Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters.
Updated 1/19/2021
Chapter Three
Reunion
It was the day of the party, we'll be leaving the house in a few minutes, and I'm starting to get nervous. It's the first time (besides the few days after I was born) that I will see my entire family. I wonder how my cousins are going to react (especially Fred) to knowing that I'm actually their cousin. But mostly, I'm nervous about how my parents are going to react to each other.
I can see that Mum is very nervous too; she has been on edge since the night of the Ministry attack. She too has not seen the Weasleys (expect for Ginny) since basically my birth, and she didn't know how they would react to her. I can tell by the way that she has always talked about them that she really cared about them, like they were part of her family. However, those nerves have nothing on the nerves she has on seeing Ron again. I have often seen her staring off into space, daydreaming over the last few days, which was so unlike her that I was really worried at first. I think I get it now though, she was dreaming about what could happen if things work out. It's the first time in years that she was allowed to dream and she is getting lost in it. With that, I assume she is terribly nervous about seeing the man that can either fulfill her dreams or destroy them once and for all.
"Mum," I said tapping her on the shoulder. "I think it's time to go."
She had jumped when I spoken, looked at the clock and said, "Yeah, okay." Then she grabbed my arm and we Apparated.
O
Meanwhile at the Burrow a red haired man walked into his childhood home calling for his Mum.
"Ron," Molly Weasley said looking nervous. "Why are you here? You said you wouldn't come today!"
"Harry gave me the day off," Ron said innocently. "So I thought that I would come here. You know I don't get fed well at home."
"But Ron, you promised that you wouldn't come," Molly said exasperated. It's not that she didn't like seeing her youngest son but she had promised her grandson that Ron wouldn't be there, and there were only a few minutes before he was supposed to get there.
"Well," Ron said rubbing the back of his head trying to play his part right. "I thought you just didn't want me to come late and disturb you."
Just then there was a soft 'pop' in the garden and Molly was getting anxious. "Ron, I'm sorry, but you can't stay here, you have to go."
"But Mum," he said trying hard not to grin (and look as sad as possible), "Why such a hurry? You don't want to see me? I don't see why …" The door open and Ari and Hermione walked into the house. "Oh hello guys, you seem to have come early."
"Hello," Ari grinned, looking at his grandma exasperated face as she looked to be pushing Ron out of the kitchen.
"Ron Bilius Weasley," Molly nearly screamed. "Why didn't you tell me you've been invited to come, you nearly gave me a heart attack."
"Sorry Mum," he said still grinning. "But you didn't ask, if you …"
"Don't give me that innocent look," Molly said still in a sharp voice, but getting calmer with every passing movement. She then turned to Ari, who had a grin just like his father. "You two planned this, didn't you?"
"Sorry," Ari said. "I thought it would be funny." He didn't get anymore out before Molly pulled him into a backbreaking hug. After a moment of shock, Ari hugged her back, and then released her; he was not use to this kind of reaction … yet.
"It's okay Arthur," she said as she let go of him, smiling ear to ear. Then she turned, "Hermione dear, it's wonderful to see you again." And she pulled Hermione into an embrace too. The look on Hermione's face clearly showed that she had missed this embrace, missed being in the Burrow and being around the Weasleys.
"So, it seems something has happened since the last time I saw you, Arthur …" Molly began.
"Call me Ari please," Ari said with a smirk. "From what I heard you call grandpa Arthur a lot and I don't want to get confused."
"Where did you hear that?" Molly said looking automatically at Ron then to Hermione, who wasn't looking at her but blushing.
"Whenever Mum talked about you it was with love and respect," Ari said calmly, and then grinned. "It was always Aunt Ginny that would take the mickey out of you. She's really funny."
"Hmph," Molly huffed but pushed it out of her mind. "I can't believe how much you've grown, you're just like …" She paused and looked at Ron again, obviously not sure what to say.
"You just saw me a few months ago," Ari said and turned his head to Ron, who was shocked. Ron had no idea that Ari had seen his Mum that recently. "I couldn't have changed that much."
"No, she right Arthur," Hermione said; she will always call him Arthur, not matter what, but Ari seems to like it that way. "You must have grown nearly two inches since then." She stroked the back of his head absentmindedly (and lovingly). Ari moved his head away, but there was a happy smirk on his face.
"Mum …" Ari said exasperated.
"Sorry honey," Hermione said and walked to the other side of the kitchen.
"So," Ron said after a moment of silence. Looking between his Mum and his son he asked, "When did you two last see each other?"
