Chapter 15
Hermione had only been sitting at the table after her dance with Charlie for a short time when Mrs. Weasley ambled over and pulled up Ginny's vacant chair beside her.
She unceremoniously popped her elbow on the table and placed her chin in her hand trying her hardest to convey the most serious expression she could muster. Unfortunately, it came off slightly pinched, and a little wobbly.
For her part, Hermione had to bite back a giggle at the older woman's obvious intoxication.
After a brief silence, Mrs. Weasley finally spoke, "and how are you enjoying yourself this evening my dear?"
Hermione's eyes instantly searched out Ron, and found him talking to Roberto by the bar. Neither man looked very happy. She'd have to question her best friend about that conversation later.
"To be honest Molly, not great."
Mrs. Weasley took a big draw from her wine glass before answering the sadness in the younger woman's voice.
"I understand dear. Loving a Weasley has never been an easy thing. I've had my share of heart break with Arthur."
Mrs. Weasley's comment piqued Hermione's curiosity. "Really? How so?"
Molly sighed deeply and sat back. "As I told you before, we were both young and stupid once. I'm going to use a Muggle term that has served me quite well with my children. How does it go? The apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Arthur could be so clueless sometimes, and stubborn, and hurtful, and jealous." Molly paused for a moment to consider the swirl of the wine in her glass.
"But he could also be loving, and devoted, and… and passionate. Through all this, I was still the only girl in the world in his eyes. When it comes to love, all of his boys, and even his little girl, have followed him in very much the same way. I knew Ron had found the love of his life at eleven when he first wrote home about you. Can you imagine how frightening that was for a mother?" She looked pointedly at Hermione.
Deflecting slightly, Hermione responded. "As frightening as it must have been to realize your daughter was in love with the boy who lived when she was only ten years old."
"Don't even get me started." Molly swatted a hand at her halfheartedly.
Both women laughed and sighed, then a thick silence settled between them.
Mrs. Weasley seemed to be intently focused on something, or rather someone, across the way. Hermione followed her eye line to find Roberto talking with Charlie. Ron was now nowhere in sight, and a swirl of concern started to form in the pit of her stomach.
"I worry for Percy." Molly continued. "He's chosen a really hard path. The way he looks at… well, at Roberto. I know that look. He loves like his father… completely. I just hope that… that…"
"Molly, trust me when I say that Berti… his heart didn't stand a chance against the Weasley charm. He adores Percy just like…" Hermione couldn't finish her sentence. Not because she was trying to hide the fact, but the thought reminded her of how she had failed… failed herself… failed Ron.
"He'll find his way back to you dear." Molly said, reaching out and patting her hand in loving comfort.
Hermione leaned forward on her elbows and clasped her wine glass in both hands.
"I'm not so certain of that." She muttered softly.
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Roberto shifted nervously. He could never tell which way things would go in these kinds of situations. He was thankful that they were at least somewhere as public as a wedding. It couldn't turn violent.
"Um… Hello." Roberto offered.
"Hi." Charlie mumbled.
"I should… I really need to find Percy."
Roberto made to leave, but Charlie grabbed his arm. "Please don't…"
Misunderstanding his intention, Roberto stiffened and backed up.
Dropping his hand, Charlie continued. "What I mean to say is I'd really like to… to talk to you if that's all right?"
Roberto heaved an anxious sigh, and looked around for a way out. He was not in the least bit interested in listening to the ranting of a homophobe… or being beaten to a bloody pulp by one for that matter.
"I'm really sorry, but I need to…" Roberto sputtered.
But Charlie cut him off before he could form an excuse. "I'm sorry. I just wanted to say that I'm sorry."
He paused to get a handle on Roberto's mindset. When Charlie saw that he seemed to be slightly placated by his apology, he continued.
"I know you won't believe it, but I really don't know what came over me. You seem like a nice enough chap, and you certainly cook a hell of a lot better than any of the other girlfriends my brothers have brought home."
Relief sweeping over him, Roberto couldn't help but laugh at Charlie's graceless attempt at breaking the ice. This was certainly not what he was expecting when the other man approached him.
"I guess I should take that as a compliment, especially coming from a Weasley."
"Is everything alright here?" came a voice from behind them.
They both turned to find Percy cautiously eyeing his brother.
"It is fine, love." Roberto offered lightly as he moved to Percy's side. "Charlie was just telling me about… about his work with a young new Norwegian Ridgeback."
Charlie's mind flashed to a conversation he'd been having the previous day with Roberto and his Mum in the kitchen before the whole rehearsal dinner fiasco.
He smiled thankfully to Roberto for the cover before he started to retell the story mainly for Percy's sake.
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Ron stood gazing out into the night, unseeing what was before him. His mind was wrapped up in the last three years.
