(Flashback)

"Well, Harry, Hermione. I hope this little Hullabaloo of mine was everything you both thought it would be." Bill paused for a moment to allow the attention of both his welcomed guest's eyes to settle upon him before he continued in his address of the pair.

"True, it probably wasn't as grand as what the new In-Laws of mine would have wanted, but by Merlin if ickle-Ronnikins efforts this afternoon didn't more then make up for their disappointment. Did you see 'em, Harry? He had them practically eating out of his hand. I swear on Morgana's Ring that if you looked hard enough at his palm you'd might even actually see their teeth marks." With this snide comment at his new extension of his family, Bill, let loose a deep and giddy laugh at finally being free of the scrutiny of his new bride's overbearing parents. "Y'know, I'm almost sure they want Fleur to now annul me and marry him." Bill then released another carefree laugh at his joke as he sat down to join the adopted Weasley children, easily ignoring the frown that quickly forming on Hermione's brow with his last statement.

Harry, however, couldn't help but smile at Bill's excitement and happiness. Though he never spoke of it to anyone, he felt very guilty of the werewolf injury caused to Ron's elder brother a couple of months earlier and he was finally glad to see Bill laugh again with a genuine mirthful twinkle in his eye. As if noticing the lull in dialogue, the Boy-who-Lived contributed quickly before the silence became uncomfortable or thought by the new Groom as dismissive on the parts of himself and Hermione and then cause Bill to move onto another table. With haste he nodded in agreement to Bill's words seconds earlier, as it so happened his own observations seemed to have supported this claim as well. "Yeah, I think you should be careful there, mate. That bloom of yours might be well and truly off your Rose." A cheeky smile grew on Harry's face as the Bride-Groom's expression dropped a fraction to this thought. So with equal quickness Harry tried to recover the spirit that was soaring carefree only a moment before. "But your right, Bill, Ron sure took to the task didn't he? Who knew he would have thought such nice things about you when he made his speech?"

Bill barked out another free laugh as he lightly punched Harry's shoulder in brotherly fun. "I didn't for one, that's for damn sure. When Fleur asked me to pick lil Ronnie, for 'Best Wizard' the night-before, I was stunned stupid. You see I had promised Charlie years ago that if I ever did get hitched one-day that he'd be mine and in doing so he made the same oath that I'd be his. But I'd tell you what, Har, despite my earlier reservations and argument to the effect I'm now glad I succumbed to her suggestion. Regardless of that beautiful bride of mine's motives, Ron, truly shined today, and he came through for me like a champion."

Harry smiled with a warm bit a pride on behalf of his dearest friend. Ron rarely received praise, especially from his brother's. Typically they just called him a git or a prat and Harry knew that both Bill and Charlie were two of Ron's personal heroes and role-models. Crossing his arms across his chest and leaning back in his chair a smirk played on Harry's lips as he came to his friend's defense. "You're surprised? Bill, if there is one thing I know about your brother it's that he's got depth. What he let's you see of him on the surface is not all of who he is and what he's all about. Ron can surprise and he usually does."

Bill placed his hand on top of Harry's mop of hair and rubbed it vigorously, messing up the be speckled boy's carefully combed strands. "You don't have to tell me this Har, that 6'2" pipsqueak could consistently best me at Wizard Chess by the time he was six. There is a lot more going on between his ears then we ever give credit for. And you know what I think? I think he likes it like that. I think he likes it because there's no pressure on him to do anything else but to just coast. If people don't look to him for a solution or an answer he doesn't have to worry about finding one. That's one of the reason's why I think, Albus made Ronny a Prefect. To get him to finally stand up and take more responsibility to those about him. I'm sure there were other reasons as well to Ronnie's appointment, but I think it always secretly infuriated Dumbledore that Ron never tried to excel more then he usually did."

Harry suddenly became very interested in this line of discussion. For years he had known of the high regard Professor Dumbledore had held for Hermione's intellect, but he could not recall the aged Wizard ever commenting on Ron. Harry made a sideways glance to Hermione to see if she was going to make a contribution, to his surprise she remained still, almost in trance looking at the Head Table that stood several meter's away and a very vacant chair. Shaking his head in both amusement and annoyance, Harry, decided to proceed with this inquiry alone. "How do you know that?"

