Chronicles of Camelot

Swords and Surprises

Making his way up to the apartment, Harry knocked twice on the door, and then whistled twice, before the door opened and Hermione took him into her arms, her body shaking as she held onto him. The twice-used knock and whistle method was something they had designed to recognise each other; only those of the Order, Dan, Emma or Amelia really needed to use it as Hermione would be able to tell her Harry from an impostor due to their bond and vice versa.

"Where is he Mione?" asked Harry, holding onto his girlfriend as she seemed a little more nervous than before.

"The…the Leaky Cauldron," Hermione replied, before she turned and gestured to a parchment lying on the table in the main room; walking through to the room, Harry picked up the parchment and, almost immediately, he saw why Hermione was so scared:

Lord Potter,

I, Ronald Bilius Weasley have had time to think about what we discussed when last we saw one another and, if you can spare me a moment of your busy time, I will freely and willingly apologise to your…girlfriend, Hermione Jane Granger and ask for her forgiveness.

I hope that our past faults do not spoil the bountiful relationship that we have forged over the past two years and that, despite your being a Holy Knight, we can still be considered brothers-in-arms;

If you consent to this arrangement, I would be honoured to meet with you in the Leaky Cauldron on August 24th for a meeting between you and I;

Hoping you are well,

Master R.B. Weasley

Harry held the letter in his hand, Hermione with her arms around him as he read and re-read the letter, his hand shaking with each reading: however, when Hermione looked up, she saw that he wasn't angry or near tears for some unknown reason: no, he was, in actual fact…laughing! His eyes were filled with a sense of disbelief and, as Hermione sought him out through the bond, she only felt a sense of amusement and incredulous bewilderment rather than a sense of forgiveness.

'What's so funny love?' asked Hermione, calming her boyfriend as she led him into the living room of their apartment, Harry now scrunching the letter up in one hand as he sat down, still laughing.

'Oh,' he chuckled, even his mental voice sounded amused, 'Sorry Hermione, but if Ronald Weasley wrote that, then Draco Malfoy is really a fan of Muggles and Gryffindors.'

'What do you mean?' asked Hermione, looking back to the letter, 'He signed it and…'

'And since when do we know that Dead Man Walking to write with such a fanciful tone or language?' asked Harry, now holding his girlfriend in his arms, 'You've been the one to look over enough of his homework to know that he's no scholar: if I had to guess, I'd bet the Bighead Boy Percival wrote this and Mummy dearest had Ron say he wrote it.'

'I see what you mean,' Hermione replied, before she looked back at Harry and asked, 'But why would Molly want Ron to think…'

'Because she doesn't get it,' Harry replied, now resigning himself to stroking Hermione's soft dark hair, his face losing its amusement, his silver eye almost glowing as he explained, 'She still wishes to believe that Ginny and I have a future: you saw what happened in Dumbledore's office; hell, if I went there, then I'd have her probably biting my ear off about insulting a GREAT MAN like Dumbledork. Heaven forbid if she tries to hug me or drag me away from you, Mum and Dad; which is why…' he then stood up, brushed down his robe and, turning to Hermione, he held out his hand, which she gladly accepted.

"I'm going to accept their summons," He explained, "But I won't be going alone: I'll have the Order escort me and see if I speak with Tonks about watching from afar."