Chapter 18: A Simple Trip from Point A to Point B
A/N: I felt a little bad about ending the last chapter just before the obligatory "Ron figures it out" point in the story, so I made some time to plot out the "Talk" before delving into their meeting with the wizard barrister (every time I try to limit myself to 2 chapters/plot day…). It's been done so, so many times, and quite often much better than how I've done it, but humor me. We'll get this out of the way, and then you can start worrying about how Ginny will take the news.
Disclaimer: Not my characters, no money being made, etc., etc.
+++++
Harry's queasiness about discussing Hermione's status as his "consort" was replaced by a different kind of stomach distress when the doors of their elevator opened to the main lobby.
Their exit was blocked by a rather stern looking Headmistress.
"Follow me, the three of you."
With nothing short of complete expectation that they'd follow, McGonagall turned and walked into a rather large conference room set against the back wall of the lobby. Not that far gone from school, the Trio quietly did as they were told. Once inside the door slammed behind them, accompanied by loud clicks and clanks within the walls and windows that left little doubt that their conversation would be private.
All but four chairs surrounding the conference table disappeared; with three of the four on the side closest to them the Trio didn't wait for orders to sit down. The Headmistress started to pull the fourth chair away from the opposite side of the table, but changed her mind and launched into her tirade whilst pacing back and forth in front of them.
"In all my years at Hogwarts," she began, "in all my years as Head of Gryffindor House…never have I seen students act with more rashness and presumption than the three of you just displayed. Mr. Potter, do you have any sense of what you just did in that meeting…do you have any sense? Proclaiming the existence of your Clan…negotiating directly with the Goblin Clan Chief…you might just as well announce your open sedition against the Ministry of Magic."
Harry was too stunned to reply.
"And you, Miss Granger…let's just gloss over the "consort" business and focus on the fact that you are very likely the only female that has dared speak to Ragnok before being spoken too and lived to tell the tale. Surely you know something about the patriarchal clan system within the Goblin Nation?"
"But…"
"As for you, Mr. Weasley," the Headmistress continued, as she ignored Hermione's protest, "Harry proclaims that you are his Clan Champion and you just sit there like a fish out of water? After the meeting you shook hands with Ragnok's champion, right? Do you know why he's called Earchewer? Let me tell you…he wasn't given that name, he earned it."
Ron let out one-half of an "Eek" before swallowing the remainder.
"And here we are, barely a week after Dumbledore's passing…what do you think your former Headmaster would say if you were in his office right now?"
Harry thought for a moment before replying. "Care for a lemon drop?"
A slight smile erupted on the Headmistress's otherwise stern face. "Yes, Harry, I imagine you're right." She transfigured the conference table into a couch that faced just in front of the three and took a seat.
"So," she said, "perhaps you'd consider telling me what happened after I left?"
Harry smiled and proceeded to give her an abbreviated summary of the discussion (leaving out the bit about his relationship with the Prince). The Headmistress was initially amazed at the prospect of a muggle-goblin alliance, and seemed a bit skeptical of the goblin's assessment of muggle capabilities. Nevertheless, she was understandably quite pleased that the goblins had finally gotten off the fence and decided not to join Voldemort's forces.
Headmistress McGonagall's tone of voice and demeanor grew progressively warmer as they talked, and Harry picked up on the fact that much of her warmth was directed towards Ron. She mentioned that she visited The Burrow the day before, and told Molly in no uncertain terms that Ron's efforts that summer would be vital to the Order's mission She said that she was inclined to return that afternoon to share the additional good new, certain that Ron's parents would be immensely proud of what he'd done. She noted that while Bill had certainly laid the foundation it was Ron that had helped cement the ties between the goblins and wizards…that while Percy had been a Weasley Head Boy that there'd never been a Weasley named Clan Champion…and that Dumbledore no doubt thought Ron's efforts valuable, or else he wouldn't have made him wealthier than either of the Twins.
It was a pretty blatant attempt to boost Ron's ego, and Harry was more than grateful to see it working. With every comment Ron's back grew a little straighter, and his eyes a little brighter. Harry thought those eyes actually sparked a bit when the Headmistress casually mentioned that while she was at The Burrow that Luna Lovegood had visited hoping to hear news about Ron.
Hermione chose that moment to announce their need to take their leave for lunch. When the Headmistress asked how well they were eating at the Dursleys, she received some muttered "It's alright's," prompting her to call out for Dobby the house elf. He instantly appeared with a rather large picnic basket filled with the staples of a Great Hall feast. Ron eagerly grabbed the basket and spent a few seconds with his nose over it, savoring the smells of all his favorite comfort foods. Wondering out loud whether they'd be allowed to eat in the back of the limousine, Ron headed out into the main lobby to find Brian.
Harry and Hermione couldn't help but laugh as they watch Ron leave. Their eyes met, and they turned to offer the Headmistress their thanks.
"You really knew how to punch all of his buttons," Harry said with some wonder.
"I should," the Headmistress replied, "I have been his Head of House for the past six years."
"And you've been ours, as well, haven't you?" Hermione asked rhetorically.
