After about a week at Hermione's luxurious home, Harry and Ginny realized that Hermione and Ron had gone about a week without fighting. Ginny had just mentioned this to Harry bemusedly while they sat on the couch, when two angry voices resounded from the kitchen.
"RON, I TOLD YOU--"
"I TOLD YOU, I TOLD YOU. WHY DO YOU HAVE TO BE SUCH A KNOW-IT-ALL, HERMIONE? WHY CAN'T YOU JUST ACCEPT THAT YOU AREN'T RIGHT! IT'S NOT SUCH A BIG DEAL!"
"AND YOU--YOU THINK YOU'RE SO PERFECT! YOU NEVER APOLOGIZE, EVEN WHEN YOU'RE WRONG! NEVER! I'M ALWAYS THE ONE WHO SHOULD APOLOGIZE..."
Harry and Ginny stifled back laughs. "Well, looks like I spoke too soon, huh?" Ginny asked.
"Yup. Looks like it," said Harry.
"You know what, Harry?"
"What?"
"They'd be perfect together."
"Who?"
"Ron and Hermione, of course. Look at them."
At that second, Hermione ran through the living room and stomped up the stairway, her hair standing on end, seething with anger. As soon as she was sure Hermione was gone, Ginny leaned towards Harry and whispered, "Never mind." Harry tried to keep himself from laughing when, sighing resignedly, his face still beet red from screaming, Ron came in. "Apparently, I'm too conceited to apologize. So I'm going to show her that I'm not." He went up the stairs with a smug look on his face. Harry got up to follow Ron.
"Wait!" Ginny grabbed his arm. "Give them time. They really would be perfect together. I know Hermione fancies him," Ginny paused and smirked.
Harry smirked also. "And I know for a fact Ron fancies her; last year, when he was off to play Quidditch, she kissed him on the cheek for good luck, and he instantly perked up. He kept touching the place where she had kissed him too, for the whole day."
"Brilliant." Ginny laughed. Suddenly, a look of apprehension dawned upon her fair face. "Wait...what if we, you know, play matchmaker?"
"What?"
"Yeah. Let's try and get them together. We know they like each other, they just need a nudge or two in the right direction." Ginny grinned, and Harry grinned back.
"Great idea, Ginny. But wouldn't Hermione figure something out?" Harry mused.
"Maybe. But we'll just make sure she doesn't," Ginny said firmly. "So what's the plan?"
"Wait! Why are you asking me?" Harry asked indignantly.
"You make good plans." Ginny said simply.
"Not at this stuff!" Harry said frantically.
"Fine, fine, I'll do it. I'll just have to rely on Hermione's romance novels," said Ginny grumpily.
Harry snorted. "Hermione has that rubbish?"
"Oh shut up, and help me bring them down."
Operation Matchmaker was now in session. Twenty minutes later, after leafing through countless Muggle romance novels, Ginny came up with an idea.
"Step one: stick them into a broom cupboard until they realize their true feelings, or until Hermione's parents come home. Whichever comes first." Ginny said musingly.
"Like that's going to happen." Harry grumbled.
"Excuse me?" Ginny glared at Harry, and he suddenly realized in what aspect she resembled Mrs. Weasley.
"Sorry," murmured Harry.
"Okay. First things first. The broom cupboard. Which one should we use?"
"The one upstairs. That one's closer to their rooms. That way we could stuff them in quickly before Ron and Hermione kill us."
"Good thinking. Okay, let's go." Ginny got up abruptly.
"Wait, what about the rest of the plan?"
"What 'rest of the plan'?" Ginny said indignantly.
"Is that it? Stick them in a broom cupboard? That's your master plan?" Harry said grudgingly.
As Ginny stepped forward, she looked as likely to breathe fire as her mother. "What did you say?" she whispered threateningly.
"Sorry! Sorry! Okay, let's go!" Harry said quickly.
They both got up and headed upstairs. Harry whispered urgently to Ginny.
"Okay, Ginny--you get Hermione. I'll get Ron. We'll knock on both doors at the same time. Okay...ready?" They held their fists poised, "On the count of three, 1...2...3!!"
They knocked on the doors, and as Ron and Hermione answered, Harry and Ginny grabbed the two teenagers and shoved them in the broom cupboard. Hearing yells and pounding from behind the door, Harry remarked grimly, "Well, when they get out, we're dead."
Four hours later, Harry looked up at Ginny and inquired above their game of Bullshit, "Should we open their door yet? They seemed to have stopped fighting."
"Bullshit!" Ginny squealed, laughing.
"Very funny." Harry chided although he couldn't stop the grin coming to his face. "Okay, let's go."
Ginny gulped. "Fine, but we'd better get some kind of weapon. We do not want to face the wrath of Hermione unarmed. She'll skin us alive."
"Good idea."
((Half hour earlier in the broom closet))
Ron growled, "Oh when I get my hands on Harry...I'll tear him apart...I don't care if he's my best mate...and Ginny too...even if she is my sister..."
