To Trust Ron

To Trust Ron. 

Chapter One

Misc. babblings, disclaimer and whatnot: Ahem, I started this fic one boring Saturday night when I *dramatic voice* -suddenly- got an irritating itch in my hand to write! *Silly hand gestures* I can't explain it! *Waits for audience to give an understanding nod* It seemed to me as if Ron and Hermione were pushing me towards my little cubbyhole where I keep my deeeear ol' friend! *Pats computer* Oh, *sweat drops* am I scaring you? ^_^;;; *In a horrible, horrible accent* Pardon' moi', mes amis! (Let me assure you that the story is not as bad as these babblings! Heh heh heh! *Nervous cackle*) Well, J K Rowling owns all the original chara and even though I *know* she copied some of the stuff in her books from J RR Tolkien… I can't help it! I like 'Arry Potter! Ahem, and the rest of the new folks? Well, don't mind them! I hate it when people add their own characters, but trust me, how can ALL of the 7-8 characters we know of be in the same office? I had no choice!

WARNING: This fic can have and probably will have sappy thingies… I'm sorry to all you Rambo-loving girls, but I think R/H are *sweet*. And sweet can get sappy, so you have been warned!

Anyway, on with the story! *Grabs the readers who were bravely trying to make a run for it* Oh, and one minor note, if you're read my other story (I KNOW you haven't! *points accusingly*) I'll have you know that this story takes place about 10 years later and you'll miss a VITAL, VITAL thingy if you don't read that! *Dramatic pause* Ah, just kiddin… *shuffles feet* read on read on… I promise to go into my corner and wilt… thanks for coming mina! ^_^

**

"Hey, Herm, have you seen my socks anywhere?" yelled Ron, his voice muffled by the huge comforter he was smothered in.

"Ahem," said Hermione, putting her hands on her hips and watching Ron as he tried to untangle himself from the tousled quilt. Suddenly, he fell off the bed and landed face-first on the ice skates he had worn the day before and had carelessly left on his floor- as usual.

Choking back a laugh at Ron's early morning idiotic antics, Hermione went over to him and patiently helped him out of the heap of old shoes, magazines, skates, and an odd shoe lace or two littered all over him and the floor.

"Really, Ron!" scolded Hermione in mock anger. "Why were you looking for socks in your bed? And besides," she gestured towards the mess everywhere. "your room is a muddle! I'm surprised you can find yourself in the morning!" she finished and disgustedly threw a moldy banana peel into the wastebasket.

"Would you stop scolding me and get me some ice?" answered Ron, holding his nose gingerly. "I think it's broken!" he wailed.

"Oh please! Noses don't break just like that! They're noses, not china! Here, let me show you!" said Hermione and determinedly grabbed his nose and yanked.

"Owwwwww!" yelped Ron and sped into the bathroom. "Now I know it's broken! You tugged on it, Hermione! I know you did! I was there! Now you go away or else I'm not gonna come out, y'hear?" he yelled.

"Oh brother…" mumbled Hermione as she tried making her way out of Ron's room and into the lounge.

"By the way," she called over her shoulder. "your socks are hung over the left lampshade."

*

"Oh my lord, we're so late! We are so darn late!" panicked Ron as he and Hermione sped along Incense Street, where the two of them worked.

"I know!" replied Hermione gruffly. "And it was all your and your stupid nose's fault!"

"It needed medical attention!" yelled back Ron as they dodged a group of teenage witches and ran towards the huge stone building a few yards away. "Besides, who knows what could've happened if I had left it uncovered for long!" he finished and touched his huge bandaged nose.

"Yeah, your nose hair might've been frosted," mumbled Hermione, rolling her eyes.

"What was that?" Ron demanded as they stood catching their breath at the huge looming doors of the Ministry building.

"Never mind," said Hermione irritably and walked in as gracefully as she could seem with a companion who had a white blob for a nose.

They stopped at the end of the corridor and first scowled at each other for a couple of minutes. Then they laughed spontaneously, hugged each other and parted, each having a sudden thought of being glad to be alive.

"Hey, Hermione!" called Terry from his desk. Hermione had this feeling that Terry liked her, but she obviously wasn't interested. Ron and her were practically engaged and had always been best friends since school. And she loved Ron, stupidities and all.

She waved back and smiled casually at Terry.

"Yeah, hi!" said Amy and beamed at her friend. Hermione greeted her and took the steaming mug of coffee she handed over. "So, how's Ron?" Amy asked, not looking Hermione in the eye and trying to act nonchalant.

