Chapter 3: The Encounters with Miss We

" SEX, DRUGS, AND BEER!" shouted Hermione.

A/N: Good. Now that I have your attention, I've got something to say. My friend, Perry (daWOODisONfire) and I run a Harry Potter related website. We started it pretty recently, and we've had +1000 hits. Anyway, we're interested in archiving some fanfiction, so if you are interested, please don't hesitate to send it over. We've already had some offers, and we'd love some more! Okay, that's all. On with the story, and I'm sorry, Hermione, for forcing you to use such atrocious language.

Mrs. Weasley, though initially surprised, was pleased that Harry, Ron, and Hermione had come to visit. Thus, the three had proceeded to stuff their faces with potatoes, pie, meat, and pudding. Ron could hardly help himself from shoveling the food in, despite the looks he got from his mother.

" I'm so glad you came to visit," said Mrs. Weasley, putting more dishes on the table. " Although, you do realize, Ron, that you have to take responsibility for yourself more. I assume it was your idea to come here?"

Ron nodded, chewing quickly.

" It isn't that I mind, you know." She nodded towards Harry and Hermione with her rosy smile, then fixed her gaze on Ron. " Do you have a job yet?"

Ron hesitated in answering, and was fortunately interrupted when somebody walked into the kitchen.

" Harry!"

Fred and George approached him and slapped him on the back … hard. Through choking, Harry managed a smile.

" 'lo Hermione," they greeted her jovially.

" Guess what Harry," started George, placing himself next to a disgruntled looking Molly. " We've finally gotten word of an opening in Diagon Alley."

The twins had opened their joke shop upon leaving Hogwarts, but due to lack of better space, they were forced to place it in an inconspicuous part of Hogsmeade, near the Shrieking Shack. No doubt that compared to the massive reputation of Zonko's, Weasley's Wizard Wheezes was quite inferior indeed. The store did not do well, and the business closed within two years with more debts than profits. They'd been living in the Burrow ever since.

" Now we can build in a place without any other joke shops nearby. We'd have more customers more often anyway. Zonko's only makes a profit on Hogsmeade weekends."

" And you two can finally get out of the house," added Molly firmly. " No more losing sleep for me because some kind of concoction suddenly blew up on my linen tablecloth."

" Aw Mum," Fred inquired. " It was only once."

Molly hmphed, shook her head, and gathered more plates from the table, muttering about the ridiculous price of linen.

Although Harry offered to help clear up the table, Mrs. Weasley insisted Harry sit and enjoy himself, so he did. It was nostalgic and relaxing for Harry to sit in the warm, cramped kitchen of the Burrow and discuss Ireland's newest Quidditch strategies with the twins and Ron. It was just like the summers back when he was at school. Thinking about the past made him feel somewhat warm inside.

To make his nostalgia complete, another Weasley walked into the room. The only difference was, this time, she didn't squeak. Well, at least not as loudly.

" Gin! Look who's here!" Fred shouted with a hint of a teasing tone.

Her facial color identical to that of her hair, Ginny approached the table. " Hi," she said quietly. She gave a tiny wave towards Hermione, who smiled.

" Ginny just came home today," said George.

Harry spoke up. " Oh, really? How was your year?"

" Good."

Harry nodded a bit and silence ensued. Fred's eyes darted from Harry to his sister, whose red face was slowly turning back to normal.

" So, Ginny. Are you thinking about any jobs?" asked Hermione. She had been rather quiet the entire night. Her elbows were on the table with her hands clasped together elegantly, her chin propped up on them.

Ron raised an eyebrow. " Why do you care so much about everybody having jobs?"

Hermione's features on her face went slightly rigid. " I was asking Ginny."

" I was thinking - ," Ginny interrupted, " – maybe start somewhere small, because I don't know what I want to do."

" Well that's what Harry and I are doing too," answered Hermione.

Ron slouched back in his chair and drummed his fingers softly on the wooden table. He looked menacing and his eyes seemed to avoid Hermione and her general vicinity.

" So Ron. You're a bit slow on the uptake, aren't you?" said George. "Why don't you get a job?"

" I will."

" Look," started Harry. " Maybe we should head back to the flat." He realized, however, that being alone with Hermione and Ron was not a prospect he was looking forward to, but he also didn't want to be bothersome to Mrs. Weasley.

Hermione and Ron stood from their chair simultaneously. They did not utter another word to each other, and after proper goodbyes, the three Apparated back to London.

* * * * *

Hermione kicked her sheets with agitation. The peach colored fabric was intertwined through her legs, and she was half tangled within them.

And yet, the more she kicked, she realized, it wasn't the sheets she was angry with, but herself.  

Or maybe it was Ron, she didn't know. She somehow couldn't stand that the boy refused to simply get off his arse and get a job. Was it so difficult? She rolled onto her stomach and felt the mattress through the sheets on her cheek. Every night – she always thought of Ron, and she didn't want to. She wasn't stupid – she knew the attraction was there. But how was she to act on such a thing if they were on such terrible, tense terms with each other?