"Calm down, Ron. You wouldn't do that. Although I wouldn't blame you in the least if you did. Well, at least there's a light in here," said Hermione angrily.
"At least there's a light in here! AT LEAST THERE'S A LIGHT IN HERE?! HERMIONE, WE'RE LOCKED IN A BLOODY BROOM CUPBOARD WITHOUT OUR BLOODY WANDS BY OUR BLOODY SO-CALLED FRIENDS!" Ron yelled, his ears and face turning a brilliant red.
"I'M JUST TRYING TO LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE! AND EVEN IF WE DID HAVE OUR WANDS WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO USE THEM, SO SHUT UP! YOU ARE SO INFURIATING! THERE'S NO POINT YELLING AT ME, I HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING TO YOU!" Hermione yelled back.
"You're right. Sorry, Hermione." Ron said sincerely.
"Why do we fight anyway?" Hermione said timidly. "We're best friends, but half the time we can't have a decent conversation without yelling."
"I don't know." Ron ran his fingers through his hair, with a reflective look on his face.
"Me neither. I mean, we love each other..." Hermione and Ron both turned crimson, "As friends, I mean!" she added hurriedly, the blush turning her sunburnt face even redder, "...but we don't act a bit like it."
"You're right." Ron murmured awkwardly.
Hermione moved to the side of the cupboard Ron was on, but halfway towards him, she tripped on a pail and fell headlong unto him. He caught her quickly and for a few seconds that seemed to last an eternity, they looked each other in the eyes. Hermione stood back up slowly, still looking into Ron's breathtakingly blue eyes. They leaned closer to each other...closer...their noses were touching...
KNOCK, KNOCK!
Hermione jerked back quickly, with her brown eyes no longer looking at Ron's blue ones. They heard a click as the door was unlocked, and Harry's emerald eyes (which looked rather apprehensive) appeared in the crack of the door. He opened it slowly, and when it was fully opened, drew back and readied the wooden spoon in his hand. Ginny was hiding behind him, eyeing them both just as apprehensively, hoping against all hopes that they would not lunge at them and knock them off the stair railing.
But to Ginny and Harry's surprise, they both headed in opposite directions towards their rooms, not looking at the pair, completely silent. They closed their doors softly. Harry and Ginny heard the pleased sighs coming from the two figures that were Ron and Hermione, slumped against their respective doors, unseen.
"It's an improvement." Harry whispered to Ginny as they slipped off quietly down the stairs, counting their blessings and grinning widely.
"RON, I TOLD YOU--"
"I TOLD YOU, I TOLD YOU. WHY DO YOU HAVE TO BE SUCH A KNOW-IT-ALL, HERMIONE? WHY CAN'T YOU JUST ACCEPT THAT YOU AREN'T RIGHT! IT'S NOT SUCH A BIG DEAL!"
"AND YOU--YOU THINK YOU'RE SO PERFECT! YOU NEVER APOLOGIZE, EVEN WHEN YOU'RE WRONG! NEVER! I'M ALWAYS THE ONE WHO SHOULD APOLOGIZE..."
Harry and Ginny stifled back laughs. "Well, looks like I spoke too soon, huh?" Ginny asked.
"Yup. Looks like it," said Harry.
"You know what, Harry?"
"What?"
"They'd be perfect together."
"Who?"
"Ron and Hermione, of course. Look at them."
At that second, Hermione ran through the living room and stomped up the stairway, her hair standing on end, seething with anger. As soon as she was sure Hermione was gone, Ginny leaned towards Harry and whispered, "Never mind." Harry tried to keep himself from laughing when, sighing resignedly, his face still beet red from screaming, Ron came in. "Apparently, I'm too conceited to apologize. So I'm going to show her that I'm not." He went up the stairs with a smug look on his face. Harry got up to follow Ron.
"Wait!" Ginny grabbed his arm. "Give them time. They really would be perfect together. I know Hermione fancies him," Ginny paused and smirked.
Harry smirked also. "And I know for a fact Ron fancies her; last year, when he was off to play Quidditch, she kissed him on the cheek for good luck, and he instantly perked up. He kept touching the place where she had kissed him too, for the whole day."
"Brilliant." Ginny laughed. Suddenly, a look of apprehension dawned upon her fair face. "Wait...what if we, you know, play matchmaker?"
"What?"
"Yeah. Let's try and get them together. We know they like each other, they just need a nudge or two in the right direction." Ginny grinned, and Harry grinned back.
"Great idea, Ginny. But wouldn't Hermione figure something out?" Harry mused.
"Maybe. But we'll just make sure she doesn't," Ginny said firmly. "So what's the plan?"
"Wait! Why are you asking me?" Harry asked indignantly.
"You make good plans." Ginny said simply.
"Not at this stuff!" Harry said frantically.
