A/N-I'm sorry everyone, in this chapter I rather make Ron sound
scared of Malfoy..but I promise I'll make it up to you..it will work out in
the end, just hold in there...Also, this may sound like some trashy romance
novel, but really it's just me trying to imitate JKR's lovely style of
writing.
Chapter 4-The Lie
As I sat eating my treacle pudding, a plan formed in my mind. I would just tell her that I had been trying to impress Malfoy. That was simple enough. Then I would apologize and nothing would happen. Or so I thought.
When we got to the common room that evening after dinner, Hermione pulled me aside straightaway, telling Harry that she needed to discuss something with me. We went into a little-used corner, and she began the so- called discussion with this word-"Well?"
And here's what came out of my mouth. "Look, Hermione. I don't really know, all right? Maybe I went nutters for a moment. I'm not really sure. I was trying to make Draco jealous, probably. Whatever it was, it just slipped out." I said all this very quietly, feeling my cheeks burning.
"But, Hermione, he can't know I was lying. If he finds out, I'm dead. I just know it. Now, I'm not scared or anything, but...he'll make my life a living hell, I know him too well to think not. Remember what he did to YOU, just last year? And what he does to Harry..So...since he can't find out...well, I think we should...can I..er.." I trailed off to an embarrassed silence. I tried to regain my composure, and went on. "Hermione....Will you...gooutwithme?" My face was burning like the common room fire roaring behind me.
"I-Ron, no! That's complete deception. And besides, why should I do anything for you?" Hermione was going into lecture mode, I could just see it. So I launched ahead before she could even begin.
"You should do it for me because..because there's stuff in it for you, too! I mean, if you have a boyfriend, you can talk with Lavender and Parvati, or my sister or something about guys, without feeling all embarrassed or whatever. Oh, and people won't tease you about being Harry's girlfriend anymore. And guys won't hit on you unless you want them to..and..well, it's nice to help your best friends in a pinch..and..er...if you do this for me, I'll promise to not tease you for a m-I mean, a week.." I gave her my best puppy-dog face. Then I said in a child's voice, "Unless, of course, you have some moral obligation against dating me...or you're going out with someone else."
Maybe she was sick, or else someone had put a potion in her pumpkin juice, but she agreed. "All right, all right all ready. I'll do it. But you've can't tease me for the entire time," she commented, her eyes narrowing dangerously.
"Fine. So it's a deal?" I asked, holding out my hand.
She took it. "It is a deal."
"So, now, we've got to act like we're together, right? Should we tell Harry what's going on?" I asked, not entirely sure of what I was throwing myself into here.
"Well, I think, if we're going to make this believable, we should keep it a complete secret, no matter how much I despise this lie," Hermione muttered out of the corner of her mouth, raising her eyebrows towards Harry, who was walking over.
"Hi, Harry," I said loudly, turning to him.
"Hi. What in the world are you two bloody talking about? You've left me to my Transfiguration essay for nearly twenty minutes now. This isn't a very quiet row, is it?" he asked, looking from Hermione to me and back again.
"No, no.." Hermione muttered, standing up. "I really need to get to that essay, Harry, thanks for reminding me. I'll talk to you more about this later, all right, Ron?" This came with a meaningful look that I took to mean 'I've still got something to tell you, but I'll wait.'
"Right, Hermione. Harry, are you up for a game of chess?" I asked, changing the subject and bringing Harry's eyes from Hermione's face to mine.
"Sure, why not? I need a break from this work anyway," Harry said, looking back at Hermione strangely and then walking away to get his chess set.
I accioed mine over instead. Then I asked Hermione, "What did you want to tell me?"
"Never mind. Forget it for now, I'll tell you when we've got more time," she answered, looking away. Then she, too, went off.
"Bloody confusing creatures, those girls are," I muttered to myself, walking over to a small table and setting up my chess pieces.
As soon as Harry came back, we began playing. At first, I let Harry win a bit by sacrificing a bishop and a few pawns, but then, after a while, I made a spectacular win with my knight. Harry was as nonchalant about it as ever, but I smiled anyway.
"Did you like how I tried to be deceptive and let you win, Harry?" I asked, winking.
"Oh, spectacularly thrilling," he said sarcastically.
"Good," I said, nodding curtly and grinning a cheesy smile.
