Temporal Flux

Chapter Twenty-One: Shopping

"I knew you were the same size as Ron," commented Hermione as she looked at Jared in the mirror.

"Are we done yet?" whined Jared. "I'm tired of this. And I'm not here to be your living mannequin!"

Nearby, the others were having a good laugh at Jared's expense. Ron shook his head from time to time at the things that Hermione had been putting on Jared. Currently, he was in a leather jacket. "You sound like Ron," observed Hermione. "In fact, you complain like him." Jared glared at her. "I don't think this will do. Something else. Take that off." Jared cursed under his breath and peeled off the jacket. He was wearing a pair of jeans and a long sleeve shirt with a thermal underneath. He had his Time Turner hidden under that. "I'm not doing this anymore. I don't care. I'm out of here."

"Just one more," cajoled Hermione. "One. Come on." Jared gave her a pained look as he submitted himself to another jacket. This time it was a denim one. "This looks great. How does it feel on your shoulders?"

"It's fine. But you might one to get one that's a size bigger," answered Jared. He was really hoping to avoid going on a shopping trip that involved trying on clothes. Just one shopping trip with Hermione without having to try on clothes.

"You think so?"

"Yes, because Ron's still growing."

"You're right." Hermione nodded in agreement as went to go find a larger size. "Just one more. I promise. I need to see how it would look." Jared sighed and put on the jacket. "It does look good. We're done."

"Marvelous," muttered Jared as he took off the jacket and handed off to her. "Now, while you go and pay, I need to pick up something for my mother." He separated from her as she grimaced and went to a long line to pay for the jacket. Jared said, "I'll meet you outside the store when you're done."

"All right," agreed Hermione.

Jared walked around the corner and caught up with the others. He looked at Ron and said, "I guess your present's not going to be a surprise. And you should be happy because it's going to fit. I feel so used."

"Yeah, but it was pretty funny," said Ginny with a giggle. "You're so cute sometimes, Jared."

"Don't touch me," he said as she reached out for his cheek. "I'm not here for your amusement and I'm not cute."

"We should get something for Hermione," muttered Ron. "Great, I don't know what to get her." He looked at Jared.

"Don't look at me. I don't know what you should get her."

Ron raised an eyebrow at him. "She's your mother."

Jared shrugged. "I know. You'd think after spending nearly nine months inside someone you'd think that I would know what she'd like. But you've known her longer than me."

"You two are hopeless," muttered Ginny.

"You know the more I see you two together, the more it's obvious that you two are related," added Bill.

"At least you were told ahead of time. I have no idea how Hermione's going to react if she finds out," said Harry. "Why don't you go and get what you were going to get it her, Jared?"

"We have to go to the bookstore," answered Jared. "It's just across the street. Let's go. I wanted to get her a book."

"That sounds easy enough," said Ron.

Ginny clamped her hand on Ron's shoulder and stopped him. "In the name that is all good, please don't get her a book, Ron. You were doing so well. You got her that perfume before. That means that you must get her something along those lines. Getting her a book is like going backwards."

Ron argued, "But Jared's getting her a book."

"You're different," said Harry. "Jared's suppose to be a friend. At least that's how Hermione's supposed to see him, and you're supposed to be more than a friend. She's picking out clothes for you."

"Actually, she pretty much picks out our clothes," said Jared as they entered the bookstore. He went straight for the book that Hermione would like.

Bill smiled suddenly. It was the type of smile that one had when one had a brilliant idea. "I think it's not just the gift, but the way you give it to her that will count. Where are they holding this ball, Jared?"

"Um…at the Blake Estate. At least that's where I think it's being held," answered Jared with a confused look. "I'll be back. I have to pay for this."

"What are you talking about, Bill?" asked Ron, truly perplexed. He stared at his brother.

"Tonight is the night of this grand Muggle ball, and it doesn't look like she's too keen on going," pointed out Bill. "Maybe, you can pay a visit over there. You don't have to take her away from the ball, but you can at least see her."

"I don't have anything to wear," said Ron. "Nothing really."

"What about those robes that Fred and George gave you?" said Harry. "They maybe wizarding dress robes, but they're good enough to pass as Muggle clothes. You should see some of the wilder Muggle fashions." He picked up a random magazine and flipped a few pages. It was a magazine about Muggle celebrities. He showed them the pictures which elicited a laugh from the Weasleys.

Jared came back with a bag. "I've got it. So, what are you going to get her?" he asked Ron.

"I have an idea," said Ron.

Soon after, they split up and Jared returned to Hermione. Before they left, they had made plans to meet back in Diagon Alley in about an hour. Jared met up with Hermione and made it look like nothing happened. He told Hermione about his meeting with the others.

"Okay, but we can get there early? I still have to pick up presents for the others," Hermione told him.

Jared gave her a sidelong glance. "Why did you get Ron the only gift from here?" She gave him a slight smile, but wouldn't give him an answer as they continued to walk along. For some odd reason, Hermione felt safe being out and about in the Muggle world with Jared at her side. There was something comforting about his presence.

