Chapter Four: End of Innocence
One fine day
You'll look at me
And you will know our love was
Meant to be
One fine day
You're gonna want me for your girl
The arms I long for
Will open wide
And you'll be proud to have me
By your side
One fine day
You're gonna want me for your girl
~One Fine Day sung by Natalie Merchant, the Chiffons and countless others
(Summer before the seventh year)
The wafts of summer air and excitement flooded Hermione as she stepped out of the fireplace.
"Oh, you're here! You're here!" Ginny leaped on her in excitement.
Hermione squealed back. Mrs. Weasley came around the corner.
"Oh, Hermione, so glad you could make it!" she said as she gathered her in a motherly hug.
Ginny and Hermione quickly ran up the stairs to put her trunk away, jabbering excitedly away about their summers so far.
"Where is everyone?" Hermione asked as she put away her clothes.
"They're all outside. Harry and Ron started up a game of Quidditch," Ginny answered.
"Harry's here?" she asked, ignoring the butterflies in her stomach. She had been in love with her best friend since their first year at Hogwarts. She also lacked the courage to do anything about it.
But this year was going to be different, she could just feel it. This year she would tell him and pray that it wouldn't destroy their friendship.
"Sirius brought him over earlier today," Ginny said, bringing Hermione out of her thoughts.
"Unfortunately, Lavender is here, too."
"Lavender? Why is she here?" Hermione asked.
"Oh that's right, you haven't heard. You've been away most of the summer," Ginny's voice became a little edgier. "Lavender and Harry are an item now. Got together over the summer sometime."
Hermione, who was in the process of putting her hair in a ponytail, gave a slight pause, an action that did not go unnoticed by her friend.
"Well, that explains the extra bed in the room," Hermione said in a voice she prayed was neutral.
"It's been a complete nightmare having her here." Ginny lowered her voice, "she talks non-stop, she hogs the bathroom, she spends her free time following Harry around like a lost puppy." She rolled her eyes.
Hermione didn't know what to feel as they headed downstairs to join the others outside. It was a mixture of nervous anticipation at seeing her best friends, mixed with dread at seeing a certain friend's girlfriend.
Harry, Ron and the twins were up in the air, tossing the quaffle to one another, showing off new turns and dives. Upon seeing the two girls, Harry immediately stopped mid-dive and gave a huge grin.
"Hermione!" he shouted.
Just then the quaffle, thrown by one of the twins, hit Harry on the back of the head. Loud snickers could be heard as they made their way back to the ground. Ron reached her first.
"Decided to come back after all," he said as he gave her a hug.
"Well, someone has to keep you from failing your classes," she smiled back.
Ron was shoved out of the way by Harry who picked her up hugging her and swinging her around. She couldn't help but smile at seeing her best friends.
"Actually, I think she came back to keep us out of trouble," he grinned and Hermione laughed.
"Oh Harry, is your head alright?" she asked.
"With a noggin of stone, I'm sure he's fine," said Fred.
"You should worry about the poor quaffle," chimed George.
"Hermione, how good is it to see you," said an all too familiar voice. Lavender stepped out from behind Fred to join the group. Hermione just realized she was still in Harry's arms and quickly stepped away from him to greet her dormmate.
"Hello Lavender, it's nice to see you," she said pleasantly.
"We were wondering when you'd arrive," Lavender said as she weaved her arm through Harry's.
Turns out, the three girls would be sharing Ginny's room for a couple of days. Harry's godfather, Sirius, had tickets for a Quidditch match the next day; Puddlemere United vs. Wimbourne Wasps. For now though, Hermione had to get through dinner without tossing up her food at the sight of Lavender and Harry. She clung to him and stared at him with puppy dog eyes. Worst of all, Harry seemed to be enjoying this.
"Luna's invited us all to a party at her house tonight," Ginny announced. Hermione sensed Ron slouch slightly next to her. She caught Harry's eye and they both grinned.
"Loony Love…?" Lavender asked.
"Luna," Ginny corrected her. "There are mostly going to be Gryffindors and Ravenclaws there."
"Sounds like fun," Harry said.
"I want you lot back at a reasonable hour," Mrs. Weasley said sternly.
