Thank you to all who reviewed! I'm in a rush and can't name them all, so instead I promise to create an 'Author's Note' chapter with all your names in, ok?
Ron watched thoughtfully as Hermione stormed off, nose in the air and lips tightly pressed together in a thin line…strongly reminding him of Professor McGonnagal. He wrinkled his nose, feeling the urge to run to the nearest loo and throw up, but swallow a few times, trying to rid the horrid images of him snogging a teacher from his head.
"Mr. Granger!" Ron called vaguely in the direction of the three Grangers, who were huddled together, obviously trying to keep warm. It was only then that Ron actually realised how cold the air was and realised in shock that it must have dropped at least 10 degrees since they'd…well, he'd, come outside. The Grangers still hadn't set a foot in the house yet and Ron intended to keep it that way until what ever chaos that was going on in the Burrow had subsided.
"Yes?" The reply came from behind him, causing Ron to jump and quickly turn around and found he staring directly into Mr.Granger's cold, blue eyes. "Aren't you supposed to be showing us something?"
Ron mentally kicked himself for that making up a more fail proof plan, but then of course he had had less than 10 seconds to think. Could he risk taking them back inside the house? Ron sneaked a glance over at the burrow…well, it was still standing and that had to mean something.
"Never mind…" Ron said distractedly, sidestepping the old man and strolling back over to the house. He pointed at the house, "Come on! Dinner is waiting for us!"
A loud yell sounded from inside the house and Ron froze, looking nervously over at the Grangers, who had also stopped walking. More yells could be heard and a soft crackling noise and before Ron knew what was happening a loud bang erupted from the house, throwing him off his feet and causing him to land sprawled on the grass. Ron cursed loudly, before looking back up at the burrow. Thick, black clouds of smoke were issuing from the ground floor windows and wasn't until someone started shouting, "WE'RE GOING TO DIE!" that Ron realised that the kitchen was in fact on fire. More screams could be heard, no doubtedly coming from his older brothers, along with a clanging noise, which sounded suspiciously like pots and pans being thrown across the room. Then without warning everything went quiet and the only thing that was heard was a few hushed whispers and then a sizzling noise, before the black clouds began to clear.
Ron blinked several times, unsure of whether what he'd just witnessed was reality or a dream…maybe the whole thing was a dream. Maybe he'd dreamt everything, the bad luck, the curse, the snake disappearance, his mum's nervous breakdown…maybe the Grangers were coming for dinner the next day…OR even better, they weren't coming at all—The Grangers!
Ron came back to reality with a painful bump and he slowly turned around to face the Grangers. Ron didn't think he'd seen any of the three so petrified in his entire life. Mr.Granger had turned a deathly white and was hugging his wife so tightly that Ron suspected he'd reacted on instinct. Mrs.Granger was clutching onto her husband and staring wide-eyed at the Burrow, one hand gripping onto Hermione's arm and the other still grasping her handbag. Hermione herself was sprawled on the floor, obviously having been thrown down by her mother and father to protect her from the blast. Her attention however was fixed on Ron, her eyes glaring hard at him and her face covered in nail marks.
"I guess dinner isn't ready then, eh?" Ron said, laughing nervously, shutting up instantly as he spotted the look Hermione's father was giving him. Mrs. Granger was shaking her head in disbelief at Ron, as she began to back away slowly from the house.
"W-w-what just happened?" She asked faintly, clutching a hand to her heart and staring horrified at the house.
"Err…" What could he do! This was something even Hermione couldn't help him out of…not that she would, especially not after this…oh no, he could kiss his good grades good bye from now on. "…what do you mean?"
"What do you mean, what do you mean!" Mrs Granger answered furiously, her eyes ablaze and her expression one of fury, "I mean, your house just blowing up before us! Or are you blind as well as stupid?"
"Mum!" Hermione moaned, turning a bright red but continuing to glare at Ron all the same.
"OH, that…" Ron said vaguely, running a hand through his tousled hair. "That…that…happens all the time. You see, our oven is magical just like us, you see, we purchased it at 'Magic-it-away!' and all the things they sell there are magic. Anyway, this oven is supposed to start letting off dark smoke when the food it's cooking…is ready."
"Oh, right…but I'm sure your brother's yell of 'We're going to die!' was caused by the oven too, huh?" Mr.Granger said sarcastically, almost tempting Ron to say yes, just to annoy him, but even Ron wasn't that stupid.
"Of course not!" Ron snorted, faking a look of humour, "No, you see, they—"
"Are rehearsing a play." Hermione cut in, smiling angelically at her father for the second time that night. Ron wished sorely that she'd give him the same look, just once, so he could savour it forever.
"Really?" Mr. Granger asked in shock, "Well, why didn't you say so, pudding?"
"It's to be performed at Hogwarts next term you see and it was supposed to be surprise for everyone, including the parents!" Ron added, thinking extra fast.
"What play is it?" Mrs. Granger asked, obviously not falling her daughter's 'sweet-as-can-be' act.
"Macbeth." Hermione said instantly.
"That's strange…" Mrs. Granger murmured softly, pretending to think, "I saw that play in high school and yet I don't recall that saying being in the script."
"Of course it wasn't!" Ron exclaimed, "Fred and George just haven't had enough practice yet!"
Great, Ron thought, how was he supposed to get out of this fix? Hermione's parents would most definitely be interested in seeing the play and how was he going to tell them, when the time came, that there wasn't one? What was he supposed to do! Take Dumbledore hostage and refuse to release him unless he decided to do a Christmas school play, pacifically called 'Macbeth'!
AN: Sorry, I haven't added more but my mind has gone blank…also sorry if I just kept babbling on. I promise to make the next chapter more interesting and better written!