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Chapter 6

"When do you guys leave, then?"

"The twenty-second of June," Hermione said. "I've organised it all with the Ministry. We'll be travelling by Portkey there and back. There's no return date booked, though, as no one can tell me how long it might take to… restore their memories. It may take weeks, even months. We just don't know."

Ron sat with Hermione, Harry, and Ginny in front of Florean Fortescue's ice-cream parlour. Like the rest of Diagon Alley, it had reopened at the start of June. It almost felt like how it used to be: people bustling about as if, only a month earlier, a war had not taken place.

It was weird doing something as normal as sitting out the front of a shop in Diagon Alley after the past few years, but it was a welcomed relief. The weather was wonderful as summer was so nearly upon them.

Hermione had kept the news about her parents a secret until she had had everything sorted with the Ministry. She hadn't wanted to burden anyone else with her worries, especially not Harry, who was still trying to cope with his own inner demons. Ron had gladly kept her secret. He knew it wasn't going to be a holiday as such, but the idea of going away with her, just the two of them (and her parents, he supposed), appealed to him. Maybe, if Hermione was successful in reversing the memory charm, they could actually take a holiday. Merlin knew they all needed it.

Now, about two weeks out from their impending departure, she had broken the news to Harry and Ginny over some ice-cream.

Harry had been shocked that she'd managed to find her parents so quickly, but pleased at the same time. Ginny had beamed at the news and said she was happy for her.

"It's amazing how quickly things change," Ginny mused. "I mean, six weeks ago we were… well, now look: sitting out the front of an ice-cream shop on a nice warm day. Who would have thought it?"

"It's something I've missed," Harry said. "Being free."

After finishing their ice-creams, the four of them decided to venture down the alley to see what was open. Madam Malkin's was functioning again, as was Ollivander's. In fact, almost everything was open and bustling with business as it had been before the war. Everything, they knew, except the joke shop.

They stopped out the front of Fred and George's shop, looking up at the boarded windows and locked doors.

"When do you think he'll be ready to open it again?" Hermione asked quietly.

"I'm not sure he'll ever be ready," Ginny said, and Ron privately agreed. It was something Fred and George had put their hearts and souls in together; they had devised the products, done the marketing, opened the shop—all of it done as a team. Now that one of them could never set foot inside again, Ron understood the burden George would feel in returning to the business.

"Surely he'd have to one day," Hermione said. "I mean… it's so popular!"

"One day, maybe," Ron said, taking her hand. "But I don't think any time soon."

Another thing Ron realised he liked doing with Hermione was simply holding her hand. It seemed silly, but as they'd been nowhere but the Burrow, he'd not really had any need to do it. Now that they'd found reason to set foot outside, he found himself constantly reaching for her hand just to hold. She didn't seem to mind either, always smiling when he reached for her. He was also thrilled when she was the one to initiate it at times, too.

"It's a real shame," Hermione continued, "because I think getting back into it would really help George. Maybe we should help him get it up and running again? Like, clean it up, get all the products on the shelves…"

"Just how much do you plan on doing, Hermione?" Harry asked, sounding amused. "You want to write a book, you're going to Australia to bring your parents back, and now you want help reopen George's shop."

Hermione flushed. "I just thought giving him a kickstart would motivate him…" She looked at Ron, as if appealing for him to back her up.

Ron smiled. Merlin, he loved her. The look he gave her must have shown that, because Ginny made a disgusted noise and pushed Harry forward, muttering to him about why bothering to come out at all, if they didn't seem to exist.

They all continued on down the street, passing by Gringotts, which had somehow managed to reopen following the destruction left by Harry, Ron, and Hermione's escape on the back of a dragon some weeks ago. The post office, the menagerie, everything was back.

Harry decided to step into the menagerie to look at owls, but it seemed that none of them measured up to Hedwig and he left empty-handed, his mood slightly deflated once more. It wasn't until they decided to start heading back did Ron really notice how people stopped and stared as they walked by. Truthfully, he'd been too caught up looking at Hermione to really realise what anyone else was doing.

"That's him," he heard someone whisper as they stopped near Gringotts. Ron looked around. A couple, perhaps in their thirties, were standing together, whispering and pointing. It seemed that everyone else had also noticed, because Harry was turning red and wearing a scowl. Harry's eyes stayed fixed on the ground they were walking.

The further they walked, the more people now stopped to point. Some even chanced approaching them — mostly Harry — and one small boy even had the courage to ask Harry for an autograph.

Ron laughed at that, and the boy scurried away, red-faced.

"Is this what it's going to be like now?" Ginny asked Harry. "People staring wherever you go?"

"Not much has changed," Ron said. "Now, he's just more famous than before."

"Maybe we should head back?" Harry suggested, looking very uncomfortable.

They all agreed and skulked along the side alleys to avoid the crowd as much as possible. They reached the safety of the Leaky Cauldron and hurried into the fireplace before they could draw anymore attention to themselves.

Once back at the Burrow, they were greeted by a concerned Molly. "You are all back sooner than I expected."

"We got stopped," Ron said. "People saw Harry and —" he laughed, "— wanted his autograph."

Hermione nudged him in the ribs, shooting him a reproving look.

"Ouch!" Ron said, rubbing the spot she'd got him. "Is this what it's going to be like now? You having a go at me every time I say something you don't approve of?"

Hermione smiled at him in a way that told him that was exactly how it was going to be.

Ron scowled. "Well, I suppose nothing's changed then. Now I'm really looking forward to Australia with you."

The room fell silent.

"... Australia?"

Ron could have kicked himself. Telling his mother about his future plans had been something he'd avoided for the very reason that he was facing now. Hearing her worry.

Looking at Hermione, who was staring intently at something ahead, Ron turned to his mother and said, "Hermione found her parents in Australia. Well, the Ministry did. They've organised for her to get there and back via Portkey, and she'll be restoring their memories. And… I'm going with her."

He braced himself for being told he couldn't go, for his mum telling him he had no place leaving the family at this time and that he was needed here. But that didn't come. His mother paled ever so slightly, but perhaps thinking of what had happened before, all she did was nod. "You are of age, Ronald, and I can't stop you. How long will you be gone for? When do you leave?"

Ron looked at Hermione again.

"We leave in about two weeks," Hermione said. "And the Ministry has planned for a month, though I do hope it won't be that long. I'm hoping… it'll be relatively easy to restore their memories, and then I can bring them home quickly." A tear trickled down her cheek, and Ron instinctively moved to comfort her.

"I see." Molly looked back at Ron. He could see she was really restraining to say what she wanted to say. "Well, we will have to make the most of your time here then."

Ron looked down, feeling guilty. He'd promised her no more secrets, and yet he'd not told her immediately after agreeing to go. He could tell she was upset, but really, it was Hermione's story to tell and it was why he hadn't said anything until now.

"Sorry, Mum," he mumbled.

"Not to worry, Ron," Molly said. "You'll of course be missed, but with any luck, you'll be back in no time."

"Hopefully," Ron said, his ideas of spending some additional alone time with Hermione fading quickly.

"Well," Molly said, changing topics, "all four of you can help in the garden. We are degnoming, but also pulling some weeds. We've let it go for months, so it's all hands on deck."

No one said anything as they were ushered into the garden where Arthur, Bill, Fleur, Charlie, and Percy already were hard at work.

"Nice one, idiot," Ginny hissed in Ron's ear. "We could have been using our time better, but you had to open your big mouth, didn't you?"

"Shut up," Ron said. "You're lucky she's not yelling at me right now."

"When were you planning on telling her, by the way?" Ginny asked.

Ron went red. "Just before we left."

Ginny tutted. "And leave us to deal with the aftermath. Clever." She shoved him. "Come on, let's get these gnomes sorted, so we don't have to be out here any longer. First to ten gets off cooking dinner tonight."

"You're on," Ron said, grinning. Despite his dislike of the task, it felt good to be doing something 'normal' at home again. Even if he knew Ginny would probably beat him.

Short chapter this time, to bridge in the changes that happen. Chapters like these will pop up every so often where very little plot happens. I hope you enjoyed it and I thank every one who took the time to leave a comment or review so far. It makes my day!