Okay kids, I have a feeling you all will like this one.
I worked really hard on this installment, maybe my hardest yet to write.
REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! I love you all and your encouragement.
********************************************************
Hermione ran down the grand staircase, her face flushed with mortification.
She entered the Great Hall, head swiveling frantically as she searched for one particular red head.
Spotting Ginny at their usual table, sitting across from Harry, Hermione walked over briskly, sank down upon the bench seat, and let her head fall against the table with a thud.
Liking the sound of it, she repeated the motion several times.
Ginny stared at Hermione, horribly fascinated.
The rest of Gryffindor stared as well, unused to such a display from Hermione.
Ginny knew that something really bad must have happened.
Not knowing what else to do, she awkwardly reached down and patted Hermione's back.
It always helped when her Mum did it for her.
After a moment, Hermione raised her head and faced Ginny.
"Oh, god," she moaned. "It was absolutely awful!"
"What was?" Ginny was really beginning to worry. Hermione was acting very…strange.
"Ron," Hermione managed to gasp out. "He-"
Hermione abruptly cut off, having just realized that she and Ginny had an audience.
"What'd he do?" Fred ventured to ask, a strange sort of smirk playing about his face.
Before Hermione could retort, a caramel colored hand playfully smacked the back of Fred's head.
"That's absolutely none of your business, love." Angelina plopped down next to Fred.
"Oy! Dammit, woman, that hurt!" Fred held his not very injured head, and stuck his lower lip out at her in a classic "puppy dog" face.
"Awww," she drawled. "Poor baby. Want me to rub your….head?"
George snickered. Seamus choked on his pumpkin juice, and Harry had to pat him hard on the back.
Hermione and Ginny both blushed, fully aware of Angelina's double entendre.
Fred immediately perked up. "Sure. S'long as you do it without hands."
Ginny covered her face. This was not a discussion she wanted to hear at the dinner table, although she was a bit proud of herself for even knowing the sexual connotations of what they were insinuating.
Through her fingers, she snuck a glance at Harry, who was seated across from her. He too, seemed a bit red in the face. He was diligently staring down at his plate, trying not to react to the totally inappropriate conversation taking place around him.
Thoughtfully, Ginny wondered how Harry would react if she offered to rub his head.
Apparently, Hermione felt the conversation was inappropriate as well. "That's quite enough! I really don't want to hear any more of that, please."
Fred managed to tear his eyes away from Angelina's smile in order to respond to Hermione's statement.
"I dunno, Mione. Seems to me you should like to hear it. After all, aren't you one to research before practicing? I'm sure Ron would appreciate a well learned technique."
Hermione's jaw dropped. She couldn't do anything but stammer. Hermione was well used to being teased by Fred and George regarding her relationship with Ron, especially since the previous summer when they, along with Ron and Harry, realized exactly in what ways she'd become a girl. Unfortunately for her, puberty had struck rather obviously. The idea that she would actually do that with Ron was crude and vulgar, yet…not as repulsive as it would have sounded a year ago. In fact, it might be….no, stop that right this second, she thought to herself. Your hormones are not going to best you, Hermione Granger.
Ginny wanted to yell at her brother, but was only just managing not to chuckle, so she figured silence would be best until she got herself fully under control.
George, never one to be left out of a good teasing, interjected, "If he's any kind of Weasley, you might want to work on stretching your throat muscles. We're a pretty well endowed lot!"
Hermione half wished for a Death Eater attack at that moment, so eager was she to stop the present subject of conversation.
"Oh stop it!" Angelina's voice was no longer teasing, but was eerily similar to McGonagall's stern tones.
"You two leave her alone, or I swear I will let slip some incredibly embarrassing information regarding you and the muggle vacuum cleaner your father brought home!*"
Fred and George were suddenly silent and red faced, while the rest of the table burst out in laughter.
Ron suddenly appeared behind Ginny and Hermione, unnoticed by the rest of Gryffindor.
"What's all this about?" Ron looked around the table questionably, hair still damp from his shower.
Hermione froze, her heart beat accelerating in response to his deep, smooth voice.
Sensing Hermione's panic, Ginny quickly answered, "Oh, the usual. Bad-mouthing Professor Snape and his unfortunate lack of hair care."
Ron chuckled, then slid into the seat next to Hermione, who breathed a huge sigh of relief. He hadn't heard Fred and George. Thank God.
