After All We've Been Through

Title: After Everything We've Been Through...

Chapter 1: Bad News

As the train pulled away from the station, a girl of seventeen sat in a compartment by herself, waiting for her friends to arrive. She had long brown hair that she usually wore in a messy mop on top of her head, though she chose to wear it down that day. She was still wearing her Muggle clothes; she intended to change into her school robes a little later on in the day. She was wearing a pair if hip hugger bellbottom jeans and a black scoop-neck top. Her hazel eyes watched the scenery change as the train whisked down the track. She couldn't help but wonder where the boys were.

Where are they? They should be here by now. She knew she shouldn't expect them to be on time, the Weasley twins have never been punctual. Then she started to think about her summer and the horrible news her parents gave her only two days ago. I really hope that my father doesn't take that job. I don't want to leave London and move to America. I don't want to leave Hogwarts and all of my friends, especially Fred and George. It was then that she started to think about George. He's so cute. I know that he and Fred are twins, but I think George is cuter. Then again, this move might be able to help me get over him. It's not like he'll ever see me as more than a friend.

She was brought out of her thoughts when the compartment door slid open to reveal two very handsome young men, who were smiling at her.

"Hi Jen," they chorused. She smiled at them both.

"It's about time you got here. I was beginning to think that you had forgotten about me," she told them, trying to act hurt.

"You're one of our best friends," Fred said as he sat down across from her.

"How could we ever forget about you?" George asked her as he sat next to her and gave her the goofy grin tat always made her stomach do flip flops. Why does he always have to sit next to me? Jen thought to herself.

"Where's Lee?" she asked to try and cover up the blush that she felt creeping onto her face.

"He'll be along soon," Fred told her as the compartment door opened.

"Speak of the devil," Jen said as Lee entered the compartment and sat next to Fred. The three boys looked at her with confused expressions. "It's an expression that Muggles use when a person is being talked about and then that person appears moments later," she explained to them with a laugh.

"What were you saying about me?" Lee inquired.

"I was just saying how incredibly sexy you are and how I wanted to snog you," she answered with a laugh. He blushed, which made her laugh harder. "Actually, I was just asking where you were and Fred was telling me that you would be here soon when you walked in. Hence the comment I made," she told him.

"So how was your summer, Jen? You're last owl said that you were going to America with your parents," George asked her with interest. She lowered her eyes at his question because it made her think about why she really went there.

"We went to New York for a couple of weeks. We only got home yesterday, which is why I wasn't able to come and stay at the Burrow for the remainder of the summer," she told them.

"So what was it like? Did you see any sights?" Fred asked.

"We stayed in New York City because my dad has some business he had to take care of. While there, I went to the Empire State Building and then I went to Liberty and Ellis Island. It was really cool, until-" she was cut off by the old witch pushing the food cart. Jen was relieved because she didn't want to tell them that she might be moving before Christmas.

"So what happened to change the excitement of your trip?" George asked after she old witch had left their compartment. Jen sighed and looked out the window.

"Well, my father was offered a job with the American Ministry and he's seriously considering it," she told them with sadness clearly in her voice.

"So what does that mean? Are you going to be moving to America?" Fred asked her as he unwrapped a Chocolate Frog. She shrugged her shoulders and continued to look out the window.

"If he does take it, when would you be moving?" Lee asked her.

"Well, he was only offered the job a few days ago. They want him to start after Christmas, but I'm not exactly sure when. I do know that he has to give them his answer no later than November 1^st.

"You won't be here for the entire year? This was supposed to be our last year to terrorize the school," Fred said to her.

"Well, we'll just have to have one big laugh before you go. If you go," Lee said to her with a smile.

"I hope so, Lee. I hope so. On a different note, does anyone know who our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher is going to be?" she asked as she took a bite of a Pumpkin Pasty.

"No idea, but I guess we'll find out when we get to school," George told her. That was the first time he had said a word since Jen had mentioned that she might move.

Seeing George's discomfort, Lee asked if they wanted to play Exploding Snap. Fred and George said that they did, but Jen wanted to take a nap. She curled up on the bench as the boys played their game.

