Salon

That night Ron was a bit later coming home than usual, because he'd stayed late at the shop, going over the books with George and Angelina. He was surprised to hear someone who wasn't Hermione talking in the kitchen, but then he realized from the accent that it was Fleur. She was clearly finishing a story because she said, "And then Maman said, Absolument pas!"

They howled with laugher.

When Ron went into the kitchen both women were standing at the counter. There were charmed knives slicing onions and carrots behind Hermione. Fleur was stirring a pot on the stove. They each had a glass of red wine. He smiled to see Hermione so happy. She'd been so tense lately. It was nice to see her having a laugh. "Hello, Fleur," he said to his sister-in-law. "What brings you out?"

Fleur's smile faded some. She looked at Hermione. "You didn't tell him?"

"No, but it's not as though he'll mind." The carrots and onions rose in the air and dropped into the pot.

"What won't I mind?" Ron asked.

"Bill is out of town for a few days, so I asked Fleur to stay with us."

"Fine by me," Ron said. "What's for dinner?"

"Beef stew." Fleur stirred the vegetables.

"Yum, but why isn't Purdy cooking?" Ron asked. "Is she all right?"

"She's fine. Fleur offered to cook, so I gave Purdy the night off."

"Okay. How long before dinner? Do I have time for a shower?"

"Of course," Fleur said.

"Great." Ron headed upstairs. "I'll be down in a few."

xXx

Hermione watched him go and then said to Fleur. "I'll be right back." She went upstairs hoping to catch Ron before he got in the shower. He was changing when she went into their bedroom. She closed the door behind her and Impreturbed the door.

Ron raised his eyebrows.

"Don't get excited."

"Too late." He grinned at her and pulled off his shirt. "What's up?"

"I'm sorry I didn't talk to you before I offered for Fleur to come and stay with us."

"That's all right. She's family."

"I thought that's how you'd feel, but I should have run it by you."

"No harm done." Ron pulled off the rest of his clothes and put on his bathrobe. He looked at her. "Is there something else?"

"I suppose you noticed we were having wine."

"Yeah. Oh, so I guess she's not pregnant."

"Not anymore, so don't say anything about it or babies or anything to do with children, all right?"

"Sure."

"She says she's okay, but she seems kind of, I don't know, sensitive at the moment. I think Bill must be too."

Ron nodded. "I reckon. Not that he'd tell me. Charlie is more likely to hear that sort of thing." He looked at her. "Are you okay?"

She smiled. "I'm fine."

He nodded, but the concern remained on his face.

"I should get back downstairs."

He winked at her. "Yeah, or she'll think we're up here shagging."

"And that would be rude."

"It would. Unless of course you want to, in which case, I'm completely fine with it."

She shook her head at him. "I'm going downstairs."

"I won't be long. Although, now that you've filled my head with thoughts of shagging, I might be a tad longer."

She chuckled and closed the door behind her.

xXx

Over dinner, Fleur brought up the issue of helping families with non-magical children and the Squibs that worked with the Order of the Phoenix.

"Talking to Mrs. Figg is a goodt starting point," Ron said. "Because Harry knows her so you've got an in there."

Fleur agreed.

Hermione nodded. "I'm sure you're right, but I don't want to bother Harry while Ginny is home."

"Nah," Ron said. "It can wait."

"In the meantime," Fleur said. "I was thinking about your charity issue."

"Go on then," Hermione said.

"What if I helped you organize it? I know how to manage that sort of thing from working with the Triwizard Tournament charity and from working at Gringotts. I can't imagine we're talking about a huge fund or very many participants. I'm sure I could handle it."

"I would love that," Hermione said. "I'll take all the help I can get."

"Perfect," Fleur said. "I still think you should approach the goblins though. Keeping Squibs in the magical community is so important to them."

Hermione took a roll from the basket in the center of the table. "I just don't think I'm the one to make that overture. I don't even think Harry could do it."

"They pretty much hate all three of us," Ron said.

"Why don't you do it?" Hermione said.

"Me?" Fleur said. "I don't think so."

