If I stick to my general plan, there should be about ten chapters left after this one, but as I've already changed my mind about fifty times in the past month, no promises! Thanks again to everyone who has read, reviewed, favourited and followed; next week I will be mentally sending you all pieces of birthday cake!
Disclaimer: Hey, it happened! I've magically turned into JKR, and am now working on rewriting the deaths of Dobby, Fred, Sirius, Remus... Oh wait, I'm still not JKR? Well damn. Everything HP is still hers!
Chapter 13
The day after, despite having met up not forty-eight hours ago, they returned to the Burrow for the traditional Sunday meal. Hermione's parents, having returned from settling the last part of their affairs in Australia, were also invited, and talk soon turned to her birthday next month. Ignoring Hermione's insistences that she didn't want a fuss made, her mother and Mrs Weasley were soon engrossed in party details. Seeing that she was fighting a losing battle, she rolled her eyes and asked that it at least be during the day, rather than at night, claiming that she would have work the next day. In truth, she had been given from Wednesday till the next Monday off, but Bill had promised her a surprise Wednesday night.
Ginny was unbearable during this time, casually making comments about how she was sure she'd have a lovely time, winking at her and Bill and smirking. Eventually, as they had finished eating and were moving slowly to the more comfortable sofas in the next room, Hermione had had enough and, gripping Ginny by the arm, marched her upstairs to her old room. "Will you please stop with the winking and giggling! You couldn't be more obvious if you hung a sign over our heads!" She became more and more irritated as her friend merely howled in laughter, and was quite red in the face when Bill came up to check on them.
"Everything all right up here?" He asked questioningly, handing them both glasses of wine. Seeing Hermione's raised eyebrow as Ginny took a sip, he gave her a reassuring smile. "It's Elf-Made, it can't hurt the baby."
Ginny quickly cut in, after downing half of her glass. "How do you think mum managed to survive through seven pregnancies? There's Elf-Made Mead too, but I can't stand the taste of it. Thanks for this Bill, Harry still doesn't believe me when I say I can drink it."
He shrugged. "No problem. I was actually meaning to talk to you Gin, about yesterday."
She grinned. "When I nearly interrupted your happy times together?" Seeing him frown, she sighed. "Relax, Bill, I've already promised I won't tell anyone. I'm happy for you guys, but you should really tell everyone soon, before mum plans your and Ron's wedding, 'Mione."
Still highly-strung from the full moon, Bill immediately tensed at his sisters words, and she cut across him swiftly. "We're planning to tell everyone at George and Angelina's wedding, when your mum is a bit less..."
"Insane?" Ginny added helpfully, and the following laughter was enough to distract Bill from his anger. "George and Angie's wedding sounds like a good plan." She added, smiling at the couple before her.
Bill nodded. "Just remember Gin, if you tell anyone, I'll tell mum about that time I walked in on you in your seventh year, giving Harry a-"
"Yeah yeah!" She interrupted loudly. "I've already promised!"
Grinning wickedly, Bill ruffled her hair, before placing a light kiss on Hermione's forehead. "See you downstairs in a bit?" She nodded and he smiled softly, murmuring. "Love you."
"I love you too." She replied, before watching him leave.
She turned back to her friend, an eyebrow raised in amusement. "So, Ginny, have some fun in your seventh year with Harry, did you?" Taking in her expression of utter shock, though her messed up hair ruined the look somehow, Hermione frowned at her. "What's wrong?"
"You just said you loved each other." Ginny whispered, making her blush furiously. Expecting her usual gossip-demanding interrogation, she was surprised to hear her give a loud whoop and begin to cackle gleefully. "You know what this means? It means I was right! I, Ginny Weasley, was right, and you, Hermione Granger, were wrong! I told you months ago that you loved each other, I was smarter than you! I swear, this is the best moment of my entire life! Screw winning the War, screw getting married, screw finding out I was pregnant; I knew something that Hermione Granger didn't!"
Chuckling with mirth, Her eyes twinkled slightly. "You're never going to let me forget this are you?"
Ginny stood up and hugged her tightly. "Hell no. Come on, lover-girl, let's go back down."