Bill rotated his hand casually like he was waving into a memory of yesteryear. "C'mon Har, I was a member of the Order long before you guy's got involved in it. Dumbledore would talk to mum and dad all the time about you and wherever you were involved so was Ron and Hermione."

Harry suppressed a smile at this revelation.

"Yep, Albus was always at a bit of a loss where Ron was concerned. He said Ron was unique and bared careful and close observation, he never went into what he meant by that, truth to tell, I think even he didn't know for sure. Albus always had theories about every little thing. And Ron to him was a walking enigma. I think that these concerns were frightenly shared by Mum and Dad too. I don't know if you've ever noticed it, Har, but where little Ronny is concerned, Mum and Dad are a little bit more prone to worry with him then they are when it's just the Twin's, me, or Charlie. With the exception of Ginny, who's the only girl in the brood, Ron receives more aggressive coddling and fretting then all the rest of us males put together."

Harry pondered this statement for a moment, and he was surprised when he discovered that Bill was right. The Twin's were always getting into trouble with their pranks but they were always quickly forgotten and forgiven. He always thought that this was just normal behavior.

Then there was Percy, the now black-sheep of the Weasley Children. Where Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were concerned, if Percy was too walk through the Burrow door's the next day and apologize for being an Ass, then all would be forgiven by them.

When Bill announced he was engaged to Fleur, even though it earnt a negative reaction from Mrs. Weasley, she never voiced, or allowed other's to voice harsh opinions, to the happy couple.

Yet, Ron wasn't allowed to break a sweat. And when he did, Mrs. Weasley, was typically on him like a shot asking what he was doing and what was wrong? Ron always received the harshest punishments for things that he and Hermione were always readily forgiven for and he was always more embarrassed then most when Mrs. Weasley would offer him that extra bit of love and attention then she would the rest of her children, typically at their amusement at the brother's discomfort. "Now that you mention it, Bill. I just notice your right. Why is that?"

With a shrug of the shoulders, the new Groom, just smiled a strange smile. "I dunno, Harry. And that's the truth. I used to think it was because Ron was the last Boy of the Weasley's. But something Albus once said in passing has me wondering different now."

Harry leaned forward further across the table to meet the eyes of the elder brother. "Why? What did he say?"

"Well he shut up when he realized I had entered the room, but he, dad and mum were chatting about what a difficult birth he was. And that Dad had tempted with things that he shouldn't of. I was only 5 at the time and Ron was still a babe in arms, but I remember that his arrival caused a lot of commotion. The mid-witch was going on saying 'that he shouldn't have been alive' that 'this was all wrong'. It stressed Mum and Dad out no end. And you want to know what?"

"What?"

"Now bare in mind this is just coincidence, but I heard Dad one day confess that when Ronnie came out of Mum and got his bot-bot slapped by the Healer that all the bulbs in St. Mungo's exploded."

"All?"

"Yep, all. Close to 500. The wanker's tried to fit dad up with the Bill to replace them all. Do you believe that, claimed that it was a magical surge emanating from the Delivery Room that didn't have the magical signature of the Healer and Mid-witch. Mum was in Ga-Ga land, and Ron was less then 10-seconds old, that only left Dad as the guilty party, and he swore black and blue that it wasn't him. Since then they were always more weary with Ron and making him angry or emotional, not that he needs any help in that department. Out of all of us, Ron's more prone to the negative emotions then others. The quick temper, the impulsiveness the ease to offend."

Harry's eyes became glazed with worry. "In the Muggle World, Bill, when I first started showing magical abilities, it always manifested itself when I was … emotional. I just thought that was the same for everyone who is a Wizard or Witch that a place like Hogworts is suppose to teach up a level of control so that we did not release magic by accident or without intent."

Bill shared the somber thought as Harry did. "It is. But not all Wizards exercise the same level as you, Harry. Me? I floated a jar of jam across the table when I was six, and Charlie? He made the leaves on that old Oak over there shed out of Season when he was all of seven."

"But do you really believe Ron made all the light-bulbs in St. Mungo's burst?"

