the_debt_of_time

She turned and crossed her arms over her chest, glaring at her red-headed best
friend, a dare in her eyes. "If you can remember what that expression means, I will gladly
step in and fix this for you."
Ron stared back, stuttering out a few syllables as his ears turned red.
"Hermione?" Mrs Weasley appeared in the doorway, and her gaze worried. "Could
you please explain to me why my son thinks he's not going back to school this year?"
Hermione sighed in defeat but not before glowering in Ron's direction. "I'm sorry,
Mrs Weasley, but we have to do this. It's up to Harry now. It's always been up to Harry,
and I, for one, am not going to let him go it alone," she tried to explain. "Ron has voiced
that he feels the same."
Mrs Weasley's voice was high, bordering on a shriek as she demanded, "And where
are you going? What will you be doing? Why can't the Order or, Merlin forbid, your
own parents know about it?"
Hermione flinched at the word parents, and Mrs Weasley caught the reaction
immediately.
"Oh, my dear girl." She walked quickly over and pulled Hermione into a hug. "I'm
sorry, Hermione, but... I can't lose any of my children. That includes you, just so that
you're aware."
"I know." Hermione nodded. "But we've put our trust in Dumbledore and in Harry.
Unfortunately, this mission is not the only thing we need to deal with. Harry needs to come
here—come home," she clarified with a sad smile as she looked up at Mrs Weasley, who was
now crying for what was clearly not the first time that day.
The conversation was interrupted by a tapping sound at a nearby window.
Hermione inhaled sharply as she recognised Remus's owl. Ron raised a questioning brow,
catching her reaction, but she shook her head, a silent plea for him to drop whatever
suspicions he had about the anxiety on her face.
"Order meeting tomorrow," Mr Weasley said as he walked into the room. "Remus
says it's important, but that we shouldn't worry ourselves."
"Easier said than done," Mrs Weasley said with a huff. "Don't think you're getting
out of this, young man." She pointed a stern finger at Ron who swallowed, a lump in his
throat, and nodded his head hastily as his parents left the room.