Chapter One: About That Summer
h
"Ron!"
Reluctantly Ron Weasley stopped on one of the many staircases in Hogwarts, gripping his broomstick rather tightly as he turned to face Hermione Granger. Scurrying towards him with her robes billowing out behind her, Hermione's gaze flickered from his face to the broomstick in his hand and she stopped in mid-step.
"Where are you going?" She asked suspiciously.
Fleetingly wishing that broomsticks were not so conspicuous, Ron waved the broom in the air as he replied,
"Quidditch tryouts, Hermione. Some of us do think about something other than studying."
"You never said anything about it."
"You never asked."
Hermione simply looked at him, twisting her hands within her robes for some odd reason. Glancing towards the staircase and then at his watch, Ron sighed impatiently and asked,
"Did you want something?"
"Yes...er, Ron, I need to talk to you about something."
"Or someone?" Ron asked dully. A tell tale flush spread across Hermione's face and Ron sighed a second time before saying, "Hermione, I'll talk to you all you want, just after the tryouts, okay?"
"Okay." Hermione almost looked relieved that he didn't want to talk to her.
Throwing her a lop-sided smile, Ron started down the stairs again only to have Hermione call his name a second time. What, oh what, did she want now?
"Would you mind if I came and watched?"
Blinking, Ron gaped at her for a moment, almost dropping his broom in his surprise.
"Are you sure you want to?"
"I do know something about Quidditch, Ron. After hanging out with you and Harry for four years, it would be impossible not to. I wont' go if it bothers you so much..."
"No, you can come," Ron protested, looking at her for a second before muttering something under his breath and storming down the stairs.
Left with no choice but to follow him, Hermione hesitated for a moment and then took off after Ron. Out of the corner of his eyes, Ron looked at her when she caught up to him, but he said nothing. Clenching her hands into fists, Hermione bit back a sigh and determined not to look at him anymore. He had been like this ever since she came to visit at the Burrow just before the beginning of term. He was perfectly civil to her during classes but whenever she tried to hold a normal conversation, he came up with something else he had to do and walked away. Why did he have to be so bloody stubborn?! He didn't even know what he thought he knew and if he had stayed long enough, he would have found out that he was wrong. You could have told him, a voice whispered in her mind and she shook her head slightly. It had been her second day at the Burrow and they had been waiting outside until Mr. Weasley came back with Harry. On Dumbledore's orders it was only Ron's father that went to get Harry-though both Ron and Hermione had insisted that they wouldn't be a bother, they had had no luck. Angrily tearing off blades of grass and throwing them, Ron sat sprawled in the grass beside her, his long legs sticking out in front of him.
"I wanted to go," he said uselessly.
Sitting with her knees drawn up to her chest, Hermione smiled and said slowly,
"You can't fault Dumbledore for wanting to take every precaution."
"I know, but I don't have to like it," he answered, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
"I'm sure Harry's fine," Hermione added, more to say something than express her worry.
"Yeah," Ron muttered, sending a shower of grass flying into the air. Pondering whether or not she should tell hi m to leave the grass alone just to get his mind off things, Hermione started when Ron suddenly put on a cheery manner and remarked, "You never finished telling me what you did all summer."
Hermione froze. She had been expecting this question, expecting him to dodge what he really wanted to know and now that he had finally asked it, she couldn't say anything at first.
"I spent the fist half of it convincing my parents that it was all right for me to go back to school. They refuse to read Hogwarts: A History so they don't understand. I did homework..."
"Big surprise."
Hermione glared at him. He was still waiting...she didn't want to tell him. He was going to have a fit. But she had to tell him now, or he'd find out when the next owl from Viktor came and that would be even worse. Looking anywhere but at him, Hermione deliberately made her voice light as she said,
"I stayed in Bulgaria for a week or two."
"With Krum."
"Yes."
"Great. Wonderful. Just dandy. So, are you calling him Vicky now?"
Ron leapt to his feat, leaving a bare patch of grass beside him where he had unconsciously been tearing it from the moment she started talking. He was still having a fit, but for Ron this was incredibly civil. Hermione shook her head and answered,
"He doesn't like that nickname."
"Yay for Viktor Krum. You didn't answer my question."
"I believe I did," Hermione replied, wishing that he would at least look at her.
"No, you didn't."
"Ron, this is just silly."