"Ari came to visit me in the hospitable," Molly said. "And I nearly broke down when I read the beautiful letter he wrote after my accident."
Ari looked uncomfortable with the confusion of emotions, so Ron said, "Yeah, but it doesn't take that much to make you cry, Mum."
"Ron!" both Molly and Hermione said, at which Hermione blushed and looked away. Ron grinned and so did Ari.
"So is anyone else here yet?" Ari asked.
"No," Molly answered. "You guys came a little early, the only other person here is your grandpa. I think he's working on one of his Muggle contraptions or something."
"Really!" Ari said, he had received his grandpa's fascination with Muggle things, though truth be told he had a far better understanding for it than his grandpa, seeing as his other grandparents are Muggles.
"Yes," Molly said. "Come on, I'll show you to him, I'm sure he'll be really happy to see you."
Ari and Molly left the room, leaving Ron and Hermione alone in the kitchen. Ron shifted, he was starting to feel uncomfortable; this was the second time this week that he had found himself alone with her. He realized that he had to tell her how he felt, these few moments with her; happy moments where she laughed and smiled, where enough to convince him that he couldn't handle losing her again. But he was terrified of her reaction, terrified that she didn't want him back, it was enough to make him keep his silence. What has really changed in the last seventeen years that would make this okay?
Yes, it was true that he had changed a lot in those years, he had thrown himself into his work but he was never able to mend his heart. He tried for years to move on, to try and fill the void that was left when she had walked … no when they had walked away from each other. He dated a few women of all sorts of types but none of them made him feel anything close to what she did, and that's all he really ever wanted. He came to the conclusion eight years ago that the only woman he would ever want was her, and if he was honest with himself he always felt this way; from the moment they first meet. He cleared his throat, "Hermione."
Hermione didn't look at him, she was nervous. She didn't know what was going to happen, and she never liked that. She could see, in those moments that they spent together that there were still feelings there. Or was that just her pushing her feeling off on him. She thought she saw love in his eyes when she woke in his arms in the Ministry, but she was so out of it she couldn't be sure. All she knew for sure was that she was happy, she was happier right now than she has been in a long time and it was because of him.
She tried to think back to the other man she had dated over the past two decades. She had some long-term boyfriends, indeed there was one that she had dated longer than she had dated Ron, but that wasn't really anything special. She had never loved anyone else she had dated, no one else made her feel anything even close to want she feels just sitting in this room with Ron. She had decided years ago, before Arthur went into school that she didn't want any more of these meaningless relationships, and threw herself even deeper into her work than she had before (which she was already working like a mad women), and spent all remaining time with Arthur.
"Yes," she finally said looking at the man that knew her better than any other man ever could. Even Harry, who she told everything to, would never know here like Ron did. Everything that he understood about her without even seeing her in years was proof of this.
"I'm sorry for not talking to you for so long," he said softly.
"You already said that," she tried not to smile.
"Not to you, I haven't," he said. "I said it to Arthur and you were there, but … I'm sorry I didn't talk … I should have … for more than a decade … I should …"
"Ron," she said softly, she wanted to get up and grab his hand but didn't know if he wanted her to. "I understand … I should have come here and come to you … you don't know how much I wanted to …"
"Don't say that," he said turning away. "It makes me feel worse … I hate that I made you feel that you couldn't come here … that I made Arthur feel that he couldn't come here … I know how much you love coming here …"
"You're right …" she said, she believed that honesty was best at this moment, "I felt like I lost my family when I left … but Ron, that's not your fault. I know you wouldn't keep me from here; it was my own fault that I didn't come. And I didn't realize until it was too late that I allowed Arthur to feel the same way. It's my fault …"
"No Mi … Hermione it not," Ron turn back to her, trying to look in her eyes, but she didn't look at him. Tears were in her eyes and he wanted to wipe them away, but couldn't move.
She paused; he almost called her Mione again. How she longed for him to call her that, she loved it when he called her that. She wouldn't let anyone else call her that, it hurt too much to hear it, but now she wanted him to say it.
"Let's just say that we're both to blame," she said after a while.
Silence, painful silence, descended upon the kitchen as Ron and Hermione where lost in thought, not knowing what to say next. Ron shifted, he had to say it; now was the time. He was on good terms with her and it might be his only chance of ever being truly happy again.
"Mione," he started, but stopped when she looked up at him, tears still in her eyes and he lost all senses. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, and there was a look in her eyes that told him there was feeling there, that he had a chance. He moved his hand up to wipe the tears out of her eyes, his hand seemed to be moving in slow motion, giving her time to pull away. She didn't move she just looked into his eyes with her heart on her sleeve, trying to show him all the love she still felt for him. He wanted to just lean down and kiss her, but he decided that he must tell her his feeling first, this time she needed to know all his feeling.
