Chapter Four: Flowers and Garden Gnomes

Authors Note/Disclaimer: Yay. The major changing. :D Prism- mine. Others- not. Please R/R!

Ron stood up hearing a door close next to him then watched a crying Hermione walk then run past his door. Harry walked into Ron's neon orange room.

''What did you do to her?'' Ron asked as Harry began to, once again, pack his trunk.

He sighed heavily, closing the trunks lid, ''I broke up with her.''

''What?! Are you mad?!'' Ron said approaching Harry and pinning his shoulders against the wall.

''Ron.'' Harry gasped.

''Why did you do that?!?''

''Ron-''

''Why did you break her like that?!''

''Ron-''

''Why?! Are you a complete a-?!''

''RON!" Harry screamed, face tinting to a light shade of purple.

''What?!'' Ron yelled back, his face and hair a matching set.

''Air!'' Harry gasped.

''Oh, sorry mate.'' Ron said, releasing Harry and smacking him on the back.

Harry sputtered, ''I did it because we're not meant for each other.''

''How could you deny her like that? She's perfect!''

''Then why don't you go and get her?'' Harry said, halfway through clenched teeth. Ron was showing one of his stupidest moments then. He was standing there, mouth dropped as if it finally reached him. /He/ could have her. But, no. What did she think of him? No, he'd seen friendship relationships before. They went swirly, swirly, swirly, down the big drain that was heartbreak. But if the person was a friend wouldn't that make a relationship stronger?

''I have an idea!" Ron exclaimed.

''Oh and what's that?" Harry asked, rolling his eyes.

''I could go and get her!"

''Brilliant. Bloody brilliant.''

''Ronald!'' a yell came up the staircase.

''Yes, mum?!''

''Gnomes are taking over my flower bushes again. Could you go and dig them out for me quickly? Preferably before they tear my precious plants to shreds!''

Harry was shoving Ron out of the doorway. Ron stopped and looked at him. Harry winked and nodded. Ron shook his head and tried to get back into his room. Harry quickly shut and locked the door.

Ron groaned, ''Just like him to do this to me.'' ''Yes, mum.'' then he plodded down the stairs.

Hermione looked up, startled through tears and was surprised to see the bushes quaking. Suddenly a pudgy little creature came running out and Ron plopped down at its feet. The creature (which Hermione quickly identified as a garden gnome) laughed and ran off again into the nearest bush.

''Stupid little buggers.'' Ron said standing up. He looked over at Hermione and saw a tear trace down her cheek, ''Mione, what's wrong?''

She shook her head quickly, muttering ''Nothing.''

''Mione,'' Ron said sitting beside her on the garden bench, ''What's wrong? I know when something's wrong with you.''

She shook her head and her lip began to quiver. Silently tears streamed down her face and she choked out her sob story to Ron.

He was quite surprised and excited when the sob story ended with a complimentary Hermione face squished into his shoulder and him hugging her, patting her back sympathetically.

''Okay,'' Hermione said sitting up and sniffing, ''It's like all those soap operas, you know?'' (Ron really didn't know but right now he also really didn't care.) '' 'Oh I love you so much!' /smoochy, smoochy, smoochy/. Then three friggin' days later it's 'I can't believe this! It's over!' /smack/'' Hermione ended with the violent hand gesture.

Ron's eyes grew wide as Hermione's hand fell back down to her lap and her eyes looked pleadingly (as in ''say something- please!'') into his.

''Hug, please?'' she ended weakly.

Ron quickly, but gently, hugged her.

She sighed then caught her breath, ''Is that him? He smells delicious! Why didn't anyone tell me this before!''. Then she buried her nose into his collar.

''Mione', wh- what are you doing?'' Ron said looking down at the straight haired girl conveniently draped around his neck.

''You smell good.'' she said sitting back up.

''Thanks. It's my own scent.'' ''Mental note to self, steal rest of Percy's callogne'', ''Listen Mione' I know I haven't been much of a friend-''.

''Nonsense, you've been a great friend!'' she replied, suddenly finding her hand holding his.

''But I wish I could be more.'' Ron said.

''What?''

''Well, I just wish I could be as good to you as H-''

''Don't you say that name! It's over!'' Hermione said gently pushing a finger to his lips, ''I already know you don't like to see me cry.''

Ron blushed slightly.

''Are you telling me that-?''

He nodded.

''That you like-?''

More nodding.

She took his hand and set it against her cheek, ''I don't think we've truly been friends. I think we've always been 'more than friends.'''

''Really?''

''Really, really.'' she took her hands and gently ran them around his face, stopping them lightly over his eyes, causing them to close.

''Mione', I-''

''Shhh,'' she said, breathing on his lips.

