The Plan
Disclaimer: *sniff* after many attempted spells…Harry Potter is still not mine...*sniff*
Chapter 5 – To Buy a House.
That Night they stayed at The Burrow. They hadn't planned on doing so, but by the late evening everyone had toasted their engagement so many times that they could barely stand. So Hermione dragged Ron up the stairs, and slumped him on to his bed where he had began snoring. Completely exhausted from the long day she had fallen asleep next to him.
However, the next morning Hermione had discovered one of the major flaws in their plan of falling-asleep-and-worry-about-tomorrow-later. She found it almost immediately on waking up next to Ron (who was still snoring) in the dingy little bed. When she had automatically reached under the bed to retrieve a vile of morning sickness potion, all she found was an old copy of Playowl.
And that is why she found herself leaning over the Weasley's bathroom toilet for the better part of an hour.
Fortunately, it didn't appear that anyone had woken up due to the late hour at which they had retired. She cleaned both the bathroom and herself up, before trudging down to the kitchen to get some fresh air. Leaning out of the back door, she was startled when Harry appeared, tiptoeing down the stairs in a pair of boxers. Clothes and a blanket bundled in one large pile under his arm.
Hermione froze to the spot, worrying that he'd heard her being sick in the bathroom.
"Oh…hi," he said, looking very sheepish as he wrapped the blanket around his waist.
"Erm…hi," she replied, fiddling with the sleeve of her robes
A few awkward seconds later, Hermione's eyes narrowed suspiciously.
"Why are you creeping down the stairs at 7 o'clock in the morning?" she queried.
"Well, I didn't want to disturb you and Ron," he replied evasively, looking at the grandfather clock where all the hands pointed to 'still asleep.'
"So you slept in Ginny's room?" she guessed.
"We didn't do anything…" he started, his face tinged with red.
Hermione gave him a smile, "I'm very happy for you both."
Harry looked resigned, before a small smile caused his eyes to glow, "Thanks Hermione, please don't mention it to anyone."
"Okay," she said, sticking her head out a little further as a gust of fresh air came in.
"Hermione…what are you doing?"
"Erm…getting some fresh air," she replied.
"Are you ill?" he queried, his brow creasing.
"No, I'm okay. You might want to get dressed before Mrs Weasley comes down though."
"Want me to get Ron?" he persisted.
"No, No. I'm fine," she replied, giving him a smile to enforce her point.
He looked at her a further minute, obviously not fooled. Fortunately, the sound of footsteps upstairs distracted him and he scurried into the living room.
Over breakfast Ron discussed everyone trekking over to the cottage, which the twins had taken to calling The Haunted Hovel, to have a look at it. While Percy volunteered to have a look at the paper work, they decided to meet up at the end of the day. Mrs Weasley invited them all to dinner, and looked generally happy that she was going to have a full house to pester for another evening.
Just as everyone was leaving for work, Ron pulled Hermione in to a quiet corner.
"Are you ok? Harry said you where ill this morning." Ron asked looking worried.
"I'm fine – I didn't have any morning sickness potion with me."
"Oh, right. Take it easy today okay? And I'll see you at home later."
"You mean at the cottage."
"No," he replied firmly, "I mean see you at home. That cottage is unsafe for a woman in your condition."
"I'm not made of glass," she whispered heatedly.
"I don't care, you have to look after yourself, promise me that you'll do that." Ron said taking her hand, looking directly in to her eyes.
"I promise to take care of myself, why wouldn't I?" she intoned.
"And I'll see you at home…" he pressed on.
"Ron – we're going to be late!" called Harry.
"Hermione-" he said, ignoring Harry.
"I'll see you later," she promised, stepping away from him and apparating.
Ron growled in frustration, that woman was going to be the death of him.
* * *
"I still don't know why you want to buy this dump," said George, eyeing the house with trepidation.
"It has potential," defended Ron, looking up at the cottage.
"Yeah, as a scrap yard," sniggered Fred.
"As much as it pains me to admit it," said Bill pushing open the front door gingerly, "the Spawns of Satan are right. The place is in really bad shape,"
"Told you so," said George, nodding his head at Ron.
"Spawns of Satan?" said Fred, "Wow! Wait till I tell Mum!"
Harry started to laugh, but Ron shot him a look and he changed it in to a polite cough.