"Mione," he said again after he wiped away her tears. "I guess I can still make you cry."
She gave him a watery smile, "I guess."
"It's funny," he said trying to get her to smile again, Merlin he loves it when she smiles. "All those time years ago when I tried to make you cry, who know all I had to do was apologize."
She smacked him in the arm playfully, trying and failing to look offended and angry. Then said, "It probably would have always made me cry, just when we were younger, it would have been out of shock."
"Yeah," he said smirking. "I don't think 'sorry' was in my vocabulary back then. I didn't even apologue to Harry about the row in forth year."
"I know," she smiled. "I wish he made you, it would have been nice to see."
"Yeah, but maybe we'd still be in the tent now."
"No way, you would have said it when it came time for dinner."
They were both laughing softly, smiling at each other, but still nervously. Well, I've broken the ice, now it's time to take the plunge; he thought and cleared his throat which cause her to stop laughing.
"Mione …" he said looking in her eyes again, holding her chin up lightly. "I … um … I need …" His words were caught in his throat; his heart was pounding in his chest. He smiled inwardly at himself (through his discomfort); I haven't felt this anxious since the first time I tried telling her how I felt.
"Ron …" she said taking his other hand in both of hers. "Whatever it is you need to say, you can tell me." She looked in his eyes trying to give him courage, trying to give herself courage too. Was he feeling the same way, please tell me he's felling the same way, she thought.
He took one last deep breath and looked away from her, he couldn't look in her eyes and say this, if they showed any sign other then love, it would destroy him. He couldn't look at the disappointment, hate or even pity that he might see there.
"In all these years," he began then paused until she squeezed his hand encouragingly. "I never for a moment stopped loving you." He stated boldly, still trying to look away from her. On her part she took a deep intake of breath but before she could say anything he went on. "I tried, a few years after you left, I tried moving on, but nothing was able to fill the void that was left." He turn to look at her unable to keep his eyes off her, he needed to know. "You're the only person that I've ever wanted, and will ever love."
She looked at him and her heart filled; it was all that she wanted, all she has been dreaming of since she has seen him again, hell who was she kidding, it was all she wanted since they broken up all those years ago. But she couldn't speak, why couldn't she speak? She wanted to tell him she felt the same; that she wanted the same but the words wouldn't come. As much as she wanted this, there was still fear there, fear that this wouldn't last, that he would leave her again and she wouldn't survive that. But wasn't it to late already, wasn't she all ready too far gone.
He waited in silence, he couldn't read her expression and that scared him. "I don't except you to feel the same way," he said after awhile, but he didn't pull away from her, he couldn't. "And I'm not going away if you don't feel the same way. I need you in my life, it makes it so much better just having you in my life. I just thought you needed to know …"
"Ron …" she said, putting her head down. His heart sunk from her reaction, she didn't feel the same, she letting him down easy. "I'm afraid."
It shocked him, what did that mean? She was afraid, what was she afraid of? It hit him; she was afraid of him, of giving him her heart again since he was known to have broken it. "So am I Mione," he said grabbing her chin again making her look at him so that she can see his sincerity. "I know that I hurt you before, that we hurt each other, but we've changed since then; I've change. Back then I took for granted that you'd always be there; I thought you'd always be there. I didn't understand how much I loved you, how much I needed you until you walked away, and it wasn't until several years after until I understood that without a doubt, that I could never be happy with anyone but you. I know …"
He was cut off by Hermione putting her finger on his lips, crying and grinning, all the fear seemed to have left her as she listened to his speech. "I know how you feel," she said slyly, and then kissed him, silent tears streaming down her face. She kissed him gently trying to show all the love she has been holding inside her all these years. And he was kissing her back with the same passion and love she show him.
After moment they finally broke apart and he had a grin on his face, "do you always have to be the one to makes the first move?"
"Well, I couldn't take it any longer," she said also grinning (wiping the happy tears from her eyes). "Besides, you know you like it."
"I can't argue with you there," he said grabbing her waist and bringing her closer to him. "I love it when you take command."
She smiled slyly then turned more seriously, "Ron … I never stopped loving you either, never leave me again."
"Never," he said seriously too, and leaned down kissing her again.
O
"So …" I said making my presents known. I had just walked in on my parents snogging in the kitchen (that is so wrong in so many ways). Why am I being so affect by this, anyways? I knew this was likely to happen. I just didn't know it would be this soon.
