Morning turned out to be the last happy time of day for Harry. As Ron suspected, all the other trainees and some of the instructors seemed to take hand-to-hand combat as an opportunity to give Harry back some of what he had been dishing out.

While he didn't arrive injured as he had the night before, his clothes were dirty, disheveled, and torn. "Oh, Harry," Hermione said as he emerged from the fireplace.

He collapsed on the nearest sofa and threw his arm over his eyes.

"Where's Ron?"

"Still at the Ministry. I think he might be in trouble."

"What do you mean trouble?" Hermione said, putting down her book.

"We had the group exercise and it was me, Brown, and Taylor. Brown already had me down in a headlock and Taylor came in for a late hit and Ron cast Protego."

"I thought you weren't allowed wands."

Harry looked over at her. "We aren't. He cast it wandless."

"Really?" Hermione said, impressed. "Ron's not usually one for wandless magic."

"I know, but I think it was just instinct. Anyway, Taylor bounced off Ron's shield and into the wall and broke his wrist. I wanted to stay and help explain, but Ron said he could handle it, and they sent me home."

The fireplace flashed green, but instead of Ron, Ginny stepped out of the fireplace. "Oi," she said to Harry. "What happened to you?"

"My coworkers are all trying to kill me."

"Not Ron," Hermione amended.

Ginny sat on the sofa next to Harry. "I'm so sorry. Is there anything I can do?"

"Yes," Harry said, sitting up and taking her hand. "Come take a bath with me."

"Well, all right then," Ginny said, standing. "I guess we'll see you later Hermione."

Hermione chuckled and waved them away. It wasn't like Harry to be so obvious about his desires. She thought he must have had a really bad day to speak so boldly.

A few minutes later, the fireplace flashed green again and Ron stepped out. Like yesterday, he wasn't nearly as worse for wear as Harry.

"Hullo, luv," he said.

"You look chipper," she said, standing to kiss him. "Harry said he thought you might be in trouble."

"Nah," Ron said, pulling off his cloak. "You'd be amazed what you can get away with if you're Harry Potter's best friend."

Hermione looked at him, waiting for a better explanation.

Ron hung up his cloak and sat down. "The instructors reminded me about the point of the exercise. I reminded them about the point of having your partner's back. And I might have said I could've cast something a lot worse than Protego, although I'm not so good wandless, so maybe not. You certainly could have though and in the moment that felt like it counted."

Hermione laughed.

"Besides, Taylor was the one being a tosser, not me. He's still mad that Harry put him on ass on the first day and he hasn't been able to beat Harry at anything since. This week is likely his only opportunity and he's being a real prat about it. Where is Harry anyway?"

"Upstairs in the bath."

"Oh, poor bloke. What time is Ginny supposed to get here?"

"She already is."

Ron groaned. "No need to tell me where she is then."

xxx

The next morning, after Ron and Harry had left for training, Hermione and Ginny went into the study to get started on Ginny's potions assignment.

"I'd rather learn that hangover cure you made the other day," Ginny said. "Now that's a useful potion. When am I ever going to use Draught of Living Death?"

Hermione shook her head. "I don't know why Slughorn insists on teaching that. It's incredibly difficult to get right and has limited application in the real world. There are other potions that are much more useful and every bit as difficult. If I was teaching his class, I'd have the students make Essence of Dittany."

"That would be far more useful," Ginny said.

An owl flew to the study window and tapped on the glass with its beak. Hermione let it in, and removed the letter strapped to its leg before giving it a treat.

"What's up?" Ginny asked.

"It's from your father. He says he has the rest of the week off because the Ministry is renovating his offices and he wants to know if he can start on the upstairs bathroom." She looked up from the letter. "That would be fantastic."

Ginny frowned. "You think it's going to be fantastic having my father underfoot and banging about adding a bathroom? How long is he going to be here?"

"He says probably two days, three at the most."

"Count on four," Ginny said.

"It's not like he's going to be here twenty-four hours a day."

"No, but I bet they'll be pretty long days."

"Still, having a bathroom on the top floor would really be grand. She pulled out a piece of parchment to reply that tomorrow would be fine. Once the owl was on his way, Hermione turned back to Ginny. "Remember to crush the beans with the flat of the dagger, don't cut them. And I know the text says you need twelve beans, but those are small. Use thirteen."

Ginny nodded and kept working.

"I'd like to get your father something for doing this bathroom for me. I think there's some old electronic equipment in the extra room upstairs. Do you think he'd like to play around with it?"

"Does it have plugs or cords?"

"I think so."

"Then yes, he'd love to play around with it, but I'd wait to give it to him until after the bathroom is done."

They both laughed.

xxx

True to his word, the next morning, Mr. Weasley showed up with a toolbox in each hand. Ron and Harry had already left.

"Good morning," Hermione said, as he stepped out of the fireplace.

"Good morning to you too," he said cheerily. "Ready to get started?"

Hermione nodded. She had on jeans and a flannel shirt and one of Ron's old wool Christmas jumpers with a big R on the front.

"Good. I've found over the years that the best way to do an addition is to build the outer structure on the ground and then lift it into place. It's the only way to get it square."

Hermione smiled and nodded.

"I know," he said. "The Burrow isn't really square, but you trying doing this with six children under foot when you've got your seventh child coming."

Hermione chuckled. "That does sound challenging."

