Disclaimers: I don't own these characters, J.K. Rowling does, and she darn
well deserves to, the clever soul!
A/N: So here's part 2 for ya. Sorry it took so long. Finals are evil! Anyway, does anyone happen to know when the 5th book will actually come out? I know it isn't coming out in July like we thought for quite a while…I do hope poor J.K. Rowling isn't getting writer's block! I heard that she got married, so that's quite probably the main reason why it isn't out yet. I would also like to apologize for the fact that none of you could figure out that Harry and Ron were passing notes in the beginning! I use Microsoft Word, and I used the Italics and everything, but it never seems to show up on fanfiction.net. From now on, if it doesn't have quotes, assume it to be a letter or some form of that. Thank you!
~*~ That Thing You Do ~*~
Part 2
Now that History of Magic class had ended with the exciting ghost Professor Binns, it was time for lunch. Hermione was blushing furiously and making sure she was a few people ahead of Harry and *Ron*, Ron looked quite sick as though he would surely pass out quite soon, and Harry just shook his head at everything. It was weird enough for him to have his two best friends in love with each other, but even weirder to have them embarrassed about it. However, Harry Potter had no idea things were going to get even stranger.
Everyone shuffled into the Great Hall and sat down to eat. Harry and Ron sat side by side on one side of the table, and Hermione and Ginny sat on the direct opposite. Hermione handed Ginny a paper, which she hurriedly read and started writing a reply to. Harry turned to look at his best friend, who was now a bit green in the face.
"So, what are you gonna do?" Harry whispered to Ron.
Ron just looked at Harry with a terrified expression.
"Come on, I'm just Ron Weasley, a nothing. What's worse, I'm her best friend."
"So what's wrong with that?"
"If something actually happened between us, and then after everything, we'd split, we could never be friends again."
"What?!" Harry said, completely confused.
"It happens all the time," Ron said, his eyes widening in fear. "I've seen it happen to a bunch of my brothers-they were miserable afterwards. They try to become a girl's best friend, and then, when they ask them out, they decline, for the simple fact that they confide so deeply into the guy, that they couldn't *imagine* losing that sort of friendship."
"But this is different," Harry pointed out. "You guys have been best friends for years now, so there's been a sense of love from the start. Sure, people go out with one another, not knowing much about them and it ends. Why? There's no bond, no chemistry, no connection, and no love. But you guys have had it from the start. You'd put your life on the line for each other, no matter what the cost. She loves you and you love her. If you have that, then there's nothing to worry about. She's not one to fool herself like the others have, Ron. She trusts her feelings and what's inside her heart, which many people lack. Because of this, you have nothing to worry about."
Ron just stopped and stared at Harry.
"How the heck do you know all of that?" he blinked.
"I actually have no idea."
For the rest of the time, everyone ate in silence. Hermione and Ginny hadn't said a word to each other or to anyone, but Ginny was reading Hermione's letter over to make sure she got down everything in her reply first. It read:
Hey Ginny.
This is probably quite strange for you, having a friend of yours in love with your brother and then give advice. But seriously, I don't know what to do. It's just driving me up the wall; he's acting like a total-uhg. Well, you know what I mean. This is so bizarre. I mean, Victor really cares about me, and I'm not sure I see him that way. For the first time I have to admit that I don't know. I just don't know. I'm going nuts here! For the first time, I can't solve something. HELP!!!
-Hermione
Ginny blinked. It certainly was strange, but she had seen this coming since her first year at Hogwarts. Ginny suddenly shuddered at the thought, but shrugged it off. ~No need to think of that~ she thought. Ginny started writing back to Hermione.
The Gryffindors sat in silence as they ate, thinking silently to themselves. The minutes ticked by slowly, and when they did, not one Gryffindor 4th year was all too excited.
"Time for Potions" Ron groaned.
