The whispers and giggles started hours before Hermione had arrived at
the office. What had also arrived, hours before, was that weeks edition of
'Witch Weekly'. The featured a very revealing picture of Hermione with the
caption, 'The Sultry Siren of the Aurors Guild, how Hermione Granger (the
Dragon Tamer) has wowed the world, including the tamer of her heart. More
on page ten.'.
"Scandalous really, I always thought Hermione was a good girl." One was heard saying.
"Never knew she had those!" Another (male) said.
"Hermione's getting married?" Was the buzz of shipping.
"Harry's getting married?" The mail room cawed.
"Who said they were getting married?" Ginny asked the coffee girl.
"Who said we were getting married?" Harry asked as he slammed down that copy of Witch Weekly on Ron's desk. "I blame you for this, obviously."
He was holding his copy sideways with what seemed to be a fold out picture in front of his face. "Me? Well I did tell her to drop hints, but then again Hermione's never been subtle, wait a tick, here it is." He said righting the magazine. "'Interview by Tallulah Skeeter, pictures by Andre`.' Man's a genius." He said under his breath.
"I heard that, she's apparently my fiancée, so no ogling."
"I wasn't ogling, all I meant is the picture was tasteful." He said, then under his breath added. "And dead sexy."
"Don't act like I can't hear you! Keep it to yourself please."
"All right, all right, Mr. Hermione Granger (Don't you glare at me, you're under her thumb, you know as well as I.) with a Skeeter on the job Hermione could have said she was going to drinks and Skeeter hears 'I've seduced him and we're going for dates in June.' Which is apparently what she heard, listen to this." Ron cleared his throat. "'While Ms. Granger sits quietly across from me, wringing her hands nervously, one can only imagine that she's been sworn to secrecy. This fire-sprite of a woman is only thrown into submission by the mention of, the boy who lived, Harry Potter. Could this be a profession of love? Could this high profile couple be the one holding a reservation for the 'Materias del amour', number one proposal restaurant of London? Could Harry Potter be the one that made a sizable purchase at Chelsea's number one wizarding diamond export? I suppose we'll find out in June.'" Ron lowered his magazine. "What did you buy at Chelsea's?"
"Your mother's birthday gift."
"Oh bullocks! That's tomorrow isn't it?" Ron said, smacking his head.
"How do you forget your mother's birthday?"
"It's a lot easier than it sounds."
Harry began ticking things off his fingers. "Bill's birthday is February ninth, Charlie's is March fifteenth, Percy's is June eighth-"
"I get the point. I don't know weather to take notes or fire you for being a smart arse."
"I'd say you reimburse me for the gift I bought your mother that has your name on the card."
"You bought my mother a gift for me?"
"Well technically you bought the necklace, I bought the earrings, or at least that's what the card says."
"I'd kiss you if that weren't Hermione's job." Ron said fondly.
"It's not my job!" Hermione said storming in.
"I should really get a sound proof office." Ron muttered while Hermione went on.
"If I get one more whistle or one more disapproving look I'm going to jinx the entire place!"
"Well, I'm just wondering how mum will feel when she finds out your not going to propose at the Burrow. Bill did, Charlie did, and I'm assuming if any girl could stand Percy, he'd propose there too. It seems to be tradition." Right then it was hard to tell who was glaring harder, Hermione or Harry.
"Or one more jab at my relationship with Harry." Growled Hermione.
~~~
It was three hours afterward when they got Ron's mouth back to normal. Hermione had retired to the break room, muttering something about it being more peaceful that way. Ginny wandered in looking weary. Hermione looked up from her brooding and beckoned her to the couch.
"Rough day?" Hermione asked sympathetically.
"Awful. No one will look up from that blasted article long enough to get any work done. No offence, but you and Harry's relationship isn't exactly show-stopping."
"I wish everyone had your outlook."
"I know this is all some scam, but do you really love him?"
Hermione took a second then sighed. "I suppose it's no use to pretend, is it? I mean the rest of the world thinks he's proposing."
"You could have done worse. For a moment there I thought you were going to pick Ron." Both of them took a second to shiver. "Of course there's nothing wrong with him." Ginny looked as though she were biting back laughter for the sake of her brother's honor, the good little girl she is. "He is a perfectly nice chap, a stalwart fellow-" Then she dissolved into laughter. "Who am I kidding. I know him best, as his sister, and I would have smacked you good and hard if I had to be bridesmaid at that wedding. Harry is, well he is perfect for you, intelligent, obliging, handsome, sexy as all hell, you might as well tattoo 'Take me home to your mother, then shag me senseless' on his forehead."
