Chapter Two: Muggle Lessons
Harry walked up to the door of the Burrow and knocked. After a few moments, Mrs. Weasley showed up and let him in.
"Hello Harry, to what do we owe this pleasure? Where's Ginny? She didn't come with you?" asked Mrs. Weasley.
"No Mrs. Weasley, she's still back at 'Potter Palace' with Hermione. They're busy discussing wedding details. I was wondering if Ron is home, I need to talk to him for a bit if you don't mind?"
"Of course not Harry, he's in his room finishing up on some article that he is writing for the Daily Prophet. You know, I am surprised at how well that boy has done. Head Sports writer for the Daily Prophet! It boggles my mind. Anyway, I'll just get some snacks ready for you two while you go get him." And with that, Mrs. Weasley started puttering around the kitchen.
Harry climbed the stairs to Ron's room, thinking of how he would go about the business of persuading Ron to take 'muggle lessons'. He knocked on Ron's door.
"Mum! How many times do I have to tell you not to bother me when my door is shut?" Ron shouted. "I could be in the middle of something! I could be listening to my muse! I could be…"
"Keeping your best friend waiting in the hall!" Harry interjected.
"Harry! Sorry mate, I thought it was someone else." Ron opened the door. He was standing there in quidditch robes with blue streaks in his red hair. "Sorry, I was listening to the Cannons game on the wireless. Coming in?"
"No, your mum's making some snacks downstairs and I have to admit that I'm famished. Anyways, I need to talk to you about some stuff. The girls sent me over with a list of tasks to be taken care of for next week." Harry replied.
The two friends went downstairs to the kitchen where Mrs. Weasley had set out some crisps and tarts and then quietly left the two of them alone. Harry mentioned that the dress robes would be ready on the Monday, and that they would have to go for a final fitting to make sure that everything was right. In his mind he was frantically trying to figure out a way to bring the subject around to muggles.
"So Ron, erm… What's your Dad's latest muggle obsession? I haven't been able to come around as much lately as I would have liked, so I was wondering if you knew." Harry said hesitantly.
Ron gave him a strange look. "Harry, you've been over here every day for the past two weeks, and my Dad doesn't have time for his muggle things anymore now that he's Minister. What's with you?"
Harry felt his ears go hot as he realized how idiotic he must have sounded. He decided that the best way to go would be the truth, or at least a version of it.
"Well, I kind of wanted to talk to you about muggles actually. How much do you know about them anyway? I mean, do you know how they communicate, what kind of schools they go to? That kind of stuff…"
"Harry are you daft? You were raised with muggles! I don't know any of these things, but you should? I think that the stress of marrying my sister has sent you right over the edge!" Ron was looking really concerned about Harry, who thought that Hermione had a point. Ron was really clueless sometimes.
"No Ron! I want to know how much YOU know about them. Look, Hermione was talking with Ginny over at our place, and was a little upset that you didn't know much about where she came from. She feels like you two can't connect. You both are my best mates, and I am telling you, that for your sake and hers, you should learn more about muggles." Ron looked like he had just been hit by twenty Stunners. "It means a lot to Hermione, Ron. You should know more about them. It would help you get along with her better."
"Okay then Harry, what would you like to teach me about muggles?" Said Ron laughingly.
Harry sighed and shook his head.
"Ron, Hermione is going to teach you. Boy can you ever be daft sometimes! Listen, you care about Hermione right?"
"Of course I do! What are you getting at?"
"Ron, if you care about her, you are going to take muggle lessons from her. At the very least, it will give the two of you some time together, right?"
Ron was the one shaking his head this time. "Sure Harry whatever you say. I still don't think that this is going to do any good though. I'll be sure to make is my first priority after the wedding is over okay?"
Harry laughed. Ron had always been a procrastinator and Harry knew that Ron thought that if he put it off, it would be forgotten. That was why everyone had agreed that he should not be allowed to do so.
"Ron, you start your lessons tomorrow." Ron started to protest, but Harry interrupted him. "It's a Saturday, and Hermione has made plans for the two of you to go to the museum. We felt that the best place to start would be with some muggle history. She'll be waiting for you at the main entrance at 11:00 in the morning." Harry got up to leave, "Oh one other thing, Hermione thought that it would be good for you to take muggle transportation to get there, just so that you are in the right frame of mind when you arrive. She thought that it would be a good exercise for you." Ron shot him a gaze that clearly said that Harry had turned traitor, and with that, Harry left the Burrow, secretly wishing Ron luck the next day.