All righty, people... Rejoice! The next three or four chapters should flow quite easily and I'm very positive! 12 should be up Tuesday or Wednesday. Erm... I was very tempted to not give you a flashback on this one... But then I decided that this scene would be appropriate. This chapter really just sets up the next three or so. I'm very excited now. We're getting to the good stuff. So, read, enjoy, and review. I want to know what your reactions are and what you think about... things...
Chapter Eleven:
Only the Lonely
You mention the time we were together so long ago
Well, I don't remember
All I know is it makes me feel good now.
It's like I told you only the lonely can play
Only the lonely only the lonely can play
Only the lonely only the lonely can play
It's like I told you only the lonely can play
Only the lonely
Only the lonely can play"
Only the Lonely'
- The Motels
I wake up with the usual pressure from Hermione on my chest, but when I reach for her hair, I feel nothing but cotton. Right... I forgot... She kicked me out of the bedroom. She told me that I was an unfeeling git. So, asking her if she loves her ex-boyfriend more than her husband makes me an unfeeling git? Erm... sorry?
But wait... That much pressure won't be caused from just a pillow. I feel a light tapping on my head. "Dad... Dad... Dad..."
I open my eyes and see James grinning down at me, his brown eyes twinkling mischievously. "Dad... Dad... Dad..."
"What?" I sit up groggily and James tumbles onto the floor, giggling.
"I have to go to school!" he exclaims in that haughty tone he inherited from Hermione.
"Oh... Yeah..." I glance at the clock. 7:24... Hermione must have left James (and me) in bed when she left. She usually wakes me up to tell me goodbye... Then again... She's still very angry with me.
I rub my eyes. "Where's Grandma?"
"She's at the hospital. Get up, Dad!" James grabs my hand.
"Where's Aunt Ginny?" I let him 'pull' me up.
"In the kitchen making breakfast."
I ruffle his hair. "Why don't you go help her?"
"Okay, Dad..." He bounces off into the kitchen and I head toward the bathroom.
After a quick shower, I enter the kitchen to hear James jabbering excitedly to Draco about his birthday.
"...and so what are you getting me? 'Cause you know that I really, really, really want a Quidditch set... A real one! Like Dad has! But I want a new one, 'cause his is kind of old!"
I sit down next to Ginny who has her face buried in her hands and is quite pale. "Gin, are you all right?"
She nods. "Yes... I'll be fine in a minute or two... You know how-" She glances at James and drops her voice to a whisper. "You know how sick Hermione was when she-"
I shake my head slightly. "I know, Gin... James, finish your breakfast, brush your teeth, and then I'll take you to school."
James nods excitedly, shovels his eggs in his mouth (he takes after me, I suppose) and leaps out of his chair.
"No!" I grab the neck of his robes. "All of your juice, young man."
He grins sheepishly, gulps his pumpkin juice, and bolts up the stairs.
Draco shakes his head. "I don't know how you do it, Ron... I don't see how you can be both parents at once."
I shrug. "Hermione tries... It's hard for her... Especially these last few days..."
"Hey!" Ginny sits up suddenly. "I just remembered! Happy birthday, Ron!"
I glance at the calendar. "Well... It is... I forgot, too." Bloody git, Harry is... Making me forget my own sodding birthday.
James slides down the banister ("James! I have asked you not to do that!") and lands in front of me. "Are you ready, Dad? Are you ready, Dad? Are you? Are you? Huh, huh, huh?"
I love James more than life itself... But sometimes, like right now, I just want to strangle the child.
"Come here, James..." Ginny says, motherly. "Let's get your cloak on. It's your Dad's birthday you know..." I see her slip him two Galleons. "After school, why don't you treat him to some ice cream?"
James grins, and brushes his hair out of his eyes. "All right, Aunt Ginny! Can I go to school, now, Dad? Huh, huh, huh?"
I finish off my coffee and grab my cloak. "Yeah... We'd better get going."
"Can we fly, Daddy? Please? Please? Since it's your birthday?" He widens his eyes at me.
"We'll use Floo now, James, but I'll pick you up on the broom, all right?"
James nods and grabs his small satchel and heads toward the fireplace.
"Draco, are you coming s-h-o-p-p-i-n-g with me?" I ask quietly. I need to buy James's birthday presents.
