In Search of Mistletoe
PinkyTheSnowman
A/N: Merry Christmas, everybody! Or, if you don't celebrate Christmas, happy holidays!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Ron! We're going to be late!"

"I know, I know, just let me get my damn shoes on!"

"We have five minutes before we have to get down to the Great Hall. Hermione's saving spots for us, and do you know how peeved she'll be if we're late?!"

"Yes, yes, I do know, hang on! You're rushing me!"

Harry tapped his foot impatiently in the Prefect dorm. He and Ron, being Head boy and Gryffindor Prefect (respectively) were needed in the Great Hall, and they were late. And not for the first time, either.

"RON!!"

"I'm coming, okay, let's go!"

The two boys thundered down the staircase, hoping that they wouldn't be noticed sneaking in. They snuck in to find Hermione glaring at them, Ginny seated next to her, smirking. Ron audibly gulped, and didn't move until Harry prodded him. By that time, McGonagall had noticed, and narrowed her eyes, standing up, and motioning to Professor Dumbledore that she wanted to say something.

"Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, now that you have finally decided to grace us with your presence; I am forced to re-explain what had been previously discussed. Firstly, there will be a Yule Ball, to take place December 22nd. It is the job of the Prefects to work together and make this happen. You will remember that this is the 20th! Secondly, the Head Boy and Girl are to work together to think up a theme for this ball. And thirdly, because we want the most participation in our ball this year, Christmas holidays are to begin on the 23rd this year."

She sat down, beckoning them to sit down as well. Hermione scowled at them, observing Ron's messy tie, and Harry's backwards shoes. Ginny did not bother hiding her smile.

"Will you two ever learn that being a Prefect or Head requires responsibility?"

She hissed at them. They shook their heads, earning a rather disgusted look from Hermione. But she was silenced from a reply by Professor Flitwick, who stood up on a pile of cushions to see over the top of the table..

"And lastly, Hogwarts School has run out of Mistletoe this year, and Professor Sprout and Hagrid's absence means that there is no one to grow them. We need 30 sprigs. Therefore, our Prefects and Heads will search the school grounds for them, as us Professors have better things to do."

He smiled at the group of Prefects and the two Heads. Then Snape stood up.

"Mistletoe, as you all should know by now, is traditionally used to make people,"

Here he spat out the word,

"Kiss. Not that I promote such things, but..."

Here Ron and Harry grinned at each other.

"Professor Dumbledore asked me to give this little speech. So, students are NOT to be purposefully kissing in the halls. The mistletoe on Hogwarts is cursed with an Obligatory Spell, meaning that it will be required to kiss, and should not be abused. Kissing is dangerous. Do not do it sideways, on the cheek, on the lips, don't do it standing up, don't do it sitting down, just DON'T DO IT. If you do, you might catch a disease. And that, would not be pleasant."

Here he glared at Harry and Ginny, who had turned bright pink. Ron nearly stood up, but sat back down when Hermione placed a hand on his arm. They both blushed at the contact.

"Any abuse of the mistletoe will result in detention with me. You have been warned."

He sat back down, and Harry and Ron sank into silent laughter. Hearing Snape talk about kissing and mistletoe was worth Hermione's lecture for being late. Even Hermione seemed to be restraining herself from smiling.

"Your search starts... Now! Get to it!"

And so McGonagall shooed them all out into the cold, miserable gray morning, all shivering if not for the mass of cloaks and jumpers. Harry walked up to Ginny, holding his hand out, making sure Ron didn't see.

"Come on, Ginny, let's go. We need four sprigs, easy enough, and I want to leave Ron and Hermione to go look for that damn plant by themselves. Maybe they'll snog."

Ginny giggled.

"Good ideal. Let's go."

They linked arms and sauntered away before Ron could stop them. He sighed exasperatedly at Hermione.

"Now what am I going to do? I don't have anybody that will suffer with me, what with Harry and Ginny and everyone else gone."

Hermione looked hurt.

"You have me."

"Well, I meant somebody that doesn't argue with me constantly and nag me all the time."

"Ronald Weasley, you know I do it because I care about you, and because you're my friend! I'm sorry the feeling isn't mutual!"

She turned her back on him, head in her face.

"'Mione, I'm sorry, I didn't-"

"Oh, I think you did, Ron. And you know what? I don't need a partner who doesn't need me. I'll be seeing you."

She stomped off through the snow, leaving Ron standing there, staring after her.

"What did I do...?"

A ways off, Harry and Ginny, arms full of the poisonous plant, watched in frustration.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ron stamped through the shrubs, looking for that one elusive sprig of mistletoe. He only had one left to find, and damnit, it was probably hiding from him on purpose. He looked up. Nothing. He went back to brooding about Hermione. Again.

He couldn't believe he had set her off like that again. He always turned into a prat around her. He was fine in front of other girls! Lavender was always hitting on him, and flirting outrageously, but he never felt embarrassed or stupid.