After a quick, manly nod of greeting towards Harry, Ron leaned towards Hermione.
"You left this…up in the common room, Hermione."
With one hand, Ron easily lifted the massive book she'd dropped earlier towards her.
Hermione's blush returned with a vengeance. His words brought back visions of their earlier encounter. Visions of his body. Visions of his body and hers interacting as bodies sometimes did…..wow, she really needed to stop thinking about sex so much…was there something wrong with her?
Attempting to banish her totally inappropriate thoughts, she managed to squeak out a thank you to Ron, who simply smiled back at her.
The book was so cumbersome that Hermione had to reach for it with both of her hands.
In keeping with his recent conscientious behavior, Ron maintained a partial grip on the book to ensure Hermione would be able to hold it before he let it go completely. As a result, their hands brushed as Hermione took possession of her book.
They both froze. The unexpected contact was so sudden that Hermione's grip slackened.
The book fell, once more, to the floor.
Harry and Ginny made eye contact, and grinned knowingly at one another.
Fred nudged George with his elbow, and Angelina sighed, remembering fondly when she and Fred had been that awkward.
Ron and Hermione were oblivious to it all. They stared at each other as if the rest of theworld didn't exist. Their gaze held so long that some of the other Houses in the Great Hall took notice, including the Slytherins.
Finally, Ron moved. Reaching over, he grabbed the book once more. When Hermione made a move to reach for it, he moved it out of her grasp.
With a totally too-sexy-for-his-own-good grin upon his face, Ron murmured, "Maybe I should hold on to this for a bit, Mione. Seems to me you're losing control……"
Hermione swore she had a sudden hot flash.
"….of your textbooks," Ron finished.
And then Ron did something very brave or very foolish, depending on you asked.
Ron winked.
At Hermione.
Across from them, Harry's mouth opened in astonishment. Around the table, identical expressions could be seen.
Well, mused Ginny, this was new.
Ron then turned his attention to his food, seemingly unaware of the effects of his action.
Silence weighed for a bit, before the topic of the upcoming Quidditch trials came up.
Ron listened with one ear as Harry, Fred, George, Angelina and even Seamus bombarded him with all sorts of advice for the tryouts.
He nodded absentmindedly in response to their statements, more interested in filling his stomach at the moment. Or so it appeared.
In reality, Ron knew full well that his winking at Hermione was not a common occurrence between them. In fact, that was why he had done it.
By the end of his shower, Ron had realized that his previous plan of action may have been counter-productive. Instead of endearing himself to Hermione, he had only made her more wary, simply because he had not been acting in a way she could reconcile with his normal behavior.
So then. It was time to grow some balls. Hermione's obvious attraction to him had cemented his resolve. She did want him. She might not love him yet, but practically falling all over herself after seeing a bit of chest was highly encouraging.
Of course, the piece of paper that had fallen out of Hermione's fallen book might have helped a bit.
It was a long piece of parchment, with Ron- Observations written across the top.
It was filled with comments, in perfect penmanship no less, regarding his behavior of late.
***************
Ron acted very strange in potions today. He actually raised his hand and answered correctly. Snape didn't manage to take any points off. I'm shocked, especially since I wasn't the one giving him the answers, nor had I helped him study the night before. I had, of course, offered, but Ron said he had it all under control. He always needs help! Something strange is going on.
***************
It's been a very…peculiar day. At lunch, I got a letter from Victor by owl. Harry asked who it was from, and I hesitantly answered him. I glanced at Ron from the corner of my eye, and he didn't get red or mutter something under his breath or anything. He actually inquired as to how Victor was doing, in this genial tone of voice. I'm really starting to worry.
**************
Maybe it's a Death Eater masquerading as Ron by using the Polyjuice Potion. I really can't think of any other logical explanation. I have been so worried and sick of not fighting with him that I deliberately tried to start a row in the common room after dinner. I told Ron he needed to start on his O.W.L study schedule, instead of wasting all his time training for a stupid sport. He tilted his head to the side, as if deep in thought, then said I was probably right. He continued on, saying that he already had so much time invested in Quidditch that he had to follow it through. If however, he failed to make the team, he would be more than happy to block out the time that would have been used for training and use it for O.W.L study. This observation to find out if Ron likes me isn't working out like Ginny and I thought it would. I'm getting scared. I think it's time to talk to Harry.
