Ginny shook her head. She had no idea where she had seen that man before. Sure it was Harry, but the potion version of him looked really familiar. She shut the flat door and turned around. Ron was standing in the hallway towards her right. Ginny smiled.
“Hi, Ron,” she said cheerfully. Ron nodded and continued to stand there watching. Ginny tilted her head a bit questioningly. “You okay?” Ron nodded.
“Oh-kay,” she said sliding onto the couch. It was such a comfortable couch; she closed her eyes for a moment to let the full effect of the couch wash over her. She smiled to herself. She had forgotten how much she missed this place. There was a creak in the floorboard beside her. She opened her eyes and saw Ron standing over her, dressed in all black. “Ron?” He didn’t say anything. “You’re really starting to scare me; can you back off and tell me what’s going on?”
He didn’t say anything for a moment, and then he reached behind him and pulled out his wand. “Ron, what are you doing?” Ginny said, sliding her hand down her side to grip her wand, only to discover it was gone. “Where’d my wand go, Ron?” He stood silently, staring straight ahead. Ginny shifted uncomfortably. “Look Ron, sit down, talk to me. I’m your sister remember?” She said trying to coax him out of whatever crazy idea he had in his head.
He stood silently for another moment before sitting down on the couch. Ginny let out a sigh of relief and sat up to look at him. He had dark bags under his eyes, and looked flat out miserable. “What’s wrong?”
“I think Hermione is seeing someone else,” Ron whined, putting his face in his hands. Ginny didn’t know what to say. She couldn’t believe he was this broken up over Hermione leaving.
“She isn’t, don’t worry,” Ginny lied.
“I know you’re lying, Gin, don’t bother. I just want to know who,” Ron replied. “You don’t have to worry about me. Once I know who it is, I’ll leave her alone. I just can’t believe she’s really gone.” Ginny reached over and hugged her brother.
“Ron, it will be okay. She says it’s nothing permanent. She’ll be back to you in no time. Just give her the space she needs, and everything will be fine,” Ginny replied. She had wanted to believe this was true because Hermione had said it. But Ginny knew better, Hermione was lying. Hermione had fallen for this new man, and she may never go back to Ron.
Ron shook his head, “I just don’t know anymore, Gin.”
Ginny wished there was some way she could comfort her big brother, but there wasn’t anything that could be said. They sat side by side in silence for awhile. Finally Ron sighed and turned to Ginny. “I know she’s going out tonight, I want to see where she’s going, and who she’s going with.”
“No, Ron, you can’t,” Ginny said sternly.
“I have to,” he replied, turning his wand in his hand.
“Please, Ron, stay. We could go have dinner together. It could be loads of fun,” Ginny said.
Ron shook his head and stood up. He began walking towards the door. Ginny jumped up and ran after him. Ron spun on his heel and pointed his wand a Ginny. “Don’t make me,” he warned.
“I can’t let you go Ron,” she replied not backing down. She had to stop him. Harry was right, something was wrong with Ron.
“I’m warning you, I don’t want to do it but I will,” he said, his voice shaking with anger. Hermione hadn’t just hurt him when she left, she broke him. There didn’t seem to be anything left of the original Ron, he was just shattered and confused.
“Ron, come on, calm down. I’ll talk to her, I’m sure she’ll come back if she knows how bad you’re hurting,” Ginny replied. She couldn’t think of anything that would make him change his mind, but she was going to stall him as long as she could. She took a step toward him.
“Don’t,” he hissed. Ginny stopped mid-step. He wouldn’t, would he? She slowly eased forward again. “Stupefy!” Ginny fell to the ground, motionless. Ron turned around, opened the door and stormed out. Ron raced across the city and reached Hermione’s apartment just as she was leaving. She looked so beautiful. Ron couldn’t help himself, he missed her so much. He raced towards her.
“HERMIONE!” She stopped dead in her tracks. Ron reached her a moment later.
“What Ron?” Hermione said, obviously annoyed.
“Where are you going?” He asked.
“Out. Why are you even here?” Hermione asked.
“I just wanted to see you that’s all,” he replied sheepishly.
“Look, we broke up. I just need some time. I’ll talk to you later. I have some where to be,” she said turning away from him. He grabbed her arm and stopped her. She turned back to him, fire in her eyes.
“Who is he?” Ron asked, angrily.
“Who are you talking about?” Hermione replied, trying not to be frightened by his knowledge of her personal life.
“The man you’re dating,” Ron replied.
“Ron, you’re being silly. I’m not seeing anyone,” Hermione lied. She was trying to keep herself calm, Ron wasn’t being himself.
“I know you are. I just want to know who, that’s all,” Ron replied, trying to keep his voice low as a couple passed them.