~*~
Professor Severus Snape wasn't in the best of moods today, as was something the students had learned very quick that day. He even barked at the Slytherins once, which wiped that stupid look on Draco Malfoy's face. He informed the class that today they'd need to pair up into groups of four, so Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Neville all buddied up with each other. Neville looked just as sick as Ron did.
"He's going to fail me, I know it" he groaned.
"He's nasty to everyone, Neville" Hermione said, giving him a weak smile. "And don't forget, you're absolutely wonderful at Herbology."
Neville suddenly turned crimson red and stuttered a thank you as Harry shook his head. Then Snape glided over to them like an encroaching bat.
"Why are you just standing there?!" he barked at them. "Get to work right now, or you'll be sent to the head of your house!"
Snape turned on his heel and stomped over to some other Gryffindors to chew them out. Ron's eyes widened.
"Blimey, he's not in a good mood today. It's not like he doesn't yell at us every day, but he's even been a little nasty to the *Slytherins*" he said in astonishment.
"Well, whatever's going on, I expect we need to start on this potion. It says on the board that it's the menaughtaneous poison, and he's no doubt going to test it on us" Harry said, pulling up his sleeves to prepare for work.
"Right, then" Hermione said, pulling up her sleeves as well. She had opened up her reply from Ginny beforehand under everyone's noses, but it was so short that she was both relieved and disappointed.
Hey Hermione.
My brother is pretty complicated, so we should probably talk after dinner.
-Ginny
A short message, but at least it was of some comfort.
Hermione was impressed with the boys. She split up the different jobs in between the four of them. Hermione had Neville chop the roots (as this was the only thing any of them could trust poor Neville with), Ron was to measure out the monkshood and porcupine pins, Harry was to pluck the feathers off of a small hen who had been put magically to sleep for the moment (no one else volunteered to do it), and Hermione was to make sure that nothing went wrong with the concoction and check on the pot. Everything was going fine, until Malfoy had to ruin everything. He was standing next to our foursome with his cauldron.
"I heard you'll have to move out of your 'house', Weasley. You're parents have gotten so poor that they can't even afford to live in that hellhole" he said in his evil, silky and menacing voice.
Ron gritted his teeth and took hold onto the table. Hermione instinctively put a hand on his arm gently, and he relaxed slightly, his eyes softening a little. Hermione looked at him, wondering.
"You're pretty low, Malfoy" Ron said, his head lifting up slightly. "Insulting families just because they aren't as rich and petty as you are. But I'm not ashamed-I actually have a life. With you insulting people all the time, it's obvious that you have nothing better to do with your life."
Harry snorted, Neville looked up in shock and amusement, and Crabbe and Goyle were chuckling. Malfoy turned on them and they stopped abruptly, frowned, and then gave a menacing look at Ron. Goyle started crackling his knuckles.
"You'd better watch your mouth, Weasley, or I'm sure that there are some people my father knows who'd-ouch!"
Crabbe, who was known for being a total dimwit, had stepped on Malfoy's foot intentionally, and with good reason. Malfoy's eyes widened knowingly, and he nodded. Then he turned his attention to Hermione.
"So, I hear Victor Krum has the hotts for you" he said, raising an eyebrow. "Can't get enough of the fame around, can you, Miss Granger? But why hang around losers like these? I've been thinking that-"
Ron had heard enough. He spun around on Malfoy, taking Goyle by complete surprise. Goyle in turn bumped hard into Crabbe, who knocked over their cauldron. Goyle screamed in agony as some of the poison sprayed him. He had red bumps all over, and he was screaming and flailing in pain. Malfoy tried to hex Ron and missed, and Ron ended up hexing Malfoy, who fell to the floor and into the concoction. Hermione, who had instinctively pulled her wand out moments before, was knocked over by Neville who was absolutely terrified and had knocked Harry onto the table hard, and looked as though the wind had been knocked out of him. Now that Hermione had been knocked, she slipped on the potion (several cauldrons had spilled by now in all the chaos) and fell into Crabbe and Goyle, who were trying very hard to get back up. Hermione saw a hand coming for her and realized it was Ron's, so she took it and found herself on top of the table with Ron, Harry, and Neville, out of harm's way. Professor Snape, who had seen most of the disaster, screamed with rage as the potions kept spilling.
