Yay! I got 300 reviews. What a wonderful birthday present! (Technically that's tomorrow, though) Thank you, m'dears. I didn't think this story would be such a success.
Firstly, let me say that if I ever write a Hermione/Ginny fic and they both survive, don't flame me because I'll drink poison as soon as I post it.
Secondly, these people are teenagers. Hormones are high and experimenting is just part of the whole deal.
Thirdly, I realize that it is statistically impossible that five out of five guys are gay/bi.
Fourthly, I don't care. I'm not partial to the girls in the books.
Fifthly, If the above explanations/excuses don't suit you, just pretend Fred and George slipped something into everybody's pumpkin juice, k?
Sixthly, I don't think Harry and Draco appear in this chapter, but they'll be in the next one, and most likely the next one.
Thanks to Zoe (which handcuff idea? Just handcuffs period? I thought that was a pretty common thing. I just tossed them in there because I had to use the line "don't you have any self-restraint?" "I have self-imposed restraints. Does that count?"),Cat Samwise, Calamity, Lelio, Prongs, Becks, Amanda, Tom Riddilpley, Mrrrisa (dear friend and fellow author), Hermione Malfoy, Lizzy Potter, Raven Maxwell, ExCueTee (haven't seen that name in a bit),Mimi,Panda pinke, Tinuviel 182 and Krissy.
***
Exams were coming up in less than a week. Ron threw himself into his studies, something he rarely did. He needed something to help him forget. Help him forget his craving for Harry's lips. Forget Hermione's pitying-bordering-on-guilt-laden stares. Why did she keep looking at him that way? He was hopelessly confused, not dying. Unless it was possible to die from confusion. He felt like he was about to explode. *Stop looking at me! * he thought to Hermione. Harry was probably off with Draco somewhere, leaving him and Hermione to study for exams. *Breathe,* he reminded himself. *Just breathe.* He looked up from his notes. His eyes met Neville's. He felt instantly calmer.
He felt Hermione's head resting on his shoulder. Poor 'Mione. If she knew... He turned to look at her. "You look tired," she said. Ron smiled, a huge effort in itself.
"Really?"
"Mm-h'm. You should take a break from studying. Take a nap," she suggested. "I like you better when there are no bags beneath your eyes." She kissed him softly. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Neville get up and silently leave the common room. Odd how gracefully he moved when he was trying not to attract attention. He smiled at Hermione again.
"You're right. I think I will go take a nap. See you later?" She nodded and watched Ron disappear up the steps to his dorm.
Ron nearly stepped on Trevor as he walked through the door. "Ah, watch it!" Neville called, rushing over to them. Ron smiled and scooped up Trevor gently. "Can you believe it? It's been years and he still gets away from me," Neville laughed, taking the toad from Ron. Ron laughed.
"I can't imagine why anything in its right mind would run from you."
"Is that right?"
"Would I have said it otherwise?"
"I thought we agreed you weren't the most articulate person in the world."
"That's true," Ron said feeling a bit deflated. Neville laughed.
"Don't look so sad. I have a hard time taking a compliment. I rarely get any."
There was silence for the next few minutes as Neville returned Trevor to his cage and fed him. It was a comfortable silence, though, not one of those horrible awkward silences that had come between him, Harry, and Hermione.
"Why aren't you with your girlfriend?" Neville asked. Ron tensed.
"Because I'd rather be here with you," He replied. He laughed. "That's kinda terrible, isn't it?"
"Not if you're me." Ron didn't answer.
"What's bothering you?" Neville inquired. Ron sat down on his trunk.
"This whole mess."
"Aw," Neville cooed, sitting next to him. "Can't figure out what to do?"
"That's not it. I know what I have to do. It's just a matter of being brave enough to do it."
"You're in Gryffindor. You wouldn't be here if you weren't brave."
"No, I suppose not," Ron said. He leaned forward and kissed Neville. It was short and he pulled away. He felt gentle pressure on the back of his head.
