Ron was at breakfast as he received Harry's letter. Hedwig landed stealthily on the scrubbed wooden table situated in the middle of the cramped kitchen.
"Who's it from, Ron?" asked Ginny, as he untied the note from Hedwig'd foot.
"Harry. I'd know Hedwig anywhere."
"Well, see what he says. When you write him back you'll have to ask him if he wants to come stay with us." Mrs. Weasley said as she piled eggs on everyone's plates. "Hermione, too."
"Ron's girlfriend" Fred swooned. George began whistling.
"Shut it, you two, or I'll tease you about Angelina and Alicia." Ron laughed. His smile was wiped off his face as he began to read the letter. He gave a yell. Ron stood up so fast that he knocked his orange juice off the table and onto the floor.
"What's wrong?" inquired Mr. Weasley.
"Hermione!" he gasped. "She got another rose!"
The entire family was puzzled. "So?" asked Bill.
Ron explained the whole stalker incident. By the time he reached the letter, Ginny was whiter than the milk she had spilled all over her clothes, entranced with the story. Percy's expression had changed from solemn to grim and Mrs. Weasley's hands were purple from where she had been twisting a dish cloth around her wrists. Fred and George were even concerned.
"I have to go and and see if she's all right. Dad, what's the fastest way of getting there?"
"Apparating, but, unfortunately, you haven't taken your test yet. Next to that, I'd say floo powder, but we all know what happened last time we tried to get into the Dursley's by floo powder. Hmmm...." Mr. Weasley thought for a moment. "I could have a portkey arranged for us"
"How long will that take?" Ron asked, pacing the kitchen as if he were trying to wear a hole in the floor.
"Only a few minutes, if I say it's an emergency."
Before he knew it, Ron was standing in a grove of trees a block from 4 Privet Drive.
He, his father, and the rest of the family trooped down the street and to number 4.
Ron ran to the front step and rang the bell.
A horse faced, blonde women answered. "yes?" she said politely.
"Where's - Hermione?" he panted, having just ran a block to get there.
The woman, who must've bee Harry's aunt, went pale. "Vernon! It's another one of them!"
Vernon Dursley stormed to the door, chins and all. "Go away! We don't want any!"
"I know she's here! She's with Harry!"
The rest of the Weasley had appeared on the stoop. Mr. Dursley looked left, then right and pulled them inside. "Harry's upstairs in his room, The girl's there, too."
He said, nervously watching the twins. Dudley had walked into the front hall, gave a strangled whimper of fright, and went running. Fred and George sniggered and were fighting hard not to burst out laughing. However, one look from their mother surpressed their laughter.
Ron ran up the flight of stairs and burst through the first door he could find. it was a neat and tidy room with one nicely made bed and a window seat. "Wrong room" Ron muttered to himself a she changed directions and headed for the next door. This room was extremely cluttered with broken T.V. sets and computers. There was one bed and a load of food protruding out from under it. Ron groaned and headed for the last two doors. he closed his eyes and chose the door on the far left. He burst in on Hermione and Harry, who were deep in conversation about what they planned to do once they graduated
"Hermione!" He cried. he took her in his arms and began passionately kissing her.
"Ahem" Mr. Weasley cleared his throat. Fred and George were doubled up with silent giggles. Mrs. Weasley sniffed and wiped her eyes mumbling something about Ron being all grown up and how romantic this whole thing was.
Hermione was extremely embarrassed. She was blushing so hard you could fry an egg on her."Er..... hullo .........everybody.
Mrs., Weasley bustled over to her. "Oh, Hermione , you had us all so worried! Are you all right?"
Hermione smiled. Mrs. Weasley worried about everyone. "I'm fine. just a little shaken, I guess."
"You have a right to be!" She exclaimed. "being trapped in a bathroom while someone's threatening you......" Mrs. Weasley shuddered. "well, I just can't bear to think of what might have happened!"
"She's fine, mum," said Ron. "The important thing is nothing happened." A concerned look passed over his face. "Well, now what? Do you just want to stay here?"
"I doubt it," said harry, bitterly. "I don't even want to stay here."
"Why don't you both come stay with us?" offered Mr. Weasley, his eyebrows raised. "Heaven knows, this isn't the best place to be if you're a wizard."
They all trooped downstairs. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley bid the Dursley's a polite good-bye and thanked them for taking care of Hermione for Mr. and Mrs. Granger.
"That's-that's .... Just - just go!" Vernon had replied to their gratitude.
The Weasley's were stunned at their lack of hospitality.
By the time they got back to the Burrow, it was nearly time for dinner. Mrs. Weasley hurriedly prepared a wonderful meal for them all. The table in the kitchen wouldn't seat the whole family, Harry, and Hermione, so they ate out in the garden. Hermione preferred it that way; it was a beautiful evening in June and the sunset looked as if it had been expertly painted across the horizon.