"Well," Harry began. "I guess I had better go finish that essay now. Catch you later, I suppose."
Then he walked off to sit next to Hermione. I actually didn't have my essay done either, but it wasn't due for another day and a half, so I wouldn't worry about it just now. Maybe I could convince Fred and George to play Exploding Snap.
I looked over in their direction, but they had their heads bent over a piece of paper. 'Prolly some new invention,' I thought. 'They probably don't want to be bothered. Who else is around?' As I looked about, the only other red head I saw was Ginny's, and it too was bent over a piece of parchment. She was probably doing homework or writing in her new diary. Typical. When you need a little sister, they're always busy, and yet when you significantly don't, they're bored and want to bug you. Hmph.
I gazed around once more, looking for anyone to play with, but no one seemed available. My eyes stuck for a moment on my friends, working and laughing as they went along. As I watched for a few moments more, I saw that Harry must have said something funny, because both of them threw back their heads and laughed. It looked almost like fun, and as I had nothing better to do, I went and joined them with my half-completed essay.
"Oh, hello, Ron," said Hermione a bit breathlessly, looking rather red in the face and still trying to suppress giggles. Whatever Harry had said must have been damn funny, because it was rare for Hermione to get the giggles. It was also rather rare for Harry to be in such a good mood. Usually these days he was rather broody and silent.
"Hi," I mumbled. "Decided to join you since everyone is busy."
I pulled up a chair and opened my book. A few hours slipped by as Harry, Hermione and I worked and talked. Every few minutes we would lapse into silence, only for it to be broken by a movement or a comment.
We had just lapsed into one of those silences when it was broken by Harry's standing up and stretching. "I think I'll be off to bed," he said through a yawn.
"I'll catch you up in a minute," I called as he left.
"Good night, Harry!" Hermione called.
"G'night," he called back, heading up the boy's staircase and out of sight.
As soon as Harry was safely out of earshot, I stood up and asked the question that had been burning in me all evening long.
"What were you going to tell me earlier?"
"Oh, yes," Hermione said softly, putting down her essay and standing too. "I think we need a plan as for how to do this."
"Oh, of course," I said, cringing as I heard a bit of disappointment in my voice.
"What's wrong?" Hermione asked, taking one of my hands and rubbing it. I felt shivers run up and down my spine, but I managed to listen as she began lecturing. "This was your idea, you know. You're not going to back out on me now, are you?"
"No, no. I just..er...had a sudden idea. If we're going to do this, we've got to do it in the open, where everyone can see. Just like-" I stopped and leaned over and down.
Closer and closer our faces got, until finally, our lips met. As we stood there, kissing, my brain was just able to register the catcalls and whistles that were erupting behind me.
I could feel Hermione's mouth forming an 'O' against my lips. I leaned back, and finished my sentence. "This."
Her mouth was still set in the 'O' shape. I grinned and whispered, "My kissing wasn't THAT bad, was it?"
This seemed to startle her out of her trance. "Oh..oh, no," she said, and promptly flushed crimson. This was just about the only time I could see Hermione blushing when I wasn't. I wanted to snap a picture but had no camera ready. Damn.
"Well, that's good then. What is it?" I asked, as she gazed up at me with the look of someone trying very hard to decipher a difficult question.
"It's only..well.." she leaned forward and went onto her tip-toes to whisper in my ear. "That wasn't a friendly kiss, you know."
"Oh, I know," I muttered, and began flushing. Ah, well, it had been good while it had lasted. "It wasn't meant to be," I mumbled, not looking up.
"In that case," she said slowly and clearly, looking me in the eye, "I may just have to do something." With this she raised her hand. I flinched, thinking she was about to slap me, but she only put her hand on the back of my neck and pulled me toward her.
Then she kissed me soundly on the lips. Again, I registered clapping and whistling behind us. I pulled back for a moment, and saw a flash of concern go over her face as I turned around, but I winked at her and then called across to everyone. "Oh, just shove off, will you? We're rather busy over here."
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw her smile. I then turned back to her, grinning. She winked at me, and I kissed her once more. I felt no need to explain to her in words how long I had waited for this, and I hoped she got the message through my actions.
I heard shuffling noises as everyone left the room. Once we were alone again, I said, "Well, I suppose we may have to abandon the plan now."
