"The Harry Potter Surprise Committee will please come to order!" bellowed George.

"You heard the man, listen up!" Fred joined in, pushing Hermione and Ginny into the room.

"I can walk perfectly fine on my own, Fred!" Hermione retorted.

"Besides, this is our room, in case you don't remember," Ginny grumbled.

The twins ignored the girls and took a seat on one of the beds. Ginny and Hermione sat on the other and Hermione checked her watch, "I think we've got about half an hour if Ron distracts him good enough."

"This is Ron we're talking about," Ginny snorted. "We've got fifteen minutes if we're lucky."

"Alright, what ideas does everyone have for Harry's birthday?" Hermione asked, getting down to business.

For the next fifteen minutes the group picked out plans for a cake, decorations, and presents. The girls had to remind the twins several times that yes, they could include stuff from their shop, but no, they couldn't create an indoor bonfire to roast their dinner over. In true Hermione fashion, she took notes while they talked and wrote down everyone's jobs for them. They finished their meeting and were leaving the room when they heard a commotion on the stairs.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"Bloody hell, Ron, why can't I go upstairs!? I want to change out of these clothes." Ron's excuse to get Harry out of the house was that he needed Harry's help with some maneuvers for Quidditch. Harry had agreed readily, but was now starting to get suspicious.

"Be-because," Ron stuttered, turning pink, "the girls are upstairs."

Harry looked at him like he was crazy, "Well why is that a novelty?" he said exasperated.

"Well, uh, Ginny said she, um, needed to ask Hermione's advice," Ron stated. "On boys," he hurriedly tacked on. Ron looked highly pleased with himself for coming up with an excuse so quickly. He couldn't quite understand Harry's reaction to that news, though: he went very pale and then very red.

Harry felt the blood drain from his face at Ron's words. Ginny was asking Hermione about boys? She already found someone new? Then just as quickly, the blood rushed to Harry's brain as his temper rose. Who was the boy? Did he go to school with them? Had he asked Ginny out? How could Hermione help her when she knew how Harry felt? He needed to get out of here. "I'll be outside," he gritted through his teeth as he walked past Ron.

Upstairs, there was a collective sigh of relief as the twins, Hermione, and Ginny heard Harry walk out the door. "Ron's getting better at distracting people," Fred said thoughtfully as George nodded in agreement.

"Phew, that was close. Although, I don't know if I like Ron telling people I'm asking about boys," Ginny said smirking.

Hermione's eyes were dancing with mirth, "Well, it got Harry out of the house." And almost caused his temper to blow a hole through the roof, she thought to herself. She had heard the anger in his voice when he was going outside and could just imagine his face filling with resentment at the supposed 'boys' that Ginny was talking about.

"We better get to work, we've only got three days to get everything done." Ginny nodded and drifted back into her room to work on her end of the party planning. Hermione went downstairs to find Ron so they could get to work. The group had decided that they would split into teams so everything could get done faster. Ginny and Mrs. Weasley were handling the cake, Fred and George were, of course, in charge of the entertainment, and Hermione and Ron were doing the decorating. Mr. Weasley had to work, but he told them he'd be there for the party.

Hermione found Ron in the kitchen sneaking food from the platters that Mrs. Weasley had set out for that night's dinner. "You're going to spoil your dinner," she said disapprovingly.

Ron froze and peeked over his shoulder, looking like a scolded puppy, "Hi Mione." His mouth was full of food and Hermione had to stifle her laughter.

"What would your mother say? Maybe I should go find her and see," she lightly tapped her chin in thought.

Ron's eyes widened and he swallowed all the food in his mouth. "No, Hermione, please?"

"I don't know. I think this is something she really ought to know about," she smirked and turned as if to go in search of Mrs. Weasley. She gasped as she felt herself being lifted into the air and slung over a broad shoulder.

"Ronald Weasley, what are you doing? Put me down this instant!" she shrieked.

"Sorry, Hermione, but I can't let you tell my mum. You'll just have to stay with me until I'm sure you won't rat me out." She could hear the teasing in his voice and tried to calm her racing heart. Oh, dear.

