"Bill, would you mind getting off me, you're a bit heavy" Hermione asked as she rested her hands on his chest. With that he stood and offered his hand to Hermione, which she took and he effortlessly pulled her up. Together, they sat on the edge of the bed, silence washing over them for endless minutes. After ten minutes of silence, Bill (who couldn't keep still at the best of times) broke the silence.
"Want to talk about it? It's ok if you don't" he asked. He kept it at that, allowing Hermione time if she wanted to answer the question.
"Do you think I should go through trial for what I did?" she asked. Out of every question she asked herself, this one cropped up most frequently. When it came down to the bare facts she had killed another human being. She had taken the life of another.
"No. I don't" Bill simply stated. "And no one else does either. Remember, she would have killed you"
"Why is it when Ron or Harry says that I don't believe them?" Hermione asked another question, to save from over thinking the situation too much.
"Because dear Ron has a tendency to sugar coat things he doesn't think you want to hear, and Harry is too kind for his own good and doesn't want to hurt you" Bill reasoned. In the time they had known each other they hadn't had such a long conversation, even when she stayed at Shell Cottage when they were hurting Horcruxes. Of course they got on well, but they didn't know each other well.
"Do you always have answers?" she asked with a heavy sigh and a small smile.
"Yes. Well, most of the time" Bill said with a grin as he nudged Hermione's shoulder with his own. "But in all fairness, I was only right with Harry because I guessed. It's usually Charlie who I can read like a book"
With the mention of Charlie, Hermione's cheeks flushed slightly, but as her head rest on Bill's shoulder, no one saw.
"Is he an interesting book, or is like reading Ron?" she asked shyly. "In the sort of way you read a list" she added. This resulted in a loud chuckle from Bill as he threw his head back to laugh.
"No, Ron's a unique case in us Weasleys. The thing with Charlie is you have to spell things out to him or he just won't get it, despite being an interesting book. Why do you want to know?"
"Well, after you, he's the only other Weasley I don't really know, not like I know Ron and the twins. What with Ginny gone, I don't want to take this family for granted anymore" Hermione quietly replied. "I know he works with dragons, and he's in the Ministry all the time trying to get them to overhaul the dragon product laws, but I don't know what he's like. You're easy, Bill. You work and Gringotts and your curse breaking is famous, and you are married to Fleur and like sugar in your tea and those pink sugar hearts from Wheezes"
With that Bill sat smiling, wondering how he could help Hermione get to know the older half of the Weasley family more.
"If you want to get to know him more, just start talking about books or dragons" Bill said. This book analogy was going better than he thought so he went with it for a bit longer. "Don't talk about the war with him. He may look big and strong, but he's a kitten really"
Footsteps, unheard by the two sat on the edge of the bed, made their way upstairs. The man they belonged to heard voices.
"Thanks for everything, Bill. I really am lucky to have you tell it how it is" he heard Hermione say through the door.
"you're welcome, sweetie" Bill replied. Hanging back on the landing so he couldn't be seen, the newcomer swore he heard a kiss.
In the room, Bill pressed a kiss into hermione's temple as he put an arm around her shoulders. She felt small next to him, but grateful for his company.
"I better get some clothes on" Bill mused as he walked to the wardrobe, nothing tripping him up as he went. "Ron managed to throw a bag of flour at Fred when he was taking the piss out of him for something... Downstairs is a catastrophe" he informed Hermione.
"He may be a good Keeper, but his aim is dreadful" Hermione replied with a smile.
The man on the stairs was becoming more confused. Bill and Hermione? Slowly, he walked into the room.
"Charlie?" Hermione asked, her head swinging from Bill's not quite fully dressed form, to the door.
"Have they tidied up downstairs? Mum will lose her shit if she comes home and sees that" Bill asked. Bill turned and looked at his brother. He could recognise the half-rage-half-confused look anywhere. "Hermione? Would you be an angel and kick Ron's arse into gear for me? I'll be down in a minute"