A/N -- This is my first Fan Fic, even though I've always liked writing stories. Please give me constructive criticism. You can tell me it sucked…but tell me why. I'm a ?/? person (see if you can figure it out, I think it's kinda obvious, but that's why I'm, writing it, and you aren't). But I'm not going to start writing it about a different couple just cuz you want to.
Disclaimer -- What's the point? It's not like I've got enough money for JK to want to sue me…but anyway, I will use this disclaimer which I read somewhere else on this site (I hope I don't have to disclaim about that), 'If ya heard of it, it ain't mine.'
There. I'm done. That's all. Read.
"Ron, wake up, it's nearly noon, you missed lunch, and you haven't de-gnomed the garden yet. Mum's gonna kill you."
"Ugh, Ginny, go away." Ron rolled over and went back to sleep.
"Ron," Ginny walked over and shook Ron.
"I'm up. I'm up! Can't a body get a decent nights sleep around here?"
"Ron, you slept for fourteen hours," Ginny huffed as she left Ron's room. Ron stuck his tongue out at his sisters receding back. He got up and hurried to the garden in an attempt to escape his mother's wrath. Fred and George greeted him in the garden.
"You owe us," George started without looking up.
"Big time," Fred finished, "We told Mum you were chasing off a particularly irritable gnome. And you owe us."
"I won't even go into all the times I've covered for you two. Like last Thanksgiving…when the whole family was here. Let's just call it even."
"Oh, yeah, there was one other thing too." George said, almost under his breath, a sly smile spreading over his face.
"What?" Ron asked with little interest.
"Should we tell him?" George asked Fred.
"Hmmm, let's make him suffer a bit more."
"Okay, if you guys don't want to tell me… Mom might just happen to find out about what happened to her new cookie pan."
"Wait," George nearly shouted, "We'll tell, we'll tell, as long as you don't."
"You've got a visitor. The famous, eminent, prestigious, scarred—"
"In other words, me."
Ron jumped at the sound of his best friend's voice, "Harry? How'd you get here?"
"That's for me to know and you to find out." Ron looked disappointed. "Just kidding, the Dursleys thought I was 'having a negative impact on their precious widdle Dudders.' So I wrote to Fred and George here, and, well, let's just say the Dursleys won't keep me from the wizarding world any longer."
"We were going to get our school things this afternoon, once we finish, do you wanna come?"
"Yeah, I haven't had a chance to get anything yet. My departure was somewhat…sudden. I'll just say it was my best birthday ever, and we'll leave it at that."
* * *
Harry emerged from the Diagon Alley fireplace and was soon followed by Ron. "Hurry up, we've only got four hours!"
"Hermione, you're here already!" Harry exclaimed, "How long have you been waiting?"
"I just got here. Fred and George already left. Are your parents on the way?"
"Yeah," Ron answered dryly, "I'm surprised you haven't already finished all of our course books."
"That's not funny, Ron," Hermione complained. She jostled Ron almost into a women carry a very large stack of books.
"Hermione, I do believe I've just had a vision of you in fifteen years!" Ron retorted.
"Boys," Hermione muttered, leading them to Gringotts and continuing in a louder voice, "my parents decided to open an account her for me, so I can come on my own and get my supplies without them. It makes thing quite a bit easier."
Harry and Hermione came out of Gringotts and caught up with Ron, who had been waiting for them in front of Gringotts, their pockets stuffed with Sickles and Galleons. He was still uncomfortable about money, even though it wasn't as tight now that there were only four children to support.
"Did you guys hear about the back to school formal in Hogsmeade?" Hermione asked conversationally
"Oh goodness!" Ron intoned in a high stiletto, "I haven't even begun to think about what I'm going to wear! Oh, I'm so nervous! I should ask someone, don't you think? Do you think I should go for a light color, or something more cheerful--"
"Gosh, Ron, you really got me there. Look at me! I'm a guy, I'm macho," Hermione retorted, "Look, I just stubbed my toe and it doesn't hurt because there's two girls watching. Oh, they should be so impressed at my manliness. I'll have to make sure to smell check my robes before the dance. I have really bad taste in clothing, but should impress all the chicks at Hogwarts. School is so easy. I'm so smart. I have the best pickup lines. But that is as expected, cuz I'm a big dumb hunk."
"Good comeback, Little Miss Frizz-ease-hair-potion-usin'-makeup-wearin'-book-readin'-know-it-all. You are soo annoying"
"I know. I tell myself that everyday." (A/N — That is my patented line — me only!)
Ron was at a loss, "Yeah, well, well…I'm better than you," and he walked off.
"What's eating him?"
"You can't tell?" Harry was shocked at Hermione's oversight, "You really can't tell? You aren't kidding? You haven't noticed?"