They broke apart and looked embarrassed, both blushing madly. Mum tried to make her way to me, to make sure I was okay with this, I'm sure. Damn, I don't know if I'm okay with this, but I know she deserves to be happy and this would definitely make her happy.
"Does this mean your back together again?" I asked and watch them look at each other, they hadn't discussed it yet, but it was obvious that they were; it was a stupid question to ask.
"Are you okay with that?" Mum asked in a tender voice. I looked at her, and I saw that she needed me to be okay with it; that I meant so much to her that I come before her own feelings. Well, she means so much to me that I won't stop her from being happy! But I have to ask, I need to make sure that he won't hurt her again; she'd be devastated.
"You're not going to leave her or hurt her again?" I said with a stone face, glaring at the man that I still don't know how to define.
"No," he said showing his determination, looking me straight in the eyes.
"Then I'm okay," I said, trying to give them a smile, to show my happiness for their reunion but it wouldn't come. I turned and left the room heading in the backyard and just kept walking. I don't know how long I walked, but eventually I stopped at an old tree and sat in the shade that it provided. Why was this affecting be like this, didn't I dream of this happening? Getting my father back, having my mum be happy … isn't this what I want? So why, the bloody hell, do I feel so bad right now?
"Arthur," I hear my name be called by the last person that I wanted to see; but at the same time the one person that I most wanted to see.
"What do you want?" I asked harshly not turning around. "I said I was okay with it."
"Yeah," he said coming around to face me, he was scratching his head; he has no idea how to deal with me. "Well, your Mum made me see that you weren't really."
"Did she?" I said raising my eyebrow. "How?"
"She told me you were just as fine with this as I was fine with Vicky, so I headed straight after you," he said.
I couldn't help but grin at this, remembering the times that Harry told me about Ron's jealousy over Viktor Krum and how not 'fine' he was. "I guess she knows us too well."
"Yeah," he gave a goofy smile, just thinking about Mum. "She knows everything. you know."
"Yeah," I said.
There was silence, he didn't speak and neither did I. Then after at least five minutes of uncomfortable silence he spoke. "You know what I said to you a few nights ago?" Another pause. "About not coming to see you because you might hate me?" I nodded. "It was your Mum, too. I was afraid that she would hate me and I'd never be happy again."
"But weren't you like that, not coming to see us, weren't you unhappy?" I said angrily and confused.
"Yeah," he said slowly. "But there was still hope; there was still the last bit of hope that everything, somehow, would be okay. If I lost that, if I knew for certain that I would never see you or your Mum or both … it would have destroyed me."
"I don't get it," I said bitterly. "I mean, I understand the fear, but to cause so much misery … I don't get it."
"I hope you never do," he said softly. "The pain … or any of this … I hope you never understand."
"Yeah," I said looking away from him moodily.
He stood there, once more in awkward silence, the tension building until he finally exploded. "I don't know what the bloody hell I'm supposed to say. This is more difficult than I thought. Damn, you'd think that I thought of this enough to have something to say," he shouted this, and then took a breath to regain some of his cool (it really didn't help much). "Look I don't know what to say, I'm not really that good with words, I usually let my emotion drive what I do, so here it goes … I love you … You are one of the most, if not the most, important people in my life … I know what you're thinking 'how can that be true since I haven't seen you in so many years' but you are. Hell I have a closet full of damn scarves that I have been buying all these years …"
He paused and I stared at him, that last comment spoke volumes to me, more than he knows. I remember when I was four Mum was very upset. Things were hard and she was barely making ends meet. She decided to make scarves and try and sell them and she did all right, or at least I thought she did, and this one person in particular seemed to buy a lot. Even years later, when Mum was doing really well at work and we were financially secure she would still, once a year, make a scarf and one person would still buy it. Of course it would be him; he probably was trying to support his family the only way he knew how. Knowing Mum, she would have been too proud to except his help other wise, though I'm sure that she knows that it was him (why else would she keep making them, if it wasn't for him?).
I had something to say but I felt that I needed him to say more so I just stared at him. He started again, "I know more about you than you realize, I practically attack Harry every time I see him when he comes back from a visit with you. I have no life, I've been miserable since …"
"I don't need your self pity," I said coldly. "Okay, name ten things about me."
"What?" he said looking confused.
"If you can name ten things about me … I might relax about you."
To my surprise he grinned. "Ten … I could do that with what I've noticed about you in the last few days."
