Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and
owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to
Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros.,
Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is
intended.
The day turned a gloomy shade of gray, the clouds hackling with a promised storm. Hermione Granger glanced outside her window and sighed softly. Her new Arithmancy book lay open across her lap, slowly cutting off the circulation to her feet.
A tap at the door startled her, and she lifted her head and watched as Ron entered the bedroom she shared with several other Gryffindor fifth years. He coughed and looked at her, his face paling before turning a slight shade of purple. "Hi, Hermione."
Hermione lowered her gaze back to the book and said, "Hello, Ron. You've never come in here before."
Ron's face purpled darker and his eyes grazed the ground, "Er. Yeah. Well, I thought I'd stop by."
"Where's Harry?" she asked distractedly.
"Oh, he's around somewhere," he prevaricated.
Hermione glanced up sharply, "You two always know where the other is. You're almost as bad as Fred and George." Her voice was a little on the suspicious side.
"Yeah, well." Ron continued to stare at his feet.
Hermione's eyes narrowed as she watched him. "Ron, what's wrong?"
"You visited Bulgaria this summer," he muttered under his breath.
Hermione heard him and smiled widely, "Yes, I did. I had a wonderful time. Viktor sent you and Harry both a hello."
"Er. Okay." Ron lost his tongue.
Hermione shut the book in her lap and gave Ron her full attention, sternly remarking, "Ron, you're never this quiet."
Ron opened his mouth to say something, but when his teeth came down to get the words out, he bit his tongue. "Arghhhh."
"Oh, don't tell me Malfoy tried Silentus on you again?" Hermione asked with extreme exasperation.
Ron hesitated before shaking his head. "No, nothing like that."
Hermione lifted a bushy brow and asked calmly, "Well, then, what's on your mind? I've got loads to do. After all, we do have O.W.L.'s this year, and I couldn't possibly fall behind."
"You'd never fall behind," Ron murmured with a hint of certainty and irritation.
Hermione pinkened before placing her hands atop the Arithmancy book cover. "Ron!"
Ron glared at her for a second, disgusted with the authoritative tone she'd taken. "Hermione, I do not need you to mother me!"
"Well, spit it out already, Ron," she shot back. "I can see something is bothering you, and if you're not going to tell me, then go and tell Harry. I have got to get ahead in Arithmancy so I can focus more on Transfiguration."
"I just came to tell you that I woke up this morning and realized that I think you're. well. pretty." What started as something obnoxiously loud ended very quietly.
Hermione's jaw dropped as she stared at Ron.
"Anyhow, I'd better get back downstairs." Ron turned on his heel and rushed out of the room, shutting the door soundly behind him.
The day turned a gloomy shade of gray, the clouds hackling with a promised storm. Hermione Granger glanced outside her window and sighed softly. Her new Arithmancy book lay open across her lap, slowly cutting off the circulation to her feet.
A tap at the door startled her, and she lifted her head and watched as Ron entered the bedroom she shared with several other Gryffindor fifth years. He coughed and looked at her, his face paling before turning a slight shade of purple. "Hi, Hermione."
Hermione lowered her gaze back to the book and said, "Hello, Ron. You've never come in here before."
Ron's face purpled darker and his eyes grazed the ground, "Er. Yeah. Well, I thought I'd stop by."
"Where's Harry?" she asked distractedly.
"Oh, he's around somewhere," he prevaricated.
Hermione glanced up sharply, "You two always know where the other is. You're almost as bad as Fred and George." Her voice was a little on the suspicious side.
"Yeah, well." Ron continued to stare at his feet.
Hermione's eyes narrowed as she watched him. "Ron, what's wrong?"
"You visited Bulgaria this summer," he muttered under his breath.
Hermione heard him and smiled widely, "Yes, I did. I had a wonderful time. Viktor sent you and Harry both a hello."
"Er. Okay." Ron lost his tongue.
Hermione shut the book in her lap and gave Ron her full attention, sternly remarking, "Ron, you're never this quiet."
Ron opened his mouth to say something, but when his teeth came down to get the words out, he bit his tongue. "Arghhhh."
"Oh, don't tell me Malfoy tried Silentus on you again?" Hermione asked with extreme exasperation.
Ron hesitated before shaking his head. "No, nothing like that."
Hermione lifted a bushy brow and asked calmly, "Well, then, what's on your mind? I've got loads to do. After all, we do have O.W.L.'s this year, and I couldn't possibly fall behind."
"You'd never fall behind," Ron murmured with a hint of certainty and irritation.
Hermione pinkened before placing her hands atop the Arithmancy book cover. "Ron!"
Ron glared at her for a second, disgusted with the authoritative tone she'd taken. "Hermione, I do not need you to mother me!"
"Well, spit it out already, Ron," she shot back. "I can see something is bothering you, and if you're not going to tell me, then go and tell Harry. I have got to get ahead in Arithmancy so I can focus more on Transfiguration."
"I just came to tell you that I woke up this morning and realized that I think you're. well. pretty." What started as something obnoxiously loud ended very quietly.
Hermione's jaw dropped as she stared at Ron.
"Anyhow, I'd better get back downstairs." Ron turned on his heel and rushed out of the room, shutting the door soundly behind him.