Author's Note: Hey wazzup?! This is Nickzchick and I'm totally over hyper b/c I'm done w/ stupid standardized testing!!! Woohoo! Sorry that this chapter took a little longer to get up but testing sux *mutters angrily @ George W. Bush and Jeb Bush* Well anyway this is the third chapter of our story and I hope you like it. BTW it was totally NOT my idea to put an Nsync song at the end of chapter two! Oh and to Daydreamer, if I don't talk to you first, it's no that cold! I'm sure some people (like the people on the big chunk of continent north of Florida) is worse off than we are J
~*Chapter 3*~
By: Nickzchick
Ron, having shamefully shed many tears after returning to his room the night before, arrived at breakfast the next morning with puffy red eyes and huge black bags underneath. Hermione's appearance was not much better. She also had identical black bags sagging underneath her brown eyes, as well as an overall disheveled look. After last night's confrontation, she had lain awake for the greater part of the night carefully poring over every detail of her feelings toward both Ron and Viktor.
The atmosphere at breakfast fell far short of cheerful. Ron and Hermione refused to speak to each other or any one else for that matter. After several unsuccessful attempts to start a conversation, Harry too gave up and finished his meal in silence. Both he and Krum were curious as to why Ron and Hermione were so uncharacteristically mute.
After breakfast was finished, the quartet headed off to the highly acclaimed Bulgarian Quidditch store, Kruschef's Quidditch Supplies (Suppliers of Fine Brooms and Quidditch Accessories Since 1694). Though Krum was positive that he, like the rest of his Bulgarian Quidditch team, would be receiving the top-of-the-line Firebolt II in the near future, he still joined Harry and Ron in their goggling and praising at the magnificent broomstick. Ron's mind seemed to be distracted by the presence of such a wonderful broom and Hermione, muttering something about stupid, immature boys, retreated to a corner of the shop and immersed herself in Landmarks and Historical Sites of Bulgaria.
Shortly afterwards, Krum ran into a teammate from Quidditch and chatted away in Bulgarian. Harry seized the opportunity and pulled Ron to a quieter section of the store.
"What happened?" Harry questioned in an interrogative tone.
"Nothing" Ron mumbled, avoiding eye contact and staring down at his feet.
"Tell me! What did you say to her?" Harry continued unrelentingly.
"I told her that I loved her," Ron muttered self-consciously. "Then, I insulted her boyfriend and she slapped me upside the face."
Harry looked as surprised as Ron and Hermione had been. "I'm sorry, Ron. I thought I just heard you say that you told Hermione that you loved her and then insulted her boyfriend," he said.
Ron turned as red as a cherry and said, "You heard right."
Harry snorted derisively and gave Ron a look that clearly said, "I don't believe you." He paused a little before launching into a gentle, but critical speech, "Ron, I'm totally sorry and I'm guessing that she's probably going to go for Viktor now because you insulted him. What the devil made you do that?"
Ron looked furious at his words. "I can take that ugly little duck-footed git any time I want," he defended and, with a quick glance at Hermione strode confidently in the direction of Viktor Krum and his Bulgarian teammate. (A/N: Fight! Fight! Fight! Go get em Ron! J )
"Oh no, Ron don't –" Harry started, but it was too late.
Ron pulled Krum away from his friend roughly by the collar. Being taller than Krum and a good deal more graceful on the ground, Ron had the physical advantage. However, Krum was old enough to use magic.
Without hesitation, Ron swung his right fist and it connected squarely with Krum's left jaw. Krum, taken by surprise, reeled backwards and lost his balance, giving Ron enough time to follow up with a vicious uppercut. He heard Hermione scream from the corner of the shop and turned to face her out of his concern. Meanwhile, Krum, being a world class Quidditch player had recovered quickly from Ron's attacks. He struggled to pull out his wand just as Ron turned his attention back on him. Harry and the staff of the store were all hastening in they're direction, trying to make they're way through the sea of people who had gathered to watch the world famous Quidditch player, Viktor Krum, take on this gangly red-haired kid.
Krum finally managed to pull out his wand and Ron had just set himself up to deliver a high kick that would hit Krum in the side of the head and, if he executed it just right, would probably knock him out. So it was then that Ron kicked Krum in the head just as Krum yelled, "Stupify!" and both were knocked out cold. The last thing Ron saw was Hermione's face hovering over him.
Love and other moments are just chemical reactions in your brain
And feelings of aggression are the absence of the love drug in
Your veins
In your veins
Love come quickly
Because I feel my self-esteem's caving in
It's on the brink
Love come quickly
Because I don't think I can keep this monster in
It's in my skin
Love and other socially acceptable emotions are morphine
They're morphine
Cleverly concealing primal urges often felt but rarely seen
Rarely seen
Love I beg you
Lift me up into that privileged point of view
The world of two
Love don't leave me
Because I console myself that Hallmark cards are true
I really do
I'm gunning down romance
It never did a thing for me
But heartache and misery
Ain't nothing but a tragedy
Love don't leave me
Take these broken wings
I'm going to take these broken wings
And learn to fly
And learn to fly away
And learn to fly away
I'm gunning down romance…
Gunning down romance
By: Savage Garden
A/N: hmm… well that song is supposed to be kind of like Ron's feelings. I don't think it really fits. Well anyway, this is me, Nickzchick, and I just wanna say that everyone that has reviewed is an incredibly nice person and thank you for reviewing our story! I hate to leave you all in suspense about the next chapter and what Hermione's decision will be (Ron or Krum? Ron or Krum? Such a hard decision) but hopefully, Daydreamer will post it soon. I will be back to write the epilogue (I hope).