Title: Broomstick bother

Author: searching4romeo

Rating: T for implications…

Summary: Harry overhears an unusual conversation.

RW-HG-RW-HG-RW-HG

"I can't believe we're going to do this!"

Harry stopped outside a disused class room on the third floor, surprised to hear Hermione's voice coming from inside.

"I know this is a big step for you, I do, but you don't have to be afraid."

Harry recognised the second voice; Ron was there too. But what were they doing?

"Oh Merlin, what was I thinking when I said yes!" Hermione's voice raised several octaves and she sounded rather hysterical.

"That you trusted me?" Ron replied, his tone slightly indignant.

"I do trust you, Ron, you know that!" Springs creaked and Harry inched forwards to catch what she was saying. "…that broom of yours I'm nervous about."

Broom? Harry's brow crinkled in confusion. Why would Ron have his broom inside? He always kept it in the broom shed by the Gryffindor changing rooms. Unless… Harry thought back to the conversation Dean and Seamus had over breakfast. But there was no way Ron and Hermione would be doing… that! They'd have told him, wouldn't they?

"I'll be in control the whole time, we can stop whenever you want to." Ron's voice brought Harry's attention back to the conversation behind the door.

"I suppose…"

"Great! Okay, swing your leg over there – no, hang on, wrap your hands around it properly…"

Hands! Harry thought, horrified, unwanted images flooding into his mind.

A crash and thud later, Hermione's voice wailed, "Oh Ron, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you. I don't think I'm ready to do this!"

Harry finally decided that enough was enough. He wasn't going to let Ron pressure Hermione into doing… you know, best friend or not. Throwing the door open with his hands over his eyes, he peered through his fingers to find his two best friends gaping at him. Hermione was straddling a broom, Ron's Cleansweep, while Ron was standing behind her, his hands covering hers.

Hermione blushed to the roots and straightened up, trying to hide behind Ron's broader frame. "Harry," she squeaked, "What – what're you um, doing here? I thought you were helping Ginny with Transfiguration?"

"She's a quick study," her said bluntly, his own face reddening as he realised how far off the mark he had been. "W-what are you two doing, then?"

"I'm going to teach Hermione how to fly. Too wet out to use the pitch." Ron muttered, throwing his old broom onto a sagging couch in the corner.

"Oh. Right. Right! Broomsticks. Flying… I should go." Backing out of the room, Harry ran all the way back to the seventh floor, allowing himself to laugh at his stupidity once he was back within the safety of the Gryffindor Common Room.

"What was that about?" Hermione wondered.

"Who knows?" Ron grinned, ruffling her hair.

"Good thing he didn't arrive a half hour earlier," Hermione giggled, taking off her smudged lip gloss with a murmured charm and unsuccessfully smoothing her creased robes. "Have you seen my bra at all?"