IloveJesus7390 – Miracula has secrets just like you and me.
Pinksparklez – Thanks!
X: Brunch..:Ron's Bedroom:..
"He…Hello," Harry said, in shock. Was he just being paranoid, or had they? Well, had they? He didn't want to dwell on the point, he hadn't seen Ron and Hermione for a week or two, and he didn't want to spoil it like he had done in his fifth year.
"You don't seem very pleased to see us!" smiled Ron.
Harry grinned. He'd save the anger until he was sure.
..:Downstairs:..
Molly continued in making brunch, forcing Fleur to do likewise, and Minerva pulled Miracula to the corner of the kitchen and glared at her.
"A Horcrux?" she snarled angrily, "You kept part of the Dark Lord's soul in the house of some innocent people? What on Earth were you thinking, my child?"
Miracula looked forlorn, "I didn't think. That was the problem. I just thought Bill would approve of me helping to destroy Lord Voldemort at his wedding. And anyway, what's done is done, but four sevenths of hissoul remain. But this isn't a time for hardship, it should be a time for rejoicing, and anyway, when Harry discovers Ron and Hermione's secret, that will be a time for bloody hardship!"
McGonagall widened her eyes interestedly, "What secret would that be?"
Miracula smiled pleasantly, "Don't you know? We all think they've got a bit of a thing going on."
"Who is 'we'?"
"Fred, George, Molly, Arthur, everyone really."
McGonagall scoffed, "So it is almost definitely true! How interesting! I congratulate Ronald, but Granger could do a lot better than that!"
Fleur and Molly had brought an end to their conversation about Molly's outfit for the wedding (which, incidentally she hadn't bought yet) to listen to McGonagall and Miracula's. They had started to eavesdrop at the point where they had begun talking about Ron and Hermione. Molly was outraged by McGonagall's last sentence.
"My son is perfect!" she then contemplated about what she'd said and realised her fault, "Oh, whom am I kidding? Carry on."
Miracula opened her mouth to speak, but didn't, as the thought of Molly and Fleur listening had dampened her mood, just like the time George entered the room when she and Fred were kissing.
Instead she walked over to the sideboard, where The Daily Prophet was strewn across it like a rug on a floor. She picked it up and groaned at the front page.
"Skeeter's back. She must have realised that Hermione's deal has well and truly ended."
She glanced at the title and laughed, "Mustn't have got her hands on any good gossip. I quote: 'SCRIMGEOUR ADDED TO CHOCOLATE FROG CARDS a prize that ex-prime minister Cornelius Fudge never got the honour of obtaining. Rita Skeeter reports…'"
..:Ron's Bedroom:..
"So Fred is with Miracula, George is with Katie, of course Bill is with Fleur, and who's Charlie with?"
"No one!" laughed Ron, "He's desperate to get a girlfriend before the wedding. Even bloody Percy's got a girlfriend to take, that Penelope Clearwater, remember her?"
Harry nodded, "So he's coming?"
Ron sniffed, "Although he's a pompous and arrogant pig who doesn't know wrong from right, his heart's in the right place, and anyway, everyone likes weddings, who'd miss one?"
Harry smiled. He wanted them to admit their secret to him, but he wanted to provoke them until they had to first, "So we seem to be the only ones without dates, then?"
Ron and Hermione acquiesced awkwardly.
"So you don't have anyone then?"
They reluctantly nodded. Harry saw that they were regretting lying to their best friend. He was enjoying himself, "So neither of you are seeing anyone?"
Hermione looked at him, smiling away to himself and gasped, "You know! And you just wanted to hear it from the horse's mouth!"
"Or tongue!" he laughed at her as she stomped out embarrassedly.
He then looked at Ron whom Harry noticed was edging his way to the door.
"Don't go," chuckled Harry, "I'm happy for you. I find it hilarious."
Ron's ears had gone scarlet, his face likewise.
"Maybe we'd better go and help with brunch," he managed to utter. They exited.
..:Downstairs:..
"Boys!" tutted Hermione, entering the kitchen. Molly was cooking some chicken, by making it hover over a purple fire with her wand.
Fleur had replaced Miracula in stirring the undeterminable liquid, whilst Miracula lay on the work surface reading the newspaper.
McGonagall had taken to bewitching a broom to go around the kitchen sweeping up the remains of the third Horcrux – Helga Hufflepuff's cup.
"What?" asked Miracula lazily, sitting up slightly, her long brown hair tousled.
"They're so self-centred and conceited!"
"What's new?" laughed Miracula, sitting up completely and pushing herself off the side. She brushed her leather cloak down with her hand.
"I'll get the tables sorted!" she volunteered, springing out of the door.
"I'll join you!" said Hermione, walking out with Miracula.
Molly watched them go, and turned back to the chicken.
"Young women!"
..:Outside:..
Tables were flying everywhere, and the two young women were running around and trying to crush gnomes with them. Miracula was just dodging a low flying bench, when she said, "So what did Harry say about you and Ron that made you so annoyed?"
Hermione was about to answer, when she frowned and looked Miracula straight in the eyes.
"I didn't mention Harry saying anything about Ron and me. How did you know?"
Miracula suppressed a giggle and said, "Well we've all kind of guessed how long it would be before you told anyone. Bill actually realised you were together about a week and a half ago. I only found out five days ago, when I came for tea."
"You mean to say that you've basically been waiting for us to make ourselves an item, and laughing and betting behind our backs?"
Miracula nodded, and suddenly became very interested in her thumbnail.
Hermione shook her head vigorously and stomped her foot.
They then spent ten minutes putting the tables down, and another five laying them, by which time Molly emerged from the back door holding a giant tray of various dishes.
"Brunch time!" she shouted, strolling out into the garden, followed by McGonagall and Fleur, both carrying more trays.
Abruptly, a mad stampede was heard from inside the house, and, within ten seconds, a hoard of hungry people poured out of the door and sat themselves down along the massive length of table.
Harry was sitting at the centre of the long line of people, and could hear snippets of their conversations.
Fleur was talking to Miracula in fluent French, George was chatting animatedly to Charlie about broomsticks and Quidditch, Bill to Arthur about an embarrassing incident in work, and Molly to McGonagall about one of the fabulous dishes on the table.
"Alors, est-ce que je peux le livre ça tu lee parce que mon livre est ennuyeux?"
"So when you catch the Quaffle…"
"…you put it in the mixture, and then you add…"
"…twelve dozen workers who came to help…"
"…but I cried when I got it wrong the first time! So then I chopped up some…"
"…legs and then you place your hand…"
"…down the trousers of my secretary! And then my boss came in and said…"
"…the game's over. I think it's just…"
"…started bubbling again! And so to make matters even worse…"
"…I added a root vegetable. It seems to give it a flavour that reminds me of…"
"…pure cheek in my opinion! I'd only just…"
"…started to froth in the mouth! I hope it doesn't affect my reputation. Its already as good as a…"
"…chicken's liver. It tastes nice, and what's more, it's incredibly…"
"…evil to me. And it isn't just me, I'll tell you who agrees…"
"…my co-worker! She won't be talking to me for a hell of a long time!"
Harry had to laugh. It was amazing what you could hear from just a few people talking!