hermione. "I knew I should have been working the counter that day," she said playfully. "He sounds too good to be true."

"He is," Hermione said breathily.

The rest of the morning flew by. As usual, the _Baker's Dozen_ closed earlier on Saturdays than it did throughout the week and Hermione was able to change clothes before floo-ing over to the picnic at Molly's.

Her good mood had abated her concerns that Molly would try to set her up with one of the 'Burrow' sons. Hermione was sure that Molly had the best of intentions; but, after last night, she didn't think she could meet anyone there that would catch her attention. Chuckling to herself, Hermione looked around to make sure everything was in place before tossing floo powder into the large fire place and saying, "The Burrow."

Stumbling slightly under the weight of the pies and the abrupt halt to the spinning sensation of travel, she slowly found her balance and looked into the Burrow's living room. As Molly had promised, someone was awaiting her arrival - a man Molly's age that presumably was her husband.

Upon seeing him, Hermione did a quick double take, as if seeing a long-forgotten face from the past. Her heart accelerated as she inadvertently began to feel anxious, subconsciously wondering if she should have her wand at the ready. But, Mr. Burrow's kind smile and his relation to Molly put her at ease and she confidently moved forward, greeting him with a smile rather than a handshake since she was currently balancing the pies inside of their carriers.

"Welcome to our home," he said boisterously with open arms. "Can I help you carry those?"

The two walked into the kitchen and found Molly scurrying around, preparing more dishes than Hermione would have thought necessary for a picnic.

"Molly, our guest is here. And, from the smell of this, she's brought something excellent! If this tastes half as good as it smells," he said turning to Hermione, "we might have to invite you more often."

"Oh Arthur, you're embarrassing the poor girl," Molly gently scolded.

As per Molly's instructions, Hermione uncovered the pies and set them on the kitchen table. Molly wanted to keep them as far away from the excitement outside as possible. Apparently, many a dessert had been ruined by stray quaffles when placed too early on the picnic table.

A red-haired girl about her age came into the kitchen, "Mum, the boys want to know how much longer 'till we eat." Noticing their guest, she said, "Hi. You must be Hermione. Mum's been going on and on about you and how the guys should behave themselves today." Seeing Hermione's blush, Ginny nodded toward the back door where they left the kitchen and started to wander around the expansive back yard.

Hermione learned that Ginny and her husband Harry were planning to deliver a bit of good news at today's family picnic. That, according to Ginny, was the only thing keeping her from playing in the Quidditch match overhead. She tried to point out each of her brothers and their other guests, but there were too many for Hermione to keep straight.

"Does Molly hold dinner until they're finished with the match?"

"Oh no!" Laughing kindly Ginny continued, "The moment she says that the food's ready, you'd better watch out. The stampede has been known to run over people bigger than us! We're actually waiting on my oldest brother. He's usually one of the first to get here, but he was called in to work this morning."

By the time Hermione and Ginny returned to the house, the wonderful aroma of Molly's delicious cooking was wafting out of an open window. The two girls went inside to offer their help.

In the living room, the fireplace glowed green momentarily before Bill emerged, wiping the soot off of his clothes. Arthur, sitting is his usual chair, asked with concern, "Was there a problem? Something wrong?"

"No, dad," Bill began good naturedly, "I was in a bit of a hurry to get out of there yesterday and forgot to take care of some paperwork."

"Actually, I had a date and I didn't want to keep her waiting. A muggle date." He added the last part for his dad's benefit.

The two eldest Weasley men entered the kitchen so see Molly, Ginny, and their guest adding serving spoons to the dishes on the table. "Arthur," Molly called over her shoulder, "was that Bill I heard coming through?"

At the mention of Bill's name, Hermione turned around to find _her_ Bill Weasley standing there with Molly's husband.

"Oh good. Ginny, dear, would you call the rest in and we'll set the table."

Hermione's head was spinning as were the emotions crossing her face: she looked curiously at Molly, surprised at Bill, and a strange look of concern mixed with relief at Arthur. The Weasleys. _The _Weasleys. How could she not have known?

"Hermione, you're a witch!" Bill exclaimed in a voice laced with astonishment.

"And you, Bill, must be a wizard."


	5. Chapter 5 - Hide and Seek

**The Baker's Dozen**

Hermione was amazed at the efficiency of this large group; one by one they trooped into the house collecting dishes and taking them outside to the oversized picnic table. At some point, Hermione's arm had been snagged and she found herself being pulled by Ginny into line and a bowl of green beans handed to her.

There really wasn't any chance for a more formal introduction since everyone started loading their plates the moment Arthur joined them. She was surprised to see that no one seemed to find it odd that someone they had never met was joining their meal. Well, Molly had assured her that she was more than welcome and, as she was filling her own plate, Hermione felt at ease with the others. Logically, she thought that it must have been much easier to remember one new name as opposed to her trying to remember the fifteen or so new faces.

Conversations broke out along the table as small groups settled into their dinner. Hermione looked down the table and spotted Bill sitting next to several of his brothers. When she caught his eye, he gave her a wink and a wide grin that she knew was reserved just for her. She smiled back and, throwing her shyness and caution to the wind, winked. Another red-head, which one she wasn't really sure, leaned forward making it impossible for her to see Bill.

Throughout dinner, it became a game of hide and seek as they looked for one another amidst the boisterous group. They subtly tried to sneak a look at the other without drawing too much attention. For Hermione, it was fun, talking with more witches and wizards than she'd been around since she'd graduated and trying to find Bill among all of the red hair.

She'd never heard so many conversations yet listened to so few as she had during dinner. She wanted to pay attention, really she did. But, the stolen glimpses at Bill had kept her attention far more than anything else, including Molly's delicious cooking.

It wasn't until Ginny managed to get her attention with a nudge in the side that she realized Molly had been calling her name. With an apologetic smile, Hermione turned to her friend.

"I'm about to get dessert. Did you want to help me in the kitchen?"

Hermione nodded and promptly got up from the table; she could just imagine her own mother scolding her if she hadn't offered to help in some way. After all, Hermione and Molly had already discussed her reluctance to come if she wasn't allowed to bring something and help in some way.

They'd barely gotten a few feet away from the table when she heard Bill's rich voice offering to help. "Nonsense, you just stay there," Molly said before Hermione could even turn around.

Once the two women reached the house, all eyes seemed to focus on Bill. None of the others had missed his and Hermione's flirting.

"I thought you had a date last night with, what did you call her again . . oh yeah, _the prettiest girl I_ . . ." Charlie started only to be cut off my Fred and George.

"Well, he seems to have forgotten . ."

"all about his bird."

"He can barely find his plate . ."

"while staring at mum's guest."

"I thought I was going to fall into my plate that last time I leaned forward so far," Ron snorted as he joined in the joking at Bill's expense. "I think my abs got quite the workout!" All of them started laughing as they had been sure Ron was deliberately harassing Bill during dinner.

"You guys should have heard him crowing last night," Charlie started again. "He came by after their date and couldn't stop talking about her." Finally turning his attention away from the table, Charlie looked at Bill, as were the others, waiting for him to explain.

Before Bill got the chance to defend himself, his mum and Hermione started walking back toward the group. He jumped up and went to help Hermione with the dessert she was carrying. Looking up into his face, Hermione smiled prettily as she allowed him to take the pies from her. Always the gentleman. Hermione loved that about him.

Leaning toward him, she whispered conspiratorially, "I brought your favorite - apple."

Answering in his quiet, rumbling voice he replied, "Perfect. And I didn't even have to wait until Tuesday."

He paused before continuing, "Do you want to go for a walk . . after?" His nod toward the crowded table brought Hermione out of the little bubble they had been in. She blushed as she glanced around and noticed quite a few people watching them while trying to hide behind their drinks.

Molly chuckled to herself, happily thinking that she had started the perfect match. She might have patted herself on the back if she weren't busy levitating the plates and forks to move to the table.

