Hey everyone! It's Lauren, and I finally have chapter…what chapter is this anyway? Something like 15 I think. Okay, well, here's why it took so long: my computer is trashed, and it's taking two weeks to fix it, so I can only get on here at school. I'm so sorry it took so long! But don't worry, after heather's next chapter, I'll be up to speed. So no worries. Anyway, hope you like the twist in this chapter! Thanks for sticking around!
Lauren
Disclaimer: look, I can't think of anything clever, so hear hear: I don't own Haryr Potter!
Chapter fifteen
Disturbing Discoveries
Ron appeared in front of the Ministry building. Sure, he could have just apparated all the way inside the building, but he was far too nervous. So he stood there, in front of the building, inhaling deeply and staring down the doors. After a moment, he self-consciously brushed some imaginary lint off his pants, counted to three, and headed slowly toward the door. As soon as he opened the door, he was almost blown out of the building by the immense commotion inside. He looked around, and everyone was running around, pushing past each other in some odd, inexplicable rush. So this is what dad was talking about… He looked for some sort of directory, anything to tell him where to go, when his eyes fell across an information desk. He managed (somehow) to make his way across the room and approached the woman behind the desk.
"Excuse me, but um, could you tell me where I'm supposed to be…" he asked shyly.
"What department?" she asked monotonously, not looking up from whatever she was doing.
"Er, International Magical Cooperation, I think…" he replied nervously.
"Third floor, on the right. Take the elevator and make a right, third door on the left."
"Er, thanks," he said politely, getting more and more nervous. He walked away, looking for the elevator, when he ran into someone, knocking them over. He stood up and reached out his hand to help them up.
"I'm, I'm so sorry! It's just so busy in here, it's so hard to get around, I was just looking for the elevator…" he said quickly, cursing himself for screwing up before he even got to work.
"That's alright, really. I know exactly what you mean, this place is insane. Thank you," she said as he pulled her up. He got a good look at her and realized right then who it was.
"Eh, Lavender…" he said, pulling his hand away quickly.
"Oh, Ron, um…hello."
"What are you doing here?" he asked sharply.
"Well, I sort of…work here. And what, may I ask, are you doing here?" she replied, mimicking his tone.
"Well, my brother got me a job here, so I work here as well. Um, where exactly is your department?" he asked, praying it wasn't the department of International Magical Cooperation, or wherever it was he was supposed to be going. Not like he knew or anything.
"Well, not that it's any of your business, but I happen to be working in the department of International Magical Cooperation, thankyouverymuch. And, where exactly are you working?" she asked haughtily.
Ron rubbed his forehead frustratingly. Oh my god, oh my god…why me? Why?
"Erm, Lavender, I have to go…" he said frantically, and without a goodbye he rushed past the crowd and walked out the door. He needed some fresh air, and desperately.
Oh Merlin, I can't do this! What was I thinking? Oi, what'll I tell Hermione?
He apparated back to the burrow, all the while trying to think of something to tell her.
Back at the Burrow…
Hermione was sitting with Ginny, going through the bridal magazines and picking out brides' maids dresses. Ginny wanted them to be pink, while Hermione really preferred the lavender. (ironically…) All of a sudden, in the middle of their dispute, there was a loud commotion from the kitchen. Hermione looked up at the clock on the wall and noticed that Ron's 'hand' was on 'home' instead of 'work'. Worried, she rushed over to the kitchen.
"Ron, are you okay? What happened? Why aren't you at work? Is something wrong??"
"Mione, you sound like my mum…" he said dejectedly.
"Well, what's wrong? Why do you look so-"
"Mione, I can't go back there. I can't go back to work."
"What? Well, what is it? What's wrong?" she asked sympathetically, wrapping her arm around him.
"Um, well…" he really didn't want to tell her that Lavender, her least favorite person in the world, was going to be working in his department.
"Ron…what? You can tell me, can't you?" she asked, a little hurt.
"Well, you'll never guess who I'll be working with!" he exclaimed sarcastically.
"Who?"
"Er, Lavender is in my department…" he said finally, lowering his voice to a whisper.
Hermione was silent, but you could see the anger rising in her cheeks. But when she finally spoke, she stayed calm.
"Ron, you are going to go to work, do your job, and not even give so much of a glance to that girl. Because she doesn't matter. Not one bit. And you don't care about her. So you have nothing to worry about. And I think she knows not to mess with you…unless she'd like to mess with me." She said, a steely glint in her eyes. Ron was a bit comforted by her words, and she was right, she didn't matter. Not one bit. But as he bent down to kiss her forehead and pulled her close to him, he didn't see the tear roll down her cheek, or the worried expression on her face.
