Disclaimer: None of the characters that you recognize are mine. They belong to Ms. J.K.Rowlings and not to me!
A/N- Wow! Thank you all for the wonderful reviews! I couldn't stop smiling after I read them!
I am so sorry this took so long to be posted. I seriously have had so much homework but hopefully I'll have another chapter up within the week.
Chapter 15
Saturday
"Hermione, are you sure you're okay to go to Hogsmeade?"
Hermione rolled her eyes at Ron, who had been inquiring about her health ever since she was released from the Infirmary on Wednesday.
"Ron, for the thousandth time, I am perfectly fine. It's not like I was paralyzed or anything. Honestly, you'd think I was on my deathbed," Hermione said impatiently, but a small smile played on her lips.
"Well, you could have died," Ron pointed out loudly.
Hermione and Ron's relationship had been strange to say the least since their almost kiss in the Infirmary. At times they were extremely shy and awkward around one another, occasionally even better friends than before, and now and then there would be the infamous Granger-Weasley all-out yelling match that was even louder and more hurtful than before.
They had not discussed the moment at all with one another and Hermione hadn't mentioned it to anyone. Well, the only one she would even consider mentioning it to would be Harry, and if she was ever in an extremely giddy mood, Parvati, Lavender, and Ginny.
But, as she didn't know herself what this all meant, she kept mum about the entire encounter. Of course, that didn't stop her intelligent little mind to dream up other scenarios where Madam Pomfrey had suddenly fallen and hit her head, knocking her out, before she had interrupted the couple. Or, where Ron had told Madam Pomfrey to go away, scooped her up in his arms, and kissed her senselessly, and they had ridden off into the sunset on Harry's Firebolt.
Unfortunately, none of those things had happened so it seemed they were back to Square One. Hermione honestly didn't even know if Harry had been informed, as his outer impression didn't give anything away.
"Hermione? Are you ready to go?"
Harry's voice cut into Hermione's thoughts and she nodded in the affirmative.
"So, are you getting some muggle clothes, Hermione, or just using some of your own?" Harry asked as the Trio left the Great Hall to board the carriages that would escort them to Hogsmeade.
"I think I'll get some new ones. I really didn't think to bring any exercise clothes with me. Plus, I wear sweats and soffes an awful lot at home so I could always use an extra pair," Hermione responded.
"What store did Professor Starr say to go to?" Ron questioned.
"It was 'The Magical World of Muggle Clothing.' She said it just opened a couple weeks ago," Hermione answered.
"I still can't believe she's actually making us buy special clothes for her class. Our robes are comfortable enough," Ron complained. "Now are Hogsmeade trip is going to be wasted on shopping. For clothes of all things. Who does she think we all are? Girls?."
Hermione looked up sharply at this statement. "Oh really? Is that all you think girls do? Shop?"
Ron immediately wished her could retract his statement. He had made a promise to himself to not say anything at all that could result in a row with Hermione. He was really hoping for another opportunity like in the Infirmary where he could just kiss her and all his feelings would be out in the open.
"No! No, of course not. I just meant that girls, who are so much more..umm… fashionable, might like it better. But, of course, not all girls like to shop for clothes. Like you, for instance, you like to shop, but for books and things. So…ummm…yeah," Ron finished rambling, expecting Hermione to begin shouting at him. When he dared to look up, he was astonished to see Hermione smiling at him. Oh, wow. Hermione is smiling at me when she should be taking my head off. Wow. I wonder if Hogmeade has a church to get married in? Or at least a jeweler to but an engagement ring.
"It's ok, Ron. It's a known fact that girls do enjoy spending money on clothes more than boys. But this is important. It's for school. Plus you wouldn't want to get your robes dirty while you're stretching on the floor, now would you?" Hermione asked with a smile.
"No. Of course n- Stretching?! What's that?" Ron asked frantically, vivid images of Crabbe taking one arm, Goyle the other, pulling as hard as they can while he lay helpless on the floor.
"It's just warm-up exercises so you don't get too sore," Hermione explained. She looked like she was about to say more when the carriage stopped and the Trio got out to enter Hogsmeade.
Harry had been intently watching Hermione and Ron throughout their conversation with one another. He doubted they had even known he was there the last half of the trip. He was just waiting to see how long they could continue to do absolutely nothing about the obvious chemistry between them.
