AN: Whee! I love retreading romantic clichés. By the way, if you're a
shoujo anime fan I'd greatly recommend you check out PitaTen, which is a
shoujo/shoujoai (that's femslash) anime. It's available for download at
shoujoai.com. It's a lot like Card Captor Sakura except gayer. (Yeah, gayer
even counting Tomoyo's conspicuous affection for Sakura.) I'm downloading
#4 as I write this~su! (You'll get it once you watch PitaTen.) I love
Misha, she reminds me of older Mimi from Digimon.
PS. Still mean! Meaner even! It's Friday night and that means no FLCL/Blue Gender fix for me.
*
It is unusually quiet for a Weasley dinner. Mom and dad seem to be in mellow spirits, but Ron and Harry are acting really weird. Hermione too. Ron and Harry keep giving each other meaningful looks like they're in on a secret I don't know about.
It's really ticking me off.
Hermione keeps looking over at me. Her expression is a mixture of trepidation and fascination. It's really disconcerting. Ron whispers something to Harry and Harry gives me a look. Hermione looks over at them, then at me. I guess Hermione is in on the secret, too. Even after all these years I'm still not in on their bond.
I catch Hermione staring at me and she blushes and looks down at her food quickly with renewed interest.
Did Ron or Harry pick up on my crush on her? Have they told her? What's going on?
Harry exchanges another conspiratorial comment to Ron and I can't stand it anymore. I jump up, "May I be excused?"
Mom looks at me with surprise and concern, "Yes, of course, aren't you feeling well?"
I try to ignore all the stares I'm getting but I'm losing my temper and blushing at the same time. I push in my chair, "I'm fine."
I guess it's back up to my room again.
*
"You probably should go up to talk to her..." Harry said, looking apologetically at me.
"I don't know she probably won't even talk about it. Maybe we should all go in and try to hang out with her?"
Ron and Harry give each other a look.
"Oh god you two, can't you spare a single night? You know she was probably angry at you two for whispering all throughout dinner."
"No more than she was uncomfortable with you staring at her." Harry chuckles.
I sigh. "Augh. Couldn't help it... Look, c'mon, let's just go upstairs and play a game or something."
Ron grins suddenly. "Ohhh do I have an idea..."
*
I have to admit I'd much rather be sneaking out of the house with Ron tonight, but this is almost as satisfying. They're both fidgeting so adorably. It's so obvious.
"Truth or dare, Harry?"
Uh oh. "Hmmm," I say. "Dare."
Ginny thinks for a second, and then suddenly a glow of inspiration comes over her face. She takes out her wand and quickly conjures a bug. She smiles and gestures for me to hold it. I take it in my cupped hands.
She smiles again ready to explode from the glee of mischief. "Eat it."
The bug seems to have heard that command because he suddenly tries to remove himself from my grasp and I have to thrash around quickly to grab it. I grimace, pinch my nose shut, and gingerly bite into it producing a resounding crunch. A collective "Ew!!" is shouted as I manage to chew it up and swallow. Ron looks horrified.
Great, I think to myself, now he's not going to kiss me for the rest of the night...
"Ok, so my turn now, right?"
"Right."
I look around at the small circle and consider what my next move will be. I really want to get back at Ginny for that bug but at the same time I really want to help her out. Oh well, always next time for vengeance.
"Hermione."
She looks a bit nervous at being called. I'm sure I have a twinkle in my eye and I know she can guess what my dare will be. She fidgets.
"Truth."
I frown. Is she chickening out on me? We'll see about that!
"Alright then. Hmm. What do you think of Ginny in that skirt?"
Her eyes widen and it looks like she wants to admonish me, but then she blushes lightly and glances at Ginny. Ginny's attention has been grabbed, too. She's self-conscious now and straightens the pleated skirt she was wearing.
Hermione collects herself and then staring at anything but Ginny she answers, "She looks very pretty."
"Just pretty?"
Hermione lets out a puff of annoyance and says, "I said very pretty, not just pretty. Very very pretty, okay?"
Ginny looks even more self-conscious now. She looks up at me questioningly.
Hermione smiles then. "My turn now!" She looks at me and then at Ron. "Ok, Ron."
"You're not going to have me eat something disgusting are you?"
"You haven't even chosen truth or dare, yet!" Ginny reminds him.
