They found Ron chatting up a storm with Lavender Brown. It took them a while to get his attention, but when they did, he agreed to come, the thought of getting away on a non Hogsmeade day, exciting him. It has stopped raining, but the sky remianed dark and the air misty. Ron talked cheerfully the whole way to Hogsmeade about Lavender, which caused Hermione to throw silent fits of laughter. Despite the miserable weather, the main street of Hogsmeade was packed with witches and wizards busy going about their daily shopping.
Drunken laughter filled the air of Three Broomsticks and they could smell the spices from some of the drinks as they took a seat near the front of the pub. The rosey cheeked witch who worked there came over to their table.
"Well hello there, surprise seeing the three of you here. Are you skipping classes today?" The witch asked curiously.
"Oh no there aren't any classes today." Harry replied with a cheerful smile.
"Oh really?" the witch questioned. "How come?"
"Dumbledore cancelled classes today in celebration." Ron said with a smile.
"Well that's nice. But if you don't mind my asking, what celebration?" The witch asked in reply.
"Celebration over our engagement." Harry answered, holding Hermione's hand up to show off the tiny diamond ring. The witch stood in shock as she looked at Hermione's ring.
"My heavens! Congradulations Mr. Potter, Miss Granger. Your drink are on the house today." The witch exclaimed cheerfully, taking out a quill and paper to jot down their orders.
"What can I get you today?" she asked with an even larger smile.
"Three blue willows please." Hermione ordered with a grin.
"No problem dear." The witch said, writing their order down as she went back over to the pub counter. Noticing a newspaper on the empty neighboring table, Hermione leaned over and grabbed it. The picture on front showed people running away from a burning building, while some members of the Ministry of Magic scrambled to try to put the flames out.
"Suspicious fire the work of Death Eaters?" Hermione read out loud.
"Read it Hermione." Harry said, looking at the paper with concern.
"Okay, it says: A suspicious fire errupted from an empty five story house that once belonged to a unidentified Ministry of Magic employee, but the employee and their family had moved out of the house the day before. The employee is rumored to be an Auror who is responsible for the inprisonment of many former Death Eaters. The fire is said to have broke out at about nine o'clock last night, and close neighbors told the Daily Prophet reporters that they heard a heated arguement going on before the fire. Families living nearby had to be evacuated from their homes, for fear of the fire spreading. The Ministry of Magic sent some of their employee's to the scene to try to cover up any magical remains before muggle officials arrived. It is still unknown whether Death Eaters are involved with the fire." Hermione read with a grim look on her face.
"Wow." Ron commented.
"I know." Harry replied.
"Oh dears I wouldn't worry about that if I were you." The witch said as she returned to their table, placing their drinks in front of them.
"Why not?" Harry asked sternly.
"Because it was probably just a prank and nothing more." The witch replied before walking off.
"That was wierd." Ron commented, taking a sip of his drink.
"I think she knows more than she's letting off." Hermione said.
"What do you mean?" Ron asked curiously.
"Well why would the Ministry of Magic be there for just a prank fire?" Hermione asked.
"To get rid of any magical evidence. You read that in the article." Ron said, waving at the paper.
"Ron, a fire that big would destroy any evidence there was. The Ministry of Magic was most likely there to try and catch any Death Eaters that may still have been around." Hermione explained.
"But why at an empty house?" Ron asked.
"It said it once belonged to an Auror. They probably lit a fire to get rid of imformation on Death Eaters." Hermione replied.
"But the person moved out days before, why would they leave something important like that?" Ron questioned.
"If the person was scared for their life and their families, then they most likely grabbed clothes and took off." Hermione answered.
"But why would they be scared?" Ron asked.
"Most likely because they were scared Voldemort would come after them." Hermione said, taking a drink of her Blue Willow. Ron shuddered at the sound of Voldemorts name.
"Let's not worry about this now. Today is a day to celebrate." Harry piped in, before Ron could question Hermione anymore.
"You're right Harry." Ron said with a small smile.
"Hey I'll be right back." Harry said, taking a big drink of his Blue Willow as he stood up.
