Hermione walked into the kitchen for the ring. She looked about for a moment or two, then sighed.
"I syppose it's not here." She said.
Suddenly, Ron came bustling through with some dirty pots and pans. When he saw her, he dropped them, making a huge racket.
"Hermione!" he sputtered.
"Ron! Why did you do that?"
"They were dirty, anyway."
"Ron!"
"Don't 'Ron' me. I should be going: Hermione....."
"I don't understand why you walked out on me like that."
"Well, I don't understand how you could fall in love with Harry!"
Hermione stared at Ron for a moment and then started to giggle. Before long, it was a roar. She laughed until her face turned blue.
"So-so that's what it was all about! You thought...just because I screamed 'HARRY!' that I loved him! That is rich, Ron! Rich!"
"What?"
"I don't love Harry!"
"You don't?"
"Goodness, no! Ron, he and Ginny are seeing each other! That's silly! Oh, Ron, that was a good one, really, I don't think I've laughed that hard in a long time."
Ron eased up, "Really?"
"Really." She nodded and looked up at him, "Sorry I didn't write. I sent out owls, but they never came back, nor a response. I guess I gave up."
Ron looked down, "Sorry I got mad at you."
"Just like Hogwarts." Hermione laughed.
"Just like Hogwarts." Ron laughed along.
"It was good to see you again."
"You, too. I've missed you."
Hermione smiled.
"It's been more than that, actually," Ron added, "I couldn't stop thinking about you."
"Oh, you're getting mushy, Ron, be careful." She giggled.
Ron leaned in so their noses were about an inch apart, "I'm serious." He whispered.
Hermione's expression had also turned serious. Hermione, who was always on top of everyone, actually had nothing to say. Slowly, she leaned in, Ron doing the same. Their lips were almost touching, almost touching....
"Is my wallet in here?" Neville came rushing through the door, "No one can find anything. It's as if everyone's things have up and disappeared. Er, I'm sorry, did I interrupt something?"
Ron glared at Neville, "No."
Hermione was quite breathless, "We were just looking for my-my ring, of course. You haven't seen it, have you?"
"No, I haven't." Neville and Ron answered.
"Cho's ring is gone as well. It's too bad. That ring cost me 30 Galleons. Can you believe it? I couldn't. Sure was happy when she got it though. So happy, we had Marie almost right after."
"Ah, well. Shall we look in the den?" Hermione said, exiting.
"Yes," Ron said following her. But first he turned to Neville and said, "It's nine months, Neville, nine."
In the den, it was chaos. Furniture had been upturned and people were everywhere looking for lost items.
"Goodness." Hermione mumbled, "This is ridiculous!"
"What do you mean?" Neville said, coming up beside her with Ron.
"What I mean is everyone's stuff couldn't have just disappeared."
"Huh?" Ron said.
"Somebody stole it." Hermione answered.
"Oh." Ron said, then his eyes widened, "Ohhhhh. Who do you think did it?"
"I just don't know. I'm sure we can figure it out. Now I have to get their attention..."
"HEY, EVERYBODY! SHUTUP!" Ron bellowed. Everyone looked up, puzzled.
"What's going on, Ron?" Mr. Weasley asked.
"Yeah, if this is a joke, it isn't funny!" Marie added.
"It's fine, everyone." Hermione said, "But at the same time, it isn't. Somebody took everyone's things."
"What?" Mrs. Weasley said, "How?"
"Well, it's the only logical answer." Hermione said, "I say, no one leaves until we find out who it is."
"Yeah!" Ron said.
"Hermione's smart! She'll figure it out!" Jay added.
Everyone seemed to agree. Hermione sat everyone down and stood before them, looking each person over.
'Who's it gonna be? Who did it?' she thought in her head.
"Let's see," she paced before, much like she did when teaching. Marie and Jay must have noticed, "I know it wasn't me. I wouldn't have conducted this if it was me. The thing is, it could have been anybody. Any one of you could have took it. Well, the rat won't hide for long, trust me. We'll all sit here and rot before the robber leaves with the loot. Now, I'm sure it wasn't Neville because, no offense to you Neville, has the sense to pull it off. I don't think it was Jay or Marie because, even though they are young, they certainly have not conversed with everyone in this room. It wasn't Percy, he'd loose his reputation if he did it. It wasn't Mr. Or Mrs. Weasley, too good of people. It wasn't Katie, because she was busy cleaning dishes. Wasn't Ginny or Fred or George or Ron. Nor Bill or Charlie. I'm sorry to say it, but there's evidence of you, Harry or Fleur.
"IT WAS 'IM! 'E DID IT! SOMEONE STOLE MY PURSE! IT WAS 'ARRY POTTER!!!!!!!"
