Jae: Okay, I know most of you really want to kill me right now [Squeals and runs at the howlers that comes dropping in her room]
[T.J. comes into the room, and seeing the howlers, starts laughing]
T.J.: you'll have to excuse my sister. She wasn't able to post up the chapter because we all had exams to do. She would've done so even with the exams, if it weren't for the fact that she had Arithmancy, History of Magic and Herbology exams 3 days in a row. [ducks when a howler almost hit his head]
[Harry comes in the room]
Harry: Tyler James, explain why there are howlers raining all over the house?
T.J.: It was Jae!
[Harry sighs and leaves the room, screaming for Jae]
T.J.: Hehehe… Anyway, Here's chapter 4 everyone!
Chapter 4: Coincidences
"What about this apartment? It looks very homey, don't you think so?" Hermione asked, looking at a picture that she held up as Ethan and her walked along the sidewalk, looking for a flat. Ethan scrunched up his nose.
"How's that homey? It looks too polite," he replied, pushing the picture down. Hermione rolled her eyes.
"What's so bad about it being polite? I think it looks beautiful. Look, they even have a balcony!" she exclaimed. Ethan's jaw dropped.
"Do you want us to get robbed?!" he exclaimed. Hermione forced herself not to roll her eyes once more.
"How can we get robbed if it's on the 25th floor?" she asked pointedly. Ethan looked at her in disbelief.
"And did you forget that I'm afraid of heights?" he said. Hermione sighed in frustration.
"Fine, fine, not that one," she said and crumpled up the picture before throwing it at Ethan.
"Hey! I'm sorry if I didn't like that one, okay?" he said. Hermione just glared at him. She then stopped upon seeing something.
"A grocery store! Great! We were running out of necessities!" she exclaimed, grabbing Ethan's hand and dragging him there, much to his dismay. Soon, they were going up and down the aisle, Ethan dropping things into the cart while Hermione would take it off because "it's not needed". When Hermione was putting a tub of ice cream back into the freezer (ignoring Ethan's protests), she heard a vaguely familiar voice. Leaving Ethan (who put the ice cream back into the cart), she turned to the next aisle and smiled, seeing a familiar face.
"I cannot believe he wouldn't let me out," she was muttering, dropping about six packs of pudding into her cart. When she turned around, Hermione's jaw dropped, seeing her long-time friend pregnant.
"How long have you been pregnant?" she asked. The woman turned her head, and upon seeing Hermione, squealed and waddled over to Hermione.
"Hermione! You're back!" she said, throwing her arms around Hermione as soon as she reached the brown-haired woman. Hermione laughed and hugged her friend back.
"So Lav, who's the father?" she asked. Lavender Brown pulled away, tossing her long glossy hair back.
"That should've been obvious to you," she said, giggling and blushing at the same time. Once again, Hermione's jaw dropped.
"You and Ron got married?!" she exclaimed. Ron and Lavender had been sweethearts when they were still in Hogwarts, and they were known as the "couple that fought every other day". Hermione never thought they would get married, let alone have children. Lavender smiled, patting her swelled belly.
"I know, it seems absurd, but I won't be able to find another one as wonderful as him," she said, getting teary. Hermione stifled a laughter. Must be hormones doing the crying, she thought as she watched Lavender wipe a tear away. Suddenly, Lavender beamed.
"Oh Hermione, please say that you'll come to our house for dinner," she said. Hermione smiled.
"Can I bring…someone?" she asked. Lavender nodded rather enthusiastically. At that moment, Ethan came to their aisle. Upon seeing Hermione, he scowled.
"You know, I was talking to you about milk and when I turned, you suddenly disappeared!" he exclaimed. Then seeing a pregnant woman with Hermione, he blushed.
"Sorry for being rude. I'm Ethan," he said, giving Lavender a smile. Lavender grinned.
"I'm Lavender," she said. Hermione moved to where Ethan was.
"Lavender, Ethan's my fiancé," she said, feeling a little worn out about telling everyone that he is. Lavender's jaw dropped. Then she bursted into tears, grabbing Ethan into a bone-crushing hug. Hermione giggled.
"So… Can I bring him along for dinner?" she asked.
