Author's note: Writer's Block is a funny, funny thing. Last chapter took forever to write and this one just flowed so easily for me…oh well, I won't question it. I hope you guys enjoy this one. And don't jump to conclusions about Hermione and her behavior. You will find out soon enough about how she handled the loss of the baby which will explain a lot. So, don't be too hard on her. Please read and review! Oh, and I'm going on vacation for a couple of days starting on Tuesday so I'm going to try and get at least one more chapter up before I leave. Don't worry, I'll be back on Thursday! But, I am taking the whole week off of work (YAY, ME!)
Chapter Seven
White Flag
"I will go down with this ship
And I won't put my hands up and surrender
There will be no white flag above my door
I'm in love and always will be"
("White Flag", Dido)
For someone who claimed to not be "too into" weddings, Luna sure had Ron fooled. Ever since they'd made their announcement the night before to the entire Weasley family, Luna had seemingly become joined at the hip with Molly, who was excitedly making plans for the ceremony.
Since neither of them wanted a long engagement, it was decided that they would marry the last Saturday in June, which was less than a month away. Molly was busily asking Luna what she thought about having steak and chicken at the wedding reception, as well as whether she preferred a two-tier or a three-tier wedding cake.
"You know things would have been a lot easier if we'd just eloped," Ron said, taking a seat at the kitchen table across from his fiancée and his mother, who looked up at him as if he'd just sprouted another head when he made his last comment.
"Elope?" Molly asked him. "Elope? You can't be serious! Ron, if you had done that, I would never have spoken to you again."
"I was only throwing the suggestion out there," Ron said defensively. "Besides, I don't have to do much, you just tell me the time and the place and I'll show up, looking as handsome as ever."
At that moment, Fred came walking into the kitchen, trailed by George. They'd both heard their brother's last comment and seeing their opportunity to inflict torture on their younger brother took it and ran with it.
"You have a lot more to do than that, brother dear," Fred said, sitting down beside his brother and grinning at him stupidly. "You have to choose the dress you are going to wear. I mean, it's a summer wedding after all. You could go with a strapless dress or maybe one with a nice, subtle sleeve."
Ron glowered at his brother.
"Yes,' George chimed in. "But he'd have to sunbathe. Because, if he wore white with his pasty skin, it'd be a disaster."
Molly and Luna stifled giggles.
"Ease off, Ron," Ginny said, coming into the kitchen. "They're only teasing."
Draco followed suit, carrying D.J., whose face was covered with chocolate. Ginny handed her husband a dish towel to wipe D.J.'s face.
"What's this all about?" Draco asked taking in the looks Ron was giving his brothers, who were cackling with laughter.
"Oh, you know the usual," Ginny said, winking at Ron. "Fred and George are just having a go about what dress he should wear in the wedding."
"Ginny!" Ron protested loudly.
"What?" Ginny said, teasingly. "It's not like you haven't worn one before!"
At Ginny's last comment, the entire crowd dissolved into laughter, save for Ron.
"Let me get this straight," Draco said, handing his son off to Ginny. "You wore a dress, Weasley?"
"I was a child," Ron said angrily. "Mum! You see what you did! I had no control over it! She put me in it and I had no means to escape."
"I guess we'll know who'll wear the trousers in your relationship, right Luna?" George said into his future sister-in-law's ear.
"You know that I have had to put up with all of your taunts and jeers and comments about this for years now," Ron said crossly. "This was such a long time ago. Haven't I suffered enough? Can't we move on to something else?"
The kitchen was quiet as the assorted Weasleys and Malfoy and Luna looked at each other and then collectively shook their heads and said, "No."
Ron was about to say something else when there was a knock on the door. Looking for his chance to escape, Ron quickly got up from his seat to answer the door, mumbling all the way.
He swung open the door to find his best friend looking about as cross and surly as Ron.
"Harry?" Ron asked.
Harry stood outside the door not coming inside and not saying anything.
"What is it?"
Again, Harry was silent.
Ron closed the door behind him and came outside. He and Harry stood outside with the only sound coming from the crickets.
"Well," Ron said finally. "Are you going to tell me what's going on or do I have to beat it out of you?"
"Hermione," Harry said quietly.
"What about her?" Ron asked, resisting the urge to roll his eyes at his best friend's lovesick feelings toward his estranged wife. "I don't know why you don't just go to America and drag her back."
"I don't have to," Harry said, with a slight laugh. "She's here."
Ron's eyes got big at this news. "What?"
"She's back," Harry said. "Showed up at the cottage this afternoon. I was out walking Sam and when I came back, there she was."
"Blimey!"
"You're telling me," Harry said, leaning back against the side of the house.
"What brought her back after all this time?" Ron asked.
"She wants me to sign the divorce papers," Harry said. "She brought them to me herself."
"Well, you were the one who said, you'd sign them if she brought them to you," Ron said. "Did you?"
Harry shook his head.
"That's not all, is it?" Ron asked.