Ron smiled as he carried a struggling Hermione across the yard. He was shocked at his own boldness of throwing her over his shoulder and was hoping she wouldn't get too upset with him. He hated it when she was mad at him. Truth be told, he hated it when he couldn't sit with her in classes, he hated having to wait for the owl post to see if she'd responded to his letters, and he hated that stupid Viktor Krum for getting to take her to the Yule Ball two years ago...basically, he just hated when he didn't get to be around her. He snapped out of his thoughts when Hermione started pounding on his shoulder with her small fists. "Ron, where are we going? Why are you being so quiet?"

"Oh, don't worry. We're just going to play a little Quidditch, is all." He waited for the panic and outright refusal he was sure to come.

"Pl-play Quidditch? But-but I don't play Quidditch! I don't even fly! I'm terrible at it! No, no I won't play. You'll just have to get Harry or Ginny or one of the twins." Ron sighed as he put Hermione down. She crossed her arms over her chest and tapped her foot, a sure sign she was going to lose her temper.

"Hermione, I don't want to play with Harry or Ginny or the twins. I want to play with you!" Ron gave her his saddest expression and stuck his lip out a little. He heard her groan and knew that he'd won.

"Fine, but we're starting slow! You know I'm awful at flying."

"That's alright, I'll even share a broom with you until you're more comfortable. If you want, that is!" He said as he saw her eyebrows raise in surprise.

"You will?" He nodded silently. She gave him a soft smile, "Yes, I'd appreciate that, Ron."

He blushed and looked down. He had brought her to the small field that he and the others played Quidditch in and he grabbed a broom from the bottom of one of the 'goalposts' the twins had made. He brought it back to Hermione and she looked at it with uncertainty.

"This is an older version so it doesn't go very fast," he said reassuringly. "With both of us riding, it won't go too high." She nodded, but still looked nervous. He motioned her over and she carefully swung her leg over the broom. Ron got on behind her and the broom sagged under their combined weight. He put his arms around her, cupping his hands over hers, which were white from gripping the handle so tightly. This action brought him closer to her. He felt her soft hair tickle his chin and her perfume filled his nose.

"Ready?" He whispered.

She nodded. Ron gently pushed off the ground with both feet and they hovered five feet in the air. Hermione breathed deeply and Ron wrapped his arms more securely around her. She relaxed a little and leaned backwards until her back was just barely touching his chest. Ron swallowed past the sudden lump in his throat and forced himself to concentrate.

For the next hour Ron taught Hermione how to handle the broom correctly. They went around the perimeter of the field several times, until she said she wanted to try it on her own. Ron slipped off the back and watched closely as Hermione rode the broom. Hermione had gotten much better, although she wanted to keep it slow for now, and she daringly flew higher.

"Way to go, Hermione!" Ron whooped.

She made several more loops and came back to hover just slightly higher than Ron's head. "That was so much fun!" she laughed. "How do I bring the broom all the way down again?" she questioned as Ron made his wake over to her. Hermione accidentally jerked the broom handle to the left, forcing her weight to shift to the right. Ron felt his heart drop into his toes. He saw her eyes widen and he bolted to her side, throwing himself underneath her just as she slipped completely off the broom.

He grunted as he hit the soft grass beneath him, Hermione landing on top of him with his arms tucked around her protectively. "Ron! Oh, Ron, I'm so sorry! Are you alright?" Hermione had clambered off him and was kneeling beside him, stroking her hands down his face. I wonder if I stay here, she'll keep doing that, Ron thought, but as he saw tears start to gather in her eyes, he knew he couldn't draw it out any longer. "I'm fine, just got the breath knocked out of me," he rolled over to his knees and pushed himself up. He started to brush the dirt and grass off his clothes when Hermione threw her arms around his neck. "Oh, Ron, I was so scared! Are you sure you're alright? Do you need to sit down?" She pulled back slightly, looking him up and down.

"Yes, I'm fine," he laughed. "You did great, though! Think you want to try again?"

Hermione raised an eyebrow, "Maybe tomorrow." They both grinned until they suddenly realized that they were standing very close with Hermione's arms still wrapped around his neck. They each took a reluctant step back.

"Well, I better go back in to help your mum with dinner." Hermione turned and quickly walked back towards the house.

Ron watched her go until he couldn't see her anymore. "Some Gryffindor," he growled to himself, kicking a clump of grass. I can't even get the courage to tell her how I feel.