A/N I'm sorry everyone, my tablet updated the notepad I write in and changed the formatting hence the mess on the original ch 10. But I realized it and have fixed it so here is ch 10 without all the mess. Thank you to everyone who has followed and favorited this work of mine. It means the world to me! Comments are always loved as well!
Hermione wound up staying at the pub till 11 that night. She doubted Ron would wait up for her but she wanted him to sweat a little if he did. The more she thought about it the more she thought he had detained her on purpose but couldn't decide why. With that in mind she began plotting her revenge. While doing her research she thought about what Malfoy had said about it being awkward. It really hadn't been awkward for them because they were just best friends. It was convincing others that could be awkward.
** 6 months earlier sitting in the den after putting Bryony to bed one night.
"Hermione I wanted to talk to you about something. Its kind of, well different." Ron asked her before she could pick up the book she had been reading. His serious but nervous voice told her that whatever this was about it was important to him. "I'm... well, I'm interested in someone." The nervousness in his voice wasn't to surprising. Hermione had been very supportive of Ron's romantic interests ever since their Hogwarts days. She had encouraged him to pursue Lavender Brown and had helped him with the muggle woman later on. But he had refused to tell her about Romilda Vane. He said that they were just fuck buddies and didn't want Hermione to judge either of them. Once Romilda threatened to tell Hermione he had been so embarrassed to admit whom he had been seeing. And when Romilda tried to blackmail Hermione she had come home and started throwing hexes at him like she hadn't since their school days. She didn't talk him for a week and a half. That had been over a year ago and Ron hadn't mentioned anyone new.
"Thats wonderful Ron! Who is it? Or am not allowed to know yet?" She said smiling at him. She really did want him to find happiness with someone else. She hoped it was who she thought it was. A year ago she had run into Katie Bell in Diagon Alley and had gone to lunch with the witch to catch up. They had never been extremely close but since she had been on the quiditch team with Harry, Fred and George and was the year between them she knew her and liked her. Katie had joined a small advertising firm after graduating Hogwarts and just 2 years later was successful enough to start her own firm. Her offices were just up the street from Weasleys Wizarding Wheezes. Sitting at lunch talking and catching up at the Leaky it dawned on her that Katie would be perfect for Ron. It had taken a few lunches and a plan formed. She was in advertising and Ron had just quit the DMLE to work at W3 full time. She encouraged Ron to reach out to Katie about advertising for W3. He had but that had been at least 6 months ago.
"Well its nothing yet. So far we just spoken professionally and as friends. I haven't said anything because she is a mutual friend of ours and she would never entertain any thought of me because she knows we are married. I really think it could be something special but I don't know how to approach her. I mean how do I ask her out when she thinks I'm happily married to my supposed school sweetheart?"
"So... who is it?" Hermione asked after he stopped and looked like he wasn't going to say anymore. He sighed, "Katie Bell" she had to find to keep the huge grin she felt from showing on her face.
"Katie? Really Ron, I think that's awesome. You two have a lot in common and I know you've said you get along really well when you work together. So what are you going to do about it?"
That turned into an all night discussion that somehow ended with Hermione agreeing to have lunch with Katie and explain there rather interesting situation.
Hermione was surprised when the opportunity to speak to Katie presented itself just a few days later. She was to have lunch with Ron that afternoon and had just stepped into the shop when Katie followed her in.
Hermione saw her and decided to act fast, "Katie! Its wonderful to see you. I was supposed to go to lunch with Ron but it looks like he's been tied up here, want to join me instead?" Katie looked as if she was hesitant but Hermione grabbed her arm and gently turned her back to the door. "Please don't make me waste a trip here. I could have just stayed at the office if I'm to eat alone. Besides its been awhile, we need to catch up."
Even though though it was lunch time they quickly were seated at a small Cafe just up from her office and had ordered when Hermione decided to test the waters, "so how have you been? I know Ron says you've been amazing dealing with all of W3's businesses."
Katie laughed, "W3 has quickly become my biggest client, those men definitely have been keeping me busy. I've pretty much given all my other clients to my junior partners and am refusing new clients they are keeping me so busy. I mean seriously, do either of those men ever stop? I didn't realize just how much they did until Ron contacted me." W3 really had grown like crazy, especially once Ron joined full time. Weasleys Wizarding Wheezes had done great since day one. After the war George had struggled to keep focused on the shop without Fred. For a long time his heart just wasn't in it. But he was still George and he still need to keep busy. A passing comment from Harry had caused him to start thinking how he could improve magical defense. So talking to Harry and Ron he came up with an entire line of products that he sold to the Ministry and foreign law enforcement to help make their jobs easier and safer. Then one day Angelina made a comment about wearing makeup on the quiditch pitch but by the end of the game it looked awful so he designed an entire line of make-up products that are no smudge, no mess and easily removed with a simple cleaning charm. As all these new projects came up George and Ron realized they shouldn't all be under the Weasleys Wizarding Wheezes name so they created the parent company W3. The joke shop is still George's number 1 priority but now he has W3 for any of his brilliant ideas.