Again, Harry shook his head.
"She's engaged."
"W-what?"
"Engaged," Harry repeated. "To Andrew Keegan or something like that. He's an attorney in New York. She met him nearly a year ago and apparently he asked her to marry him and she said yes."
"I'm sorry," Ron said, at a loss for anything else to say. "Are you sure?"
Harry nodded. "I saw the ring."
"Well, what are you going to do?"
"What can I do, Ron? She's made her choice. I should probably just sign the papers and have done with it. It's what she wants."
Ron stared at his friend in disbelief. "You're giving up that easily?"
"I don't have any choice."
"Don't give me that rubbish. You do have a choice. She's back after all this time. Here's your chance to get her back, Harry. You can't just let her leave again, can you? Come on!"
"It's too late," Harry said, sitting down at the front steps. He put his head in his hands.
"Do you still love her?" Ron asked, stepping in front of his friend. Harry looked up at him in surprise.
"It doesn't matter."
Ron shook his head this time. "If you still love her, it does matter. If you still love her, it's not too late."
"So what am I supposed to do, Ron? She hates me! She wants nothing to do with me. She said she wasn't leaving London until I signed those papers."
"So don't sign them," Ron said matter-of-factly.
"Oh, that's going to get her back," Harry said sarcastically. "So you're suggesting I piss her off to get her back? That's really going to work out brilliantly. I don't know why I never thought of it myself."
"Because you're not as smart as I am," Ron said proudly. "That's why I'm here to provide you with guidance. No, you idiot! What you're supposed to do is refuse to sign those papers and she's forced to stay here and you make her see why you two fell in love in the first place."
Harry opened his mouth to respond that this didn't seem like a very good idea when a dreamy voice interrupted his thoughts.
"I think Ron's right," Luna said. Both men turned to see her hovering by the door.
"I don't mean to intrude," she said. "But I couldn't help overhearing about Hermione. Well, that's not true. I could help overhearing, but I didn't really want to. And I am glad that I did. Harry, Ron's right."
Luna walked over to him and put a hand on his shoulder. Ron beamed back at his girlfriend.
"This is going to be a challenge," Luna said, taking a seat in between the two mean and placing her arms around them. "But you can do it, Harry. And Ron and I are going to help you any way we can."
"You two are nuts," Harry said, shaking his head, and genuinely laughing for the first time since he'd arrived at the Burrow.
"That's why we make such a good couple," Ron said, leaning in and kissing Luna chastely.
"So, geniuses," Harry said, smiling at them. "What do I have to do?"
************************
While Harry was conspiring with Luna and Ron at the Burrow, Hermione was sitting in her childhood home, waiting for her mum to come back with tea.
Her parents had no idea she'd returned to London or why, for that matter, but they'd welcomed her back with open arms. It had been a little awkward standing on that door step seeing them for the first time in so long, but Hermione couldn't help smiling as her dad enveloped her in a warm hug.
They'd been preparing dinner when she'd arrived and insisted that she stay to catch up. They'd grinned at each other when they'd led her into the dining room. There'd already been a third place setting at the table which Hermione had meant to ask them about, but she let it slide as she sat down and enjoyed her mother's cooking for the first time in ages.
Hermione listened politely as they discussed with her various stories about patients at the practice. Her parents had returned the favor when Hermione had told them about teaching school in New York.
What they hadn't talked about at all since she'd arrived was her marriage to Harry and the events that led up to its demise. Hermione had learned years ago to avoid talking with them about situations that would only lead to trouble.
Her mother came back into the sitting room carrying a tray of tea and biscuits. Her father followed suit carrying napkins. Hermione noticed her mother's tray had four cups.
"Mum?" Hermione asked, looking at the tray as her mother sat it down on the coffee table. "Were you expecting someone else? You have four cups there? And when I came in earlier, you had three places set for dinner? Were you expecting company? I mean, you had no idea that I was even in the country."
Karen and Robert exchanged a look that didn't go unnoticed by Hermione.
"What is it?" Hermione asked.
"Well, we were sort of expecting someone," Robert said finally. "We've been having dinner with the same guest each week for the past couple of years."
"Oh," Hermione said, wondering what the secrecy was. Why were here parents acting so strange about this? "Well, who is this mystery guest? The Prime Minister, himself?"
Robert chuckled. "No, he comes for tea on Saturday."
The doorbell chimed at that moment and Karen got up from her seat on the sofa to answer it as Hermione looked awkwardly at her dad. A couple of minutes later, Karen returned to the sitting room, followed by Harry.
"Harry?" Hermione asked, getting to her feet. "What are you doing here?"
They hadn't actually parted on the best of terms a few hours ago. After she'd explained to him about Andrew, he'd apparated straightaway to Merlin knows where and Hermione had sat in the now empty cottage, still reeling from the news about her beloved cat's death and having to tell Harry about Andrew.
"Harry's a regular around here," Robert said, getting up from his armchair and shaking Harry's hand warmly in greeting.