Hermione was kindly praised for her apple pie. At one point, George - or was it Fred - said, "This must be _some_ place if it's got mum's cooking _and_ yours." Seeing the appreciative faces around the table clued her in to just how high a compliment she'd just received. She also noted that Bill was the first to clean his plate, not leaving any crumbs behind.

Remembering the extra pie she'd baked and left at her flat, Hermione wondered if he would join her later for a second helping. That thought left her with a mischievous smile that intrigued Bill.

She'd been wondering when they would have a chance to talk away from the others when Ginny and Harry decided to make their announcement - a baby would be joining them in about seven months. The uproar at the news was enormous. Since she was sitting next to Ginny, when everyone came to congratulate her, Hermione found herself being jostled around. A firm hand managed to hold onto her arm while pulling her away from the joyous chaos; sliding down until his hand resting on the small of her back, Bill guided Hermione away from the others intending to take that walk he'd been promised.

Hermione took a step closer to him, feeling as if no time had passed since their date last night. The weight of Bill's arm around her shoulders confirmed her suspicions that probably felt the same way.

"You are just full of surprises, aren't you?" he asked as they approached a small orchard out of sight of the others.

"No more than you," she quipped. "You did a great job, by the way. Of keeping your secret I mean."

Chuckling he said, "I thought I'd been caught when I cast that warming charm."

Laughing, she added, "And I was afraid my cushioning charm had gone haywire!"

"I opened the café in muggle London because my parents are muggles and I wanted them to be able to visit. There have been times when we were . . separated . . and I hope to avoid that happening again."

Bill noticed a tinge of sadness enter her voice. But, before he could think of something tactful to say, Hermione continued talking. "They're dentists, though, so they drop a few 'hints' that I should add a line of sugarless desserts to the menu."

"Are your parents the couple that I always see on Tuesdays? The ones you're always talking to?" Bill asked with a thoughtful look on his face.

"No, those are the Dayleys. They're quite a pair, let me tell you . . . ."

Hermione and Bill spent the next half hour lazily walking among the trees and filling in the missing parts of their previous conversations. Both were pleased to find that no lies had been told, just subtle omissions concerning their magical powers.

They had almost forgotten the others when they heard the crunching of leaves followed by someone calling out for Bill.

"Hey, there you two are. We're about to start another game; you two playing?"

Bill looked to Hermione before he answered Charlie. His expression was torn between wanting to play while his eyes sought her out to see if she wanted to join in.

Rather than waiting for him to answer, Hermione said, "I've never seen you play, Bill. Is there room in the cheering section for one more?"

Bill's grin at her reply was infectious and she couldn't help the smile that tugged at her lips, too.

Hand-in-hand they followed Charlie back to the Burrow. As quietly as possible, Hermione asked, "Do you think you could give me a hand later? Maybe you could help me get all of these dishes back to my place."


	6. Chapter 6 - Reflections

Bill flopped into his living room chair staring absently into the fireplace he'd exited a few moments ago. Crossing his hands behind his head, he closed his eyes as he thought about his evening and the time he'd spent at Hermione's.

_He followed Hermione into the small kitchen of her flat, dutifully carrying two of the three pie plates that had held their dessert. She was standing on her tip toes trying to put them away on one of the top shelves when she felt him move behind her._

_His now empty hands ghosted along her arms until he had taken the glass dish from her and placed it in the proper spot. Hermione's eyes fluttered closed and she shivered slightly at his touch, goose bumps appearing in the wake of his hands._

_As she turned around, she found herself eye-level with his chest. He was so masculine - his strong arms and his broad chest. When she was younger and the war had been raging, she'd envisioned just such a man, one who could make her feel safe, secure. This was exactly the way she felt last night when she had been snuggled up beside him at the amphitheater. Looking up, she saw a heat blazing in his blue eyes; it seemed to consume her as they drew nearer. She had none of the panic or nervousness she normally felt. She wanted his lips to meet hers. Now. _

_Bill watched as Hermione's eyes roamed over his chest and up to his face. The timidity he'd found so endearing was gone, replaced with a look that excited him even more. Closing the remaining distance between them, he dipped his head to meet her soft lips._

_After a moment he pulled back to gauge her reaction only to feel her hand slip behind his neck, gently pulling him forward into another slow kiss._ _Bill let his own hands rest on her waist as they continued exploring this new found closeness. _

_They both sensed that the other was hesitant about going too far on what they had jokingly called their second date. This time, when they broke for air, neither clung too tightly to the other, opting instead to move out of the kitchen and back toward the fireplace. _

Bill's lips were still tingling when he saw a change in the color of the flames from behind his closed eyes.

Charlie was stomping around on the hearth beating the soot off of his clothes and boots. "I don't know whether to be happy to find you hear or disappointed that you're back so early."

"_I_ behaved like the gentleman I was raised to be. Unlike _some_ people I know." With an overly-hearty slap to the back, Bill moved toward the kitchen with Charlie in tow.

"Hey is that some of the dessert from the picnic?" Charlie, like every other red-blooded Weasley, always found an appetite when good food was around.

"Hermione had an extra at her flat. We had a nightcap and she sent the rest back with me."

"Really?" The scepticism in his voice was almost palpable. "Then why is it still whole?"

Laughing, Bill settled into his chair once again waiting for Charlie's interrogation to begin. Truth be told, Bill had been expecting this. They talked to each other about women more than they would anyone else. At the mention of anyone steady around the Burrow and their mum would be hinting at rings and daughters-in-law.

With a full plate, Charlie settled in to hear Bill's story.

"A while back I saw this very attractive girl working at a café in London. She has this cute face and hour glass figure. I just couldn't take my eyes off of her. Anyway, I kept going back to the café and found out how nice she was. She could be friendly to even the grouchiest git. I asked her out last week and we had our first date last night."

"Wait a minute," Charlie interrupted, "you've told me about this place before; you've been going there for what . . two months? And you just now asked her out?"

"Hey, let me tell you, it was worth the wait. So, last night we went out and I came by

your place later to listen to the replay of the Cannon's Quidditch match - which you know. Well, it turns out, Hermione, my date is the same Hermione from the picnic today! I couldn't believe it at first." Chuckling, Bill continued, "I think I even said something stupid and obvious like 'you're a witch.'"

"How could you not know?" Charlie asked in disbelief.

"To make a long story short, I thought she was a muggle since the café was in muggle London and she thought I was for the same reason. There was also a bit of confusion about mum's last name. I didn't quite get much of an answer on that one, but she seemed a bit embarrassed about it so I let it drop."

"Mum's going to be insufferable, you know. She'll be thinking that she set you two up at the picnic unless you tell her differently."

"I know."

"I take it you're going to see her again," Charlie stated rather than asked.

"Absolutely," Bill grinned.


	7. Chapter 7 - The Cafe'

A few weeks later Hermione was pleasantly surprised to see Ginny and her husband Harry come into the café. Even though Bill came by the bakery at lest once a week and they had been out every weekend since their first date, Hermione hadn't seen any of his family, save for Molly, in that time.

"Hey! It's good to see you again. Welcome to the _Baker's Dozen_. What brings you by today?"

Harry had taken the day off so that he could go with Ginny to her healer's appointment; according to Ginny, he had been adamant that he go with her to every check-up. And, so far, he had been with her at both appointments. Ginny had started craving pastries and other sweets over the last week so after meeting with the medi-witch, the happy couple had decided to find Hermione's shop.

Ginny's eyes quickly scanned the case, taking in the twenty or so desserts that were available today. She was so caught up in finding the perfect snack that she didn't even think to remind Harry that their announcement was to be kept secret for now.

"We just found out, it's a boy!" Harry proudly said with a beaming smile.

"Congratulations!" Harry's enthusiasm was infectious and Hermione reached forward to hug them both. "This is reason to celebrate - dessert's on me. Take your pick."

Everything sounded good to Ginny; she selected one item until she looked at the next tray, which had her retracting her choice in favor of something else. This happened five times before Harry spoke up. "Ginny," he encouraged his wife with a patient voice, "I'm sure they're all good, but Hermione has other customers."

