A/N: Hey you guys! Lauren here! Hope you like this one, it's full of…well, you'll find out. Anyway, I made a reference to a comment made by Allie, hope you don't mind! It just suddenly came to me…anywhoozle, hope you enjoy!
Lauren
Disclaimer: instead of wasting my time telling you all that I don't own Harry Potter (which I don't) I'd rather say I CAN'T WAIT FOR THE NEXT BOOK!!!! YAY!!!! JUNE 21ST, HERE I COME…
Chapter seventeen
Angering Aftermath
Ron heaved a sigh. Why is this happening to me? Why? He ran his hands through his hair and rested his chin in his palms. And I thought my day was bad before… After a moment, he stood up, stuffed his hands into his pockets, and walked back over to his office. Lavender was sitting in his chair, fiddling with his pen until she heard him walk in, when she jumped up unexpectedly. Ron frowned as Lavender straightened out her skirt and grinned.
"So Ron! Are you ready then? We have quite a bit of work to do, and we've already wasted twenty minutes! Shall we then?" she asked, showing an obviously falsely innocent smile. Ron clenched his teeth.
"Lavender, let me get a few things straight here, all right?" he growled, baring his teeth. Lavender started a little, but still maintained that obnoxious grin.
"First off, from now on, don't ever call me Ron like you know me, because you really don't. Don't think that anything that happened in our past permits you to talk to me like I've forgiven you, which I haven't. Second, I'm not going to sit here and act like nothing's happened, like you so choose, so you can just put away that little grin of yours, because contrary to your act, we are not old friends. And lastly…I'm not quite sure why exactly you're with my brother, or how he's managed to maintain his serious lack of judgment this whole time, but I assure you, I will be watching you…he may not know about the past, but I damn sure do, and if you do anything suspicious, I will do anything and everything in my power to-"
"How are things going in here?" Percy asked cheerily, sticking his head in the door. Ron nervously stuck his hands behind his back and nodded. Lavender looked at Ron and smiled, then looked at Percy with a look of sorrow and a pouty lip.
"Lavender, what is it?" Percy asked.
Oh Merlin, what is she doing? If she tells him what I said, he'll kill me…
She looked back at Ron and grinned evilly.
"Oh, nothing sweetie, I just miss you, that's all," she said sweetly. Ron sighed, then nearly growled, but he contained himself. Percy kissed her cheek and waved goodbye, telling her he'd see her later that evening. Ron rolled his eyes. If he only knew what he's gotten himself into…Lavender giggled, then turned back to Ron, only this time, she pointed her finger at his chest.
"Mr. Weasley, I understand that you're engaged to Hermione, am I correct?" she asked, and Ron nodded. "Percy doesn't know anything about us, and I plan to keep it that way. So, if you don't want anything…disastrous to um, come up suddenly, I'd keep my big mouth shut if I were you," she threatened, advancing on him until he fell into his chair. Ron gulped. That went well…
"Now, Mr. Weasley, let me show you our system," she said kindly as Percy passed by once more.
Ron apparated in front of the burrow and dragged his exhausted self to the front door. Yeah, he could have apparated all the way inside the burrow, but…hell, he was far past the point of being precise. He was lucky to have even made it that far. He opened the door, kicked off his shoes, and flung himself onto the sofa. Hermione heard the door shut and came to greet her fiancé. But one look at his face dampened her spirits. But that one look into her eyes brightened his day.
"Sweetie, what's wrong?" Hermione asked, concerned, while envisioning herself attacking Lavender with a spork. Ron didn't know where to start. Hmm, let's see…there's Percy and Lavender, I can't tell Percy about Lavender, Lavender's probably up to something, but wait, I can't tell Percy…is that it then?
"Well, um, if I tell you this, you can't say a word about it to anyone else, as I suspect that he'll be telling everyone sometime soon anyway, and I don't want him to think I told everyone out of concern or something, not that he knows why I would have any reason for concern in the first place, of course, but-"
"Ron!"
"Okay, sorry. Er, well, I have bad news, and I have more bad news. Which would you like to hear first?" he asked, trying to lighten the mood a bit. Hermione didn't laugh.
"Okay, okay, well…Lavender is um…LavenderandPercyaredating." Hermione's mouth fell open, but Ron was kind enough to close it for her.
"Wha- but, well—HOW?!?!" she cried.
"Oh no, that's not all!" Ron laughed. "Oh no, what's more is, she hasn't told him anything about last year. And if I tell him…well, let's just say it won't be pretty. Just like she wreaked havoc last time, she's perfectly capable of doing again. Who knows what she could do! I mean, she even brought up our being engaged, so-"
"What?!? Oh no, oh god…" Hermione began pacing the room, her hands clenched in fists at her side. She was breathing heavily and grinding her teeth. Ron was really afraid of what she would say. But after a moment, she calmed down and sat next to Ron.
"Okay, so she's after Percy, which means she's probably up to something. The fact that she mentioned our engagement—that really frightens me. Honestly, that just makes it seem like you're her target. I mean, using your brother as an excuse to be around you, that just gives her a clear shot! Oh god, what are we gonna do?"
"I don't know! Argh, god, I never want to see her again, I wish this could all just have never happened! I never want to go back to work!" Ron yelled into a sofa cushion.
"Hey you guys! So Ron, how did you like your first day on the job?"
Percy walked in from the kitchen. Obviously his day went well enough that he could make it that far.
"Oh, hey Pers!" Ron said, sitting up. "It was great! Man, I loved it, I can't wait to go back tomorrow!" he said, pleasing his brother with his mock anticipation.
"Oh good! And was Lavender okay? With your training I mean?"
"Yeah, um, she was great too!" he said, Hermione gripping his hand tightly.
"Oh, great! When I told her you'd be starting in our department, she jumped at the opportunity to be your trainer. I was actually going to do it myself, but when she offered ever so persistently, I realized it was probably better that way, since it would be a little weird for your brother to train you, you know? So this way it's less awkward!" he said, heading for the stairs.
"Well, see you both at dinner!" he yelled, as he disappeared up the steps.
Hermione turned to look at Ron, but instead of the tirade he was expecting, she was speechless. She just sat there, staring at the space above Ron's head, offended by this information. Ron had no idea she had offered to train him, he had thought it all a coincidence. But now that he thought about it, it all made sense…
Hermione rested her head on his shoulder. He looked down at her and kissed her forehead, then slid his arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer.
"Ron, you'd never leave me, right?" she asked, a slight tremble in her voice. He put his head next to hers and whispered in her ear.
"Hermione, I love you. I always have, and I always will. Nothing can keep me away from you. Nothing."
