Chapter Four
"I don't believe this!" Ron said, throwing his hands into the air in frustration.
"He was bound to find out sooner or later!" Hermione said defensively. She knew this was a battle she was not about to win. Ginny sat on the bottom stair, watching the two with amusement. Ron and Hermione both stood in the family room, facing each other. Hermione held a letter in her hand, and Ron paced back and forth angrily.
Harry was descending the staircase when he heard raised voices. He paused his trek to the dining room, listening to the angry tones downstairs. Looking down, Harry saw Ginny perched on the bottom step, her arms drawn around her knees as she watched the scene intently. He continued down the steps and joined her.
"What have I missed?" he whispered. Ginny's head whirled to the side in surprise at Harry's presence. For a moment, she considered ignoring him. Then she noticed the apology and warmth behind his eyes and she smiled in return.
"Hermione sent a note to Viktor about the engagement," she whispered, turning back to watch the scene unfolding in the opposite room.
"Oh, not a good idea," Harry breathed. Ron had been jealous of Viktor since their fourth year in Hogwarts. Harry knew Hermione had maintained correspondence with Krum during their years in Hogwarts, but he--and, apparently Ron as well---was unaware that she had continued communication after graduation.
"The whole engagement announcing is going terribly," Ginny said with delight. Harry thought she took a little too much enjoyment in Hermione's and Ron's disagreements. 'She needs to get out more,' he decided.
"You told Harry without telling me you were going to!" Hermione said, pulling forth her defenses. Ron stopped pacing and faced her.
"That's because Harry is our best friend. Collectively...ours," he said, motioning to Hermione and himself. "Krum is your friend, and, in my opinion, pretty low on the human scale anyway. Could we at least finish telling my family before we tell your pets?"
"Now wait a minute. Just because you don't like Viktor doesn't mean you have any right to insult him like that. Please remember that I, your fiancée, am currently working to create an office to prevent pompous wizards like yourself from making asses out of themselves!" Hermione said hotly, waving the paper at Ron that Harry assumed to be a reply from Viktor.
"I'm glad you intend to dedicate your life to protecting him," Ron said, stressing the last word bitterly.
"Why can't you understand I have friends, too?" Hermione said, her voice beginning to break.
"Oh, that's not fair," Harry whispered. Ginny turned to Harry inquisitively.
"She's going to play the 'crying card,'" Harry explained. "Ron's a sucker when she cries."
"I understand you have friends---I also wish you would respect the fact that I don't like him!"
"You're so rude---" Hermione's voice regained its intensity as she flung the insult at Ron.
"I'm rude? I'M rude?!" Ron threw up his hands again. "You don't see the way he looks at you, stares at you, can't take his eyes off of you, in FRONT OF ME. He virtually ignores my presence and spends all his energy trying to get you back. It's a little hard for me to take, Hermione. You can only ask so much of a man, and asking him to be friends with a guy who's constantly trying to take away your-your life, is asking TOO MUCH!" Ron swept his arm across his body, slicing the air in the manner of an umpire. Hermione was quiet for a moment. Ginny and Harry held their breath, anticipating her next words. The tense silence hung over the room; the only sound breaking it came from Crookshanks as he chased something upstairs. In the kitchen, a dish clattered in the sink and Harry could hear Mrs. Weasley desperately trying to shush the noise. He and Ginny weren't the only ones listening.
Hermione took a step toward Ron and held out the letter from Viktor.
"I'm sorry," she said quietly. She held the parchment out as a peace offering as she took another tentative step toward Ron. Hermione was stopped short when he rushed toward her and enveloped her in his arms. Ginny let out a tired sigh and turned to Harry.
"Well, that's over. I suppose we'll have to wait until after dinner for the next one. Although I must say, it'll be few and far between before we see Ron come out on top again."
"I thought the 'life' thing was a very nice touch," Harry said thoughtfully. Ginny nodded.
"But they didn't solve anything. This will come up again when she wants to invite him to the wedding," said Ginny knowingly. Harry doubted her.
"You really think she'll try it?"
"Of course she will. Hermione has never understood the relationship she has with Krum. I mean, everyone else can see that Krum wants her, but she's just not interested anymore. She thinks it's a perfectly harmless relationship," said Ginny. She seemed to be well versed in the topic and Harry realized how close Ginny had become to Hermione.
"But after what Ron told her--" Harry started, but Ginny shook her head.
"She'll keep it low for a little while, but you know Hermione. She's stubborn and in a week or two she'll have forgotten all this and convinced herself once again that Krum is just a nice boy."
"Ginny, you seem to be an experienced observer of their fights. Do you think it'll last?" Harry held his breath, hoping her reply was the right one.
"Oh yeah. They enjoy making up way too much," she said, motioning over her shoulder but still not looking. Harry glanced over her shoulder into the room and saw Hermione and Ron making up with much enthusiasm and romantic looks. He rolled his eyes.
"Lovely. Now how am I supposed to enjoy dinner?"
