I do not own Harry Potter.
Life After the Last Battle
Chapter 43, The Letter
Hermione woke up to snoring. She looked to her left. All she saw was a mop of bright orange hair. The rest of him was covered by her fluffy blanket. She grinned and curled up close to him.
"Hermione!" he yelled suddenly, sitting up.
"What?" she asked, sitting up, too.
"What time is it?"
"Uh, seven."
"I slept over!"
"I know," Hermione smiled.
"I should go." Ron got out of Hermione's bed and went downstairs. He looked around for his shoes and slipped them on.
"Ron, wait," Hermione said, hurrying after him. He turned around.
"It's not like anything happened. It got late and I didn't want you to leave, and well we fell asleep."
"I know, but still... I should go," he repeated.
"Please stay."
"I'll see you in a few hours," he smiled.
"You will?"
"Yeah, aren't you going over to Harry and Ginny's?"
"Oh, right," Hermione smiled a little, though she still did not want Ron to leave. "I love you, Ron."
"Love-" Ron stopped short and leaned forward. He kissed Hermione lightly and turned toward the door.
Hermione sighed. She did like this mature Ron, but it would take some getting used to... She smiled as she realized that he would have to return the clothes eventually, and fetch his own.
"Bye," she said.
"Bye." And he was gone.
Hermione knocked on Harry and Ginny's door and waited patiently.
"Hello," Ginny said when she opened the door. Hermione heard music and she could see people behind Ginny, all dancing or talking.
"Hi. Wow, I didn't know there would be so many people here," she said. Ginny grinned.
"Yes, well, I didn't exactly tell you..."
"Tell me what?"
"This is a party."
"What kind?"
Ginny laughed and walked away, leaving Hermione confused in the front hall. She walked into the living room after closing the door behind her and took off her coat.
"Hermione!" George yelled from across the room. He was standing there, a drink in his hand, the other arm wrapped around Angelina's waist. Hermione grinned and walked over to them.
"It's good to see you George, Angelina."
"Good to see you, too," Angelina said. "George is a little... well..." she looked at George, who was grinning happily. "Tipsy, you could say."
"Ah," Hermione said gingerly.
"'Ello, Hermione," said a deep voice from behind her. Hermione turned around.
"Hagrid! What a pleasant surprise! I didn't know you'd be here," Hermione grinned.
"I can't stay too long. It's a right miracle I haven't broken anything yet," Hagrid laughed heartily.
"Well, it's great to see you anyway."
"How's that, er, paper goin'?" Hagrid asked.
"It's going fine," Hermione laughed. Hagrid didn't often give them essays, and when he did he was always nervous about whether they were good topics.
"Not too easy? Or too hard?"
"It's great, Hagrid," Hermione said. Hagrid beamed and spotted Harry soon after that. "Harry!" he bellowed, making his way over. Hermione laughed again and looked around for Ron. He was just walking into the room. Hermione's heart skipped a beat. She hurried over to him.
"Hello," she said, smiling at him.
"Hi," he said, frowning.
"What's wrong?" she asked.
"I'll tell you later," Ron said unhappily. Hermione was scared for a moment that she had done something, but then Ron took her hand and held it tightly. He seemed concerned and angry and frightened all at the same time.
"Ron, what is it?"
"This isn't the time," he said dismissively, but he kept a firm grip on her hand, as though someone was going to steal her away.
"Alright..."
"We have an announcement to make!" Ginny called to the room. It didn't go quiet immediately, but finally everyone was quiet. Ginny looked at Harry, but he shook his head. Ginny rolled her eyes. "Well, this is really Harry's news, but he doesn't want to tell you all..."
"Go on!" someone yelled.
"Ok, well... Harry has been given the Order of Merlin, First Class!"
The room was silent for a few moments, and then it erupted into cheers.
"No way!"
"Congratulations, Harry!"
"That's amazing!"
Ron's hand tightened around Hermione's and he smiled tensely, concern still etched into his face.
"Congrats, mate," he said to Harry, clapping him on the back. Hermione was going to hug him, but it would be difficult with Ron squeezing her hand like that, and she doubted he would let go.
"That's really big, Harry," Hermione grinned and patted his shoulder.
"Thanks, guys," Harry said, turning pink. Everyone shook his hand or hugged him, and it took a while as there were so many people the flat.
"So," Neville said to Harry, "I got this the other day," he pulled something out of his pocket, "In a Chocolate Frog," he handed it to Harry. Harry looked down at the card and went bright red.
"Wow..." he said, looking down at himself. It was one thing to see himself in the papers, which were crumpled up and thrown away, and another to see himself on a collectible card. He turned it over and read the back.