Several people answered to this
"Yeah, it probably was Harry!"
"Nobody stole anything of his!"
"Yeah!"
"That's probably why he invited us all over!"
Harry stood, too shocked to answer. Ginny was the one who quieted them all.
"It was you, wasn't it? You did it. You led us all on, didn't you? First my bracelet, then Ron's wallet and watch, then you got everyone. Where are you hiding it all, Harry, where?"
"Ginny, I didn't do it. You know I didn't."
Ginny just shook her head, "I'm not sure, Harry, I'm not sure."
Everyone was quiet.
"Hey, where's Cho?" Neville asked.
"Mommy?" Marie added.
Cho came back in, "I just sent an owl. The Ministry is on their way to get this-this criminal." She shook with rage.
"We'll get you another ring, Cho, we will." Neville said.
"It's not the ring! I'm scared to know that someone I trusted to do such a bad thing!"
Neville tried to comfort her, but nothing worked.
Soon enough, the Ministry showed up. Fudge even came.
"Minister!" Percy raced over, "So glad to see you. I was so frightened! Harry Potter, sir, he.."
"Please, Percy, don't give me a headache. Get out of the way."
Two men came over and cuffed Harry.
"You're not serious!" Harry said.
"Yes we are, Potter, now quiet down." One said.
"But I didn't"Harry protested.
"Shove it!"
"Wait! Ginny, you don't believe them do you? Ginny, you can't. You can't. I didn't do it, Ginny, I didn't do it."
Ginny looked away.
"Ron, back me up."
"Harry, I'm not sure."
"Ron, please." Harry's glasses fell off as the men jolted him upward.
Hermione had been standing, very quiet, thinking, "Everyone! It wasn't him!"
Everyone turned their heads to her.
"Please, Hermione, he did it. Even I admit it."
"No, there is one more person I didn't mention."
Ginny looked up hopefully, "Who? Who???"
"Fleur. I found her purse under this table. And guess what's in it." Hermione went over to a table and emptied its contents, "My ring, Katie;s ring, Ginny's bracelet, Ron wallet and watch, Mrs. Weasley's egg timer, Mr. Weasley's wand, Fred, wallet, George's car keys, Jay's pocketknife, Cho's ring, Marie's diary, Percy's cap, Charlie's keys, Bill's combinations to the Gringott locks and," she held out a very old toad, "Trevor."
"FLEUR!" George said.
Fleur bursted into tears, "I'M ZORRY! I LOST MY ZOB! I 'AVE NO MONEY! I WAS SO SCARED! I DID NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO! I ZTOLE ZEM! I AM ZORRY! I AM!"
Everyone looked at her in disgust. But Ginny breathed a sigh of relief as they let Harry go.
"I was praying, Harry, I was praying you didn't do it. I'm sorry I thought you did. I was, oh, Harry" she hugged him tight.
"Please," Jay said, "There are children here!"
Fred laughed, everyone joining with him.
"A toast, to Harry!" Cho said.
"To Harry." Everyone added, raising their teacups.
Ron turned to Hermione, "You know, this ending is so cheesy, I can smell it."
"Me too." She laughed and then turned serious, "But Ron, you know this isn't the end."
"Well, of course it is. Harry's not guilty, Fleur is, everyone's happy. It's the perfect place to end this night."
"No, that's not what I meant."
"I meant, oh never mind."
"What? What??"
"It's only the beginning."
"Of what?"
"Lots of...relationships."
"Okay, okay, I can see Ginny and Harry, but that's it."
"Ron, you're part of one."
"Huh? Yeah, what? Me and Fleur! I can see that one! Or how about me and-and Lavender! Hah! Remember that, in our seventh year? That was a good one! So, who's the girl?"
"Well, hopefully you're talking to her."
"Oh." Ron looked at her, "I still don't get it."
Hermione sighed, "Maybe I should just go. Good bye, Ron."
"Bye, Hermione."
Hermione started to walk away. She could feel the tears in her eyes.
"Hey, Hermione?" Ron said innocently.
"What?" she spun around quickly.
"You know I'm messing with your head, right?"
She looked at him, then stepped closer, "You little-" she pushed him hard, "That wasn't funny, Ron! Not at all! I was almost in tears! Do you like making girls cry? Well?"
"Hermione it was just a joke!"
"I don't care if you were just messing with my head! Goodbye!"
"Hermione, wait! I didn't mean anything by it! Hermione!"
She huffed away from him. But with his long legs, he caught her.
"Listen, Hermione, it was just a joke! I didn't" but she cut him off. She grabbed his shoulders and kissed him, leaving him breathless.
"You're not the only one who can mess with people's heads." She said, pulling away.
