Chapter Five: Going Back
"Well?" Mrs. Granger snapped. Hermione stared at Ron; he looked away. "I'm waiting."
"Mum..."
"I'm really, really sorry you had to find out like this Mr. and Mrs Granger," Ron tried feebly.
"Well? What's been going on?" her father said calmly, more so than her mother.
"Maybe I should...go," Ron said, backing away.
"You'll do no such thing! You come back here and tell me what this is about."
Ron sighed. "Look..."
"Ron's my boyfriend, mum," Hermione said plainly.
"Your-? Don't you think you're a bit young?"
Hermione laughed. "Mum, I'm seventeen! And if you have such a problem with me dating, then-"
"I never said I had a problem with you dating, but-"
"But what?! What's the matter don't you like Ron?" Ron's ears were glowing.
"It's not that at all, Hermione."
"Then what is it?"
"It's just come as such a shock...you're my little girl, Hermione...my angel."
"Mum, I told you, I'm seventeen and old enough to make my own decisions now."
"Well, I, for one, have no objections," her father said brightly. He left the three of them staring at him as he made his way to the front door. "I'm taking a walk," he called, walking outside and shutting the door behind him.
"I'll uh...go see if your dad...needs help," Ron mumbled, bolting to the front door after Hermione's dad. He shut the door quickly behind him and ran down the sidewalk chasing after her father. "Mr. Granger!" he called out, "Wait."
"Ron?"
"Look, I'm really sorry about that. It's just- Mr. Granger- you have to know, you really have to know...I adore your daughter. I would do anything in the world for Hermione, so please, please don't hate me."
"Hate you?" he chuckled, "Oh, come now, Ron. That's preposterous!"
"You- you don't hate me?"
"Heavens, no."
"Then...then-"
"Ron, what's say you and I take a little stroll in the park, hm?"
"Yeah...sure."
-
"You're an honest young man, Ronald," Hermione's father said, clapping him on the back.
"Er- thanks."
"If anyone's to be with my baby girl, it's you." He studied Ron. "You really do love her, don't you?"
"You have no idea..."
"I just hope that she stays with you, Ron. She's a lot happier, you know...around the house, I mean. She's been a lot cheerier than last summer and I think she owes it to you."
"You think?"
"I do."
-
"Knock, knock," Ron said, knocking on Hermione's bedroom door.
"Come in..." He stepped inside.
"So, er- what'd she say?"
"Nothing much...just kind of sighed a lot and shook her head and hugged me...What'd my dad say to you?"
"Same thing...only without the hugging...and the sighing, and the head shaking." She raised an eyebrow. "I dunno...he seemed sort of happy for us." He walked over and sat himself beside her on the bed.
"Good..." She turned away.
"What's the matter?" Hermione shook her head. "Ready to go back?" he asked, placing a hand on her shoulder. She nodded. "Me too." She leaned in and hugged him, not saying a word. Together, they sat in silence holding on to each other whilst memories of their very first summer together flooded their heads.
-
(A/N: two or so weeks later I suppose...can't keep track, either way its August 31st lol)
"Ron...RON!"
"Whaaattt?!"
"Look! Look at what you're doing!" Hermione motioned towards Ron's trunk, Pigwidgeon's cage and several garments that where afloat in midair.
"I've barely had any fun with magic this summer, Hermione...give me a break," he sighed. She clicked her tongue impatiently.
"If you break a single thing..." she said with narrowed eyes.
"Then you'll scream at me just like you are now, when I haven't even done anything." She smiled.
"Just pack your stuff, we're going to be late."
"Yes, mother!" he joked. She stalked out of his room, down the hall into her own. Ron continued packing his clothes, throwing them haphazardly into his airborne trunk. They would be meeting Harry and Ginny outside Gringott's and Ron was nowhere near ready. "Hermione? Have you seen Pig?"