"Don't stop," whispered Neville. "It was just getting good." Ron smiled and kissed him again.
Things kind of snowballed from there. After several very passionate, intense kisses, Ron forgot about everything. If someone had mentioned Hermione, Ron's response would have been "Hermione who?" This was exactly what Neville had been hoping for and what Ron had been searching for. Hands were traveling. Robes were being unfastened. Kisses were getting more desperate. There was no telling how far things might have gone if Miss Who? herself hadn't walked in carrying a book Ron had left down stairs. The book fell to the floor with a huge thud. Ron and Neville froze. Hermione's face was a mask of pure shock. She covered her face and ran away. "Damn it!" Ron swore.
"Go after her," Neville said quietly.
"Are you sure?"
"She reads an awful lot. No doubt she's found some nasty hexes. If you don't attempt to patch things up, you might find yourself the victim of one of them." Ron smiled.
"Thanks, Neville."
"Don't thank me. Go," Neville urged. Ron fastened his robe and ran after Hermione.
" 'Mione, wait!" Ron called, grabbing her wrist gently. She tugged it free.
"Don't touch me," she sobbed. Ron was stunned. Hermione crying? He had never seen her cry before. *Shit!*
"Hermione, listen to me-"
"I said don't touch me!" she yelled. Ron took a step back. "Just don't touch me. I don't want to even look at you right now." She stumbled out of the portrait hole.
"Nice going, Ron," Fred remarked.
"Absolutely smashing. What the hell did you do to make her so mad?" inquired George.
"She caught me making out with Neville," Ron said, too disappointed by this latest turn of events to even think up a lie.
"That's funny. Really, what did you do?" Fred asked. Ron walked away. "You don't think he seriously-"
"I don't know. He's got that look."
"What look?"
"The I-really-fucked-that-one-up look."
"Oh. But Neville?"
"Best not to think about it," George advised. "Let's go terrorize Filch."
***
OMIGOD! Did something actually go almost as planned?! *gasp* Yay! Okay, Harry next chapter I promise. Maybe Draco if you're nice and review.
Luv ya!
J. Silver
Firstly, let me say that if I ever write a Hermione/Ginny fic and they both survive, don't flame me because I'll drink poison as soon as I post it.
Secondly, these people are teenagers. Hormones are high and experimenting is just part of the whole deal.
Thirdly, I realize that it is statistically impossible that five out of five guys are gay/bi.
Fourthly, I don't care. I'm not partial to the girls in the books.
Fifthly, If the above explanations/excuses don't suit you, just pretend Fred and George slipped something into everybody's pumpkin juice, k?
Sixthly, I don't think Harry and Draco appear in this chapter, but they'll be in the next one, and most likely the next one.
Thanks to Zoe (which handcuff idea? Just handcuffs period? I thought that was a pretty common thing. I just tossed them in there because I had to use the line "don't you have any self-restraint?" "I have self-imposed restraints. Does that count?"),Cat Samwise, Calamity, Lelio, Prongs, Becks, Amanda, Tom Riddilpley, Mrrrisa (dear friend and fellow author), Hermione Malfoy, Lizzy Potter, Raven Maxwell, ExCueTee (haven't seen that name in a bit),Mimi,Panda pinke, Tinuviel 182 and Krissy.
***
Exams were coming up in less than a week. Ron threw himself into his studies, something he rarely did. He needed something to help him forget. Help him forget his craving for Harry's lips. Forget Hermione's pitying-bordering-on-guilt-laden stares. Why did she keep looking at him that way? He was hopelessly confused, not dying. Unless it was possible to die from confusion. He felt like he was about to explode. *Stop looking at me! * he thought to Hermione. Harry was probably off with Draco somewhere, leaving him and Hermione to study for exams. *Breathe,* he reminded himself. *Just breathe.* He looked up from his notes. His eyes met Neville's. He felt instantly calmer.
He felt Hermione's head resting on his shoulder. Poor 'Mione. If she knew... He turned to look at her. "You look tired," she said. Ron smiled, a huge effort in itself.