Safety was an illusion as they walked together. They were in danger without the person who was the most capable of protecting them both at their side. Hermione played around with the idea of telling Jared about seeing the Raven, but she remembered Ron saying before that he couldn't be trusted. She didn't know that Ron trusted him now.

Harry and the Weasleys were in Diagon Alley looking through Fred and George's shop. They were retelling what had happened that morning as they set up a plan to help Ron around Molly. The twins were experts on it, and it was best to leave this kind of planning to the professionals. Jared had given the address of the Blake Estate, which was right in London. It was one of those estates that had its own private park, making it seem enclosed in such a large city. Harry had taken the liberty of buying a map of the city and located the estate on it. They made some preliminary plans and later would ask Jared's input on the scheme.

"The trouble isn't how you're going to get there," noted Fred. "It's trying to get out from under Mum. It's one thing to ask to leave during broad daylight, but it's another trying to get out at night."

George added, "I don't think Harry will be able to go out either. Neither will Jared. None of you will be able to leave. Mum will say no."

"We know that," said Ron. "I knew this was a bad idea, Bill."

"But, we can leave," said Bill. "The adults can come and go as well please. I say we, Weasley brothers, just go out on the town. No offense to you, Ginny, but I doubt that you Mum will let you go either."

"I understand," said Ginny with a sigh. "I swear I can't wait till I'm an adult so I can do as I please."

"Even when you're adult, you can't do as you please," said Bill. "You are going to have to do a lot of things that you still don't want to do. Sorry to break it to you, but that's just how things are." He gave her a gentle smile.

Ginny sighed, "I thought so, but I guess I could help out by convincing Mum. She's going to be the brick wall you'll have to go through. You're going to need all the help you can get, Ron."

"This is going to be great. This is the first mass joint operation that the Weasley kids have ever done," said Fred proudly. "With some assistance from Harry, of course, but he's practically a member of the family. All of us will be helping out."

"All of us," echoed Ginny as she shook her head. "Percy's not here."

Her brothers looked at her, the twins were rather stern, as Bill said, and "He wouldn't approve of it anyway." But there was something else about the looks on their faces. It spoke silently for them. Neither Harry nor Ginny really knew why. Something had had happened during the time that they were in school.

Ginny folded her arms over her chest and pressed her lips together. Her older brothers didn't know the information that she knew, but Harry did. He was going along with what Harry and Jared said about not trying to change something that is obviously going to happen. So, both sides held information that neither was going to find out.

George broke the tension as he looked out the window, "They're coming in. We'll have to finish planning this later."

Jared opened the door for Hermione, letting her in first, and followed. He looked around the shop. It was larger than the one in Hogsmeade, but it would later on expand even more so. He was already distracted by one of the displays. Hermione greeted them with a smile. She walked up to them and greeted, "It's great to see all of you. I ran into Jared in London. He was—where'd he go? Jared, what are you doing?"

Jared snapped to attention and said defensively, "I was just looking! I wasn't going to buy anything."

Hermione gave him a perplexing look. "You were right behind me, and then you were gone. And why would I care if you bought anything or not? As long as you don't use anything on me, I don't care." Now that was completely the opposite from what Jared had heard from her before. On his third year at Hogwarts, she made him promise her that he wouldn't buy one more prank from any shop.

"Really?"

"I don't care."

Ron sensed that Jared was getting anyway with something. It was Jared's eagerness, and he had to stop Jared. "Don't do it," he said warningly. "Keep walking." Jared looked like he wanted to pout, but went. "I never get what I want," muttered Jared in a low voice. Ron shrugged. The others laughed, but Hermione stopped short.

"I make it my life to stop you from getting what you want," countered Ron amidst the laughter. Jared scowled at him.

"Leave him alone, Ron," said Hermione with some exasperation. The Weasleys looked at each other. Most of them would have argued that very few people would have any luck controlling Ron completely without him complaining excessively, but it seemed that Hermione was the only one who could pull it off. That didn't mean they wouldn't argue about it later. Jared had a smug look on his face when Ron stopped. "So, everyone is getting ready for Christmas? I wanted to—"she glanced at the clock on the wall. "Is that the right time?"

Fred and George turned and looked at it. They turned back and nodded. Hermione shook her head, "I'm going to be late. I have to go. I'll see you all later. I'll just owl your gifts. Sorry." With that, she was out the door. Jared glanced at the clock. "Oh yeah, she has to be home by four."

"Good, we need you to help us," said Bill. "Come along, Jared." Jared raised his eyebrow at him, but went along anyway.

Hermione sighed again as she stared at herself in front of the mirror. In less than half an hour, she was going to be at her grandmother's house and be around a bunch of people she didn't know nor did she want to know. She would have preferred to stay home with her parents or go see her friends. She dreaded going out to see the people at the party because she knew she wouldn't be able to relate to them. The more she thought about it, the more she dreaded it. But she couldn't take back the promise she had made to her father.

