Back in the locker room, Ron's expression hadn't changed since the beginning of the vote. The team filed out slowly and he was left alone with Malfoy, who was polishing her bat.
He sat there pretending to be adjusting his broom, hoping she wouldn't say anything to him if they didn't make eye contact.
It would've been dangerous to look up. He could feel her eyes watching his every move. He felt like a lab mouse being observed by a scientist on the brink of insanity. Brink?
He heard her stand up to leave, and risked a quick glance at her, intending to immediately avert his eyes, but it was too late. She caught them.
The small girl walked toward the door and before exiting whispered, "I voted for you, Ron."
Great. The only person who thought him worthy of team captain was the psycho Malfoy girl. He smiled to himself thinking, Draco would be proud. He waited until the sound of her spike heels disappeared, then lifted himself off the bench and found his way back up to the Gryffindor tower.
"Dungbomble," he muttered irritably to the fat lady. She didn't bat an eye.
"I said dungbomble!" he shouted.
She sighed, obviously annoyed. "Password's been changed," she said in a bored voice.
"What? When?"
"About an hour ago, and if you don't know it please step aside." She closed her eyes.
"No! You wait, I am Head Boy, see the badge? Now let me in!"
"Ugh. I do not care if you're Headmaster. I cannot admit you if you lack the password, so you might as well set your bags down because you're going nowhere."
Ron yelled out in frustration and grudgingly obliged. He waited and waited, constantly looking ahead to see if anybody was coming. This was madness, he thought. I am Head Boy! Aren't I supposed to be notified when there's a password change? But before he could finish his ranting cacophony, he felt himself slowly nodding off into a dream-filled sleep.
Hermione was sitting next to him in a field. Her hand was gently placed on top of his and she was looking into the sunset. He brushed the hair out of her face, and she turned towards him.
"Thank you," she whispered, smiling.
He returned the smile and replied, "Yeah. I couldn't see your eyes."
Hermione giggled. "Oh," she yelped. "A bunny! And it has Harry's head!"
He looked over and saw that there was indeed a bunny, with Harry's head. "Oh my! Ha look at him go!"
The Harry Bunny was hopping away from them in a very frightened manner.
"You scared him off," Hermione yelled angrily.
"No you did! I merely commented on him going away, you're the one who frightened him!" He retorted, angry at her assumption.
"I did not scare him away! How could I scare away a bunny?"
"With all your little yelps it's enough to scare anybody off!"
"I do not yelp!"
"Do."
"Don't!"
"Sooo undeniably do!"
"I'm denying it now aren't I?"
"Look Hermione, you're a ruddy yelper and you know it! It's not a bad thing! Well, unless you're a Harry Bunny, in which case it is."
"For the last time, I did not scare that bunny away! You did!"
"How could I possibly have scared it away, I didn't say a word!"
Hermione sat silently, not knowing what to say.
"See! I told you I was right."
He was feeling very satisfied until she started to cry, then he just felt bad. He leaned over and pulled her into a strong embrace.
"I'm sorry," he said remorsefully. "You're right I did scare that Harry Bunny away. Please forgive me. Don't be sad."
She looked up at him. "I forgive you," she mumbled almost inaudibly.
He leaned in to kiss her, and she leaned back. He was almost there, he could feel her hot breath in his open mouth, and just when he had leaned in for the final time she ruined it.
"Ron?"
"What?" he asked, very mad now.
"Ron?!"
"What?" He yelled.
"RON!"
God, why was she yelling like this?
"WHAT?"
"What are you doing?"
He awoke with a start and found himself staring into the face of Neville Longbottom.
"Ahh!"
"Sorry. What are you doing out here?"
"I'd like to ask the same question," he said, extremely indignant and groggily glancing at his watch. "It's quarter to ten and I assume you were out with Parvati again?" he said with a large smirk.
Neville squirmed. "Er- actually I was in the library. I've got permission this time. From McGonagall. But what are you doing out here?"
Ron stood up, and stumbled over to the portrait. "Oh I was just... sleeping."
Neville raised his eyebrows. "In the hall?"