''Hey, are you telling me that.... you like me too?'' Ron said sitting up. (A/N: I think we /all/ know what happened *wink, wink*).

''Maybe.'' she said smiling.

''For how long.''

She thought momentarily, ''Longer than H-.''

''Really now? I've liked you ever since....''

''Since- when?''

''When I was eleven, on September the first.''

''But that would be..... the day we met?"

He nodded.

Hermione blushed and hugged him, ''I think I might have been able to guess.''

''Was it that obvious?''

Hermione nodded slightly, ''All the fights we've had, sometimes it's good for couples to fight."

"What do you mean couple?"

"Well, you like me, and... I like you so...... oh, and the jealousy between you and Krum.'' she ended laughing.

''What ever happened to Krum anyway?'' Ron asked, still enjoying being hugged longly by Hermione.

''Well, long distant relationships just don't work out. And he had another girlfriend.''

''He cheated on you?!'' Ron said angrily sitting up.

''Well.... yes, I suppose he did.''

''Well if you're still talking to him, you tell him from me that if he comes here again, I'll beat him to a pulp!''

''Ron!''

''Joking, joking! I think I know the perfect thing for stress removal.''

''What's that?"

He quickly reached behind a bush and held up a struggling gnome by one foot, ''Garden gnome throwing.''

She laughed.

''What?! Here try it!'' Ron said handing her the gnome.

''All right!'' she said holding it carefully, ''Now what?''

Ron stepped behind her and placed his hands on her arms, firming her grip, ''Now you hold on to it firmly.''

''I don't want to hurt it Ron!''

He laughed, ''Hermione, it's a garden gnome, they're- stupid okay?!''

''Okay,'' she responded laughing, ''Okay, now what?''

''Now you just swing em'!''

''Swing em'?!''

''Yeah! Here- uh, ah, here we go!'' he said quickly grasp the legs of a gnome running past, ''Now you just-'' he started swinging it in circles, ''Make it really dizzy,'' he let go, ''and let er' rip!''

The gnome went screaming into the next yard.

''Ron! The poor thing! How could you do that?!''

''Mione', quit stressing over this, that's why you're holding an ugly brown garden gnome!''

''I can't-''.

''Mione'-''.

''Ron, I-''

''Hereby, just go in circles-'' he said guiding her in fast circles.

''Ron-''

''Then you let go!'' he said pushing its feet out of her hands.

''Ron!'' she replied watching the gnome soar.

''What? You feel better now, don't you?''

''Yeah, I do. Thanks Ron.'' she said hugging him.

''You're welcome.''

''Hermione, your mum's here.''

The two of them walked into the kitchen to see Harry, standing by his levitated trunk (compliments of Mrs.Weasley), Ron and Hermione's trunks floating next to him. They took their places and watched as Mrs.Granger walked into the kitchen.

''Ready Hermione?'' she asked, car keys in her hands.

''Yes, mum.''

The three walked out (trunks tagging along) and got into the car (trunks settling in the back). Harry looked timidly at Hermione.

''Hermione, I-I'm really sorry.''

''I know you are.''

''I mean it.''

''I know you do! It's fine between us. It's and iced mocha latte okay, it's cool!''

''Mione-''

''Harry,'' Hermione said in a threatening tone. She grabbed Ron's hand.

Harry's eyes widened at the sight of this, ''Go Ron. I see we're over me.''

''Harry-'' Hermione said.

''No, answer. You're-''

''Harry-''

''Over-''

''Harry-''

''Me.''

''HARRY!''

''MIONE!'' Ron screamed, yanking his hand out of Hermione's now deadly grasp and flexing it.

''Oh, I'm sorry. Here,'' she said kissing his hand, ''You!'' she said spinning around towards Harry, ''I don't want to talk about this! We're supposed to be friends, no more talk about this! I said everything was fine, and it /is/! Okay?!''

''Yes.'' Harry said with holding his laughter at her reddening face.

''Oh, so now it's funny? Well, I for one do not think this is very funny, /Mr. Potter/!''

''I /don't/ think it's funny. Hermy, I'm sorry.'' he said gently placing his arms around her in a hug, ''I'm so sorry.''

''Oh Harry. It's all right. No more talk about it though, please. We're supposed to be friends.''

''All right. No more talk, I promise.''

Prism quickly jumped in the car and Mrs.Weasley floated her trunk into the back.

''Ronald,'' said Mrs.Weasley said coming to his side of the car, ''BE GOOD! Hermione, dear, if he gets out of line, owl me, okay?''

''All right, will do.''

''Thank you, dear. You guys have a marvelous time now.''

Authors Note: Did I just write that?! Oh my Gandalf! /slams head on computer desk/. Go ahead and flame me. No… wait. /Ties blindfold around eyes/ Okay. Now you can flame me.