Disclaimer: Everything belongs to J.K. Rowling

Playing House

Chapter 7: The qualm

"Julie?" Ron stared at her as though he could not believe his eyes. For a moment he was stunned.

"Hello Ron," Julie greeted him hesitantly, looking scared of his reaction, and she lowered her eyes to the floor.

"Please come in," said Ron awkwardly after a second, gathering his senses and he indicated her to come inside.

"Well," murmured Julie, fixing her hair behind her ear, "I have important things to tell you," she stated as they led the way to the sitting room.

"You won't believe that," she started excitedly, "after you left the Ministry-" she froze midsentence and her eyes widenedsuddenly as she noticed Hermione was sitting in the room. "Oh," she said, looking surprise to see her. Hermione sent Ron a confused glance in the meantime.

"Julie," Ron started awkardly, "this is my best friend Hermione," he declared, trying to sound nonchalant.

"Hello," said Hermione standing to shake her hand.

"I've heard about you," said Julie with an awkward smile, eyeing her suspiciously as they shook hands.

"Hermione," Ron continued, "this is Julie. She is my colleague."

"Nice to meet you Julie," said Hermione flatly.

There was an awkward silence, both women looked at Ron expectantly for an explication. Ron gulped for air, for a moment he was panicked with the situation.

"Well," he said hoarsely, "Hermione dropped over to ask me something," he lied quickly; for fear that Julie might understand their little secret. " And she was already going," he said, trying to keep his voice casual, "weren't you, Hermione?" he asked his eyes pleading her not to oppose.

Hermione's eyes widened for a moment but then "oh," she said, "oh yes indeed," she said, with a fake bright tone, "I was alread going," she stated and after shooting Ron a sharp glare, she sprinted to the door and walked out of the house.

After they heard the click of the door, Julie gave away a smile. Ron returned her smile awkwardly but a sick feeling got him on the stomach. Why did Hermione look disappointed? The thought flitted through his mind. He didn't something wrong, did he?

"You were going to say something Julie," he said indicating her the couch quickly gathering his senses back.

"Oh yes," Julie's face lit up as she sat down on the couch. Ron sat next to her.

"Today, after you left the Ministry, I went to the St. Mungos," she started to tell vehemently, "then I again dropped by the Ministry to leave the rapport," she continued, Ron listened to her carefully, "while I was there, Robert entered the office and told me that he found the adress where the murderer had been hiding with his gang!"

"Oh merlin," Ron leapt to his feet in joy.

"So Robert told me to inform you on Monday," she continued, "but I thought you would like to know without delay," she said with a huge smile.

Ron was clever enough that it wasn't the actual reason of her visit, however he was too happy to push the matter. For the last two days he noticed that there was something strange with her looks, and her attitude towards him had changed quite a lot, which he didn't mind at all.

"Yes," he said as he paced in the room, "that's great, so we can go there for raid, huh?" he asked looking excited.

"Yes," approved Julie.

"Do you want to drink something?" asked Ron eagerly.

"Yes, I would like to," she answered giving him a big smile. For a moment, Ron was very distracted; he quickly forgot the fact that he had almost dismissed Hermione out of the house.

While Ron poured down the drinks, out of the corner of his eyes, he saw Julie was putting out her coat, he instantly noticed that she was wearing the same skirt, which she wore for the morning. Blood rushed to his face, he gulped for some air.

He sat back to his seat next to her; they sat quietly sipping their drinks for a moment. Ron didn't know what to say because they had never hang out outside the Ministry and they had always talked about job. Therefore the situation was uncomfortable.

Instead speaking, he began to watch her, which he hadn't done before. Her hair was straight and blonde, looking smooth and bright, reaching her waist. She was tall and not so skinny which was perfect for a woman, Ron considered. Also, she had lovely, deep black eyes. She was really beautiful and Ron noticed that at that very moment.

