Chapter 13 â“ The Gathering Storm
Hermione pulled her hair up and fanned her damp neck with her free hand. The weather had changed from pleasantly warm to oppressive. Slate-colored clouds gathered along the horizon and the air was heavy with condensation. As Hermione watched from her vantage point under the big maple, a grayish mist insinuated itself into the nooks and crannies of the empty pavilions, clinging like something dying to the Burrowâs porch railing.
What a difference a day makes, she thought. Yesterday morning, this same mist seemed to glow with promise, sheathing the delights of the wedding to come. Now, twenty four hours later, the white miasma seemed ominous, hiding dangerous things just out of view.
The Burrow was sleeping off its wedding revelry, but Hermione had given up on rest a few hours ago. Despite what she had said to Ginny the morning before, her brain couldnât help revisiting Percyâs sudden return and, more specifically, his warning from two nights ago. There had, of course, been a few minutes last night where everything was forgotten, and Hermione had been lost in the blissful present moment. She still wasnât sure she believed it â“ had Ron really kissed her or had it been a particularly vivid daydream?
The wet grass whispered as someone made their way across the law. Ron appeared, looking solid and real, and not remotely like a vision or dream. His hair was uncombed and his eyes were still sleep-puffed.
âMorning,â he grunted, sat down, and sprawled his head across her lap. He grinned as he looked up at her. âOh, here,â he handed her some toast wrapped in a napkin, âI thought thisâd be safer than pancakes.â He seemed very cozy where he was and put his hand on her leg. What a difference a day makes, Hermione thought again, but this time it made her smile.
âThanks,â she mumbled around a mouthful of bread. Several bits of toast dropped and dusted Ronâs cheeks.
âCute, Hermione â“ very sexy,â Ron said, brushing his face off. âThatâs probably why I couldnât help myself last night, youâre just so irresistible. It actually was a toss up between you and Hagrid, I couldnât decide who was more delicate and feminine, but in the end â“â
âShut up, Ronald,â Hermione placed her hand on his face. It felt so good to be able to just touch him, whenever she wanted to. So much was changing, big and small, all around her, but she looked at him and got the craziest sense of coming home. It just felt right.
âYes, maâam,â he said humbly, propped himself up, and kissed her. She dropped her toast and put her hands in his hair. The stopped to breathe and grinned goofily at each other.
âWow,â he said, settling himself back in her lap, âWowie. Totally worth losing shepherdâs pie and treacle tart and roast potatoes and â“â
âCan I join you two, or am I interrupting?â Harry stood on one side of them, hands in his pocket. Speaking of changes, Hermione knew that the dynamic between the three of them was going to be different. But she didnât worry about it. They all loved each other too much to let anything get in the way of their friendship. Besides, there were more important things to discussâŚ
âWell, actually, mate, you are interrupting a terribly romantic moment here,â Ron started, âI was just staring up Hermioneâs nostrils while she dropped toast all over my face.â They all laughed, and Hermione knew then and there it was all going to be fine with the three of them. Harry settled himself in the grass across from Hermione and Ron sat up.
âSo,â Harry began.
âSo,â she and Ron echoed.
Harry looked at Ron. âPercy.â
âYeah,â he sighed. âPercy. Iâm prejudiced here, I know it. I wantâŚI want to think that as much of a prat as heâs been in the past few years, heâs being sincere now. Percyâs never been my favorite brother, but heâs family, you know? I guess itâs hard for me to look at this as anything but positive â“ not that the Ministry knows what weâre doing, or having us followed, but that Percy came to his senses and did the right thing. Mumâs never been happier.â Ron scrubbed his hands over his face, seemed at a loss to continue.
Hermione glanced over at Harry. She knew his feelings were similar to Ronâs â“ but then, Harry really was a more trusting, less-suspicious person than she. He almost always did the right thing and just anticipated the right thing from others. Thatâs why he was such a great friend, and one of the things she admired the most about him. Even after all heâd been through, he could still think the best of almost everyone. Almost. Snape, her mind whispered. Something about that, a small detail, a tiny idea danced just outside her grasp, but she lost it. She shook her head to clear it. If it was important, itâd come back to her. Both of the boys were staring at her, waiting for her analysis of the situation.
âOk, this is how I see it. As I mentioned to Harry the night of the rehearsal dinner, Percyâs not about to make my favorites list any time soon. We have a decision to make here â“ do we trust him? Or do we still think his loyalty lies with the Ministry? And even then, thereâs no real easy answer. Maybe we can trust Percy, but maybe heâs being fed misinformation by Scrimgeour or someone else high up,â Hermione pounded her fist on the ground. âDonât you guys see? I canât explain this one â“ Harry, unless Iâm wrong, you only mentioned going to Godricâs Hollow to me and Ron right after Dumbledoreâs funeral, right? Just after the Minister walked away?â Harry nodded, and Hermione chewed on her lip, thinking, âI donât know how they know, because Hogwarts is protected from all Muggle listening devices and most known magical ones. ButâŚbut, I canât say for sure. Perhaps Dumbledoreâs death weakened the charms on the school, just for a brief time? Or, god, I donât know, were any of the three of us really paying attention? Couldnât someone clever who really wanted to overhear our conversation, have done so in the confusion and grief of the funeral?â She paused, continued, âWe have to go to the only source we have.â And itâs not âweâ, itâs Ron. Thatâs the only way this might work.
âPercy,â both of the boys said together.
âYes, but I was thinking â“â
âI need to do it alone, right?â Ron had an unreadable expression on his face. He turned to her. She nodded. âYouâre right. Heâll be more likely to tell me the truth, âcause Iâm family, thatâs what youâre thinking? What dâyou reckon, Harry?â
âI think sheâs got a point. JustâŚâ Harry trailed off, caught Hermioneâs eye. âRon, look, mate, I know this is touchy territory, but if the conversation doesnât go as planned, or he starts insulting people, donât, you know â“â
âPunch him in the face?â Ron finished. âNah, Iâll leave that to Hermione, sheâs got a mean left hook.â The other two laughed. âActually, I think I heard him puttering around his old room when I left the house a few minutes ago. Now is as good a time to talk to him as any,â and with that he pushed himself off the ground and slouched towards the house.
âWhat are we going to do, Hermione? Either way, weâre going to have to regroup. The plan was to hit Godricâs Hollow first. Thatâs not going to fly, regardless. We need a new plan, a new way to approach this. Dammit! Nothingâs ever simple, is it?â Harry shook his head.
Hermione shook her head and gazed at the thunderheads in the distance. They were going to have to approach their quest differently than theyâd thought. And if she wasnât mistaken, dark times were heading their way.
The Time is Now by Hermione816
Chapter Notes: The wedding decorations are hardly down when the Trio gets to work - getting ready for their quest, and finding out what Percy knows.