Disclaimer The Harry Potter universe and all the characters in it belong to J. K. Rowling. No infringement intended, just borrowing.
Chapter 3 - A BAFTA winning performance
After much nagging from Hermione, Harry finally agreed to go to Molly's celebration the following weekend. The whole Weasley clan was there, including newlyweds Bill and Fleur, who were expecting a baby already. Even Percy, who had recently been estranged from the family over Ministry of Magic politics, had come back into the fold.
Hermione was glad to be back at the Burrow; the Weasley family dynamic had always intrigued her, being an only child. She always wondered what it would be like to have a bunch of older brothers who would alternately tease then protect her. She had always been envious of Ginny in that respect. And now she was even more envious.
Ginny practically attacked Harry when he came through the door, showering him with kisses.
Everywhere except his scar, she noted wryly.
Harry seemed pleased to see her and even let her sit on his lap after dinner. Hermione sat next to Ron on the sofa, not touching. When his mother eyed them suspiciously, Ron grabbed Hermione's hand. They exchanged a glance and Ron announced to the family that he and Hermione were going to take a walk in the garden. They blushed as Fred and George made some catcalls as they exited the house.
"Thanks for getting us out of there." Hermione said, relieved to be away from the prying eyes of Molly Weasley.
"Yeah, I've been dying to talk to you alone. But not for the reasons Mum thinks."
"What does she think?"
"She thinks I'm going to propose to you." Ron said nonchalantly.
Hermione was shocked. "What? Ronald Weasley! Whatever in the world gave her that idea?"
"Will you lower your voice?" he asked, looking around. "Mum thinks I'm going to propose because I kind of promised her I would."
"Why in the name of Merlin would you do that?" Hermione asked, incensed.
"Hermione, you don't understand. When Mum was ill, she kept asking us to make her promises. I thought she might be dying so when she made me promise that I would marry you, I told her I would. Then a few days later, she got better."
"Oh and I suppose she made Ginny promise her that she would snag Harry as a son-in-law, too?"
"How did you know?" Ron asked. "Are you a seer now, like Trelawney?"
Hermione was now at her boiling point. "Don't you dare compare me to that fraud! I just knew it! Harry and I had a conversation about this. We both knew that your Mum wanted us to marry into the family. And she used her illness to manipulate you!"
"Oh come on, Hermione. She was very ill and she just thought she knew what would make Ginny and me happy."
"But she's got it all wrong!"
"I know that. Just because I'm supposed to ask you to marry me, doesn't mean you have to say yes. Why are you so upset?"
Hermione sat down on a garden bench and Ron followed. "Oh, Ron, so much has happened in the last few months."
"So why don't you tell me."
Hermione proceeded to tell Ron all about Harry's scar being a horcrux and her theory how to rid him of it.
Ron sat there, gobsmacked. "Wow," was all he could say.
"What do you think?" Hermione asked.
"About which part? Your being in love with Harry or the horcrux thing? Wow, Hermione, you certainly have yourself in a pickle."
"You mean we have ourselves in a pickle. Everyone thinks we're still together and now your mum wants us to announce our engagement. How am I supposed to tell Harry all about my theory? I want so desperately to help him, and I'm afraid to tell him the truth. He'll hate us for lying to him all this time."
Hermione was near tears.
"Maybe we don't have to continue to lie to Harry, after all." Ron said.
"How?"
"Simple, we'll tell everyone that you turned down my proposal and we'll break up our fake relationship."
"Oh Ron, you're a genius!" Hermione exclaimed, throwing her arms around his neck. How could she have been so thick?
Ron smiled at her but gently pushed her away. "Hey, you better not do that, you don't know how many pairs of Weasley eyes are watching us right now. They might think you just said yes."
"Ooh, you're right. Sorry," she paused. "So what do we do now?"
"I think I should go inside in a few minutes, all somber like. I'll tell them that you turned me down and I told you I wanted to break up. You stay out here and cry your eyes out."
"So we have to put in BAFTA caliber performances, huh?"
"Who's Bafta?" Ron asked, puzzled.
Hermione explained her reference about Muggle movies and their award shows.
Ron practiced his somber/angry/heartbroken look while Hermione thought of something really sad to get the tears flowing. It wasn't hard to find her motivation. Soon Ron took a deep breath and got up to go inside.
"Break a leg!" she called, between sobs.
Ron looked puzzled again and walked very carefully back to the house.
A few minutes later, she heard the back door click and saw Harry walking towards her. Hermione steeled herself for the performance of her life.
He gingerly sat down on the bench and handed her a handkerchief, "Thought you might need this."
Hermione sniffled and took it from him to blow her nose. "Thanks."
