Rumors of Ron's lack of loyalty were spreading quickly and Hermione was having second thoughts about her decision to tell Parvati and Lavender. She really didn't have a choice though I mean she had to tell someone. She was dying, and she couldn't tell Harry because she knew he'd side with Ron, and she certainly couldn't tell Ginny because she was just looking for an excuse to kick him off the team and that's not what Hermione wanted. Much as Lavender and Parvati tried to convince her, she didn't want to hurt Ron. Not yet. Even though he had done her wrong she didn't want to upset him.
The days seemed longer now, without Ron to look forward to anyway. Part of her wanted to just forgive him and make everything better, but the other part was more rash. He gets what he deserves, she thought. But does he really deserve the cold shoulder? Should she hear him out for once? He had made many attempts to explain himself but she had ignored them all. Maybe it was time to swallow her pride and listen.
So she made her way out to the Quidditch pitch, knowing he'd be there, and when she left the castle she had to squint to see. It was dark, windy and cold. God those Quidditch players are dumb, practicing in these conditions.
She walked onto the field and stopped. She squinted her eyes and saw Ron, Harry, and Malfoy all laughing at some joke. But they weren't laughing at her, they were laughing with her!
She let out a tiny yelp of frustration. He doesn't need me, she thought. He doesn't even want me! He's got his Candi and that's all that matters obviously.
Hermione stormed away, and no one could really tell whether there were tears on her face, or whether it was just the rain.
What Hermione didn't know, was that it wasn't a joke at all-- Ron and Harry weren't even talking to her! She had just laughed to fit in. Of course, that was hard to do with her big black eye. Yeah, after Hermione left the library he laid the smack down on Candi. She was not very happy about this, but her infatuation with Ron only grew.
"It was a punch filled with love," she would say.
When Quidditch practice had ended the boys made their way up to the common room to find a sobbing Hermione, being comforted by Lavender (Parvati was out with Neville).
"There, there doll, it's all right. We've all had-" She stopped when Harry and Ron entered the room. "Oh. Look what the cat dragged in," she continued, with an icy stare. Hermione looked up.
"Er- we were just leaving, weren't we Ron?" Harry said nervously.
But Ron just stood at the portrait hole, his mouth slightly open, a look of sadness painted on his exceedingly red face.
"I said, weren't we Ron?"
"Oh yes. Yes of course. Just let me get my bag..." But Ron didn't move toward his bag. He just kind of stood there looking dumb so Harry grabbed the bag and thrust it into Ron's hands.
"Yeah er- bye then," Harry said nervously. Ron waved.
When they left, Hermione just whimpered even worse.
"I never realized how much I really liked him until I lost him," she blubbered.
Lavender rolled her eyes. "You didn't lose him yet Hermione. Just let him apologize!"
"You don't understand. I was going to, but then I saw him with that Candi girl and I just... I couldn't!" It was a full on wail by now, and Lavender was getting impatient.
"All right then maybe he is just a cheating bastard! It's not worth getting all bent out of shape for. You need to move on girl. Forget about that git of a man."
"Oh Lavender I wish I could. But I really do like him."
"Jesus Hermione, are you mad or sad?"
"I guess I'm a bit of both..."
"You can't be both, that's against the rules! I don't know how to console mixed feelings!"
Hermione stood up. "That's all right. You're not really helping anyway. Thanks for trying though, Lavender, it means a lot."
"Wait, so I waste a whole night trying to help you out and it didn't even work?"
"Er- well kinda I guess..."
"Well that's great Hermione. Next time you need a shoulder to cry on, go to Parvati. You made my colors bleed."
Hermione wasn't particularly fazed by Lavender's anger. This meant she'd at least be off her case for a while. Time to hole up in the girl's dormitory for a while.
In the ever darkening courtyard...
"I don't know what to do mate. I really screwed up big. But is it my fault she seduced me?" Ron said mournfully.
"Wait, what? Who seduced you?" Harry said, taking a bite too large from his sandwich.
"That Malfoy girl, you git! Haven't you been listening to a word I've said?"
"Yesh ah naw," he replied, food spilling out of his mouth and into his hand.
"Here," Ron said, handing him a napkin.
"Thanks. Anyway, I never heard you say anything about seduction."
"Well it happened. You think I wanted to be kissing her? It's like that movie...Mrs. Robinson or whatever. Ya know?"
"Yeah except in the movie, Mrs. Robinson was twice the guys age not half. I mean honestly, the girl is twelve years old! You're almost 18! You'd think you'd be able to resist a little..."
"You know what? That girl has the strength of 1000 men, ok? And until you've experienced trying to escape her death grip I suggest you back off."
"Ok sorry."
There was a long silence as the two teenagers stared off into the stars.
