Chapter Six: Playing With Fire

Sitting in a Muggle café two blocks away from the Ministry, Hermione read over the Denbore Files as she took a bite from the corner of her sandwich. She sat with her right leg crossed over the left at the knee and her right foot bouncing lightly as she read. Her eyes scanned over the page quickly and narrowed slightly at a point of interest. Without losing focus she reached for her shoulder bag and dug inside for a pen or pencil.

"Here," Slightly startled Hermione glanced up to find a pen directly in front of her eyes. "I assume this is what you're looking for."

Hermione followed the hand holding the pen up the arm to the shoulder and from there to the owners face and was surprised to find it was the same man she had seen several days ago talking to Ron in the Ministry.

"Errr…thank you." She took the pen and made a quick note on the page before handing it back.

"No." He curled her fingerers around it. "You keep it."

"Oh." Hermione's leg slipped off her knee and her foot landed on the floor with a loud thud. "Thank you." Her eyes narrowed slightly as she set the pen down next to her plate.

"Would you mind if I joined you?" Without waiting for her response he pulled out the other chair at her table and sat down.

"Sure." She flipped the Denbore Files closed. "Why don't you make yourself welcome?"

A cocky grin spread across his lips. "You're annoyed with me."

Hermione found herself trying not to grin back. "Yes I am. A bit."

"I am sorry to bother you Ms Granger. Actually, that's only partly true. I've been looking for a chance to speak with you for the past few days. I was hoping to run into you again at work, but you never seem to be around. This was the first chance I had to speak with you and I felt I couldn't pass up the opportunity, even if it meant disturbing your lunch."

Hermione silently stared at him for several minutes. Everything about him exuded confidence, and though she hated to admit it, charm. He also had an adorable, quirky sort of handsomeness to him that she found quite appealing.

"What's your name?" she asked.

"Sorry?"

"You're name? You know my name, it's only right that I learn yours."

The man extended his hand across the table. "Parker Gale."

"Mr Gale." Hermione took his hand.

"Please." He held onto her fingers when she made to release. "Call me Parker. Mr Gale was my father."

"Parker." She nodded her head.

He gave her hand a gentle squeeze before releasing it.

Immediately crossing her arms over her chest, Hermione leaned back in her chair and narrowed her eyes on him, the brown orbs critically taking him in. "So why is it you were so adamant on speaking with me Parker?"

He leaned forward so that his elbows were on the table. "You're very beautiful."

Hermione's skin instantly darkened several shades. "Pardon me?"

"I said, you're very beautiful."

"And you're very blunt."

Parker chuckled with amusement. "You're right Ms Granger. I am blunt. I don't see any reason not to be. And, when I make my mind up to do something I go for it all the way and I don't stop until I get what I want. That is why I am here disturbing your lunch break. You see Ms Granger, I have plans for you."

"You're very presumptuous as well, aren't you?"

Parker laughed out loud as he motioned the waiter over to the table. "Perhaps. But I promise Ms Granger, you'll like what I have planned for you." He turned his focus away from Hermione when the waiter arrived long enough to order an Earl Grey and a cranberry scone.

"And what kind of plans do you have for me?" She couldn't stop herself from asking when they were once again alone.

"First diner. Friday night. Let's say about seven?"

Hermione stared at him for several minutes, her bottom lip caught between her teeth. "No." she shook her head slowly. "I don't think so."

"Lunch?"

She shook her head again. "No."

"Have a boyfriend?"

"No." She laughed.

"Do you want one?"

Her voice rang with both surprise and amusement. "You really are incredibly blunt, aren't you?"

"I did warn you."

"Yes," She agreed, "you did."

"And I meant what I said. I don't give up until I get what I want."

"That's fine." She leaned back in her seat. "We can play this game. I'm use to it. And I'll warn you now, I'm very good."

"I'm counting on it." He nodded at the waiter when he set his tea and scone on the table. "I enjoy a challenge."

"Is that what this is about?" she asked, taking up her sandwich. "The challenge?"

