A/n: Hello, Earthlings!! Sorry, I've been feeling weirder than ever this week (winks at Kat) so forget that. Oh! People, if you have not read Hermione-G-Weasley's When Things Start to Change, you are seriously missing out, especially if you love R/Hr. Anyway, October 31st. You're all probably thinking, Halloween!! Well, wrong-o! Not only is it Halloween, it's also the anniversary of the death of Lily and James :::sniff::: And besides that it is also the anniversary of the blossoming friendship of Harry, Ron, and Hermione!! Yay!! Okay, I really love these people so I decided I should honor their friendship. Sappy, mushy? :::shrughs::: I still hope you like it. Don't worry, this chapter will sent someone into deep thought, :::coughRONcough::: Anyway, get to reading already, Earth—I mean, faithful and wondrous readers! Oh, and Happy Halloween!!! :::cheers and dances in Hermione costume:::
Discalimer: I still don't own them, the movie, In-N-Out, or Rupert Grint. :::sigh:::
Chapter 8: Reasoning and Reminiscing
Hermione shifted uneasily on the hospital wing bed. She had the odd feeling that someone was watching them. Her fingers were planted gingerly on Ron's scarlet cheek, immobile. It was as if they were frozen in time, in that moment. Ron looked away quickly, feeling tears form behind his eyes, the longing unbearable. Hermione sighed and removed her fingers.
"Oh, Hermione," Madam Pomfrey said, coming into the room and startling them both. "Would you be a dear and rub this on Ronald's injuries? I have a first year Hufflepuff waiting with a dreadful cold."
"All-all right," Hermione stuttered. Madam Pomfrey placed a small pot of a watery red liquid in her hands. "Thank you," she said, then turned and left the way she came.
"Okay, so your cheek." Hermione sat closer to him and held the pot in her lap. She dipped her fingers into the red substance and slowly lifted it to Ron's right cheek. "Don't worry," she said softly. "It's rather cool and it'll ease the pain." Carefully, Hermione placed her fingers on the place she had formerly caressed and rubbed it lightly. Ron winced slightly but watched Hermione out of the corner of his eyes. Her eyes glittered as she moved her wrist smoothly, her fingers leaving behind a warm sensation.
"There," she murmured. She looked up at Ron and smiled. "It's all covered." Ron lifted a hand to touch his cheek but Hermione grabbed his wrist. "No, you'll dab it off," she warned. "But it itches!" Ron complained. Hermione sighed and brought his hand down with hers.
"Well, wait a sec while I return this to Madam Pomfrey," Hermione said, standing. She was about to turn when she stopped abruptly. "The Bludger hit you somewhere else, didn't it?" she asked cautiously. Ron avoided her gaze and nodded. Hermione drew in a breath of air and asked, "Where?" Ron merely lifted a finger and pointed at his middle.
Hermione stepped toward him and sat once again on the bed. Her hands trembling, she picked up the scarlet Gryffindor robes and held them up. She cringed and said, "This is really bad, Ron. How hard did that thing hit you?"
"Pretty damn hard," he muttered. Rapidly, he took the robes from her hands and placed them on his chest.
"Okay, stay still," Hermione ordered; Ron nodded and wished he were anywhere but there.
Hermione placed her hands amid the liquid and lifted them from the pot. She placed them above Ron's stomach, a drop oozing down her hand. Rather enthusiastically, she pressed her hands across the large bruise that had formed where the Bludger had hit. As soon as her hands touched his bare skin, they both grew tense. Ron could feel Hermione's hands quivering where they were placed. He himself felt a wanting so strong it almost hurt. Hermione recovered from the initial shock of the—what was it?—need to say what she really felt (how could he do that to her?) and began stroking Ron's gargantuan bruise. Ron felt as if being soothed into a deep sleep. Her fingers had healing powers, he was sure of it.
"Thanks," he said. "I know it probably looks disgusting." He touched a spot where it felt rather nasty. Hermione, barely noticing she was doing it, placed her small hand over his large one. They must have been concentrating on each other quite intensely to not have noticed the group standing beside the open door.