"I'm missing something here, aren't I. Harry, what is up with Ron, please!"
"If you didn't notice…" Harry walked off muttering something about Hermione's intelligence and that of an infant rat.
"Boys," Hermione complained, hurrying after them.
"Did you bring the supply list?" Harry asked Hermione.
"Of course, what do you think I am, an imbecile? No, Ron, I am not asking you. Here it is!"
HOGWARTS SCHOOL
of
WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY
Course Books
All fifth-year students should have a copy of each of the following:
The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 5)
By Martin Goshawk
An Advanced Guide to Transfiguration
Emeric Switch
Delving Into the Unseen
Misty Foresey
Potions for the Advanced Student
Cinot Rixile
Secrets of the Sky
Cassiopeia Empyrean
How to grow your own Gallywiggle and other delights of the garden
Chanterelle de la Fleur
"At least none of them are by Lockhart," Harry sounded relieved.
"Sorry, 'mione, you won't be able to secretly look at the Authors bio during classes," Ron remarked unnecessarily as they headed to Madam Malkin's, Ron had grown to an astounding six feet, and his olds robes were far too short.
* * *
"Hermione, shopping with you never used to be such torture!" Ron and Harry were happy to be stopping for some ice cream at Florence Fortescues, "You've become more…excited…about it."
"You two are no help. I wish Ginny were here. She understands about clothing."
"She was going to come, nut she was here last week with some little girl friend of hers," Ron answered. He looked at his watch, "Oh, man, Harry, it's half past six, we need to get back for dinner or Mom is gonna freak."
"See you, then," Hermione said.
"Bye Hermione," Harry said.
"Bye," Ron echoed, his mind elsewhere, and the boys heading back to the fireplace, Harry having to remind Ron to get the bag of Floo powder out, and in a moment, they had disappeared up the chimney, and were back in The Burrow.
"C'mon Harry. Let's go for a ride. You do have your broomstick, right?" Ron asked darkly.
"Of course, how could I do anything without it?" Harry answered, pulling his broomstick from Ron's orange-plastered room, where he had stashed his things. He met Ron outside, and they jumped onto their broomsticks and flew up at a gradual angle, Harry having to hold his broom back so as not to leave Ron behind.
"She hasn't noticed yet," Harry told Ron.
"Who hasn't noticed what?" Ron asked, sounding surprised.
"Wait a sec, you haven't noticed either?" Harry was incredulous, "You aren't kidding—Oh forget it. I guess I'm the only one around here that can see what's right in front of his nose!" He flew ahead a bit, forcing Ron to struggle with his broom to keep up.
"Harry, what am I not seeing?"
Sorry, can't tell. But you didn't…" Harry lapsed into silence, shaking his head in shock, "I'm friends with a bunch of dimwits!"
"You are so gonna pay when we hit the ground," Ron threatened good-naturedly.
"I have to wait that long?" Harry responded in the same tone, and then changed the subject, "But about the dance, who are you going to ask? I can't think of anyone, but I suppose, if worst comes to worst, one of us can go with Hermione."
"Oh, I will," said Ron, a little too quickly, "I hate asking people. I've been turned down too many times."
"And you're sure Hermione'll go with you? Let's see, 'Hermione, Neville's right — you are a girl!' Does that sound even the least bit familiar?" Ron was looking at Harry blankly, "Last year, Yuleball…," Harry began to imitate Hermione, "'Just because it's taken you three years to notice, Ron, doesn't mean no one else has spotted I'm a girl.' Are you sure you can take that kind of rejection again?"
"It's Hermione…she probably forgot."
"Ron listen to what you are saying, 'Hermione' and 'forgot' do not go in the same sentence."
"Hey, Harry, never underestimate my charm," Harry couldn't help it, he exploded with laughter and nearly fell off his broom, "Hey, I'm gonna try, but at least let me aski first…if, and I say IF, I screw up, you can ask her. But really, Harry, you could have the pick of the school, and ya want Hermione?"
"No, you can go fer 'mione, I'm asking Cho."
"And you thought Hermione rejected me? I'm surprised Cho could keep from laughing when you asked her!"
"Hey, at least I knew she was a girl!" Harry burst out laughing, "Ron, we're fighting over a dance. How low have we gotten?"
The two friends sped down to the ground, landing just in front of The Burrow. "Hey, we should start packing. We're leaving tomorrow," Ron told Harry, sounding quite a bit like his mother.
"Let's go then," and they raced up the stairs.
A/N2 In yet another story I read, someone said they had a friend named hermione, and they called her 'Mione (My-oh-nee), I tought that was cool, and it sounds better than Herm (my brother has a hermit crab named Herman…bad connotations…don't ask).