A/N: Thanks for the follows, favorites and reviews. It's always nice to see proof people are enjoying the stuff I write. :-)
Enjoy the next chapter!
Chapter 2
Hermione takes a few calming breaths before walking up to the burrow. She knocks on the door and walks into the kitchen spotting Mr. and Mrs. Weasley along with their 4 youngest children at the kitchen table finishing lunch. Molly is the first to spot her. "Hermione dear, come in, what brings you here?. Would you like some lunch? I believe Rons has managed to leave a few bites."
"Thank you for the offer Mrs. Weasley, but I've had a late breakfast and am still quite full. I was actually hoping to speak to Ron for a moment when you've finished lunch." Ron looks up at Hermione when he hears his name. Hope is clearly written on his face. He quickly swallows the food in his mouth and stands. "I'm finished. Let's go to my room." Ron marches off to his room leaving Hermione to hurry after him.
In his room Ron sits on his bed and motions for Hermione to sit next to him.
"So you've chosen a date?" Ron opens while moving a little closer to Hermione. Hermione moves away before answering. "I haven't chosen a date Ron. I came to tell you I won't go on a date with you."
"Why not?"
"Because I don't like you like that. My feelings for you are nothing more than friendship."
Ron looks heartbroken, and whispers, "If you don't have feelings for me than why did you let me kiss you?"
"You surprised me and by the time I was able to react the kiss was already over. I'm sorry I gave you false hope. I didn't mean to."
"I know you would never deliberately do anything to hurt me. It is part of the reason I like you so much." Ron sighs.
The two of them sit in a loaded silence for a few minutes before Hermione speaks up.
"Do you think we can stay friends Ron?"
"We can. It might take me a little while to get there though. I first need to let go of you. Well not you really, more the idea of you and me as more than friends."
"I understand. I'll keep my distance for a little while okay?"
"Thank you." Ron sincerely tells her. "Have you thought of a place to stay for now? I'm sure my parents wouldn't mind if you stay at the Burrow."
"I know they won't mind, but staying here is not going to help us keep our distance. Minerva offered to let me stay at Hogwarts. I'm going to take her up on her offer until I have recuperated enough to go to Australia and search for my parents."
"I'm going to miss you, but as usual you're right. Good luck with the search and maybe when you're back we can have dinner with Harry and catch up?"
"I'd love that Ron." Hermione gets up and hugs Ron goodbye, knowing this is the last she'll see of him for a while.
Hermione leave Ron behind in his room to nurse his broken heart and moves downstairs to say goodbye to the rest of the Weasleys. In the kitchen she only finds Mrs. Weasley. "Hi Mrs. Weasley. Where is everybody. I was hoping to say goodbye."
"The children are playing Quidditch and Arthur went to the Ministry to help get things up and running again. You said you want to say goodbye, does this mean you're not staying?"
"It does." Hermione says sadly. She is aware not staying at the Burrow is what is best for both her and Ron, but she will miss the Weasleys. She has spend so much time at the Burrow in the past seven years that the family of red-heads have become her second family.
Molly looks at Hermione in thought before continuing the conversation.
"You told Ron you don't want to go on a date with him, didn't you?"
"I did."
"Why don't you want to go on a date with him?"
"Because I only feel friendship for him." Molly looks at Hermione as if she is contemplating something.
"I see. Are you sure there is no chance of your feelings changing in time?"
"Yes." Hermione says with conviction.
"May I ask why you are so convinced you'd never have more than friendly feelings for Ron."
"I just know." Hermione answers evasively. Wishing she could leave.
"Hermione…. Are…. are you gay?" Molly careful asks. Hermione looks up at Mrs. Weasley like a deer caught in the headlights before averting her eyes in search of an escape route. Molly puts her hand on Hermione's arm in an effort to calm her down.
"I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable Hermione. It´s just… You said you would never fall in love with Ron with such certainty I couldn't help but wonder… Forget I ever asked." Molly pulls Hermione into a hug.
"Go say goodbye to Ginny and the boys and forget we even had this conversation. Do not forget to owl me regularly so I know you're okay."
"I will. Goodbye Mrs. Weasley." Hermione is not aware Molly looks after her with a glint in her eyes that can only mean she's planning to meddle in Hermione's love life.
Hermione walks out to the field that the Weasley kids use to play quidditch. When she arrives the twins immediately fly down to greet her, while Ginny continues to throw the quaffle through the hoops, completely ignoring Hermione.
"Hello Hermione, did you manage to set a date for your date with our baby brother?" George asks.
"No."
"Good." Fred says. "Finally pulled your head out of your butt and realised you can do better that Ron?"
"That's your brother you're talking about." Hermione reprimands.
"He is and we love him to death, but you dear Hermione, need someone who actually has opened a book." George explains.
"Well if that's the criterium I can cross you two off of my list of potential romantic interests as well."
The twins pull Hermione between them and each put an arm around her shoulders.
"As much as it pains us…" Fred starts.
"... to say this." George continues.
"You are right." The finish together. In the meantime without the three of them noticing Ginny has come down behind them.
"You know you really shouldn't be pawing your brothers girlfriend." Ginny sharply tells the twins. Fred turns to Ginny acting like he's been shot to the chest.
