[Summer 1997]
"Harry, you got a minute?"
"Of course." Harry followed Ron into his bedroom, looking over his shoulder for Molly. Somehow, it was all clear. He shut the door and Ron quickly cast a Muffliato.
"What do you know about girls?"
Harry swallowed uncomfortably. "Not much."
"Er, Hermione's a girl. Did you realize that?"
"It crossed my mind once or twice, yes."
Ron crossed his arms. "I don't know what to do about her! I mean, she got here last night, and the four weeks since school felt like years. I had her full attention and we talked about everything. Life, God, death, her family. It was great."
"What's the problem then?" Harry didn't see how he could help. He'd been wrestling with the problem of Ron-and-Hermione for at least three years and still he had no answers.
"I just - well, if life had background music, it plays her song. And you know, I tried to escape it..." He made a face and Harry thought of Lavender. "But the orchestra plays on. It's like she's a pre- what's the word for the first part of the music?"
"Prelude?"
"Yeah. Call it a prelude. I can't stop thinking about her. But she's a riddle, mate. She belongs in Ravenclaw. Her words can be brilliant sometimes, but lines, phrases... sometimes they cut like knives."
Harry didn't know where he was going with this. He shrugged. "That's what you two do to each other. Dismantle. Repair. You'll figure it out."
Ron didn't seem to be listening, just spilling out the words from his brain. "It's not like I hang on every word she says, I mean sometimes she talks a bloody lot, but the things she repeats are the ones that stick. She's amazing."
"What are you so worried about, then?"
"We're going off together, right? Skiving school, just the three of us, and she's going to be there all the time. And there are two things I really need to keep from her. The thing is, they are the hardest to keep from her."
"What are they?"
"Secrets, for one. And also, er, hands."
Harry couldn't suppress his grin.
Word Count: 357
For the Globetrotter Drabble Competition (Cannes).
For the Song Fic Boot Camp with the song " ." by Anberlin and the prompt riddle.
