Two Beds and a Coffee Machine
By
Sannikex
To Louise
Because you are you and that is all we could ever ask for. Happy Birthday!
A/N: For my reviewers, second chapter for today!
Chapter Ten
Welcome to the planet
Welcome to existence
Everyone's here
Everybody's watching you now
Everybody waits for you now
What happens next
I dare you to move
Switchfoot
Nervously she looked around. It had been hard to decide what to wear. What did you wear when you went to a quidditch game and sat in the celebrity seats? She'd actually asked Ron who'd been no help whatsoever. 'Whatever you like, Hermione'. What was that supposed to mean? Should she wear jogging pants and sweatshirt?
Finally she'd decided on black trousers and white shirt. Vanessa had added a Chudley orange tie. It was almost like school uniform so she felt rather relaxed. Henry was dressed all in orange and had insisted that Ron would turn even his underwear and socks orange. Vanessa wore orange jumper and ribbons in her dark hair. Ron had shrunk one of his T-shirts to fit Rorie. There was no doubt which team they supported when a formal looking witch escorted them to their seats.
They were among the first to arrive but the top box was already half-full. The families of the players' were there as early as the players themselves. With her head bowed Hermione sat beside a woman whose nails were painted a bold red. That was about all she saw of her as she kept her head down.
"You're new here aren't you?" A voice that spoke of money and self-confidence resounded. Hermione shyly met the woman's eyes. They were an icy blue and her features were sharp. The blonde hair was swept back from the stunning face. Hermione nodded. The woman searched her purse and retrieved a package of cigarettes. She lit one and inhaled deeply.
"So, who invited you?" She exhaled the smoke.
"Ronald Weasley." The woman's demeanour changed immediately.
"Oh, Ron!" She lowered her voice, "I thought you were one of the players' wives." She rolled her eyes and nodded towards the occupied seats behind them. "But you're invited by the coach. He and Howard, my husband, get along splendidly. Howard always says that we have Ronald Weasley to thank for all our successes. I have to say that I agree, I mean it's fabulous what he's managed to accomplish, isn't it?" Hermione felt proud of Ron but the feeling of shame overshadowed the feeling, had she ever asked Ron about his work? He went to it every morning and she'd just taken it for granted. He'd gotten his dream job. So she just mumbled in agreement.
"How do you know each other by the way?"
"Oh…we're old friends…" The other woman looked a bit taken aback.
"Just friends? I heard you two lived in his house." Hermione felt her cheeks go red.
"Just friends. I…He's been kind enough to let my children and I stay with him." Merlin, had she compromised his reputation now? She'd have to move, really, she'd been intruding on his privacy far too long anyway.
"So they're your children?" She nodded towards where Vanessa, Henry and Rorie in his sister's arms were standing, a bit too close to the rail for Hermione to feel at ease.
"Yes."
"Lovely. Are you sure you're just friends, darling? He's never invited anyone besides family and the Potters here. Don't be afraid to tell me, what you tell me stays with me." Hermione didn't believe that for one second but she was glad that Ron had thought of her as family.
"I'm sure."
With that all conversation was cut off as the game started. For a short while Hermione forgot all about herself and was into the game. She'd never been very interested in Quidditch but it was different now, this was Ron's team, his work and his victory. When the whistle blew and the Cannons won by 180 points Hermione jumped, screamed and danced just like the people around her. She followed the players' wives down to the pitch and when she found Ron she didn't give it a thought just gave into what seemed so natural all of sudden and hugged him. After her Vanessa and Henry followed suit. Rorie expressed his utter displease from being squashed between Vanessa and Ron.
"That was an amazing game, Ron. You've really made something of this team." She backed and thought she'd travelled back in time. He was blushing violently and clearing his throat. Then she looked down and saw his arms around her children. The sight just filled her heart with some warm liquid and threatened to burst. It shouldn't have been a pleasant sensation but it was.