"Oh, ease off a little, Molly," Arthur soothed. "It's the summer before their last year. I'm sure they're entitled to a little fun."
Hermione felt really plain her jeans and white shirt next to Ginny who wore a denim skirt and red halter top. Harry and Ron wore jeans and t-shirts that seemed to emphasize how much they'd matured over the summer. Lavender came running down the stairs wearing a, what else, lavender spaghetti-strapped dress.
"Wow! You look great!" Harry beamed. Hermione thought the dress was a little short.
The party was actually a lot of fun. It seemed all of the sixth and seventh year Gryffindors and Ravenclaws were there, as well as a few other students from the other houses. Cho Chang was there, glaring at Lavender, she had never really gotten over Harry. In fact, it gave Hermione a small amount of satisfaction that she wasn't the only one not to pleased with the couple as Lavender was drawing a lot of scathing looks. Several butterbeers later, the trio sat on a couch, observing their fellow partygoers.
"This year's going to be great, isn't it?" Hermione tried to make small talk.
"Yeah, we're going to have so much fun," Harry replied.
"Cheers," added Ron and they clinked their bottles together. Harry hesitated in taking a drink as something, or rather someone, caught his eye. Hermione followed his line of sight to his girlfriend, who was currently dancing with Parvati in what she perceived was in a rather inappropriate way.
"And I'm really looking forward to the Quidditch match tomorrow," she added, trying to catch Harry's attention. But his eyes grew darker with an intense look that she thought he reserved only for the snitch.
"Hello Ronald," came Luna's dreamy voice. "I'm so glad you came to my party."
Ron nearly choked on his butterbeer, then frantically began to search for an escape.
"Excuse me," Harry said blankly as he got off the couch to join Lavender on the dance floor. Ginny plopped down in his place.
"Shall we dance?" she asked.
"Oh no, I'm not a dancer. I can't dance," Hermione said quickly.
"Have no fear," Ginny said coyly then drew her hands from behind her. "Firewhiskey is here!"
Hermione's eyes widened and she quickly hid the bottle. "Where did you get this?!"
Ginny laughed. "Relax, Hermione," she said as she grabbed Hermione's bottle of butterbeer and poured
some of the alcohol in it. "Now…have a drink."
"Are you crazy? I can't have a drink, I'm Head-" but Ginny cut her off.
"You can't use the Head Girl excuse. Number one, we aren't in school. Number two, Head Boy Harry and Ron have already indulged themselves." Hermione just stared at her appalled. "Come on, Hermione, have some fun for once. Let your hair down."
Hermione stared at the bottle Ginny was offering then looked up at her and grinned. Turns out, dancing isn't half as bad as you think when you've had several bottles of spiked butterbeer in your system. Hermione's bad mood dissipated as she danced with Ginny. Neville and Seamus had even asked her to dance, even Ron showed off some moves. She even got to know some people from other houses. She was having a great time dancing with Terry Boot from Ravenclaw when he suddenly lurched forward, spilling his drink on her. Harry had accidentally bumped into him as he was making his way through the crowd. After a while, and a few more drinks, she began to get a little disoriented. She needed to get to a bathroom and splash some water on her face. She was refusing to admit that she was a little tipsy…okay more than a little tipsy. She had already forgotten the directions Luna had given her to find the bathroom. She faced a long corridor, lined with closed doors. Was it the third on the left or the right? Was it even the third door?
"Room's taken!" shouted a voice when she opened a door.
"Sorry! Sorry," Hermione mumbled as she quickly closed it. She had similar luck with the next door as well. She opened a third door, let out a gasp and quickly closed it. She leaned against the door a moment, a hand covering her mouth as she stood there in shock. She had found the bathroom. Problem was that it was currently occupied by a topless Lavender sitting on a sink with her legs wrapped around a certain raven haired friend, whose hand was up her skirt. They didn't see her, thank Merlin. But her mood quickly darkened.
She walked back into the party, taking a bottle of Firewhiskey from a passed out partygoer on the couch. She didn't bother mixing it with butterbeer as she took a swig, she didn't even feel it burn down her throat. She walked outside. He would never see her as more than a friend, he would never look at her the way he looked at Lavender, he would never touch her the way he was touching Lavender. She caught a reflection of herself in the glass of the greenhouse and let out a little laugh. Would anyone?