"Of coarse not. At least, that's what I tell everyone. But since last year I've been thinking different. Did you know that Albus was Ron's God-father?"

"NO WAY!!!!"

"Yep. I only found that out after the prat ended up being poisoned on his birthday. Do you know how many Wizard's and Witches wrote to Dumbledore asking him to be the Godparent of their child?"

"No. Hundred's I suppose."

"Try thousands. You know with Sirius that the role of a Godparent in the Magical World is a very serious one. Could you imagine what type of pull you'd have if it was popular knowledge that the Greatest Wizard in the World was your Guardian?"

Harry looked down to the table cloth and contemplated this question, he knew the hype he received as being the Boy-who-lived, he could not imagine what it would have been like for Ron if it became known that Albus Dumbledore was his Godfather. He would have to excel in all his subjects just to be worthy of the honor. "Did he know?"

"Don't recon so. Hell, I only found out by accident. When I questioned him on it Albus just said that Ron was 'special'. And that from a baby he sensed something grand within him just awaiting the opportunity to burst out and reveal itself to all. Like a butterfly emerging from a cocoon. Not like the rest of us Weasley's, Harry." Another light hearted laugh escaped Bill's features before he continued. "Dumbledore thought Ron was the diamond amongst a pile of coal." Bill surrendered a dry chuckle at the now surprised expression that was forming on Harry's face at the self put down of the rest of his brethren.

"C'mon Harry, lighten up. This is a wedding, not a funeral"

Harry's expression dimly changed, but it still maintained sadness at being reminded of funerals and the earlier mention of Dumbledore's name as well as the revelation that Ron had missed the chance of sharing something special with Dumbledore that he had with Sirius. Mentally Harry shock himself alert and asked the question that was now burning in him. "Bill. Why would Professor Dumbledore think Ron was 'special' or hide the truth from him? I mean aside from being a first-rate mate. What did Ron ever do to earn Dumbledore's attention other then get messed up in my adventures and the like? Has he ever done anything that, well, aside from St. Mungo's bulbs all blowing at once brings him that kind of scrutiny?"

"You're kidding right? Harry, First Year, Ron played and won in a Chess Game that he shouldn't have been able to win. But he did. He won a game that was supposed to be un-winnable. And he was all of 11-years of age when he did it too. You don't think that's going to raise a few eyebrows? He didn't dawdle whilst playing either; he did it all in a rush and under the wand. I'm sure if he wasn't pressed to get you to the Philosopher's Stone ASAP, Harry, he could have figured away to have won the game without him ending up in the infirmary. And then what does he do after? He went right back to that comfortable slot in his lesson's of being a mediocre student.

"I also heard from Ginny that in the final game the other year when Umbridge was in charge, that no-one could get a goal off him. C'mon, Harry, I read Fred and George's letter's home. According to them, Ron sucked big-time prior to that match, and then suddenly all the Quaffle's all find their way into his glove? Tell me Harry, you're a smart guy, what are the laws of averages on that?"

"Albus couldn't understand how a prat like Ron could show such creative brilliance, yet still only just get a handful of 'O's. He told mum and dad that he spent many hours trying to ponder that riddle. By Dumbledore's account, Ron should have surpassed Perce in the brain smarts department, maybe even Hermione. And that his magical intuition was off the scale."

At these supportive words, Harry, couldn't help but reflect on his life being Ron's best friend. There were times when casual information towards the wizarding world and its occupants came easily from him. Dragon's, Beast's of all sorts, Hex's, Spell's, History, he was also one of the first people to recognized Parcel-speak out of everybody else who witnessed it. And this was a rare language, and one that was not actively spoken aloud in company. It was only when Ron had identified the odd type of communication to him that Hermione was able to regurgitate what she knew from the reading of books. Considering the past, that was generally how it usually was - Ron would identify something and then Hermione would step in and offer her knowledge on the subject. But generally speaking it was always Ron who solved the problem first and he would then deflect the kudos to either Hermione or himself

What was even stranger then this thought was the notion that this was the first instance he had never decided to break down Ron's involvement before. Ron always seemed to be the silent voice in the background when they were discussing things. Yet when he did make a contribution it was always timely and full of his unique insight.

