*
Hermione sighed as Lavender pulled into the driveway of 378 Mulberry Street.
"Here we are..." said Lavender. "I just can't believe Ron!" she shouted, suddenly vociferous. "I doubt he'll ever grow up."
"Yeah...I can't believe him either," Hermione trailed off. She looked up at the house. It was a tall, narrow brick building with ivy crawling up the front. There was a small front garden compete with a bright assortment of flowers and flawless emerald grass. Hermione wondered how someone who was only just out of school could acquire enough money to buy such a splendid home. "Do you live with your parents, Lavender?"
"No, I've got this place all to myself." She replied as they got out of the car and headed up the front path. Lavender searched through her purse until she found a large silver key and unlocked the beautiful French doors.
Hermione marveled. if she had thought the outside was beautiful, it was nothing compared to the inside. The floor was covered in tile and a staircase with a burnished bronze railing spiraled to the second floor. A large chandelier hung elegantly from the vaulted ceilings; it was gold, dappled with crystals. on the side of the entry hall there was another pair of French doors that led to a much humbler parlor that was attractive nonetheless. A mahogany China cabinet housed a vast assortment of tea cups and saucers and light, airy curtains covered an exquisite window with a view of the fountain in the front garden and a window seat. on the opposite wall, there was a very comfortable looking couch. In front of the couch was a coffee table, set with a porcelain tea kettle intricately painted with scenes of fairies and butterflies with matching cups and saucers sitting dormantly beside it.
"goodness. did your parents pay for all of this?" Hermione asked.
"No..."
"How on earth did you ever manage to afford such lovely things?" she said, eyebrows arched.
Lavender smiled, rather slyly in Hermione's opinion. "Oh...I get what I want..."
Hermione was baffled by this response. She was about to open her mouth in question when Lavender asked her if she would like some tea.
*
"Okay, so we know she's in a car going...somewhere..." Ron stopped pacing and sat on Harry's bed. "but where?"
"She was with Lavender." Harry offered. Ron groaned. "Sorry ... not much of a comfort, is it?"
"No, " Ron put his head in his hands. "It's not..."
"I don't understand why lavender wants to hurt you like that" Harry said.
"because she's a jealous bi -"
"HEY!" Ginny shouted from the hall. "LEMME IN OR I"LL CALL MUM!"
Ron groaned again and got up to let her in. "shit," he exclaimed.
"awwwww." ginny said, laughing. "It's not nice to be a potty mouth!"
Harry shot ginny a look. "What's wrong, Ron?"
"I've just remembered... Hermione's Parents! What will they do when they learn that we''ve lost their only daughter?"
"Hermione's a big girl," Ginny remarked. "She can take care of herself,"
"yeah, but Hermione's always complaining about how overprotective they are of her," Harry said. "I sure hope they've changed...."
Ron made a strangled noise and pulled out his wand. "*Locarious*" a silver orb floated from the tip of Ron's wand and revealed a rather foggy looking picture of Hermione sitting in an elegant parlor. As the picture became clearer, a faint conversation could be heard.
"Who needs Ron." Lavender said. "I'm sure there are tons of men out there who would fall all over themselves for a date with em. maybe I could set you up, too"
Hermione looked up. "I don't know..."she said, meekly. "It will probably take me quite a while to get over ... everyhitng. I don't know... I guess I'm terribly naive, but I've always imagined myself with him..." She choked and looked away, becoming suddenly intrigued by the moving portrait of Parvati Patil.
Lavender sighed. "Oh forget about that git. I know the perfect guy for you." She giggled. "His name is Diego de Vasco and he's the greatest. Tall, dark and handsome. And Spanish." She giggled again. "I've known him for ages, and I would have gone out with him if it weren't for Ron. I would never have betrayed him! Not in a million years!"
Ron scoffed. "What is she talking about? if she wouldn't betray me in a million years, then time must have passed really quick."
"Diego De Vasco. Why does that name sound familiar?" Harry said, half to himself.
"Shhh," ginny hissed, trying to hear what Hermione and Lavender were saying.
"oh...well...I still don't know..." Hermione said.
"come on! It'll be fun! I'll get myself a date and we can go double!" Lavender got up and went through a small servant's door. A minute later, she came back with a large, leather bound address book. "Let me see...who can I get to be my date..." she started flipping through the pages, mumbling to herself. After finally deciding on Terry Burman, she got up again and returned moments later with her owl.
"We can go meet Diego now, if you like." Lavender said. "He doesn't live far, we can even walk if you don't mind going the muggle way. His servants are all muggles, so they wouldn't be too pleased if we appeared from thin air,"
"servants?" Hermione inquired as Lavender pulled her by the wrist and out of the house.
Harry bit his lip. "Ron, I've got a really bad feeling about this Diego guy... I don't know where, but I know I've heard of him before...and whatever was said about him, it wasn't good."
"I've never heard of him, but I hate him all the same, " he paused and glared at the orb. "She's mine!" he cried to the apparition of Lavender. "And if your stupid Spanish friend lays one finger on her I'll kill you! Do you hear me? I 'll kill you!" by now he had proceeded to smacking the orb, which gave a small hiss and disappeared in a cloud of smoke.
*
A/N - interesting, huh? I know where I am going with this!...for once...!!!!!! weeeeee!! I am gonna have much fun writing these next chapters!!! Review, reveiw review review...please. ^_^
Disclaimer (which was forgotten in th e other chapter) - I own absolutley nothing so why even bother to tell you that i do cuz i'd then be sued by my idle and the Warner bros. cuz they are money hungry idiots. :-)