Test of Courage

Disclaimer: I do not own either Harry Potter universe or its characters.

Author's Note: This story was originally for a friend, but I decided to share it here since its some of my good writing.

"Seriously Ron, SHUT UP!" Rikki yelled as she banged her fist on the table so hard that she almost knocked over his plate. "If you go one again asking for advice I'm only going to say this: Go and ask her on a date, because if I have to listen to you for another breakfast I am going to stab out your eyes with my spoon." And she held it at him threatening as if she'd keep true to her word, which she probably would. Ron decided it was best to drop the subject for now and think over the advice she had given him.

He really did want to ask Lulu; the girl he couldn't seem to stop thinking about, on a date but in the back of his mind he was afraid of making a fool of himself in front of her. His plan of getting Rikki who was Lulu's best friend to ask her for him failed. So his only option now was to ask her himself, which would be a feat as it usually took all his courage to walk up to her and not blush furiously. The bell rung as he was in mid-thought, he got to his feet and walked a little faster so he could catch up with Harry and Hermione who were nearly out of the Great Hall.

"Hey wait up!" he called after them as he jogged to keep up.

"Oh Ron, where were you?" Hermione asked she noticed him walking between Harry and her.

"I was just…asking someone for something." He replied not wanting to have to tell Hermione what he had been up to. For a moment she looked as if she was going to ask him but instead she continued to walk on.

In their first class of the day like usual was spent not paying much attention to Professor Binns as he droned on about whatever the subject was for the week.

Half way through the period Ron tried to casually look around the room, he scanned his eyes over the Gryffindor side of the room. And behind Lavender Brown's head he saw a flash of light brown. He kept watching until Lavender moved out of the way and he finally saw Lulu in full view. Her face was angled toward her right and whoever she was talking to had made her laugh. Her mouth was stretched out into a wide grin and her eyes were brimming over with tears. She leaned forward and rested across the top of her desk as she tried to keep herself sitting up and not tumbling to the floor. He was so focused at looking at her that he barely noticed something tapping at his shoulder. It tapped him harder and more quickly before he heard his name.

"Ron!" he quickly turned around.

"Yes?" he asked as he immediately saw Hermione's face giving him a very displeasing look.

"You can at least look like your paying attention." She hissed at him under her breath.

"Sorry." He muttered and reluctantly turned to face forward.

Finally the always boring class of History of Magic ended and as everyone gathered their things Ron looked to see where Lulu was as he slung his school bag over his shoulder. She had just walked into the swarm of students that were pushing and shoving to get through the door. He walked to the door quickly so he wouldn't be too far behind her in the crowd, as he walked he made sure to keep his eye on her hoping that he would get an opening and squeezed through and ask to talk her. But so far his attempt was going as he had planned. He barely got any closer to her as the sea of students pushed and shoved to get to their next class. His mood was a little saddened by the time he got to potions but he was determined to catch her after class even if it meant following her everywhere she went.

In potions he had to focus completely on the task assigned to them since Snape was less likely to let anyone doze off in his class without humiliating them in front of everyone.

By the end of the double period he managed to get his potion to a similar shade of green as Hermione's though it was obvious his was not as good.

He had a bit of luck as Lulu stood in the hallway beside the dungeon door, it seemed she stayed behind to wait for Rikki to finish putting her things away. He tried to look casual as he walked over to her, but he thought he looked a bit awkward walking with his arm swinging at his side.

"Erm…Lulu?" he asked though his voice sounded a bit weak, but as he had spoken she turned her head and looked at

him.

"Oh, hello Ron." She said and gave him a smile which almost made him turn beet red, but he did his best to try and not blush.

"I…er…wanted to ask you…" he was only able to string a few words together at a time.

"Wanted to ask me?" she asked tilting her head to the side as she looked confused at him.

"Would you mind…meeting me later…in the courtyard?" he and finally gotten the sentence out without stuttering or even saying the wrong thing. He looked at her and saw that she looked surprised by his request but it only lasted for a second as she then smiled at him again.

"Sure." She replied and was about to add something else to her answer but at that moment Rikki came walking out of the dungeon.

"Come on Lulu." She said as she walked passed her and down the hall not stopping to wait for her.

"Oh…COMING! Well then I'll see you later Ron, in the courtyard?"

"In the courtyard."

She had started walking to catch up with Rikki but she turned around for a moment.

"Bye!" she called out and waved and turned and started jogging as Rikki got farther and farther away.

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Additional Author's Note: Any characters not cannon are under the ownership of myself or whoever I mention to have ownership. Please do not use without first asking.

Comments are welcomed.