Thinking of You

Ron's eyes slowly opened. Everything around him was a bit blurry. He blinked back some morning tears and tried to stretch, but couldn't due to a large amount of weight on his side. He looked over and saw Hermione's head resting lightly on his shoulder. Ron was sure she didn't mean to fall asleep against him like that, but it still felt a little awkward having one of his best friends leaning up against him while sleeping. Not exactly sure what to do, he nudged her hoping she would wake up.

"Er... Hermione? Umm, could you... get off me?" he whispered, feeling stupid. Slowly Hermione began to stir. She pushed on his chest in order to sit up. Then she stretched and looked around. As she looked to her side she realized that thing she was leaning against had been Ron.

"Ahh! Oh, sorry Ron," she began awkwardly. "I... er... didn't mean to."

"That's-that's okay," he responded. Ron's biggest concern was that some one saw them together on the sofa like that. It was then he saw a picture on the table.

"What's this?" he said as he picked it up. It was a wizard photograph of him and Hermione on the couch together. They were moving very little; their chests rising up and down as they breathed deeply.

"This could be the work of only one of two people; my brothers," Ron said savagly.

"Oh well," Hermione yawned. She walked up to her dormitory without another word to Ron.

Ron looked at the picture again. He and Hermione looked so comfortable together. From this point of view, it didn't look strange at all. In fact, it looked almost... natural.

What was Ron thinking? His hand moved to the few embers left in the fire. The last thing he needed was for everyone to see a photograph of him and Hermione like this. The teasing would kill him. But he couldn't bring himself to burn it, somehow. He wasn't sure why, but he kept it.

·~··~··~·

"Harry. Harry, wake up," George shook Harry awake violently.

"Wha-what?" Harry mumbled.

"Morning, chap! Today is your first day as a new man. Follow me!" George said brightly as he heaved Harry out of bed.

"What are you talking about, George?" Harry asked groggily.

George sighed. "Harry, it's time you made some changes in your life. It's for the better, you know."

"Changes? What kind of changes? I like my life," Harry questioned as he was steared into the bathroom.

"It's time you got a girlfriend, Harry."

Harry was now wide awake. "What? Why do you want me to get a girlfriend?"

"Because," George said simply.

"Because why?"

"Why not? Now, Harry. The first thing we have to do is rethink this hair," George took a small pair of scissors out of his pocket and snipped the air with them.

"NO! There is no way you're coming after me with any sort of sharp objects! I don't trust you!" Harry called as he ran out of the bathroom.

"Oh, come on now, Harry! How are you going to impress the ladies with that mop on your head?" George shouted just as loud as Harry, waking up the rest of the boys in Harry's dormitory.

Harry looked in the mirror in back of the door. Maybe he could use a new look. But he certainly wasn't going to trust George to give him a new 'do'.

After much arguing that morning, Harry reasoned with George and they agreed Harry would go to Hogsmeade and get a nice trim in the barber shop.

"I still don't understand why you want to get me a girlfriend," Harry said.

"Well, let's just say I know somebody who likes you and it could be a match made in heaven. I'm just playing cupid."

"Well, let's just hope I don't get shot with any stray arrows." Harry said hoplessly.

"Oh, don't worry. I have this all planned out..." George rubbed his greedy hands together and couldn't help thinking, that 50 Galleons has got my name on it...

·~··~··~·

Hermione slowly climbed to stairs to her domritory. She was not awake enough to notice Fred standing again the rail with his arms folded in front of his chest until she bumped into him.

"Huh? Oh, sorry Fred," she said sleepily and she started to climb the steps again. Then she turned back around and said sharply, "Wait, what are you doing here? This is the girls' staircase!"

Fred grinned and hopped up the stairs to stand next to her. Then he put his hand and her backed and guided her roughly back down.

"I was looking for you," he said.

"Why? What did I do wrong?" Hermione asked, puzzled.

"Oh, nothing. I just wanted to comment on how you and Ronnie were... er... positioned last night," Fred said evily.