"He's fine," answered Hermione with a knowing smile. Amy had always had a crush on Ron, but being Hermione's best friend and knowing about their relationship, she never messed in their affairs, she was too sweet.

But, that didn't stop her from asking about him occasionally!

'It's funny how limited a person gets when they're committed,' mused Hermione idly as she plopped down on her chair. 'Lucky for me I know I've found him…' she thought and as she tackled her paperwork, her mind was wondering somewhere along the lines of "I do"…

*

"Hey, Ron, who was that babe I saw you with earlier?" drawled Ed Hurley, the chief editor of the Daily Prophet who had come over for his annual skepticism at how the Ministry was run.

"What?" Ron asked, looking over his paperwork and frowning up at the man. "What 'babe'?"

"Oh, come off it! You knew each other! Tell me, does she work here?" he asked and grinned wolfishly. "I am free this Saturday, y'know," he added, shining the already-gleaming diamond cufflink on his suit.

Ron still seemed a mixture of agitation and confusion, so Henry whispered, "I reckon he's talking about Hermione," and went back to his work, as if he hadn't said a word.

"Hermione?" cried Ron and glared at the intruder. "She isn't just any air headed 'babe', Mr. Hurley," he said through gritted teeth. "She's my girlfriend and doubt that she'd ever be interested in knowing when you are free!"

Ed Hurley simply cocked one of his already-arched eyebrows, which made him look even more devilish.

In front of Ron's lanky frame, freckled boyish face and red hair, Hurley looked a lot more sophisticated and a 'man–of–the-world' type.

He had steely black hair; an expressive face with pale blue eyes and always wore jet-black suits with a crisp white shirts. Even though his majesty over magic was well known and he was a very accomplished wizard, he refused to wear any robes or cloaks that his counterparts preferred over muggle clothes.

"Relax, Weasley," he answered smoothly. "And don't be too quick in saying that she won't be interested… after all, she is your girlfriend, how happy can she be?"

And with that, he casually strolled out of the room, leaving behind a steaming Ron.

"Well, that was fun!" said Lucy from a corner, knowing she would have a great tale to tell Hermione and the rest of the girls.

*

"And then Ron said, "You keep your hands offa ma girl!" Isn't it dreamy?" sighed Lucy as she sat back in her comfy sofa and wriggled her toes excitedly. "I wish I had someone who did that!"

All the female employees of the Education Department of the Ministry were sitting sipping at their usual steaming mug of hot chocolate and spreading the latest gossip.

As expected, Ron and Hurley's clash was the main topics on the agenda.

"Actually, he didn't say that at all," said Vivian curtly; busy painting her toes a deep shade of scarlet to match her hair. "All he said was that Hermione was his girlfriend. Big deal," she finished, yawning.

"You're just jealous!" chorused two girls from the back, which started a giggling fit, excluding Vivian who was the brunt of the remark, of course.

"Whatever," she snarled and went back to her magazine.

"Exactly," said Hermione decisively, gulping the last bit of the chocolate. "It really is no big deal. Besides, Ed Hurley isn't going to ever find me wishing he would take me out, so there! And Ron knows that just as well as I do!"

"Still," Amy persisted. "You should be very happy to have a boyfriend like Ron! I know I would be!" she finished and then blushed, thinking she had said too much.

"Oh please," Eve rolled her eyes. "It's not like he proposed to her or something! By the way, Hermione, when is Prince Charming going to propose to you? It's been what, 10 years, since you've known each other?" she gave a cold laugh. "It's about time too! He won't chicken out, will he? He does look so immature!"

Hermione froze and felt herself flush. She knew Eve was just trying to make up for the fact that everybody just laughed at her friend, Vivian, but Hermione couldn't help feeling hurt. She had never really thought of getting engaged very soon. Sure, she thought about it often enough, but not practically, or expecting it in the near future.

Should she have?

"Shut up, Eve! That's Ron and Herm's private matter and it doesn't concern any of us!" cried Amy defensively, after the initial hock of Eve's bluntness had worn off.

At that moment, before the atmosphere could get any more strained, the bell sounded, telling that break was over and the girls hurried back to their posts.

Something tense still hung in the air though.

There had never really been a serious argument between the colleagues and they way the opposing sides eyed each other, it seemed as though the argument wasn't going to be forgotten very soon.

***

Wanna read my other story? (And It Finally Dawned Upon Them…) Wanna shoot me in the foot? Why not review instead? Isn't it easier to do than the other things? ^_*