How to Play Nice by WeasleyForMe
Bill finds out that his new work assignment has him paired with Hermione. Can he learn how to play nice with her? Bill/Hermione
Bill ran through the Armenian Ministry building through throngs of people, trying to reach his Portkey on time. His overnight bag was starting to feel a little heavy as the evening wore on. The day had been overwhelming, even for a curse breaker at his level of experience. His duties at the home of Makar Gordian had taken all night the previous evening, and he knew he would have to spend half of Monday filling out more paperwork. He just wanted to be home with his family and eat dinner with Hermione.
He paused and struggled to translate the visitor information signs; Armenian was never his best language. "Excuse me?" he asked the well dressed Ministry employees around him. They all looked warily at the dusty, dirty curse breaker before continuing on their way. "Can anyone tell me where to find the international Portkey gate?" Receiving no response, he sighed and took off down the corridor to his left.
When he heard the distant announcement for the Portkey to London, he started running and arrived at the platform just as a group of people clutching a red bathrobe vanished from view.
"Bugger!" he muttered taking a seat on a bench nearby to gather himself. He thought, perhaps, that he was getting too old for business travel after all.
A crackling intercom announced a message first in Armenian and then in English. "The last international Portkey for today will be departing for London in thirty minutes."
Bill checked his watch and considered the time zones. Surely everyone would be arriving for dinner at the Burrow by now. Ginny and his mum had been bugging him all week to make sure Hermione would be attending meatloaf night, and now it looked like he would be the one missing it.
When the announcement finally came for the last Portkey departure, Bill jumped up from the bench and made his way to the platform. A small, sallow looking wizard ripped his ticket from his fingers before he could say anything. Then one corner of a stained bed sheet was thrust into his hand. Bill frowned at the dirty fabric and lightly held onto the edge as a dozen other witches and wizards strode onto the platform and followed suit.
As he waited for a final announcement or departure notice to be made, he felt the ground slide away from his feet, and he squeezed the fabric tighter. As he vanished from Armenia and appeared in London, he took a moment to catch his breath.
If he stopped home to shower, he would be even later for dinner, but he didn't see any other option. He was getting more strange looks from passersby.
He strode quickly through the corridors to the main lobby, holding tightly to the case of information and items he had collected from Makar Gordian's home. He just wanted to hand this over to Kingsley and then see Hermione.
Molly and Ginny each took turns glancing at Hermione as they set the table with help from Kingsley. Hermione was looking distractedly out the kitchen window, barely answering their questions or adding to the conversation.
"Hermione dear, would you bring the basket of bread over here to the table?" Molly asked.
"Mmhmm, yes," she responded, making no move toward the freshly baked rolls. She merely continued to stare out into the darkening evening.
Ginny smirked and picked up the basket herself. "Hermione, did you see that purple unicorn fly through the room?"
"Oh yes," she said without turning to look at her friend.
Ginny snorted. "He'll be here soon, Hermione. He's been bugging at me for the past week to make sure you'd be here tonight. Bill wouldn't miss this."
Hermione spun around to glare at Ginny. "I wasn't waiting for him!" she insisted in a whisper, not wanting to be overheard by Kingsley and Molly. She was pretty sure she and Bill were raising enough suspicion already without assistance from the youngest Weasley.
Before Ginny was able to make a snide comment, the kitchen door swung open, and Bill appeared. Hermione felt a wave of relief wash through her followed by a wave of nerves. There he stood in one of those tee shirts that barely left any of his muscular form to the imagination. His long ponytail was wet, making it appear to be a deeper red. His hazel eyes held her in place as a smile played across his lips.
Merlin, but did she have the urge to touch him!
"Bill!" Molly exclaimed, pulling her eldest son into a hug, forcing him to break eye contact with Hermione.
"Told you," Ginny sang in a self-satisfied tone as she pulled the meatloaf pans from the oven and placed them on the table.
As she sent a glare Ginny's way, Hermione tried to help by setting the potatoes on the table as well, but she kept looking at Bill.
"So what did you find in Armenia?" Kingsley asked him.
Bill handed over a folder of documents and evidence to the Minister, and smiled. "If you want more information, you'll have to wait until Monday. I'm off for the weekend." Kingsley's deep laughter filled the room as he accepted Bill's response and took a seat for dinner.
Hermione chuckled as Bill winked at her, and the entire Weasley clan started to pour into the kitchen for dinner. The twins were already eating before they sat down, and Ron ran into the room as though there was a shortage of food in England.
Scoffing, Hermione slipped into one of the free seats, and Harry took the chair to her left. "Haven't seen you for meatloaf night in awhile, Hermione," Harry remarked, squeezing her hand briefly before heaping dinner onto his plate.
"Obviously you can't resist the wonderful company," Bill whispered next to her right ear as he slipped into the seat beside her.
"Obviously," she replied with as much nonchalance as she could muster. It was all a ruse; her tummy felt as though it was filled with the Cornish pixies they had captured just days before.
She nearly yelped and her heart pounded in her chest as she felt Bill's large hand come in contact with her thigh. She looked at him out of the corner of her eye, afraid that everyone else was aware of their contact, but nobody was looking at them.
"Well I certainly didn't rush back here for the food, Hermione." Bill's husky voice was making her head spin.
She took a deep breath. "Oh yeah? Then why are you here?" she asked quietly.
Bill smiled, knowing it would annoy her to receive another question in place of an answer. "Meet me in the orchard after dessert?" he asked, removing his hand from her thigh.
Her barely perceptible nod ended their conversation, and Hermione hoped the meal ended quickly.
Please don't hate me for taking so much time to post this... I was busy planning a wedding and getting married! But now I'm back!
I do hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please leave a review so I know you haven't given up on me!