Ron looks uncomfortable. "Dare."
Hermione simpers at me. "Kiss Harry on the mouth."
Ron glares at Hermione who is starting to laugh. Ginny joins in but she seems just as uncomfortable as Ron. She's probably wondering why Hermione would want her "crush" to kiss me. I look at Ron and shrug invitingly. I pick some imaginary bug leftovers out of me teeth. Ron makes a face of repulsion.
"Can't he brush his teeth first?" Ron pleads.
Hermione laughs even harder then. "No! And it has to be full on, too!"
Ron glares intensely at Hermione again and then reluctantly approaches me. He leans forward to kiss me gently and I grab his head and French him. I can hear Ginny gasp and Hermione laugh like she's going to cry from the humor of it. I keep him glued to me for another second and then release him, grinning myself and then laughing with Hermione.
Ron spits melodramatically onto the floor and then wipes his mouth. "I hate bugs." He mutters. He glowers at Hermione, but then looks over at Ginny.
"Ginny."
Ginny looks very lost at this point. The kiss I shared with Ron was just on the border of being a bit too passionate to be dismissed as a joke even though it partially was on my part. Hermione's attitude of permissibility must be boggling, too, because I'm sure she's still painfully unaware of Hermione's affection for her.
"Well? Truth or dare?"
"I'm not sure that I want to play now..."
Ron scowls, "You can't drop out of the game now! Truth or dare?"
Ginny rolls her eyes. "Fine, truth. You won't make me eat bugs."
Ron draws a breath in slowly as if scheming deeply. "Do you ever think about snogging girls, Gin?"
Ginny blushes but from her expression I become immediately worried. It's a combination of mortification, anger, and shock. This may not have been such a good idea. Ginny looks exposed and from Ron's tone I surmise she probably feels as if she's been insulted.
"No I don't!" She shouts and puts her head down in fierce concentration. Ron looks like he's quickly realizing how much he's hurt his sister's feelings but it's too late. Hermione looks crushed and confused. Ginny looks positively malicious when she lifts her face.
"Ron."
"Uhm, truth..?"
"Do you want to fuck Hermione?"
Hermione gasps. This game is going out of control. The tension is thick and Ron gulps.
His voice takes a more determined, but simultaneously gentle tone to it. "No, I don't."
Ginny looks surprised and then befuddled. She stares back at the floor, embarrassed by her rudeness.
I stare imploringly at Ron and he takes my hint. Just leave her alone!
"Harry."
"Dare." Please pick a silly dare Ron, please.
Ron tries to put on a lighter expression. He looks up thoughtfully. "Hmmm." He chuckles. "Ok. Shave off one of your eyebrows!"
"What?!"
Even Ginny looks a little reconciled at this suggestion. Hermione laughs and conjures a razor. "Do it!"
This game sucks.
I relent and take the razor from Hermione. Ron hands me a mirror. Oh well, I can just conjure a new eyebrow, I guess. I wonder if that's possible. I'm sure Lavender or Parvati would know how. I cringe and shave off my left eyebrow. I have no idea why it's so funny but everyone's in hysterics now. After the previous tension though I'm glad we're all so relaxed. I can't help but smile a bit myself.
"Hermione."
"But you called on me last time."
Ron pipes up, "Tough."
Hermione gives him a weary look. "Ok. Uhm, dare?"
Damnit.
Before Ron's question to Ginny I wanted just to dare Hermione to kiss her, but now I feel like I'd just be further upsetting poor Ginny. Why did Ron need to go and be such a jerk?
I look to Ginny who still seems a bit battered. I know she lied to Ron. I can't blame her though. She's like a caged animal and Ron poked a stick at her. I just want her to be comfortable like I feel now.
I look over at Ron who smiles briefly at me. I don't know how I didn't see it. It's ironic that I wanted Hermione and yet all the time the both of us weren't that way. Maybe that's why I went for her. Maybe I sensed it. If I could sense it subconsciously how can Ginny not sense it?
Looking back I can see that for several years now she hasn't had a serious interest in boys. I can remember all the time she asked how Hermione was and I never even picked up on the depth of the concern because I just shrugged them off as best friends. Best friends like Ron and I were best friends. Just how thin is the line between best friends and lovers? I look at Hermione again trying to make my decision.
