Ron rushes into the library but stops abruptly when he sees them sitting together. His smile slips slightly as his eyebrows pucker in confusion. "Fred. What are you doing here?"
"Visiting Hermione." Leaning over, he picks up his glass of water from the side table. "You?"
"I need to talk to Harry and Hermione."
"Harry took Teddy and Victoire to the park," Hermione replies. "What is it?"
"Er…" His gaze darts to his brother for a moment before settling back on her. "It's kind of personal."
"Too personal for your big brother? I'm offended!" Fred replies before breaking out into a broad grin. "Well, Hermione, that's my cue to leave. I hope the registration compromise works, and be sure to let me know if you need me for anything else."
Then, with a wink at them both, he's gone.
Hermione lets out a slow breath. She can't blame Ron for wanting to talk, or for doing something they've always been alright with, but she wishes she were still with Fred right now rather than him.
Especially when Ron turns his observant gaze on her. However oblivious he might be to emotional subtexts, he's good at picking up when people are hiding something from him. Under the weight of his scrutiny, she begins to fidget with the hem of her shirt.
"I'm surprised at how close you've become with the twins. Didn't you used to think they were arrogant troublemakers?" His tone is casual, and she appreciates that, but suspicion lurks beneath his gaze.
Guilt rushes through her. If he ever finds out about her crush on Fred, he'll be gutted. Post-war fame has started to undo his low self-esteem from years of being in the shadows of his more outgoing siblings, but she knows the perceived betrayal would crush him. His mind would question whether she felt that way during their relationship, whether she orchestrated the fight as an excuse to break up with him, whether there was some connection between her and Fred before they officially parted ways.
Still, she isn't willing to live the rest of her life within the limits of what Ronald Weasley thinks is acceptable. His influence over her romantic life disappeared the moment they broke up, and she isn't going to make herself unhappy by sticking to rules that no longer apply. Their lives have been manipulated enough already, whether by masked wizards wanting them dead or by smiling adults wanting to fashion them into weapons, and she refuses to let herself be controlled, however unknowingly, by Ron.
Fred didn't seem phased by his arrival, and I shouldn't be either.
"I'm surprised too," she admits. "But I never thought they were arrogant, just… shortsighted. But weren't we just shortsighted troublemakers, when it comes down to it? We did it for good reasons, but that doesn't mean we were any less self-involved."
"I would've thought you'd be more likely to befriend Percy or Bill, that's all." After a momentary pause, however, he barrels on. "I just came to say there was an opening in the Department of Magical Games and Sports and I applied for it. You know, like Caitlin suggested? I think I might like it there. There's less pressure than the Auror Office, and I could help organise international Quidditch matches or wizards' chess programs or things like that."
"That's wonderful, Ron!"
"Yeah." Inch by inch, his earlier smile creeps back across his face. "I don't know if I'll get it, but I think I have a good chance. I know a bit about each of the games, and, like she said, the fact I'm a household name might make negotiations easier. And everyone knows about the chess thing from first year. I don't know if I'd rather be involved with Quidditch or wizards' chess, but – "
"Ron" - she cuts him off, knowing he'll ramble on for ages otherwise - "I think you're perfect for the position. And Kingsley wrote you a reference, didn't he? As if they're going to turn down someone who has a lifetime of experience and comes with a personal recommendation from the Minister."
"Yeah," he says again. "Hey, do you know which park Harry's at? I might meet him there."
"The one around the block with the monkey bars."
Rushing in, he gives her a quick squeeze of a hug before hurrying out again.
Left alone, she returns to her paperwork, trying to get the memory of the almost-kiss and Ron's suspicion out of her mind.