Hermione chuckled and offered to surprise them while they found a table. She often had newcomers who couldn't make up their minds so Hermione had devised a sampler platter that held a small portion of each of that day's desserts. She wondered if she should double each portion so that there would be enough for Harry, too. After all, Ginny was eating for two and Harry might be left without. Well, it was a celebration, no need to skimp on the servings she decided.

She had just started arranging the miniature portions on the plate when the chimes rang over the door again. Looking up, the face searching the café brought a smile to her. As he found her, he sprinted into the shop, calling her name, "My-neeeee" and scurried behind the counter to hug her. Hermione had just managed to put the plate aside when he collided with her knees.

Mimicking him, she exclaimed, "Ted-eeeee." She was happy to see that he'd learned to control his morphing - his hair spontaneously changing both color and length had been hard to hide when he had first visited the bakery. "How's my favorite little man today? Did you come all this way by yourself?"

"No, silly," Teddy said in his childish voice. "Nana is with me." At that, he released her legs and pushed his face onto the front the dessert case. His hands, nose, and chin were sure to leave little smudge marks where he was peering closely at the food while trying to decide what he wanted this time.

Andromeda followed Teddy in at a more sedate pace, embracing Hermione lightly and kissing the air beside her cheeks in greeting.

"I need to deliver this," Hermione gestured to the plate she'd picked back up, "and I'll be right back."

"But I already know what I want," Teddy said while still pressed against the glass.

"Really? Are you sure?" Teddy liked to play a game much as Ginny had earlier.

"Uh huh. I want one of those," he said pointing.

Glancing at Andromeda, Hermione saw her nod slightly in approval of her grandson's choice before taking him by the hand and leading him toward a table.

Hermione was surprised when she was able to deliver both orders to the same table but she was given an abbreviated version of their connections. The café soon became too busy for her to visit and so she left them to enjoy their food, Teddy especially since he was sharing with Ginny.

On Friday night, Bill and Hermione settled onto her deep, squishy sofa after finishing their take-away food. They'd both had long days and were enjoying the comfortable feeling of being at home, well at Hermione's place anyway. As they leaned into one another, Bill let out a weary sigh while resting his head back against the cushions.

Hermione readjusted herself until she was sitting behind him. Rubbing her hands slowly across his back and onto his shoulders, she started to massage the tension away while asking, "Did you have a tough day today?"

"Hmm . ." was the only response she got for a while. After a few minutes she felt him relax under the ministrations of her hands. When he leaned back into her, she moved her hands over his shoulders, letting them rest lightly around his neck and on his chest.

Bill felt like he could have fallen asleep enjoying her skillful hands kneading his tired muscles. When he leaned back into her, though, all thoughts of sleep left him as he felt her chest pressed up against him. The rumbling sound that came from his throat wasn't something he could control. They were sitting more intimately than they ever had before. Not wanting to ruin the beginning of their evening by laying all over her when she might not appreciate it, he started to move when he felt her drape her arms around him, hugging him to her more closely.

He finally realized she'd asked him a question, but had to ask her to repeat it since his mind had shifted into another area completely. He didn't intend on telling Hermione about his awful new partner but his slightly addled brain had his mouth moving before his head could catch up.

Bill ended up explaining how Darren, his partner of exactly one week now, was more of a nuisance than anything else. A couple of years younger than Bill, Darren worked at Gringotts since his own graduation from Hogwarts. In all of his time with the bank, Darren never lasted more than a few months in any one position. While he wasn't a rookie in the traditional sense of the word, he certainly had no extensive training either. Bill spent the last two days sorting out and redoing his _partner's_ work due to his incompetence.

"He can't catalog and fill out the paperwork for a cursed artifact let alone remove the curse itself. He is the perfect example of why I work alone. You just can't depend on someone you don't know or trust."

Sighing once again, Bill turned his head so that he could kiss Hermione softly on the cheek. "Thank you for listening, but I don't want to think about Gringotts anymore. Tell me about your week."

And so she did. She told him of Ginny and Harry's visit to the _Baker's Dozen_. She recalled fondly Teddy's antics and how he plopped himself into Harry's lap so that he could be closer to Ginny's overflowing plate of desserts. They laughed as she imitated Andromeda's appalled face when Teddy started eating with his hands, licking off his fingers before trying something else.

"So, you said that Ginny and Harry found out something. What was it?" he asked curiously.

"Nope, can't tell you," she said playfully.

"You can't," Bill had a mischievous glint in his eyes as he scooted closer to Hermione.

Backing toward the arm of the couch, she bantered back, "It's not my secret to tell."

Wiggling his fingers in a menacing fashion, he closed in on her until they were hovering just above her stomach, "Are you sure about that?"

Boldly she answered no one more time before he started tickling her mercilessly. Hermione's laughter caused him to start chuckling. "Bill . . . st . . stt . . . stop it . ."

"What's that Hermione? I didn't quite get that?"

"Haha . . B-bill . . please . ."

Stopping, Bill realized that he was now laying on top of her, something that from the look on her face she had just noticed, too. Staring down into her hazel eyes, Bill moved forward purposefully, meeting her lips in a kiss more passionate than any they'd shared. He let his tongue trace the seam of her lips, tasting, hoping she would meet him. For the first time, their tongues dueled, each savoring the other.

It was with puffy lips and mussed hair that Hermione watched Bill leave later that night. He'd stayed as long as he could knowing that she had to work in the morning. He wanted to be a gentleman and treat her as a lady should be, so he left satisfied with the best snog he could remember.

On Tuesday, Hermione looked sadly across the café, paying no particular attention to the patrons who were there. It was the one face who was missing that had her concerned.

Suddenly, Harry rushed into the _Baker's Dozen_, looking around frantically for her. "Hermione! You've got to come with me, now! It's Bill. He's been hurt. We have to get to St. Mungos!"


	8. Chapter 8 - St Mungos

_**Previously:**__ Suddenly, Harry rushed into the Baker's Dozen, looking around frantically for Hermione. "Hermione! You've got to come with me, now! It's Bill. He's been hurt. We have to get to St. Mungos!" _

Hermione almost didn't understand Harry's words; his unexpected appearance startled her and it took a moment for the message to sink in. But, when it did hit her, she felt adrenaline rushing through her body making her breathe faster and her heart start to race. She could almost hear the blood pumping in her ears as she tried to focus but only managed to look at Harry in disbelief.

Bill was hurt. _Her_ Bill was lying in some hospital hurt badly enough that his family had sent someone to retrieve her.

Harry's voice broke Hermione out of her thoughts and set her into motion; she started looking around hoping to find Elizabeth so that she could leave and get to Bill.

"Go on dear. We'll tell her where you've gone." Mrs. Dayley appeared at her arm, patting her in a grandmotherly fashion. "It's St. Mungos, right?" she questioned Harry.

"Yes ma'am." Thinking quickly, Harry added, "But, it's out of the country, so, um . . ."

"No, it isn't. But I'll come up with a convincing story," Mrs. Dayley said with a wink before turning to find Elizabeth.

Before Hermione could comprehend that Mrs. Dayley had just confided in them that she, too, was a witch, Harry had managed to get them away from the bakery and was ushering her into the lobby of the hospital. After a flight of stairs, two left turns, and a seemingly endless hallway, they finally entered a waiting room filled with Bill's family.

Charlie stood up, walking toward Hermione and enveloping her in a rough hug. Always the strong one, as Bill had described him, never one to blubber or make a fuss. Hermione wasn't surprised to be greeted by him first, as Bill confided in her that Charlie had always been the closest of his siblings. She found his embrace reassuring - almost as comforting as . . Bill. Thoughts began swirling around her head: what happened? how badly was he hurt? why wasn't anyone here to give them any answers?

As if reading her mind, Charlie said with a voice thickened by emotion, "Bill was called in early this morning to examine a century-old jewelry box that was to be added to a Gringotts' vault. Apparently the old warlock that brought it in had enough clout, _and gold_, that he requested a senior curse-breaker to look at it immediately."

Charlie paused to clear his throat before continuing. "From what we've been told, a curse hit him before either he or his partner could remove it."

