Lost and Found

II

Lunch with the Grangers

Ron and Hermione did not sleep a wink that night. After sharing some tender kisses and smiles in the kitchen they moved to the couch in the living room. 'Ron's couch' as the family had been calling it since it had basically become his bed. Neither of them had been able to sleep and once settled under Ron's blankets they spent the rest of the night alternately snogging, talking, and snogging some more. Finally they both drifted into light dozes as dawn began to creep over the horizon.

A light step on the stairs woke Ron and he opened his eyes to see Bill trying to creep quietly down with Girard in his arms. Ron yawned widely and grinned at Bill who stopped mid-way down the staircase.

"Sorry, Ron," Bill whispered, trying to maintain a grip on his squirming son who wanted to get down to run and jump on his favorite uncle. "I didn't mean to wake you."

"That's okay," Ron whispered back as Hermione stirred next to him.

Bill continued down the stairs in his stiff gait. For the most part his bad leg didn't bother him too much but he was always a bit nervous on stairs, especially carrying Girard, and always watched his feet. When he reached the bottom Bill looked up again to see that Ron and a now fully awake Hermione were smiling broadly at each other.

Looking at the pair with an expression of wariness on his face, Bill said, "You two look like you're up to something." Ron and Hermione both blushed. "What?" Bill asked.

Ron glanced at Hermione questioningly. Did she want to be the one to tell or should he? Eyes twinkling she nodded to Ron and he turned back to his brother.

"Well, Bill," Ron began, trying to think of a way to tell Bill without just blurting it out. Of course, he really just wanted to shout it from the top of the roof but he thought it would also be kind of fun to tease Bill. His brother was not much of a morning person. "There's going to be a change in status before too long."

Bill looked confused. "Status?"

Ron tilted his head toward Hermione. "Yeah," he said, "my status and Hermione's status."

Bill seemed to be catching the meaning just as Girard pulled on his ponytail. "Ungy," complained the toddler.

"In a minute." Bill pulled his son's hand away from his hair and asked, "You mean status as in marital status?"

Ron and Hermione both nodded gleefully.

Bill's eyes widened and he grinned. "That's great! Congratulations!"

Before any of the adults could speak Girard jumped in. "Daddy!" he almost wailed. "I'm ungy!"

"Okay, okay," muttered Bill, beaming at Ron and Hermione as he headed for the kitchen.

Several minutes later Ron and Hermione were sharing a somewhat passionate kiss when Fred and Angelina came down the stairs. Breaking apart they looked at Fred who took one look at the couple and stopped abruptly on the bottom step causing Angelina to plow into him from behind.

Steadying his wife, Fred barked, "Well, it's about time!"

Angelina, trying to see around Fred, asked, "What's about time?"

Fred misheard and whirled to face his heavily pregnant wife. "It's time?" Behind him Ron snorted and Hermione giggled.

"What?" Angelina was confused.

"You said 'it's time.'" All the color had drained out of Fred's face as he looked at Angelina's belly.

"No, I didn't." She was unconsciously rubbing her stomach with small circular motions. This did not seem to reassure Fred.

"Yes you did!" he insisted.

"No, I didn't." Angelina sounded cross. "You said, 'it's about time' and I asked, 'what's about time?'"

There was a pause as Fred seemed to be thinking and then the color returned to his face, leaving him tinged a slight pink. "Oh," he said and shot a glare at Ron and Hermione, both of whom were unable to stifle their laughter. All the steam seemed to have gone out of Fred as he muttered, "Well, I'll tell you in the kitchen." He took Angelina's arm and led her out of the room.

Ron and Hermione were still chuckling when Mr. Weasley came downstairs. He nodded briefly at the two of them. "Good morning," he said before disappearing into the kitchen. A moment later he stuck his head back out and with raised eyebrows asked, "Really?" They nodded and Mr. Weasley said, "Well, that's wonderful news. Just wonderful." With that he disappeared back into the kitchen.

~*~

Not quite a week later Ron and Hermione made their way to London. Hermione had written her parents but only told them she had some good news and would be by on Sunday to share it with them. Ron had asked why she had not just told them in the letter and she had said, "That's not something you tell your parents in a letter." She was so emphatic about it Ron felt it pointless to argue.

The visit with Hermione's parents went fairly well though there were a few awkward moments. Particularly for Ron.

The first was right after Hermione made the announcement. There was a brief silence and then her mother, with one hand on her chest in surprise--though Hermione really felt her mother should have seen it coming--sniffed.

