Here is chapter 4. I own nothing.
Chapter 4
When Hermione got back to her room, Ginny was laying on her bed, reading and listening to music.
"Who is that?" Hermione wondered, plopping down on her bed with a roll of parchment and a quill.
"I don't remember his name. Some new wizard from America," Ginny shrugged, paying more attention to the book then to the music.
"Hmm," she replied, opening the drawer that sat between the two beds to retrieve a bottle of ink. Lets get this over with, she thought as she dipped the quill in the ink and began to write.
Dear Draco,
I was very surprised when your petition arrived this evening. I honestly thought that you would be the last wizard to even think about petitioning me and to be honest, you are the first.
I have seen the changes you've made for yourself in the last while. I must say that you've impressed me quite a bit. It is, however, very difficult for me to forget all of the nasty and hurtful things you have said to me over the last six years. You have apologized several times, yes and I've forgive you, its just sometimes hard to forget.
With all of the being said, I've come to a decision concerning your potetion. I will agree to consider accepting it, for now. If you've changed like you've said you have, I ask that you prove it to me.
Sincerely,
Hermione
She reread her letter twice and decided that it was fine. She looked over at Ginny, who quickly looked away.
"Do you want to read it?"Hermione offered the nosey red head.
"Yes!" Ginny exclamed, then tried to compose herself, not wanting to sound too eager. "Well, I mean, if you want me to."
Hermione laughed and passed the letter over. As Ginny read the letter Hermione put the ink and quill away and pulled her blankets back for bed.
"Here you go," Ginny said, handing Hermione the parchment back. She turned down the radio and stretched, hitting the wall with her fist. "Ouch!" she exclaimed, seemingly annoyed with herself for not paying attention.
"You alright?" Hermione wondered as she opened their window and whistled for her new owl, Austen, who she named after her favorite muggle author Jane Austen. Her had been a gift from Harry and Ron when she was so upset about her parents disowning her. The beautiful snow white bird came and sat on the window ledge and nipped his owners hand affectionately.
"Hello to you too," she said, pulling a treat from her dresser drawer. "Please take this to Draco Malfoy. Don't you give me that look," she scolded her owl, who seemed to know how she felt about Malfoy at one time.
"Go!" she said, watching as the owl hooted and left the Burrow.
"I'm fine," Ginny answered, pulling Hermione back into the room.
"Huh? Oh, that good," she replied, yawning. "What did you think of the letter I sent to Draco?"
"I thought it was a fabulous letter," Ginny replied loudly.
"Really? You didn't think it was too...I don't know," Hermione wondered,looking at the red head strangely.
"No, not at all," she gushed, more loudly. "It was the right amount of nice and still the right amount of telling exactly what you felt towards him."
"Ginny, are you okay?" Hermione asked concerned, sitting on the edge of Ginny's bed.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Totally fine. Why?" the girl asked.
"You are talking rather loudly," Hermione said concerned.
"Oh," Ginny turned red and rubbed her ears, as if there was something in there. "Maybe I've got something in my ear. I think I'll go have mum take a look," she said, standing up and walking toward the door. "Why don't you lean back there and read?" Ginny suggested.
Hermione yawned again and crawled into her bed. "I think I will," she replied as Ginny nodded and closed the door behind her. She pulled her wand out and put a silencing charm on the door. George closed the door to his room quietly and looked at Ginny.
"What?" she asked defensively.
"I'm surprised that she didn't figure out what you were doing. It sounded like you were trying to let Luna down the road know what she put in that letter," George complained, throwing his arms up in frustration.
"Sorry. I just wanted to make sure that I was heard," his little sister explained.
The twin sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "I know. I shouldn't be so tough on you. You've had just as hard a day as the rest of us."
"Its okay. I know how much she means to you. I just wish that you would have asked her out a long time ago," Ginny replied.