"Fine then," I said crossing my arms and staring at him, which just caused him to smile broader.
Noticing my annoyance he laughed out, "sorry, you just look so much like your Mum when you did that I can't help myself." He took a moment to gather himself. "Okay first you've got my temper."
"Mum has a temper too, how …" I began.
He raised his hand to me and shook his head, "your temper is hot and quick to boil, and you give in to emotionally outburst, though I must say you do have more control than I have. Your Mum only seems to be able to yell at me, or someone she loves, we can yell at anyone who pisses us off." That's true. I nodded for him to continue.
"Second, you're as proud as your Mum … you are confident in your skill, which you should be. I'm proud too of course, but my ability was not something I was confident in, I never thought I was good enough.
"Third, you have my sense of humor … today is proof enough of that, beside Mione doesn't usually show much humor … though when she does …" he grinned, thinking of happier times.
"Fourth, you've got your mother's brains, thank god and fifth you seem to have gotten my laziness, sorry about that." I almost laugh, but was able to keep my face straight.
"Sixth, you've got both of our courage to run into the face of danger to help. Though I would say your more like your Mum, nervous but dependable to a hilt.
"Seven, you would do anything for those you love; you love with all your heart and you're fiercely loyal to those you love. Protective.
"Eight, you think of Harry as the main male figure in your life, I'm going to try to make you think different about this, but I understand that that bond you have will always be there. You would have been more devastated if Harry was … will didn't make it than if I didn't."
"I'm not sure about that," I said. He was looking down when he said that and now he looked at me hopefully. "I would be devastated if something happen to Harry, because your right, he is the main male figure in my life, the closest thing I know to a father," I looked pointedly at him. "But he's not my father. I want to know my real father. I would be devastated to lose the chance to know you. Besides, I'm starting … why don't you just continue?"
"Okay, where was I," he asked.
"Nine."
"Right," he said smiling. "Nine, you're strong, both mentally and physically. You don't panic or give into stress but are determined to overcome it. And you carried your Mum like she was nothing … I probably should have had you carry her the first time … guess I wanted to play the hero.
"Ten, you got my chess skills," he said with a smile.
"You didn't learn that these last few days," I said.
"No, but I could only think of one more thing, but you wouldn't want me to say it," he said with a smirk. He must have known that my curiosity would overrule my sense of logic; this was a trap!
"Oh," I said just to get it over with. "What is it?"
"That you're a mama's boy," he laughed out.
"I'm not," I said, ears turning red.
"Oh come on, I've seen you all but ten hours and you were always fawning over her," he said still laughing.
"She was in a life threatening situation," I argued, I don't know why, I really am a mama's boy.
"Come on, in the kitchen you're all like 'yes Mum' 'love you Mum' it's so obvious."
My ears turned dangerously red (I'm sure); he's mocking me as he laughed heartily, and I couldn't take it anymore. I broke into laughter too; he was teasing me and it made things seem so much better. "Well she's all I've had for so long, you would be one too if you where in my situation."
"Probably," he continued to laugh then he became a little more serious. "I hope you where as protective of her about the other guys that came around, make sure she was okay."
"Of course I was," I laughed harder at his attempt to find out about the other guys that were around Mum. "I didn't let anyone get to close to Mum."
"Good."
So we talked, and laughed and joked for what seemed like hours, but was probably only one. It was nice, I like talking to him, somehow it made me feel more, I don't know, whole. But after awhile we realized that we've been gone for a long time and that there were other things that needed to be done today.
I had to go introduce myself to my family that doesn't ever know me. Some of them have already met me before and I'm afraid of what their reaction are going to be.
"Don't be so nervous," Dad said and as he noticed my hesitation. "They're family. They'll accept you."
As we walked into the kitchen it was to find my mum and one of my uncles talking. "… Say that I expected to see you today, though I should have known after that head line in the Prophet "THE GOLDEN TRIO THWART EIVL AGAIN." The things they come up with," laughed my uncle who I now recognize as George.
"Well …" Mum started but then noticed us entering the room and stopped. George turned around to see who she was looking at and noticed us too.
"Ah … Ari," he said. "It's nice to see you again, you seem to have grown a yard since the last time I've seen you. You sure are Ronnie's clone."
"Just what I always wanted," I said before I could stop myself.
George laughed, "Good to see you still have a sense of humor too." He patted me on the back and grinned at me. "Come, let's introduce you to the rest of the family, this should be fun, I think I'm the only one whose found Hermione, right," he looked at Mum and she nodded.
