Hi everyone,

here's the next instalment, hope you like it.

As usual, I am not the wonderful J.K. Rowling this is her world, I just love her characters.

Sirius xoxo

Chapter 3

Ron was pleased and went to see Caroline to tell her they would have company for dinner tonight.

Ron walked down to Diagon Alley and strolled into his brothers shop.

It was chaotic.

There were people everywhere, stock all over the floor and bags everywhere. It looked like a bomb had gone off. Ron looked over at the counter and saw the queue of people waiting and quickly jumped behind the counter to start serving. Fred popped his head up from an aisle and thanked his brother.

"Where's Caroline?" Ron asked as he served the third customer waiting.

"She's buried under boxes here somewhere." George yelled out from the back.

It took an hour to get the store free of customers and to dig Caroline out of the stock in the back room.

"Hey Baby, busy much?"

"Oh Ron, you have no idea, we are flat out. We have three staff coming in to help with all this stock tonight, the cashier is sick with the nargle flu that's going around and our little runner Mark, has just called in sick. It's a bloody disaster today." Ron looked around the shop and had to admit he hadn't seen it so busy.

"How come it's so flat out, there's nothing special happening is there?"

Fred poked his head out and told Ron that their competition, Gambol and Japes Wizarding Jokes shop closed down, which now meant double the business for WWW. Ron was really pleased for his brothers but he also knew the answer to his next question before he even asked it.

"I came over to tell you I invited Hermione to come with us to Mum's tonight..."
"Oh Ron, sorry, I can't get away, its too busy, Fred and George will never do this alone. Can you go without me?" Ron nodded and gave her a quick kiss then left. His own shop had been closed most of the afternoon as Ginny was running some classes and only the two of them worked there. He decided he had better get some work done before his dinner with Hermione.

*****************

Hermione took Ron's advice and went home to have a nice hot bath. It was only 2pm and she had plenty of time before Harry arrived back home. She wondered yet again, who was his girlfriend and also why had he not introduced her to her or even told her about her.

The water was hot and relaxing and Hermione found she could easily doze off. She relaxed and let the knots in her muscles undo in the hot water. She found she was looking forward to seeing the Weasley's tonight as it had been too long that they had been over there. Ron had owled her that Caroline was really busy and it would only be the two of them tonight. She wrote back did he want to cancel, but his response was swift and clear... No way Mum would kill me..

She got dressed in some track pants and a loose top that Harry used to wear and looked at her balcony and realised her poor plants were in desperate need of a pruning so she spent the afternoon not worrying about work, Brian or especially Harry, she just relaxed for once and she felt like a million dollars.

Harry saw Deanna again that afternoon and they decided to join up for dinner at his place. Harry thought it might be a good idea to introduce Hermione to Deanna considering things were a bit weird at the moment. Usually he didn't introduce his dates to her as he knew it wasn't serious, as well as the fact that people didn't really understand his relationship with Hermione. Most of his dates were extremely jealous of her and Harry broke it off before it got out of hand. He didn't care to admit it, but there was really only one woman, Hermione, in his life first then the others fit in. He couldn't really see how this was so hard to understand.

He knew Hermione was normally home around 5.30pm so he told Deanna to come over around six. This way he could tell her she was the new Auror and just explain what was happening. Harry was finishing off some paperwork at noticed the time was almost 5.30pm. He knew it would be stretching time if he finished what he was doing, so he left it for the morning. He apparated home to find the balcony doors open and the smell of fresh dirt floating in on the wind. He glanced outside and saw the work Hermione had done that afternoon. All the plants were re-potted and she rearranged the furniture out there as well. As they say, a change is as good as a holiday.

Harry was standing in the doorway looking at her garden when she came out of her room dressed and ready to go out. She was wearing black tight skinny jeans and a loose yellow shirt that floated down over her breasts to her stomach. She looked casual but it was very flattering. She had high heel boots on and a light dusting of make-up.

"Hey Harry, what do you think?" Hermione walked in front of him and bent down to pull out a couple of weeds she realised she had missed. This action gave Harry a nice view of her long legs and her butt in her tight jeans.

"Mione, what are you wearing?" Hermione stood up and faced him, then he saw the rest of her outfit and his face showed his shock.

"Why, what's wrong with it, Harry?" Hermione dusted her hands on the cloth she left outside and looked down at her clothes.

"Nothing, I mean, it's a bit tight isn't it, I mean, for staying at home?" Harry was fumbling and he knew he sounded stupid and he could also see Hermione's annoyance sketched on her face.

