Second for Luck

'Hermione, you are honestly the most wonderful person I've ever met,' Ron said weakly.

Extract's from Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix: Percy and Padfoot: p265-273.

The next evening

They'd been silent for most of the day. Well, silent towards her anyway. Harry winced with what appeared to be the star of a headache and Ron's eyes were burry and bloodshot from staring at homework all day.

I really hope they attempt to get some of their homework done during the week, Hermione thought as she relaxed in front of the fireplace. Crookshanks was lazing on her lap while her knitting needles danced a familiar rhythm in front of her.

'Hermione,' Ginny asked collapsing on the seat besides her, 'what's going on with you and my brother?'

'Which one?' she asked with mock seriousness, garnering a wry smile from her tired looking friend.

'Lankygitface,' Ginny answered pointedly, shifting her eyes quickly towards Ron.

'The usual,' Hermione replied definitely, 'nothing.' She glanced over towards Ron, just as he was looking at her. They shared a quick smile before looking away.

'Ha!' she explained dryly. 'There's definitely something going on. On Friday morning, I catch you playing peek-a-boo.'

'It wasn't peek-a-boo,' Hermione corrected, feeling somewhat ridicules, 'it was an innocent game of guess who... Anyway, he was just telling me about trying out for Keeper...'

'You order the twins to throw a party if he becomes Keeper...'

'Just to show their support,' she defended, 'Ron needed it, especially after that fiasco of him becoming Prefect. He deserves a celebration.'

'Then, you hug him when he gets back as keeper,' Ginny continued.

'What's so wrong with that?' Hermione asked, dumbfounded.

'You two never touch if you think someone's looking,' Ginny pointed out.

'And you think we touch when we're alone?' Hermione laughed.

'Well, do you,' Ginny asked, before breaking into giggles. 'I've seen you hold hands before and you only hug each other when you're both worried about Harry.'

'It's a wonder we ever get anything done then,' she replied, with a theatrical sigh.

'Indeed it is,' Ginny agreed with an eye wiggle. 'We'll be sisters-in-law in no time flat!'

'Speaking of 'wonder's you ever get anything done; how's,' she gave a pause before sighing dramatically, 'Michael Corner?'

'Great,' Ginny said with a happy sigh. 'He's a good kisser,' for a second Hermione wondered if Ron was capable of good kisses, seeing as all the times they'd ever done it, a bland word like good was totally irrelevant. Ginny continued unaware: 'and it's just really fun not pining over Harry.' Hermione caught the wistful tone in Ginny's voice, but reframed from commenting.

'When are you going to tell you're brothers?' Hermione asked pointedly.

'Oh the twins already know,' Ginny said lightly, 'their advice is to be care, do only what I want to do and don't tell him any Quidditch secrets. But seeing as I'm not on the blasted team – that's not likely.'

'What about- Ron?'

'Funny you should mention the lankygitface... I was hoping,' she started to ask looking mildly desperate, 'seeing as we'll be sisters soon. And Ron can be...' Ginny paused searching for the right word.

'Gitface,' Hermione supplied, with a reluctant grin. Ginny nodded, waiting for her answer. 'Fine, if it comes up I'll tell him.'

'Thanks Hermione,' Ginny said hugging her furiously. 'Cos you know if I tell him, he'll just harp on and on...'

'And he won't do that when he's with me?' Hermione asked as they broke apart.

'Well yeah,' Ginny admitted, 'but you can just distract him.'

It was nearly Monday morning. Hermione curled up the couch, trying not to give into the nagging feeling in the pit of his stomach. It was guilt. She was knitting while Ron and Harry were pouring over their books. They looked utterly exhausted; eye bloodshot, hair dishevelled and an air of defeated warriors.

'Nearly done?' she asked hopefully, with a yawn. Ron looked at her with a sour expression.

'No,' Ron said curtly. Hermione's heart sank; she leaned over his shoulder and spotted a simple mistake.

'Jupiter's biggest moon is Ganymede, not Callisto,' she suggested, without thinking. She pointed to the line, brushing his skin as she did so, 'and it's lo that's got volcanoes.'

'Thanks,' Ron snarled, scratching out the sentences. Hermione snatched her hand back like she was burnt.

'Sorry, I only –' she started, feeling hurt.

'Yeah, well,' he grumbled and Hermione looked away towards a nearby window. She noticed an owl approaching the window. The owl looked familiar. Ron continued: 'if you've just come over to criticise –'

'Ron-' Hermione urged, touching his shoulder again.