"Probably with mum...in the kitchen." Ron finished packing his thinks and jumped to grab his trunk from the air. Lowering it onto the ground, he slammed it shut and sat on top until he heard the familiar click of the latch. "You ready?" he called.
"Just about." Hermione's trunk was already in the middle of the upstairs hallway, with Crookshanks' carrier on top. "Come one, Crookshanks...we're going back to school, won't that be fun, hm?" she cooed to her fluffy ginger mass she called a cat. Ron shook his head and laughed. Hermione was so...Hermione.
"You're such a hypocrite, you know that?"
"How am I a hypocrite, Ron?"
"Honestly, we're going to be late!" he said, mocking her. She stomped into the hallway carrying a squirming Crookshanks. "Here!" she snapped, holding him out to Ron, "you carry him then."
"I'll pass."
"In you go." She placed the cat in his carrier and shut him inside. Crookshanks hissed madly through the mesh door. "Well! Ready?"
"Let's go." He picked up his trunk and handed Hermione Pigwidgeon's cage. She took it along with Crookshanks and walked down the stairs behind Ron who carried both their trunks. They made their way to the front door. "After you," Ron said, dropping everything and holding the door open for Hermione.
-
"We're here." They stopped in front of the Leaky Cauldron; it's worn out sign creaking in the slight late-summer breeze. Ron got out first to help Hermione out and grab their things. "Thanks mum, dad," she said nodding at each of them as they got out of the car.
"You're welcome, sweetheart," her mother said, pulling her into a tight hug. "Write us as soon as you get there, won't you?"
"Yes, mum."
"Bye, honey," her father said softly, hugging her too.
"Bye, dad."
"Have a great year, darling, and tell us about your plans for Christmas this year."
"I will...bye again!" She picked up her things and followed Ron into the pub, still waving at her parents. She blew them each a kiss and stepped inside. "You're sure your mum reserved rooms for us?"
"Of course." Ron stepped up to the counter. "Hello, Tom. Er- Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger for one night..."
"Weasley, eh?" He mumbled to himself as her looked over a sheaf of parchment. "Ah- right 'ere. Weasley, room twelve with your sister and Miss Granger, room fifteen. Here's your key." He passed Hermione a rusty key the side of a padlock.
"Er- thanks. We'll go put our stuff upstairs then?"
"Ginny's got our key."
"Just put your things in my room, then."
"Right."
-
"Harry! Ginny! Over here!" Hermione yelled frantically, running towards Gingott's entrance. Ron followed.
"Hermione!" Ginny squealed.
"Oh it's so good to see you," she said, hugging Ginny. "How was your summer?" Harry turned red while Ginny averted her eyes.
"It was...interesting." Ron turned narrow eyes on Harry.
"What the bloody hell have you done to my sister?" Harry stuck his hands in his pockets.
"Don't start jumping to conclusions; we haven't done anything," Ginny spat. They all stared silently at each other.
"Erm- Bank...money?" Hermione stammered, opening one of the large doors and stepping inside.
"Right."
"We'll wait for you..." Harry mumbled awkwardly. He sat down beside Ginny on the stone steps and put his arm around Ginny. Ron made a noise of pure disgust before following Hermione inside.
-
After purchasing all of their school books and supplies the four made their way back to the Leaky Cauldron for dinner.
"There you all are!" Mrs. Weasley called from the bar when they entered. She ran up and hugged each of them in turn. "Oh, we were getting worried, d'you know how late it is?" They shrugged. "And Ron, good to see you, did you have a good summer?"
"Yeah..."
"Oh, Hermione too! Look how tall you've gotten, dear."
"Erm- Thanks, Mrs. Weasley."
"Now all of you go wash your hands for dinner!" Ron rolled his eyes. Treats us like bloody kids... "Ron, dear. Come here a minute." His mother beckoned him towards her, flinging her arms in and out. "You've just got...a little bit..." She licked her thumb and wiped a spot of dirt from Ron's cheek. "There we go." He groaned. Nothing like a mother to embarrass the crap out of you. Hermione giggled at him.