After a little while, George began to get tired too. He told them that he was going to take a nap too. Fred and Lee exchanged glances as George got comfortable. Fred and Lee always knew that George had had a crush on Jen, but they didn't know how she felt about him and George made them swear that they would not tell a soul, especially her. Fred and Lee decided to leave the compartment and let the two of them sleep.

While they were sleeping, Ron and Hermione were doing their rounds as newly appointed prefects. When they got to the compartment that Jen and George were sleeping, they were surprised by what they saw.

As they slept, the two of them had somehow managed to get themselves in a rather interesting position. Jen had managed to have her head in George's lap while he had one arm draped over her slender waist and the other entangled in her hair, which would suggest that he had been subconsciously been playing with her hair.

"Would you look at that? You would think that they were a couple. Don't they look cute together, Ron?" Hermione asked. Ron was very surprised by what he saw. He noticed the look that was on George's sleeping face and it looked all too familiar. It was the same look that he got whenever he thought about Hermione.

"I wonder if he likes her?" he said aloud.

"He does, but I didn't tell you that," Fred said as he came up from behind them and peeked into the compartment. "He's liked her for a long time, but he's too chicken to say anything to her. Especially now since she might be moving."

"Maybe we should wake them up. They haven't changed into their robed yet and we're almost there," Hermione said to the two boys.

"You can go right ahead and do that if you want to, Hermione," Fred told her.

"Yeah. You've obviously never been on the receiving end when George is woken up before he wants to be," Ron said to her. She rolled her eyes at both of them.

"Whatever. I'll do it then. You guys should go and change into your robes now. That way you won't be here when they wake up and feel like they have an audience," she told them. They both nodded in agreement and walked towards the compartment that Harry and Ginny were in so that they could change. Hermione walked in to the compartment and slid the door closed. She contemplated how she was going to wake them, and she decided to use the method that Jen usually used whenever she woke them up while staying at the Burrow.

She walked over to her two sleeping friends and gently stroked Jen's hair. Jen stirred slightly, but did not wake up. "Jen, wake up," Hermione whispered in her older friends ear. Jen opened her eyes and smiled at Hermione, who returned the smile. Hermione then gestured to the position that she and George were lying in and Jen blushed a deep shade of red. She began to sit up, which only caused George to wake up too.

"What's going on? Where'd you come from, Hermione?" George asked her as he stretched his arms behind his head.

"Well, you both fell asleep and I was just waking you up to let you know that we will be there momentarily and neither of you have changed yet," she told them as she winked at Jen, who smiled in return. George thanked her and left the compartment to go change, which gave Hermione a chance to talk to Jen.

"So what was that all about?" Jen blushed at Hermione's question, but shrugged her shoulders as she pulled out her school robes. "Come on, Jen. I saw the look on your face when I pointed out the position that you and George were laying in. you like him, don't you?" she asked. Jen just looked at her. "Come on, Jen. I won't tell."

"Just like I won't tell anyone that you like Ron, even though you won't admit it to anyone," Jen said with a smug look. Hermione immediately turned red. "Come on, 'Mione. I won't tell," she said in a mocking tone.

"If I admit it, will you?" Hermione asked hopefully, which made Jen laugh.

"I don't have to admit anything to you since you just admitted that you like Ron." Hermione's mouth dropped open. She couldn't believe that she had just been tricked into admitting that she liked Ron. "Don't worry, 'Mione. I promise that I won't tell anyone. I'll tell you a secret though. I do like George." Hermione squealed with delight when she heard this.

"That's so cute. Don't worry, your secret's safe with me."

"It better be, or I'll hex you." Hermione laughed lightly at Jen's comment. She knew that there was only one student at Hogwarts that knew more magic than she did and that person was Jen.

"Can I tell Ginny?"

"No, I'm going to tell her, but you can be there when I do," Jen told her.

"Are you going to tell George?"

"No. He's too good of a friend and he doesn't see as anything more than that. Besides, I might be moving and there would be no point to start something," Jen told her sadly. Hermione patted her friends back. She knew that George liked her, but it was not her place to say anything.

