Here's a nice, long chapter for everyone. Thanks for reading!
Ron paced the length of the living room, chewing a piece of toast his mother had thrust into his hand a few moments earlier. His hair stuck up from where he had been running his hands through it, his patience on the verge of breaking. He'd been downstairs for exactly seventeen minutes and it was sixteen minutes too many.
"What the bloody hell is she doing?"
"Can you please stop moving back and forth?" Harry asked from his seat on the sofa. Harry nursed a cup of tea and looked much more serene than his best mate. "I'm sure she'll be down soon."
Ron wanted to scream. Last night, he and Hermione had begun a row of epic proportions and he was primed to pick up where they'd left off. After watching her drink that funny potion in the front yard, Ron had made a beeline for Hermione, demanding to know what she had just taken. He'd been none too pleased with her answer.
He didn't know what had gotten into Hermione. They had no idea who this Leo-what's-his-face was and now she was drinking potions he gave her. For all they knew, he was a disguised Death Eater just waiting to get Hermione alone to do all manner of horrible things to her.
Ron suppressed a shudder.
After a few rounds of shouting last night, Hermione had announced she was going to sleep and under no condition should Ron follow her. Threats of some particularly nasty hexes were exchanged. Fine. He had given her some space, but now it was morning and Ron had no intention of letting the subject drop.
"What's got your wand in a knot?"
Ron paused in his pacing to notice Ginny had entered the room. Ron crossed the space in three strides and hovered over his sister.
"What is she doing up there?"
"Are you addressing me?" Ginny asked innocently. She pushed Ron aside with two fingers to his chest then moved around her brother to sit beside Harry.
"Gin, please?" Harry said tiredly. "I know you like to torture Ron, but I'm the one who's had to deal with him for last nine hours. Can you please tell us when we might be seeing Hermione, so he can focus on her and stop taking it out on the rest of us?"
"Well, Harry," Ginny said with emphasis, "Hermione will be down in a moment."
Ginny giggled slightly behind her hand then whispered to Harry, "Wait till you see her. You won't believe it."
The three friends were interrupted then by the sounds of someone coming down the stairs. Ron whipped around, anxious to see Hermione at last. When he spotted her, standing just at the bottom of the stairway, all color drained from his face.
Hermione was glowing; it was the best way to describe it. Her hair looked like it had grown two feet overnight and her trademark frizz had been tamed into long, elegant curls. The hair was still brunette but it looked like there were streaks of gold running through every lock, making each curl shine. Her face was lit up with something indescribable, as if her eyes and cheeks and mouth were brighter. Is she wearing makeup?
The biggest change of all however, was what she was wearing. Hermione wore a long, pink dress that swooped around her hips and fell gracefully to the floor. Ron was reminded of the first time he saw her at the Yule Ball, except the effect was ten times more dramatic. She looked beautiful.
A loud whistle sounded through the room.
"Hermione, looking good!"
Ron turned quickly to see George had entered the room from the kitchen. Ron scowled at his brother then turned his attention back to Hermione. He tried to think of something to say to her. Wasn't there something he had wanted to talk to her about?
"I look ridiculous!" Hermione wailed, walking further into the living room. She fell into an armchair and crossed her arms over her chest.
"All of my clothes have transformed into dresses! I got so desperate I started putting on Ginny's jumpers, but everything I put on instantly turned into a ball gown!"
"She even tried to cut off her hair," Ginny interrupted. "It grew back as soon as she did."
Hermione let out a frustrated growl then worriedly chewed on her lip.
"What have I gotten myself into?"
That's it. Ron was pulled from his trance, finally remembering why he had needed to see Hermione so badly to begin with.
"Yes! What exactly have you gotten yourself into?"
Hermione's eyes shot to Ron instantly, fixing him with a stony glare.
"I am not discussing this with you again, Ronald."
"That's fine with me," Ron said. "No need for a discussion. I can speak and you can listen."
