Chapter 3: To Talk With You
Disclaimer: This is the third and last time I will state this: I do not own the Harry Potter series or anything related. I make no profit from writing this story. The characters are not mine, the Marriage Law plot twist is not mine, and certainly the brilliance that is J.K. Rowling is not mine. Now, if you sue me that means you can't read. Just kidding about the reading gib….But seriously, don't sue me!
The meeting was adjourned and some Order members immediately left while others filtered around talking and casting the female Order members that had to be matched up sympathetic glances. Hermione glanced at Ginny and was proud to see her bent over the list and scribbling furiously. Harry was deep in conversation with Remus. Sirius was talking to the twins, something about their posture and grins made her believe they were up to something.
She felt a presence beside her but didn't speak. The person finally spoke up, "Scouting for a husband?" She placed the voice and mentally cringed. It was Mundungus Fletcher.
"No, not particularly." She said in an icy tone. She looked over at him and saw him scanning the room also. "Scouting for things to nick?" she asked him. He gave a grin and a noncommittal shrug.
"'Scuse me Dung but Hermione and I have a few things to talk about." Ron said and tugged her away to a dark corner of the room. "Hermione—" Ron began but she placed a finger over his lips.
"Let's wait until later. I can't do this now. Please?" He bobbed his head and stuck his hands into his pockets awkwardly. A moment of awkward silence ensued and they eyed each other without actually looking.
"Oi! Hermione!" George called over the heads of people.
Hermione waved her hand to indicate her presence and he yelled again, "Ginny's looking for you! Kitchen!" She yelled a thanks and gave Ron a quiet 'see you later' and made her way to the overcrowded kitchen.
It was so unfair. Hermione knew life wasn't fair. She did but this was just cruel. They had danced around liking each other for years and they finally knew it was a mutual attraction. The past few months they had skirted around dating and now they wouldn't have the chance. Hermione liked Ron but it wasn't love, not yet anyways. It could be, but it wouldn't have time to grow before she was married off to another.
She saw Ginny talking to Professor McGonagall and handing her a duplicate copy of the list. "Oh, Hermione!" Ginny said upon realizing her friend was at the table.
"Hmm?" She inquired softly.
"I have the list made out. I've given Professor McGonagall a copy so she can owl everyone under pretense of Hogwarts. I figured we would let everyone match themselves up and then put whoever's left together."
"Sounds good, Ginny."
Hermione was distracted by two loud bangs and then a shot of orange shot by her and wound through her legs. She looked down to see Crookshanks with streaks of green. The place was silent, with everyone's wands drawn, and Hermione was waiting for a pin to drop when it all clicked.
"FRED AND GEORGE WEASLEY!! SIRUIS BLACK! How dare you!" she screeched and suddenly the whole house came alive again.
Laughter was heard along with reprimands and comments. Hermione could already hear Mrs. Weasley's shrill voice starting in on her twin sons and their older prankster friend.
She rolled her eyes and picked up Crookshanks to inspect him for any permanent or harmful damage. He was fine and, save for a few green streaks, completely normal.
"What exactly happened?" Charlie asked from beside her.
"Dunno really. Fred and George happened, I suppose."
Charlie hitched an eyebrow up at her, "Isn't this the time you would normally go charging in there to murder them or at least throw a good hex?"
Hermione shrugged and told him, "Isn't doesn't matter so much now. As long as no one gets hurt, what's the problem? They could be doing worse things."
Charlie was concerned for her. She was becoming lax in things she liked to do and her past behaviorisms were fading. He didn't know her that well before but he could tell from the way Ron and Ginny said things that she wasn't the same old Hermione. Then again, everyone was changing. It was war.
--
Hermione was just combing out her hair after her shower when she heard a knock on her door. "Come in." The door creaked open to reveal Sirius looking as awkward as she's ever seen him.
She cracked a smile at his obvious distress. "Molly sent you didn't she?" Sirius exhaled loudly and nodded. "Well, come on in."
Sirius came and sat in an empty chair on Hermione's side of the room. "This is awkward." Sirius said lightly. Hermione laughed and turned to face him. She sat Indian style on the bed while he leaned forward on the chair.
"It's fine, Sirius. What did you want to talk about?"
"Weeellll…." He dragged out, obviously pleased in lightening the mood. She rolled her eyes at him and coughed 'child' into her hand.
