Runaway Fox
Chapter Three: Chasing the Fox
Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter. Me just borrowing. I own nothing. Well, maybe the story.
* * * * * *
"I can't believe you were foolish enough to let my brother convince you to get that thing in your ear, Ron," she told him as she eyed the new ear cuff in his ear.
"Hey! He said that it would look cool on me. My brother has an earring, too," insisted Ron.
"I never thought that you'd cave to peer pressure so easily," she said with a giggle.
Ron rubbed his ear gently. He always missed his ear cuff when it wasn't there. He had to take it out for the ball. He sighed as he heard the sound of the tango stop from inside the ballroom. He snapped to attention when he heard someone whispering nearby. He could have sworn he heard the spell to light up a wand, and a moment later the spell to extinguish it. He kept himself as calm as possible and walked through the fog. There was something else most people didn't know about him. He and Simon were Animagi. Ron turned into his animal form and slipped away from whomever it was that was following him. He was certain that the person had to be a witch or wizard.
Hermione stopped follow someone who she thought was Ron. But, he just disappeared suddenly. She whispered, "Lumos." She pointed her wand ahead of her at a bush. Despite the fog, Hermione could see was a pair of golden eyes that were glowing in the dark. Hermione pulled the light back. It was a fox. What was a fox doing in the middle of London? She eyed it suspiciously and raised her wand to do a spell on it. Before she could the fox was gone in the blink of an eye.
"Hermione? Are you there?" asked Seamus with his wand lit.
"Yes," she answered with a sigh.
"What are you looking at, Hermione? I just finished doing a sweep inside. Everything's fine," said Seamus.
"Nothing. There's nothing here. Let's go," said Hermione as she eyed the bush once last time. The Aurors left.
Meanwhile, in one of the men's restroom stalls, Ron apparated. He was trying to get his breathing leveled. That was close. That was Hermione. She almost caught me. Ron decided that it would be best to get back to the hotel as soon as possible. He left the stall to find a man startled there with towels ready to hand to him. "Obliviate," Ron waving his hand over the man's eyes. The man's eyes glazed over and Ron washed his hands and took the towel from him. When Ron handed him back the towel, he said, "Thank you."
"You're welcome," said the man.
Ron walked outside. Simon was at the bar. He was now talking to another girl. Ron walked up to him and tapped him on the shoulder. The girl's attention immediately shifted from Simon to Ron. She batted her eyelashes at him, but Ron ignored her and dragged Simon away with him. "What? I was just about to get her number, Ron," said Simon.
"No, you weren't. We have a problem. There were Aurors here. I just saw Hermione Granger outside. She almost saw me. I think she did," said Ron.
"Good. You can stop being a baby and go home and visit your family and other friends," said Simon. Ron looked at him and shook his head. He turned his back and buried his left hand into his pocket.
"You know I can't," said Ron softly. Simon almost missed the flash of pain on his face, but he noticed that Ron had his right hand over his scar on his abdomen.
"Why don't you go off, Ron? I think I can handle things here. It's not as uncomfortable as I thought. And with you around, I can't seem to get any female attention," said Simon with a smile. Ron gave him a grateful look and walked off to the car to take him back to the hotel.
~*~
Hermione was now certain that she saw Ron out there last night. He was dressed in a tuxedo like James Bond. However, he must have disapparated before she could get a chance to say anything to him. But, it was strange. There was a fox. Or was there? Hermione stretched her arms in front of her. Maybe, she was working too hard. Or getting as paranoid as Mad Eye Moody.
"Here's some coffee," said Seamus as he put her mug in front of her.
"Thanks. Seamus, do you remember Ron Weasley?" asked Hermione.
"Of course, I remember Ron. He and I shared the same dorm room with Harry, Dean, and Neville. Ron is one of the best Quidditch players in the world. Strange, I never thought that would happen. I mean, yeah, he played keeper back at Hogwarts for fifth year onward, but I suppose I always thought that Harry would win the World Cup. What about Ron?" asked Seamus.