'I haven't got time to listen to a sermon, all right, Hermione, I'm up to my neck in it here- '

'No,' she growled, feeling as fed up as she thought she'd be tonight. 'look-' she pointed again to the window. Now Harry looked up too. The owl was Hermes and the letter it brought that made her feel as angry, useless and betrayed as she'd ever felt.

They'd all read the letter together. Percy had advised Ron to server ties with Harry. He advised them about a change in regime at Hogwarts: not to warn him away but to suggest a change in loyalty. Although, Ron loved his brother; his loyalty lay with Harry. Hermione watched as a disgusted Ron tore the letter into little pieces and threw it into the fire. Amazingly, instead of throwing in the towel for the night or using his pathetic expression to beg her for help: Ron suggested they get on with their homework.

In that moment, Hermione saw the man he was becoming. He was loyal to those he loved and to what he believed to be true. He could gather an enormous amount of determination and resolve when he needed it. Underneath it all, he did listen to her.

Hermione felt her heart stirring as she watched him. He was so sexy when he was angry.

Suddenly, she felt awed to be in his presence and her resolve not to help him melted like a chocolate frog that got too close to the fire.

'OK, write that down,' Hermione said to Ron, pushing his essay and a sheet covered in her own writing back to him, 'then add this conclusion I've written for you.' He gave her a warm, sleepy smile then said something that made her heart stop.

'Hermione, you are honestly the most wonderfulperson I've ever met,' said Ron weakly, meeting her gaze with his own. 'And if I'm ever rude to you again -'

'- I'll know you're back to normal,' said Hermione softly. His hair was wild and looked like it was on fire. Again she felt an indescribable electric zing pass between them. She wanted to kiss him, so badly her body ached. They grinned at each other now; Hermione was aware that Harry was watching them curiously. As if trying to access whether a monster was about to bit him. She handed him his work and his attention returned to the flames. To her surprise, Harry slipped purposely out of his chair and gazed intently at the flames: somehow daring them.

She glanced at Ron, who shrugged his shoulders. She indicated with her eyes, that he should ask what was going on.

And so began the second extraordinary communication of the night. Sirius flickering in the fire: there was such a lot of information exchanged that, by the end of it, Hermione was desperate for her bed. Sirius' reassurance that Harry's scar would ache more now that you-know-who was back; wasn't reassuring at all.

It made her sick that Umbridge could draft a bit of anti-werewolf legislation that would make it impossible for their only decent Defence teacher to get work. Oddly though, she left like she had let Lupin down for not having kept up to date with the Ministries questionable policies. She vowed that wouldn't happen again.

In her opinion, someone needed to take Fudge gently by the hand, towards the nearest qualified therapist for some counselling. He needed medication if he truly believed that Dumbledore was training an army. Then again, anyone who could appoint a sadist like Umbridge to a teaching position was mental.

Asking about Hagrid was, of course, out of the question because it drew attention to his absent. She kicked herself, for not realising that before. A fresh wave of worry hit her. If anything had happened to Hagrid... She couldn't think about that now.

It was nearly two, before Hermione made her way towards bed. What worried Hermione even more though; Sirius and his relationship to danger. He seemed to think that risks were fun and exciting. That a trip to Hogsmeade would be a laugh and that made the risk made it worth it. Hermione knew he was lashing out because he was bored but his disappointment when Harry cautioned him. She was sure that, in the boy's dormitory the words: you're less like your father then I thought would be playing havoc on her friend's emotion.

The common room had been almost empty when it had started. Hermione knew it was coming the moment they'd left Umbridge's class. She'd been desperate to get rid of the pink toad after that Prophet article. So, as a very last resort, she tried to get a detention. A plan that had totally backfired; Harry received detention, again. She apologised to Harry; who was annoyed with the situation, not her. Ron, however, had been silent, distant and not met her eyes.

Ron was the other side of the room; with his brothers and all three of them looked upset. Neville, who knew what was wrong, sat in the middle, concerned. Ginny was doing her homework while sprawled out on a mass of cushions. Hermione had been left alone to; finish her homework, attempt a written reply to Victor's last letter and give up on tonight's knitting. Frustrated, she pushed her wool away and stood up with as much dignity as possible; before gliding over to the three amigos.

