Disclaimer: I own squat.

A/N: I want to apologize in advance. I am truly sorry.

Summary: Throughout the depths of this text I will attempt to bring to life the unusual relationship (or lack, thereof) between Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger.

Something Wonderful

She made a pretty picture poised beneath the shade of a dogwood tree, open book in one hand and an apple in the other. Her beauty was subtle; the soft curve of cheek in an otherwise angular face; the thick flutter of lashes gracing her sharp brown eyes; and, of course, the wild, defiant curls which refused to stay in place.

Ron would have told her how pretty she looked, had he the courage. Anyway, she had insulted him at breakfast by calling him a coward, and that was quite a blow to his fragile male ego. Besides, why should he answer Luna Lovegood's owl when all she had to say was that she looked forward to seeing him next term? Normally, such a remark from any female would have aroused a sense of vain importance within Ron, however, such was not the case when it came from a raving lunatic! Pretty or not, he would not submit to the ethereal charms of Hermione Granger after she had wounded him so carelessly.

Unfortunately for Ron, Hermione had sensed his presence and abruptly snapped her book shut, turning her sharp eyes toward him.

"I—I was only walking to the river," he explained, suddenly aware of how conspicuous he was, half-hiding behind a neighboring dogwood tree. "I wasn't spying or anything."

Hermione raised an amused eyebrow but said nothing.

"Why are you always reading, anyway?" Ron asked, in what he hoped was a casual voice.

"I find Shakespeare rather enlightening," Hermione said, a smile playing at her lips. "And I thought you were going to practice flying with Harry."

"I don't need to practice," he said, annoyed. "Harry's visiting the joke shop, anyway. The twins arrived just after you left to go read. "

Her smile turned into a smirk, and Ron felt the strong inclination to ask her just what was so funny. Instead, he turned toward the Burrow and said, "Well, I'll be off, then."

He stopped in mid-stride at Hermione's precocious laughter.

"What?" he asked, his annoyance mounting because her laughter completely befuddled him.

"You said you were going to the river," she said, standing up and brushing the twigs off of her white, cotton dress.

"Oh," Ron said, flushing a slight pink. "I am." With a sudden burst of daring, he asked, "Will you join me?"

"No, I think I'll go back to the Burrow," she said, wickedly, recognizing the bemused expression on his face. "I think I'll catch up on my correspondences. Maybe you should consider doing the same, you know, or else that silly Luna Lovegood will think you've lost interest and—"

"Shut up!" Ron said, turning red more out of embarrassment than anger. It was one thing to be teased by one's older brothers, but it was too much to endure hearing it from one you—well, one you liked a lot. "I don't like Loony Lovegood!"

Hermione turned away from Ron and bit into her apple. Of course not, she thought, you're more into the Fleur Delacour types, aren't you? She bit her lip and said, resignedly, "Of course you don't. A more pea-brained girl I never did meet. Either way, I'm going back to the Burrow because I do have to catch up on my correspondences. Goodness, I haven't written to mother and father for over a—"

"Mother and father, is it?" Ron asked, suspiciously. His jealous nature always won out, over everything else. "Or is it Vicky?"

Hermione simply favored him with a mysterious smile and swept past him, leaving him to gape after her, angry, confused, and completely in love.