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A/N: Hey everyone, I'm so sorry for getting this out so late and thank you SOOO much for reviewing. It was great! So, this is Chapter Six, I hope you like it. This one is like; a sort of segway into Chapter's Seven and Eight. So, I'm sorry it's so short, I don't know how long, Chapter Seven will be, but I will try to make it a decent length. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this and REVIEW!
(Also, a great big, special thank you to: - boopotter – fatyellowrat – Rob-girl - J – for reviewing. You guys are great)
CHAPTER SIX
"Hermione? 'Mione? Hermione, wake up!"
Hermione's eyes flickered open, her lashes brushing her cheeks. She was encircled with something warm and strong. Fred? She thought, her mouth lifting into a smile. The shape in front of her came into focus and she found herself looking up into the face of a shockingly red-haired male. But not the one she wanted.
"Ron?" she said, struggling to sit up. "Ouch!" she exclaimed, sitting back down as her head throbbed in pain. Ron grimaced and grabbed her hand. He settled her back down on his lap so that she was comfortable before talking.
"Yes, that would hurt, I presume. You banged your head quite hard. I found you lying underneath a tree as I went for a walk in the gardens. You were out for about twenty minutes or so, and you also have a rather nasty gash on your head. I didn't think moving you would be such a good idea, I thought it made have made your condition worse."
Hermione smiled. Ron was obviously making a genuine effort to look after her, it was touching. After all, he was her best friend. She moved again and finally managed to stand up, if swaying slightly, holding onto Ron's arm tightly.
"Well Ron," she said, "thank you for looking after me. I should probably be getting back to the dance now, Ernie is probably looking for me, so I guess I'll, uh, see you later!" she smiled and started to turn.
"No!" Ron made a face and said in a softer tone, "Ernie isn't there, he ran out of the hall a while ago. Now, are you going to tell me what's wrong? You ran out of the hall crying, if that bastard did anything to you, I'll knock his face in!"
Hermione forced a smile; after all, Ron was only trying to help. "There's nothing wrong with me, I mean, I was just a little upset that's all. It was nothing, a little misunderstanding. Really."
Ron's face darkened in a scowl. "So it was Ernie! Ugh, I knew he was a jerk! He's no good for you Hermione! I can think of heaps of people you'd be better off with like…" he stopped looking sheepish.
Hermione's eyes blazed up and her hands balled into fists. How dare he tell her whom she should see! It wasn't any of his business anyway! "Ugh, who do you think I should go out with then, huh?" Her mouth was set in a straight line and her voice was cold.
Ron wilted under her gaze, even though he towered above her. "Me…" he whispered, before walking closer to her. Hermione backed away, her eyes wide. No, no, NO, this could NOT be happening to her! She and Fred were getting closer everyday! She didn't need Ron to go and stuff everything up! He put a hand on her cheek, leaning down. NO, NO, NO! She screamed in her head, as his face drew closer and closer, his eyes closed. As she saw his lips pucker, Hermione drew back, trying to get further away from him. Ron's hand slipped around to the back of her head, gripping her hair and pulling her to him. Just as his lips were about to touch hers… SMACK!
"Argh!" Ron fell back, his hand on his cheek, which was turning a dark crimson.
"Ron!" Hermione cried, her eyes filling with tears, staring at him with horror-stricken eyes. "How could you? I said I was fine! I… I don't feel the same way as you do! Please… just…" her voice broke now, tears flowing down her cheeks once more. "Just leave me alone!" with that she turned tail, and ran back through the castle doors, leaving Ron staring after her, his expression shocked, mingled with surprise, his right hand still rubbing his cheek.
Hermione ran through the crowd in the Great Hall, her head bent, one hand holding her gown's skirt up. "Hermione?" she heard several cries from her friends, such as Ginny and Lavender, but she kept running until she reached the foot of the stairs leading to her dormitory. She paused to catch her breath, her chest heaving, before dashing up them, her hair flying out behind her. She reached her bed and she fell onto it, sobbing, her shoulders shaking from the force of her sobs. She raised her head slightly to look into the mirror to the side of her bed. Her breath caught as she saw the bright red gash that ran across her forehead, dried blood still evident. Ugh, and Ron couldn't have even tried to clean that up? She thought. The thought of his name started up the waterworks again. How could he have done this to her? After all this time? Why couldn't he have just left her well alone and just settled on being her friend? And now of course, things were going to be really weird between them and Harry would most definitely take his best friend's side. Hermione sighed, finally having no more tears left in her. He always did, leaving Hermione alone, with no one else except Lavender and Parvati and Ginny, though the latter was still a couple of years younger than her. She found that she was alone a lot. But then Fred came along, saving her from the dark hole that she had been trapped in. He had pulled her out and shown her the daylight and the sun. Her time was now, not only restricted her studies and homework! He had helped her become free, spontaneous, and even fun! But just as things were getting better, they got worse. Thanks Ron…
Hermione sighed once more and heaved herself off her bed, pointing her wand at her forehead and mumbling a spell. Almost instantly, the gash disappeared, leaving only a pink line. She slipped out of her dress and pulled on some silk pyjamas, made of a tank top and loose, silk, drawstring pants. She jumped back onto her bed and climbed under the covers, grabbing a book from the table beside her bed. For a quarter of an hour, she tried to lose herself in Hogwarts: A History, unsuccessfully. She slammed the book shut and dropped it back onto the table, hugging her pillow to her. She flicked the light off and closed her eyes, going over the night in her head. She saw Ernie walking towards her, then covered in water, Fred grinning, leaning down to kiss her, Harry looking astonished, then finally Ron's hurt face as she rushed away from him. What an eventful night, she thought, before dropping off to sleep, finally exhausting the last of her energy.
A/N: There you go, I know it's not much and there isn't any Fred-Hermione interaction, but I promise you, the next chapter will be better. I think I might even be able to get it up tonight, if people review enough. Who knows? Hint, hint Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it, and please review! ;)