Hermione stood there, towering over Ron for a minute before he turned to acknowledge her. She could see he was as angry as she was. Her eye narrowed as she waited for him to say something. With a great sigh he threw his quill down and looked at her. Still not saying anything; in a clear, mini defiance.

'Well Ronald -,' she said through gritted teeth.

'We said we weren't going to fight Hermione-' Ron said with pointed determination, returning to his near empty parchment. 'So just go to bed and we'll be alright tomorrow.' He glanced at her with that pleading, doe eyed look.

'We said we weren't going to fight or bicker in front of Harry,' Hermione said resolute. 'I don't see him now – so out with it. What's got your wand in a knot?' There was a low whistle from the twins, Neville's eyes opened in horror and Ginny appeared at her side. On shaky legs, Ron Weasley stood up; his tower of fury directed straight at her. He'd always been taller than her, but now the gap seemed to increase.

'And remind me where Harry is, Hermione,' Ron asked nastily. Ginny gasped, Neville looked horrified and the twins held their breath. Angry Ron didn't wait for a response. 'He's got detention with that cow because of you.'

'Not because of me,' Hermione corrected with a stamp of her foot, 'because he couldn't keep his mouth shut and let me handle it,' Hermione reminded him.

'You don't put yourself in danger,' he growled. This for Ron was the crux of the matter, she realised.

'It was the only thing I could think of to get rid of her,' Hermione argued, suddenly feeling deflated.

'Well, it was a dumb idea!'

'It was the only one we had!'

'We, Hermione,' he asked outraged. 'There was no: we. You decided. You made that decision without consulting me. You get an idea and I have to sit there and watch... If Harry hadn't said anything to Umbridge, I was bloody well ready to!'

'How is that better Ronald,' she replied feeling her temper flare, 'me sat on the sidelines like some vapid damsel in distress, while you my big strong hero comes to save me...'

'Now hold on there, Hermione-' George interrupted. 'He's a lanky stubborn git... Not a hero!'

'SHUT UP GEORGE,' chorused Ron, Hermione and Fred.

'Ron has a point,' Fred said, desperate to get them back on topic. 'Hermione put herself in danger without consulting him or... anyone. If she'd ask us...'

'Which she didn't,' Ron said smugly.

'If she'd asked us...' Fred continued ignore Ron's input or George's sour expression. 'We'd have told her, we've already thought of that, Umbridge only gives her sadistic detentions to people she knows mistake silence on such matters as strength.'

'Which means,' Ron said haughtily, 'me, you, and the twins don't count!' At this statement, Hermione huffed. She turned on her heels and returned to her seat; leaving Ron standing there, feeling like an idiot.

'Is that it?' he asked, impotently.

'What else is there to say,' she relied feeling upset, 'except, I'm sorry.' He ran his fingers threw his hair, making it appear truly dishevelled. Hermione looked up and her breath caught. He was so handsome. He gave a heavy sigh and scowled at the audience, wordlessly appealing for them to redirect their attention. Ron went and kneeled by her side, grabbing her hand.

'I'm sorry too,' he admitted with a smile. 'I shouldn't get upset at you for wanting to protect Harry. It's what I want to do too.' He said and she looked up at him, he was so sincere, she couldn't help gaze at him. 'You'd make a wonderful damsel in distress,' he added thinking out loud. His ears reddened a little, 'apart from the fact that you're a hero in your own right.'

'I'm not a hero...' Hermione smiled weakly. Ron moved to sit on the chair leg and leaned over.

'You're my hero,' he whispered, 'slapping Malfoy third year.' He rubbed his hands together gleefully. 'It's my happy thought' he admitted.

'Well,' Hermione said, 'you're my hero, you know,' Ron looked dubious, 'you faced spiders in our second year, 'mass murder' Sirius Black in our third and you choose to follow Harry every time there's trouble.'

'You do that too,' he said, stroking his cheek with his finger.

'Yeah,' she replied moving her hands to his either side of his torso, 'because whose to keep you out of danger if I didn't?' She said as she started tickling him, he howled with laughter: surprised, they both fell onto Ginny's cushions and homework.

'Oi!' Ginny exclaimed.

I admit. I've gone a lot further back with this story that originally anticipated because there were so many little moments that were important to Hermione kissing Ron for luck in front of Harry. Order of the Phoenix is full of very subtle changes in Ron and Hermione's relationship. They are less blatant than the other books therefore need exploring...

The guess-who scene is located in Rebounding Relationship's: Chapter 2.

Next chapter WILL have the kiss in it.