When Ron and Hermione entered the common room, they went their separate ways. Ron went to Harry, Seamus, and Dean, and Hermione went to the girls' dormitory.
Ron plopped down next to the couch smiling wildly.
"So?" Dean asked eagerly.
Ron smirked. "So there's nothing to tell. It was just a day in the courtyard."
"You mean a picnic in the courtyard," Harry said sparking a bit of laughter from the group.
"Shut up man. It was fun," he replied defensively.
Harry put on a mock-insulted face. "Oh I'll bet! You really put me in my place, Ron."
"Yeah Harry, you better stop insulting his picnic, or he might chuck a wharf at you," Dean said, laughing.
"What? Dean mate, that didn't even make sense," Harry said giving him a funny look.
"It was funny all the same," Seamus chortled.
"Yeah well...if you guys don't wanna hear about the kiss then..." Ron started, grinning broadly. This certainly changed the moods of his friends.
"No wait dude!"
"Seriously!"
"Yeah we'll stop!"
"Ok. Well it happened right before we went in. I said something tremendously witty and romantic as I planted a rose between her teeth-"
"Wait a minute," Seamus interrupted. "You? Witty? Romantic? And where did the rose come from? I don't think you're telling us the whole story."
"Yeah man, don't lie. Tell the truth," Harry said, prodding his shoulder.
Ron sighed. "All right. So there was no rose, and nothing romantic, but it was witty
and-"
He was receiving very hard stares.
"Ok, ok so it wasn't particularly witty either. But anyway, I said something and she planted a big wet one right on me. It was short, but wow. It was the best experience of my life." He trailed off, as though he was reminiscing something grand.
"So...that was it? No details?" Seamus asked.
"Oh, oh, oh! Was there tongue?" Dean put in keenly.
"No there wasn't any tongue!" Ron said, as though he was revolted by the very idea.
"But you said it was wet! How can a kiss be wet if there isn't any tongue! The answer is it bloody can't!"
Harry was deep in thought. "Unless...unless it was only a kiss on the cheek! It was a kiss on the cheek wasn't it Ron?"
But Ron was looking down at his feet.
"Wasn't it?" Harry prodded him again.
"Yes," he muttered at finally.
"What was that? I didn't hear, did either of you?" Dean and Seamus shook their heads.
"It was a ruddy kiss on the cheek all right? But I bet that's more than any of you three got today isn't it?" Ron shouted, sounding angry, but almost grinning.
"Actually me and my er- significant other had a bit of a time this morning up in her dorm. Almost rounded second base," Seamus said happily.
Ron's face had gone extremely red and his expression had instantly changed from happy to mad. But when he spoke his voice was extraordinarily calm.
"Seamus?" He said.
"Yes Ron?"
"Is your significant other still Ginny?"
"Er- well technically...I guess, yeah you could say that."
"And what exactly does 'rounding second base' mean, dare I ask?"
Dean interrupted, always ready to stir things up. "It means he touched her-"
But Ron didn't even let him finish his sentence. He bolted up the stairs chasing after Seamus. The two boys that were left in the common room heard a door slam and then a series of whimpers and squeals.
"I'm sorry mate! I'm sorry!" Seamus' voice sounded strained, as if he was being strangled. And I wouldn't doubt that he was.
"Sorry?!" they heard Ron repeat.
"Yes! I'm sorry I'll never do it again!"
"To hell you won't! Or else I'll curse your sorry-" He stopped himself, and stood up, leaving Seamus to massage his quickly bruising neck. He was relieved Ron had had some mercy for him.
"Here let me clean that up for you," Ron mumbled, flicking his wand at Seamus' neck. The bruises disappeared and he took his hands away.
"I'm sorry mate. I didn't mean no harm by it, you gotta know that."
"I do," Ron said, taking in a deep breath.
"So we're good now right? We're cool?"
Ron shrugged. "Yeah. I guess."
Things settled down quite a bit after that.
In the girls' dormitories...
Hermione entered the dark room only to find Parvati and Lavender gossiping about someone or other.
"Oh hi Hermione!" Lavender said brightly.
"Hi," she replied dully.
