Take It Back Part 8 : Sorted

By alloy.

"Get the door boy!"

Harry sighed. His annual sojourn at number seven privot drive was going pretty much to form.

"Boy, the door!"

"It wouldn't be so bad." Harry thought, if they paid him to be the servant they obviously wanted him to be.

The doorbell rang again.

"BOY!"

Not that he needed the money, but there was a certain principal involved…..Harry yanked the door open.

"Hello Harry."

Harry stood dumfounded.

Ron and Hermione stood before him, but not Ron and Hermione as Harry had ever expected them to.

Ron had his arm draped casually over Hermione's shoulder. She in turn was tucked under his arm, her arm around his waist.

"BOY! Who is it?"

There was a woman behind Harry's friends whom he recognized to be Hermione's mother.

Heavy footsteps behind Harry signaled his uncle’s emergence.

“Honestly Boy! If you….”

“Vernon Dursley I presume?”

‘She sounds very much like Hermione.’ Harry thought.

“Sylvia Granger.”

Hermione’s mum slipped past Ron and her daughter to hold a hand out to Harry’s Uncle.

“Heard so much about you, very pleased to finally make your acquaintance.”

Uncle Vernon had little choice but to take her hand.

Harry turned desperately to his friends for clarity, and was rewarded by a wink from Hermione.

Ron gestured with his hand and Harry realized that Hermione’s mother had barged into the house and his uncle had followed in a rather befuddled fashion.

“You must be so very proud of Harry.” Sylvia continued. “I know we are of Hermione.”

“As you know it’s so difficult raising a magical person.” Sylvia laughed. “Of course Molly and Arthur have seven, but being magical themselves must help tremendously.”

Uncle Vernon was making throat clearing noises, but Sylvia ignored him totally and babbled on.

“We so lucky that Harry and Hermione found Ron and the Weasleys. Dennis (that’s my husband) and I were so concerned about Hermione making the right sort of friends at school.”

“Well yes.” Vernon said. “Um…ah.”

“Of course now young Ron and Hermione are a bit more than friends.”

Harry looked at his friends. They were still smiling, seemingly locked together at the hips.

“Come on.” He said, dragging them through the kitchen into the back garden.

Much to his relief their hips separated as Ron allowed Hermione through the door.

For the first time Harry noticed that Hermione usually clad in frumpy school uniform, was today dressed in tight fitting jeans which showed of her figure. He also noticed Ron’s hand on her waist.

“What’s this about then?” Harry asked.

“What’s what about?” Hermione replied.

“This.” Harry gestured toward them, “that?” and then into the house.

Despite blushing crimson Ron pulled Hermione close toward him. “Well Harry.” He said. “I’vefanciedHermioneforawhilenow.”

“What?”

“I’vefanciedHermioneforaooooooph!.”

Hermione had elbowed Ron in the stomach.

“What my boyfriend is trying to say Harry. Is that Ronald and I have been attracted to each other for quite some time.”

Hermione was blushing furiously now.

“I finally got the guts to tell her.”

Hermione raised her hand to cover the back of her neck. “Ron was rather…romantic…Harry.”

“Ron?” Harry laughed. “Ron? Romantic!”

“Yes Harry. Romantic. It’s something a girl responds very well to.” Hermione’s tone was icy and Harry noticed the almost imperceptible shake of Ron’s head that was directed at him.

“So you’re together now?” Harry asked.

His friends nodded. Truth be told Harry didn’t really want the details.

“No more having a go at each other all the time then?”

Ron laughed. “Don’t be daft Harry. Don’t you have any idea how much fun it is to get Hermione all riled up?”

Harry anticipated a loud vocal response from Hermione, but instead she reached up, grabbed a lock of Ron’s hair and guided him down so that she could whisper in his ear.”

“Yeah you’re right Luv.” Ron murmured.

“We wanted you to be the first to know Harry.” Hermione said.

“The very first.” Ron said. “Unless you count mum and Ginny and the twins…”

“And of course my parents.” Said Hermione.

“Lee Jordan…” Ron continued. “Probably half of Diagon Alley.”

“Ginny.” Hermione interrupted. “Is somewhat of a gossip.”

“But why is your mum here?” Harry said.

“Well.” Ron said. “After we tried to phone.”

“Hold on. You tried to phone?”

“I tried to phone.” Hermione said. “Yesterday.”

