Chapter 10: Detours, Fences

Ron stood and spun around. "What are you doing out of bed?"

Hermione was swaying slightly. "I had to use the loo. Then I saw my hair. Where's my wand?" She'd managed to pull on a dressing gown, but was holding it closed with one hand while clutching her side with the other.

"You can't use your wand," Ron said, taking her by the arm and turning her back toward the bed.

"I have to," she said firmly. "It looks as though something's been nesting in my hair, and I think there's mud in it."

Ginny took Hermione's other arm. "I'll take care of your hair for you," she said soothingly.

They got Hermione back over to the bed, but she wouldn't get in. "I need something to sleep in," she said to Ron. "I can't keep sleeping naked, there are people here."

"All right, I'll get you a gown, please get back into bed," Ron said, trying to keep the frustration out of his voice. He couldn't find a gown so he pulled one of his pajama tops out of his luggage.

"Ron, who did this cleaning charm?" Ginny asked. "There really is mud in her hair, and look at the pillow."

"It was Madam Pomfrey," Ron grumbled. He got Hermione out of the dressing gown and into the nightshirt while Ginny cast cleaning charms on the bed and Hermione.

"Well, she did a terrible job," Ginny groused. "You'd think a healer would cast a better charm."

"I was concerned about getting her wounds clean, not doing her hair," A prim voice announced from the door.

"Madam Pomfrey's here," Harry said sheepishly from the curtain into the bedroom.

"I hate living in a tent," Ron grumbled.

"Why isn't she eating?" Madam Pomfrey demanded.

"She just woke up," Ron cried. "Winky!"

Winky appeared with a plate of fried eggs and sausages with mushrooms and baked beans.

"She doesn't like beans," Ron said.

Winky snapped her fingers and the beans disappeared. She snapped her fingers again and a glass of pumpkin juice appeared.

"Thank you, Winky," Ron said. "Don't know what I'd do without you." The little elf beamed as she Disapparated. It seemed like there were too many people in the room to him, but he wasn't sure what to do about it. Ginny managed to get Hermione's hair clean and untangled and falling in long relaxed ringlets. "That's actually quite fetching," he said to his sister.

Ginny smiled. "Thanks, I always thought it would look good like that."

Hermione seemed to be wilting. Ron broke off a piece of sausage and placed it in her mouth. She seemed barely able to chew through her exhaustion. Ron continued feeding her while Madam Pomfrey checked her wounds. The scar on her chest, the oldest of the two, had returned to normal. The scar on her side looked better, but Madam Pomfrey swabbed it with more green goo and put on a fresh dressing.

"You're coming along, Miss Granger," Madam Pomfrey said. "How are you feeling?"

"Just really tired," Hermione said. "Where's my wand?"

"I have it," Ron told her and gave her a forkful of mushrooms.

"But you'll not be using it," Madam Pomfrey insisted. "A full twenty-four hours of bed rest and no magic, after that you can start back slowly. If you ask me, you have no business channeling the kind of magic you do having been cursed the way you have."

"No one asked you," Hermione mumbled crossly.

Ron's mouth dropped open, and he and Ginny looked at each other in surprise.

Madam Pomfrey made a huffing noise. "Like it our not, you should still be more careful. Mr. Weasly, I'm done here. If the scar on her side isn't back to normal by midnight, take her to St. Mungo's."

Ron handed the remains of the plate of food to Ginny. "Finish feeding her, will you? I'm going to walk Madam Pomfrey out."

"She didn't mean to be rude," Ron apologized as they walked to the tent's entrance. "She's just really fagged, that's all."

Madam Pomfrey gave him a withering look. "Miss Granger just doesn't like being told what to do. She never has."

Ron walked her out of the tent. "Yeah, about that. What you said back there about channeling magic, what did you mean?"

"Simply that she has no business conducting that kind of energy when she's been cursed. It takes a terrible toll on her body."

Ron shook his head. "I don't understand. One of the others said she'd never Spliffed before so --"

"I'm not talking about spliffing, Mr. Weasley. I'm talking about curses. Every time she handles large volumes of magic, which I assume she does quite often in her line of work, she lights up those scars. Magical wounds don't ever go away entirely, I assume you know that."

"I do a lot of magic in my work," Ron said defensively. "I've never had a problem."

Madam Pomfrey looked at him crossly, but then her face relaxed and she smiled. "I've no doubt you're a fine wizard, Ron, but Hermione is in a whole other league."

