Chapter Three: Hermy-own-ninny
"....Ron Weasley."
Ron rubbed at his eyes to make sure he wasn't dreaming. Nope. Katie was still standing there, the new set of
Quidditch robes stretched out towards him, a bright smile on her face. All the Gryffindor team membrs were smiling,
especially Fred, George, and Harry. Pinching himself, Ron muttered something like, "Wake up, Weasley," and awkwardly
stepped forward to take his Quidditch robes from Katie. The robes were in his possession for an instant before he was
surrounded by his new teammates and being heartily clapped on the back. Too many questions were being plied at him all
at once for him to answer or even hear them all and he did the best he could, clutching his robes to his chest as a reminder.
All he really wanted to do was laugh. Fred and George were busy boasting to anyone who would listen that he was their
little brother and Harry had just managed to push his way through to shake Ron's hand. Grinning from ear to ear, Ron
opened his mouth to speak when there was a shriek behind him and Ginny descended. Squeezed so hard he could hardly
breathe, Ron frantically pried Ginny off of im, ignoring Harry as he tried very hard not to laugh. Chattering madly,
Ginny was literally unintelligible and whe Ron saw Harry's mutual expression of confusion, the two of them burst into
laughter. Face turning as red as Ron's robes, Ginny murmured, "Congratulations," to her brother before darting off to find
the twins. Hastily recovering from his amusement, Ron started to go afte her but Harry intercepted him. An apology from
Harry was better than any that he could give her and Ron turned around to have his hand furiously pumped by Neville,
dimly aware that there was still one person who hadn't made an appearance.
"Ron!"
Over Neville's head Ron caught a glimpse of Hermione trying to fight her way through the assembly of
Gryffindors and he pried his hand free from Neville in order to meet her halfway. He had a harder time of it than she did;
everyone who hadn't congratulated him yet wanted to stop and talk to him and he deflected any attempts for conversation
as best he could. He thought Hermione was laughing at him, but he wasn't sure--it wasn't funny really--and when he was
finally free(he had been assualted by the Creevey Brothers), Hermione flung her arms around him. Stunned, Ron simply
stood there, torn between patting her on the head again--he couldn't believe he remembered that--or doing something else.
He missed his chance, if it had been a chance for anything, as Hermione quickly stepped away, a flush spreading across
her cheeks.
"Congratulations," she said simply.
Grinning, Ron nodeed, fully intending to thank her only to be thwarted by the arrival of the twins and their
prompt seizure of his arms.
"Ickle Ronnie..."
"...it's time for your common room party."
"But who's getting the food?" Ron asked with a laugh, uncertain if he was disappointed by the timeliness of
Fred and George's arrival or disappointed.
"We sent them on a mission."
"Who?"
"Harry and Ginny."
Ron would have fallen over laughing if they hadn't been holding him. There was nothing left for him to protest
about and so he allowed himself to be dragged back into Hogwarts. Looking over his shoulder at Hermione before he was
carted away, Ron frowned as she began talking to Neville--she was probably still worry about those silly house-elves--and
bit back a sigh. What did you think was going to happen, you dolt?! Hermione saying that you were even better than
Krum?! Keep dreaming, Weasley, just keep dreaming. That's the only place it's ever going to happen.
Fred and George took him back to the common room the wrong way. they claimed to have forgotten the way--
whenever he tried to steer them in the right direction they pretended not to hear him--but it was really jsut to give Harry and
Ginny enough time to assemble his party. For once a fuss was being made over him and still all Ron wanted to do was
laugh. The fact that Fred and George were deliberately making idiots of themselves did not help matters either, and he was
more than relieved when they finally reached the portrati of the Fat Lady. Fred and George finally released him, pushing
him towards the portrait hole and grinning as Ron muttered,
"Bless my buttons."
"You're not wearing any, dear," the Fat Lady answered pleasantly, swinging open and revealing a sea of
Gryffindors waiting inside.