"I don't believe this!" Ron said, throwing his hands into the air in frustration.
"He was bound to find out sooner or later!" Hermione said defensively. She knew this was a battle she was not about to win. Ginny sat on the bottom stair, watching the two with amusement. Ron and Hermione both stood in the family room, facing each other. Hermione held a letter in her hand, and Ron paced back and forth angrily.
Harry was descending the staircase when he heard raised voices. He paused his trek to the dining room, listening to the angry tones downstairs. Looking down, Harry saw Ginny perched on the bottom step, her arms drawn around her knees as she watched the scene intently. He continued down the steps and joined her.
"What have I missed?" he whispered. Ginny's head whirled to the side in surprise at Harry's presence. For a moment, she considered ignoring him. Then she noticed the apology and warmth behind his eyes and she smiled in return.
"Hermione sent a note to Viktor about the engagement," she whispered, turning back to watch the scene unfolding in the opposite room.
"Oh, not a good idea," Harry breathed. Ron had been jealous of Viktor since their fourth year in Hogwarts. Harry knew Hermione had maintained correspondence with Krum during their years in Hogwarts, but he--and, apparently Ron as well---was unaware that she had continued communication after graduation.
"The whole engagement announcing is going terribly," Ginny said with delight. Harry thought she took a little too much enjoyment in Hermione's and Ron's disagreements. 'She needs to get out more,' he decided.
"You told Harry without telling me you were going to!" Hermione said, pulling forth her defenses. Ron stopped pacing and faced her.
"That's because Harry is our best friend. Collectively...ours," he said, motioning to Hermione and himself. "Krum is your friend, and, in my opinion, pretty low on the human scale anyway. Could we at least finish telling my family before we tell your pets?"
"Now wait a minute. Just because you don't like Viktor doesn't mean you have any right to insult him like that. Please remember that I, your fiancée, am currently working to create an office to prevent pompous wizards like yourself from making asses out of themselves!" Hermione said hotly, waving the paper at Ron that Harry assumed to be a reply from Viktor.
"I'm glad you intend to dedicate your life to protecting him," Ron said, stressing the last word bitterly.
"Why can't you understand I have friends, too?" Hermione said, her voice beginning to break.
"Oh, that's not fair," Harry whispered. Ginny turned to Harry inquisitively.
"She's going to play the 'crying card,'" Harry explained. "Ron's a sucker when she cries."
"I understand you have friends---I also wish you would respect the fact that I don't like him!"
"You're so rude---" Hermione's voice regained its intensity as she flung the insult at Ron.
"I'm rude? I'M rude?!" Ron threw up his hands again. "You don't see the way he looks at you, stares at you, can't take his eyes off of you, in FRONT OF ME. He virtually ignores my presence and spends all his energy trying to get you back. It's a little hard for me to take, Hermione. You can only ask so much of a man, and asking him to be friends with a guy who's constantly trying to take away your-your life, is asking TOO MUCH!" Ron swept his arm across his body, slicing the air in the manner of an umpire. Hermione was quiet for a moment. Ginny and Harry held their breath, anticipating her next words. The tense silence hung over the room; the only sound breaking it came from Crookshanks as he chased something upstairs. In the kitchen, a dish clattered in the sink and Harry could hear Mrs. Weasley desperately trying to shush the noise. He and Ginny weren't the only ones listening.
Hermione took a step toward Ron and held out the letter from Viktor.
"I'm sorry," she said quietly. She held the parchment out as a peace offering as she took another tentative step toward Ron. Hermione was stopped short when he rushed toward her and enveloped her in his arms. Ginny let out a tired sigh and turned to Harry.
"Well, that's over. I suppose we'll have to wait until after dinner for the next one. Although I must say, it'll be few and far between before we see Ron come out on top again."
"I thought the 'life' thing was a very nice touch," Harry said thoughtfully. Ginny nodded.
"But they didn't solve anything. This will come up again when she wants to invite him to the wedding," said Ginny knowingly. Harry doubted her.
"You really think she'll try it?"
"Of course she will. Hermione has never understood the relationship she has with Krum. I mean, everyone else can see that Krum wants her, but she's just not interested anymore. She thinks it's a perfectly harmless relationship," said Ginny. She seemed to be well versed in the topic and Harry realized how close Ginny had become to Hermione.
"But after what Ron told her--" Harry started, but Ginny shook her head.
"She'll keep it low for a little while, but you know Hermione. She's stubborn and in a week or two she'll have forgotten all this and convinced herself once again that Krum is just a nice boy."
"Ginny, you seem to be an experienced observer of their fights. Do you think it'll last?" Harry held his breath, hoping her reply was the right one.
"Oh yeah. They enjoy making up way too much," she said, motioning over her shoulder but still not looking. Harry glanced over her shoulder into the room and saw Hermione and Ron making up with much enthusiasm and romantic looks. He rolled his eyes.
"Lovely. Now how am I supposed to enjoy dinner?"