There came a soft knock on the door and Hermione went to go and answer it. She opened it and her father was standing there, wearing his tuxedo. "Hermione, help me with this thing," he told her, referring to his bowtie.

Hermione shook her head and smiled as she tied it for him. "Dad, why didn't you ever learn how to tie it?"

"I was never forced to learn. You know that your mother has been taking care of things like this for me for years," answered Michael with a laugh. "I would have asked her, but she was too frazzled by your grandmother. You should see her cell phone call list. The top calls of the day are from your grandmother."

Hermione shook her head again. "This isn't the Middle Ages, Dad. I feel like she's setting me up to marry me off."

Her father gave her assuring smile. "Don't worry about it, sweetheart. No one will marry you without getting through me first," he told her as he kissed her forehead. "Thank you for tying this." Hermione gave him a bright smile. "Now, that's more like it. So, how did it go with Jared?"

"We ended up going to Diagon Alley, but we ran out of time. I had to come back here to get ready," answered Hermione. Her hair was done in an elegant up twist 'do. She felt a little bare n the dress that she was wearing, but she also felt somewhat innocent. "He won't be around next year, I suppose, but he's fun to be around."

"Hmm," said Michael. "There's something oddly familiar about that boy."

"I was thinking that, but I can't quite figure out why," admitted Hermione. "But I'm glad you like him. Too bad Harry and Ron couldn't have made it. They were in Diagon Alley."

Michael slightly raised his eyebrow at that. "So, you saw them at Diagon Alley?" Hermione nodded. "What did they say?"

"There wasn't enough time, Dad. I had to come back here," she repeated as she gave him a quizzical look. "Why are you so suspicious? It's not my fault that I don't have any girlfriends. My best friends just happen to be boys."

"If I know anything it's the mind of a teenage boy," muttered Michael. "Just because you happen to be friends with them, doesn't mean you know what goes on in their heads."

"You didn't seem to have a problem with Jared while he was here. And in case, you didn't notice, Dad, he was a boy!" exclaimed Hermione. "I can't believe you. Why are you being like this? I go to bordering school already. I have to go there to get my education, but I would like to go home and just be with you and Mum without any problems. I don't like you bugging me about my friends."

Michael gave her an exasperated look. She looked very much like her mother, but that burst of temper was from him. Hermione was pacing up and down barefooted. Her sequined shoes were lying on the floor upturned. She folded her arms over her chest and sighed. Michael's expression changed from exasperated from to surprise. When did she start looking so much like her mother? When did she grow up so fast? Hermione wasn't the same little girl who used to ask him to carry her all the time. It was then that he realized that he wasn't going to lose her because she was a witch. He was going to lose her because she was growing up.

"Someday, when you have your own child, you will understand," Michael told her calmly. "You'll want to protect him or her from anything or anyone you perceive as a threat. That's when you'll understand why I seem crazy to you."

"They're my friends," said Hermione in a soft voice. "And just because they're boys doesn't mean that they're going to do anything to me. If anything, they treat me like a boy." She laughed, but it wasn't one of mirth. "It took four years for Ron to realize I was a girl. Four years." The hurt in her voice was something that only her father could hear.

That was more than a year ago. If Ron didn't notice before, he sure did now. That was Michael's personal observations. It was during the summer. Ron and his brothers and sister arranged to meet Hermione before the school year started to pick up supplies early. Michael had gone off with his wife and Arthur and Molly to go and have a bite at the Leaky Cauldron, but before that Michael witness as Ron and Hermione talked to each other with their heads together. There was definitely something there, even if the two of them didn't notice or denied it. "I'm sorry," muttered Michael.

"Michael? Hermione? Are you ready to get going?" called Viola from the hall. "We need to get there early. Mum's sent a car for us."

"I need to put on my shoes," called back Hermione as she tipped her shoes upwards and slid her feet in. "I see we're not driving to the festivities. Did Nana say that your cars weren't nice enough again?"

"No," answered Michael as he gave an admiring look. "You look beautiful. Just like your mother."

"Thanks, Dad," said Hermione with a smile that lit up the whole room. They left her room. Her mother was waiting for them downstairs. They had to get into the car. "Okay, I think I know why she sent the car," she whispered to her father. "She wants to make sure we can't run off."

"You've got in one, dear."


AN: Hermione thinks that Fred and George are a bad influence on Jared and she's right. Almost all their nieces and nephews adore them. Hermione has a tendency to be treated as one of the boys from time to time. It might be easy for Ron and Harry to do that, but her father's bound to notice. What have the Weasleys planned? Next chapter. I wonder why won't let me do a line break and divide the scenes like I normally do. This is staring to irritate me.

kirikarin. I do not own Harry Potter. This story belongs to me and cannot be posted anywhere else without my permission.