Ron turned and met his brothers' mischievous faces. Hermione's jaw dropped when she saw them, Ginny behind them, and Harry hovering awkwardly at the side.
Fred and George glanced at each other and shook their heads. "Too easy," they chorused.
"Did we interrupt something?" Ginny managed to choke out through suppressed giggles. Hermione gripped Ron's hand tightly without the others noticing to let him know she would handle it.
"Oh, honestly," Hermione said. "Your brother was hit by a Bludger, in case you hadn't noticed, and Madam Pomfrey asked me to help." Fred and George didn't look all too convinced, and Harry looked rather amused. Ginny sighed and said, "And you came to the rescue." Harry let out a loud and hearty laugh. Hermione shot him a death glare that didn't affect him in the least. She turned to Ron instead and said, "I think that's all right." Ron nodded and sat up.
"Ronald, you lie down this instant!" reprimanded Madam Pomfrey. "But Hermione—" Ron tried to explain, but Madam Pomfrey wouldn't have it. "Lie down, young man!" Ron groaned and threw himself down on the bed. Madam Pomfrey turned to the others and said, "I'm sorry, but all of you need to get OUT!"
Fred and George stalked out, sniggering, followed by Harry and Ginny, who were both laughing at Ginny's comment. Hermione snuck a worried glance at Ron before accompanying her friends.
Ron sighed. What was that—that—glitter in her eyes? He shook his head. "My life is complicated," he muttered. "Hmm," was the nurse's only response.
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"Eh?"
Ron felt his shoulders being thrust about in failing attempt to bring him to consciousness. What was this, an earthquake? Oh, maybe Fred and George were trying to freak him out! Ron smiled to himself and grew perfectly still. Then he lunged at the thing in front of him.
"Ron!"
Ron's eyes snapped open. "Oh, shit…" he muttered.
Hermione was looking at him as severely as Professor McGonagall. His hands had a firm hold on strands of her bushy hair. He smiled sheepishly as she picked her hair from among Ron's large hands.
"Oh, honestly, I try to wake you up and I find myself being attacked," she said, glancing at him with a glint in her eye.
"Shove off. Why were you trying to wake me up anyway?" Ron mumbled, one eye closing slowly. Hermione snapped her fingers in his face to prevent him from falling into a deep stupor.
"It's October 31st," she said, grinning.
"So? Oh, yeah, Halloween!" Ron said. Images of enormous lollipops and countless Chocolate Frogs, accompanied with a couple of Bertie Botts and Fizzing Whizbees flew through his mind.
"Ron, stop drooling," Hermione said, a snigger escaping her lips.
"Hey, one can dream lovely dreams of piles of candy, can't one?" he said, grinning at the look of disapproval on her face.
"Don't come crying to me when you find yourself rid of teeth by the time you're 20," she reprimanded him playfully. "Anyway, yes, it's Halloween, but there's something else."
"What?" Ron asked, yawning.
"It's Harry."
Ron looked confused.
"Do you know, this morning I came down to check up on everything—" (Ron eyed her in disbelief) "and I found him sitting before the fireplace, you know, in the big warm chair? He was just staring ahead at absolutely nothing."
"But Harry's never up early."
"Exactly. It's not like Harry to wake up at six in the morning. So I went back upstairs and cleaned up, and when I came back down he wasn't there."
Ron furrowed his brow.
"I looked outside the window and saw him sitting by the lake stroking Hedwig and holding a leather book in his free hand."
"What do you reckon?"
Hermione bit her lip and played with Ron's bedspread. "I think…well, I checked the library for some old Daily Prophet issues and they were there. I read articles from October 31st dating back fifteen years till the present." She paused. "I found one dated back fourteen years…the headline was an article about the tragic deaths of—of—Lily and James Potter."
Ron's eyes widened. "Harry's mum and dad died today fourteen years ago?"
Hermione nodded, still chewing on her lip. "Harry must feel awful. He's been an orphan for fourteen years…he doesn't even remember his parents."
Ron sighed. "Poor guy." Hermione dabbed her somewhat wet eyes and nodded again. Awkwardly, Ron put his arm around her. Hermione leaned into him and said, "I think we should go down there and comfort him." She felt Ron's chin shaking on her head, a sign he was shaking his head no.
