Chapter 9: Dear Dad
"I went to see your brother Ginny." Hermione said matter of factly, the look on her friends face didn't get past her. "Nothing even remotely happened so don't think about asking any of those questions."
"Well then what did you do?"
"Mostly sat in silence." The look of confusion on Gin's face was priceless. "I was sitting by the lake and Dobby was running after Bill's dog and I offered to take him back since Dobby was having such a difficult time walking him. When I got there Bill started talking about how off I've been acting lately and we just sat there for awhile."
Ron shouted across the common room, startling Hermione. "Hey Mione, what's the answer to number five of the potions homework?"
"It's on page one-seventy-two Ronald." She answered.
"That didn't give me an answer." All Hermione could do was shake her head. Ron was a piece of work sometimes.
"Hey Gin, does Ron still fancy me?"
The red-head looked at her brother for a moment, noticing the stolen glances he thought were well hidden and how he chewed his lip when he looked at Hermione. "I would say yes. Why do you ask?"
Shrugging, Hermione tried not to make anything she said sound like a big deal. "Because I don't think I fancy him anymore."
"Hermione we all kind of assumed that you stopped fancying my dear brother awhile ago, it makes sense that you've found someone else. My other brother, however, is something that I never expected." Rambling, Hermione blushed from what her friend was insinuating.
"I never said I fancied Bill," Hermione tried to continue but Ron walked over.
"Of course you don't fancy him, why would you?" Harry followed his best friend over and rolled his eyes. "I mean, he's so much older it would be kind of creepy."
Ginny's face contorted a bit. "He's only ten years older than you guys, and Hermione is mature enough to make the gap seem like only a year or two."
Ron's ears started to get pink. "Why are you making this such a big deal Ginny, it's not like either of them is interested right Hermione?"
The silence following created so much tension Harry winced. Ron's eyes burned into the girl's soul waiting for an answer. "I haven't spent that much time with Bill and don't know him well enough for this conversation to even be happening." Standing to leave Hermione noticed Ron open his mouth to retort but Harry got him to shut up with one look.
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Fritz rolled on his back and started running in his sleep. Bill watched his beloved pet while he sat in deep thought. Since he had arrived at Hogwarts there had been so much going on that he could barely wrap his head around it.
First, there was his secret admirer who had taken a break from sending him gifts for the past couple days. Then there was Hermione's insomnia and her drop in performance of classes. That really isn't like her at all, there has to be something else going on.
"Professor Weasley?" The squeaky voice of Professor Flitwick rang around the room waking up Fritz and bringing Bill back to reality. "Are you home?"
"Yes, Filius I am. What can I do for you?" Bill conjured some tea and cakes while offering his colleague a seat.
"I wanted to talk to you about Miss Granger's implementation in my class. I know Minerva already spoke to the girl but your family has always been close to her and I was wondering if you knew anything about what she is going through."
Bill sighed and picked up Fritz. "Hermione brought my krup here after she found him on the grounds earlier, she stayed for about twenty minutes in silence, I think she just needed to know someone was there for her as a comfort thing. Also, she hasn't been sleeping very well which is causing her to lose focus in everything but her problem."
"You have no idea what is going on with her though?" Flitwick asked picking up a cup of tea. "Gryffindor hasn't gotten nearly as many house points since Miss Granger has stopped paying attention. I'm not worried that she understands the material, I'm worried that whatever is bothering her is going to consume her and something will happen."
The men silently agreed over the tea. Eventually Flitwick played with Fritz for a few minutes and left leaving Bill with his own thoughts once again.
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Hermione stormed back out of the common room and onto the grounds. Who the hell does he think he is, telling me who I can't fancy because of age! She screamed in her thoughts. I'm more mature than a thirty year old man sometimes and most definitely more mature than Ronald will ever be!
"What's the hurry Granger," a smooth voice called out. "Lost one of your precious books?"
"I am not in the mood for you right now Malfoy." The brunette seethed not trying to give him the satisfaction of annoying her. "So just run along with your little dummies and that trollop and leave me alone."
The stillness after her statement frightened her more than anything. Malfoy was probably red in the face and she didn't want to stick around and see it. Storming off once again to her spot by the lake Hermione hoped with all her might her nemesis wouldn't follow her.
Hours later, when the sun started getting lower in the sky Hermione finally stood from the pebbles and made her way back to the castle. She hadn't realized how chilly it had gotten or how hungry she was. I've missed dinner by now. The gloomy thought depressed her more as she entered the quiet castle. I'll just go down to the kitchens.
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"I can't believe you Ron," Ginny shouted at her brother. "She's been gone for hours and it's all because of you!"
"Don't blame me for this Gin, you're the one who brought up Hermione fancying someone!" Ron's arguments were always dumb, but the need to yell back was far greater than the need to think about what he was yelling.
"We were having a private conversation Ron! You weren't supposed to butt yourself in and give us your opinion. Not that it would matter because you wouldn't WANT Hermione to fancy anyone other than you!"