"I think he's back in London, but I'm not sure. I think I saw him tonight at that party outside, Seamus," said Hermione. Seamus looked at her a moment. He remembered how inseparable Ron, Hermione, and Harry were back at Hogwarts, and then suddenly, Ron up and left for America without much warning. Seamus remembered that big fight that Ron and Harry during their fourth year. They didn't talk to each for weeks. Ron hung out with Seamus and Dean. Also, he went along with Neville during that time and stick close to his brothers.
"Hmm…do you really think so, Hermione?" asked Seamus.
"Yes. I think so. But, I'm not sure and I don't have any proof," said Hermione.
"Well, we are Aurors after all. I think we might be able to find something about Ron, if there's anything out there on him, then we'll find it," said Seamus.
~*~
The logo of Warp Speed Technologies Limited was a red fox, for less than obvious reasons to most of the general public. Ron was the one who designed the logo for his company, and Simon thought it was funny. The college they went to required the magics to attend advance classes that Hermione would have been envious of. It was so that it would level the field against the Muggles, so the grading curves wouldn't be off. It was far too easy to cheat at the Muggle classes, but Ron didn't cheat because he was spending his time trying out the new magic he was learning. Ron decided to become Animagus during his second year of college and convinced Simon to do the same. They both managed after trying so long. Simon turned into an animal that wasn't really native to the United Kingdom, but was native to the United States. His animal was larger and stronger than Ron's.
Ron imagined that his father would have been very please to know how well verse Ron was with Muggle devices. There were parts of Ron's buildings where no magic could be used because it would disrupt the systems, so Muggle employees had to be hired. However, some Muggle devices could be used with magic around. It was a matter of balancing the two. However, Ron's home in the Caribbean didn't have any Muggle electronics and there he used magic without worry of disrupting anything. Ron learned something when he went off on his own, and that was the fact that the wizards could pretend that the Muggles weren't there, but they were the larger part of the human population. He found it easier to move between both worlds, even if he still preferred the wizarding world to the Muggle world. Both worlds had their advantages and disadvantages. Being highly adaptable was what was needed to survive in either world. And that was Ron.
"Don't worry about your friend," said Simon the next morning. He had a slight hangover, but he still had his duties as Ron's second-in-command.
"I'm not worried about Hermione. Why should I be worried? We'll be out of here before anyone realizes it," said Ron evenly.
Simon looked at him. He knew that Ron was lying and that he wanted to go back to U.S. as soon as possible. But, he knew Ron would hang in there until the business was over because that was the kind of person he was. He had a high tolerance for things these days. Time had given him wisdom and patience.
"I guess I'm just going stir crazy after being cooped up for so long," said Ron.
"Then you should go out. Go out where the Muggles are that way you don't have to worry about running into people who know you from back home. I mean how many Muggles do you know personally in England anyway?" asked Simon.
"That's right. I don't know any Muggles personally in England. Well, maybe, Hermione's parents, but I doubt they'd remember me," said Ron. "I'm not memorable," he added with a sly grin.
"Oh, I don't think so. However, they haven't seen you. The last time anyone's seen you, you were a bean pole. And all awkward and funny looking. Wait…I take the last part back. You're still funny looking," said Simon with a laugh. "And remember, it's open season for you on the countryside here after all. So, you may want to stick to the city," he added further.
"Shut up," said Ron as he stood up to walk out. "I'm going now. You can sit here and do some work for me like you're supposed to."
"Yes, Mr. Weasley. Oh, beware of people in riding outfits, with guns, on horses, and with hunting dogs," finished off Simon.
Ron smirk at him as he shut the door behind him. He walked to the lift and went down. He always thought Muggles had the strangest inventions. The lift was a strange Muggle invention that Ron thought was very convenient at the moment. His hotel room was at the very top of a thirty story hotel.
"Good day, Mr. Weasley," greeted one of the people who worked at the front desk. Ron acknowledged him with a nod. Ron took in the sunshine outside without worries.
~*~
Hermione was pacing up and down her office in the Ministry on a fine Saturday. She was only at work to try and get some information on Ron. In front of her was a file she was compiling about him. She compiled the background information and the information during his time with the Astrolights, but after that there was nothing. The last known address that the Astrolights had for him was in New York City. There wasn't much else. Although, she found out that Ron went to Ellsinore University in Northern California, close to San Francisco. It was one of the special schools that had the very rare hybrid program. Hermione marveled at his academics. She should have known that Ron had the brains. After all, his brothers and sister were intelligent, they all got that from their parents. Ron had high academic grades in the Muggle classes, but in the wizarding classes (Which she had to admit were hard. They were classes about magic native to North and South America.) his grades weren't as high. They were high enough. According to his records, he graduated second in class. It looked like he got serious when he left England.