"POTTER, WEASLEY, GRANGER, LONGBOTTOM!!!" he bellowed.
Hermione looked up with shock, wand still in hand. Ron still had his wand out, looking quite peeved. Malfoy, who was slipping around with Crabbe and Goyle in the mess, now had an elephant's nose and tusks, added with as much as a dumbfounded look as his body guards. Harry, who was lying flat out on the table and trying to catch his breath, immediately put his hands up, and Neville looked terribly frightened.
"You filthy mudblood!" Crabbe yelped.
"Professor, Weasley hexed me!" Malfoy whined, looking like a complete idiot.
"I didn't do it!" Harry cried with pain in his ribs.
Neville had, apparently, lost his voice.
"Weasley, Granger, stay here. The rest of you-OUT!!!"
"Professor, what about-"
"Go to Madame Pomfrey! I can't heal you NOW!!! OOOOUUUUUUTTTT!!!!"
The class shuffled out of the dungeons, and Hermione and Ron looked at each other with a frightened expression. They walked up to the desk.
"So, thought we could have a little *fun* in class, eh?" he said, looking menacing. "Well, I've got some *fun* for you two. Detention will be served on Thursday evening."
Ron looked as though he'd like to have said something back, but decided against it.
"Now, get out of my sight. I'll have to contact Mr. Filch-he's not going to be very happy about this."
Hermione and Ron picked up their things and ran out as fast as they could to be met up with Harry.
"Let's get out of here before Filch comes down," Ron said in a hurried voice.
~*~
So, how was the chapter? I've got a whole bunch more fun ideas coming up- hehe. Please review! The more reviews I get, the faster I write the next chapter!
~*~ Fire Star ~*~
A/N: So here's part 2 for ya. Sorry it took so long. Finals are evil! Anyway, does anyone happen to know when the 5th book will actually come out? I know it isn't coming out in July like we thought for quite a while…I do hope poor J.K. Rowling isn't getting writer's block! I heard that she got married, so that's quite probably the main reason why it isn't out yet. I would also like to apologize for the fact that none of you could figure out that Harry and Ron were passing notes in the beginning! I use Microsoft Word, and I used the Italics and everything, but it never seems to show up on fanfiction.net. From now on, if it doesn't have quotes, assume it to be a letter or some form of that. Thank you!
~*~ That Thing You Do ~*~
Part 2
Now that History of Magic class had ended with the exciting ghost Professor Binns, it was time for lunch. Hermione was blushing furiously and making sure she was a few people ahead of Harry and *Ron*, Ron looked quite sick as though he would surely pass out quite soon, and Harry just shook his head at everything. It was weird enough for him to have his two best friends in love with each other, but even weirder to have them embarrassed about it. However, Harry Potter had no idea things were going to get even stranger.
Everyone shuffled into the Great Hall and sat down to eat. Harry and Ron sat side by side on one side of the table, and Hermione and Ginny sat on the direct opposite. Hermione handed Ginny a paper, which she hurriedly read and started writing a reply to. Harry turned to look at his best friend, who was now a bit green in the face.
"So, what are you gonna do?" Harry whispered to Ron.
Ron just looked at Harry with a terrified expression.
"Come on, I'm just Ron Weasley, a nothing. What's worse, I'm her best friend."
"So what's wrong with that?"
"If something actually happened between us, and then after everything, we'd split, we could never be friends again."
"What?!" Harry said, completely confused.
"It happens all the time," Ron said, his eyes widening in fear. "I've seen it happen to a bunch of my brothers-they were miserable afterwards. They try to become a girl's best friend, and then, when they ask them out, they decline, for the simple fact that they confide so deeply into the guy, that they couldn't *imagine* losing that sort of friendship."