"Hermione are you okay?" someone asked.
She turned to face Neville and stumbled. "I'm okay, just a little tipsy."
"Aren't we all?" Neville said and took the bottle from Hermione to take a drink. "Hey what happened to your shirt?"
Hermione looked down at the stain. "Oh, I got butterbeer spilt on me." Then she let out a laugh because it seemed so funny for some reason.
Neville took another drink then his eyes lit up. "Hey! You should wash it!"
"Wash it?" Hermione giggled. "Where?"
"I AM A GRYFFINDOR GOD!!" Neville yelled at the top of his lungs.
Hermione and Neville swayed precariously at the edge of the roof of the Lovegood Manor. Shouts of surprise and egging on came from the crowd below. Hermione was too drunk to remember that she hated heights.
"Oh my God!"
"Do it Neville!!!"
"Somebody find Harry! Where's Ron?"
"Hermione! What the hell are you doing up there?" Ginny shouted.
"I need to wash my shirt!" she shouted back.
"What on Earth is she talking about?"
"Isn't she Head Girl?"
"Don't worry, they won't jump. Neville doesn't have the balls and she won't break any rules."
Up on the roof, Neville turned to Hermione. "You know, I'm sick and tired of everyone thinking I'm a coward."
"I can break rules. I've broken lots of rules," Hermione muttered.
"We should turn around and walk back," Neville said quietly. They both turned and walked away from the edge.
"It would give us a good running start," Hermione said. Neville grinned and grabbed her hand.
Oh the rush you get for that split second when you're weightless in the air before gravity gets a hold of you. Then you plummet to the ground, freefalling before the cold sensation of water overloads your already maxed out senses. They had jumped into the swimming pool below. Hermione let herself sink to the bottom, listening to the muffled cheers and shouts of the crowd above, the muffled booms of others joining you in the water. She watched the trail of little air bubbles make their way to the surface. She was in her own little planet, her own zen for a few moments before she felt arms wrap around her and bring her to the surface. She was a new person. She left the old Hermione at the bottom of the pool.
"I cannot believe you fucking bloody did that," said a familiar voice. It wasn't angry but amused. She opened up her eyes to look into his brown ones, red hair plastered to his head.
"Nice hair," she said.
"You're one to talk. You know, that was quite dangerous Miss Granger." He hadn't let go of her, she was still in his arms.
"Well, there is a correlation between the amount of alcohol in your system and your fears diminishing."
"And how much alcohol have we had?" Ron asked.
Hermione grinned and placed her forehead to his. "Entirely way too much. You?"
"Fucking pissed," he laughed.
"Ow!" Hermione exclaimed suddenly. She and Ron had drifted to the edge of the pool where she hit her head. Ron reached out and grabbed the ledge, keeping one arm around her waist. Their faces were centimeters apart as they looked into each others eyes. Suddenly he moved away from her, breaking eye contact.
"I should get Harry," he said quietly.
"No, I don't want Harry."
It was a loaded statement.
She realized it the moment it slipped from her lips, she realized that at that moment it was true. She didn't want Harry. She wanted Ron to look at her like that again. It stirred something within her, made her feel beautiful and desired. He looked at her the way Harry looked at Lavender tonight, the "snitch" look. Ron slowly looked back at her, catching her stare for a moment. He looked away again, disappointment filled Hermione.
"Let's get you out of the pool, it's time we headed home anyway," he said as he hoisted himself out of the pool.
Hermione shied away from his outstretch hand. "Um, Ron, I don't think that would be a good idea." He looked at her puzzled. "I'm wearing a white shirt," she whispered to him.
"So?"
Hermione rolled her eyes, then looked around her before briefly lifting herself out of the water, then quickly back down.
"Oh!" Ron exclaimed as he blushed.
"Are you alright? Are you cold or anything?" Ron asked. He had managed to find her a blanket to wrap herself in as they made their way back to the burrow. It was only the two of them stumbling along the path, still inebriated.
"I'm fine, Ron," she answered. She was getting tired of walking, the burrow seemed a lot farther away than earlier. Finally, it came into view but Ron suddenly stopped. Hermione nearly walked into him.