He nods. "I'll drop Ginny by the store and meet you in Quality Quidditch Supplies," he whispers and points to James.
I nod and cross the floor to my son. "You want to say it, James?"
He grins widely and his blue eyes light up. "Madam Marie's Primary School for Gifted Magical Children!"
* * *
I spot Draco in the Quidditch Set section of Quality Quidditch Supplies as I enter. He holds a box out for me to inspect. "Do you think James is too young for a regulation size Quidditch set?"
I shrug. "He's been playing since he could walk-"
"And like Fred said, he flies like he was born to do it. I'd never have expected your offspring to be so talented on a broom, Weasel," he winks at me, grabbing the Quidditch set out of my hands.
We make our way over to the robes. "What team do you think, Draco? Cannons?" I hold up a pair of bright orange robes.
Draco raises an eyebrow at me. "Honestly, Weasley... I don't see how you and Ginny came from the same womb. She's so fashionable and you're so... not. I'd stick with Hogwarts houses." He pulls some miniature Slytherin robes from the rack and holds them out.
I shake my head. "Yeah, no. But grab those Gryffindors, will you?"
He sneers and hands me the robes. "You'd better buy him some body armor. Hermione would kill you if you let him on a broom to play Quidditch with a real Quidditch set without something to protect him."
I snort. "Wonder if it comes in steel?"
As we pass the brooms, I hear my name. "Ron! Hey, Ron!"
I turn around and see Harry standing in front of the newest models of brooms. He's slung a Firebolt 361 across his right shoulder and is carefully considering a Nimbus 2005. "Hi, Harry..." I say, dully.
"Happy birthday, by the way," Harry says.
Yeah, not my idea of happy.
"Anyway..." He turns the broom over in his hands. "I think this will work just fine."
Draco sighs. "Harry, why are you buying that broom? The Firebolt's much better."
Harry holds it at arm's length and tilts his head to the side. "You're right... I'll just buy them both."
"W... Why?" Draco and I follow Harry up to the counter. "Why are you buying two?"
Harry turns around as the witch behind the counter wraps the brooms. "Well, the Firebolt's for me and the Nimbus is for James's birthday."
What in bloody hell is he thinking buying Hermione's kid a broom? "Oh... Erm..."
Draco's jaw drops. "But I thought that-"
I move quickly and stomp on his foot. Twitchy ferret...
"But Herm-"
Stomp! Don't know what my sister sees in him...
"Hermione-"
STOMP! Honestly! Does he not get the hint?
"Ron! If you don't stop stepping on my foot, I'm going to hex you."
I back off. Okay, so what if I'm just a little scared of Draco Malfoy? There's no shame in that!
Harry digs in his pockets for money. "What were you trying to say, Malfoy?"
Draco shrugs and I can see his ears going pink. "Well, Hermione said that she didn't really want James to-"
I put my arms around his shoulders. "Be disappointed when we couldn't buy him a broom." I nod melancholically.
Draco looks at me strangely and I threaten him by raising my foot ever-so-slightly. "Yeah..." he agrees. "Yeah... That was it."
Harry hands the plump witch the money and takes the brooms. "Well... Ron, I'd like to buy you lunch for your birthday." He glances at his watch. "But I suppose it's too early."
I nod. "Yes... Well... I hate that, don't you? I really appreciate the offer, Harry," Heh. Yeah... Right... "but we've promised Ginny and Hermione we'll have lunch with them today. But... You know... I guess I'll see you Friday then..." I guess...
Harry nods and I see relief cross his face. I think he thinks that I forgive him. Hah... "Sure, Ron... I'll see you there."
"'Bye!" Draco calls and I wave as Harry awkwardly steps out into Diagon Alley.
* * *
"I can't believe you did that, Ron!" Draco scolds me as we sift through a plethora of Quidditch banners.
"Did what?" I ask innocently.
"Told Harry that Hermione actually wants James to have a broom! That was just evil!" He shakes his head and places a green and silver one to the side.
I give him a sideways look. Draco Malfoy calling me evil? "I have no idea what you're talking about..." I mutter and pull a Gryffindor pennant from the box.
Draco shakes his head. "Why did you do it? Are you trying to make him look bad in front of her?"
