Beth stepped into the shower and turned the water on. She cranked up the warm water and let it wash over her. Running her fingers through her hair, she tried to relax.

That dream was perfect, she thought to herself. She couldn't concentrate, her thoughts kept traveling back to Ron, and her own self-pity. Stop it, she hissed out loud, this is your own fault, and you've got classes in a few hours, so you'd better snap out of it.

Beth groaned as she stepped out of the shower, she'd left the clothes she was going to wear that day on her bed, so, wrapping a towel around her hair and throwing on her robe, she walked quietly back out into the dorm. She opened her drawers and looked through her t-shirts.

One by one she threw them each over her shoulder, "No- ugly, this one's" she sniffed the one in her hand, "woooh, that is HORRIBLE, I should do laundry more often." Then she lifted a shirt and looked at the one underneath it. It was light orange with the logo, "Chudley Cannons Fan" blazing across the chest.

Beth's picked up the shirt delicately, like it was the most precious thing in the world. "Ah the Cannons," she whispered softly.

FLASHBACK

It was August, the last month that Beth, Hermione, Ron and Harry were going to share their apartment. They decided to make the most of it. Just, not at the moment.

Hermione flipped through a magazine lazily gazing at the articles before closing it and dropping it on the floor next to her. Ron heard a loud snap and started, opening his eyes wearily.

"Mione," he groaned, pulling a pillow from behind him and covering his eyes. He was sprawled out on the couch, with an untouched novel between his legs. He was a bit ticked off that everyone had apparently forgotten his birthday, August 1. But, he thought, it IS a bit hot, it'll come to them later.

But he was still not completely sure. Then Harry walked into the room from the bathroom.

"Great Wizards it's hot," he muttered. Harry flopped down onto the ground next to couch Ron was laying on. "Hawwy no.........S'too hot," Ron whined, hitting Harry in the head with his pillow. Harry smacked Ron in the leg and the boys laughed. Beth came in from the kitchen and grinned.

"You guys are babies, this is NOTHING compared to summers in Cali," she smiled and Hermione looked up at the sound of ice clinking glasses. "But, since you are my DEAR friends, I've decided to help you all take your minds off of the heat." With that, she pulled a tray of drinks out from behind her back.

The tray had everyone's favorite drink on it, filled to the brim and clinking happily with ice chips. Beth handed Hermione her iced tea, Harry his root beer, and Ron his coke. Ron and Beth were both coke people, neither would drink any other Muggle soft drink. Harry rose his glass to Beth, "To our warm-blooded savior." Everyone clinked glasses. Beth set the tray down but kept one hand behind her back.

Ron looked at her from over his glass. "What's that?" he asked.

Beth shook her head, "Wouldn't you like to know?" she grinned mischievously. Ron looked at Harry, Harry looked at Hermione, and all three leapt at Beth. She screamed and ran. Ron easily caught up to her and grabbed her arm.

"What have we here?" he asked, taking her hand and prying it open. His eyes widened and his jaw dropped. "Where........how. Oh wow." In Beth's hand rested four tickets for a Chuddley Cannons Quidditch match, scheduled for that day.

Beth handed him one and hugged him, "Happy birthday! You didn't REALLY think we forgot, did you?" she asked mockingly. Ron hugged her back and laughed, "No, of course not. Thank you!" Harry and Hermione came up behind Ron and tried in vain to look over his shoulders. (He was too tall for them to see.) Hermione pushed under Ron's arm and looked at the tickets.

Beth smiled and said, "For Ron's birthday REMEMBER? We ALL pitched in and bought these for him?" Hermione caught her drift and nodded, "Yeah, Happy Birthday Ron." Harry slapped his beast friend on back, "Yep, Happy 17th mate." Ron was ecstatic. He jumped up and down with his ticket happily.

Then he ran off, claiming that he had to get ready. "The game's not until 7:00!! It's only 4:00!!" Beth shouted after him, but he'd already run to his room. Hermione took her ticket and whispered to Beth, "We'll be paying you back later, right?" Beth nodded.

"Damn right you will, these things were bloody expensive." Harry laughed and took his ticket as well. "Thanks, Ron'll love this." Beth smiled.

-Three hours later-

Beth orbed Harry and Hermione to the stadium first, and then she went back for Ron. She found him sitting on the couch in their flat looking at his ticket with round eyes.

He looked up when he heard Beth. "Thanks so much for this; I haven't seen a good game of Quidditch since the World Cup." Beth blushed, "Think nothing of it. We're friends aren't we?" Ron nodded, a little disappointed. A friend wasn't exactly what he wanted to be to Beth. He liked her but he was afraid to make the first move.

Beth twirled her hair nervously, it wasn't often she was alone with Ron, and she hated having to spoil it. "Should we go then?" she asked. Ron nodded and gripped her hand. He loved orbing with Beth, he always felt like he was flying, and holding her hand was a major plus.

Once they arrived at the stadium, Ron's enthusiasm was restored.

Hermione and Harry were in already in their seats by the time the game started. Ron and Harry watched with interest while the girls sat and talked.

