Ron looked out the window in anticipation. If someone asked what he was doing, he would've said he was thinking. However, he was really waiting anxiously for Hermione's arrival. Harry would be coming to the Burrow tomorrow and Bill and Fleur's wedding would take place in 3 days. He had been waiting forever. When was she going to get here?
I bet she's decided not to come. I bet she'll just owl Harry saying she wishes she could come but can't stand anymore time with me and she'll just see him at school. A wicked voice in Ron's head cackled. It sounded horribly like Malfoy.
Ron was about to check Hermione's most recent letter to make sure he had got the time and date right when he saw a Muggle car pull up outside. Hermione's parents had insisted on driving her to the Burrow because it was probably safer and they basically were stalling the separation from their daughter. Ron watched as Ginny raced out to meet Hermione and decided he should do the same. He made his way down the stairs slowly, for he feared running to greet her might make him seem over eager.
He casually walked out to where the car was and saw Hermione embracing her mother and saying things like "Really, I'll be fine". The thin curly haired woman smiled at her daughter then took notice of Ron.
"You must be Ron," she said and for some reason smirked at Hermione. "Hermie, dear you said he was attractive, but I had no idea he was this handsome!" Mrs. Granger exchanged a knowing look with Ginny that Ron felt was out of place because Hermione's mother and his sister had never even formally met. Mrs. Granger's comment made Ron and Hermione both turn exquisite shades of red.
"Mum!" shrieked Hermione, "really…where you come up with…never told you anything of the sort!" Hermione was obviously disgruntled and was in a fit of rambling.
"Uh…" Ron struggled with how to deal with the awkward situation," Nice to see you again too Mrs. Granger. I don't believe we ever properly met." He extended his hand and she shook it energetically. She and Ginny were still smirking and Hermione was still a tad frenzied, but Ron seemed to regain composure. He didn't think, however, that Mr. Granger's cold stare when Ron shook his hand was deserved. Mrs. Granger didn't seem to think so either because she leaned in and whispered to Ron, "Oh ignore him dear. He's just a bit upset about how much Hermione likes you. Fatherly instinct to be a bit jealous when he isn't the only man in his daughter's life." With this she winked at Ron.
"Well Harry is too. I mean, we both are… in Hermione's life," Ron said awkwardly, struggling to explain the situation to Hermione's mother.
"Of course, just not in the same way. Hermie talks about Harry like she might talk about a brother and even sometimes like a son she has to look after. She talks about you in an entirely different way."
"Well, she has always liked Harry more. I mean, she seemed closer to him. Favored him. She and I only seem to row," said Ron.
Mrs. Granger smirked once again. "I know Hermione very well, even though we havent spent too much time together in quite a while. And she puts extra effort into talking about you as casually as she talks about Harry. And she tries desperately to make your relationship out to be as platonic as hers and Harry's."
Hermione then realized that Ron and her mother were talking in hushed voices and that Ron looked a bit startled. She immediately began scolding her mother ("What have you been saying to him? What kind of untrue things have you been filling his head with!"). When se calmed down she embraced her mother once again and then her father and they were off.
Hermione hugged Ginny and told her how dull things were without her. She then turned to Ron and he wasn't sure whether she would interrogate him on what he and her mother had been speaking about or ignore everything. She immediately gave him a hug and told him she had missed him. Ron smiled at her and then bent over to pick up her trunk at the same time she did. They both ignored the "moment" and pretending it never happened the same way they always did. By bickering.
"Honestly Ronald I'm perfectly capable of carrying my own trunk," she said her hands placed firmly on her hips (one of her hands favorite places to place themselves during an argument). Ron really didn't have a comeback; he'd feel foolish if he told her he was just trying to be gentlemanly.
"You're the guest!" he said defensively. He now realized Ginny was gone. She must have gone back inside.