He steered me into the living room which was full of people. On the couch there was a man with a very scared face I knew had to be my uncle Bill. Next to him was his silvery blond haired wife, Fleur. Their children, Domique and Louis, were in the corner talking to James and Albus, Harry and Ginny's two sons. Also on the couch was a tall black woman that I assumed was George's wife, Angelina. Their son, Fred (who I was the most afraid of seeing in this situation), was playing wizards chess with Teddy (Harry's godson and one of the few people who knew who I was). Then there was Harry and Ginny, standing at the end of the couch talking to another one of my uncle, which I assumed was Percy since he was wearing glasses, and his wife. Harry was nodding his head, but he seemed to be very bored with the conversation. Lily, Harry's only daughter was trying to get her Mum's attention but stopped when she saw me walk in the room. Grandma and Grandpa where talking to another of my uncles that had to be Charlie (seeing as he was the only one left).
George cleared his throat and then said loudly, "I know you all must have been wondering why Mum called this impromptu family gather, just like I was." Everyone's eyes were on George at first but some started to travel to me when they saw me. "It appears that we finally get to meet Ron's lovely son …"
"Ari," Fred said before his Dad could finish. He looked shocked, as did Domique, Louis and Molly (Percy daughter I didn't notice was in the room until now). They all had known me from school and we were on good terms (especially Fred and I) but they didn't know I was their cousin.
However, before Fred could say anymore (I could tell he was rather upset), two girls came down the stairs into the room. One was Tori, Victoire, Bill and Fleur's oldest daughter and the other … I don't believe it, it was my best friend Cathryn.
They just stood there at the foot of the stairs in shock, they obviously had no idea I was coming (just like I wanted). For my part, I didn't know Cathryn, or Ryn as I called her, would be here and was a little nervous. We weren't in the best of speaking terms at the moment and I didn't know what her reaction to this was going to be. After a second she stopped staring and ran and hugged me (I could feel my ears burning but I didn't care) and said "Ari, I'm so glad to see you."
"Me too," I said and I hugged her back and grinned.
"I'm sorry about the way I've been acting …" she started.
"It my fault really," I said before she could finish. "Let's just put that behind us okay."
"Okay," she said smiling, and then her face became confused and looked back up at me. "Ari, what are you doing here?"
The room went silent at that moment. Before there was a buzz going around but now everyone seemed interest in seeing how I would handle the situation. Fred, though still quite agitated must have thought that it would be more entertaining to let Ryn handle it and kept his mouth shut.
"I was invited," I said slyly. "Why are you here?"
"I was staying with Tori for the break so when her family came here, I came too."
"Oh, that's great," I said. "So what do you want to do …?"
"Oh, no you don't," she said sternly and I noticed a smile on Harry and Ginny's faces (this was their first time meeting Ryn in person). "You still haven't said why you're here."
"No …" I said laughing slightly. I should just tell her but … "Does it matter, I'm here …. Now we …"
"Why don't you just tell me?" she said sharply, damn she sexy when she gets annoyed at me. "Why are you always so evasive?"
"Me, evasive," I said a little annoyed at the comment, sure I was actively avoiding her question, but she can be just as bad as me when she wanted to be. "What about you …?"
"Arthur Hugo," she exploded putting her hands on her hips and giving me the stare that always made me crack. "Don't try and turn this around on me. Tell me the truth."
She was almost looking hurt, like if I didn't tell her now, tell her the truth, things would get really ugly. "I'm here to see my family." I said in a whisper not looking at her.
I thought that she hadn't heard, she hadn't said anything in a minute. I looked back up at her, and knew that she heard. She was shocked and was unable to move. She never knew who my dad was, I told her all about my situation and sometimes (on particularly bad days) I told her my deepest hopes and fears. However, I was never able to tell her who my father actually was, who my family were (I told her that many of my cousin where in the castle but they didn't know who I was). It was obvious by the shock look that she never dreamed that I was a Weasley.
I expected the shock, it was a shock to everyone, but what I didn't expect was her anger. I don't know why I was so shocked, she always had a fierce temper but I never expected this.
SLAP
She slapped me, hard too. It hurt quite a lot. I raised a hand to my check and just stared at her in shock.
Tears were starting to leak out of the corner of her eyes as she said, "Why didn't you tell me? I know at the beginning … but after what happen. That's why you run after Tori that day … why you were so upset that day?"
"Yes," I said weakly.
"Ari," she said looking straight at me with her teary eyes and that seemed to hurt me more than the slap. "Why didn't you tell me why you were so upset? I could have help or at least been there … I would …" She was talking about the day that my grandma had her accident and all the Weasley grandchildren had gone to visit her at St. Mungo.
