Hermione and Ron had returned to her bed after their date and pretty much stayed there the rest of the weekend, until Lavender came home Monday afternoon. They regretfully said goodbye, and Ron left. It wasn't ten minutes later when Hermione heard someone in her fireplace. Thinking it was Ron coming back for something he had forgotten, she rushed to her sitting room.
Dear God, she missed him already.
In the coals though, sat Ginny's head, with a hand covering her eyes. "I'm not looking! If you are naked do not come out. I have to leave for the Harpies' game in a week, and I was just coming saying goodbye."
Hermione approached the fire. "It's alright, Ginny, he's gone."
Ginny opened her eyes. "Can I come in?"
"Sure."
Ginny appeared and gave Hermione a hug. "As I was saying, I'm going to be on tour with the Harpies for two months, and I just wanted to see you before I left."
"Good luck! I'm sure you'll be amazing."
"Thanks. I'm so nervous." Ginny shuffled her feet.
"Don't worry. As soon as you get on your broom, you'll be fine."
"Funny, that's the same thing Harry said." She turned back toward the fireplace. "Alright! I'm off!" She grabbed some Floo powder before pausing and turning back to Hermione. "Oh! I almost forgot. As a player, I have a few seats to give away to friends and family. If you ever want to come watch a game, just let me know! I know you're work schedule is crazy, but I'd appreciate it."
Hermione smiled. "I wouldn't miss it."
A few days later, she got an Owl from Harry, asking if she want to join him, Ron, and Lavender in the park for some two-a-side Quidditch in the park.
Come on, Hermione, pleeeease? My fiancé is gone for two months. I need some company.
Hermione reluctantly acquiesced. She and Lavender were paired with Harry and Ron, respectively, because "You two girls are so bloody awful, we'd feel bad putting you on the same team."
"Alright, we're not going to use a Snitch, since we don't actually have a Seeker, and we'd probably lose it, but we're going to let one Bludger out, just to keep things interesting." Harry opened the chest containing the game balls.
Hermione started to get nervous. "You know, I think I'd much prefer a boring, safe game, without any weighted balls flying through the air, aiming at my head."
"Just keep moving, Hermione, and you'll be fine. We don't have any Beaters, so no one is actually going to be aiming them. When you stay still, though, that's when you're in trouble." Ron patted her arm reassuringly.
Harry tossed the Quaffle in his hand after releasing the Bludger, which shot toward the sky. "Alright, first to 150? I'm sure you all have things to do and places to be. I really appreciate you coming to entertain me."
Hermione shakily took flight. She had never hated flying or Quidditch. She actually quite enjoyed watching the occasional game. It was just one of those few things she had not been immediately good at, and she had never had the drive to try and increase her ability, especially at school, when there were so many other things she could be doing.
She caught a Quaffle thrown from Harry with both hands, trying not to unseat herself on the broom. The leg muscles she had gained from riding…other things…were certainly coming in handy.
Unfortunately, about fifteen minutes later, Lavender caught a heavily thrown Quaffle in the face, and asked to take a break. They landed, Harry profusely apologizing.
"I'm so sorry, Lavender, I was throwing to Hermione, she was right behind you, I swear."
"It's alright, Harry, but I think I'm bleeding…"
Hermione handed them some tissues she had in purse, before excusing herself to run to the loo.
She was just rounding the corner of the small building when she felt someone spin her around, before Ron's mouth and body pressed her back against the wall.
She couldn't help grinning. "What was that for?"
"I think we've got to add 'flying' to the list of things that make your hair look like that."
"I'm starting to think you have a hair fetish."
"It's not a fetish if it's only one particular head of hair that does this to me."
He had pressed his lips to hers again, just as she heard someone come around the corner.
Harry stood gaping at them. "I was just looking for a First Aid Kit... I thought you two had…finished after we found you in the broom cupboard?"
Hermione looked quizzically at Ron. "You didn't tell him?"
"No! Should I have?"
"I told Ginny!"
"Ginny knows?" Harry interrupted them, furious. "This has gone on far enough. It is not fair what you are doing to Lavender. I'm telling her. Right now."
He stalked away. Hermione and Ron stared at each other before chasing after him. Auror Academy had given Harry much more stamina than he had ever had before, and he had gotten a head start. Ron, with his long legs, caught up to him as soon as he reached Lavender, a slightly panting Hermione there a few moments later. She looked at the sky behind Harry's head, and opened her mouth in warning. But it was too late.
"Lavender, there's something you should know. I'm sorry, but Ro-"
WHAM.
Harry never had a chance to finish his sentence. Hermione may not know much about Quidditch, but she had seen enough Bludgers over the years watching school games to know that this many people standing so close together was going to attract attention. Ron had said it himself: 'Don't stand still." Lavender had been standing in the same spot since they had left, trying to staunch the blood coming from her nose. It was just her luck that the lone Bludger she had seen flying toward them had picked Harry as its victim. But she would have gladly sacrificed her own head to shut Harry up.