Ron was going to reply, but felt that, at that moment, no reply was needed.
"I syppose it's not here." She said.
Suddenly, Ron came bustling through with some dirty pots and pans. When he saw her, he dropped them, making a huge racket.
"Hermione!" he sputtered.
"Ron! Why did you do that?"
"They were dirty, anyway."
"Ron!"
"Don't 'Ron' me. I should be going: Hermione....."
"I don't understand why you walked out on me like that."
"Well, I don't understand how you could fall in love with Harry!"
Hermione stared at Ron for a moment and then started to giggle. Before long, it was a roar. She laughed until her face turned blue.
"So-so that's what it was all about! You thought...just because I screamed 'HARRY!' that I loved him! That is rich, Ron! Rich!"
"What?"
"I don't love Harry!"
"You don't?"
"Goodness, no! Ron, he and Ginny are seeing each other! That's silly! Oh, Ron, that was a good one, really, I don't think I've laughed that hard in a long time."
Ron eased up, "Really?"
"Really." She nodded and looked up at him, "Sorry I didn't write. I sent out owls, but they never came back, nor a response. I guess I gave up."
Ron looked down, "Sorry I got mad at you."
"Just like Hogwarts." Hermione laughed.
"Just like Hogwarts." Ron laughed along.
"It was good to see you again."
"You, too. I've missed you."
Hermione smiled.
"It's been more than that, actually," Ron added, "I couldn't stop thinking about you."
"Oh, you're getting mushy, Ron, be careful." She giggled.
Ron leaned in so their noses were about an inch apart, "I'm serious." He whispered.
Hermione's expression had also turned serious. Hermione, who was always on top of everyone, actually had nothing to say. Slowly, she leaned in, Ron doing the same. Their lips were almost touching, almost touching....
"Is my wallet in here?" Neville came rushing through the door, "No one can find anything. It's as if everyone's things have up and disappeared. Er, I'm sorry, did I interrupt something?"
Ron glared at Neville, "No."
Hermione was quite breathless, "We were just looking for my-my ring, of course. You haven't seen it, have you?"
"No, I haven't." Neville and Ron answered.
"Cho's ring is gone as well. It's too bad. That ring cost me 30 Galleons. Can you believe it? I couldn't. Sure was happy when she got it though. So happy, we had Marie almost right after."
"Ah, well. Shall we look in the den?" Hermione said, exiting.
"Yes," Ron said following her. But first he turned to Neville and said, "It's nine months, Neville, nine."
In the den, it was chaos. Furniture had been upturned and people were everywhere looking for lost items.
"Goodness." Hermione mumbled, "This is ridiculous!"
"What do you mean?" Neville said, coming up beside her with Ron.
"What I mean is everyone's stuff couldn't have just disappeared."
"Huh?" Ron said.
"Somebody stole it." Hermione answered.
"Oh." Ron said, then his eyes widened, "Ohhhhh. Who do you think did it?"
"I just don't know. I'm sure we can figure it out. Now I have to get their attention..."
"HEY, EVERYBODY! SHUTUP!" Ron bellowed. Everyone looked up, puzzled.
"What's going on, Ron?" Mr. Weasley asked.
"Yeah, if this is a joke, it isn't funny!" Marie added.
"It's fine, everyone." Hermione said, "But at the same time, it isn't. Somebody took everyone's things."
"What?" Mrs. Weasley said, "How?"
"Well, it's the only logical answer." Hermione said, "I say, no one leaves until we find out who it is."
"Yeah!" Ron said.
"Hermione's smart! She'll figure it out!" Jay added.
Everyone seemed to agree. Hermione sat everyone down and stood before them, looking each person over.
'Who's it gonna be? Who did it?' she thought in her head.
"Let's see," she paced before, much like she did when teaching. Marie and Jay must have noticed, "I know it wasn't me. I wouldn't have conducted this if it was me. The thing is, it could have been anybody. Any one of you could have took it. Well, the rat won't hide for long, trust me. We'll all sit here and rot before the robber leaves with the loot. Now, I'm sure it wasn't Neville because, no offense to you Neville, has the sense to pull it off. I don't think it was Jay or Marie because, even though they are young, they certainly have not conversed with everyone in this room. It wasn't Percy, he'd loose his reputation if he did it. It wasn't Mr. Or Mrs. Weasley, too good of people. It wasn't Katie, because she was busy cleaning dishes. Wasn't Ginny or Fred or George or Ron. Nor Bill or Charlie. I'm sorry to say it, but there's evidence of you, Harry or Fleur.
"IT WAS 'IM! 'E DID IT! SOMEONE STOLE MY PURSE! IT WAS 'ARRY POTTER!!!!!!!"
Several people answered to this
"Yeah, it probably was Harry!"