Ron gulped. Suddenly he understood why Harry was leery of always being the center of attention and he
seriously considered backing out, but his brothers gave him another shove and he was inside. Today was now officially his.
Ron Weasley was the only one not laughing hours later as his brothers parodied the events of his try-out for
those who had and hadn't been there. He was full, tired, and no longer in the mood for anything that required effort.
Waiting until everyone was bowled over with laughter, he stealthily crept away and collapsed in one of the chairs by the
fire. Closing his eyes, Ron wagered that if he was left alone long enough, he would fall asleep, and at the moment, a long
nap before the fire was extremely appealing. Unfortunately for his plans, Harry and Hermione had seen his retreat and had
followed him, Harry taking the opportunity to kick him.
"Hey!" Ron cried, his eyes flying open irritably as Harry and Hermione grinned.
"You left your own party: you deserved it," Harry answered matter-of-factly.
Ron shrugged sheepishly.
"Being the center of attention isn't all it's cracked up to be...I know you know, don't look so bloody smug. I
didn't say I didn't like it," Ron spluttered, giving up when his friends had to turn away to keep from laughing. "Oh, go
away," he muttered a moment later, folding his arms and attempting to look mad.
"I'm glad you made it," Harry said.
"Me, too. I s'pose it didn't hurt to have you vouching for me," Ron replied.
"I didn't," Harry answered with a small smile as he turned to leave. "I wanted the last girl."
Ron threw a pillow at him before sinking back down into his chair. Taking a seat across from him, Hermione
twisted her fingers together and ventured,
"Ron? I still need to talk to you."
Ron gave her a weary look, a lazy smile stretching upon his face as he siad,
"Krum?"She nodded and Ron raised himself up, trying hard to keep smiling as he continued, "I still don't think
it's a good idea for you to be fratnernizing with the enemy, but if you are dating him...I won't say another word."
There. It was done. He had said what he had been steeling himself to say since the end of their 4th year. It
didn't matter that it wasn't true--he wouldn't say anything to Hermione but to everybody else--but it was what she wanted
and that was all that mattered. Good thing he had brought along his Krum figure...he woudl lose another appendage
tonight. Even Krum couldn't play Quidditch with only one leg and no arms.
Stunned, Hermione simply stared at him for several moments. This wasn't what she had expected at all. Perhaps
it had beena wise move to talk to him about this now when he was too tired to put up a fight. He couldn't be serious, could
he? Studying him closely, Hermione watched at he continued to pluck at the arm of the chair, his lips twisting into a wry
scowl and she knew that he didnt' really want to do this...but he would, even if it killed him. There was a part of her that
wanted to test him on his word but before she could even begin to imagine the possibility, she heard herself saying,
"I'm not dating Krum, Ron."
"Yeah and I'm Neville's brother," Ron muttered, attacking the chair almost savagely.
"I'm not dating him," Hermione repeated, seriously considering throttling him.
"You're not?" Ron asked quietly, his gaze slowly meeting hers.
"No," Hermione answered with a smile.
Ron simply stared at her and then he began to grin rather foolishly. For a few minutes he was content just to
grin at her and then his brows drew together and he burst out,
"You've gotten six letters...what the devil hwas he been writing you about then?! 'Hermy-own-ninny, I vont to
join...vot do you call it? The Society for the Promotion aff Elfish Vorfare?"
Hermione gaped at him a second time. If it weren't such a girlish thing to do, Ron would have clapped his hands
over his mouth in horror at what he had just said. She had just told him the best news he had heard in a long while--except
for being Keeper--and he hadgone and ruined it by....Ron stopped berating himself as he realized that Hermione was
laughing herself silly. Looking at her as if her teeth had suddenly started to grow back again, Ron's jaw dropped as she
continued to laugh and he sheepishly ran a hand through his hair. He had made fun of Krum and she was laughing?!
