A/n: I can't believe I actually have reviewers! I have something to say to each one of you at the end of the chapter. This chapter will include some Hermione's POV, some Ron's POV. By the way, this story is based on a true story. I will tell you about that certain story if you wish. But that will come at the end of the story, which is not too close. I was supposed to go camping this weekend but all the camping parks were empty. Sucks, huh? OK, you can ignore that, my crazy babbling… here's Chapter 3!
Disclaimer: Don't even get me started on the subject that these amazing characters don't belong to me…I might just inherit Ron's temper…
Chapter 3: Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen…
Hermione was furious! She raced through the living room like a human Firebolt and threw open the door. She stepped outside and slammed the door so hard the whole house quivered.
It was a wonderful night. There was a faint breeze blowing that made Hermione's bushy hair tickle her flushed cheeks. A star or two twinkled in the twilight. The sky was a blue like no other, with a tinge of pink towards the horizon. Hermione gazed at those few stars and began breathing normally again.
What had happened? She was pensive for a moment and then she answered her own question. Ron lost his temper…again. Honestly, she was only trying to help! You could never tell with Ron. Sometimes they had such a splendid relationship. There were days they spent together that she wished never ended. But there were the times when they argued incessantly and he isolated her from his world, not to mention his heart. The days he bellowed about how much she annoyed him. Hermione put up a mighty fight but inside, although Ron didn't know it, his words cut like a dagger.
Hermione sighed. I've been so silly…
She felt something cold on her cheek. She lifted a finger and touched her cheek and noticed a single tear lingering there. She barely had time to realize she was crying when tears were flowing silently down her face. She stood there, watching stars appear one after the other, feeling that no matter how much she wished it, not all dreams come true.
*******************************************************************
Ron sat by his bedroom window, staring up into the darkening sky. Stars were sparkling against the dark blue that had now settled in. Just by gazing at the heavens he had relaxed and felt his thoughts drifting to what had initiated the dreadful argument that had taken place not too long ago.
He had just heard Hermione warn the twins to cease their infernal teasing. He imagined they had responded in a way absolutely wretched to her because he heard her groan in frustration, then the sound of chess pieces crashing to the floor.
Now she was outside after blasting the door shut and practically throwing it off its hinges. He watched her intently as rage took over her. Then she shifted her eyes to look at those mesmerizing stars. She seemed to inhale the light zephyr that was blowing and her face took a carefree look. For a moment she was lost in her vast world of contemplation. Then she appeared troubled. Ron leaned over the windowsill, watching her closely. At that point, a single solitary tear made it's way slowly down her rosy cheek
Before long, tears were streaming down her cheeks, although she made no sound and stood completely still. Ron wondered why she had just started weeping for no reason. He wished he could know what she was thinking so he could cradle her in his arms and murmur heartening words into her ear. Wait a minute! I can do that right now! Ron jumped up and raced down the stairs.
*******************************************************************
A whimper escaped Hermione's lips before she heard him say, "Hermione? Are you alright?"
She caught her breath and managed to nod her head slightly. She felt Ron coming up to her and gently turned her to face him. She lowered her head so he would not see her tears.
Ron lifted her chin with one finger ever so sensitively until his eyes were fixed on hers. With his free hand, he touched her cheek lightly and wiped away her loitering tears.
Hermione didn't utter a word, just grew tense and rigid.
"It's OK, I mean, you don't have to talk about what happened if you don't want to," Ron whispered. Hermione nodded and leaned close to him, enjoying the warmth and safety he made her feel.
"Do you know what happened?" Her voice was barely audible.
"I don't have to know, I just know that I'm here for you," said Ron humbly.
Sometimes I want to believe that, believe that maybe you will be here forever. I guess I can never lose the faith to dream. With that thought, she buried her face into his chest, sobbing.
Ron held her close and felt that somehow she was holding back so she wouldn't further hurt herself, but by what he did not know. They stayed this way until the sky was filled with twinkling stars, watching them and wondering what was in store for them, although in a way they already knew.
****************************************************************
Holding her hand, he led her towards the grand garden, dark and deep. They sat down next to a fountain in the shape of a lovely dolphin. Looking into her eyes, he professed his eternal love for her. And she fell into his arms, bathed in the contentment that she too loved him.
Ron smiled at his dream. Suddenly he sat upright, remembering that it was just that: a dream, a fantasy, nothing more.
"Whassa matter, Ronnie?" a familiar (and annoying, at that) voice said.
"Happy dream go bye-bye?"
Ron growled. "You two better not mess with me this early in the morning," he warned Fred and George.
The twins sniggered. "No, really, Ron, what were you dreaming that could make you so joyful and so upset?" Fred asked curiously.
George "whispered" in Fred's ear, "Maybe a smart, bushy-haired witch had something to do with it."