With one final kick, she peeled the sheets off of her body, and headed out of her bedroom with the intention of making some nice, warm tea.

Hermione went into the kitchen, where she saw Harry wrapped up in blankets and asleep on the floor. She tiptoed around him to the cabinet for a teacup.

" Hermione?"

A groggy voice sounded from the living room. Hermione looked up to see Ron sitting up on the sofa, his ginger hair tousled. He was rubbing his eyes, and for a guilty moment, Hermione thought she had woken him up.

" I just --- thought I'd have some tea. I couldn't sleep," she told him as though he had accused her of some crime.

Ron, to her surprise, grinned sheepishly. " Me neither."

" Oh," said Hermione, relieved. " Do you want me to make you some tea too?"

" No, I've got something else to help me fall asleep."

Ron picked up Hogwarts, A History, which had been sitting on his lap.

Hermione glared, to which Ron reacted to in mock sadness.

Abandoning the idea of tea, she approached the sofa. " Ron… I'm sorry I was harsh to you all day."

Ron shut the book and faced his friend. " Yeah, you were pretty mean."

" Ron…"

" Yes, yes, I know. It's all right, Hermione."

His friendly and forgiving demeanor encouraged Hermione to continue. " No, really. I don't mean to take out my anger at you."

Ron patted the space next to where he was sitting, and Hermione obliged. " What have you got to be angry about?"

Hermione hesitated. " Well, lots of things…" She kneaded her knuckles on the moldy surface of the sofa and wondered what had compelled her to confess this way. " I'm not, er, very fond of my job, for a start."

" At least you have one," Ron said, raising an eyebrow.

Hermione began to grow a bit agitated again. " And then there's you, Ron. You have such a comfortable life. You don't feel pressured to go out and get a job. You act like you don't care at all how your future ends up…"

" That's unfair, Hermione," Ron interrupted quietly. " I do care, you know. I just ---,"

" It's important that you find one now, Ron. I know you've only been out of the Burrow one day, but you left Hogwarts a full year ago! And you've spent that whole day sitting on this sofa reading my book. Your family isn't with you to support you anymore. I figured you of all people would understand the importance of income. You used to always say you wish you had more money, and now that you have the opportunity to get some, you're wasting your time. Well, Harry and I have jobs, whether we want to or not. We've learned to support ourselves and we're supporting each other. We're supporting you, and you should do it back."

Ron stayed silent. Hermione waited and watched as he blinked several times at her before he tore his eyes away.

" Wanna play chess?"

Hermione opened her mouth. That had caught her completely off guard. She wanted to yell, to throw her fists at him. But she knew there was nothing more to be said.

" Alright."

* * * * *

Harry walked into work, feeling hardly enthusiastic.

" Harry!" Ludo Bagman's cheerful shout carried over to him, and in an instant, he was at Harry's side. " How are things at the flat? You and Ron getting along?"

Puzzled, Harry answered his boss, " Erm, yes."

" Good, good…" Ludo's eyes grew a bit misty. He patted Harry on the back and said in a lowered voice, " And you and Hermione? How are you two?"

Perhaps it was just in Harry's imagination, but he thought a sudden hush spread throughout the office. He felt remotely uncomfortable and saw, in the corner of his eye, Ludo's secretary peering over a stack of papers and staring intently at the two of them.

" We're getting along just fine Mr. Bagman," Harry answered.

Ludo plastered a big smile on his face and Harry saw what he thought was relief pass over his face. " Good, good…" his boss repeated. " Now get to work on those negotiations!"

Harry groaned inwardly and approached his desk in the corner by the window, where he was greeted by a fresh pile of documents. Who knew butterbeer negotiations needed so much work?

Harry opened his window wide, letting in the soft breeze and the noise from Diagon Alley. He plopped down on his chair, sinking into the velvety material. As he reached for the paper on the top of the pile, his eye caught something bright red outside on the street one story below him.

Harry stood up and peered out onto Diagon Alley. It seemed a bit more crowded than usual, and Harry saw that this was because lots of younger children were running around. He recollected his encounter with Ginny the previous night at the Burrow, and remembered that another Hogwarts term had ended.

His eyes scanned the area until he spotted his distraction: the fiery top of Ginny's hair.

She seemed to be ignoring the store windows. She was walking with uncertainty, pushing gently through the horde of people coming in her direction. Harry saw her half stumble on the cobblestones that jutted out of the street. She swerved around a running little boy and reached the door of the Ministry building almost directly below Harry's window.

Perhaps she was visiting her father, Harry thought. He resumed his task.

Ginny Weasley ran her finger down the sign in the lobby. She stared anxiously around her at the important looking Ministry members strutting to and fro around the marble floor, carrying documents and expensive dragon-hide briefcases.

Ginny found the word "Department of Magical Games and Sports" and ran her finger sideways, confirming that it was the office on the second floor.