"But this is different," Harry pointed out. "You guys have been best friends for years now, so there's been a sense of love from the start. Sure, people go out with one another, not knowing much about them and it ends. Why? There's no bond, no chemistry, no connection, and no love. But you guys have had it from the start. You'd put your life on the line for each other, no matter what the cost. She loves you and you love her. If you have that, then there's nothing to worry about. She's not one to fool herself like the others have, Ron. She trusts her feelings and what's inside her heart, which many people lack. Because of this, you have nothing to worry about."
Ron just stopped and stared at Harry.
"How the heck do you know all of that?" he blinked.
"I actually have no idea."
For the rest of the time, everyone ate in silence. Hermione and Ginny hadn't said a word to each other or to anyone, but Ginny was reading Hermione's letter over to make sure she got down everything in her reply first. It read:
Hey Ginny.
This is probably quite strange for you, having a friend of yours in love with your brother and then give advice. But seriously, I don't know what to do. It's just driving me up the wall; he's acting like a total-uhg. Well, you know what I mean. This is so bizarre. I mean, Victor really cares about me, and I'm not sure I see him that way. For the first time I have to admit that I don't know. I just don't know. I'm going nuts here! For the first time, I can't solve something. HELP!!!
-Hermione
Ginny blinked. It certainly was strange, but she had seen this coming since her first year at Hogwarts. Ginny suddenly shuddered at the thought, but shrugged it off. ~No need to think of that~ she thought. Ginny started writing back to Hermione.
The Gryffindors sat in silence as they ate, thinking silently to themselves. The minutes ticked by slowly, and when they did, not one Gryffindor 4th year was all too excited.
"Time for Potions" Ron groaned.
~*~
Professor Severus Snape wasn't in the best of moods today, as was something the students had learned very quick that day. He even barked at the Slytherins once, which wiped that stupid look on Draco Malfoy's face. He informed the class that today they'd need to pair up into groups of four, so Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Neville all buddied up with each other. Neville looked just as sick as Ron did.
"He's going to fail me, I know it" he groaned.
"He's nasty to everyone, Neville" Hermione said, giving him a weak smile. "And don't forget, you're absolutely wonderful at Herbology."
Neville suddenly turned crimson red and stuttered a thank you as Harry shook his head. Then Snape glided over to them like an encroaching bat.
"Why are you just standing there?!" he barked at them. "Get to work right now, or you'll be sent to the head of your house!"
Snape turned on his heel and stomped over to some other Gryffindors to chew them out. Ron's eyes widened.
"Blimey, he's not in a good mood today. It's not like he doesn't yell at us every day, but he's even been a little nasty to the *Slytherins*" he said in astonishment.
"Well, whatever's going on, I expect we need to start on this potion. It says on the board that it's the menaughtaneous poison, and he's no doubt going to test it on us" Harry said, pulling up his sleeves to prepare for work.
"Right, then" Hermione said, pulling up her sleeves as well. She had opened up her reply from Ginny beforehand under everyone's noses, but it was so short that she was both relieved and disappointed.
Hey Hermione.
My brother is pretty complicated, so we should probably talk after dinner.
-Ginny
A short message, but at least it was of some comfort.
Hermione was impressed with the boys. She split up the different jobs in between the four of them. Hermione had Neville chop the roots (as this was the only thing any of them could trust poor Neville with), Ron was to measure out the monkshood and porcupine pins, Harry was to pluck the feathers off of a small hen who had been put magically to sleep for the moment (no one else volunteered to do it), and Hermione was to make sure that nothing went wrong with the concoction and check on the pot. Everything was going fine, until Malfoy had to ruin everything. He was standing next to our foursome with his cauldron.
"I heard you'll have to move out of your 'house', Weasley. You're parents have gotten so poor that they can't even afford to live in that hellhole" he said in his evil, silky and menacing voice.