"I don't know. I mean, when I'm upset I either stay alone or rip something apart." He thought about the mutated Krum action figure and smiled. "Well, Harry's not likely to tear something apart, so I think we should leave him alone."
Hermione sat up (with great discomfort) and nodded. "All right. But first I gotta give you guys something." She jumped up and said, "For the love of Merlin, get yourself out of bed and into some decent clothes!" She turned to leave.
"Hey!" Ron called after her. She turned slowly and narrowed her eyes.
"My name, in case you hadn't noticed, is not 'Hey.' So if you would please address me properly…" She waited with her eyebrows raised expectantly.
Ron smiled and said, "O-kay. Hermione, would you ever tell me to get my ass out of bed instead of using your perfect words?"
Hermione raised one eyebrow and sniggered. "That's for me to know and you to try in vain to find out." She flashed him a quick grin and sprinted out the door. Ron stared after her, shaking his head and laughing under his breath.
Harry felt a hand grip his shoulder. He turned to look into Hermione's hazelnut eyes. "Are you all right?" she asked tentatively. Harry nodded and turned back to stare at the reflected puffs of white reflected on the still surface of the lake. Hermione sat to his right, sighing.
"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I can't say I know how you feel, but…" Her voice trailed off.
Harry shook his head. "Nah, it's nothing, don't worry about it," he said in a slightly choked voice.
"Harry…" Hermione looked at him with a gaze full of worry. She sighed and continued. "Do you—er—remember them at all?"
Harry gazed at the palms of his hands sitting on his lap and sat stone still for quite a while. Then he looked at Hermione and whispered, "Kind of. Some tiny details. I can remember when my mum used to caress my cheeks with her soft fingers. She had this voice that seemed—seemed to be laughing with the angels. I remember staring into her eyes and seeing endless green and just…mum. For a little over a year she was all mine, my mum." He paused and smiled. "My dad…hmm, he had this pleasant voice, I can sorta recall. He used to tickle my tiny palms with his large fingers and look at me with this look that gave a surreal feeling…like it was all just a good dream. I guess that's what's left for me, eh? Those memories that feel like dreams."
Hermione let a tear roll down her cheek, seeing as Harry's face was wet with them. He was smiling for some time, but then frowned. He managed to choke out, "I miss them so much." Hermione leaned over and gave her friend a brief hug.
"Hey, mate," Ron's voice came from behind them. His crystal blue eyes were misty with tears as he sat on Harry's left side and did as Hermione had just done. Anyone gazing at them would have never believe how different these friends were and would never understand the unconditional love that bound them together.
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"Here you go," Hermione said as she passed Harry a rectangular parcel wrapped in bright scarlet foil. She sat wringing her hands as Harry tore away the covering.
Inside a box was a red and gold book with loopy orange writing across the top. "Ode to a Friend," Harry read aloud. Hermione bit her lip and said, "Go on, read a page!"
Harry opened the book to find a picture of himself looking rather enthusiastic as he stood with Hermione on what he recognized as Ron's lawn. Above the picture, in the same loopy writing, said, "To Harry Potter, forever loyal, forever friend." Harry gaped at the Hermione in the picture looking at him nervously and looked up to see and equally nervous one sitting beside him.
"You wrote that?" Ron asked in awe. Hermione nodded. "You're good!"
"I just wrote our adventures, a couple of poems, and stuff to remind you that wherever you go you will always have my friendship." She smiled sheepishly as Harry thanked her. Harry turned to see Ron ripping grass out of the ground in what seemed like impatience. He grinned and said, "I think I'll go leave this back in the dormitory. Don't wait for me; I need to get breakfast." He picked up his precious gift and left his best friends sitting a mile from each other.
Ron scratched his head. "Erm—wanna go with him?" Hermione shook her head. "Oh." Hermione reached into her bag and pulled out a second parcel, this one wrapped in sapphire blue. "It reminded me of your eyes," Hermione blurted out. Ron blushed as he took the gift.
"You didn't have to waste your time on me," he said, his ears red.