"She can't have come here for job," Ron thought mentally as he sipped his drink slowly, "if she did, she would go instantly after she told the news."

"How did she find my house?" He wondered. Then he remembered that his adress had been registered for correspondence.

While he watched her in amazement, Julie gave him another smile. Thus, one more time Ron was convinced that, that night Julie visited him for more.

As though Julie knew what he had been thinking about suddenly she leaned in closer. Ron's eyes widened in shock. After a second, before he could recover from the first shock, He felt her wet lips on his neck. Julie turned her head and looked into his eyes for approval with a hungry expression. Ron was too shocked. He hesitated for a split second then awkwardly smiled at her. And Julie took that as an agreement.

After that, Julie slowly but surely began to move closer. Ron was stunned to move, he instinctively put his glass onto the floor. Smiling, Julie mimicked him. Then she continued to kiss him on the neck. Under the flowery scent of her perfum, Ron felt dizzy. All he could do was to close his eyes.

When Julie reached his lips, Ron couldn't help but gave away a small moan. What was he doing? he didn't know. He was sort of under a charm. He wasn't under a charm actually; the reason was; it was totally unexpected. However, he felt the desire with his whole body. He began responding her.

Then Julie's hands began running through his hair passionately. Everything was happening so quickly. He was breathing heavily and his heart was ponding madly. He rested motionless however Julie seemed to know what she was doing.

"Did she have feeling for him?" he thought mentally in the meantime. "If so why he didn't notice before?" he wondered. "Was it a coincidence with the DRM job?" The doubt harassed his mind. But he quickly ignored the idea. How could her feeling related with the job? While he was immersed in his thoughts, Julie was pushing up his jumper.

"You don't do something bad," said the inner voice of him. "A beautiful woman wants you, why would decline her?" he consoled himself. It had been a long time since he met someone so enthusiastic.

"But why you are not comfortable?" asked to himself when Julie completely on the top him, in the small couch. Her long nails scratched on his bare chest, leaving small red bruises on his skin.

At that moment, his eyes caught the side of the package on the easel; his heart gave an odd thump. "Hermione," he said under his breath. He had almost dismissed her. "No, not almost you prat, you make her go," he scowled himself. He let out another moan in distress. What the hell they were doing he wasn't be able to concentrate.

He wasn't supposed to do this; he knew that it was wrong. He felt his heart sinking. However, he couldn't end the situation somehow. What he would say her? "Sorry Julie, I don't want!" That sounded completely ridiculous, even to his ears.

Everything was happening so fast, Ron almost lost his contol. It was tempting; it was soo sweet for the moment. Furthermore, Julie reached his pants.

At that moment, a tap on the window brought him back to the world. He shifted in anticipation. However Julie hadn't heard the sound. "Julie," he said. "Hmm," murmured Julie, never leaving her lips on his neck. "Julie it's an owl," said Ron, pushing her gently and trying to stand up. "This might be important," he said, a serious look on his face. Reluctantly, Julie got of on top of him, murmuring something incoherently.

Ron quickly reached to the window and opened the letter quickly. It was from Harry. It seemed like a miracle. He gave a sigh of relief and made a mental note to thank Harry when he first saw him, not to mention about his state. Wearing a worried expression, "it's from Harry," he declared, whirling around to face her, "he says my sister is very ill," he quickly lied without making an eye contact and praying that she would buy that.

"Oh," Julie looked crestfallen. "Sure, you would like to visit her, wouldn't you?" she asked as she started to zipper her skirt. Ron nodded, trying to look disappointed.

"I will see you then," said Julie, gathering her things and standing. One minute later, she quickly went out of the house.

After she went, Ron gave a sigh of relief. He had almost done something very wrong. He looked at his watch. It was almost midnight. He needed to see Hermione right away. He knew she was very cross with him. He had no idea what to say her though a voice in his mind was telling him that it was important. Besides, he wouldn't sleep until he had gone to see her.

