A/N

Set at the beginning of Half Blood Prince, on the assumption that Harry and Ron did not know 'Incarcerous' (rope binding spell) prior to this. I fail at keeping in character :\ Please tell me how to improve!

"You saw Umbridge using the spell Harry, it may come in useful at some point!" lectured Hermione over the large thumbed books borrowed from the library, "And it took me ages to find the proper wand movements!"

"I know, but I hardly want to use any spell that old frog used, I would feel all pink and…froggy." Harry attempted to retort, but slowly petered out at the realisation of how poor his argument sounded. "Besides, I don't have anyone to practice on and you know the room of requirement can't produce very good moving targets."

Hermione huffed, slammed the book down in Harrys' lap, much to Harrys chagrin, then stormed out of the common room claiming to be meeting a teacher. Considering the muttering, the frown and the late time, both boys were sure the meeting wasn't especially true, but let it drop.

"Nice retort mate, you've really convinced her" Ron turned back from peeking over the tall chair top as the fat lady swung tiredly shut. "Does she know its after curfew?"

"I don't think she cares Ron, besides, could I practice this spell on you?"

"Do you even know how to do it? Have you seen these instructions, there's no way we could do this without her help, way to go man."

"It shouldn't take…long?"

It was many hours later, long since Hermione had come stumbling back into the common room, tired and depressed and a few hours after she had crawled up to the girls dormitory after tutoring the boys on the spell, when the sun began to peek into the Griffindors high windows, that Harry had his first success with the spell.

'Incarcerous!"

The lightly opaque ropes burst forth, slightly limply, from Harry's wand, rushing forth to capture Ron around the chest, his arms held tight to his sides, with the sleepy haze of the sleepless night knocked ruthlessly out as Ron fell heavily onto the floor, the rich carpets doing little to ease the rough landing. Harry bit back laughter at Rons' verbal offence, he wondered where Ron heard such crude language, in gobbledegook no less!

Harry was practically glowing with pride, having, (only just), managed to complete the spell even Hermione had trouble performing. His brow was damp with sweat, after hours of practising the spell, the scratchiness behind his eyes from sleep depravation fading from utter joy. It was just over a minute before he remembered Ron still bound in front of him, still cussing up a storm.

"What would Mrs Weasley say if she heard such vulgar language Ron?" grinned Harry impishly.

Trudging up to Rons incapacitated body, Harry took a cursory glance outside the windows, the amber sun peeking over the forbidden forest. Im lucky its a weekend he though mercifully, the lack of sleep reappearing in a cloudy haze over his brain. Looking down, initially to help Ron back up, Harrys' breathing hitched and he soon became lost in thought.

Initially, Harry had remembered incarcerous from Malfoy, after being hit from behind with it whilst in transit to transfiguration lesson in second year, he assumed seeing Ron would arouse the anger from the memory, as well as Umbridges' offensive use against the centaurs, but instead he felt himself aroused in a far less expected way.

Whether his thoughts had been addled by the hazy cloud from the lack of sleep, or from the deep amber sunlight softening Rons' jawline, - Just like his hair he thought-, he was unsure. However the tumbling feeling in his chest could only be interpreted in one way.

He wasn't sure if it was the lightly gleaming hair, mildly damp from perspiration, for the lightly ruffled look of his robes, but Harry was ensnared, captivated with the lightly struggling form of his best friend below him.

It was many minutes before Ron, cussing and grumbling managed to penetrate Harrys distracted mind, blushing fiercely, Harry clapped his hands to drop the spell, then offered the appendage to Ron, pulling him up.

"You okay mate? You spaced out like Luna for a bit there." Ron said casually whilst rubbing his chest where the ropes bound him. "I'm heading up to bed now, try an' sleep off this pounding headache, wish I knew the cushioning charm."

Ron left grumbling up the stairs to the dormitory, oblivious the the burning face of Harry, who climbed the spiralling stairs shortly after. It would take many days for Harry to admit how he felt and many months before he would act upon it. But Harry knew, that wasn't the last time he'd be using that spell on Ron.