Ron nodded, "Yeah, I know, but --"

Madam Pomfrey patted his arm, "Just keep an eye on her. I know she's not going to change her line of work, that would be too sensible."

"But what can I do?" Ron asked, concern starting to chill him.

"Well, alleviating extraneous magic would certainly help. I was happy to see you have a house elf, I'm sure that reduces her burden tremendously."

"Yeah," Ron nodded, but that's just temporary, he thought, and she'd never stand for it to be permanent. But his mind instantly started working on how to change that. "Thanks, Madam Pomfrey. It was good to have someone we know, you know, for this."

She smiled and patted his arm again. "Good luck, Mr. Weasley."

Ron watched her for a moment as she walked away. He shook his head to clear it then stepped back into the tent. Harry and Ginny were at the breakfast table tucking into the fry-up. He sat across from Ginny and began shoveling food on to his own plate. "Did she go back to sleep?"

Ginny nodded. "Yeah, but she finished most of her breakfast first."

"Good," Ron said, then looked at the elves busily doing the dishes. "Dobby, Winky could you join us for a moment?"

Both elves stared at him wide-eyed. "At the table, sir?" Dobby finally managed to choke out.

"Yes," Ron said in frustration. "Grab a plate, tuck in, I've got something I want to discuss with you."

The elves looked at each other but they both reluctantly took plates and forks and sat down slowly at the table. Ron passed Winky a plate of sausages. "So, Winky," Ron said, "what are your plans after this?"

"Plans, sir?" Winky said, taking a sausage and handing the plate to Dobby.

If her eyes get any wider, Ron thought, they're going to fall right out of her head.

"I was just wondering," Ron continued. "If you're happy at Hogwarts or if you'd consider taking a permanent position elsewhere?"

Harry and Ginny looked up at him.

"Ron, Hermione would never - " Harry started.

Ron cut him off with a glare.

Winky and Dobby now each had an untouched sausage on their plates.

"Well," Winky said slowly, "Hogwarts took me in after my shame, sir."

"Dumbledore took you in," Harry said sadly, "and he's gone now. I don't think you owe the school itself any allegiance, Winky. So if you'd prefer to work elsewhere, please don't feel you're bound to Hogwarts."

Since Harry was a professor, Winky seemed to take his word without question. She sat quietly for a moment before saying, "Well, then Winky is preferring a family, Mr. Weezy."

"Then I'd like to offer you a position," Ron said.

"Hermione's never going to go for that!" Ginny blurted out.

Ron glared at her. "You don't know that."

Winky's shoulders drooped. "It's true, Mr. Weezy, Miss doesn't like house elves."

"That's not true." Ron said adamantly. "She's quite fond of house elves. She really only wants what's best for them. Tell her, Dobby."

Dobby nodded. "Miss Granger believes in free house elves and so does Dobby."

Winky shook her head, clearly appalled at Dobby's statement. "Winky doesn't want to be free. Winky wants a family."

Ron patted her hand. "We'll be married in a month. We want a family too. Hermione's been very appreciative of what you've done for her. I'm sure if we work together, Winky, we can make her see the sense in you staying with us."

Winky sat up straight in her seat and squared her shoulders. "If Mr. Weezy says so, Winky will try."

"Excellent," Ron said. He passed her a platter. "Eggs?"

The rest of breakfast was spent explaining the ground rules for convincing Hermione to take on a house elf. Winky balked at the idea of payment, but finally acquiesced to an account at Gringott's in her name as long as no one ever handed her money or made her check the account. Ron thought that seemed fair.

After breakfast, Ron and Harry played several games of chess until Ginny announced that she really should open up the Three Broomsticks for the lunch crowd. She and Harry got ready to leave.

"Send an owl if you need anything," Harry said, "I can stop by after dinner if you'd like."

Ron shook his head. "You don't have to do that."

"Well, send Pig if you change your mind," Harry said.

Ginny hugged him goodbye and Harry activated their Portkey.

Ron spent the afternoon writing letters to Seamus and several buyers, trying to handle as much business as he could without leaving Hermione. She slept until about two o'clock. Winky had Cornish pasties ready and Ron brought a couple of them into her.

Hermione was much more alert now, and clearly felt better. She ate on her own, and instead of immediately falling back asleep, she decided to read for awhile. Ron took this as a positive sign and decided to risk walking down to the owlry to send his letters.