"It seems that way, " she replied rather demurely. "Unless, of course, we made your little lie true." That last bit she added with a small smile and a bit of redness around her face.
"In that case, " I replied, "will you..erm..go out with me?" I said this thinking how very unfair it was that I had to ask that with the same amount of embarrassment twice in one night.
"I said yes once, I can hardly say no now, can I?" Hermione said, grinning but trying her damnedest to hide it.
I glanced at my watch, trying to make it imperceptible to Hermione's gaze lest I set off her wrath. In doing so I noticed how very late it was. Harry was probably worrying. I voiced my concern to Hermione, and she agreed that we should be off to bed.
As I climbed the stairs to my dormitory, I wondered what Harry would think. Would he think it was great, or would he feel like a third wheel? Each was just as possible as the other.
I peered around the door as I opened it, and saw Harry sitting on his bed, staring off into space.
"Thought you were sleepy," I said, startling him out of his reverie.
"Oh, I..was," Harry mumbled distractedly.
"And so?" I asked, persisting.
"I'm not anymore. Could you maybe just leave me alone?" he said rather angrily. I wasn't sure if he was angry at himself or me, and I didn't want to press the issue much further.
"Can I just ask one thing?" I asked.
"You just did, but yes, you can ask another question," Harry replied without any trace of amusement.
"Well..er..Harry, it wasn't your scar, was it? Because if it was, you should tell Dumbledore.." I said, rather worried that V-I mean, You-Know- Who was near and Harry hadn't told anyone.
"My god, you sounded exactly like Hermione just now. She's rubbing off on you, Ron. Next thing I know, you'll be telling me to study hard for the N.E.W.T.s, because they're only 2 years away," he said, grinning a grin that didn't quite reach his eyes.
I groaned. "But really, Harry. Was it your scar?"
"No, it wasn't. Don't worry so much about me. I was just thinking, and you startled me. That's all," Harry said rather grumpily.
"Are you sure?" I asked skeptically. Harry never did want to admit any weakness.
"I'm sure I'm sure. Go to bed, Ron. You need the sleep," he said, laying down and rolling so that he faced away from me. "G'night."
"Night.." I muttered, still not believing him, and turning over all the possibilities in my head. Could it really be V-I mean, You-Know-Who? Or was Harry telling the truth for once and it really was just nothing? It was always so hard to tell with him. He had a great poker face. Ha, I don't even know what that old Muggle saying means. I think it means that he's a great liar, but I'm not really sure. Hmm..
As I lay down, my thoughts turned back to Hermione. I could tell Harry about her and I in the morning. Until then, I needed to sleep. I really was tired.
The moment I woke up the next morning, I glanced at the magical clock that was next to my bed. It read: You're late!
"Oh, shit," I mumbled, jumping out of bed, only pausing for a moment to look at the picture of Harry, Hermione, Ginny, and I that had been taken the previous summer. We all looked so happy. But then, that was before V-I mean, You-Know-Who had gotten all his old supporters back. Now, it was hard to find anything to be happy about.
I glanced at my watch. It read: 7:10 AM. Damn those twins, they'll pay for this. I'm a growing boy, and I need my rest. Especially on a-My eyes widened in shock-Saturday...Oh, oops. Guess it's not their fault after all. I need to remember to ignore my clock on the weekends.
I walked down to the common room, ignoring the surprised looks everyone gave me. It wasn't often that I was up this early. Or perhaps they were just in awe of my finally kissing Hermione the night before. Either way, they could just sod off.
I went over and sat next to Hermione. "What are you doing?" I asked, watching her pore over books. "Something did happen to Harry, didn't it? He told you and he didn't tell me? What a sodding-" There I said something that made Hermione yell 'Ron!'
"Well, it's true, isn't it? Isn't it? Well, go on, tell me!" I jumped up and began pacing. "He told you but not me. It must be something important, or you wouldn't be so damn worried. It's about V-You-Know-Who, isn't it? Isn't it? You're hiding things from me! Well, out with it, come on!"
"Ron. Stop it. He's your best friend. Why are you mad at him, anyway?" Hermione asked as she ran her finger down a page, then stopped at a certain point and copied something down.
"He was being all mysterious again last night. And he's been telling you things he hasn't been telling me. I know it," I said, pointing my finger at her.
"He hasn't told me anything about his scar, and anything else he has been telling me has nothing to do with you, so I think you should just mind your own business!" Hermione said rather shrilly, finally looking up at me with her finger still on the page.
