Patronize
Part Six
Ron's heart felt like it was about to explode and his stomach was filled with a million fiery butterflies as Hermione Granger hugged him. It had taken him a moment to register what had happened. They had been standing apart in silence, and then suddenly she had launched herself on him, her arms about his neck. His brain temporarily stunned, jolted back to life moments later and he was able to hug her back.
"I missed you too, 'Mione," he whispered, unsure whether she heard it or not, though he felt her hug him even tighter. The smell of her so close to him was pure intoxication.
"You've gotten taller," she stated in a soft voice. "I have to stand on tip toes now."
He grinned. "Yeah, sorry about that."
"It's okay," she giggled. "I see you've gotten a hair cut too." She pulled back slightly to look at his face. "I like it."
Ron grinned even harder.
They pulled apart slowly so her arms were loosely draped about his neck and his about her hips. He felt the heat in the air between them and his heart urged him to lean forward and kiss her pink perfect lips. His eyes flickered from her lips to her eyes, which were clear and held no traces of indecision. Did she want him to kiss her?
He was not to find out, as, at the moment he decided in the affirmative the door to the lounge opened and Bill Weasley entered the room.
"Oh, ho! Not interrupting anything, I hope."
Ron could feel Hermione leap away from him as if she had just been stuck with a pin, and knew he had done exactly the same. He could feel the blood rush to is ears, and he wanted nothing more than to deck Bill at that moment.
"What do you bloody well want?" He growled to his older brother.
"Oh, come now, that's no way to treat the brother you haven't seen for months."
"I saw you just now when you arrived, you git," Ron spat.
"Well, we hadn't seen Hermione now, had we?" Bill retorted with a grin as Fleur entered the room behind him.
Ron could feel his mind being curdled between the anger he felt at Bill and the presence of Fleur Delacour almost immediately.
"Well, you've seen her now, haven't you?" He said to Bill in a drifty voice that he had meant to sound harsh. He couldn't even take his eyes off Fleur to indicate to Hermione.
Hermione had obviously noticed, as when she spoke next she sounded rather cold and reserved, not the giggly, sweet girl of minutes before. "Hello, Bill. Fleur."
"'Ello, 'Ermione, 'ow are you?"
"Fine thanks," said Hermione flatly. "I'm just going to see if your Mum needs any help in the kitchen, Ron."
"I'm really sorry, mate," Bill said apologetically after Hermione had left the room in a huff. "Still, it could have been worse. It could have been Fred and George who walked in on...whatever that was."
"Yeah, you should be," scowled Ron, his rage drowning out the giddy feeling that Fleur always caused. He strode off outside towards the wood shed to see what the twins and their party guests were up to. He knew Hermione well enough to know that if she was annoyed with him, she'd need a bit of time to cool off first.
"Hey, Ron, mate, wait up!"
Ron turned to see Dean Thomas hurrying after him.
"Where's Ginny?" Ron felt a bit uneasy. Dean hadn't hurt her or anything, had he?
"Oh, well, she took off for the kitchen after she caught me starring at Bill's girlfriend. I don't know what came over me," he gestured wildly, "it was like I couldn't not look at her. It was like she was part Veela or something."
"She is."
"What?"
"She is part Veela. Harry found out during the tournament," sighed Ron. "So...welcome to the dog box."
The two boys stomped through the large backyard of the Burrow until they reached the shed. Squeals of excitement and bangs were coming from inside.
"What's going on in here?" Ron asked as he poked his head around the shed door. It was so crowded by the three girls, the twins and Lee Jordon that he could see very little. Just some flashes. Probably fireworks, he guessed.
"Get'cha big, long nose out of it, Ronnikins," shouted Fred.
"It's a surprise for later," explained George roughly, "and we don't want a big oaf like you spoiling it."
"Sorry, Ron," said Alicia kindly from over Lee's shoulder.
Fred however wasn't so kind, and bodily forced Ron from the tiny shed and slammed the door in his face. Dust and cobwebs fell in his hair, and he hurriedly brushed them away in panic.
"Any spiders in my hair?" He asked Dean.
"Nah, mate, I think you're clear."
"Would you believe I've had the door slammed in my face twice today?" Ron asked as they headed back towards the house. "Hope the girls've cooled down by now".
However, it seemed that the girls were onto bigger and better things than merely being annoyed by boys. Mr. Weasley and Mundungus Fletcher had both been ejected from the kitchen and into the lounge where they joined Bill and Fleur. Fleur seemed to be the only one talking, whilst the other three just sat staring at her.
Ron shook his head, least he get hooked on the sight of Fleur again and headed into the kitchen with Dean, who was looking slightly bemused again, in tow.
"Fancy a cup of tea, Dean?" Ron asked as he skirted about the edges of the kitchen.
"Sure," said Dean who had noticed Mrs. Weasley, Ginny and Hermione hunched over the kitchen table talking in whispers. They glanced at the boys briefly, then turned back their attention to the matter at hand.
Ron lit the element and both boys waited in patient silence whilst the kettle came to a boil. Both knew instinctively to keep talking to a minimum, there was an air of hostility coming from the three witches.
Every now and then Ron caught a phrase like: "She's not good enough for Bill." Or: "Fancy tart." That one had to be Ginny, he thought with a smirk.
Mrs. Weasley left the table at that point and commenced cutting some vegetables viscously, Dean moving deftly out of her way. Hermione and Ginny gave the boys dirty looks, then continued their hushed conversation whilst helping Mrs. Weasley by preparing some potatoes.
Ron was just pouring the scalding water into the tea pot when Fred and George entered the room laughing madly. Ron and Dean looked at each other and smiled. Obviously matters had changed very little in the lounge.