She sighed. Hermione knew that she was a show off in Hogwarts, and that Ron didn't like her when he first met her. Ron was a very humble sort compared to Hermione. Even though, she blushed when people told her that she was smart and great at school, she still liked it. Ron was a different story. No one ever really noticed Ron was smart, but Hermione knew that it was hard for him to live up to five older brothers. Hermione wanted to go and tell them how well Ron did at school. It would please Mr. and Mrs. Weasley immensely. They were worried about Ron, especially Mrs. Weasley. To her, Ron was the baby of her boys. She blamed herself for not pay enough attention to Ron. Mr. Weasley also felt the same way. Hermione was mad at Ron for making his parents feel that way. If she found him, she was going to slap him for it.
Hermione couldn't take pacing anymore in her office, so she decided go out for a drive in her car. Yes, she had a car, but she knew how to apparate. It was a little convertible red coup. She didn't care where she was going. She just drove.
~*~
The Witch Weekly magazine was putting out their new issue. Rita Skeeter was forced to take an assignment that was just really a filler for the magazine instead of an investigative report like she usually did. It wasn't any ordinary filler: it was the front page article of the magazine. "Great," she muttered under her breath. The editor put her on the assignment because he wanted to keep her out of trouble. She had gone too far with the Ministry and interfered on an Auror case. Hermione Granger herself wrote a Howler to the editor about what had happened. So, he put her on the article she was working on. How could she possibly do any damage to anyone on the assignment she was on? "The Top Ten Most Eligible Wizarding Bachelors In the World," she muttered. She was looking at the names. The top ten had to have a combination of wealth, power, and looks. Her eyes feel on the largest gross salary of one of the top businessmen in the United States. He was worth well over ten million galleons (even more when converted to Muggle money of any currency). And furthermore, his name was familiar. It was Ronald Weasley. Rita Skeeter smiled to herself. She knew that he was one of Harry Potter's best friends and a World Cup winner. And now he was one of the richest men in the wizarding and Muggle world. He was the sole founder and owner of Warp Speed Technologies Limited. And Skeeter made him number one on the list of bachelors.
The issue would be out the following week.
~*~
Ron looked around Muggle London. He decided to check out the British Museum of History. He wondered what the fuss was all about, so he decided to check it out. Ron visited some of the strangest museum in the U.S., and some art museums in Italy and France. He liked some Muggle paintings like Dalis and Picassos. He didn't know why. Maybe, it was because they were so surreal. He looked at the Egyptian exhibit about King Tut. It reminded Ron of the visits his family took to Egypt as a child. Since then, Ron only went there for business.
He walked out after a while and walked around a little more. He felt hungry, so he decided to go to find some place to eat. He took out his Muggle wallet to see if he had any money, so that he could avoid going to a wizard place with the risk of running into anyone who knew him. Luckily, he had some money. Ron found one of the pubs to grab something to eat and move on.
At that exact moment, Hermione was done driving and she felt hungry herself. She went to go find some place to eat and chose an outdoor café. She sipped some soda with her deli sandwich. As she looked through the Daily Prophet that she had taken with her. Ron saw her as he turned the corner of the street. It was the café right next to the hotel. Sighing, he realized that the street was far to crowded with Muggles to do any magic without anyone seeing him do it. He couldn't take the long way around and get back to the hotel that way because then he would right in front of her. Maybe, he could sneak by in the crowd of Muggles. Or, he would just have to face her. Taking a deep breath, he walked out of the corner he was in.
Hermione was still reading the newspaper, if Ron wanted to sneak past her, it wouldn't have been that hard. Instead, he entered the café and stopped right behind her, casting his shadow over her. Hermione noticed that things got dimmed suddenly. Someone was standing right behind her. "What?" she said with a sigh as she turned her head. Her jaw dropped. "Ron?"