Ron looked up at the old house. Okay - so it didn't have any windows, it looked like one soft breeze would blow it over and there was a distinct lack of roof. But something had always drawn him to this place, it was so much like The Burrow, but yet it would be his own. He could just imagine coming home from work, kids running out front and smoke gently rising from the chimney. The only feat would be getting it fixed up in time and making sure there was room for a library.
"I'll go this way," said Charlie (not bothering to hide the fact that he was laughing), pointing towards a small gate, which looked to lead around to the back of the cottage.
"Be careful!" shouted George after him.
"It's perfectly safe," huffed Ron stepping into the house.
Something cracked loudly and Ron felt flat on his face, his foot stuck in a floorboard. Bill helped him up silently, keeping his face carefully neutral.
"Watch that floorboard," supplied Fred helpfully.
Ron said a few colourful words under his breath and dusted himself off; looking curiously down the hall they were standing in.
Fred and George peered into a room to the right, as Percy stepped into the house, avoiding the hole even though his head was lost in paper work.
"Wow, this place is huge," said Bill, walking into the room on the left, which turned out to be the living room.
Everyone bustled in after him, looking impressed with the size and the view from the large window.
"Wow, you get a great blast of fresh air in here, don't you George?" said Fred, standing in front of the glassless window.
"Aye, you'd never have to worry about ventilation, although I imagine it'd get a bit nippy in the winter."
"Alright you two knock it off," said Bill sternly, although he was smiling.
"This room must run the whole length of the house," said Ron, fingering the dust on the mantelpiece over the fireplace. He walked along the room, past an old worn sofa, and was surprised to find another door. He opened it and found himself looking into the hallway they had started in, although at the other end of it. He found the door to the kitchen and a staircase. He had just placed his foot on the first step, when a scream sounded in the kitchen. He leapt into the kitchen wand drawn, at the same time as Bill, Percy and the twins came crashing through the double doors on the other side of the kitchen. Harry appeared next to Ron, his wand out as well.
In the Kitchen, stood Ginny chasing something furry across the dusty table top with a frying pan. Hermione was physically fighting with the window to get it open, and was just drawing her wand as Charlie barrelled in through the back door. Ginny scooped up the thing in the pan, just as Hermione commanded the window to open, and what appeared to be a mouse, went sailing out of the room, pan and all.
Ginny started dusting her hands as Hermione patted down her hair, then they both stopped mid action, apparently noticing they had an audience.
"Oh, hi," said Ginny innocently, "We found a mouse."
Everyone continued to stare at them.
"It was quite big," supplied Hermione helpfully.
"What…When did you get here?" asked Harry.
"Few minutes ago, just as we were attacked by that thing," said Ginny, indicating the exit of the mouse menacingly, "Crookshanks would have got 'im in a second." Which got her an approving smile from Hermione, and annoyed look from Ron because as far as he was concerned that cat still hated him.
"Have you been upstairs yet?" asked Hermione, ignoring the look Ron was shooting her, to walk over and peer out in the hallway.
"I thought I told you to stay behind," hissed Ron, following Hermione as she gazed up the staircase.
"Did you?" she asked innocently.
"Oh look Harry! I found your room!" said one of the twins loudly.
"I have my own room already thanks," replied Harry laughing.
"I'm sure it isn't such a cosy cupboard-under-the-stairs though is it?" came, what sounded like, George's reply.
"Look this one even comes with a free broom!" said Fred.
Hermione reached the top of the stairs and avoided the glass that was scattered on the floor. She peered out the window, smiling.
"Hermione, I'd much rather you came back when we know its safe-" continued Ron, stepping in front of her as she turned toward the doors on the right.
"Ron, don't start. I want to see this house as much as you do," she said neatly stepping around him.
"But-"
"You're here aren't you?"
"Yes but-"
"Well then, is this the master bedroom? This room is directly over the living room right?" she said trying to push open the weatherworn door. Giving up on making her see sense, Ron started helping her with the door. Eventually they stood in one of the bedrooms, the door in many pieces after Ron had lost his patience, but he pointed out cheerfully, the door handle was still intact.
After they had explored the rooms and bathrooms, they all regrouped in the living room.
"Well, upstairs is probably the most damaged, there's a lot of damaged wood from the hot summer we just had," said Charlie leaning against the mantelpiece.