"How can you be so cruel? I just kissed you last night, and now you're telling me that you've been hiding things from me? What kind of relationship is that? Or even what kind of friendship is that? That's just- just..Wormtailish, that's what it is!"
"Oh my-Ronald Weasley, if you think you can get away with calling me a traitor, then you've got another thing coming to you!" she yelled, moving towards me. When she got close enough that she could reach, she pulled back her hand and slapped me. I felt the cold sting of reality pierce my brain as she yelled, "And for your information, we've only been keeping the secret about Ginny so that you wouldn't kill your best-I mean, her boyfriend. And what I was doing just now was studying for my O.W.L.s, which begin in two days, if you haven't noticed. So why don't you go up to your dormitory and think about what you have just done. You're a very lucky bastard, since the man you were accusing of keeping things from you isn't here right now, but I most certainly am, and I'm through."
And with that, she gathered her books and stormed up to her own dormitory.
I stomped up to my own dormitory, passing Dean and Seamus on the way. Dean was paying Seamus some money, and Seamus was saying, "I told you it wouldn't last for more than one day. They're just too explosive, they are." And Dean was nodding his head in agreement as he handed Seamus the coins.
"Oh, just fuck off, why don't you?" I yelled as I stomped past them. I knew they were talking about me and Hermione.
When I reached the fifth year's dormitory, I flopped down on my bed, hardly noticing Harry sitting on his bed.
"I heard you kissed Hermione last night. Good for you, mate," he said, chuckling. "Why didn't you tell me last night?"
"You were being too dark and mysterious," I mumbled into my pillow, not caring if he caught what I had said or not.
"Ah," he replied. Apparently, he had heard me.
"But now she hates me, so all is back to normal," I went on, sighing angrily.
"I'm sure she doesn't hate you. Why would she?" Harry asked comfortingly.
"Because I said she was like Wormtail-traitorous and keeping things from me behind my back," I replied in a dull sort of voice.
"Oh. Well, maybe she does. But she'll get over it, you know she always does. Besides, she loves you too much to want to lose you," Harry replied in that same sort of comforting voice.
"Dean and Seamus were betting on how long our relationship would last. Seamus said less than a day. Well, he was right. I'm a failure. I mess up every good thing in my life. I've messed up with my family, my crush, and I actually did mess up with you, though you don't know about it yet. I said that Hermione was keeping things from me with you behind my back," I said, rolling over and staring at the ceiling. There were many, many bumps and scratches in it.
"I don't give a shit. Listen, Ron. Go talk to her. She's probably up in her dorm right now, crying her heart out. And why? Because she regrets all the things she just said to you," Harry said, pushing me up into a sitting position.
"That's not possible," I replied. "She slapped me. She's slapped Malfoy before, you know. I think she only does that to people she truly loathes."
"Either way, go talk to her. You don't want to waste your whole weekend before O.W.L.s worrying about Hermione. You need to study. We both do. Plus, you don't want to be worrying over her in the middle of O.W.L.s, do you? And one more-you can't end the year like this. It will ruin your whole summer. Come on, go talk to her. If you won't do it for me, do it for you. And if you won't do it for yourself, do it for Hermione. She'll kill you if you're distracting her during her O.W.L.s. Go now, before she starts studying again!" Harry cried, pushing me towards the door.
"Fine, fine. But Harry? Just one thing. Are you really dating my sister?" I asked my question with my body only halfway out of the door, in case I for some reason needed to punch Harry.
"I'll tell you later. But go, now!" he cried, pushing me the rest of the way out of the door and slamming it behind me.
I padded down the staircase, trying to think of what to say. As I neared the bottom, I thought, Oh, to hell with it all. I'll make it up as I go along.
I made it all the way across the common room without encountering anybody, but as soon as I stepped onto the girl's staircase, I knew trouble would soon be coming my way. I recognized the two voices wafting down the staircase as two very familiar fifth year girls.
A/N-There, another chapter done. It took me long enough to write it, but the next one shouldn't take too long. I do believe the next one is the last, although I may or may not make a sequel fic in Hermione, Harry, or Ginny's point of view.
If you want to make your review especially special, tell me your opinion on a sequel fic along with your opinion on this chapter. It will be greatly appreciated.