"You've no idea," he said. They walked out to the backyard and Mr. Weasley surveyed the space. "Oh, yes, this will do nicely." He set down his toolboxes, opened one, and began removing long two by fours and copper pipes from the small box.

"That's a nice extension charm." Hermione said. "I have a bag like that."

"Oh yes," Mr. Weasley said. "Molly made this for me years ago for my birthday. I'm sorry you're going to be spending the day on this. I'd originally hoped the boys could help, but since we're doing it in the middle of the week—"

"I don't mind," Hermione said. "Actually, I like being involved. I really enjoyed working on the castle reconstruction at Hogwarts."

The day was cold and clear. Hermione had cast several Confundus charms around the backyard to confuse any of their Muggle neighbors that might be looking out the window, and between that and all the construction spells she was warm enough in Ron's old sweater.

xxx

A couple of hours later, the framing and subfloor were done, the roof was on, and the exterior walls were complete. Mr. Weasley stood back and considered their work. "Nice job," he said. "How about we take a little break."

Hermione pushed a stray hair off her forehead. "That sounds good. Pumpkin juice and Victoria sponge sound all right with you?"

"Perfect."

She flicked her wand and a tray appeared with two glasses of pumpkin juice and a plate of sliced sponge cake. She handed a glass of juice to Mr. Weasley and took one for herself.

"To a good morning's effort," he said, and held up his glass.

She clinked her glass against his. They sat silently enjoying their snack for awhile before Hermione said, "So, you and Mrs. Weasley met at school, right?"

He smiled around a mouthful of cake. Swallowing, he said, "Oh yes, both sorted into Gryffindor. I noticed her straight away of course, prettiest girl in our year. Imagine Ginny, but with lots of curls and not so athletic, and you'd have my Molly."

Hermione smiled back at him. "So you dated all through school?"

"Oh, my no," Arthur said, warming to his topic. "I didn't pluck up the courage to even speak to her until after Christmas second year. She was in the courtyard defending a couple of first years from some Slytherin goons. Naturally, I came to her aid."

"Naturally," Hermione said.

"As a gentleman."

"Of course," Hermione said. "So then you started dating?"

"No, no, she was dating another bloke. Every time I'd work up the courage to ask her out, some other bloke would have beaten me to it. The competition was fierce and so was she. Fiery, just like Ginny. Headstrong, you couldn't tell her anything. There was practically a line."

Hermione laughed.

"But we were friends," he said. "It started as partners in potions and never faded. Still hasn't."

"So when did you ask her out?"

"Yule Ball, sixth year. I was over the moon when she said yes."

"So you've been together all this time?"

"And I wouldn't trade a day of it."

Hermione smiled at him. "That's fantastic."

"Shall we get back to it then?" he asked.

"Yes, let's," Hermione said.

xxx

When Ron arrived home that night the parlor was empty. "Hermione," he called.

"In here, Ron," she called back from the kitchen.

"You wouldn't believe the day I've had. Can you do something about this? Taylor really is awful at healing charms. Oh." He stopped in the kitchen doorway, surprised to find Hermione and his father sitting at the table drinking beer.

"Oh no," Hermione said, standing. Ron had an oozing cut over his left eye and the knuckles of both hands were badly scraped and raw looking. She pulled her wand out and cast a couple of healing charms.

"What happened to you?" his father asked.

"Oh, Taylor and I were partnered for sparring today and things got heated."

"I'm so sorry, Ron."

"Don't be, you should see the state of him. Can I have one of those?" he asked pointing to the bottle of Dragon Scale in front of his father. "I know how to do healing charms, but I certainly didn't do my best work today."

Hermione snapped her fingers and a bottle of beer appeared in her hand. She gave it to Ron.

"That's new," he said.

She shrugged. "I asked Kreacher how he did it and he told me. It's actually not that hard as long as you have beer on hand. Apparently, house elves can nick it if they remember seeing it somewhere."

"But you can't," Ron said, arching an eyebrow.

"Let's say, I choose not to," Hermione replied.

He smiled and kissed her on the cheek. "So what did you two get done today?"

"Come and see," Hermione said.

They all went into the backyard to see what looked like a small building without a door.

"Tomorrow we'll put in the interior, shower, sink, and vanity. After that, we'll just need to place it and cut the hole in the house to make the door and connect all the plumbing."

"Brilliant!" Ron said. "I can't believe how much you got done."

"Hermione is a good worker," his father said.

"Your father is a really good teacher," Hermione replied.

Harry was coming through the Floo when they stepped back inside. He was as filthy and tattered as he had been the day before.

"Oh, Harry," Hermione said.

"Ooh," Mr. Weasley said, wincing. "Tough day Harry?"

"Pretty typical actually for Kick-Harry-Potter's-Ass Week at Auror training."

"I'm so sorry," Hermione said. She snapped her fingers and handed him a beer. "Perhaps this will help."

Harry pulled off the top. "It certainly can't hurt."

"Will you stay for dinner, Dad?" Ron asked.

"No, no, I should get home to your mother." He stood and Ron walked him back into the parlor.

"Do you think it would be all right with Mum if we had dinner here on Sunday? Hermione and I have something we'd like to share with the family."

His father put his hand on Ron's shoulder. "Do you now?"

Ron could feel his ears go pink. "Yeah."

His father pulled him into a hug. "Good for you, Ron. We'll definitely be here."

"Thanks, Dad."