Chapter 15: Flooing and Family
It wasn't even Halloween yet, and there was already a sick rumor going around the castle about Hermione. Of course at the news of Hermione dating another Weasley and Bill being a "suspect" the students as well as teachers had indirectly tried to get information out of him.
Fred and George showing up hadn't helped the situation at all.
"Can't people just see that I've been a family friend for seven years? I can't just hang out with you guys any more without some sort of relationship going on between us?" Hermione, the twins, Ginny, Ron, and Harry were all sitting in Bill's common room after dinner that night.
"Well, since we kind of made you admit that you were dating a Weasley to Parvati, it might send the wrong message." Ginny's two knuts weren't helping.
"Can't we just say that Parvati heard wrong? That we were being sarcastic when she asked?"
Everyone knew Hermione was getting frustrated. She hated being the center of attention unless it had something to do about her knowledge. The twins obviously knew that Hermione and Bill fancied each other or else they wouldn't have been needed, but the information was still too new for them to grasp.
"Really though Granger, you passed up these handsome blokes for that?" George would say indicating to Fred and himself and then Bill. "Obviously we're not 'head boy' material but we are fairly charming." At the taunting Bill will just laugh along, he knew that his brother's wouldn't try to steal the girl he currently fancied and they knew there was no way that they could get away with it without getting bludgeoned to death.
"I don't think Parvati is dumb enough to believe that she misheard you two," Ginny snorted. "And I don't think that this is going away for awhile but if no one brings it up or answers any questions about it I don't see why it shouldn't go away faster than if we tried denying the rumors."
Bill had always been intelligent and a good problem solver, something Hermione admired. "So what happens if someone comes up and blatantly asks me?"
"You tell them it's none of their business. Nothing more, nothing less. Even if Malfoy tries to rile you up into saying something, don't." The group nodded understanding that they would all need to be uniform on this. "And Ron, if someone starts saying anything about our family or Hermione I want you to keep it cool. Don't get all flustered about it because that's what people are counting on you to do and start reacting to certain things they say. It gives a lot more information away than you think."
The youngest Weasley boy sat there with cherries for ears. "I think it's time for us to leave," The twins stood and said their goodbyes leaving their brothers common room.
"You four should probably get back to the tower before it gets too late, I'll see you all tomorrow."
After denying knowing any information about Hermione and a relationship with a Weasley, the students started getting disinterested. Christmas was slowly creeping up on the school and the students were anxious to leave and reunite with their parents.
"You know, since my fireplace is connected to the floo I can check and see if Dumbledore will just let us leave that way." Bill offered one night while his siblings, Harry, and Hermione were gathered in his common room. "It would be easier and that way mum and dad wouldn't have to come pick you lot up."
And true to his word, the very next day Bill made his way up the spiraling staircase to the Headmaster's office.
"Come in, Bill." The wizened man yelled from behind his desk. "I believe there's something you wish to ask me?"
How does he know everything? "Yes, I was just thinking that it would be easier if Ginny, Ron, Harry, and Hermione used my fireplace to simply floo home instead of the hassle of our parents coming to meet us at King's Cross. I wanted to make sure that was alright with you first, sir."
"Of course it is, now I think we should discuss the rumors that have passed." Bill sighed, he knew this was coming but the rumors were done with. They didn't need to be brought back up. "I am sure that you and Miss Granger have only told those who absolutely need to know."
"Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Fred and George know but they haven't said anything to anyone."
"I understand that the rumors got started by a simple misunderstanding?"
"Either that or someone was eavesdropping on Hermione."
Shrugging, Bill knew that even though it was late the girls shouldn't have been talking so boldly in the common room of al places. But it wasn't their fault Parvati ran away with what she heard, turning it into a huge ordeal.
"Well, it seems as though the rumors have diminished for now. I trust that there won't be another outbreak." The blue eyes twinkled at Bill and suddenly he felt like a student being admonished again, nodding he got up and left the office running a hand through his hair.
"Looks like you just got caught by the headmaster." The sly voice of Draco Malfoy made Bill pick his head back up and look across the hall. "Did he fire you for sleeping with a student?"
The disgusted look on Bill's face should have been enough for Malfoy to back down. "I wouldn't sleep with a student Malfoy, but enjoy your detention tomorrow for being a smartass to a professor and fifteen points from Slytherin."
"You can't do that!"
"Another for yelling."
"You'll hear from my father about this."
"Another for threatening, Malfoy I can do this until you have detention every night for the rest of the school year so just give it a rest already. You don't frighten me the same way you frighten first years." The blonde sputtered a few times before turning on his heel and strutting down towards the dungeons. Snape was not going to enjoy someone in his house getting three detentions and losing fifteen points from a Weasley but it didn't matter. Bill would have taken points away from Gryffindor had someone talked to him like that.
"We're all set, Dumbledore said we could use my floo to go home." Sitting with the group at the Gryffindor table Bill picked up an apple and took a bite. "You all can meet in my common room next Friday when we leave, but I want to leave by eleven."
And so the weeks passed and finally it was time for the group to leave Hogwarts and head for the Burrow. Bill had sent his parents an owl telling them that he had taken care of travel for the underagers, Ginny couldn't apparate yet and if flooing meant they didn't have to wander out into the cold then that was Bill's preferred choice. Molly Weasley was shocked when she heard the fire roar from the kitchen, making her way into the living room she stood there staring at three of her children, Harry, and Hermione.
"Oh, I've missed you all!" Giving each of them bone-crushing hugs she looked up at Bill. "They've been staying out of trouble?" He nodded. "Good, I knew you would keep an eye on them being their big brother and all. Your father tells me that you've started seeing someone?"
Bill's face got hot suddenly under the scrutinizing eye of his mother. "He did? Well it's not entirely too serious just yet so I wasn't going to announce anything…"
"Nonsense Bill, tell me: what is she like?"
"She's beautiful, and smart and willing to have in-depth conversations about anything even if she doesn't completely understand because if she doesn't know something she looks it up so we have something to talk about later. Her smile brightens up the room and I get lost in her eyes because they're so warm and inviting. She gets focused but can enjoy smaller things."
Molly smiled at her oldest on before shifting her gaze to the doorway where Hermione stood, unshed tears glistening in her eyes and a small smile playing on her lips. If Bill meant what he said then he was well on the way to loving her, knowing her for seven years probably didn't hurt.
Pulling the girl into a gentle hug, Bill maneuvered them into the family room to sit on the couch together.