"It's really heavy Ron! I'm used to carrying-"
"- You really think I'm that weak?" Ron said, appalled that she thought she would be able to pick up the trunk and he couldn't. Hermione rolled her eyes but Ron had already picked up the trunk and started off towards the house.
Proud that he had been able to carry the trunk he stood at the foot of the stairs, smirking, and waiting for her to say something.
'Oh bravo Ron," she said, her voice dripping in sarcasm, "You carried my trunk across the yard-"
"-and up the front steps!" yelled Ron, clearly upset for not receiving credit he felt so strongly he deserved.
"You must feel so strong now!" Hermione sneered.
" I am strong! A lot stronger than you give me credit for!"
"Oh really," said Hermione half sounding bored and half daring him to prove it. And he decided he would prove it. Without really thinking about what he was doing he swooped Hermione off her feet. Literally. She shrieked and he smirked. He pranced around the room and she flailed about demanding he put her down. Hermione really could have gotten down if she really wanted to but stayed in his arms; way deep down knowing she liked it there.
So when Fred and George came down the stairs they found Ron holding Hermione bridal-style and exchanged identical grins. They fake casually greeted the pair and Ron instantly dropped Hermione.
"Afternoon brother," said Fred.
"Afternoon oh-so-obviously-soon-to-be sister-in-law," said George.
"Ouch! Ronald!" was Hermione's reply seeing as she had just been dumped on the floor.
Ron began to explain but Fred and George said they were off to the shop and Apparated with a double crack. Hermione got up, shot an angry look at Ron then dragged her trunk upstairs to Ginny's room. Ron stuck his tongue out at the staircase that Hermione had just disappeared on. But slowly a grin found it's way onto his face.
Hermione made her way downstairs after she had gotten settled in Ginny's room. She found Mrs. Weasley in the kitchen and immediately asked what she could do to help. Hermione could imagine Mrs. Weasley was stressed with preparing to hold the wedding there soon and she felt Mrs. Weasley could use any help she could get.
"No, no dear you are a guest," said Mrs. Weasley smiling at Hermione.
"Please Mrs. Weasley. You've treated me like family for so long."
Mrs. Weasley turned to look at Hermione and lowered the levitated plate onto the counter. "Hermione, I really haven't though. I treated Harry like he was in the family. Maybe a little better. I'm so sorry dear. You deserved to be just as favored as I favored Harry," said Mrs. Weasley, a genuine look of guilt on her face.
"No, but that's different. Harry has no real family. Of course you took him in as a son. Really, Mrs. Weasley, I never felt mistreated by you in any way! How many mothers with seven children of her own would take upon two more kids to help along?" Hermione did recall the Easter egg in 4th year, but Mrs. Weasley had been misinformed so that didn't count.
"Oh for heaven's sake Hermione I don't call you Miss Granger. Or maybe I should call you Mrs. Weasley too," Mrs. Weasley winked, "You really should call me Molly. Ok maybe I didn't outright…I suppose I just knew from the first time I actually watched you interact with Harry and Ron, you were going to take one of them away. I already considered Harry as good as a son and at first I thought it was you and him," Mrs. Weasley smiled. "I can't believe my radical mix-up looking back," she looked directly into Hermione's eyes, which widened when she realized what Mrs. Weasley was implying.
"Oh, no, no Mrs…I mean Molly Ron and I are only friends," she said this with a tone of voice that made her feel like she was speaking to a small child.
"Hermione, I'm the boy's mother. And I've spent a considerable amount of time observing the two of you. There is no need to deny it. I can't be sure if you know it and are only denying it or you are all around denying it or of course you actually believe you aren't in love with him. How do you feel about Ron?" Hermione was a bit startled at Mrs. Weasley's upfrontness. Upfrontness? Hermione seriously doubted that was a word.
"Well…I," Hermione wasn't used to not having anything to say. She always had something to say. "To be honest with you I'm not entirely sure," said Hermione, satisfied with her answer. She just wanted this conversation to be over. "Now, what can I do to help?"