LETTERS FROM BEYOND
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters, if I did Ron and Hermione would already be together.
Gwyll-I hope that this chapter answers your questions about me making Ron and Hermione Head Boy and Head Girl, and thank you for reviewing my story.CHAPTER 6-DINNER WITH DUMBLEDORE
Ron nervously adjusted the collar of his dress robes, hoping that he had gotten himself to look presentable when compared to what he guessed that Hermione would look like. The twins had bought him new dress robes after in his mind the debacle that was the Yule Ball in his fourth year. He had wondered where they had gotten the money to afford such nice robes but then it all made sense after Harry revealed that he had given the twins his winnings from the TriWizard Tournament. Now he stood by the couch in their Head suite's living room, twirling one of the tassels of a rather fancy pillow around again and again, absolutely dreading the meeting that was to come. He surmised that Hermione was sitting in front of her mirror primping and preening, trying to make everything just right. All the while trying to jot down a list of ways that she thought that Hogwarts could be improved. No matter how hard he tried Ron could not come up with a way, in his eyes, that Hermione could be any more beautiful than he already thought that she was. He flung the pillow back onto the couch and was just about to reach down, grab the poker, and stir up the logs needlessly again when Hermione's door opened and she walked out, totally engrossed in a parchment that she was busily going over.
"I…I…I…," Ron tried to say with a pleasantly startled smile on his face before his smiled enveloped his entire face and laid bare his true feelings about how Hermione looked to him. After mentally checking a couple more items off of her list Hermione looked up, saw the look on Ron's face, and blushed a deep red right down to her roots. Walking slowly forward Ron gently tugged the parchment away from Hermione he thought for a moment and then tossed it into the fire. "Don't worry Mione, you committed them all to memory anyway right," Ron stated with a slightly scared look on his face as he turned back to Hermione and spoke up before she could protest his taking and burning of the parchment.
"But…," Hermione started to protest with a slightly hurt pout on her face before Ron made up the space between them and placing a quick kiss on her lips.
"I said don't worry about it, besides if you forget anything you'll remember it before we even get past the appetizer," Ron said with a sly grin on his face as he interlaced his fingers with Hermione's and the two Head's tried their very best to keep from blushing madly.
"But what if they ask to see it in written form, I had it all down so neatly…and I still have to write my essay for McGonagall after the meeting," Hermione whined with a nervous look on her face as she plopped down on the couch and looked up at Ron.
"That's what you're so worked up about…please Hermione, you and I both know that you could write that essay in under thirty minutes and still get a perfect score, so ya wanna tell me what's really bugging you…or do I have to guess," Ron said back with a slightly frustrated sigh as he plopped down on the couch beside Hermione and took her left hand into his.
"It's just that Harry…," Hermione began to say with a scared look on her face as she stared off into the fire.
"Oh…," Ron mumbled softly with a defeated and saddened look on his face as he quickly looked at the look on Hermione's face and then looked away, trying to hide his emotions.
"Don't give me that look Ronald Weasley, I'm just worried about him…and Ginny, I know that they're both hurting…and it hurts me that they're hurting," Hermione stated back sharply at first before her tone softened and she leaned into Ron a bit more, using her right hand to make him look at her.
"Me to…but what are we supposed to do about it, we can't just make either of them feel better, we have to get Harry to open up and actually talk to someone about what happened in the Ministry of Magic and get Ginny to settle down before she has a heart attack," Ron said back with an unhappy and worried look on his face as he slid his arm around Hermione's shoulders and held her close.
"We really have a hard road in front of us don't we…," Hermione whispered sadly back to Ron with a sour pout on her face as she absentmindedly began to play with the tassels on the pillow that Ron had earlier thrown onto the couch.
"To say the least, I mean I'm still surprised that Dumbledore named us Head Boy and Head Girl, usually only seventh years are selected," Hermione agreed with a nervous and somewhat scared look on her face as she leaned her head back and looked Ron squarely in the face.
"I reckon that Dumbledore has his reasons, he must think that we can do the job…or perhaps he knows something about Voldemort that we don't and believes that Harry will need a place away from everyone this year," Ron said with an optimistic smile on his face before he leaned in close and lightly kissed Hermione on the forehead.
"You're probably right, I'm just afraid that it's not our grades or…I don't have a problem being Head Girl alright, it's just that I don't want to be Head Girl unless I've earned it, I don't want it simply because we're friends with Dumbledore," Hermione stated with an unhappy pout on her face as she took particular interest in one of the pillow's tassels, wrapping it tightly again and again around her index finger.
"Well I'm pretty sure that I didn't get Head Boy because of my sterling marks," Ron pointed out with a slightly defeated look on his face as first he gazed off into the fire before he lifted his eyes up and took a good look at the clock, noticing that they still had a few more minutes to relax before heading out for the dinner meeting with Dumbledore and McGonagall.
