Chapter Three
The Fiancee
As they made their way down the stairs they noticed that everyone was gathered in the kitchen and that they were the last to arrive.
" There you guys are" Mrs. Weasley smiled as they entered the kitchen. Everyone was there, Mr. Weasley, the twins, Percy and his wife Penelope Clearwater, Bill, Charlie, Ron and someone who was the last person she expected to see there. Hermione's jaw almost dropped as she saw who stood beside Ron, laughing as she was in a deep conversation with Ginny. This couldn't be who he was marrying, could it?
Harry followed her gaze and seemed to know instantly what was going through his friend's mind. " Come on, let's go get a seat" he urged as they finally sat down.
Ron, who sat across from her coughed nervously as he saw her sit down.
"Er- Hermione, you remember Luna don't you? she is my fiancee..."
The words seem to hit her heart like a knife. He was marrying Luna...Luna Lovegood! How could this be? It was quite a known fact that Luna and herself never really did get along. She never did understand how and why Luna could believe in such nonsense. And what happened to Ron calling her Looney Lovegood? The last time she remembered he didn't like her all that much. Of course...lot's of things she remembered have changed greatly.
" Of course" Hermione said, forcing a smile as she nodded her head. " How could I forget?"
Harry seemed to have caught on to Hermione's sarcastic tone and tried changed the subject quickly.
" Mrs. Weasley, this is wonderful" he said, shoving a spoonful of mash potatoes into his mouth.
Mrs. Weasley smiled broadly and blushed. She never liked to admit that she was a great cook. " Thank-you, dear."
Hermione, however didn't want to drop the subject of Luna quite that easily.
" So, uh, how did you two meet?" she asked, taking a sip of her juice. Harry let out a small groan from beside her, realizing that Hermione wouldn't let it go.
" Oh, we met about two years ago, right sweetie?" Luna smiled, smiling at her fiancee. Ron grinned and looked back at Hermione.
" Yea, we met a few years ago before I made it onto the Chudley Cannons. And we have been going good ever since."
Hermione couldn't believe it. Ron played on the Chudley Cannons? That was always a dream of his. He use to talk about it constantly when they were together. She often told him to shut-up once or twice for gabbing on and on about it.
" Wow, Ron! I didn't know that you played for the Chudley Cannons!." she smiled.
Ron nodded and looked down at his food. " Well, there is alot of stuff that has happened since you left" he said honestly, now look back at up at her.
After dinner was finished, Hermione decided she needed to be alone. Ron was out with Luna and Ginny was out with Greg. Putting on her sweater she headed outside and sat down beneath a large Oak tree. Things felt so messed up to her. Never in a million years would she have expected Ron to be marrying Luna Lovegood.
" It should be me who he's marrying" she mumbled sadly, picking the pedals off a small flower that she picked from the grass.
"Want some company?" Jumping, she turned around to see Harry taking a seat beside her.
"Geez Harry, you scared me" she laughed. " of course you can join me."
"Well, I just thought you wanted to be alone and all...."
Hermione smiled as she rested her hand on his knee. "I've got time for you" she giggled. "We have alot to catch up on!"
Harry nodded, staring out at the setting sun. His hair blew into his face as a cool breeze passed by them. The air was getting much cooler at the end of the summer, fall would soon be approaching.
" So...."
"So...what?" Harry mocked her.
" So..what have you been doing the last three years, Harry. Lastime we spoke you were taking your auror tests."
" What have I been up to? Well...I got accepted as an auror...they couldn't say no to the boy who defeated the Dark Lord could they?"
Hermione laughed. " Well, that is true."
" So, the last few years I have been travelling all over, capturing all sorts of wanted people...you know...doing the usual auror stuff. This is actually the first time I have been home in awhile" he admitted, looking at her.
" You came back for the wedding?" she asked, curiously.
" Well...that and another job offer I couldn't refuse. Dumbledore offered me a job teaching Defense against the Dark arts at Hogwarts..."
Hermione's smile grew big as she gave Harry a hug. " Harry! that is wonderful!. You're taking it right?."
" Of course" he replied, " I mean, I will still work as an auror with the ministry every once and awhile but it will be good to just settle down and be be home for a bit, you know?"
Hermione nodded and looked out at the pale pink sky. " I definatly know what you mean Harry..."
* * *
" Remember when Lockhart took all the bones out of your arm!" Hermione laughed as Harry and her lay on there backs under the big oak tree. They spent most of the night out there Reminiscing on past memories and for the first time in a while, Hermione was truly laughing.
Harry laughed as he looked up at the stars that were sparkling up in the night sky. " How could I forget that! Stupid git of a teacher he was!"
Slapping him playfully on the arm she giggled once more and stared off into space.
" So..I guess you were surprised to see Luna with Ron I take it. I would have told you but I thought you already knew..." Harry said, turning his head and looking at Hermione.
Hermione sighed and nodded her head. Surprised wasn't the word, speechless and shocked was more like it.
" I was..." she admitted. "Harry.....have you ever regretted a choice you made and you just wish you could of chose differently?."
" You mean like the slap you gave Ron and I when we copied your homework that one time in sixth year" Harry asked Grinning " Now that hurt."
" Harry...I am being serious here" Hermione smiled.
" I know, I know....well yes...there is one thing I regret" he trailed off. Hermione now turned to face him, curious as to what his responce would be.