None of this made any sense to Hermione. Bill was a strong, capable wizard who knew better than to make freshman mistakes like this. Surely it couldn't be . . no, blaming someone else wouldn't make Bill get better any faster.

Looking around, Hermione saw the worry and anxiety she herself was feeling displayed on the faces of the others. She stood awkwardly for a moment, trying to decide if she should offer words of reassurance when she couldn't truthfully utter them. Charlie saw her hesitation and motioned for her to join him in the row of chairs facing the nurses' station.

Hours passed as the family and Hermione sat waiting to hear news of Bill's condition. Healers hurried by the waiting room acting as if they couldn't even see them sitting there. Seven times Hermione had counted that the nurses had taken potions into his room without even acknowledging them.

After battling tempers, threatening anyone wearing scrubs to find out something, anything about

Bill, they slowly settled in resigned to their waiting. Molly and Arthur sat huddled together across from her. Some of Bill's brothers had slumped in their chairs, heads lolling at uncomfortable angles as they rested.

Carrying a cup of coffee in each hand, Harry sat next to her and carefully passed one to both Hermione and Charlie. She gratefully accepted, happy to have something in her hands even though it did nothing to abate the feeling of helplessness.

"So," Harry began awkwardly, "how do you know Andromeda and Teddy?"

She appreciated him trying to make conversation with her and, in an effort to stem the morbid thoughts running through her mind, she indulged him.

"It's a really long story . . ."

With a crooked smile, he urged her to continue.

"When the war began in earnest, a group of witches and I began brewing potions for the light side. We made everything from pepper-up and skelegrow to original, more advanced potions designed to combat the Deatheaters' curses. We would supply hospitals, St. Mungos in particular, with the potions in return for money that we used for ingredients and materials.

"A matron joined us at one point and we began to help some of the injured and expecting mothers. Dozens of witches came to us in the last few months of the war seeking a safe place to deliver their children."

Looking up from her cup, Hermione noticed that she had the attention of the entire family. Knowing that they welcomed the distraction of her story, she continued.

"One rainy night a ginger-haired wizard appeared on our doorstep supporting a heavily pregnant woman. He refused to let us help her until he was sure of our allegiance to the light side.

Smiling, Arthur added, "I wondered if I would be able to find you that night. To say you were well-hidden would be an understatement."

Nodding, Hermione said, "A few hours later she gave birth to baby boy, a metamorphamus who stole all of our hearts. The smattering of hair on his head changed color every time he would hiccup." Laughing, she added, "And sneezes sent his hair into a fit of colors that always ended in bright pink.

"But, neither of them stayed very long, the mother choosing to return closer to the battle front. A few weeks later, Andromeda and little Teddy showed up, staying with us until the war ended.

"I was surprised to see you at the picnic a few weeks ago," Hermione added quietly while looking directly at Arthur. "We never knew what became of the people we helped during the war. Other than Andromeda and Teddy, you were the first I've seen since it all ended."

They all seemed amazed that their dad and Hermione had been co-conspirators in the war but just now learned of the others' true identity. Hermione flushed under the scrutiny of their stares, looking down into her now empty cup as if there were something truly fascinating to see.

"What about now?" one of the twins asked. _Would she ever be able to tell them apart?_ she wondered.

At her look of confusion, the other added, "The potions. Do you still make them?"

"Oh. I don't make the standard ones anymore. There are plenty of apothecaries to brew the more basic potions. And, with the end of the war, the hospitals don't need the same volume as before. But, the original ones I brew at their request and for patrons with good reputations - those who aren't Deatheaters, I mean.

"Owning my own business does have its advantages; I can take time off whenever I need to brew."

Suddenly, all of their attention was focused again on the hospital. An alarm bell sounded in the direction of Bill's room, green-clad healers and nurses rushing through the warded area.

The entire group moved toward the door only to be stopped by one of the attending healers. "You aren't allowed in there right now. Please, have a seat so we can help the patient." The clinical answer didn't sit well with them and, instead of returning to the waiting area, they crowded toward the physician.

In an uncharacteristic display, Arthur raised his voice, inflecting it with a sternness the boys had only heard him use once during the war and said, "We are through waiting! You _will_ tell us what's happening to our son, _now_!"

Stumbling over his words, the meek man gave them a garbled version of Bill's status. The curse that was affecting him caused him to lose too much blood and the blood-replenishing potions weren't working fast enough. The alarms were sounding because the eleventh potion had failed, leaving them with only one more chance to remedy his condition before it became fatal.

"Why didn't you tell us this before you got to the twelfth potion?!" Arthur yelled.

Hermione interrupted, "Use the stronger version! It can still be used!"

"We . . we don't have any, miss. An orderly was a . . a bit clumsy last week and the supply closet's empty of a few things."

Rather than wasting time arguing with him, Hermione turned to Harry asking him to get her to an apparition point or floo area. She always kept potions in her flat; if she could get it in time then Bill might not . . . No, she couldn't think like that. She would have enough time, Bill would recover. This became her mantra as she raced through the halls toward the emergency floo area.

She nearly fell out of the floo when she re-entered the hospital. By the time they got back to Bill's room, a bright light was flashing above the door. "Here," Hermione said breathlessly as she shoved the potion into the healer's hands.

"B-but, we can't use this. I-I don't . . um, have approval to use 'homemade' remedies."

Clearing his throat, he said in a stronger, more waspish voice, "We will only use hospital approved potions from our own stores."

Arthur and Hermione both shouted above him, "That is my son . . ."

"Listen here you pompous ass . . ."


	9. Chapter 9 - A Sight for Sore Eyes

Arthur vehemently challenged the healer and readily agreed to sign paperwork as Bill's next-of-kin to release St. Mungos of any responsibility for allowing the use of an 'unauthorized' potion.

Hermione entered Bill's room just as the stopper was being removed from the twelfth vial of blood-replenishing potion. Pushing her way through the medical team she quickly poured the elixir into Bill's mouth while gently massaging his throat to help him swallow.

The calmness and professionalism of her actions were evidence of her experience treating wounded patients. She instinctually fell back into the routine she'd long abandoned when the war ended, one of disconnecting herself enough to be objective about her patient's condition.

As Bill's body relaxed and his tremors subsided, her mask slipped; the hours of uncertainty and waiting, coupled with the fight to be able to treat Bill caught up with her. Tears of anxiety, frustration, anger, and relief spilled down her drawn face as she held Bill's hand - rubbing light circles on the back of it as if assuring herself that he really was alright.

She never doubted the potion's effectiveness as it had been used for years world-wide since the end of the war. Later, when she would remember the hesitation of the healers, she understood their reluctance to allow her to treat one of their patients. Her possession of the potion was tantamount to announcing herself as it's previously unknown creator. The staff had no idea that the supply closet that had been upended had originally been filled with her own supplies. But, she wouldn't have changed anything. The loss of her anonymity paled in comparison to Bill's health. She shuddered to think what could have happened if he hadn't received the potion.

Once the healers noted that Bill's condition had stabilized, they allowed his family to visit him. Hermione ducked her head, frantically wiping at the tears that stained her face. The patients that she treated during the war were always someone else's loved ones, never people that she knew personally. Her strength had always stemmed from detachment; this made her feel vulnerable and exposed to be showing so much emotion in front of them.

She felt a strong arm make its way around her shoulders, pulling her close into Charlie. This truly gave new meaning to 'strength in numbers,' - a concept she hadn't experienced before. Relief was etched onto each face in the room; one by one, they reached forward to tough Bill as Hermione had: a pat on the foot, a squeeze of his hand, the brushing of his hair off of his forehead.

Much later, the group prepared to leave for the night. Well, most of them; Hermione and Charlie decided to stay with Bill through the night. Arthur gave Hermione one last hug. "Dear, we never doubted you. You had our trust when we only knew you as one of the women helping during the war. That trust is all the stronger now that we've come to know you through Molly and Bill."