"No." he set down his tea after taking a sip. "I already told you. I have plans for you."

"Are you aware that that sounds more than a little…well creepy."

"I'm sorry Ms Granger." He laughed. "I promise that was not my intent."

"And what exactly is your intent?"

"Right now…just to get to know you better."

"It seems to me that you already know me a great deal better than I know you."

"If you have questions feel free to ask them."

"All right." She used her paper napkin to dab at her lips. "What is it that you do for the Ministry?"

"I'm an Auror, which you no doubt already know. I'm second in command of the Alpha Squad under Captain Ronald Weasley."

Hermione snorted loudly while rolling her eyes.

"What? You don't believe me?"

"No. I believe you. It's not that." Parker stared at her, brows raised, until she continued. "It's the idea that someone was foolish enough to make Ron Weasley the Captain of any Auror squad let alone the Alphas.

The smile instantly disappeared from Parker's face. He set down his scone and straightened in his seat. He crossed his arms over his broad chest and his eyes narrowed into a glare. "Excuse me Ma'am, I'll have to ask you not to speak ill of my partner or my captain. Ron Weasley is a good man and I am proud to serve the Ministry under him."

"And that is anther very good reason not to have dinner with you. I wouldn't want to do anything that might hinder your career."

"Wait, wait, wait." He took hold of her wrist when she made to get up. "I'm afraid I don't understand. Why would are having dinner together affect my career?"

"Please don't insult my intelligence, Mr Gale. If you're partners with Ron Weasley like you say than you can hardly be unaware of the animosity that exists between the two of us. And as such, aligning yourself to me in anyway might prove problematic if Ronald Weasley finds out."

Parker's mouth gapped slightly in astonishment. "Do you honestly believe Captain Weasley would let his personal feelings affect our working relationship?"

"Look. I've known Ron Weasley since we were eleven years old. I've seen him run through the gambit of emotions. I've seen him handle, first hand, several sensitive situations. Ron Weasley might be one of the most loyal people I have ever met in my life, but I also know that when he feels betrayed in any way, he will cut that person out of his life, no questions asked. And he's one of the most stubbornly, infuriatingly impossible people I have ever met. Once you've crossed that line with him, it takes something desperate to get back over. Fourth year someone put Harry's name into the Goblet of Fire and it took him almost being killed by a dragon for Ron to forgive him. And that's not the only time that's happened. I've seen it all before."

"If you've been friends with him since you were eleven years old, how come he never talks about you? How come I've never even heard him mention your name?" Parker watched Hermione stiffen in her seat. "It's because you're the other one aren't you? You betrayed him and he hasn't forgiven you."

"I never betrayed him." Hermione snapped, tears welling in her eyes. "If anything he betrayed me." She whispered, almost like she forgot Parker was sitting there. "He used me." She pressed her lips tight together to keep them from trembling. "It's getting late. I had better go."

"Ms Granger…"

"It was nice to meet you Mr Gale." She stuffed the Denbore Files into her shoulder bag, left money on the table to pay for her meal, and tossed the bag over her shoulder. "Good day."

Parker rose to his feet, intent on going after her to apologized but stopped after a few steps and watched her disappear down the street. True this meeting had not gone exactly as he wished but it was a start in the right direction. He had got her talking to him. Parker retook his seat and slowly sipped at his tea, a smile turning up the corner of his lips.

"Hermione?" Harry knocked gently at her door. "Hermione, are you coming down for diner?"

Sitting stiffly on the foot of her bed, she tried to swallow past the lump that was restricting the movement of air through her throat. "Not just yet." Her voice slightly cracked. "I'll be down later."

"Do you want us to wait for you?"

"No." she shook her head, her breath passing though her lips in heavy puffs. "You go ahead. I'm not really hungry."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. It's been a very long day."

"Well, all right. If you're sure?"

Hermione nodded again, her eyes closed. "Yes. Don't worry about me."

Harry stood a moment outside her door with his hand resting on it. "Sometimes you make it really hard not to."

