Author's Note: Thanks again for all the great reviews. You guys keep me going!
Chapter Ten
The More Things Change……
"So," Ron said.
"So," Harry said.
"Sew buttons," Hermione said.
The trio exchanged nervous laughter.
To the outside world, it would have seemed like an ordinary gathering of friends who hadn't seen each other in a long time. To the wizarding world, it would have been cause for rejoice. The Dream Team was back together again. It was the stuff of movies and books and legends. To this trio, however, it was an awkward reunion to say the least.
"What?" Ron said.
"Sew buttons. It's what my mother always says when someone would say 'so'," Hermione said. "Hey, give me a break, I'm not a professional comedian. Why don't we all have a seat."
Ron smiled at her and gave her a kiss on the cheek as he edged past her to grab a seat on the sofa. Harry smiled nervously at her as he sat on the chair. As he sat down, he looked back at Hermione, who had a panicked look on her face. He followed her gaze to the coffee table where the employee registers from The Ministry, were laying open. Beside the coffee table, was Harry's suitcase and a couple of pairs of his shoes.
Ron, too, was looking at these items and he looked curiously at the two of them.
"Are you staying with Hermione?" Ron asked.
"Uh," Harry began. "Yes, I just got in a couple of days ago and she offered to let me crash here for a few days."
"So you're going to be back for awhile, then?" Ron asked, smiling at him.
"It looks that way," Harry said, looking at Hermione as she took a seat beside Ron on the sofa.
"So what brings you back? Does my mum and dad know you're back, yet? And you, Hermione Granger, I can't believe you didn't tell me. You could have sent me an emergency post or something," Ron said, mockingly accusatory to his girlfriend.
"Well, it was all so sudden, Ron," Hermione said, she nervously brushed a strand of hair away from her face. "And I knew you'd be back in a couple of days, anyway. And I knew Harry wasn't going anywhere so I thought I'd leave you to your games and let that have your full attention."
"You see why I love this woman," Ron said, leaning over and kissing Hermione enthusiastically on the cheek.
Harry had known they were together. He had read it in the paper. The full impact of it didn't hit him until he actually saw Ron acting so lovingly towards her. He felt a twinge of jealousy as he watched Ron take Hermione's hand in his. It pained him to see that. To complicate matters even further, he could still see her in that dress. He didn't think that image would ever leave him. She was breathtaking. Looking at her, then, he had felt a wave of warm memories wash over him. He knew then, that he was still in love with her. Truth be told, he'd never stopped. As they had walked back to the apartment earlier that night, he'd been thinking about it over and over again. He'd loved her for so long. And those feelings had only gotten stronger in the time they'd spent apart. He'd been about to tell her that when Ron had surprised them. Ron's reappearance had been a quick, swift kick in the pants, he thought to himself. It was a sign, he thought; a sign to tell me that I need to focus on the job at hand---protecting Hermione. It was a sign to tell him that this wonderful girl---his best friend, even---that he loved so much was scheduled to marry his other best friend in a matter of weeks.
"Harry? Earth to Harry," Ron was saying.
"What?" Harry asked, focusing back on Hermione and Ron.
"Well, spill your guts, Potter," Ron was saying. "What are you doing here?"
He couldn't tell him the truth, now, could he? Harry thought to himself. Sirius had said that the best plan was to keep this investigation between the three of them, meaning he, Hermione and Sirius. Ron would have to be left out of this, for the time being.
"Well, I heard that my two best friends in the whole world were getting married. How could I miss that, right?" Harry said, smiling at Ron and Hermione.
"Well, if that's all it took to get you back here, I'd have gotten married ages ago," Ron said. "This is absolutely fantastic, Harry. Now you can be my best man."
"Oh, I don't know about that, Ron," Harry said, uneasily.
"Come on. You have to stand up with me on that special day. It wouldn't seem right without you there. Unless, of course, Hermione's asked you to be the maid of honor," Ron said, laughing at his own joke.
Hermione laughed, too. "Of course, I haven't. Besides, the pink dress wouldn't look all that great on him, anyway."
