A/N: I know I usually just start the chapters but I wanted to take the time to thank everyone who reviewed and wished me well with my wisdom teeth surgery. You'll all be happy to know that I'm recovered and back into the swing of updating as much as I possibly can!
Chapter 12: A Visit to the Headmaster
Hermione blushed, thankful that she could blame the cold air outside. The greetings and hugs from Mr. Weasley to the four that joined them took only a few moments and everyone jammed themselves into the booth except for Harry who went to get them all butterbeers.
"I hear you've been sleeping poorly Hermione," Mr. Weasley called down the table. "Hopefully what ever's causing it will remedy itself soon."
The girl nodded. "I think it was just stress, I've been fine for awhile now."
"Yeah, but not before you fell asleep in class and missed an entire day." Ron complained. "I had to actually take notes for her dad!" The group laughed as Ron continued. And they all sat in the Three Broomsticks for another half hour catching up.
Bill looked at his watch. "Alright you four, sorry to go all professor on you but we've got fifteen minutes to get back to the grounds and I won't have Filch trying to chain me up by my toes in the dungeons."
"It was great seeing you all, I look forward to Christmas." Arthur gave each of them a hug and they left the pub.
Laughing about the day and mainly at Ron's expense, the five walked back up to Hogwarts. The only one who remained silent for the entire time was Hermione, and this didn't get overseen by Ginny or Bill.
"I'll see you all later; I have to go talk to Dumbledore." Bill waved as he left the group of students and meandered towards the stone gargoyles. "Sugar quills." The gargoyles sprang to life and moved to the side allowing Bill to climb the steps.
"Professor Weasley, I was expecting you would stop by my office soon." Looking over his half-moon frames the old Headmaster smiled. "What is it I can do for you?"
Bill was stunned, how could Dumbledore have known that he was coming to talk to him? "Actually, I had a question. I'm sure you already know but I have to ask: are there rules restricting dating of-age students?"
Finishing up some paperwork, Dumbledore folded his hands on the large desk. "You are correct to assume that I had prior knowledge, I believe Miss Granger fell asleep on your couch recently. As far as restrictions there are none, but there are rules. You may not give special treatment, so if this student was to do poorly on an essay you would have to grade it accordingly; you are also not allowed to be very public with your relationship even with the other professors, I am the only person you are allowed to disclose this information with but I'm sure we can make one or two exceptions; and lastly there is to be no pregnancy. Hogwarts prides itself on having a zero percent pregnancy rate and it would be a shame if the first came from a professor."
"So you're alright with me talking to Ron about this?"
Nodding, the Headmaster smiled again. "I expected that you would be talking to Ronald as well as Harry and Ginevra. But you must inform them that they are not to talk about this openly." Bill nodded.
"Thank you professor."
Leaving the office Bill headed straight for Gryffindor tower to talk to his brother. Never in a million years did I think that I would be telling my baby brother that I fancy his best friend, he's probably going to try and curse me.
"Bill, what are you doing here?" Ginny asked from a chair near the fire place.
"I need to talk to you, come into the corridor?" Jumping up from the chair Ginny followed her brother through the portrait hole and down the hall a bit into an empty room. "I was wondering what your opinion would be if I told you that I want to take Hermione on a date."
Screeching that could rival a banshee filled the room and Ginny started jumping up and down. "Oh that would be so exciting! What would you do?"
Well at least she's ok with the idea. "Haven't exactly thought that out yet, but do you think she'll say yes?" It had been awhile since Bill got nervous asking girls out, but he was a bit rusty and Hermione was a very specific girl.
"I happen to know that she would enjoy a date with you." Gin's eyes danced with mischief. "Do you want to ask her now or wait? Because I can go get her if you want."
Bill shook his head. "It's almost time to eat, I'll figure out a way to ask her later. Then depending on what she says I have to deal with Ron."
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
All throughout dinner Bill pushed his food around, barely eating anything. He noticed writing on the table and pushed his plate forward.
Something on your mind? It had to have been Hermione.