Harry’s mouth went dry. “Dudley said something about my girlfriend…..”

“Yes he answered the phone Harry." Ron clenched his teeth. "and he had better not talk that way to Hermione again.”

“He was rather obscene Harry.”

“Which is why Hermione’s mum drove us here today.”

“She didn’t want Ron to get you into trouble again.”

“I told you Hermione, I don’t need magic to deal with Dudley.”

Hermione pointedly ignored Ron’s last comment.

“So Mum decided to come down and have a chat with your Uncle.”

“HARRY!”

Harry started. His uncle was addressing him by his given name.

“Harry my boy.”

“Yes Uncle Vernon?” he called back.

“Be a good…” Uncle Vernon seemed to choke for a moment, “lad…and make us a pot of tea.”

“Yes Uncle.” Harry looked back at his friends who both shrugged and gestured for him to enter the house.

Hermione’s mother was still talking up a storm when they reached the living room.

“As I said before Vernon. I’m so pleased that these two young people have found each other.”

Harry busied himself preparing the tea, yet still keeping one ear open.

“Dennis and I were their age when we first found each other. Molly and Arthur were too, and of course Harry’s parents.”

“Ummmmmm”

“But of course you know all about Harry’s parents. You and Petunia were long married by that time hey.”

Sylvia sighed, shaking her head. “Such a tragedy.”

“Still Harry turned out alright. Only a couple of more years and you’ll be out of the woods.”

“Ummmm out of the woods?”

"With the teen years. Puberty is bad enough with normal children, but our lot..." Sylvia let her sentence hang. "...Problems."

"Problems?"

“Spontaneous adolescent magic. We haven’t had any problems with Hermione of course, but Molly says it’s worse with boys.”

“Spontaneous?” Vernon said.

“Oh yes completely uncontrollable. Setting fire to things, Trans….Trans…figeration.” Syvia paused and called loudly “Hermione that is the word darling, ‘transfiguration.’?”

Hermione grinned at Harry and called back. “Yes mum ‘transfiguration’.”

“It’s the anger.” Sylvia said. “Teenagers are so full of it. Molly’s had a torrid time with Ron.”

Harry noted the large smile on Ron’s face as he stepped past him to place the tea tray on the table in the centre of the living room.

“Which is why I thought I would have a chat to you about your boy Dudley.”

There was a gaping silence, and then.

“Dudley?” Aunt Petunia said. “What’s Dubley got to do with anything?”

“So glad you asked Petunia, so very glad you asked.”

“Your Dudley was rather rude to Hermione when she .”

Uncle Vernon’s laugh was forced. “Young men have high spirits.” He said. “I’m sure Dudley meant nothing by it.”

Sylvia Granger waved her hand dismissively. “I’m sure he didn’t Vernon, I’m sure he didn’t. Problem is he made young Ron angry.”

Sylvia continued in the sort of conspiratorial whisper that could be heard for miles around. “We had a terrible time calming him down last night, simply terrible time. Arthur was able to repair the chandelier, but really there’s simply no telling what he could do to Dudley without even realizing it.

“But…but” Uncle Vernon spluttered. “There are laws, they’re not permitted to perform magic outside school.”

“They can’t help it Vernon. Can’t help it at all. Why I remember the time Hermione changed the colour of her bedroom walls while dreaming.”

Uncle Vernon was swallowing hard, clawing at his collar.

“It was a lovely colour of course but she doesn’t know how she did it.” Sylvia’s voice lowered into the whisper again. “And one can’t inquire too closely as the content of an adolescent girl’s dreams can one.”

Hermione, Harry noticed was blushing profusely.

“That really happened?” he asked.

Hermione nodded. “And I’m not telling you about the dream.” She turned to Ron. “Either of you.”

“Molly’s lost count of all the breakage’s with all her boys.”

“Er exactly how many does she have.” Harry’s aunt’s voice sounded brittle.

“Oh Molly has seven all told, six boys and a girl. Can you imagine? Of course only Ron and Ginny are still in school. But they’re all very close. It something Hermione loves about the family.”

Harry noted that Hermione's blush deepened.

“They all stand together.”

“Very ummmm amirable.” Uncle Vernon said, though his tone said otherwise.

“So you understand why Dudley needs to apologize to Hermione, for his own safety.”

“I don’t think…..”

“No telling what might happen to him otherwise.”

“Look you can’t just….”

