Don't Bet on Love
Chapter Four: To Think or Not to Think
"Think about it, Ron!" The words echoed in Ron's head as he walked back to the Gryffindor common room. Twice in a day. He was already finding it hard to keep the promise he'd just made. It was as if someone had told him, "Don't think about a hippogriff!" What did the very hearing of that warning automatically force him to think about? Hermione.
Ron walked in the portrait hole, joined Harry at the table where he was studying, and got out his Astronomy charts. But he quickly became annoyed at how hard it was to concentrate on the little twinkling constellations on his scrolls.
"Where is she?" he wondered irritably, and then he immediately cursed himself for thinking it. He looked back down at the scroll, where patterns of books, quills, and flying horses were quickly forming.
There was a disturbance on the other side of the common room and, glad for the interruption, Ron glanced up. Fred and George, of course. Filibuster's Fireworks in Dean Thomas's pants pockets. "Those idiots." Ron thought, scowling. The idea that his twin brothers were idiots crossed his mind fairly often, but this time the sentiment was decidedly less affectionate. Ron could not believe that Fred had actually offered him money to.he was unable to even complete the thought. They weren't serious, were they? Ron sincerely hoped they hadn't been. That was just so...wrong. It made him feel like--well, like the male counterpart to a "scarlet woman."
When he returned to the scroll and instantly saw the letters SPEW written in tiny stars, Ron just blinked and decided it was pointless. He rolled it up and got out Quidditch Through the Ages. Surely he could concentrate on this.
But Hermione chose that moment to walk through the portrait hole and set her stack of books on the table near Ron. And, as much as Ron tried to ignore her, he was acutely aware of her every movement. He noticed the flicker behind her eyes as she noticed what he was reading; he felt positive that she was simply longing to tell him that he should do his Astronomy instead. But instead she flashed him a quick smile, which Ron halfheartedly returned, and bent over her Arithmancy book. He wondered if the incident with Justinian had anything to do with it; normally Hermione relished in nagging him to death. Ron almost wished she had said something to him about his homework, as it would have given him an excuse to talk to her. "I wonder if I'm allowed to talk to her?" He thought worriedly. He wasn't even supposed to think about her. But surely he'd only meant that he wouldn't think about her like THAT....right?
Ron gave an exasperated sigh, causing Harry to look up at him from across the table. Harry looked questioningly at him, but then he noticed Hermione sitting next to Ron, and raised his eyebrows meaningfully. Ron shot Harry a dirty look, and returned to his book.
But it was even harder to concentrate than before. That single look from Harry was more unsettling than all of the twins' rantings and insinuations. "We're his best friends, I suppose he would know...Why did I save her?..." Ron wondered.
"No!" said another, firmer voice in his head. "Not going to think about it! Hippogriffs, hippogriffs, hippogriffs...Hermione...Hippogriffs, hippogriffs..."
A/N: Next chapter: Ron's attitude forces Fred and George to formulate a new, more drastic plan. Thanks for reading, please review!
Chapter Four: To Think or Not to Think
"Think about it, Ron!" The words echoed in Ron's head as he walked back to the Gryffindor common room. Twice in a day. He was already finding it hard to keep the promise he'd just made. It was as if someone had told him, "Don't think about a hippogriff!" What did the very hearing of that warning automatically force him to think about? Hermione.
Ron walked in the portrait hole, joined Harry at the table where he was studying, and got out his Astronomy charts. But he quickly became annoyed at how hard it was to concentrate on the little twinkling constellations on his scrolls.
"Where is she?" he wondered irritably, and then he immediately cursed himself for thinking it. He looked back down at the scroll, where patterns of books, quills, and flying horses were quickly forming.
There was a disturbance on the other side of the common room and, glad for the interruption, Ron glanced up. Fred and George, of course. Filibuster's Fireworks in Dean Thomas's pants pockets. "Those idiots." Ron thought, scowling. The idea that his twin brothers were idiots crossed his mind fairly often, but this time the sentiment was decidedly less affectionate. Ron could not believe that Fred had actually offered him money to.he was unable to even complete the thought. They weren't serious, were they? Ron sincerely hoped they hadn't been. That was just so...wrong. It made him feel like--well, like the male counterpart to a "scarlet woman."
When he returned to the scroll and instantly saw the letters SPEW written in tiny stars, Ron just blinked and decided it was pointless. He rolled it up and got out Quidditch Through the Ages. Surely he could concentrate on this.
But Hermione chose that moment to walk through the portrait hole and set her stack of books on the table near Ron. And, as much as Ron tried to ignore her, he was acutely aware of her every movement. He noticed the flicker behind her eyes as she noticed what he was reading; he felt positive that she was simply longing to tell him that he should do his Astronomy instead. But instead she flashed him a quick smile, which Ron halfheartedly returned, and bent over her Arithmancy book. He wondered if the incident with Justinian had anything to do with it; normally Hermione relished in nagging him to death. Ron almost wished she had said something to him about his homework, as it would have given him an excuse to talk to her. "I wonder if I'm allowed to talk to her?" He thought worriedly. He wasn't even supposed to think about her. But surely he'd only meant that he wouldn't think about her like THAT....right?
Ron gave an exasperated sigh, causing Harry to look up at him from across the table. Harry looked questioningly at him, but then he noticed Hermione sitting next to Ron, and raised his eyebrows meaningfully. Ron shot Harry a dirty look, and returned to his book.
But it was even harder to concentrate than before. That single look from Harry was more unsettling than all of the twins' rantings and insinuations. "We're his best friends, I suppose he would know...Why did I save her?..." Ron wondered.
"No!" said another, firmer voice in his head. "Not going to think about it! Hippogriffs, hippogriffs, hippogriffs...Hermione...Hippogriffs, hippogriffs..."
A/N: Next chapter: Ron's attitude forces Fred and George to formulate a new, more drastic plan. Thanks for reading, please review!