In the next chapter, I get to play with Lavender and Parvati! Oh, yay, here I go..
Cheerio, dahlings!
-Lissy
Chapter 4-The Lie
As I sat eating my treacle pudding, a plan formed in my mind. I would just tell her that I had been trying to impress Malfoy. That was simple enough. Then I would apologize and nothing would happen. Or so I thought.
When we got to the common room that evening after dinner, Hermione pulled me aside straightaway, telling Harry that she needed to discuss something with me. We went into a little-used corner, and she began the so- called discussion with this word-"Well?"
And here's what came out of my mouth. "Look, Hermione. I don't really know, all right? Maybe I went nutters for a moment. I'm not really sure. I was trying to make Draco jealous, probably. Whatever it was, it just slipped out." I said all this very quietly, feeling my cheeks burning.
"But, Hermione, he can't know I was lying. If he finds out, I'm dead. I just know it. Now, I'm not scared or anything, but...he'll make my life a living hell, I know him too well to think not. Remember what he did to YOU, just last year? And what he does to Harry..So...since he can't find out...well, I think we should...can I..er.." I trailed off to an embarrassed silence. I tried to regain my composure, and went on. "Hermione....Will you...gooutwithme?" My face was burning like the common room fire roaring behind me.
"I-Ron, no! That's complete deception. And besides, why should I do anything for you?" Hermione was going into lecture mode, I could just see it. So I launched ahead before she could even begin.
"You should do it for me because..because there's stuff in it for you, too! I mean, if you have a boyfriend, you can talk with Lavender and Parvati, or my sister or something about guys, without feeling all embarrassed or whatever. Oh, and people won't tease you about being Harry's girlfriend anymore. And guys won't hit on you unless you want them to..and..well, it's nice to help your best friends in a pinch..and..er...if you do this for me, I'll promise to not tease you for a m-I mean, a week.." I gave her my best puppy-dog face. Then I said in a child's voice, "Unless, of course, you have some moral obligation against dating me...or you're going out with someone else."
Maybe she was sick, or else someone had put a potion in her pumpkin juice, but she agreed. "All right, all right all ready. I'll do it. But you've can't tease me for the entire time," she commented, her eyes narrowing dangerously.
"Fine. So it's a deal?" I asked, holding out my hand.
She took it. "It is a deal."
"So, now, we've got to act like we're together, right? Should we tell Harry what's going on?" I asked, not entirely sure of what I was throwing myself into here.
"Well, I think, if we're going to make this believable, we should keep it a complete secret, no matter how much I despise this lie," Hermione muttered out of the corner of her mouth, raising her eyebrows towards Harry, who was walking over.
"Hi, Harry," I said loudly, turning to him.
"Hi. What in the world are you two bloody talking about? You've left me to my Transfiguration essay for nearly twenty minutes now. This isn't a very quiet row, is it?" he asked, looking from Hermione to me and back again.
"No, no.." Hermione muttered, standing up. "I really need to get to that essay, Harry, thanks for reminding me. I'll talk to you more about this later, all right, Ron?" This came with a meaningful look that I took to mean 'I've still got something to tell you, but I'll wait.'
"Right, Hermione. Harry, are you up for a game of chess?" I asked, changing the subject and bringing Harry's eyes from Hermione's face to mine.
"Sure, why not? I need a break from this work anyway," Harry said, looking back at Hermione strangely and then walking away to get his chess set.
I accioed mine over instead. Then I asked Hermione, "What did you want to tell me?"
"Never mind. Forget it for now, I'll tell you when we've got more time," she answered, looking away. Then she, too, went off.
"Bloody confusing creatures, those girls are," I muttered to myself, walking over to a small table and setting up my chess pieces.
As soon as Harry came back, we began playing. At first, I let Harry win a bit by sacrificing a bishop and a few pawns, but then, after a while, I made a spectacular win with my knight. Harry was as nonchalant about it as ever, but I smiled anyway.
"Did you like how I tried to be deceptive and let you win, Harry?" I asked, winking.
"Oh, spectacularly thrilling," he said sarcastically.
"Good," I said, nodding curtly and grinning a cheesy smile.
"Well," Harry began. "I guess I had better go finish that essay now. Catch you later, I suppose."
