CHAPTER THREE
DAMAGE CONTROL
Everything after the kiss happened in such a blur that not many people could really tell you what happened. Before Ron could say or do anything, Harry had gently pushed Cho back to arms length and let out a heavy sigh.
"Cho, I'm sorry, but things have happened since we broke up and I've changed too much to go back to the way things were." Harry said quietly.
"Whatever it is, Harry, I'm sure we -" Cho started.
Harry slowly shook his head. "I'm sorry, Cho, but I think we should just stay friends."
Cho looked heartbroken but she nodded quietly. "O-ok, Harry. I-I'm sorry ..." Tears started running down her cheeks and without another word, she left the store.
"What in the bloody hell did she have to go and show up for!" Ron started fuming. "She's ruined everything!"
"What did she ruin?" Harry asked curiously.
Ron had to think quickly. "You just ... um ... got over her and she has to come back and try that old crying bit on you again!" Ron hid a proud smile behind a grimace. "I remember how that irritated you, mate." Ron quickly added. "Hey, Hermione should have been here by now." He tried changing the subject to someone he knew Harry would be interested in. "Why don't you keep looking around and, uh, I'll go see if I can find her."
"She is late, isn't she? That's not like her." Harry looked concerned. "Come on, we'll look for her together."
Ron shook his head. "Nah I can handle it alone, mate. You haven't been able to get out from under those muggles to visit the Alley much. Why don't you go ahead and keep looking around, I'm sure she's probably stuck at Flourish and Blotts." Ron reasoned quickly. "When she realizes she's been there so long, I'm sure she'll hurry along."
Harry nodded. "Well, I guess you're right. I did want to get some new Quidditch pads ..."
Ron put an arm around his shoulder and steered him to the protective gear section. "They just got these new pads in the other day! Take a look around and I'll be back with Hermione as soon as I find her."
Harry smiled. "Alright then, but if you're not back in twenty minutes, I'll send out a rescue squad for you."
Ron laughed along trying to hide his anxiety. "You better! I don't know if I could handle being stuck in any bookstore with Hermione for too long." He clapped his best friend on the back and shot out the door.
It's a good thing that he didn't see Hermione at the door! Ron looked around frantically for his wayward friend. ARGH! Stupid Cho Chang! She messed up everything!
He quickly made is way to Flourish and Blotts, one of the last places he wanted to be, but if he knew Hermione at all, she had to be there. He burst through the door and almost knocked down an elderly woman in his rush to find Hermione. He looked everywhere for his bushy-haired friend and finally found her hiding in one of the least visited sections of the bookstore.
"There you are!" Ron said exasperatedly. "I've been looking all over for you!"
"Leave me alone, Ron, just leave me alone." Hermione sniffed. "I don't know if I can be around them right now."
"Hermione, there is no 'them'." Ron tried to explain.
"Ron, are you blind? Didn't you see them kissing?" Hermione blurted out with a sob. "I should have known better."
"Hermione, you have nothing to worry about! Cho is not his type at all!" Ron said in frustration.
"You could have fooled me!" She said heatedly.
"Everything that went on was her fault, Hermione!" Ron spat back. "She caught Harry by surprise and I sure wasn't expecting what she did!" Hermione tried to turn from him but Ron caught her shoulders and turned her around again. "Harry pushed her away and turned her down right after you left."
"W-what?" She said with a bewildered look on her face.
"He turned her down. Cut her off and everything. Even brought up the 'let's stay friends' bit too." Ron said with a smirk. "You should have seen the look on her face."
"Ron! I may not like seeing them together, but it's no reason to be mean about it!" Hermione snapped at him. "She's probably really hurt."
Ron looked at his friend in disbelief. "I'll never understand women." He said flatly.
"We're not all that hard to figure out, Ron." Hermione spat back. She looked at the floor. "So there really isn't anything going on between them?" She asked quietly.
Ron rolled his eyes and let out a frustrated sigh. "Didn't I just say that?" He put his arm around her shoulders. "There's nothing going on between them, Hermione. I know for a fact that he doesn't like Cho in that way." He said with more compassion this time. "Don't you remember what he said on the Express?"
Hermione looked at him. "Of course I remember, Ron. I-I guess I wasn't expecting to walk in on that."
Ron shook his head and chuckled. "I don't think anybody expected that." He said truthfully. "You really have it bad for him, don't you?"
Hermione blushed a shade of red Ron thought he'd never see on her. "I've already told you that I have feelings for him, Ron. Do you have to rub it in?"
Maybe today won't be completely wasted. He thought. "Sorry, Herm-own-ninny."