She didn't know why she was there. She walked down the corridor cautiously to prevent too much of an echo from her shoes. Perhaps he was imagining it, but the portraits were staring pointedly at her, the girl with untamed hair wearing worn down Muggle clothing.

Ginny walked up the stairs, repeating what she'd say to Harry over and over in her mind like a broken record. She found herself at the double doors leading into the office before she knew it. Ginny breathed and pushed through.

Almost instantly, Ludo Bagman was at her side. " Hello there! How can I help you?" he boomed enthusiastically.

They must not get many visitors here, she thought. " Is, erm, Harry Potter here?" she asked timidly.

Ludo's expression suddenly grew suspicious and he visibly bit his lip. " Well, he works here. Who -- ," he squinted at her as though she were hard to see. " Who are you?"

" Oh, I'm Ginny. His friend." She didn't know whether friend was the correct term to use, however.

" Friend?"

Ginny felt a lurch in her stomach. Perhaps friend was too strong a word. Perhaps Ludo was skeptical because he didn't expect somebody like Harry Potter to associate with people like Ginny, standing there meekly in her raggedy attire.

Ludo coughed, though Ginny knew it was fake.

" Ginny?" she heard a voice call from afar.

Harry, to his displeasure, found that opening his window had been a big mistake. Sure, the breeze had been nice, but one came a bit too strongly, causing a few of the ones on the top of the pile to glide smoothly out the window.

Harry slammed down his quill and watched as the documents fluttered like large butterflies, carrying themselves in the midst of the fresh summer wind. He grew more and more agitated as he saw some slowly settle on the street, only to be abruptly run over by a stampede of feet.

Harry got to his own feet and turned towards the door. His eye caught that familiar flash of red.

" Ginny?"

Ginny, who was standing next to Ludo Bagman, turned to him and smiled sheepishly. " Hi Harry."

Ludo Bagman looked from Ginny to Harry and back to Ginny. He cleared his throat. " I'm sorry – Ginny, was it? Harry's a bit busy at this moment. Perhaps you could come back." Rather than sounding rude, Ludo sounded worried.

" Actually, my papers just flew out onto to street, so I need to go get them."

" Oh, I'll help you," Ginny offered. She turned on her heel and opened the double doors, glad to get away from Ludo.

She and Harry stepped out into the corridor and started down it. " So, Ginny. What brings you here?"

Ginny opened her mouth and stared at the wall ahead of her. She knew the question was inevitable, knew since the moment she'd stepped into the building. She realized she still hadn't thought of a legitimate answer. " Erm, I was just in the area. I thought I'd come see where you work." She grinned at him, inwardly proud of her brave self.

They started down the stairs, Ginny's curls bouncing on her bare shoulders. " It's not much to see," Harry admitted sheepishly.

" Well…" Ginny glanced over at Harry. His green eyes were set on hers, his face in a bemused sort of expression. Ginny saw his usual summer tan was not so obvious, but his raven hair all in its disarray and the mysterious scar that hid furtively beneath his bangs still made him attractive nonetheless – or perhaps he would always remain that way in Ginny's eyes. She found herself blushing at her thoughts, trying to control the pangs of lust that had been running through her veins for over seven years. " I thought maybe if you weren't busy we could go to lunch or something."

Harry glanced at his watch. "At 9:00?"

" Late breakfast?" said Ginny in her attempt at recovery. Boy, did she feel stupid.

Harry grinned. " Sure."

They walked across the marble entrance hall that Ginny felt considerably better walking across with Harry Potter at her side.

Outside, the sun was starting to slowly bake the cobblestones that adorned the street. Harry spotted one of his papers near the opening of the gutter and grabbed it.

Ginny and Harry spent the next few minutes trying to recollect Harry's papers. Most of the ones Harry found were simply pieces and fragments, once crucial for the negotiation process and now made useless. Harry tried to piece them together, but he seemed to only find one small piece from each document.

Ginny was having little luck as well. They finally gave up when no papers were in sight. Ginny handed what she'd picked up to Harry, who looked considerably disappointed. Ginny felt his hand brush hers and immediately looked up at his face. She saw no visible reaction. Not wanting to lose him, she spoke up. " Still want to go to that late breakfast?"

Harry smiled this time, laughing a bit. " I can't. I have to go back up."

" Alright," she replied. She found his smile alone assuaged the rejection. " I guess I'll see you around."

" Hey, come by the flat sometime, alright?" Harry grinned a little and headed back into the building.

Ginny's blood ran faster in her body. Had Harry just asked her to come by the flat? Where he lived? She walked unsteadily through the crowd, pushing through the horde of witches and wizards who always seemed to be walking in the opposite direction she was. Ginny was unable to wipe the smirk off of her face.

* * * * *

A/N: I'm terribly sorry for the delay. Thank a million to you wonderful readers and reviewers, and I promise to release the next chapter sooner than I released this one! Don't forget to check out my site: geocities.com/hot_harry_potter