"Hello Hermione," he said in a pleasant tone. Ron's voice was baritone. There was a soft lingering when he said her name. Hermione felt her heart beat a little faster. He was the person she saw walking down the street that other day. She jumped to her feet and smiled at him. She embraced him. "Where have you been Ronald Weasley?"
"Around. I'm in London for business," he said. "So, how have you been, Hermione?"
"Fine. I'm still working for the Aurors. We heard about you playing Quidditch for the Americans. What have you been up to?" asked Hermione. Ron was wearing his sunglasses. He pulled the chair that Hermione had been occupying a little bit as a gesture for her to sit down. She took a seat and Ron took the chair across from her. He took of his sunglasses and put them into his leather jacket. Hermione never realized how good Muggle clothes looked on him. It was taller than when she saw him last. Harry was 5'11", but Ron was taller than him.
"Nothing much. I'm working at Warp Speed," said Ron nonchalantly. Technically, he wasn't lying to her. He was just leaving out vital information. Like, oh maybe, the fact that it was his company.
"Warp Speed? The company that makes broomsticks? Wow. It must have been hard to get there. I've heard that they only hire the top makers. What are you doing there?" asked Hermione. She knew that Ron knew all about being an Auror.
"Design and planning for the most part. Sometimes, I get to make one," admitted Ron with a slight smirk. Ron looked at her as she spoke to him. Was it him or had she changed? Her hair wasn't bushy anymore, but controlled in a ponytail with some locks escaping from it. She looked like a woman who knew the world. Her eyes were still a warm cinnamon brown color, and her voice was as sure, but had a delicateness to it that Ron never heard before.
"Really? I thought that you would have kept playing considering," said Hermione. She stopped herself from saying anything about what happened to Ron before with the teams in England. As far as she was concerned, it was England's lost for not snapping him up when they had a chance. In Europe, there wasn't any really universities once one got out of a school like Hogwarts. She was a little envious Ron for having the foresight to look for other options when he couldn't get on the Chudley Cannons. Hermione would have liked to go to one of the hybrid universities.
"No, I didn't want to. I didn't like all the attention as much as I thought I would," confessed Ron. That was true.
"Will you be able to see anyone else during your visit here? Are you going back to the States so soon?" asked Hermione.
"I don't think so. I only saw you by chance, Hermione. My visit's almost up. The headquarters of the company's divided between New York City and San Francisco. I have a lot of work to do," replied Ron.
There was something about Ron that Hermoine was starting to notice. It was subtle: an undercurrent of someone who had a lot of power. There was more to Ron than what he was saying. She looked at Ron. Yes, he was dressed to kill. His clothes were very stylish and looked rather expensive. "Um…you seem to be doing very well," said Hermione as she eyed his clothes.
"Oh, I'm doing fine," said Ron as a waitress came to the table.
"What would you like, Sir?" she purred at him. Hermione felt something in her chest, and the compulsion to take out her wand and hex the waitress.
"Is there a dessert menu?" asked Ron mildly without looking at her.
"Today's dessert is chocolate mousse," she answered in her still purring voice.
"One for me and one for her," said Ron. The waitress, who had been nice to Hermione before, shot her a look.
"Of course," she said stiffly as she left to go get the desserts.
The waitress came back with the desserts. Ron asked questions about Hermione's work at the Ministry and questions about how everyone else was doing. It was partly to get information and to deter her from asking any more questions about himself. When the check came, Hermione watched as Ron took out his wallet and calculated the tip. He left just the right amount on the table.
"You don't have to do that, Ron," said Hermione weakly. "It's my lunch. You don't even have to pay for the mousse. I'll do it."
"No, I'll pay. Consider this pay back for all the times you had to pay," said Ron as he flashed her a small smile. Hermione watched as he waved goodbye. She wanted to slap herself for not stopping him.
AN: At long last, I have a title. Hooray! I thought about it and I've always thought that Ron was smarter than most people gave him credit for. I mean look at his brothers. Rita Skeeter's up to no good. I also thought about what kind of animal Ron would be if he were an Animagus. Then it came to me, it's perfect and thus my title came. I also found out why I'm not getting a lot of reviews. I had to turn off that thing under preference for non-registered people. Now, anyone can review.