"I think it's cute." She said as he caught up with her.
"You reckon?"
"I reckon you're cute, Ron." She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek. He blushed like it was something special; but it was something special. "Love you," she whispered and disappeared down the hall to the bathroom.
-
"So! How was everyone's summer? I'm sorry I didn't spend too much time with you, Ginny dear, but your father really did need all the help he could get over the summer."
"That's ok, mum."
"Well, Ron, Hermione, what about you two?"
"Sorry?" Ron mumbled through a mouthful of food.
"Your summer...how was it? Do anything interesting?" He shot a wary glance at Hermione.
"Oh, right...it was, um- interesting...we didn't do much though." Her hand grazed his knee as if to say "good job." He didn't know about her but the last thing he wanted to tell his mother was, "yes, it was a lovely summer, we played mum and dad for a day, got bloody plastered, and I ended up sleeping with Hermione. Really fantastic, mum." Yeah. Right.
"Erm- we babysat my little cousins," Hermione spoke up, "but not much else, no."
"Oh, I'll bet that was fun, hm?"
"Just dandy." Hermione muttered, putting her fork down on her empty plate. She leaned back in her chair and sighed.
"Let me take your plate." Mrs. Weasley picked up Hermione's dishes along with Ginny's and scuttled over to the bar where Tom sat wiping out glasses with an old tea towel. It was Ron's turn to sigh. He was with the people he loved the most and in less than a day he would be back at Hogwarts; his home away from home.
-
"Ronald Bilius Weasley you get your rear end in this room, RIGHT NOW!" Hermione shrieked. Ron came thundering down the hall and burst into Hermione's room.
"What?! What happened? Wha-?"
"What is the meaning of this?!" she bellowed, pointing at the walls, the floor, the bed, her arms flailing about like he didn't know what she was talking about; which he did. The entire room was a mess. His robes and clothes were everywhere, hanging off the chair, the dresser, lying in heaps on the floor, one garment hanging from the fan on the ceiling.
"What the bloody-"
"Well?!"
"I didn't do this!" he cried innocently.
"Then who did? I certainly didn't and they are your clothes. I cannot believe this! I go to use the washroom for one minute, I come back and the room is turned upside-down!"
"Hermione, I swear I didn't-"
"What's up little brother?" It was George. Ron rounded on him.
"You!"
"Me?"
"Yes you, you bloody great prat...what'd you do this for?!"
"Temper, temper. I wouldn't dream of doing something this cruel," he smirked. "Such appalling behaviour..." he said, admiring the room like it was nice.
"Where's Fred?"
"Downstairs with mum...we've just come to see you on the train." He winked and left the room. He turned to Hermione, mouth hanging open.
"I'm not cleaning this up," she snapped.
"Fine." Ron bent down and started picking up the random articles of clothing scattered about the floor. He shut the door and threw everything into a pile beside it, not bothering to fold his things. "Ruddy Fred and George...can't give me a bloody break..." Hermione chuckled while Ron stepped up on the bed to fetch his shirt hanging from the fan. "And they call me a git...sometimes I just want to-" He pounded his shirt into a lumpy ball and threw it with the rest of his clothes. "I can't wait 'til we're on that train again and we won't have to worry about my whole-" he threw a sock in the pile- "Bloody-" he threw another sock- "Family!" Picking up the whole pile, he kicked the door open with his foot and strode down the hall without another word.
-
They arrived at King's Cross Station with plenty of time to spare. With a final goodbye to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Fred and George, they all loaded their trunks onto the train and climbed aboard. Walking along the narrow aisle they found an empty compartment. Ron held the door open for Harry, Hermione (and Crookshanks) and Ginny and followed them inside, shutting the door behind them.
"Glad to be going back?" Ginny started. Hermione and Ron nodded. Harry shrugged.
"Oh no."
"What?"
"I forgot...Ron, you and I have to go up front."
"Why?"