"Where are you going?" Hermione asked curiously.
"I'm going to go check something out, I won't be long." Harry said, kissing Hermione on the cheek.
"And don't cheat and read my mind." He said silently.
"Urghhh, Meany." Hermione thougt in reply.
"See you in a bit then Harry." Ron said, taking a drink.
"Yep." Harry answered as he walked out of the pub.
"You know I think you're so lucky Hermione." Ron said with a tiny grin.
"Why's that Ron?" Hermione asked stupidly.
"You're pretty much set for life. You have a great guy for a fiancee, you're a beautiful, talented, extremely nice and caring, you know what you're going to do in life." Ron said with admiration.
"And to be perfectly frank, I'm jealous of Harry for having you." Ron continued.
"Ron I'm flattered that you think that, but I'm not entirerly sure what I plan to do when we graduate." Hermione answered honestly.
"You don't?" Ron asked shocked.
"No. Harry and I are planning to buy a house in London somewhere. I might get a job doing something and Harry might go join a professional Quidditch team, we don't know yet." Hermione explained.
"I see. Well I know what you mean by the job thing. But you guys are still going to live in a house together. I don't even know where I'll be next year." Ron answered.
"Well that's okay too Ron. You don't have to go get engaged at the age a fifteen to know where you'll be in a few years." Hermione replied.
"I know, but hey I don't have to think about this now. I'm still trying to let it sink in that you and Harry, my two best friends, are getting married." Ron laughed happily.
"Don you want to be the best man?" Hermione asked with a smile.
"Me? Well, I, you know I, uhhhhh, yes thanks for asking." Ron stammered with shock.
"Great! I'm going to ask Ginny if she wants to be the flower girl or bridesmaid." Hermione replied with a smile.
"She'll like that." Ron commented truthfully.
"Good." Hermione said.
"Hermione." Ron started.
"Yeah?" Hermione asked, taking a small drink from her glass.
"What's it like being in love, I mean how do you know if you are?" Ron asked sheepishly.
"It's like all you even think about is that person, like they are tattooed in your head. You feel weak in the knees around them and all these emotions are going haywire through out your entire body. Why do you want to know?" Hermione asked with a curious grin.
"Ummmm well you know I was just wondering." Ron stammered with embaressment.
"Ronald Weasley you have a crush on someone! Tell me, who is it?" Hermione shouted with delight. The rosey cheeked witch glanced over to their table with a laugh.
"I'm not saying." Ron said quietly, lowering his head.
"Oh I do think you are, tell me Ron, please?" Hermione begged excitedly.
"You'll just laugh." Ron said.
"Do I look like that kind of person?' Hermione asked with a smile, sitting up straight.
"Yes." Ron answered.
"Okay so maybe I will, but screw it! Ronplease tell me, I'll beg." Hermione pleaded, leaning across the table.
"That won't work." Ron said surely.
"Sure it will, it does when I do it to Harry." Hermione replied jokingly.
"Ron please, please, please with a cherry on top?" Hermione begged in a childish voice, giving Ron puppy dog eyes.
"You're breaking." she said, her voice very high pitched.
"Gaaa! Fine! I'll say!" Ron shouted with aggravation. The people in the pub stared at Ron, causing him to hunch out of sight behind Hermione.
"Okay who is it?" Hermione asked impatiently.
"Promise you won't laugh?" Ron asked.
"Ron! Just tell me!" Hermione ordered loudly.
"Fine, it's, it's, it;s..." Ron started quietly.
"It's, it's..... come on tell me." Hermione asked shrilly.
"Lavender." Ron muttered under his breath.
"Omigawd Ron! Lavender Brown? How cute!" Hermione laughed in delight.
"Hermione shhhhh!" Ron said sternly.
"Can we get another Blue Willow for this love struck boy here?" Hermione asked jokinly, turning around to look at the witch who was wiping down the counter.
"Yes dear be right there." the witch replied, wiping the counter dry.
"Hermione." Ron warned, his face bright red.
"What?" Hermione asked sarcastically.