"Well, as a matter of fact, I am not staying home tonight, I am going out for dinner with..."

"With who? that man I saw you with today?" Harry snapped at her.

"I beg your pardon?" Hermione hands flew to her hips and she took on the stance that Harry had seen so many times before, she was angry with him.

"I just want to know who you're going out with?"

"Not that it is any of your business but I am going out with Ron tonight..."

"and Caroline?"

'NO, just Ron." Hermione couldn't understand why he was being such a jerk about it. Little did she know that Harry still had a sore spot for her and Ron's relationship. He was very pleased when Caroline came onto the scene as it seemed like they were serious, which meant Ron was preoccupied with someone else to chase after Hermione but this news annoyed him.

A knock to the door jolted Harry out of his thoughts.

"Excuse me Harry, that will be Ron." Hermione strutted past him leaving him standing in shock. He watched her walk towards the front door and couldn't believe how incredibly turned on he was.

Hermione ran a frustrated hand through her long tresses and pulled the front door open.

"Hi R..." she stopped dead in her tracks, instead of Ron Weasley, there was a beautiful woman with golden brown hair that laid perfectly flat on her shoulders and her skin was tanned to a deep golden brown. She was physically very fit with quite muscular arms that her black halter neck top were showing off quite nicely.

"Hello, is this Harry Potter's place?" Hermione lifted her jaw back off the floor and mumbled an apology.

"Sure, come in, sorry I was expecting some one else, I'm Hermione Granger." Deanna stepped in and shook hands with Hermione.

"Yes I know who you are Miss Granger, Harry always talks about you, I'm Deanna Livingstone." Hermione nodded and took the box of sweets off Harry's guest. At that moment Harry walked out and even though Hermione had her back to the balcony, she knew he had arrived as the smile on Deanna's face lit up the room.

"Deanna, hi, you're early?" Harry fumbled with something to say, he hadn't wanted this to happen.

Just as Hermione was about to close the door, Ron arrived and saw what she was wearing.

"Hey, hey Mione, you wear clothes like that and I will have to leave my girlfriend." Ron made a dramatic wolf whistle which would have earned a laugh off Harry if he wasn't in such foul mood.

"Ron, don't be stupid. Are you ready to go?" Hermione giggled and Ron looked around the room and noticed that Harry had company and he shook hands with Deanna and then Harry.

"Hey Deanna, how are you? Not working tonight hey? Your slack boss gave you some time off hey?' Ron had a laugh and so did Deanna. She told him that they had solved the case earlier than they thought so she had a couple of days to herself. Hermione then realised she wasn't a secretary, it was worse, she was an Auror. Most of Harry's secretary's had only been after one thing, a night with the famous Harry Potter, but an Auror, that was a different threat altogether. They had something in common and she was obviously quite intelligent plus there was no denying that she was beautiful. Hermione really felt the threat of Deanna Livingstone more than ever.

"OK Ron how about we get going?"

"Where are you going Hermione?" Harry's tone did not go unnoticed by everyone.

"Out Harry, and don't wait up." Hermione turned around briskly and grabbed her black cloak off the wall rack and swung it around her shoulders and Ron came up and did the clasp for her.

He whispered into her face as they were standing very closely, "Mione you don't need a jacket, we are staying at the Burrow." The action looked intimate and Harry's blood was almost at boiling point.

"I'm not coming back here tonight Ron."

Then Ron stood back and said in his normal tone, "Good it's settled, Mione get your pyjamas, your staying with me tonight." Poor Ron had no idea the consequences of such an innocent statement could have.

"She's WHAT?" Harry shouted and Ron realised his error but he also couldn't understand what the big deal was, Harry had his girlfriend standing right there. What did he want, his cake and to eat it too plus Harry knew he had Caroline now, what was his problem.

"Yeah, she is mate, you got a problem with that?" Harry was fuming by now and Hermione knew she should diffuse the situation.

"Harry, I'm sure Deanna doesn't want to see our domestics, you're being rude to your guest. See you tomorrow." Hermione grabbed Ron's arm and apparated them both out of the flat leaving a very annoyed, frustrated and fuming Harry behind.

They arrived at the Burrow and Ron stopped her before she knocked on the door.

"OK, Spill?"

"What? Nothings wrong Ron, lets just have a good night OK?"

"OK Mione, but I am here if you need me OK?" she thanked him and hugged him tightly.

".. you also can't keep avoiding the truth Mione, he needs to know how you feel?"

