Iuga Sortis (Bound By Destiny)

Eight

"Ronald Alan Weasley! You get back here this instant!"

Ron cringed at the sound of his name, his ears turning red. How dare she call him out like that in the middle of the common room?--only his mother ever called him by his full name! First, his sister started a row with him, eventually storming out, and now this. Everyone else immediately quieted again, prepared to see one of the now-famous rows of Hermione and Ron.

"Bloody hell, woman! What are you going on about?" he asked, turning from the portrait door.

"Don't you dare follow Ginny! It's none of your business where she's going or who she's going to see!" she snarled.

Ron was indignant. "She's my bloody sister! If it isn't anyone's business, it's not yours! I bloody well have the right to know where she's going!"

"Here, here!" George piped up from his position on the couch. Hermione glared at him.

"She'd better not be going to see that bloke Corner . . ." Ron muttered, ready to walk out again. A hand grabbed his arm and stayed him.

"Leave. Her. Alone."

Ron whirled around, and his breath hitched. Her brown eyes were blazing, and her bushy hair was wild around her face. Her cheeks were rosy from anger, and she was tight-lipped in frustration.

Ron had never seen such a beautiful sight.

"I. Don't. Have to!" he snarled back, trying not to let her beauty distract him.

Hermione huffed, throwing up her hands before crossing them before her. "She's fourteen years old, Ron! She doesn't need you following her around! Just let her be!"

"She's been going off like this for the past week to Merlin-Knows-Where! I have a right to be concerned!" Ron bellowed.

Hermione put her hands on her hips, ready for another rejoinder.

"Ron, you should really pull the stick out of your girlfriend's arse," Fred said. Both Ron and Hermione blushed at his comment.

"She's not my girlfriend," Ron mumbled.

"You leave them alone! This does not concern you!" Angelina yelled at Fred from across the room.

"Bloody hell it doesn't! She's my sister, as well, and I back Ron one hundred percent!"

"Thanks, mate," Ron said, having controlled his blush.

"You didn't even know about Michael Corner until I told you about him, and now you want to act like you care?" Hermione asked. "You have some nerve."

Ron was insulted by that comment but couldn't deny what she'd said. "Why do you care? She's not even your sister!"

"That may be, but I act more like her sibling than you do!" Hermione yelled.

Now, Ron was hurt. He glared at her, walking close until he bent down and they were nose to nose. "You know, ever since you got that prefect's badge, you've been nothing but a nag! You keep telling people what to do; you're even worse than when we were in first year!" he exclaimed. Hermione's eyes widened at that, filling with tears, but Ron was too far to gone care. "So why don't you do me and mine a favor--stay out of it!"

Hermione jerked back as though she'd been slapped. She bit her lip and ran out of the common room through the portrait. The entire room was dead silent for a moment, staring at the redheaded prefect in shock. Ron looked around the room in anger.

"WHAT ARE YOU STARING AT?! SHOW'S OVER!"

The room quickly went back to normal, some students still stealing glances his way.

"Bang up job, Ron; now you've gone and made her cry," George said, shaking his head in disappointment.

Ron looked scandalized. "You were agreeing with me!"

"That didn't mean you had to go and make her cry. You've got some serious damage control ahead of you," said Fred, looking at the portrait hole where Hermione fled. He spotted Angelina walking out of it. "Oi, Angel! Where are you going?"

"I don't have to tell you. I'm not your sister," she said venomously without turning.

Fred immediately turned to Ron and glared at him.

"I didn't do anything!" Ron said in defense.

"You got me in trouble with Angel, stickin' up for you," Fred growled.

"Seems to me like both of you have damage control to do," George said cheekily.

"Shut it!" Fred and Ron yelled.

"Big brother, little brother, let me give you some advice," George said, curling a finger at Ron. Ron reluctantly went to him and sat on the other side of George on the couch; their heads bent together, almost touching. "Here's what you should do." George gave a pregnant pause, leaving the brothers in suspense.