"I thought that she and Ron would be together. He's fancied her for as long as I have and since they were such good friends, I didn't want to over step my bounds," he explained for the hundreth time. It was defiantly not the first time that he'd had this conversation. He'd had it with Ginny, Fred, Harry, even Ron, who thought they would be a good fit.
"Calm down. I already know all of that," Ginny looked at her nails, rather bored with that conversation.
"She told Malfoy how she felt. That she respected the fact that he's changed his life, but that it was hard for her to look past the fact that he made a lot of her school life a living hell. But she did give him a chance to prove he's changed."
"So i need to prove that I"m good enough to be with her," George thought aloud.
"Basically," she answered. "Look, I would like nothing more then for a brother of mine to be with my best friend. But its her chose. Don't push her."
"I'll do my best," he promised his sister, patting his sisters shoulder as he passed her, going back to his room and shutting the door.
Ginny looked down the hall and watched as Charlie came out of the shadows.
"That went for you too, you know," she folded her arms in front of her.
"I know," he replied, ruffling his sisters hair.
"Would you cut that out already?" she shrieked, in a very Molly Weasley type way. "I'm not ten years old anymore, you know."
"Yes, I'm quite aware of that fact every time I see you snogging Harry." Charlie snidely answered.
"Thank you for your help," he added, sincerely.
"Your welcome," Ginny replied, hugging Charlie, who had always secretly been her favorite brother.
He started to walk downstairs but turned and looked at his sister. "How long have you known that I...you know?"
"Since Bill's wedding," she laughed. "I think you would have made some progress with her if the whole attack wouldn't have happened."
"Hmmm," he mused, walking down the stairs slowly. "You know, you really are too perceptive."
"I know," she replied walking back into her room.
"You know what?" Hermione wondered, putting down her book and stretching.
"That I'm tired," Ginny faked yawned, putting her pj's on.
"Me too," Hermione agreed, pulling out her wand and turning off her light. "Good night Ginny."
"Night Mione," Ginny replied, sitting in her bed, not at all tired yet. She quietly pulled out a book and began reading.
Hermione woke with a start the next morning, sweating horrible. Well at least I didn't wake anyone this morning, she thought as she got her baring. She looked over at the alarm clock and saw that it was a little past seven.
Happy that she had gotten more sleep then the previous day, she pulled her want out and made her bed, deciding that a shower was in order because of the whole sweating ordeal. I really need to look into making a potion to stop sweating at night, she thought as she quietly opened the door. She made sure that no one was in the bathroom before she scurried across the hall and closed the door quietly and let the steam of the shower envelop her.
A while later, when she walked down the stairs and into the kitchen, the strong smell of roses and lavender invaded Hermione's nose.
"Good morning," Hermione greeted Mrs. Weasley, who was fusing over the two stunning vases full of flowers that practically took up the massive dining room table.
"What did Mr. Weasley do to have to give you such an embarrassing amount of flowers?" Hermione teased one of her favorite people in the world.
Molly looked at the girl and grinned. "Oh these aren't for me,dear."
"They're not?" she asked, walking closer to the beautiful bouquets. Most girls loved roses, but Hermione had always loved Gerber daises for some reason. I bet Harry got both of these for Ginny, Hermione thought smiling, admiring the bouquet that had several of her favorite flowers here and there.
"Oh flowers!" Ginny exclaimed, bouncing into the kitchen. "Look how beautiful these roses are! Who are they for?" she asked Hermione as she took a deep breath, savoring their intoxicating scent.
"I don't know," she answered, looking at a smiling Mrs. Weasley.
"Who are they for, Mum?" her daughter wondered.
"The roses are for you, Ginny," she answered, handing over the card.
"You read it?" Ginny said accusingly.
"Just who its to..." Mrs. Weasley replied sheepishly.
"Like I believe that," she replied, laughing good naturedly. She opened the card and read, the smile on her face keep getting bigger and bigger.
"Who are they from?" Hermione asked, all though she already knew.