During half-time, [I'm well aware that Quidditch doesn't have a half-time, but for this story it will. Sorry.] Beth and Ron got up to get drinks.

"We'll be right back, we're just going to get something to eat. You guys want anything?" Harry looked at Hermione as they both shook their heads. She looked great, Beth had finally convinced her to get her hair straightened and highlighted and it looked amazing. Beth and Ron kept looking at each other out of the corners of their eyes and both Harry and Hermione were both getting thoroughly annoyed at their shyness.

Hermione shook her head and leaned up to kiss him. Beth smiled at her cousin, she could tell that she really loved Harry. On Hermione's hand was the promise ring that Harry had given her the night he'd asked her to be his girlfriend. Ron rolled his eyes at his best mate and looked over Harry's head at Beth. She was smiling to herself. She looked up when she felt Ron's eyes on her. She nodded her head at him and they left Harry and Hermione in their seats.

Beth put her arm around Ron's waist. "So what's it feel like to be 17?" Ron shrugged, he was too preoccupied with their closeness to think up a response. Beth saw Ron blush and pulled her arm away quickly.

Ron sighed and his brain switched back on. There was an uncomfortable silence between them and he tried to improve the situation. "When's your birthday?"

"March 1st," Beth stopped at a vendor. She picked up a t-shirt, it was orange with CHUDLEY CANNONS FAN blazing across the front in flashing letters. She held it up to herself. "Should I get one?"

Ron tilted his head, then nodded. "Yeah, but let me get it for you." Beth shook her head, "No, I can't, it's your birthday......" Ron stopped her, "But I missed your birthday, and I know that you planned this, I heard Harry and Hermione. I'm not mad at them, they've been so wrapped up in each other lately that I shouldn't be surprised that they forgot my birthday."

Beth smiled at him. "Well, if you insist." Ron paid for her shirt and she ran to the bathroom to put it on.

She walked back out wearing her shirt. Ron smiled at her, "It looks great. Should we go back to Harry and Mione?" Beth shrugged. "I guess we could......" She grinned mischievously and took Ron's arm. She led him to a staircase that led away from the regular fan seats. The stairs led up to the boxes, high above the field and the stands.

Ron grinned but pulled back. "We can't go up there, they'll hex us 'till we're either covered in bogies or dead......" But Beth had already started up the stairs. He groaned and followed her up. She ran ahead of him and Ron was soon panting. He leaned on the banister as she led the way further and further away from their seats. The stairs were dark except for a couple floating candles that followed Beth. Finally Beth stopped. Ron ran into her and knocked her into a wall.

"Ow! Ron you clutz...." Ron started to open his mouth in protest when Beth's eyes widened and she shushed him. Voices passed by the top of the stairs, and Ron leaned over Beth to try to see who it was.

Ron's eyes narrowed when he saw Draco Malfoy sitting with his back to the stairs, one arm thrown casually around the back of the chair next to him. The Ron squinted a little, the back of the head that was sitting next to Draco looked oddly familiar...

Beth giggled because she was so close to Ron. He looked up at her, being two steps below and took her hand. Beth's eyes widened expectantly. Ron's hand was shaking, but he scaled the two steps in between them and whispered, "Beth, I really lik-"And at that exact moment, Beth belched loudly, making Draco spin his head around, but Beth flicked her wand at him, muttering "Dormez". Draco's head slumped down onto his chest and he began snoring loudly, much to the dismay of his red-headed date.

Beth blushed, looking back to Ron's stunned face. "Sorry..." she whispered. "I get it from my brothers..." Ron nodded, understandingly [A/N: I mean c'mon, the kid DID belch up slugs lol]. Beth bit her lip at the awkward silence she and Ron were sharing in the dark stairwell. Then she got an idea.

"Hey," she whispered, "wanna' see something neat?" Ron nodded, a little put out that he hadn't gotten to say what he'd meant to say.

Beth crept up the remaining stairs to the small loft where only the privileged few got go. Sticking her hand around the wall, she froze everyone in the room. Draco, still asleep had a tiny drop of drool just barely hanging on to the bottom of his lip. Beth looked around for his date, but figured she must have gone to the small bathroom just off to the left of the room.

Ron sidled up next to her in the cramped doorway and his mouth dropped. "I, but...how? I thought that the Charmed ones couldn't freeze other witches and wizards...?" Beth smiled, "Well, my mom can't. I guess my and my brothers' powers are stronger than theirs were." She shrugged, "Works for me."

Ron grinned and they walked to the windows to look down on the game. Ron's eyes looked about ready to pop out of his head. "Beth, this is amazing, how can I ever thank you?" Beth looked sideways at him, her eyes dancing mischievously. Ron gulped, and his ears turned red, but he lifted her chin and kissed her firmly on the lips.

"Mm...that was nice." Beth smiled as they broke away. Ron was still shaking, but he looked happier than he'd ever looked in his life.

The two ran back down the stairs to Harry and Hermione hand in hand. And as their footsteps faded away, the youngest Weasley's head poked around the door of the bathroom; gasping when she saw the frozen scene in front of her.

END FLASHBACK

Continued with a "Meanwhile" in the next chapter.