"Ron…" Harry said quietly, trying to give his mate a warning signal. It was too late. Hermione jumped up from her seat, her arms stick straight beside her and her hands balled up into tight fists.
"Of all the insolent, infuriating things…You are honestly the most frustrating person I have ever had the displeasure of knowing, Ronald Weasley!"
Ron opened his mouth wide to respond, but was cut off as the front door opened. Mr. Weasley, fresh from some experimenting in his shed, walked in carrying a pile of letters.
"Good morning children," he called brightly. "Where is…oh, there you are Hermione. I have some post for you, it was left on the front step."
Hermione stepped forward to take the letters, momentarily distracted from her anger.
"Um, dear, have you done something different to your hair?"
Hermione frowned, taking the massive pile of letters and balancing it in her arms. A few letters toppled to the ground.
"Thank you Mr. Weasley."
"Right," he replied with a smile. "Let's see if Molly's got breakfast on."
Mr. Weasley walked into the kitchen, thoroughly mollified that all was right in the living room. Hermione sat back in the armchair, spilling the letters onto the coffee table. She tentatively picked one up, studying the return address.
"Who's it from?" Harry asked.
"I don't know," Hermione said. "Someone called Henry Krinsive."
She tore open the envelope and pulled the letter out, quickly scanning its contents. A few sentences in, she let out a groan.
"This can't be…" she said, trailing off.
"What's wrong?" Ginny asked. Hermione held the letter out to her friend. Ginny snatched the parchment up as Hermione began to rub her temples with her fingers. As soon as Ginny began reading the redhead let out a mirthful laugh.
"Care to let the rest of us in on the joke?" Ron asked, still fuming from his standing position in the center of the room.
"It's from a suitor," Ginny said, bent over and still laughing.
"He wants to take her to the feast and," Ginny paused to read directly from the letter, "wants to be her 'knight in shining armour, there to defend her honour forevermore.'"
"Oh for goodness sake," Hermione muttered, crossing her arms over her chest once more.
An amused smile graced Harry's face as he looked over the large pile of letters.
"Do you think that's what they all say?"
Ginny dove for a second letter with gusto, opening the letter and giggling once more.
"Oh, this one is good!" Ginny sputtered through her laughs. "Hermione, it rhymes."
Ron turned from the scene in frustration, balancing one arm against the mantle and staring at the flames in the fireplace. He took a few deep breaths, trying to calm himself down. Things were spiraling out of control.
Turning around again, he saw Harry and George had got in on the fun. The two men were reading letters along with Ginny now and all three looked incredibly amused. Ron glanced at Hermione, who looked thoroughly annoyed.
"Children, breakfast!" Mrs. Weasley shouted from the kitchen.
Hermione, grateful for the interruption, was the first to stand and exit. Ron followed a good few paces behind her and he could tell Ginny, Harry and George weren't far behind him. Hermione took an immediate seat at the kitchen table, looking outside the window in an attempt to ignore the rest of them. Ron took a seat across from her and noticed Ginny and Harry sit between him and Hermione. Ron could tell the two of them were doing their best to conceal their smiles, though they weren't very successful.
George, seated at one end of the table, had carried a stack of the letters in with him and was taking great pleasure in reading them one by one. He propped his feet up on the table and reclined back in his seat, as if settling in with a good book.
Mrs. Weasley sat a few massive platters of food on the table, making a passing comment about what a nice outfit Hermione was wearing.
"Hermione, this bloke's sent pictures," George said finally, a wide smile on his face. "And they're rather racy!"
Hermione pointed her wand quickly at the letter in George's hand, muttering a quick spell. The parchment as well as the photos instantly disintegrated into a pile of ash on the table.
"Hey! What'd you do that for?" George protested. "Nice charm though, I'll have to remember that one…"
"Can we please stop talking about this?" Hermione begged, looking to Harry and Ginny for support. Ron noticed she was avoiding his gaze all together and he slouched in his chair, praying the rest of the group would adhere to her request.