"Thanks, Hermione. That means a lot to me." You'll never know how much... Vanessa's arm around his waist tightened. He looked down at her upturned face. Nothing escapes you, does it, little girl...
"Ron, can I touch one of the players' brooms? Please?" Henry inquired with pleading in his voice. He couldn't help smiling. That boy knew exactly which buttons to press.
"Sure thing." He hoisted the boy up on his shoulder and searched out the friendliest player, the Keeper, George Houseman. Houseman had two kids of his own. "Hey, Houseman, can this admirer get a ride?" The man smiled and nodded. Wide-eyed with awe Henry sat in front of the player as he rose fast enough to have Henry squealing but not quite fast enough to put him in any danger.
POV
"Hermione!"
"In here!" Ginny sauntered in. Hermione thought that she took after her husband in a very elegant way.
"Is there something you haven't told me?" Hermione looked up from the book she'd been engrossed in.
"What?" Ginny held up the paper she carried. A picture of her and Ron embracing on the Quidditch pitch the day before covered most of the front page, beneath the headline, 'Love or quaffles in the air?' She grabbed the paper.
"Merlin! What if Ron sees it? He doesn't want to be associated with this kind of rumour! What have I done?" Ginny kept her mouth wisely shut about that her brother would like very much to be associated with this kind of rumour. Or even more wanted the rumour to be true.
"It's just media, Hermione, Ron's used to it. What I wondered was if there's any truth at all in this statement." Careful, now.
"No! Of course not! Ron couldn't..." Ginny held up a hand.
"Ron couldn't, what? Be in love with you? What about you Hermione? How do you feel?" Hermione got up and started pacing. "I don't know." She looked down on her hands. "I really don't. I know that he's the sweetest man I've ever met and that I care a lot about him." She laughed mirthlessly. "I just can't fall in love. He makes me feel in places I didn't know I still possessed but there is one part that is definitely dead in me and that's my heart." With dry eyes and steady voice she dropped her hands to her sides. Ginny wrinkled her forehead.
"You still love your children. You must have your heart left or you wouldn't feel at all." Hermione's eyes sought for something to rest on.
"I meant that I can't trust anyone enough again to fall in love." Ginny's heart ached for both Hermione and her brother.
"Because of Krum?" Hermione shrugged.
"You're always two parts in a marriage. He had no right to hit me but we both have to be blamed for ruining our relationship. I don't trust myself anymore, how can I trust someone else?" Ginny couldn't fight off her instincts anymore and went over and hugged the almost stranger she'd once considered her closest friend.
"Did you trust Ron before Krum?"
"Of course I did. With my life. He was a bit...well, anyway I never doubted his loyalty..."
"What about your friendship?" Hermione sat down heavily.
"We were best friends. But it wasn't like with Harry. I guess we always knew that he was special. More than being the-boy-who-lived. He was the-boy-who-had-to-save-the-world. I trusted him in a completely different way. Ron...I guess I can admit it now that I had a crush on Ron for a very long time. But I was like a boy to him. Or even worse, agamic. Anyway, not someone you fell in love with. So Viktor and his ever attentive flattering overwhelmed me, ran over me like a train. I saw too late that his feelings for me were rather shallow and based on some hazy daydream of qualities he thought I had after meeting me once when I was fourteen. I forgot about my feelings for Ron, for Harry, for everyone. I forgot myself and how I used to be and I forgot the world. When you forget something that's supposed to grow it dies. Love needs tending, like flowers but I don't have green fingers. They're rather black." She leaned back and rubbed her face. Ginny was a bit taken aback by the long confession.
"Still, I bet there's a seed deep down that's going to bloom in time. But you might need help. As you said, you're always two people who need to tend the flower of love." She smiled at the metaphor and got up. She couldn't do more pushing, Hermione had to some pushing by herself or the whole thing could blow. "Think about it." Quietly, Ginny left and Apparated home.
A/N: I hope you enjoyed your read!