"I was going to tell you," I said, the sting had lessened and I regained some of my senses. "But you left so suddenly that I wasn't able to get it out."
"Arthur," she said in shock, the tears and hurt leaving and her normal expression coming back (thank god). "I stood there ten minutes waiting for you to answer."
"What?" I said in disbelief; in truth I had no idea how long she stood there when she found me in grief about my grandma's near death experience. "It couldn't have been."
"It was ten minutes," she said firmly. "I felt like an …"
"I'm sorry," I said. "You were just so comforting … just being there …. I didn't know."
Her expression softened completely and she looked sad, "Really?"
"Yeah," I said. "You know I tried running after you, but you locked the door, so I couldn't catch up."
She smiled weakly, and then frowned, "I'm sorry I made you feel worse, especially with how bad you already felt …"
"It okay," I said, it did hurt that she wasn't there when I really needed her (she was out getting together with Peter Erickson, the prat) but the truth was … "You didn't know. It's my own fault."
"Still," she said and took my hand and lean up and kissed me on the check. "I'm sorry."
I was shocked again and grinned stupidly down at her. My check seemed to be burning again for the second time in five minutes. I think that I really appreciate the kiss more than the slap.
"It looks like Arthur likes women that are just as mental as his Mum," my dad said after a minute of silence. At that, most of the people in the living room laughed.
"Ronald," Mum said and slapped him in the arm. More laughter.
"Ow," Dad said mockingly, rubbing his arm. Everyone laughed especially the adults (and most loudly Harry).
The only person beside myself that wasn't laughing was Ryn, who looked like she was about to explode of embarrassment. I leaned to her and said, "It okay, just say something to Dad and everything will blow over."
"I slapped you in front of your entire family," she said in shock.
"Don't worry," I repeated. "It's okay." I grinned my lob sided grin; she could never resist that smile.
"So you think I'm mental," Ryn said, successfully putting her face in a serious expression (probably only Tori and maybe Teddy knew that she joking).
"Huh," Dad said looking at her with a shocked and horrified expression. "Huh, no … that is …. I didn't …"
I was now glaring at Dad, trying as hard as I could not to break into laughter. "You don't even know me," Ryn said coldly and crossing her arms and glaring at Dad too.
He was horrified, he didn't know what to do or say. Mum looked at Ryn and the corner of her mouth twitched; she must have realized it was a joke. "It was a rather rude thing to say," Mum said looking sternly at Dad. "You still don't think before you speak." Harry smirked at this, realizing the humor.
"No …" Ron said. "I just meant that … well that … reminded me of you … I … I didn't mean …"
The cold expression vanished from Ryn's face in an instant and was replaced by a grin. She couldn't help it; she had looked up to my mum since she was a little girl (long before I even meant her). "Really!?"
Dad turned to look at her and said confused, "Yeah." The happy smile on her face made Dad relax, and Mum smile fondly.
"You really are no good with jokes, Ryn," I said grinning. "You hardly gave him a hard time at all."
"Oh shut up, Ari," she said.
"What it's true," I still grinned. "Just because he compared you to your idol doesn't …"
"Arthur," she nearly yelled turning red (some people were laughing in the background).
"What, you don't want me telling everyone how yo …" I continued until she ran over to me and put her hand over my mouth, preventing me from saying more. I removed her hand and looked down at her, normally I would tease her more, but since the difficult situation we were in I decided to go easier on her. "What, don't want me telling everyone why we became best friends?"
"It's embarrassing Ari," she said. "Besides, it's not why we're friends; it's the reason why I hated you for two weeks."
"You have you version and I have mine," I laughed but let the subject drop.
I was about to make my way through the family, trying to meet my family at last, but Fred burst out at last, it just wasn't at me. "You knew?" he said looking at Tori.
"Yes," Tori said.
"Why the hell didn't you tell me?" Fred said in disbelief. "All those times I said that he looked like Uncle Ron. All those times when I came to you saying that something Ari did was just like Ron and you … you basically told me I was being ridicules. You knew?"
"Yes but …" Tori said looking terrified at the angry look on Fred's face.
"Stuff it, Victoire," he said. "It won't help you."
"Hey," I said making my way to the two. "It wasn't Tori fault; I made her promise not to tell anyone."
"Yeah, right," he huffed. "Whatever 'Arthur', why don't you just shove off?"
"Fred," I stated.
