1After Hermione and Bill had consumed 3 grilled cheese Sandwiches each they sat back down in the livingroom, they finally stopped chatting and went to bed around 3 a.m. That's why when Hermione stumbled down the stairs at nearly 10 she was shocked to find Bill in a jogging suit reading a large green book Hermione recognized as Advanced Dark Arts Defense. He looked perfectly groomed as if he'd been awake for hours though his hair was still down and his fang earring was firmly in place she wondered if he ever removed it.
"Good morning sleeping beauty." Bill said Hermione realized she must look horrifying she'd yet to even brush her hair and her pink bath robe was covered in Crookshanks Ginger hair. She let out a defeated whimper.
"Sleeping beauty?" She paused. "Come on Bill I look like I swallowed a lightbulb and bathed in Crookshanks hair."
"No you look fine." Bill said.
"Sorry I slept so long." She said "I guess you just had me up so late, speaking of that you're awfully chipper for someone whose had less then 8 hours of sleep."
"I've never been a big sleeper, 3 hours and I'm up and ready to go." Bill admitted "I've already been for my morning jog."
"Did you eat anything?" Hermione asked hoping she wouldn't be forced to cook again, she still had no talent for it and often over or undercooked the eggs.
"No, I was waiting for you, but I thought I'd cook breakfast." Bill said he could see the slight panick in Hermione's face fade.
"Besides, Lupin sent and owl to tell you he and Tonks would be here at 10:30, I'll cook and you go get ready." Bill said Hermione gave a faint smile
"Thanks." She whispered before heading up the stairs. Bill watched her as she left, he admired everything about her, he wondered how he'd never noticed her beauty before. Even in morning completely unmade Hermione Granger was beautiful. He couldn't help but feel guilt at this though the moment he thought it. Hermione had been in love with Ron, and Ron had loved her. The whole Idea was completely insane or was it? He wondered momentary he then conjured himself an apron pulled his hair back into a sleek ponytail and began cracking eggs, he looked at what Hermione had in the house and decided on french toast he had just finished when he heard the door to Grimmauld place open and the voice of Nymphdora Tonks scream.
"'Mione, Remus and I are here." Tonks could really screech. Today she was disguised as frail looking blonde witch. Bill watched as she morphed back in the Tonks he knew, her hair a vivid shade of orange.
"She's upstairs getting ready." Bill said poking his head in from the kitchen Lupin and Tonks eyed him strangely
"What are you doing here Bill?" Lupin asked Bill realized he looked like a regular old housewife looking down at himself in the apron. He smiled casually.
"The Burrow's completely full, Harry and Ginny are getting married the day after tomorrow, and I decided that Grimmauld place is so much closer then Egypt and Hermione could use the company for a few days." Bill explained "She's really a delightful host."
"So the two of you are staying here alone together?" Tonks said she had a half smile on her face as if she was having nasty thoughts.
"Oh Tonks." Hermione emerged she had combed her hair so that it was in tame curls and she was no longer in the Crookshanks sated bathroom. "You know it's nothing like that, Bill just needed a place to stay for a couple days and this place is so empty."
"I don't know how you stay here all alone all the time 'Mione, I really think you should consider moving." Lupin suggested.
"I've thought about it." Hermione admitted. "But I kind of like it here, besides I have nowhere else to really be."
"Hay everyone I made french toast, let's go eat." Bill said nipping Hermione's depression before it started the wheels in his head beginning to turn.
"Aww and I was so looking forward to Grilled Cheese Sandwiches." Tonks said but there was a sarcastic hint to it.
"Hay I'm practicing." Hermione said shooting Tonks and almost mean glance as they sat down around the table.
"It amazing that a girl as brilliant at magic as you can't cook at all." Bill said as they took their seats and he gave them all 3 slices of toast.
"They never gave cooking classes at Hogwarts, if they had I would have failed them miserable." Hermione teased it was hard for her to admit she was actually bad at something. However she suddenly realized that she had not asked Tonks or Lupin the reason behind their visit. "Hey why are you here?"
"Well," Lupin paused strangely he looked from Bill to Hermione. "Lucius Malfoy sent Draco an Owl this morning, he contacted Snape a couple hours ago as well. Apparently he doesn't think his son or his old friend will turn him in, amazing considering he knows Snape's in the order."
"Do they know where the Owl's came from?" Bill and Hermione both cried at nearly the same time they looked strangely at each other for a moment but neither of them said anything.
"No, but it's a good sign because it means that Lucius still doesn't know that Draco's working for us, Draco begged Lucius for his location, we're hoping..."
"Lucius isn't stupid." Hermione clarified. "Even if he doesn't suspect Draco of working with us, he'll be afraid the Owl is going to get intercepted, he won't put anything in it worth knowing."