"There's no need to announce it to the world." Ron said.
"Ron, Ron, this is so cute, you like Lavender. I'll find out if she likes you."
"NO! No, don't. I don't want her to know I like her." Ron exclaimed with worry.
"Oh she won't know that you like her. I have my ways to get information." Hermione said mischeviously.
"Oh God, my life is ruined." Ron said, covering his head.
"Her you go dear." The witch said as she placed the glass of Blue Willow down on the table with a loud "clunk."
"Thanks." Ron muttered from under his arms. The witch smiled at Hermione pleasantly.
"Can I get you anything else dear?" she asked.
"No I'm fine thanks. Oh, and thank you so much again for the drinks." Hermione replied with a grateful grin.
"You're welcome, have a nice day." The witch said, turning and walking into the pub's kitchen.
"Wait till Harry hears this." Hermione said excitedly.
"Just what I need, more ridicule." Ron said with a sigh.
"He'll be happy to hear it." Hemione said reasuringly.
"Sure he will." Ron replied sarcastically.
"Here he comes now, let me tell him." Hermione said with a smile as she looked up as he approached.
"Hey Hermione, keep out of trouble?" Harry joked, giving her a kiss.
"Of course I did." she laughed.
"What do you know?" Harry asked suddenly, looking at Ron who's head was still covered.
"I was told who Ron likes." Hermione said with a large grin.
"Oh who is it?" Harry asked sitting down.
"Lavender." Hermione replied happily.
"Really? Ron how cool is that! Lavender is a nice girl, a little pushy sometimes, but still really nice." Harry said with cheer.
"Thanks Harry." Ron said, sitting up straight.
"Your welcome." Harry answered, putting his arm around Hermione's waist.
"What's in the bag Harry?" Hermione asked, trying to sneak a peek.
"A surprise for later." Harry said, moving the bag out of sight.
"Oh really?" Hermione replied with a laugh.
"Really." Harry said, giving her a kiss.
"Hey why don't we head back? It's almost time for dinner." Ron suggested, finishing his drink off with four big gulps.
"Sure." Hermione and Harry agreed with a nod.
"Would you like a piggy back up to the castle darling?" Harry asked affectionatly.
"A chance to be carried away to the castle by my prince? I gladly accept this offer." Hermione joked in reply. Harry turned his back to Hermione and squated down some.
"Watch your step my lady." Harry laughed, as Hermione hopped up onto his back. The three of them weaved their way out of the large that had just entered the pub, and back out onto the street. The sun was starting to peak out from behind the slowly fading dark storm clouds and the air smelled of Autumn.
"This day is turning out so perfect. To bad the thought of tomorrow ruins the perfectness of it." Ron said, looking up into the sky.
"What so you mean Ron?" Hermione asked, her head resting on the back of Harry's shoulder.
"Devilton is introducing a new creature. Our luck it will be an angry griffin." Ron explained, his great mood fading some.
"Ah well Ron. It could be worse, I mean hey, we faced a basilisk, werewolf, giant human eating spiders and a lot worse." Harry replied lightheartedly.
"Yeah you're right Harry, but I'd rather face all those things again than have class with Levington tomorrow. Well maybe minus the huge spiders." Ron said, blushing sheepishly as he remembered Aragog.
"That's the one that Hagrid had as a pet before he got expelled right?" Hermione asked with wonder.
"Yes, now let's drop the subject because I finally stopped having nightmares about it." Ron said qickly with a shudder.
Harry and Hermione laughed. The rest of the way up to the castle, Harry and Hermione joked with Ron about what he planned to do about his feelings for Lavender. It was exactly dinnertime when the trio reached the castle, so they went right into the Great Hall and sat down. There weren't any Gryffindors at the table, which ment they were all still partying up in the common room.
As they were eating, a sudden silence filled the Great Hall. Harry, Hermione, and Ron looked up from their conversation to see everyone staring with shock and fear at the doorway. They turned to look at what everyone was staring at to see someone who Harry never ever thought he would see in his lifetime at Hogwarts.