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Chapter 6

The week after Molly's visit Hermione starts making plans for Australia. Ginny and Minerva help when possible and by the end of the week they have a solid enough plan. They decide to wait one more week, giving Minerva some time to make sure Hogwarts is taken care of in her absence. Molly has insisted on hosting dinner the night before they leave and both Minerva and Hermione have been told in no uncertain terms they have to attend. And thus both women have apparated to the Burrow together. Hermione looks up at Minerva slightly uncomfortable. "This will be the first time I see Ron after I broke his heart. I'm nervous how it will be."

"I'm sure it will be fine. If needed I'll have a little talk with Mr. Weasley." Minerva asures Hermione.

Together they walk up to the Burrow and into the kitchen.

"Hi Hermione, Minerva. Come on in and have a seat. Dinner's almost ready." Molly comes up to them and hugs them both before moving back to the stove to finish dinner. Ron walks in right after. "Hello Professor. Good to see you. Hermione, could I please talk to you in private for a minute?" Ron asks rather nervous. Minerva looks at Hermione ready to step in but before she can say anything Hermione is already speaking. "Sure, your room?"

"Yeah." Ron answers and leads the way. When they are in his bedroom Ron casts several spells. When Hermione looks at him apprehensive he clarifies. "Just making sure nobody can eavesdrop." This does not make Hermione feel any more comfortable, having a hunch what Ron might be planning.

"Alright Ronald, what did you want to talk about?" Hermione asks flatly.

Ron takes a deep breath before he starts an obviously rehearsed speech. "First of all I want you to know that I listened to you when you told me your feelings for me are nothing more than friendship. I understand and respect your stance in this. However with the recent events in mind I would like you to reconsider the possibility of us being a couple. I would like you to marry me."

Hermione looks at Ron with her mouth hanging open for a few seconds before taking a deep breath to calm herself enough to not yell at Ron. "If you understood and respected my feelings you would not ask me to marry you." Hermione states calmly albeit through gritted teeth.

"That's not true Hermione. I'm looking out for you. This way you won't end up with someone who doesn't deserve you, or who wouldn't treat you right."

"You are not looking out for me Ron, you're looking out for yourself." Hermione tells Ron, her voice getting louder while she feels her control slipping.

"I am looking out for you Hermione. I've known you for years. We've been friends for a long time and we lived through so much together that I'm sure I know you. I'm a better match than any wizard the ministry can come up with." Ron pleads his case passionately and Hermione feels most of her anger disappear. He does have a good heart, even if he is being a pratt.

"I've read up on the method the ministry is using for the pairing. Their aptitude test will not only take into consideration my characteristics but also my preferences, it will give me a better match than the two of us would ever be." Hermione tries to explain.

"I think you are just being stubborn. We are a good match and especially considering the circumstances I don't see why you would believe the ministry could provide you with a better match." Ron's voice rises while he says this and at the end he even stomps his foot on the ground. This snaps something in Hermione.

"You want to know why I believe the ministry would provide me with a better match than you? I'll tell you. The ministry would at least pair me with a female. So with the ministries match I at least have a chance of eventually falling in love with my partner." Hermione moves to leave Ron's room but finds it warded. She turns to Ron who is looking at her in shock. "Ronald Weasley, you let me out of this room immediately before I hex your bits." After hearing this Ron snaps out of his shock and immediately lowers the wards he set up earlier. Hermione runs out of the room and out of the Burrow suddenly realising what she told Ron.

When Hermione storms past them Minerva and Molly look at each other. "You go after Hermione while I have a talk with my son." Molly says and leaves the kitchen in search for Ron. She doesn't have to look long, Ron is still in his room staring into nothing.

"Care to tell me what happened? Hermione just stormed out of the house." Molly asks Ron.

"Why would the ministry pair Hermione with a woman?" Ron mumbles almost to soft for Molly to hear.

"Ronald Billius Weasley you are not making any sense. Explain what happened this instant." Molly snaps in her stern mother voice. Years of experience have thought Ron that he better give a good explanation.