The night when Hermione was cured, Ron had come upstairs, a bit dazed, and Harry had been sure something had happened. A kiss, a declaration of love, a marriage proposal! Anything! But no, Ron had said they had talked and that was it. Harry knew Ron had to be holding something back as when he came into the room he had seem dazed and headed towards Neville's bed before Harry stopped him and an embarrassing encounter occurred. Harry wasn't going to push it too much though, as he knew Ron's mind was already on overdrive about all these feelings towards his best girl friend whom he wished was his girlfriend.
"Look! There it is!" Hermione shouted, arm outstretched pointing at the large establishment with a sign saying The Magical World of Muggles across the front.
"Can you believe this store just opened two weeks ago? I read that they had been trying to open for the past four years and finally got approval last month," Hermione informed her companions.
"Why is that?" Harry asked distractedly as he pulled open the heavy oak door and ushered Hermione inside. A little bell on the door signaled their arrival.
Hermione shrugged. "It's all pretty secretive if you ask me. I think it has something to do with the owner and –"
"Well, hello Hogwarts students! Welcome to The Magical World of Muggles. I am Jessica and I'll be happy to answer questions you might have." The blonde shop owner that had interrupted Hermione's reply stood before them in regular Muggle jeans and a T-Shirt saying I Love NY with a big cheesy smile playing on her lips.
"Umm, thank you, but I think we can manage on our own," Hermione answered. Jessica nodded and went to the back of the store. Hermione turned to look for Ron, who was currently playing in the wig section.
"Ron! What are you doing?" Hermione demanded.
Ron turned around, a bright purple wig going down to his mid-back sitting atop his head. "Trying out some new hair colors. What do you think? Purple or green?" Ron asked holding up a short lime green wig.
Hermione and Harry looked at each other before bursting out laughing. "You - look so stupid!" Harry said in between laughs.
"Gee, thanks," Ron said sarcastically. "Here, Hermione, try this on." Before Hermione could hex Ron into the next decade, he came up and put a magenta wig over her chestnut locks.
Ron grinned that lopsided grin of his and Hermione couldn't help grinning back. Harry was still laughing in his own little corner while Ron, with purple hair, Hermione, magenta gazed into each other's eyes. They must have made quite a sight. Suddenly, Hermione licked her lips slightly to moisten them and Ron felt his heart jump. She looked so beautiful, magenta hair and all.
Both their smiles suddenly dropped and they each moved an inch closer to each other, the rest of the world fading from their thoughts. Harry finally stopped laughing and watched his two best friends with wide eyes. They looked so comfortable with each other that Harry felt the first pang of jealously pierce his heart although it only lasted for a moment.
Suddenly, Jessica, the previously cheery sales associate rounded the corner and took one look at the scene before her.
"Excuse me! Just what do you think you are doing?" she demanded. Hermione and Ron sprang apart and looked guiltily at her.
"These wigs are not toys. They are very expensive and you are not to try them on unless you want to buy them." Gone was Jessica's big smile and musical voice. Instead, her voice was like ice and her eyes were so dark and filled with hatred.
"Umm, I'm sorry. It was my fault," Ron said quickly.
Jessica marched over and plucked the wigs from their heads, and slammed them back on the mannequin head they had previously occupied.
"Can I help you find something you are going to buy?" she asked icily.
Hermione was ready to tell this Jessica to jump off a cliff before logic settled in her brain. They actually needed these Muggle clothes and unless Headmaster Dumbledore was going to approve a trip into Muggle London within the next forty-eight hours, this was it.
"Yes," Hermione said, trying to keep the venom from her voice. "We're looking for Muggle exercise clothing."
Jessica nodded curtly. "Follow me."
They were led to a large section of the store filled with racks that contained sweat pants, tank tops, soffes, sweat bands, sneakers, socks, and every other article of Muggle clothing suitable for going to the gym.
Hermione saw Ron look around in amazement.
"Look at all this stuff. Is this all just for exercising?" he asked.
"You don't have to jog or anything with them on. These kind of clothes are great to just relax in," Hermione said while looking through the racks with girl clothes.
About fifteen minutes passed with all three students carefully examining all possible choices for what to wear in Professor Starr's dance class. Every now and then you would hear Ron mutter, "Wow!" or "Muggles are great" under his breath as he picked up more clothes to try on.
By the time they were ready to try on their choices, Hermione couldn't even see Ron's face behind the huge pile of clothes he had picked out for himself. She almost burst out laughing as she saw a pile of clothes with legs underneath and reminded herself this was a boy that was going overboard. Traditionally, it was usually females who found every piece of cloth exciting and yet Hermione came out with four items and Ron, thirty-five.
