Author's Note: So, I'm back. I don't know if any of the original readers of this story are still around, or interested in this story, but here it is. Hope this chapter was worth the wait. I got so busy for a while, and then I lost my beta reader (I'm still without one, so forgive any mistakes any this chapter I may have missed while looking it over on my own) and then I had trouble even figuring out to post this story, with the changes on uploading (I'm not as computer savvy as I thought apparently). Anyway at long last here it is, and the next chapter won't be a whole year in coming.
Enjoy!
DISCLAIMER: I'm not JK Rowling, clearly, and I don't pretend to be. The original HP characters and plot all belong to her. I'm just having fun :)
Chapter 5 - Green-eyed
Hermione Apparated right by her front door with a sick feeling in her gut, it had been foolish to agree to dinner with the Weasleys, probably the company she least needed right now, but she couldn't say no to Ron. She had been treating him quite badly because of her recent mood, and she had to make this concession for him. Wearily she unlocked the door, closing it behind herself with a half-hearted slam. The glimpse she caught of herself in her hallway mirror startled her, she looked as though she'd aged a couple of years these past few weeks. Looking unhappily away, she climbed the stairs up to her room. There was still quite a while before she had to be over at the Burrow. She was being to feel quite overcome by exhaustion, both physical and emotional, and decided to lie down on her bed for a while. It only took only a few moments for her eyes to drift closed.
"Hermione?" Harry's voice called to her. She blinked, disoriented by her surroundings. She was at Hogwarts, and in the Gryffindor Common Room. Celebration was going on all around her, and she realized that it must be 6th Year, when Gryffindor won the Quidditch Cup. She looked across the room, her eyes meeting Harry's. Swallowing hard she felt her stomach twist and her heart drop. What was about to happen next in this nightmare was all too predictable. Uneasily she scanned the room, looking for Ginny. The beaming redhead was only a few feet away from her, standing at the edge of the crowd. Hermione felt her hands unconsciously clench around the arms of the chair she was sitting in and her throat felt inexplicably tight. She watched as Harry spotted Ginny, their eyes locking and then she was in his arms and he was kissing her possessively. A sickening twist of jealous gripped her. Hermione was taken aback by the sob that had risen into her throat, and stood up, heading for the dorm. Stopping on the stairs, as her knees threatened to give out, she leaned her back against the cold stone wall, burying her face in her hands as hot tears streamed down her cheeks, leaving red angry marks on her pale skin. "How could I let this happen?" she whispered to herself.
"Hermione, Hermione, wake up!" a loud voice said, rousing Hermione from her far from restful sleep. Looking up with tear-clouded vision she saw Ron bent over her on the bed, his freckled face grim with concern. Rolling away from him and his gaze she quickly sat up angrily wiping away the tears from her face.
He came over to the other side of the bed and sat down next to her, putting an arm around her shoulders. "Bloody hell, Hermione! You scared me; I thought Voldemort himself was back from the dead and up here attacking you."
"I'm sorry, Ron. I was having a really bad dream, one I'd rather not talk about. But, it was just a dream, don't worry I'm turning into a nutter," she told him, trying to add some levity to the situation, unable to meet his concerned gaze. He gave her an awkward pat on the back.
"Well, a bit of my mum's cooking will set you right, Hermione," Ron assuredly her cheerfully.
Hermione's stomach gave a queasy lurch, but she forced a smile. She glanced at the clock and then began to rifle through her wardrobe, trying to avoid the concerned stare she knew Ron has fixed on her. The dinner at his house she had unwisely agreed to go to, was supposed to start ten minutes ago. Ron clearly had come by, concerned about her whereabouts, as Hermione was usually punctual to a fault.
"I'm sorry that I'm running so late. I haven't been sleeping well, so I've been pretty knackered, and I lay down for a moment of rest without realizing I'd fall asleep. You can go tell your mum that I'll be right over, you can go ahead of me and I won't delay things any longer," she told Ron, before he could ask her anything more, hoping he'd take her suggestion. She really needed a moment alone to clear her mind. Frowning, she shoved aside a rack of jumpers.
"No, no, Hermione, it's fine. You know Mum, she always over does family dinners a little bit, so she was still adding a couple other side dishes to the menu when I left to come get you, and Ginny got held up at work, so it works out fine," Ron replied as he adjusted his seat on the edge of Hermione's bed. "Besides, I'd be a real prat if left you're here alone, what with how upset you are at the moment." He failed to notice Hermione's noticeable twitch at the mention of Ginny's name.
'Actually, you're being a prat by not leaving me alone, and by talking about your insipid sister,' Hermione thought to herself, cringing when she thought about how unkind she was being and guilty for thinking what she had about Ron. He was just trying to be a nice boyfriend, and it wasn't his fault that he was so terrible at understanding women.