Thinner than we all thought, it would seem. She seems to think that I wouldn't make her kiss Ginny since she got in her snit, too. But from my pause she is slowly inferring that I am still considering it and I can see her getting progressively nervous.
Hmm.
PS. Still mean! Meaner even! It's Friday night and that means no FLCL/Blue Gender fix for me.
*
It is unusually quiet for a Weasley dinner. Mom and dad seem to be in mellow spirits, but Ron and Harry are acting really weird. Hermione too. Ron and Harry keep giving each other meaningful looks like they're in on a secret I don't know about.
It's really ticking me off.
Hermione keeps looking over at me. Her expression is a mixture of trepidation and fascination. It's really disconcerting. Ron whispers something to Harry and Harry gives me a look. Hermione looks over at them, then at me. I guess Hermione is in on the secret, too. Even after all these years I'm still not in on their bond.
I catch Hermione staring at me and she blushes and looks down at her food quickly with renewed interest.
Did Ron or Harry pick up on my crush on her? Have they told her? What's going on?
Harry exchanges another conspiratorial comment to Ron and I can't stand it anymore. I jump up, "May I be excused?"
Mom looks at me with surprise and concern, "Yes, of course, aren't you feeling well?"
I try to ignore all the stares I'm getting but I'm losing my temper and blushing at the same time. I push in my chair, "I'm fine."
I guess it's back up to my room again.
*
"You probably should go up to talk to her..." Harry said, looking apologetically at me.
"I don't know she probably won't even talk about it. Maybe we should all go in and try to hang out with her?"
Ron and Harry give each other a look.
"Oh god you two, can't you spare a single night? You know she was probably angry at you two for whispering all throughout dinner."
"No more than she was uncomfortable with you staring at her." Harry chuckles.
I sigh. "Augh. Couldn't help it... Look, c'mon, let's just go upstairs and play a game or something."
Ron grins suddenly. "Ohhh do I have an idea..."
*
I have to admit I'd much rather be sneaking out of the house with Ron tonight, but this is almost as satisfying. They're both fidgeting so adorably. It's so obvious.
"Truth or dare, Harry?"
Uh oh. "Hmmm," I say. "Dare."
Ginny thinks for a second, and then suddenly a glow of inspiration comes over her face. She takes out her wand and quickly conjures a bug. She smiles and gestures for me to hold it. I take it in my cupped hands.
She smiles again ready to explode from the glee of mischief. "Eat it."
The bug seems to have heard that command because he suddenly tries to remove himself from my grasp and I have to thrash around quickly to grab it. I grimace, pinch my nose shut, and gingerly bite into it producing a resounding crunch. A collective "Ew!!" is shouted as I manage to chew it up and swallow. Ron looks horrified.
Great, I think to myself, now he's not going to kiss me for the rest of the night...
"Ok, so my turn now, right?"
"Right."
I look around at the small circle and consider what my next move will be. I really want to get back at Ginny for that bug but at the same time I really want to help her out. Oh well, always next time for vengeance.
"Hermione."
She looks a bit nervous at being called. I'm sure I have a twinkle in my eye and I know she can guess what my dare will be. She fidgets.
"Truth."
I frown. Is she chickening out on me? We'll see about that!
"Alright then. Hmm. What do you think of Ginny in that skirt?"
Her eyes widen and it looks like she wants to admonish me, but then she blushes lightly and glances at Ginny. Ginny's attention has been grabbed, too. She's self-conscious now and straightens the pleated skirt she was wearing.
Hermione collects herself and then staring at anything but Ginny she answers, "She looks very pretty."
"Just pretty?"
Hermione lets out a puff of annoyance and says, "I said very pretty, not just pretty. Very very pretty, okay?"
Ginny looks even more self-conscious now. She looks up at me questioningly.
Hermione smiles then. "My turn now!" She looks at me and then at Ron. "Ok, Ron."
"You're not going to have me eat something disgusting are you?"
"You haven't even chosen truth or dare, yet!" Ginny reminds him.
Ron looks uncomfortable. "Dare."
Hermione simpers at me. "Kiss Harry on the mouth."
