Hidden Moments
Coming to the Burrow
"Mum! Is Hermione here yet?'
"Ronald Weasely, if you ask me that one more time I swear…" Mum yells back up the stairs. I sigh. She's right. I had been nagging her, but it's not my fault. Hermione was supposed to be here a half an hour ago and now all I could think about was if something happened to her. If someone got to her…I try to shake the images from my mind, try to tell myself she's just late, that's all. It doesn't work.
"Mum!" I yell once more as I run down the stairs. This time I'm greeted with the mischievous faces of Fred and George.
"Poor git's worried about his girly friend." George smiles.
"Bugger off." I growl back at him.
"We're only trying to help." They both smile back at me. I raise an eyebrow; help never seemed to be in their vocabulary.
"What are you going on about?" I question. They move over to the kitchen door, flinging it open. I watch as they move outside and beckon for me.
"Come off it, what is this about?" George hands me a broom and then tugs at my shirt.
"Bloody hell. What has gotten into you?" Fred laughs.
"Rule number 1 of sex appeal, skin." George smiles back at me and pulls at my shirt yet again.
"And where did you learn about these rules?" I ask, pulling my shirt back down.
"A muggle book." I wasn't impressed.
"Muggles know nothing about how to please a witch." I say shortly. George and Fred laugh and jump onto their brooms flying off into the other direction. I look back at the horizon. Merlin, where was Hermione? I jump onto my broom and zoom off.
"Ron?" I blush deeply as I hear the familiar voice from below.
"Catch." Fred calls as he throws my now torn shirt across to George. They had decided, given that they hadn't gotten their point across. that playing a game of keep the shirt away from Ron would be much better. I can feel as my ears turn hotter and hotter. I look down at my bare chest then back to Hermione who's eyes are now very wide.
"Uh, hey!" I call while trying to frantically grab my shirt, but my efforts are pointless. George and Fred fly down to the ground and throw the shirt to a very confused Hermione. They both wink at her before disappearing into the house. I breath in a very long deep breathe as I try to calm myself. I could fly anywhere, just leave this behind, and maybe come back in a few hours after everything has cooled off. But then I catch Hermione's eyes. I watch as a deep blush overwhelms her. I fly back to the ground and awkwardly stand next to her, half naked. Hermione shifts slightly to one side holding my tattered T-shirt in her hand. But just as I'm about to speak mum rushes out and with one glance at me her mouth drops.
"Ron, where are your clothes?" She asks running over to me.
"Ask Fred and George." I grumble. Mum throws an apron at me.
"Here, put that on." She then realizes there's another person here.
"Oh Hermione dear. I'm sorry. Please come in. Come in." Hermione looks from mum back to me then blushes as she walks into the house my shirt still in her hand. I look down at the apron then back to the house. Fred and George are dead.
The house is becoming very lively as I walk back up to my room. Ginny giggles as I past by. And begins to laugh even louder as I try to cover myself with the apron. I notice Hermione staring from the living room. She tries to hide a smile that spreads across her face as I walk by.
"Bloody hell." I whisper under my breath and begin to run up the stairs. I look through my drawers of old clothes, pulling out shirt after shirt. Nothing looked right. I don't know exactly what I was looking for, just something that would please…Oh Merlin, not this again. Hermione. I can't get her out of my head. I'm such a git, there's no way in hell she could ever like someone like me. Giving up I lie down on the bed and shut my eyes. Before long there's a knock on the door.
"Fred, George. You wankers are going to get it! You and your stupid muggle book…" I trail off as I notice it's not Fred or George who's standing at my door. Blushing profusely I quickly try to grab a clean shirt off the ground.
"Erm, Hermione. Hi." Hermione smiles but I can see her cheeks turning a light shade of pink.
"Hey, uh I just wanted to give you this." She lifts her hand where my t-shirt is resting.
"Thanks." I smile back at her taking it from her hand. "You know, I don't think I even need this, it's torn up anyway. I'll just throw it out…" Hermione hesitates before saying,
"I can do that... I mean throw it out for you." I don't get it. The trash bucket is a few feet away; it makes no sense why she's asking to do this. But I give in, wondering where this may go.
"Uh, alright. You want to come in?" I hand her the shirt as she walks into my room and sits down on the bed.
"Thanks." She throws it into a small bag she is clutching and leans back against the blankets. I walk aimlessly around the room; my cheeks still red. We are alone, I finally realize, I mean we've been alone before but not like this. Not with images running through my mind; bad images, more or less fantasy. Oh Merlin, I need to stop. I look at Hermione whose eyes are slightly closed, and fingers the bag. I move closer to her and rest on the bed.
"What were you talking about early? Something to do with a muggle book?" I jump at Hermione's words; they seemed to come out of nowhere.
"Erm…" I hesitated, trying to think of a lie. "Just something Fred and George thought would help…" I trail off. I'm such a stupid git. Would help? Help with what? I mentally strangle myself as I wait for Hermione to respond. She sits up and looks into my eyes before answering,
"Help with what?" I'm not exactly sure how to respond. Should I just tell her? I should. Just tell her how I feel about her and only her. But she'll think I'm a wanker, going off with Lavender and all…
"Oh Ronnie – Kins!" My face turns back to its now usual shade of red. Fred enters the door,
"Ooo, sorry. Wasn't interrupting anything was I?" He winks at me. Hermione quickly gets up from the bed, blushing deeply.
"Uh, no. I was just returning... his shirt." Hermione tried to hide her face from Fred who was grinning from ear to ear. All I could do was hold back from attacking him then and there. But I have to hand it to him; he did get me out of awkward situation.
"Bye Ron." I smile at Hermione as she leaves. "Bye." Then making sure I hear her door close I grab hold of Fred's arm and wrestle him to the ground.
"Skin. Skin? You stupid gits wouldn't know sex appeal if it hit you square in the wands."