"Believe me; it wasn't a waste of time," Hermione responded.
Ron removed the wrapping and stared at the green book in his hands. In smooth letters he recognized as Hermione's said You and Me. Under the letters was a picture that made Ron's ears go redder, if possible. Hermione had her arms around his waist and was clinging on to him, smiling contentedly with her head on his shoulders. He was stroking her back affectionately. The real Hermione was rubbing her temples, trying to prevent a blush from creeping into her cheeks. Carefully, as if in slow motion, Ron opened the thick book. There was only one phrase:
We are one.
Ron felt spots of heat on his cheeks and realized he must resemble a very ripe tomato. Hermione smiled shyly at him and looked straight into his blue eyes. "I—I wrote about how our friendship is different from others—how it's so special I can barely describe. It's not too good of a gift because you two mean too much to me to put into words. I…" Her voice faltered for a second. "I love you guys," she whispered, seeming to find something irresistibly interesting in her hands.
Ron grinned. He leaned forward and kissed her cheek, warm and soft. Still wringing her hands, she looked up when his lips came into contact with her skin. The outsides of their lips brushed against each other, barely touching but still enough to make them tingle down to their toes. They quickly leaned away from each other, eyes as wide as dinner plates.
"Erm," Ron said, concentrating on ripping more grass from the ground. "I got something for you too." He held up a tiny gold box adorned with a red ribbon. Hermione placed her fingers around it and held it with the care of one holding a crystal vase that might break any second. Her small fingers untied the ribbon and laid it on the grass beside her. Lifting the lid of the box, she saw a shimmer of light. Cushioned amongst silk was a gorgeous golden chain on which was placed a gold heart. It was a locket.
Hermione picked up the chain with the utmost care and just held it. Then she reached to open the locket. On the left was a picture of Harry looking somewhat uncomfortable in a picture. On the right, Ron grinned at her and blew her occasional kisses. Ron cleared his throat. "Um…it's not much…it's from Harry and me…he gave me some of the money and the picture, you know," he explained with a nervous glance at her. She was looking at the pictures and biting her lip, her eyes darting across the faces of her best friends. She looked up at Ron and ran to him. She threw her arms around him and buried her face in his shoulder.
"You sweet prat," she choked. Ron sniggered and hugged her back.
"Wanna take a walk with a sweet prat?" he asked her as she straightened up. She nodded. "But first, help me put on the locket." Ron took it from her and brought it around her neck. Hermione messed with her hair until it was out of Ron way. He locked the silver necklace and brought Hermione's hand down, her bundled up hair coming with it.
Hermione fingered the small heart. "Thank you," she murmured. "This shows me you really care about me—er—you and Harry do," she ended up muttering. Ron nodded and began to walk. Hermione gazed at him with a smile playing on her lips and following.
Together, the friends walked around the lake, in silence for a few minutes. After what seemed like hours of staring at the damp, dewy grass, Hermione looked up at the blue-gray sky. "What are you feeling right now?" she asked suddenly. Ron turned and stared at her as if she had three eyes and said, "Uh…" He couldn't say everything he was feeling.
"Um, I guess…satisfaction, 'cause you and Harry are nice enough to be friends with a bloody idiot like me."
Hermione nodded. "What about you?" Ron asked her. Hermione didn't answer. Instead, she asked a new question. "Have you ever been in love?" Ron gaped at her, his mouth hanging open. "Eh—what?"
"You know, love," was her response.
"Um…" Ron said. Bloody hell, I don't even know. Crap, I'm really thick!
"But then, what is love?" she said, ignoring his stuttering.
Ron opened and closed his mouth. How the hell should I know?
"I think you feel this need in the back of your heart, you think about the person endlessly, and—"
"It doesn't matter that they'll never feel anything back as long as they're your friend," Ron finished. Hermione stared at him and blinked, then nodded. "Yeah…"she murmured. "So does that mean you've been in love?"
Ron raised his eyebrows. "The same question goes to you," he said matter-of-factly, making her kick his foot.