Yeah, just thinking.
Anything I can help with?
Sure, come over later?
I'll be there.
It was now or never. Looking towards the Gryffindor table Ginny winked which made him feel loads better.
Deciding that eating dinner wasn't going to happen, Bill stood and left the Great Hall with his hands shoved into his pants pocket. If Hermione did say yes, he would have to plan a date AND tell Ron but if she said no, he would have to act like nothing had happened and try not to be awkward for the rest of the year. Once again, he was nervous.
Getting back to the common room Bill picked up a pile of assignments that needed to be graded and filtered through them one by one jotting notes on the margins and marking what was wrong. Being a professor was rather easy, you could reuse the lesson plans every year because the material never really changed and having been a curse breaker Bill knew a lot of the information already.
"Bill, are you in here?" A voice called from the portrait hole.
"Yeah, come on in." Hermione walked into the room greeted by Fritz franticly jumping at her legs for attention. "I didn't think you would be here so soon after dinner."
Shrugging the girl dropped to the floor to play with the furry little creature. "I didn't really feel like going back to the common room just to watch Ron and Harry play chess, again." Watching the krup jump and lick and play with Hermione made Bill smile, it was an adorable scene and the grin on Hermione's face was nothing short of beautiful. "So what was it that you were thinking about at dinner?"
Now or never. "I was thinking," he paused, word were not forming correctly in his head anymore. "I know we've never been truly close until this year Mione, but I'd like to get to know you a little better. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I would like to go on a date with you."
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
To say Hermione was stunned was an understatement. Was Bill really asking her on a date? Was this a dream? And how would he even know that she was interested?
"Hermione?" Having been thinking for a few moments she realized it must have seemed like an eternity to the man waiting for her answer.
"Yes, I'll go on a date with you." She was smiling as Bill's worried look evaporated from his features and was replaced by delight.
"I'll let you know the details when I figure them out, but is Friday night good for you?"
Nodding Hermione returned to playing with Fritz. "That's fine for me. One question though," Bill looked up. "What are we going to do about Ron?"
"I haven't figured that out yet." Bill sighed.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
"YOU'RE WHAT?" Ron yelled, it was s good thing Bill had thought about putting up silencing charms on the empty classroom. "YOU CAN'T JUST SHOW UP AND START DATING MY BEST FRIEND LIKE THAT! YOU'RE TOO OLD FOR HER ANYWAY!" Maybe Bill had started off with the wrong tact.
"She's much more mature than everyone else Ron, it's not like we're that much different." The older Weasley was sitting on the desk while his younger brother paced around the room in a fury. "Besides I thought you didn't fancy her anymore, since I saw you snogging Lavendar Brown the other night."
"Just because I don't fancy her doesn't mean I can't be protective of her! I mean how long have you really even known her?"
"Ron, we've been talking since the beginning of the term. Yeah it's only been a couple of months but that's long enough to know that you're beginning to like someone." Ron stared what seemed like straight through his brother. "She's funny, and intelligent, and likes to have conversations about more than just school work or girl stuff. You may not like it Ron, but I'm not exactly here to ask for your permission. Yes, I would like for you to be alright with this and I don't want you thinking that I'm going to do anything to hurt her but I already asked her out and she said yes. I'm just here to let you know it's happening so you're not in the dark."
The tension between the brothers lifted as the red in Ron's ears began to fade away. "I just didn't expect her to be going on a date with you of all our brothers." They had been thinking the same thing which made Bill laugh, Hermione was more of Percy's type but wasn't Bill the same as Percy only a little less tense? "I guess I'm alright with it, but if you do anything to hurt her or make her cry I swear on mum's howlers that I will beat you down."
"Valiant effort little brother, but you won't have to worry about that. Also, don't go running around the castle talking about this. Dumbledore said I could talk to you, Gin, and Harry about it but no one else is supposed to know." Agreeing, Ron shook the older man's hand. "Thanks Ron."
A/N: And so Ron knows now, but what about Harry? Hmmm….