"Look Hermione he's bound to slip up sometime." Bill explained seeing the seething anger in Hermione's eyes. "And when he does, will get him."
"He killed Ron." Hermione said. "He should Rot in Azkaban for that, while they rob him of every good memory he's ever had." Anger was now boiling over into tears. "Excuse me." she said before running off. Bill wanted badly to chase after her but he didn't.
"Who's on Lucius Malfoy's case?" Bill asked after a long awkward pause.
"Harry, but with his marriage and Honeymoon coming up it could be a month before he gets looking for Lucius and by then the trail will be lost..." Lupin trailed off as if he didn't want to say what came next.
"What about the rest of the order?" Bill asked.
"All of us our swamped with our own cases, there are still a lot of deatheaters at large.." Tonks explained.
"I'll take Lucius." Bill said.
"What, no Bill, you don't do this kind of stuff for us." Lupin said as if he was slightly afraid.
"Look defense against the dark arts was always my best subject at Hogwarts and I wanted be an Auror for while I won't sit around on my ass while everyone else does all the work, Ron was my baby brother and I want his killer found!" Bill said
"Fine, you can fill in on the Malfoy case until Harry is free." Lupin explained "But don't expect to catch him Hermione's right, Lucius Malfoy is one tough cookie besides you're based in Egypt and I don't see you doing much tracking there."
"I don't think I'll be base in Egypt for long." Bill explained relaying his recent plan to Tonks and Lupin.
Hermione waited until she heard Lupin and Tonks leave before heading back downstairs she sat down in her favorite chair by the fire and picked up her cookbook again after a while she felt eyes rest upon her she turned around and saw Bill watching her intently she made her best effort to smile but she couldn't quiet muster one.
"You want to talk about it?" Bill said taking a seat in a chair next to Hermione.
"Not really." Hermione said "But I probably should" she admitted. She'd tried a hundred times to convince herself that she was over the events that had happened to Ron, but in truth she just wasn't.
"I want you to know Hermione, that you can always talk to me." Bill said he suddenly realized that he was getting too close however he then backed off just a little. "About Ron I mean." Hermione hesitated for a moment before speaking.
"It's not so much about Ron anymore, I loved him, and I wish everyday that I had told him that, but's it's not really about that." She admitted.
"Then what is it about?" Bill said
"It's about Lucius Malfoy." Hermione explained "I don't think any of us can truly put Ron to rest until Lucius Malfoy is found."
"Do you still love him?" Bill asked
"I'll always love Ron." Hermione admitted. "Just because he's gone I can't change that."
"I know what you mean." Bill said. "Sometimes I'll think about the first time he ever crawled across a room or said my name he was my baby brother."
"Sometimes I think about the first time I ever saw him, he was on the Hogwarts express in a compartment with Harry and I opened the door to see if they had seen Neville's toad, Ron had the greatest grin on his face, his noise was had a smug of dirt on it." Hermione explained. "I think he was trying some made spell to turn Scabbers yellow."
"I told Lupin and Tonks that I would take over the hunt for Lucius at least for a little while." Bill said bluntly as if he'd been dying to tell Hermione the news.
"That's amazing." Hermione said with a smile she hadn't been expected it but she liked the idea all the same.
"I have a slight problem however." Bill said
"What?" Hermione asked
"Well I can't work on Ron's case from Egypt." Bill said "I'd need go back and forth all the time."
"What are you saying."
"3 months ago I was offered a pretty good job at the department of Mysteries as a code breaker." Bill explained. "I was apprehensive to take it because I love Egypt."
"But now with your involvement with Lucius' case..." Hermione said understanding.
"They told me they'd hold the spot for me if I ever decided I wanted it." Bill said "The only problem is I don't have a permanent place in to stay in London."
"You can stay here, at least temporarily." Hermione said.
"I don't know." Bill said
"I do, I enjoy your company and let's face it you're a much better cook then me so it's beneficial to both of us if you stay here." Hermione said.
"People are going to talk." Bill finally said bluntly.
"Let them, I could care less." Hermione said with a smile, Bill grinned in return.
"What do you say we shake on it then Granger." Bill said putting out his hand for Hermione momentarily. Hermione took his hand in her's, at that moment she felt something she hadn't been expecting, she could feel the sparks shoot from her finger tips all the way to her toes. She was speechless for a second, she then let go. Bill didn't speak for a long time either.
"I really need to go, I promised the head of department of Mysteries that I would meet him at the ministry to ink the deal, I should have left already." Bill said Hermione got the feeling he had felt something too.
"I'll see you soon roomie." Hermione said taking her usual seat again and picking up her book, she wondered how Long Bill would be staying there. She caught herself thinking that his was going to be the most interesting time of her life.