Let's do it,
Let's fall in love…
The slap across
Ron's face was so loud that everyone in Hagrid's class stopped to stare. Draco
laughed heartily as Ron stood there embarrassed and shocked. Hermione looked at
him murderously. Harry stepped between them and started to fuss about the
lizards in their care. "Come on guys, let's get back to work." Harry chirped.
Ron numbly obeyed but Hermione stood and watched the pair.
All eyes were
on the trio and many cruel voices were sniggering. Neville was perhaps the only
one there who saw the tears in the corner of Hermione's devastated eyes and
perhaps this was why he drove his fist into the hungry mouth of the lizard in
his care.
The scream from
Neville broke the cruel spell and Hagrid bounded over to him to look at his
wound. "Hermione, would you be a pet and escort Neville to Madame Pomfrey." He
purred politely. Ron and Harry were relieved the situation had been diffused so
neatly.
Draco snickered
at Hermione as she passed "Off to take Neville to bed too are we?"
Hermione felt
sick with embarrassment and anger, but Neville stepped in with "Oh yes. I'm
such a regular, I've got my own bed." He smirked and drew a few loyal laughs
from nearby Gryffindors.
Outside the
stables, Hermione thanked Neville and she realised she was shaking.
"Oh come on Hermione!
Ron loves you dearly. You know how boys are." Neville did his best to try and
help Hermione, but she felt terribly betrayed. Neville put his good arm around
her and Hermione burst into tears. Her knowledge of romance was quite limited
and this was the kind of knock back her fragile ego did not need.
Harry was busy
consoling Ron that evening. Ron who was going out of his mind with worry.
"Look, just
explain it was all, you know, bravado!" said Harry, for about the tenth time.
"Oh Harry! It's
no good, I've lost her!" Ron wailed. And no further progress was made.
Hermione laid
back in Neville's arms and snuggled up to him for warmth. Neville enjoyed this
immensely. Unlike Harry, he thought, he would not steal someone else's girl.
The two snuggled for all to see in the common room. A lot of people stared at
the pair, but Neville did not care.
Ron and Harry
entered the common room and both stared at Hermione in Neville's arms. Neville
suddenly felt a bit foolish as the pain registered on Ron's face. Hermione saw
that pain too and in a moment of pure spite, she grabbed Neville and kissed
him.
Ron stormed off
into the dormitory. Harry chased after him loyally.
Neville pushed
Hermione away from him. "Thanks a lot!" he yelled at her. Then saw her evil
grin.
"My pleasure,"
she smiled
"We'd better go
clear this up," said Neville and tried to get up.
"Oh no, let's
let him stew a bit first," added in Ginny, overhearing the conversation. "He
was rotten to you Hermione, so it'll serve him right!"
Neville looked
a little worried as Ron was quite well built for his size. Hermione looked
unsure herself, but relished the idea of being a little rebellious. "Yeah. Why
not Ginny." she laughed.
It was the next
day. Ron sat by himself, alone in the deserted Quidditch changing rooms. He
missed practicing and playing all year long. Another year was over and still he
felt as though he had not achieved much.
"Neville?" he
muttered to himself. "Why did she leave Krum for Neville?" With that, Ron left
the changing rooms with murderous intent focussed in his eyes.
Harry had no
idea where Ron was. Everyone in Hogwarts were still mourning Cedric Diggory's
demise. Cho Chang seemed more remote from him than ever because of this and
Harry dearly wanted to comfort her. Ginny was attractive in her own way, but
Harry could not bring himself to forget Cho's wonderful face when he kissed
Ginny goodnight. And now his best friend had disappeared.
Neville was
keeping Harry company until Ginny came along and Neville took a hint and left;
the pair looked like they had things to talk about.
Ron was waiting
for Neville en route to the common room. "Hello Neville" hissed Ron, bunching
his fist into a ball.
"Oh, hi Ron.
Looking forward to going home again?" chirped Neville.
Ron bore down
on Neville, his fist connecting with Neville's chin. "You leave Hermione alone
you!"
Neville had
guessed correctly about Ron's strength and considered his perception as being
one of his strong points as he passed out. Despite being so used to pain, he
was not strong enough to withstand a direct assault.
Ron looked down
and panicked. Neville was knocked out at his feet and down a nearby corridor
Snape approached, being talked at angrily by Filch, complaining about the
cleaning bills. A nearby classroom door was open and unused, it's last lesson
having been finished for this year. Ron grabbed Neville and dragged him into
the classroom. Here, he hid him under a desk. Ron ducked out of the empty class
and into Filch and Snape.
"'Ere! What are
you doing in there boy!" demanded Filch.
"Nothing sir!"
squeaked Ron, sweating heavily.
"Really Filch,
you should lock up the empty rooms. Ron and his irritating cohorts like any
opportunity to cause trouble!" sneered Snape.
Ron was fined
only five points for trespass, but this was not bothering Ron as much as the
fact that Filch was locking the door!
Ron ran back to
the common room and felt terrible. He ran into Hermione and instantly felt far
worse than before.
"What's up
Ron?" asked Hermione, seeing the anguish in his eyes.
Ron stood there
and thought. If he explained what he had done, would Hermione leave him again?
A wiser part of his brain stepped in and argued that if Ron did not speak, he
would not be lying to Hermione. Ron liked this idea and immediately leaned
forward and kissed Hermione.
Hermione almost
leap back in fright. Ron felt embarrassed and was about to apologise when a
similar piece of wisdom struck Hermione and she leant forward and kissed Ron
too. Both parties seemed to enjoy this development and soon they were in each
others arms.
"Oh Ron! I… I'm
sorry I messed you around!"
"No. It's my
fault. I should never have bragged like that!"
"Yeah. You are
so right Ron!" beamed Hermione and they kissed some more.
"I should never
have teased you and used Neville like that."
Ron suddenly
felt very guilty. "Really? You were only pretending?"
"Of course! We
were just mucking around to get back at you." Hermione smiled so sweetly that
Ron decided to laugh it off. In the back of his mind, he was worrying about
Neville.