Harry paused. "So, Ron told me what happened. I'm really sorry Hermione. Is there anything I can do?"
Hermione shook her head. "No, it's over. Harry, it's really over. I thought I was in love with Ron, but when he asked me to marry him, I just couldn't picture myself growing old with him. I hated saying no, but I couldn't lie, could I? And now Ron hates me and we'll never be friends again!"
As Harry pulled her into an embrace, Hermione tried not to think about how good it felt to be in Harry's arms or that this was all an act. She cried into his shoulder as he spoke.
"Ron doesn't hate you. He's angry right now, but he'll come around. He's just hurt that he put his heart on the line and you rejected him. It will take some time, but it will be okay. Everything will be okay."
Hermione looked up at him. "You really believe that?"
Harry nodded. "I do."
Hermione pulled away again to blow her nose. "Thanks, Harry." She was surprised how nonplussed he seemed about their breakup.
"So you're not upset that we broke up?"
"Upset? Of course, I'm upset that my two best friends are in pain right now." Harry replied, looking a bit confused.
Hermione shook her head. "No, of course you are. I just mean that you seem okay with us not being together?"
"What? Sure, I wanted you to be together, as long as you were both happy. That doesn't seem to be the case now does it?"
Hermione was getting frustrated. How could she tell him? "Harry, I always kind of thought that you hoped Ron and I would live happily ever after in case you didn't…."
"In case I didn't live happily ever after, you mean?" Harry interrupted.
Hermione nodded. "Yes." She said softly, her eyes filling with tears again. "We thought that's what you wanted."
"It is what I wanted, but not at the expense of your happiness. Hermione, I'm well aware of the fact I could die. I know what the prophecy says. You shouldn't be afraid to say it."
"But I don't want to, Harry. I don't want to say it."
"Why not?"
"Because if I say it, then it will become real…" she sobbed.
"Oh Hermione…"
Once again, Hermione was pulled into Harry's arms but this time she wasn't acting. She finally let out all the pain and frustration that had been building for weeks. She felt as if she were mourning Harry, even though he was very much alive. She clung to him as he stroked her hair and back, whispering words of comfort in her ear. Hermione cried until there were no more tears to be shed.
She finally pulled away to blow her nose and wipe her eyes. "I'm afraid I've ruined your handkerchief."
"Eh, it's Ron's." Harry shrugged. "Are you going to be all right, Hermione?"
"I think so," she said, noticing that it had grown quite dark outside, the Burrow illuminated by night lanterns.
"I guess it's time to go to bed, I'm exhausted. I probably should pack and head back to Grimmauld Place tomorrow morning. I would imagine that I'm persona non grata around here, now that I'm not going to be a Weasley."
"Do you want me go back with you?" Harry asked.
"You don't have to, Harry. Don't you want to spend more time with Ginny?"
"Yeah, I guess I should."
Hermione heard that same ambivalent tone in his voice she remembered from their last conversation about Ginny. Just then, she heard someone walking on the grass behind them. She turned and saw Ginny approach, her long red hair flowing behind her.
"Speak of the devil." Hermione muttered under her breath.
"There you two are." Ginny said brightly. "Hermione, are you all right?"
Hermione nodded. "I'll be fine."
"I came out to let you know that the coast is clear. Everyone has headed up to bed so you don't have to feel awkward about coming back to the house. And Ron has locked himself in his room, so you won't have to cross paths." Ginny said as she came to stand next to where Harry sat.
"Thanks, Ginny." Hermione said, standing. "I guess I'll go on in." She looked at Harry and Ginny.
"Are you coming, too?"
Harry looked like he was about to say yes, but Ginny said, "We'll be up in a few minutes. I want a little alone time with Harry."
"I'll see you upstairs, Ginny. 'Night, Harry."
As she walked back to the house, Hermione tried not to be jealous. After all, she did want them to interact, didn't she? She walked quickly into the house and took advantage of the opportunity to see Ron. She snuck up to his door, knocked and whispered her arrival through the keyhole. He answered, quickly ushering her inside.
"You're mental, you know? I hope nobody sees you," he said, giving her a quick hug.
They compared notes on their performances and she told Ron that they had been mistaken in their assumption that Harry had wanted them together at all costs. Ron also told her to stay clear of his mother; she now hated Hermione for breaking Ron's heart.
"I guess that means it will be a while until you come back to Grimmauld Place, huh?"
"A few weeks of 'Grumpy Ron' and Mum will get tired of me really fast. I'll be back before you know it."
"I'd better go before Ginny and Harry come back in - Ron, thanks so much for everything today." Hermione said before he opened the door to let her sneak out.
"What are friends for?" He replied.