Chapter 2: Lapse in Coverage
Ron jammed his hat on his head as he exited the underground. Sixty-five Wickfordshire Court was the address. The white mansion was four stories tall and plaster pillars framed the doorway at the top of what seemed like one hundred stairs. Ron reached for the doorknocker shaped like a dragon and knocked with three solid raps. A moment later, the door swung open, but Ron couldn't see who had opened it. Then he looked down to see that a house-elf had opened the door.
"Who are you?" the house-elf squeaked, sounding half-irritated, half- curious.
"I'm Mr. Ron Weasley from WICCA insurance, I'd like to speak with Mr. Malfoy. Its about..."
"Hold it right there! The Malfoy's aren't going to buy anything from a door- to-door salesman! You are wasting your time, now go away!" the house elf started to shut the door but Ron stepped inside the house. The foyer was covered with marble flooring and a sweeping staircase lined with purple velvet carpet led to a balcony on the second floor. Ron was taken away by the extravagance of the entryway when suddenly he remembered what he was doing there.
"Now listen here, I am not trying to sell Mr. Malfoy anything that he doesn't need. In fact he is already a client. I just need him to sign some papers to renew his insurance policy."
The house-elf looked at Ron now with definite irritation, "Well Mr. Malfoy isn't here right now, so Mr. Weasley will just have to come back later."
"Do you know when he will be home then?" Ron didn't want to have to come back to this place again.
"No Mr. Malfoy told Mopsy not to let any one come to the house while Mr. Malfoy is gone. Mopsy always does what Mr. Malfoys says!" she was now raising her voice and causing quite a racket to get Ron out of the house.
Then a voice came from the top of the stairs—"Mopsy, what's all that racket down there? Is everything all righ—?" Hermione emerged from the shadows at the top of the stairs. She was only wearing a towel and she stopped mid sentence when she saw Ron standing there at the bottom of the stairs with his hat clutched in his hand.
"Ronald?" she said quietly. "What brings you to Wickfordshire? Is everything all right? Oh dear me, I'm sorry I'm not dressed properly, but I've been out sunbathing."
Ron remembered his talk with Parvati about professionalism and cleared his throat, "Oh yes, I am just here because Mr. Malfoy had a broom insurance policy with the WICCA insurance agency and it looks like it expired a fortnight ago. I was just coming by to see if he would like to renew."
"Broomstick insurance?" Hermione looked intrigued as she held her towel closer to her body.
"Yes, well you know, in case the broom is stolen or someone gets injured while riding it, you'll be covered. There have been some pretty nasty broomstick accidents around London lately and I, I, well I just couldn't imagine how I'd feel if I left the house knowing you didn't have the proper coverage..." Ron trailed off, a little embarrassed to be talking to Hermione for the first time in over 4 years while she was wearing only a towel.
"You're absolutely right Ronald, I must be sure we are properly covered...Mopsy, show Mr. Weasley to the drawing room. I'll be just a minute Ronald, while I put something on."
Ron placed his hat on a chair in the foyer as Mopsy led him to the drawing room.
"Wait here." Mopsy seemed subdued now that Hermione had told her what to do.
In the drawing room was a small bar with glasses and a pitcher of fresh pumpkin juice. Behind the bar was a floor to ceiling bookcase filled with spellbooks, muggle books, and old textbooks Ron recognized from Hogwarts. Next to the window on the opposite side of the room was a grand piano that looked as if it hadn't been played in many years. On top of the piano were two picture frames that Ron edged closer to so he could see who was in the picture. On the right was a picture of Malfoy smirking and nodding his head looking haughty as ever. Ron didn't want to admit it but Malfoy had grown into a very handsome man. Next to Malfoy's picture was a photo of Miranda Malfoy wearing her quidditch robes. She was waving and tossing her long blond hair with a girlish twist of her head. Ron had heard a little about Miranda from his nieces and nephews who went to Hogwarts as well. Surprisingly, Miranda was not a Slytherin, but a Ravenclaw and the best keeper that house had ever seen. Ron continued to look around the room nervously when Hermione came gliding in.
"Well then, I didn't take long at all did I?" Hermione was still buttoning up her blouse as she entered and walked over to Ron. "Won't you have a seat Ronald, it is indeed so good to see you!"
"Well Mrs. Malfoy," Ron cleared his throat again, as Hermione began pouring him a glass of pumpkin juice, "I really can't stay long, since I am working and all. Is your husband here?"