Harry Potter
Currently living in Diagon Alley, training to be an Auror
Harry Potter is famous for defeating Tom Riddle, or Voldemort, when he was just a year old,
however, he is even more well-known for recently destroying Voldemort.
Mr. Potter grew up in the Muggle world with his aunt, uncle, and cousin, who were reportedly not very good to him.
Mr. Potter is also known for being the youngest competitor in a Triwizard Tournament, and winning as well.
In his fifth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry,
Harry Potter and his friends, Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasley, started a club by the name of
Dumbledore's Army, and recruited fellow students to try and bring down the then-corrupt Ministry.
Mr. Potter enjoys playing Quidditch and has an owl named Stella.
"That's weird..." Harry mumbled, reading the card over again. Hermione shot a glance at Ron. He looked alright, but Hermione knew that things like this always bothered him in school.
"It's cool, Harry," Ron smiled a little, troubled. Hermione looked at him pleadingly, but Ron just shook his head and gave her that "not now" look.
The rest of the party was fun, though not for Ron and Hermione. She could tell he was worried about something and she was desperate to leave, but Harry's news was really important.
"Hermione! Ron!" Hermione whipped around to see Lavender walking towards them, towing Seamus with her. "You're coming to the wedding right?" she asked, squealing a little.
"What?" Ron asked, surprised.
"You know we're engaged, Ron," Seamus said stiffly. It seemed like he, like Hermione, had not forgotten how much time Ron and Lavender had spent snogging not three years ago.
"Oh, right, yeah, when is it?"
"We sent you an invitation! Didn't you get it?" Lavender asked.
"No..." Hermione said.
"I'll have to resend it... anyways, it's on May 26th! You have to come!"
"Of course, Lavender," Hermione said with a tight smile. Lavender seemed to think that because they were all out of school and Voldemort was dead it was a new era or something. Like she hadn't made fun of Hermione or dated the boy she was in love with just three years previously.
"Oh, look! There's Dean and Parvati!" and she dragged Seamus away saying, "Aren't you glad that we fixed them up, sweetie?"
There was more idle chit-chat and exchange of news. Ron finally had something to talk about, but he was quiet and wouldn't let Hermione walk away. He always went with her.
"Ron! I have to use the bathroom!" Hermione finally told him when he wouldn't let go of her hand. He went red but didn't let go of her hand.
"I'm not letting you out of my sight Hermione. You can hold it."
"I haven't any enemies in the restroom, Ronald!"
"No," he said firmly.
"Ron!" she hissed. "What is the matter with you? Tell me what's wrong!"
"Not here."
"Fine! Then you're coming with me!" Hermione whispered furiously. She stomped down the short hall and unwillingly dragged Ron into the bathroom with her. Hermione closed and locked the door. "Now get into the shower."
"What?" he asked, confused.
"Get in the shower and close the curtain!" She finally shook his hand off. Ron did as he was told.
"This is weird, Hermione," he said from behind the shower curtain.
"You're the one acting like a lunatic! I have to pee, so hum to yourself or something!"
"What?"
"Ron, I don't want you to listen!"
"Ok..." Ron started humming and Hermione used the toilet. When she flushed the toilet Ron stopped humming. Hermione started washing her hands and Ron came out of the shower.
"Come on," Hermione said, very irritated. They walked out of the bathroom together and, luckily, no one saw them. Ron grasped her hand again.
"I'm sorry," he said genuinely.
"I just want to know what this is about," she said, still annoyed, though her voice was softer.
"I'll tell you later," he said once again.
They talked to Luna, who had brought a boy with her.
"Hi," he said to Ron and Hermione, "I'm Rolf Scamander. I'm a friend of Luna's." The two shared a secretive glance and Luna giggled that very unLuna-ish giggle again.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Hermione Granger and this is Ron Weasley," Hermione said, shaking Rolf's hand.
"Oh, I know who you are. And Luna talks about you guys a lot."
"So, you two met in South America?"
"Yup. While I was studying acromantulas," Rolf said. Ron made a disgusted noise in his throat.
"He hates spiders," Hermione explained.
"Well, it's not hard to see why. Weren't you almost eaten by a family of acromantulas in your second year at Hogwarts?"
"I-how did you know that?" Ron asked, caught completely off guard.
Rolf shrugged. "Things get around."
Ron and Hermione talked to Rolf and Luna for a few more minutes, but soon they left as well.
"We'll see you soon!" Luna said right before she and Rolf Disapparated.