While Charlie rested, Hermione stayed at Bill's bedside. Lacing her fingers through his, Hermione laid her head onto her arms, gently kissing his hand and watching as his chest continued to move up and down in a hypnotic rhythm. She eventually succumbed to sleep, awakening to the feel of Bill's slightly roughened fingers running along her cheek. She blinked owlishly up at him as she tried to rouse herself.

"Hey there," Bill said hoarsely.

With a gasp, she lunged forward and brought her lips chastely to his. Her eyes darted across his face taking in the warm color of his cheeks and the renewed brightness of his eyes. She thought she'd lost this forever. And, here he is, looking back at her with a tired smile - a smile she knew she would never grow tired of receiving.

"Oh Bill. We thought . . we thought we were going to lose you," she whispered as her right hand began to smooth his hair and rub gently along his ear making him lean into her touch. And, it was that need to offer him comfort and intimacy that made her hand linger in the sensitive spot that she'd only recently discovered.

With a cheeky grin, or as much as his tired body could muster, he said, "With hands like those, you don't have to worry about losing me."

A choked laugh escaped her. The normal blush that would accompany hearing such a comment was erased by the happiness she felt at seeing him awake and talking once again.

"Brother, you must be feeling better to say that." Charlie interrupted. "And here you had me convinced that you were the _gentleman _you always profess to be." Shaking his head, Charlie walked up to the other side of the bed to look down on him and ask him more seriously, "Are you feeling better?"

"Yeah," Bill said tiredly.

"I'm going home to let mum and dad know you've woken up." Glancing over at Hermione he added, "And, seeing that you're in such _good hands_, I won't bother to send them 'til morning." With one last suggestive waggle of his eyebrows, Charlie left them alone.

"I want to tell you about it . . . about everything that happened, but I'm too tired right now . . ."

"Of course! I'll be here whenever you want to talk or, well, whenever you just want to . . ."

With a weary voice, Bill broke in, "In that case, what I'd really like is for you to lay beside me . . so we can rest. Is that alright?" The hopefulness in his voice melted Hermione's heart and she gingerly laid down beside him as he dropped the covers over them.

"Better," she heard him mumble as she felt his body relax beside her and his breathing even out again. Tilting her head up, she gently kissed the side of his neck and draped her arm across his chest before finally allowing herself to sleep.


	10. Chapter 10 - Where Are You

The days following Bill's release from St. Mungos left him with very little to follow the healer's orders of taking time to rest. He'd been called in by the goblins to explain the incident which resulted in the immediate dismissal of Darren Lockhart; Bill's submitted memory of the event revealed that Darren had disregarded Bill's warnings and attempted to open the jewelry box _before_ disabling the curses and charms attached to it. At Bill's questioning of the goblins as to why Darren had been allowed to work at Gringotts for so long, he was given two weeks paid vacation to begin immediately before the goblins scurried away to resume other tasks.

He tried to relax at the Burrow, but his mum's overwhelming presence was becoming too much for him. She meant well, he knew that. But, he felt just well-enough to be agitated by her babying of him and just bad enough to grumble about her good intentions. Rather than risk hurting her feelings and snapping at her, he left to enjoy the seclusion of his place.

At his flat, loneliness crept in so that each time he reclined in his favorite chair or lay on the couch he couldn't be still. His body ached from the curse and was tired from the accident but he couldn't find a comfortable position. In his heart he knew where he wanted to be - with Hermione.

If anyone had a more hectic week than him it had to be Hermione. Since she administered the elixir at the hospital, St. Mungos was practically falling over themselves trying to get in her good graces. She was their main supplier of advanced potions, something both she and the hospital staff now knew. The press hounded her when she left her flat to do her shopping or run errands in Diagon Alley; she confided that she was more grateful than ever to have her shop in muggle London as she had a respite from the attention she was receiving.

Since he returned from the Burrow he hadn't heard from her, though. He'd become so accustomed to having her near and it surprised him how dependent he was on Hermione. She was the highlight of his day - in the morning she had been there to eat breakfast with them and then came back after supper. Sure she visited with the others, but he always felt special because she made sure he knew she was there to see him. _So why had she stopped coming by?_

Rolling over on his side, Bill watched the embers in the fireplace start to die down. Hermione . . .

_When he woke up Bill, looked around and determined that he must be in St. Mungos, though he didn't remember arriving there; then, noticed that he couldn't move his right arm. Well, he could wiggle his fingers but his arm was trapped by something. He saw Hermione beginning to wake and a few memories of last night started coming back to him; he kissed her gently on top of her head. "Good morning," he said quietly._

"_How are you feeling?" she asked while carefully placing her hand on his forehead._

"_I don't know. Better I guess." After a pause, he smiled apologetically at her, "I'm sorry I missed our date yesterday morning."_

_Giggling softly she replied, "You're forgiven." _

_More seriously she added, "I was so worried about you. Something felt wrong all morning and I kept looking at your empty table . . ." she trailed off sniffling._

"_What happened yesterday?" both started talking at the same time; but, before either could continue, the door opened and the Wesley clan flooded into the room._

_Hermione, laying cuddled up under the covers with Bill, was embarrassed to be_ _caught in such a compromising position and jumped out of the bed, narrowly missing rolling off into the floor. Blushing, she saw the mischievous looks in his brothers' eyes and quickly excused herself. _

_When the door closed, Bill said sternly, "Now I don't want any of you lot giving her a hard time." Scanning the room he continued, "We didn't do anything 'inappropriately.' We were just sleeping."_

"_It didn't look like you were sleeping when we came in," Ron said cheekily before being cuffed in the back of the head by Molly. _

_Several rounds of coughs were heard as everyone but their mum and Bill tried desperately to stifle their laughter. The family talked for a little while longer with Bill explaining what had happened at the bank. His dad described everything from the time they arrived at the hospital. _

_Charlie interjected, "Hermione saved your life last night. Without her. . . ." But he trailed off as the heavy door creaked open, revealing Hermione with only a faint blush now._

_She only stayed for a few more minutes, though, saying that she wanted them to have some time together. She left before anyone could convince her to stay. _

Shaking his head, Bill once again started watching the fire. Their last truly private conversation had been that morning in the hospital and he was aching to see her again.

When the fire turned into a green color and Charlie came stomping out, Bill didn't have the energy to get up and meet him. Disappointment washed over him as the floo once again failed to deliver Hermione.

Noticing Bill's expression, Charlie laughed and said, "Good to see you, too." Making himself comfortable, he continued his one-sided conversation with his sulking brother. "Do you remember when you first got this place? You had just finished that course on advanced protection and charms used to guard treasure."

Interrupting him, Bill said tersely, "Is there a point to all of this?"

"Ah, the direct approach. Yes, there is a 'point to all of this,' As I was saying, after that course you called me over to watch while you placed the complex wards on your floo." After a pause, he continued, "And I'm guessing that Hermione hasn't stopped by to see you since you came back a couple of days ago . . . ."

Charlie watched as Bill's face turned thoughtful before his eyes opened comically wide and he started stammering. "Caught on, have you? Well, unless you change the wards, Hermione won't be coming to see you any time soon."

Scrambling to his feet, Bill took two steps before he started to sway. His body was still too weak to move quickly and the blood replenishing elixir caused a head-rush that had him seeing spots. Charlie steadied him with an arm around him until Bill nodded that he was alright. Together they walked to the fireplace where Bill opened the connection to Hermione.

"Are you going to be okay by yourself while I go and get her?" Charlie asked with a nervous tone.

"Yeah, just let me get back to the couch first." Bill and Charlie had been through too many injuries and, while neither asked nor offered help, they were always looking out for one another.

The next person to come out of the fireplace was the one he'd been hoping to see. With a tired smile, he felt relieved that she chose to come, as if a weight had been lifted from his chest.

"I should have known it would take you a while to invite me over," she said playfully as she walked over to him and perched on the edge of the couch. "Two months for a first date and two days of checking on the fire just to see your flat."

"I'm so glad you came," he said sincerely.

"There's no place I'd rather be." She kissed him softly on the lips before arranging the blankets around him. "You need to rest; I'll be here when you wake up."

