Meeting a Muggle

Chapter 5

"Mum, Dad, Jerry, this is Ron," Desiree said with a wide smile as her family came out to meet them at the front gate.

They had driven up from London in Desiree's car, an experience Ron had thought he was used to after a few of their outings but he had never been on the motor way before. He had spent half the trip clinging to the seat with both hands and wondering if he apparated out would he end up splattered all over the road. The rest of the trip was spent planning spells to cocoon both he and Desiree if she lost control at such a speed and they crashed ignominiously into one of the pillars that flashed past with a roar.

Desiree simply laughed at his fears, zipping past the slower traffic with little regard for the speed limit. When she spotted a sign, she spun the wheel and took the off-ramp at a speed that made Ron claw back in his seat and go for his wand. By the time he got it out, they were cruising along at a sedate thirty five, the double lane road lined with trees and green fields. A low stone building hove into view and Desiree pulled up in the gravelled yard, turning off the car and grinning at him like a maniac.

"Okay, Macho Man, we'll take a break and stretch our legs here, so you can get your head together. Ron, darling, honey, sweetheart, I make this trip at least once a month and I know the road very well. We weren't speeding too much, and we were quite safe. I am a good driver and I don't take reckless chances, I promise you. Now, the Bald Horse does wonderful counter lunches so I think we'll eat here, before we take the next part of the journey."

The rest of the drive had been at a saner pace, through twisting country lanes and rolling countryside, interspersed with rugged cliff faces and meandering streams. Desiree pointed out various landmarks and Ron took them all in, enjoying the grass scented breeze that whipped in through the window. As they entered the village, there were stone cottages on either side of the road, a sandstone bridge crossing a small, stone littered creek bed and cobbled streets that looked like Diagon Alley. Ron felt right at home as Desiree negotiated the narrow streets and pulled up outside a low stone wall surrounding a cottage with roses growing over the front porch. It was very picturesque with its trimmed emerald grass and flowerbeds with rosebushes in full bloom. The scent was full bodied and rich as they both climbed out of the car and stretched in unison.

Even as the doors clunked shut the blue painted front door was flung open and three people tumbled out, each bearing a strong resemblance to Desiree. It was not hard to see who her mother was or her father, even her brother was of similar features and build but all were smaller and finer boned than his best girl.

"Finally found one of a decent size, did you?" Jerry asked, grinning up at his sister who was a couple of inches taller than him.

"Less mouth from you, Shorty," Desiree retaliated as they hugged fondly. "My very cheeky brother, I'll have you know I picked for quality, not quantity."

"Looks like you got both," Mrs Hanson said, eyeing the huge man her daughter had brought home, noting the slightly apprehensive frown was smoothing from his brow and the blue eyes were brightening. He had a very expressive face, this young man, and he didn't bother to hide how his eyes followed their extraordinary daughter with clear devotion. "He's a keeper, Dez," she whispered when her daughter gave her a hug.

"Yes, I know," Desiree whispered back as she went to hug her father.

"George Hanson," her father said, offering his hand to the young man who took it carefully, still wearing one thin black glove.

"Doing a Michael Jackson," Jerry teased as he shook hands with Ron too.

Ron glanced at Desiree for a clue but she just grimaced and shook her head. "He's a pop singer who always wore one glove," she said in put upon tones. "That's just Jerry's way of being a hip and happenin' sort of guy. Just ignore him."

By now the party had been herded into the front parlour where afternoon tea was laid out on the table, all tea and scones and pies and cakes. Ron's eyes lit up and he grinned at such a familiar sight, just like his mother's. He hadn't realised he'd said that aloud until Desiree laughed and told him he had hollow legs.

"True, and one leaks too," he joked, making Desiree giggle and nudge him fondly. He had come a long way over the last few months.

"Is that what you call a private joke?" Jerry asked as they were seated.

Desiree glanced at Ron who shrugged and smiled ruefully. "I lost my leg and fingers in the war so I guess it is a sort of private joke. My friends always told me I had hollow legs but after the accident I seemed to manage to eat even more than usual without getting any fatter, so they assumed the missing one leaked. It's just jealousy since I can survive even my mother's attempts to fatten me up, and never gain an ounce of weight, unlike my sister."

"Ginny's not fat," Desiree said in surprise.

"Yes, and Ginny doesn't live at home any more. You know Harry is a complete health nut but it wasn't all his idea, he used to be fairly normal until Ginny got hold of him."

Desiree laughed and nodded to her brother. "If Mum put all this food on the table every day these two would be just as fat as you think Ginny was."

"Oh no, this is all special occasion stuff. Mum went all out," Jerry said, rallying after his gaff.

Desiree smiled encouragement at her parents and set a new topic of conversation out until they relaxed enough to be natural.

"Well that went off rather well," Ron said softly into Desiree's hair as they snuggled on the back porch. "I didn't entirely put my foot in it, and your parents weren't too upset with me."

"They loved you, and Jerry was pretty good too, and they behaved quite well over the amputee part too."

"Did you think they wouldn't?" Ron asked puzzled.

"I had horrible visions of Mum going into the 'oh you poor little dear' routine instead of... well you understand what I mean?"

