Chapter 26: Third Hogsmeade Weekend
“So, when is the Weasel getting here?” Draco asked Hermione. They were working on some extra credit Potions, still playing around with Amortentia, after having already completed the potion in Slughorn’s course the week before.
“Ron is arriving this evening and then we’ll go to Hogsmeade together tomorrow.” Hermione couldn’t believe Draco was still calling Ron ‘the Weasel.’
“I’m going to a do in Slytherin tonight, so I’ll keep out of your way,” Draco said diplomatically. “And tomorrow I’ll take charge of overseeing the students in Hogsmeade.”
“Thank you, that’s quite nice of you.”
“Yeah, well, you do twice the work I do as Head Girl. Not that I brush anything off, mind you, you just always go above and beyond.”
“I’m never sure whether you are complimenting me or insulting me,” Hermione huffed.
“Just keeping you on your toes, Granger.” Draco smirked.
“So, are you seeing Millicent at the party tonight?” Hermione didn’t want to appear nosy, but somehow the idea of Draco seeing Millicent again upset her. ‘I just don’t want her to get hurt,’ she rationalized.
“No, I’m still on the outs with Millicent. I’m just planning on playing it by ear tonight.”
“What does that mean? You’re going to chat up whoever is willing and available?”
“What do you care, Hermione? You’ve got Lover Boy coming in to see you tonight,” Draco answered sullenly.
Before Hermione could respond, two beautiful, perfectly white owls flew into the suite, carrying elaborate envelopes with pale streamers trailing off them.
“Oh, God,” Hermione said, worried. “These have got to be our letters from WUP!”
Draco anxiously wiped his hands on his trousers before he reached for the letter addressed to him. “Bugger, I’m nervous,” he admitted.
“All right, we open them on three… one… two…”
“Three,” Draco interrupted, tearing his letter open. Hermione opened hers as well, and quickly scanned its contents.
“Mademoiselle Granger… We are pleased to offer you admission to the Wizarding University of Paris… contingent upon your receiving NEWT grades of Exceeds Expectations in Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Transfiguration, Herbology, Arithmancy, and Potions, and a grade of Acceptable in two of the three other courses of those you are now enrolled in at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.” Hermione was thrilled, until she realized she hadn’t heard anything from Draco yet. She looked up at him with trepidation.
Draco looked a bit concerned. “I’m in, but in order to gain admittance to the Potions program, I have to earn an Outstanding from Sluggy, and Exceeds Expectations in my five other courses. I’ll have to do nothing but swot for the rest of the year.”
“You know you can make those marks!” Hermione said, giving Draco a big hug. “Congratulations! It’s your dream come true!”
“Yes, well, I’d be even happier if you could come with me. I assume you got in? What are your contingencies?”
Hermione told him what she needed to do to gain entrance into WUP’s prestigious multidisciplinary program.
“That will be a doddle for you. You’ll likely get all Os anyway,” Draco said.
“But I’m still planning on going to UWL, you know.”
“Yes, I know,” Draco said, rather sadly. Somehow the fact that he cared so much about where she went to university touched Hermione. She hugged him again.
“You’re going to be a star in Paris, Draco. I just know it.”
“Thanks. So, are you going to tell Ron the good news tonight?”
“He won’t see it as good news. We still haven’t agreed on my plans to attend UWL next year.”
“It’s none of my business…”
“No, it’s not.”
“But, you shouldn’t have to give up so much for him, Hermione.”
“I’m still hoping he doesn’t force me to,” Hermione responded.
Ron entered the suite just as Draco was leaving for his party. Whereas Draco looked neat and put together, Ron looked disheveled and a bit ragged. ‘Since when do I compare how Ron and Draco look?’ Hermione chastised herself.
“Merlin, Hermione, but it’s a pain in the arse to get here. First, I have to race back to the flat from the Ministry of Magic, then Apparate to the gates of Hogwarts, then hike all the way up to the castle, then navigate three floors and the long hallways up to your suite.”
“I’m sorry,” Hermione said. “But I’m glad you made the effort.” She smiled, gave Ron a big hug and a lingering kiss. Ron immediately responded, kissing her back, but Hermione cut him off.
“Ron, there’s so much we need to talk about. I haven’t really seen you since Christmas Holidays.”
“Well, it’s not my fault you couldn’t come with us to the Cannons game.”
“I didn’t feel well,” Hermione said, thinking that was not exactly a lie.
“And then you’ve been traveling all over the place with Malfoy,” Ron said scornfully.
“Yes, well, you don’t need to be jealous of Malfoy,” Hermione answered.
“I’m not jealous of Malfoy!” Ron said indignantly. “Bah! You’d never have anything to do with a Death Eater like Malfoy!” Hermione felt a pang, part of her feeling guilty for doing exactly that, and part of her wanting to defend Draco.
“We are also busy trying to figure out who is assaulting female students at Hogwarts...” Hermione said rather lamely.
