Date My Friend
By ReadSpawned
Ronald Bilius "Ron" Weasley's poor put-apon and oft ignored inner Ravenclaw decided that his accursed other brain, the one that all boys shared and that ruined their chances of being decent citizens, shared much in common with a sheep. He was fairly cute in a girls seemed to want to hug him sort of way, either ignored or liked by most guys, and while he possessed a sort of inante genius about him in certain issues, he could be, and often was, dumb as a rock. Ron's brain came to this conclusion on an otherwise routine morning mid-October of his sixth year somewhere between the time it took for Ginny Weasley to butter her roll, and Hermione Granger's eyes to reach maximum wideness.
"Ginny!" Hermione admonishes the readheaded instigant that was at present hiding a wicked grin behind her newly buttered roll.
Dean Thomas on her left and Seamus Finnegan across from him glances their way. Hermione notices and lowers her voice to a harsh whisper.
"How could you even suggest that I ask that- that- Malfoy on a," at this she lowers her voice further, "date!"
She spits the word out with such vemenence that Ron on her right and Harry Potter at Ginny's left flinch. She would have seen a similar reaction had she mentioned to Neville Longbottom's inner Hufflepuff, You-Know-Who (often known as Professor Severus Snape).
Ginny takes a moment to chew a piece of flaky bread. Her inner Slytherin is dominant and clearly is playing to her captive audience.
"Well, I don't care what you say, I'm not letting you get stuck going with my brother as friends."
For the youngest redhead of the well liked, if somewhat less influential, Weasley clan, it was this word that seems to shock her to the roots of her magically enhanced red hair.
"Really, Ginny." Hermione's eyes losing no wideness, now turns earnest. "I'm fine going with Ron. I don't have the time to worry about trying to find a date. It's just a stupid Hallows Eve ball."
"That's- that's, blasphemy!"
The table witnesses the rare occasion of the gossip and taboo adoring Weasley become genuinely shocked.
Hermione Granger is known as being as obstinate as she is intellegent. She's stubborn, willful and opinionated. It is her inner Ravenclaw who by carefully reigning in her outer Gryffindor that is the root of her title of Cleverest Witch of Her Year. Ravenclaw urges caution now.
"I'm sorry Ginny. I didn't mean it. I know you worked so hard on this and that it's going to be magical." The term is lost on the pureblood witch and she remains unappeased.
Hermione sighs, "I'll let you help me find a date, but by Merlins beard, why would you say Malfoy?"
"Think about it Hermione." If Ginny's eyes seem to say more to Hermione than Ron sees, it would be hardly unexpected.
It is for this reason that Rowena Ravenclaw occasionally wished she could tear off Godric Gryffyndor's arm to repeatedly beat him with it. She's quite certain it'd be assault, but doubted it'd be a crime.
Coincidentally, at this very moment Ron Weasley's personal Ravenclaw is in complete agreement as Ron turns his attention from the exchange back to the boys dissection of the last quidditch game.
For a moment, the long moment before Ron mistakes the surge of emotions caused by Ginny's suggestion for his most intense hatred of the inconsequential blond git from Slytherin, his Ravenclaw actually thinks all his kicking and screaming might have gotten through. But hopes are crushed and now he settles back down into his squishy chair in the dusty, little seen library of Ron's mind, and pays attention to the more vital exchange continuing between two of the three most important girls in his life.
"The Gryffindors are completely unacceptable- that is if you plan on sticking with the male specimen," Ginny continues her rationale, "They only have one thing on their mind," she glances towards Harry listening raptly to Ron describe a move he witnessed at a professional match, "And unfortunetely it's not even the one thing we agree on."
Hermione thinks that a little unfair, but following Ginny's eyes quickly agrees.
"Don't get me started on Ravenclaws. How boys that smart can be so obtuse is beyond me. Hufflepuff is out of the question, naturally."
Again, Hermione fails to see what Hufflepuff's defect is but keeps her peace.
"And out of Slytherin, Malfoy is clearly the best. He's goodlooking, smart, knows what he wants and clearly he's ambitious." The last part causes Hermione to speak.
"Draco's ambition is what terrifies me the most."
Ron's inner Ravenclaw leaps to his feet. Warning.
"Hermione, none of the guys in here deserve you." Ginny looks around and snorts, her poker face better than her family knows, "Or any of us for that matter. A guy has to be ambitious to go after you. Besides little miss Head-Girl in waiting. You need someone to give you a run for your money."
Ron's inner Ravenclaw stands on his seat. Warning. Warning. Warning
His ears prick up in reply and though not quite willing to abandon his story, he begins to pay a bit more attention to the girly part of his group.
"I don't think so." Hermione face takes on a nervous look, "I think this time I'd rather just go with a friend."
His sister is circling the morsel like a vulture.
"Does that mean Malfoy is less," she pauses without hiding her wicked grin, "or more than a friend?"
"My ears are burning." A cool drawal sounds from behind Ron.
"Speaking of the devil." Ginny drawls as Malfoy draws closer still to stand at Hermione's shoulder.
"Now, now Weaslette. What lies are you spreading about me now?"
Ron's Ravenclaw is now arm-chair jumping ala Cruise as he fires off flares into the air.
"Actually, you're just in time for me to tell Ron something." Hermione nervously draws everyones attention.
Ron's inner Ravenclaw begins to put the barrel of the flare gun into his mouth as the Gryffyndor wizard once more mistakenly attributes the clamor in his chest to his barely checked anger at his nemesis's presence.
"All I'm going to say is Weasel, you're an idiot." Draco Malfoy rolls his eyes and wanders off, his inner Slytherin in search of easier prey to horrify and subdue his barely alive and much denied inner Hufflepuff.
Even Ron's Ravenclaw owns up to being confused at this latest turn of events. His attention is finally fixed fully on Hermione.
"I don't want to go to the ball with you as just a friend." Hermione's pauses, eyes blushing but her gaze level.
Ron wonders if this is what is feels like to have your heart stop beating. He feels like he should be gasping for breath, like he was sucker punched in outer space and his lungs are dying for want of air. He can't think that there are certainly more eloquent ways to express himself because in that one moment he loses the complete English alphabet.
Ginny wonders if Hermione is sadistic enough to enjoy this.
Harry wonders how long they're going to stop speaking.
Seamus wonders that this could possibly be even more interesting than last weeks quidditch match.
And Hermione wonders if she can go on.
Ronald Bilius 'Ron' Weasley and Hermione Jane Granger lock eyes as the silence bends, snaps and breaks and the noise suspended crashes back around them.
"I don't want to go with you as a friend, Ron," she repeats, more confident, "Because I want more. I want you."
In a rare moment of unison, all the voices in Ron's head laughs and cries in unison. His Gryffndor takes control and pulls Hermione up with him and into his arms. The table width seperating them magically appears to shrink. His Hufflepuff cries openly sharing a hankerchief with a more discreet Ravenclaw as Slytherin congratulates himself on all the hard work.
"Well I tried to leave it to you but you mucked it up." Hermione explains through watery eyes.
"Kiss her already!" Someone, most certainly his brilliant wondeful sister, shouts.
"For once, I completely agree."
The words squeeze out past his wide smile as he laughs and kisses her with all the passion, fun, spontanaity and rightness that their relationship is filled with.