"C'mon! Out with it!"

"Yeah, George! We don't have all day!"

George grinned. "I don't think you boys are up to the challenge. You have to be men."

George determined.

Ron and Fred looked at each other, aghast.

"We're men!" Fred said, puffing out his chest.

Ron and George snickered.

"Right you are, Fred, a fine specimen, I think," George agreed.

"Good show," said Fred.

"Spit it out, George!" Ron groaned.

"Sorry, Ron," George apologized. "Anyway, what you two should do is . . . ." He dragged it out, leaving Fred and Ron at the edge of their seats.

"What? What?"

"Apologize."

Ron and Fred looked at George, horrified.

"You're off your rocker," Ron said finally, plopping his back against the couch.

"Way off. I'd sooner kiss Malfoy."

"Either way, you'd get some action, though I daresay Angelina's much more the looker."

Fred slapped his brother in the back of his head.

"She started it," Ron pouted, referring to Hermione.

"And you can end it. Be a man, Ron. It's the only way to get back into her good graces," George warned.

"I'll think about it."

"You do that," George said as he stood. "Now if you two don't mind, I'm off on a date, you know, to 'get into' Alicia's good graces." George winked, and the brothers couldn't help but smirk at the double entendre. "Ta-ta."

"Cheeky bastard," Ron muttered as George left.

"More like lucky bastard," Fred amended. They laughed, then immediately sobered.

"I reckon he's right," Ron finally admitted, crossing his arms in front of him.

"I reckon he is," said Fred, "but then again, he's always been the voice of reason between us two."

Ron snorted. "Like that's saying much!"

Fred ruffled Ron's hair, much to Ron's displeasure. "Luckily for you, you don't have to endure Quidditch practice with a best mate who's the captain and mad at you."

"But my best mate is the cleverest witch in the class and helps me pass my assignments." The two were quiet for a moment. "We're pathetic," Ron announced with a bit of a chuckle.

"Speak for yourself, Ronniekins," Fred said, but a grin formed on his face anyway.

"Have you admitted it to yourself yet?" Ron asked.

"What?"

"That you like Angelina?"

Fred raised his eyebrows at him. "At least I asked my crush to the Yule Ball last year and didn't have to sulk about her being with someone else!"

Ron's ears went a lovely shade of red. "Lot o' good it did you, seeing as you two are right back at square one," Ron pointed out.

Fred didn't have a retort for that, scowling as he reclined against the back of the couch. "Well, all I know is I have to fix this before practice tomorrow, or she'll make it hell," Fred finally said.

Ron shuddered at the thought. "Please do; I don't think I can take an angry Angelina throwing Quaffles at me. You might have to look for another Keeper!" Ron half-joked.

Fred laughed and stood, bringing Ron with him as he wrapped his arm around Ron's shoulder in a brotherly gesture. "Come, Ronniekins, we've got some apologizing to do!"

"Hermione! Hermione, wait up!"

Hermione slowed her pace as she heard her name called, turning back to see Angelina chase after her. The older girl slowed her canter and fell in step next to the fifth year, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"They are gits," Angelina said without preamble.

Hermione smirked in spite of herself. "I know."

"Doesn't mean we don't like them, does it?"

Hermione's face crumpled again, her eyes filling with tears. "Why does he make me feel this way?"

"Like a bunch of hippogriffs were let loose in your stomach?" Angelina suggested. Hermione gave a half-smile and nodded. "Because he bloody can. What bothers you more--that he does, or that he doesn't know he does?" Hermione's steps faltered at that, having realized she never thought of the distinction before then. Angelina smiled kindly at her. "You don't have to answer that. Just something to think about, hmm?" They walked in silence for a few minutes, not really knowing where they were going. "So where were you off to?"

Hermione shrugged. "The library, I guess. I tend to go there whenever I'm upset. All I need is a book, and that generally calms me down."