"To patrol the corridors? And I need to give instructions to the other house prefects."
"Oh..."
"Ginny, would you- d'you mind?" she asked hopefully, holding out a struggling Crookshanks in front of Ginny. She took the gingery mass in her arms and nodded. "You be a good boy for Ginny while I'm gone," Hermione instructed, before striding out the door. Ron laughed.
"Hah! I can't wait to see Malfoy's face when he finds out Hermione's Head Girl," he said happily before getting up and following Hermione down the hallway.
-
The train rattled along for hours, bringing the students closer and closer to Hogwarts. By nightfall, they were drawing near Hogsmeade station.
"We're almost here." Hermione impatiently peered out the window in the train's corridor.
"Calm down, now," Ron said, "I'm sure they'll forgive you if you haven't got this weeks assignments finished before term even starts." She punched his arm. "Hey, hey! That hurts, you know." She gave him a smirk and returned her gaze to the outside.
"I'm scared, Ron..."
"What?!"
"I'm scared..." She turned to face him. "You know we're not safe anymore." He opened his mouth to speak but she cut him off. "V...Voldemort...we haven't heard any news in months but still...he could still be out there, Ron." He wrapped his arms around her and sighed.
"Don't worry, ok? Everything'll be fine." Hermione nodded.
Sccrreeeeeeeeeccchhhhh.
"Bloody..."
"Well, this is it." Hermione stalked down the hallway avoiding collisions with younger students along the way. Ron followed her, occasionally telling off disobedient students and getting tripped by them in return. He caught up with her outside the train, trying to lift her trunk out herself.
"Hermione! Stop it, let me get that." He rushed to her side and pulled her luggage free. "What's the matter with you?"
"Nothing."
"You sure?"
"Positive."
"Right, well...let's get a carriage then shall we?" She nodded. Ron pulled his own trunk from the trains storage compartment and followed her to an empty carriage. After loading their things, they both stepped inside and shut the door. "Hermione?"
"Hm?"
"Everything will be ok...alright?"
"Alright."
-
Clink, clink, clink. Everyone looked up.
"Welcome to what we hope will be another interesting and...educational school year," Dumbledore said, smiling. "Before the feast begins, there are some minor announcements to be made. First of all, to all students, our current Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher sadly could not make it this evening, but will be teaching as soon as they are available. In the meantime, other teachers will be filling in as they are needed..."
"Does that mean we might have Snape?!" Ron hissed.
"Shh!"
"And another thing, Mr. Filch has been kind enough to remind me that his list of inappropriate objects has been extended and will no longer fit on his office door and has been relocated to the entrance hall...a nice little something to look forward to seeing every morning." Everyone laughed. "Now that what needed to be said has indeed been said...Dig in!" The usual murmur of first years flooded the hall as dinner appeared on front of them.
"Finally..." Ron sighed.
"Oh you are such a pig, Ronald Weasley!" Hermione muttered, though she was smiling. Ron smiled too.
"Oh, come now! Don't tell me you're not hungry," he said, tickling her sides. She giggled and swatted his hand away.
"Maybe just a little...bit..." Hermione crinkled her nose.
"What? What is it?"
"Something smells." Ron sniffed the air.
"I don't smell anything..."
"It's coming from...down there. you pass me that bowl there? Yes, that one- the one with the peas..." Neville handed the bowl over to her. "Thanks." She sniffed the contents of it. "Smell that," she said, thrusting the bowl under Ron's nose. He obeyed.
"What the bloody hell-" He covered his nose and mouth with his sleeve. "That's disgusting!" Hermione slammed the bowl down on the table and scowled.
"D'you know why it's digusting?" Ron shook his head. "Because the house elves are being worked too hard! See? Here's actual proof!" She picked up the bowl again, shaking it in front of his face, making him wince even more. "Their cooking isn't up to scratch; I'm telling you...they need a break!" Ron rolled his eyes, but didn't say anything; he rather enjoyed not being a dead man. "I mean it, Ron. This year, come hell or high water, I'm getting those house elves the attention they deserve!" He smiled, laughed and turned back to his soup. Whatever Hermione says, goes!
