Chapter Four- Ron's Triumph

Ron didn't feel like watching his best friend and baby sister spend "quality time" together. Instead, he decided he'd go upstairs and visit Buckbeak. He always seemed to listen better than a person would.

Ron made his way up the staircase quietly, so as not to disturb Mrs.Black. He didn't feel like listening to her howl for an hour, and he was sure Harry wouldn't much like it either. That was the last thing either boy needed... and ugly old witch yelling about how horrible they were.

Ron stopped short outside the room where Buckbeak was staying, listening intently. Someone was in the room already. He recognized the voice of the speaker. Quietly, he stole into the room and his behind a large cabinet that was close to the door.

Hermione didn't even notice he was there.

"I don't even think he likes me Buckbeak. He's been ignoring me since I kissed him." Hermione said softly to the Hippogriff as she stroked it.

She was sitting in Sirius's parents' old room, where Buckbeak had been living for almost 2 years now. When she had gotten up this morning, Ginny had insisted on going over to visit the boys. She didn't feel like talking to Ron, because he obviously didn't want to even look at her. She had used a flimsy excuse to get away, and luckily it had worked. Although Buckbeak wasn't a better companion than Ron, he listened better, and he didn't say stupid ignorant things.

"What did I get myself into?" she sighed sadly, standing up to leave the room. Buckbeak looked up at her with consoling eyes, and gently nudged her leg with his head.

Hermione turned around and faced the hippogriff with tear filled eyes. Boys are a pain in the arse, thought Hermione. If only I fell for someone besides one of my best friends!

Ron saw an opportunity knocking on his door as Hermione turned to face Buckbeak, and he quickly slipped back out the door.

Once he was outside of the room, he knocked softly on the door.

"Anyone in here?" he asked, even though he already knew the answer. He peered inside and put on a surprised expression.

He saw Hermione quickly wipe her eyes and turn to face him with a grin.

"I'm in here." she replied curtly.

"I'm glad you are."

He got a good look at his surroundings this time. The room was in all blacks, dark greens and dark blues. Very cheery... for someone who's on their deathbed, thought Ron. At least the bed has some flare. It's pretty cool.

The bed was a dark red color, and it was in the shape of a circle.

He invited himself in the room yet again. It was time for him to make the first moves.

Hermione was shocked as Ron entered the room at the exact moment she was crying over him. Finally show up for once, she thought angrily, wiping at her eyes. Not ignoring me anymore I see.

"I'm here," she said, with a grin on her face. As to why she found this so funny, she had no idea. It felt to her as if she would never get a moment to herself this month, just to think. He was every where she went!

"I'm glad you are."

She stared at him, searching his cerulean blue eyes for what he really meant to say. Something flashed in those deep eyes- was it happiness? She was taken aback.

"Your eyes are so deep I could drown in them."

"What?" Ron looked startled at this sudden outburst and started rubbing his eyes. "What's wrong with my eyes?"

"What?" Hermione asked. She hadn't realized she had spoken aloud.

"You said something about my eyes drowning." Ron said, looking into Hermione eyes. He could always tell if she was telling the truth by looking into her eyes. But for once since he knew her, her eyes held no answers. They held something else that Ron just couldn't fathom.

"No I didn't." Hermione said defiantly, turning so she didn't have to stare at him. She thought she would die of embarrassment!

"Yes you did."

"No. I didn't."

"Look at me." Ron pleaded.

Hermione plopped down onto the dark red bed by Buckbeak and absently stroked him again. She looked up at Ron.

Ron sat next to her, wrapped his arm around her shoulder, grinned mischievously, and then laughed.

"Why... Hermione Granger is lying." he laughed.

"Ok... so I am lying. I didn't mean to say that." she turned away from him, her cheeks turning a soft shade of magenta.

"Think I got good eyes do ya?" he teased. She has nice eyes too, he thought with a grin.

"Don't bug me right now Ronald. I'm not in the mood." she snapped violently, shoving away from him. Her face fell and Ron felt bad for teasing her.

"I'm not teasing love. I was being serious!"

Hermione stopped stroking Buckbeak, and turned to look at Ron. His red hair stood out more than usual in this dark and dreary room.

"What did you call me?" she asked him in a small voice.

He clamped his mouth shut. Hermione was obviously going through severe mood swings or something, and he didn't want to set this ticking, bushy-haired bomb off. He had to choose his words wisely.

"You aren't going to get mad again are you?" he asked.

Ok, so he was horrible at choosing his words wisely. He DEFINATELY had trouble coming his way now.

To his surprise, Hermione laughed and threw her head into a black pillow at the head of the round bed.

"Uh..." was all Ron managed to say. He was afraid to speak, otherwise he would ruin her sudden good mood and she would probably explode angrily in his face.

"It isn't you... it's me!" Hermione managed to say through fits of laughter. She was either laughing so hard she was crying, or Ron had missed a key part of the conversation. She sat up abruptly and moved closer to him, so that they were practically nose to nose. Her breath smelled like peppermint. Just like yesterday.

He gulped, hoping he didn't smell too bad himself.

"I didn't mean to get mad at you the other day Ron, really I didn't. It's just... you say the stupidest things sometimes! Things change, as your brother's said... especially people. But you're not changing at all Ron. You just... stay the same. Like you'll be a little boy forever." she said softly, looking at him to see his reaction. She could see he wasn't angry, but she couldn't tell what he was thinking at the moment.

Please understand for once, she prayed silently.

"I know." he replied, bowing his head in embarrassment. "That's why you always get mad."

"I promise to try and get better at controlling my temper," she said softly, leaning back to sit cross-legged. Ron sighed heavily and threw himself flat on his stomach.

"I don't mean to say stupid things either," he said. " I do act young for my age. And you act much older than yours. I guess that's why we always antagonize each other, don't we?"

Hermione considered this quietly to herself. He did have a point. No wonder they always argued...

"I forgive you then... and yes, we do get on each others nerves once in a while." she said finally, laying next to Ron and propping herself up on her elbows. He rolled over onto his back and stared blankly up into her brown eyes.

"Your eyes are deep too." he laughed.

Hermione hit him in the arm. Ron laughed harder.

"There you go again! You say stupid things and laugh!" she complained, hitting him again. By now he was gasping for breath. "It isn't funny Ronald Weasley! I was being... serious."

Ron stopped laughing.

"Really?" he asked with his lips curling up at the corners. He was trying not to laugh, she could tell.

"Yes." she said softly, blushing yet again.

"So you do like my eyes!"

Ron began laughing again.

"I've got nice eyes... I've got nice eyes..." he chanted between snorts of laughter.

"Ron, stop... it's not funny, it's true." she sighed.

"Oh Hermione... I was only joking," he said, finally catching his breath and looking at her. She looked as if she would flee from the room.

"It isn't funny!" she repeated in protest." If you were joking then why-"

Ron leaned in towards Hermione and put his lips on hers, and she trailed off into silence as his arms once again snaked around her waist, lost in his embrace. For once in his life, Ronald Weasley had won an argument with know-it-all Hermione Granger.