Chapter Two

"Today's the day. The day Harry comes back and we pick up where we left off. The day Ron comes home and flips out, practically killing the love of his life." A redheaded girl was saying.

"Don't call me that." Hermione frowned. "Ginny, you know things are different, now. He's probably found some beautiful half-veela witch who just happens to be some sort of model or something, along with whatever fabulous job she has."

"Don't put yourself down like that." Another person put in, laying a hand gently on her shoulder. Hermione turned to smile at them. "Can you see them, Gin?"

Ginny was now standing at the window, holding aside the curtain. All three of them were sitting up in Ginny's room at the Burrow, with Mr. and Mrs. Weasley downstairs in the kitchen, waiting for them to all run down, indicating that the boys were home. Wide-eyed, she turned back to them. Her once-blank face was now practically glowing, and her mouth was upturned in a grin.

Without answering, she squealed and ran downstairs.

"I'll take that as a yes." Hermione laughed, albeit anxiously.

"Hey, now, Herms. It'll be fine." The other person replied.

"I know, I know. I just don't want to know what he'll do when he sees you.." She frowned, but looked at him apologetically. "Let's get this over with."

"Alright."

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The boys, upon landing in the yard, looked up at the top floor. They had a feeling they would be waiting, and watching, for them. Seeing Ginny's window curtain move to the side, Harry began running down the drive, levitating his trunks in front of him. Ron, laughing, soon joined him in what seemed like a great race to the the Weasley house.

Upon reaching the door, they decided to leave their trunks, and threw the door open.

"We're back!" Ron called, entering the room with a large grin on his face. Harry jogged in behind Ron, and picked up Ginny, hugging her. Ron, reflexes getting the better of him, glanced around for those large brown eyes he loved so much, ignoring the people greeting him, only to see his Hermione walking down the stairs with that traitor.

"What are you doing here?" Ron snapped, causing the entire room to hush immediately. It was like the sound had been sucked out of the room within an instant.

Hermione stared at him, wide-eyed, yet seemed ready for this. Of course, this wasn't the first time they'd fought, and would certainly not be the last time.

"Excuse me?" The traitor asked.

"You heard me." Ron said, looking him over angrily. He glanced at Hermione, and the anger seemed in intensify. "And you.."

"Watch it, Weasley." The traitor threatened.

"You have no place here, Finnigan!" Ron shouted.

The other Weasleys and Harry were all watching the three like a tennis match, heads swinging from side to side to get the expressions that went along with the words.

"I think he does, Ronald." Hermione challenged.

Ron's jaw literally dropped open for a moment, before he turned and marched out of the room.

Harry, however, rolled his eyes.

"And I thought Ron had matured. Hah. Imagination is sometimes a good thing, Ron! Pretend that you're an adult."

"I heard that, Potter!" Ron's voice drifted in not a moment later.

Harry smiled a bit, and turned back to the room at large, then directed his attention to Hermione and her friend. They were talking quietly, still standing on the stairs.

"So, Hermione. Is he your..?" He trailed off.

"Yes. We're together." Hermione nodded stiffly.

"Alright, then." Harry nodded, and walked over to stand on the other side of the rail, and stuck his hand through it. "'How goes it, Seamus?"

Hermione raised an eyebrow at him.

"Somebody has to be comic relief in this house, or else we'd all cut each other's heads off." Harry informed her.

Pretending like she agreed, Hermione nodded judiciously, and made her way all the way down the stairs.

"Where're you going, Hermione?" Seamus asked.

"I have to go make sure Ron doesn't drown himself or something." She frowned, and headed outside, to where she knew he would be sitting. Right by the lake. When she would stay over the summers, and she was upset, she'd head directly to the dock at their lake - or pond, Ron called it, thinking it too small to be a lake - and wait for somebody to come get her. Ron always would, as it was generally his fault that she was sitting there. The reverse would happen, too, so Hermione figured he'd be there.

As she made her way outside, she passed by the garden she and Ginny had planted just below Ginny's window, which allowed vines to crawl up the side of the house. Ron had always thought his house small, but Hermione thought it was the most perfect house in the world, with the beautiful landscape. It was absolutely picturesque.

She passed by the two trees, which had pink blooms covering them, between which Arthur had hung a wooden, two-person swing at Hermione's suggested. She would spend most of her time reading out in the yard, when she wasn't off at work at St. Mungo's, or out on a distress call - for recently, they had added that to their hospital services, as they knew that not all people could make it. In fact, Hermione had suggested it, upon hearing they had nothing to go to the patient, instead of the other way around. Now, Hermione was head of her own department - Department of Hex-Induced Injuries - and was in line for full management. Not that many were above her.

Just as she predicted, Ron was out by the lake. However, he wasn't sitting like she was. He had his wand out, and was attacking blades of grass with spells he'd learned during his Auror training with Harry.

Today, Sunday, was the second of Hermione's days off, the first being on Thursday. Hermione thought the days oddly placed, but said nothing. It was summer, so Ginny wasn't off teaching - her career now that she had graduated from Hogwarts. Of course, unlike the others, she got to stay there during the school year. Hermione had to admit that she was a bit jealous, and was always hoping someone would call from Hogwarts so she would 'have to go heal somebody'. Of course, with a registered nurse on the grounds, that wasn't necessary, or hadn't been yet.

"Confringo!" Ron shouted, and the blade of grass exploded before him.

Hermione, jumping, must have made a noise, for Ron turned around, then glared at her darkly. Turning back toward the lake, he said nothing.

Ron lifted his wand again, but Hermione sat down next to him in the grass, not caring if it stained her white cotton sundress.

"We need to talk." Hermione informed him.

"What if I'm not up for talking? Why don't you go talk to your new boyfriend?" Ron suggested tersely. "I'll just sit here and kill a bit more grass." He lifted his wand again, but Hermione put a hand over his, pushing it back down. Ron pulled away as though she'd stung him.

"Ronald, honestly!" Hermione snapped. After a moment of silence, they both sighed, and Hermione leaned back on her elbows to look out over the lake. "Don't tell me you haven't seen other people.."

"So?"

"So, you can't be mad at me, for dating Seamus." Hermione said matter-of-factly.

"Why do you even like him?" Ron questioned.

"Why did you like the girls you dated, hmm?" Hermione returned.

"I asked first." He pointed out.

Hermione sighed audibly, then sat up. "He reminded me of y-.. I mean, He reminded me of Hogwarts and when we went there, and.. it's horrid hearing stories from Ginny, and not having you and Harry around.."

Ron glanced at her, and saw that she was looking down at her hands, which were clasped in her lap tensely. "Come on, 'Mione. You have your own career now."

Hermione smiled sadly. "I know that, Ron." She nodded. "I know that. I just wish we could visit at some point, see the people we knew as kids. I hardly see any of the ones we were friends with because of the DA, because Harry taught them so well they never need to come in." She laughed half-heartedly.

You miss them, Hermione? I'll show you that Seamus is just a git you needn't waste time on. Ron thought, grinning deviously. Hermione, however, didn't catch his look.

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((A/N: Soo.. What'd you think? Review and I'll continue. I might even fix that lame first chapter! I tried to make it a bit funny, so if it worked, lemme know. I'm not even sure if I'm funny, or if I have some weird sense of humor that people find odd. Don't know. Anyways, three reviews and I'll post the next one, and even mention you next chapter =D ))

--Mitchie