"Hello, Hermione," said George, patting her on the back affectionately.
"How're you doing?" Added Fred.
"Fine thanks. Are you looking forward to moving out?"
"Yeah, it's going to be brilliant," said Fred enthusiastically. Upon catching a sad look from his mother he added, "except we'll miss Mum's cooking, won't we George?"
His twin nodded, and patted his Mum on the back as he made his way to a crate of butterbeers in the corner. "Don't worry, Mum, we'll still be back for tea at least twice a week. More if it's Lee's turn to cook."
Ron joined his brothers in a laugh. He had sampled Lee's poor excuse for cooking before.
"Here, Fred, grab these would you," said George reaching out across Ginny and handing his twin some bottles of butterbeer.
"Out the way, George," grizzled Ginny. "I can't see what I'm doing."
"Aw, just think, you'll miss it when we're gone, Gin. You'll only have Ron to get his big fat head in the way."
"Oi!" Said Ron. "My head's not big."
"Well, you're feet sure are," argued Fred, accidentally bumping Ginny as he gathered the bottles of butterbeer.
"Now, now, you three. Settle down," warned Mrs. Weasley.
"Fred!" Ginny grumbled as he bumped her again.
"Right, that's it!" Exploded Mrs. Weasley. "All of you, get out."
"But Mum, we're just getting some butterbeers for the girls," implored Fred.
"Well, you've got enough now. Go on, boys, shoo."
"Yes, Mum," grouched George carrying as many bottles as he could and leaving the room with his twin.
"Actually, you lot could go and get the trestle tables out," she gestured at Ron and Dean. "Hermione, will you go grab Fred and George, please dear, and ask them to help too?"
"Of course, Mrs. Weasley," said Hermione, as she hurried out after the twins.
"Come on Dean, let's get started," Ginny said, shooting Dean a wink. He grinned back and followed her out of the kitchen. Ron's gut instinct told him that they would not be helping put out the tables.
"Mum, do you want to finish my tea? I've hardly drunken any."
"Thank you, dear. Now get out and help your brothers."
Ron put the cup of tea by the sink and headed outside. Passing through the lounge he saw that things hadn't changed there much. Fleur was ranting about the English weather whilst the Weasleys and Mundungus looked rapt. Angelina, Katie and Alicia were sitting in a corner chatting animatedly with their butterbeers in hand, but ignoring the battle of wills that was taking place in the other corner of the room.
Outside he found Fred and George putting out the first table, whilst Hemione and Lee were wrestling with one each.
"Hang on Hermione, let me help you. It's a two person job."
"Thanks, Ron," she said, still rather curtly.
"Look George," said Fred. "Trouble in paradise."
"Shaddup," growled Ron, threateningly.
"Perhaps Perfect Prefect doesn't like Ickle Ronnikin's new haircut. She can see too much of his ugly great face now."
"Leave off," Ron grumbled, helping Hermione overturn and put up another table.
"Don't listen to them, Ron," Hermione said quietly but firmly.
"Aww, look. She's bossing him around already and everything," said George. "Just wait until she becomes Big Head Girl. She's going to be unbearable then."
"Look, have a go at me, fine, but leave Hermione alone, alright?" Shouted Ron giving Lee a hand to put up the next table.
"Ooooo," Fred gasped in mock shock. "What'cha going to do about it, Ickle Prefect?"
Ron was about to retaliate when he suddenly noticed Hermione shivering and rubbing her hands together.
"Are you alright, Hermione?"
"Yes, but it's suddenly gotten really cold. Aren't you cold?"
"Yeah, I'm b-b-bloody cold," agreed Lee through chattering teeth.
Actually it was getting very cold, Ron realized, and damp. And sort of misty. His tee shirt was sticking to his back unpleasantly, and it was chilling him to the bone.
"Have you two done something?" Ron asked Fred and George.
"What do you mean?" Asked Fred who was rubbing his arms in a vane effort to warm himself.
"That 'take me off-guard business', you haven't," he gestured vaguely, "done something have you?"
"Not us, bro," said George looking around at the encroaching mist. "This isn't right though. It's supposed to be summer."
"I know what this is," whispered Hermione. "I've seen it before."
The four boys stopped messing with the tables and looked at her. She looked frightened and cold. It struck Ron then.
Dementors.
"Hermione, get back in the house. Now!"
"No, Ron, I'm not leaving you here." Though frightened she also looked very determined.
"I'm not kidding, Hermione, get inside," Ron implored.
"Go in, Hermione and get help," shouted George over the wind that was swishing around their ears now. It seemed that he too had cottoned on to what was happenening. "You too, Ron, this isn't some sort of game."
"I know it's not a bloody game," yelled Ron, his voice cracking. "Hermione, will you get out of here, please!"
"No! I'm not going anywh..." She trailed off as four dark silhouettes appeared through the mist. Ron instinctively joined ranks with Fred and George in front of Hermione. Lee looked undecided.
"Lee," yelled Fred, "take Hermione in would you, and get Dad and Bill out here. Now! Tell them they must've broken through the wards. We don't want to let them get near the house, else they'll sense everyone and try and get in."
Hermione fought Lee very little now that the Dementors were nearly in sight, and he was able to pull her off indoors with him.
"Ron, are you sure you won't g-go?" Chattered Fred.
In reply Ronald Weasley pulled his wand from thre back pocket of his cordoroy jeans and stood fast. His brothers followed suit.
The Dementors emerged from the shadowy mist which swirled and nipped at their skeletal heels. The wind grew fiercer and howled through the trees.
The Weasley brothers stood shoulder to shoulder and waited for the worst to happen.