But these memories were beside the point at the moment, Harry felt as though Bill had just offered a level of critism to his old departed Professor, and he felt honor bound to defend the brave elderly mentor that surrendered his life for him. "Dumbledore was brilliant, Bill, if anyone could have figured out why that was – he could have."

Bill's somber attitude continued as he nodded his agreement to Harry's tribute of his old Headmaster. "Actually, Harry, I think he did. Find out I mean. And trust me when I say that I don't think it bought him any joy. Nearly a year prior to Snape killing him he was always on about Ron's potential in the private company of certain Order Member's and Mum and Dad, and then he just stopped clean. He wouldn't say a thing. Infact Ron became a topic that Albus avoided talking about altogether. At least, it was with us."

Harry was certain that this was the same time that Dumbledore began the Horcrux hunt and that he probably didn't want to burden the Weasley's with his woes or mission. But that wouldn't explain why his Headmaster would stop interacting with Ron's parents or chatting about other details surrounding their son's life.

Infact as Harry scrutinized his memory, he realized that there were very few occasions that Dumbledore actively engaged Ron in anything unless it had to do with himself. It was always him or Hermione who got the attention from the ancient wizard. Even on Ron's birthday when the male Weasley had gotten poisoned from a gift that was initially going to be delivered to him by Slughorn as a Christmas present the aged Headmaster avoided coming down to the Infirmary to ascertain on Ron's well-being. A strange course of action if what Bill said about Dumbledore being his Godfather was true. If it was either him or Hermione, Professor Dumbledore always wandered in and out to chat with Madam Pomfey over their respected progress. But when it was Ron? This was strange behavior considering how close he was to the Weasley family. Why would he exclude Ron in the little pleasantries, attention and care?

With the mention of Ron's name by Bill again, Harry drew himself out of his inner thoughts once more. "Anyway, sometimes a push isn't enough with Ron. Sometimes that guy needs to be shoved, and shoved hard."

With this spoken thought, Bill's, smile spread wider across his face as he kinked his head to Hermione who was still supporting a far away look in her eye. Since the moment the elder brother had sat down her eyes were distracted by the unoccupied third seat at the Head Table and they had refused to refocus on anything else. Bill's smile became more devilish and because of the scarring on his face caused by the werewolf attach a couple a months earlier, it looked more sinister then it was meant to be.

The elder brother then slammed his hand down upon the table hard for effect of purpose. At the unexpected noise, Hermione, jumped in her place and turned her startled head to the direction of the male Weasley. "What?!? Sorry??? I was ---." Hermione rattled her head clear of any previous thoughts and tried to catch up with the conversation in her memory. "Wait a minute, Bill, you said last night that Ron was selected because he was the only one you could trust in not messing it all up, now you're saying you--- you 'shoved' him?"

Harry and Bill nearly burst out laughing in union as Hermione demonstrated that she had not been paying attention to anything that was actually said in the minutes before hand and that she had made an erroneous connection to comments made before and just now. Only the shared desire not to embarrass the Bookworm saved her form being laughed at. Ignoring the tight-lipped smiles that were now present upon the two males Hermione asserted herself and continued with her line enquiry. "If you promised Ron's task to Charlie, then why would you go back on your word, regardless to what Fleur instructed you to do? What does Ron have to prove? And why did Fleur want you to pick him?"

Bill winced under the glare he was receiving from the 17-year old female. Suddenly regretting getting her to join in the discussion now. "Well, that bit about the other's messing it up; well that worry was pretty much on target, Hermy. I mean, could you imagine the other's doing as good of a job today under the compulsion of the Veritaserum then Ronnie??? Charlie would have told embarrassing antedates. Percy would have bored people stupid. And Fred and George would have turned the Marriage Goblet into a rubber-chicken just for a lark. Ron, really was the only brother I had who would take the position seriously and who I could depend on 110 not to offend or bore my perspective In-Law's.

