Chapter 13-Bad News at the Bar

Hermione sat precariously on a stool, tapping the bar with her fingernails. Ron had arranged to meet her at The Cat in the Cauldron after work, but she had got out earlier than expected, and she was starting to get bored-

"Excuse me, ma'am, but I couldn't help noticing you from across the room… may I buy you a drink?"

Hermione turned round in shock to see Ron standing there, grinning. "Why thank you," she said sweetly, deciding to play along. "I'll have a pumpkin juice, please."

Ron gestured at the bartender. "One Firewhisky, and a pumpkin juice for the lady." He turned back, still smiling. "So what's a pretty girl like you doing in a place like this?" he said, in a voice which he obviously believed to be suave.

"Pondering," Hermione replied. "People keep saying the strangest things. I ran into Mike today-"

"As in Ginny's boss?"

"Yeah. We chatted for a few minutes, and then, just as I was leaving, he said something about seeing me next week, but when I asked him what he meant, he said he wasn't allowed to say…"

"Oh!" Ron said, with a look of understanding, "He'll be talking about the baby shower that Lavender's holding for you-"

"WHAT?"

"-the surprise baby shower that Lavender's holding for you- I wasn't supposed to say that, was I?" Ron said, shaking his head miserably. "Ginny's going to kill me."

"Ginny?"

"Yeah- she was the one who arranged this. She mentioned it to Mike when she went to drop off an article-" Ginny worked for Spark magazine, a woman's weekly specialising in celebrity gossip and beauty advice. " -and he said that Lavender would be a great host, since she loves planning parties and she doesn't have much to do all day, having given up work."

Hermione gave a snort. Lavender had married Mike several years ago, much to her disgust. It was fairly obvious what the attraction was- Mike was pushing 60, with a foul temper, a hideous face and a fortune in the bank.

"I know," Ron sighed, reading her mind. "But Ginny didn't really want to say no, because he's her boss and everything, so she decided it should be a surprise, because there was no way you'd go if you knew Lavender was holding it."

"Well, she's right about that!" Hermione spat. "If you think that I'm going to voluntarily spend an evening with that golddigger and her snooty friends looking down their noses at me just because I work for a living and don't wear designer robes, then you have another think coming! Now, if you'll excuse me," she said, getting off of the stool with some difficulty (she was almost seven months pregnant, so her bump was fairly ample), "I'm going to go kill Ginny."

"Come on, Hermione," Ron said coaxingly, grabbing her arm, "what'll that really achieve?"

"Well, firstly, it'll make me feel a lot better," Hermione said, glowering, "and secondly, if I kill Ginny, they'll put me in Azkaban and I won't have to go to this stupid shower!"

"But you're the guest of honour!" Ron said, a slight note of pleading in his voice. "If you don't go, there'll be no baby to shower! And it won't just be Lavender's friends," he continued, pulling her back onto her stool. "Ginny's invited all of your friends as well. You have to go- everyone's put in so much effort to this party. You don't want to ruin it by acting like a baby and sulking, do you?" he said, with a hint of a smile.

"I guess I have to," Hermione sighed. "But I'm not going to enjoy it," she added firmly.

"I knew you wouldn't let me down," Ron said, giving her a hug. "And there's no need to tell Ginny that you know," he added hastily. "She doesn't trust me to keep a secret as it is! Just play along, all right?" he said, giving her a kiss on the cheek. "And remember- act surprised."