Author's Note: Hey everyone, I decided to get a head start on the next chapter, even before I got any reviews. Can you believe it? Anyway, I'm going to have a lot of fun writing this fic, I think. Hope you enjoy it!
Summary: For the next week Harry, Ron, and Hermione catch up on their summer. We learn a bit more about Kyle also. But with Harry and Ginny escaping to god knows where for most of the day, this leaves Ron and Hermione alone for awhile. Hehehe.
Secrets Kept
Chapter 2
(Hermione's POV)
by happythoughts
Hermione couldn't stop blushing whenever she mentioned Kyle's name. It was as if she had no control of her body whenever she spoke or thought of Kyle. Her time with him had been wonderful; he showed her all around Australia, and they flew along the countryside and ocean on his broomstick. He flew almost as well as Harry, but not better. She remembered when it was time to say good-bye to him …
"I'm going to miss you a lot, you know," he whispered into her ear.
"I know. I'll miss you too," Hermione whispered back. She was trying to hold back her tears.
And to her horror, he leaned towards her to do the unthinkable. Was this really happening? Was he really trying to do what she thought he was going to do? No, Hermione, don't let him! You don't love him! Hermione, don't!
And as if on instinct, Hermione pulled away from Kyle and pushed him away. The look on his face could have killed her. It was filled with shock, surprise, and hurt.
"Kyle, I'm so sorry. I just … I don't feel the same about you as you feel about me," she said softly to him.
Kyle's face fell. "I know. I know who you do love though. Will you do a favor for me, though?"
"Depends on what it is."
"Promise me you'll love him as much as I love you," he said to her quietly, looking straight into her big brown eyes.
Hermione's eyes bulged. Who in the world was he talking about?
Hermione jerked the thoughts out of her head and returned to talking with Ron. They were now walking out into the sunshine of Diagon Alley after they had all gotten their money out of their own vaults. Her plan was working. Just before she had left her home and parents, she had promised herself that this year would be different. She was going to act differently, not as snobbishly, and she was going to have fun. She'd still be the same old know-it-all, but just not as much as she usually had been. She even knew that it was working, because she could feel herself talking to Ron without getting in a hissy fight every five minutes.
"So, Hermione, tell me more about this Kyle kid," said Ginny, while they all sat down around a table in front of ice cream store. Again, Hermione felt her temperature rise and her cheeks get flushed.
"I told you. He's just a wizard my age that I met while I was in Australia. He just showed me around the place. We went flying every day along the ocean and countryside. I even met some of his family," answered Hermione. She couldn't wait to tell Ginny the real reason she was blushing every time he was mentioned. She gave Ginny a knowing look. Fortunately, Ginny understood and dropped the subject.
"Hermione!"
Hermione heard her name being shouted among the crowds of people walking by. She jerked her head up and looked around to see who had called her name. She saw Mrs. Weasley waddling towards her with two disgruntled looking twins walking behind her. "Hi, Mrs. Weasley, how are you?" she asked politely.
"Oh, fine, I suppose. I'd be better if Fred and George hadn't embarrassed me thoroughly," answered Mrs. Weasley coldly, looking over her shoulder at the twins who were grinning wickedly.
"What happened, mum?" asked Ginny concernedly.
"Your two brothers were found on the side of a building selling their joke products, yelling exuberantly to let everyone know they were there. They were evening handing these out," said Mrs. Weasley. She thrusted a wrinkled piece of paper towards Hermione. She took it and read it. She tried to stifle a laugh. It read:
Weasleys' Wizard WheezesOwned by: Fred and George Weasley
Planning to start the newest joke shop here at Diagon Alley! Help us out by buying some of our products!SALE!
Canary Creams: 5 knuts
Fake Wands: 12 knuts
Exuberant Dungbombs: 13 sickles
(even worse than the actual dungbombs!)
But don't worry! There are more products on the way!
"It is most certainly not funny! Stop laughing!" ordered Mrs. Weasley to Ron and Harry. They were practically rolling on the ground. Hermione pursed her lips to stifle her laugh.
"Good to see you, Hermione!" said Fred, shaking Hermione's hand roughly.
"Wow, Hermione! Someone's changed a lot over the summer!" said George teasingly, throwing his arm casually over her shoulder. She giggled and blushed.
"GEORGE!" yelled Ron embarrassingly.
"What Ronniekins? I bet you were thinking the same exact thing when you saw her--,"
"Just GOD! Shut up, Fred, will you?" demanded Ron. Hermione was sure she had never seen anyone turn as red as Ron just did. She was still giggling because now George was tickling her sides.
