Chapter 2
The next morning Hermione woke up feeling Ron's arms tightly around her waist. She gently dislodged them and dressed herself. She strode quickly into the kitchen and carelessly flicked her wand at the cereal packets and milk bottles. She gathered her briefcase and jacket and left the cereal bowls neatly at the table for when the rest of her family woke up. She turned and looked once again at her photos and then as quick as a flash disapparated.
Ron woke ten minutes later; he missed the days he found Hermione still laying next to him. He knew she wasn't that busy at work, he knew she was unhappy. He got up to find that Catherine was already up dressed and eating her cornflakes. Ron laughed to himself; she was just like her mother, efficient and sensible.
"Mummy's forgotten the juice Daddy," she said in a whisper.
Ron flicked his wand at the fridge and then again at the beakers lined up in the overhead cabinet.
"Is Rach still sleeping?" He asked his daughter while placing a glass in front of her.
"I think so, I didn't look," she answered quietly; she was distracted by the radio she had just taken off the shelf and switched on.
"Quidditch?" Ron enquired.
"Yep," said Cathy. "It's 110 – 10 to the Scots."
"Who are they playing?" Ron hadn't really been following since England were knocked out by the Indians.
"Belgium."
"Ok. When you've finished your breakfast pick up anything you want to take to Auntie Ginny's."
"Ok Daddy," she answered and returned to the game just as McKee caught the snitch. "Yes!"
Ron lifted his youngest daughter from her bed and dressed her. He fed her her cornflakes and collected her teddy, blanket and a few toys to keep her entertained for the rest of the day. He loaded his children into the car and drove to his sister's house. When he got there, to the small, rural cottage, he unloaded his children, walked down the stony path and knocked on the large wooden door.
"Hi Ron," Harry stood by the door; he immediately took Rachel off Ron and beckoned Ron and Cathy into the lounge.
"Ginny and Neville are outside in one of the greenhouses," said Harry as he put Rachel into the armchair. Just as he said this, a dirt-smeared Neville Longbottom appeared at the door.
"Hi Ron," Neville said cheerily.
"Hello Neville, how are things? I haven't spoken to you for a long."
"I've been on a business trip," replied Neville proudly. Harry snorted into his coffee.
"What?" Said Ron.
"Neville went to Cornwall to test Dragon dung fertiliser samples," answered Harry desperately trying to hold back the laughter.
"It's...It's very important work you know, fertiliser has to be just right for certain plants otherwise all sorts could go wrong," Neville stammered and with that he went back outside and down the garden to the greenhouses.
"So the business is doing ok then," Ron enquired.
"Yep it seems so. Neville has helped Gin a great deal however much we tease him. He's helped her with some difficult plants, things that she really needed to get the business going, they raking in tonnes now!"
"Good," said Ron, he was pleased for his sister if a little jealous.
"But how are things with you and Mione?" Ron felt his heart sink.
"Better," he said. Harry looked at him, he knew that this wasn't entirely true he could tell by Ron's face."
"Ok, and now the truth," said Harry sternly.
"I think....I think she might be seeing someone else," Ron said quietly.
"What? Hermione? No, Ron she wouldn't do that to you." Ron felt his eyes burning.
"She's been so unhappy, but I just thought, the long nights, disappearances, it's the only explanation," Ron didn't know what to say. He knew, but he couldn't explain how he knew.
"Give her sometime, it's hectic down at the ministry, this is the first day I've had off in ages, all departments have been pulled off normal duties to investigate the Voldemort sightings." Ron flinched. "Sorry, but well anyway Mione is probably so busy Ron, its probably just all getting to her ok?"
"Ok," said Ron weakly. "Anyway, I had better get off to work don't want to be late."
There was a giggle from the far side of the room, Ginny walked in looking even muddier than Neville.
"What so funny?" Snapped Ron.
"I don't think Fred and George really care if your late Ron, they don't take it seriously so why do you?"
Ron's ears reddened. "Because I am the manager of the largest branch of the best joke shop in Britain," said Ron huffily. Ginny giggled again.
"Oh shut up," Ron kissed his daughters and disapparated.
"You should be nicer to him you know."