"Looks like the room is almost empty," Ron said quietly to Hermione. Her heart was beating a little quicker than usual. What was Ron so upset about?
"Hermione, Ron!" George again, this time though, he was a tad more than tipsy, though nothing compared to how Ron had been. "My brother," he sighed, "When are you gonna propose to this beautiful girlfriend of yours? She's going to find someone new, I tell you! Better hurry it up, Ronnie!"
Ron went deep red. "That's really none of your business."
"Have you done it already? Oi! Everyone! Ron has proposed to Hermione!" George shouted. Everyone stopped talking at once. It got quiet fast, as there were only about ten people left in the room.
"No, no I didn't!" Ron called, turning maroon now. "George is just messing around! I have not proposed to Hermione!" Everyone gave him a weird look and went back to their conversations. "George!" Ron whispered fiercely. "What the bloody hell was that?"
"Just kidding around, Ronnie!" George grinned.
"Not funny," Ron warned.
"He's just having fun, Ron," Hermione said, suppressing a smile.
"Still..."
"You know, I think George and I had best be going," Angelina said, taking hold of George's arm. She waved goodbye to the room and disappeared with George.
Only Neville, Hannah, Lee Jordan, Harry, Ginny, and Katie Bell remained now, other than Ron and Hermione.
"Well," Ron said to Harry and Ginny, "I think Hermione and I will be going. We have something we've got to... do..."
"Ron, it's one o'clock in the morning. What on earth could you have to do?" Ginny asked with a laugh.
"Something important," he said seriously.
"Is something wrong?" Ginny asked, catching the concern in his tone. Ron looked at his younger sister for a moment.
"No," he said, though Hermione could tell he was lying. "Just important."
"Ok, well... I hope everything's alright," Harry said, giving Ron a knowing look. Ron said nothing to this and waved goodbye. He waited for Hermione to say goodbye.
"See you guys," Hermione said, giving Ginny a one armed hug as Ron still held her other hand tightly. She and Ron walked to the door and Ron Disapparated. Hermione felt the slight nausea and was relieved when they arrived in a nice-looking hallway. There were doors down the hall, all numbered with something like '3B' or '3F'. Ron led her to 3A and unlocked the door. Hermione followed him inside. Ron cast some of the charms Hermione recognized from when they had been on the search for the horcuxes.
"Ron, what's wrong?" she asked. He finally let go of her hand and walked over to a desk in the corner. Hermione took the minute to look around. It was a very small flat, but nice all the same. It had a little couch and a little footrest. The kitchen wasn't big but it was cozy and looked well stocked. Ron seemed to be keeping the place neat, which came as a huge surprise to Hermione.
"Here," he said, shoving a piece of parchment at her. Hermione took it and read the first line. Her heart sank.
"Oh, Ron, don't-" she started.
"Read it out loud," he ordered.
She looked at him for a moment and then did as he asked.
"Dear Ronald Weasley,
I have come to understand that you are involved with Miss Hermione Granger. I just want you to know that she will not be with us for much longer and I would like you to give her my warning.
As I told her earlier in the school year, I plan on anvenging my father's death. Whether I kill her, or your baby sister first is my newest dilemma. You can decide, if you like. Just send a reply back with the owl."
Hermione finished the letter and looked up at Ron, who was staring at her, anger in his eyes.
"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked, in a soft voice that did not match his furious eyes and clenched fists.
"I didn't know he was planning on going after Ginny as well," Hermione started.
"So?" asked Ron, his voice rising. "What about you, Hermione? Why didn't you tell me when you got back? Right when you saw me you should have told me! Or last night! Hermione this is serious!"
"Oh, please, Ron! It isn't the first time someone has tried to kill me!"
"It doesn't matter! Don't you get it! This guy is a lunatic! Crazy! Hermione, we've got to tell Kingsley, or someone!"
"He's got enough to deal with! This isn't a big deal!"
"Someone threatening to kill you is a very big deal, Hermione! And Ginny too!"
"It's nothing to be worried about! If the time comes we'll just have to overpower him, not too hard, Ron!"
"Hermione, there's more than one!"
"W-what?" she asked, her voice faltering a bit.
"Turn it over," he said quietly.
Hermione turned over the parchment and read the last line.
"P.S. Don't forget, there were more Death Eaters killed than Antonin Dolohov, and most of them had children. I will be getting in touch with them."
As much as I enjoyed writing this chapter, I'm unsure about Ron's reaction. Do you think he would have been alright going to this 'party' of Ginny and Harry's or would it be better if he received the letter after he and Hermione arrived at his flat? Review please!