"Really?"
"Mm-h'm. You should take a break from studying. Take a nap," she suggested. "I like you better when there are no bags beneath your eyes." She kissed him softly. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Neville get up and silently leave the common room. Odd how gracefully he moved when he was trying not to attract attention. He smiled at Hermione again.
"You're right. I think I will go take a nap. See you later?" She nodded and watched Ron disappear up the steps to his dorm.
Ron nearly stepped on Trevor as he walked through the door. "Ah, watch it!" Neville called, rushing over to them. Ron smiled and scooped up Trevor gently. "Can you believe it? It's been years and he still gets away from me," Neville laughed, taking the toad from Ron. Ron laughed.
"I can't imagine why anything in its right mind would run from you."
"Is that right?"
"Would I have said it otherwise?"
"I thought we agreed you weren't the most articulate person in the world."
"That's true," Ron said feeling a bit deflated. Neville laughed.
"Don't look so sad. I have a hard time taking a compliment. I rarely get any."
There was silence for the next few minutes as Neville returned Trevor to his cage and fed him. It was a comfortable silence, though, not one of those horrible awkward silences that had come between him, Harry, and Hermione.
"Why aren't you with your girlfriend?" Neville asked. Ron tensed.
"Because I'd rather be here with you," He replied. He laughed. "That's kinda terrible, isn't it?"
"Not if you're me." Ron didn't answer.
"What's bothering you?" Neville inquired. Ron sat down on his trunk.
"This whole mess."
"Aw," Neville cooed, sitting next to him. "Can't figure out what to do?"
"That's not it. I know what I have to do. It's just a matter of being brave enough to do it."
"You're in Gryffindor. You wouldn't be here if you weren't brave."
"No, I suppose not," Ron said. He leaned forward and kissed Neville. It was short and he pulled away. He felt gentle pressure on the back of his head.
"Don't stop," whispered Neville. "It was just getting good." Ron smiled and kissed him again.
Things kind of snowballed from there. After several very passionate, intense kisses, Ron forgot about everything. If someone had mentioned Hermione, Ron's response would have been "Hermione who?" This was exactly what Neville had been hoping for and what Ron had been searching for. Hands were traveling. Robes were being unfastened. Kisses were getting more desperate. There was no telling how far things might have gone if Miss Who? herself hadn't walked in carrying a book Ron had left down stairs. The book fell to the floor with a huge thud. Ron and Neville froze. Hermione's face was a mask of pure shock. She covered her face and ran away. "Damn it!" Ron swore.
"Go after her," Neville said quietly.
"Are you sure?"
"She reads an awful lot. No doubt she's found some nasty hexes. If you don't attempt to patch things up, you might find yourself the victim of one of them." Ron smiled.
"Thanks, Neville."
"Don't thank me. Go," Neville urged. Ron fastened his robe and ran after Hermione.
" 'Mione, wait!" Ron called, grabbing her wrist gently. She tugged it free.
"Don't touch me," she sobbed. Ron was stunned. Hermione crying? He had never seen her cry before. *Shit!*
"Hermione, listen to me-"
"I said don't touch me!" she yelled. Ron took a step back. "Just don't touch me. I don't want to even look at you right now." She stumbled out of the portrait hole.
"Nice going, Ron," Fred remarked.
"Absolutely smashing. What the hell did you do to make her so mad?" inquired George.
"She caught me making out with Neville," Ron said, too disappointed by this latest turn of events to even think up a lie.
"That's funny. Really, what did you do?" Fred asked. Ron walked away. "You don't think he seriously-"
"I don't know. He's got that look."
"What look?"
"The I-really-fucked-that-one-up look."
"Oh. But Neville?"
"Best not to think about it," George advised. "Let's go terrorize Filch."
***
OMIGOD! Did something actually go almost as planned?! *gasp* Yay! Okay, Harry next chapter I promise. Maybe Draco if you're nice and review.
Luv ya!
J. Silver