“Oh and of course Harry is very close to Hermione as well. If she were to tell him what she told me….”

Sylvia paused dramatically. “Goodness knows.”

“Dudley.”

Harry’s appeared from the other room where he had been clearly evesdropping.

“Dudley. I think perhaps it might be a good idea….”

“I won’t!” Despite his defiance Dudley looked pale.

“Dudley. This really isn’t the time.”

“No!”

“It’s habit.” Harry whispered to his friends.

Suddenly Ron spoke up loudly. “I’m so angry Harry.” He grinned and Hermione struggled to stifle a giggle. “It’s worse than last time.”

“You need to stay calm Ron.” Hermione said.

“Dudley.” Aunt Petunia’s voice was now firm and icey. “You will apologize to Miss Granger. NOW!”

“Hermione dear, I believe Dudley has something to say to you.”

Hermione left them, and struggling not to laugh Harry led Ron outside again.

They leant against the wall their bodies shuddering with silent mirth.

“Thanks mate.” Harry said. “I really needed that.”

“I reckon Dudley needed it too.” Ron replied.

Harry chuckled again.

“Harry?”

“Yeah?”

“You never fancied Hermione did you?”

Harry shook his head, somewhat bemused by the question.

Ron drew a deep breath. “Cause I’ve fancied her for simply ages.”

It was as if a puzzle piece had suddenly fitted into place.

Ron and Hermione’ Hermione and Ron.

His two best friends, he had never really thought of them as anything more than that.

But to each other? Could they even be friends without him?

The answer it seemed was ‘yes’, a lot more than friends.

“Ron.”

“Yeah?”

“Hermione’s a girl right? But…um” Harry licked his lips. “She’s also a mate.” Harry felt like he was swimming through thick mud, trying to find the right words.

“Not just a girl…um.”

“Not just a girl Harry.” Ron said.

“Well Ron what I’m trying to say, is…”

Ron interrupted him. “I think I just had this talk with her dad, Harry.”

“It’s all arranged.” Ron cleared his throat. “An autumn wedding, muggle style, you’ll be best man of course. Mum says it’s best to be married before the babies arrive…..oooph”

Harry elbowed Ron in the stomach and both boys laughed again.

“What’s so funny.”

"Nothing." The two boy's voices emerged as one.

Hermione shook her head. "Boys!" But she wrapped arms around Ron. "I'm sorry Harry but we have to leave soon. Mum's got a meeting to get to."

"That's OK." Harry said. "I didn't expect this at all." He gestured toward the pair of them. "Any of this."

"I hope we're not making you uncomfortable Harry."

Harry shook his head. "No Hermione. I think it's great.

Hermione slipped away from Ron and gave Harry a quick hug. "We'll phone again. Maybe after your birthday Proffessor Dumbledore will let you come to my house."

"Maybe." Harry agreed and he led them back through the house. Hermione's mother was at the front door shaking Vernon Dursley's hand.

"We really must do this again Vernon, Perhaps you can bring Harry over to our place." Sylvia Granger grinned "Dudley too of course."

Harry couldn't see Dudley, but both his uncle and aunt were wearing strained expressions.

Ron marched up to Harry's uncle and held out his hand. "Good to see you again sir."

Vernon Dursley took Ron's hand with the enthusiasm of a man petting a crocodile, and released it almost immedediatly.

They climbed into Mrs. Granger's grey Volvo, Hermione climbing into the back alongside Ron.

Only then did Dudley materialize, appearing from the side of the house.

Then, as the car pulled off Ron stuck his head out the window.

"BOO!"

Dudley jumped back tripping over his own feet and ended up sitting in his mother's flower bed.

Harry stifled his laughter as his aunt rushed to assist her wayward son. Seems that Ron had sorted Dudley out afterall.

Epilogue.

Hermione tried to scold Ron for his childishness, but neither her nor her mother could stifle their laughter, instead she looked out the back window waving at her friend.

When a madly grinning Harry had disappeared from view Hermione turned around and slid closer to Ron.

The past few days raced through Hermione's mind: Ron asking for her phone number, Ron's bizarre messages, Ron's unexpected kiss that had said so much.

"I can't take it back." Ron had said.

He couldn't.

"You can't." Hermione said.

"What's that luv?"

"I won't let you."

Hermione used her index finger to turn Ron's face toward her.

"Take it back."

The end.

Authors note: