* ~HERMIONE'S POINT OF VIEW~ *
The Great Hall that night was more packed than usual since it was a Friday evening and not one person was panicking over last minute homework. A vast assortment of heavy foods, including roast beef and mashed potatoes, covered every table. Since everyone was relaxed and anticipating the coming weekend, the conversations were loud and never ending.
I knew this because it was the same way at the Gryffindor table. I picked up my goblet of pumpkin juice and surveyed the people around me. To my left, Fred and George were sitting across from each other, running bizarre joke ideas by us, causing random people to snort into their drinks or choke on a mouthful of food. To my right, Ginny and Harry were talking excitedly to each other about where they wanted to visit in Hogsmeade the next day. I smiled, realizing just how comfortable I was with all of them. They were all such good friends...almost like a family. My smile grew, and I glanced at the red haired boy sitting directly across from me and was surprised to find him looking right back at me with an amused grin playing across his lips.
I froze for a minute, trying to picture what I must have looked like, staring at all of our friends with an insane smile on my face. I felt a wisp of my hair come loose and fall into my eyes, and I set down my goblet with a thump. Despite my internal orders, I felt my cheeks heat up slightly. Why could he always do that to me?
"What is it, Ron?" I asked, half laughing at myself.
I expected some smart-mouth retort, a deafeningly loud laugh, or a smack on the table, but apparently the world didn't feel like being predicted so easily. Instead, he remained silent for a few moments, gazing over at me. Just staring. I started to squirm a bit. This was very strange. What exactly was he thinking at this very moment? I was about to ask him this, when he chuckled softly and shook his head. Then he reached across the table, across all of that food and in front of everyone, and I felt his fingers graze my cheek. He hesitated for a moment, as if he was just realizing what he was doing, then he pushed the stray strand of hair out of my eyes and tucked it behind my ear. We both knew that at that point, the hair was successfully out of the way, and there was really no need for his hand to still be on my face, but neither of us moved or said anything. We just sat there. And stared.
"What about you, Ron?" Harry nudged Ron's side, causing his hand to slip off of me. The moment was gone. I glanced down quickly, busying my hands with my napkin. I knew now that my face was definitely red, and I figured that just about everyone in the entire Great Hall had noticed what had just gone on. When I chanced a glance up, though, only Ginny, Fred, George, and Harry seemed to have taken notice. Harry looked between us, then smiled that same knowing smile, and sent a meaningful glance at Ginny. Ginny then raised an eyebrow and covered her mouth with her napkin, obviously trying to suppress a fit of giggles. Fred and George, though, weren't nearly as kind, and burst out laughing. I frowned at the sight of them and felt as if I were close to bursting a fuse. I slammed my napkin onto my plate and stared at the four of them.
"What in the-" I began.
"What was that, Harry?" Ron asked, completely oblivious to the entire scene that had just occured. He began eating again, while Harry regained his composure and jumped back into the conversation.
"That new Quidditch shop. I've heard some of their equipment is positively brilliant, and..." Again, they were lost in the world of Quidditch. I watched the two of them and suddenly had the desire to have just Ron and I at the table, and no one else...no one else...
My eyes widened as if I were caught thinking something that I shouldn't have been thinking. The noise surrounding us seemed to intensify and the walls almost seemed as if they were closing in. 'I definitely should not think that,' I scolded myself. 'Ron's my friend. Yes, that's it. He's my friend.' I took in his messy red hair and sparkling blue eyes, and I knew I was lying to myself. My heart felt like it was doing summersaults! 'Friends...' I thought again. 'Yeah, I guess.' I got up hastily, and clumsily hopped over the bench. Ron and Harry stopped their discussion mid-sentence, and gawked at me.
"Something wrong, 'Mione?" Ron asked, concern lacing every word.
I shook my head abruptly. "Nope. Nothing. Nothing at all. I just...just...need some kind of...fresh air. Yeah. Fresh air. See you guys..." I felt extremely flustered and didn't care if I worried them in the slightest. I turned on my heel and began to walk out of the room, until...
"Hermione! Wait up!" Ginny careened to a halt next to me and grabbed my arm, panting for breath. "I'll...*pant*...I'll come with you."
I can't say I was fond at the idea of having company, but, hey, this was just Ginny. Maybe she could talk some sense into me.
* ~RON'S POINT OF VIEW~ *
I watched Hermione's and Ginny's retreating backs wondering what the hell was going on. Did she not like me touching her like that? Of course, I hadn't really realized I was doing it. It seemed so...natural. I shivered. Natural? Why would touching Hermione be natural? But then again, after that incident in the Common Room, I thought it would be all right. It was kind of like she'd given me permission. That obviously wasn't true, though. If she wanted me to do that (who knows why she would WANT it though), she wouldn't have become so disturbed.
I was vaguely aware of Harry looking anxiously at his wristwatch. "Hey, mate, it's about time for the first of the practice tryouts. Should we go get ready?" He got up and grabbed my robes, dragging me along with him.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
A/N: Okay, okay, short chapter, I know. And I'm SORRY!!! Really, I am. I just came up with a new fic, though, and I've been working on that. I'm not giving up on this though! No WAY! You might want to check out the other one, too though. R&R anyway, though, k? Please don't hate me, I love you guys, and I AM going to keep writing this one. In fact, the next chapter should be up in the next few days! REVIEW! Yep, come on, review...