I stare ahead stolidly. "I don't want to lose her, Draco..."
"Why are you so paranoid?" he asks. "She's not going to leave you for him after all of these years."
I turn my head towards him. "Wouldn't she? When Harry left... I almost had a chance, Draco!" I throw a Cannon's banner back into the box. "If he'd only stayed away... Why in God's name did he have to come back now? Of all times, why now?"
"Why not now?" He's playing the devil's advocate, prompting me to points that I never would have considered.
I shrug. "I've worked too damn hard over the last eight years for him to come back and disrupt everything. Do you understand what's at stake here?"
He shakes his head.
"My entire life... My career... My wife... My son... My everything is up for grabs because of one person..."
"Didn't you kind of base your life on the fact that that one person left?" Draco mutters. "I mean, you became an Auror so you could question the Death Eaters about what happened to Harry... You married Hermione because of Harry... You have James because of Harry..."
I jerk my head to look at him. "You know about that? How?"
"You told me..." He says placidly. "Those damn nightmares... One night after you comforted her... She woke up and then-"
Oh... I see. "Yeah, I forgot about that. Sorry..."
"Anyway, my point is this, Ron... Maybe the reason your whole life depends on Harry... Is because your whole life is Harry..." Draco shrugs, grabs the stack of green, and leaves me contemplating his last statement.
* * *
Meal times with Hermione have become quite interesting. I'm never sure how she's going to top the smoked kippers and raspberry ice cream stunt. So far, she's eaten a few very nasty things. Black pudding and marmalade... Tomatoes and raw sugar...
Breakfast this morning has been relatively normal. She's eating..."Hang on..." I sigh and look at her. "Is that treacle you've added?"
She smiles at me and nods. "Mmm-hmm..." She digs into her shepherd's pie.
"Do you have a parasite in there, 'Mione?"
She raises an eyebrow at me and continues to eat.
"All right... I just meant that you've been eating more than I have lately and that is-"
"Ugh..." She lays her fork down and sighs. "Ugh... I don't... Ugh..."
"Are you all right?" Something is definitely up with Hermione. One minute she's stuffing herself and the next she's throwing it all up.
She nods. "Yes... I just... Ugh... I don't think I should have eaten that."
Wait a minute... Something just clicked. My jaw drops. "Hermione, are you pregnant?"
She widens her eyes at me and gasps. "No, Ronald!"
"You're sure?"
"Yes!"
"Positive?"
"Yes!"
"The test?"
"No!"
"So are you pregnant or not?"
"Not!" she sighs. "I'm just... It's stress. I've always been a big eater whenever I'm on edge. You know that. I'm not pregnant."
I stare at her.
"I'm not!"
Stare.
"What? I'm not!"
"Right..."
"Ron... I. Am. Not. Pregnant."
I nod, but I still think there's something wrong. "Is there anything that you want to talk to me about?"
She shakes her head... but I can see the tears in her eyes. "No... Yes... I just... I miss Harry so much, Ron... Every day... It's like it just hurts more... Dumbledore seems confident..." She turns her face to the head table and stares at the headmaster, who is talking animatedly with Professor Sprout. "Look at them all..." she sighs. "They're so... It's like they know that everything will be all right one day... I only wish I did. I just wish that I knew something about Harry... I want to know if he's hurt, if he's alone, if he's happy... I just want to know something..."
Maybe he's forgotten about her... Then I can- No! She's your best mate's girlfriend... That's just... wrong.
"H... He couldn't have forgotten about me, could he?" she sighs, staring right through me with those huge eyes of hers.
Bloody hell, how does she do that? "I'm sure he hasn't, Hermione... He said he loved you-" Much to my dismay "-and Harry never breaks a promise. Especially one like that." I put my arms around her. "Everything will be all right one day... I'll always be here. You know that, right?"
She smiles and nods. "Yes."
TEASER
"I want to play Quidditch!" he interrupts her. "Can we, Mum? Please?"
"Yeah!" Ron jumps in. "We can play four on four."
I do the calculations quickly. "Ron, how does that work?"
George puts an arm around my shoulders. "We get Harry..."
"Fine..." Fred agrees. "We get James."
So... Hah! I know and you don't! Lol... But I'll tell you next week...
Thanks.