Chapter Seven: Glistening Ties

Someone to love with my life in their hands,
There's gotta be somebody for me like that,*
Small talk, work and the weather,
Your guard is up and I know why,**

Draco glared at Astoria, she had forced him in to going on a picnic with her. And there was dead silence between them.” You know, at school you talked more.” Astoria commented throwing a seventh grape at Draco's arm out of boredom.”Though the things you talked of really lacked niceness. I'm trying to decide if I like the mean Draco or the dumb Draco more.” She continued, then threw a rock at platinum blonde haired man across from her, who caught it and tossed it back at it's original thrower. Soon they were passing the rock back and forth between each other.

“I was never dumb, or mean..” Draco said after a few moments, Astoria raised an eyebrow trying not to laugh.” Okay, maybe I was a little mean.” He corrected himself, Astoria's eyebrow just went higher.” Hey! I've said I was mean, will you leave it be Tori?” Draco groaned, annoyed. She didn't respond, now staring at a bird soaring high in the sky, it's magnificent wings spread out like a angels, it climbed higher in the air and was met by another, together they swooped towards the ground at top speed. Draco followed her gaze to see why she wasn't responding.

“Birds mating, I must say, why aren't wizards matings anything like birds? To do that with someone would be, amazing.” Astoria whispered, the sight was indeed breathtaking. The birds clung to each other, trusting and knowing the others very move. It was as if one glistening tie bonded there minds, there hearts and there souls.”You were saying?” She turned back to Draco who rolled his eyes.”Oh, yea.. You were far from nice in school, that's really all I can say about it with out sounding incredibly rude. But then again, Daphne always said I was.”

“Daphne was a stuck up, clingy, annoyance. And you.. You weren't rude. That's rather far fetched to say that about you.” Draco looked angered for a second, Daphne's and his relationship wasn't something that exactly pleased him. Astoria smiled at Draco slightly.”Right, so, stop throwing grapes at me!” He glared at Astoria who laughed softly.”Why are you so fascinated with birds mating? I think that normal weddings are hectic enough as it is, having to dive down towards the ground is just... Odd, not everyone can pull of a Wronski Feint.”

“Boys and quidditch.” Astoria rolled her eyes, slapping Draco lightly.”I'm fascinated in anything and everything basically..” She purposefully ignored his comment about Daphne, knowing it was a touchy subject. With anyone.” Why should I stop throwing grapes at you? It's fun.” Astoria then stood up and sighed.”Well. We've been here for like.” She paused and checked her watch.”Several hours, we should be going home now, it's getting late.” They packed everything up in silence.”Hey, why don't you and Blaise swing around my place tomorrow?”

“Your place? Last I heard..” Draco trailed off and shrugged.”I guess, I have the day off, and I think that Blaise does also.” Astoria hugged Draco then apparated away, he did the same. Well, other then hugging himself.”Hey Blaise. I'm back, by the way, people at work killed you yet?” Blaise looked at Draco and laughed harshly shaking his head.”Kay, well Astoria says that we have to, well implied, we have to drop by her place tomorrow. So.. You better have tomorrow off your you can tell that dumb healer boss of yours your not going.”

“Mate, your so weird. I can't just tell the head healer that I'm not going to work.” Blaise groaned.”Lucky for me I guess, I have tomorrow off. Hey.. You'll never be able to guess who applied for a job at St Mungo's.” Draco looked up suspicious.”Mione, she got the job, and is assigned as my assistant. I don't think she knows yet. Gosh, and just when I thought we were getting rid of her.” He joked and walked over to Winky to talk with her.

*** Ron and Hermione's flat

I sighed as the daily mail arrived, I wanted Ron to be back more then anything. I skimmed through the letter and found a rather interesting one, I opened it and what I read, what I read made my heart beat faster then normal. Ron was coming home! He was going to be home in a week, I almost danced in joy, but before I could even smile another letter arrived, I read it and was shocked. I dropped my glass of juice and it shattered.”Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh. I swear to god if you don't get better Ronald I'm going to kill you!”

There was a knock on my door that surprised me, curious I walked over and answered it.”Um.” Ginny looked incredibly nervous, probably because last time she showed up I ended up in a coma at St Mungo's, not a experience I want to repeat.. Unless it got Harry and Ginny back together, that would be so useful! And make my life a lot less hectic and, oh, I'm zoning off.”Can, may I talk with you, inside?” Ginny asked, I nodded and sat down on my favorite couch, ready to listen, to what ever absurd idea's she could come up with this time.

“Hermione, this.. This whole thing with Ron.. Draco, Harry, Blaise. It's confusing me.” Ginny sighed letting her face fall in to her hands, I blinked, she was confused! At least I'm not the only one.”I mean, Ron was dead, and now he's not, Harry loves me, and now he doesn't, Draco hates you, and now he doesn't, Blaise is just a grade a pain in the butt and I hate him.” I blinked again, hoping my suspicions as to what she last said were not true, she belonged with Harry anyway. Damn me and my suspicions.

