Title: Tell Me
Rating: PG
Summary: Harry can't help but be jealous of Hogwarts' new most adorable couple, Ron and Hermione. Half the year is gone, evil nowhere in sight - he's tired of feeling lonely and the third wheel. Too bad the girl he's falling hard for means some competition.
Genre: Romance/Humor
Tell Me
Harry couldn't sleep. He just wasn't tired. He knew it must be early morning, but it was still pitch black outside. He crawled out from under the covers and looked out the frosted window. He touched the glass and looked outside, wiping away some of the condensation. It was very icey on the window, and that made him realize how freezing he was without blanket covers. He decided to crawl back underneath the blankets and stared at the ceiling, still wide awake.
"Harry?" he heard a voice mumble. He turned around to see Ron, still bundeled up, sitting upright and rubbing his eyes.
"Go back to sleep," Harry ordered quietly. Ron threw off the covers and swumg his legs over the side of the bed.
"Can't now," he muttered. "It's freezing! Where's my coat..." Ron began searching frantically for his warm, wool coat.
"Isn't that it on the bedside table?" Harry asked. Ron turned to look and smiled.
"Oh, right..." Ron said. "Oh, yes, and Happy Christmas, Harry!" he added excitedly. Harry smiled and slowly emerged from under the pile of blankets.
"Happy Christmas, Ron," Harry replied. Harry ripped open the drawer from the bedside table and took out a small, poorly wrapped package.
"It's just a small gift, but Happy Christmas anyway," he said, handing Ron the parcel. Ron gave him a suspicious smile as he quickly tore off the brown paper.
"It's a cake!" Ron exclaimed eagerly as he bit into the desert smothered in icing and chocolate. "OW!" he shouted suddenly as his lips, cheeks, and ears turned bright orange. "It burns! Harry, it's burning!" he cried. Just a suddenly as it had appeared, the orange color began to fade away. Harry laughed at Ron and as he threw the rest of the desert in a dustbin.
"It's a Flamer Cake. Fred and Georgesent them over by Owl Post the other day! Sorry, I didn't really get anyone gifts," Harry said apologetically. Ron glared at him as he crossed his arms and sat back on the bed.
"So I guess I shouldn't give you your gift?" Ron asked hesitantly. Harry looked shocked.
"Well, I'm sorry, I didn't know you got me anything," Harry said. Ron shrugged.
"It's alright...I didn't get you anything anyway," Ron said with a smug smile. Harry sighed and sat back on his bed.
"What time is it?" Harry asked Ron.
"Oh, I don't know where you could find that out," Ron said sarcastically, nodding toward the enormous clock outside the castle. Harry shot him a look and checked the time.
"Wow, it's early. No one else will be up for hours. You think we'd want to lay in, seeing as it's a holiday," said Harry. Ron nodded as he let out a yawn. The two sat in silence as they shifted their attention to other parts of the dormitory.
"Hey, you want to wake Hermione up?" Ron suggested, breaking the silence. Harry glared at him.
"You know we can't go to her dormitory! Besides, that prefect Leah catches everyone. She's the junior woman cloneof Filch," Harry remarked. Ron shrugged.
"I did get her a gift," Ron said quietly, looking down to the floor where he was swinging his foot. Harry scoffed. Ron quickly looked up at him and said, "Oh, it's nothing. I didn't even get it for her. My mum sent me a sweater the other day - it's the ugliest thing ever and it's not even my size."
"What does it look like?" Harry inquired.
"Pink, yes, my mum made me a pink sweater! Then there are these crimson tassles hanging around, and it makes it all frilly," Ron recalled. "At least Hermione won't be able to tell it wasn't meant for her." Harry shrugged.
"I'm sure the red 'R' covering the front won't give it away," he said sarcastically with a laugh. Ron shook his head.
"No, I checked, there's no 'R'. But you know, women are supposed to be so good with fashion, there must be some way she uses to find out these things," Ron said. Harry nodded as he lay back down on his bed. Ron did the same. The two didn't speak before drifting back off to sleep.
"Happy Christmas, Ron!" Harry heard a voice say next to him.
"Happy Christmas, Hermione. Why didn't you wait for us to get down to breakfast?" Harry heard someone else say. It was Ron and Hermione. He turned around and sat up in bed. He hadn't realized what time it was. He turned to the window, which was flooding the room with sunlight. Then he hopped off his bed and yawned. Hermione laughed as she looked towards him.
"Breakfast? It's noon! Everyone's already found all their gifts. Ginny was nice enough to get your Owl Post," Hermione said. She smiled at the two boys and motioned for them to come downstairs.
In the common room, she pointed to a pile of parcels. Ron eagerly grabbed a few and tossed them to Harry. Hethen proceeded to tear open his. He moaned at his first gift.
