"I have every right to be mad at Harry after he completely humiliated me in
that crowded hallway!" shouted Ginny at Ron.
"Ginny, I told you I was sorry! I didn't mean to embarrass you like that! It was all a misunderstanding!" pleaded Harry.
"What was all a misunderstanding?" questioned Hermione, who was extremely curious.
"You're not involved in this," snapped Ginny.
"Yeah!" interjected Harry.
"You always have to know everything!" continued Ginny.
"Yeah!" exclaimed Ron.
"I do not! Why are you all ganging up on me?" demanded Hermione, growing defensive.
"GO AWAY!" shouted Harry and Ginny in unison. Hermione, on the brink of tears, sat up and left the kitchen. The four could hear her hurried footsteps pounding up the stairs. As soon as she had disappeared, all eyes turned to Ron. He sighed and slowly trudged out of the room.
"You too, Raquel," Raquel stubbornly followed suit and left.
"Ginny...we need to talk."
"Yeah. Obviously."
"Why are you so angry, Gin? It was all a misunderstanding. I already apologized. On top of that, it happened 3 years ago! Why can't you just forgive me?"
Ginny sighed, and bit the inside of her bottom lip. "I don't know...I'm just being stupid," she said, placing a hand to her forehead, "Harry, I'm sorry I snapped at you. I don't know why I got so worked up about it."
"It's alright. You had an excellent reason to. So...we're friends again?" He smiled hopefully.
"Sure. And once again, I'm sorry I freaked out at you," replied Ginny. She couldn't help but smile back.
Harry grinned like a madman. "I'm so glad this is all over with," he said, standing up and walking towards the door.
Noticing this, Ginny stood in his way and when he approached her she wrapped him in a tight bear hug. Harry, taken aback by this sudden act of random kindness towards him, awkwardly placed his arms around Ginny's waist. Suddenly she stepped away and smiled at him curiously.
"What?" questioned Harry.
"You're not used to getting hugs, are you?"
Harry shrugged and smiled. "Not really."
Ginny turned and walked into the sitting room. She plopped onto the old sofa. Harry sat down facing her.
"How was your childhood?" she asked, leaning forwards in great interest.
He raised an eyebrow. "What? That was random."
"Just tell me. I'm curious."
"I dunno...why?"
"Because a childhood without hugs would be terrible."
"Well, yeah."
"I'm sorry..." Ginny cooed.
"Please don't feel sorry for me," he said.
"Why?"
"It makes me uncomfortable."
"Interesting... " answered Ginny, stroking her chin.
"What are you now, my psychiatrist?" joked Harry. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hearing laughter, Ron decided it was okay to venture downstairs. He opened the door to his room and walked down the hall. Hearing hushed voices as he passed his sister's room, he stopped and pressed his ear to the door.
"That sucks," said a girl's voice with a light Spanish accent.
"Yeah, I know. He has no idea how much I fancy him," groaned another girl's voice with a thick English accent.
Ron's interest was piqued and he pressed himself firmly against the door, hoping to hear more about Hermione's mystery boy.
"That's weird... you guys argue so much I would have never suspected you feel that way about him."
Ron was almost positive the girls were talking about him. He just needed one more piece of evidence and-
"I guess I just can't help but fall for my best friend," answered Hermione with a laugh.
Ron was ecstatic. He'd had an enormous crush on Hermione ever since third year. "Yes!" he exclaimed. Immediately he realized the severity of his actions, and thundered down the stairs. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The color drained from Hermione's face. She met Raquel's stony gaze. "Did you just hear that?" whispered Hermione.
Raquel nodded gravely.
The girls bounded up from their seats on the floor of Ginny's room and flung open the door. A silent, empty hallway stared back at them.
They exchanged glances, and sat back down suspiciously.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Ron scampered down the stairs, and yanked Harry off of the sofa. He dragged him into the kitchen by his forearm, and whispered excitedly, "Hermione fancies me!"
Harry blinked, still being in a light shock from his rude entrance into the kitchen. "What?"