Recovering, Hermione grinned at him and said,
"I'm sorry, you sounded so like him. Oh and he agrees with you about S.P.E.W." Ron still goggled at her and
she laughed again before saying, "Do it again."
"Vot?" Ron replied, sending her into a fit of giggles again.
Never in his life had he been more confused. She was okay with this? Who was she and what had she done
with Hermione? Maybe she had had a run-in with a Death Eater and was acting under the influence of the Imperius
Curse. That's not funny, Weasley.
"Do you want to know what was in Viktor's letters?" Hermione asked after her laughing fit was finally over.
"Yes...er,..no," Ron stammered, his hand autmoaticaly going through his hair and making it look worse.
"He's working at Durmstrang. Don't look that way, he's still playing Quidditch. He wasn't sure if he was even
going to take the post, but I persuaded him that he should."
"You did what and how?" Ron interjected, forgetting that he was not supposed to say anything about Krum.
Hermione ignored him and continued,
"I told him that if he worked at Durmstrang, he could keep an eye out. You know how much they emphasize
the Dark Arts there and what better way to know if You-Know-Who's supporters are growing stronger than to have Viktor
there looking for them? He's only been telling me what's going on there."
"Hermione, did you ever think that maybe Krum might become one of You-Know-Who's supporters and just
not tell you?" Ron demanded through clenched teeth, by some miracle keeping his voice steady.
"Don't be ridiculous, Ron. Viktor would never do that. He promised me."
"I'll bet," Ron muttered, resting his chin on his hand.
"Stop that, Ron Weasley!"
"Stop what?"
"Insinuating things about Viktor. They aren't true and you know it," Hermione stated, folding her arms and
glaring at him.
Scowling, Ron attacked the arm of his chair a final time and retorted,
"I don't know it, but you believe him so that's good enough for me. Why is he writing you three times a week
if he's only reporting?"
Hermione flushed and Ron groaned, staring up at the ceiling and trying to ignore the voice of Krum in his head,
spouting sonnets about Hermione.
"Does he know that you're not dating?" He asked woodenly; the flush only deepened in her cheeks.
"Of course he does. I told him so."
"But he still thinks it might happen," Ron replied.
"I can't control what Viktor thinks. We're only friends, Ron. I don't think that's going to change. For heaven's
sake, he's three years older than me and I'm not about to start any relationship when the other party is so far away. That's
precisely what I told him and he understood even if he...if that's not good enough for you, Ron Weasley, I don't know
what is!"
Leaping to her feet, Hermione glared fiercely at him before turning to stalk up to the girls' dormitory and despite
the effort it would take, Ron rose and blocked her path.
"I believe you, Hermione, I honestly do. I just don't trust Krum."
"You should," she retorted, titling her chin up to look at him and finding his expression to be incredibly grim.
"Maybe. Why did you let me think that you were dating him?"
Hermione shrugged and answered,
"Because you were so stupid, assuming that I was dating him without staying to see if it was true. You
deserved it...and I did tell you eventually."
"Yes, you did. Can I hear what Krum writes now? I'll be on my best behavior, I swear. I know Harry hears
them."
He smiled for the first time since she had told him that she wasn't dating Krum and Hermione looked at him
for several moments before a mischievous gleam shone in her eye and she said,
"Yes, but only if you read it with his voice!"
"Hermione, you've got to be kidding."
"Please, Ron," she beseeched, clasping her hands under her chin and deliberately making her eyes wide.
Shaking his head, Ron looked past her, screwing up his face into different expressions as he raked both hands
through his hair. Desperately he looked around the common room and immediately wished he hadn't. Fred and George
were continually sending sly glances in their direction and even Harry kept glancing at them during his game of chess with
Ginny. Hermione was still looking at him hopefully. He would be the laughingstock of the entire Gryffindor table if he read
Krum's letters in his accent, but she was stubborn enough not to let him see them if he didn't. Besides, Krum was obviously
including things of a more personal nature and he might be able to see for himself whether or not Krum was deceving him.