Ron glares at Hermione who is starting to laugh. Ginny joins in but she seems just as uncomfortable as Ron. She's probably wondering why Hermione would want her "crush" to kiss me. I look at Ron and shrug invitingly. I pick some imaginary bug leftovers out of me teeth. Ron makes a face of repulsion.
"Can't he brush his teeth first?" Ron pleads.
Hermione laughs even harder then. "No! And it has to be full on, too!"
Ron glares intensely at Hermione again and then reluctantly approaches me. He leans forward to kiss me gently and I grab his head and French him. I can hear Ginny gasp and Hermione laugh like she's going to cry from the humor of it. I keep him glued to me for another second and then release him, grinning myself and then laughing with Hermione.
Ron spits melodramatically onto the floor and then wipes his mouth. "I hate bugs." He mutters. He glowers at Hermione, but then looks over at Ginny.
"Ginny."
Ginny looks very lost at this point. The kiss I shared with Ron was just on the border of being a bit too passionate to be dismissed as a joke even though it partially was on my part. Hermione's attitude of permissibility must be boggling, too, because I'm sure she's still painfully unaware of Hermione's affection for her.
"Well? Truth or dare?"
"I'm not sure that I want to play now..."
Ron scowls, "You can't drop out of the game now! Truth or dare?"
Ginny rolls her eyes. "Fine, truth. You won't make me eat bugs."
Ron draws a breath in slowly as if scheming deeply. "Do you ever think about snogging girls, Gin?"
Ginny blushes but from her expression I become immediately worried. It's a combination of mortification, anger, and shock. This may not have been such a good idea. Ginny looks exposed and from Ron's tone I surmise she probably feels as if she's been insulted.
"No I don't!" She shouts and puts her head down in fierce concentration. Ron looks like he's quickly realizing how much he's hurt his sister's feelings but it's too late. Hermione looks crushed and confused. Ginny looks positively malicious when she lifts her face.
"Ron."
"Uhm, truth..?"
"Do you want to fuck Hermione?"
Hermione gasps. This game is going out of control. The tension is thick and Ron gulps.
His voice takes a more determined, but simultaneously gentle tone to it. "No, I don't."
Ginny looks surprised and then befuddled. She stares back at the floor, embarrassed by her rudeness.
I stare imploringly at Ron and he takes my hint. Just leave her alone!
"Harry."
"Dare." Please pick a silly dare Ron, please.
Ron tries to put on a lighter expression. He looks up thoughtfully. "Hmmm." He chuckles. "Ok. Shave off one of your eyebrows!"
"What?!"
Even Ginny looks a little reconciled at this suggestion. Hermione laughs and conjures a razor. "Do it!"
This game sucks.
I relent and take the razor from Hermione. Ron hands me a mirror. Oh well, I can just conjure a new eyebrow, I guess. I wonder if that's possible. I'm sure Lavender or Parvati would know how. I cringe and shave off my left eyebrow. I have no idea why it's so funny but everyone's in hysterics now. After the previous tension though I'm glad we're all so relaxed. I can't help but smile a bit myself.
"Hermione."
"But you called on me last time."
Ron pipes up, "Tough."
Hermione gives him a weary look. "Ok. Uhm, dare?"
Damnit.
Before Ron's question to Ginny I wanted just to dare Hermione to kiss her, but now I feel like I'd just be further upsetting poor Ginny. Why did Ron need to go and be such a jerk?
I look to Ginny who still seems a bit battered. I know she lied to Ron. I can't blame her though. She's like a caged animal and Ron poked a stick at her. I just want her to be comfortable like I feel now.
I look over at Ron who smiles briefly at me. I don't know how I didn't see it. It's ironic that I wanted Hermione and yet all the time the both of us weren't that way. Maybe that's why I went for her. Maybe I sensed it. If I could sense it subconsciously how can Ginny not sense it?
Looking back I can see that for several years now she hasn't had a serious interest in boys. I can remember all the time she asked how Hermione was and I never even picked up on the depth of the concern because I just shrugged them off as best friends. Best friends like Ron and I were best friends. Just how thin is the line between best friends and lovers? I look at Hermione again trying to make my decision.
Thinner than we all thought, it would seem. She seems to think that I wouldn't make her kiss Ginny since she got in her snit, too. But from my pause she is slowly inferring that I am still considering it and I can see her getting progressively nervous.
Hmm.