Ups and Downs

Hermione returned to Heathgate late in the afternoon.

"Hey," Ron called from the parlor when heard her Apparate into the front hall. "How was your mum?"

"Good," Hermione said. "We went to an art exhibit and then to lunch."

"Where'd you go?"

"Just to the Wallace Collection in Manchester Square." It's one of mum's favorite museums, and they have a new exhibit on eighteenth century French porcelain."

Ron cocked his head. "Well, that's…something."

Hermione smiled. "It doesn't really matter what the exhibit was. It was nice just to be out with Mum."

"Really?" Ron said, raising his eyebrows. "I reckoned after last night—"

"Me too, but she was surprisingly okay about my outburst. Although, she doesn't imagine it will change Gran's mind."

"Yeah." Ron shook his head sadly. "Probably not."

"But I can't help that."

"No. I don't suppose you feel like having a drink at the Leaky Cauldron before dinner?"

Hermione considered for a moment. "Actually, that sounds good."

"Great. Go on then."

Since she'd already done so much Apparition that day, Hermione took the Floo and Ron followed.

xXx

The pub was busy but they managed to get a couple of seats at the end of the bar.

"What can I get you?" Hannah asked.

"Dragon Scale," Ron said.

"Same," Hermione said.

"Righto," Hannah said.

"A moment later two bottles of Dragon Scale sailed over and landed in front of them and their tops popped off."

"Nice," Ron commented. "Not all the bartenders bother with the spell to take the top off for you."

At the other end of the bar, Penny was talking to a patron. "That's not true," she said setting a plate of food in front of a wizard who appeared to be in his thirties. "We need squibs because of the compots."

"The what now?" the patron said.

Penny looked at Ron and Hermione. "Tell him." She flicked her wand and two plates of food went sailing over to a corner table. She pulled on one of the beer taps and nothing happened. "I've got to go change the keg. Hannah, I'll be right back."

The patron looked at Ron and Hermione. "What are compots?"

"I think she meant to say computers," Hermione said.

"What are those?"

"Well…"

Twenty minutes later they were deep in conversation with about ten people around the bar talking about the necessity of keeping squibs in touch with the magical world. Delighted with the conversation, Hermione looked at Ron. He winked at her. They ended up having dinner at the pub.

xXx

When they returned home late that night, Hermione flopped onto the sofa, tired but elated that the evening had gone so well. "I can't believe how many people were interested in the plight of Squibs."

Ron sat on the sofa across from her. "Really? Wasn't that the point of having everyone over the other night."

"Of course, but who knew the idea would move so quickly?"

Ron cocked his head at her. "That was the whole point of going to the pub to invite people. I mean, when you think about it, Hannah and Penny were the most important people we invited, because they talk to loads of people all the time."

Hermione hadn't thought about it like that. "You did that on purpose then."

"Yeah, of course."

"You're a genius."

Ron laughed. "No, that's your job."

"I'm serious. It never would've occurred to me that it was critical to involve publicans from the start."

"Probably because you don't spend as much time at the pub as I do."

Hermione shook her head. "I don't think so. I'm just not as good with people as you are. I get so caught up in ideas, I can overlook the human factor."

Ron smiled at her. "That's why we're so good together, yeah? Nicely matching strengths as weaknesses, as Mum would say."

Hermione yawned.

"Come on, let's go to bed." He stood and held out his hand to her.

Hermione took it and let him pull her up. "See, you really are a genius."

Monday morning, Ron was showing a customer all the options for edible jokes when the shop bell rang over the door. He looked up to see Harry come in with two cups of tea.

"Excuse me," he said as the woman tried to decide between a box of canary creams and a box of ton-tongue toffee.

"Hiya, Harry."

Harry handed him a cup of tea. "Sorry to bother you at work, but I wanted a word."

Ron caught George's eye across the shop and tilted his head toward the back room. George nodded. "Go on then," Ron said to Harry and followed him to the back.

Ron sat down on the chair at his workbench and Harry turned and transfigured an empty box into a chair and sat at the end.

"I'm assuming you didn't just bring me tea because you knew I'm always dying for a cuppa this time of day."

Harry smiled. "I do know that, but no. The tea's a bit of bribe actually."

"A bribe for what?"

"Help on a stakeout tomorrow night. I was supposed to work with Jones, but she just got back from holiday with a case of Mumblemumps as a souvenir.

Ron winced. "Bad luck that."

"Yeah, and no one else is available because they've got their own stakeouts. Big case."

Ron rubbed his neck. "Just a stakeout?"

"Absolutely, we're just gathering information. No arrests."

"What sort of stakeout? I don't fancy lying in some wet ditch on a moor looking for dragon's egg dealers."

Harry smiled. "You didn't enjoy that?"

"Surprising, I know."

Harry chuckled. "Nothing like that. We'll be sitting in a flat overlooking Knockturn Alley. Nice and dry. There will even be snacks."

"You should've lead with that. Yeah, sure, I'll help. Truth be told, I'd probably have laid in the ditch too, but I wouldn't have liked it."