"She fancies me, Harry! Me! Me!" cheered Ron, jumping up and down.
Harry crossed his arms, and skeptically raised an eyebrow. "Really. Hmm."
"Harry, I'm serious this time! I heard her and Ginny's little Spanish friend talking about how Hermione likes her best friend- that she fights with a lot! And she never fights with you, so that leaves ME!"
Harry nodded slowly, letting the information soak in. "And this is the.what, third time you thought Hermione felt this way about you? Ron, are you sure that's what you heard? And if it is, are you positive that it's you?"
"Yes, I'm bloody positive! It's me, it's me!" he exclaimed.
Harry paused indecisively, then stated, "I'm going to go ask her," before he skipped out of the room and ran up the stairs. Ron smacked himself on the forehead and began pacing nervously around the kitchen.
Harry rapped twice on Hermione's door before entering. He found Hermione and Raquel sprawled comfortably on the pink carpeting of Ginny's room surrounded by cookie dough and magazines.
"Sorry, I see it's Girl Time. I'll come back later," he excused, quickly turning and trying to leave the room- but Raquel grabbed on to the leg of his pants and dragged him onto the carpet. "Please don't make me stay long- I just wanted to ask Hermione one question," he pleaded. He, like most teenage guys, was rather afraid of what men like to call "Girl Time": when girls eat junk food and complain about the opposite sex.
"We won't- maybe. What do you want to know?" asked Hermione. "Here, have some cookies and herbal tea. It's good for menstrual cramps."
Utterly repulsed, Harry jolted back as if Hermione had just offered him poison. "No! I mean- I wanted to know if you, erm. had a "thing" for Ron."
Raquel and Hermione exchanged mischievous glances, and looked at Harry like two hungry vultures. "And why, may we ask, do you require this information?"
Harry gulped, and tried once again to make a daring escape out of the room. Immediately, Raquel leapt up and tackled him to the floor. "No! You're not leaving until we're satisfied!"
"Aaah, you girls are evil! Evil!" moaned Harry from his awkward position under Raquel. "Let me go!" Hermione laughed demonically, then squatted next to Harry's face, which was smothered in the carpet.
"Last time you'll invade Girl Time, eh Potter? Especially during this time of the month!" Harry nodded painfully. "Then answer me these questions three: Why do you want to know about Ron, who sent you up here, and who do you fancy?"
Harry sighed deeply, and proceeded to answer. "Ron overheard you guys talking about who Hermione likes, and he thought it was him. To answer your second question: nobody sent me up here, I was just curious as to whether his assumptions were true or not. And I don't fancy anybody right now."
Raquel knitted her brow. "What is an. assumption? Sorry, but I'm still learning English."
"An assumption is a conclusion that somebody comes to, often without logical reason," answered Hermione.
"I don't understand. You use very large words," said Raquel.
"An assumption. an assumption is something that a person thinks that somebody else did," explained Harry, complete with hand motions.
Raquel nodded understandably. "Ah, I see. Well, thank you Harry Potter," she said, kissing him on the cheek.
Harry grinned, and suddenly began to blush. "I. erm. you're welcome." Hermione glanced at him suspiciously, but nonetheless gave him permission to leave the room. He gratefully accepted, but when Raquel stood up (off of Harry) he didn't leave.
"You never answered my question. Remember? I wanted to know if you fancy Ron."
Hermione gulped. "Harry, I. I. ," she stammered, trailing off.
"You do, don't you? A-ha!" exclaimed Harry with a bright grin. "I'm going to go tell him! Oh, he'll be so excited!" Immediately he turned and thundered down the stairs.
Raquel gave Hermione a hard look, and asked, "Why didn't you tell him the truth?"
Hermione sighed, and buried her face in her hands. "This is terrible. Now Ron will get the wrong impression, and I'll have to let him down. why couldn't I just tell Harry? He wouldn't get mad or grossed out, I know him!"
Raquel glanced around sorrowfully. "Do you want me to tell Harry how you feel? I wouldn't mind."