As they ate, Hermione found that everyone was looking at her, Ron especially. Where everyone only glanced at her every few moments, Ron stared. He didn't take his eyes off her through the entire meal; even when he passed a dish. One time, as he went to pick up the plate of potatoes, his elbow slipped and went right into his food. Hermione could feel his eyes on her, and it was beginning to make her extremely uncomfortable.
"Ron," Hermione asked him quietly.
"yes?"
"Why are you staring at me?"
"I'm not staring at you."
"You are too!" she muttered. "You haven't taken your eyes off me all through dinner!"
"I haven't?" Ron seemed confused. "Sorry, I guess I didn't realize I was doing it."
Hermione went back to her dinner.
"Ron!" She exclaimed. "You're doing it again!"
"I'm not," he said, his eyebrows raised. "I was looking at the sky!"
Hermione realized he was right. He had been looking the opposite direction. "Then why do I feel like I'm being watched?"
harry gasped. "What? You-you feel like someone's watching you?"
"That's not good." Said Charlie.
Hermione swiveled around in her chair. She stared into the woods that surrounded the Weasley's garden.
"What's wrong, Hermione?" asked Ginny, delicately
"I -I saw ....... someone."
Mrs. Weasley covered her mouth with her hand. "Who did you see?"
"I... I don't know who he is ..... It's the stalker......"
Ron got up. "Who's there?" he yelled. "What do you want?"
It was unmistakable, you can't be imagining it when 10 other people saw a cloaked figure run through the woods.
"GET HERMIONE INSIDE!!" Ron shouted, as he ran to catch the man.
mrs. Weasley grabbed Ginny and Hermione and scurried inside. She locked the door behind them.
All the men had ran to get the cloaked figure. They figured, since they all knew what this guy was after, it would be best if the women stayed behind.
"Stupefy!" Mr.Weasley shouted. Ron ducked as the spell passed over him. The sun had gone down completely, now, and you couldn't see two feet in front of you.
"Lumos." They lighted their wands.
"Where'd - he - go" panted harry.
"I dunno..." murmured Ron, impaitiently. " But when I get my hands on this guy...." He made a violent gesture in the air.
"if he can watch Hermione, he's probably pretty good at magic." said Percy, logically. "I'd be careful if I were you."
"Who needs wands?" Ron gritted his teeth. "I'm gonna rip him apart with -- my -- bare -- hands."
"well, no one's going to rip anyone apart tonight." Mr. Weasley said, loudly. "He seems to have apparated. Lets go home."
"Who's it from, Ron?" asked Ginny, as he untied the note from Hedwig'd foot.
"Harry. I'd know Hedwig anywhere."
"Well, see what he says. When you write him back you'll have to ask him if he wants to come stay with us." Mrs. Weasley said as she piled eggs on everyone's plates. "Hermione, too."
"Ron's girlfriend" Fred swooned. George began whistling.
"Shut it, you two, or I'll tease you about Angelina and Alicia." Ron laughed. His smile was wiped off his face as he began to read the letter. He gave a yell. Ron stood up so fast that he knocked his orange juice off the table and onto the floor.
"What's wrong?" inquired Mr. Weasley.
"Hermione!" he gasped. "She got another rose!"
The entire family was puzzled. "So?" asked Bill.
Ron explained the whole stalker incident. By the time he reached the letter, Ginny was whiter than the milk she had spilled all over her clothes, entranced with the story. Percy's expression had changed from solemn to grim and Mrs. Weasley's hands were purple from where she had been twisting a dish cloth around her wrists. Fred and George were even concerned.
"I have to go and and see if she's all right. Dad, what's the fastest way of getting there?"
"Apparating, but, unfortunately, you haven't taken your test yet. Next to that, I'd say floo powder, but we all know what happened last time we tried to get into the Dursley's by floo powder. Hmmm...." Mr. Weasley thought for a moment. "I could have a portkey arranged for us"
"How long will that take?" Ron asked, pacing the kitchen as if he were trying to wear a hole in the floor.
"Only a few minutes, if I say it's an emergency."
Before he knew it, Ron was standing in a grove of trees a block from 4 Privet Drive.
He, his father, and the rest of the family trooped down the street and to number 4.
Ron ran to the front step and rang the bell.
A horse faced, blonde women answered. "yes?" she said politely.
"Where's - Hermione?" he panted, having just ran a block to get there.
The woman, who must've bee Harry's aunt, went pale. "Vernon! It's another one of them!"
Vernon Dursley stormed to the door, chins and all. "Go away! We don't want any!"
"I know she's here! She's with Harry!"
The rest of the Weasley had appeared on the stoop. Mr. Dursley looked left, then right and pulled them inside. "Harry's upstairs in his room, The girl's there, too."
He said, nervously watching the twins. Dudley had walked into the front hall, gave a strangled whimper of fright, and went running. Fred and George sniggered and were fighting hard not to burst out laughing. However, one look from their mother surpressed their laughter.