You are a prat 'cause you love her, and you know it!
I am not, he countered his brain.
Oh yes you are. And the sad thing is, you can't admit it.

Ron fell silent. It was true, he reasoned.

Ha!
Shut up, already. If you're going to talk to me, then tell me how I can make it up to Hermione!
Well, you could-

But their conversation was cut short by his running into somebody. Somebody with bushy hair, a tear-streaked face, and was rather short. Compared to him, anyway.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hermione scowled, and brushed the oncoming tears off her face, to no avail. They just wouldn't stop. She wasn't this upset at the ball, or when talking about Viktor, just this once, after Ron said that he didn't want her to be his partner. What was wrong with her?

The problem is, you're too ugly. And smart. And naggy.
But, that's just me!
Well, maybe he doesn't like you! Ever considered that, smarty?
Well... No, not really...
You have been reading too many stupid fairy tales.
You didn't have to tell me that Ron didn't like me!
Too late, I did.
Just shut up. You're not helping.

She shut off her conscience, and just concentrated on finding mistletoe. Bloody obscure plant, that was. It always showed up whenever you didn't want it to, but when you needed it, it avoided you at all costs. Ugh, she wanted to scream. Lost in her thoughts of what Ron's lips tasted like, and her resigned frustration that he hated her, she had no idea that she was walking straight into the path of one tall, red-haired boy with an expression that looked like somebody had died. So when she crashed into him, she had no idea who he was, until he caught her falling to the ground.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Ron!?"

"Hermione!?"

Looking shocked, and somewhat disgusted, Hermione yanked herself out of Ron's grip on her waist.

"What the hell are you doing?! Stalking me?"

"No, if you must know, I was looking for that damn mistletoe!"

"...Me too. How many do you need?"

"Just one! And why am I talking to you?"

"Because... You are?"
"That is stupid, Ronald. What do you want?"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hidden in the underbrush, Harry and Ginny sighed.

"This is never going to work. They're going to bicker forever, if we don't do something fast."

"I know. Got any ideas?"

"Well, we could..."

Here she whispered her idea into Harry's ear.

"Brilliant! Ready? Wingardium Leviosa!"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------"Ronald Weasley, get your hands off of me!"

"Oh yeah."

He blushed scarlet, and quickly stepped back.

"I'm sorry Hermione, really, you know me, I always-"

Hermione, who had before looked miserable, now looked angry again. She stepped up to him, and stuck her face right up next to his, getting so close that they were nearly nose to nose.

"Ron, you do this every single time, and every single time, I forgive you! I don't even know why I bother! Why do you always do that, put me down and expect forgiveness?! I'm not just some bossy, naggy, ugly person that doesn't have feelings, you know! Why don't you understand that?!"

"I do, Hermione, I do, really, it's just that, well, I..."

"You what? You better make this good, Ronald!"

"I... Um... Love you- your... shirt?"

Hermione gave him a weird look. Ginny felt like pulling out her hair.

"You are so stupid, Ron! I really hate you sometimes! You don't even know!"

"Um... Know what?"

But when Hermione opened her mouth, undoubtedly to shout some more, she instead grabbed his face, and kissed him firmly on the mouth. Ron froze.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Ginny cackled manically, which made Harry smile. Thankfully, Hermione and Ron were too engrossed in their snogging to notice. Harry had slowly sent the mistletoe above their heads, so that they would not notice. Good old Obligatory Spell, he thought.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hermione finally noticed what was happening. She squirmed against Ron, but the spell wouldn't let them go, until Harry had lifted it. Feeling a bit sorry for them, he did. It just vanished.

"So, um... Hermione? What the hell was that for?"

"Er, I don't know, it was probably... HARRY!!"

Harry, laughing, poked his head out of the bush, Ginny at his side.

"You called, Hermione?"

"What the hell was that for?"

"Hermione, don't swear!"

"Well?"

"I thought it might help you and Ron make out... I meant up!"

For Ron had glared right in his direction.

"Well, ah, Ginny and I will be leaving then... See you two at the castle!"

Harry and Ginny's heads disappeared, and running was heard. Hermione huffed at their retreating forms.

Ron sat down on a stump.

"That was brilliant, Hermione. And, I'm really truly sorry."

Hermione smiled weakly.

"Sure, Ron. I forgive you. And I'm sorry for nagging."

"It's okay. I think it's appealing when you scowl at me like that."

"Ron!"

"Alright, fine, I accept your apology."

"Friends?"

"Friends. Let's head back. We can say that Harry and Ginny took all the mistletoe."

"Cool."

Ron stood up, and started walking back to the castle. Hermione quickly hurried to his side, and took his hand. If Ron wasn't so embarrassed at holding hands with Hermione, he would have noticed a small smile gracing Hermione's features.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A/N: This is one of my shorter one-shots. But oh well, it's sort of cute, isn't it? If not, then ah well. Review, please! It would really make my Christmas special. (I know the ending sucked.) I couldn't resist the Mean Girls reference, you know, where Snape is like, "Don't kiss. You'll get a disease." Haha.