Chapter 1: Sexual Tension
Ron Weasley was furious. He was nose to nose with his best friend, Hermione, whom he had just caught talking about wanting to snog Cormac McLaggen. An argument was imminent, but he relished it.
"Right," Hermione was saying, as she tossed her long bushy brown hair out of her face and glared at him. "Let's get this straight once and for all – it is none of your business who I think is attractive or what I want to do with them, Ron."
"Yeah, it is!" said Ron, just as angrily. "Do you think I want people saying my best friend's a –"
"A what?" Hermione shouted, drawing her wand. "A what, exactly?"
"He doesn't mean anything, Hermione," said Harry Potter automatically, though the monster inside him was secretly roaring in approval at Ron's words. He imagined kissing Hermione, and she kissing him back and not thinking about Cormac, and they were in an empty corridor and Ron was not there...
"Oh, yes, he does," she said, flaring up at Harry. "Just because he's never snogged anyone in his life; just because the best kiss he's ever gotten is from his Great Aunt Muriel –"
"Shut your mouth!" bellowed Ron, bypassing red and turning maroon.
"No, I will not!" yelled Hermione, beside herself. "I've seen you with Phlegm, hoping she'll kiss you on the cheek every time you see her; it's pathetic! If you went out and got a bit of snogging done yourself, you wouldn't mind so much that everyone else does it!"
Ron had pulled out his wand too; Harry stepped swiftly between them.
"You don't know what you're talking about!" Ron roared, trying to get a clear shot at Hermione around Harry, who was now standing in front of her with his arms outstretched. "Just because I don't do it in public-"
Hermione screamed with derisive laughter, trying to push Harry out of the way.
"Been kissing Pigwidgeon, have you? Or do you have a picture of your Great Aunt Muriel stashed under your pillow?"
"You-"
A streak of orange light flew under Harry's left arm and missed Hermione by inches; Harry pushed Ron up against the wall.
"Don't be stupid-"
"Harry's snogged Cho Chang!" shouted Hermione, who sounded close to tears now. "And I snogged Victor Krum; it's only you who acts like it's something disgusting, Ron, and that's because you've got about as much experience as a twelve-year-old!" And with that, she stormed away.