Then he walked off to sit next to Hermione. I actually didn't have my essay done either, but it wasn't due for another day and a half, so I wouldn't worry about it just now. Maybe I could convince Fred and George to play Exploding Snap.
I looked over in their direction, but they had their heads bent over a piece of paper. 'Prolly some new invention,' I thought. 'They probably don't want to be bothered. Who else is around?' As I looked about, the only other red head I saw was Ginny's, and it too was bent over a piece of parchment. She was probably doing homework or writing in her new diary. Typical. When you need a little sister, they're always busy, and yet when you significantly don't, they're bored and want to bug you. Hmph.
I gazed around once more, looking for anyone to play with, but no one seemed available. My eyes stuck for a moment on my friends, working and laughing as they went along. As I watched for a few moments more, I saw that Harry must have said something funny, because both of them threw back their heads and laughed. It looked almost like fun, and as I had nothing better to do, I went and joined them with my half-completed essay.
"Oh, hello, Ron," said Hermione a bit breathlessly, looking rather red in the face and still trying to suppress giggles. Whatever Harry had said must have been damn funny, because it was rare for Hermione to get the giggles. It was also rather rare for Harry to be in such a good mood. Usually these days he was rather broody and silent.
"Hi," I mumbled. "Decided to join you since everyone is busy."
I pulled up a chair and opened my book. A few hours slipped by as Harry, Hermione and I worked and talked. Every few minutes we would lapse into silence, only for it to be broken by a movement or a comment.
We had just lapsed into one of those silences when it was broken by Harry's standing up and stretching. "I think I'll be off to bed," he said through a yawn.
"I'll catch you up in a minute," I called as he left.
"Good night, Harry!" Hermione called.
"G'night," he called back, heading up the boy's staircase and out of sight.
As soon as Harry was safely out of earshot, I stood up and asked the question that had been burning in me all evening long.
"What were you going to tell me earlier?"
"Oh, yes," Hermione said softly, putting down her essay and standing too. "I think we need a plan as for how to do this."
"Oh, of course," I said, cringing as I heard a bit of disappointment in my voice.
"What's wrong?" Hermione asked, taking one of my hands and rubbing it. I felt shivers run up and down my spine, but I managed to listen as she began lecturing. "This was your idea, you know. You're not going to back out on me now, are you?"
"No, no. I just..er...had a sudden idea. If we're going to do this, we've got to do it in the open, where everyone can see. Just like-" I stopped and leaned over and down.
Closer and closer our faces got, until finally, our lips met. As we stood there, kissing, my brain was just able to register the catcalls and whistles that were erupting behind me.
I could feel Hermione's mouth forming an 'O' against my lips. I leaned back, and finished my sentence. "This."
Her mouth was still set in the 'O' shape. I grinned and whispered, "My kissing wasn't THAT bad, was it?"
This seemed to startle her out of her trance. "Oh..oh, no," she said, and promptly flushed crimson. This was just about the only time I could see Hermione blushing when I wasn't. I wanted to snap a picture but had no camera ready. Damn.
"Well, that's good then. What is it?" I asked, as she gazed up at me with the look of someone trying very hard to decipher a difficult question.
"It's only..well.." she leaned forward and went onto her tip-toes to whisper in my ear. "That wasn't a friendly kiss, you know."
"Oh, I know," I muttered, and began flushing. Ah, well, it had been good while it had lasted. "It wasn't meant to be," I mumbled, not looking up.
"In that case," she said slowly and clearly, looking me in the eye, "I may just have to do something." With this she raised her hand. I flinched, thinking she was about to slap me, but she only put her hand on the back of my neck and pulled me toward her.
Then she kissed me soundly on the lips. Again, I registered clapping and whistling behind us. I pulled back for a moment, and saw a flash of concern go over her face as I turned around, but I winked at her and then called across to everyone. "Oh, just shove off, will you? We're rather busy over here."
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw her smile. I then turned back to her, grinning. She winked at me, and I kissed her once more. I felt no need to explain to her in words how long I had waited for this, and I hoped she got the message through my actions.
I heard shuffling noises as everyone left the room. Once we were alone again, I said, "Well, I suppose we may have to abandon the plan now."
"It seems that way, " she replied rather demurely. "Unless, of course, we made your little lie true." That last bit she added with a small smile and a bit of redness around her face.
