Prompt: Could you do something based on Ron saying something along the lines of "for some reason, Lavender thinks I'm amazing"? Bonus points if Hermione overhears.

Era: Half-Blood Prince
Rating: T

A Pep Talk

"I hope we win," said Ron. "If we lose, it'll all be my fault."

The Gryffindor Quidditch team was hustling through the corridors, nearly at risk of being late to the game. If Ron was feeling insecure and nervous, they definitely wouldn't win. Harry knew he needed a pep talk, but there was hardly time.

He grabbed Ron by the arm and held him back. "You guys go down to the pitch. We will meet you there."

The team nodded and scurried off, and Harry pulled Ron into an empty classroom. He shut the door and turned to him.

"Ron, don't think like that, please."

Ron sat down at a desk, and buried his head in his hands. "I'm a rubbish player, aren't I?"

"No, you're not." Harry sat next to him. "Remember last time? You single handedly won the game for us."

"But that was different!" he said. "I thought I had taken Felix—"

"But you didn't!"

Ron shook his head. "Hermione thinks I'm a rubbish player."

It didn't really matter what Hermione thought right now, but if this was what was making him nervous, he'd better put a stop to it. "Hermione doesn't think that, but she probably won't be there anyway. Lavender will."

Ron groaned.

"There's no need to be nervous," Harry continued. "You're going to be great."

Ron frowned, letting out a sigh.

"You know what Lavender thinks, right?" asked Harry.

Ron nodded slowly. "For some reason, Lavender thinks I'm amazing."

Harry detected disbelief in his voice, but this was a good direction. He could use this to ease Ron's nerves. He turned to Ron to continue, while forming a pep talk in his mind.

"There's no need to be nervous, you're going to be great."

Hermione froze at the sound of Harry's voice echoing from an empty classroom. She was on her way down to the Quidditch pitch for the game, and had assumed he would be there already. He was the captain after all, it wouldn't look very good if he was late.

Assuming he'd lost track of time, she figured it would be best to remind him. She turned toward the door of the classroom, but right before she opened it, Harry spoke again.

"You know what Lavender thinks, right?" said Harry.

There was another voice. "For some reason, Lavender thinks I'm amazing."

The sound of Ron's voice made her stomach clench. But his words ignited a fit of white-hot jealousy. Lavender. But with that jealousy came an inexplicable curiosity. What exactly did Lavender think he was amazing at? She wasn't sure she wanted to know, yet her ear was suddenly on the door like a magnet.

Harry's voice came next. "Exactly, just focus on that. Let her boost your confidence. You're way more coordinated than you think you are."

Hermione's heart sank. They couldn't be talking about—

No. They've only been together a few weeks. There's no way.

She figured the best way to protect her heart was to walk away, but the question would always linger in the back of her mind. She didn't want to know any more, but she needed to find out. Her feet remained firmly rooted, and she kept listening.

"What if I screw up?" asked Ron. His voice trembled with insecurity. "What if I make a fool of myself?"

Hermione frowned. The nervousness in his voice made her want to hug him, but that was Lavender's job now.

Please don't be talking about sex.

It was an involuntary plead in the back of her mind. She could walk away now without confirmation, and fill in the gaps of their conversation with more innocent insecurities. But Hermione's curiosity had always been extremely difficult to ignore. So she stayed.

Harry spoke more softly now, and Hermione wished for one of Fred and George's extendable ears. "Ron, just focus on the moment. Instinct will take over. You'll know exactly what to do if you just don't think about it too much."

"You think so?" asked Ron.

"Yes, it's natural. You said yourself that you're really good with your hands, and your body knows exactly how to move. Just don't worry about how you look. You've got this."

No, no, no.

"You're right, it's natural. It's instinct," said Ron, his voice sounding a little more confident.

"Exactly," said Harry. "Just think about Lavender, and how amazing she already thinks you are."

Hermione pulled her ear away from the door. She should have stopped listening. Hot tears burned her eyes as she turned and quickly made her way back down the corridor. She no longer wanted to attend the game. She didn't want to face Lavender in the stands and watch her swoon over Ron. She didn't want to fake excitement if Gryffindor won, all while knowing how Ron and Lavender might choose to celebrate. An image of Ron and Lavender tangled in bed together forced its way to her mind, and she couldn't shake it.

I should have been the one to tell Ron how amazing he was. It could have been me.

She scurried down the halls, wiping tears from her face as they finally fell.