"Am I interrupting something?" George asked as he walked back into the compartment and smiled at the two girls. Hermione noticed how George's eyes lit up when he looked at Jen. She sighed and said good bye so that she could go to her own compartment and get her things.

Just after she left, the train began to slow down. Fred and Lee had returned to collect their belongings. Once off the train, the four friends got into a carriage and headed up to the castle.

"It's good to be home," Jen said as they walked through the great oak doors. Lee, Fred and George agreed with her. They walked into the Great Hall and made their way to the Gryffindor table. Why does George always have to sit next to me? After all of the students had taken their seats, Professor McGonagall brought in the first years for the Sorting Ceremony.

After the Sorting was over, Professor Dumbledore gave his annual start of term speech. He introduced the new defense against the Dark Arts teacher, some toad looking woman named Deloris Umbridge. After his speech and her unwanted one, the plates in front of us magically filled themselves and all of the students tucked into their meal. When the food was gone, all of the students left to go to their dormitories.

Fred, George, Lee, Ron and Harry decided to play Exploding Snap once they got there. Hermione and Ginny sat on the couch near the fireplace and talked about their summer, and Jen had decided to go to bed. After she had gone upstairs, Ron decided to teas his brother a little bit about what he saw on the train.

"So did you have a nice nap on the train, George?" he asked with a smirk. George looked up at his brother with confusion clearly showing on his face. Fred and Lee tried to suppress their giggles while Harry wore a look of confusion. Upon hearing Ron's question, Hermione and Ginny turned around and looked at George with interest.

"It was fine. I only slept for about an hour," he told them as his ears went slightly red. He knew what they were referring to, but he didn't feel like talking about it. He was too depressed about the fact that she might be moving. "I'm going to go to bed. See you all at breakfast," he told them as he headed up the stairs.

All of them stared after him with bewildered expressions. Hermione, however, understood why George felt this way. She wished that she could tell George to go and talk to Jen, but she couldn't. She knew, as well as Fred, Ron and Lee, that he liked her, but only she knew that Jen liked him back.

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Over the next several weeks, neither George nor Jen made any obvious showing of their attraction to the other. To those who did not know, you wouldn't have thought twice about the two of them liking each other. Only those who knew were able to see the subtle glances and smiles that they gave each other. It was twice as easy for Hermione, since she could spot them from both of them and not just one.

One night, after Jen had beaten George in a game of wizard's chess and then gone to bed, Fred tried to convince George to tell her how he felt about her.

"I can't, Fred. What would be the point? I'll tell her and then she'll end up moving and then it would have all been for nothing," George told him sadly.

"I still think you should tell her. You'll feel better after you do," he said in a low voice. Ron and Harry were sitting at a table not too far away from where they were sitting. Fred knew that Ron knew about George liking Jen, but Harry didn't know and George didn't know that Ron knew.

"I just can't. Please understand that. Besides, she's one of my best friends and I don't want to mess that up."

"You sound just like I do, George," Ron said as he and Harry came up behind him, causing George to jump.

"What are you talking about, Ron?" At this point, Ron and Harry had each taken a seat at the table that Fred and George were sitting at.

"I know that you like Jen and I understand why you don't want to tell her because of you two being best friends, but I don't understand why you won't tell her because she's moving. If Hermione was about to move away, I would want her to know how I felt about her. Then I wouldn't have to waste all of the time that she was gone wondering if she felt the same way," Ron told him.

"I've been trying to get him to tell Hermione for two years now and he still hasn't," Harry added, giving Ron a look.

"I have an idea. Why don't you talk to Hermione about this? She's a girl; she might know what to do or how to approach the situation," Ron told his brother.

"I'll tell you what. I'll ask Hermione for advice only if little Ronnikins tells her how he feels about her," George said with a smirk.

"How about you wait and see if her father even takes the job before you go getting yourself all worked up. If he does, then you don't have to tell her. But if he doesn't, than you do," Fred said.

"And Ron will tell Hermione how he feels," Harry added. Ron gave him a playful hit on the arm.