True to her word, when Bill opened his eyes he found her curled up in his chair reading with a cup of hot-chocolate in her hands. Silently cursing his body, he felt sleep overcome him despite his desire to talk to her and hold her.

At last he woke and saw the sun peaking in through the closed curtains. His eyes sought Hermione - there she was, sleeping in what had to be an uncomfortable position facing him in the chair. He felt like he could take on the world he was so well rested. Carefully standing up, he walked to her and gingerly took the book from her hands; when he turned back to her, she was watching him with a small smile on her face.

After breakfast, they spent the rest of the day cuddled up on the couch together, each explaining their part of the story of the accident and the hospital crisis. Bill was amazed to learn of the details behind Hermione's life-saving elixir. And, what dumbfounded him even more was her going toe-to-toe with the chief resident of St. Mungos in order to treat him. He'd kissed her breathless at this revelation.

Surprisingly, they weren't disturbed once during the day. Apparently his family had finally chosen to give them some privacy. But, as night fell, Hermione said that she needed to go back to her flat. "It . . it just isn't . . right for me to stay here. The potions have had time to work and you won't need me tonight."

Walking with her to the fireplace, Bill stopped her - wrapping his arms around her waist and looking down into her eyes. "I understand. But, you should know this, I _do_ need you and I . . ." his voice trailed off as he lowered his lips to hers. He felt her bring her arms up over his shoulders until she had her cool hands brushing the back of his neck. Her legs buckled and she fell into his embrace more closely.

Pulling back slightly, he said breathlessly, "I love you Hermione."


	11. Chapter 11 - Going Out

In the time since Bill had recovered and begun his vacation, he and Hermione spent every evening together at his flat; he found himself eagerly awaiting her return from work each night, excited to meet her as she stepped out of his fireplace. Though he had relatively little to tell her in the way of news since he was still supposed to be resting at home, a nice routine had formed where they would talk about their days while making supper together.

They would stand side-by-side at the stove making pasta and sauce or playfully nudging and bumping into one another as they prepared a salad at an open space on the counter. She laughed gently at his attempts to charm the food into preparing itself while finding the utensils from the drawers, stirring and slicing before he would lay his wand down and join her.

The old card table and slightly battered chairs had become their dinning room; he had taken it upon himself to be the one to set the table while she filled their plates. The first evening, she'd subtly rearranged the silverware to be in their correct places when she thought he wasn't looking. Although he hadn't intentionally misplaced the utensils, he found her quirky habit endearing. Catching her sly movements, Bill had since taken to finding 'creative' ways to place them until Hermione finally realized what was happening. The ensuing blush that rose to her cheeks caused him to lean forward and steal a kiss while giving her a cheeky grin.

Their meals, whether thrown together quickly or labored over, had brought the two closer; a new type of intimacy had been established where each felt more comfortable with the other than with anyone else.

Looking into the empty living room, Bill started pacing trying to burn off some of the nervous energy he'd accumulated during the day. As much as he loved his evenings spent at home with Hermione, the days spent cooped up inside were making him a bit claustrophobic. He needed to get out and wanted to take Hermione on a proper date for the first time since the accident.

Sighing to himself, he silently wondered when his life would return to normal and stop being referenced to the incident caused by that bloody moron Darren. Before his mind could travel down that inevitably depressing path, a breath of fresh air in the form of Hermione came into his living room. The whole room seemed brighter with her in it - her presence bringing a vibrance that he couldn't put into words.

Hermione rushed through the last of the chores at the bakery, eager to get home to Bill and tell him about the surprise she'd planned. _Home_. Hmmm . . that has such a nice ring to it. She couldn't remember when she began to think of Bill's flat as home, it just felt like a home more than just a place to live; it was always so cozy and warm and comfortable when they were there together.

When they prepared dinner, though, Hermione noticed that he had less and less to say about his day; he was as loving as ever toward her, but she became concerned that he was getting a bit depressed from being inside all of the time. She couldn't wait to see the look on his face when she revealed her surprise - Quidditch tickets to an exhibition game. Four tickets to be exact. It was a little short notice since the match started tomorrow afternoon; but, she hoped that since it would be a Saturday he could find a couple of people to join them.

With one last glance around the kitchen, she climbed into the fireplace ready to step into Bill's arms as she had every night this week. He would be there to greet her, usually sweeping her off of her feet with a welcome home kiss. She felt excitement coursing through her, sending tingles up her spine at the thought of his lips sealed to hers.

Just as she'd hoped, Bill lifted her off her feet, twirling her around before lowering her and bringing his lips to hers. It was soft and tender, a sharp contrast to the exuberance of his initial greeting. Their tongues met, caressing the other in smooth, languid movements. She loved the way her fingers could glide across his face feeling the stubble forming along his jaw; it was long enough to tease her fingertips but short enough that it was still gentle along her face as his kisses moved lower toward her neck and then back up again. He pulled away before giving her one last kiss.

Once she opened her eyes again, she saw a brightness in his eyes and a happiness in his smile that was infectious. She couldn't help herself as she grinned back at him. _It feels so good in his arms_, she thought. Something was different tonight. Hermione recognized that smile as the mischievous one that was born from his planning.

"My dear," Bill began in a very posh accent, "we are going out tonight. To celebrate: the end of the week; the beginning of the weekend; and anything else we can find as a reason to enjoy ourselves."

Giggling at his mannerisms, Hermione nodded in agreement before her smile started to slip as she looked down at her clothes. "But, I'm not dressed to go out," she stammered while she tried to dust the soot off of her skirt.

"Then we will just have to make a detour to your place first," he added in his normal voice while reaching down to still the frantic movements of her hands. "You can take as long as you need, I'll wait." The inflection of his last words and the sincerity of his smile warmed her heart. She had a feeling there was a great deal of unspoken meaning to his words. With a gentle squeeze of her hands, he dropped them and grabbed his robe before following her to the fireplace.

A short while later they arrived at a quaint little restaurant off of Diagon Alley. Hermione's heart fluttered at Bill's attention; he would rest his hand on the small of her back, occasionally rubbing his fingers along her lower spine; when he helped her remove her outer robe, his hands would skim her shoulders and arms; and, he always held her chair, even though the maitre'd had attempted to. Bill was so masculine and thoughtful at the same time; his attention was so controlled but made her feel as if she were about to explode. She'd never felt this way with someone before and would get blissfully caught up in everything that was Bill.

They danced to the house band between courses, though neither of them could dance particularly well. It was the movement, the closeness that beckoned them song after song.

It wasn't until Bill was escorting Hermione to her door that she remembered the surprise she had for him. Leaning into him as the wind started to pick up around them, Hermione said, "I have a surprise for you."

With his arm around her shoulders, Bill looked down to her and saw her face shining with excitement. "From the way you're smiling it must be a good one."

"Oh, it is . . I've gotten tickets to the Cannon's exhibition game. And . . ."

In his exuberance, he grabbed her by the shoulders so that they were facing one another. "Really?! Exhibition games, at least with the Cannons, are better than the real thing!"

"And," she gently interrupted him, "we have four tickets, so you'll need to find two more people to go with us. Think you can do that before tomorrow?" She playfully challenged him but saw his eyes widen when he heard that they would be at the game this weekend.

"You bet," he said as he took her by the hand and led them to an apparition point. His strides were so long that she could barely keep up with him. Her shoe caught on a raised cobble stone sending her off balance and falling toward the ground. She stuck her hand out to brace herself and closed her eyes as she seemed to fall in slow motion. Suddenly she came in contact with soft material and a hard body. Bill managed to catch her and held her securely until she regained her footing. "I'm sorry. I was in such a hurry . . I'm sorry."

Rubbing her hand along the side of his face, she whispered, "It's alright. You rescued me . . my prince charming."

Taking her hand, he moved it away from his jaw and in front of his mouth, kissing her palm before laying it against his chest. Together, they walked more slowly before apparating to Charlie's.