"Now boys, that's enough. Ron's getting embarrassed--,"
"I am NOT getting embarrassed, Mum!" yelled Ron.
"Of course you aren't, dear. Come along now, let's get going back to the Burrow. I'm sure your father is waiting for us," said Mrs. Weasley.
To make Hermione giggle even more, Fred and George teased her by arguing over who should take her bags for her.
"Now, I will take them, Gred, go along now," said Fred.
"No, I Forge, I'll take them. I insist! After all, Hermione likes me, not you," said George.
"Oh, well, if you insist!" exclaimed Fred. He threw the bags onto George's outstretched arms and walked away.
~*~*~
When they arrived back at the Burrow, Hermione followed Ginny up to her room. As soon as they had entered, Ginny shut the door and exclaimed to Hermione, "Oh my gosh, tell me EVERYTHING!"
Hermione giggled like a little girl. "Ginny, he was amazing!"
"Was he? Oh my gosh, don't tell me! Did he kiss you?"
"What? NO! I wouldn't let him!"
"WHAT? Why not?" asked Ginny incredously.
Hermione stopped. She was quite sure why she hadn't let him kiss her. After all, she hadn't had a kiss yet … ever. She could have gone to school telling Lavender and Pavarti that she had finally been kissed. Her heart sank.
"Ohhh. I see," said Ginny knowingly.
"See what?" asked Hermione. How could she understand when she herself didn't even see?
"I see why you didn't let him kiss you, Hermione."
"Ginny, I don't even know why I didn't let him, so how could you?" said Hermione, waving it off.
"Well, sometimes people don't know the most obvious things that others do," said Ginny simply.
"Well, are you going to tell me what you know?" asked Hermione. She was getting irritated little by little.
"Mmm… nope. I'll let you figure that out for yourself. Now it's my turn. I have to show you the letters that Harry wrote to me!"
And with that, the subject on Kyle was dropped and Hermione and Ginny giggled the rest of the night reading all of the letters Harry had written Ginny. Hermione knew that it was wrong; she knew that Harry would die of embarrassment if he ever found out that someone else was reading the love letters he had sent to Ginny, but who cared? She was 15 years old, she had the right to have some fun in her life.
~*~*~
(Ron's POV)
Ron was fuming with anger and humiliation. Practically everyone in his family plus Harry had embarrassed him today about his feelings for Hermione. When were they going to learn when to stop? He was surprised that Hermione didn't even think anything of it. He'd bet all the money in the world that she already knew his feelings for her.
"What do you think they're doing in her room, huh?" asked Harry.
Ron and Harry had been sitting in his orange colored room for the past five minutes, wondering what on earth two girls could be laughing and giggling so loud about. (Poor Harry …)
Ron shrugged. "I don't know. I don't really care. But I know you do," he said humorously.
Harry just laughed and shook his head. "No, I don't care. But I have a question for you."
"Oh great," muttered Ron. He knew it was coming.
"What do you think of Hermione?" Harry asked.
Right on target. "What do you mean?" he asked, acting dumb.
"I mean, when you saw her today. What did you think of her?"
"I don't know. She looked kind of different. She even acted sort of different," answered Ron, shrugging his shoulders.
"Yeah, that's what I thought. And she kept blushing whenever she talked about that kid--,"
"Kyle," finished Ron.
"Yeah, that's it. You think she fancies him?" asked Harry, daringly.
Ron looked at Harry, who was looking back at him, his green eyes sparkling. "What makes you think that?" he snapped.
"Oh, I don't know. As I said, she kept blushing whenever she talked about him. Maybe they're talking about him in Gin's room or something," said Harry.
Ron burned with anger. They better not be! Or I'll kill that Kyle kid right this very instant! He thought in his head. But controlling his anger, something he had been working on for the past summer, he said very mischievously, "We'll just have to find out, now won't we?"
Harry grinned. They hurried over to Ron's door and opened it quietly. Ginny's room was one flight of stairs down from Ron's. They tiptoed down the stairs, skipping over the steps that creaked. Finally, they reached her room. Ron pressed his ear against her door. "They're still giggling like mad little girls!" he whispered sharply.
Harry shook his head. "Who are they talking about?" he whispered back.
Ron listened for a few more seconds. From what he could hear, it had nothing to do with Kyle. It had something to do with … "You! They're talking about you, Harry!"
"WHAT?!" yelled Harry. Ron started. He must've jumped ten feet in the air from Harry's outburst. This action resulted in Harry bursting open the door leading to Ginny's room and falling right on top of Ron, who as sprawled on the floor.
"Mmph!"
"Harry, would you mind getting off of me? I don't go that way," said Ron.