"`Maybe'?" Fred "whispered" back. "It's a sure thing!"
Ron groaned and glared at his older brothers. "Is this Annoy Your Helpless Brother summer or what?"
Fred slapped him in the back and said, "Needs work but you've got Weasley funny potential!"
Ron pushed him away and stood up. "Now you two better shut your mouths before I shut them for you!" And with that, he walked to the door. Suddenly, the door flew open and Hermione burst into the room.
"Come on, all of you, Harry and Ginny are fighting!" She grabbed the closest Weasley, who just happened to be Ron, by the hand and dragged him downstairs.
"SORRY, OK?" Harry was screaming at the top of his lungs. His face was red, his bacon and toast untouched on the kitchen table.
Ginny was near tears, but that didn't stop her from screaming. "HOW DARE YOU? I'M NOT A CHILD, I CAN TAKE CARE OF MYSELF!!!!"
"I'M JUST TRYING TO PROTECT YOU!" Harry bellowed.
"BACK OFF! I DON'T NEED YOUR BLOODY HELP!" Ginny shrieked, her face wet with angry tears.
Mrs. Weasley had just come in after hearing the racket. She grabbed her wand, pointed it in between Harry and Ginny and sent red sparks flying all around them.
"For the love of Merlin, do tell me what's going on," she said to the two teenagers. Ron, Hermione, Fred and George were standing at the foot of the stairs, amazed. They had never seen Harry and Ginny fighting this way. That was usually Ron and Hermione.
Ginny sucked in her breath. "ASK HIM!!" she yelled, pointing at Harry. "HE'S THE ONE WHO STARTED THIS RUDDY MESS!!!!" She stomped out and slammed the kitchen door.
Everyone stared at Harry. "Oh, is it my fault now because she said so?" he asked, his voice growing louder.
"Now Harry, dear—"
"I'm sorry, Mrs. Weasley, but I'm not in the mood!" He, too, stomped out.
Mrs. Weasley helplessly turned to the others. They, however, were just as confused as she was.
Ron had been paying attention to the row going on but he had also noticed that Hermione hadn't let him go. However, after a few minutes of silence, she loosened her grip on his hand and stepped into the kitchen, facing him, the twins, and their mum.
"I think I may know what happened," she started. When she noticed everyone's attention was on her, she continued.
"We were sitting here, about to begin breakfast, when the subject of going out today was brought up. Harry said we should all go flying, but I begged to differ. The weather does not look too promising—"
"Not to mention you hate flying," Ron interrupted.
Hermione glared at him. This shut him up and she continued. "Well, Ginny said that she thought it would be fun. Harry suddenly looked concerned and said that she was not used to flying in stormy weather and she might get hurt. Ginny said I wasn't used to it either, but Harry said that I was older.
"Ginny became very angry and started saying she was only a year younger and that she was fourteen and could perfectly well fly in this weather if she wanted to. Harry started to say something but shook his head and mumbled `Forget it.' But Ginny started screaming at him, saying that he had never behaved like this and she didn't deserve to be treated this way. Harry lost his composure and screamed, `Blame me for caring about your safety!'"
At this point, Ron looked slightly nauseous. He never liked the idea that Harry might actually like Ginny.
Hermione went on, "I went to find you guys to help me but when we came downstairs, you saw how bad it was."
Everyone looked a bit bewildered as to why Ginny would grow so upset. Usually she would just tell the person off, saying she was old enough, but she had never started a fight about this.
"Let them be," Mrs. Weasley suggested. "This subject was blown out of proportion. They'll be back to normal by lunch."
Ron, Hermione, Fred and George sat at the table, all thinking the same thing: I hope she's right…
*******************************************************************
But everything wasn't back to normal. Ron and Hermione had decided to keep away from Harry and Ginny. They sat in Ron's room doing homework. Ron hadn't even put up a fight since Harry and Ginny seemed pretty upset.
However, Ron was growing impatient, as always when doing homework. Hermione kept explaining and droning on about making a potion, Ron wasn't sure which one. He only watched the way she immersed herself in her work. She was so pretty and brilliant and Ron swore mentally for treating her like dirt during the Yule Ball.
"Ron! Are you listening?" Hermione sighed, exasperated. "Honestly, I'm losing patience with you! Really, I was trying to help!"
"I'm sorry! I was a little, er, distracted," Ron said, woken from his little reverie.
Hermione sighed and said, "Shut up!" At the same time, Ron mouthed what she was saying.
"STOP!" Hermione said playfully. Ron mouthed this also. She laughed and grew quiet. "Do you think I'm girly like Lavender?" she asked out of nowhere.
"Yeah," Ron said, just to annoy her.
Hermione scoffed, pretending to be offended, and slapped him on the arm.