"You're of course talking about me, correct?" Colin came bouncing in.
Ginny rolled her eyes. "Oh of course, because you just fit the bill for that one."
Colin thumped his chest. "Always thought so me-self. I've even considered tattooing something similar on my forehead, though I would leave out the, 'take me home to your mother' bit." Colin winked at Ginny. "Then again if you weren't talking about me, I suspect, with the lovely Hermione here, you were speaking of her own sweetheart of choice."
Ginny fielded this one. "Yes, actually."
"Well he is a fine bloke, got to sit on his lap once." Colin said wistfully. "I remember when I first saw him, blonde hair, blue eyes, tall and handsome, I said this was the perfect man for Ginny, I was looking in the mirror at the time, of course."
"And what about Harry?" Ginny inquired, turning a bit red at the ears.
"Oh, for you? Well it would be a bit sticky with Hermione getting proposed to and all, you might have to seduce him after the marriage, but I wouldn't advise it; Hermione's got some wicked spells under her belt. I don't think you could manage."
It was hard to tell who jinxed him first, but needless to say, after the curse-breakers finished with Ron, they had another down the hall.
~~~
Harry was shooed out of the office by the people trying to fix Ron. He was torn between telling them what curse it was and enjoying the look on Ron's face. He decided to let the curse-breakers do what they do, but with Hermione's handy work, they'd be there for a while.
He wandered aimlessly for a bit, not really knowing what to do with himself. There was no work to be done and no one he needed to see. He wasn't sure that after what he heard in the changing room he entirely wanted to talk to Hermione; her new flame might some up and he wasn't sure he could deal with that.
He wandered down a few more hallways and ended up outside of the coffee room, he stopped at the door upon hearing Ginny's voice.
"-he is perfect for you, intelligent, obliging, handsome, sexy as all hell, you might as well tattoo 'Take me home to your mother, then shag me senseless' on his forehead."
He wondered who she could be talking about when he heard Colin come through to door in the opposite hallway.
"You're of course talking about me, correct?"
He could almost hear Ginny roll her eyes. "Oh of course, because you just fit the bill for that one."
Colin answered back. "Always thought so me-self. I've even considered tattooing something similar on my forehead, though I would leave out the, 'take me home to your mother' bit." Colin winked at Ginny. "Then again if you weren't talking about me, I suspect, with the lovely Hermione here, you were speaking of her own sweetheart of choice." Who? Who?
Ginny fielded this one. "Yes, actually."
"Well he is a fine bloke, got to sit on his lap once." Colin said wistfully. "I remember when I first saw him, blonde hair, blue eyes, tall and handsome-"
Harry didn't get to hear anymore, someone came bounding up behind him, drowning out the voices.
"Harry? Harry! We need you over here, someone's come in with a biting toaster that has tips as to where certain death eaters are. It's got a note saying no one can get them but you."
"I'll be there in a second."
"We need you now."
~~~
Early the next morning, before the sun was fully up, Harry, Hermione, Ginny, and Ron were at the office getting ready to leave for The Burrow. Several years back, Mrs. Weasley had put a no apperation charm on the house and the grounds, and since there are no safe points to apperate within ten miles of the place, due to muggles, and due to the fact Mr. Weasley's birthday present to his wife was a new fireplace, still under construction, it was easier to take a car.
Harry handed Ron his bag to put in the car. "You do realize we could take the knight bus."
"That batty thing? No thank you." Ron said, stuffing the suitcase into the boot.
"This car ride will be fun. I can't wait to play with the radio." Ginny said.
"I assume this means me and Harry in the back?" Hermione asked.
"Unless you can't stand me." Harry said, half hoping it wasn't true.
"Of course not." He was relived.
"Um, Cap?" Colin asked, coming out to the car.
"Don't call me Cap" Ron said absentmindedly, he was more worried about fitting his sister's case in the boot.
"Yes, well, I was just wondering if, you know since you'll be gone for the next few days, if I could be Captain."
"Um, yeah sure, Gin, what do you have in here? It feels like bricks."
"Could I even sit in your office?"
"Right, go away." He still wasn't paying attention.
"Drink from your mini-bar?"
"Sure, just leave."
"Make-out with your sister?"
"Yeah, sure just- Wait a minute!"
"Ha ha! You said I could." Colin sang.