"How many times do I have to tell you not to call me that?!" Hermione hissed through clenched teeth as she glared murderously at him.
It was all Ron could do to keep from bursting into laughter. "Well, it seems you're getting back to normal." He said with a twinkle in his eyes and a cocky smirk on his face. "You ready to go meet Harry for the wonderful day we have planned for him?"
Hermione blushed despite herself. "I-I guess." She said shyly.
Hermione shy? Thought I'd never see that. Ron laughed to himself. "Well, it's too late to visit a muggle cimena." He said with obvious disappointment.
"Cinema." She corrected automatically then looked at him in surprise. "You wanted to go see a movie?" Hermione asked curiously.
Ron started. "Uh ... yeah, well, I've never been to one and I was ... um, curious, you know?" Ron stammered quickly. "But Harry doesn't have enough time to go now, so I guess we'll have to stick with my original plan."
"What original plan?" Hermione asked suspiciously. She had that look on her face. The one when she thought Ron was trying to pull a fast one on her.
"There you are." Harry said from the stairwell. "I've been looking all over for you two it's been almost an hour."
Saved! Ron sighed to himself. "Sorry, Harry, but -"
"But I got too wrapped up in browsing the shelves." Hermione cut him off with a pointed glare.
Ron looked at her and shrugged his shoulders innocently but didn't press the matter any further. Better to keep her from her original train of thought. He rationalized.
Harry nodded. "Well, I don't have much time left before I have to meet Lupin at the Leaky Cauldron." He said with a sigh. "Why don't we grab a sundae and call it a day?"
Hermione smiled apologetically. "I'm so sorry, Harry. I should have paid attention to the time." She gently placed her hand on his arm. "I didn't mean to make you wait."
Harry smiled. "It's ok, Hermione." He said. "At least I got to see you for a little bit today. Maybe we can try again another weekend?"
"I'd like that." She said with a smile.
Ron smiled. "I'll talk to Mum and see what we can do. She said she was going to see if you could come to the Burrow earlier this year."
"That would be nice." Harry said with a sad smile. "But something tells me it'll be more of the Dursley's this year. It's safer to keep me holed up in that hell."
Hermione made as if she were going to give him a comforting hug, but seemed to think better of it and just put a hand on his shoulder. That seemed enough for him and the trio walked slowly to Florean's for a quick treat. Before they knew it, the time had passed and Harry had to leave for home.
"I'll owl you tonight with any news, Harry." Ron said with a reassuring smile. "With any luck, you'll be out of there within the week!"
Harry grinned back. "I hope so." He turned to Hermione. "You think your parents will let you come a bit early as well?"
"I don't see why not." She said with a smile that Harry readily returned.
"Then it's a date!" Ron blurted out. Neither of his friends saw the look on the other's face because Ron had gotten a full helping of glares from them both. "What?" He said as he slid into his practiced confused look. That should throw them off a bit. He thought with an inner chuckle.
They both shook their heads not knowing that the other felt the same way and they all made their way to the Leaky Cauldron. Lupin arrived shortly afterwards and Harry waved goodbye before taking a portkey home. Ron and Hermione were soon left standing alone at the entrance to Diagon Alley, both upset that their friend had to return to the Dursleys'.
"I really don't like that Harry has to live with those awful muggles." She said under her breath. "I mean, honestly! No food? and locking him in his room all day?"
Ron could tell that she was starting to get angry and if there was one thing he couldn't handle, it was an angry Hermione. "Easy there, Hermione." He said quietly. "Getting angry isn't going to solve anything. He'll be out of there in a few months and before you know it, he'll have is own flat where we can visit him any time."
Hermione looked at him curiously. "Did I just hear you right?" She said with an eyebrow raised.
"What?" He replied dumfounded.
"That getting angry isn't going to solve anything?" She laughed. "Now I think I've heard everything!"
"Har! Har! Har!" Ron replied. At least she didn't bring up the pla-
"So, what was this plan you were talking about?" Hermione asked as if nothing had happened.
"What?" Ron said a little too quickly. How does she do that?!
"You clearly said original plan. What was this original plan you were talking about?" She asked pointedly.
"Just the cimena." Ron said in what he hoped was his best nonchalant manner.
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Cinema." She corrected again. "You really should have taken Muggle Studies when you had the chance."
"No need to bring school into this, Hermione, that's a really low blow! We're on holiday and no holiday work because of the O.W.L.s ... What is it with you and homework anyway?" He said off-handedly in an attempt to put her on the defensive.
