'Shhhh! Ron, stop knocking things over!' Hermione hissed at him as they stood with their ears up close to the wall of a small ingredient cupboard just beside the kitchen in Grimmauld place.

The order were having another one of their stupid meetings,and this time, they couldn't sit back and wait. Sadly, Ron had just knocked over a tin of what looked like bat noses, but they werent sure.

'Sorry, but it's not my fault you've got to be three centimetres wide to fit in here!' he retorted angrily, and his head hit a lantern hanging from the ceiling. 'Ouch!' he rubbed his forehead irritably 'that hurt!'

'you'd better be more careful in future then, hadn't you?' she snipped and dragged him to stand beside her, even though she knew it was still going to be impossible getting a word out of this; the Order spoke in hushed tones all the time.

All of a sudden, Ron lost his balance and fell backwards into the lantern, and it crashed to the floor, the glass shattering and spraying in all directions. 'RONALD!' Hermione yelled and scrambled for the door. It wouldn't budge. She heard chairs being moved, and one pair of fast approaching footsteps. Ron pulled her back and whispered 'that's mum! I can tell,'

'I know! And now she'll find us both in here and-' her furious face fell to dread 'oh no...' she and Ron were in a private, cramped space, obviously doing something. From someone else's eyes, this could look very different indeed.

The door flew open with Mrs. Weasley's face frowning behind it. When she saw them both, Hermione facing Ron, close together, her eyebrows skyrocketed.

'Well, this is something you don't see every day!' she was genually shocked. Ron now understood what Hermione was faffing about. 'Mrs. Weasley, this really isn't what you think!' Hermione panicked.

'then what is it then?' she wasnt angry; more interested than anything. Had Ron finally admitted to himself that he liked Hermione? But even then, she was too sensible to go galavanting off, hiding in cupboards.

'We were just...' Ron trailed off. He didnt have and answer. He couldnt tell her that they were listening in: she'd soundproof the wall, and their only hope in hearing the tiniest smidgen of talk would be ruined. 'Er, we were talking.' Hermione said uncomfortably, turning to face Mrs. Weasley properly now.

'really?' Molly wasnt convinced. She sighed 'It's ok, I'll just tell them it was a mouse... a huge, jumping mouse that can knock lanterns off their hooks...' Ron let go of his breath. Mrs. Weasley looked at them with a wearing smile and said 'honestly, I think you would have more privacy on the fourth floor.'

'but we dont want privacy!' Ron exclaimed angrily, ' I mean, we haven't- we aren't...' Hermione's face was pale, and Ron's seemed to be rapidly evolving into a beetroot.

'Fourth floor. Just remember that; much better for privacy.' Molly walked away, and with a swish of her wand, the lantern repaired itself.

'what the-!' Hermione started, but Ron helped her on that sentance.

'Bloody hell! She really thought...'

'fourth floor?' she questioned, pondering why it was so special.

'd'you think we should have a look anyway?' he asked half heartedly.

'Ronald,' Hermione gave him a stern look.

'ok, maybe not...' Ron walked out of the closet confidently, and knocked a bottle of venom. Hermione caught it just in time and said 'maybe I should just lock you in there and have done with you.'

'hey!' he grinned back 'where's the fun in that?'