Porcupines and Pillows

He didn't see Hermione all Sunday. During the lessons the following week she didn't sit with Harry and Ron either. Since Krum had send Hermione the present Lavender and Parvati were very keen on being her friend so she sat with them instead. Ron had fought with Hermione many times and they always made up but after a month she still hadn't said a word to Ron. Harry talked to her sometimes but she refused to tell him why she was so angry with Ron. He missed her. He hated to admit that but he really missed her. His grades were getting worse and his quidditch skills had gotten worse instead of better it seemed. He just couldn't concentrate. He kept thinking about her. At first he just missed he company and wanted to talk to her, just hang out. After a while that changed though, he found himself staring at her in class. How come he never noticed that cute frown she had when she was writing before. Or the way she brushed her hair out of her face when she read. Or the cute faces she made for Crookshanks when she cuddles him. And why was he noticing all these things now. She really was beautiful.

After six weeks Ron couldn't deal with it anymore. He had gotten in trouble a few times for not paying attention in class because he was staring at Hermione, mainly in Potions. Snape enjoyed this new reason to punish Ron. It was in Transfiguration though when Ron lost it. He was sitting in the back of the class with Harry and Hermione was sitting at the table in front of them with Parvati and Lavender. They had to transfigure a porcupine into a pillow. Hermione managed to get it right in one go. Lavender and Parvati were teasing her about Krum like usual, 'Not that Hermione needs a pillow' Parvati said. 'No, she can just sleep on Krum's broad shoulders,' Lavender finished. Hermione gave them a wry smile. Ron was having a lot of trouble with his porcupine and after an hour of failed attempts and listening to the girls talking about Krum it became to much. 'I CAN'T DO IT!' Ron screamed as he threw his wand across the room in McGonagall's direction. He reached for his porcupine but Harry managed to grab it before he had a chance to throw it. Ron had to make do with Harry's pillow and he threw it and it hit Neville in the head. The entire class was now staring at him. He didn't care, he sat down with his head in his hand. Harry merely looked at him not sure what to do. 'Everybody put the pillows in the cases,' McGonagall started, 'Miss Granger, would you be as kind as to transfigure the remaining porcupines. Mr. Weasley I would like to speak to you for a moment,' Ron walked to the front of the class expecting at least a week of detentions.

'Sit down, Mr Weasley' said professor McGonagall after everyone had left. Ron sat down behind a desk in the front row and stared down at it intensely. He hated it when McGonagall shouted at him. She sat down behind her desk and looked at him. She took a deep breath and to Ron's great surprise she didn't shout. Instead she spoke to him in a gentle voice he had never heard before, 'Mr. Weasley, Girls have crushes on boys for the most trivial reasons,' Ron looked up at McGonagall wondering if he heard her right. Was she giving him a lecture about boys and girls? 'You see,' she continued, 'Mr. Krum has all the right ingredients for a crush. He is famous and talented. You, Mr. Weasley, are neither I'm afraid. It is, however, rather obvious, even to the untrained eye, that you care rather deeply about Miss Granger,' Ron sprang up and to start to protest but McGonagall continued before he had a chance so he sat back down. 'And feelings like those are much more important than anything to most girls, including Miss Granger. Now Miss Brown and Miss Patil may be terribly impressed by Mr. Krum, Miss Granger seems to care more about you. Something to think about,' McGonagall rose from behind her desk and Ron did the same. She escorted him to the door and when she handed him back his wand she said, 'I am forced to take ten points from Gryffindor I'm afraid. You did throw your wand at me and hit Mr. Longbottom in the face with Mr. Potter's pillow,' She gave him a little smile and he walked into the hall on the way to the common room.