Inside her room Hermione clutched her head in her hands. The conversation she'd had with Parker Gale kept running through her brain, causing her stomach to coil into consecutively tighter knots. Slowly she lifted her head and stared at the empty grate in front of her. She had been so excited to come home to England but that was gone now. All that was left was the unexpected desire to return to Spain. Life was so much simpler there. She had been so free. She had her job, a few close friends, and a life free of men So unlike here. Here she was bogged down with complications from her past and things that had been left unsaid for too long.

And what if Parker Gale was right? She closed her eyes in misery. She and Ron hadn't been friends for over five years. What the hell did she know about him anymore? She knew Ginny said he had changed but she also knew that Ginny still harbored the hope that she and Ron would work through their problems and become the couple she had always hoped they would be. But Parker Gale had nothing to gain from telling her how wonderful Ron was. She'd already turned down dinner with him. And besides that, what could he possible gain by mending their friendship? If a relationship with her was what he sought, getting her to forgive Ron Weasley was the wrong way to go about it. It was all just too confusing and made her tired brain thump heavily with pain.

She needed to talk to someone desperately, but Ginny was out of the question. She was already so frazzled with preparation for the baby that she couldn't bother her with the pettiness of her personal problems, not to mention it was Ginny's favorite brother who was at the heart of most of them. And she couldn't talk to Harry. She couldn't and wouldn't put him between her and Ron if she could help it. She had already done enough of that already. And he was a boy, and no matter how much she loved him and treasured him as a friend, she couldn't talk to him about personal trouble like this. It would only be awkward for the both of them and it would't help any. What she needed was to talk to another girl. What she needed was Beila.

Making up her mind, Hermione slid off the end of the bed and onto her knees. She crawled to the fireplace, pulling her wand out of her pocket. She threw a quick fire into the grate before tossing in some Floo Powder she had stored in a cookie jar near by. She stuck her head into the fire and waited a moment as she grew accustomed to the sensation of the warm blaze licking at her skin. "Calle de Atocha numero 62." And with an ear defining whoosh she felt her head leave her body and begin the long, tumbling journey on its way toward its destination. Her head came to a stop suddenly and bobbed gently on the tips of the waiting flames. "Hola. ¿Quién está allí?"

"Beila?"

"Hermione?" A young woman with dark, curly hair entered the small living room, a hair brush in hand, her face done up to go out. "Mio, what are you doing here?"

"This is a bad time?"

"Never." Beila collapsed onto her knees in front of her fireplace. "Mio, I have missed you."

"I'm sorry Bea. I've been so busy with work and flat hunting and catching up with family and friends that I haven't had time to Floo you."

"It is nothing. I understand. Do not worry about me. Mio," Beila's face scrunched in concern, "What is the matter? You look…troubled."

"Bea…I just want to come home." Hermione's voice cracked.

"You are home."

"No," Hermione shook her head. "I want to come home to Spain."

"Mio, what has happened? You could not wait to go back to England."

"It's him."

"Him him?"

Hermione nodded.

"What has he done this time?"

"He…well I…He's done nothing. I'm just so confused."

"Mio…"

"What if I've been wrong?"

"That is not possible."

"But you haven't seen him. Everybody here loves him. He seems so different than I remember. What if I've tricked myself into believing the worst about him because it was easier then dealing with the truth?"

"Do you really think that is true?"

"Well…"

"The answer is no, Mio. Do you remember how sad you were when you first came to Spain? I never saw anyone as sad as you. That boy hurt you. Do not let anyone make you forget that. Do not let him hurt you again. Do you understand?"

"SÍ." Hermione said meekly, ducking her head to avoid her friend's eyes.

Beila sighed as she shifted off her knees and sat on the floor with her legs crossed. "I miss you, Mio. Work is very dull without you."

Hermione snorted slightly with reluctant laughter. "You would say that even if you were having the time of your life."

"No." The dark haired woman shook her head vigorously. "It is true. I have no one to talk to."