He looked like he wanted to say something but instead his eyes sobered and he said, "Hermione, I… well. You mean a lot to Harry and to me. You're like a part of the family I never had and I would do anything to help you out and keep you safe. Just don't—well, just think about everything okay? We all want you to be happy."
She could feel her cheeks warming and then said softy, "I know." They sat there for a few minutes and she broke the silence by confessing, "It's between you and Charlie, you know. I can't marry someone I haven't even spoken too. Now that would be awkward, your first words to each other being your wedding vows."
Sirius nodded and then gave a roguish grin, "So it's between me and the exotic dragon tamer? I wonder who you'll pick?" He gave her a wink and she replied with a sad smile.
"I'm sorry." Sirius told her.
"Hmm?" she asked, picking at her blanket, thinking about Ron.
"You deserve that Lily and James type love."
"I guess some of us aren't as lucky as Lily and James in that area, huh?" she replied in a dull voice.
"No, some of us aren't." He responded in the same tone.
He stood up and went to leave, feeling remorseful over leaving her in a more depressed state than before he came up, and leaned down and gave her a hug. It was warm and firm but it had that awkward tinge that Hermione realized as someone who hadn't been used to giving or receiving hugs. Harry had the same awkward body posture when they were younger and he was still adjusting to giving and receiving loving human contact.
She realized that Sirius probably only received hugs from James's mother and Lily and maybe Tonks on occasion. This made her hurt for him so she squeezed him back but then he pulled out of the hug. "Sorry, Hermione." He said again and then, after a brief smile, left her and Ginny's room.
She gave a long sigh and turned back to the task of combing out her long mane of curly hair. She just finished applying some special leave-in conditioner that made her mixture of wavy and curly hair fall into more manageable spirals when a voice said tentatively outside her door, "Hermione?"
She closed her eyes briefly and tried to repress tears as she bit her bottom lip. After a shaky breath she asked Ron, "Yeah?"
"Can we.. uh.. I mean, Wanna talk?" Normally, his avoidance of issues or lack of emotional understanding would prompt her to admonish him but she was feeling the same.
"Uh huh. Er.. Come in, I guess."
He pushed the door open and his face was a slight pink. He sat beside her on the bed and fiddled with his hands. She wished she could mimic Sirius and say 'This is awkward' but this was more than awkward; this was heart-wrenching.
"Ron—" She began but he cut her off.
"How can they do this to someone? Marriage should be about love! I can't believe I have to watch you walk down the aisle—" he broke off but she could almost hear his thought out loud, 'walk down the aisle to someone else.'
"I know, Ron, I know. I… The law will be repealed though. It won't say this way forever." She said forcefully.
"You may be right but it will still change things." he said.
"Ron.." she trailed off. She had thought about asking him whether the thought of her marrying Charlie or Sirius bothered him more but refrained. One was old enough to be her father and the other was his brother. How could she ask him to pick? What would it seem like to him? The lesser of the two evils? Hermione sighed and shook her head.
"I don't want to do any of this Ron. It wasn't supposed to happen like this. None of it was. This was supposed to be our last year in Hogwarts not the beginning of a war. We should be planning our futures, not wedding receptions! I should be at home with my parents. They shouldn't be in Australia living their fake lives." Hermione ended her monologue with a sob and soon tears were pouring out of her eyes.
Ron put his arms around her and tried to calm her down with soothing words but he didn't know what to say to make it all better. Her tears slowed and she rubbed the wetness off her cheeks. "Sorry." She mumbled embarrassed.
"It's okay." He said with a shrug.
"I don't want to get married." She said in a low, fragile voice that Ron had never heard.
His heart broke and, no matter how much this was hurting him, he would help her. "Shh…I know. Charlie and Sirius are good men. They'll protect you and that's all I care about. No one wants this but everyone will know that it's not a real marriage. It'll be okay. The only thing that will change is your last name and, hey, maybe you can just hyphenate it. See? It'll work out." Hermione giggled a little and Ron's spirits rose.
"Now, I was thinking that for the reception you could have…" Hermione hit him on the arm and he grinned. Just like old times.
"Okay okay. I won't help plan." He conceded to his best friend. "You better not. I will not have the Chuddly Canons as the theme of my wedding." Hermione told him in her bossy tone which made Ron smile.
Ron opened his mouth but Hermione beat him to him punch line, "Or any other Quidditch team for that matter!" Ron began laughing and Hermione, after a reluctant grin, joined in.
Author's Note:
Drop a review, please!
I'm still looking for a beta if anyone is interested!!