Hermione handed him the glass of juice and smiled, "Now Ronald you know to call me Hermione, you're so silly sometimes. The truth is, Draco is hardly here now that his business has gone international. Draco's Darts—you've heard of it right? They just launched a store in Malaysia and that's where he is right now. I do worry about him when he goes on these long journeys."
"Right then. I best be going then, I have a lot of work to do today." Ron was suddenly aware of how much he missed Hermione and her warm smile.
"Come now Ron, have a seat for just a moment and at least finish your pumpkin juice."
Ron sighed and decided to have a seat; he did want to linger for just a little while longer with Hermione.
"This juice could use a little rum to spice it up a bit," Ron muttered quietly. He was thinking of how rum could relax his nerves a bit too.
"Sorry, Ron, I'm all out," she obviously heard him.
There was silence between them for a few moments when finally Hermione spoke up again.
"Insurance you sell, hmm? Is it just broomstick insurance or do you sell other kinds?"
"Oh yes I sell all kinds, home insurance, health insurance, wand insurance, accident insurance, broom insurance, you know all kinds." he was obviously trying to stay aloof.
"Accident insurance? Like if someone were to get hurt they would get compensation?"
"You should know that Hermione! You're the most clever witch I know!"
"I was just thinking that perhaps Draco should take out a policy with your company. I just worry about him so much when he is out traveling the world. I never know what may happen to him. He's so stubborn though. I've asked him to do something before, but he seems to think he is invincible."
"Well I'd be happy to talk it over with him when I come to see him again. By the way, when will he be back?" Ron was dumbfounded that Hermione had even married Malfoy, and now she cared about his safety?
"He will be back on Monday. Can you be here at eight in the evening?"
"Sure thing Hermione. It was very nice to see you again." Ron set down his glass and got up and walked out towards the foyer. Hermione followed him closely by his side.
Before Ron could reach down and grab his hat, Hermione had grabbed his hand. She looked into Ron's eyes with a certain sadness in her face.
"See you later Ronald." She let go of his hand and opened the door for him.
Ron picked up his hat and placed it on his head. He didn't say anything as he left the house trembling with all the feelings he had for Hermione stirring up in his heart once again. But he'd be back on Monday, the only downside would be that Malfoy would be there.
Ron jammed his hat on his head as he exited the underground. Sixty-five Wickfordshire Court was the address. The white mansion was four stories tall and plaster pillars framed the doorway at the top of what seemed like one hundred stairs. Ron reached for the doorknocker shaped like a dragon and knocked with three solid raps. A moment later, the door swung open, but Ron couldn't see who had opened it. Then he looked down to see that a house-elf had opened the door.
"Who are you?" the house-elf squeaked, sounding half-irritated, half- curious.
"I'm Mr. Ron Weasley from WICCA insurance, I'd like to speak with Mr. Malfoy. Its about..."
"Hold it right there! The Malfoy's aren't going to buy anything from a door- to-door salesman! You are wasting your time, now go away!" the house elf started to shut the door but Ron stepped inside the house. The foyer was covered with marble flooring and a sweeping staircase lined with purple velvet carpet led to a balcony on the second floor. Ron was taken away by the extravagance of the entryway when suddenly he remembered what he was doing there.
"Now listen here, I am not trying to sell Mr. Malfoy anything that he doesn't need. In fact he is already a client. I just need him to sign some papers to renew his insurance policy."
The house-elf looked at Ron now with definite irritation, "Well Mr. Malfoy isn't here right now, so Mr. Weasley will just have to come back later."
"Do you know when he will be home then?" Ron didn't want to have to come back to this place again.
"No Mr. Malfoy told Mopsy not to let any one come to the house while Mr. Malfoy is gone. Mopsy always does what Mr. Malfoys says!" she was now raising her voice and causing quite a racket to get Ron out of the house.
Then a voice came from the top of the stairs—"Mopsy, what's all that racket down there? Is everything all righ—?" Hermione emerged from the shadows at the top of the stairs. She was only wearing a towel and she stopped mid sentence when she saw Ron standing there at the bottom of the stairs with his hat clutched in his hand.
"Ronald?" she said quietly. "What brings you to Wickfordshire? Is everything all right? Oh dear me, I'm sorry I'm not dressed properly, but I've been out sunbathing."
Ron remembered his talk with Parvati about professionalism and cleared his throat, "Oh yes, I am just here because Mr. Malfoy had a broom insurance policy with the WICCA insurance agency and it looks like it expired a fortnight ago. I was just coming by to see if he would like to renew."