"In that case, " I replied, "will you..erm..go out with me?" I said this thinking how very unfair it was that I had to ask that with the same amount of embarrassment twice in one night.
"I said yes once, I can hardly say no now, can I?" Hermione said, grinning but trying her damnedest to hide it.
I glanced at my watch, trying to make it imperceptible to Hermione's gaze lest I set off her wrath. In doing so I noticed how very late it was. Harry was probably worrying. I voiced my concern to Hermione, and she agreed that we should be off to bed.
As I climbed the stairs to my dormitory, I wondered what Harry would think. Would he think it was great, or would he feel like a third wheel? Each was just as possible as the other.
I peered around the door as I opened it, and saw Harry sitting on his bed, staring off into space.
"Thought you were sleepy," I said, startling him out of his reverie.
"Oh, I..was," Harry mumbled distractedly.
"And so?" I asked, persisting.
"I'm not anymore. Could you maybe just leave me alone?" he said rather angrily. I wasn't sure if he was angry at himself or me, and I didn't want to press the issue much further.
"Can I just ask one thing?" I asked.
"You just did, but yes, you can ask another question," Harry replied without any trace of amusement.
"Well..er..Harry, it wasn't your scar, was it? Because if it was, you should tell Dumbledore.." I said, rather worried that V-I mean, You-Know- Who was near and Harry hadn't told anyone.
"My god, you sounded exactly like Hermione just now. She's rubbing off on you, Ron. Next thing I know, you'll be telling me to study hard for the N.E.W.T.s, because they're only 2 years away," he said, grinning a grin that didn't quite reach his eyes.
I groaned. "But really, Harry. Was it your scar?"
"No, it wasn't. Don't worry so much about me. I was just thinking, and you startled me. That's all," Harry said rather grumpily.
"Are you sure?" I asked skeptically. Harry never did want to admit any weakness.
"I'm sure I'm sure. Go to bed, Ron. You need the sleep," he said, laying down and rolling so that he faced away from me. "G'night."
"Night.." I muttered, still not believing him, and turning over all the possibilities in my head. Could it really be V-I mean, You-Know-Who? Or was Harry telling the truth for once and it really was just nothing? It was always so hard to tell with him. He had a great poker face. Ha, I don't even know what that old Muggle saying means. I think it means that he's a great liar, but I'm not really sure. Hmm..
As I lay down, my thoughts turned back to Hermione. I could tell Harry about her and I in the morning. Until then, I needed to sleep. I really was tired.
The moment I woke up the next morning, I glanced at the magical clock that was next to my bed. It read: You're late!
"Oh, shit," I mumbled, jumping out of bed, only pausing for a moment to look at the picture of Harry, Hermione, Ginny, and I that had been taken the previous summer. We all looked so happy. But then, that was before V-I mean, You-Know-Who had gotten all his old supporters back. Now, it was hard to find anything to be happy about.
I glanced at my watch. It read: 7:10 AM. Damn those twins, they'll pay for this. I'm a growing boy, and I need my rest. Especially on a-My eyes widened in shock-Saturday...Oh, oops. Guess it's not their fault after all. I need to remember to ignore my clock on the weekends.
I walked down to the common room, ignoring the surprised looks everyone gave me. It wasn't often that I was up this early. Or perhaps they were just in awe of my finally kissing Hermione the night before. Either way, they could just sod off.
I went over and sat next to Hermione. "What are you doing?" I asked, watching her pore over books. "Something did happen to Harry, didn't it? He told you and he didn't tell me? What a sodding-" There I said something that made Hermione yell 'Ron!'
"Well, it's true, isn't it? Isn't it? Well, go on, tell me!" I jumped up and began pacing. "He told you but not me. It must be something important, or you wouldn't be so damn worried. It's about V-You-Know-Who, isn't it? Isn't it? You're hiding things from me! Well, out with it, come on!"
"Ron. Stop it. He's your best friend. Why are you mad at him, anyway?" Hermione asked as she ran her finger down a page, then stopped at a certain point and copied something down.
"He was being all mysterious again last night. And he's been telling you things he hasn't been telling me. I know it," I said, pointing my finger at her.
"He hasn't told me anything about his scar, and anything else he has been telling me has nothing to do with you, so I think you should just mind your own business!" Hermione said rather shrilly, finally looking up at me with her finger still on the page.
