I'm back so soon! I just finished chapter 14, so as promised, here's a new one. Please review if you can, it means the most! Thank you to the review I've gotten so far by user LindyAmy! You're the best!
"Oh Arthur it's horrible, just horrible! The poor girl." Molly says sadly, just now finishing her talk with Hermione.
Arthur has just gotten in from his shed. Nearby, Ron heard his parents exchange from his spot at the chess board in the living room.
"What's happened dear, is it Ron?" His voice drops in a whisper, but Ron can still hear them speaking despite being in the kitchen.
"She didn't mention him," he breathes in relief, "surely that's got to do with it, but it's her grandmother."
"Her grandmother?" Arthur asked.
There was a pause, no doubt his mother was nodding, "she's sick with a Muggle illness, she has been for sometime. From the letter Hermione showed me her parents don't think she has much time. They've traveled to France to make sure she's comfortable." Molly is beginning to sound chocked up, Ron's starting to feel the same way.
The youngest Weasley boy hears the shuffle of feet. Nearby, his father embraces his mother.
"It'll be okay Molly Wobbles." He soothes.
"What are we going to do Arthur? The poor girl seemed so sad, so unlike Hermione when we spoke. She's one of our own you know." The older woman cries into her husbands shoulder.
He pulls back to look into her sad eyes, "I know she is, she means so much to the kids, to all of us." He promises, "we'll do our best to give her a happy Christmas, take her mind off of everything. It'll be good for all of us."
Molly sighs, "you're right Arthur, you always are." then her voice drops again, "I'm worried about her and Ronnie. I'm sure there's a strain there."
Now it's her husbands turn to sign, "me too Molly, but Ron will fix it. He loves her too much, I can see it. He'll figure it out, have some faith dear." He finishes it off by pecking her head lightly.
As Ron hears their conversation end he can't help but nod to himself in agreement. His father was right.
He loves Hermione too much to let things stay this way.
Before his thoughts could wander further, or his mother and father could draw on, a loud crack is heard beyond the wards.
Instantly, the entire house is running out to the garden with their wands drawn.
Ron, Arthur, and Molly are outside first, having been the only ones downstairs. Fred and George appear next with Harry. Immediately after Ginny and Hermione clamber out.
Instinctively Ron's hand finds hers, not giving two shits if there's all this tension between them. He needs to make sure she's alright.
And shocking to him, she doesn't pull away or resist as he gently tugs her slightly behind him. He knows she's too stubborn to allow him to completely shield her. And he knows she's more than capable of holding her own, probably more so then him, but again, he can't help it.
Over the horizon a somewhat familiar figure it approaching as everyone grows more tense.
"Well," a mans voice hollers, "this is some welcome, isn't it?"
As he steps into the light, everyone drops their wands with a relieved huff. Molly flings herself at her son.
"I thought you were coming tomorrow." She chastises lightly, but isn't disappointed at all.
Charlie hugs his mother in return, "I thought I'd surprise you, but I definitely should've gave a warning." He laughs lightly.
Molly let's go as Arthur moves closer, clapping his son the shoulder, "nonsense. You're always welcome, happy to have you home son."
Charlie hasn't spent Christmas at the Burrow since he graduated from Hogwarts, always being too busy in Romania.
"Charles!" The twins shouted in unison approaching their older brother.
"Gits!" He responds mocking their tones.
"We can't wait to hear about how you tamed all those dragons in Romania." Fred started.
"How you tamed those Romanian chicks too." George winked.
In response, Molly smacked them both upside their head.
Ginny then came crashing into Charlie.
"Wow you got big," he laughed as he embraced her, "and stronger too."
She pulls away and smiled, "and you got...scruffier?" The girl says noticing his growing stubble.
Charlie peers over his shoulder to find Harry standing awkwardly, "oh, you must be Harry."
Harry then steps forward and holds out his hand, "yeah that'd be me. I've heard a lot about you too. Thanks for those gifts you sent in my fourth year." He joked lightly.