It was nice to get out in the fresh air, and the throng of the World Cup crowds seemed exciting again instead of annoying. He liked all the sights and smells. A match was going on in the stadium and the roar from the crowd came in waves, which drowned out the calls from the vendors. It occurred to him then what a good job Hermione had done of sound proofing her tent because none of this was audible inside it.

When he made it back to the tent, the first thing he did was stick his head in the bedroom to check on Hermione. He was greeted with an angry glare.

"You ambushed me with that elf" Hermione growled.

"I did not," he said innocently. "Where is she?"

"I gave her some galleons and sent her to the market," Hermione grumbled. "Why didn't you discuss it with me before you sent her in here to ask if she could stay with us?"

"I didn't send her," Ron said, holding his hand to his chest.

"You're a terrible liar, Ron. I know you want her to stay and I'm sure it's very convenient for you to have her around, but I don't want or need a house elf." She picked up a pasty and bit into it.

"You think I want her to stay for me?" Ron said, affronted.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Well, I'm sure Dobby won't be available to pick up after you for much longer now that Ginny's pregnant."

Ron hadn't considered that. "Well, that's probably true," he mumbled. "But that's not why we should consider offering her a position."

"I'm not offering her a position!" Hermione insisted.

"Hang on," Ron said. "Shouldn't this be a joint decision?"

"Ron!"

He sat on the edge of the bed. "You can't keep doing everything, Hermione. Madam Pomfrey said --"

"Sod her," Hermione said and angrily took another bite of pasty.

"Look at you," Ron said. "You don't even have enough energy to argue without fueling up during the process."

"You want me to take in a house elf because I Spliffed? That's ridiculous!"

"Madam Pomfrey said –"

Hermione rolled her eyes.

Ron ignored her and continued. "Madam Pomfrey said it's not about the Spliffing. She said someone whose been wounded the way you have shouldn't be channeling so much magic. She said it activates the scars."

Hermione dropped her eyes and began picking at the sheet.

"Does it?"

"Ron," Hermione said, looking him in the eye. "Seventy-five to eighty percent of what I do is research."

"But the other twenty-five percent?"

"Hurts sometimes, but it's nothing I can't handle."

Ron covered her hand with his. "That might be true now, but what about in the future? I thought you wanted children."

"I do," Hermione whispered.

"Then Winky could take away some of your magical burden. She could do the generic stuff around the house that you don't need to waste your energy doing."

Hermione let out a frustrated sigh. "And you can't take on any of that?"

Ron smiled. "I'm more than willing to do my fair share, Hermione, but let's face it, my household spell work isn't up to your exacting standards."

"That's not true," Hermione said without much conviction.

Ron frowned. "I've seen you redo stuff I've done around the house when you thought I wasn't looking. So far the only thing I do that seems to suit you is make tea."

"That's not true," Hermione said softly running her hand up his thigh. "Quite a lot you do suits me." She looked up at him demurely. "Your charms of Muggle artifacts are quite brilliant."

"True," Ron replied, "but not edible."

Hermione withdrew her hand.

"So unless you're thinking of a career change, I think you should seriously consider taking in Winky," Ron said it gently, but inside he thought, Score!

"Don't go buying the pony yet, Ron," Hermione said, arching an eyebrow.

Ron winced. "Heard that did you?"

Hermione took his hand. "Yes, but I heard what you said before it too."

"I meant it, you know," Ron said. "I really am very happy to have you back. I pissed this away once before over a few bad months. I'm not going to chuck it now over a bad week you had years ago."

Hermione kissed his hand. "I appreciate that." She rolled her eyes and sighed. "Tell Winky she can stay, but on a trial basis, and even if it works out, there will be no binding spells tying her to us and our descendents forever. All right."

Ron grinned and kissed her. "You won't regret this."

"I better not."

"Do me a favor, finish your pasty and go back to sleep for awhile, yeah," Ron said.

"I am kind of tired," she said, picking up the pasty.

Ron kissed her forehead and went back out to the living room.

When Winky arrived back from the market he told her the good news. She was very excited. She celebrated by making a fabulous dinner. Hermione woke around eight and had to admit it was delicious and not something she knew how to make. After dinner, Ron's day caught up with him and he went to bed. He was feeling pretty good about the day's events. He was lying on his back with Hermione curled up next to him. On impulse, he flicked his wand at the ceiling of the tent and said the sing-song incantation that made stars appear there. He kissed the top of her head and she murmured something against his chest. It should always be like this, he thought.