"Yeah, all too well, it's still an adjustment for people, even my own people. We don't have that many accidents and the few that do tend to be exceptional. Usually an accident ends in death or scarring, not lopped limbs or missing bits. I like your family by the way, they're really nice. Mind you, I'm just glad Dean kept us up to date on the football or I would have been in trouble."

"Humm, you were doing well until the more recent season then you fell apart. Doesn't Dean keep you informed any more?" she asked with a grin.

"No. He and Seamus were taken out about eight months ago when they were doing a recce for the Order. Death or scarring, Dean died and Seamus, well, we sent him to Switzerland for pretty much full body skin grafts."

"Oh Lord, we just keep stepping on painful wounds, don't we?" Desiree said softly.

"Not really, I think I am making the best adjustment of all those who are still involved. I mean, Harry and Ginny are well out of it. They did their part, paid the price and have earned their peace, same for Draco and Hermione. They tried to take all of Draco's inheritance as reparations, but between Hermione and Dumbledore, plus a few other Order Members, he kept about half of it. I told you Remus had fled to become a Muggle, and the teachers have holed back up in Hogwarts to lick their wounds. The rest of us who are with the Aurory have to keep on facing the consequences and mopping up the fringes, so we can't run away. However, quite a number have put their heads in the sand and act like they are unaffected but they aren't. Me, I know I got hurt and I know I survived when others didn't, and I can live with that fact, thanks to you."

"Me?"

"Yes, you give me hope and make my world a brighter and more special place. Without you, I think I would have stayed grim and a lot less tolerant than I have become."

"Oh, you tolerate me, do you?" Desiree growled at him and pummelled his shoulder playfully.

"Now who else would tolerate Barbie beating up on them except a calm, even tempered, easy going fellow like me?" Ron teased as she let out a squeal of outrage and proceeded to tickle him into submission.

"So, when are we going to tell them you are a wizard?" Desiree asked after the long and satisfying snogging session that followed their playful wrestling.

"That's up to you, I think. Do you think they are ready for it? If you do, we can do it now. If you want to wait, we can. Or you can tell them I'm with the Special Forces and I can't tell them anything about myself for fear of compromising security," he told her carefully.

"You know, even if we do tell them you are a Wizard, they are just going to think you are in the special forces anyway. Look, we'll tell them but if it looks like they are going to freak then you can work your magic any way you think best to save the situation. Does that sound fair?"

"That's fair," Ron agreed giving her a hug. "Let's tell them after dinner. If we tell them before it might get ruined."

Desiree gasped then giggled and slapped his shoulder. "You are a walking stomach!"

Ron grinned and pulled her into a full hug again.

~~*~~

George and Allison Hanson took his status as a wizard fairly well, allowing that magic was always possible with small, disbelieving smiles. Jerry simply laughed aloud and shook his head in disbelief until Ron turned a small footstool into a rabbit. Seeing the paisley patterned creature hopping around on the hearthrug stopped the scoffing and all three older Hansons sat back to listen more seriously to Ron's explanation.

"So, let me get this straight, you can do real magic like Merlin the magician..." George began but stopped when Ron squirmed a little uncomfortably.

"Not Merlin, he was sort of like, well the Forerunner..." Ron started to explain.

"Like God or Jesus?" Jerry piped up brightly.

"No, more like a great Emperor or General. He gave us a lot of laws to live by and helped forge the history of both our people so that we could live together without too much friction. I'm not good at Muggle studies so I can't tell you exactly how it happened except he made a deal with Uthur Pendragon and his son Arthur, which held long enough for us all but disappear from Muggle minds."

"And now you are telling us about er, your people," Allison stated more than asked, glancing knowingly at her daughter.

Ron smiled crookedly. "Yes. If all goes well then you have to know, if it doesn't then there is no harm done."

""What do you mean, if all goes well?" Jerry teased without malice.

Ron and Desiree looked at each other and smiled. "I think it will," Ron murmured softly.

~~*~~

They drove home in a comfortable, companionable silence, Desiree navigating the roads with almost careless skill. As they pulled up in front of her flat, Ron sighed in a contented way.

"I think that went off fairly well, don't you?" he mused softly as he turned to study her in the glow of the street light.

"They really liked you," she confirmed with a smile. "They don't care that you are a wizard, you know, only that you are making me happy," she assured him quietly.

"Humm, I'm glad. Trouble is, I don't know how my mum is going to react. She's been really funny since my Dad was killed during a raid on the Ministry. The medi-witches call it depression but we think she has a broken heart. Losing so many of us was a devastating blow and she and dad had been together since they were at school as children. If she takes to you then it will be all good, if she takes against you then she will do everything in her power to stop us marrying. Believe me, the name of Molly Weasley strikes fear in a number of hearts, even today. She was always formidable but now she is a legend amongst both the Light and the Dark."

"Do you think she will take against me?" Desiree asked curiously as he walked her to the door and opened it with the key she had given him.

Ron thought a bit. "No, I don't," he decided with a smile, only Desiree didn't realise he had his fingers crossed behind his back. "See you tomorrow, Love," he said kissing her goodbye, as he left her at the front door and apparated out.