They had come to the castle gardens, a gorgeous collection of roses, tulips, carnations, lilies of the valley, poppies, and many other scented flowers. Shady trees stood by the corners, leaves dancing in the light breeze. Along the flowerbeds were white park benches. Hermione took a deep breath of perfumed air and ran to a bench, where she sat and waited for Ron to join her. Ron did so as sprinklers began showering the flowers with tiny drops of water.
"Isn't this garden wonderful? It's so peaceful," Hermione said dreamily.
Ron snorted. This earned him a rather solid punch from his best friend. "You just sound like Lavender, is all," Ron said, trying in vain to defend himself.
"So have you?" Hermione continued their earlier conversation.
"Have I what?"
"Oh, Ron, don't! You know, been in love!"
"How the bloody hell am I supposed to know?"
Hermione shook her head. "You have never stayed awake at night, wondering why it is that looking into that person's eyes makes you see…"
"Not the person by looks, but their soul or something?"
Hermione narrowed her eyes. "Okay, maybe Divination is going a little to well for you!" Ron sniggered.
"That's just what I think, okay?" he replied.
Hermione nodded. "Then great minds think alike." She chuckled at her own joke.
Ron was staring at her. No, that wouldn't be right. He was staring in her. Her eyes—they showed someone friendly, someone who had been hurt but now was stubborn.
How does he KNOW that? Oh, my gosh, it's like he knows that I actually—no, no, I don't even know if I really do—he's hurt me too much. I cannot possibly fall in love with Ron Weasley. Hermione looked away and closed her eyes. Had she really come to that conclusion? Yes; she couldn't be let down anymore.
Ron looked down at his hands. What was wrong with him? Why couldn't he just say it? 'Cause I'm a bloody git. But, honestly, it was now or never.
"Hermione?"
"Yes?" She still had her eyes closed.
"I—well, I think—or I guess I'm pretty sure—I—I…" Ron's voice trailed off.
Hermione opened her eyes but focused her gaze on a tulip, its petals wet with dew.
Say it! "I—I…"
Now Hermione was actually looking at him with an astonishing penetrating stare.
Ron sighed. "I really liked the book you gave me."
Hermione's shoulders drooped slightly and her eyes returned to the tulip. "I loved the locket as well," she whispered. The sprinklers ceased their watering as she stood. As she was about to leave the garden, she said, "Are you coming?"
"I'm right behind you."
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Cheerful chatter echoed throughout the Great Hall during the Halloween feast. The teachers sat at their usual spots, smiling and trading candy. Harry, Ron, and Hermione had never actually seen the teachers eating candy, but they suspected they had always done so. Dumbledore, however, was looking strangely grim.
"Oh, honestly," Hermione said, tilting her head to the right. Ron sat in front of her, his mouth stuffed with chicken and turkey, gravy dripping down his chin. "You are a pig! Have you no manner?"
"Gnoh," he said through his mouthful of food. He swallowed and popped a Chocolate Frog into his mouth, Hermione shaking her head in disapproval. She had not touched so much as a piece of candy corn. Harry had an assortment of candy and regular food. Ron's candy outdid his food.
The Great Hall looked fantastic. Wreaths of spider webs that made Ron shiver decorated every nook and cranny of the enormous room. Bewitched cauldrons bubbled with sickly green potions in the corners. Candles in the form of eyeballs that delighted the Weasley twins gave the room a ghostly glow. Bats flew occasionally from the dark, cloudy ceiling. One thing missing were Hagrid's usual carriage-sized pumpkins. Instead, average sized pumpkins sat at the end of each table.
When everyone sat rubbing their stomachs and belching (this earned whoever it was a death glare from Hermione, and it was usually Ron) Dumbledore stood. He smiled a somewhat distressed grimace.
"Ah, I hoped you all enjoyed your food and candy. Now, I have a very exciting announcement for you." There was an excited murmur throughout the Great Hall. "Due to the delight of our students last year, we have decided to have a Christmas ball for everyone. Details will come soon. Now you may proceed to your comfy beds." He winked and sat down, deep in conversation with Professor McGonagall.
Ron looked outraged and disgusted at the same time. "That's insane! What delight?!"
Hermione had her head in her hands. Harry didn't want to think much about the ball. Then again, his mind was still on the photo album he had been gazing at hours before.