"Ron looked at the boot then at Colin. "Reducto!" Colin shrunk to the size of an insect. Ron picked him up and turned to a near by assistant. "Tanya? Can you give this to Madaline? Tell her to put him in a jar until I come back, air hole optional."
~~~
"Scandalous really, I always thought Hermione was a good girl." One was heard saying.
"Never knew she had those!" Another (male) said.
"Hermione's getting married?" Was the buzz of shipping.
"Harry's getting married?" The mail room cawed.
"Who said they were getting married?" Ginny asked the coffee girl.
"Who said we were getting married?" Harry asked as he slammed down that copy of Witch Weekly on Ron's desk. "I blame you for this, obviously."
He was holding his copy sideways with what seemed to be a fold out picture in front of his face. "Me? Well I did tell her to drop hints, but then again Hermione's never been subtle, wait a tick, here it is." He said righting the magazine. "'Interview by Tallulah Skeeter, pictures by Andre`.' Man's a genius." He said under his breath.
"I heard that, she's apparently my fiancée, so no ogling."
"I wasn't ogling, all I meant is the picture was tasteful." He said, then under his breath added. "And dead sexy."
"Don't act like I can't hear you! Keep it to yourself please."
"All right, all right, Mr. Hermione Granger (Don't you glare at me, you're under her thumb, you know as well as I.) with a Skeeter on the job Hermione could have said she was going to drinks and Skeeter hears 'I've seduced him and we're going for dates in June.' Which is apparently what she heard, listen to this." Ron cleared his throat. "'While Ms. Granger sits quietly across from me, wringing her hands nervously, one can only imagine that she's been sworn to secrecy. This fire-sprite of a woman is only thrown into submission by the mention of, the boy who lived, Harry Potter. Could this be a profession of love? Could this high profile couple be the one holding a reservation for the 'Materias del amour', number one proposal restaurant of London? Could Harry Potter be the one that made a sizable purchase at Chelsea's number one wizarding diamond export? I suppose we'll find out in June.'" Ron lowered his magazine. "What did you buy at Chelsea's?"
"Your mother's birthday gift."
"Oh bullocks! That's tomorrow isn't it?" Ron said, smacking his head.
"How do you forget your mother's birthday?"
"It's a lot easier than it sounds."
Harry began ticking things off his fingers. "Bill's birthday is February ninth, Charlie's is March fifteenth, Percy's is June eighth-"
"I get the point. I don't know weather to take notes or fire you for being a smart arse."
"I'd say you reimburse me for the gift I bought your mother that has your name on the card."
"You bought my mother a gift for me?"
"Well technically you bought the necklace, I bought the earrings, or at least that's what the card says."
"I'd kiss you if that weren't Hermione's job." Ron said fondly.
"It's not my job!" Hermione said storming in.
"I should really get a sound proof office." Ron muttered while Hermione went on.
"If I get one more whistle or one more disapproving look I'm going to jinx the entire place!"
"Well, I'm just wondering how mum will feel when she finds out your not going to propose at the Burrow. Bill did, Charlie did, and I'm assuming if any girl could stand Percy, he'd propose there too. It seems to be tradition." Right then it was hard to tell who was glaring harder, Hermione or Harry.
"Or one more jab at my relationship with Harry." Growled Hermione.
~~~
It was three hours afterward when they got Ron's mouth back to normal. Hermione had retired to the break room, muttering something about it being more peaceful that way. Ginny wandered in looking weary. Hermione looked up from her brooding and beckoned her to the couch.
"Rough day?" Hermione asked sympathetically.
"Awful. No one will look up from that blasted article long enough to get any work done. No offence, but you and Harry's relationship isn't exactly show-stopping."
"I wish everyone had your outlook."
"I know this is all some scam, but do you really love him?"
Hermione took a second then sighed. "I suppose it's no use to pretend, is it? I mean the rest of the world thinks he's proposing."
"You could have done worse. For a moment there I thought you were going to pick Ron." Both of them took a second to shiver. "Of course there's nothing wrong with him." Ginny looked as though she were biting back laughter for the sake of her brother's honor, the good little girl she is. "He is a perfectly nice chap, a stalwart fellow-" Then she dissolved into laughter. "Who am I kidding. I know him best, as his sister, and I would have smacked you good and hard if I had to be bridesmaid at that wedding. Harry is, well he is perfect for you, intelligent, obliging, handsome, sexy as all hell, you might as well tattoo 'Take me home to your mother, then shag me senseless' on his forehead."
"You're of course talking about me, correct?" Colin came bouncing in.