"Yeah, not really my color," Harry said, laughing.
"I really want you to be the best man, Harry," Ron said. "Please."
"I don't think it'd be a good idea, Ron," Harry said. "Besides, I thought your dad was going to be the best man."
"Well, he was just holding your place," Ron said. "I'm not going to take no for an answer."
"Okay, if that's what you want," Harry said, looking at Hermione as well as Ron. "If that's what you both want; I'd be honored."
"Ha!" Ron said, beaming at him. "I knew he'd do it. Now, I just have to break the news to my dad. I should probably go and see them. You wait until they hear that you're back. They'll be ecstatic, especially Mum."
"I can't wait to see Arthur and Molly. I've really missed them," Harry said.
Hermione smiled. "You know I think your return will help me out in the long run, Harry. Molly will be so happy that you're back, she might leave me alone about this wedding thing."
Ron gave her a look of mock indignation. "She hasn't been that bad."
Hermione chortled. "We are talking about the same person aren't we? Ron, she wouldn't stop hugging me after we announced the engagement. Everytime she sees me, she starts crying and hugging---"
Ron laughed. "Well, you know you've only had to put up with this for a short while. Imagine putting up with it for 23 years."
"Do you remember how she reacted after she read those Rita Skeeter articles in our fourth year? She thought you had gone and broken Harry's heart," Ron said, snickering.
"She was so cold to me when she arrived for the third task," Hermione remembered. "I really felt bad about that."
Harry smiled. "Well, she warmed up to you pretty quickly after she found out it wasn't true."
"Yeah," Hermione said. "After she found out I wasn't some 'scarlet woman', right Ron?"
"Hey, it wasn't my fault you were stringing along Harry and Vicky Krum, Hermy-own-ninny," Ron said, laughing.
Hermione gave him a hard smack on the arm. "I told you to never call him Vicky."
"Sorry, sorry," Ron said, stifling more laughter. "Whatever happened to old Vicky, any way?"
Harry watched the smile fade from Hermione's face. He knew her answer. She had told him five years ago.
"I don't know I kind of lost track. Last I heard he was teaching somewhere in Siberia," Hermione said.
"Still pining over you, no doubt," Ron said. "Who knew that I would end up with Viktor Krum's ex-girlfriend?"
Hermione gave an angry look at Ron. "I'm not a prize, Ron."
"I wasn't saying that you were, Herm. I was just saying it's a little odd that hand-me-down Ron Weasley got the girl. I finally got the girl," Ron said smiling at her.
"Ron," Hermione said, rolling her eyes. "We might need to rent out a larger place for the wedding than Hogwarts. I don't think your ego could fit into the Great Hall."
"Hermione!" Ron said. "I'm only joking. You always get like this, you know. Can't I be happy that I finally got something myself. Not because I was someone's sidekick or someone's brother."
Hermione stood up and looked angrily at Ron. "I can't believe you! You are so unbelieveable. Are you marrying me to prove a point? I cannot believe you. You've always been this way."
Harry stood up and got between them. "Hey, hey. Guys. Come on. We were having a good time and then all of a sudden you start arguing. It's really like old times, huh? Just calm down. We're all pretty tired. We should just calm down and sleep on this. Things will seem much better in the morning."
"Harry's right," Hermione said, still glaring at Ron.
Ron sniffed. "Fine, I'm tired anyway. I'll, um, I'll come by tomorrow."
"I'm going to work tomorrow. I have no idea when I'll be back," Hermione said, turning away from them.
"Okay, fine," Ron said, grabbing his jacket. "I'll see you when I see you, then. Harry, it was great to see you, mate. Good night, Hermione."
Hermione just stood there with her back to him. She didn't turn away until she heard the door slam behind Ron.
Harry didn't know what he should do. "Hermione-," he began.
"Not now, Harry," Hermione said. "I'm tired. I just want to get some sleep, okay?"
"Whatever you want," Harry said. He watched in silence as she made her way to her bedroom. He heard her door shut and he then sat back down on the couch.
The more things seem to change, the more they seem to stay the same, he thought, as he lay down on the sofa.