Chapter 2

Ron woke up early the next morning. He needed to finish cleaning his room. Not only that, but Ginny was leaving in about an hour; Ron was sending his present to Harry in Ginny's trunk.

So, thirty minutes later, Ron walked downstairs leaving his now clean room for breakfast. When he finished, he gave his sister a hug and told her to have fun. He would see her in September. Finally, he headed upstairs to shower. While standing under the stream of hot water, Ron mentally reviewed the words on the piece of parchment he had been looking at yesterday. After the twentieth revision, Ron stepped out of the shower, wrapped a towel around his waist, and headed upstairs with a bundle of dirty laundry in his arms. He reached the top floor without mishap, but when he opened the door, all hell broke loose.

Hermione was standing next to his desk, looking at his homework. She was wearing a cute black halter-top that had strings in the back instead of actual fabric. Not only that, but her shorts revealed more thigh than they covered. Naturally, Ron noticed.

In order to return things to "normal," Ron tossed his bundle of laundry into the basket on the floor, and opened a drawer in his dresser in hopes of finding clean underwear. All the noise attracted Hermione's attention.

"Ron!" she exclaimed.

Then, forgetting he was only wearing his towel, Hermione enveloped Ron in a big hug. Quickly dropping his underwear back in the drawer, he returned the embrace.

"Hello Hermione, when did you arrive?"

"About twenty minutes ago. Your mother helped me bring my stuff up, then she dashed off to work."

Ron's eyes landed on Hermione's trunk at the foot of his second bed.

"You're staying in here?" He tried not to let the panic creep into his voice. What if she found the piece of parchment?

"Yeah." Hermione stepped back and sat on her bed. "Your mum said it wouldn't be much fun for me to be in a room all alone. You don't mind, do you?"

Amazed by his mum, it was all Ron could do to shake his head.

"Great! I'll just step out for a minute so you can change." Ron colored a bit as Hermione closed the door behind her.

Hurriedly, he pulled on his underwear and shorts. He was about to pull on his shirt when he got an idea. He pulled out another shirt, then opened the door.

"Which do you like better, Hermione?" He held up both shirts for her inspection. She eyed them both, rubbing them for texture and repeatedly asking him to hold them up against his chest.

"Blue. Definitely the blue." He smiled and tossed the yellow shirt back into the drawer. Then he pulled the blue shirt over his head. Finally, he turned back around in time to see Hermione avert her eyes.

"So, what do you want to do first, Hermione?"

"Oh.I don't care. Though, I looked at your homework, and I must say that I am impressed. It looks almost exactly like mine except for one or two comments that make it undoubtedly 'Ron.'"

"Thank you," he smiled. "I've been trying to make it better, and hearing you say that must mean I have."

Hermione blushed a little, then announced that she was hungry. Ron just laughed.

"That, Hermione, is a problem I'll always be able to fix." Then he put his arm around her shoulders to 'guide' her to the kitchen.

Ron thought he was imagining things when Hermione smiled a bit, but Ron knew he wasn't when Hermione rested her head just below his shoulder.

At that moment, Ron would have been able to fly.

End Chapter 2

Reviewing brings good karma.