"This had, after all, my future-happiness riding on it. Though Mum and Dad were accepting of Fleur, I'm almost ashamed to admit that the door didn't exactly swing both ways in that department. Since the damage done to me by that werewolf, they've been on the fence about Fleur's engagement to me. Hell, truth been known, they were already there even before the attack. I needed someone who I could count on to speak on my behalf and offer a favorable perspective of me. We Weasley's aren't exactly the Malfoy's or the Black's where social standing and wealth are concerned, now are we? And Ronnie has this tendency to always speak his mind and heart on matters and hold conviction to what he says. The fact that I knew he kinda hero-worshipped me only aided in my position for Fleur's hand. That would mean the Veritaserum would be less painful for him if he tried to be, err, 'tactful'. My younger brother might be a prat at the worst of times, but he always speaks from his heart and what he believes as the truth. "

Hermione grumbled out her agreement to the brother's reflection of Ron and her distain for the insult delivered to her and Harry's favorite Wizarding Family. "But it's not right. Just because you're not rolling around in gold and status like other Wizarding Families it doesn't mean you aren't good people!"

"I know that, you know that, and thankfully Fleur knows that as well. But the Delacour's are filthy rich, with status aplenty, and they wanted to make sure I wasn't one of those Muggle Gold Digger's. Look, I'd trust Ron with my life, just like the rest of my brother's and sister, minus one of course. But unlike them, I could only trust Ron with my future."

Again, Harry nodded in agreement, imagining what could have happened if one of the other brother's had assumed the desired role. But Hermione wasn't prepared to let the matter sleep. "Then why did you say Fleur insisted on Ron then in being your 'choice'?"

Rubbing the back of his neck again, just as Ron did whenever he felt cornered or caught doing something wrong, Bill drawled out a hesitant explanation. "Fleur was just trying to play matchmaker, Hermy, that's all. Not that my thick-headed little brother noticed the effort. You see, Gabrielle has a bit of a crush on my little bro'. Has been nursing one for years, apparently. Ever since he and Harry pulled her out of the Hogwarts lake together. It seems that Fleur and Gabrielle both share the same preference for males with red-hair. And Fleur thought that this wedding would be an excellent opportunity to push the two together. Given the romantic setting, the dancing, the music, and the fact that as both Ron and Gab's are our 'Intended Individuals' and that they pretty much had to both stay joined at the hip through the entire day sharing in the responsibilities of love … and they both happen to be single. In Fleur's mind all these desired elements should've worked in sparking something off between the two, or in the very least encourage the two to get to know the other better."

To his left, Harry saw in his peripheral vision Hermione swallow something hard in her throat. With a whispered stutter she asked the question that she was afraid too speak aloud but knew she had too. "D---d---did it? Work, I mean. He looked like he was having a grand time with her and you all."

A knowing smile crept across Bill's face. "I did mention he was thick, didn't I? Hermione, he was flattered by the attention he got, and the conversation he encouraged was polite and I got to say he was damn witty to boot. The stories he told of his adventures with you guy's had the Mr. and Mrs. Delacour and Gab's absolutely wrapped with attention. But I know Ron, and he was being just that – polite and engaging. I honestly think he's got his 'interests' elsewhere and that all of Gabrielle's efforts and Fleur's only came to naught."

Hermione's eyes widen with possibility. "Do you know with whom, I mean where his interests do lie???"

"Actually, yes, I do." Bill leaned further into the table and spoke into the female's ear like a conspirator. "And you can blame the remnant effects of the Truth Potion for that; it's only now worn off but earlier, you could have asked him any question and he would have answered it with complete honesty."

Hermione sat on the edge of her seat as she leaned in further across the table to meet Bill's softly spoken words. "And what did he say???"

"Well, he mentioned a girl's name too me, someone he likes a great deal." Bill then gave Hermione a very unsubtle wink. "But the poor prat thinks he may have messed his chances up with her because of what had happened last year between him and another girl. He's actually pretty doubtful if she will give him the opportunity of making right by her. He whined about how he ended up treating her and all, and that any man worth his word would never have dismissed their Heart over their Head where love was concerned. He got pretty poetic about it, too. Got Mum pretty teary eyed over the whole thing, she kept telling Dad that 'she was losing her baby-boy', but she was happy that the girl he had his heart set on was, in her considered opinion. worthy of it."