"Of course," Harry said gallantly. He reached for the Daily Prophet, which sat at the center of the table. "Let's see what else is happening in the world."
Harry scanned the front page then quickly set the paper down again.
"Nevermind," he mumbled.
"What is it?" Hermione asked, dread in her voice. She picked up the paper and looked it over herself. As soon as she did, she let out a aggravated sigh.
"You have got to be kidding me!"
Ginny leaned over Harry's shoulder to read the headline for herself. Realization hit her quickly. There, on the front page, was a large picture of Hermione and Harry. The two figures were embracing in the shot and Ginny wondered where it had come from. Above the photo were the words Boy-Who-Lived to Defend Hermione Granger at Sylvan Trial.
"They think Harry's your knight."
"It doesn't matter," Harry said quickly, turning to Hermione. "Let them write whatever they want, we can just ignore it."
George turned his wand toward the paper suddenly, chanting the same spell Hermione had used not two minutes earlier. The newspaper disintegrated in an instant.
"Thanks."
George nodded at Hermione and gave her a wink.
Suddenly, there was a knock at the kitchen door. Mrs. Weasley went to the door and let in a smiling Leopold.
"Good morning all," he said cheerfully. Looking around the room, he spotted Hermione and took in her appearance. "Ah, I see the potion worked."
"Yes, but Leopold, I didn't know I was going to look like…" Hermione paused to gesture wildly all around her, "…this."
"Oh. You don't like it? I think you look lovely."
Hermione moved to respond but was cut off as Ron leaned across the table to grab a handful of letters, waving the items in Leopold's face.
"And what exactly is the meaning of this? Are we going to be constantly harassed?"
Leopold raised a questioning eyebrow at Ron's outburst.
"I'm not sure what you're referring to."
"I'm referring to this ridiculous parade of love notes! Hermione's got half of Britain stalking her."
"I see," Leopold replied calmly. "And this upsets you, why?"
Hermione watched Ron carefully then, anxious for his response. Ron had gone red in the face and she could tell he was frozen in shock at Leopold's question. Before he could compose himself, however, there was a loud apparition pop inside the kitchen.
"Lee!" George shouted. "What are you doing here?"
Indeed, there stood Lee Jordan in the center of the bustling Weasley kitchen. Lee looked around the room before spotting Hermione. He walked determinedly toward her then dropped to one knee. From behind his back he pulled an oversized bouquet of bright purple flowers.
"Hermione," Lee said dramatically. "I am here to be your knight!"
"Oh, give me a break!" Hermione jumped up from her seat and stomped away from Lee, stopping at the kitchen island where Mrs. Weasley was chopping apples.
"What?" Lee asked, still on one knee. "You don't wanna?"
"Lee, mate, it's not really a good time," George said, wagging his eyebrows and nodding his head wildly toward Ron.
"What's he got to do with it?" Lee asked, standing up now and gesturing at Ron. "You should hear the talk in Diagon Alley, blokes are lining up! I thought it might as well be me, I know her as well as anybody. Thought I'd throw my name into the ring, is all."
At that, Ron marched purposefully toward Lee. The redhead grabbed the shorter man by the shoulders, dragging him toward the door. Lee scrambled on his feet as he tried to get out of Ron's grasp, but it was no use. Ron wrenched the door open and threw Lee outside, slamming the door again with a shout of "And stay out!"
After a beat, the group inside the burrow could hear Lee faintly yell "Owl me!" as he apparated away.
"Well this has all been very illuminating," Leopold said, breaking the silence. "Hermione, are you about ready to go?"
"Go where?" Ron asked loudly, his face still red and his eyebrows knitted together.
"I told you last night, Ron," Hermione said. Her voice was laced with annoyance. "I explained to you I would be going to the castle this morning, but I'm sure you didn't hear over all your shouting. Honestly, when did you become such a brute?"
