Disclaimer: I don't own the characters

Hermione's Humble Thoughts

I love Saturdays. Yes I know what everyone says about me. About how I live for the week and the classes but really I love the feeling you get when you finish your work. I love that feeling of contentment, that feeling as if you could do anything and finish it. I also now have Sunday to do what I want without the burden of homework that is frankly for too easy.

Hmm maybe I could spend some time later in the library and do some extra studying. I wonder if I could get Ron and Harry to join me. Goodness knows they need a little extra help after everything they have gone through. I doubt they would agree to it though

They are good friends really. Well most of the time, after all a lot of the time I either feel like strangling them or kissing them senseless. I never think of kissing Harry of course he's to much like a brother but Ron, well yes I have accepted the fact that I'm attracted to him.

If I wanted something to happen with him I would have to do it myself of course. I know my strengths and weakness and I know my looks aren't my strongest point. If I was hoping Ron would notice my intelligence as an asset I would be hoping and waiting for a long time. He would go for a girl like Lavender before me. Now I don't dislike Lavender but she isn't exactly the brightest of girls either.

But considering that Ron isn't the brightest boy in the world then maybe they would be good together… I would hate to see their children… oh now I'm just being snarky. The idea of Ron and any other girl together does that to me.

I sighed and looked over at Ron who was almost desperately trying to get someone to play chess with him.

I don't know where to start with him. I couldn't just go over there and kiss him or ask him out. He would be likely to just go red and splutter for an hour or so. I also don't want the first time I ask someone out to be viewed by everyone in the common room. There was also the bigger problem of him saying no. Then what would I do? It would be awkward around him and I could screw up the trio for good. I don't want to have that on my conscience. But more then that the idea of him refusing me makes me ache, the thought of it nearly brings me to tears and if that's how I feel just by thinking about it then I don't want to find out what it would feel like if he did say no.

I was willing to do something though maybe nothing as extreme as asking him out straight, just maybe flirting a little… I'd better practice first

At dinner I sat myself across from Ginny and Harry for research purposes. Ginny has always flirted with Harry at dinner, it was a tradition. Harry was well known to leave the main hall very red and flustered. This wasn't a tradition though, it was new and it helped me to decide on watching them for tips. Ginny was obviously doing something that helped Harry see her as something more then a best friends little sister.

I had thought about reading up on it and finding techniques that way but all I could find in the library was some muggle fiction that while was entertaining didn't really help. They seemed to all recommend me either sleeping with the guy's best friend or going up to him in the shortest clothes I had. This of course wouldn't work for me. So I needed something more subtle. Not to subtle though as I really didn't have much hope in Ron's powers of observation. Ginny had the perfect blend of subtleness and straightforwardness. She would be breaking a lot of men's hearts if Harry didn't hurry up and get her into a serious relationship with him. I was afraid she would get bored or give up hope soon and move onto more appreciative people.

I watched them closely, a pad of paper beside me and a pencil gripped in my hand. I wasn't eating. I didn't want any distractions from this.

Ginny made her first move the minute Harry began shovelling food onto his plate. It was a quick brush of her side against his arm as she reached for a bowl that was beside him. She then patted his arm with the excuse of saying sorry

Harry was already turning red

I bent over my notebook and scribbled

#1 – Touching (Innocent touching)

Ginny was talking to Harry as she was eating. I focused in on what she was saying, listening intently.

"And then Snape was all like 'Miss Weasley will you sit down'. He then gave me a lot of detentions but I didn't care cause I knew at some point that pile of goo would fall off the ceiling and on to him" Ginny stated this with obvious relish "And you know he won't be able to ever prove it was me. I just wish I could see him when he tries to wash it out of his hair"

This was accompanied by a guffaw from Ron and an admiring glance from Harry

"I wonder what his hair is like when it's washed" pondered Lavender from the other side of Ginny "Do you think it could be curly and all that grease is just flattening it? I think I could see him with curly hair"

Seamus chimed in "Do you think he dyes his hair to fit the bat image?"

"What you mean he might have blond hair?" Gasped Ron around his laughter

"Well you know how much the git loves his greasy and scary image and how much he loves lording it above all those poor easily intimidated first years. I wouldn't put it past him" Agreed Lavender

This started a discussion on what kind of hair style would suit Snape best.

I didn't take part in it as I had a new point to put down.

#2 – Talk on a subject that the couple can agree on

I felt my face heating up as I wrote down the word couple. It didn't help that Ron was sitting right next to me. So close I could feel the heat from his leg.

"It would be really ironic if he had red hair"

This comment fromHarry broke into my thoughts and reminded me I was on a mission. I wasn't meant to be getting distracted

But I was once again distracted when Ron stretched his arm across my back to thump Dean on his shoulder to get his attention. Instead of removing his arm Ron now just rested his hand on my back as he leaned towards Dean. His hand seemed even warmer then his leg. It caused a puddle of warmth to spread across my back. It was so hard not to lean back into it or even more tempting was the option of leaning to my side and resting again Ron's chest. It was so close that I could do it with just a small movement of my body.

I forced myself back to the topic at hand, I needed to research flirting. I cleared my throat that had quite suddenlygone dry and steadied my hand that had been trembling. I was ready to take notes.

Once again though, I was distracted by Ron as he ended his conversation with Dean and started to talk to me.

"Hey Mione did you see Malfoy today? Neville is still shaking. Malfoy is such a prick don't you think?"

I shushed him and told him I was busy. This wouldn't do at all. I must have missed so many subtle flirting techniques between Ginny and Harry now. There was no point continuing today. I would have to start over tomorrow.

I read through my short list

#1 – Touching (Innocent touching)

#2 – Begin a talk on a subject that the couple can agree on

Ron once again tried to rope me into a conversation about Malfoy as he rubbed circles on my back. I didn't know why he was bothering, he knew how I felt about Malfoy. It was the same as he felt about Malfoy.

Oh.