He was going to regret this. Looking down at Hermione, he smiled and answered,
"Vary vell, Hermy-own-ninny."
Hermione laughed and smiled back at him. Suddenly everything seemed as if it was back to normal between
them and yet...not quite. Ron didn't want to puzzle it out now--he was still tired--and he flopped down in the chair again.
Sleep was calling to him, but he didn't have the energy to climb the stairs. Opening one eye, he saw that Hermione was
still standing where he had left her and he arched an eyebrow at her. Smiling, Hermione walked up behind him and looped
her arms around his neck. Twice in one day--what was the girl thinking?!
"Congratulations again, Ron. You'll be the best Keeper we've ever had. I don't have anyone to sit with anymore,
though," she reflected, removing her arms.
"What about Ginny? She'll be terribly disappointed if you don't help her form the Harry Potter and Ron Weasley
Quidditch Club."
Hermione laughed and rumpled his hair before turning to go. Closing his eyes again, Ron smiled and murmured,
"Thanks, 'Mione."
Hermione paused, turned, and stared at the red head protduing from the top of the arm chair. 'Mione? He had
called her 'Mione? Cringing in his chair, Ron waited for the storm to break and started in surprise when she merely
whispered,
"Good-night, Ron."
Turning to look at her over the top of the chair, Ron grinned at her and replied,
"Good-night, 'Mione."
She smiled back at him before darting up to the girls' dormitory. Clasping his hands behind his head, Ron
stretched out in the chair and ignored the snickers that were eminating from his brothers. He couldn't believe he had gotten
away with it...she hadn't pitched a fit at his abbreviating her name. Would wonders never cease. Fred and George laughed
particularly loudly again and he ignored them just as pointedly as before. Tomorrow he would think about it, today was
still his day, Ron Weasley's day. He was Keeper for Gryffindor and Hermione was not dating Krum. Resting his head
against the chair, he smiled as he fell asleep. It was too bad really. A one-legged miniature Krum walking around would
have been fun to see.
"
"....Ron Weasley."
Ron rubbed at his eyes to make sure he wasn't dreaming. Nope. Katie was still standing there, the new set of
Quidditch robes stretched out towards him, a bright smile on her face. All the Gryffindor team membrs were smiling,
especially Fred, George, and Harry. Pinching himself, Ron muttered something like, "Wake up, Weasley," and awkwardly
stepped forward to take his Quidditch robes from Katie. The robes were in his possession for an instant before he was
surrounded by his new teammates and being heartily clapped on the back. Too many questions were being plied at him all
at once for him to answer or even hear them all and he did the best he could, clutching his robes to his chest as a reminder.
All he really wanted to do was laugh. Fred and George were busy boasting to anyone who would listen that he was their
little brother and Harry had just managed to push his way through to shake Ron's hand. Grinning from ear to ear, Ron
opened his mouth to speak when there was a shriek behind him and Ginny descended. Squeezed so hard he could hardly
breathe, Ron frantically pried Ginny off of im, ignoring Harry as he tried very hard not to laugh. Chattering madly,
Ginny was literally unintelligible and whe Ron saw Harry's mutual expression of confusion, the two of them burst into
laughter. Face turning as red as Ron's robes, Ginny murmured, "Congratulations," to her brother before darting off to find
the twins. Hastily recovering from his amusement, Ron started to go afte her but Harry intercepted him. An apology from
Harry was better than any that he could give her and Ron turned around to have his hand furiously pumped by Neville,
dimly aware that there was still one person who hadn't made an appearance.
"Ron!"
Over Neville's head Ron caught a glimpse of Hermione trying to fight her way through the assembly of
Gryffindors and he pried his hand free from Neville in order to meet her halfway. He had a harder time of it than she did;
everyone who hadn't congratulated him yet wanted to stop and talk to him and he deflected any attempts for conversation
as best he could. He thought Hermione was laughing at him, but he wasn't sure--it wasn't funny really--and when he was
finally free(he had been assualted by the Creevey Brothers), Hermione flung her arms around him. Stunned, Ron simply
stood there, torn between patting her on the head again--he couldn't believe he remembered that--or doing something else.