"No, it isn't," Ron retorted, turning to look at her again. Swallowing, he took one step towards her and asked quietly, "Are you dating Krum?"
She hadn't expected him to be so direct. Blinking rapidly, Hermione rose to her feet and tilted her chin to look up at him-he was too tall for his own good-and retorted,
"What would you say if I were?"
Ron's eyes bulged and his face turned several different colors in rapid succession, as if he had eaten all of the worst flavors of Bott's flavor beans all at once. Dropping Hermione's gaze, he scowled down at the ground for a moment before raising his head and saying,
"I would say that's just peachy, Hermione. Keep fraternizing with the enemy, go ahead and date dear old Vicky. You make a splendid couple."
He finished abruptly, his gaze when it met hers fiercer than she had ever seen it , and then he turned around and stormed into the Burrow. He hadn't even come out when Harry and Mr. Weasley arrived in the fireplace and when Harry came back to announce that Ron wasn't coming down until dinner, he was staunchly silent about what was the matter with him. Now Ron avoided having a conversation with her unless it was absolutely necessary. They still had their fights and there were times when he seemed to forget himself and enjoy her company along with Harry's. But, inevitably he remembered and he would start avoiding her again.
Glancing over at him, Hermione wondered if he was ever going to forgive her for Viktor and stifled another sigh. Honestly, why did it matter so much to him? It wasn't as if he had even acknowledged her as a girl until the Yule Ball last year and what business was it of his to tell her who she could and couldn't spend time with?! And Viktor wasn't the enemy...he was an ally, especially with You-Know-Who on the rise again. Why couldn't he get past his own stubbornness and see that? Why hadn't he let her explain? Chewing on her lip, Hermione told herself not to brood about it anymore. They were still friends...just not like they were...and that was all that mattered.
Ron knew what Hermione wanted to talk to him about: Krum. It could only be Krum, her precious Bulgarian "Vicky" who couldn't even say her own name right. "Herm-own-ninny," honestly! If he or Harry ever said it that way...she was probably going to finish telling him what he hadn't let her say over the summer. He didn't want to hear it, even if he was mistaken and she wasn't dating Krum. She had let him think it, for whatever reason, and if by some miracle she wasn't dating Krum, he would be angrier with her than he would be if she really were. Of all times, why did she have to pick right before the Quidditch tryouts to bring this up? He'd be lucky if he could even think about the game at all. If you had told her you were trying out, she would have waited, an irritating voice whispered and Ron almost told it to shut up aloud.
He hadn't told anyone, except Fred and George, about wanting to try for the vacant position of Keeper...not even Harry. Harry probably already knew, though, but Hermione, of course, paid no attention to anything that wasn't a book. He hadn't wanted everyone to know...that way, if he failed, his humiliation would be lesser. After all, it was a Weasley tradition to play for the house team-he couldn't fail to try out, no matter how unlikely it was that he would get it. Madam Hooch hadn't even looked surprised when he told her intended to try out for Keeper. She hadn't exactly been encouraging either. Only one thing really mattered, though. If he got in, it would have to be on his own merit, not because he was Fred and George's little brother, and not because he was Harry Potter's best friend. All he had to do was get through the try-out and then everything would be fine...until Hermione brought up the "K" word.
Scowling, Ron chanced a look at her and saw that she was lost in her own thoughts. Probably trying to find the gentlest way to announce that they're secretly engaged. Where was Ginny when he needed her? Th only reason he had been able to walk away from Hermione when she all but told him she was dating Krum was the kindness of his little sister. Ron had been only one day home at the end of his 4th year when Hermione's possible visit to Krum had started to bother him again. He had always known that she would go, despite his random fits of insanity when he believed she would rather visit Malfoy than spend more time with Krum. So he had enlisted Ginny's help, asking her to play Hermione's part and tell him every excruciating detail about her vacation with "Vicky." In return he was to help with the Harry situation, something which he hadn't managed to do yet because he honestly didn't see what good Ginny's plan would do. Ginny had played a fair Hermione, though, and by the time of her visit, he had gotten to the point where he could hear Krum's name without cringing. They had had a jolly time of it-curling Ginny's hair and giving her a stack of books to hold while Ron was talking to her. Everything was set...until Hermione had actually said it.
