QoH: o_O I'm sooo sorry I haven't updated in a while! My life is kinda hectic right now, and I don't have too much time 2 write… _ Hopefully, it'll calm down soon…

Chapter 6: Helping A Friend

                "Welcome, children," whispers the misty voice of Professor Trelawney through the perpetual, mind-numbing fog of her circular room, "We will be starting weekly horoscopes today, using the skills you've learned previously, so you will all need to find a partner to practice with. This will be done every week at this time for the next few months as a in-class assignment."

                "Oh, great." I groan to myself as Ron and I choose our usual table, almost hidden in the shadows at the back of the class.

                "What, you've got something against horoscopes?" He grins and pokes me in the side as we sit down.

                I grimace and start digging around in my bag for my book, keeping my voice carefully low, "What can I say? I just find her always staring at me like she expects me to keel over at any second very off-putting. Is any one person really that unlucky?"

                "Or lucky, as the case may be." Ron laughs, raising his eyebrows in unspoken meaning, "She predicted Voldemort, didn't she? I don't know, maybe she's got some good to her," he rolls his eyes when he sees my disbelieving stare, "Nah, I'm not saying she she's totally legit, or whatever, just that maybe she's not entirely insane, like we used to think."

                "Would anyone like me to help them along with their predictions?" Trelawney rustles by, her bangles seeming to jingle in a merry little melody quite contrary to her character. As expected, Parvati's and Lavander's hands shoot into the air near the front, and she's off to help her prize students.

                "I still can't believe I actually asked her last year." I mutter to Ron, making a slight indication of Parvati, "She nice enough, all right, but she's virtually clueless." (A/N: No offense to Parvati fans out there, of course. That's just what I think ^_^)

                "We probably shouldn't have waited so long to speak up, you know?" he comments, chewing on his lip in concentration, "I wish this would tell me how we're going to fare with the newest one, but I can't make heads or tails of it."

                "Don't let Trelawney hear you say that." I hiss, darting my eyes to said teacher, "She'd probably say death eaters are going to invade the party and blow up the school or something."

                "If you were talking about anyone else, I'd say you were just being melodramatic, but knowing her, you're probably right. It's really a wonder she never gets tired of that," he shakes his head in amazement, then grins mischievously, "Speaking of the dance, do you have anybody in mind that you'd like to ask, mate?"

                "I thought I said I'd probably be going by myself," I reply evasively, not meeting his gaze under the pretense of copy down notes, "What, you got any ideas?"

                "Oh, no, I was talking about you, not me. No fair answering a question with a question, you know."

                "Turnabout's fair play, the last I checked."

                "True enough." Ron is silent for a while, and I wonder what he's thinking. He looks like he's struggling with something.

                "What's the problem?" I ask, frowning in concern, "Come on, now, spit it out."

                He hesitates for a second, then sighs in resignation, "Well, all right, but only because I do kind of need some advice. You have to swear that you won't tell anybody else, though."

                I nod, putting down my quill, "Sure, whatever you say."

                Ron clears his throat in embarrassment, "There is this girl I'd like to ask, but I don't think she'd say yes for the world."

                I sit back and study him for a moment, smiling, "It's Hermione, isn't it?" When he starts spluttering in an attempt to deny it, I laugh quietly, which cuts him off, "Ron, you're my best friend, and I'm not blind. I've seen the way you look at her when you think she isn't paying attention."

                His eyes widen nervously, "D'ya think she's noticed, and just doesn't want to say anything?"

                "I rather doubt it." I clap him on the shoulder encouragingly, "Actually, I think she's the only one who doesn't know, at least among your friends."

                "Just perfect," he mutters sarcastically, crossing his arms, "It's amazing Fred and George haven't teased me about it yet."

                "I guess it is," I chuckle at the idea, raising an eyebrow at the scowl on his face, "It's not that hopeless, you know. Do you really think she'd reject you that much?"

                Ron glances around and leans toward me, to make sure no one else would overhear, "I don't know, to tell you the truth, Harry. She's always telling me off, like at the Welcome Feast. You'd think I was just some stupid kid, from the way she acts sometimes. The thing is, she's probably right, like she is about everything else…" he drops his head down on the desk in defeat.

                I sigh to myself, wishing I could help him, "I really don't know what to tell you, Ron. Hermione might be smart and all, but she doesn't know everything, such as how you feel about her. Most likely, she thinks you see her as just some bossy bookworm, and that's it. Remember when you fought after the ball, and she'd said it'd taken you four years to notice she's a girl?" I shrug, "Maybe she's just as confused as you are, who knows?"