He missed his chance, if it had been a chance for anything, as Hermione quickly stepped away, a flush spreading across
her cheeks.
"Congratulations," she said simply.
Grinning, Ron nodeed, fully intending to thank her only to be thwarted by the arrival of the twins and their
prompt seizure of his arms.
"Ickle Ronnie..."
"...it's time for your common room party."
"But who's getting the food?" Ron asked with a laugh, uncertain if he was disappointed by the timeliness of
Fred and George's arrival or disappointed.
"We sent them on a mission."
"Who?"
"Harry and Ginny."
Ron would have fallen over laughing if they hadn't been holding him. There was nothing left for him to protest
about and so he allowed himself to be dragged back into Hogwarts. Looking over his shoulder at Hermione before he was
carted away, Ron frowned as she began talking to Neville--she was probably still worry about those silly house-elves--and
bit back a sigh. What did you think was going to happen, you dolt?! Hermione saying that you were even better than
Krum?! Keep dreaming, Weasley, just keep dreaming. That's the only place it's ever going to happen.
Fred and George took him back to the common room the wrong way. they claimed to have forgotten the way--
whenever he tried to steer them in the right direction they pretended not to hear him--but it was really jsut to give Harry and
Ginny enough time to assemble his party. For once a fuss was being made over him and still all Ron wanted to do was
laugh. The fact that Fred and George were deliberately making idiots of themselves did not help matters either, and he was
more than relieved when they finally reached the portrati of the Fat Lady. Fred and George finally released him, pushing
him towards the portrait hole and grinning as Ron muttered,
"Bless my buttons."
"You're not wearing any, dear," the Fat Lady answered pleasantly, swinging open and revealing a sea of
Gryffindors waiting inside.
Ron gulped. Suddenly he understood why Harry was leery of always being the center of attention and he
seriously considered backing out, but his brothers gave him another shove and he was inside. Today was now officially his.
Ron Weasley was the only one not laughing hours later as his brothers parodied the events of his try-out for
those who had and hadn't been there. He was full, tired, and no longer in the mood for anything that required effort.
Waiting until everyone was bowled over with laughter, he stealthily crept away and collapsed in one of the chairs by the
fire. Closing his eyes, Ron wagered that if he was left alone long enough, he would fall asleep, and at the moment, a long
nap before the fire was extremely appealing. Unfortunately for his plans, Harry and Hermione had seen his retreat and had
followed him, Harry taking the opportunity to kick him.
"Hey!" Ron cried, his eyes flying open irritably as Harry and Hermione grinned.
"You left your own party: you deserved it," Harry answered matter-of-factly.
Ron shrugged sheepishly.
"Being the center of attention isn't all it's cracked up to be...I know you know, don't look so bloody smug. I
didn't say I didn't like it," Ron spluttered, giving up when his friends had to turn away to keep from laughing. "Oh, go
away," he muttered a moment later, folding his arms and attempting to look mad.
"I'm glad you made it," Harry said.
"Me, too. I s'pose it didn't hurt to have you vouching for me," Ron replied.
"I didn't," Harry answered with a small smile as he turned to leave. "I wanted the last girl."
Ron threw a pillow at him before sinking back down into his chair. Taking a seat across from him, Hermione
twisted her fingers together and ventured,
"Ron? I still need to talk to you."
Ron gave her a weary look, a lazy smile stretching upon his face as he siad,
"Krum?"She nodded and Ron raised himself up, trying hard to keep smiling as he continued, "I still don't think
it's a good idea for you to be fratnernizing with the enemy, but if you are dating him...I won't say another word."