Krum's figurine, which he still couldn't bring himself to get rid of, had lost another arm that night. "Play Quidditch if you can," Ron had sneered, though five minutes later he was certain that Krum would find a way to catch the Snitch without his arms-probably with his teeth. Harry hadn't helped either-the prat-when he got there. He had found Ron pacing back and forth across his blazing orange room, muttering furiously about Krum and Hermione. Almost instantly Harry's gaze found Krum's mutilated figure and he walked over to it, a grin spreading across his face as the armless Krum looked down mournfully at his severed limb.
"Now I know what's wrong," Harry said, his shoulders beginning to shake with laughter.
"She's dating him, Harry! She's actually dating him!" Ron burst out, taking the armless Krum by the head and stuffing him back in a drawer.
"Good for Hermione," Harry answered quietly. Ron turned on hi m in full fury.
"Good?! Good?! What can possibly be good about Hermione fraternizing with the enemy?!"
"She likes him. I like him. You used to like him."
"Past tense. Very good," Ron muttered, pacing again. Shaking his head, Harry unexpectedly put a hand on his friend's shoulder and replied,
"Let it go, Ron."
"I can't," Ron answered honestly.
"Did she actually say she was dating Krum?" Harry asked. Ron shook his head and muttered,
"She might as well have."
"So you don't know for certain?" Harry questioned, a mischievous gleam in his eye. Groaning, Ron flung himself down on his bed and cried,
"Don't start with me, Harry! Tell Mum I'll be down for dinner. Ask Hermione to tell you about her stay in Bulgaria, it's simply fascinating."
Harry had opened hi s mouth to say something more, only to think better of it and leave Ron to sulk in peace. Since then Ron hadn't been able to have any serious conversation with Hermione without Harry there. Whenever he was alone with her, he kept seeing images of her with Krum, and the only way to make them disappear was to leave her company entirely. How Harry stood it, Ron didn't know, but he knew that even he wouldn't be able to take it much longer. Perhaps this talk of hers was a good idea...he would know for certain and then...perhaps...he could forgive her.
Chancing one last glance at her, Ron deliberately pushed all thoughts of Hermione and Krum aside. He had to have a clear head or he'd never make the team. Quidditch, Weasley, Quidditch. No Hermione, no Krum, just Quidditch and becoming Keeper. That's all that matters. Gripping his broom tightly, Ron repeated the thought in his mind as he stepped onto the Quidditch field.
h
"Ron!"
Reluctantly Ron Weasley stopped on one of the many staircases in Hogwarts, gripping his broomstick rather tightly as he turned to face Hermione Granger. Scurrying towards him with her robes billowing out behind her, Hermione's gaze flickered from his face to the broomstick in his hand and she stopped in mid-step.
"Where are you going?" She asked suspiciously.
Fleetingly wishing that broomsticks were not so conspicuous, Ron waved the broom in the air as he replied,
"Quidditch tryouts, Hermione. Some of us do think about something other than studying."
"You never said anything about it."
"You never asked."
Hermione simply looked at him, twisting her hands within her robes for some odd reason. Glancing towards the staircase and then at his watch, Ron sighed impatiently and asked,
"Did you want something?"
"Yes...er, Ron, I need to talk to you about something."
"Or someone?" Ron asked dully. A tell tale flush spread across Hermione's face and Ron sighed a second time before saying, "Hermione, I'll talk to you all you want, just after the tryouts, okay?"
"Okay." Hermione almost looked relieved that he didn't want to talk to her.
Throwing her a lop-sided smile, Ron started down the stairs again only to have Hermione call his name a second time. What, oh what, did she want now?
"Would you mind if I came and watched?"
Blinking, Ron gaped at her for a moment, almost dropping his broom in his surprise.
"Are you sure you want to?"
"I do know something about Quidditch, Ron. After hanging out with you and Harry for four years, it would be impossible not to. I wont' go if it bothers you so much..."
"No, you can come," Ron protested, looking at her for a second before muttering something under his breath and storming down the stairs.
Left with no choice but to follow him, Hermione hesitated for a moment and then took off after Ron. Out of the corner of his eyes, Ron looked at her when she caught up to him, but he said nothing. Clenching her hands into fists, Hermione bit back a sigh and determined not to look at him anymore. He had been like this ever since she came to visit at the Burrow just before the beginning of term. He was perfectly civil to her during classes but whenever she tried to hold a normal conversation, he came up with something else he had to do and walked away. Why did he have to be so bloody stubborn?! He didn't even know what he thought he knew and if he had stayed long enough, he would have found out that he was wrong. You could have told him, a voice whispered in her mind and she shook her head slightly. It had been her second day at the Burrow and they had been waiting outside until Mr. Weasley came back with Harry. On Dumbledore's orders it was only Ron's father that went to get Harry-though both Ron and Hermione had insisted that they wouldn't be a bother, they had had no luck. Angrily tearing off blades of grass and throwing them, Ron sat sprawled in the grass beside her, his long legs sticking out in front of him.