Ron gritted his teeth and took hold onto the table. Hermione instinctively put a hand on his arm gently, and he relaxed slightly, his eyes softening a little. Hermione looked at him, wondering.
"You're pretty low, Malfoy" Ron said, his head lifting up slightly. "Insulting families just because they aren't as rich and petty as you are. But I'm not ashamed-I actually have a life. With you insulting people all the time, it's obvious that you have nothing better to do with your life."
Harry snorted, Neville looked up in shock and amusement, and Crabbe and Goyle were chuckling. Malfoy turned on them and they stopped abruptly, frowned, and then gave a menacing look at Ron. Goyle started crackling his knuckles.
"You'd better watch your mouth, Weasley, or I'm sure that there are some people my father knows who'd-ouch!"
Crabbe, who was known for being a total dimwit, had stepped on Malfoy's foot intentionally, and with good reason. Malfoy's eyes widened knowingly, and he nodded. Then he turned his attention to Hermione.
"So, I hear Victor Krum has the hotts for you" he said, raising an eyebrow. "Can't get enough of the fame around, can you, Miss Granger? But why hang around losers like these? I've been thinking that-"
Ron had heard enough. He spun around on Malfoy, taking Goyle by complete surprise. Goyle in turn bumped hard into Crabbe, who knocked over their cauldron. Goyle screamed in agony as some of the poison sprayed him. He had red bumps all over, and he was screaming and flailing in pain. Malfoy tried to hex Ron and missed, and Ron ended up hexing Malfoy, who fell to the floor and into the concoction. Hermione, who had instinctively pulled her wand out moments before, was knocked over by Neville who was absolutely terrified and had knocked Harry onto the table hard, and looked as though the wind had been knocked out of him. Now that Hermione had been knocked, she slipped on the potion (several cauldrons had spilled by now in all the chaos) and fell into Crabbe and Goyle, who were trying very hard to get back up. Hermione saw a hand coming for her and realized it was Ron's, so she took it and found herself on top of the table with Ron, Harry, and Neville, out of harm's way. Professor Snape, who had seen most of the disaster, screamed with rage as the potions kept spilling.
"POTTER, WEASLEY, GRANGER, LONGBOTTOM!!!" he bellowed.
Hermione looked up with shock, wand still in hand. Ron still had his wand out, looking quite peeved. Malfoy, who was slipping around with Crabbe and Goyle in the mess, now had an elephant's nose and tusks, added with as much as a dumbfounded look as his body guards. Harry, who was lying flat out on the table and trying to catch his breath, immediately put his hands up, and Neville looked terribly frightened.
"You filthy mudblood!" Crabbe yelped.
"Professor, Weasley hexed me!" Malfoy whined, looking like a complete idiot.
"I didn't do it!" Harry cried with pain in his ribs.
Neville had, apparently, lost his voice.
"Weasley, Granger, stay here. The rest of you-OUT!!!"
"Professor, what about-"
"Go to Madame Pomfrey! I can't heal you NOW!!! OOOOUUUUUUTTTT!!!!"
The class shuffled out of the dungeons, and Hermione and Ron looked at each other with a frightened expression. They walked up to the desk.
"So, thought we could have a little *fun* in class, eh?" he said, looking menacing. "Well, I've got some *fun* for you two. Detention will be served on Thursday evening."
Ron looked as though he'd like to have said something back, but decided against it.
"Now, get out of my sight. I'll have to contact Mr. Filch-he's not going to be very happy about this."
Hermione and Ron picked up their things and ran out as fast as they could to be met up with Harry.
"Let's get out of here before Filch comes down," Ron said in a hurried voice.
~*~
So, how was the chapter? I've got a whole bunch more fun ideas coming up- hehe. Please review! The more reviews I get, the faster I write the next chapter!
~*~ Fire Star ~*~