"Why not? Once we get some people on board to help the families and get the charity set up, you could take it to the goblins to ask for their support."

Fleur frowned. "But it's your idea."

"Taking it to the goblins was your idea. Besides, you'll be running the charity so who better to present it?"

"Ah." Fleur took a sip of wine. "I walked right into that, didn't I?"

Ron gave her a sympathetic smile. "It happens to all of us. Harry does it too. You're sitting around having a casual chat, and the next thing you know, you're part of some mad plan that one of them has cooked up."

Hermione frowned at him. "In our defense, we rope in each other as well. Besides, it's not as if you've never had a mad plan."

"True," Ron said. "So true."

Fleur shook her head. "Why did I say I would stay here?"

"It's too late now," Ron said. "Who knows what all you'll be involved in by the time you leave."

Hermione picked up her plate and took it into the kitchen. "I'm ignoring you both." Leaving the kitchen, she picked up her glass of wine and went into the parlor. Ron and Fleur followed. "Honestly though," Hermione said, taking a seat on one of the sofas. "I think we're thinking too far in advance."

Fleur nodded. "I think so too. The issue is still so fragile, I don't think you're even close to needing a charity."

Hermione sighed. "I wish it was like it was at school."

"What?" Ron didn't miss school at all.

"It was so much easier to talk about things. We would all be sitting around in the common room, issues would come up, and we could discuss and argue about them."

"Like S.P.E.W.," Ron said.

"Exactly," Hermione said.

"What?" Fleur said.

Ron and Hermione explained about Hermione's early efforts toward elf rights.

"And now you are in charge of House Elf Relocation," Fleur said.

"Yes," Hermione said.

"So, invite people over," Fleur suggested.

"Just randomly?" Hermione said.

"No, of course not. Start with your friends," Fleur said.

"That's a good idea," Ron said. "We could start with classmates, so it really would be like in school. Only better, because no studying, and we can serve alcohol without getting in trouble."

Hermione nodded. "A grass roots effort then. I like it."

"Great," Ron said. "I'll stop by the pub after work and see who I can round up."

Hermione arched an eyebrow at him. "Seriously?"

"Yeah, why not? It's either that or send out invitations and that seems too formal."

"I suppose. Okay then," Hermione said.

"Perfect," Fleur said. "A mad plan."

Ron and Hermione laughed.

xXx

The next day, Hermione stopped in at work before she and Fleur spent the rest of the day shopping and then finished up at the salon to learn new glamor charms. Hermione had never considered that there were witches and wizards who specialized in grooming and glamor charms and that you could pay them to teach you. If you couldn't manage to perform the spells yourself, you could pay them to do them for you. Naturally, learning the spells was more expensive but cheaper in the long run.

Ron always wanted her hair down, but managing to keep it curly without being frizzy took a lot of time and effort between charms and Sleekeazy's Hair Potion. Fleur convinced her that one of the salon experts could teach her a better charm that would wrangle her hair into luscious long ringlets. Fleur, as it turned out, was right. Her hair looked amazing, better than it had ever looked down.

She stood in front of the foyer mirror and stared. Fleur Apparated in behind her and laughed. "You can't get over it, can you?"

Hermione turned to her. "No! Look at it!"

Fleur laughed again. "I told you, if you want to learn a spell right don't just read it, go to an expert."

Hermione looked back in the mirror. "You're a genius!"

"Ron will like this, yes?"

Hermione nodded. "Yes!"

Fleur chuckled. "Perhaps I should spend the night at the cottage."

Hermione tutted. "Don't be ridiculous. You'll do no such thing."

"I suppose that's what silencing charms are for." Fleur hung her cloak on one of the pegs by the door and went into the parlor.

"Absolutely." Hermione blushed and hung up her coat before following her.

There was a letter from Bill waiting and Fleur took it upstairs to read and said she might take a nap. Hermione thought that sounded like a good idea, but she wanted to check with Purdy to make sure there was nothing that needed seeing to at the office first.

xXx

When Ron came home later that evening, Hermione stood to greet him as he came into the parlor. "Hey," he said, eyeing the new hairdo. "You look good. What's the occasion?"