As Ron knelt over his fallen friend, Lavender frowned at Hermione. "Do you know what he was going to say? It seemed pretty important."
Ron looked up, his mouth hanging open. Well, he was going to be no help at all. Hermione took over. "Ro..Roses. He was talking about the roses you chose for the wedding. I'm sorry, Lavender, I should have told you directly, but I was just talking to Harry and it all came out. I think roses are too… common – for you, that is – and I think you deserve something more flamboyant for the 'happiest day of your life'." She had to force herself not to look at Ron as she spoke the last words.
Lavender seemed to consider this. "You might be right. You're going to have to help me find something more original, though."
Hermione breathed a sigh of relief. "No problem."
Ron rose, sighing. "I think he might have a concussion- he's talking nonsense. He'd better take him to St. Mungo's."
"I can take him," Hermione offered.
"Let me. I've got some stuff we need to talk about anyway. Hermione, could you owl Ginny? She should know that her idiot fiancé is in the hospital." With a set jaw, Ron hoisted Harry up, steadied him as he started to sway, and Apparated away. Hermione could only imagine the conversation that would follow.
She and Lavender looked at one another. "Well, I guess the game's over. Are you free right now? I have a wedding errand I need to run and I need my Maid of Honor there with me."
Hermione shrugged and admitted her day was free, so Lavender grabbed her arm, and the two disappeared.
As the squeezing feeling in her middle went away, Hermione suddenly felt a different sort of squeezing. Somewhere near her stomach. Which would, in the immediate future, most likely make her lose her lunch.
Lavender had dragged her to a lingerie store.
"I want to start looking for the honeymoon, and I need you here with me to tell me what looks good."
Hermione had no excuse. She had just told Lavender that she had nothing to do for the day, and she had no way of quietly contacting Ron for help while he was at the hospital. Patronuses were all well and good, but anyone within a listening distance would be able to her woes of helping her best friend find wedding knickers.
So she bravely entered the store, trying not to gape too openly at some of the things hanging on the shelves. Hermione felt herself blushing as she passed what looked like nothing more than frilly slingshots. Good gracious, people wore those?
Lavender walked right up to the counter, unaffected by the wares of the store. "Excuse me. I'm shopping for my honeymoon, and I was wondering what you would suggest."
The woman quickly gave her some ideas, and soon Lavender had an armful of clothing - did this stuff even count as clothing? - she was taking back into the fitting room. Hermione sat timidly on a chair outside the door, waiting for Lavender to emerge.
"Alright, what do you think?"
Hermione didn't know what to say. There was no denying that Lavender looked good in the matching white lace bra and knickers. Hermione would have thought the set would be very pretty, if she didn't immediately imagine Ron there as they were revealed. "They're nice, I suppose."
"You're right. I need a bit more of a shock factor."
That was the complete opposite of what Hermione was saying. Maybe they could find a store selling long virginal nightgowns. Maybe in a nice red plaid. Or even better, how about some adult footie pajamas? Those were sexy.
As Lavender tried on something new, Hermione tried to think of anything that would not let her mind think of Ron and Lavender having sex. Lavender, though, came up with something first.
"Hermione, what do you think love is?" she asked through the curtain
Hermione was surprised by the question. It was much a deeper topic than the ones that lingerie shopping usually led to. "Love? Why do you ask?"
"I'm just curious what you think. How do you know if you're in love, Hermione?"
Hermione thought for a moment. "Well…love is finding true happiness. But, you don't realize you weren't happy until you find yourself in love. The world becomes a little brighter when that person's around. It's trusting someone so much that you are willing to make yourself vulnerable. When you're in love…it becomes your everything."
Lavender was silent for a few moments. "Okay what do you think about this one?"
Hermione was caught off guard by the abrupt change of subject. "It's nice."
The day wore on, and Hermione watched as Lavender appeared in more and more shocking outfits, culminating in a tight criminal outfit that went from mid-breast to mid-arse, complete with rhinestone handcuffs.
"I like this one." Lavender spun around. "We could pay the Big Bad Auror and the Naughty Suspect."
Hermione stood. She couldn't take anymore. "You know, Lavender, I just realized, I have some paperwork at home that needs to be sent out by the end of the day. Gotta go." Without waiting for a response, she ran out of the store.
Author's Note: I wasn't planning on putting the whole harm-befalls-Harry scene in here, because I feel it smacks too closely to the movie for comfort, but I couldn't help it. Consider it my tribute to John Krasinski, because that striped shirt and those Ray-Bans just do me in. I love you, call me. McEs.
P.S. I typed "Ro" into Google (since it has that auto-complete now) just to get some alternate ideas for Hermione's excuse to Lavender, and it came up with 'roadrunner' and 'rotten tomatoes' as the first two results, so I just stuck with roses. The problem was, since Hermione names her first child 'Rose,' obviously she doesn't think they're 'common' and I had to fiddle a lot with the conversation to get that point across. A little extra tidbit, if anyone was wondering.