"Your marks weren't that bad Ron, sure you could have studied a bit more here and there, but you still did well…right," Hermione said with a defensive look on her face as she snuggled in up next to Ron a bit tighter and gave the clock on the mantel above their fireplace a quick peek to check and make sure that they wouldn't be late.
"Well I did okay, not sure if I've quite got the marks to be an auror…then again it's not like I was really shooting to be an auror…just would have been nice, since you and Harry will both probably be," Ron replied with a distant look in his eyes as he stared off into the fire before checking his watch.
"Who said that I wanted to be an auror, their jobs don't seem challenging enough for me…besides, I feel that my efforts would be better suited becoming a healer," Hermione said with a mildly surprised look on her face as she forced herself to stand up and out of Ron's warm and comforting embrace.
"You'd be the best healer that St. Mungro's has ever seen," Ron beamed with pride back at her as he slowly stood up and took one of her hands into his.
"St. Mungro's…but if I were to work and train there and you and Harry were to become aurors then," Hermione began with a very thoughtful frown on her face before Ron got the message of where her thoughts were headed.
"I wouldn't count on us both becoming aurors Hermione, I'd rather stay near you and take my chances than split us up by heading off to train to be an auror," Ron countered with a very sincere look on his face before he and Hermione walked to the door of their room, gave the password, and stepped out into the long hallway.
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They entered Dumbledore's office slowly, with each still in awe of the great room even though they had already been there a time or two. Hermione's gaze longingly fell over the many shelves of old books on the one side of the room while Ron wondered what all of the various magical instruments did that lined the other shelves. Professor McGonagall had shown them in, with her deep purple robes billowing about her. Even though she could be quite harsh Ron had always respected the head of his house, partially due to the fact that she seemed to love Quidditch a great deal and wanted her house to win the house cup every year. On the other hand for Hermione in some respects Professor McGonagall demonstrated much of what she wished for herself in the future. All except for the part about not having anyone like she now had Ron.
"Mister Weasley, Miss Granger…so nice of you to come early, the last Head Boy and Head Girl arrived precisely two minutes late last year and we…," Dumbledore started to say with a very appreciative smile on his face before McGonagall cut in.
"That was last year Albus, Mr. Weasley and Ms. Granger do not need to be regaled with the failure's of past Head's to arrive on time to this meal," McGonagall interjected with a stern but kind smile on her face as she waved her wand and a large door appeared in the bookcase on one side of Dumbledore's office. Ron was about to ask how she had done that when McGonagall ushered them all through that door and into a small room with a large round table, with four elegant chairs, sat in the middle, decked out with a feast, and a phonograph sitting on a small table up against the far wall. Immediately upon them entering the room a soft and soothing melody began to play.
"It is enchanted to play when anyone enters the room," Dumbledore informed them with a warm smile on his face and a twinkle in his eye before he hiked up his robes and made his way over to the table.
"It's a lovely tune," Hermione said with a somewhat more relaxed look on her face than she had when she had first entered Dumbledore's office.
"Thank you Ms. Granger, I picked it out myself especially for tonight, I'd hoped that you and Mr. Weasley would like it," Dumbledore said back with a very pleased smirk on his face as he, Ron, Hermione, and Professor McGonagall were seated and the door to the room shut behind them.
"Yeah…love it," Ron mumbled out softly under his breath as his eyes grew wide and he licked his lips while staring at the large amount of food on his plate.
"Ron," Hermione scolded him with an unhappy scowl on her face as she lightly elbowed him in the shoulder.
"It's quite alright Ms. Granger, I am aware of Ronald's legendary appetite and so planned accordingly, please…we should begin before it gets cold," Dumbledore said with a sympathetic expression on his face before he and the others dug in.
"Professor Dumbledore," Hermione asked with a nervous look on her face as she picked up her fork and turned to the Headmaster.
"Yes Hermione," Dumbledore asked with a twinkle in his eye, already knowing what her question would be.
"Excuse my brashness…but," Hermione began to say with a nervous look on her face before Dumbledore spoke up.
"Why did I make the two of you Head's when the honor usually goes to two seventh years…it greatly had to do with the fact that I believe that Voldemort is almost ready to begin his war against the wizarding world, and because of that I needed two Head's that I knew were beyond reproach in their honesty, loyalty, bravery, and most importantly were two that I would entrust my own life to," Dumbledore interjected with a soft but yet very serious and worried tone to his voice as he leaned a bit closer to Hermione before popping a tart into his mouth.
"Of course you understand Ms. Granger…Mr. Weasley, none of what we speak of here tonight at this table is to be discussed outside of this room or in anyone's company but ours," McGonagall added with a very serious and grim frown on her face before she picked up her knife and fork and started to slice off a piece of her steak.