They joined the group in the lounge, where her parents were telling everyone stories of Australia, and, as there were no seats available, Ginny promptly sat on Harry's lap and Hermione relaxed on the floor in front of the fire, conveniently and completely accidentally (of course) next to Bill. It took less than ten seconds for her mother to notice that Ginny was drinking, and even after the Elf-Made explanation, she joined Harry in looking doubtfully at the glass in her hand. After a few humorous minutes of Mr Granger trying to explain cavities to the pure-bloods, the parents excused themselves, leaving the six Weasley children, Harry, Audrey, Angelina and Hermione alone to chat idly.
Half an hour later, Ron slid down to join her and Bill before the warm fire, bumping her shoulder with his playfully. "So, 'Mione, what do you want for your birthday?" The conversation immediately halted and she was bombarded with questions about her desires for gifts, but she simply muttered and hummed awkwardly, insisting yet again that she didn't want any fuss. The whole room fell once again silent, however, when Ron interrupted her stuttering. "I was thinking that maybe we could go out the Saturday after, go to dinner, maybe have a few drinks?"
The invite hung tensely in the air between them, and out of the corner of her eye she saw Bill begin to rise, a dark look in his eyes, but Ginny saved them quickly, brightly commenting, "That's a great idea! We can all go out, go to that all-you-can-eat Chinese place in London, then floo to Hogsmeade and go to the Three Broomsticks! Celebrate your birthday in style, 'Mione!" She saw Harry frown slightly, and turned, scowling to face him. "I swear, Potter, if you tell me once more that I can't go out for a few drinks, I will hex you into next week."
He looked suitably ashamed and shut his mouth promptly, though she heard him quietly and happily murmur, "I'm not the only Potter here Gin." The scowl left his wife's face and she leant to give him a light kiss, earning groans from all of her brothers, but leaving a beaming smile on her husband's mouth.
Ron was also predictably disapproving of his sister's plan, but the rest of the room had jumped at the idea, and Hermione was able to sigh in relief. She mouthed a 'thank you' to Ginny before quickly excusing herself, not noticing Ron follow her out of the door. "Hey, 'Mione, look. What I meant before, was if you'd like to go out, just the two of us."
"Um, well, Ron, I don't know it... I mean, I'm not sure that... Well, what I'm saying is that..."
Ron quickly reached out and hugged her tightly. "I know it didn't work out so well last time we kissed, but I swear I've grown up since then. I guess I'm still growing up, I've not been the best guy recently, but I'm trying. And I'd like us to try, you know, at a proper relationship." She opened and closed her mouth silently, gaping like a fish, as he smiled sweetly back at her. "Just promise me you'll think about it, 'k?" She nodded mutely and he kissed her cheek lightly, waving goodbye as she walked to the apparition point.
After arriving back home, she immediately poured herself a large glass of firewhiskey, grimacing at the burn in her throat as she threw it back. She refilled her glass and poured another as her floo jumped into action, silently handing it to Bill as he brushed himself off. He was carrying a bag with a change of clothes for the following day, and had clearly stopped off at Shell Cottage before coming here. He too downed the drink he was given, and she refilled it without a word.
It was Bill that broke the awkward silence as they sat gazing into the flames. "So, I guess Ron's pretty serious about going on a date with you." He said lightly, attempting to lighten the heavy tension in the air.
She sighed and leant back, staring intently at the ceiling. "Guess so."
"Quick thinking of Ginny to get you out of it."
"Yep, it was."
Though she refused to look at him, she could hear the confused and concerned frown in his voice. "'Mione, what's wrong? I saw Ron follow you outside, did he say something to upset you? If he did I'll-"
"It was nothing." She interrupted. "I'm going for a bath." Grabbing her glass, she plodded upstairs, filling her bath with steaming hot water and thick blue bubbles. Lying back slowly, she sighed heavily, thinking about her red-headed best friend, and the earnest and eager look on his face as he once again asked her out; she didn't know what to do, knowing that inevitably she would have to hurt him, but dreading the moment that the twinkle in his light-blue eyes saved just for her was snuffed out. Perhaps, she thought idly, if she hadn't have fallen for Bill, she would've given their relationship another go, but therein lay the problem. She couldn't even entertain the possibility of being with Ron, when she was so enamoured with his eldest brother.