"How can you be so cruel? I just kissed you last night, and now you're telling me that you've been hiding things from me? What kind of relationship is that? Or even what kind of friendship is that? That's just- just..Wormtailish, that's what it is!"
"Oh my-Ronald Weasley, if you think you can get away with calling me a traitor, then you've got another thing coming to you!" she yelled, moving towards me. When she got close enough that she could reach, she pulled back her hand and slapped me. I felt the cold sting of reality pierce my brain as she yelled, "And for your information, we've only been keeping the secret about Ginny so that you wouldn't kill your best-I mean, her boyfriend. And what I was doing just now was studying for my O.W.L.s, which begin in two days, if you haven't noticed. So why don't you go up to your dormitory and think about what you have just done. You're a very lucky bastard, since the man you were accusing of keeping things from you isn't here right now, but I most certainly am, and I'm through."
And with that, she gathered her books and stormed up to her own dormitory.
I stomped up to my own dormitory, passing Dean and Seamus on the way. Dean was paying Seamus some money, and Seamus was saying, "I told you it wouldn't last for more than one day. They're just too explosive, they are." And Dean was nodding his head in agreement as he handed Seamus the coins.
"Oh, just fuck off, why don't you?" I yelled as I stomped past them. I knew they were talking about me and Hermione.
When I reached the fifth year's dormitory, I flopped down on my bed, hardly noticing Harry sitting on his bed.
"I heard you kissed Hermione last night. Good for you, mate," he said, chuckling. "Why didn't you tell me last night?"
"You were being too dark and mysterious," I mumbled into my pillow, not caring if he caught what I had said or not.
"Ah," he replied. Apparently, he had heard me.
"But now she hates me, so all is back to normal," I went on, sighing angrily.
"I'm sure she doesn't hate you. Why would she?" Harry asked comfortingly.
"Because I said she was like Wormtail-traitorous and keeping things from me behind my back," I replied in a dull sort of voice.
"Oh. Well, maybe she does. But she'll get over it, you know she always does. Besides, she loves you too much to want to lose you," Harry replied in that same sort of comforting voice.
"Dean and Seamus were betting on how long our relationship would last. Seamus said less than a day. Well, he was right. I'm a failure. I mess up every good thing in my life. I've messed up with my family, my crush, and I actually did mess up with you, though you don't know about it yet. I said that Hermione was keeping things from me with you behind my back," I said, rolling over and staring at the ceiling. There were many, many bumps and scratches in it.
"I don't give a shit. Listen, Ron. Go talk to her. She's probably up in her dorm right now, crying her heart out. And why? Because she regrets all the things she just said to you," Harry said, pushing me up into a sitting position.
"That's not possible," I replied. "She slapped me. She's slapped Malfoy before, you know. I think she only does that to people she truly loathes."
"Either way, go talk to her. You don't want to waste your whole weekend before O.W.L.s worrying about Hermione. You need to study. We both do. Plus, you don't want to be worrying over her in the middle of O.W.L.s, do you? And one more-you can't end the year like this. It will ruin your whole summer. Come on, go talk to her. If you won't do it for me, do it for you. And if you won't do it for yourself, do it for Hermione. She'll kill you if you're distracting her during her O.W.L.s. Go now, before she starts studying again!" Harry cried, pushing me towards the door.
"Fine, fine. But Harry? Just one thing. Are you really dating my sister?" I asked my question with my body only halfway out of the door, in case I for some reason needed to punch Harry.
"I'll tell you later. But go, now!" he cried, pushing me the rest of the way out of the door and slamming it behind me.
I padded down the staircase, trying to think of what to say. As I neared the bottom, I thought, Oh, to hell with it all. I'll make it up as I go along.
I made it all the way across the common room without encountering anybody, but as soon as I stepped onto the girl's staircase, I knew trouble would soon be coming my way. I recognized the two voices wafting down the staircase as two very familiar fifth year girls.
A/N-There, another chapter done. It took me long enough to write it, but the next one shouldn't take too long. I do believe the next one is the last, although I may or may not make a sequel fic in Hermione, Harry, or Ginny's point of view.
If you want to make your review especially special, tell me your opinion on a sequel fic along with your opinion on this chapter. It will be greatly appreciated.
In the next chapter, I get to play with Lavender and Parvati! Oh, yay, here I go..
Cheerio, dahlings!
-Lissy