She frowned at him. "Thanks."

"Oh, come on. You just don't usually wear your hair down." He pulled her into a hug. She didn't resist. "But I love it down."

"Fleur took me to the salon, and I learned a new spell to arrange it like this."

Ron grinned at her. "I like it. How mad will you be if I mess it up?"

She laughed. "Go ahead, you can touch it. There's no Sleekeazy's in it."

"Really?" Ron slid his fingers into the soft curls. Normally, if she'd done her hair, she insisted he stay away from it until whatever event she'd done it for was over.

"It's supposed to resist wind, rain, men's fingers—" She ticked off the spell's strengths on her fingers.

Ron leaned down and kissed her, stopping her list. She responded enthusiastically, pulling him closer and opening her mouth to him. He was about to ask where Fleur was when he heard the Floo open and remembered he'd invited people to dinner.

"Did you forget you invited us over, Ron?" Dean said as he stepped out of the fireplace followed by Seamus, Luna, and Neville. Hermione surprised him by pressing her forehead against his chest and laughing. He laughed too as did everyone else. When he stepped away from Hermione her face was red and he knew his was too, but it didn't matter.

"I suppose they're still making up for all those years dancing around each other," Seamus said.

"It's nice though," Luna said.

Hermione shook her head and chuckled again. "What would everyone like to drink?"

xXx

Fleur joined them a few minutes later. As the evening progressed from drinks to dinner, everyone caught up with each other's lives. Just before dinner, Hannah's shift ended at the Leaky Cauldron and she joined them, delighting Neville. She brought her coworker Penny with her. Penny had been a Hufflepuff who'd left after her O.W.L.s. She was currently dating Dean. After introductions, everyone sat down at the dinner table. The conversation shifted from person to person and eventually got around to Hermione, who briefly updated everyone on her family situation allowing her to seamlessly bring up the state of Squibs in their world. To a person, they were all surprised to hear that the Ministry had good jobs available to Squibs, who wanted to stay connected to the magical world. Hermione was pleased by how positively that information was received and felt good as the conversation shifted away from her.

"Where is Harry tonight?" Seamus asked.

"He and Ginny are having dinner with some of her teammates," Ron said. "They said they'd come over for dessert."

"Oh good," Luna said. "I haven't seen Ginny in a while."

There was a momentary lull as everyone ate. Hermione looked over at Ron and he winked at her. She smiled at him and winked back.

"I was in the bank yesterday," Hannah said. "That statue of you three and a goblin in the main hall is massive. It didn't look that big in the paper."

"Yeah," Ron said awkwardly.

Hermione took a sip of her wine.

"So," Hannah continued. "They just let you guys in the bank?"

"Sure," Ron said.

"Then why did you have to escape on a dragon?" Hannah asked.

"What dragon?" Ron and Hermione said at the same time.

Dean and Luna looked at their plates. Hannah frowned. "As it so happens, I was in Diagon Alley that day. I saw the three of you blast out of the top of the bank clinging to an old white dragon."

"Erm." Ron glanced at Hermione.

"You saw what you saw," Hermione said.

"I don't understand," Hannah said.

"And we can't explain it," Hermione said. "Shall we move into the parlor?"

Everyone got up from the table and made their way into the other room, taking their drinks with them.

"You've made some sort of deal with the goblins then," Neville said, taking a seat next to Hannah on one of the sofas.

Ron and Hermione looked at him and smiled weakly.

"That's crap," Seamus said. "Are we never to know the truth of what happened then? I don't even know where you three went that year. What were you doing?"

"Like me," Dean said. "They were on the run."

"Yeah, I know that," Seamus said. "But where were they. What were they doing?"

Ron cleared his throat and looked at Hermione. "Mostly, we were in the woods, in a tent."

"What woods?"

"All of them, I think," Ron said. "We moved constantly."

"So, you were just running around camping?" Seamus said. "To what end?"