"No," he said, face contorted in such anger it terrified me; I've never seen him so angry (he was usually an easy going prankster). "I thought you were a friend, I thought I could trust you, but you've been lying to me from the moment I met you."
"Fred," I said starting to get upset too. "It's not like that, I didn't feel like I was part of the family, I did tell anyone about …"
"Right, you didn't tell anyone," he yelled, pointing at Victoire. "Liar, I guess it's just that you never trusted me. We were never friends, just someone to pull pranks on …"
"That's not true," I said. He laughed and tried to interrupt but I pushed on before he could. "I had to tell Tori, she's in my year …"
"You've always known?" Fred said but I didn't stop or let Victoire talk.
"… Notice that there was an 'Arthur Weasley' being sorted, so I told her and made her promise not to tell anyone. I asked her to think of me as a friend, like I thought about her. I know I was being stupid but that's what happened. I think that Tori has mostly thought of me as a friend, forgetting that I'm her cousin, so don't blame her, this is my fault.
"Second, Fred, I do think of you as a friend. I like the prank war that has been going on throughout these years. I like you smart mouth, and you unrelenting humor that gets you in to trouble most of the time. You're one of the people I like most, it was never about that. I just didn't feel like I was a part of your family … I didn't mean to lie."
"Why?" Fred said a little calmer. "We all like you. We would have accepted you. Why didn't you want us?"
The question shocked me, not to least due to that fact that it came from Fred; it was such a deep question. I think I could understand Dad a little better, maybe it wasn't as demanding relationship as father and son, but I feel like I did what he did. I wasn't there for my family, I wanted it, I wanted to know my cousin, but I didn't know how to approach them as a cousin so I just hid the fact. "It wasn't like that. I wanted to be part of your family … I just didn't feel like I was. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you, any of you, I didn't think …"
"Whatever," Fred said, walking away to sit down by the stairs.
"So," Uncle George said awkwardly changing the subject. "I think it time we hear what brings you here today. I mean, I deal in the un-exceptive, but today, I believe, takes the cake."
"Yeah," Uncle Charlie said. "This is even crazier than the mental stuff that happened at the Ministry."
"Funny you should mention the Ministry," Dad started. "It really started there."
"So you two got friendly there after saving Harry's neck again, and we get the pleasure to meet our nephew at last," George said with a laugh.
"Sort of," Dad said. "But no … not really …"
"Then what happen?" Uncle Bill asked.
Mum, Dad, and Harry exchanged a look; they didn't look comfortable saying too much. "Basically," I said grinning. "I was there, Dad came and saved me and used that to get on my mum's good side, and so now we all came here."
Everyone in the room was dumbfounded, even my parents and Harry (they didn't expect me to blurt it out like that). Dad recovered first and tried to break the tension building in the room, "I didn't save you to get on your mum's good side."
"You were at the Ministry?" Ryn asked. "When the attack happened, you were there?"
I nodded and Grandma come running at me and gave me another back breaking hug. "I had no idea … Are you okay; you didn't get hurt, did you?"
"I'm fine," I said. "I didn't even get hit by a curse actually."
"But you were there?" George said shocked. "And Ronnie saved you?" He turned to his brother with an impressed look.
"Yeah," I said with pride (it was weird to be proud of my dad). "He took a horrible curse that was aimed at me after Mum had been cursed. It was quite shocking when I notice who saved me."
"Arthur was quite impressive too," Dad said placing his hand on my shoulder. "He took out three, no four, Death Eaters."
"Did you really?" Fred asked, unable to keep his angry expression, he looked impressed.
"Yeah," I said smiling awkwardly. "But I had help with each of them."
"I think you spend too much time with Harry," Aunt Ginny said, she was the only person (other than the trio of course) that already knew I was at the Ministry. "That's what he always says."
"I'll take that as a compliment," I smiled. "But really, I was terrified, and was help by Mum and Dad most of the time."
"Maybe," Dad said. "But I could never have been prouder than by how bravely you faced that terrible situation that you were in at the Ministry."
After this I told the family my version of what happen at the Ministry and they all seem to be impressed with me, so much so that Fred seem to be warming up to me again (thought I know I have a long way to go with that). Then the rest of the night was spent eating dinner and discussing other things. It was really nice to be part of a big family.
A/N: So this chapter you got to see the Weasleys and learn a little bit more about the past as Ron and Hermione get closer. Plus the pov changes from Auther's to everyone's then back to Auther's. The next chapter will mostly be in Hermione's pov (with a little of Ron's thrown in there), seeing as it will be their first date in seventeen years. Until next week.