Everyone was too weary to notice Peeves follow them into the common room as they went to the Gryffindor common room. When the older students had slumped into the cushioned chairs around the fireplace, Fred, George, and Peeves ran to the center of them all. A few people raised their heads from their place on the armrests.
All three mischief-makers looked just as mischievous as always. "Trelawney has driven us insane for four years," Fred started. "Peeves here," George continued, pointing at the poltergeist next to him, "has been kind enough to compose a, er, melody for her."
All three cleared their throats and started singing to the tune of Joy to the World.
Joy to the world!
Trelawney's dead
We barbecued her head!!
What happened to her body?
We flushed it down the potty
And round and round it goes
And round and round it goes
And round, and round
And round it goes!!!!!
The common room was filled with laughing and applause. The twins bowed and Peeves did a somersault, sticking his tongue out.
Hermione was laughing the hardest. As everyone headed to bed, she sat shaking with laughter. Ron told Harry, "Are we gonna have to take her to her dormitory so she can calm down already?" Harry shrugged. "Quickly" was all he said.
They looked down at their giggling friend and each picked her up by one arm. She was still guffawing as she was carried up the stairs. "That idiot deserves that, ha!" she managed to say through her chortling.
"Calm down, 'Mione," Ron said, snickering some more himself.
Hermione straightened up and said, "Not 'Mione!' My name is Hermione, nothing else, not 'hey,' not 'you,' and definitely not 'Mione.'"
"Aw, shucks, you just don't care about me do you, 'Mione?" Ron said in a would-be hurt voice.
Hermione rolled her eyes. The boys raised their eyebrows at her and proceeded to their dormitories.
"I can't," she whispered when they were away. "I can't care about you."
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A/n: Phew, this took me forever to write, eh? Hopefully it was okay. The "melody" is something I got from the Simpsons, which I thought was hilarious. And did you really expect Ron to say something? Go ahead, tell me I'm evil, I am. I am so evil. Hehe..okay, comments!!!!!! And again, HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!! In case it's not too obvious, I take Halloween very seriously.
Hermion-G-Weasley- It really is coincidental how we are writing some of the same things at the same time. However, I have a feeling that yours will differ from mine, I mean, holiday at the Grangers!!! I can't wait…hehe…thank you so much, you don't know what it means to me that you actually think I'm writing better, it's just mind-boggling to think that people actually like this story cuz I thought it would take 20 years to get one review or something. Thanx again! :::wink:::
Kelsey McCartney- Thank you too! You guys are amazing, you can make someone feel special in two seconds!!!
Xodox- Great to hear from you again! I personally think I actually did a good job on Voldie cuz I thought it up out of nowhere so…stay tuned for more Voldie, I promise.
Adnap Nottap- You know I can NEVER EVER EVER stop laughing when I read your reviews. I think those lines are my favorites in my fic so far cuz I think a) Voldie's is really evil and b) Trelawney's prediction shows how crazy I am!!! You have won the award for longest review!!! :::claps madly::: aww, I would never kill adorable Ronnie and Hermione's too special to me as well to kill her, but I am thinking of something, although I will feel even more evil than Voldie if possible…darn nazis, they get in everyone's way! OOH!! Hope you liked the disclaimer!!
Rupert Fan- I read your story and it's really good. I speak Spanish well but I don't think I could write a very good story in Spanish. Great name, maybe you could tell me a thing or two more about that adorable cutie, eh? I guess you probably liked this chapter? Maybe?
Athena- I'm obsessed too, it's a disease…hehe…sorry it took so long, but think of this as a Halloween treat.
ltnikki- EVIL!!! EVIL!!!!! The hospital wing was adorable, don't you dare contradict me!! :::glares::: hehe, I actually liked my own Voldie part, isn't that crazy??
Nehraime- :::smiles and cheers::: even more people like my story!! This is in-sane!!! Thanx!!!!
Love you guys, thanx! Stay tuned, cuz soon you'll find out who's Ron's mysterious pen pal…:::grins like Fred, George, and Peeves:::
Remember to Review!!!!!!!
R/Hr Fan~~