                A flicker of hope flares then dies almost immediately in his eyes as he sits up, thinking about this, "Why would she be confused about me? It's not like I'm anything special."

                I shake my head at this, laughing, "Ron, you have an inferiority complex, I think. We're going to have to do something about that…" I grin wickedly at him as the perfect idea comes to mind, "And I know just how we're going to do it, too."

                He leans away, eyeing me warily, "What are you up to?"

                "You're going to ask Hermione to the dance." I think I've cracked a rib in the effort to hold in my laughter at the look on his face. He's totally shocked, and seems to be finding it hard to talk. I don't really see why it came as that big of a surprise, but I don't mention this. I wait for a few minutes until he stops acting like a goldfish out of water before continuing, "Did you get the money you asked your mum for?"

                He gives me an odd look, "What do you think? Of course she didn't. I only asked her in the first place on the off chance she was able to find enough for a new set," he makes a disgusted face, "She did send me that eyesore she'd bought me before, though. Must she give me maroon all the time? She ought to know by now that I detest the color."

                I nod, "I suspected as much. She probably just thinks it looks good on you, that's all. Besides, you won't have to worry about that, seeing as how my offer still stands."

                He looks away, ashamed, "As much as I'd like to ask her, Harry, I can't have you paying for it, okay?"

                I frown, wishing he'd realize I'm just trying to help, "It's not as though I mind, you know. You can pay me back, and besides, you don't want a repeat of last year, do you?"

                "Yeah, you're right…" he sighs, hanging his head, "I guess we can do things your way, then…"

                I smile slightly, knowing how much that had cost him, "All right. What about Friday? There's supposed to be a free day then," I take his silence for assent. Just in time, too, because we see Trelawney heading toward us, that tragic look she always gets when she spots me firmly in place. Wonderful...

****

                As we get ready for bed in the dormitory, I can tell Ron is having second, third and even fourth thoughts about the "wisdom" of agreeing to my little plan. He'd even turned down a wizard's chess challenge from Fred earlier, which made him raise his brother's brows shoot into his hair in shock. Wizard's chess, to Ron, is like Quidditch to me. When George found this out from his twin, he actually came over to feel his little brother's forehead. They'd even asked me what was going on, but of course I didn't say anything. I think they might've figured it out, anyway, because they glanced at each other knowingly after that, walking away without another word. Ron was too distracted to even notice.

                I think it's getting a bit hard for him to be around Hermione and act normally. I'd known for some time that he'd liked her, but I didn't think it had gone this far. When we were in History of Magic, after Divination, Hermione kept giving us these glances like she knew something was up, but she wasn't quite sure what. I hope she doesn't corner me, or something; I'd hate to lie to her.

                Needless to say, it'd made for a very awkward lunch today. The four of us kept avoiding each other's gazes, speaking only when absolutely necessary. I think everyone believes we're having some sort of fight. Even Malfoy put in his typically sneering comment, something like "Aw, the famous Potter and Company's fighting. What a shame." I'd have loved to have thrown it back in his face, but I didn't think that would be my greatest idea ever, so I just gritted my teeth and glared at him. Naturally, he'd laughed.

                But, as much as I'd like to pound his face into the dirt, I have more important things to worry about. Such as what I'm going to do about Ginny. I certainly know how Ron feels, even if I don't say it...

Harry's Dream

                I look around, confused about my surroundings for a moment in the thick fog. When it clears, I find myself standing on a small cliff overlooking a deserted yet beautiful beach, the sun setting over the water. Or nearly deserted, anyway. Two people are walking toward me, hand in hand as they chat happily with each other. The young woman swings an empty picnic basket in one hand, leaning into her companion. The guy alongside her wraps his arm contentedly around her shoulders, smiling down at her as though he doesn't have a care in the world.

                It takes a moment for me to realize that's Ginny and I. I'm watching myself, on clearly what is a date, with the girl of my dreams. (A/N: o_O ack! pun alert! lol) Is this destined to come true, as they say it is with that sort of thing? I sure hope so... With this wish, I wake up only half an hour after I'd gotten in bed. Staring up into the dark overhangings of my bed, I hope she's getting more sleep than I.


~There...

  upon some distant shore,
  we want for nothing more

  than what will be.~

QoH: Pllllleeeaaaassseee leave me a review! ^_^ I love talkin 2 u guys!

PS: Guess what? lol We're babysittin 3 baby raccoons! (Mishka, Dasha and Moshka. My lil sis named em, which accounts 4 the "exotic" twist 2 em lol) THEY R ADORABLE! lol Loud as all hades, but the cutest little things! ^_^ Near as I can figure, they were found by themselves in a bale of hay or somethin at the farm where my mom works.