Love, Lies, and a Secret

Chapter 2: A big (and happy?) Weasley family

The Burrow

September 19, 2000

Harry was sitting on the couch. Ginny, his girlfriend, was by his side, her arm around his waist. She was talking to him about something...a new dress robe she saw on Madame Mawkin's or something like that but he wasn't really paying attention.

His green eyes were wondering around the room. It was full of people: the Weasleys, Neville, Luna, Remus and Tonks, Lisa, his auror partner, Susan...and many other friends. They were all there celebrating Hermione's twenty first birthday.

They all seemed so happy...except Hermione.

And Harry knew why.

It was because of her parents. They weren't there. They weren't there because the simple fact that they were Muggles and Muggles couldn't see the Burrow.

Harry remembered very well the day when Ron broke up with the news about the birthday party.

*~* FlashBack * ~*

"You did what, Ronald?" she had asked with angry disbelieve growing within her.

"I organized you birthday party, sweetie! All by myself!" Ron had answered with a smile, oblivious to her irritation. "I already invited all our friends!"

"At Burrow..."

"Of course, at the Burrow! Where else? Hermione, what's the matter?"

Harry shifted uncomfortable on the couch, facing absently the newspaper he was pretending to read. He really hated to witness Ron and Hermione's rows.

"You know what, Ron? Do whatever you want! I am really tired right now! I am off!"

"Herms-"

"Bye, Ronald," she said firmly and then turned to Harry and said softly, "Good night, Harry."

After she left Ron and Harry's apartment, her boyfriend turned to Harry, "What just happened here? Why couldn't she be happy? What's the problem with the Burrow? I mean, I thought she liked there!"

Harry let go of the paper and with a deep sigh he tried to explain, "Yes, Ron, Hermione likes the Burrow but that's not the problem."

"So, what's the problem then?"

"Her parents, Ron!"

"What about her parents?" Ron seemed confused. "You are making no sense, Harry!"

"Ron!" Harry was starting to get very annoying by then. "Her parents can't go to the Burrow! They are Muggles, Ron! She wants celebrate her birthday with them too!"

"Oh," was all what Ron could say and Harry just knew that his redhead friend wouldn't ever completely understand Hermione. At least, not like him.

*~* ~* End Flashback*~ * ~*

Harry shook his head to vanish the memory. He continued to look around...until he saw Hermione. She was with Ron, looking extremely boring. He was talking with some friends from Ministry and Harry knew exactly what he was talking about : Quidditch! Oh Ron, you will never learn!

The boy-who-lived, no, the man- who defeated- the evil wizard, watched as Ron, unconsciously, taped nervously his left robes' pocket.
Oh no, Ron! Please, don't do what I think you planed to do!
Harry's eyes left Ron's hand and turned to Hermione. She was looking at him. And Harry knew that she also had saw 'Ron's movement'. She looked...about to explode.

She looked at Ron and said something in his ear. He smiled and nodded. She smiled fiercely at him and left the room to the backyard.

Even if no words were exchanged between the two of them, Harry knew that Hermione needed to talk.

"Ginny, I need to go to the loo," Harry said to Ginny interrupting her boring ramblings about Wizard's fashion.

"Oh? Oh! Of course, love," she replied smiling at him. "I will chat a little with Luna and Susan, okay?"

"Okay, Ginny," Harry responded absently while he rose from the couch.

~*~

Harry found Hermione pacing nervously around the backyard's bench. When she saw him, Hermione promptly stop. With her hands on her hips she asked, "Please, Harry, please tell me he won't do what I think he will do!"

Harry ran his hand nervously through his hair and smiled weakly, "I really don't know. He didn't say any-"he stopped, remembering something. Hermione caught that.

"What? What did he say? What happened?"

"Er," replied Harry, uncomfortable. "He just came home another day complaining about how diamonds were expensive..."

"Oh, god!" she cried in despair, her hands covering her face. "He will do it, won't he?"

Harry just grinned weakly.

Hermione took of her hands from her face and look at Harry with determination, "You will talk to him, Harry! Tell him to not do it!"

"Hermione-"

"No, Harry! If he proposes me I will...you know very well what I will do!"

"You will say no."

"Yes! You know that, he knows that! We have already talked about this so many times! Why he can't understand?"

"He loves you, Hermione-"Harry tried to say.

"And love him but I don't want to marry right now! I-"

"Why? Why, Hermione, why don't you want to marry me?" asked Ron who had just appeared, interrupting her.

"Ron-"

"Why?! Please, tell me Hermione! Do you feel shame of me? That's it?"

"No, Ron! And you know that!" she cried, not noticing Harry leaving silently to the party. She took a deep breath, "You know that I won't want to get marry right now, Ron. Why would you do that? You want to ambush me? Do you want to ask me in front of everybody so I couldn't have the nerve to let you down?"

"Maybe." He shrugged. "I want to marry you, Hermione! You are already twenty-one, Hermione! How much time do we have to wait?"

"The time I have to finish my training at the Ministry. The time for us-me- to have money enough to buy a house! I already told you, Ron! I want to focus in my career first!"

"Career? You won't need a career after we get married," Ron muttered but unluckily Hermione heard him.

"What did you say?" she asked in a low and danger voice.

"Nothing,"

"No, I heard very well, Ronald Weasley! You said I wouldn't need a career after we get married! Why is that? You don't want me to have a career, Ron?"

"Hermione, love, you won't have time to go on with a career and take care of our house and our children..."

"I can't believe you, Ron! You want me to be a housewife! I won't be a housewife!"

"What's the problem with that? My mum is a housewife! A good damn one!"
"I AM NOT MOLLY WEASLEY, Ron!" she shouted, red with angry. "I LOVE HER BUT I AM NOT HER!"

"But Ginny won't work either when she marry Harry.'

"Ginny is a silly little girl, Ronald! Harry wants her to have a job! Why you can't be like him? Why you can't support me? Why you to be this prat?"

"Oh, I knew! It's always come to Harry! The saint Harry!" Ron was really angry by now.

'No, Ron, don't twist everything! He isn't my boyfriend...you are! But he knows me better than you! You even forgot about my parents before planning this party!"

"I already say I was sorry!"

"I know, Ron," Hermione replied, a little more softy this time. "But Ron, even if I didn't have a career we- we still don't have, you know, money enough, to start a family."

"But we could arrange that, love!" Ron pleaded. "I know I can pay a flat and-"

"Ron! Married people don't live in a flat! And you know you that the Sports Department doesn't pay you enough to rent a good apartment or flat!"

"But the apartment I share with Harry isn't bad!"

"It's Harry's apartment, Ron! You don't pay a single coin to live there! "

"So, that's it! This career thing is just bullshit! You don't want to marry me because I am poor! Because we won't have much money!"

"No, Ron...but I wouldn't like to spend the rest of my life with you by my side complaining why you don't have enough money!" she said angrily walking away back to the party.

When Harry saw Hermione returning he knew that something was deadly wrong. Her face was red and he could see that she was fighting the urge to cry. However, before he could do or say anything, Ron appeared shouting in angry, causing everybody looked at him, "You know what, Hermione Granger? The way the things are...you will be thirty years and still a bloody virgin!"

Without saying a word, Hermione walked towards her boyfriend, slapped him right on the face, and disapparated.