The first six months without Hermione had been the worst of his life. He didn't think it was possible to feel that much pain. When he'd nearly gone and done the unthinkable but stopped himself just in time, he realized he needed help. He didn't want anyone in the Wizarding world to find out though - it could have easily gotten back to his family and that would have been a nightmare in itself - so he started seeing a Muggle therapist.
Of course, he left out the magical aspects when talking to the bloke, but his problems were emotional anyway. He just needed someone to talk to who didn't know him, and wouldn't judge him.
The sound of laughter broke into his musing.
Suddenly he heard Parvati call out to him as she and Dean walked by, hand in hand. "We're off Ron. You have a good night."
"Right. Cheers, have a good one you two!" Ron responded quietly.
Parvati eyed him then turned to Dean. "Give me a few minutes."
Shooting daggers at Ron's back, Dean huffed and stormed off toward the Burrow.
Parvati shook her head and smiled to herself. She could only flush at her boyfriend's obvious jealousy. Merlin, he was crazy about her and she loved it.
Turning her eyes back to the red head before her, she steeled herself for what could be an interesting conversation. She'd already heard the latest gossip from Lavender, and felt truly awful for both Ron and Hermione.
"Are you alright, Ron?" She finally offered.
He jumped slightly not realizing she was still there.
"It's been a rough couple of days." He finally managed. "Hermione's boyfriend, Roberto… well, he's not exactly…"
Parvati held up her hand to stop him. "You don't need to tell me. I've already heard something about it. You're not really mad at her, are you Ron?"
"Yes… Maybe… No, not really."
"Good, because that would be a really silly thing to hold a grudge over." She took a breath and held it before taking a step closer to him. "Tell me something Ron. Why did you want Lavender to pretend to be your girlfriend?"
"I don't know." He mumbled.
"Don't play dumb. Yes, you do. So… why?"
He could never hide things from this girl. She always saw straight through him.
He shrugged. "I knew it would drive Hermione mental. I guess I just wanted to hurt her as much as she was hurting me."
Not really satisfied with this answer, Parvati pushed on. "And when she found out it was all a ruse and she got barking mad, did you want her to forgive you?"
He shoved his hands into his pockets, and kicked at the ground like a little boy. "Yeah…"
"Why?"
"Why what?"
"Why did you want her to forgive you?"
His eyes snapped up to meet hers. "Well… I guess I realized I did it because… because I still loved her."
"Did you realize that you still loved her, or that you were still in love with her?"
Ron was growing restless with this line of questioning and began to pace about.
"That… That I was still in love with her," he mumbled.
"You do understand that you've just described exactly what she's going through right now, yeah?"
Ron was stunned. No one, not even Harry, had put it to him so clearly.
"What are you, a bloody therapist?" He chuckled slightly in awe.
"A what?" She asked clearly confused by the Muggle term.
"Never mind. Not important."
As Ron processed all of this new information, they stood in a soft quiet that was only invaded by the sounds of the night.
"I want more than anything to be with her Parvati, I really do." He finally admitted. "But I can't see that happening without us talking, or rather battling, it out.
He took a deep breath and let it out slowly before continuing. "This is neither the time nor the place for us to get into it. Gin would kill me. So, I've been avoiding her all night."
"You could always just ask her to dance," she answered simply after a brief pause.
Ron scoffed at her loudly, but then took a moment to really consider the idea.
If there was anything that would show Hermione he was ready to be with her and work through their issues, it would be that – him asking her to dance. Well, it would be a start. She knew what a big deal that would be for him. It was perfect.
"Parvati, you're a genius."
He picked her up in a quick hug and swung her about. She squealed at the spontaneous outburst, and giggled at his boyish exuberance.
He put her down, placed his hands on her arms, and gave her a serious look.
"Thank you. For everything."
He leaned forward and quickly pressed his lips gently to her forehead.
Both were unaware that they were being watched from a distance. Neither knew of how their interaction was being misconstrued by the sole outside observer. Both were unwitting of the heart that was slowly breaking not thirty feet away.
Ron pulled away and smiled down at her sadly.
"You're an amazing girl, Parvati."
"And don't you forget it." She chuckled lightly as she poked him in the chest.
"Never."
As the uncomfortable past between them fell by the wayside, and their friendship came firmly into place, they smiled at each other warmly.
"I'm going to find Dean so we can head home. I have a feeling I have a bit of kissing up to do tonight. He's not really your biggest fan. You're going in now, right?"
"Yeah, yeah, in a bit. I need to build up my courage."
"That's daft Ron. She's going to say 'yes'."
"It's not the dance that scares the willies out of me Parvati. It's everything that comes after that."
Before walking away, she smiled at him knowingly. "Good luck, Ron."
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Hermione stumbled back into the tent gasping and heaving. She was going to be sick if she didn't get her breath under control. The tears were streaming down her face, and she'd given up trying to wipe them away.