"All right, it's a deal. George will tell Jen if I tell Hermione. Now I'm going to bed. We've got Defense Against the Dark Arts with the Umbridge witch in the morning and I don't need points taken or extra homework. See you all at breakfast," Ron said as he stood up. They all followed him up the stairs and into their dormitories.

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As November 1^st drew nearer, everyone was getting anxious about finding out whether Jen was going to be moving or not. She had received a letter from her father already, telling her that she would receive a letter on the first of November if they were moving or not. George was dreading that day more than the others were. It was on that day that he would either be finding out the girl that he has loved for the past four years is leaving him forever, or that he would have to tell her that he has loved her for four years. One night, after dinner, George decided to take Ron's advice and ask Hermione for her advice on the entire situation.

"Can I talk to you for a minute, Hermione?" George asked her as she was about to leave the common room.

"Sure. I'm on my way to the library, so you can talk to me on the way," she told him as she readjusted the bag that was slung over her shoulder. He nodded and they both left the common room. Just as they had left the common room, Jen came downstairs from her room. She saw Ron and Harry, who were playing a game of wizard' chess, sitting at one of the tables near the window. She plopped into one of the chairs at their table and watched their game. It ended not too long after she sat down. Being good at chess, knowing that Ron was one of the best chess players at Hogwarts, and seeing as how she never played him before, Jen challenged Ron to a game. Slightly surprised, Ron agreed to the game.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~George and Hermione's Conversation~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"So what did you want to talk to me about, George?"

"I needed to ask your advice about something," he started. She looked surprised, but that look turned into a pleased smile as she gestured for him to continue. "Well, since you know that I have a thing for Jen, I wanted to ask your advice on whether I should tell her or not," he said to her. Hermione stopped walking and turned to look at him.

"You were wondering if you should tell one of your best friends that you have feeling beyond that of a friendship, right?" she asked. He nodded his head in response. "When it comes to friendship, it's hard because you don't want things to get all weird. However, if you don't tell that person, you'll never know. They might even feel the same way about you. I know how you feel." Hermione knew that Jen liked George, but it wasn't her place to say anything.

"What do you mean you know how I feel? Did you just admit to me that you like my brother?" he asked her with raised eyebrows.

"Yeah, I guess I did. But you can't say anything to him," she told him as her face turned a brilliant shade of red. She didn't mean to tell him that, but she slipped.

"So why don't you take your own advice and tell him that?" George asked her, knowing very well that Ron has had a crush on her for three years.

"For the same reason why you won't tell Jen, but without the moving part," she told him.

"What would you say if I told you that my brother has had a crush on you for three years?"

"I'd probably say that you'd need your head examined."

"Well I don't need my head checked, but I am going to tell you that my brother has had a crush on you for three years. I swear on the life on my entire family that I am telling you the truth. So maybe we aren't in the same boat after all," he told her as she started to cry.

She couldn't believe that he had just told her that Ron has liked her for three years. She's liked Ron for the same amount of time. This was a lot of information for her to process. She leaned against the wall for support because she didn't think that she would be able to stand up by herself. I can't believe that Ron's liked me for three years. And he never said anything. I can't believe that neither of us ever told the other.

"I have to go talk to him. I'll talk to you later, George," she told him as she took off towards their common room. George took off after her, if she was going to talk to Ron; he wanted to be there to see it.

He caught up with her just as the Fat Lady was opening the portrait. When they entered the common room, they saw Jen, Ron and Harry sitting at one of the tables near the window. Jen and Ron were playing a game chess and Ron didn't look happy about it. George whispered for Hermione to wipe the tears from her eyes and to go and talk to him. The two of them approached the table just as Jen had declared checkmate. Ron couldn't believe it; he had never lost a game of chess to anyone. He looked up to see Hermione's tear stained face looking at him.

"Are you okay, 'Mione?" he asked her.

"I need to talk to you," she said to him. He stood up and followed her out of the common room.

"What was that all about?" Jen asked George as he sat down across from her. He smiled at her.

"Let's just say that something is about to happen that should've happened a long time ago," he told them both with a laugh.

"What did you do, George?" Harry asked him. He had a feeling that a fight was coming.

