The Consequences of Alcohol and Depression

Chapter 3: The Burrow

Sunday, Hermione and Ginny Flooed to the Burrow, arriving a while before lunch was to be served.

"Hello, girls!" Molly said, pulling both of them into hugs.

"Hi, Mum," Ginny said, "Is Harry here yet?"

"Yes," she replied, "He, your father, Ron, Draco, and Charlie are all out back."

"Can I help with anything?" Hermione asked.

"Oh, no dear, you just go relax with the boys," Molly said, ushering her outside.

"Hey guys!" she called as she stepped out onto the patio. Ron, Draco, and Arthur all waved, looking up briefly from Arthur's newest device, a battery-operated Muggle stereo.

"Hi there, Hermione," Charlie said, smiling as she gave him a hug. "How've you been?"

"I'm alright," she replied, "How's Romania?"

"Pretty good," he said. As they began to discuss all of the latest happenings with the dragons in Charlie's camp, Hermione grinned at Harry and Ginny. They were obviously too busy to worry about anything but each other.

Around fifteen minutes later, Hermione looked up at the sound of the back door opening. She froze as Percy walked out. Their eyes locked for a few moments before they both looked away.

"Hello, everyone," he said, making his way around the group to greet everyone. When he had given Ginny a hug and shook Harry's hand, he walked over to Hermione and Charlie. He bent down and gave Hermione an awkward hug, not wanting anyone to think something was amiss.

Before he pulled away, he whispered, "Can we talk later?"

Hermione looked at him, surprised. She nodded briskly, raising her eyebrows. As soon as Percy had walked over to see Arthur's stereo, she went back to her conversation with Charlie, a bit distracted. What could Percy want to talk to her about?

Before she had much time to think about it, Molly walked outside, telling everyone to come inside for lunch. Hermione sat down at her usual spot beside Ron. It took her a moment to realize something. Percy always sat beside her.

As he sat down in his chair, she felt very uncouth. How could she not have remembered that! All throughout the meal, there was awkwardness between the two of them. They would often try to speak at the same time, resulting in both of them blushing and becoming quiet for quite a time afterward.

They both reached out to take dishes from around the table a few times, their hands bumping against each other's. "Sorry," Hermione said.

"My fault," Percy replied, moving his hand back from the dish of peas.

"Honestly," Charlie commented, "It's like you two are operating on one brain!" Hermione and Percy simply shrugged, once again mimicking the other's actions.

When lunch was finished, Hermione volunteered to help Molly do the dishes. "Mum, why don't you take a break?" Percy asked. "Hermione and I can take care of the dishes."

"Well, alright, then," Molly said, sitting down the plates she had been carrying and retiring into the living room with the rest of the family. Hermione was a bit nervous about spending that much time alone with Percy. She took the dishes she was carrying into the kitchen.

Hermione quickly began to cast cleaning charms on the dishes, not looking at Percy. "Look, Hermione, we need to talk."

"Yeah," she said quietly.

"I want to apologize for my behavior," he started, but Hermione cut him off.

"No, Percy, it wasn't your fault. We were drunk!"

"Well, be that as it may, what happened was still inappropriate. I am very sorry," he said.

"It was my fault, as well," she said, turning to him. "I'm sorry too."

"Are we okay?" he asked timidly.

"Of course," she replied with a small smile.

"I'm glad," he said, returning her grin.

******

After their talk, Hermione and Percy were back to normal. They still weren't going to tell anyone, as it would just make everything awkward with everyone else.

"Honestly," Hermione said as she watched Ron and Draco, "This is taking forever!" In Draco, Ron had finally found a formidable chess opponent. Their matches could go on for hours, and they often did.

"Well, if you're bored, you don't have to watch!" Ron informed her as he moved a bishop.

"Fine, I won't!" she shot back jokingly. She went over and sat by Harry, who was currently discussing the latest workings of the Ministry with Arthur, Charlie, and Percy.

"How are things over in your department, Hermione?" Arthur asked.

"About as well as can be expected," she replied with a sigh. "I'm still working to get the new legislation passed about werewolf rights', but it's proving difficult."

"How so?" asked Percy.

"Well, as you undoubtedly know, there is a whole group of people who have been against me on this project. They believe that werewolves are nothing but monsters that should be feared, and shouldn't be treated like regular people," she told them. Ever since she had started at the Ministry, one of her main goals was werewolf rights'.

When Harry's godfather, Sirius Black, had gotten cleared of the charges that had sent him to Azkaban, Harry had moved in with him almost immediately. Sirius's best friend was Remus Lupin, ex-professor at Hogwarts. Remus was, in fact, a werewolf. Hermione knew the way people treated him just because he turned into a monster once a month, and she hated it. That was why she was such a firm believer in that issue.

"You are absolutely right, Hermione," Arthur said. "Those people are just insane. Werewolves are normal people like the rest of us."

"Exactly," Hermione said, "And that is why I'm working so hard to pass this legislation! I just want for people to understand that werewolves aren't beasts. They are functioning members of society any time except the full moon."

Hermione continued with the discussion for quite some time, until Ginny called her into the kitchen to help with wedding plans. She and Harry were planning on a long engagement, with the ceremony taking place in fifteen months.

"So tell me," Ginny said, "As the maid of honor, which robes do you think for the bridesmaids?" Hermione looked through the styles that Ginny had marked, nearly laughing at some of them. There were some that were quite baggy, a few that were too tight, some that dragged the ground, some that had slits up the hips, and a couple that were in atrocious colors such as 'puce' and 'guava'.

After a few minutes, she came upon one that actually looked nice. It was more like a dress than a robe, and it was beautiful. It was floor length, but not too long, made of satin, had spaghetti-strap sleeves, and was done in a nice 'daffodil', which would look good with all of the bridesmaids.

"That one," Hermione said firmly, pointing to the page.

"I know, isn't it gorgeous?" Ginny asked, looking at the model moving around on the glossy parchment.

"Is that the one you'll be wanting, then?" Molly asked.

"I like it," Hermione said.

"Yep," Ginny replied, "We'll have those." With that, the three women headed back into the living room. Molly sat beside Arthur on the couch, while Ginny sat practically on top of Harry, asking his opinion about the bridesmaid's robes.

Hermione felt a bit left out. While she wasn't the only single one in the room, as neither Charlie or Percy were dating anyone, it felt lonely when she surveyed the happy couples in the room.

Molly and Arthur had been married for ages, and they were still happily married after all of that time. Harry and Ginny were great together, and they were one of those couples that you could just tell would never break up. Ron and Draco were very much in love, and they had such a strong relationship. They were soul mates. Hermione was just a bit jealous of all of them. They had all found what they were looking for, and she still hadn't.

Sure, she was only twenty-two, and there was still plenty of time to find that special someone, but watching her friends made her want it even more. After all, Ron, Draco, and Harry were twenty-two, and Ginny was only twenty-one!

"Mione, are you all right?" Harry asked concernedly.

"Huh?" she asked, snapping from her reverie. "Oh, yeah, I'm fine. Just blanked out for a minute."

"Alright, then," Ginny replied, giving her a small smile before turning back to Harry. It was pretty silent for a few minutes, until...

"No way, you can't do that, Ron!" Draco complained.

"I can too!" Ron replied.

"Cannot!"

"Can too!"

"Cannot!

"Can too!"

"Honestly, are you two ever going to grow up?" Hermione asked exasperatedly.

"No!" They replied at the same time, before going back to their argument. Those could take hours, as well!