Therefore, without delay, he apparated in her garden and knocked on the door hesitantly. After a long wait, eventually Hermione opened the door, her hair in a mess, and a nightgown on her, looking sleepy and bad-tempered. Apparently, she had been sleeping until he arrived.

"What are you doing here Ron?" she asked with an irritated voice.

"Oh great, she is angry," Ron muttered under his breath. "Well, I wondered if you are okay?"

Hermine raised a mocking eyebrow.

"Can I come in?" asked Ron promptly and without waiting her answer he pushed her aside and entered the house.

"You're angry," he declared as they reached her sitting room.

"I am not angry,"

"Yes you're angry,"

"Don't raise your voice Ron," she scowled and quickly cast a silence charm in the room. Ron huffed in frustration.

"Okay," she threw her hands up in the air, "yes I am angry," she admitted, "But do you want to know that's why? Because I felt humiliated Ron," she stated putting an emphasis on the word.

"Hermione look," Ron interpreted. "I was panicked, all right. I was scared that she might understand our game!"

"Why? Is there a sign on our foreheads?" she asked sarcastically. Ron stared at her in bewilderment. "Anyway that's not the problem Ron," she pointed out.

""What?" Ron asked puzzled.

"Since you had a girlfriend-"

"What?"

"Don't cut in Ron!" she warned, lifting a hand in protest. "Since you had a girlfriend why did you insert me into this game? Huh?" she asked, the anger and hurt evident in her voice. "I think she would be more suitable for the positon," she continued, waving her hands wildly.

Ron opened his mouth to protest but Hermione silenced him with a look. "You could even shag, couldn't you?" she stated, a wild expression on her face. "That would be much more convincing," she hissed and turned away from him and crossed arms under her chest.

Ron's mouth fell open. "What?"

"Look Ron, don't try to deny it, okay?"

"You are judging me again?" asked Ron in an exasperated manner, his temper rising. "Just because a friend of mine visited me at night, I lied to you, oh yes, that's really predictable," he blurted out. Hermione whirled to face him.

"You are lying again," she bellowed, ignoring his words.

"No, I am not,"

"Yes you are,"

Abruptly Hermione darted forward and grabbed his face, "Oh sure, you don't lie, then what is this Ron?" she pointed a rouge mark on his neck that Julie left. "Is it a red birth mark? And you hair in a mess," she indicated. "Didn't you find a spare minute to comb your hair?" she asked, staring in his eyes, daring him to deny it.

Shite! Ron gulped for air. There was no point of protesting now. He blushed an embarrassing shade of red. Just when things were getting back to normal he had to ruin it. He was pathetic.

"This may sound ridiculos but," he started after a moment, Hermione glared at him. "But," said hastily, "this night she had come," he tried to explain in a desparete attempt, but Hermione merely snorted.

"I don't think I want to hear this Ron," she stated and walked towards the door, "I am going to wake up early tomorrow," she added avoiding her face.

"You don't have to work tomorrow, it's Saturday!" said Ron matter of factly.

Hermione didn't answer; instead she opened the door for him that meant the conservation was over, lowering her gazes down she waited Ron to exit her house. Ron felt so irritated with her pigheaded attitued, he stormed up, and before Hermione could close the door, he supported his arm againts the door and narrowed his eyes.

"You were regretful," he hissed.

"What?"

"You were regretful to be involved this game, weren't you?" he exploded. "You wanted to quit but you didn't find anything wrong, and now you're accusing me for having a girlfriend, really clever Hermione."

Hermione's eyes widened in awe, her mouth shaped an 'o', she stamped her foot in frustration.

"Get out of my house Ron!" she yelled, her face red, and shut the door harshly behind him.

AN: Here is the chapter 7, I hope you like it! Thank you everybody who reviewed so far! Keep reviewing!

And people who read but haven't reviewed yet, well, what are you waiting for:Pp

PS: I wish you all a nice happy new year, a year full of love ;)