"Perish the thought," Harry said, grinning.

xXx

That night, over dinner, Ron explained to Hermione what he and Harry were planning.

Her brow wrinkled with concern. "Seriously?"

"Yeah." Ron reached for a roll. "It's not a big deal. No arrest or anything. We're just watching a spot in Knockturn Alley. I'm only there until Jones recovers."

She set down her fork. "How long is that going to be?"

"She just has Mumblemumps. Shouldn't be more than a day or two?"

"What about work?"

"George doesn't mind. I mean, it's Harry. Besides, I'll work in the morning at the shop and then help Harry out tomorrow night."

"Right." Hermione looked at her plate, but didn't start eating again.

"What's wrong?"

"I just thought you were done with this sort of work."

"I am. I'm just doing Harry a favor. It's not like I want to go back to being an Auror."

She gave him a tight smile. "All right then."

He stroked her cheek with the back of his fingers. "It is all right. Everything will be fine. It's just surveillance."

"Right," she said quietly. After that, she pushed the food around on her plate, but Ron noticed she didn't eat anything else. He sighed when she went to be early, knowing she was upset, but not knowing what to do about it. He'd already told Harry he'd help him. Besides, it wasn't as though Harry had asked him to do something dangerous and Hermione worked quite closely with the Aurors doing research. He wondered if maybe she was upset Harry hadn't asked her. He shook his head and turned on the wireless to catch the Quidditch scores before he went up to bed. He thought it best to give her some space.

xXx

The next morning, Hermione was quiet at breakfast. She couldn't think of anything to say that didn't sound anxious or angry. She hugged Ron hard before he left for work. He kissed her and told her he loved her and not to worry, but she did worry. She left for the Ministry under a cloud, grateful that Purdy was with her in case there were any serious problems. She spent the morning hunkered down in research for the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. The irony wasn't lost on her.

At ten o'clock, Harry showed up with two cups and bag. He tapped on the door jamb. "Can I have a word."

Hermione frowned at him, but put down her quill. Purdy disappeared as Harry stepped into the office. "I ran into George when I was getting coffee from that new shop in the alley. He said Ron was worried about you this morning, and I reckoned that was my fault."

Her frown deepened but she didn't say anything.

"And I can see I was right, so I brought you a latte and slice of jam roly-poly."

"You asked Ron to help you with surveillance and you figured a little caffeine and some sugar and I'd be all right with that?"

"No, but I thought it couldn't hurt my cause." He sat down in the chair in front of her, set the bag on the desk, and slid a cup toward her.

"Why are you dragging him back into Auror work?"

"I'm not. I just need help because Jones is sick. Ron is still qualified." He sipped his drink.

"So is Neville. Why didn't you ask him?"

Harry sighed and shrugged. "Honestly, I didn't think of him. He was helping the Auror department right after the war while we were going to funerals and pulling ourselves together. Seriously though, this isn't a big deal."

"They why didn't you ask me? I see you all the time and already work with the department."

"Because you don't do field work."

"I did at the club and that was a lot more direct contact than surveillance."

Harry opened his mouth to say something, rethought it, sighed, and leaned back in his chair. "You're right, but it's not like I twisted his arm."

She shook her head and looked away from him. "You knew he wouldn't turn you down even if he didn't want to do it. It's not really asking if you already know the answer."

"That's not fair."

"Isn't it? He doesn't say no to you. For that matter, neither do I. But you know that."

"Hermione—"

"You. Know. That."

Harry held up his hands. "Yeah, okay, I knew he'd say yes. All right? I shouldn't have asked him. Okay?"

They both stared at opposite walls, silence hanging heavily between them.

Harry sighed. "I miss him, okay?"

Hermione looked at him. "Miss him? You see each other all the time."

"I know. I mean, I miss him at work. He just…he doesn't…he's fun… On stakeouts, we chat and laugh. Ron treats me like a person not an icon. The others are better about that around the office now, but on stakeouts, when it's just me and one other person…" He shook his head. "It's like they don't know how to talk to me. We chat a bit about the assignment and other work things and then nothing. Just long cavernous silences."

Hermione grimaced.

"I try to make conversation, you know, like about Quidditch or something, but after a minute or two it just fizzles. You know?"

Hermione did know. She wasn't any good at small talk either. She was fine in conversations with a defined topic, but chit chat over lunch eluded her unless she was with someone outgoing, like her mother, or Silvia, or Ron. When she and Harry had been alone in the tent the long silences had been deafening. "Just because Ron is good with conversation is hardly a reason to drag him along on a stakeout."

"I know that. It just seemed like an opportunity to…it was selfish. I get that. I'll tell him not to bother."

"No, you can't do that. He's already said he'll go. This will be right mess if you back out now. That's why I didn't go to you and complain about it."

"You're sure?"

Hermione nodded. "Yes, just please don't ask him again."

"I won't. I'm sorry."

"I appreciate that." They sat in silence for a moment before Hermione reached for the bag. "What flavor jam?"

Harry smiled. "Raspberry."

"Excellent."