"Well, Hermione accidentally admitted to me that she liked Ron, so I accidentally told her that he has liked her for the past three years. She didn't believe me at first, but I assured her that I wasn't lying. I told her to talk to him and that is what she is doing as we speak," he told them both with a huge grin.

A few moments later, Ron and Hermione walked into the common room, both of them wearing identical looks of pleasure. They walked over to where Jen, George and Harry were sitting. Hermione gave George a kiss on the cheek and Ron playfully punched him in the arm. They both sat down as Jen stood up.

"I'm going to bed. See you guys tomorrow. And I'll take that rematch tomorrow, Ron," she told him with a smirk. Ron turned red at her words. He still could not believe that she had beaten him in chess.

"Nice job, George. You did that on purpose, didn't you?" Harry asked him once Jen was out of sight.

"What are you talking about, Harry?" Hermione asked him. George went red, but said nothing.

"He purposely 'let it slip' to you that Ron liked you so that you would go and talk to him about it."

"I don't see why that is a bad thing though," Hermione said. Ron finally aught on to what Harry was getting at.

"But now he doesn't have to worry about telling Jen how he feels because I didn't tell you first," Ron said. Hermione was clearly confused by what they were saying and George remained silent. "George and I made a deal. We both agreed that he would tell Jen once I told you, but I didn't tell you so now he doesn't have to tell her."

I can't believe that you did that, George. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad that Ron and I are finally together, but it wasn't right for you to weasel your way out of telling Jen the truth," she told him in a very good Mrs. Weasley impression.

"It doesn't matter anymore. Tomorrow is November 1^st and she'll be getting the letter from her parents telling her that they are moving. I did myself a favor, not to mention the both of you. If it was left up to you two, you would be thirty before you admitted your feeling to each other," he told them as he fought very hard to hold back his tears. He hated the thought of her leaving without knowing, but he knew that it would only make it harder.

"But what if-" Harry began.

"There's no what ifs, Harry. She's leaving and there is nothing I can do about it. I'm going to bed," he muttered as he headed for the stairs. As he ascended the stairs, he wiped away the fresh tears that had just begun to fall down his face.

"If only he knew," Hermione sighed as she sat down of the sofa. Ron and Harry followed her.

"If only he knew what?" Harry asked.

"Nothing, I just wish that he would tell her and get it over with. He'll kick himself in the arse if she felt the same way. I don't think it should matter that she is moving. She could always come back after she graduates if she felt the same way," she told them. She realized that she had almost slipped about Jen's feelings for George. "I'm going to bed too. Night guys," she said as she stood up. She gave Ron a kiss on the lips and then disappeared up the stairs.

"So you and Hermione, huh?" Harry asked him with a smile.

"Will you be okay with that?"

"It will take some time getting used to, but I will be. I always knew you two would get together. Just don't go and snog her in front of me, okay?" Harry told him with a smirk. Ron hit him in the arm. "I think we should go to bed, too." Ron agreed and they both went to bed.

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The next morning, George was in a foul mood. His mood worsened when the morning mail arrived, though he brightened when Archimedes, Jen's family owl, didn't bring her a letter.

"Archimedes didn't come! I guess we aren't going after all," she exclaimed once all of the owls had vacated the Great Hall. Hermione, Ron, Harry, Lee and Fred all gave George an I-told-you-so look.

"Come on guys. It's time for class," he said as he stood up. He realized that his friends were right and he decided to tell her after dinner.

For the rest of the day, George replayed what he was going to say to her over and over in his head. She had left dinner early because she had forgotten something in the library, so she told them that she would meet them all back in the common room.

George was the last person to get to the common room that night. And when he got there, he saw a sight that he never expected to see. Jen, Hermione and Ginny were sitting on the floor in front of the fire. Harry and Ron were sitting on the sofa and Fred and Lee were sitting in the armchairs.

"What did I miss?" George asked as he walked towards his friends. He noticed a crumbled piece of parchment laying on the floor in front of Jen, whose face was splotchy and puffy, indicating that she had been crying. "What's going on?"

"Jen just received a letter from her mother. They are going to be moving to America and her last day at Hogwarts is the last day of the term," Hermione told him sadly.

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