"What?" Hermione asked, staring at her parents and husband.
"Harry comes for dinner every week," Karen said. "We were expecting him when you showed up."
"I'm sorry I was so late," Harry said, nonchalantly. He breezed past an incredulous Hermione and sat down on the couch. "I had to stop off at the Burrow."
"How's Molly?" Karen asked, pouring Harry a cup of tea and handing it to him.
"Busy planning Ron and Luna's wedding," Harry said, trying not to laugh at the stunned expression on Hermione's face. He turned to look at her properly. "Ron and Luna just got engaged a couple of days ago."
Hermione nodded and tried to smile as she sat back down on the sofa a few inches away from Harry.
What parallel universe have I stumbled into?
She watched as her father engaged Harry in conversation and Karen listened politely and laughed at Harry's stupid jokes.
My parents couldn't stand Harry. Well, that wasn't entirely true, but they didn't like us getting married so young and they never let me forget that, so what is this? Why do I feel so out of my place in my own home with my parents?
"These are really great biscuits, Dr. Granger," Harry said.
To Hermione's surprise, Karen beamed at Harry and patted him on the shoulder as she walked back into the kitchen. She called to Robert to help her with something.
Now that Harry and Hermione were alone, Harry looked at her.
"What's wrong?"
She crinkled her nose at him. "What's wrong? What's wrong? What's wrong?"
"Well, at least I know you heard the question," he said cheekily, helping himself to another biscuit.
Hermione slapped his hand.
"Hey!"
"What gives with the love-fest between you and my parents?"
"Nothing," Harry said, staring at her bemusedly. "We became quite close these last couple of years. They invited me over to dinner and I agreed. Your dad and I sometimes play a round of golf at his club. Most of the time, I let him win. He won't let me use magic."
Hermione was about to respond when Robert popped his head back into the room and sheepishly said that they'd run out of milk.
"Would you be a good lad and run down to the corner shop and pick us up some?" Robert asked.
"Sure," Harry said, getting to his feet.
"Why don't you go with?" Robert asked his daughter. "It's a great night for a stroll."
Hermione blanched.
"Yeah," Harry said, offering his hand to help her up from the sofa. "Come with?"
Seeing she had no other choice, Hermione took his hand and got to her feet.
A few moments later they walked in silence toward the corner shop.
"So," Hermione said. "Ron and Luna?"
"Yeah," Harry said with a laugh. "She's finally roped him into submission."
"When are they getting married?"
"Last Saturday in June," Harry said. "They don't want a long engagement. It's going to be held in the backyard of the Burrow. That place has turned into wedding planning central. Luna wants to see you. She wants to take you to lunch tomorrow. She wouldn't make me leave without promising that you'd owl her."
"Sure," Hermione said. They walked a few more paces before Hermione stopped abruptly.
"This is so surreal," Hermione said.
"What is?'
Harry walked over to her and stared intently into her brown eyes.
"Just everything," she said, shaking her head. "I mean, when I left Ron and Luna were reveling in their non-marriage status and you and I were barely on speaking terms with my folks. Now, I get back and everything seems to be so different. I mean, you're the son my parents never had, apparently. And Ron's marrying Luna."
"Well," Harry said, trying to choose his words carefully. Although, he still loved his wife, he was still angry at her leaving. Mainly, at how she'd left the way she had. "That's what happens in life. Things change. People move on."
Hermione nodded. "I guess."
"Things don't stay the same forever," Harry said pointedly at her. "You and I both know that."
"I know that," she said defensively. "Of course, I know that."
They reached the shop and walked inside, heading toward the dairy section.
"So, where are you staying while you're here?" he asked her, as she picked up a carton of milk. "With your parents?"
She shook her head.
"I don't think so," she said. "I've rented a room at The Leaky Cauldron."
Harry took the carton of milk from her as they made their way toward the registers.
"You're not staying there," he said, pulling his wallet from his trousers pocket.
"This is the twenty-first century, Neanderthal Man," Hermione said with a smile. "I can take care of myself."
"I know you can," he said, handing the cashier money. "But, I thought you said you were going to be my shadow. You said you weren't going to leave me alone until I sign those papers."
Hermione nodded. "Yeah, so."
"So," Harry said condescendingly. "You can't very well do that from all the way over in some hotel room, can you?"
"No," Hermione said, stifling a smile. "But, I can't very well stay with you, can I?"
"Why not?" Harry asked. "Unless you're afraid you'll barge into my bedroom in the middle of the night and jump my bones. I know it'll be hard to contain yourself, but we are an estranged couple, Hermione. You should be strong."
Hermione laughed. "I'll try to control myself. You know that's another thing that has changed. Your ego has gotten massive since I've been gone."
"You have no idea," Harry said teasingly to her as they walked out of the shop.
"So, I guess this means I'm staying with you, then?" Hermione asked.
"I guess so," Harry said, walking back toward the Granger house.
Step One, Accomplished.