Disclaimer:  Not mine.  JK Rowling's.  There I said it.

Author's Note:  Ron and Hermione.  Sigh, is there a better ship?  I really don't think so.  Read it and tell me what you think of it.

NOTE: This is a companion to Muggle Studies: Seamus' Story.  You will understand it better if you read both.  Sometimes Ron doesn't pay attention but Seamus does or vice versa.  You will have a cleared picture if you read both.

Chapter 1: Professor MacLachen and the Amazing Tenor

            "This is so stupid," Ron said sulkily.

            "Come on Ron, you know you don't think that," Harry comforted.

            "Yes, in fact I do.  Taking this Muggle Studies class is completely barmy.  What's the point in learning how to use a Muggle fellyvision," he moaned.

            "The point is it's a television, Ron," Hermione said sounding frustrated.  "Weren't you listening to Professor Dumbledore yesterday?  He explained all the reasons."

            Ron looked at her like she'd sprouted another head.

            "Of course I wasn't listening.  It was supper.  I was waiting for my food.  His first day speech is practically the same every year.  What's the point in listening?" he shrugged.

            "Well, it was obviously different this year, wasn't it?  And if you didn't listen then that's your fault, isn't it?" Hermione responded haughtily.

            "Are going to keep asking rhetorical questions all day? Or are you going to tell me what Dumbledore said?" Ron retorted.

            Harry answered quickly before their bickering grew into a real row. 

            "He said they wanted to, um, promote Muggle sympathy or something like that."

            "That's just wonderful," was Ron's sarcastic remark.  "I always thought Dumbledore was a little loopy but he really is all sixes and sevens, isn't he?"  He didn't really mean that, but Hermione seemed to think he did.

            "Ron!  That's a horrible thing to say.  Dumbledore is most certainly not crazy.  He's brilliant, in fact.  Promoting Muggle sympathy is very important.  By eliminating ignorance about Muggle situations and behaviour, we can eliminate much of the unfounded prejudice surrounding Muggle and Muggle-borns.  That is a good way to fight the war, you know.  Spread goodness and knowledge and you spread light, and if there's light the dark can't win, can it?"

            "No, professor McGonagall," Ron said, teasing her.

            "Come on guys, we're going to be late," Harry said, trying once more to divert catastrophe.

            "Humph," was all that Hermione said, as she walked into the classroom and took a seat beside Neville.  Ron and Harry took the seats behind her, and began to talk about the upcoming Quidditch season.  Lavender came in next, shortly followed by Parvati.  Seamus and Dean entered last and took the seats to Ron and Harry's left.  Seamus began whispering fiercely to Dean, who didn't seem to be very interested in what his Irish friend was saying.  All conversations stopped as Professor MacLachen started the class.

            She gave a brief introduction to the class and what they would learn in it.  Every time she said Muggle, Ron could see Draco Malfoy scowl.  Ron grinned.  It wouldn't be so bad taking Muggle Studies with the Malfoy if he knew that the Slytherin was having a worse time than Ron himself had in Potions. 

            The professor asked for those who had a lot of contact with Muggles to raise their hands.  Ron saw Hermione, Harry, Dean, Lavender, and Seamus put up their hands.  Hermione and Harry put their hands down when MacLachen asked who knew a lot of Muggle music.  Ron thought Hermione knew about everything.  Of course, he reasoned she'd probably been studying too much to get out much and she probably thought she'd do better reading than listening to music.  Ron suddenly realized he knew very little about Hermione's life outside of and before Hogwarts.  Like what did she do before she had gotten into Hogwarts?  She hadn't stayed home like he had.  She'd probably gone to school like Harry.  Why had he never asked her about it? 

            As he sat there listening to MacLachen talk to the class he thought about all the things he wanted to find out about Hermione the next time he got a chance.  What was her favourite song?  What was her favourite childhood memory?  What did she miss most about the Muggle world?  He was distracted from his thoughts only when he heard Seamus singing a Muggle song in a voice that sounded too high for the 5'5" Irishman.  Seamus' speaking voice was much lower than the voice that serenaded the class. 

            Ron was trying not to snicker even though he knew Seamus was singing very well.  He would so make fun of his roommate that night and by the look on Harry and Dean's faces they would as well.  Ron looked at Hermione's face as Seamus sang and he saw admiration and longing in her eyes.  He didn't think it was for Seamus himself because she had told him that she thought Seamus and Lavender made a cute couple.  Ron assumed the look on her face was because she wished that someone would sing as nicely to her as Seamus was to Lavender, though the blond didn't realize it.  Ron vowed he would learn to sing and when he learned Hermione's favourite song, he'd sing it for her.

Author's Note 2:  Well, how was it?  Sorry, what was that?  I can't hear you through the time/space difference.  Please press the review button and tell me that way.