**************
Harry has assured me that Ron hasn't been replaced by a Death Eater or Barty Crouch. I asked him if he knew what was wrong with Ron, and he told me he was sure I'd cotton on sooner or later. Obviously, Harry knows more than he's saying.
It went on a bit from there, detailing other instances of his odd behavior, before getting to the last portion of the parchment.
Conclusions from the Observations of the Past Week:
Ron is acting very unlike himself- he's polite, attentive, well mannered. He's exhibiting incredible time management skills, with maintaining homework and study time, Quidditch training, and social time with Harry, myself and the rest of Gryffindor.
While I observe normal interaction between he and Harry, my own relationship with Ron has definitely altered. With that, and the odd coincidence of Ron suddenly acting exactly as I have always wanted him to, I have come to the realization that he could be purposely changing for my benefit. Ironically, now that he is behaving himself, I find I yearn for the old, impetuous, quick-tempered Ron of old.
Though this seems a bit arrogant on my part, it is the only explanation that is logical. Ginny's own non-disclosure when I asked if Ron liked me put aside, his own behavior clearly follows the pattern I have outlined.
With that said, how am I to proceed? I have discreetly asked Fred and George if they knew anything about Ron's behavior and its possible cause, to which they laughed and generally joked around. I should have known better than to ask them.
Harry won't betray Ron's confidence, nor would I ask him to. Ginny, the same. The only other person close to Ron is myself, so that leaves me in a bind.
Short of coming out and asking him, I don't know what else there is to be done.
Although I am 95 percent sure he holds some measure of interest in me, the other 5 percent of me is wary that he is doing all of this for some other girl who he fancies. Apparently, my Gryffindor courage has its limits.
For now I will continue to wait and watch. Perhaps I will venture a discussion after Ron makes Keeper. We shall see.
Ron couldn't help the bit of smile that appeared at the corners of his mouth. It was nice, more than nice, knowing Hermione felt the same way. Although he felt more than a little guilty. Reading that parchment felt like an invasion of privacy, somehow.
He had put the parchment back in the book, and gone down to dinner. He was determined to never let Hermione know he'd seen it.
Next to him, Hermione finished her meal and rose to leave. "I'm going to head to the library and study a bit. See everyone later in the common room!"
Ginny quickly wiped her mouth with her napkin, and then stood as well. "Hold on, I'll join you. I could use your help in Transfiguration." Smiling shyly at Harry, she tossed her hair and grabbed her bookbag.
Not bloody likely, Ron thought to himself. They were probably going to discuss him.
Hermione reached down for her bag as well. Before she'd had a chance to touch it, the rucksack was suddenly kicked away.
"Oops, sorry Granger. Didn't see that there." Malfoy chuckled, and after a good ten seconds and a nasty look from Draco, Crabbe and Goyle joined in.
Stay calm. Stay calm. Ron repeated the mantra to himself, willing his temper to remain in check. Harry rose from his chair, as did the rest of Gryffindor. At the other end of the hall, the teachers seemed not to notice the possible altercation currently taking form.
Hermione fixed Draco with a nasty glare. "Don't you have some babies to kick, or some Snape arse kissing to complete?
Draco shot back, "Couldn't be worse than kissing you, you filthy little bitch!"
Ginny gasped. Harry moved to come around to their side of the table, his wand at the ready, and Fred looked as if he was clenching his fist in preparation to do some damage to Draco's face. Angelina was trying to hold him back.
Meanwhile Ron continued to sit. Stay calm, stay calm. He called her a bitch, the voice in his head protested.
Yeah, but I'm not supposed to fight with Draco. It's on the list of stuff I shouldn't do.
Haven't we established that the list is null and void, since Hermione doesn't want you to change?
True, Ron mused.
Besides, I believe that the no fighting with Draco had an escape clause, didn't it?
Ron smiled. Getting to his feet, he moved to position himself in front of Hermione and Ginny, facing Draco directly.
Well, now, Ron thought to himself. I guess I'm about to find out whether or not fighting turns her on.
*********************************
Sorry, I know you guys hate cliffies! It will be worth the wait, I assure you. My college is done the middle of next week, so you will get a lot more, a lot faster.
* If you don't get the vacuum cleaner joke, let me and I will fill you in!
Next, SexyKickAss!Ron. Anyone wanna guess if Mione gets turned on?