She couldn't get over how badly she had read the situation. She knew she'd hurt him and he was angry, but she at least thought he was going to give her another chance.
She couldn't be mad at Parvati. If she were being honest with herself, she couldn't be upset with Ron either. He did deserve better than her. He deserved a girl who wouldn't lie to him and purposely try to hurt him. That would be Parvati, not her.
Ginny. She had to find Ginny.
Scanning the room, she was grateful to see that the majority of the guests had left. She quickly found Gin with Harry and all of her brothers sitting at a table in the corner.
Hermione rushed over, and as she made her way there, she saw that Roberto was also seated with them beside Percy.
When they spotted Hermione, everyone grew alarmed by her tear-stained face and called out to her. Roberto instantly stood and moved to her side.
"Hermione, are you alright?" Ginny asked standing and taking Hermione's shaking hands.
"I need to speak to you alone, Gin."
"Is it Ron? What did he do?" She asked feeling her stomach work itself into a knot.
At the mention of his name, Hermione broke into a fresh batch of tears, and Roberto pulled her into a tight hug. She pulled away after getting only a moment's solace though, and tried to calm herself.
"He's gotten back together with Parvati."
"That's impossible!" Ginny nearly shouted.
"Gin, I saw them outside just now… together. It was clear as day. He hugged her, and spun her around, and… and kissed her… I know what I saw."
"But Hermione, Parvati came with Dean tonight."
"Well, it doesn't look like she's going to leave with him. I'm packed Gin, and ready to go. I'm not going to bother changing. I just want to get home, and be in my own bed."
Hermione turned to Roberto and spoke to him in a soft, low voice. "You stay here, alright? No following me. You have your own heart to take care of."
Roberto looked at her, and a shadow of doubt passed over his face that gave Hermione pause.
"What? What is it?" She asked quietly.
"Ron wouldn't… I don't think you have it right, Bella."
"I know what I saw Berti."
"And I know what I know." He answered her in kind.
"Is there something you're not telling me?"
He stared down at a loss for words. How could he tell her why he was so certain she was mistaken? He highly doubted Ron wanted her to know, and beyond that, she was already a mess. Not to mention the fact that they were surrounded by all of his siblings. He couldn't just blurt it out. He owed Ron that much.
"Hermione, please just talk to him before you do anything rash."
"I can't face him, Berti." She looked around anxiously. "I need to get out of here."
Hermione pulled out of his protective arms, and ran from the tent back up to the Burrow.
Ginny turned to her brothers and growled. "You find that git, and you find him now!"
The men all jumped up from the table, and headed in different directions.
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Not twenty minutes later, Ron marched into the tent full of purpose only to be tackled by Fred, George, and Bill.
"Where the bloody hell have you been? What's this horseshit that you're back with Parvati? Are you barking? Sodding hell, do you know the trouble you've caused?"
They were all firing questions at him at the same time and he could barely make out what they were saying.
"What? No… What are you… SHUT UP!" he finally screamed.
They all stopped at the same time and took a step back.
"What are you lot on about? Where's Hermione? I need to talk to her."
"What? So you can tell her you've shacked up with Parvati again, you great prat? She already knows." The last barb came from Ginny as she stormed up to them.
Once she'd arrived, she started to hammer Ron's shoulders with her tiny fists, and slap his head.
"Ow… Gin, stop it! Stop it!" He finally managed to push her away. "No, to tell her I… to ask her to dance. What do you mean she already knows? I just decided myself."
Ginny stepped back and joined her brothers in their wide-eyed goggling of him.
"You mean you weren't just outside getting back together with Parvati?" She asked incredulously.
"No. What would give you that idea?"
Bill stepped forward, and placed a hand on Ron's shoulder. "Hermione ran in here crying. She said… She said she saw you two together outside… kissing."
Ron's heart literally stopped beating for a second as a chilling fear paralyzed him.
"Where is she now?" He whispered.
"Inside. Said she was already packed. Was going to apparate back to Italy tonight." Fred piped in.
No one moved. No one breathed waiting for some kind of indication that Ron had understood.
Suddenly, he screamed, "sodding bloody hell!" and bolted for the house.
He rushed into the Burrow to find his Dad sitting quietly at the kitchen table.
Ron began to tremble violently. "Is she?" He whispered.
"Ten minutes ago." His father answered solemnly.
Ron took a moment to let it all sink in, and then wandered over to sit opposite his Dad.
"Why didn't you stop her?" He bit out quietly.
"Ron, this is Hermione we're talking about. Not that I didn't try, but I'd have better luck stopping the sun from rising and setting."
Ron stared blankly at the smooth surface of the kitchen table before collapsing forward onto his crossed arms and letting out the most wretched, wracking sobs his father had ever heard come from one of his children. Flinching, Mr. Weasley leaned forward and gently placed his hands on the back of his son's head.