Charlie cringes slightly before letting out a chuckle. However, his laughs halts as he spots a familiar face.
"Ronnie!" He exclaims excitedly, tackling his youngest brother in a hug and forcing him to let go of Hermione's soft hand.
"Alright Charlie, you'd think we hadn't seen each other in three years." He jokes lightly.
At this, his older brother pulls away a bit red, "I'm sorry, it's just when you write it's usually about how you've nearly escaped death. I'm just happy to see you alright is all." He justifies. He pulls away quickly as if he's seen the golden snitch, "and you!"
Hermione jumps a little as his blue eyes find hers.
"So I hear you're the reason Ronnie is even alive. Hermione, am I right? I've heard so much about you."
She flushes, "no, it's a group effort really. Normally all I do is browse a little, in hindsight it's not very challenging, or amazing really, I kind of just," she rambles nervously.
"Hermione!" Ginny cuts off with a smile.
Even more embarrassed, the witch extends her hand, "yes that's me, Hermione Granger."
Charlie's accepts her hand and shakes it, "charmed." He laughs.
At this, she manages a small smile as well, "I must ask about your work in Romania, it must be fascinating! I myself am very interested in Magical Creatures, especially their rights, things of that nature. Now, I must ask you..." her voice trails as she walks back inside the Burrow with Charlie.
For a moment, Ron allows himself to smile at how animated Hermione has become. It's the most lively he's seen her in weeks, no, months. But, as quickly as the smile comes, it fades away at the notion that it wasn't Ron who got her that way.
...
Hermione's outburst was short lived. It only lasted about five more minutes after they had entered the house. She had expressed interest in Magical Creatures and their rights, Charlie had filled her in some, and before anyone knew it she was gone. The far off look in her eyes had returned before she announced she was tired and ran back to Ginny's room to continue some research.
In her wake was a stunned Charlie, a cringing set of twins, a very uncomfortable Harry and Arthur, a frowning Ginny and Molly, and a devastated Ron.
"Was it something I said?" Charlie asked sounding a little guilty as his ears twinged pink.
"No dear," Molly soon assured, "there's something I'd actually like to talk to you all about."
At this everyone dropped their tasks at hand (quidditch magazines and chess) and turned to the matriarch.
"Now as I am sure some of you are aware," she starts, eyes momentarily flickering to the younger children, "Hermione's grandmother is rather unwell. Her Mum think she'll pass any day now."
At this the twins let out a small gasp, instantly feeling bad about all the teasing she's been the center of as of late. Charlie nodded his head sadly.
"It's a very hard thing for her, from what I understand they were close,"
"She's the only one who knew she was a witch. Besides her parents I mean." Ron interjects before he can help himself.
"Yes," his mother nods, "so it is our duty to make sure that Hermione has a wonderful Christmas despite everything, yes?" It seems as if her eyes are now drilling holes into the twins heads.
"We didn't do anything Mum!" Fred defended.
"Not a thing!" George added,
"Yeah, if anything you should be telling Ronnie to clean up his act, not us!" Fred stated rather boldly, making his youngest brother turn red.
"As much as I would love for Ron to fix whatever has gotten him and Hermione avoiding one another," Molly began making her son flush deeper, "that is his business. You two just mind yours!"
"Alright Mum." George appeased, "we promise to behave. Now I'm off to bed, work in the morning. Night everyone, good to have you back Charlie."
As George clambered up the steps Fred followed, sending a nod to his older brother and kissing his Mum sweetly on the cheek.
From a nearby corner, Arthur yawned, "I think they had the right idea. I've got to be at the Ministry early. I'm doing extra time to get off earlier Christmas Eve."
"Come on then," Molly said ushering her tired husband to the steps, "don't say up too late kids." She reminds before disappearing upstairs.
After a few moments of silence, Harry spoke, "I think I'd better check on Hermione. I haven't really had the chance to talk to her since we arrived." He said sheepishly.
In response, Ginny nodded, "good idea. I'll make some tea to bring up to her."