For a moment they stared at each other. Abruptly, the spell was broken when Harry banged in, kicking his feet and slamming his books on Ron's orange bed. He looked awfully cross and started throwing his books open, pieces of parchment flying out everywhere.
"Damn!" Harry rarely swore, so he was obviously in a foul mood.
"Harry…don't swear!" Hermione lectured.
"Oh, save it for someone who cares, alright?" Harry said rather harshly to Hermione.
"I beg your pardon?" she said, amazed at Harry's brusque tone of voice.
"Shut it!" was all he said.
Hermione narrowed her eyes. She was not going to tolerate being talked to in such a rude manner. "FINE! You deal with him, Ron!" With that said, she gathered her books and left the room, her nose in the air.
"Alright there, mate?" Ron asked.
"No offense, Ron, but your sister is being a complete cow!" Harry said.
Ron nodded and said, "Yeah, I think you had a good reason for saying what you said."
"Mm-hmm. She's the one who blew up in my face."
"Don't worry, Harry, she doesn't know what she's saying," Ron said.
"RONALD WEASLEY!!" Hermione was standing at his door.
"Yes, mum?" he mocked and snickered at his own joke.
"I came back to fetch my quill and I find you talking about your own sister when she's not here to defend herself!" Hermione looked outraged.
"I just- I didn't mean it that way- I- Ginny goes a little nutters sometimes- I- I- I DON'T HAVE TO EXPLAIN MYSELF TO YOU!!" Ron eventually lost his temper (surprise, surprise!)
"FINE! BUT I'LL HAVE YOU KNOW THAT TALKING ILL OF PEOPLE BEHIND THEIR BACK IS DISRESPECTFUL!!" Hermione couldn't stop the argument that had just started so she went along with it.
"BOO-HOO! GO AND TAKE HER SIDE THEN, AND FORGET THAT HARRY AND I ARE YOUR BEST FRIENDS!" Ron bellowed.
Hermione grabbed an orange Cannons pillow that lay at the foot of Ron's bed. She groaned and threw it at him, then stormed away, mad at the entire world.
Ron was breathing heavily as he looked towards the window. It was starting to rain: the sky was filled with dark, menacing clouds.
"Er, sorry you had to start that fight with Hermione," said Harry, a bit calm about the whole Ginny incident already.
"ME??!! She's the one who got all worked up about absolutely nothing!" Ron, on the other hand, wasn't too peaceful.
"Look, let's just forget both arguments, OK?" Harry suggested.
Ron snorted and went back to looking out the window. Cold, hard rain was pouring now, hitting the ground and making a splash.
"A storm in the summer. Very odd. Bad day to be outside, huh?" said Harry, changing the subject.
Ron nodded but stopped. His face went pale. "Hermione," he murmured. He groaned and pointed out the window. There, in the middle of the cruel storm, stood the girl, her clothes soaked.
"She looks upset," observed Harry, joining Ron by the window. "She's too gloomy to even think and get in here!"
Ron looked desperately out the window. "Hold on, Hermione…"
********************************************************************
Hermione raced into the backyard, her face streaked with tears. If you really are my best friend then why are you so damn insensitive? Hermione felt the icy water start to fall. She stood in the middle of the yard, sobbing uncontrollably, her shoulders shaking, her tears mixing in with the raindrops and falling to the ground. She looked up at Ron's bedroom window. He was there staring directly at her. She wondered if he was worried about her. No way! She stood there, not wanting to go back inside. She would stay out here, battling the storm, not only the one going on around her but also the one inside her.
*******************************************************************
Whew! Well, this turned out to be quite interesting since I wasn't planning to write this chapter this way but hey, I hope you liked it. Sorry about all the grammar mistakes on the last 2 chapters. Silly me…anyway, here are the comments I promised!
quinnbeast- Thank you, I was really trying hard to capture who they truly are: they just wouldn't be the same any other way. J
Mireya Cristina, Vanessa- Thanx, I need all the luck I can get! I'm glad you find it interesting. J
Allibabab, L James- I'll keep updating the best I can (tops is 2 weeks per chapter. hehe…) J
Itnikki- Everyone, this is my best friend and, to you Itnikki, I say, "Is this one a bit longer for you?" J Yeah, I tried with Fred and George and Ginny wasn't too hard.
Xodox- Very good suggestion! I have a way of putting it in a future chapter. J
Madison- I think I will write another fanfic, but I'll finish this one first. J
ice blue- Rielle! I was so happy when you reviewed. I practically screamed and did a little dance (wait, I did do a little dance!) J
hhalltheway99, esther- I'm glad people actually like my fic. I quote Fred from my own story, "Makes me feel warm and tingly inside." J
Thank you guys so much! I'll post in a week or two!
R/Hr Fan J