"Fine, fine, I'll do it. I'll just have to rely on Hermione's romance novels," said Ginny grumpily.
Harry snorted. "Hermione has that rubbish?"
"Oh shut up, and help me bring them down."
Operation Matchmaker was now in session. Twenty minutes later, after leafing through countless Muggle romance novels, Ginny came up with an idea.
"Step one: stick them into a broom cupboard until they realize their true feelings, or until Hermione's parents come home. Whichever comes first." Ginny said musingly.
"Like that's going to happen." Harry grumbled.
"Excuse me?" Ginny glared at Harry, and he suddenly realized in what aspect she resembled Mrs. Weasley.
"Sorry," murmured Harry.
"Okay. First things first. The broom cupboard. Which one should we use?"
"The one upstairs. That one's closer to their rooms. That way we could stuff them in quickly before Ron and Hermione kill us."
"Good thinking. Okay, let's go." Ginny got up abruptly.
"Wait, what about the rest of the plan?"
"What 'rest of the plan'?" Ginny said indignantly.
"Is that it? Stick them in a broom cupboard? That's your master plan?" Harry said grudgingly.
As Ginny stepped forward, she looked as likely to breathe fire as her mother. "What did you say?" she whispered threateningly.
"Sorry! Sorry! Okay, let's go!" Harry said quickly.
They both got up and headed upstairs. Harry whispered urgently to Ginny.
"Okay, Ginny--you get Hermione. I'll get Ron. We'll knock on both doors at the same time. Okay...ready?" They held their fists poised, "On the count of three, 1...2...3!!"
They knocked on the doors, and as Ron and Hermione answered, Harry and Ginny grabbed the two teenagers and shoved them in the broom cupboard. Hearing yells and pounding from behind the door, Harry remarked grimly, "Well, when they get out, we're dead."
Four hours later, Harry looked up at Ginny and inquired above their game of Bullshit, "Should we open their door yet? They seemed to have stopped fighting."
"Bullshit!" Ginny squealed, laughing.
"Very funny." Harry chided although he couldn't stop the grin coming to his face. "Okay, let's go."
Ginny gulped. "Fine, but we'd better get some kind of weapon. We do not want to face the wrath of Hermione unarmed. She'll skin us alive."
"Good idea."
((Half hour earlier in the broom closet))
Ron growled, "Oh when I get my hands on Harry...I'll tear him apart...I don't care if he's my best mate...and Ginny too...even if she is my sister..."
"Calm down, Ron. You wouldn't do that. Although I wouldn't blame you in the least if you did. Well, at least there's a light in here," said Hermione angrily.
"At least there's a light in here! AT LEAST THERE'S A LIGHT IN HERE?! HERMIONE, WE'RE LOCKED IN A BLOODY BROOM CUPBOARD WITHOUT OUR BLOODY WANDS BY OUR BLOODY SO-CALLED FRIENDS!" Ron yelled, his ears and face turning a brilliant red.
"I'M JUST TRYING TO LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE! AND EVEN IF WE DID HAVE OUR WANDS WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO USE THEM, SO SHUT UP! YOU ARE SO INFURIATING! THERE'S NO POINT YELLING AT ME, I HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING TO YOU!" Hermione yelled back.
"You're right. Sorry, Hermione." Ron said sincerely.
"Why do we fight anyway?" Hermione said timidly. "We're best friends, but half the time we can't have a decent conversation without yelling."
"I don't know." Ron ran his fingers through his hair, with a reflective look on his face.
"Me neither. I mean, we love each other..." Hermione and Ron both turned crimson, "As friends, I mean!" she added hurriedly, the blush turning her sunburnt face even redder, "...but we don't act a bit like it."
"You're right." Ron murmured awkwardly.
Hermione moved to the side of the cupboard Ron was on, but halfway towards him, she tripped on a pail and fell headlong unto him. He caught her quickly and for a few seconds that seemed to last an eternity, they looked each other in the eyes. Hermione stood back up slowly, still looking into Ron's breathtakingly blue eyes. They leaned closer to each other...closer...their noses were touching...
KNOCK, KNOCK!
Hermione jerked back quickly, with her brown eyes no longer looking at Ron's blue ones. They heard a click as the door was unlocked, and Harry's emerald eyes (which looked rather apprehensive) appeared in the crack of the door. He opened it slowly, and when it was fully opened, drew back and readied the wooden spoon in his hand. Ginny was hiding behind him, eyeing them both just as apprehensively, hoping against all hopes that they would not lunge at them and knock them off the stair railing.
But to Ginny and Harry's surprise, they both headed in opposite directions towards their rooms, not looking at the pair, completely silent. They closed their doors softly. Harry and Ginny heard the pleased sighs coming from the two figures that were Ron and Hermione, slumped against their respective doors, unseen.
"It's an improvement." Harry whispered to Ginny as they slipped off quietly down the stairs, counting their blessings and grinning widely.