"We saw you out with someone today. We were just talking about who it could be. Care to join us? Maybe you could fill us in," Parvati asked, though by the way she said it, it sounded more like a demand.
"Um, no actually I was just going to read a good book, but thank you for the offer."
"Oh no Hermione, we'd really love for you to join us. It would make our day."
"I'm quite sure that it would, and believe me I would like nothing more than to 'make you day' but I've got other things to do," she said curtly, not really feeling in the mood for heavy gossip.
"Please Hermione, we've been absolutely dying to know," Lavender begged, squatting down next to the bed.
"No! I do not feel at all in the mood to talk about who I was with today!"
"Oh Jesus Hermione, just tell us!" Parvati barked.
"Come off it, you Neville-Snogger you! I'm not saying, so please leave me alone."
Parvati looked like she had been stabbed in the back. "You- you told me you'd never bring that up again! Hermione you promised!"
"There, there it's all right Parvati. We're going to find out all about her dirty little secret and when we do, we'll stab her in the back, how's that sound?" Lavender asked, consoling the hurt Parvati.
"Yeah... yeah that sounds pretty good. You hear that, Hermione? We're going to find out somehow. After all, we always do."
It was true, they always did. But Hermione felt good when they left the room. She finally knew a little bit of school gossip that they didn't.
She picked up her book and began to read. It seemed like hours had passed, and she was beginning to feel drowsy when the door flew open.
The gossiping girls entered the room with smiles too big for their pretty little faces.
"We know," Lavender whispered, her voice dangerously low.
"About what?" Hermione asked, scared that that they actually did.
"About you and a certain red-headed boy," Parvati said excitedly.
"Oh," Hermione sighed. "Well how did you find out?"
"About what?"
"About Ron, you fools!"
"Aha!" Lavender shrieked.
"We didn't know! We were guessing, but you just confirmed everything!" Parvati said looking extremely smug.
Damn, Hermione thought. She should have known. They had pulled that trick on her once before.
"Oh. Well I suppose I just condemned myself to eternal torment from you two?"
"Oh good God no! We just wanted to know so we could talk about it!" Lavender commented.
"Yeah. We wanna know everything."
This was exactly what Hermione had feared. She didn't want to talk about her feelings for Ron; she just wanted them to be.
"Do you really like him?" Lavender urged.
Dumb question.
"Of course I like him why else would I go out with him?"
"I dunno...maybe he buys you things."
"You sicken me Lavender. You really do."
"It's true though. I mean Neville just gave me this diamond necklace and I love him to death," Parvati added.
"So that's what love is all about for you two. Getting diamond bracelets and-"
"Necklaces," Lavender corrected.
"Whatever! That's not the point! The point is you are two extremely shallow girls and I really do not fancy this conversation so please leave."
The two girls raised their eyebrows.
"Well Jesus Hermione do you want me to tell you why I really love Neville?"
Hermione looked up from her book. "Yes."
"Fine. I love him because when I see him, I get this feeling in my stomach, like it's doing flip-flops or something. And when I think about him I can't concentrate on anything else. And when I dream about him, I wake up feeling sad and disappointed. And then when-"
"Ok Parvati," Lavender interrupted. "No one wants to hear why or how you're infatuated with Neville Longbottom. Let Hermione say something."
"No, no. I want to hear. Go on."
"Right. Well I really just can't describe it anymore. He makes me smile and laugh, and when I'm sad he makes me feel better. But mostly I guess I love him because...well...he loves me."
This made Hermione feel very good. She could finally connect with someone about her feelings for Ron, because that was indeed exactly how she felt.
"Wow. Thank you Parvati. I have a whole new respect for you."
"Righto. So, leaving the subject of Neville and back to the subject of Ron...?" Lavender suggested rather rudely in fact.
"Yeah lets talk about Ron," Parvati agreed. "Did you kiss him yet?"
Hermione did not particularly like this subject change but went along with it anyway.
"Well, on the cheek."
"Oh, that doesn't count," Parvati said waving her hand disapprovingly.
"It's ok, Hermione, I don't kiss on first or second dates either. Parvati here, is a different story..."
They both giggled wildly and Hermione was beginning to see again why she never hung out with them anymore.
