Disclaimer:
Whoopsies! Forgot this last chapter. Therefore: My name is not J.K. Rowling.
J.K. Rowling wrote the Harry Potter series. Good enough for you?
Nobody knows it but you've got a secret smile
And you use it only for me
Nobody knows it but you've got a secret smile
And you use it only for me
So use it and prove it
Remove this whirling sadness
I'm losing, I'm bluesing
But you can save me from madness
-Semisonic, "Secret Smile"
Over the following week, Ron tried not to think about Hermione too much. He
figured the last thing he needed this year, with his all-important O.W.L.s
coming up, was another distraction. But it seemed like the more he tried not to
think about her, the more his mind kept going back to just what it was he
wasn't going to think about. Hermione Granger, who had somehow grown from the
girl with unmanaged frizzy hair, big teeth, and an armload of books, the girl
who he had been friends with since Hallowe'en five years ago. But it seemed
like overnight -overnight? Maybe it had been gradual, maybe he just hadn't
noticed that she was slowly turning into a tall, poised, intelligent and
beautiful girl who no longer was just a friend.
"Ron Weasley."
Startled, Ron looked up to see Snape looking at him with poorly disguised pleasure.
"Can you tell me what type of poison the Verberth plant excretes, and what
the poison, once diluted, helps cure?"
Ron glanced around the classroom, hoping frantically that maybe they had been
writing notes on the board - but no such luck. He finally returned his gaze to
the desk in front of him and muttered "I don't know, sir."
"Really, Weasley? That's very odd, since if I'm not mistaken it's the
thing we just reviewed a minute ago. Perhaps your thoughts would be better off
not in a dreamland that, for you, could never exist, but in class? Fifteen
points from Gryffindor." At that, Snape turned quickly, his cloak creating
a malevolently sinister ripple.
"I bet he planned that on purpose. 'Exit stage left, cloak
flourish.'" Ron turned his head as discreetly as possible to see Harry
grinning as usual at him. "Don't worry, he does that to all of us. And it
wasn't a minute ago, it was nearly ten." As Snape began winding up his
interrogation of another student, Harry whipped back around, fixing such a
studious look on his face that Ron had to choke back laughter.
Class ended after what seemed eons, and Harry, Ron and Hermione left the
classroom as quickly as was humanly possible, considering the other throngs of
students that had the same thought on their minds.
"It's like a stampede," joked Ron once they finally made it out.
"Someday someone's going to get trampled and then what will Snape
do?"
Ron had barely finished saying this when Harry jumped in. "Well, Hermione,
we've got to go now. I lost something in my room and Ron's helping me look for
it. See you later!"
"What? I didn't know you lost something, your room's usually a lot neater!"
Ron was suddenly pulled halfway across the hall by a sudden jerk of Harry's
arm. "But this isn't even the way to the dorm, Harry," he said as he
watched the chestnut head slowly disappear into the crowd.
"Yes, yes, I know. I actually didn't lose anything. I've got great news,
Ron!" And so it appeared, for Harry's smile was huger than Fred and
George's when they got a standing ovation from the teachers at graduation.
"What is it? Draco's been eaten by the Whomping Willow? Fleur's coming
back to the school? Or - wait, I've got it: there's a strange love charm that's
been put on Hogwarts, and McGonagall's fallen for Flitwick-"
Harry shook his head. "Don't be silly, how on earth would they reach each
other?"
" - and how about you tell me what it really is quickly before my
imagination runs out?"
Harry took a deep breath, and said "Cho's agreed to go out with me to Hogsmeade
one day! I mean I know it's not even really a date, but just being able to be
somewhere just with her will be just wonderful, and she hardly ever used to
talk to me before, especially after the Triwizard Tournament, and I don't know,
what should I wear, or should I still feel guilty about Cedric, though
strangely enough Voldemort hasn't even done anything yet, but it's a start
right? A little start but a start. Not really a big start, but"
Ron laughed and grabbed Harry by the shoulders. "Harry, calm down! That's
wonderful! I'm so happy for you, I'm sure Cho will have a great time with you
and then fall for you just as much as you've fallen for her," here he
expertly dodged a swipe made by Harry, "and have a brilliant time. When is
it?"
"Hallowe'en. And the reason I told you is, um, ah, er,"
"No, I won't hang around you."
Looking relieved at not having to say it for himself, Harry smiled in
appreciation then paused as something else difficult came up. "And would
you mind making sure that, uh, Hermione is occupied? I mean she's just as much
my friend as anyone, but it's just different telling it to a girl."
Ron stopped short. Him alone with Hermione? How on earth would he manage to act
normally? Hermione was, quite obviously, far from stupid, and this extended
from the studying sense to that of observation. He'd have to act as if, like it
used to be, Hermione was just one of his buddies. He had no idea how to do
that. But he'd have to, because refusing to do his best friend a favor would
not only be something he would never do, but would be partly revealing in
itself. He knew how important this was to his friend, since Cho had been
stand-offish and often just rude to Harry since third year, when Ron had begun
to notice the affection Harry was harboring for the attractive Asian Seeker.
"Uh, Ron?"
Ron started. Harry was looking at him with a confused expression on his face.
"Oh right, sorry, just kind of dozed off. Sure, I'll take care of
Hermione."
"Are you all right, Ron? Because you did just that in Snape's class. Is
something wrong?" Harry's face was full of concern and perplexion.
"I'm fine, it's just I haven't been sleeping very well lately. And you
know Snape's class, it's practically a cure for insomnia."
"No, that would be Divination."
Ron and Harry started walking, trying to get out of the way of a frantic
Neville who was dashing from hall to hall yelling something about whether or
not anyone had seen his wand. "True, very true. I wonder just what
Professor Trelawney will have cooked up in relation to Miss Perthin's class
schedule? I hope you're ready to die again today Harry, and perhaps by an
exotic evil elf -"
