An Empty Gringott's

Prompt(s):Gringott's &Resolutions

Pairing: Hermione/Bill

Quote: "You have got to be kidding me!"

Theme: New Year's

Hermione stretched her legs out of bed and shuffled into her slippers that Ron had bought her for her 21st birthday. She paced around the room, kidding herself that her slippers were new and uncomfortable that she was wearing them in, not in fact, that she was was worrying about tonight.

Tonight was the bane of her existence, parties. The thing she had always dreaded most. Not because, as she used to find when she was a small bucked toothed, bush-haired, bookworm, she found them too loud and spent her time imagining being curled up by the common room fire reading Hogwarts: A History. Now, it was due to the fact that she was a 'Hero', how she hated the word, without a date she constantly flirted with and annoyed by people she danced with, after all she couldn't refuse everyone.

Tonight, tonight would be the worst by far. New Year's eve was an excuse for drunken fools to parade themselves around and not be thought any less of for it. Of course now that Ron and Harry both had girlfriend's her back ups were lost and she'd have to go by her self. She was expected at these dos. Apparently being a war hero meant having to have a public social life.

Finally deciding to take a walk down Diagon Alley she got changed into her warm woollen coat and heavy yet still flattering dress. She left a note to Harry whom she shared her flat with that she was gone and would be back in a couple of hours.

Hermione apparated to Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes to check on George before she took her walk. Verity was stood in her work robes strumming her long fingers on the counter. It was surprising really so close to term starting and the shop completely empty.

"Hey, Verity! Where's George" concerned at Verity's quick nod to the back-room she strode in quickly. Since his twin brother's death, George spent most of his time in the back room, making new things, distracting himself from the real world. As she pushed the door open she stumbled upon a happy surprise. George was smiling. Before the war, a day had not passed without this now strange occurrence. It was once in a blue moon that she saw this, although it was more often now he had married Angelina.

"George! What's put you in this great mood?" she asked clearly surprised but overwhelmed with joy.

George got up grinning bigger than she had ever seen before, even before the war. He put his muscular arms on her more slender forearms and twirled her round with great happiness.

"I need to tell someone! I still miss Fred like hell but the pains becoming more bearable" Both of their smiles slipped slightly remembering that awful day,the memory of the wall crashing down. "But," George sighed his pleasure returning, his grin properly reaching his eyes. "Angelina's pregnant it's a boy and,.." He took in a big breath his eyes never faltering from Hermione's "we want to call him Fred, it was Ang's idea and I was a bit dubious at first but I realised, Fred would have loved it and that's all that matters."

Hermione couldn't believe her ears, her wide smile had turned into a lopsided grin. The wonderful news beat into her brain pumping around, joy overfilling her brain. What perfect news, this baby was sure to bring George out of the depression he had been in for the last 4 years. She flung her arms over his shoulders and around his neck. She kissed his cheek and beamed.

"You're going to the ministry party tonight right?" George pressed the question a while later while sipping cups of tea. Hermione nodded. "Yeah, I've got too. They expect me" She rolled her eyes expressing her distaste of being landed with her title of 'heroine'.

Hermione quickly jumped to her feet and ran out of Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes back room. Grabbing her bag and dashing out she heard George's familiar deep boom. "Oi! Granger! Where you going?" apart from keeping his tone slightly amused he was in fact worried she looked frantic.

"Sorry!" Came the call back "Lost track of time, Gringott's will be closing soon and I need money for drinks tonight!" George chuckled trust Hermione to be so worked up over something so silly. She had a couple of hours yet at least.

Expecting to see Gringott's full of Witches and Wizard's withdrawing money last minute and Goblin's franticly working. As she skidded into the marble entrance hall she was surprised to see no one, not a Wizard or Goblin in sight she groaned.

"Hermione?" A vaguely familiar voice questioned. She spun round smiling slightly. "Bill what are you doing here?" She laughed half-heartedly in a disgraced sort of way. He walked over to her chuckling.

"I Came to help the Goblin's busy day today." He shared giving her a soft smile.

Hermione frowned looking around. In answer to her silent question Bill said "Half-day" Hermione groaned again. "You have got to be kidding me" she whispered this to herself but Bill heard her. "'Fraid so." Looking at the embarrassed and almost indignant expression he said "If you wanna' get your money I could do a quick run now?"

Hermione beamed up at him, he always was the kind and sensitive Weasley boy. Smiling down at her he took her by the arm heading down to the vaults.

"Hermione, I hope you don't mind me asking but um, well I'm sure you've already got a date, but uh... Would you come with me to the Ministry party tonight?" Bill Weasley finished the last part very quickly turning the famous Weasley red. Hermione chuckled a sweet laugh and tinged a delicate pink.

"I'd love to Bill." She smiled as a grin of relief spread across the elder Weasley's face.

A blue strappy dress and gold chain with her birthstone, a glittering Sapphire, was what Hermione Granger decided to wear New Year's Eve. She waited for the doorbell to ring as she twiddled with the beautiful chain her parents had bought her before they had their memories obliterated. She was happy though, they were safe and happy.

The doorbell rang shaking her from her thoughts and she put on a fake but dazzling smile. As she opened her front door her fake smile turned into first surprised shock and then a real smile smile. Bill Weasley looked well, in Hermione's wide range of vocabulary there was still only one word she could describe him as, hot. He was dressed in a black Dinner Jacket and black jeans. He pulled the style of with ease.

"You look beautiful" Looking down at her he realised that he wasn't just being polite she really did look stunning.

"Thank you" she stuttered turning a pale pink "You look gor- I mean very handsome tonight yourself" she shifted her weight from one foot to another. How embarrassing. Bill turned a bright shade of red clashing with his hair.

"Shall we go?" Bill asked after they had been standing in the doorway for a few minutes staring at each other. Hermione gasped. He'll think I'm such an idiot she scolded herself frowning.

"I'm so sorry I should have invited you in!" she gushed turning a deep red. "Don't be silly" he smiled offering her his arm.

As Bill and Hermione arrived the party was in full swing. The DJ was putting on endless tunes and couples danced and kissed in corners the Minister himself was waltzing jokily with his wife.

"May I have this dance?" Bill asked cheekily, Hermione grinned and slapped his arm playfully.

By quarter to midnight everyone was talking about resolutions.

"So Miya" Bill smiled at the use of the name he had her agree to. She was surprisingly stubborn when it came to nicknames. "What's your resolution this year?" Hermione frowned she hadn't really thought about it this year. "I'm not sure this year really, perhaps to continue making my way up the ladder maybe," she blushed "to have a steady relationship you?" she asked just as Big Ben chimed for twelve and fireworks went off. Bill leant forward and gently pushed his lips onto hers. Their own fireworks bursting inside their stomachs. "To do that more often"