"Yes ma'am," Both Hermione and Ron said in unison with very serious looks on their faces before Ron took a large sip of his drink.
"With that being said I want the two of you to be on your highest guard, if you see or hear anything out of the ordinary you are to come to one of us immediately, Voldemort could attack at any time and if we are to get the younger students out of the line of fire when that happens we need to be one step ahead of him," Dumbledore added with a calm but yet serious look on his face as he picked up a grape off of his plate.
"Perhaps we should send some of the younger students home, reinforce the protective runes about the castle, close off any section of the castle that is not in use, strategically place magical traps within the school that are only activated once an attack has begun, we could also lift the spell that prevents anyone from apparating in or out of Hogwarts once the battle had begun…or collect enough port keys so that everyone that's not in any condition to fight can get away as to minimize the number hurt or…," Hermione stated quickly with a very deep in thought look on her face as Ron stayed quiet at first before he began to stare oddly at her as she continued on her rant of possible ideas to protect both the school and the students from Voldemorts future attack.
"Is all of that possible, I mean we could do some of that but he's already gotten in once before with Tom Riddle's diary…what if he tries something like that again," Ron wondered aloud with a worried look on his face after he swallowed a large amount of food and wiped his mouth clean with his napkin.
"I'm not sure if all of it is Ronald, but you do make a good point about Voldemort possibly using subterfuge to gain access to Hogwarts," McGonagall said with a concerned look on her face as she set her knife down and turned to Dumbledore.
"If that were to happen then most of my ideas would prove useless," Hermione moaned with a defeated and unhappy look on her face as she set her spoon down and hung her head.
"But they were still good ideas Mione," Ron said with a comforting and supportive tone to his voice as unconsciously he reached his hand up and took a hold of Hermione's and gave it a squeeze. Without really thinking Hermione smiled back at him and returned the squeeze.
"I see that congratulations are in order," Dumbledore asked with a sly wink and smirk on his face as he beamed across the table at Hermione and Ron before the two realized that they were holding hands and quickly let go and stared straight down at their plates.
"You two do not have to be shy about your feelings for each other at this table Ms. Granger, Mr. Weasley…I am glad that the two of you have finally realized what many of us have known for some time," McGonagall said with a happy but reserved smile on her face as she looked first to Hermione and then to Ron.
"Some time…," Hermione wondered with a confused and scared look on her face as her eyes grew a bit wider before Dumbledore answered.
"I believe that we first noticed that small spark between the two of you before you accompanied Harry past Fluffy in your quest for the sorcerer's stone, after that it was all a waiting game…to see how long it would be before the two of you realized your mutual feelings for the other, but don't worry Hermione, we teachers kept this knowledge in the closest of confidence, Hagrid was so pleased that he nearly broke all of the fine china in the kitchen," Dumbledore interjected with a warm and very happy smile on his face before he popped another grape into his mouth.
"I think Albus, that in the future when we give Hagrid such good news that we make sure that he is not anywhere near the kitchen," McGonagall added with a stern but warm pout on her face as she picked her knife back up. For a moment Hermione looked about ready to blush herself to death. "Relax Ms. Granger, as I see that it is your choice to keep your relationship with Mr. Weasley a secret we will not tell anyone else, and Hagrid has been warned to keep it a secret, but I feel that I should warn you that he will probably want to congratulate the two of you personally, so I suggest that the two of you find a time where you can both visit him apart from the others," McGonagall added with a sly smirk on her face before she nodded her head to first Hermione and then Ron.
"Good idea," Ron said with a nervous smile on his face before he hurriedly stuffed an entire giant roll into his mouth and began to slowly chew.
"But…how did you know," Hermione asked with a nervous look on her face as she slowly picked her glass up off of the table.
"It was obvious from the start, how the two of you acted around each other, what one of you would do for the other without any expectation of a thank you…why the last time that we had two people that argued as much as the two of you it was Molly and Arthur Weasley," Dumbledore replied with a calm twinkle in his eye before he tore a piece off of a roll and put it into his mouth.
"I can still remember having to tell them to quiet down so that the other students could get a decent night's rest…but now since we are on the subject, may I ask why you do not want a great multitude to know the good news," McGonagall added softly with a fond look of nostalgia on her face before she posed the question that secretly she really wanted to know the answer to.
"Harry's already got to much on his plate, the last thing that he needs is to be worrying about us even more than he already does, besides seeing how every little thing that Harry does now gets plastered all over the papers…," Ron answered quickly with a nervous but slightly more confidant than before look on his face as he stepped in before Hermione could get a word in edgewise.
"I understand completely Mr. Weasley, we will speak no more of it tonight…and do not worry, your secret is safe with us," Dumbledore said with a kind smile on his face as he lightly patted Ron on the shoulder before he turned his attention back to his plate of food.
END OF CHAPTER 6