Ron bit back a remark, deciding yelling back at her wasn't the best way to prove he wasn't a brute. Instead, Leopold spoke once more.
"Have you decided on your lady in waiting?"
"My what?"
"Your lady in waiting. A female companion for your time at the castle."
"Oh, right," Hermione said, looking around the room. "I suppose, then…Ginny would you…"
"Give me five minutes!" Ginny shouted, vanishing from the kitchen and bolting to her bedroom to pack. Mrs. Weasley walked toward the doorway to shout up some instructions about packing enough warm socks.
"Mrs. Weasley, are you sure Ginny should go?" Harry asked nervously. "We don't even know where the place is."
"Feel good, does it?" Ron mumbled.
"I anticipated the family concerns and I wanted to let you all know you're invited to the castle this evening for dinner," Leopold said then. "My men are staying behind and will be here to escort you there later in the day. And of course, you're all invited to the great feast tomorrow evening. Hermione, have you decided on an escort for the feast?"
Hermione shook her head no, looking down at a ruffle on the skirt of her gown.
"None of these gentlemen seemed appropriate?" Leopold asked, gesturing toward the pile of letters still on the kitchen table.
An awkward silence hung in the room. No one seemed to know what to say. For his part, Ron crossed his arms tensely over his chest, refusing to look anywhere but a spot on the wall across from him. He knew if Hermione named someone, actually said aloud which Cormac, Viktor or Lee Jordan she wanted to go with, he would lose it for sure.
"No, I don't know these men," Hermione answered finally. "I don't think I'd be very comfortable with any of them."
Harry coughed, anxious to do anything to relieve this tension.
"Hermione," he said. "You know I don't want you to go alone…"
Hermione smiled at her friend, who was once again acting like the brother she'd never had.
"It's okay Harry. You need to go with Ginny. I'll be fine."
Hermione turned away from the group, closing her eyes for a moment to regain her composure. She couldn't stand all of them looking at her like that, like the sad girl everyone had to take pity on. It fed into long seated insecurities, insecurities that went all the way back to that little girl who couldn't even make a friend.
With Hermione still turned around, Harry reached for a piece of the parchment on the table, swiftly smacking Ron over the head with it. Ron swatted back at his friend with his arms, mouthing a silent "What?" at Harry.
Leopold escorted Mrs. Weasley outside then and continued to fill her in on the details of the next few days. Through the open door, Ron spied a large, ornate carriage in the front yard.
Ginny rejoined them the next moment and she, Hermione, Harry, Ron and George walked outside to stand at the carriage. Leopold graciously loaded Ginny and Hermione's trunks into a case at the back of the carriage.
"When you're ready, ladies," Leopold said. He tipped his hat in farewell then stepped inside the carriage.
Ginny quickly kissed Harry goodbye then joined Leopold in the carriage. Through the carriage window, Mrs. Weasley began listing instructions to her daughter on how to behave while away from home.
"Well," Hermione said, shrugging her shoulders. "I suppose I'll see you all later."
She turned to go, but was stilled by a hand on her wrist. She looked back to see George standing in front of her.
"Hermione, I'd be honored if you'd consider me as your last resort date," he said seriously.
"On the off chance someone more suitable," George said the last word pointedly, with a stern glare at Ron, "doesn't come through, I want you to know I'll be ready and willing to step in at the last minute. All right?"
Hermione nodded, giving George a grateful smile.
"Thank you," she said earnestly, standing on tiptoe to give the young man a brief kiss on the cheek. With that, Hermione gave a last glance toward Harry and Ron, then climbed into the carriage.
The three men watched as the carriage took off, gliding into the sky and flying swiftly away. Mrs. Weasley stood a few feet away from them, waving to the carriage as it became a dot in the sky.
"You do know, Ron," George said, still looking at the sky, "that you are a complete idiot."
"So what else is new?" Ron responded, watching wistfully as the carriage grew further and further away from him.