The next morning Hermione woke up feeling Ron's arms tightly around her waist. She gently dislodged them and dressed herself. She strode quickly into the kitchen and carelessly flicked her wand at the cereal packets and milk bottles. She gathered her briefcase and jacket and left the cereal bowls neatly at the table for when the rest of her family woke up. She turned and looked once again at her photos and then as quick as a flash disapparated.
Ron woke ten minutes later; he missed the days he found Hermione still laying next to him. He knew she wasn't that busy at work, he knew she was unhappy. He got up to find that Catherine was already up dressed and eating her cornflakes. Ron laughed to himself; she was just like her mother, efficient and sensible.
"Mummy's forgotten the juice Daddy," she said in a whisper.
Ron flicked his wand at the fridge and then again at the beakers lined up in the overhead cabinet.
"Is Rach still sleeping?" He asked his daughter while placing a glass in front of her.
"I think so, I didn't look," she answered quietly; she was distracted by the radio she had just taken off the shelf and switched on.
"Quidditch?" Ron enquired.
"Yep," said Cathy. "It's 110 – 10 to the Scots."
"Who are they playing?" Ron hadn't really been following since England were knocked out by the Indians.
"Belgium."
"Ok. When you've finished your breakfast pick up anything you want to take to Auntie Ginny's."
"Ok Daddy," she answered and returned to the game just as McKee caught the snitch. "Yes!"
Ron lifted his youngest daughter from her bed and dressed her. He fed her her cornflakes and collected her teddy, blanket and a few toys to keep her entertained for the rest of the day. He loaded his children into the car and drove to his sister's house. When he got there, to the small, rural cottage, he unloaded his children, walked down the stony path and knocked on the large wooden door.
"Hi Ron," Harry stood by the door; he immediately took Rachel off Ron and beckoned Ron and Cathy into the lounge.
"Ginny and Neville are outside in one of the greenhouses," said Harry as he put Rachel into the armchair. Just as he said this, a dirt-smeared Neville Longbottom appeared at the door.
"Hi Ron," Neville said cheerily.
"Hello Neville, how are things? I haven't spoken to you for a long."
"I've been on a business trip," replied Neville proudly. Harry snorted into his coffee.
"What?" Said Ron.
"Neville went to Cornwall to test Dragon dung fertiliser samples," answered Harry desperately trying to hold back the laughter.
"It's...It's very important work you know, fertiliser has to be just right for certain plants otherwise all sorts could go wrong," Neville stammered and with that he went back outside and down the garden to the greenhouses.
"So the business is doing ok then," Ron enquired.
"Yep it seems so. Neville has helped Gin a great deal however much we tease him. He's helped her with some difficult plants, things that she really needed to get the business going, they raking in tonnes now!"
"Good," said Ron, he was pleased for his sister if a little jealous.
"But how are things with you and Mione?" Ron felt his heart sink.
"Better," he said. Harry looked at him, he knew that this wasn't entirely true he could tell by Ron's face."
"Ok, and now the truth," said Harry sternly.
"I think....I think she might be seeing someone else," Ron said quietly.
"What? Hermione? No, Ron she wouldn't do that to you." Ron felt his eyes burning.
"She's been so unhappy, but I just thought, the long nights, disappearances, it's the only explanation," Ron didn't know what to say. He knew, but he couldn't explain how he knew.
"Give her sometime, it's hectic down at the ministry, this is the first day I've had off in ages, all departments have been pulled off normal duties to investigate the Voldemort sightings." Ron flinched. "Sorry, but well anyway Mione is probably so busy Ron, its probably just all getting to her ok?"
"Ok," said Ron weakly. "Anyway, I had better get off to work don't want to be late."
There was a giggle from the far side of the room, Ginny walked in looking even muddier than Neville.
"What so funny?" Snapped Ron.
"I don't think Fred and George really care if your late Ron, they don't take it seriously so why do you?"
Ron's ears reddened. "Because I am the manager of the largest branch of the best joke shop in Britain," said Ron huffily. Ginny giggled again.
"Oh shut up," Ron kissed his daughters and disapparated.
"You should be nicer to him you know."