"Okay, we can be off now," Hermione announced, as she finished buttoning up a light blue jumper that she had put on over her white blouse from work that went well with the trousers she was wearing. That was about all the energy she had for dressing up in her tonight.
"Alright, my mum been dying to see you, and so has my dad. You would've thought I told them the bleeding Prime Minister was coming over when I told them you agreed to come to dinner tonight," Ron said with a laugh right before they Apparated to the Burrow. Hermione felt the familiar tug at her bellybutton and in no time they were in front of the Burrow. Ron had moved out long ago, but often had family dinner with all the Weasleys several times a month. They had all grown even closer after their numbers had been decreased by the last battle at Hogwarts, years ago. Mrs. Weasley hid her pain well though, as did the rest of family.
"Mum, we're back and I've got Hermione with me," Ron shouted as he came in through the front door. The hands of Mrs. Weasley's special clock moved to show that Ron was now home. Hermione noticed that Ginny also was. She felt a little twitch of guilt, after all Ginny was her friend, they had grown apart in recent years, but she had always considered Ginny a good friend.
Mrs. Weasley came bustling in her face glowing from the heat of the kitchen. "Oh, you're just in time dears, we're all here now, come, come." The couple followed her into the kitchen were the large family table seemed to be groaning under the weight of all the food Mrs. Weasley had prepared. With magic to help or not Ron's mother still made the best food that she had ever tasted. Her appetite was a little better than what it had been a little earlier. She took a seat next to Ron being careful to avoid eye contact with Ginny.
"How's things, Hermione?" asked, Ron's surviving twin brother George who was seated across from her. He grinned impishly at her. "Still putting up with my brother, huh, thought you would have grown tired of him long ago, he added with a wink and a glance over at his younger brother who was helping himself to a hearty helping of steak and kidney pie.
Ron's ears quickly turned red and it looked like it had taken a fair amount of restraint on his part to keep him from hexing George silly. Just a few years ago he would have.
Hermione smiled.
"I'm fine George, how about you," she replied, after a moment of thought. Was she fine?
"I think I'm about the same, Hermione. Been keeping myself busy, with various diversions you might say."
Mrs. Weasley frowned and shook her head. "You really need to settle down George. Hopefully you will find a nice girl soon, I'm longing for more grandchildren," she said. She smiled at Ginny and Hermione.
Ginny grinned and Hermione coughed and nearly choked on the piece of boiled potato she was eating. George's roar of laughter didn't help matters any. Ron flushed bright red from his ears to his neck and forehead.
"Yes, well I was fairly certain that Harry was going to ask me to marry him fairly soon, well before everything that's been going on," Ginny told her mother, glancing over at Hermione.
Hermione bit her lip, refusing to rise to Ginny's bait.
"Yes, well things will sort themselves out with Harry very soon, I'm sure dear. I hope I didn't upset you," Mrs. Weasley said comfortingly to Ginny. "I'm sure I'll be altering my old wedding dress for you soon enough."
Ron looked nervously at Hermione who was stabbing a carrot on her plate with particular vehemence and that his mother, trying to give her the hint to get off the subject of Harry. For once his mother seemed to understand and shifted the conversation.
"So, Hermione, dear, how has work been going? Ron says that you are working very hard, perhaps harder than is good for your health. You look so thin and pale darling," Mrs. Weasley said, reaching over and patting Hermione's hand.
"Oh Molly, she's just being a good employee dear, things have been very busy over in her department lately," Mr. Weasley told her as he cheerfully at his roast beef.
"Yes, don't worry about me Mrs. Weasley. I have been working hard, but I just didn't want to let myself get behind, especially recently. I'll take a break sometime soon," she assured Ron's mom.
"Well, that's good darling, eat up while you're here." Hermione smiled gratefully at Mrs. Weasley for not pressing her any further.
"So, Hermione, I guess your busy work schedule is why you haven't been by to see Harry in a while," Ginny piped up, making more of an accusation that a comment.
"Yes, that it why, Ginny, although I thought you would be pleased," Hermione countered, trying to stay calm. Her nerves were worn clean through, but she didn't want to fight with Ginny over a nice family meal.
Ginny laughed a rather fake sound. "No, no, you know how much Harry loves to see you. He keeps asking about you."
Hermione looked up from her plate, blinking in surprise. Her heart ached dully for a moment. It felt as though Ginny had twisted a dagger in her chest.
"Well, tell him how busy I've been, but I'll be by soon," Hermione said, trying to should nonchalant about the whole thing, which took a lot of acting on her part. She simply wouldn't break down in front of Ginny.
Ginny nodded and for once decided not to push Hermione further.
George looked between the both of them and made a cat noise and a hiss. Ron laughed as all the women in the room glared at him.
Hermione sighed, she couldn't agree with George more though.