Disclaimer: Once again, I don't own a darn thing 'cept Michelle, she's not really a thing, but whatever. You get the idea…Aaanyway.
Chapter Three:
Michelle went downstairs the next morning, "Ron?" She said when she spotted him on the couch, "What're you doin' down here?"
"I was sleeping." He replied smashing his pillow over his head.
"Oookay, sorry." Michelle grabbed Guide to Transfiguration Grade 6 off the table and went back upstairs.
When she got back into her room, Hermione was awake. "Well, hello sleepy-head!" Michelle said cheerfully, hoping Hermione was in a better mood.
"Hi." Hermione said still sounding a little upset. She looked over at the clock and groaned, "It's only 6:30, what're you doing up?"
"I'm always up this early." Michelle responded shoving her transfiguration book into her bag. "I need time to do my makeup and stuff, I only have an hour to get ready after all."
"Oh." Said Hermione flopping back against her pillows. She didn't wear makeup. Maybe I should. She thought, maybe Harry'd pay attention then.
"You can go back to sleep if you want." Michelle said. "Ron's still sleeping."
"How do you know?"
"He's downstairs on the common room couch." Michelle explained looking through her jewelry box. "Maybe Neville's snoring was really bad or somethin'."
"Probably." Hermione agreed sitting up again, "Well, I'm awake. I might as well get up." She tossed back her covers and sat on the edge of her bed. Trying to sound offhand she asked, "Do you think I could use your makeup?"
Michelle turned to face Hermione, "Um, yeah, sure." Michelle handed Hermione the box with all her makeup in it.
"Thanks." Hermione went into the bathroom and set the box on the counter by the sink. She washed her face and walked back into the bedroom.
"Any particular reason you wanna use my makeup, Herms?" Michelle asked fastening her earring.
"I've just never really worn any before." Hermione put on some robes and went into the bathroom. She brushed her hair attempting, but not succeeding to make her hair less frizzy.
"Want some help, there?" Asked Michelle from the doorway. "Um, that'd be good." Hermione answered putting her brush on the counter.
Michelle walked over, "What d'you wanna do with it?"
"What do you think would look good?"
"Um, maybe straightened."
"Okay."
Michelle performed a charm and Hermione's hair was suddenly straight and shiny. "Now for makeup." Michelle said, mostly to herself. She grabbed makeup out of her bag and began painting Hermione's face.
"There!" Michelle exclaimed as she screwed the cap back onto her mascara, "All done!"
Hermione looked into the mirror in front of her, "Wow." Was all she could manage to say. She looked really good. "Thanks, Michelle." She said, "It looks great."
"Any time, Herms." She walked out of the bathroom.
Hermione glanced down at her watch. They had taken almost an hour doing makeup. "Michelle!" Hermione called leaping from her chair and running into the next room, "We're going to be late!"
She picked up her bag and dashed out the door. She ran down the stairs. The common room was almost empty, only a few people lingered.
Michelle came down the stairs almost immediately after Hermione. "Oh crap!" Michelle exclaimed, "Forgot my History of Magic book. Go on without me, I'll catch up." She ran back up the stairs.
Hermione nodded as she pushed open the portrait hole only to see Harry standing on the other side.
"Wow." He said, "You look." He trailed off staring at her.
Hermione fought a smile, "Thanks." She replied flatly. She started walking down the corridor, Harry followed her.
"I just wanted to apologize for last night -"
"Stop apologizing, Harry." Hermione interrupted, "It's not helping."
"Okay, I'm sorry -"
"Stop it."
Harry fell silent.
"Do you even know why I'm angry with you?" Hermione asked, breaking the silence.
Harry hesitated. He thought about telling her that Ron had told him her secret, but decided against it. Instead he said, "Because I've been ignoring you."
Hermione thought about telling him the real reason, but decided she wouldn't be able to take it if he said he didn't love her too. She didn't say anything.
When they reached their History of Magic class, Hermione looked at Harry and walked inside, leaving Harry in the doorway.
When Hermione opened the door everyone in the room looked up, including Professor Binns.
"Um, sorry Professor, I, um, overslept." though this was an obvious lie.