Hermione's cheeks went a rosy color as Harry tried to replay this supposed moment in his head, he had spent most of the day watching the Bride and Groom's table. And in his memory he could almost pinpoint when this moment had taken place as he could clearly remember a time when Mrs. Weasley looked as though she was weeping and Mr. Weasley was smiling warmly at what his wife's antics. He also remembered that this was the only time throughout the afternoon that Gabrielle Delacour looked annoyed.

"So don't you go getting yourself all worried over ickle Ronnie's love-life, Hermione. Me and my Dad set my little bro straight and told him to stand up and be the man he proved himself to being today. To grow up and take responsibility for his past actions and his heart. True love is a rare discovery, but when you find it and you know its genuine then only a fool would put it on the proverbial shelf to deal with at a later date. And you know what, Hermy? He said that at the first practical and convenient moment he's going to make good on all the hurt he caused with her, and he's going to make a sincere effort to rebuild what was nearly destroyed."

Hermione looked nervously to Harry, and then blushed uncontrollably until it looked like her face was in flames. "Really? He's going to do that?"

Bill nodded and gave Hermione another reassuring wink and a smile that betrayed a knowing secret. "Ron might be thick, Hermione. But he always comes around in the end and he admits when he's done something stupid or wrong. After our little pep talk, I'd be surprised if the next wedding we all attend won't be his."

With this Bill looked around the garden searching out his beautiful bride. Smiling broadly when he found her chatting merrily with a distant Uncle on his mother's side, and whom he had only met a handful of times in his entire life. Never before had he ever thought he would feel this complete, this loved. Ron became his God today, and he would swear on Merlin's Wand that he would make this contentment he felt up to his little brother for helping him achieve this for him.

During this inspection, Hermione, nervously strangled her napkin with an anticipatory expression on her face. But that was just before the next sentence slid from the groom's mouth to her and Harry's ears. "Yes, sirree, Lavender Brown isn't going to know what hit her."

With this cruel sentence, Hermione's, hopes all flayed away from her heart as she tried to grasp it's meaning. "LAV---LAVENDER!?!? B---but, Bill, she was awful to him. She treated him like he was her property. Are you saying you and your father both recommended that he goes back to that --- that --- Harpy-Cow of a girl???" Hermione became suddenly lost for words, which was a rare thing indeed. She then stood up and stared angrily at the lone Weasley male, holding nothing but contempt for him and his 'efforts' to council his youngest brother in her eyes. She then departed the table towards the Burrow's kitchen door in a huff.

Harry's eyes followed the bookworms back as she walked up the path, clenched fists to her sides. It was only Bill's soft laughter that distracted him in this concern-filled-observation. With an annoyed shaking of his head, the Weasley's adoptive son starred his own visual daggers in Bill's direction. "He didn't mention Lavender's name at all, did he?"

Wiping a merry tear from his eye, the newly married male disagreed. "No, Har. He mentioned her alright. When, Gab's, was starting to get a bit too forward in her interest with him. He told her, whilst still under thrall of the truth potion and in the politest way possible, of a girlfriend he had last year called Brown, and how their behavior was nearly identical to each other. Saying that it eventually tore the relationship apart with her clingy-needyness. Gab asked what it was that he was looking for then, and --- well, again under the Veritaserum, I'll be damned if the description he gave of his ideal mate didn't fit our little Hermy too a 'T'.

"I mean don't get me wrong, Harry, I've known for a while that Ron was carrying a torch for our Hermione. But I don't think he ever openly admitted this until now, well, at least not to me. He might have been a little more open with you. And I was just seeing if Herm, felt a little of the same for him as well. And by the looks of things, she does."

"You could have asked me, you know. I would have told you. You didn't have to go teasing her. I know how they feel towards each other even if they won't admit it."

With this said, Bill, suddenly became very serious to Harry's disgruntled statement. "Yeah, but what good would that do if both of them is in denial, Harry? Ron's thick, and Hermy is stubborn. They both need to confront these discoveries on their own. They can't be told what is already plain to everybody else. And they aren't the kind of people to surrender to love like 95 of the population. No, Har, with the likes of Ronnie and 'Mione, they have to fight for it. And maybe now, they will."

