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? ^_*