"But honestly-"
"Harry! I said, that until you've experienced trying to escape her death grip, drop it and leave it alone."
"Right. Well I think I'm going to go in. And I am so beyond sick of being your strong shoulder to cry on that I suggest you go find Hermione and make up real quick. I'm sick of way-jaded-Ron. See ya." Harry said this sounding so grown up it was scary. He shoved the last of his sandwich into his mouth leaving Ron to dwell on Hermione.
His mind happened to be having the biggest debate of its life. Should I try to apologize again or not? If so, what should I say? He wanted to be with her so badly, but he knew it would be awfully hard to get her to forgive him
At length he made up his mind to go and hunt her down and force her to listen to his very well thought out apology. That is, as soon as he thought one out well.
Back to the girl's dormitory...
Hermione was lying down on the bed, thinking about everything and anything. Mostly Ron, though.
She heard a knock on the door, and instructed the knocker to go away, thinking it was Lavender or someone else she disliked at this point.
But the door opened and Ginny came in.
"Hey," she said quietly, trying to make a smile appear on her freckled face.
"Oh hi Ginny. Thought you were someone else. What's up?"
"Nothing much. I was talking to Ron actually."
"Really," Hermione asked icily. "He's quite a peach isn't he?"
"Hermione stop it. He's my brother and I think I know him a little better than that. He never meant to kiss Candi. He sent me up here because he wanted you to listen to his apology and explanation. Please just come down for a minute."
"Since when are you on Ron's side?"
"Since I found out the whole story and realized what a lying git Candi is. Please just come down."
Hermione sighed, relieved that she would finally know the real story, but hesitant as if she wouldn't believe it.
"Fine. Tell him I'll be down in a moment."
"Good." A real smile spread across her freckled face and she bolted back downstairs.
Ron was twiddling his thumbs, waiting at the bottom of the steps when she arrived.
"Hi," she said softly. "Um... maybe we should go up to your room, more privacy you know."
"Yeah. Ok, lets go."
When the reached the room she shut the door carefully.
"So...?"
Ron didn't reply. He opened his mouth several times but didn't say anything, and was extremely grateful for her patience. When he finally decided what to say, 4 minutes of total silence had passed.
"Look I know what you saw in the library wasn't very er- aesthetically pleasing, but you must at least hear what happened before you sever all ties with me."
"Sever all ties? What? Who said I was going to sever all ties with you?"
"Erm... Parvati and Lavender said you didn't ever want to see me again."
"Oh. I might have known. Go on."
"Right. Well I want you to know that she seduced me into that, it wasn't really a matter of choice-"
"Seduced you? Like as in Mrs. Robinson? The girl is twelve years old!"
"Yeah I know but that girl is 90 pounds of pure evil and um...seduction skills."
"Ron I don't even know why I came down for this load of horse manure."
"Because maybe you thought yourself unfair for the way you're treating me!"
"I'm treating you unfairly?" Hermione repeated heatedly. "You messed around with a twelve year old!"
"How many times do I have to explain it? I was seduced!"
"Oh yeah right! Kinda like Parvati with Neville?"
"Yes! I mean no, no not at all! This was real! Ask yourself this, why would I want to kiss a twelve year old? And then why would I lie about it?"
"Maybe because you're a perverted freak that I accidentally fell in love with!"
"I'm not a perverted—what?"
"Ahh! Nothing! I said nothing after that perverted freak part! Yes, after that I completely stopped talking!"
Ron decided not to take advantage of her slip of the tongue and went on with his rant. "And also want to know where her big black eye came from? Hmm? I'll tell ya, it came from me punching her! Yep that's also why I got that nasty detention with McGonagall. So answer me this, Hermione; why would I have punched her if I wanted to be kissed?"
"You punched a girl?" Hermione said, disgusted.
"Yes!" he countered angrily.
"For me?"
His voice softened along with his face and he took a step closer to her.
"Of course," he whisperd.
She stepped closer to him. "Well I'm scared now."
"What? Why?"
She stepped even closer. "Would you punch me if I kissed you?"
"Never," Ron whispered almost inaudibly. They were so close now he could her heart beating. She grabbed his hand and leaned in.
Ron could feel her breath in his mouth when the door flew open, instantly separating them.
Of course it was Harry. "Oh my God, I'm sorry! Was I interrupting something?" he said backing away.
Ron moved away and sat on a bed. "No, no. We were just talking. I think we made up," he said looking over at Hermione, who was nodding, for reassurance.
"Well that's good, because I really need somebody to listen to my rant about Snape. I pretty much emptied the common room with it, but I really find this homework assignment completely unjust. Will you listen?"
"Of course," Hermione said, rolling her eyes. But neither Ron nor Hermione listened to his 20 minute rant. They were both thinking about each other.