Disclaimer: Truth is, I really should be teaching my friend how to ride a bike right now, but it looks like rain and I really wanted to update my story. I probably should walk my dogs, too. Oh, and take a shower... Ah! Ahem. I do not own Harry Potter or any ideas pertaining to J.K. Rowling. I do own some clothes... which I should be washing now.

:: Although the tension between the three friends lingered for a little while, it quickly dissipated and soon the were enjoying a healthy loss to Ron even though Harry and Hermione were working together against him. ::

Chapter 2: Impossible Predictions

The Hogsmeade visit came and went as did the next week, then it was time for Ron, Hermione, Harry and Ginny to head to the Burrow for Christmas with the Weasleys. The day before their departure, Harry and Ron packed part of their wardrobe and belongings into their trunks while chatting amiably.

"So," Ron said to Harry while throwing books haphazardly onto his four-poster bed. "D'you think Snape was very mad about the whole thing where our cauldrons melded together yesterday in class?"

Harry shook his head 'no' with a wide grin he tried to hide (unsuccessfully). "No, no, no of course no- Okay, yes." He concluded in an uncontrollable fit of laughter. Ron quickly joined him, but chucked a book in his direction as disapproval of his bad joke (he missed).

"It's not like we meant it to happen, it just... I guess fire and flammable ingredients don't mix well together." Ron grimaced at the thought of Snape peering down at the mess of metal and potion with that horrible sneer on his face. He shook the image out of his mind and tossed dirty laundry into his trunk, but missed terribly.

"Remember Hermione's face when she saw the mess?" Harry questioned from Ron while rummaging through a pile of discarded parchment. Ron hesitated before answering, a little too long and Harry noticed. "You'd think the way you two've been getting along this week you'd be over that tiff from last week"

Ron blanched while his ears turned bright red. "It's a bit more complicated than that."

"I see" Harry commented offhandedly as he lay flat on the floor to search on the floor to search under his bead for a pair of socks. "Have you seen the socks Dobby gave me a few Christmases a go?"

Ron looked vaguely disappointed. "Uh, no mate"

"Right" Harry continued to 'crawl' around the dormitory searching under beds and piles of rubbish for a pair of socks. Harry did not seem eager to continue on the subject of Hermione, but Ron seemed extremely keen on it.

"I just want, well, don't want her to always be mad at me and think I'm an incompetent git all the time." He told Harry as though he'd been wanting to say this for a long time.

Harry looked up at this. "If you don't want her to be angry at you then don't put her up to it. You're always bugging her as if you want to argue with her and fight." Harry continued his quest for socks.

Ron seemed preoccupied. "It's just that she gets to me in way I can't explain."

"Yeah, her and the Dursleys alike."

Harry conversed with Ron a bit longer, although Ron's speech seemed forced and empty of emotion. Harry finally found a pair of socks and they slowly finished packing and ventured downstairs into the common room to sit in front of the roaring fire. Hermione was sitting comfortably in a plush red armchair completely engrossed in a tome of a book. She squished to the side of the seat to accommodate one of the boys as the common room was packed with students eagerly awaiting the holiday. Ron started forward, but suddenly changed his mind and sat instead on the floor right next to the fireplace. Harry squeezed in next to Hermione as she put her book down.

"Are you both done packing then?" She looked from Harry to Ron. They nodded. "Good, so am I. I'm really excited to be spending Christmas at your house, Ron. Will Fred and George be there as well?"

"Yeah, they'll be there. They wouldn't miss Christmas even if it means losing business." Ron rolled his eyes.

Hermione pursed her lips. "At least they're not pulling a 'Percy' on you, putting work before family. I expect he won't be there."

"That's true" Harry said, jumping into the conversation "Besides, I actually kind of miss them.... and their jokes. Remember those fireworks last year? Ah, the memories"

Ron tried to stifle a laugh. "I don't" he stated. "It's nice to get some peace after living with their jokes all my life." Harry could tell her was thinking of the too-many-legged teddy bear.

"Oh, come on Ron" Hermione looked mock-dolefully at Ron who looked back at her with a mortified expression on his face. "You know you love them"

"Please Hermione, you're acting like those prats" He pointed in disgust at Pavarti and Lavender who were seated in the corner of the common room giggling madly.

Hermione quickly put off her act. "Next thing you'll know I'll be predicting Harry's death by ferrets in a crystal ball. Or even Ron paying attention to people ever now and then, both of which will never happen."