"I wanted to go," he said uselessly.
Sitting with her knees drawn up to her chest, Hermione smiled and said slowly,
"You can't fault Dumbledore for wanting to take every precaution."
"I know, but I don't have to like it," he answered, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
"I'm sure Harry's fine," Hermione added, more to say something than express her worry.
"Yeah," Ron muttered, sending a shower of grass flying into the air. Pondering whether or not she should tell hi m to leave the grass alone just to get his mind off things, Hermione started when Ron suddenly put on a cheery manner and remarked, "You never finished telling me what you did all summer."
Hermione froze. She had been expecting this question, expecting him to dodge what he really wanted to know and now that he had finally asked it, she couldn't say anything at first.
"I spent the fist half of it convincing my parents that it was all right for me to go back to school. They refuse to read Hogwarts: A History so they don't understand. I did homework..."
"Big surprise."
Hermione glared at him. He was still waiting...she didn't want to tell him. He was going to have a fit. But she had to tell him now, or he'd find out when the next owl from Viktor came and that would be even worse. Looking anywhere but at him, Hermione deliberately made her voice light as she said,
"I stayed in Bulgaria for a week or two."
"With Krum."
"Yes."
"Great. Wonderful. Just dandy. So, are you calling him Vicky now?"
Ron leapt to his feat, leaving a bare patch of grass beside him where he had unconsciously been tearing it from the moment she started talking. He was still having a fit, but for Ron this was incredibly civil. Hermione shook her head and answered,
"He doesn't like that nickname."
"Yay for Viktor Krum. You didn't answer my question."
"I believe I did," Hermione replied, wishing that he would at least look at her.
"No, you didn't."
"Ron, this is just silly."
"No, it isn't," Ron retorted, turning to look at her again. Swallowing, he took one step towards her and asked quietly, "Are you dating Krum?"
She hadn't expected him to be so direct. Blinking rapidly, Hermione rose to her feet and tilted her chin to look up at him-he was too tall for his own good-and retorted,
"What would you say if I were?"
Ron's eyes bulged and his face turned several different colors in rapid succession, as if he had eaten all of the worst flavors of Bott's flavor beans all at once. Dropping Hermione's gaze, he scowled down at the ground for a moment before raising his head and saying,
"I would say that's just peachy, Hermione. Keep fraternizing with the enemy, go ahead and date dear old Vicky. You make a splendid couple."
He finished abruptly, his gaze when it met hers fiercer than she had ever seen it , and then he turned around and stormed into the Burrow. He hadn't even come out when Harry and Mr. Weasley arrived in the fireplace and when Harry came back to announce that Ron wasn't coming down until dinner, he was staunchly silent about what was the matter with him. Now Ron avoided having a conversation with her unless it was absolutely necessary. They still had their fights and there were times when he seemed to forget himself and enjoy her company along with Harry's. But, inevitably he remembered and he would start avoiding her again.
Glancing over at him, Hermione wondered if he was ever going to forgive her for Viktor and stifled another sigh. Honestly, why did it matter so much to him? It wasn't as if he had even acknowledged her as a girl until the Yule Ball last year and what business was it of his to tell her who she could and couldn't spend time with?! And Viktor wasn't the enemy...he was an ally, especially with You-Know-Who on the rise again. Why couldn't he get past his own stubbornness and see that? Why hadn't he let her explain? Chewing on her lip, Hermione told herself not to brood about it anymore. They were still friends...just not like they were...and that was all that mattered.
Ron knew what Hermione wanted to talk to him about: Krum. It could only be Krum, her precious Bulgarian "Vicky" who couldn't even say her own name right. "Herm-own-ninny," honestly! If he or Harry ever said it that way...she was probably going to finish telling him what he hadn't let her say over the summer. He didn't want to hear it, even if he was mistaken and she wasn't dating Krum. She had let him think it, for whatever reason, and if by some miracle she wasn't dating Krum, he would be angrier with her than he would be if she really were. Of all times, why did she have to pick right before the Quidditch tryouts to bring this up? He'd be lucky if he could even think about the game at all. If you had told her you were trying out, she would have waited, an irritating voice whispered and Ron almost told it to shut up aloud.