	12. Chapter 12 - Quidditch and More

Hermione and Bill had stopped by Charlie's flat that night to find him and Ron playing poker with some of their friends. She was a bit embarrassed by all of the attention she received as the only woman there; it was only amplified by the cheers from the brothers when Bill invited them to the Quidditch match and the longing looks from the other guys.

She thought Ron might just hug her he was so excited. "The exhibition matches, for the Cannons, are better than the real thing!" he exclaimed to the already envious guys. Hermione couldn't help but chuckle at his use of Bill's words concerning the match.

The next day Bill, Charlie, and Ron dropped by the bakery to meet up with Hermione. Neither of Bill's brothers had seen the café, but after the picnic and Ginny's rave reviews, they were both happy to find that they were early enough to have a snack.

Bill went to find Hermione as the others waited by the dessert counter; soon, Elizabeth came out of the kitchen and offered to help them. Ron never looked up as he ordered a slice of four-layer devil's food cake. Charlie, though, couldn't look away from the raven-haired girl smiling prettily at him.

"You must be Bill's brothers," she noted. "The resemblance is striking - so tall, ginger, and handsome," she quipped boldly while looking at Charlie. Hermione and Liz were very good friends, but in many ways they were polar opposites; where Hermione was shy and reserved, Liz was outgoing openly confident.

"Yes, I'm Charlie," he said with a roguish smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "But," he continued suavely, "you have me at a disadvantage. And you are . . ?"

Before they could say any more, Bill and Hermione emerged from the back room, his collar rumpled and her hair slightly mussed. As she was trying to get her curls under control once again, she noticed the way Charlie and Liz were looking at one another.

"Charlie, Ron - this is my friend Elizabeth; she's going with us to the match," she said while gesturing to each of them in turn.

Ron waived his fork in the air in greeting before returning his attention to the cake he'd been served. Charlie reached forward to shake her hand, contemplating brushing it with a kiss but decided against it when she saucily lifted one eyebrow as she watched him. His ensuing wink made her smile more broadly.

Clearing his throat, Bill suggested that they head toward the stadium.

They climbed across several people before settling into their seats near the middle of the row. Hermione wanted to use the game as a way to lift Bill's spirits after the dull week he'd spent in his flat; so, she purposefully gave Charlie a ticket that sat him beside Bill with her own ticket allowing her to share an armrest with Bill, too. While Bill would never declare that he liked any of his siblings more than the others, Hermione perceptively knew that Charlie was his favorite - or at least he was closest to him in terms of friendship.

She'd been prepared to spend part of the night visiting with Elizabeth and keeping her company, but the connection she and Charlie had made at the bakery made Hermione alter the plans slightly. She discretely gave Liz the seat on the other side of Charlie; unfortunately, that left Liz next to a middle-aged wizard who looked a bit shifty in Hermione's opinion.

Bill and the others had been surprised to find that the exhibition game would not only showcase the team but also include vendors who gave away merchandise as part of the promotional event. Hermione only knew of the small goody bag (which held the standard things like Cannons schedules, team logo paperweights, and special Bertie-Botts beans that were all in bright orange and left you guessing at every flavor) and the new international-standard keepers' gloves that would be included when they presented their tickets at the entrance; she was as shocked as everyone else when the crowd learned that the newest _Lightning Bolt_ broom, identical to the ones used by the Cannons, would be given away at the end of the game.

Bill shot her an amused smile at the announcement; he knew she hated to fly. In spite of this, she jumped out of her set and cheered with the rest. Elbowing him playfully she said, "It's not that funny - besides, if I win, I'll be needing someone to fly with."

She soon realized what an appropriate choice it had been to include Ron; he seemed to live and breathe Quidditch and became something akin to their own private announcer. "See that bloke by the goals . . not the burly one who's the keeper, but the dark haired fellow . . he's been recently traded to the team - from Spain. They don't know what they lost in him. He's a good player, just had no supporting cast."

The game featured the Cannons's traveling team as well as the training squad mixed together to create the opposing teams for the match: one wore the Cannons' home white uniforms while the other wore the trade-mark orange. As a part of the warm-up, the spells that kept the quaffles from flying into the stands were temporarily removed. The fans clambered to catch stray quaffles with their new gloves; the five of them stood against the rail in front of their seats, waving their arms as one would fly in their vicinity.

Hermione watched as Bill jumped in hopes of collecting another souvenir; his shirt came up slightly when he raised his arms high above his head. She couldn't help but stare at the exposed skin of his abdomen, lean and taught as his muscles stretched upward. Raising her gaze, she saw Bill smirking at her, causing her to blush furiously. He leaned down toward her, "See something you like?"

Ron suddenly lunged to the right, accidentally knocking Hermione into Bill while making a one-handed catch. Their section whooped and yelled in appreciation. The jumbo screen following the action zoomed in on Ron then shifted to scan and captured Bill and Hermione tangled up together, kissing briefly before turning to congratulate Ron. Charlie thumped Bill on the back getting his attention and pointing to the giant screen. Bill let out a hearty laugh as Hermione tried to bury her face in his chest in embarrassment of their _very_ public display.

The game was a high-scoring affair, both teams giving the fans what they were hoping to see. Hermione was pleased to see that Bill was having a good time. She noticed him and Charlie putting their heads together from time to time, the later motioning toward the fans beyond Elizabeth. Hermione saw Liz leaning toward Charlie more and more as the game wore on.

Finally, the orange team's seeker, Anderson - Ron had called him, dove toward the ground racing against the other seeker to grab the snitch. Everyone watched with rapt attention, they knew that neither would pull a Wronski Feint in an exhibition game like this. Anderson narrowly captured the golden ball ahead of his opponent. As he flew upward again, the time of the game flashed on the screen. It had taken three hours and fifty-two minutes for the match to end.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, may I have your attention please," an announcer's voice boomed over the crowd. "We would like to award tonight's special prize - the _Lightning Bolt_!" Excited fans were on their feet again; Bill, Hermione, and the others were no exception. "Since the orange team has been victorious . . . tonight's winner will come from the orange-backed seats!"

The man next to Liz became even more obnoxious when he heard he still had a chance to win the racing broom. He was yelling and bumping into her, even going so far as to wink at her and offer her a _ride on his broom_ while waggling his eyebrows. Charlie had heard enough; he pulled Liz in front of him as he maneuvered himself into her seat.

When the wizard turned back toward Liz he looked dumbfounded. "Mate," he called to his friend as he quickly swallowed a potion and began to sober up, "I'm never touching that stuff again! A minute ago there was this hot little piece of witch beside me . . and now there's a huge bloke!" He shivered, clearly repulsed by the mistaken identity.

"Aaaaaaaand . . the winning seat number iiiiiiiiisss . . three fifty-two!"

"I won," she said.


	13. Chapter 13

Hermione and Elizabeth fell into a routine at the café that afforded each of them more time with their Weasleys. Bill's schedule at Gringotts usually left him with the weekends free, so Hermione took Saturday as her day off (with everyone sharing Sunday off since the _Baker's Dozen _was closed); if you had asked her a year ago, six months even, she wouldn't have dreamt of not being at the shop every time the doors were open. Bill, and to some extent Liz, helped to bring about this change in her. While she still cherished the café and proudly praised it to all who seemed interested, it had become a part of her life rather than the center of it.

Following Bill's two-week recovery period and the exhibition Quidditch match, Hermione worked up the courage to invite him to have dinner with her family. In so many ways she was no longer the shy girl that couldn't even see that Bill fancied her from afar, but in others, she remained reserved; dinner was a time for family and Hermione wanted him to be introduced to hers. Sunday lunch at the Grangers featured not only her parents, but her elderly grandfather as well. Bill happily accepted the invitation hoping to get to know her family and maybe, just maybe find favor with her dad.

Between the table talk of 'please pass the rolls' and 'would you like some gravy with that,' her grandfather spoke a little too loudly of this being the first time Hermione had ever invited a gentleman to eat with them. The Grangers attempted to stifle their laughter as Hermione's face almost instantly sported a blush reminiscent of a sunburn. Bill was taken aback at this piece of information so casually proffered by Grandpa Granger (who, consequently, seemed oblivious to the others and continued eating his green beans).