They regained themselves and Lavender said, "On the next date though, you really should kiss him. I mean, he really likes you. You can totally tell by the way he looks at you and stuff."
"Yeah thanks. Unfortunately I think I'm going to cut this very er- illuminating meeting short. I'm gonna go see Ginny now so... I'll see you 'round." Hermione could no longer stand the company of them so she left in search of Ginny. A real friend.
Ron had also chosen to leave the company of his friends. He had to pay a visit to the library. After all it was Sunday, and he was swamped with homework.
The library was quiet when he entered, and he only saw one other person there. He began his search for dragon information through the many books on the dusty shelves. He found several thick books on this particular subject, and sat down at a nice table near the back.
Homiothermic creatures are more commonly known as dragons. They can grow up to 50 feet and are-
Ron flipped through all of this; he needed to know when they hunted and when they spawned. This would be in the back of course. He was flipping through the pages when he distinctly heard someone breathing behind him. He swiveled around and saw no one, so he turned back to his book.
Minutes passed and he heard the breathing again, like someone was reading over his shoulder or something.He swiveled around again, more quickly this time, but saw no one. He was becoming paranoid at this point and when he heard the noise again he turned around so fast and began groping the air.
"Goddamn!" he shouted angrily.
"Is there a problem Mr. Weasley?" Madam Pince asked testily.
"Eh? Oh no I was just...no, there's no problem." He went back to his parchment reluctantly.
He was deeply enthralled in his book when he heard the noise for the 4th time. The last time too. He stood up and stomped around the table hoping to find a culprit under an invisibility cloak, but no luck.
"Mr. Weasley!" Madam Pince barked.
"Yes?" he answered, very irritated.
"If there is a problem with your seat I suggest you solve it before I throw you out!"
Ron sat down, but didn't return to his book. He was looking around, unable to concentrate knowing there was someone watching him. He was observing the room when he heard the sound of someone chewing gum very loudly. He turned around slowly and set his eyes on his stalker.
"Hi," she said raising her perfectly plucked eyebrows. It was Candi Malfoy.
"Er- hi. Can I help you?"
"Nope. I'm just sitting here watchin' you."
"Um...that's a bit creepy. Maybe you could not do that."
"Oh but you look so cute, you know. You look all rugged and manly. I really can't help but stare."
Ron shrugged and went back to work. He felt almost unbearably uncomfortable with her sitting next to him so she turned around to ask her to leave.
"Uh...Malfoy I really don't think I can concentrate with you sitting so close. Think you could maybe um...go away?"
"Of course. Just lemme fix your tie real quick, it's all screwed up." She grabbed hold o his tie and straightened it out nicely. "There. You look so handsome now. Can I just ruffle your hair once before I go?"
"Anything so long as you go!"
She put her bony fingers into his hair and began to massage his head.
"This isn't quickly, Malfoy. This is what you would call a massage, and I don't want a massage."
She lifted her fingers and stared at him with pleading eyes. "Oh Ron I'm so sorry, heat of the moment, you know."
"Right. Now will you please let me be?"
"Of course. Oh! Just a moment you got a spot here on you face..." She rubbed her finger against his "spot" until she was satisfied. "There. Beautiful."
Before he could even respond she had quickly and very unexpectedly pressed her lips against his. He pulled away but she pulled back and amazingly, she was stronger. He resisted for as long as he could before realizing that resistance was futile.
Now this was, of course, a fine time for Hermione to burst into the library, still looking for Ginny. Her mouth dropped open when she saw what was going on and she shrieked loudly, taking no heed of Madam Pince's scolds and rebukes.
"Ron!"
He pulled away instantly. "Hermione! Thank God you're here! You've got to save me from, from her," he said, shoving her off his lap.
There was a long pause where Hermione said nothing at all. Her expression was unreadable but he could see a few tears gathering up in her eyes.
"Well I can see you're very busy Ron," she finally said. "I take me leave."
"Hermione, wait!" But the double doors were already swinging shut. And she was running up to the Gryffindor common room.
Ron stood there in disbelief for a good long time before turning back to the smirking Malfoy.
"You!" he said pointing a shaking finger. "You have screwed me over for the last time!"
"Oh Ron, I'd love to stay here and chat, but I believe my work here is done," she said quietly.