He hadn't told anyone, except Fred and George, about wanting to try for the vacant position of Keeper...not even Harry. Harry probably already knew, though, but Hermione, of course, paid no attention to anything that wasn't a book. He hadn't wanted everyone to know...that way, if he failed, his humiliation would be lesser. After all, it was a Weasley tradition to play for the house team-he couldn't fail to try out, no matter how unlikely it was that he would get it. Madam Hooch hadn't even looked surprised when he told her intended to try out for Keeper. She hadn't exactly been encouraging either. Only one thing really mattered, though. If he got in, it would have to be on his own merit, not because he was Fred and George's little brother, and not because he was Harry Potter's best friend. All he had to do was get through the try-out and then everything would be fine...until Hermione brought up the "K" word.
Scowling, Ron chanced a look at her and saw that she was lost in her own thoughts. Probably trying to find the gentlest way to announce that they're secretly engaged. Where was Ginny when he needed her? Th only reason he had been able to walk away from Hermione when she all but told him she was dating Krum was the kindness of his little sister. Ron had been only one day home at the end of his 4th year when Hermione's possible visit to Krum had started to bother him again. He had always known that she would go, despite his random fits of insanity when he believed she would rather visit Malfoy than spend more time with Krum. So he had enlisted Ginny's help, asking her to play Hermione's part and tell him every excruciating detail about her vacation with "Vicky." In return he was to help with the Harry situation, something which he hadn't managed to do yet because he honestly didn't see what good Ginny's plan would do. Ginny had played a fair Hermione, though, and by the time of her visit, he had gotten to the point where he could hear Krum's name without cringing. They had had a jolly time of it-curling Ginny's hair and giving her a stack of books to hold while Ron was talking to her. Everything was set...until Hermione had actually said it.
Krum's figurine, which he still couldn't bring himself to get rid of, had lost another arm that night. "Play Quidditch if you can," Ron had sneered, though five minutes later he was certain that Krum would find a way to catch the Snitch without his arms-probably with his teeth. Harry hadn't helped either-the prat-when he got there. He had found Ron pacing back and forth across his blazing orange room, muttering furiously about Krum and Hermione. Almost instantly Harry's gaze found Krum's mutilated figure and he walked over to it, a grin spreading across his face as the armless Krum looked down mournfully at his severed limb.
"Now I know what's wrong," Harry said, his shoulders beginning to shake with laughter.
"She's dating him, Harry! She's actually dating him!" Ron burst out, taking the armless Krum by the head and stuffing him back in a drawer.
"Good for Hermione," Harry answered quietly. Ron turned on hi m in full fury.
"Good?! Good?! What can possibly be good about Hermione fraternizing with the enemy?!"
"She likes him. I like him. You used to like him."
"Past tense. Very good," Ron muttered, pacing again. Shaking his head, Harry unexpectedly put a hand on his friend's shoulder and replied,
"Let it go, Ron."
"I can't," Ron answered honestly.
"Did she actually say she was dating Krum?" Harry asked. Ron shook his head and muttered,
"She might as well have."
"So you don't know for certain?" Harry questioned, a mischievous gleam in his eye. Groaning, Ron flung himself down on his bed and cried,
"Don't start with me, Harry! Tell Mum I'll be down for dinner. Ask Hermione to tell you about her stay in Bulgaria, it's simply fascinating."
Harry had opened hi s mouth to say something more, only to think better of it and leave Ron to sulk in peace. Since then Ron hadn't been able to have any serious conversation with Hermione without Harry there. Whenever he was alone with her, he kept seeing images of her with Krum, and the only way to make them disappear was to leave her company entirely. How Harry stood it, Ron didn't know, but he knew that even he wouldn't be able to take it much longer. Perhaps this talk of hers was a good idea...he would know for certain and then...perhaps...he could forgive her.
Chancing one last glance at her, Ron deliberately pushed all thoughts of Hermione and Krum aside. He had to have a clear head or he'd never make the team. Quidditch, Weasley, Quidditch. No Hermione, no Krum, just Quidditch and becoming Keeper. That's all that matters. Gripping his broom tightly, Ron repeated the thought in his mind as he stepped onto the Quidditch field.