"The roof will need doing," commented Bill.
"The floors will have to be pulled up," said Percy
"Door's replaced," sang Fred
"Piping u'll have to be fixed, it's all rusted," pointed out, George
"There's something swimming in the down stairs toilet," Harry cautioned.
"Not to mention the state of the Kitchen," finished Ginny.
"Okay, Okay there's a lot to do…" said Ron, holding his hands up, "Do you think it's worth the money?"
They all turned to look at Percy, who shrugged, "Well, if you included the overall cost of repairs to the eventual price of the cottage it self, I think it would be a profitable purchase, especially if you consider the obvious benefits that come with procuring a green house and half an acre of potentially workable land."
"I think that was a yes," said Charlie uncertainly.
"It was a yes," affirmed Percy huffily.
"Okay, so how long do you think repairs will take?" asked Ron, "You know, as a rough guess."
"Depends on who's doing it. But it could take up to six months," estimated Charlie, looking at Bill who nodded in agreement.
"Six months!" exclaimed Ron, looking at Hermione.
"It's a nice house Ron, surely it'll be worth the hassle and time?" said Ginny soothingly.
"It's not that, what's the least time it could take?"
The elder Weasleys exchanged looks, and then looked at Ron.
"What's the rush?" queried Charlie, raising an eyebrow.
"No rush," said Ron quickly.
"Anyway, wouldn't it be better to wait until you and Harry have settled into running the Hogsmeade store for them two?" said Bill indicating, the twins with a flick of his hand.
"There's quite a few houses for sale in Hogsmeade," supplied Percy helpfully.
Ron looked up the house longingly, trying to come to a decision. He pondered that it probably made more sense to get a house in Hogsmeade, it'd probably be cheaper and easier for them, and being settled before the baby came was important.
"Ron," he felt Hermione take his hand and he looked down in to her bottomless eyes and felt his heart do a familiar drop in to his stomach. "If you really want this house, we'll manage."
He looked at her thoughtfully, wondering how she could think he would ever leave her.
"But I want to be settled," he said looking at her meaningfully.
"Will it really take six months?" she asked, turning to look at Charlie.
"There's a lot of damage, but I suppose it could be done in less if you worked out flat," said Bill, "But I've yet to meet a building and magical wards company that could work fast."
He paced the living room looking at the ceiling and the window.
"And there's no reason to get them to hurry," he continued, "I suppose if you fixed the basics…we could all chip in. As long as there was a steady supply of food…we could be convinced in to fitting the roof, Fred and George know quite a bit about plumbing. They fixed up the water supply at the shop."
"Only if we get to keep whatever's swimming in there," said Fred, while George nodded in agreement with his brother.
"Ginny and I could probably do most of the kitchen and downstairs repair, you know do things like painting…but upstairs is a bit extensive," Hermione said thoughtfully.
"You know I've seen the perfect curtains to fit in here," said Ginny.
"Dad would be thrilled to help, and Mum to," said Percy.
"That is, if you think it's so important to get it done quickly," said Bill, eyeing Ron as he watched Hermione examine the mouldy couch.
Ron made the mistake of not answering Bill.
Author's note.
The Author would like to point out that Playowl was entirely Duckchick's idea…:o) And would also like to thank her for her support and help with this chapter.
Big hugs to everyone for their support and their reviews! It makes my exams seem all the more bearable!
Potty For Potter: As soon as I have time I plan on reading the rest of your fics too, just a bit busy at the moment…but from Tuesday next week I'm a lady of leisure! For a few days anyway! Thank you for continued reviewing, I hope this chapter didn't disappoint! I'm glad you like Ron! I did try to get the characters of the Weasleys across! Fred and George have to be my favourite. The Weasleys remind me of my own family so much it's scary! But I happen to think I'm very lucky!
Jishka: Do you think poor Hermione could cope with twins? Your review made me laugh (I like funny reviews!) I love the idea of Fred 2 and George 2 !!!!!! Unfortunately you'll have to wait to find out about the baby!
Death the Second Endless: Well, 22 years is okay to have a baby. My mum had me when she was 20 and she was considered a little young, but she had me any way :0) Considering they are living on their own, both working and have been through a war against Voldermort…I think they are ready. We shall have to see about their parents freaking out…
