RON

"Come on, Mione" he begged. "Just the first five lines"

"No"

"Fine, just the first five words"

"No"

Ron snorted and sat back on his chair.

"I hate you"

"Whatever" she replied, dipping the point of her quill into the ink pot.

Ron gave Harry a forlon look, but he shrugged. None of them could make Hermione change her mind, when she forbade them to cheat off her homework.

"Come on, man, help me" Ron mouthed, but Harry shook his head.

You're a quitter, dontcha? he thought. But I ain't.

"Hemione?" he called, tapping her arm.

She sighed and slowly looked up at him.

"What?"

"Please"

"Ron.."

"Please, Hermione!"

"Drop it, Ron" meddled Harry, "she won't let us, and we're going to be late for Quidditch practice"

"Who cares about Quidditch!" he exclaimed, desperate. "If we don't write the damn thing, tomorrow Snape will kill us"

"You had two weeks to write the damn thing" replied Hermione, "procrastinating was your choice"

"Snape giving us two weeks of time means the work is bloody difficult, don't you agree?"

"It was bloody difficult for me too!" she protested.

"Oh, please" Ron shook his hand, "nothing is ever difficult for you, you're bloody brilliant at everything you do"

"Rubbish" said Hermione, but she had blushed.

Harry gave Ron an encouraging look beside her back.

Got it, thought Ron, before speaking again.

"I mean it, Mione, you're great. And you know I'm not fooling you, because you can see it yourself, just check your grades!"

"I.. Ron.." she hesitated.

"Most people call you a bookworm, but I say you're a genius!"

"Ron.."

"And if anyone asked me who's the most brilliant girl on this planet, I'd say that's you" he continued, thrilled.

"Shut up, will you?" she hissed him, smiling. "I won't let you cheat off my homework"

Harry and Ron huffed at one time.

"I will do them for you" she added, looking up at them, "as soon as I finish my essay for History of Magic"

"You will?" Harry asked in disbelief.

"Really?" echoed Ron.

"Don't you need a minute to think about that?"

"Honestly, mate" Ron hit him with his elbow, "what's wrong with you?"

Hermione laughed and shook her head.

Beautiful, thought Ron, staring at her.

"Hurry, guys" she said eventually, "you're going to be late"

"I'm the captain, I'm never late" replied Harry, "those who come before me are early"

"Lots of thanks, Mione" Ron hugged her, beaming, "I promise to help more with the S.C.R.E.W., I promise!"

"It's S.P.E.W." Harry whispered to his ear, but it was too late.

Hermione raised her eyebrows.

"Get out of here before I change my mind" she bidded.

"At once, my lady!" exclaimed Ron, grabbing Harry's shirt and starting to walk away.

"Thank you, Hermione" cried Harry, "we promise we won't procrastinate ever again!"

Before the portrait closed up behind their back, Ron clearly heard her reply:

"That's what you said the last time"

"Why d'you make promises you know we won't keep?" he asked his friend.

"I always hope to keep them" Harry shrugged, as they walked down the stairs, "really, I do. It's just.."

"Harder than it seems"

"Exactly"

"Yeah, I know the feeling" agreed Ron. "Anyway, the next time she decides to do our homework, you may want to shut up and let her"

"I know, but I feel guilty" said Harry.

"She offered!"

"You insisted"

"And you discouraged her!" Ron exclaimed in disbelief.

"I did not discourage her.."

"Are you sure, Hermione? Don't you need a minute to think about that?" Ron mimicked. "Seriously, mate, did you hit your head?"

"You're right, you're right" Harry nodded, apologetical, "my bad, I exaggerated"

"Thank you"

A few minutes later they were at the Quidditch pitch. Ginny was already there, talking to a burly boy.

"Oh, no" he muttered, "another boyfriend, is it?"

"What?" asked Harry, looking at him, then at Ginny, then back at him. "No, it.. you think so?"

"I don't know, maybe"

"Let's go check" said Harry, hurring towards his sister and the mysterious boy.

He's such a friend, Ron thought as he followed, he acts like if she was his own sister.

Only when he saw the boy smack Harry's shoulder, he realised something was wrong.

"Wood?" he asked, approaching them.

"So many Weasleys" Oliver gave Ginny a quick smile.

"Two out of seven" she replied, grinning.

"Two out of a hundred and seven" joked Harry.

"Blimey" exclaimed Ron, as Wood smacked his arm too, "what are you doing here?"

"He's on a holiday" explained Ginny, "because he's too much of a great keeper and they make him work a lot"

Oliver laughed, and Harry put on a big smile.

"It's nice to see you" he told his ex-captain.

"Y'know, mate" said Ron, "Harry's our captain now"

"I've heard" Oliver replied, "Ginny says you're as good a captain as you are a seeker"

"She says that?" Harry asked, surprised.

"I know she's lying though; there's nothing you do better than you catch a snitch"

"Bloody true" agreed Ron. "If we'd known you'd be here, we'd have told Hermione to come say hello"

"Never mind" Oliver shrugged, "I'll see her tonight at dinner"

"You will?" said Ginny. "I mean, you'll stay for dinner?"

"Of course he will, he can't leave without saying hello to his beloved Hermione" joked Ron, and Harry laughed.

Oliver shook his head, amused.

"What are you talking about?" asked Ginny, confused.

"Nothing, they're just being stupid"

"We ain't, mate" hissed Ron, laughing. "Remember the match against Hufflepuff, on the third year, when it was raining cats and dogs?"

Ginny nodded.

"Hermione made some charm to my glasses" explained Harry, "so that I could see through the rain"

Ron smiled and pointed at Oliver.

"He would have kissed her, Harry says!"

"But you lost the match" observed Ginny.

"That's why he didn't" joked Ron, and the three boys burst out laughing.

"I see" Ginny nodded, grinning, then looked at Oliver. "You might confess her your love tonight"

"I'll see what I can do" he replied, winking.

You just have to try, thought Ron, suddenly bitter.

"So, mind if I watch?" Oliver asked Harry. "I want to see if you truly can train a team"

"Oh, he can do that" answered Ginny, "but there's nothing any of us can do about Ron.. he's hopeless"

"Shut up, you" hissed Ron.

"Come on guys" meddled Harry, "let's go change our clothes. And, yes, Oliver, you can stay and watch"

"Thanks, captain" he bowed his head as Harry, Ron and Ginny walked to the locker room.