"My baby girl's getting married!" She gathered Hermione up in a hug. By the time she turned to Ron the tears were flowing freely. Hermione clearly saw the look of horror on her fiancé's face as her mother embraced him. It was no secret that Ron had never been very adept at handling weeping females and Hermione struggled greatly to keep from laughing.

The second awkward moment came at lunch when Hermione's mother began planning the wedding. First she asked what the date was and, with a nervous glance at Ron, Hermione answered, "We haven't chosen one yet."

It was Mrs. Granger's turn to look horrified. "What do you mean you haven't chosen one?"

"Well, we haven't," answered Hermione, somewhat defiantly.

"Why, Hermione Granger, you know how far in advance these things must be planned out. You choose a date immediately. Even before you send an owl to your parents!"

Ron fidgeted while Hermione opened her mouth to reply but her mother spoke first. "There's the hall to be booked, the church, the caterer, the flowers and music. Invitations need to be ordered and the guest lists organized. We must speak to the minister and, of course, there's the dress and the fittings--"

Here Ron interrupted. Clearly, all this planning talk had goaded him into speaking up.

"We don't need all that, Mrs. Granger. Certainly not a hall or flowers or any of what you just said. And Hermione doesn't need a fancy dress. In fact, as far as I'm concerned, she doesn't need to wear a dress at all!"

Silence.

Hermione knew Ron had not meant that quite the way it came out and when she saw his ears turn red she also knew he had just realized himself how it had sounded.

Hermione was looking at Ron with pride. She was pleased he had spoken up and taken a stand. Mrs. Granger was looking at Ron with an expression of astonishment while Mr. Granger was recovering from choking on his tea.

Finally it was Mr. Granger who spoke. "Well said, Ron." He reached his hand across the table to shake Ron's but Mrs. Granger slapped it away.

"What do you mean, 'well said?'" she demanded as the redness in Ron's ears spread to his face." He would have our daughter wear nothing to her own wedding! What would people think?"

It was Mrs. Granger's turn to blush as her husband simply raised his eyebrows at her. His grin broadened and he said, "Now dear, don't you think you're being a bit too literal? Surely you don't think that's what Ron meant do you?"

While her mother was staring speechless at her father, Hermione, trying to ignore the strange twist in the conversation, said, "Uh, well, Mother, Ron and I are planning a small wedding."

Ron nodded enthusiastically in agreement.

Mrs. Granger returned her attention her daughter. "How small?" she asked. Before Hermione could reply her mother said, "I don't think I could get it down to fewer than 200 guests on our side." Ron coughed while trying to hold back a gasp as his future mother-in-law continued. "And that would mean cutting out Uncle Edelbert and his family."

Hermione was amazed her mother could come up with that number so quickly as well as know who would need to be cut. Patting Ron on the back she said, "Immediate family only."

Mrs. Granger gasped. "Hermione Jane Granger, you must be out of your mind!"

Ron now bit back a laugh that almost turned into another coughing fit. How many times had he said something quite similar to Hermione?

Looking her mother directly in the eye, Hermione firmly stated, "Immediate. Family. Only. We're not budging on that."

"Well," sputtered Mrs. Granger. "That is the most...why I...it's just completely unfair! Your father and I are your only immediate family and Ron, why Ron has all those siblings and undoubtedly they'll all bring spouses or dates and, of course, there'll also be Harry..." Mrs. Granger suddenly trailed off as Hermione gave her a sharp glance and she looked over to see Ron gazing sadly at the table.

For a moment no one said anything. Hermione could see her mother was remembering what her daughter had told her about Ron's losses in the war two years ago: a brother dead, his sister seemingly a permanent resident of the wizarding hospital and not to mention the death of his mother. And Harry. They all knew Harry would not be present either.

"Ron," said Mrs. Granger quietly. "I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking."

Looking up at her Ron smiled wanly. "That's all right," he said. "Things have to go forward. And you're right," he added, "I do have a big family. Maybe we could invite the same number of people on both sides," he suggested. "You know, even it out a bit."

Hermione's mother smiled warmly at Ron. "That would be lovely."

"We still want it small, though," said Ron.

"I understand. But you need to understand this is my only daughter, my only child. I just want her to have the perfect wedding."

Ron nodded.

Hermione, trying to keep the tears in her eyes from spilling over lest Ron panic at the sight of them, spoke up, "It will be perfect, Mum. I'm marrying the man I love. And as long as you and Daddy are there I couldn't want for anything else."

Mrs. Granger sat back in her chair, waved her napkin in front of her face and sniffed. "Well," she said, "you seem to have it all in hand."

Mr. Granger smiled at his daughter while his wife sniffed again and her eyes flooded with tears, causing an expression of fear to cross Ron's face.