The Great Hall that night was more packed than usual since it was a Friday evening and not one person was panicking over last minute homework. A vast assortment of heavy foods, including roast beef and mashed potatoes, covered every table. Since everyone was relaxed and anticipating the coming weekend, the conversations were loud and never ending.
I knew this because it was the same way at the Gryffindor table. I picked up my goblet of pumpkin juice and surveyed the people around me. To my left, Fred and George were sitting across from each other, running bizarre joke ideas by us, causing random people to snort into their drinks or choke on a mouthful of food. To my right, Ginny and Harry were talking excitedly to each other about where they wanted to visit in Hogsmeade the next day. I smiled, realizing just how comfortable I was with all of them. They were all such good friends...almost like a family. My smile grew, and I glanced at the red haired boy sitting directly across from me and was surprised to find him looking right back at me with an amused grin playing across his lips.
I froze for a minute, trying to picture what I must have looked like, staring at all of our friends with an insane smile on my face. I felt a wisp of my hair come loose and fall into my eyes, and I set down my goblet with a thump. Despite my internal orders, I felt my cheeks heat up slightly. Why could he always do that to me?
"What is it, Ron?" I asked, half laughing at myself.
I expected some smart-mouth retort, a deafeningly loud laugh, or a smack on the table, but apparently the world didn't feel like being predicted so easily. Instead, he remained silent for a few moments, gazing over at me. Just staring. I started to squirm a bit. This was very strange. What exactly was he thinking at this very moment? I was about to ask him this, when he chuckled softly and shook his head. Then he reached across the table, across all of that food and in front of everyone, and I felt his fingers graze my cheek. He hesitated for a moment, as if he was just realizing what he was doing, then he pushed the stray strand of hair out of my eyes and tucked it behind my ear. We both knew that at that point, the hair was successfully out of the way, and there was really no need for his hand to still be on my face, but neither of us moved or said anything. We just sat there. And stared.
"What about you, Ron?" Harry nudged Ron's side, causing his hand to slip off of me. The moment was gone. I glanced down quickly, busying my hands with my napkin. I knew now that my face was definitely red, and I figured that just about everyone in the entire Great Hall had noticed what had just gone on. When I chanced a glance up, though, only Ginny, Fred, George, and Harry seemed to have taken notice. Harry looked between us, then smiled that same knowing smile, and sent a meaningful glance at Ginny. Ginny then raised an eyebrow and covered her mouth with her napkin, obviously trying to suppress a fit of giggles. Fred and George, though, weren't nearly as kind, and burst out laughing. I frowned at the sight of them and felt as if I were close to bursting a fuse. I slammed my napkin onto my plate and stared at the four of them.
"What in the-" I began.
"What was that, Harry?" Ron asked, completely oblivious to the entire scene that had just occured. He began eating again, while Harry regained his composure and jumped back into the conversation.
"That new Quidditch shop. I've heard some of their equipment is positively brilliant, and..." Again, they were lost in the world of Quidditch. I watched the two of them and suddenly had the desire to have just Ron and I at the table, and no one else...no one else...
My eyes widened as if I were caught thinking something that I shouldn't have been thinking. The noise surrounding us seemed to intensify and the walls almost seemed as if they were closing in. 'I definitely should not think that,' I scolded myself. 'Ron's my friend. Yes, that's it. He's my friend.' I took in his messy red hair and sparkling blue eyes, and I knew I was lying to myself. My heart felt like it was doing summersaults! 'Friends...' I thought again. 'Yeah, I guess.' I got up hastily, and clumsily hopped over the bench. Ron and Harry stopped their discussion mid-sentence, and gawked at me.
"Something wrong, 'Mione?" Ron asked, concern lacing every word.
I shook my head abruptly. "Nope. Nothing. Nothing at all. I just...just...need some kind of...fresh air. Yeah. Fresh air. See you guys..." I felt extremely flustered and didn't care if I worried them in the slightest. I turned on my heel and began to walk out of the room, until...
"Hermione! Wait up!" Ginny careened to a halt next to me and grabbed my arm, panting for breath. "I'll...*pant*...I'll come with you."
I can't say I was fond at the idea of having company, but, hey, this was just Ginny. Maybe she could talk some sense into me.
* ~RON'S POINT OF VIEW~ *
I watched Hermione's and Ginny's retreating backs wondering what the hell was going on. Did she not like me touching her like that? Of course, I hadn't really realized I was doing it. It seemed so...natural. I shivered. Natural? Why would touching Hermione be natural? But then again, after that incident in the Common Room, I thought it would be all right. It was kind of like she'd given me permission. That obviously wasn't true, though. If she wanted me to do that (who knows why she would WANT it though), she wouldn't have become so disturbed.
I was vaguely aware of Harry looking anxiously at his wristwatch. "Hey, mate, it's about time for the first of the practice tryouts. Should we go get ready?" He got up and grabbed my robes, dragging me along with him.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
A/N: Okay, okay, short chapter, I know. And I'm SORRY!!! Really, I am. I just came up with a new fic, though, and I've been working on that. I'm not giving up on this though! No WAY! You might want to check out the other one, too though. R&R anyway, though, k? Please don't hate me, I love you guys, and I AM going to keep writing this one. In fact, the next chapter should be up in the next few days! REVIEW! Yep, come on, review...