"Its crazy how much they have going on. Has Ron mentioned they are looking into getting into panic rooms?"
"What on earth is a panic room?" Katie asked as their food came out.
"Muggle's have them, also called safe rooms. Its an interior room in their house that is extra protected. Usually the room is reinforced so they are the safest place to be during a storm. Also usually have weapons in case an intruder breaks into the house, some have a supply of food and water. Years ago Fred and George mastered the undetectable extension charm tied with a notice me not charm. They basically recreated the Room of Requirement and hid it with an extension charm at the office. Ask George about it next time you have a minute. Its brilliant. Can you imagine how different the war would have been if everyone had a secret room in their house that only the family knows about and can enter. Death Eaters come and the family just hides in the room. The guys want to work a way that whenever the room is activated a message is sent to the DMLE so they come and investigate right away." Hermione says excited. This was actually an idea of Fred, George and hers back before the war really got started but they weren't able to get it perfected in time. Now George is working on it in Fred's honor and she really hopes they can get the permits from the Ministry to make it happen.
"Whoa, that would be perfect, I hope and pray we never have such a situation that its necessary but I would feel a thousand times safer knowing I had a safe place."
Hermione was very passionate about this project and could have spent the rest of the day talking about it but she knew she needed to get back to the reason she roped Katie into this lunch. She had thought about it for the last few days but still hadn't decided how best to approach it. "So... I'm just going to rip the bandaid off here. I asked you to lunch because I have something I need to talk to you about. Ron has mentioned that you and he have been spending some time together..."
Kaite had looked mildly curious but once Ron was mentioned she turned bright red and began stuttering, "Hermione... I promise nothings happening..."
"Thats the point actually." Hermione laughed but seeing the other witch's discomfort she quickly stops and trys to get the conversation back under control. "Ok, I'm mucking this up royally. I guess its best to start at the beginning. Please just let me get it out before you respond ok?" Katie nods slowly so Hermione casts a few privacy spells over the table and she continues, "Bryony is not Ron's biological daughter. Fred is her dad. After he died Ron offered to marry me so she could still have the Weasley name and a father." Hermione paused to let that sink in, "We are not now, nor have we ever been a couple. We co-parent and are best friends, that's it. We are both free to see whomever we chose, discreetly. I know you and Ron have been working together a lot lately and seem to be getting along very well. I just want you to understand that if it were to become more it really would be ok. More than ok actually, I adore you and value you as a friend and all I want is for Ron to be happy. He's put his life on hold for Bryony and I, if he can find happiness I want him to go for it."
To say Katie looked shocked would be an understatement. She looked like she wanted to ask a million questions but didn't know where to start. "I know this is a lot to drop on you at lunch but I just want you to know whats going on. And the fact that you blushed so hard makes me think maybe you're interested in more with Ron. Its not my place to say anything for either of you. I just want you to know the truth from me. Ron has always been respectful of me and our situation. So... Questions for me? Also I will let him know I talked to you so please if you want to ask him something do so."
"Who all knows?"
"The entire family, Luna, Neville, and Lee Jordan, I think thats about it. We do still try to keep it quiet just because. You know the Prophet would have a field day if it ever got out. I think a few people suspect that we aren't a traditional couple but they don't dare question us." The waitress tried to deliver the check but was stopped a foot away from the table due to the wards placed. Hermione lifted them and grabbed the bill insisting on playing for them both. They walked back to Weasleys Wizarding Wheezes and as they walked in Ron was working behind the counter. While he worked more with the financial side of things he still liked working the counter from time to time, interacting with the customers and seeing their reactions. He had told Hermione that he can always tell when its someone's first time in the shop and he loved watching them explore and see the looks of wonder of their faces.
"Hello ladies. Hermione I thought we were going to lunch? I swear I saw you earlier and then its like you disappeared." Ron asked looking confused and a little concerned.
"Oh I was but I saw Katie here and decided she would be a better lunch companion. Anyways I better get back to work! I'll see you at home," turning to Katie, "it was great chatting with you," and giving her a hug she whispered in her ear, "remember what I've said."
Hermione smiled as she walked out and heard Katie say, "Before we grab George and start our meeting I wanted to ask you if you wanted to grab a drink one night?"