"Nobody stole anything of his!"
"Yeah!"
"That's probably why he invited us all over!"
Harry stood, too shocked to answer. Ginny was the one who quieted them all.
"It was you, wasn't it? You did it. You led us all on, didn't you? First my bracelet, then Ron's wallet and watch, then you got everyone. Where are you hiding it all, Harry, where?"
"Ginny, I didn't do it. You know I didn't."
Ginny just shook her head, "I'm not sure, Harry, I'm not sure."
Everyone was quiet.
"Hey, where's Cho?" Neville asked.
"Mommy?" Marie added.
Cho came back in, "I just sent an owl. The Ministry is on their way to get this-this criminal." She shook with rage.
"We'll get you another ring, Cho, we will." Neville said.
"It's not the ring! I'm scared to know that someone I trusted to do such a bad thing!"
Neville tried to comfort her, but nothing worked.
Soon enough, the Ministry showed up. Fudge even came.
"Minister!" Percy raced over, "So glad to see you. I was so frightened! Harry Potter, sir, he.."
"Please, Percy, don't give me a headache. Get out of the way."
Two men came over and cuffed Harry.
"You're not serious!" Harry said.
"Yes we are, Potter, now quiet down." One said.
"But I didn't"Harry protested.
"Shove it!"
"Wait! Ginny, you don't believe them do you? Ginny, you can't. You can't. I didn't do it, Ginny, I didn't do it."
Ginny looked away.
"Ron, back me up."
"Harry, I'm not sure."
"Ron, please." Harry's glasses fell off as the men jolted him upward.
Hermione had been standing, very quiet, thinking, "Everyone! It wasn't him!"
Everyone turned their heads to her.
"Please, Hermione, he did it. Even I admit it."
"No, there is one more person I didn't mention."
Ginny looked up hopefully, "Who? Who???"
"Fleur. I found her purse under this table. And guess what's in it." Hermione went over to a table and emptied its contents, "My ring, Katie;s ring, Ginny's bracelet, Ron wallet and watch, Mrs. Weasley's egg timer, Mr. Weasley's wand, Fred, wallet, George's car keys, Jay's pocketknife, Cho's ring, Marie's diary, Percy's cap, Charlie's keys, Bill's combinations to the Gringott locks and," she held out a very old toad, "Trevor."
"FLEUR!" George said.
Fleur bursted into tears, "I'M ZORRY! I LOST MY ZOB! I 'AVE NO MONEY! I WAS SO SCARED! I DID NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO! I ZTOLE ZEM! I AM ZORRY! I AM!"
Everyone looked at her in disgust. But Ginny breathed a sigh of relief as they let Harry go.
"I was praying, Harry, I was praying you didn't do it. I'm sorry I thought you did. I was, oh, Harry" she hugged him tight.
"Please," Jay said, "There are children here!"
Fred laughed, everyone joining with him.
"A toast, to Harry!" Cho said.
"To Harry." Everyone added, raising their teacups.
Ron turned to Hermione, "You know, this ending is so cheesy, I can smell it."
"Me too." She laughed and then turned serious, "But Ron, you know this isn't the end."
"Well, of course it is. Harry's not guilty, Fleur is, everyone's happy. It's the perfect place to end this night."
"No, that's not what I meant."
"I meant, oh never mind."
"What? What??"
"It's only the beginning."
"Of what?"
"Lots of...relationships."
"Okay, okay, I can see Ginny and Harry, but that's it."
"Ron, you're part of one."
"Huh? Yeah, what? Me and Fleur! I can see that one! Or how about me and-and Lavender! Hah! Remember that, in our seventh year? That was a good one! So, who's the girl?"
"Well, hopefully you're talking to her."
"Oh." Ron looked at her, "I still don't get it."
Hermione sighed, "Maybe I should just go. Good bye, Ron."
"Bye, Hermione."
Hermione started to walk away. She could feel the tears in her eyes.
"Hey, Hermione?" Ron said innocently.
"What?" she spun around quickly.
"You know I'm messing with your head, right?"
She looked at him, then stepped closer, "You little-" she pushed him hard, "That wasn't funny, Ron! Not at all! I was almost in tears! Do you like making girls cry? Well?"
"Hermione it was just a joke!"
"I don't care if you were just messing with my head! Goodbye!"
"Hermione, wait! I didn't mean anything by it! Hermione!"
She huffed away from him. But with his long legs, he caught her.
"Listen, Hermione, it was just a joke! I didn't" but she cut him off. She grabbed his shoulders and kissed him, leaving him breathless.
"You're not the only one who can mess with people's heads." She said, pulling away.
Ron was going to reply, but felt that, at that moment, no reply was needed.