Ginny rolled her eyes. "Oh of course, because you just fit the bill for that one."
Colin thumped his chest. "Always thought so me-self. I've even considered tattooing something similar on my forehead, though I would leave out the, 'take me home to your mother' bit." Colin winked at Ginny. "Then again if you weren't talking about me, I suspect, with the lovely Hermione here, you were speaking of her own sweetheart of choice."
Ginny fielded this one. "Yes, actually."
"Well he is a fine bloke, got to sit on his lap once." Colin said wistfully. "I remember when I first saw him, blonde hair, blue eyes, tall and handsome, I said this was the perfect man for Ginny, I was looking in the mirror at the time, of course."
"And what about Harry?" Ginny inquired, turning a bit red at the ears.
"Oh, for you? Well it would be a bit sticky with Hermione getting proposed to and all, you might have to seduce him after the marriage, but I wouldn't advise it; Hermione's got some wicked spells under her belt. I don't think you could manage."
It was hard to tell who jinxed him first, but needless to say, after the curse-breakers finished with Ron, they had another down the hall.
~~~
Harry was shooed out of the office by the people trying to fix Ron. He was torn between telling them what curse it was and enjoying the look on Ron's face. He decided to let the curse-breakers do what they do, but with Hermione's handy work, they'd be there for a while.
He wandered aimlessly for a bit, not really knowing what to do with himself. There was no work to be done and no one he needed to see. He wasn't sure that after what he heard in the changing room he entirely wanted to talk to Hermione; her new flame might some up and he wasn't sure he could deal with that.
He wandered down a few more hallways and ended up outside of the coffee room, he stopped at the door upon hearing Ginny's voice.
"-he is perfect for you, intelligent, obliging, handsome, sexy as all hell, you might as well tattoo 'Take me home to your mother, then shag me senseless' on his forehead."
He wondered who she could be talking about when he heard Colin come through to door in the opposite hallway.
"You're of course talking about me, correct?"
He could almost hear Ginny roll her eyes. "Oh of course, because you just fit the bill for that one."
Colin answered back. "Always thought so me-self. I've even considered tattooing something similar on my forehead, though I would leave out the, 'take me home to your mother' bit." Colin winked at Ginny. "Then again if you weren't talking about me, I suspect, with the lovely Hermione here, you were speaking of her own sweetheart of choice." Who? Who?
Ginny fielded this one. "Yes, actually."
"Well he is a fine bloke, got to sit on his lap once." Colin said wistfully. "I remember when I first saw him, blonde hair, blue eyes, tall and handsome-"
Harry didn't get to hear anymore, someone came bounding up behind him, drowning out the voices.
"Harry? Harry! We need you over here, someone's come in with a biting toaster that has tips as to where certain death eaters are. It's got a note saying no one can get them but you."
"I'll be there in a second."
"We need you now."
~~~
Early the next morning, before the sun was fully up, Harry, Hermione, Ginny, and Ron were at the office getting ready to leave for The Burrow. Several years back, Mrs. Weasley had put a no apperation charm on the house and the grounds, and since there are no safe points to apperate within ten miles of the place, due to muggles, and due to the fact Mr. Weasley's birthday present to his wife was a new fireplace, still under construction, it was easier to take a car.
Harry handed Ron his bag to put in the car. "You do realize we could take the knight bus."
"That batty thing? No thank you." Ron said, stuffing the suitcase into the boot.
"This car ride will be fun. I can't wait to play with the radio." Ginny said.
"I assume this means me and Harry in the back?" Hermione asked.
"Unless you can't stand me." Harry said, half hoping it wasn't true.
"Of course not." He was relived.
"Um, Cap?" Colin asked, coming out to the car.
"Don't call me Cap" Ron said absentmindedly, he was more worried about fitting his sister's case in the boot.
"Yes, well, I was just wondering if, you know since you'll be gone for the next few days, if I could be Captain."
"Um, yeah sure, Gin, what do you have in here? It feels like bricks."
"Could I even sit in your office?"
"Right, go away." He still wasn't paying attention.
"Drink from your mini-bar?"
"Sure, just leave."
"Make-out with your sister?"
"Yeah, sure just- Wait a minute!"
"Ha ha! You said I could." Colin sang.
"Ron looked at the boot then at Colin. "Reducto!" Colin shrunk to the size of an insect. Ron picked him up and turned to a near by assistant. "Tanya? Can you give this to Madaline? Tell her to put him in a jar until I come back, air hole optional."
~~~