“Where are you two off too?” Ron and Harry heard Mad Eye bellow across the main office.
“LUNCH!!” They screamed back across the noisy room.
“Pick me up something!” He now had nearly cracked the walls.
“Sure thing.” Harry yelled as he waved and walked on out the door marked Ministry of Magic - Defense Dept. - Aurors.
“So…where to?” Harry questioned Ron.
“Magical Creatures Dept.” Ron replied thinking he might catch Hermione there.
Harry looked a bit confused. “Didn’t Hermione say she would be out of the office today?”
“Yeah, I’m hoping to catch her. Besides I still haven’t seen were she works.” He really was missing her, he just didn’t want to get to sentimental in front of Harry. Two weeks just hadn’t been enough time to catch up on five years.
They came to a door marked Ministry of Magic - Magical Creatures Dept. - Advocates. Ron pushed open the door and he and Harry continued into the room full of house elves.
“Hello sirs, how may Buster help you today?” The house elf seemed very excited to have them.
Ron looked at Harry giving him that quizzical look by cocking one eyebrow. “I can’t believe it Harry. Hermione has all these house elves working here.”
Harry looked just as confused but addressed the house elf. “Buster, is it?”
The house elf shook his head. “Yes sir.”
The house elf noticed the Auror badges on their robes. “Oh what a special day this is being. Aurors come to visit us!”
“We’re here to see Hermione Granger.” He noticed other house elves racing about with stacks of folders and others with tea trays.
“Oh, pardon me sir, but Miss Granger isn’t being working in this office. She stops by time to time sirs, but she has an office outside this office.”
“Really?” Ron was now thoroughly confused . “Can you tell us where then?”
“Oh, Buster’s being sorry, but Miss Granger doesn’t tell us where that would be sirs.” The house elf was shaking his head violently to ensure that they knew what he meant. “The wonderful Minister, Mr. Weasley, just hired us when no one else would. He even pays us, but we don’t take no mores than we needs sirs. Only a galleon a week.” The Minister then made me take a whole week off, but I refused the galleon, I did.” Looking proud as a stood up straighter.
Ron turned to the door, he was beyond confused, he was absolutely baffled.
Harry quickly said thank you to the house elf before sprinting after Ron.
“What’s she hiding Harry?” Was all he could say.
Ron didn’t even eat lunch, he went back to the office while Harry picked up something and brought it back to the office for Mad Eye and himself. He felt horrible. Why would Hermione lie to Ron? What could make her hide all this from both of them. Then he thought, did Ginny know?
*******
“Oh, Mrs. Weasley that smells wonderful.” Hermione exclaimed to her as she walked into the kitchen.
“Thank you dear.” She smiled at her future daughter-in-law.
“Hermione dear, can we talk…..I mean really talk?” She looked worried about something.
“Yes” Hermione pulled up a chair.
Mrs. Weasley pulled one up beside her. “When are you going to tell Ron about your job? You can’t put if of any longer. He’s going to get suspicious you not wanting him to come to the Ministry Offices.”
“I know.” Hermione now looked even more worried than Mrs. Weasley. “I’m just scared…scared of what he’ll think of say.”
Mrs. Weasley took her hand. “He loves you - Give him a little more credit, He’ll understand.” Just then they heard a crash--- He was home.
Harry and Ron walked into the kitchen.
“Ron” Hermone jumped to hug him, but he turned and walked the long way around the table. He opened the refrigerator and pulled out a fire whiskey, popped it open and headed back to the lounge.
Hermione’s eyes wide, she looked at Harry.
“He knows you haven’t been at the Ministry office.” That’s all he could say.
“Oh no.” She fell back into the seat.
“What is going on?” Harry demanded.
She shook her head trying to think straight. “I’ve got to talk to him.”
“You’re damn right you do!” Harry now yelled.
Mrs. Weasley took Harry’s arm. “Harry, we need to talk outside”
Hermione now knew she had to tell Ron everything. She took a deep breath and walked into the next room.
“Ron” she began.
“Hermione, What’s going on!” He held it in long enough.
Hermione’s face was melancholy, no expression. She looked as though every ounce of blood was gone from her body. She walked over and stopped in front of him. And held out her hand.
“What!?” he yelled.
She calmly said, “Please! Take my hand.”
He reached up and grabbed her hand and she pulled for him to stand. She led him upstairs.
“What is going on?” He stuttered.
“Just come with me a listen.” Was all she said.
They came to the fifth floor and a door leading to the attic. She opened it to walk up the narrow staircase.
“Why are we going to the attic?” He asked.
She didn’t answer. When they came to the top she turned and took another deep breath. “Ron, no matter how mad you may be, I need you to promise to let me completely finish what I have to say.” She waited for his answer.
Ron thought for a moment. This was Hermione, he had to listen. “Promise.”
She continued through the door and with a wave of her wand the lights flickered on around the room. Ron looked around, amazed, but didn’t speak. He promised.
“Ron, I have worried about this moment for five years.” She peered out the window, watching Mrs. Weasley and Harry, wondering how much he now knew. “When you left I was a mess. Happy, Scared, Worried. You were all I had left and you had gone.” She felt tears forming in her eyes. Everything was starting to blur. She swallowed hard, and continued. “I was making myself sick. I couldn’t eat or sleep. Your family took great care of me.” She looked around, pointing. “Your dad agreed to allow me to make this my office. I worked a lot trying to keep myself busy, but I remained sick. They all tried everything,” She looked at him. He had a single tear on his cheek.
“Why didn’t…” He started.
“Ron, I wouldn’t have it. They tried to persuade me to let them send for you, but I thought of the people that needed you and Harry to be Aurors to protect them. In memory of Mom and Dad.”
Ron felt as though he may choke. He walked over and took her into his arms.
“I always wanted you to have your dream. Not to live in the shadows of the other Weasley’s.” She walked to her desk and picked up a frame from her desk to hand to him.
Ron took it, but couldn’t take his eyes off of her. He wished he had known. He would have come back.
“Look.” She simply said, pointing to the frame.
Ron looked down to the frame blinking back the tears so he could see. In bold print he read.
Certificate of Birth---Rosemary Jane Granger Weasley
Mother --- Hermione Jane Granger
Father ---- Ronald Bilius Weasley
He blinked even harder and read over the words again. He stood with his mouth open trying to find the words to speak.
“That’s why I was so sick.” Hermione said, obviously scared. “Once we found out they really tried getting you back, but like I said I wanted you to finish. We all needed you know. SHE needed you to be able to protect her.” She didn’t know what else to say. “I will understand if you hate me.” She tried to walk tot eh door to leave him alone to think. “I’m sorry is has taken me this ling to tell you. I have been terrified of what you would say…of what you would do.”
“Hermione!”
She stopped but didn’t turn. She felt his hands on her shoulders.
Ron spun he around, hugging her as tight as he could. He then managed to speak again. “She’s really ours?”
“Yeah,” she said “she is.”
He was now speechless but he managed. “I love you.”
She busted out loud, crying. “Ron…I love you too.”
A/N There you go!! I have recieved more e-mail from a boatload of people wanting to know what was the big secret about. Some of you come very close to getting it. I don't see how JKR keeps her secrets. LOL It is so HARD! Hope you all enjoyed this chapter and review ot let me know what you think. Thanks to all of you that have contacted me and supported my story. I appreciate it all.