Ron Weasley sighed as he dragged his feet to the front of his house. He loves Quidditch and everything, but it takes out too much of his energy, not to mention his time. Ron smiled, thinking about Lavender and the baby they're going to have, and suddenly, he couldn't wait to go inside the house. As soon as he opens the door though, he nearly tripped on his broom upon seeing not only Lavender, but Hermione too. Hermione turned, and seeing her long-time best friend, grinned and ran over to him, flinging her arms around him.
"I've missed you!" she exclaimed, hugging him tightly. Ron immediately recovered and hugged his best friend just as tightly.
"I always wondered when I was ever going to see you again," he replied, a smile forming its way on his lips. When he pulled away, he then noticed a man with dirty blonde hair and scowled.
"And who are you?" he asked rather rudely, though at this time, he didn't care. Hermione slapped him on the arm.
"Honestly Ronald Weasley, be nice!" she exclaimed. Then she smiled and moved to where the man was, holding his hand (while Ron glared at the hands).
"Ron, meet Ethan, my fiancé-but-not-really-my-fiancé," she said. Ron raised an eyebrow.
"What the bloody hell are you babbling about?" he asked, making Hermione scowl. He soon got his answer when Hermione got both him and his wife on the couch. As soon as she was finished, Ron's jaw was hanging once again.
"Harry told me that you left for no particular reason! He didn't say he was sleeping around with some scarlet woman!" he exclaimed. Hermione rolled her eyes.
"She's got a name Ron," she retorted. Ron scoffed.
"That still doesn't change the fact that the git would do something like that!" he said, suddenly feeling like he needed to punch something. Lavender, seeing his husband's expression, quickly took his hand, and some of Ron's anger quickly faded.
"That's the reason why I'm here," Ethan said, wrapping an arm around Hermione as she leaned on him, both smiling at each other. Ron, seeing this action from them, couldn't help but be happy for Hermione, even if their relationship isn't real, she was perfectly content and happy with Ethan. Lavender stood up, breaking his thoughts.
"All right, how about some dinner?" she said, not waiting for anyone's answers as she moved (with great difficulty) to the kitchen, much to everyone's amusement.
"Ethan, do you love Hermione?" Ron asked after dinner. The girls were watching a movie while the men went to do the dishes. Ethan stared at Ron, a little surprised, but nonetheless, he answered his question.
"More than you can imagine," he replied. Ron placed the plates on the counter and looked at him.
"But you're gay," he blurted out, and his ears went red upon hearing himself speak rudely once more. Ethan chuckled.
"I am, but it doesn't stop me from loving Hermione. She's my number one priority," he said, wiping the table. Ron continued to stare at him, slowly approving him for Hermione.
"But why not marry Hermione for real?" he asked suddenly. Ethan froze, then turned to Ron a moment later.
"You know, I always wanted to start a family, and I could easily do it with a man, but I want my children to have a mother too, and I could see Hermione doing that," he said, speaking to himself rather than to Ron. Ron, on the other hand, grinned.
"So then what are you doing you dolt? Marry her!" he exclaimed. Ethan turned to Ron and grinned back.
"You know Weasley, you might be on to something," he said. Ron turned to the dishes, his smile fading away.
That's what you get for hurting Hermione, Harry, he thought, absent-mindedly washing the dishes.
T.J.: Okay! That was chapter 4! I hope you'll RR! Jae will see you next time, when she's done hiding from Dad who's angry about the whole howler thing. Until then!
[Preview of the Next Chapter]
"Ethan, let's go home. I want to celebrate," Hermione said, sitting on Ethan's lap and giving him a soft kiss on the lips. Once she pulled away, Ethan licked his lips.
"You taste like butterbeer," he replied. Hermione laughed and got off his lap, pulling him with her. Once they were out of the door, Harry turned to Madame Rosmerta.
"Rosmerta, why does the girl look familiar? Does she remind you of anyone?" he asked. Madame Rosmerta, who was watching the couple with a happy twinkle in her eye, turned to Harry, beaming with pride.
"Why yes Harry, I do know her. Don't you remember her? She was your best friend, that Hermione Granger."