" What do you regret?" she asked.
" I regret the choice I made in fifth year...going to the Department of Mysteries to try and save Sirius..or not save him I should say" he mumbled quietly.
Hermione didn't know what to say. She knew that this bothered him deeply in their sixth year but she had no idea it still troubled his thoughts now.
" Harry, I had-"
" It's OK, really, Hermy" Harry replied cutting her off, a smile coming back onto his face. Hermione rolled her eyes at the nickname he use to torture her with ever since Grawp had called her it.
" I am not Hermy!" she glared, managing to sit up.
There was a few moments of silence between them before Harry stood up.
" Well, I should get going. I have to be at the Ministry early tomorrow.." he said, dusting some dirt off his pants.
" You mean you aren't staying here?" she asked.
" Nah...my own place isn't too far."
She was so use to the days when they would stay at the Burrow with Ron. He would sleep in Ron's room and she would camp out in Ginny's room, giggling and talking about girl stuff. She missed those days.
" I'll see you tomorrow though, OK?" he said. Hermione nodded as he gave her a friendly hug. " I am glad you are here, 'Mione."
" You too, Harry" she replied releasing him from the hug. He gave her one last wave before apparating back to his place with a loud 'POP'.
She stood there for a few more minutes before heading inside where she made her way straight for Ginny's room. Opening the door she wasn't surprised to see that she wasn't yet back.
She slowly put on her PJ's and climbed into her bed, falling into a deep sleep as soon as she closed her eyes...
It took her a few moments to realize where she was when she opened her sleepy eyes the next morning. Realization then hit her as she gazed at Ginny's bed that remained unslept in.
" She musn't have come home lastnight" she thought to herself, sitting up and yawning. She had to laugh at her reflection as she stepped out of bed and gazed into the mirror that hung on Ginny's wall. Her hair was sticking out in every direction, ten times worse then when she was young, which was saying a lot.
" Well...we'll fix that." Grabbing her wand she quickly said a quick hair spell and instantly her hair tamed down, falling in soft curls down her back. Satisfied with her hair she quickly changed, finally deciding on a light blue tang top and a pair of black pants.
" Good morning" Ginny said, eating a spoonfull of cereal as she sat alone at the kitchen table. Hermione watched her as she shoved another large spoonfull into her mouth, acting like she hadn't eaten in days. This was something that reminded her of Ron. He would always shove spoonfulls of food into his mouth at one time and try to talk, completely grosing her out. However, Ginny wasn't nearly as bad as her older brother. Crossing the room she took a seat across from Ginny at the big wooden table and smirked at her.
" What?" Ginny asked, whipping a dribble of milk off of her chin.
" So..where were you last night? Hmmm?"
Getting up from her chair, Ginny headed over to the sink and dumped the rest of her cereal out. " I spent the night at Greg's. Hermione, you should have seen where he took me!" Ginny squeeled, turning around and leaning on the counter top. A wide smile came to her face everytime she spoke of him.
" Where did he take you?"
Hermione listened as Ginny blabbed on and on about the candle light dinner and the moonlight walk....she couldn't help but feel envious of her friend, having someone who loves you just as much as you love them. She wished she had that...
" So, where is everyone?" she asked, looking around at the empty house.
" Well..mum is shopping, dad is at work and Ron must be at his own place, I think..." she shrugged.
" Ron has his own place? I didn't know that..."
Ginny nodded. " He hasn't had it for that long. He is actually selling it...Luna and him are looking for a new place actually."
" Tell me, how did they get together? I thought he hated her?" Hermione blurted out, dying to finally know the answer to her question. Ginny laughed and nodded.
" He did....until a few years ago. They ran into each other, literally, in Diagon Alley and she practically dragged him into having a coffee with her."
" And...." she asked, eager for more information.
" And...I guess he found out that she wasn't as bad as he thought. He got to like her."
" Oh...I see" Hermione trailed off.
"Anyways, I need to go get ready, Greg is picking me up in an hour." she smiled. With that she bounded out of the room and left Hermione there alone, thinking about what she had just said.
With nothing else to do that morning, Hermione decided to take a walk around Hogsmeade and maybe do a little shopping. She spent most of the morning buying a few new books and a new quill that she really needed. It was around noon when she stepped out of Wanko's Joke shop that she ran into another past Gryffindor.
" Lavender! How are you?" she greeted.
Lavender smiled brightly and gave Hermione a small hug. " I am good. I didn't know you were back in town!."
" Yea, I am here for Ron's wedding actually" she replied. Lavender's eyes grew wide and surprised as she gave her a sympathetic look.
" I heard what happened...it must be hard for you" she said, running her hand through her blonde hair. Hermione shrugged as a light breeze rippled through her curly hair, causing it to fall into her face.
" Actually, I am doing OK.." she replied, finding hard to find anything else to say.
" Well, the Patil twins and I are getting together over at my place tonight...why don't you join us? We can all catch up on things."
Hermione hesitated for a bit, racking her brain to try and think of an excuse. It wasn't that she detested Lavender and Parvati it was just that they were never that close.
" Er- well...." she stammered.
" Come on, Hermione, just us girls" she smiled.
Not being able to think of an excuse she caved in. " OK, I'll come."
" Great! I'll see you tonight" Lavander smiled, clapping her two hands together.