Ron ran up the flight of stairs and burst through the first door he could find. it was a neat and tidy room with one nicely made bed and a window seat. "Wrong room" Ron muttered to himself a she changed directions and headed for the next door. This room was extremely cluttered with broken T.V. sets and computers. There was one bed and a load of food protruding out from under it. Ron groaned and headed for the last two doors. he closed his eyes and chose the door on the far left. He burst in on Hermione and Harry, who were deep in conversation about what they planned to do once they graduated
"Hermione!" He cried. he took her in his arms and began passionately kissing her.
"Ahem" Mr. Weasley cleared his throat. Fred and George were doubled up with silent giggles. Mrs. Weasley sniffed and wiped her eyes mumbling something about Ron being all grown up and how romantic this whole thing was.
Hermione was extremely embarrassed. She was blushing so hard you could fry an egg on her."Er..... hullo .........everybody.
Mrs., Weasley bustled over to her. "Oh, Hermione , you had us all so worried! Are you all right?"
Hermione smiled. Mrs. Weasley worried about everyone. "I'm fine. just a little shaken, I guess."
"You have a right to be!" She exclaimed. "being trapped in a bathroom while someone's threatening you......" Mrs. Weasley shuddered. "well, I just can't bear to think of what might have happened!"
"She's fine, mum," said Ron. "The important thing is nothing happened." A concerned look passed over his face. "Well, now what? Do you just want to stay here?"
"I doubt it," said harry, bitterly. "I don't even want to stay here."
"Why don't you both come stay with us?" offered Mr. Weasley, his eyebrows raised. "Heaven knows, this isn't the best place to be if you're a wizard."
They all trooped downstairs. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley bid the Dursley's a polite good-bye and thanked them for taking care of Hermione for Mr. and Mrs. Granger.
"That's-that's .... Just - just go!" Vernon had replied to their gratitude.
The Weasley's were stunned at their lack of hospitality.
By the time they got back to the Burrow, it was nearly time for dinner. Mrs. Weasley hurriedly prepared a wonderful meal for them all. The table in the kitchen wouldn't seat the whole family, Harry, and Hermione, so they ate out in the garden. Hermione preferred it that way; it was a beautiful evening in June and the sunset looked as if it had been expertly painted across the horizon.
As they ate, Hermione found that everyone was looking at her, Ron especially. Where everyone only glanced at her every few moments, Ron stared. He didn't take his eyes off her through the entire meal; even when he passed a dish. One time, as he went to pick up the plate of potatoes, his elbow slipped and went right into his food. Hermione could feel his eyes on her, and it was beginning to make her extremely uncomfortable.
"Ron," Hermione asked him quietly.
"yes?"
"Why are you staring at me?"
"I'm not staring at you."
"You are too!" she muttered. "You haven't taken your eyes off me all through dinner!"
"I haven't?" Ron seemed confused. "Sorry, I guess I didn't realize I was doing it."
Hermione went back to her dinner.
"Ron!" She exclaimed. "You're doing it again!"
"I'm not," he said, his eyebrows raised. "I was looking at the sky!"
Hermione realized he was right. He had been looking the opposite direction. "Then why do I feel like I'm being watched?"
harry gasped. "What? You-you feel like someone's watching you?"
"That's not good." Said Charlie.
Hermione swiveled around in her chair. She stared into the woods that surrounded the Weasley's garden.
"What's wrong, Hermione?" asked Ginny, delicately
"I -I saw ....... someone."
Mrs. Weasley covered her mouth with her hand. "Who did you see?"
"I... I don't know who he is ..... It's the stalker......"
Ron got up. "Who's there?" he yelled. "What do you want?"
It was unmistakable, you can't be imagining it when 10 other people saw a cloaked figure run through the woods.
"GET HERMIONE INSIDE!!" Ron shouted, as he ran to catch the man.
mrs. Weasley grabbed Ginny and Hermione and scurried inside. She locked the door behind them.
All the men had ran to get the cloaked figure. They figured, since they all knew what this guy was after, it would be best if the women stayed behind.
"Stupefy!" Mr.Weasley shouted. Ron ducked as the spell passed over him. The sun had gone down completely, now, and you couldn't see two feet in front of you.
"Lumos." They lighted their wands.
"Where'd - he - go" panted harry.
"I dunno..." murmured Ron, impaitiently. " But when I get my hands on this guy...." He made a violent gesture in the air.
"if he can watch Hermione, he's probably pretty good at magic." said Percy, logically. "I'd be careful if I were you."
"Who needs wands?" Ron gritted his teeth. "I'm gonna rip him apart with -- my -- bare -- hands."
"well, no one's going to rip anyone apart tonight." Mr. Weasley said, loudly. "He seems to have apparated. Lets go home."