Harry and Ron trudged up the stairs after Hermione, both were grumbling.
"Hermione, could you please slow down? Do you think that Professor Binns is going to blurt out some interesting history fact?" Ron snorted.
Hermione whirled around and glared at them, "It is good practice to be prompt, even for History of Magic..." Ron rolled his eyes and glared after her. Harry shook his head, what weird people he had chosen for friends. They arrived at the classroom, to Harry and Ron's surprise, right on time.
"Eheh...thanks Hermione," Harry whispered as they slid into their seats. Hermione gave him a curt nod in reply, Harry snorted, sometimes Hermione was just too much. Throughout the lesson Harry entertained himself by reading the graffiti. He sniggered at one long message scrawled in the wood:
Hallo, my name is professor duller, You shall never find anyone with a stick up his bum that is as large as mine Bla bla bla bla bla.... these are the words I say Hey, who said I could rhyme anyway?
Professor Binns looked up, "What is it Potter? Do you find something about ancient toiletry amusing?"
Harry stifled a laugh, "No-no sir," Hermione gave him a kick under the table along with a cold glare. Ron eyed him curiously, he was about to lean over and ask what Harry had been laughing at when Hermione elbowed him.
"Ouch!" Ron muttered, slouching down into his usual position.
Harry sighed with relief, they had just gotten out of the History of Magic, "Phew...that was getting really...boring."
Ron nodded in agreement, "It's sunk to an all time low..."
Hermione rolled her eyes and exclaimed, "If you two studied as much as you complained you'd be getting better marks than me!"
Ron poked her, "Hey, that wasn't nice,"
"Oh don't get sour on me, you know it's true," Hermione smirked.
"I'm hurt!" Ron exclaimed dramatically, "I think I'm going to fall over and die!"
"That, is something that would be good for all of humanity, Weasley," an unpleasant voice drawled from somewhere behind them, "so why don't you just get on with it?" this comment was followed by some obnoxious giggling.
Ron spun on his heel to see the offenders, "Should've know, what do you want, Malfoy?" he asked coldly.
"Just to tell you to move out of the way..." Malfoy sneered, shoving past them with Marissa hanging on his arm.
"Oh Rooooooon!" Marissa called out, twirling around, "I just wanted to tell you that Malfoy is a much better kisser than you will ever be!"
Ron's face turned crimson with fury, "Aw who needs her anyway?! If she wants Malfoy, she can have Malfoy." Hermione beamed.
"Um...I think I should go get some studying done," she said, hurrying to the common room.
Ron blinked, "What's with her?"
"Beats me..." Harry said, shrugging. The two walked into the common room a few minutes later.
Ginny looked up, "Oh hi Harry, Ron,"
"Hi," Harry replied, glancing around, "seen Hermione?"
Ginny nodded, "Yes, she just went up to her room to study...I guess you two made up then, Ron?"
For some reason, Ron blushed, "Er...yeah,"
Harry glanced at his friend quizzically, "Yeah, you should've seen how tense they both were, it was annoying,"
Ginny snorted, "I happen to be one of Hermione's friends too you know."
Harry blushed slightly and nodded, "Sorry,"
Ginny caught Harry's eyes on her and flushed scarlet, "Um...I think I'll go study..." She gave Harry and Ron a quick nod and headed up the stairs to the girls dormitory.
Ron raised an eyebrow, "What's with girls these days? Study, study, study, is that all they ever do?!"
Harry chuckled, "You're right, they are acting particularly weird lately,"
At that moment Parvati Patil wandered in, "Oooooooh! That Professor Blake is so cute!" she exclaimed, "oh, hi Harry, Ron."
Ron snorted, "Don't you remember Gilderoy? You lot thought he was great and look what he turned out to be, though Blake has been much better."
"He's wonderful! You're just jealous, Ron Weasley!" Parvati snapped, stomping up stairs to the girl's common room.
"Wow, Harry, this is starting to get creepy..." Ron whispered.
Harry nodded, "Yeah, like there's some big conspiracy amongst the girls,"
Ron gulped, "A conspiracy? Like they'll all gang up against us boys one night and they're looking up nasty spells to prepare for it?"
Harry smirked, "Yeah, that's exactly what they're going to do," Ron blanched, "aw come off it Ron!" Harry snapped smacking him with a pillow.
Ron muttered darkly, "Hmpf, they very well could be planning to off us!"
Harry grumbled and then glanced at the clock, "Hey, look at that you've been arguing that the girls are planning to turn us all into toads for over two hours. You dolt! We're late for dinner!" Harry and Ron made a dash for the dining hall.
"Oh there you two are, I was wondering if you'd ever stop that shouting, it was rather immature," Hermione chided, scooting over so Harry and Ron could sit down.
"I wouldn't be surprised if you turned me into a toad, Hermione," Ron said, glancing at her rather nervously. Harry doubted it was because he was afraid of being turned into a toad.
Ginny smirked, "I would if I could Ron!"
Ron scowled, "Rotten little sister," Ginny just smiled back at him.
"Ron, I wouldn't want to turn you into a toad," Hermione said, blushing. Harry looked to Ron and then to Hermione. Something odd was going on.
"So, what did you study all that time Hermione?" Harry asked, trying to break the tension.
"Well, I did a good deal of studying for Defense Against the Dark Arts," she answered, blushing further still, "and then I studied the first few chapters of our new Herbology book..."
After dinner things in the common room were oddly quite, people kept giving Ron and Hermione side way glances. It was beginning to get on Hermione's nerves. "Don't any of you have something better to do?!" she snapped, before storming upstairs, Ginny gave them a weak smile and ran up after her.
Ron grumbled, "I think I'm going to go upstairs early, night Harry," Harry watched him leave, bewildered.
"You know what's up with them, Harry?" George asked, plopping down beside him.
Harry shook his head, "They've been acting weird ever since Ron broke up with Marissa,"
George grinned, "I wager that Ron has a little crush on Hermione, Fred thinks so too."
It hit Harry like a ton of bricks, of course that was what it was! It all made sense...the way Ron watched her, with such a funny look on his face. The way Hermione always blushed when Ron spoke directly to her, just like, well, like Ginny with Harry. "Er...maybe you're right," Harry managed.
George rolled his eyes, "Course we're right! Just you wait and see, they'll be snogging by Christmas!"
Harry snorted, "I doubt that..." George shrugged and strode over to Angelina Johnson, his girlfriend.
Harry let himself sink down into the plush cushion on the couch, life was getting rather confusing. I've nearly forgotten all about that Amulet stuff, I ought to go look in the library sometime with Ron and Hermione... With thoughts of the unknown amulet stirring within his head, Harry plodded up to the boys dormitory, sleep weighing heavily on him all of a sudden. He opened the door softly and slipped in, letting it click shut behind him. After struggling with his cloak, Harry finally removed his clothes and but on pajamas, glancing over at Ron's bed just before he climbed in. Ron was asleep, with a stupid grin on his face.
Curiosity overcame tiredness and Harry padded over to Ron's bed, poking his shoulder, "Ron?"
Ron mumbled, "Hermione..." and flopped over. Harry clapped a hand over his mouth to keep from laughing, if their actions hadn't been enough proof, that certainly was. Ron liked Hermione, no doubts about it.
Still stifling a snigger, Harry slipped into bed, weariness overwhelming him, he fell into a deep sleep.