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Chapter Fourteen
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Hermione wore a light blue summer dress to the party. She let her hair free and the waves and curls danced down her back. It was late August and it was very hot outside. William picked her up at her flat and together they apparated to the Burrow. As they arrived, Hermione was slightly surprised at the amount of people there. Even more than Bill and Fleur's wedding were attending. She looked around and saw few faces that she recognized. Tables were set all over the garden and she sat down with William. Each table had a large enchanted fire as a centrepiece. It was really cozy. Food wasn't being served yet, and people were still mingling and having drinks in the garden. The day was lovely, the sky was bright blue and Hermione thought about how lucky Molly and Arthur had been with the weather. She spotted Ginny and Ron some way away, they were both helping Aunt Muriel to her seat and she was talking vividly with them, both looking desperate to get away.
William leaned over and whispered: "Will you excuse me while I find a restroom?" She smiled sweetly at him and watched him walk away.
He was a very handsome man; he was one year a head of her in training and one of the more popular amongst the girls. He was Irish with a lovely accent. He had brown hair and his eyes were almost black. He always had a smile on his face and a friendly word to anyone. Hermione turned and looked for Ron and Ginny again, and it looked like Muriel had chained them to the table. Ron caught her eye and made a grimace. She was happy Ron was at the party, he had been a better friend these months than he ever had before.
"Hello," a voice Hermione knew well spoke. She turned and looked up at the figure in front of her. The sun was shinning brightly and she saw the outline of Harry's figure.
"Hi," she answered coldly and took a sip of her glass of champagne. Harry fidgeted for a few seconds.
"Is that seat taken?" he nodded to the chair next to her.
"Yes." Harry looked at the jacket hanging of the back of the chair.
"Congratulations," he mumbled.
"Sorry?" Hermione looked up at him again.
"Nothing." They looked at each other for a few seconds.
"You look nice," Harry whispered.
"Harry," she said in a pleading, yet warning voice.
"I wasn't sure you'd come tonight." He changed the subject.
"Why wouldn't I? Molly and Arthur are part of my family, aren't they?"
"I'm happy you came." In what felt like slow-motion, Hermione saw a hand suddenly appear on Harry's arm and he quickly turned. Slowly Hermione saw the form of Lavender Brown come in to sight.
"Where did you disappear to?" she heard Lavender say. Harry quickly tried to turn Lavender around and steer them away but she saw Hermione over his shoulder.
"Oh, Hermione, hi." Lavender sounded afraid of Hermione.
Hermione couldn't bring herself to answer. The bump on Lavender's stomach was undeniable. She wore a baby pink dress and her hair was in two braids. She looked like a typical pregnant woman would.
"Just, just go back to our seats I'll be right there," Harry said to her. She turned without answering.
"I'm sorry," Harry said to Hermione.
"What for?" she tried to sound casual.
"You know."
"No, what? You're fiancé and mother of your child must be allowed to talk to you, right?" The hurt on Harry's face was obvious and Hermione felt slightly ashamed.
"I hope you have a nice evening," he turned and walked away.
Not many minutes after that Ron joined her. He had with him two champagne flutes. "I saw," he said as he sat down.
"Let's not talk about that," Hermione smiled at him, "You look very handsome!" she gently rubbed his arm and Ron beamed at her.
"Ginny said I look like a casino waiter," Ron muttered and Hermione laughed at him.
"Well, you don't." Ron leaned closer.
"You look very pretty to Hermione," he was interrupted when William returned.
"Sorry, didn't mean to interfere," he said but still sat down. Ron shrugged and Hermione smiled at William.
The tension was obvious and Hermione quickly changed the subject. "So when will dinner be served?" she asked.
"Soon, I hope, I could eat my own arm," Ron complained. Ginny sat down at the empty chair.
"Honestly, how old will Muriel get?" she complained.
"Ginny!" Hermione scolded, but still laughed.
"It's not like I wish her to die, but at some age one should stay at home and rest!" Ginny continued but went quiet as she saw William. It was obvious that she liked what she saw.
"Well, hello, I'm Ginny Weasley." She gave him her hand.