"Broomstick insurance?" Hermione looked intrigued as she held her towel closer to her body.
"Yes, well you know, in case the broom is stolen or someone gets injured while riding it, you'll be covered. There have been some pretty nasty broomstick accidents around London lately and I, I, well I just couldn't imagine how I'd feel if I left the house knowing you didn't have the proper coverage..." Ron trailed off, a little embarrassed to be talking to Hermione for the first time in over 4 years while she was wearing only a towel.
"You're absolutely right Ronald, I must be sure we are properly covered...Mopsy, show Mr. Weasley to the drawing room. I'll be just a minute Ronald, while I put something on."
Ron placed his hat on a chair in the foyer as Mopsy led him to the drawing room.
"Wait here." Mopsy seemed subdued now that Hermione had told her what to do.
In the drawing room was a small bar with glasses and a pitcher of fresh pumpkin juice. Behind the bar was a floor to ceiling bookcase filled with spellbooks, muggle books, and old textbooks Ron recognized from Hogwarts. Next to the window on the opposite side of the room was a grand piano that looked as if it hadn't been played in many years. On top of the piano were two picture frames that Ron edged closer to so he could see who was in the picture. On the right was a picture of Malfoy smirking and nodding his head looking haughty as ever. Ron didn't want to admit it but Malfoy had grown into a very handsome man. Next to Malfoy's picture was a photo of Miranda Malfoy wearing her quidditch robes. She was waving and tossing her long blond hair with a girlish twist of her head. Ron had heard a little about Miranda from his nieces and nephews who went to Hogwarts as well. Surprisingly, Miranda was not a Slytherin, but a Ravenclaw and the best keeper that house had ever seen. Ron continued to look around the room nervously when Hermione came gliding in.
"Well then, I didn't take long at all did I?" Hermione was still buttoning up her blouse as she entered and walked over to Ron. "Won't you have a seat Ronald, it is indeed so good to see you!"
"Well Mrs. Malfoy," Ron cleared his throat again, as Hermione began pouring him a glass of pumpkin juice, "I really can't stay long, since I am working and all. Is your husband here?"
Hermione handed him the glass of juice and smiled, "Now Ronald you know to call me Hermione, you're so silly sometimes. The truth is, Draco is hardly here now that his business has gone international. Draco's Darts—you've heard of it right? They just launched a store in Malaysia and that's where he is right now. I do worry about him when he goes on these long journeys."
"Right then. I best be going then, I have a lot of work to do today." Ron was suddenly aware of how much he missed Hermione and her warm smile.
"Come now Ron, have a seat for just a moment and at least finish your pumpkin juice."
Ron sighed and decided to have a seat; he did want to linger for just a little while longer with Hermione.
"This juice could use a little rum to spice it up a bit," Ron muttered quietly. He was thinking of how rum could relax his nerves a bit too.
"Sorry, Ron, I'm all out," she obviously heard him.
There was silence between them for a few moments when finally Hermione spoke up again.
"Insurance you sell, hmm? Is it just broomstick insurance or do you sell other kinds?"
"Oh yes I sell all kinds, home insurance, health insurance, wand insurance, accident insurance, broom insurance, you know all kinds." he was obviously trying to stay aloof.
"Accident insurance? Like if someone were to get hurt they would get compensation?"
"You should know that Hermione! You're the most clever witch I know!"
"I was just thinking that perhaps Draco should take out a policy with your company. I just worry about him so much when he is out traveling the world. I never know what may happen to him. He's so stubborn though. I've asked him to do something before, but he seems to think he is invincible."
"Well I'd be happy to talk it over with him when I come to see him again. By the way, when will he be back?" Ron was dumbfounded that Hermione had even married Malfoy, and now she cared about his safety?
"He will be back on Monday. Can you be here at eight in the evening?"
"Sure thing Hermione. It was very nice to see you again." Ron set down his glass and got up and walked out towards the foyer. Hermione followed him closely by his side.
Before Ron could reach down and grab his hat, Hermione had grabbed his hand. She looked into Ron's eyes with a certain sadness in her face.
"See you later Ronald." She let go of his hand and opened the door for him.
Ron picked up his hat and placed it on his head. He didn't say anything as he left the house trembling with all the feelings he had for Hermione stirring up in his heart once again. But he'd be back on Monday, the only downside would be that Malfoy would be there.