-
Once the feast was finished, Hermione and Ron lead the rest of their house up the stairs to Gryffindor Tower. "First years, right here," Hermione shouted. The terrified first year students made their way to the front of the crowd. "The new password," she said, lowering her voice, "is Capricornus." The Fat Lady's portrait swung open to reveal the familiar Gryffindor common room. Everyone scrambled in, one after another toppling all over the place.
"I wish Fred and George were still here..." Ron whispered, stepping to the side to slide an arm around Hermione's waist. "They would've livened this place up a bit." She shot him a reproachful look.
"They would've been nothing but trouble, those two." Ron smiled; his smiling was so contagious. Hermione suppressed a grin.
"Shall we?" he said, holding an arm out, letting her in first.
"Why, thank you." She stepped inside and he followed close behind.
"Ron! Ron, look at this! Did you know your sister could do this?!" Harry shouted. He picked up a chocolate from the dish on the table. "Ready?"
"Ready," Ginny said smiling and crouching. Harry tossed the chocolate straight up into the air, above everyone's heads. "Not close enough, Har-" She quickly ran forward, jumped two feet in the air and caught it in her mouth, landing on Harry and pinning him to the floor. The both giggled and he kissed her on the forehead.
"Come have one, Ron," Dean said. Ron looked at Hermione.
"Want to?"
"I'm actually a bit tired. You don't mind if I head up to bed do you?" He looked slightly put out.
"No...of course not."
"Thanks, Ron." She stood on her tiptoes, kissed him and disappeared up the steps to the girls' dorms. She walked along the empty hall looking at all the signs. First Years...Second Years...She instinctively went to open the door now marked 'Seventh Years' but remembered...She turned around. At the very end of the hallway was a new door marked 'Head Girl.' Overcome with glee, she scrambled into her new room to find...
Her room. Her own room. A room where she could do whatever without Parvati and Lavender constantly nagging. Hermione flopped down on her four-poster bed, closed her eyes and smiled. This place was hers, now. Breathing a deep sigh, she fell asleep almost instantly.
-
Three o'clock a.m. Hermione tossed and turned, getting entangled in her sheets. Her eyes shot open and she scanned the room. It was dark out, but there was enough moonlight shining through the window to see that she looked like she was in a straight jacket. Fumbling to untie herself, Hermione blinked madly, trying to adjust her eyes to the darkness. She ran a hand through her hair. Not a chance she was getting back to sleep now; she was wide awake. There was only one thing to do. Find Ron.
Hermione quickly took off her school robes and threw on her nightgown. She flung the door open and hurried down the hall. Through the empty common room, up the boys' staircase, down the hall...Fifth Years...Sixth Years...Seventh Years. Hermione slowly opened the door. Silence. She tiptoed inside. Everyone's bed hangings were closed. Damn, damn and damn again. She would just have to guess. She slowly pulled back the hangings on the first bed. Neville. She tried the one across from Neville's...Harry. The one beside Neville's? Dean. Next to Dean? Seamus. Oh, for Christ's sake! The last bed...bingo.
"Ron?" she whispered. He stirred. "Ron..."
"Hm? Hermio-"
"Shhh!" she hissed pressing a hand to his mouth. He frowned.
"What're you doing?"
"I can't you move over a bit?" He nodded and scooted over on his bed. She climbed in with him and got under the covers. "Thanks." Nothing. He was already asleep again. Hermione sighed and closed her eyes. Before drifting off to sleep again, she felt Ron's arms embrace her in a warm hug. This is where she belonged. She was back. She was home.
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hey heyy! Theres ur update! Happy?? Anyway I have a project coming up so next chapter might take a while. If any of you got the hint in this chapter (I wont say what I wont say where) good for you!
-tata for now!! -muah