Harry shook his head as a group of first years ran past the siblings. "Can we please just calm down and try to think of where she could possibly be, that way I can go find her?"
"I'm going to find her too Harry." Ron added defiantly.
"No you're not, all you'll do when we find her is yell and make her more upset. Then she'll run away again and we won't find her until next week!" Harry was sick and tired of Ron and Hermione fighting but he did acknowledge that it was normally the boy's fault. He constantly decided things for Hermione and they were always what he wanted to happen, never what she would want. "Both of you are going to stay put and I don't care if you continue arguing with one another but if Hermione comes back just leave her alone."
Grabbing the invisibility cloak Harry left and once he had gotten safely out of the common room he pulled a piece of parchment from his jeans pocket. He knew exactly where his best friend was the entire time, but not wanting Ron to run after her he kept it to himself knowing it was better for everyone in the long run. "I solemnly swear I am up to no good." Watching the names and paths appear always excited the boy who lived. "There you are," He watched as Hermione Granger stood in the kitchens for a moment, folding the parchment back up Harry made his way down the corridors and stairs until reaching the portrait of fruit.
"Hermione?" He called after tickling the pear, but all he got were odd looks from the elves and a few offers for food. Taking the marauders map back out of his pocket Harry tried to locate his friend again, it took a few moments but he finally found her. The name Hermione Granger was directly next to the name William Weasley.
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"I know my brother can be a lot to handle sometimes, but he mostly means well." Bill comforted the girl, rubbing her back so she would calm down.
"I just can't stand him making up my mind for me anymore! It's like I'm in a controlling relationship and we're not even together."
Bill took a deep breath, he had wanted to know for a long time and finally he had a reason to ask. "Do you even have feelings for Ron anymore?" The question obviously took Hermione by surprise as she stared at Bill with confusion. "I don't mean to pry, that's your business I just figured I would ask because maybe you're just mad at him for acting like a controlling boyfriend when you don't even want him to be anymore."
"No, I don't like him." She answered sadly. "I did for a long time but after awhile I just didn't. It was like I had lost interest over night and it scared me." Bill nodded in understanding not wanting to interrupt. "I know your mum always wanted Ron and I to get married and have a million kids, but I just can't do it. I mean, there are times I'm not sure I even want to be friends with him anymore just because he thinks my life should mimic his."
"I understand. I also understand why you would think my mum wanted that from you, but she already treats you like a daughter. Even if you married someone else and had their million kids she would still be the same with you, yeah maybe she was hoping you could become her 'real' daughter someday but that doesn't mean she doesn't already think of you like that." Hermione picked at her nails as Bill reassured her about everything. "My entire family loves you and that will never change, no matter what."
At that time Bill decided to take a good long look at his little brother's bookish best friend. He remembered the frizzy hair which had calmed itself into waves that fell down her back and curled at the end, he remembered her coffee colored eyes that warmed you when looking into them, and he remembered her smile. What he didn't remember was how well she filled out the tee-shirt and jeans she was wearing and how long her legs seemed to be, or how smooth her skin looked.
"Bill? Is everything alright?" Hermione asked, looking worried.
He blushed thinking he had been caught. "Yeah, I'm fine. I was just lost in my thoughts."
"Anything I can help with? You've helped me with so much this past week." The offer seemed strange coming from a student, but as a family friend it seemed perfectly natural.
"I've been getting these…gifts from a secret admirer. I got chocolates with a love potion, I didn't eat any of them but it was kind of creepy." The notes were still lying on the table and he reached out to get them. "Here are the notes; maybe you could help me figure it out from the hand writing?"
Studying the handwriting for a moment Hermione nodded. "Do you have any papers with you here or are they all in your office?"
"I leave my work in my office but I could bring some papers back with me tomorrow and we could work on it after dinner if that's alright?" Merlin, how much more forward could I be right now? He thought noticing how the corners of the girls mouth twitched.
"That sounds fine; I should probably get back to Gryffindor tower before Ginny has a conniption though."
The pair bid their adieus and Hermione opened the portrait to leave, making sure there were no prefects or professors around. She got halfway down the corridor before she heard another pair of footsteps. "Lumos." She said pointing her wand behind her. "Who's there?"
"It's just me," Harry pulled the cloak off of his head. "Do you want to get under here so we don't get caught?"
Hermione extinguished her wand and joined Harry, noticing the sideways looks she was getting but appreciating the lack of questions.
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Dear Dad,
Hogwarts is splendid; I forgot how much I loved it here! I do miss mum's cooking though; maybe she can send me some cakes? Ron and Ginny are doing fine unless you call Ron fighting with Hermione fine, then Ron isn't doing so well, but they're both doing well in classes and getting good marks (without my help of course).
Dad, I think I have a little bit of a problem and I really need your advice. Do you think you could meet me at the Three Broomsticks on Saturday? It's a Hogsmeade weekend so I can sneak off in the middle of the day and you can see Ron and Ginny as well.
Tell mum and everyone else I said hello and I send my love.
Bill