"Well, hello, Ginny, I'm William Warner."
Ron eyed them and filled in: "William is Hermione's date." Realisation hit Ginny and she let go of William's hand. Hermione didn't mind, it was obvious Ginny had found William attractive, and he had found her interesting as well. Hermione had only brought William so she wouldn't be at the party alone.
"Oh, I see Fleur!" Hermione announced. "William, will you excuse me while I run over and say hello?"
"Do you want me to join you?" he asked.
"No, you stay with Ginny and Ron," Hermione answered and left. Ron soon excused himself as well and William was left alone with Ginny.
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Dinner was in the form of a large barbeque, there was a long buffet table with endless amounts of food. Hermione walked slowly in the queue and eyed all the food.
"Jeez, eat a lot, these Weasley's, don't they?" William joked.
"You think you know, but you can never imagine," Hermione answered and looked ahead to were Ron was loading food on his plate. A chicken wing was balancing dangerously close to the edge of his overfilled plate and as he loaded some more chips on his plate it fell over. Hermione was just about to yell out for Ginny to get her dress out of the way when a quick hand had swooped the chicken leg out of the air.
"Ron!" Ginny yelled as she saw how close the greasy chicken leg had been to her brand new dress. Harry put the chicken leg back on Ron's plate.
"Thanks, mate," Ron said honestly relieved not to have to deal with Ginny's fury for the rest of the evening.
"Once a seeker, always a seeker, Harry," Ginny said and batted her eyelashes at him.
Unbelievable, Ginny is still trying to flirt with Harry. After everything that has happened, after all these years! Hermione thought annoyed. She didn't know what annoyed her more, that Ginny was flirting with Harry or that that she herself still became insanely jealous. Harry grabbed a napkin and dried off his greasy hand. Hermione didn't know if she should introduce William or not. Obviously William would know that Hermione knew Harry, everyone did. But he didn't know about their romance history - hardly no one did.
"Potter!" William burst out and Hermione was taken aback.
"William," Harry sounded as surprised. He walked over to them. William shook Harry's hand and then rested it around Hermione's waist. She tried not to look pleased at the look on Harry face.
"You know each other?" she asked trying to sound casual.
"Harry's taught a few classes of mine," William answered.
"Yeah, you are a very good student," Harry admitted.
"Why don't you come over and join us later, I'd love to get a chance to talk to you. I'll buy you a drink, know they're free, but still." William laughed. Harry looked uncomfortably at Hermione.
"I think I better not," Harry tried.
"Oh come on, just for a while." William followed Harry's line of sight and saw Lavender waiting for Harry further in front of the queue.
"Bring your girlfriend as well." Hermione bit down on her lip so hard that she would soon start bleeding. Finally Harry turned and walked back to Lavender.
It will get better, with time it will get better! She thought.
Harry didn't join them and, to Hermione's relief, he and Lavender sat so far away from them that Hermione couldn't even see them. It helped her to relax. She switched seats with Luna after a while, leaving Ginny and William alone in their deep Quidditch conversation.
"Honestly, for how long can Ginny discuss Quidditch?" she muttered to Ron.
"Coming from one who can discuss books for hours," Ron laughed and ate some more of the strawberry cake.
"I want to get drunk," Hermione whispered and leaned closer to Ron.
"Me to." Luna added. Ron gave them both a wicked smile and got up. He quickly returned with a small bronze flask.
"In here ladies, is the most evil and darkest of potions, something so wicked that you will never be yourself again."
"Bolly's batlike babmboozle potion?" Luna asked with big eyes.
"Wha- No! I was kidding, it's just firewhisky," Ron answered and shook his head.
"I couldn't drink that here… I couldn't possibly, what would your parents think?" Hermione said.
"Let's go down to the creek," Ron suggested.
"Your parents…"
"They'll never notice. There are so many people here, besides, look at mum - she's all rosy. She's
been having that pineapple wine Fred bought."
Hermione contemplated for a few seconds and then agreed. They brought Ginny and William along but left everyone else at
the party.