"All right, Miss Granger. Please sit down." The professor replied, not noticing Hermione's hair and face.
Ron waved at her from across the room. She walked over and sat down next to him.
Harry, who was still standing in the doorway, walked unnoticed by the professor to Dean and Seamus' table and sat down.
"Wow, Hermione. You look great." Ron said gaping at her.
Hermione smiled, "Thanks, Ron." Ron couldn't stop staring at her. He finally tore his eyes away from her when she looked over at him.
"Why were you sleeping on the couch?" Asked Hermione quietly.
" Michelle told you? Harry and I had a fight."
"Oh? What about?"
"You."
Before Hermione could respond, Professor Binns said, "Please takes notes on this, Students."
Hermione opened her bag and took out a few rolls of parchment and a quill.
"The expulsion of hags from Britain was…" The professor began.
By the time his lecture was over, Hermione had forgotten about what Ron had said earlier.
"Does he ever say anything in the least bit interesting?" Ron said when the class ended.
Hermione giggled, "At least you stayed awake this time."
"Well, everyone kept looking at you, I wouldn't want everyone to see me sleeping."
Hermione could feel a blush rising in her cheeks, "Were people really looking?"
Ron nodded grinning. "You look fantastic."
Hermione smiled. "We have to get to transfiguration."
Ron grabbed her arm as Hermione turned to walk away, "Why don't we skip it, just this once?"
Hermione looked shocked, "Ron, we can't skip transfiguration!"
Ron let go of her arm, "Sorry, I just thought we could do something more fun than sitting in a classroom."
"What would we do anyway?"
"I don't know, but it would get us away from Harry." Ron said shifting uncomfortably. "I'd rather not be around him for the entire day." Ron continued.
"Why are you mad at him?" Ron could feel a blush rising in his cheeks, "I'm mad because…he's hurting you."
Hermione remembered what Michelle had said a few days before. He's so sweet. She thought smiling, "Ron," She said looking up at him, "Why don't we skip transfiguration."
Ron smiled.
"Just this once, mind you." Hermione smiled back.
Ron took her hand and turned in the opposite direction of the transfiguration corridor, "Come on." He said. They walked quickly down the hallway.
"Where are we going?" Asked Hermione.
Ron just smiled at her.
They walked up a flight of stairs, then another, and another. Hermione didn't recognize this part of the school.
"Where are we going?" Hermione asked again, smiling.
"You'll see." Ron finally stopped after climbing two more flights of stairs and walking down three corridors. "We're here."
"And where is 'here' exactly?"
Ron opened the large wooden doors in front of them and motioned for Hermione to go in. Hermione stepped through the door onto a balcony on one of the many towers.
"It's beautiful!" Hermione gasped as she walked over to the stone railing.
The view was spectacular. The frozen lake was sparkling in the afternoon sun; the few fluffy clouds in the sky were beautiful over the snow-covered trees in the forest. The trees were waving gently in the breeze. The grounds, covered in snow were almost glowing.
Hermione turned to face Ron, "How did you find this place?"
Ron shrugged, "I found it in third year, I got lost looking for Trelawny's classroom.
"It's gorgeous." Hermione said turning back to the view.
Ron walked over and stood next to Hermione. They stood on the balcony talking and admiring the view until the bell indicating the end of the lesson and the beginning of lunch sounded.
"We should probably go down to the great hall now." Hermione said looking over at Ron.
"Yeah." He agreed stepping backwards, away from the railing.
Hermione turned and smiled at Ron, "Thank you for bringing me here." She walked to the door and pulled it open, "Shall we?"
Ron grinned and followed Hermione into the corridor glancing back at the balcony he thought I should have brought her at night. He shut the door behind him as they left.
~
"Where'd they go?" Harry asked, mostly to himself. "They weren't in transfiguration."
Cho glared at Harry, "They're probably fine, now sit down, people are starting to look." She tugged on his robes.
Harry sat down, "Where could they be?" He muttered craning over the heads of the other students to look at the door.
Suddenly Ron and Hermione burst into the great hall laughing.
"There they are." Cho said irritably, "Will you stop now?"