She shook her head no. "No, Raquel. See, I'm not really sure if I like him or Ron. You know? It's just that, well. Harry is perfect. Literally, he's perfect in every way. But I know that he's completely indifferent to me. I'm like his sister, or his mum. But Ron. Ron's in love with me. I know for sure that he's head over heels, and that's why I think I might go for him rather than Harry: I have a great chance with Ron, and I have almost no chance with Harry. Do you know what I mean?"
"I know exactly what you mean," she answered with a grin, "And I think you should go with Ginny's brother. He's so cute, and he really likes you. But also. I have some issues with this Harry Potter boy."
Hermione looked up. "Really? What are they?"
"Oh, 'Mione. I really, how do you say, like him. A lot. He is the most beautiful boy I have ever -"
"You mean "handsome". Girls are beautiful, boys are handsome," corrected Hermione. It was simply her nature to correct people.
"Whatever," excused Raquel with a wave of her hand, "I really like him, but Ginny is my best friend and she is in love with him. She tells me about him every minute of the day, and I never thought much of it until I saw him and got to know him. What do I do? I have a feeling that he might feel the same way about me, but I can't do anything about it because of Ginny. I love her so much, but she is my friend and I need a boy in my life. She can't give me that kind of love, and that's why I don't know what to do. Ay, yo no sé quién yo escogeré, pero yo necesito hacer algo muy rápidamente."
Hermione eyes were wide with surprise. "I didn't quite understand that last part, but. Oy, you've got worse problems up your britches than I've got up mine. We're kind of in the same predicament, don't you agree? We both've got to choose between two friends."
"Em.I think so. I don't really understand you, either, but I think I agree. So are we in this together?" she asked.
Hermione nodded with a friendly smile. "Yes, we are. And we shan't tell anybody about this conversation, all right?"
"Okay. It is our secret." They shook hands in formal agreement, and left the room.
*Aaah! Oh my God, is that it? Well, for now. But don't worry, I'll be back soon to write Chapter five. I just have to think of some ideas. How do you like it so far? Please review, I like to know your opinions.
"Ginny, I told you I was sorry! I didn't mean to embarrass you like that! It was all a misunderstanding!" pleaded Harry.
"What was all a misunderstanding?" questioned Hermione, who was extremely curious.
"You're not involved in this," snapped Ginny.
"Yeah!" interjected Harry.
"You always have to know everything!" continued Ginny.
"Yeah!" exclaimed Ron.
"I do not! Why are you all ganging up on me?" demanded Hermione, growing defensive.
"GO AWAY!" shouted Harry and Ginny in unison. Hermione, on the brink of tears, sat up and left the kitchen. The four could hear her hurried footsteps pounding up the stairs. As soon as she had disappeared, all eyes turned to Ron. He sighed and slowly trudged out of the room.
"You too, Raquel," Raquel stubbornly followed suit and left.
"Ginny...we need to talk."
"Yeah. Obviously."
"Why are you so angry, Gin? It was all a misunderstanding. I already apologized. On top of that, it happened 3 years ago! Why can't you just forgive me?"
Ginny sighed, and bit the inside of her bottom lip. "I don't know...I'm just being stupid," she said, placing a hand to her forehead, "Harry, I'm sorry I snapped at you. I don't know why I got so worked up about it."
"It's alright. You had an excellent reason to. So...we're friends again?" He smiled hopefully.
"Sure. And once again, I'm sorry I freaked out at you," replied Ginny. She couldn't help but smile back.
Harry grinned like a madman. "I'm so glad this is all over with," he said, standing up and walking towards the door.
Noticing this, Ginny stood in his way and when he approached her she wrapped him in a tight bear hug. Harry, taken aback by this sudden act of random kindness towards him, awkwardly placed his arms around Ginny's waist. Suddenly she stepped away and smiled at him curiously.
"What?" questioned Harry.
"You're not used to getting hugs, are you?"
Harry shrugged and smiled. "Not really."
Ginny turned and walked into the sitting room. She plopped onto the old sofa. Harry sat down facing her.