"What's the matter?" she asked. "What is it?"
He didn't answer her. He just turned around, cradled her head and kissed her. Kissed her long and good. She gladly responded, parting her lips to let him in.
"I don't want to go home yet," he whispered to her.
"Then don't," she replied.
He kissed her harder, pushing them backwards until she hit a wall. Ron fumbled with a door before pulling them into the garage. The Anglia had been replaced with another muggle vehicle that she didn't really care at the moment to find out which. She opened the door then pulled Ron into the backseat with her. His kisses and touches were awakening feelings inside her that she thought she never had. It was like another adrenaline rush, she wanted to lose herself in the moment. She shut her eyes at the pain as he broke through her barrier and winced as he moved within her. She opened her eyes and stared over his shoulder at the car's ceiling. Had other girls stared at that same spot as they gave themselves away? How many hormonal teenagers fooled around in the backseat of this car? She let out a gasp as a new feeling struck her, a small flame of pleasure igniting within her. But with a groan, Ron stopped moving before the flame could get any bigger. She and Ron kissed some more before he pulled out of her, rolling her on top of him and wrapping the blanket around them. She could hear his heart slow down from its frantic rhythm and the crickets chirping away in the night.
(Present Day)
That was her last summer at the Burrow. The end of innocence she called it. She stared at the ceiling above her listening to the birds chirping outside. Ginny had awoken before her and was probably downstairs discussing the current disaster that her life was in right now. But as soon as she thought that, she heard hurried footsteps coming up the stairs.
"Hermione," Ginny came charging into the room. "Oh good, you're awake. You've got about thirty seconds to pull yourself together."
"What?" Hermione asked as she jumped out of bed and to the window. Ron Weasley was making his way toward the house. "Oh, shit!"
"Mum's made some breakfast to try and head him off. Hurry up and get ready!"
Ron woke up earlier than usual for a Saturday, but seeing as he didn't get much sleep after seeing Hermione arrive it was no big feat. He walked into the kitchen, the smell of sausages tempting his stomach and threatening to derail his purpose of arriving here.
"Good morning, Ron! Care for a bit of breakfast?" his mother asked cheerfully.
"Where is she?" he asked.
"Where's who?" Ginny asked innocently as she sipped a cup of coffee.
"Don't play innocent with me. I saw her arrive last night looking like she had been through a war zone."
"What are you talking about Ron?" Ginny smiled.
"It's okay, Ginny. I'm fine," Hermione said as she stood on the bottom steps of the stairwell. She had tried her best to look a little decent, even though she was still in her pajamas.
"Merlin, what happened to you?" Ron asked incredulously at her appearance.
"Can we talk upstairs?" she gestured.
Luna Weasley flooed out of the fireplace at the burrow dusting herself off as she entered the kitchen. Molly and Ginny were sitting at the table, not really drinking their coffee, but listening to the muffled shouts above them.
"I take it Ronald is here?" she asked and they nodded. "Had to go into the office early this morning to do some damage control," she said as she filled up a cup and joined them. "Daily Prophet's already got it on the front page. Damn Rita Skeeter."
"It's already in the paper?" Molly gasped.
"Nice big headline: Trouble in Paradise; complete with a large photo of Hermione and Oliver in the lobby of some hotel. That woman really has it in for her. Made her out to be a total raving lunatic that attacked her husband and Oliver the poor husband who was unloved my his cold unfeeling wife."
"Oh dear," Molly said.
"Please tell me the Quibbler isn't printing the same story," Ginny groaned.
"Almost. That's why I went in early, so I could stop that article from printing. Father said it was big news and that to compete, we had to print this story. So I quickly typed up a new one, the truth, more likely," she explained as she pulled out the paper from her robes and handing it to Molly and Ginny. In giant print, the headline read: CHEATER!!!
"Oh what was Oliver thinking?" Molly sighed.
"Probably the same thing he was thinking with," Ginny answered wryly. Luna grinned. More shouts could be heard from above and Ginny put her cup down. "I think she's had enough," she declared as she and Luna walked up the stairs.
A/N: Borrowed a couple of scenes from some of my favorite movies for this chapter. Review away!!!
-->