"Another sweater?" he whined, then suddenly took in a breath, "I mean, oh, a sweater...That reminds me, Hermione, I have something for you." Hermione brightened up and sat down next to him at the table.
"Really? That's really nice..what is it?" she asked. Ron went upstairs for a moment and returned soon with the pink sweater. He handed it to Hermione majestically who took it from him with a wide smile.
"It's...beautiful...I love it, thank you, Ron!" Hermione said graciously. Harry was chewing on cakes he found in his packages that Mrs. Weasly had sent him. With his mouthful he asked,
"What else did you get, Hermione?"
"My parents just sent over some sweets and some clothes. Basic needs. Ginny also gave me a digital watch," Hermione replied. Ron gave her a confused expression so she explained, "It tells you the exact time, Ron." Ron scoffed.
"Why can't you just look at a clock?" he asked dismissively. Hermione set down the sweater.
"It is a clock, Ron."
"Well then why don't you call it a clock! What's the problem with that? Digital watch..." Ron mumbled. Hermione shook her head.
"It's a different clock, Ron," she stated as-a-matter-of-factly.
"A clock's a clock!"
"It's not just any clock! It doesn't need hands. It tells you what time it is."
"So it's made for idiots who have the attention span of a fork and can't read a clock?"
"Let's just drop it," she suggested snappily. Ron nodded his approval. Harry decided to shift the tension by asking,
"Is there anything left to eat?" Hermione shrugged.
"I don't know. I'm going to put this in my room. Thanks again, Ron," Hermione said, showing him the sweater once more. She got up from the seat and collected Ron and Harry's rubbish before heading to her dormitory. Ginny was just coming in as she left and waved before continuing on her way. Ginny stopped in her tracks and pointed her thumb back in Hermione's direction.
"Did she just have a pink sweater?" she asked Ron. Ron's eyes widened as he nodded. He knew that he'd been found out.
"Mum sent me a letter. She said she sent you my gift by mistake! Did you just give Hermione my sweater?" Ginny asked, surprised. Ron turned towards Harry and gave him a pleading look.
"What do you want me to do about it? You're the one who gave away a gift," Harry remarked. Ron silently slammed his hand on the table.
"Well, what am I supposed to do now, Ginny? She thinks that's her Christmas present! Do you want me to just take it back?" Ron cried. Ginny shook her head and crossed her arms.
"No," she said, "I will. It's a simple explanation - it's your fault." Ginny turned to walk out the door but Ron jumped up and grabbed her arm, almost pulling them both to foor.
"You can't, Ginny! Don't, don't getthat one mad at me. Please, I've been through enough today - I didn't get breakfast!" he pleaded. Ginny shot him a disgusted look and yanked her arm from his grasp.
"Fine, I won't. I'm taking back your sweater though," Ginny said, pulling the red heap of yarn from underneath the pile sweets and other food. Ron shrugged as he flopped back onto a wooden chair and grabbed another Chocolate Frog.
"What are you doing, Harry?" Ron asked. Harry had his head on the table in the common room when Ron came back from the dining hall. It was five o'clock and already dark out.
"I'm just tired, that's all. And bored," Harry said quietly as he straightened up and turned towards Ron. Ron shook his head dissaprovingly.
"That's not it. Stop acting so self-pitiful, Harry. What's wrong lately?" he asked. Harry shrugged.
"Nothing. And self-pitiful? Before you and Hermione did anything aboutthat prolongedcrush, all you did was whine about how you helpless you were. 'Oh, she doesn't like me.' 'Oh, I'm so sad.' What was that?" Harry snapped. Ron stood up, pushing the chair aside.
"Hey, at least I have Hermione. What about you?" Ron shouted back. Harry turned back to the table. Ron rolled his eyes at his insensitivity.
"That's what, isn't it?" Ron asked sympathetically, sitting back down. Harry rested his head in his hand.
"What's what?" Harry asked stupidly in a mumble. Ron huffed.
"What's what? What your problem is, that's what!" Ron cried. "Besides, you can't be tired! We woke up at noon." Harry shrugged.
"It's not that I'm jealous or anything. I'm just...I'm just, jealous. I guess. You have a family, brothers, sisters, a girlfriend even! Oh, no offense but...but you have everything I want," Harry finally confessed. Both of them looked at their shoes solemnly.
"I'm sorry," Ron apologized in a mutter. Harry shook his head.
"For what? Don't be sorry. Good for you. It's good that you have a family and Hermione. You should," Harry insisted. Ron nodded.
"You should too," Ron replied, hitting him on the shoulder with the back of his hand cheerfully. Harry forced a smile. "Harry, it's a huge place, Hogwarts - besides, it's a holiday. Stop whining and do something about it."