"Oh! Oh, that," Hermione said, surprised. "Well, we didn't mean to. It just kind of... happened. It was a complete accident, I assure you."

"Mmm hmm," Fred replied. "Well, lots of things that 'just happened accidentally' can lead to other things, you know. Big things."

It took Hermione a minute to figure out what Fred was trying to say. Then she blushed. "It was an accident, Fred! We didn't plan it! It's not a big deal!"

"Well, maybe it is. You know, Hermy," Fred said as Hermione scowled. She hated to name 'Hermy'. "You and Ron make quite a cute little couple. If you two keep up these kind of things, you could become fond of one another, you know..."

Hermione looked at him with cold eyes. "Nose out, Fred. Those sort of things will never happen between Ron and I. Just forget it." she turned back around and headed up the stairs.

Hmm, Fred thought as he watched her back go up the stairs. I know she likes him, but I shouldn't have pried. She's too smart to let something slip. I have to go to the idiot in this little partnership. I wonder if Ron's at breakfast yet...

·~··~··~·

A grin appeared on Fred's freckled face when he saw his little brother alone at the Gryffindor table. He walked happily over and pulled out a chair beside him. Ron's head turned around just enough to see who it was, then went back to his bacon.

"Morning," mumbled Ron.

"Morning, little brother! Beautiful day, don't you agree? Even more beautiful when you wake with a girl asleep on your shoulder, right?"

"Shhh!!!" Ron responded instantly. He looked around to see if anyone heard anything. Luckily, hardly anyone was at the table yet and the comment was ignored. "Shut up, will you?" he whispered.

"How did that seem to happen?" Fred questioned innocently as he started to pile sausages on his plate.

"Well, I don't know! I fell asleep, which all humans do, and I woke up to find Hermione, who had by accident fallen asleep right on me!" Ron whispered irritably.

"You really think it was a mistake? Don't you think maybe she did it on purpose?"

"Why would she do that?" Ron said even more angrily.

"Well, look at the situation through Hermione's eyes. Here you are, cute as hell, sleeping innocently on the couch. Me, George, and Harry are paying too much attention to a chess match to notice you or Ron at the moment, so she thinks 'Hmm. He looks so adorable when he's napping! Oh, it was be so wonderful to snuggle up next to him and put his arm around me! It would be like heaven!'" Fred pronounced, immitating Hermione's voice with a high, weepy one.

"Come off it," Ron shook his head, but he started turning red around his ears. "You're being ridiculous!"

"Oh, am I?" Fred grinned.

Rin chose not to respond. Hermione didn't do it on purpose! Why would she? She doesn't think he's adorable! Fred's just being a jerk. But then why didn't she think the situation was as strange as you thought it to be? a voice said in his head. Ron didn't listen to the voice. Because, he thought. Just because.

·~··~··~·

Hermione opened the door to her room. All of the girls were still sleeping. She yawned, thinking about Ron. The she brushed her teeth and washed her face, still thinking about Ron. She thought about Ron as she dressed and combed her hair. Then she went back down the stairs, hoping to see Ron.

Hermione stopped in her tracks. Why was she thinking about Ron so much? When no reasonable answer came to her, she just made one up. There's a question I need to ask him, and I don't want to forget to ask, she decided. She probably should have come up with the question too, but she was too busy thinking about Ron.

She stepped happily into the common room, expecting to see Ron. Instead he saw Harry tying his shoe laces.

"Where's Ron?" Hermione asked him.

Harry shrugged. "Don't know. Why?"

"Well, he's not in here!" Hermione said desperately.

"Well, then, he's probably at breakfast. Don't have a cow," Harry said as he turned his attention back to his shoes.

"Of course! Breakfast!" Hermione raced out of the common room.

"Hey, wait for me!" Harry said as he tripped over his laces.

"Oh. Right," Hermione waited impatiently as Harry redid the lacings. She started fidgeting. "Hurry up."