At this proclamation the pair stood up and parted ways, each determined to finish their self assigned tasks.
"Speaking of Hermione," Charlie said as soon as Ginny had left the room, "what is all this so called tension between the two of you?" He asked curiously, "I swear I saw the pair of you holding hands when I walked up."
Sighing, Ron flopped onto the couch next to his older brother, "I reckon Bill's filled in you in some yeah?"
Bill and Charlie shared just about everything with each other. By telling one something, it was bound to get to the other. They were like the twins but less annoying.
Besides that, Ron did make a habit of trying to write Charlie once a month. In his most recent letter he briefly mentioned an incident with Lavender, and not wanting to go into more detail, Ron simply wrote Charlie to ask Bill for more information.
At the statement about Bill, his older brother nodded. Charlie's somewhat up to date knowledge on the events were a great relief to Ron. He didn't think he had it in him to relive the past few months anymore then he did at dinner.
"So you know much I've effed up?" Charlie didn't agree nor disagree with Ron's statement, "don't worry, I've managed to mess it up more." He promises his older brother.
"Come off it Ronnie, don't be so hard on yourself." The dragon tamer said despite not knowing what's happened now.
Telling about Hermione ignoring him and lavender.
At this, Ron delves into an explanation similar to the one he gave about Harry. He recapped the events outside the dining hall and on the train.
By the end, Charlie's teeth were clenched in sympathy, "so now she thinks you want her to just ignore you? That you'd be happier that way?" He asks.
"I wouldn't be."
Charlie sighs, "I know and I reckon Hermione does too," at this Ron's eyes meet his brothers, "she's under a lot of stress right now and with everything that's happened between you and her. She's heart broken Ron. Heart break will make you think things you know aren't true, it just does the worst to people."
At his words, the youngest Weasley brother felt as if someone had poured cold water over him. An astounding chill worked its way up his spine.
"Mental isn't it?" He starts after a few moments, voice hoarse, "that her heart had even been mine to break. If I had known that were the case I would've been, I would've made sure," he was frustrated with his lack of words, "I would've been more careful. I wouldn't have hurt her, I never wanted to." He admitted.
Ron felt fresh tears prick the corners of his eyes. Not wanting to cry in front of his brother, he sucks them in and speaks again, "how do I fix this?"
Charlie thinks for a moment, "well you could tell her what you're telling me?" He suggested.
Quickly Ron shook his head, "I've tried trust me, she's just, she's just so brilliant. She's so brilliant that she's managed to convince herself I don't give a rats arse about her so whenever I try to tell her otherwise it always come out wrong, or she takes it the wrong way." He explains recalling what happened on the train.
"Right," his older brother nodded, "you've never been great with words Ronnie."
At this, Ron rolled his eyes.
"Okay, I have an idea," Charlie's eyes brighten, "if words aren't enough to let her know then you need to take some action."
"Action?"
"Sure, a grand gesture of sorts, something that'll do all the talking for you, you know what I mean?" Ron's face remained blank, "come on Ronnie! Like a grand gesture, write her a letter, snog her senseless, a gift, something,"
Before the dragon tamer could go on something sparked in Ron's brain, "Merlin, I've had the best idea!" He leaps from the couch, "Charlie, have you still got that old copy of Hogwarts, A History in yours and Bill's room?"
His brother stands now, even more confused then before, "considering I haven't been in my room in years, then maybe?" He tries.
"Never mind, I'll look myself! Thank you Charlie, you're brilliant! Brilliant!" He exclaims as he heads to the steps.
"Ron! What in the hell could you want with some bloody old book Muriel got Bill and I when I was a first year?"
"No time to explain! Christmas is in just three days, I have to work fast!" At this Ron flew up the steps.
Finally, he's had an epiphany. One that'll hopefully help him make things right.
Any ideas what Ron's thinking? Let me know!
Next time we see what exactly Ron is up to. Two people also arrive at the Burrow!
Please review! Until next time!
