"Ask me before anyone else does," she says. "Ask me before...."
The figure of the wizard Krum contorted as Ron squeezed it in his fist.
How was I to know anyone would ask her? I mean, it's not like she's a veela or anything. She's just a stubborn, bushy-haired bookworm with beaver teeth...or she used to be before Krum got his paws on her.... Well, he just better get his paws back off.....
The Krum figure was twisted back to front.
What was with her hair tonight, anyway? How much goop did she put on it? Spending as much time on her hair as Malfoy does, no doubt...it's a disgraceful waste of time, that's what it is. Had every bloke in the room staring at her, too, what with her hair and her teeth and those dress robes and all....
Ron squished the Krum figure's face so you couldn't see its eyes.
Come off it, Ron. What do you care, anyway? It's just Hermione. That's all. She's one of your best friends. You can't go moony over one of your best friends....
The voice of Mrs. Weasley spoke in Ron's memory. It was a conversation he'd overheard her having with Charlie a long time ago: "Is she your friend, or just some pretty girl? Because if it doesn't start with friendship, you'd better start over."
This is ridiculous. We don't even get along...at least, not always. She's always telling me what to do, and she's always studying too much, and she's not even very pretty. She's just so...Hermione. Why should that be anything special?
Ron tossed the miniature Krum onto his nightstand.
Okay, so why would I rather be with Hermione than with the other Gryffindor girls from our year?
That's an easy one. Force of habit. Besides, those other girls are all silly. Swooning over boys and worrying about how they look and passing notes in class. It's so...not...Hermione.
I'm in trouble.
Ron picked up the Krum figure again.
Krum. Of all people. The great brute. Practically trips over his own feet when he's not on a broom.
The figure of Krum suddenly had one less foot to trip over.
What does she see in him? Does she like him just because he's some star athlete? Big deal.
There went the other foot, leg and all.
He doesn't...well.... He doesn't make fun of her. And he treats her like a girl. And he obviously wants to be around her.
The figure was bent in half—backwards.
Yeah, well, okay. So I've not always been that nice to her. So what? At least she knows I'm sincere. And she knows what it's like to fight with me...for all she knows Krum could be abusive or something...he could just be using her....
If he hurts her, I'll tear his arms off.
One less arm for mini-Krum.
Bloody prat can't even pronounce her name. "Hermy-ninny." "Herm-owny." "Her-my-own."
"Her-my-own."
Both arms gone.
And the last time you heard him call her that, you know what you almost said, you ruddy fool, you almost said, "Mine." Or did you say it? Was that out loud? And she was RIGHT THERE!
The Krum figure suddenly and abruptly lost its head and was flung across the room, hitting the wall with a satisfying thud and sliding down to join the pieces scattered across the floor.
Merlin's beard.
I'm in trouble.