Ron frowned at him. "The main goal was to keep Harry alive while we figured out how to kill Voldemort."

"And you did, for which we're all eternally grateful," Dean said.

"Absolutely," Seamus said. "But how did you do that?"

Ron and Hermione looked at each other again.

"Oh, let me guess," Seamus said. "You can't say."

"No," Hermione said. "Sorry."

"So, you three spent the year running around camping while the rest of us fought off Snape and the Carrows and their bloody goons casting Crusiatus for the slightest infraction."

Hermione coughed and stood. "Excuse me." She hurried out of the room.

Ron went to get up, but Luna put a cool hand on his arm. "I'll go." She slipped from the room like a whisper.

Ron clenched his teeth and tried to calm down. He knew Seamus still wasn't over Lavender's death, but that didn't mean he was okay with what Seamus was saying. "We weren't on some bloody camping trip. And while I appreciate that things at Hogwarts were bad, they weren't great for us either."

"How bad could they have been?" Seamus said. "You had her, didn't you? On your own, all those months. Suffering, were you?"

"Seamus, you're out of line, mate," Dean said.

"What would you know about it?" Seamus said.

Ron looked at Dean. "You didn't tell him?"

Dean shook his head.

"Tell me what?" Seamus said.

"Why?" Ron asked Dean, ignoring Seamus.

"Because, he was wrecked after the battle, and there was no time before and since then..." He shrugged.

"Tell me what?" Seamus shouted.

Dean sighed and started the story of being captured.

xXx

Luna stepped out of the kitchen door into the back garden, quietly closing it behind her. Hermione was standing with her arms wrapped around her. "Are you okay?"

Hermione turned to see her. "I'm fine. I just needed a bit of fresh air."

Luna stood next to her. "I'm sorry about Seamus. He's a bit like an open wound since Lavender died. He's quick to anger, and he drinks too much. I think Dean spends a lot of time trying to keep him out of trouble."

Hermione nodded. "I know he took her death hard."

"He doesn't know what happened to you."

"I know. It's fine. I'm fine."

Luna sighed. "Do you still have nightmares?"

"Not nearly as often. You?"

"Sometimes. Having Rolf there helps."

Hermione smiled at her. "So that's going well then?"

Luna blushed slightly. "Yes. I would have brought him tonight, but he's on a field assignment in Brittany."

"We should get together when he gets back."

Luna nodded. "That would be nice."

Fleur stepped through the back door then. "Is everything all right?"

"I'm fine," Hermione said. "We were just talking."

Fleur stood next to them. "You might want to stay out here a bit longer. Dean is telling Seamus about last year."

"He hasn't told him before?"

"Apparently not," Fleur said.

"Oh," Luna said. "That's not good."

"I thought they were best mates," Hermione said.

"They are," Luna said.

"So why wouldn't he—" Hermione started to ask.

"I told you," Luna said. "Seamus hasn't been himself. Dean was probably trying to spare him."

Neville and Hannah came out into the garden then, followed a moment later by Ron and Penny.

Ron ran his fingers back through his hair and sighed. "I think Dean and Seamus need a minute. You know how it is when you fight with your best mate."

Hermione chuckled. "No. I have no idea what that's like."

Everyone but Penny laughed. "I don't get it," she said.

"Harry, Ron, and Hermione were best mates in school," Neville explained. "Ron and Hermione were notorious for their rows."

"It was really just sexual tension though," Luna said.

Everyone laughed again except Ron and Hermione, who both blushed.

"Not always," Hermione said.

"Yeah," Ron said. "Sometimes, I had a legitimate beef."

"Oh, please," Hermione said. "Like you were the only one."

There was a popping sound and Harry and Ginny appeared in the garden. "Hullo," Harry said. "What are you all doing out here?"

"We're giving Dean and Seamus some space," Neville said.

Ron explained what happened.

Hermione called Purdy and asked her to bring Harry and Ginny something to drink and to bring everyone else a refill. Hannah introduced Harry and Ginny to Penny who was clearly impressed to be meeting Harry. Even though they'd been in school at the same time, they hadn't known each other except by sight.

