Chapter 6

Two hours later, both parents are happy that they are there when Ricky Corner slinks into the comic shop and right up to their little girl. He is as clean cut as normal. If they had not known him and his parents for what they are, the Weasley couple would think him a nice young man on first impression. Sadly, that is not the case. He has always reminded Hermione of her brother in law and former best friend.

Ron Weasley took a turn for the worse after the war. While Harry, Neville and Draco entered the Auror program; Draco on court mandate; Ron lazed around the Burrow, resting on his hero reputation. The fame and noterityonly lasted for so long, then he went back to being the same old youngest son of six. All the older boys had made something of themselves before the war, so they had something to go back to.

When the school reopened, Hermione went back and finished her years out. She refused the Head Girl title, as it would take time away from her young marriage with George. Minerva granted her the chance to commute to school from home everyday.Hermione came to see that as a godsend as her pregnancy wore on.

Ron returned too, mostly in hopes oftrying totalk Hermione around into seeing him. When he finally found out about her and George, he hit the roof and struck her. "You were meant to be mine, not my brother's, you whore."

That was the end of it for Hermione and when George found out, seeing her bruised face that night, it took Bill and Charlie to hold him back from killing him. Fred stepped up and applied the bruise paste and was thanked by the couple. They both swore to never have anything to do with Ron again after that, much to Molly's consternation.

George and Hermione watch as Ricky strides up to Isabelle as if he never did a thing to her. Hermione places a binding spell on George to make sure he doesn't interfere. He glares at her for it.

"Hey there, Issy. Anything new in?" He asks leaning in to roughly tug on a loose curl. Having watched her parents closely for the last couple days, Isabelle now knows that Ricky's behavior that she always termed affectionate is offensive. Her father plays with her mother's curls, but he doesn't try to pull on the sensitive strands to get her face closer. Plus, he loops it back behind her ear for her. Ricky has never done that.

"Yes, Richard. The shop received a new shipment today. Why do you ask?" Isabelle is proud of herself for taking a stance with him. Adding in how her mother always uses her uncle Ron's full first name really helps create the distance that she needs to move on from this jerk.

Said jerk notices right away that she used his proper name. This is something Isabelle has never done before. It might be more difficult to get her to forgive him for yesterday than he thought. His plan was to walk in, flirt and have her eating out of the palm of his hand. Only then would he admit that he was wrong to have said what he did.

Ricky had gone home, smiling at his getaway from the Ravenclaw prude. At supper, he announced that they broke up. His parents exploded in anger and convinced him that he needed to get back together with Isabelle. Not only was she helping him stay afloat at school, but she was the daughter of two of the War heroes. The most important being Hermione Granger.

"Her mother was the same way, aside from her dating Viktor Krum during our fourth year. Why do you think George Weasley has a smile on his face all the damned time. Isabelle's mother was raised differently than the pure-blooded heiresses of this world.

Your mother and her cronies are lousy lays because they were already betrothed, so it didn't matter how good they were." His father sat him down and told him after his mother went to bed disgusted with Ricky's behavior.

So he came in to try and smooth it all over with Isabelle, but she is being obstinant about it. If she wants him to beg him on bended knee, she can forget it and so can his parents.

"Come on, Issy. I was only playing. You know your the one for me." He coos to her. This is something that has always made her melt before, but this time it falls flat.

Isabelle keeps silent and goes about her chores, dusting the shelves, making sure all the rows are even, and the items are shelved correctly. She ignores the pinging in her chest to forgive him again. He called you a prude and said he was going to seek out the one girl that you don't get along with. He isn't worth it. Don't fall for the fake emotions. She tells herself. She isn't going to falter. She may bear the name Weasley, but she is a Granger woman and that means that she has an iron will when she wants to.

She also knows that he meant every word that he said to her yesterday, she could see it in his eyes. This make up scene is his parent's doing. "Laney Goyle's waiting outside, basically devalues that statement, Richard. Have a good time, until she dumps you when you can't pay for all those expensive things that her other boyfriends could.

You blew your last chance with me. I don't trust what spews from that maw that you call a mouth and I don't plan to ever be in your arms again, unless you somehow catch me when I trip or fall. Have a good summer.

By the way, good luck with your NEWTs next year without my help." She glares at her former boyfriend's surprised face.