"Harry," she answered rather dreamily. "He apologized and he wants me to meet him out by the pond later on today."
"Really?" Mrs. Weasley squealed like a school girl, causing Ginny and Hermione to giggle.
"What?" Molly wondered, grinning. "I just think its a brilliant idea for you two to have a little time together."
Ginny grinned, then looked over at the other boquet. "Whose the other one to, Mum?"
"Probably to Ron," Hermione replied smirking.
"Why do you say that?" Ginny wondered.
"Because of those little pieces of lavender here and there. Some lavender from his Lavey Bear," she said in a baby voice, sounding a lot like Lavender had sounded sixth year.
Ginny laughed loudly along with Hermione.
"Girls, cut that out," Mrs. Weasley scolded them, trying hard not to laugh herself. "And no, Hermione they aren't for Ronald, their for you," she told the girls, causing Hermione to sober up.
"Me?" she squeked, looking over at the bouquet of flowers.
"Who are they from?" she wondered, holding her hand out for Mrs. Weasley to give her the card.
"There was no card, dear," Mrs. Weasley grinned looking towards the back door that had just opened. Hermione turned and saw a tall, handsome red head walk through the door. He was dressed in his best pair of muggle jeans and his best while dress shirt. He wore a dashing smile that always made Hermione's heart skip a beat, even though she wasn't used to seeing it.
"Charlie?" Hermione whispered, shocked that such a beautiful display of flowers were from him and that such a handsome man would want to give them to her.
"Hi," he greeted her,walking closer to where she stood. Hermione found that she was having trouble breathing, but could hear just fine, even if Ginny had just squealed in her ear. Mrs. Weasley pulled Ginny away from the two, so they could have a moment. Not a private moment, but a moment none the less.
"Do you like the flowers?" he asked.
"Yes, thank you so much. They are beautiful. May I ask you a question?" Hermione wondered, blushing.
"Of course, anything," he replied smiling.
"Um, well. I was wondering how you knew that Gerber daisies were my favorite flowers?" she asked.
"Well, I would like to say that I just knew, but that would be a lie. When I went to find the perfect bouquet for you thing morning, I wasn't sure what to get. We haven't really had the chance to get to know each other over the years, so I wasn't sure what to look for. But when I saw these flowers, with the bright vibrant colors, I immediately thought of you," Charlie answered, honestly.
Hermione had never heard anything so sweet in her entire life. "Oh," she found herself saying to him again, causing Ginny to snort. Mrs. Weasley slapped her on the back of the head as she often did to Ron.
Charlie grinned, remembering she had said the same thing to him the morning before. He enjoyed the fact that she was so flustered by him, when she was normally so poised. He stepped closer to Hermione and pulled out a rolled up parchment.
"Hermione, will you consider accepting this petition? I want to get to know you and I hoe that you would like to get to know me. You are one of the most brilliant women I've ever met and I would love the chance to prove to you that I could take care of you and be there for you, forever."
Hermione felt tears in her eyes. It was all so sweet. He was right, they didn't know one another very well. But he was a Weasley and she'd had a small crush on him since the first time that they had met. If she could tell Draco Malfoy that she would consider his petition, then she sure could except Charlie Weasley's.
"Yes, I'll consider your potetion," she quietly said, trying not to cry.
"Really?" Charlie asked grinning, looking gently taking her hand.
Hermione giggled, something she hardle ever did. "Of course." She wasn't sure if she had ever seen a man smile so big.
"Do you mind if I hug you?" he asked, receiving a coarse of 'Awes' from Ginny and Mrs. Weasley.
Hermione nodded and felt his strong arms engulf her in a warm hug. He smelled of smoke, pine and spearmint; smells that Hermione didn't mind in the least.
How did you like chapter 4? Please review and let me know. Reviews are like fuel, as I've said a lot of time before. If you have any ideas for the story, I would love to here them. Anywho, happy reading.