"I tried to explain to Hermione why we would make a good match and I asked her to marry me." Before he can continue with his story Molly interrupts him. "Did you not listen when she told you she only thinks of you as a friend?"

"I did and I know I'm only a friend to her but I figured marrying a man who loves her, who knows her, and who she knows will be good to her would be better than marrying some ministry appointed bloke. She might end up with some ass like Malfoy. She deserves better than that." Ron passionately explains to his mother. Molly sighs and sits down next to Ron. "Oh Ron. As good as your intentions where you should have researched this new law and the aptitude test. The tests look at characteristics and preferences. I'm sure Hermione would not be paired with someone who thinks she is less because she is a muggleborn. The test would pair her with someone she could possibly fall in love with." She explains to her son. Rons sits in silence with his mother for a bit before speaking. "Hermione said the ministry would pair her with a witch and as so she would at least have a chance of falling in love with the ministries match. That means she's gay right? It means I never had and never will have a chance at winning over Hermione's heart?" Ron ends in a whisper while tears gather in his eyes, his heart breaking again. Molly pulls her grown son into her laps and gives him a tight hug. "It does Ron." She pats his back soothingly while waiting for Ron to calm down. It takes him at least ten minutes but Ron calms down and slides of his mother's lap. Molly looks at Ron seriously.

"Ron, do you think Hermione meant to tell you she is gay or was it something that just slipped?"

"I think it just slipped. She was rather angry when she said it. She had every right actually. I was rather persistent and didn't really listen when she told me no."

"I see. Well it would explain why she ran out of the house. I don't think Hermione has come out to many people if any. Hermione told you something really personal, a really personal secret and your job as a good friend is to keep her secret. Coming out is hard and has to be done at one's own pace. If it indeed did slip, which seeing as she fled the house is very likely, she might have told you before she was ready. Please promise me you will keep her secret and let her decide when she tells other people."

Ron looks at his mother. "But I already told you."

"You did and what is done is done. I won't tell anybody, not even Hermione."

"Alright I won't tell. I don't think it would be good if I am at dinner tonight though. It still hurts to know I never have a chance."

"I understand I'll tell everybody you're not feeling well and send some food up here for you."

"Thank you mum, and tomorrow I'll write Hermione to apologize and tell her her secrets safe. She's been one of my best friends for years, that's the least I can do."

Meanwhile Minerva has followed Hermione and reaches her just before she leaves the wards and can apparate. "Hold on Hermione. What happened?"

"That git had the nerve to propose to me. Going on and on how good a match the two of us would make. And I know this came from a good heart but he just wouldn't listen when I told him no, several times I might add. I just got so frustrated that in the end I blurted out that at least the ministry would pair me with a woman and that way I had a chance of falling in love with my partner." By the time Hermione is finished with her recount tears are streaming down her cheeks and she is nearly sobbing. Minerva pulls Hermione into a hug while murmuring soothing words to calm her down. When she's almost calmed down though she starts again while managing to get out "This is n-not how I planned to c-come out to my friends. This is not how I want the world to d-discover I fancy g-girls. Oh Minerva, what am I gonna do?"

"Listen dear, Molly went up to talk to Ron and I'm sure she will convince him to not tell anybody. And I'm certain she won't tell anybody either." Minerva tells Hermione with certainty.

"How can you be so certain?"

"I can't tell you, but trust me this will not go past Ron and Molly until you decide otherwise."

"I do trust you Minerva."

Hermione hides her puffy eyes under a glamour charm with the help of Minerva before the two of them walk back to the Burrow. By the time they enter the kitchen all Weasley's except for Ron, who is not feeling well according to Molly, are already seated. During dinner conversation moves to the marriage law, which is to be expected since all of the Weasley kids are affected by it. Hermione learns that Charlie and Percy have already proposed to their girlfriends. George is getting married as well since he accepted Angelina Johnson's proposal. Bill and Fleur have started to try getting pregnant while both Fred and Harry just like Hermione have decided to put their faith in the hands of the ministry. Ginny is the only one undecided. While she says she is pulling a Hermione and making a pro-con list, Molly knows Ginny is too busy with deciding which of her brothers she will come out to first to think about the new law.