Harry realized how he was lying on top of Ron, and he sprang right back up onto his feet. He shuddered in disgust and his eyes scanned the room. Hermione and Ginny were in a corner of her room, staring up at him with surprised faces. He saw papers scattered around them.
"Harry! What are you doing here?" asked Ginny in surprise.
"We came to see what you two were giggling about loudly," said Ron sarcastically.
"We wanted to see what you were up to," corrected Harry.
"Oh. Okay …" trailed off Ginny. She and Hermione began collecting the piles and piles of parchment around them.
"What're those that you've got there?" asked Ron, getting up from the floor and rubbing his back.
"N-nothing …" said Ginny.
"Oh yes it is!" exclaimed Ron. He dove on top of Hermione and grabbed the papers in her hand. He jumped back up, muttered a hurried apology to Hermione who was still screaming, and began reading the letters. As he finally realized what they were, he threw them down hurriedly as if he had just been burnt.
"Ew! Gross, Harry!" he exclaimed.
Harry looked surprised. "Me? What?"
When Ron merely sputtered and shook his head with disgustment, Harry walked over to the pile of papers and bent down to pick a few of them up. Ron noticed his eyes grow large as he recognized the scarlet ink … the messy handwriting …
"Er … I … uh …" began Harry, trying to explain.
"You're definitely writing profanity to my sister, Harry," said Ron.
"Ron, shut up," said Ginny. She was trying to hide her laugh at Harry's embarrassment.
"I happen to think they're very sweet, Harry," said Hermione to Harry. Harry blushed.
"I happen to think they're very sweet, Harry," said Ron in a mocking voice.
"Ron, I wouldn't be talking if I were you. I could easily show Ginny some of the letters you wrote me," said Hermione coolly.
Ron sputtered. "You … y-you still have them?"
"Of course I do! Who would throw away good blackmail letters like that?" asked Hermione mockingly.
"Harry, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to embarrass you," said Ginny, apologizing to him.
"It's … okay … I guess. I just didn't expect you to show anyone those letters or anything, that's all," said Harry sheepishly. They leaned forward to kiss but Ron interrupted them.
"Okay! Okay, that's enough. One rule for you two, okay? No snogging in front of Ron!" said Ron.
They all laughed. To his surprise, Hermione stood up with him and said to him quietly, "C'mon. Let's leave them alone. I feel like getting some fresh air."
He nodded fervently and they walked out of the room together.
~*~*~
(Hermione's POV)
"I'm really nervous about trying out for Keeper. I mean, Wood was such a good keeper and all, and I'll have a lot of expectations to live up to, you know? I don't know, I just hope I don't blow it or anything. With Angelina as the captain, Fred and George said things are going to be really serious. I don't want people to compare me to Fred and George because they're so good and I'm so …"
"Ron, don't you dare say that you're bad, because you aren't. I've seen you play when you're out here playing with Fred, George, and Harry. You're as good as any of them," scolded Hermione.
Ron fell quiet. "I'm sorry. I've been talking to much."
"Oh, no! I enjoy listening to you talk …" Good going, Hermione. You just completely admitted to Ron that you fancy him or something horrid of that sort. You don't know when to shut up, do you?
"Hermione! You never told me! Did you get prefect?" asked Ron.
Hermione blushed. But she didn't know for which one; either because Ron actually remembered that she had been nominated a prefect, or because of the honor of being nominated.
"Yes, I did," she squeaked.
To her surprise, he grabbed her in a hug. "That's wonderful! You deserve it, Herm."
She gaped. Did he just hug her and call her "Herm?" Since when did he start calling her "Herm?" It wasn't like she didn't like it or anything, it was just that … no one had ever given her a nickname except her parents … but let's not go there. Unfortunately, seconds after realizing what he had just done, Ron pulled away, and muttered, "Sorry."
"No … it's … okay," replied Hermione, still a little shocked.
They started walking back to the Burrow. Ron broke the uneasy silence and said, "Do you mind if I call you Herm? I don't know what came over me, it was just a reflex, I guess."
"Uh … sure. It's fine. Herm's fine. You can call me whatever I guess, " said Hermione sadly. If calling her Herm had just been a reflex, then surely the hug had just been one too. He hadn't done it on purpose at all.
When Hermione reached the door leading to Ginny, she turned back around to look at the face of Ron. "Well, I'll see you tomorrow, I guess."
"Yeah, see you tomorrow," said Ron.
Not knowing what came over her, she pulled Ron into a hug and a peck on the cheek, then pulled away, said a hurried, "Good night!" to him and ran into Ginny's room, slamming the door shut behind her, leaving Ron staring at the door in complete shock.
~*~*~