Ron wandered around the room while they talked. “Bloody Hell, will you look at this!” he said as he saw their Potions setup. “Ginny told Harry the two of you were concocting strange Potions up here.” He looked at her and shook his head in disbelief. “You really shouldn’t be so trusting, Hermione. Who knows what sort of Potions a guy like Malfoy might dream up.”
“Please, Ron, so far we’ve been trying to find cures for illnesses or goofing around with silly things like Amortentia.”
“He’s not likely to tell you what his evil plans are now, is he?”
“And you think I’m dumb enough not to figure out what the ingredients in a Potion will do?” Hermione asked defiantly.
“Just be careful, that’s all I’m saying.”
“Let’s sit down, Ron. I need to talk to you about next year.”
“Yes, well, I’ve got information on that, too,” Ron said, sparking some small hope in Hermione. “You see,” Ron said, after they sat down together on the sofa, “I’ve been talking to my Dad about the different careers that might interest you at the Ministry of Magic. I’ve brought a list and I’ve ticked off the departments that I thought you might like the most.” Ron dug out a crumpled list and handed it to Hermione. She scanned it and saw tick marks next to the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, Department of Magical Law Enforcement, and Department of International Magical Cooperation. “And the best part is you don’t need to attend university for an entry level job in any of these departments! You could start this summer,” Ron said, smiling.
“Oh, Ron,” Hermione said sadly. “Don’t you see, I want to attend university. Not to get a job, but to learn new things.”
“But Hermione, you are clever enough already!”
“It’s not a question of being clever. I love learning. University will make me very happy. It will allow me to reach my full potential, as a person.”
“You are thinking like a Muggle – you’ve already reached your full potential, as a witch. I wish to Merlin that McGonagall had never brought this up. And I bet the Ferret just loves undermining us, telling you all the time how great it would be for you to go, just to keep us apart.”
“Why would he want to keep us apart?” Hermione asked nervously.
“Because he’s a bastard who enjoys inflicting pain where ever he goes. He won’t be going to any university, not with all the Malfoy galleons he’s inherited.”
“Well, yes, he will be. He’s going to WUP, in Paris.”
“He’s irrelevant anyway. Everyone else I know agrees with me that there’s no need for a witch like you to go to university.”
“My parents want me to go,” Hermione said softly.
“Because they are Muggles!” Ron said angrily.
Hermione got tears in her eyes. “Did I tell you I was accepted to Paris, too? The best wizarding university in Europe and I’m willing to give that up to go to UWL in London, to be with you!”
“And I’m just supposed to put my life on hold until you finish studying?”
“I don’t see it that way at all. We’ll be together. I’ll just go to school instead of to a job. You’ll be busy too, as an Auror.”
“Yes, but being an Auror is important work. You should find a more flexible job with less pressure, to support my work as an Auror. And what about kids, Hermione? Don’t you want to have a family? As a mother, your family should come first.”
Hermione was blown away. Who knew Ron had such a traditional, and to her mind, out-dated way of thinking!
“Women have children well into their forties these days, Ron. I’m eighteen!”
“My mum had Bill by the time she was eighteen.”[1]
“I am not your mother!”
“What’s wrong with my mum?”
“Nothing, but times have changed. I want a family, but not a large one, because I want a fulfilling, important job too!” Hermione quoted Ron’s words back to him.
“What about me? Don’t you want to be supportive of me?”
“A couple should work together, to support one another. No one has to give up their dreams!”
“Before this year, you didn’t have this dream! Our dream was to be together, one big happy family.”
“Where the mum stays home with a brood of children and the dad goes off to work each day?”
“Well, yeah!”
“Ron, that may be your dream, but it’s not mine!”
“So what does that mean? For us?” Ron spoke softer now.
“I don’t know,” Hermione had started crying at some point, she wasn’t sure when.
“I just can’t put my whole life on hold for you, Hermione,” Ron said sadly.
“And I can’t give up university for you, Ron,” Hermione replied, wiping at her tears.
“Does this mean we are breaking up?” Ron asked dismally.
“I think so,” Hermione replied. “We’re at an impasse.”
“But I love you, Hermione.”
“I love you too, Ron, but this isn’t working for either of us.”
Ron stood up and pulled Hermione to her feet. He gave her a tight hug that lasted well over a minute.
“Let’s just say we’re taking a break until we figure out whether there’s some way to work this out. I’m not ready to say it’ll never work between us,” he said solemnly. This made Hermione cry all the more. “Don’t cry, Hermione,” Ron said softly. “Please don’t cry.”
Hermione hugged Ron again tightly. He pulled back after a bit.
“I’m going to go, I think. Back to London. I’ll write you, okay? We’ll keep in touch and see how it goes.”
Hermione sniffed and nodded her head. Ron left the suite and Hermione went to her bedroom. She found some of the Sleeping Draught tea – Draco had shared his stash from Madam Pomfrey – prepared some and went to bed.[2]
Author's Chapter Notes:
Ron comes to visit Hermione for the third trip to Hogsmeade.
Chapter End Notes:
[1] Technically, I think Molly was 21 when she had Bill.
[2] It was difficult for me to write Ron so old-fashioned because in real life, I'm a huge HG/RW shipper. Sorry Ron!