Said man quietly knocked before slipping inside the steamy bathroom, leaning against the sink and gazing at her piercingly. His eyes, she noticed, were a few shades darker than Ron's, his eyelashes thicker and more of a deep-red than orange, and his hair, she knew, shone different shades of gold, citrus, red and brown in the sunlight, whereas Ron's simply became blindingly bright. Though they were both tall, the younger was gangly whereas the man before her was built and filled out his frame attractively, something she never failed to notice, or enjoy, when around him. When he spoke, she couldn't help but compare his deep timbre to his brother's occasionally whiny tone. She felt waves of guilt crashing over her, as she compared one of her oldest friends to the man she was in love with, but she knew that she could never love anyone like she loved Bill, especially not Ron.
"Going to tell me what's up?" His voice interrupted her musings, and she gave him a small smile. Holding out a bubble covered arm to him, he stepped forward and held her hand gently, settling himself down on the edge of the bath.
"It doesn't matter." She repeated, softer than before. "Want to join me?" She winked at him, smirking as she indicated towards the soapy water. He looked as though he was about to argue her answer, but instead shrugged and gave up trying to wheedle an answer from his stubborn love, and began to strip off. He settled in behind her, splashing her playfully as he did, and starting a mini water-fight, which he promptly lost when Hermione distracted him by kissing his wet mouth heatedly. Soon the brush of lips became more passionate, and their hands began roaming underneath the magically still-heated water.
Half an hour later, and feeling much more satisfaction than any bath alone could give them, they got out and got into bed, curling up under the covers. "Hey, you never really told me why you've got such heavy security around this place." Bill murmured into her hair.
She shrugged slightly, inadvertently scratching at her forearm. "There are still people out there who hate people like me, hate Mudbloods."
He moved her hand from her arm and kissed her knuckles gently, though his voice was harsh. "Don't use that word."
She smiled sadly. "Whether I use it or not, they'll still hate me and try to kill me all the same. I know they've caught most of Voldemort's supporters, but it's not just them who judge me and others like me; it'll only be a matter of time before another pure-blood maniac comes along, and seeing as I'm one of the most famous Muggle-borns around, I'll be pretty high up on the kill list."
He stroked her cheek softly, gazing at her with his deep, sincere eyes. "Don't talk like that; I'd never let anyone hurt you. Besides, you're so powerful, you could easily defeat any witch or wizard stupid enough to try and attack you."
She chuckled lightly. "Perhaps, but I'd rather be able to relax in my home, instead of jumping for my wand at every loud noise. I just feel safer with my wards up, it's probably a leftover thing from the war."
He gave her a loving kiss. "I can't imagine what it must've been like for you, spending a year on the run looking for Horcruxes, no-one but Harry and my idiot brother to keep you company. I still remember the day you all turned up at Shell Cottage, all of you looking battered and exhausted, holding poor Dobby with you. And the look on your face when you arrived, the pain..." They whispered sad tales for a few more minutes before, exhausted from misery, they fell asleep, holding onto one another as if they could erase the past if they embraced tightly enough.
...
Miles away in London, Ron was sat at the kitchen table in his flat, staring intently at the golden liquid in his glass of single-malt whiskey. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew that he should have stopped drinking half a bottle ago, and that he would regret his actions when he was hungover at work tomorrow, but he barely cared. He couldn't seem to get the image of Hermione's disbelieving face out of his head, or the soft feeling of her cheek against his lips as he's kissed her good-night. It seemed like an age ago that they had first kissed and now, years later, he hated himself for not bothering to argue when she suggested to not take it any further; he wanted her much more than he could admit, and lived in the constant hope that if she just gave him a chance, he could make her fall in love with him. But if the look on her face earlier was any indication, he didn't even stand a chance of a single date, and if Ginny kept on sticking her big mouth in things, he doubted they would even spend a single minute alone together. Let alone her living with Bill, and the covert glances between them that he hoped to Merlin existed only in his imagination. But he wouldn't give up, he decided, as he stumbled through to his bedroom. He would win her over, somehow. Hermione Granger would be with him.