A/n: This is a story based on the poem from "10 Things I Hate About You"
Disclaimer: I don't own anything from the Harry Potter series.
Chapter one: "I hate the way you talk to me, and the way you cut your hair."
If the humidity of the summer wasn't enough, the heated tension in the Burrow was 'burrowing' itself into those who occupied it. Molly Weasley rolled her eyes and Arthur Weasley raised his copy of the Daily Prophet higher hoping to block out some of the noise. The eldest of the Weasley children still living at home, Percy Weasley, slammed his door quite dramatically to prove to the house that he needed quiet and that the argument playing out downstairs between the two youngest siblings wasn't what he had in mind. The Weasley twins, Fred and George, decided to drown out the noise by running around the quarrelling siblings, throwing pillows at each other, or rather, at them.
"Would you just leave us the hell alone!" Ginevra Weasley screamed at the twins. Dropping the pillows they were holding, the colour draining from their faces, they sped up to the safety of their bedrooms. Causing Ginny to raise her voice, while in a mighty mood, was never a good idea.
"Would you just leave me the hell alone!" Her older brother of a year, Ronald, shouted at his sister. Ginny's eyes darted from the stairs back to the blue eyes of Ron's. She stepped closer to him, closing in on his personal space; Ginny poked his chest again and again causing him to move backwards. "You're the one who I found in my room, rummaging through my things!" Turning the last poke into a shove, the force causing Ron to fall back onto the sofa.
"I...I- was well, I was-" Ron stuttered and Ginny scoffed. "I know what you were looking for, you idiot. Why didn't you just come and ask me?" Ron felt the heat rising to the tip of his ears. "Did you think it was less 'macho'? Is that what Fred and George were telling you last night in your bedroom!?" Ginny spoke, giggling afterwards.
Ron rose to his feet, "you nosey little-" But his sentence was cut of as a hand was cupped over his mouth. His eyes rose to look behind him to see his eldest brother Bill stopping him from making a mistake. He pulled Bill's hand of his mouth, "would everyone just leave me the bloody well alone!" He bellowed, the house swayed to which seemed the loudness of Ronald's voice but really to the small breeze that passed over the land.
"Ronald Billius Weasley, get in here!" His mother, Molly, screeched from the kitchen. The three siblings' eyes all glided over to the door leading to the kitchen. "NOW!" Bill pushed him forward and Ron stumbled but carried on to the scene that awaited him. And as he did so Bill turned to Ginny, "want to go play some Quidditch... down by the lake?" Ginny, speechless, nodded her head silently, still looking at the door of the kitchen.
Whoosh! A spluttering cough came from the living room fire place. Percy peered over his glasses from the Dining Room table and Ginny placed her hot coco on the side table and wriggled out of the blanket that was covering her as she sat patiently on the sofa. She squealed and ran over to the bushy brunette dusting herself off. Ginny flung her arms around her which too the girl by surprise. "Hermione! How have you been!?"
Hermione laughed as Ginny let go, "I've been alright, you?" She smiled, while pushing her trunk out of the fireplace. "Oh you know how it is," she glared over her shoulder at her brooding brother, Ron, who was sitting on an armchair with his arms crossed - a glum look overcoming his face. "But I put up with it," she said while jerking her head at Ron.
The girls lent over Hermione's trunk, "what's wrong with him?" Hermione whispered, her eyes fixed on Ron. Ginny shoke her head and sighed, "oh, we had a little bit of an argument. But I won because Mum shouted at Ron and not me, but it was his fault, he shouldn't have-" Hermione held up her hand and laughed. "Ok, I get it."
"I'll take your trunk up to my room," Ginny offered while picking up the handle of the trunk. She pulled it upstairs and Hermione sat on the arm of Ron's chair.
She beamed at him, snapping her fingers in front of his dazed face. "Ron... Ron?" He blinked and grunted. "I heard about the fight," Ron grunted again, "I don't think you and Ginny should-" Ron jumped up and paced to the other side of the room. He spun on his heal and board into the now standing Hermione. "Who cares what you think Hermione!" The brunette raised her eyebrows, "wha-"
Ron stormed over to her and Hermione took a few steps back, Percy intervened. "Ron just-". Ron head snapped round, "why don't you just stay out of this." His older brother's eyebrows lowered at Ron, then he picked up his quill and papers and left. Once again, Ron's head whipped round to face Hermione. "It was an argument between me and my sister; you were nothing to do with it. Why do you have to involve yourself in everything?!"