"No he most certainly does not. He has never given me any reason to believe he has feelings for me other than platonic friends feelings..."

"Oh come on Mione, what was that all about back at your flat then?"

"No Ron, he is just being a prick that's all. He has his girlfriend Diana or whatever, that's it."

"OK, whatever you say and her name is Deanna not Diana." Hermione rolled her eyes and knocked on the door.

The dinner was outstanding, Mrs Weasley had outdone herself yet again. She was in an exceptionally good mood tonight. It may have had to do with the fact that Ron and Hermione were there 'together' without partners but she wouldn't admit that to anyone. Charlie and Bill also joined their parents for dinner and the six of them had a great night. By the end of dessert they could not possibly fit one more thing in so they went into the lounge room to play some games.

It started off with magical snap then the boys started playing chess but Hermione was bored so she convinced them to play a game of Twister with her.

Charlie decided that more alcohol was needed for this game and he went to get some shots for them.

The first few games were pretty sedate but once the alcohol kicked in and everyone got the idea of the game it became nothing short of an epic funniest home videos stint.

Charlie won the first game then Bill won the next. After that Hermione and Ron were teaming up to get those two off the board so they could have a fair go. Except that 'fair' was not the correct choice of words for what they were doing. Hermione proved to be quite a rebellious little minx and cheated her way to winning the next four games. At one stage, the four of them were piled on the board with Hermione right down the bottom when a floo came through the fire place. Bill, who was on top was the first one to get up and as he did he kicked Charlie's leg, which made him and Ron crash down on top of Hermione. The laughter was echoing throughout the house and Bill could hardly hear the person who was calling them.

"Oh Harry, it's you mate, what's happening? You should be here we're having a ball. Granger is crazy you know." Bill was still laughing when he heard Harry ask to speak to Hermione.

"Hang on mate, I don't think she can, Ron's on top of her, no she has his legs trapped in hers, forget it Harry, she's too into Ron, can I take a message?" Harry pulled his head out of the fireplace and apparated straight over. He walked in to see them all on the floor with Hermione underneath Ron and Charlie. She was screaming for them to let her out but from where Harry was standing it didn't look like she was trying too hard. Her top had edged its way up and he could see her waist and stomach from under Ron.

"Hermione!" the laughing stopped instantly at the tone he used.

"Hey Harry, that was quick mate, one minute you're in the floo and now your here." Bill looked so confused that it started everyone laughing again. Charlie rolled off Ron and Ron rolled off Hermione leaving her flat on the floor with her shirt ridden up to under her bust. Harry walked over and grabbed her arm and pulled her up. Ron was pissed in both senses of the word.

"Get your hands offffff herrrr." Ron slurred his speech, he really had too much to drink.

"Hermione, you're going home!" Harry pulled her shirt down roughly and looked around for her shoes. Hermione leant into him and he thought she was falling so he grabbed her around the waist.

"Do you like holding me Harry? Does it feel good, does it feel better than holding D, D, whatever her name is?" She leant her whole body into his and looked him in the eye.

He didn't respond.

"Yeah, that's what I thought. Goodbye Harry, I am staying here with Ron, piss off back home to your girlfriend." Hermione pushed away from him and Ron watched his face. He could see Harry had feelings for her but he now realised that Harry didn't know. He was completely oblivious to the fact that he was in love with his best friend.

Hermione walked out into the kitchen to get a drink of water and Ron approached Harry.

"Mate, just leave her here with me tonight, she'll be fine, you can talk in the morning." Ron was trying to be neutral but unfortunately, Harry was on his high horse and wasn't coming off any time soon.

"Yeah, you'd like that wouldn't you 'mate' this is what you have been waiting for? What about your girlfriend, does Caroline even know your here together?" Harry spat the words at Ron.

"Mate, you know what, I am going to ignore that, because right now you have absolutely no idea what your talking about. Go home and sleep it off, by the smell of you, you've had too much fire whiskey." Ron was drunk but at least he still had his senses.

"Yeah that's right Harry, just go home." Hermione had returned with her glass of water.

"Why, so you can stay here and screw Ron all night?" Hermione gasped and then slapped him across the face as hard as she could. His head recoiled from the force of her slap.

"How dare you, you bastard. You owe Ron an apology." Harry looked around and saw Charlie, Bill and Ron staring at him and he apparated out. Hermione didn't realise she was holding her breath until he left and she let out a deep sigh.

"I am so sorry guys.."

Not going so great for our Harry....

As usual review if you like

Sirius xox