"You wound me little sis. Thinking I would hurt my brother like that." He tells her.
"Well you two do like to tease Ron." Hermione backs Ginny up.
"Usually true, but in this case there is nothing to tease since you are not our brothers girlfriend." George tells Hermione.
"You're not dating Ron?" Ginny asks and Hermione swears she sees something like relief in Ginny's eyes. But it's gone the next moment.
"No I'm not. Your brother asked me out on a date, but since I don't see him as anything more than a friend, maybe even a brother, I said no." Hermione explains before continuing. "Now, I came out here to say goodbye to your guys. I'm going to give Ron some time to deal with his feelings and I will be staying at Hogwarts for a little while before I go to Australia to find my parents." Hermione first turns to the twins who hug her goodbye and fly off to play some more quidditch. She than turns to Ginny.
"Feel free to owl me. Who knows maybe we'll be able to meet and catch up before I leave for Australia."
"Can I come with?" Ginny blurts out before Hermione can hug her goodbye.
"To Australia?" Hermione asks surprised.
"Yeah. I've never been there and I could do with a change of scenery after everything that happened this past year."
"Minerva offered to come with as well. I guess you can both come."
"Minerva?" Ginny asks surprised.
"Yes. Minerva Mcgonagall, Transfiguration mistress. Current Headmistress of Hogwarts."
"I know who Minerva is. I didn't know you called her by her first name though."
"She asked me too." Hermione simply explains.
"Strict, 'never call a student by their first name' Mcgonagall asked you, a student, to call her by her first name?"
"Well technically I haven't been a student for about a year. But yes Minerva told me to call her Minerva. I confided in her regarding Ron and asked her to call me Hermione. She insisted if she were to call me Hermione I should call her Minerva. It still feels a bit weird but I guess the more I practice the easier it will get."
"Okay, so… you're friends now?"
"Yeah I think we are. Sometimes one conversation about the right topic is all it takes to become friends."
"I guess…" Ginny says a little wary.
"You think it's weird for us to be friends?" Hermione asks
"If it works for you it isn't weird. Might take me some getting used to though. But I guess the three of us going to Australia will give me plenty of time." Ginny reasons.
"You really want to come with?" Hermione asks.
"Yes! I've missed you and I'm not going to be seeing you much if I don't come. You won't come to the Burrow with the whole Ron thing. And if you're off to Australia while I stay here I won't see you at all" Ginny reasons.
"True. Well talk to your parents about it. I'll owl you in a few days when I've finalised my plans." Hermione says and Hugs Ginny. "Bye Ginny, see you soon."
"Bye." Ginny answers and watches Hermione walk past the wards in order to apparate to Hogwarts. Instead of finish playing Quidditch with the twins Ginny decides to talk to her mum right away.
By the time Ginny walks into the kitchen her steps aren't as light as they were right after Hermione left. Something has clearly started to worry her. She spots her mum doing the dishes. She takes a towel and walk up to help her the muggle way. For years Ginny and her mum have used doing the dishes the muggle way to have a serious, and more importantly unbothered, conversation. None of the Weasley man would ever think to come into the kitchen when the women of the house is working knowing going in will lead to chores.
"Hi honey, is it time for a talk?" Mrs. Weasley asks.
"Yeah." Ginny answers timid.
"I would have thought you would be happier."
"Why?"
"Hermione hasn't told you about the conversation she had with Ron?"
"She did. At first I was happy and in my enthusiasm I volunteered to go to Australia with her and Professor Mcgonagall to find her parents. I came inside to ask if that was okay but by the time I was in here I started thinking about all the obstacles and now I don't want to go anymore." Ginny explains to her mun.
"What obstacles do you see?"
"We're going to be together pretty much all the time while in Australia. What if I can't keep my feelings in check? What if she figures out how I feel and we both know she will because she is crazy smart. What if she doesn't want to be my friend anymore when she figures out I fancy her? She's one of my best friends and I can't lose her." By the time Ginny is done talking tears are streaming down her face. Molly pulls her to a chair and makes some tea before she sits down next to her.
"Listen to my Ginerva. You know just as well as I that Hermione would never let your feelings get in the way of your friendship." Molly tells her daughter with as much conviction as she can muster in her voice.
Ginny looks up at her mother. "Do you really thinks so?" She asks hopeful.
"I know so. Remember Hermione didn't let it stop her friendship with Ron."
"She didn't, did she. Thank mum I needed a little reality check."
"So you're gonna tell Hermione?" Mrs. Weasley asks just as Ron walks into the kitchen.
"Gonna tell Hermione what?" He asks his sister. Ginny looks at her mother for help.
"Hermione is going to look for her parents in Australia and Ginny asked me for permission to go with. I told her she could go." Mes. Weasley covers.
"You're a good friend Ginny for going with her to help. I'm sure she could use the support." Ron says before walking out of the kitchen.
As soon as Ron has left Ginny turns to her mother. "Mum! I'm not even sure if I want to go."
"It will do you good, a change of scenery."
"Okay I'll go. But I'm not going to tell her anything. This thing is one-sided and I need to deal with that." Ginny tells her mum before standing up and hugging her.
"I'll write Hermione and let her know you said I could come."