Harry turned back to face the table as Hermione and Ron approached and sat down, deep in conversation. They sat down a few people away from Harry.
Harry leaned back so he could see them, "Where were you guys?" He asked, looking mostly at Hermione.
She glanced over at him, but didn't say anything. Ron didn't even look at him.
Harry sat forward again. "I just don't get it." He said to Cho, who was munching on a carrot, "Why won't they talk to me?"
Cho stopped chewing on her carrot, "Don't worry about it, they'll get over it, what ever it is."
"I guess." Said Harry staring at his plate. He looked at Hermione and Ron again, they were both laughing happily.
Harry sighed.
Cho glared at Harry, "Why is this such a big deal to you?"
"They've never both been mad at me before."
"Go talk to them then. Don't sit around pouting all day."
"But they're not speaking to me." Harry replied looking in their direction.
"Whatever, Harry, I'm going to the library." She stood up, "Come find me when you stop feeling sorry for yourself." She left the hall.
~
"Why does he keep looking at us?" Hermione asked uncomfortably.
"I don't know…Just ignore him." Ron said.
"I'm going to find Michelle, I'll be right back." Hermione got up and walked to the end of the table, searching for Michelle. She spotted her in the middle of the Gryffindor table. "Michelle! Can I talk to you for a minute?"
Michelle whispered something in Seamus' ear and stood up, "What's up?"
"What was the transfiguration homework?" "Oh, we're supposed to write a paper about how to turn a fish bowl into a water bottle, you get points off if the fish's still inside though. It's on page, like, forty-two in the book, I think."
"Thanks, Shelly."
"Why weren't you in class today?"
"Oh," Hermione blushed, "Ron took me up to one of the towers. I had no idea it was even there."
"Oh, really?" Michelle said, obviously intrigued.
"Nothing happened, we just talked and looked at the view, it was magnificent. He's been such a sweetheart lately."
Michelle giggled, "He likes you, Herms." She said smiling broadly.
"I know." Hermione said blushing, "I just…I don't know what to do about it."
"Michelle?" Seamus said impatiently, "Are you planning on coming back?"
"Yeah just a second!" She called back. To Hermione she said, "I'll talk to you later, okay?" "All right, thanks."
Hermione walked back over to Ron.
"What was that all about?" He asked.
"I was getting homework from Michelle."
"You want to go do it after care of magical creatures?"
"What?!" Hermione exclaimed, shocked.
Ron's eye's widened as a blush kept onto his face, "I meant the homework."
"Oh!" Hermione giggled, "Sorry." She blushed deeply. "Sure we can do it after care of magical creatures."
There was an awkward silence.
"Want to go out on the grounds?" Hermione suggested, "We have about a half hour until charms starts."
"Er…okay." Ron answered, standing up.
Hermione stood up after him. She looked up at Ron and smiled. She walked over to the entrance hall doorway and stopped. Hermione turned around, Ron was still standing by the table.
"Are you coming, Ron?"
He nodded and rushed over to the door. Hermione grinned and continued into the entrance hall, Ron followed.
They strolled across the snow-covered lawn, leaving a trail of footprints in the snow.
"Look at the lake. It's completely frozen." Hermione said sitting on the roots of a tree at the lake's edge.
"I wonder where the giant squid goes when the lake is -" Ron trailed off, Hermione was looking at him.
"When the lake is what, Ron?"
"Um…f-frozen." He stuttered.
"Yeah." Hermione said looking back at the lake.
Pixies were gliding across the ice.
Hermione shivered.
Ron took off his cloak and draped it across Hermione's shoulders.
She looked up at him, "Thanks."
He grinned, his ears turning pink, "No problem."
Hermione smiled back.
Ron looked back at the lake.
Hermione leaned over and kissed Ron on the cheek softly. Ron looked at her. Hermione kissed him on the lips. Ron kissed her back. They continued kissing for several minutes. When they stopped, Hermione smiled at Ron. Ron smiled back at her.
Note: I know! I am evil! *cackle* Mwahahahahaha! I promise I will put another chapter up soon, I'm not gonna leave you hanging for long. Hehe! Oh! If any of you guys have ideas for a title, please, please, please stick it in a review! Thankies!