Forever Knight [Harmione]

Chapter 4: Occasion

Two nights before Bill and Fleur’s wedding, Ron said he had to go on ahead to the Burrow and help with the preparations. 

“The tent won’t go up by itself, you know,” he said as he packed some of his belongings in a bag.

Hermione flopped on her stomach on his bed while Harry sat at the foot of it, both of them watching him move about the room. 

“Mrs. Weasley must be beside herself with worry,” she said, paddling her legs idly as she bent them at the knee. 

Ron scowled. “Understatement of the year, that.  She’s biting everyone’s head off, bossing us around.  And that was last time I saw her, which was three weeks ago!  She must be a monster now.”

“Ron, don’t talk about your mother that way!”

“Well, it’s true!”

Harry smirked, making no comment.  While he loved Molly Weasley, she wasn’t exactly the sweetest of women when provoked, or when under pressure.  Hermione knew this, as she had been the target of Molly’s ire a few times in the past, but Harry knew what she meant, telling Ron to be respectful. 

“I don’t think we’d mind going over there first thing tomorrow to help,” he said, leaning back on the bed on his elbows.  “Remus said the soonest we’d get word from Azkaban was tomorrow evening, and I reckon all that waiting will drive Hermione and I nutters.”

Ron looked relieved.  “I’d really appreciate it if you come a day early to the Burrow…” he looked at Hermione and hesitated.  “That is… if you’re okay with it, Hermione.”

Harry looked at her in surprise.  He hadn’t bothered to talk about it with her, but they’d been friends for so long that he always assumed they liked to do such things together.  Maybe she didn’t want to help with the wedding preparations.

She looked at them both sheepishly.  “Of course I’m okay with it.  I’d love to help.  Harry and I will be there, Ron, bright and early.”

Ron grinned.  “Thanks.”

Arthur arrived to pick up Ron and was immediately warm to the idea of having Hermione and Harry over a day early.

When they were gone, Hermione smiled up at Harry. “We should tell Remus of our plans.”

She was just turning to go to Remus’s study when Harry held her gently by the arm.

“What was that about, earlier?” He idly played with some strands of her hair.  He meant the gesture to put her at ease, and that, with his gentle tone always did the trick.  “Do you really want to go help at the Burrow?  We don’t have to, you know.” 

She reddened, looking embarrassed.  “I do want to help over there, Harry.  I mean, half the fun of family weddings is helping with the preparations, in spite of what Ron thinks, but you know you’re going to have to deal with Ginny, right?  I don’t know if I should be there when you do.”

He cocked a sheepish smile.  “Yes, well, it might be awkward—“

“It will be.”

He shrugged a shoulder.  “Then I guess that’s just the way it’s supposed to be.  I have no intention of hiding what I feel for you just to make others feel more comfortable.  Ginny’s… Ginny wasn’t exactly overly disappointed when I broke up with her, so I suppose it won’t be so bad.”

“So long as she doesn’t try bat-bogeying me, I can live with that,” she muttered.

“She’s going to have to grow up some time,” he muttered back.