“I told you, Harry has some sort of special power which.. Changed a lot of things. He's a time effector. I have no idea what the hell is up with Draco, he's just weird, the same goes for Blaise.” I groaned closing my eyes and tilting my head towards the ceiling as I relaxed and tried to think.”You.. You don't like Blaise do you?” I said calmly, knowing her reaction wasn't going to be anywhere near as calm. But still, her reaction would be very useful, I guess.

“You are delusional girl, I like Harry, I think.. Mind if I get some milk? I'm dead thirsty.” Ginny rolled her eyes, well that confirmed that she didn't like him, being so calm about it, before waiting for my response she went to get herself something to drink, typical Ginny.”GRANGER! Why is there broken glass and orange juice all over the floor?” She shouted at me, I flinched at the Granger and before I could reply someone knocked on my door, what is up with people visiting me?!

“Hey Hermione, could I talk with you please?” Harry said nervously, I blinked at him.

"Yea sure.. But I have to warn you, Ginny's here." I told him, and moved aside, cautiously he entered.

"Oh.." He mumbled, and went and sat down on the couch."Hermione, I really like Ginny, and I've been a really big git, and-"

I quickly cut him off."Then bloody tell her that you insufferable prat!"

"But she doesn't love me, Ginny hates me!" Harry protested, and I had the sudden urge to slap him upside the head, obviously I didn't.

"Harry James Potter, go into my kitchen and tell Ginny you love her at once!" I ordered and pulled him off my couch." You've caused far to much drama for me to deal with.

"Hermione!" He yelped one last time as I pushed him towards the kitchen."Okay, okay, I'll do it, just stop being so darn bossy and pushy."

"I will the day I die." I whispered under my breath, smiling. Quickly I headed back in to the living room, not wanting to intrude on them, besides Harry is a grown man, he can deal with this kind of stuff.

I had no idea how long they talked in there for, I just continued to read Witch Weekly until the emerged from the kitchen, thankfully both alive and in one piece.

“Hermione! I'm a taken woman!” Ginny shouted gleefully.

“It's about darn time Harry.” I muttered to myself before speaking out loud.”Congratulations! I'm glad to see both of you came around, now can you shoo?”

“Of course Hermione, talk to you later I guess.” Harry laughed, I noticed that both of them were smiling, it was good to see my friends smiling again.

I sighed in relief as they left and returned to my mail, quite furious at the first one I had opened. This time I opened the one from St Mungo's. I nearly shrieked in excitement, I had gotten the job, but then I blanched when I found out that I was assigned as Blaise Zabini's assistant, I thought I was getting rid of him and Draco, I guess they are just unavoidable. It was like there was some sort of glistening tie that held us together, and that just sounded beyond creepy to me.

Leaving the flat I apparated to Diagon Alley, stopping at Florean's for a quick ice-cream, I then proceeded to Weasley's Wizard Weezes, George mentioned that he was having a half day today, so I decided to pick him up and take him to the Burrow, I had to tell the Weasley's what happened to Ron. Harry and Ginny would probably be there to let everyone in on the great news, I was so glad that they had finally become a couple again.

“Hermione! It's certainly pleasant to see you here, would you care for some love potions?” Lee asked jokingly, greeting me in his usual excited way, for the longest time it had been gone because of Fred's... Anyway, he was pretty much normal now.

“Yes, I'm having trouble with this frog, I think it'll turn in to a prince for me, but I can't seem to make it let me kiss it.” I joked in response, which shocked him, he was used to my norm nal glares, or sad, distant looks.

“Well, let's go see if we have any animal love potions.” Lee laughed suddenly and I couldn't help but join in.

“Actually, I was looking for George, he said that he had a half day today.” I told Lee as we made our way around the store. “But I wouldn't mind checking out the love potions.” I had some investigating to do.

“Why would you be checking out love potions, Ron giving you some trouble?” George appeared, and he seemed a little bit amused.

“Ah, the devil himself!” I laughed again. “And no, it's for a frog.”

“A, what?” George blinked at me confused.

“It's a muggle thing, thick-head.” I told him, and noticed out of the corner of my eye that Lee was slowly sneaking off.

“Oh, so what are you really doing here?” He nodded, not understanding me in the slightest.

“I came to pick you up, you mentioned that you have a half-day today, we're going to the Burrow today.” I told him, Lee had completely disappeared now.

“Well, then, I should grab my stuff, meet you at the Leaky Cauldron in say, ten minutes?” George suggested.

“Okay, see you then.” I waved cheerily and headed back towards the entrance to Diagon Alley, I happened to catch a glimpse of Pansy Parkinson and Luna Lovegood in a heated discussion. Curious I headed over towards them. “Hey Luna, what's going on here.” I did my best to ignore Pansy.

“Hello Hermione. She was just saying that nargles don't exist, and I was trying to explain to her about the many proofs that nargles do exist.” Luna smiled warmly at us both.

“Oh, how interesting.” I muttered, I still didn't believe all of Luna's inane stories. “Well um, Pansy, what's up?”

