Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and
owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to
Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros.,
Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is
intended.
The months between that Hogsmeade weekend and Christmas shortened considerably with all the hoopla concerning Lord Voldemort. Problems here and there and nobody had any real time to themselves between classes and homework and everything else being piled on top of them.
Ron spent an admirable amount of time just staring off into space during classes, and Harry was beginning to think he was losing touch with reality. The problem was Harry couldn't figure out what might be on Ron's mind. Whenever Harry tried to find out, Ron would respond with, "It's nothing Harry. Honestly, I'm paying attention." And then Ron would just float off yet again.
The only thing that really brought Ron's attention back was when Draco Malfoy was in the room and making a comment about someone he cared about. If Draco happened to call Hermione a mudblood, he always found himself staring into the stone floor. Ron managed to receive plenty of detentions that way.
Even Hermione was beginning to become concerned, because she noticed the daydreaming more than anyone else. He did it more in company than anywhere else.
Finding themselves alone just a week before Christmas holiday, Hermione sat down in the Gryffindor common room and asked Ron, "Would you like to play Chess?"
"Sure."
And while the two of them battled out with Wizard Chess, Hermione raised her question. "Ron, you've been acting a bit strangely late. What's wrong?"
"Oh, nothing much," he shrugged and made his next move on the board.
Hermione counter moved and then pursued her original purpose. "Ron, you're not good at hiding these things."
"Oh, yeah?" he asked flippantly. "Then why don't you tell me what's bothering me?"
Hermione looked up sharply. "I didn't mean to offend you. But Harry and I are both worried about you."
Ron shrugged, "The Durmstangs are coming back for the Yule Ball."
"I know, I heard," Hermione said simply, thinking he was trying to change the subject. "But I don't see how that has anything to do with the strange way you've been acting," she ended pointedly.
"You wouldn't," he nearly growled before standing up without finishing the game and running up to his dormitory.
Hermione blinked and watched him leave her blankly, wondering what set him off.
Several hours later, Ron came down stairs again and pulled Hermione aside from a taught with Ginny Weasley. "Sorry, Hermione, my temper got the better of me." The apology tumbled out so quickly she could barely distinguish the words.
Ron was never good at apologizing. Never.
But she accepted it with a graceful nod. "That's all right, Ron. Whenever you feel like talking about what's bothering you."
"I'll let you know. Anyhow, there was something else I wanted to talk to you about." Ron shifted the conversation.
"What's that?" Hermione asked inquisitively.
"Have you talked to Viktor Krum since you visited him in Bulgaria last summer?" Ron sounded disinterested, but his face told another story.
"Not really," Hermione answered suspiciously. "We've sent a few owls back and fourth, but otherwise no. Why do you ask?"
"Oh, nothing really," Ron answered indifferently. "I was just curious. You know, just wanted to know if you two were close or anything."
Hermione's eyes narrowed on him, but then she shrugged it off and went back to Ginny Weasley, apologizing for getting up in the middle of their conversation. Ginny naturally shrugged it off and they continued giggling about something or other.
The months between that Hogsmeade weekend and Christmas shortened considerably with all the hoopla concerning Lord Voldemort. Problems here and there and nobody had any real time to themselves between classes and homework and everything else being piled on top of them.
Ron spent an admirable amount of time just staring off into space during classes, and Harry was beginning to think he was losing touch with reality. The problem was Harry couldn't figure out what might be on Ron's mind. Whenever Harry tried to find out, Ron would respond with, "It's nothing Harry. Honestly, I'm paying attention." And then Ron would just float off yet again.
The only thing that really brought Ron's attention back was when Draco Malfoy was in the room and making a comment about someone he cared about. If Draco happened to call Hermione a mudblood, he always found himself staring into the stone floor. Ron managed to receive plenty of detentions that way.
Even Hermione was beginning to become concerned, because she noticed the daydreaming more than anyone else. He did it more in company than anywhere else.
Finding themselves alone just a week before Christmas holiday, Hermione sat down in the Gryffindor common room and asked Ron, "Would you like to play Chess?"
"Sure."
And while the two of them battled out with Wizard Chess, Hermione raised her question. "Ron, you've been acting a bit strangely late. What's wrong?"
"Oh, nothing much," he shrugged and made his next move on the board.
Hermione counter moved and then pursued her original purpose. "Ron, you're not good at hiding these things."
"Oh, yeah?" he asked flippantly. "Then why don't you tell me what's bothering me?"
Hermione looked up sharply. "I didn't mean to offend you. But Harry and I are both worried about you."
Ron shrugged, "The Durmstangs are coming back for the Yule Ball."
"I know, I heard," Hermione said simply, thinking he was trying to change the subject. "But I don't see how that has anything to do with the strange way you've been acting," she ended pointedly.
"You wouldn't," he nearly growled before standing up without finishing the game and running up to his dormitory.
Hermione blinked and watched him leave her blankly, wondering what set him off.
Several hours later, Ron came down stairs again and pulled Hermione aside from a taught with Ginny Weasley. "Sorry, Hermione, my temper got the better of me." The apology tumbled out so quickly she could barely distinguish the words.
Ron was never good at apologizing. Never.
But she accepted it with a graceful nod. "That's all right, Ron. Whenever you feel like talking about what's bothering you."
"I'll let you know. Anyhow, there was something else I wanted to talk to you about." Ron shifted the conversation.
"What's that?" Hermione asked inquisitively.
"Have you talked to Viktor Krum since you visited him in Bulgaria last summer?" Ron sounded disinterested, but his face told another story.
"Not really," Hermione answered suspiciously. "We've sent a few owls back and fourth, but otherwise no. Why do you ask?"
"Oh, nothing really," Ron answered indifferently. "I was just curious. You know, just wanted to know if you two were close or anything."
Hermione's eyes narrowed on him, but then she shrugged it off and went back to Ginny Weasley, apologizing for getting up in the middle of their conversation. Ginny naturally shrugged it off and they continued giggling about something or other.