PLANS

 

"Dad?  Got a minute?"

 

Arthur Weasley willed himself to relax.  He had faced Death Eaters, dementors, six of "the talks" with adolescent males, and even a furious Molly Prewitt when he had to.  But there was something that told him this conversation would be one of the hardest he had ever had.  He turned and looked over and then up at his youngest son who was standing in the doorway of his shed.  "Of course, Ron.  I always have a minute for you."  When did that happen?  He used to come and look up at me with those eyes of his.  Now, I'm looking up at him.  "Pull up a chair."

 

Ron avoided his dad's eyes as he selected a chair and sat down, rubbing his pant legs with both hands, an absolute sign he was nervous.  Arthur gave him time.  Charlie and Percy you had to prod, Ginny and the twins would launch right in, but Bill and Ron both needed to get there at their own speed, prodding would close them down.  And Bill will be a husband soon.  Where did the time go.  Finally Ron looked up and glanced around the room, then looked out the window towards the house.  His eyes seemed to check to be sure his mother hadn't followed him out to the shed, because after seeing her take the laundry basket into the house, he cleared his throat.  His voice has deepened.  He's of age now.  Why am I getting this urge to grab him and keep him small?  And safe?

 

"Dad, it's about Harry and Hermione," Ron started, looking suddenly at his dad.  Of course, it's about Harry and Hermione.  Since his first day at Hogwart's, its been Harry and not so long after, Hermione also.  "You know that Dumbledore asked Harry to take on a duty."  Arthur nodded, his heart starting to pound a little louder.  "Well, Harry turns of age this month and Hermione and I are already and Dad this duty, well, it's gonna take time."  Ron took a last big gasp of air.  "We'renotgoingbacktoschoolthisyear."  Ron leaned back, watching his dad for some sign of an explosion.

 

Arthur closed his eyes.  Albus, it's a good thing right now that I can't get to you to wring your neck.  They're just children, even if they are of age.  Arthur picked up a small Muggle child's toy from his work counter.  He was aware that Ron was still watching him.  Waiting.

 

"You're sure you can't tell the Order what this duty is?"  Ron shook his head.  "I know Harry feels this is his destiny."  Ron nodded his head.  "And you and Hermione have discussed this?"  Ron nodded again, a slight blush coming to his neck as it did every time Hermione's name was brought up.  "You've talked about how dangerous this could be?  That one or all of you might not come back."  Arthur's voice faltered at the end.  More dangerous than trolls, werewolves, animagi, traitors, Death Eaters, Quidditch, giant spiders.....Why is it that my child is not only in the middle of this war, but actually seems to be one of the three right at the front of the battle  Hasn't our family given up enough in the first war?  Fabian and Gideon, my brother William and his wife, all the others who died then.  Ron was waiting, more patiently than Arthur ever remembered.  This was the boy who woke everyone up at 4 AM on Christmas morning, when they had to drag him out of bed every other day of the year.  He fell out of the second story window when he was four because he wanted to ride the broom so young.

 

"What do Hermione's parents have to say about this?"  Arthur noticed the blush had now deepened but something else was in his son's eyes.

 

"She's not telling them,"  Ron said and added quickly, "Dad, you know they're in danger no matter what.  And that you and Kingsley told us that the Ministry is becoming less and less stable so they can't help protect Muggle families.  She's decided she has to protect them herself.  I'm going to pick her up this week, right after she obliviates their memories of her.  Then she'll have them leave the country."  Ron rubbed the back of his neck, looking as if he wished he had been able to think of an alternative plan.

 

Arthur looked at his son in horror, even as he realized that in all likelihood, it would keep them safer than any plan he could have come up with.  He would have offered for them to stay at the Burrow but that could easily become the most dangerous place for a pair of Muggles to be, particularly the parents of someone who would probably be one of the top seven undesirables in the Magic world.  Oh, yeah, keeping both sets of parents here would make the Burrow a golden target.  "She's changing their names then too?"  Ron nodded, looking relieved that his dad wasn't blasting away with a Bodybinding curse.  "She'll stay here then,"  Arthur declared this rather than asked.  He noticed Ron relax some with that.  "You'll let Ginny know so she can make room for her."