"Do we have to go into this again?" She asked sarcastically. "How many times do I have to remind you that-"
Ron slipped into his 'I'm-not-listening-but-I'll-nod-anyway-Hermione' state of mind. Ok, movie plan failed. What to try next? He noticed that she had started walking so he followed out of habit.
"Ron."
Hmm ... Well, Harry's birthday is coming up in a bit ...
"RON?"
Maybe ... YES! THAT'S IT! I'd have to deal with HIM but the ends are better than the means...
"RON!!" Hermione had to literally shout to shake him from his thoughts.
"Hmm? What is it Hermione?" He asked absentmindedly. This plan CAN'T fail!
"You might not want to follow me into the ladies' room." She said nonplussed. "What's wrong with you today? You seem to be off in your own world ... Oh, wait, that's normal behavior."
"That hurt, Herm-own-ninny!" He chided.
"Last time, Ron, last time. You call me that again, and I'll hex you to Neptune and back." She said coldly. "Now get out of the ladies' toilet so I can relieve myself."
Ron suddenly realized where he was. "Oh, right. Sorry about that." He stammered as he quickly backed from the room. "Why didn't you say anything earlier?"
"I did." She said icily as she shut the door.
Ron looked around anxiously, his face flushing and it quickly overtook the red in his hair. Nobody was watching. "Whew." He sagged against the bar in relief.
"Oh, Ronald. I didn't know you'd be in Diagon Alley today." A scary, dream-like voice floated to his ears. "Were you just in the women's toilet?" She said with a slight waver in her voice.
Ron's face went from beet red to ghost white so fast that a Ferrari would have been proud. Not Loony Lovegood ... He thought with fear as he took an involuntary gulp. He turned slowly and as he suspected, sitting at the bar was the girl that scared him the most. She still had the same strange, dreamy look in her eyes and she had just put down what could have only been the newest edition of her father's magazine, The Quibbler.
"Uh, h-hi, Loo ... err ... Luna." He stammered anxiously. NEED.A.WAY.OUT.FAST! He thought desperately.
She just sat there and stared at him dreamily, the one look that made him the most uncomfortable he had ever been, even when in the same room as an angry Snape. She started twirling a strand of hair around her finger.
"I'm just waiting for Hermione." He said quickly wishing more than anytime that his friend would show up and rescue him from his dilemma.
"Oh, how is she?" Luna said dreamily, almost as if the sound of Ron's voice was ambrosia to her delicate ears.
"She's doing fine." Ron admitted. Please hurry, Hermione, please, please, please.
"That's good." Luna said again. She started humming a familiar tune that Ron just couldn't place.
The bell over the door chimed and to Ron's relief, it was the Doctors Granger.
"Oh, Hello, Ron." Hermione's mother said with a smile. "Is Hermione with you?"
"She's using the toilet right now, ma'am." Ron said with a smile as he shook her offered hand.
"Hello, sir." He offered a hand to her father. "How are things going at the office?"
Hermione's father took Ron's hand and shook it firmly. "They're going fine, Ron. Did you have a good time today?"
"Sort of." Ron admitted. "There wasn't much time to spend with Harry today."
At the sound of Harry's name, Hermione's father seemed to tense. "Oh, Harry was with you, was he?"
Ron looked concerned. "Yes, sir. We were able to get him out of his uncle's house for a few hours for once. He doesn't have many days they let him out." Ron frowned. "We're hoping he can come stay with us earlier this summer, but I don't know."
"Oh, I'm sure that he'll be able to." Mrs. Granger said with a smile. "Just look on the positive side of things and you'll be amazed how well things work out."
Ron smiled faintly. "If you only knew his relatives." He said softly.
Hermione joined them a few moments later. "Hi Mum, Hi Dad." She said after giving them both a quick hug. "I guess it's time to head home now?"
"We sure have a bright daughter there, Liz." Mr. Granger said with a smile. "It's great that she takes after me!"
"Oh, I wouldn't cross that bridge, dear." Her mother shot back playfully. "It's almost time for tea, why don't we get going?"
"I'll owl you soon, Ron." Hermione said with a smile. "And thanks for not telling Harry." She added in a whisper.
"Not a problem." Ron replied. Not a problem? It wouldn't be a problem if you both could just swallow your pride! He smiled and waved as they left.
He suddenly became aware that a pair of eyes was on him again. A pair of eyes caught between this reality and one that was stuck in their owner's crazy mind.
"Well, I'll see you later, Loo ... err ... Luna." Ron said as his face went white again. And he made a break for the nearest fireplace. ARGH! She's got 'Weasley is Our King' stuck in my head now! Blast it all!