Ron sighed. He was bored. VERY bored. So bored that if he was given the option of jumping off a cliff right now just for the heck of it, he might have actually considered accepting. That bored.

How boring can a Transfiguration teacher be?

Obviously, pretty boring.

You should be able to like…get a ticket or something if you get TOO boring.

Wait. Did she just say that we're switching seats?

I think that she did. Why?

I HATE switching seats! Don't we regularly just sit wherever we feel like sitting?

Bloody hell, yes. I think she just added it's for a "get to know your partner" thing…

How boring.

"Class, this is for a project to get to know your class. We will be switching seats once every week. You will remain in those same seats for the entire week, and will have fifteen minutes at the beginning of each class to converse with the person occupying the seat next to you. As you can see, the seats are switched around so that two desks are paired up next to each other. You are NOT allowed to sit by the person next to you." McGonagall informed the gaping class.

Hermione's expression was shocked, and her hands flew to the desk.

Why is she covering a portion of the desk and blushing so profoundly?

I have no idea.

"Up! Now! Come on!" McGonagall ordered, and grudgingly the class stood up, gathering their bags. "Oh, and you three," she singled out Harry, Ron, and Hermione, "are not permitted to sit next to each other. I doubt that there's anything you don't know about each other."

"Well, it was nice knowing you mate." Ron stuck his hand out for Harry to shake.

"Same here. Where are you going to sit?" Harry questioned, grasping firmly Ron's hand. They shook.

"In that corner over there in the back, I guess."

"Where Hermione is—was sitting? Okay, I'll be in the other corner then. Have fun with your partner." Harry rolled his eyes, grinning.

Ron smiled and, throwing his pack over his shoulder, plumped down presently on the new seat. Hermione was still gathering her stuff.

"Hi Ron!" Hermione glanced up at him.

"Hey. How many books do you have?" Ron asked, staring in bewilderment as she crammed books into her now bulging pack.

"A lot—wait. Oh no. You're not sitting…here?" Hermione gazed up at him in horror.

"Well, actually…yeah, yes I am. Is that…a problem?" Ron asked, confused.

"Oh…um…well…he he…no…I suppose not…" she trailed off. Hermione quickly stood up and found another seat.

"Hey, Ron. Anyone sitting here?" asked a voice. Ron spun around. He knew that voice.

Lavender smiled up at him in a flirtatious, sickeningly sweet way.

"Um…yeah, my invisible friend Bob. Don't sit on him; it'll hurt his feelings." Ron muttered.

"How CUTE! Well, I'm sorry, but BOB is just going to have to move." Lavender said, giggling.

And another Bob bites the dust…

"So…I guess we have to talk, huh?" she asked. Ron shook his head.

"Well...I thought that that was just more of a…you know…SUGGESTION than an actual…um…rule."

Lavender laughed again. "You are just HILARIOUS. You know that? Come on…I'll start. I like to go shopping."

Wow. I never would have guessed.

"And I like redheads! Especially boys."

Get away from me, you bloody stalker.

"But not like Fred and George. They're just…weird."

Not any more than you.

"Well, you go now!"

"I'm good. I have a sore throat." Ron muttered, avoiding her gaze.

"Oh, well that explains why you were yelling at Ginny before class to give you back your books."

"Um…that's what GAVE me the sore throat."

"It also explains why you were shouting at Hermione that you needed help with that Binns essay you forgot about."

"Well, that also contributed."

"Sure." Lavender giggled.

Can she just shut up?

No, I don't suppose she can.

"So…what DO you like?"

Ron was annoyed, bored, and furious at this, this—PERSON!

"I'll tell you what I DON'T like, Lavender," he said in a spontaneous outburst, "I don't like annoying blonde's who can't shut up and can't refrain from flirting with redheads who have no patience for those type of bimbo's!"

Whoa. Harsh.

That felt kind of good, actually.

There was a long silence.

"What does refrain mean?" Lavender asked timidly.

"It means stop."

"Oh…"

More silence.

Well, at least she'll now stop bugging me…

Lavender seemed to be thinking. Then…"Oh! Okay, I get it. What you said. Well, it's a good thing I'm not that type of girl!"

A lot of silence.

Can I kill her?

Best REFRAIN.

"Okay class, time's up! Now, turn to page 1539 if you will…" And the lesson resumed.

Ron had to put up with Lavender's staring, wandering eyes that looked his entire body over more than once.

Ron, not paying attention to the lesson because he lost track of what page they were now on—

Ask Lavender.

What page we're on? No way! If you want to know, then you ask her.

You do it!

You!

You!

Then just shut up.

Ron's hands roamed the top of the desk, his eyes staring out the window next to him. Outside looked so inviting…

Then. There was a groove in the desk! In the bottom right corner, where Lavender couldn't see it…Ron quickly inspected it.

RW + HG

What?

There was more, too…

Ron Weasley is

My knight in shining armor.

Ron Weasley (and there were hearts around his name!)

Doesn't…Hermione sit here?

That would explain her attitude…

Don't let Lavender see it!

I know; do you think I'm that stupid?

Um, well…

Shut up!

"Ron, what're you looking at?" Lavender inquired.

"Um…Bob."

"Oh. Well…oh."

Hermione wrote this…

She doesn't like me!

Well, this evidence suggests otherwise…hey, you like her, right?

Not!

Come on. You've ONLY had a crush on her for…what, three years?

Maybe…what's that?

"All right, all right!" McGonagall cried, exasperatedly. "Go back to your seats then, if you hate it THIS much."

Ron smiled slowly.

Epilogue

Five minutes later, when class had resumed and everyone was sitting in their old seats (much to Lavender's disliking), Hermione found something on her old desk.

Ron loves Hermione.