“I have to go now Ron, please let me go,” Hermione replied. Ron stared at her for a moment then released her. She turned around and began to walk. She turned around to see him standing there looking dejected. She picked up her pace just in case he decided to follow her. Ron watched for a moment, once he was sure she wasn’t going to turn around again he started after her. He kept off to the side so she wouldn’t see him. She was a ways off, but Ron was able to keep pace for awhile. He watched as she reached into her pocket and pull something out. She rounded the corner. Ron picked up his pace but when he got to the new street she was gone. The only person on the road was a blonde woman, who stopped in front of a restaurant. She was meeting her boyfriend as far as Ron could tell. But there was no sign of Hermione.
He sighed and decided she must be in one of the restaurants or shops. He began to search each one, but he couldn’t find her. Finally after checking each place several times, he slid into a side alley and decided to wait to see if she would emerge on her own. An hour or two passed before the blonde and her boyfriend came out of the restaurant. Ron noticed that the man was Harry, only under the Polyjuice potion still. So that’s who he was dating. Ron admired Harry’s girlfriend for a moment. Since he couldn’t find Hermione, perhaps he would catch up with them and see what they were up to. Ron raced forward and flung his arm around Harry’s neck.
“Hiya, Ha-Will,” Ron said nudging Harry in the side. “Ronald Weasley, Will’s best friend,” Ron said reaching out his hand toward the attractive blonde.
“Ron, this is Lizzy,” Harry said, his voice tense.
“Lizzy, what a gorgeous name, very fitting,” Ron said smirking at her. She shuttered slightly. “Listen, Will, have you seen ‘Mione anywhere?” Harry shook his head.
“Mione?” Lizzy asked questioningly.
“She’s another good friend of mine, her full name is Hermione,” Harry replied. Lizzy stared blankly back at him waiting for more. “We went to school together; I’ve known her since I was eleven.” Lizzy nodded.
“Well I’m going to go see if I can find her anywhere. See you Will,” Ron nodded, tapped Harry on the back before he left. He stopped turned back to Lizzy, “it was very nice to meet you.” He smiled at her and headed the opposite way down the street.
Across town Ginny woke with a splitting headache. There was no reason for him to have stunned her. She rubbed her temples and clenched her eyes shut as her head throbbed. Suddenly, as if the clouds had cleared, Ginny knew exactly where she knew Harry from. She gasped, from both the realization and a particularly nasty throb. Harry wasn’t just someone she had seen on the street. They had met when he was like that. Probably the first night he was like that. She had introduced Hermione to him. He was Will Darcy. The man Hermione was falling in love with.
Only a few moments later, Ron stumbled through the door. He stopped in the doorway when he saw that Ginny was awake. He smiled awkwardly and began to tip-toe past her, as if she hadn’t seen him.
“You can stop that now!” Ginny snapped. Ron stopped and turned around.
“Hey, I’m still the one with the wand here,” he shot back.
“Which is fine because I’d rather kill you with my bare hands anyway,” she said vehemently. Ron gulped.
“Hey, you brought it on yourself, I warned you,” he replied, as he stepped back a bit. Ginny hoisted herself off the floor and crossed toward him. Ron was too stunned to pull out his wand. Ginny pushed him against the wall.
“You’re such an arse,” she hissed, “and if you weren’t my brother, I would really kill you. You’re really lucky Mum would have fit if you died, but don’t think you are getting away with this.” She backed away just as Harry entered the apartment. He was no longer under the Polyjuice potion.
“What the hell is your problem?” Harry yelled.
“I don’t have a problem; he stunned me, after stealing my wand. Yell at him,” Ginny snapped.
“I was,” Harry replied.
“Oh no, he found you?” Ginny asked. If he had found Harry then he must have found Hermione.
“Oh yes, he found me,” Harry replied. “Not only did he find me, he had the bright idea to come and talk to me while I was on my date. Thanks to you, the night ended early. She got all distant after you left and said she wasn’t feeling well. She wouldn’t even let me walk her back to where she was staying!” Ron stayed against the wall, hoping Harry wouldn’t punch him if he didn’t act like a threat.
Ginny’s mind was racing; Ron couldn’t know it was Hermione Harry was on a date with. Did Harry even know? By the way he was talking, Ginny guessed Harry had know clue he know he was dating Hermione. “Well, I’m going to, uhh, go.”
“Goodnight, Gin, thanks for trying,” Harry said. He kissed her on the cheek before she slid out the door. Ginny continued down the hallway, she could still hear Harry bellowing at Ron when she reached the stairs.
Ginny raced home as fast as possible. When she opened the flat door, as expected, Hermione was sitting on the couch. “Hermione, I have to tell you something,” Ginny said urgently.
“Hm?” Hermione replied not looking up from her glass of wine.
“Will isn’t who you think he is,” Ginny said quickly. Hermione turned to face Ginny, her face relatively relaxed. Ginny looked at her puzzled at her reaction. Shouldn’t she be shocked or angry?
“I know,” Hermione began. She turned back from Ginny, “it’s Harry.”