There. It was done. He had said what he had been steeling himself to say since the end of their 4th year. It
didn't matter that it wasn't true--he wouldn't say anything to Hermione but to everybody else--but it was what she wanted
and that was all that mattered. Good thing he had brought along his Krum figure...he woudl lose another appendage
tonight. Even Krum couldn't play Quidditch with only one leg and no arms.
Stunned, Hermione simply stared at him for several moments. This wasn't what she had expected at all. Perhaps
it had beena wise move to talk to him about this now when he was too tired to put up a fight. He couldn't be serious, could
he? Studying him closely, Hermione watched at he continued to pluck at the arm of the chair, his lips twisting into a wry
scowl and she knew that he didnt' really want to do this...but he would, even if it killed him. There was a part of her that
wanted to test him on his word but before she could even begin to imagine the possibility, she heard herself saying,
"I'm not dating Krum, Ron."
"Yeah and I'm Neville's brother," Ron muttered, attacking the chair almost savagely.
"I'm not dating him," Hermione repeated, seriously considering throttling him.
"You're not?" Ron asked quietly, his gaze slowly meeting hers.
"No," Hermione answered with a smile.
Ron simply stared at her and then he began to grin rather foolishly. For a few minutes he was content just to
grin at her and then his brows drew together and he burst out,
"You've gotten six letters...what the devil hwas he been writing you about then?! 'Hermy-own-ninny, I vont to
join...vot do you call it? The Society for the Promotion aff Elfish Vorfare?"
Hermione gaped at him a second time. If it weren't such a girlish thing to do, Ron would have clapped his hands
over his mouth in horror at what he had just said. She had just told him the best news he had heard in a long while--except
for being Keeper--and he hadgone and ruined it by....Ron stopped berating himself as he realized that Hermione was
laughing herself silly. Looking at her as if her teeth had suddenly started to grow back again, Ron's jaw dropped as she
continued to laugh and he sheepishly ran a hand through his hair. He had made fun of Krum and she was laughing?!
Recovering, Hermione grinned at him and said,
"I'm sorry, you sounded so like him. Oh and he agrees with you about S.P.E.W." Ron still goggled at her and
she laughed again before saying, "Do it again."
"Vot?" Ron replied, sending her into a fit of giggles again.
Never in his life had he been more confused. She was okay with this? Who was she and what had she done
with Hermione? Maybe she had had a run-in with a Death Eater and was acting under the influence of the Imperius
Curse. That's not funny, Weasley.
"Do you want to know what was in Viktor's letters?" Hermione asked after her laughing fit was finally over.
"Yes...er,..no," Ron stammered, his hand autmoaticaly going through his hair and making it look worse.
"He's working at Durmstrang. Don't look that way, he's still playing Quidditch. He wasn't sure if he was even
going to take the post, but I persuaded him that he should."
"You did what and how?" Ron interjected, forgetting that he was not supposed to say anything about Krum.
Hermione ignored him and continued,
"I told him that if he worked at Durmstrang, he could keep an eye out. You know how much they emphasize
the Dark Arts there and what better way to know if You-Know-Who's supporters are growing stronger than to have Viktor
there looking for them? He's only been telling me what's going on there."
"Hermione, did you ever think that maybe Krum might become one of You-Know-Who's supporters and just
not tell you?" Ron demanded through clenched teeth, by some miracle keeping his voice steady.
"Don't be ridiculous, Ron. Viktor would never do that. He promised me."
"I'll bet," Ron muttered, resting his chin on his hand.
"Stop that, Ron Weasley!"
"Stop what?"
"Insinuating things about Viktor. They aren't true and you know it," Hermione stated, folding her arms and
glaring at him.
Scowling, Ron attacked the arm of his chair a final time and retorted,
"I don't know it, but you believe him so that's good enough for me. Why is he writing you three times a week
if he's only reporting?"
Hermione flushed and Ron groaned, staring up at the ceiling and trying to ignore the voice of Krum in his head,
spouting sonnets about Hermione.
"Does he know that you're not dating?" He asked woodenly; the flush only deepened in her cheeks.