Ron looked seriously offended. "Yes, in the hall! Where else?"
"I dunno, maybe your bed?"
"Well I, I like it out here ok? You gonna go in or not?" he said, shrugging toward the fat lady.
"You again?" she barked, glaring at Ron. "Have you got the password this time?"
Neville let a small smile form on his lips. "You forgot the password?"
"Er- I never really knew it, actually."
"But you're Head Boy!"
"Yeah I uh...know. So what's the password?"
The dark haired boy made his way over to the picture and grinned triumphantly. "Snugglebucks," he said proudly. The portrait swung open and the two boys stepped inside to an empty common room.
"Well goodnight," Ron said awkwardly.
When he stepped into the dorm room all his rage from Quidditch reentered him. Harry had closed his eyes, pretending to be asleep.
"I know that trick Harry, I've tried it many times on you," he said, rather loudly in fact.
Harry sat up. He knew he was caught.
Neither of the boys knew exactly what to say but they were thinking the same thing.
"Clever trick you know," Ron said, illuminating his wand.
"What was?"
"Holding a vote. So you wouldn't have to reject me yourself."
"I didn't do that so I wouldn't-"
"No. I may be slow but I'm not stupid Harry. I know that's why you did it."
"No Ron that's not even-"
"Please don't deny it. It would make this much easier. Really."
They both sat in silence, glaring at each other in the dim light.
"I just wanna know why you didn't tell me right out," Ron said flatly.
Harry thought for a moment and then replied. "I was trying to spare your feelings I guess."
"Spare my feelings?" he repeated. "Spare my feelings? What, you didn't think I could handle some bad news? Didn't think I was man enough? Thought I'd get mad at you?"
"And I guess I thought right, because you are mad!"
"Only because you lied to me and gave me a little bit of false hope!"
"Well I'm sorry for trying to be considerate of you Ron! Next time, I won't!"
"Thank you. That's good."
"No, don't you see? It isn't! It would be completely insane if everyone in the world told the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth all the time! We wouldn't have friends! Don't tell me you've never told a little white lie in your life, because that in itself would be a lie."
Ron stood there, feeling a twinge of guilt for feeling so angry. It wasn't Harry's fault he'd make a bad captain. It wasn't even his own. Still, he couldn't bring himself to apologize, so he just nodded and sort of smiled as he extinguished his wand and went to bed.
The rest of the week was quite uneventful, what with Ron and Harry being friends again. Sunday came quicker than they knew.
The boy's dormitory was dark and a bit too warm for most people's comfort level at 12:00 on that lovely Sunday. It was great however, for the sleeping boys.
Hermione entered and gasped. "Oh it's absolutely stifling in here!" she whispered stepping carefully over the many things strewn on the floor. She made it to Ron's bed and slowly opened the curtains revealing a red headed boy who was lying face down in a pile of his own drool. She stepped back looking quite repulsed as she whispered, "Ron, Ronald Weasley!" Her voice was quiet and soothing, very motherly.
Apparently Ron thought so too, because he replied, "It's Sunday Mum, goddamn. Go bother Percy or something..." He nodded off, unable to complete his thought.
"Ronald," she said again, still softly. "Do you really speak to your mother like that?"
"Huh?" he uttered, looking up. It took him a good while to recognize whom he was staring down.
"Oh it's you Hermione. I'm sorry I thought you were-" He stopped dead, a look of horror filling his face as he registered what was going on. Her smile only widened.
He looked around frantically and hopped out of bed. He was running around the bathroom as she fell on the bed laughing.
"I'm so sorry I forgot! I didn't mean- I mean I just slept late- I've had a lot on my mind and all and I just... I can be ready in 2 minutes if you just give me a sec," he said almost too fast to be understood.
She nodded and left the dorm looking extremely pleased with herself.
She had just stepped off the last stair when he came bolting down after her trying to pull on a cloak and wrap a scarf at the same time. The result: a nasty tumble down the stairs, only to take Hermione down with him.
He groaned. This was not a very good start. "I'm sorry. Again."
"It's alright," she stated, already laughing again. Well, maybe it wasn't so bad; I mean she was laughing right?