"Ron. You have five pairs of the same pants," Hermione pointed out as she rummaged through his pile.
"Yes, but I didn't know which size to get," he explained. Hermione examined all five pairs and saw that one could fit Ron, Harry, and herself in the waistband and another she doubted he would be able to get one leg through. When Hermione finally took out the clothes she knew wouldn't fit, Ron was down to fourteen pieces of clothes.
"You thought this would fit you?" Hermione asked dubiously, holding up shirt that looked like it would be Crookshank's size.
Ron shrugged helplessly. "I don't know anything about Muggle clothes. That could stretch when you put it on."
Hermione rolled her eyes. "For future reference, if it looks too small, it's because it is."
"Ok, can I go into the dressing room now?" Ron asked hopefully. Hermione couldn't suppress a smile. He was like a little boy at Christmas time.
"Sure." With that, Ron ran to the row of dressing rooms and shut the curtain that divided the dressing room from the rest of the store. Hermione and Harry shared a smile at Ron's eagerness to do something as mundane as trying on Muggle clothing. They each parted to enter their own dressing room and all was quiet for a few minutes.
"Ok! I'm ready!" Ron called out. All three pulled back the curtain and stepped out into the open.
Hermione took a look at the two young men standing before her. It was like a bucket of cold water was being thrown into her face. When did they grow up? Hermione still remembered Harry as being the skinny kid drowning in Dudley's hand-me-downs with that young face of his. Now he was at least a foot taller and with actual food being available to him as well as being the Gryffindor Seeker for the past five years, he had filled out quite a bit. His hair was still the mess it had always been but Hermione had always thought it was endearing. He was wearing simply black sweats and a white T-Shirt but Hermione was at a loss for words.
The first time Hermione saw Ron, she saw a tall, lanky boy, whom she didn't particularly care for. With his bright red hair, he was never hard to miss. Now, he had shot up even taller and his hair had darkened slightly. And looking at him with those navy sweats and white shirt, she couldn't believe her eyes. It as in that moment she realized they were growing up. Things wouldn't stay this way forever and who knew what would happen when Voldermort decided to show himself. But for now, she took a mental picture of her boys and put on a huge smile and filed this moment away in the 'Best Memories' section of her mind.
"You guys look great," Hermione said truthfully. With all her contemplating, she never realized Ron had been staring at her, his eyes like saucers. Hermione had opted for a simple yellow tank top and red soffes to show her Gryffindor pride. She did not roll them up a hundred times to see how short they could get before her knickers showed nor were they so long her legs swam in them.
"You look beautiful, Hermione," Harry said, all the while jabbing Ron not too softly with his elbow.
"Yes. Um. You look… you look…. Amazing," Ron said, his ears slightly pink.
Hermione blushed. "Thank you." The fact that she was wearing shorts never really occurred to her as she slipped them on all the time on hot summer days at home. Now the realization that she would have to go in front of the entire class and dance practically half-naked hit her like a ton of bricks.
"Umm. But maybe I'll just try on the sweatpants instead. I'll probably be too chilly with these shorts on anyways." Hermione fled back into her dressing room and breathed heavily with her back against the wall. She grabbed the red sweats that were flood pants as they came up to her slender ankles instead of the floor for easier dancing. She quickly took off the offending soffes and practically threw them against the wall in her attempt to put on her sweatpants.
She emerged and expected Ron's eyes to not even give her a second look, as she was showing nowhere near as much skin. But, much to her surprise, Ron was still looking at her as if she was a goddess.
"You still look beautiful," Ron said. "You look beautiful no matter what you wear or how your hair looks."
Hermione, for once, was at a loss for words. She was so taken aback, she didn't know what to do. She had a half a mind to grab Ron and passionately kiss him and the other half wanted to softly kiss him.
"Have you found everything okay?" An annoying voice asked, shaking all three Gryffindors from their thoughts.
"Yes, Jessica. We'll take these," Harry responded.
Jessica gave a curt nod and went to the register to ring them up.
Whatever was going to happen in the future, Hermionbe was pretty sure she wanted to get there. Fast.
* * * * *
I'm so sorry this took 2 months to get out and practically nothing happened! Don't worry, this chapter wasn't a complete waste as it is crucial for later on. Please take a second to review! Thank you!