"This is a really nice garden," Penny said, trying to think of something to say to break the spell of meeting the Chosen One. "And your house is amazing."

"Thanks," Hermione said. "It was a wedding present from my parents. I grew up here."

"Wow," Penny said, looking around.

"We have a Bowtruckle tree," Ron said. "Anyone want to see?"

"Ooh, yes," Luna said.

They all trooped into the garden shed so they could observe the Bowtruckles without bothering them.

xXx

As they were coming out of the shed a little while later, Hermione thought they must look a bit like a clown car. Dean and Seamus came into the garden then.

Seamus' face was red, and Dean looked sad.

"I'm sorry, Hermione," Seamus said. "I wasn't trying to upset you. I don't know what's wrong with me."

"You drink too much," Luna said in that ethereal way of hers that managed to cut to the quick despite her airy tone.

Everyone fell silent.

Seamus scrubbed a hand down his face. "Yeah, I reckon I do. I've got to quit that. It's turned me into prat."

"You're not a prat," Dean said.

Seamus looked up at him. "Thanks, but we both know I have been."

"We've all been there, mate," Ron said.

"Absolutely," Hermione said.

Seamus looked at her. "Seriously? When have you ever been off your face?"

"You'd be surprised," Hermione said.

"She can't be trusted around a good bottle of wine," Fleur said, smiling.

Everyone chuckled.

"And who always brings that bottle?" Ron said pointedly.

Fleur shrugged. "I'm French. I have to bring wine."

"On that note," Hermione said. "Let's go back in and have dessert. Purdy made sticky toffee pudding."

xXx

It was past midnight when the last of the guests left. Harry and Ginny decided to stay rather than go back to Grimmauld Place, so they went up to the attic room Harry stayed in when Ginny was with the team.

Fleur yawned. "I'm going to go up too. Thank you for letting me stay over. I've had a very good time."

"Us too," Hermione said warmly. She yawned.

"Come on," Ron said. "Let's go up. I'm knackered." He stood and held out his hand. She took it and followed him up to bed. Hermione went first in the loo and was sound asleep by the time Ron finished brushing his teeth. He smiled at her sleeping form and climbed in next to her.

Sometime later, Hermione jerked awake when Bellatrix LeStrange cast Crucio at her in her dream. She reached for Ron, but his side of the bed was empty. She sat for a moment to calm her breathing before getting up and pulling on her dressing gown to go downstairs.

Ron was sitting on one of the sofas with a cup in his hand. He looked up when Hermione came down the stairs. "Hey," he said. "What are you doing up? Did I wake you?"

She shook her head. "No. I had a nightmare."

"I'm sorry. I had one too. I thought I'd calm down with a cup of chamomile."

She sat next to him on the edge of the sofa.

"Want some?" he asked, holding the cup out to her.

"No, I just…"

"What?"

"Want you," she said quietly.

He set the mug on the coffee table. "Come here." She leaned back against him and he wrapped his arms around her. "Better?"

She nodded.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there when you woke up."

"It's okay."

"I was just trying not to wake you. I should've figured you'd have a nightmare too."

"Isn't that stupid? One little comment that wasn't even really directed at me."

Ron kissed the top of her head. "It wasn't directed at me either, so I guess I'm just as stupid as you are."

"You're not stupid."

"Nope. And neither are you."

"Still, it's been over a year."

"That's not such a long time, considering. Besides, it's a lot better than it used to be." A shiver ran through her and he held her a little tighter.

"True. It used to be much worse."

"So, progress." He kissed the top of her head.

She pressed her cheek against his chest. "Progress."

xXx

The next morning, Harry and Ginny came downstairs to find Ron and Hermione fast asleep on the sofa. Harry stopped at the bottom of the stairs and looked at them for a moment before looking at Ginny.

"What's that about, you reckon?" Ginny whispered.

Harry sighed. "Nightmares."

"Ah," Ginny said. "But why are they down here?"