He helped her up and flattened his hair.
"Here," she said handing him a picnic basket.
He raised his eyebrows. "I thought you were kidding."
She looked appalled. "Of course I wasn't kidding you git! What else would be do in the courtyard?"
"I dunno, skip some stones, climb some trees, maybe a little flying?"
She narrowed her eyes. "You make me sick, you know? You said a picnic was a great idea! And also, you know I hate flying."
"Well whatever. But are you sure you want to actually take the basket?"
"Yes! That's the point!"
"But what if someone sees, like Malfoy?"
"So what if he does? Why do you care what he thinks?"
"I don't. I just think that a basket is a little er- feminine."
"Is not! It can be manly. In fact men look good with picnic baskets."
"No offense, but what kind of men are you looking at?"
"YOU! Now carry the basket. I'm sick of this conversation."
They found a spot next to the lake and set up the lunch. Hermione had made a large assortment of cold cuts and cookies, and she had prepared a fruit salad.
"Wow Hermione, you really went all out," he said incredulously.
She blushed. "Oh well, I had a lot of help from the house elves. They really are helpful you know. That's why I think S.P.E.W. is so important! It's just cruel how they treat them!"
Ron rolled his eyes.
"I'm serious! If you only knew how they're treated..."
"I'm sure I would feel very bad if I did," he said taking her hand in one of his, and grabbing a cold cut with the other.
"It's alright. I realize you don't seem to care too much for other creatures," she said teasingly.
They ate lunch and after word he cleaned up the mess with a flick of his wand.
"Come on," he said, "lets go find some good skipping stones."
But she just stood there, looking very sheepish.
"What?" he asked, confused.
"It's just that, well, I never really learned how to skip stones."
Ron was very surprised. "But you're the one who grew up around Muggles! You're 'sposed to have to teach me!"
"I know. Do you think you could teach me?"
He smiled. "Of course. Come with me."
They searched the lake for good stones, and then returned to their spot, pockets heavy.
"Now you want to crouch down real low like this," he said, crouching down low, "and hold the rock up by your ear. Then just kind of throw it in. But not with your hand, it's more with you wrist."
She mimicked his movements, but when she threw the rock, it sank to the bottom. She looked up at him, awaiting more instruction.
He chuckled to himself as he moved toward her. "You're holding the rock wrong. See you've got to put your index finger in front, thumb in back."
"What?" she asked, utterly confused.
"Here," he took her hand and moved it into the right position. But when he was done he didn't let go. He looked down at her and she looked up at him. They stood there for a moment, just looking at each other. Hermione was first to turn away.
"Right. Well let me try again." She tossed the rock into the water with absolutely no grace whatsoever. Of course it didn't skip. She had lost her concentration and was very wooed by Ron, who happened to be laughing at her attempt to skip a stone.
She tried again, several times in fact, before giving up and bewitching the rock to skip all the way across the lake.
He found this beyond funny. "I never tagged you as a quitter Hermione," he said, guffawing loudly. She shot him a murderous look and he instantly shut up.
"Sorry, I just...found that funny."
"Yeah. Well I don't know about you but I feel like going in. It's quite chilly out here, and I sort of feel guilty about leaving Harry in the castle alone."
"Yeah, I guess you're right. So...shall we go?"
She held out her elbow, and they stumbled back, laughing at something constantly, elbows entwined.
"Thank you," she said before they entered the castle.
"For what?"
"For giving me a nice day out, and for trying to teach me how to skip a rock."
"Yeah. I know not many people would attempt to teach Hermione Granger how to do something. I also don't know many things Hermione Granger doesn't know how to do. I mean seriously, how in bloody hell did you bewitch a rock to skip? That might take more effort than doing it manually."
She blushed deeply. "Well you know..."
They walked through the door and were both temporarily blinded from the lack of light.
"So... maybe we could do it again some time?"
"The rocks yes, the picnic no," Ron said shortly.
Hermione laughed, taking Ron by surprise. She gave him a swift kiss on the cheek and they walked to the Gryffindor tower hand in hand.
A/N- Wow long chapter lol.