Hermione snorted again. "There are at least five partners and nearly twenty associates at the firm. I'm sure if you looked you could find someone to speak with."

Beila rolled her eyes. "Men old enough to be my father and boys immature enough to be my youngest brother. Women desperate to reach the top and conniving enough to stab me in the back to get there. That is what I work with now."

"It was the same while I was there."

"Yes. But you are normal. I can talk with you."

"Just give it time." Hermione said reassuringly. "You'll find someone you'll like even better than me."

Beila shook her head. "No. I will never have a friend as great as you."

"Thanks Bea." Hermione smiled. "It's nice to hear someone say that."

Beila returned Hermione's smile. "How are your friends? Has the baby come? What is it?"

"Harry and Ginny are fine. Ginny's gone a bit mental with all her cleaning, but she's happy. Their son, Sirius James, is wonderful. I've never met a sweeter child. They still have two weeks until the baby comes and they don't want to know what it is. They're arguing over names but they won't tell anyone what names they are arguing over, which I admit is a bit maddening. And so are my co workers. You think you have it bad." Her voice rose slightly to emphasize, "I've got the biggest gossip at the Ministry for my assistant. She's constantly chattering on about everything I don't want to know. Sometimes I think the only way I am ever going to get any work done is if I hex her into silence. Not to mention the fact that he works at the Ministry so there's the constant threat I'm going to run into him like I quite literally almost did the other day. And his partner! God lord, I have never met a man so…so…self righteous, ignorant and presumptuous all at the same time. He had the gall to tell me that he had plans for me and then practically demanded I go out to dinner with him. And then to top it all off he told me that I don't know Ron Weasley. Just because he's been partners with him for the past five years he thinks he knows everything."

"What did you say?"

"What do you mean what did I say?"

"When this man asked you to dinner, what did you say?"

"No of course."

"Why?" Beila gazed at her with bewilderment.

"Were you not listening to what I just said?"

"Of course I was. But what does his opinion of Ron Weasley have to do with your going to dinner with him?"

"Bea. They're partners. That means their good friends. How could I go to dinner with someone whose friends with him?"

"You are still friends with Harry and Ginny. You are living with them."

"That's different."

"No." She shook her head. "It is not. Perhaps he has changed."

"What are you saying?"

"I am saying that this is just another reason you have in your long line of reasons to turn down a man who asks you to dinner."

"What?" Hermione shook her head. "That's ridicules."

"Is it? I think Ron Weasley hurt you so bad that you are scared to let any man close because you fear it will happen again. And because you are scared you are alone and you will stay alone until you confront him and get the answers you need."

"I can't do that."

"Why? Because you are scared? Did you not tell me you were a Griffimore and that Griffimores were brave?"

"Gryffindor. And I'm not scared. I've never been afraid of him. I just can't talk to him."

"Why not?"

"Because I don't think he'll talk to me." Hermione lowered her face, letting her hair fall forward to hide her eyes. "Parker Gale, the man who asked me to dinner, he said that Ron hasn't mentioned me in all the five years they've known each other. Harry says Ron changes the subject or leaves the room whenever I come up. The other day when I bumped into him at work he glared at me like a piece of dung on his shoe before he turned and walked away. He didn't say a word."

"So you force him to listen."

Hermione released a huff of air. "I tried to make him pay attention and listen to me for seven years while were in school. It didn't work. Do you think he will start listening now when he hates me like he does?"

"Then you have two options." She ticked up a finger. "You keep trying until he does. Or you forget about him and let it go."

"That's it?" Hermione asked incredulously. "Keep trying or let it go?

"That's it." Beila agreed.

"That's no help at all. Why do I even bother listening to you?"

"Because, how did you say it? Oh yes. I am the sound of reason when you are…crazy. And you are the sound of reason when I am."

The corner of Hermione's lip twitched up in a half smile. "I did say that, didn't I?"

"You did."

"I have to confront him?"

"You do."

"I can Floo you anytime I want?"

"Anytime you want."