"Calm down-" Ron interrupted, "no you calm down and get lost. Why are you even here? Couldn't you just stay at home until the end of the Holidays?" A tear rolled down Hermione's cheek and a lump formed in her throat. "Your parents and Ginny-"
A large 'tut' left Ron's mouth and he moved closer to her face, "well why don't you go and see them then!" He ordered bitterly. Hermione moved backwards, her knees becoming weak. She had never heard such anger in Ron's voice, well she had, but that was in arguments that they had had. Not one's she was not apart of.
They heard a giggle from the staircase; Hermione peered through blurry eyes to see Molly Weasley with her arms wide open. "Ah, Hermione dear. Ginny just told me you had arrived. How are you?"
Hermione couldn't take it, she looked from Mrs Weasley to Ron and the tears began to fall. "I hate the way you talk to me Ronald Weasley," she squeaked, before sprinting up the stairs. Into Ginny's room and falling onto the camp bed, the pillow becoming quickly damp as Ginny placed a consulting hand on her shoulder.
Days had past and neither Hermione nor Ginny had communicated with Ron since the fight. Ron had spent the time storming around the Burrow, slamming every door he'd come across and doing absolutely nothing that could be classed as productive. In complete comparison, Hermione was already three months into her next year of Hogwarts and there was still four weeks of her summer holidays left! Ginny, on the other hand, wasn't acting any differently. She continued her daily routines, filled with household chores and Quidditch practice.
The three moods began to brighten though, as today was a exciting day. The annual trip to Diagon Alley for the following school term's school supplies and errands. Also the same evening, their friend Harry was to be arriving at the Burrow to spend the last few weeks of summer with his close friends, who were much more like his family.
Engulfed into blue flames, Molly Weasley was the last person to reach Diagon Alley.
"Well Hermione and Ginny, you go with Arthur and he'll take you everywhere you need to go because I need to take Ron to Burthington's Barbers," Molly proclaimed.
"What…" Ron gave his mother a shocked, disgusted look. His mother ruffled his red hair, "your hair is an unruly mop young man, a prefect is meant to set an example to the other students… so you need to look smart." Ron groaned to show his displeasure.
Molly linked arms with her youngest son and dragged him away from Arthur, Ginny and Hermione.
When they returned Hermione looked at Ron is confusion, while Ginny giggled to herself after seeing Hermione's expression. He'd had his hair cut from shoulder length, to shaggy and choppy layers that fell just past his ears.
Hermione whispered in Ginny's ear, "why is it that I think he looks really… never mind." She stopped after she realized what she was saying and who she was saying it too.
Ron had obviously realized the stares he was receiving from Hermione, whereas she was still oblivious to the fact she was still staring at him. His eyebrows furrowed, "all right, all right. I know it looks bad, there is no need to stare!"
Hermione was shocked to hear his voice after it had been muted for the past four days. Her voice cracked, "no… it's… no, I mean…" She found it hard to tell him what she thought, her mind not totally processing her new found feelings. Or were they so new?
Ron took this offensively, "yeah well your hair isn't much better," he spat as he pushed past her. Hermione's eyes shot open wide, her insides bubbling – why did Ronald Weasley always have to ruin her perfectly good, yet confused, daze. She spun on her heel and shouted at his back as he was walking away, "well I hate to way you cut your hair, I think it looks ridiculous!"
He stopped for a second; processing what she had said… when finally it clicked in his head. That look she gave him when she first saw his haircut wasn't a horrible, offensive look, it was the same look he'd received when their hands touched in Care of Magical Creatures in third year… or in first year when he announced he was going to sacrifice himself in the game of chess on their quest to reach the Philosopher's Stone before he-who-must-not-be-named.
He smiled to himself in realization that he was just as confused as she was.
I need help deciding what pairing the next chapter should be written about. The next part of the poem is;
"I hate the way you drive my car, I hate it when you stare."
I have decided to either write it on Lily/James, Tonks/Remus or Rose/Albus. Please review and tell me who you think I should choose :D
Until next time, Alice.