"How was your childhood?" she asked, leaning forwards in great interest.
He raised an eyebrow. "What? That was random."
"Just tell me. I'm curious."
"I dunno...why?"
"Because a childhood without hugs would be terrible."
"Well, yeah."
"I'm sorry..." Ginny cooed.
"Please don't feel sorry for me," he said.
"Why?"
"It makes me uncomfortable."
"Interesting... " answered Ginny, stroking her chin.
"What are you now, my psychiatrist?" joked Harry. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hearing laughter, Ron decided it was okay to venture downstairs. He opened the door to his room and walked down the hall. Hearing hushed voices as he passed his sister's room, he stopped and pressed his ear to the door.
"That sucks," said a girl's voice with a light Spanish accent.
"Yeah, I know. He has no idea how much I fancy him," groaned another girl's voice with a thick English accent.
Ron's interest was piqued and he pressed himself firmly against the door, hoping to hear more about Hermione's mystery boy.
"That's weird... you guys argue so much I would have never suspected you feel that way about him."
Ron was almost positive the girls were talking about him. He just needed one more piece of evidence and-
"I guess I just can't help but fall for my best friend," answered Hermione with a laugh.
Ron was ecstatic. He'd had an enormous crush on Hermione ever since third year. "Yes!" he exclaimed. Immediately he realized the severity of his actions, and thundered down the stairs. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The color drained from Hermione's face. She met Raquel's stony gaze. "Did you just hear that?" whispered Hermione.
Raquel nodded gravely.
The girls bounded up from their seats on the floor of Ginny's room and flung open the door. A silent, empty hallway stared back at them.
They exchanged glances, and sat back down suspiciously.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Ron scampered down the stairs, and yanked Harry off of the sofa. He dragged him into the kitchen by his forearm, and whispered excitedly, "Hermione fancies me!"
Harry blinked, still being in a light shock from his rude entrance into the kitchen. "What?"
"She fancies me, Harry! Me! Me!" cheered Ron, jumping up and down.
Harry crossed his arms, and skeptically raised an eyebrow. "Really. Hmm."
"Harry, I'm serious this time! I heard her and Ginny's little Spanish friend talking about how Hermione likes her best friend- that she fights with a lot! And she never fights with you, so that leaves ME!"
Harry nodded slowly, letting the information soak in. "And this is the.what, third time you thought Hermione felt this way about you? Ron, are you sure that's what you heard? And if it is, are you positive that it's you?"
"Yes, I'm bloody positive! It's me, it's me!" he exclaimed.
Harry paused indecisively, then stated, "I'm going to go ask her," before he skipped out of the room and ran up the stairs. Ron smacked himself on the forehead and began pacing nervously around the kitchen.
Harry rapped twice on Hermione's door before entering. He found Hermione and Raquel sprawled comfortably on the pink carpeting of Ginny's room surrounded by cookie dough and magazines.
"Sorry, I see it's Girl Time. I'll come back later," he excused, quickly turning and trying to leave the room- but Raquel grabbed on to the leg of his pants and dragged him onto the carpet. "Please don't make me stay long- I just wanted to ask Hermione one question," he pleaded. He, like most teenage guys, was rather afraid of what men like to call "Girl Time": when girls eat junk food and complain about the opposite sex.
"We won't- maybe. What do you want to know?" asked Hermione. "Here, have some cookies and herbal tea. It's good for menstrual cramps."
Utterly repulsed, Harry jolted back as if Hermione had just offered him poison. "No! I mean- I wanted to know if you, erm. had a "thing" for Ron."
Raquel and Hermione exchanged mischievous glances, and looked at Harry like two hungry vultures. "And why, may we ask, do you require this information?"
Harry gulped, and tried once again to make a daring escape out of the room. Immediately, Raquel leapt up and tackled him to the floor. "No! You're not leaving until we're satisfied!"
"Aaah, you girls are evil! Evil!" moaned Harry from his awkward position under Raquel. "Let me go!" Hermione laughed demonically, then squatted next to Harry's face, which was smothered in the carpet.