It really was a beautiful evening, the sun hadn't set yet and the ground almost looked like gold. They made a large fire and laid down on blankets. Ginny had brought along some wine and butterbeers when she heard about their adventure. They had a great time, talking and laughing and for a few hours Hermione managed to press Harry out of her mind, but she should have known it was too good to be true.
"We should go and get Potter," William suggested. There was an immediate silence.
"No mate, maybe next time," Ron said and tried to change the subject. Ron had been getting along quite well with William, of course it had helped that Hermione sat across from William - not next to him, Ron did tense up every time William would try to get closer to her.
"I'll go over and ask him," William said. Ginny nodded at him and smiled. Hermione glared at her. Ginny rolled her eyes as if Hermione was being silly.
"No, you can't!" Luna announced loudly. William turned around and frowned.
"Why?" William demanded and Hermione looked at the other's faces.
"Because of me," Luna answered.
"What?" William said, he laughed a bit and then drank some more whiskey.
"Yeah, I had a fight with him, and we're not friends anymore." William shrugged and let the subject go. Hermione looked at Luna and gave her a thankful smile. Luna didn't stay for too long, her father came and got her and soon Ginny and William were riding around on Ginny's new broom. Hermione and Ron were left alone on the ground.
"So, you all right?" Ron slurred slightly. She nodded and smiled at him.
"You are so sweet. Ron, you always care about my wellbeing."
"Course, always have, haven't?"
The sun had set and Hermione shuddered slightly. She looked up at the pitchblack sky, the moon was shining strong. "You cold?" She nodded and Ron put his arm around her. Hermione looked up at Ginny and William, she was making loops and William was holding on for dear life. She felt Ron stiffening next to her and she realized that they were sitting unusually close. She turned her head and looked into his eyes.
"Um, I - maybe we should go if you're cold," Ron said and swallowed hard. Hermione gently put her hand on Ron's cheek and he stopped breathing. She leaned closer very slowly and let her lips lightly touch his lips. Ron still wasn't breathing but he carefully kissed her back. She didn't know what made her kiss him. Maybe it was because she was sad after seeing Harry and Lavender. Maybe it was pure gratitude at how wonderful Ron had been. Maybe she was just enjoying the undivided attention he was giving her. Hermione deepened the kiss and it seemed like that was all Ron needed because now he pulled her closer in his embrace and put one hand in her hair. She felt Ron's tongue find its way in her mouth.
What are you doing, you fool? You shouldn't do this! You know that this will get Ron's hope up! She scolded herself. But it feels so good to just be wanted for one night, and he knows this is just a bit of snogging.
Hermione gently leaned back on the blanket and Ron followed her down. He was leaning on one elbow while he was carefully kissing her and his other hand was holding her waist.
"Oh, Hermione," he mumbled into her lips. She closed her eyes as he kissed her neck, and for a moment a pair of green eyes flashed before her eyes.
No! Fuck off! she thought angrily. I am kissing Ron because I want to; you have no place in my mind.
Ron found her mouth again and eagerly kissed it.
"Eh-hm." Ron flew off Hermione and looked like he had been caught trying to steal the crown jewels. Ginny and William was peering down from Ginny's broom, flying just a few feet about the ground. Ron sat up and ran both his hands through his hair. Hermione sat up as well.
"Did you have fun?" she asked.
"Not as much as you, apparently," Ginny snickered and Hermione thought that sometimes Ginny could be such a…
" We, um- the, wh…" Ron couldn't even get a single word out and Hermione had to smile at him.
"William wanted to invite us all for tea and sandwiches at his flat, but I think I'll fly him home and leave you two at it," Ginny said and turned her broom so quickly that Hermione didn't have time to answer. William turned and waved, surprised.
"Awkward," Ron mumbled and started picking at the whole on his knee.
"No, it isn't." Hermione said and took his hand.
She saw the light of hope in his eyes and quickly added: "We're best friends, Ronald, we're allowed to snog after a few drinks. It's no one's business but ours, right? Besides - Ginny should be happy. She's wanted to be alone with William all night."
Ron looked a bit disappointed but said: "Right, yeah. Come on, I'll take you home."
Hermione let Ron hold her hand as they walked away from the creek, and as she did her heart filled with a sorrow too strong for words.
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