Over many meals at their flats, Bill and Hermione had discussed their families extensively - both of them sharing with pride their accomplishments and with good natured laughter the crazy incidents that only family members would be privy to. He knew that Hermione was close to her family, even more so after their separation during the war, but he hadn't realized how exclusive their Sunday family time was. He wanted to say that he was honored to have the distinction of being the first, and last if he had anything to do with it, to be welcomed in such a way but he noticed Hermione's astute attention to her plate and decided to save that for later.

After his wonderful afternoon with Hermione and her family, Bill readily agreed to her mum's invitation to return again; the hearty handshake he received from Mr. Granger reassured him of their sincerity. While it would probably never have the familiarity of the Burrow, Bill felt at ease and as if he belonged there with Hermione. They all chuckled as Grandpa Granger loudly intoned, "If he's going to be a regular, then I'm not tucking in my shirt next time."

"You know," Bill said as he walked Hermione to her door later that night, "Grandpa shared some interesting things tonight."

Snorting, Hermione laughed as she remembered some of the mis-timed comments that had left them all shaking their heads. Sweet grandpa, he just didn't pay attention so he never noticed just how awkward his conversations were some times. "And just what did you find so _interesting_?"

With his hand lingering on the small of her back as she unwarded the door, Bill said, "That you've never invited anyone on Sunday before."

Turning slowly, Hermione felt as if her heart were in her throat - hammering so loudly that surely he could hear it and at the same time making it nearly impossible to swallow. With a deep breath she looked up into the blue eyes she loved and whispered, "There's never been anyone I wanted to them to meet like this."

"I'm honored . . ." were the only words she heard as Bill closed the remaining distance between them, pulling her into his arms as he kissed her with everything he had. He understood . . he knew that she reserved some things that were to be kept special. So, he poured all of his love into that smouldering kiss, hoping to convey just how much it meant to him and that he was worthy to hold her heart. She'd captured his long ago and he loved the ways that were so uniquely 'Hermione' that reminded him how much she cherished him, too.

Once they'd made it inside of her flat and away from the prying eyes of Hermione's nosy neighbors, Bill invited Hermione to his own family's version of Sunday lunch. Molly Weasley was famous for her hospitality and generosity; but, once a month, the Weasleys enjoyed the relaxation and comradery of spending the afternoon with only Weasleys, and Potters now, at the Burrow. It was an unspoken rule that it was a family-only affair; rarely had that tradition been broken, with everyone understanding that any 'outsiders' who had been extended such a rare invitation wouldn't remain as such for long. Bill loved her and had begun making plans to spend forever with her.

Charlie and Liz had become almost inseparable since the Quidditch match. She was as bold and brazen as him - the saying that opposites attract was far from the truth with them.

Because he still worked in Romania on the dragon reserve, they were separated during the week. Fortunately for them, he was on a schedule that allowed him to have three-day weekends every week. The dragon tamers had the option to work four days during the week or only three days but work every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Since he had seniority, Charlie was able to work most of the same days as Liz so they could spend their time off together.

Liz gratefully accepted Hermione's offer to have every Friday off in exchange for working the shortened Saturday shift each week. The two friends quickly realized that both would benefit from this new work schedule.

Some of Charlie and Liz's dates were sweet and romantic, featuring restaurants that amazed her. Other times, they would spend their afternoons flying; when she won the international racing broom at the Quidditch match, she had offered to go riding with him some time. They both found the coziness of sitting so close together as a perfect way to spend the afternoon.

One night, Charlie cryptically asked Liz if she wanted to be his date for a very formal event - one where she would be pampered before hand and have her dress chosen for her. With an adorably confused look on her face, Charlie kissed her before saying, "I think Bill's going to propose."

Bill and Hermione were enjoying a relaxing Friday evening the night before their first anniversary. He'd brought take-away home from the little restaurant near Gringotts; like most Fridays, he'd gotten home and started setting the table before she arrived. His thoughts were so consumed with the elaborate dinner and date plans for their special day tomorrow that he wasn't really paying attention to the table and unknowingly set it correctly for what had to be the first time. Hermione was a bit puzzled by his quietness but assumed that work had been particularly taxing today.

As he watched Hermione flit around the kitchen pouring the last of the food into serving dishes, Bill felt a smile tug at the corners of his lips. He couldn't take his eyes off of her; she had unknowingly caught his attention so many months ago doing nothing more than working in her bakery. He thought she was pretty with her hair pulled back and wearing her pink and brown apron at the café; she was lovely in times like this - relaxed in her jeans and t-shirt, hair falling loosely around her shoulders; and, she was breathtaking when she accompanied him to the official Gringotts' Christmas and Voldemort Liberation Balls they had attended. In moments like this, he realized how truly fortunate he was to have such a wonderful woman by his side.

Not wanting to be caught staring, he turned his gaze to the relatively new kitchen table in front of him. He thought back to their shopping trip in Hogsmeade following the sad collapse of his old card table which had literally been on its last legs for some time.

They made their first major purchase as a couple that day, wandering down the aisles of the furniture store until they found a section filled with various shapes and sizes of tables and chairs. Bill insisted that she help him find the perfect one; noticing that they returned to the same table three times, he called the salesman over to tell them more about it. They were both surprised to learn that it had been charmed to remain sturdy (which caused them to laugh at the memory of the food spilling all over them when the old one gave way and the salesman to give them an appraising look - apparently he had a different idea of why the table would need to be sturdy) and to expand to hold up to ten people.

They looked at each other with questioning expressions. This domestic purchase wasn't lost on either of them; they talked about the future in hypothetical terms, including what each envisioned as a life with children. Bill, though, worried that if he chose this table it would give the impression that he wanted a family as large as his own. Hermione, thinking of not only future children but their own families joining them, wondered if she had found a table that might force them to exclude people they wanted to invite in the future. They both started talking at the same time.

"Is it too big?"

"Is this one big enough?"

Bringing himself out of his musings, Bill removed his hand from the top of that very table as Hermione settled into her chair. Reaching into the pocket of his work jacket that he had forgotten to remove, he felt the velvet box he'd gotten from his vault this afternoon.

Tomorrow. . . their anniversary dinner and return visit to the amphitheatre had been carefully planned, culminating in a romantic proposal that Bill had been thinking about for weeks.

Tomorrow. . . he needed to be patient and hold out for the perfect moment.

Tomorrow. . . he felt overwhelmed at his love for her - the woman who'd stolen his heart, fought valiantly for him when he'd nearly died at St. Mungos, supported him as he earned the latest promotion at Gringotts. She was the first thing he thought about in the mornings and the last before he drifted off to sleep.

Looking at the amazing woman to his right, Bill knew that he couldn't wait any longer. "Have you ever thought about closing the _Baker's Dozen_ for the entire weekend? You know, both you and Liz having Friday and Saturday off?"

His bizarre question caught Hermione off guard. "I don't understand . . why would we both need to be gone at the same time?"

Clearing his throat, he took Hermione's hand in his as he slid out of the chair and knelt in front of her. "You might want her to be at the wedding . . . Hermione," he continued more quietly, "I love you and I . . I can't imagine spending the rest of my life without you . . . would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

He knew that if the box weren't velvet he would have dropped the moment he tried to open it one handed.

Without taking her eyes from his, Hermione whispered 'yes' as a single tear fell from the corner of her eye. Sliding the ring onto her finger, Bill's hands trembled slightly as it took an eternity to her for the ring to find its place.

She squealed as he lifted her into his arms, swinging her around the kitchen and setting her down only to take her breath away again in a searing kiss.

"I will always love you Hermione."

"And I will love you forever and always."

_In the spring, Bill and Hermione exchanged vows and wedding rings in front of their families and friends. Four months later they made the rare appearance at both the Grangers' and Weasleys' family dinners to announce that they were expecting their first children. 'Grandbabies!' Both mothers had been as excited as Bill and Hermione were to welcome their new little ones. _


End file.