“Nothing really, I was just chatting with Draco yesterday.” I raised my eyebrows at her and felt something stir in my stomach. “You know, he's such a sweetheart, well, cya mudblood-bookworm Granger!”

“The nerve of that girl!” I heard someone behind me say. “I feel like following that little pureblooded witch and hexing her.”

“This isn't the Leaky Cauldron, George.” I turned to face him, a faint smile plastered on my face.

“No, I was on my way to meet you there though, I just noticed that horrid, spoiled brat and it looked like she might get nasty.” George shrugged.

“We're in a public place, she wouldn't dare.” I said, for some reason defending her.

“Parkinson might, she found out that you had been staying at Malfoy's and totally blew up on everyone near her, I heard this from Blaise when I had my last check up with him.” George took my arm and we began again, this time together, towards the Leaky Cauldron.

“She's still stalking him? That girl is downright desperate.” I shook my head in disbelief at Pansy Parkinson.

“Pretty much.” For some reason George seemed a little cheerier around me after I said that, I had no earthly idea why though.

When we arrived there we waved briefly at Tom and then flooed to the Burrow, as I had presumed, Harry and Ginny were the centre of attention.

“George, did you hear! Harry asked me out, and I said YES!” Ginny gave her brother a pouncing hug and I jumped out of the way. “I was so glad when he did!”

“If he hurts you again, you I'll-” I quickly cut George off.

“Sorry to interrupt all this happiness, but I have some news that I think is pretty important.” All eyes on me. “Ron sent me a letter saying that he was injured, he's been admitted to the National German Hospital, or for short, N.G.H.” They all gasped in shock.

“Oh, you poor soul!'” Molly gasped.

“Hermione.. Ron.. WHAT?!” Percy's eyes grew wider and wider.

“Poor. poor darling, you must be taking this is extremely hard, is their anything I could possible do for you dear-heart?” Fleur muttered in her French accent, it was strange to see the used to be stuck up veela offering me her help.

“Oh my GOSH! I'll kill him!” Ginny shouted.

“I hope he's okay.” George said to himself.

“What happened?” Harry demanded.

“What in the name of bloody Merlin happened?” Bill ignored the fact that both Percy and Samuel were there.

“I want to know what did actually happen, is it life threatening?” Charlie echoed his older brother and Harry.

“Oh my goodness, I hope he's okay.” Penelope muttered.

“My son, is he aright dear?” Arthur sounded a bit hollow.

I could tell that everyone was scared to lose Ron again, I was as well, but I couldn't say more then anyone. “He'll be fine, just got hit badly with a sickness at the same time as suffering from a curse to his head, but he said he'd be okay.” And after that everyone wanted to see the letter, I felt terrible for intruding on Harry's and Ginny's happy moment, everyone's happy moment actually, and bringing such grave news.

“Hey, Hermione, he'll be okay, you know that.” Harry walked over to me and put a protective arm around my shoulder, giving me an encouraging grin.

“Yea.” I managed to weakly return the smile. “Um, you know what, I should be leaving. Congratulations though Harry!”

“If your sure Hermione, take care.” Harry called after me.

“And please do let the Weasley's know that I left, of course, and they can obviously keep the letter.” For some reason I didn't find myself to attached to that letter, it was strange. But I didn't give much thought to it as I apparated away, back to my flat. It was empty, obviously, and there was still broken glass and orange juice on the ground, wish a quick wave of my wand they all disappeared, the glass in to the garbage and the orange juice down the sink. Magic made everything so much easier.

I noticed another owl at the window, opening it I accepted the letter from it, but before I could offer it anything, the owl flew off, the letter, was another one from Ron, surprisingly, he was never one to write this much.

Dear Hermione,

I have experienced something, that has messed my mind up about a great many decisions, and, I would rather not put all that has happened to me recently in the letter, it just would not be right at all. I miss you a great deal, and I should hopefully be home within a month, hopefully you await my return. Have you heard from any of my family recently? Especially Ginny and Harry, I was wondering what has happened between them while I was gone, I know they haven't murdered each other, that would have been in the news.

Congratulations on getting a job at St. Mungo's, that is a pretty high up job, but I always knew you could get pretty much any job you wanted, you still are really, really smart. How has George been doing with the shop? And I heard that Charlie has moved back to Britain, is that true? Oh, I heard that Luna and Neville have been going together for some time, has Neville proposed yet? I heard that Luna wanted him to.

Well, I should hopefully see you soon, and I am now repeating myself. Hopefully you will understand all my reasoning’s for my change in things when I return.

Ron.

The letter was really confusing, it hardly made any sense. What did he mean by that he had changed is mind about things, what thing, why couldn't he just tell me in the letter? I groaned loudly to myself then put the letter back into it's envelope, before heading back into the kitchen to make myself some much wanted lunch...

*Gotta be Somebody – Nickleback, I own nothing about or with these lyrics
**Back to December – Taylor Swift, I own nothing about or with these lyrics