"Of course he does. I told him so."
"But he still thinks it might happen," Ron replied.
"I can't control what Viktor thinks. We're only friends, Ron. I don't think that's going to change. For heaven's
sake, he's three years older than me and I'm not about to start any relationship when the other party is so far away. That's
precisely what I told him and he understood even if he...if that's not good enough for you, Ron Weasley, I don't know
what is!"
Leaping to her feet, Hermione glared fiercely at him before turning to stalk up to the girls' dormitory and despite
the effort it would take, Ron rose and blocked her path.
"I believe you, Hermione, I honestly do. I just don't trust Krum."
"You should," she retorted, titling her chin up to look at him and finding his expression to be incredibly grim.
"Maybe. Why did you let me think that you were dating him?"
Hermione shrugged and answered,
"Because you were so stupid, assuming that I was dating him without staying to see if it was true. You
deserved it...and I did tell you eventually."
"Yes, you did. Can I hear what Krum writes now? I'll be on my best behavior, I swear. I know Harry hears
them."
He smiled for the first time since she had told him that she wasn't dating Krum and Hermione looked at him
for several moments before a mischievous gleam shone in her eye and she said,
"Yes, but only if you read it with his voice!"
"Hermione, you've got to be kidding."
"Please, Ron," she beseeched, clasping her hands under her chin and deliberately making her eyes wide.
Shaking his head, Ron looked past her, screwing up his face into different expressions as he raked both hands
through his hair. Desperately he looked around the common room and immediately wished he hadn't. Fred and George
were continually sending sly glances in their direction and even Harry kept glancing at them during his game of chess with
Ginny. Hermione was still looking at him hopefully. He would be the laughingstock of the entire Gryffindor table if he read
Krum's letters in his accent, but she was stubborn enough not to let him see them if he didn't. Besides, Krum was obviously
including things of a more personal nature and he might be able to see for himself whether or not Krum was deceving him.
He was going to regret this. Looking down at Hermione, he smiled and answered,
"Vary vell, Hermy-own-ninny."
Hermione laughed and smiled back at him. Suddenly everything seemed as if it was back to normal between
them and yet...not quite. Ron didn't want to puzzle it out now--he was still tired--and he flopped down in the chair again.
Sleep was calling to him, but he didn't have the energy to climb the stairs. Opening one eye, he saw that Hermione was
still standing where he had left her and he arched an eyebrow at her. Smiling, Hermione walked up behind him and looped
her arms around his neck. Twice in one day--what was the girl thinking?!
"Congratulations again, Ron. You'll be the best Keeper we've ever had. I don't have anyone to sit with anymore,
though," she reflected, removing her arms.
"What about Ginny? She'll be terribly disappointed if you don't help her form the Harry Potter and Ron Weasley
Quidditch Club."
Hermione laughed and rumpled his hair before turning to go. Closing his eyes again, Ron smiled and murmured,
"Thanks, 'Mione."
Hermione paused, turned, and stared at the red head protduing from the top of the arm chair. 'Mione? He had
called her 'Mione? Cringing in his chair, Ron waited for the storm to break and started in surprise when she merely
whispered,
"Good-night, Ron."
Turning to look at her over the top of the chair, Ron grinned at her and replied,
"Good-night, 'Mione."
She smiled back at him before darting up to the girls' dormitory. Clasping his hands behind his head, Ron
stretched out in the chair and ignored the snickers that were eminating from his brothers. He couldn't believe he had gotten
away with it...she hadn't pitched a fit at his abbreviating her name. Would wonders never cease. Fred and George laughed
particularly loudly again and he ignored them just as pointedly as before. Tomorrow he would think about it, today was
still his day, Ron Weasley's day. He was Keeper for Gryffindor and Hermione was not dating Krum. Resting his head
against the chair, he smiled as he fell asleep. It was too bad really. A one-legged miniature Krum walking around would
have been fun to see.
"