"Last time you'll invade Girl Time, eh Potter? Especially during this time of the month!" Harry nodded painfully. "Then answer me these questions three: Why do you want to know about Ron, who sent you up here, and who do you fancy?"
Harry sighed deeply, and proceeded to answer. "Ron overheard you guys talking about who Hermione likes, and he thought it was him. To answer your second question: nobody sent me up here, I was just curious as to whether his assumptions were true or not. And I don't fancy anybody right now."
Raquel knitted her brow. "What is an. assumption? Sorry, but I'm still learning English."
"An assumption is a conclusion that somebody comes to, often without logical reason," answered Hermione.
"I don't understand. You use very large words," said Raquel.
"An assumption. an assumption is something that a person thinks that somebody else did," explained Harry, complete with hand motions.
Raquel nodded understandably. "Ah, I see. Well, thank you Harry Potter," she said, kissing him on the cheek.
Harry grinned, and suddenly began to blush. "I. erm. you're welcome." Hermione glanced at him suspiciously, but nonetheless gave him permission to leave the room. He gratefully accepted, but when Raquel stood up (off of Harry) he didn't leave.
"You never answered my question. Remember? I wanted to know if you fancy Ron."
Hermione gulped. "Harry, I. I. ," she stammered, trailing off.
"You do, don't you? A-ha!" exclaimed Harry with a bright grin. "I'm going to go tell him! Oh, he'll be so excited!" Immediately he turned and thundered down the stairs.
Raquel gave Hermione a hard look, and asked, "Why didn't you tell him the truth?"
Hermione sighed, and buried her face in her hands. "This is terrible. Now Ron will get the wrong impression, and I'll have to let him down. why couldn't I just tell Harry? He wouldn't get mad or grossed out, I know him!"
Raquel glanced around sorrowfully. "Do you want me to tell Harry how you feel? I wouldn't mind."
She shook her head no. "No, Raquel. See, I'm not really sure if I like him or Ron. You know? It's just that, well. Harry is perfect. Literally, he's perfect in every way. But I know that he's completely indifferent to me. I'm like his sister, or his mum. But Ron. Ron's in love with me. I know for sure that he's head over heels, and that's why I think I might go for him rather than Harry: I have a great chance with Ron, and I have almost no chance with Harry. Do you know what I mean?"
"I know exactly what you mean," she answered with a grin, "And I think you should go with Ginny's brother. He's so cute, and he really likes you. But also. I have some issues with this Harry Potter boy."
Hermione looked up. "Really? What are they?"
"Oh, 'Mione. I really, how do you say, like him. A lot. He is the most beautiful boy I have ever -"
"You mean "handsome". Girls are beautiful, boys are handsome," corrected Hermione. It was simply her nature to correct people.
"Whatever," excused Raquel with a wave of her hand, "I really like him, but Ginny is my best friend and she is in love with him. She tells me about him every minute of the day, and I never thought much of it until I saw him and got to know him. What do I do? I have a feeling that he might feel the same way about me, but I can't do anything about it because of Ginny. I love her so much, but she is my friend and I need a boy in my life. She can't give me that kind of love, and that's why I don't know what to do. Ay, yo no sé quién yo escogeré, pero yo necesito hacer algo muy rápidamente."
Hermione eyes were wide with surprise. "I didn't quite understand that last part, but. Oy, you've got worse problems up your britches than I've got up mine. We're kind of in the same predicament, don't you agree? We both've got to choose between two friends."
"Em.I think so. I don't really understand you, either, but I think I agree. So are we in this together?" she asked.
Hermione nodded with a friendly smile. "Yes, we are. And we shan't tell anybody about this conversation, all right?"
"Okay. It is our secret." They shook hands in formal agreement, and left the room.
*Aaah! Oh my God, is that it? Well, for now. But don't worry, I'll be back soon to write Chapter five. I just have to think of some ideas. How do you like it so far? Please review, I like to know your opinions.