"Why so anxious to see Ron?" Harry asked as he stood up.

"Well, I don't know," Hermione realized. "He's my friend. I'm suposed to see him," she made up.

"Well, I'm your friend too and I barely got a 'Good morning' from you," Harry said with his hands on his hips. He looked sort of sweet when he was irritated.

"Oh. Well, I'm sorry," Hermione apologized.

"Yeah, well," Harry said, still a little hurt. "Let's just go to breakfast."

"Okay," Hermione put on a huge smile.

Together they walked down the halls, chatting casually. Well, to be honest, Harry chatted and Hermione just said things like 'Right', 'Mmm', and 'Yeah'.

Harry kept glancing sideways at her. Why was she ignoring him? Hermione didn't notice his glances. She just kept walking towards the Great Hall.

She opened the door for Harry, but before he could walk in she darted inside, so the doors closed before Harry got in. Harry grumbled and pulled them open again, only to find Hermione dashing across the floor towards Ron.

Harry sat across from his two friends. Hermione gave a cheerful 'hello!' to Ron as she sat down close to him.

"Hi," Ron mumbled back.

"Could you pass the butter, Hermione?" Harry asked. Hermione gave him the butter but was still looking at Ron with a smile on her face.

"And the syrup?" Harry added. Hermione repeated the proccess with the syrup.

"How about some eggs, too?" Harry asked almost angrily. How long could she ignore him? Hermione pushed a bowl of srambled eggs towards Harry absentmindedly.

"Now give my your fork, your muffin, your hat, and all of your money," Harry demanded. Hermione just mumbled, "In a minute Harry," then said brightly "So, Ron. What are your plans for the day?"

Harry couldn't take it. He marched away to the other end of the table. He sighed as he sat down alone. He had barely taken a bite of toast when George sat across from him.

"Why all alone, Harry?" asked the twin.

"Don't worry. No one will notice if I'm there or not," Harry said sadly.

"What's the matter?" George frowned.

Harry looked up at George. Should he really tell him? He knew for certain George would just make up a dumb joke instead of try to help, and Harry wasn't in the mood for being made fun of right now. But George leaned in towards Harry. "It's not Hermione, is it?" he asked. Harry couldn't read his expression.

"Well, sort of, I guess," Harry lied. Of course it was Hermione, but could he tell George that for sure?

"What did she do?" George asked seriously.

"It's not what she did, it's what she didn't do," Harry admitted. He sighed. "She barely talked to me this morning. Then she saw Ron and became chatty once again. What did I do to upset her?"

Geroge looked very concerned. What's up with George caring about my social life all of a sudden? Harry thought.

"She's ignoring you, eh? And she's being extra nice towards Ron? Boy, I'll get him. I'm not going down without a fight," George said mostly to himself. What on earth was he talking about?

·~··~··~·

George marched towards Fred, who had moved next to Lee Jordon.

"We need to talk. NOW," George stated.

"Why, what's the matter, dear George?" Fred said innocently.

"You tell me, Fred," George pointed to Ron, who was very red, and Hermione, who was smiling and chatting sweetly with him.

"Oh, will you look at that!" Fred said sarcasticly. "Looks like little Ronnie and Hermy have grown attached! Maybe it had something with their little slumber party."

George was not pleased. "What did you do, Fred?"

Fred's smirk disapeared. "Hey, we agreed that we could help all we want to get the ball rolling."

George narrowed his eyes. "No regular prodding could have done this. You used magic, I know you did."

Fred looked shocked. "I did not!"

"Then what did you do?" George raised his eyebrows and crossed his arms.

"Nothing!" Fred said with an unhidden smile. "Well, I just took a snapshot of them together and 'accendentally' left it out where they could see it. It's not my fault they saw it and fell instantly in love! And I just... left them with a few thoughts about each other, too."

George justed stared at his brother. "All right. But I'm not backing down yet. Come tomorrow, Hermione will be so attacked to Harry we'll have to pry her off with a broomstick."