Fleur came out of her bedroom and down the stairs.

"Who knows?" Harry said.

Fleur stopped behind Ginny. "Why are you…oh. Should we wake them?"

Harry looked at his watch. "I'll do it." He went behind the sofa and touched Ron's shoulder. "Hey."

Ron's eyes fluttered open. "What?"

"It's morning."

Hermione stirred next to Ron. "Ugh," she moaned, sitting up to stretch her back. "We fell asleep down here."

Ron tugged the back of her dressing gown to keep her from standing. She turned to look at him, and he gave her a pleading sort of look followed by a glance down. She followed his eyes and smirked.

"Purdy," she called. "Will you fix everyone something to eat."

Taking the hint, Harry went into the kitchen followed by Ginny and Fleur.

Ron sighed in relief. "Thanks. I don't usually wake up with an audience."

Hermione smiled and dropped a hand to his lap and gave him a gentle squeeze. "No fun for us this morning. Go take a shower. I'll see to our guests."

He leaned over and kissed her. "I'll be down in a few." He hurried upstairs, sporting very tented pajama pants.

Hermione chuckled and went into the powder room to wash up and tame her hair. A few minutes later she went into the kitchen. "How is everyone this morning? Sleep well?"

"Better than you, it seems," Ginny said.

Purdy had supplied everyone with large pot of tea and another taller pot of coffee. Hermione poured herself a cup of coffee. "Yes, well, you know how it goes."

"You're still having nightmares?" Fleur's brow wrinkled with concern.

"Sometimes," Hermione said. "Not nearly as often anymore."

"I'm sorry," Fleur said. "I was hoping they would have stopped entirely by now."

"No such luck," Harry said.

"No," Ginny said. "But Hermione's right, it's better than it used to be."

"True," Harry said.

A large platter of bacon and eggs sailed over to the table, followed by grilled tomatoes and a bowl of beans. They all filled their plates and were eating when Ron came in a few minutes later, his hair still damp, from the shower. He filled his plate and looked at his watch. "I can't believe we slept sitting up."

"I know," Hermione said, rolling her neck. "That was dumb."

Ron shoveled food in his mouth and nodded. He looked at his watch again. "I gotta go. George and I have a meeting with a buyer from Prague."

"Me too," Harry said, standing. He looked at Ginny.

She smiled at him. "I'll take the Floo with you and just leave from the Ministry."

"All right," he said, smiling. She was returning to Wales and the team.

Everyone stood and hugged Ginny. Ron kissed Hermione goodbye and the three of them were off. "Want another cup of coffee?" Hermione asked Fleur. "I don't need to go in for a while."

"Sure. I'm not due in at all today."

Hermione poured them each a cup of coffee, and they took them into the parlor to drink. The owls had arrived with the post, so Hermione picked it up to take with her. She sat down on the sofa and began sorting the mail and stretching her neck to the side at the same time.

"You might need another spa day," Fleur said.

Hermione sighed. "I can't believe we fell asleep on the sofa like that. We've never done that before."

Fleur chuckled. "Seriously? Bill and I fall asleep together on the sofa all the time. Although, we are generally laying down and the wireless is on. He'll put on a Quidditch match and say to me, 'Fleur come lay down for a bit and listen to the match with me.' We almost never hear the end of the match."

Hermione chuckled. "That sounds a lot nicer that falling asleep sitting up with your neck kinked. That's not a good way to start the day. We generally like a little more time together in the morning and oversleeping and waking up with an audience doesn't really work."

Fleur shook her head. Then she looked at Hermione. "You're not saying you have sex first thing in the morning."

"Um. Most mornings. Why? Don't you?"

"Heavens, no! I'm not even awake until my second cup of coffee. I suppose Bill could manage it if he didn't expect anything from me."

Hermione laughed. "I'm an early riser and Ron prefers that I wake him up rather than the alarm."

Fleur shook her head in disbelief but smiled. "I'm sure he does."

"It's a nice way to start the day," Hermione said primly. "You should consider it."

"Madness!"

Hermione laughed again.