Angelina frowned. "Don't you have any girlfriends to talk to? You don't talk to Ginny?"

"Yeah, but I feel weird discussing her brother with her, you know?" Hermione said, making a face.

Angelina laughed a bit, then looked serious, almost unsure. "I know we're not all that close, but if you ever want to talk to me, I'm here," Angelina offered.

Hermione smiled. "I'd like that."

Angelina grinned, squeezing her shoulders. They rounded the corner and entered the library, seeing it relatively empty--it was a Friday night, after all. They weaved their way through the tables, looking for a table where they wouldn't be interrupted.

"Hermione! Angelina? What are you doing here?"

The two women turned towards the stage whisper and spotted Ginny with a younger girl Hermione vaguely remembered.

"Is this the person you've been meeting all this time?" Angelina asked on a laugh as she sat down next to the younger girl. Ginny nodded, and they laughed, while Hermione felt like the odd woman out--as usual.

"Look, I'm going to go ahead and--"

"Sit right in that chair," Ginny finished for her, knowing Hermione was about to flee. Hermione looked shy at Ginny's apt reading of her mood and sat down.

"You don't mind?" Hermione asked, looking at the Slytherin.

"Not at all. You must be Hermione. I'm Nia." She held out her hand.

It was then Hermione recognized her, and she gave a smirk. "Oh yeah, Roberts, if I remember correctly," she said as she shook Nia's hand.

Nia grinned. "That'd be me."

"How goes it, coz?" Angelina asked, resting her elbows on the table.

"Just here listening to Gin tear in on her brother."

Hermione's face fell, and Ginny noticed. "Oh Merlin, what did my prat of a brother do now?"

Hermione sighed wearily. "He said, in no uncertain terms, to stay out of his life." She felt tears start up in her eyes again.

"It wasn't quite that harsh, but it was rather nasty all the same," Angelina reiterated.

The redhead's ire was not assuaged. "Stupid git!" She made to get up, but Nia pulled her back down.

"Where do you think you're going? You can't just go barging in there, demanding your brother's head," Nia said wisely.

"Why the hell not!?"

Angelina and Nia laughed; even Hermione squeaked out a smile.

"Good question," Hermione muttered.

Ginny grinned. "I've always told you my brother was a prat, but you had to go and fall in love with him."

Hermione's mouth dropped open in shock. "I am not--"

"Yes, you are," Ginny said, mightily pleased with herself. The cousins snickered, watching the interaction between the two friends. Ginny heard and rounded on Angelina. "I don't know what you're laughing about; you're in love with Fred!"

Angelina stopped laughing then, and Hermione chuckled.

"I gather it is not as funny when the joke's on you now is it?" Hermione said cheekily.

Angelina made a face at her, though tempered it with a smirk.

"These Weasleys must be workin' with some special sauce!" Nia teased.

"Blech, these are my brothers we're talking about!"

"Nope, you too, considering a certain Slytherin Seeker wants to 'catch you' . . .and you want to be caught."

The other girls' looks of intrigue turned into shock.

"Malfoy!" Hermione hissed. "You fancy Malfoy?"

"Bugger, Hermione! Keep your voice down!" Ginny admonished.

Angelina just grinned. "Well, he's definitely a sexy one . . . if he was a few years older, I would be his 'Snitch' to seek!"

The three younger girls looked at her, wide-eyed.

"I can't believe you just said that! Fred would go nutters if he heard you say such things!" Ginny said, scandalized.

"Good thing he's not here then, isn't it? As it is, he has a rather nasty hex awaiting him."

"Besides, I think he'd be more surprised at you, seeing as you're his sister, Ginny," Hermione said scathingly.

"Not by choice, mind you."

Nia looked at the three Gryffindors with great interest. "So what do y'all plan to do about it?"

They looked at each other, then Ginny grinned.

"Make them sweat."