McGonagall smiled and nodded. "I trust," she asked, "that your self-identification as Harry's consort doesn't have any legal underpinnings…at least for now?"
The two blushed a bit as they looked at each other. "No," Hermione replied, to which Harry added in his thoughts "Not just yet."
"Yet I sense the two of you have taken a few steps down that path together?" she replied with a small grin.
"Is it that obvious?" Harry asked, as he tentatively grabbed Hermione's hand.
McGonagall chuckled, "It has been, for quite some time. Care to share when the two of you realized it yourselves?"
Harry said "Friday" at the same time Hermione said "Sunday." Hermione looked at Harry with an arched eyebrow as he shrugged his shoulders. "At the Palace, seeing you in the periwinkle blue dress," he said simply. She nodded. "And seeing you in the tuxedo..." She turned to the Headmistress. "Harry's right…it was Friday."
McGonagall nodded with a terse smile of recognition. "Like the phoenix, rising from its ashes…so that would be June 1…ah, I believe Poppy will be delighted to hear the news."
"Why is that?" Harry asked.
"Because she won the betting pool, of course."
+++++
"So your Harry's consort?" Ron asked, in between mouthfuls of Yorkshire pudding. "What's that mean exactly?"
They were on their way back to Little Whinging, having cancelled their afternoon meeting with the wizard barrister in order to sort out their meeting with the Goblins. They were also well on their way to finishing their feast.
"Well," Hermione replied, "in the context of that conversation, it meant that I'd be allowed to stay for the rest of the meeting…Ragnok expected some level of authority, after all."
"Yeah, but what's it mean?" he asked, rather coolly.
"Erm….in the muggle world, a consort is the husband or wife of a king or queen."
"Brilliant," Ron replied, "much better I be the champion and you the consort, then."
"Yes," Harry said with a nervous laugh and a glance towards Hermione. "I agree."
"So, the goblins, they have clans, and each clan has a Chief, who has a champion fighter and a wife?"
"Erm, pretty much," Hermione replied, "except that from what I've read, goblins chiefs don't necessarily have to be married to their consort."
"Oh," said Ron, who'd moved on to tackling a ham shank. "So you wouldn't have been lying to the goblins if you were Harry's girlfriend."
"Erm…yes, you're right."
Ron thought for a few seconds. "Goblins are sticklers when it comes to the truth, you know…liars are just one step below thieves in their eyes."
"Yes," Hermione said with a slight pause. "I think I read that someplace once."
"Of course you did," Ron replied. He pointed the shank of ham towards Hermione. "So were you lying?"
Hermione looked at Harry, who took the initiative to answer. "No Ron, she wasn't."
Ron dropped the shank on his plate and fished through the basket, looking for some dessert. After picking out three different types of pastries, he looked straight at Harry.
"So were you cheating on Ginny, then?"
"No, Ron, I wasn't," Harry replied. "What Hermione and I have…it's just at the start, except of course it isn't since we've known each other so long, but…it happened after I broke up with Ginny."
"I see," Ron said quietly. He then turned to Hermione.
"Tart."
"Excuse me?"
Ron clarified by pointing towards the pastries. "Fancy a tart, Hermione?"
"No thank you, Ron."
Ron nodded as he grabbed a drink from his goblet of pumpkin juice.
"You know, Hermione, I fancied you for the longest time."
"Yes," Hermione replied, "I know."
"Snogging Lavender Brown wasn't exactly the best way to show it," Ron continued, "But I did."
"Past tense, mate?" Harry asked with some degree of hope.
Ron looked closely at Harry. "Yeah, past tense."
"As of when?" Hermione asked.
"Dinner Saturday night, Luna's house."
"Oh," Hermione replied.
"She likes me," Ron said simply. "She likes me as Ron Weasley, and not just the package deal of Harry and Ron…or worse, as Harry's mate."
"She's a sweet girl," Harry said. "Brave too…showed that at the Department of Mysteries."
"Yeah," Ron agreed, "but so did Ginny."
"Yeah, she did…but that's over, Ron…we broke up and it's over."
"Sure, Harry, I know it is." Ron said. "Plan on telling her anytime soon?"
"Erm, well, don't know when I'll see her…got to stay at the Dursleys, after all."
"Yeah, guess that makes sense," Ron replied. "We could have visitors, though, right?"
"Sure," Harry replied somewhat tentatively. "Thinking of inviting Ginny to dinner?"
"No, of course not," Ron replied. "You think I have problems in muggle land, can't imagine what she'd do without a magic mirror telling her how pretty she is every morning...actually, I was thinking of Luna."
"We'd love to have Luna visit," Hermione said.
Ron looked at her cross-eyed as he hunted for any missing treats in the basket. "Nice pronoun, Hermione."
"Oh…yeah, sorry about that," she said.
"It's alright," Ron replied. "I can deal with plurals…just promise not to snog under my nose, okay?"
"Sure, Ron," Harry said with some relief. "We can work with you on that one."
Ron shook his head. "So about that lying to goblins thing…were you serious when you told them I was your champion?"
"Of course I was, mate," Harry replied.
"Good," he said, "wouldn't want it any other way."