Harry suddenly became more then a little annoyed at the older brother and his 'sageness'. "How can fighting help them discover how they feel towards each other? That's just mental. What they need is too be told."

"Then tell them, Harry. You said you know the truth about how they feel. When Ron gets back, pull him aside and tell him that Hermione has the hots for him and for the two of them wake up too themselves and just start snogging like crazy. I dare you. No, I double-wizard-dare you."

Harry fell silent to the challenge and down cast his features.

Softly, Bill, spoke once more. "It wouldn't work, would it Harry? Look Har, as I said a sec ago - Ron's thick at times, but despite this he's not stupid. Same goes for Hermione. If the people around them start playing cupid they're gonna notice. And then they're going to go defensive, making it 20-times harder for them to accept their true feelings."

"I still don't know where getting them both riled at one another is a good thing. You're about to go off on your Honeymoon, but it's me who has to deal with all this now that you've got Hermione pissed at Ron. And he's the innocent victim. He won't know what he's done to get off side with her."

"Exactly. He'll go on the defensive, as she goes on the offensive. You just sit back and enjoy the show."

"What show??? I can do without the stress and the headaches, Bill. Trust me. It's not a show, it's a train wreak happening. I hate watching them fight, and me being in the middle all the time."

"Harry, if there are two things I can speak with authority on it's this. I know my brother, and I know women. These two care for one another, that's obvious to anyone with eyes. Even they know that on some basic and primal level. But they have placed up these boundaries around themselves as they are in fear of what could happen to their friendship if they cross that defense.

"While they are calm and collect, neither will consciously pass over that line. What you need too do is make them so upset with one another that this line becomes blurred and doesn't exist any more in their rational thought. Get them so upset that they let something slip that they can't take back. And there you are, it's out there in the 'open' now. And all they can do is deal with it."

Harry thought over his six-year history with the pair, and in all the times when the two were as close to confessing their feelings for the other it was always during some heightened emotional state. "But why, Hermione? Why make Hermione angry instead of Ron?"

"Harry, Hermy isn't angry. Right now, I wager, she's in that kitchen with mum, taking her aggressions out cleaning the cutlery and plates. Listening to Mum croon on what a great job her little Ronniekins did today and how handsome he looked in his new Dress Robes dancing away with Gabrielle. Not knowing that what Mum is really doing is psychologically nudging her into thinking what a good partner her baby boy would be. And as Hermione is listening to this she is a sad mixture of being scared and frustrated that other people are seeing this type of 'potential', that prior to this day she secretly thought only she could see. If she's angry at anyone Harry, it's at herself. But the person she blames for the feelings she feels will be Ron."

Harry tried to think of something too say too this, but his mind drew a blank.

"Harry, Ron's my baby brother and I want him to be as happy as he's made me today. I'm not Fred or George. I'm not Charlie. I'm not trying to get a couple of laughs out of this. Hermione will take the bait, just like I'm sure Ron will. So you just sit back and wait for the inevitable. I just hope for her sake, Hermione, doesn't wait too long."

"Why?"

With a light hearted laugh, Bill answered Harry's question. "Well, Gab is a lot like Fleur. And when Fleur sets her mind to something she doesn't give up on it. Infact, I'd be surprised if Gab's hasn't by this time tomorrow thrown out all her hair brushes, and started reading every book in the Delacour Family Library. It was a big mistake of Ron's to tell her what kind of woman float's his boat."

"You really think she'll go as far as too make herself like Hermione? Just to get his attention?"

With a shrug of his shoulder's Bill conceded to Harry's double question. "Who knows. I've come to the conclusion in my time as a bachelor, Harry, to never underestimate a woman once they've set themselves a mission."

Harry sat in a stupor as Bill stood up, concluded the conversation and went to visit the other tables. Was it really that simple? Hermione and Ron fought all the time. Was it in this strange way that they truly expressed their feelings and passions? Recollecting his thoughts, Harry had to admit that some of the 'disagreements' nearly bordered on craze rather then hate, and most times they easily forgave the heated words that would exit the other's mouths. But was it truly that simple???? Did Ron and Hermione have too fight to the point that they realize their own feelings.