 

Ron nodded and said quietly, "Ginny knows and is ready."

 

Arthur's head popped up quickly, his eyes squinting as he peered at his son.  "Ginny is NOT going with you three."  His voice left no room for disagreement.

 

Ron quickly shook his head.  "No, Dad.  In fact, Harry made sure they had a pretty public break-up before the school year ended.  He wanted to try and separate himself from her to keep her safe from being used against him."  Arthur stared at his son.  Public break up?!  When had they gotten together?  He made a mental note to check with Molly discreetly on what his daughter had been doing last year.

 

"Ron,"  Arthur started.  Bloody hell!  My son is planning on fighting Voldemort as part of a teenage gang and I'm going to ask him about his love life?  But they are planning on being alone for a year.  "I......" Arthur couldn't even voice to himself all the feelings he was having at this moment.  "Ron, you and Hermione?"

 

Ron's blush deepened even further and moved past his face to his ears and neck.  "Dad, we've agreed that we have to not get involved with anyone at this point until we finish this duty.  It's too important to deal with emotions and entanglements."

 

Arthur was impressed that the kids had discussed this, but he chuckled lightly so Ron looked at him.  "Sorry.  You do know that your Mom and I had four kids during the last war?"  Ron nodded the red still staining his face.  "Obviously emotions continue no matter what else is happening."

 

"But, Dad,"  Ron started.  "You were married already.  A lot of the time, you told us, you were stuck here in the Burrow.  You'd been in love forever you said."

 

Arthur turned a serious eye on his son.  "And exactly how long have you loved Hermione, son?"

 

Ron jumped up for the first time, turned to deny it, then turned to the work counter and picked up various pieces of metal.  No matter what, Ron had never lied to him.  He'd lied to his mom, but never to him.  "It feels like forever now.  Lav was just kind of a mistake, a "her face was in front of mine, so let's snog" thing.  But 'Mione has, well, she...." Ron gave up.  "Dad, it doesn't matter.  She doesn't feel the same way."

 

Athur looked at his "oh so clueless" son.  "Ron, sit back down.  Let's clear this up.  When a girl is found crying in a hallway with her best friend, right after seeing another guy being publicly attacked in the common lounge, she isn't after the one she's sitting with, she's wishing she was with the one she targets magic bluebirds to attack."  Ron looked at his dad in surprise.  Arthur grinned.  I do know a bit of Hogwart's gossip.  "And a girl who spends most of three days sitting next to the bed of a boy, holding his hand while he's unconscious is probably a bit besotted with that boy.  And when a boy and girl seem to argue incessantly over little things for a long period of time, there's probably a fairly strong emotion involved."  His son was looking at the floor, but Arthur was fairly certain he could see the blush in the part on top of his head.  "A girl who is perfect in most everything she does, is not likely to keep playing chess with someone she knows she has no chance of beating unless she feels something for that person.  "And Ron," Arthur knew his son would be shocked by his dad's knowing this one.  "A girl who doesn't like flying and isn't wild about Quidditch , does not show up for tryouts and send a Confundus curse at a player just to be sure the fellow she feels strongly for gets the spot on the team."  Arthur sat back as his son digested all of this. 

 

"Bloody hell!"  Ron whispered.  He looked up at his dad, who nodded authoritatively.

 

"But,"  Arthur continued, somewhat regretfully, "You're probably right about not getting involved before this duty is done."

 

"Uh, er, Dad," Ron started, hand running through his hair again, "About Mum?"

 

Arthur's face paled.  "I'll tell her -- after you leave.  You may find I'll be looking for you three after she throws me out on my ear."  Well, she'll probably yell loud enough for the kids to hear her.  Better fix that cot up in the shed, just in case.