Hermione looked at Harry in confusion, she felt her stomach tighten once more, did she really want to know what he was about to tell her.
"Oh um…alright.."Hermione said slowly,
"Ron has been…drinking a lot lately and I'm sure tonight won't be any different" Harry started Hermione simply looked at Harry in confusion,
"Alright…and this is relevant why…" Hermione said getting annoyed that Harry dragged her out in the cold to tell her this.
"Well he tends to get rather angry, and I just didn't want him to upset you because we all love having you here so just don't listen to any-
"Listen Harry I'm very aware of how alcohol works thank you very much, and I'm also very aware of how it works with Ron. So you don't have to worry, besides I'll be gone by the time he's wasted enough to actually say two words to me" Hermione said cutting Harry off.
"Yeah…I know…I just…well Ginny told me to…" Harry's sentence didn't need finishing as Hermione nodded as she understood that Ginny made Harry talk to her. They walked back into the warm house, Ron simply avoided Hermione. Mrs. Weasley finally called everyone to dinner, Hermione was thankful because once dinner was over she could leave. She sat next to George who had been chewing her ear off most of the night, as he went on about some new invention about the shop Hermione looked over at Ron, he had been in an intense conversation with Harry about work. This past year really matured Ron, he was no longer clean cut lean Ron but instead rugged built Ron. Slight scruff on his face making him look older, and even with clothes Hermione could tell he'd had become more built, not like he wasn't fit before but it he was more defined now. Hermione looked at his arms as he leaned on the table as his muscles retracted in order to support his weight. Hermione found herself oddly attracted to this new Ron, even though she still hated him. She hadn't even realized that he was looking in her direction until she brought her eyes to his face again, and just then she was caught. Hermione froze starting wide eyed at him back at him, they held their stare of a brief couple seconds before George nudged Hermione, bringing her back to reality.
"Oi have you been listening to anything" George joked, Hermione suddenly got felt flustered feeling guilty that she had been ignoring George.
"Oh course….I…think it's a great idea. Gonna be a big seller" Hermione said with a smile, luckily it was the right thing to say for George agreed and went off explaining some other toy he had come up with. Hermione took a big gulp of her wine, Harry noticed this and laughed at her she rolled her eyes mouthing the words 'more wine please' to him as she held up her glass. Just like any other Weasley dinner it had gone one for ever, Hermione found herself drinking more and more wine as the time went on. By the time everyone had been gotten up from the table Hermione had found herself rather drunk. She sat their in her chair as more and more people got up moving to the living room. Ginny noticed that Hermione hadn't gotten up went to see what was wrong,
"Hermione you okay, were all going back into the living room" Ginny explained at first Hermione didn't respond just started off into space, but then as if being broken from a trace looked up at Ginny and said,
"I think I'm a lil drunk" Hermione said, nodded over to her empty wine glass. Ginny couldn't help but laugh.
"It's alright Hermione, happens to the best of us, pretty sure half my brothers are drunk" Ginny explained.
"How am I gonna get….home" Hermione said as if it was the wrost thing ever, she couldn't believe she went and got herself drunk. If it had been any other circumstance she wouldn't have minded but now she was trapped in a house with Ron, a drunk Ron, and all his brothers. Not a good combination.
"Can 't you floo Ben, I'm sure he'll come over here and pick your drunken ass up" Ginny joked, Hermione looked at Ginny as if she was the most genius person in the world.
"Of course! Ben I forgot about him!" Hermione said, Ginny laughed as she picked up the plates on the table.
"Really forgot about your boyfriend eh, how drunk are you Ms. Granger" Ginny joked, as she proceeded to help her mom clean up. Hermione slowly made her way over to everyone in the living Ginny following close behind her, taking a seat on Harry's lap. Hermione sat on the chair next to Harry and Ginny just listening to all the conversation, trying to sober up a bit before flooing Ben. Luckily no one had asked for her opinion this time, Hermione couldn't have been more thankful.
Ron was across the room just out of Hermione's line of vision, he looked over at her as she sat in the arm chair listening and laughing to the conversation around her. Hermione always looked put together but there was something about tonight that made her look so undone; Ron couldn't help but love it. It was when Hermione wasn't planning something, or preparing for what was supposed to happen next and just being was when he loved her the most. Her hair was falling out of its bun that was once neat and tight when he had first saw her random strands of curls now framed her face, the sweater that she had been wearing had come off, and she was now showing off her wonderful body with a tight v-neck shirt. Through Ron's drunken thoughts Ron pushed away all the things he hated about Hermione, and simply focused on how badly he wanted her body. A large pop broke him from his thoughts as he saw Ben suddenly standing in his living room. He was confused because he couldn't imagine what kind of work question would require him to come to his parent's house. Ron watched as he talked to Hermione pulling her up from her seat and placing a firm hand around her waist, Ron felt a twinge of jealously but it quickly faded to anger when he remembered why he hated Ben so much.
"Got her alittle drunk huh" Ben asked amusingly,
"Yeah, though I reckon most of it she did to herself" Harry explained, Mrs. Weasley soon came over to see how the new guest was greeting them with a cheery welcome as always.
"Hello dear, I'm Mrs. Weasley! And who might you be" she asked looking him over, to see if she could recognize him.
"Ben, Hermione's boyfriend. You have a lovely home I must say" Ben said with a smile, Hermione just rolled her eyes as Ben began to suck up once more.
"Oh! Thank you dear! It's a bit of mess right now, with all the company and all" Mrs. Weasley explained.
"He's also a new member to me and Ron's team" Harry explained patting Ben on the back.
"Oh this that right dear" Mrs. Weasley said looking over at Ron who simply nodded.
"Yeah love workin' with the both of them. There both such great leaders, and your son he's great really I mea-
"Okay Ben, that's enough sucking up for tonight" Hermione said overly sweetly,
"I've got to use to bathroom…then were going" Hermione explained as she slipped away from Ben's grip slowly making her way to the bathroom pushing past everyone. Eventually getting there Hermione closed the door and leaned up against it. This was happening, she thought she was about to start spending a good chuck of her time with Ginny, also meaning the rest of the Weasley's, which included Ron. She took a deep breath she didn't think it was going to be this hard to be around him like this, she knew that one day it was bound to happen, for the very reason that it was happening. Hermione moved over to in front of the mirror looking at herself, she hadn't noticed that her hair had been completely messed up. She freed it from it's bun, not caring what she looked like right now as she stared at herself in the mirror she convinced herself that her overindulgence in wine had made her think she still in fact wanted Ron. Eventually calming herself down she grabbed the door knob taking one last deep breath before she left, but before she could open the door it was forced open on her as Ron came rushing into the bathroom.
"I need to talk to you" he muttered as he pushed her back into the bathroom closing the door behind him, as much as Hermione loved Ron being so assertive she couldn't let her feelings take over her.
"What do you think you're doing" Hermione said, crossing her arms across her chest making it known she wasn't going to be pushed around. Ron just looked at her taking her in as her arms had pushed her boobs even more out of her v-neck shirt distracting him from his reasons to being here.
"Who do you think you are" Ron said as he moved closer to her she stepped back until her back was meet with the wall. Ron put his hand against the wall as if cornering Hermione with his body and looked at her waiting for her to answer. Hermione,
"Excuse me?" she answered with disbelief, Ron lowered his head so that he was right next to her ear,
"You heard me. Who the fuck do you think are" he whispered into her ear, the strong scent of alcohol lingering off his breath. Hermione let her head drop to hit the wall as she knew if this was any other time Ron would let the question go unanswered, and begin to work his mouth all over her body. But unfortunately she knew this wasn't the case, regaining herself she pushed Ron away from her.
"I don't know what you're talking about" Hermione said simply, as she tired to push past to get to the door, but it didn't work for he turned around grabbing her arm and pulling her back into him.
"Where do you get off coming into my house and staying for dinner, chatting up all my brothers all fucking night" Ron explained, Hermione looked at him shock,
"Oh I'm sorry Ron I am not allowed to help my best friend plan her wedding like she asked!" Hermione yelled,
"I don't know who you think you are, but you really need to get over yourself" Hermione spat, Ron who didn't seem phased by her insults one bit simply picking up from his prior statement,
"And then you have to bring that fucking prat in here! Bad enough I have to deal with him every bloody day of the week!" Ron shouted, making Hermione even angrier.
"Well how else was I supposed to get home Ron! Huh! I'm sure as hell am not going to stay here! Why the hell would I want to do that! Trust me Ron, I don't want to be around you as much as you don't want to be around me. So stay out of my way and I'll stay out of yours" Hermione said through clenched teeth, and with that statement she walked out slamming the bathroom door behind her. She walked out into the living room everyone was still talking; she figured this was a good sign that they hadn't heard her and Ron's argument. She walked over to Ben throwing her around him,
"Ready to go love" Hermione said, smiling at him. It was times like these when she remembered why she liked Ben so much.
"Course dear" Ben said, as he quickly said goodbye to everyone.
"Where'd Ron go…I should probably say goodbye to him, or I'm sure I wont hear the end of it" Ben whispered to Hermione who shook her head in protest.
"No no it's fine….I….um think he passed out somewhere…" Hermione explained quickly.
As Hermione awoke the next morning opening her eyes slowly as she could already feel the dull ache in her head forming. Ben had once again been up before her; Hermione pulled herself out of bed as she dragging her feet as she made her way to the kitchen.
"Good morning dear" Ben said to cheery for Hermione's liking, as he handing her a cup of coffee and gave her a quick peck on the check.
"Morning" Hermione mumbled sipping her coffee.
"You know what I didn't realize" Ben said in his upbeat voice that was driving Hermione crazy this morning.
"What" Hermione said duly as she held her head,
"That Ron Weasley, was 'the Ron Weasley' I guess I thought he looked a lot younger, then again most of the pictures I've ever seen of him I'm guessing were when he was younger…" Ben said,
"Mhmmm" Hermione said idly,
"I would've never thought he was your age, he could pass for being older than me maybe that's what threw me, of course now I feel like an idiot not realizing something so obvious as that. I mean who else would be Harry Potter's right hand man…" Ben continued on his rant, as Hermione wished he would stop for his voice was just extra noise she didn't need.
"Hey honey, why didn't you say something the other day when I told you who I was working with?" Ben question, turning around looking at Hermione this time who gave him a blank stare until finally processing everything he had just said,
"Oh…I don't know, just didn't I guess" Hermione said flatly taking another big sip from her coffee. Ben simply gave her a big smile,
"Ah I see. So Harry marring…Ginny is he, now that's Ron's sister yeah" Ben asked, Hermione let out a sigh she felt like it was gossip hour with a bunch of her moms friends, who were all trying get the dirt on everyone.
"Yup" Hermione replied adding more sugar into her coffee hoping to get to the level of awakeness Ben was at, though she knew it was impossible, she wondered if he had a secret for it or perhaps it was drugs, Hermione laughed to herself at the thought of Ben taking any kind of drugs. Besides drinking every now and then Ben was a straight edge through and through.
"Ha, that's gonna be kinda weird going to a wedding were both my bosses are going to be" Ben said with a chuckle, Hermione looked up from her coffee at Ben utterly confused of why Ben would be there. Of course Ben would be there who else would be her date, Hermione thought to herself; making the realization that Harry and Ginny's wedding might not be so fun after all.
A/N: Sorry it took so long for me to update, also sorry it is such a sort chapter but the next one is almost done so it should be up in no time. I hope you enjoyed please let me know your thoughts :)