JUST RON

by: Black Is Back

Chapter 3 - Stuck In the Cauldron With You

By the time Muggle Studies was over Hermione ha convinced herself that she was stressing over the whole 'just Ron' thing way too much. He WAS just Ron. He was that frustrating boy that would argue with her no matter the subject. He was the boy that had dirt on his nose and didn't even realize it the first time they met.

For goodness sakes! What on earth was I thinking? Hermione thought. She found it incredibly amusing that she even thought of Ron like that. After all it was Harry she liked for the longest time, but that was over. She had grown out of it. Something clicked.

"That's it," Hermione said so loudly that it made Ron jump and turn around to face her quickly.

"What's it?!?"

"Oh, er, that," she said pointing to a picture of a centaur looking up at the stars. "I've been, um, looking for it."

"Okay," Ron said slowly, "why?"

"Well, for your information, Parvati mentioned it to me and I wanted to see it for myself."

He studied her for a minute then grinned. "You can be so odd sometimes."

Hey," Hermione said with a giggle, "you're one to talk."

Hermione and Ron continued to joke back and forth to the common room. When they went in they found Harry sitting by the fireplace doing his potions homework. Ron walked over and sat down next to him.

Hermione, however, went and sat down at a table at the far end. She got out her quill and homework but had no intention of working. She was thinking about the discovery she made earlier. She figured out 'her secret.'

Snape knows I used to like Harry! She thought to herself. Well, I guess it doesn't matter anymore now does it? And to think he actually had me worried!

Hermione was so pleased that she figured out the big mystery that she didn't even realize, until she was done, that she finished all of her homework that night. She hadn't done that since the last year.

She gathered all of her things and was about to head down to the chambers when something happened that didn't make her sleepy anymore. The common room portrait hole opened and Sheena entered. This wouldn't have been bad except she walked over to Rona and sat on his lap.

Oh no! I hope he doesn't take her to the chambers! I wanted to go to sleep. Hermione thought, but she suddenly had an idea.

She walked over to them. "Okay guys I'm calling it a night. Sweet dreams." Hermione said with a sweet but evil smile to Ron and Sheena.

"Night 'Mione," Harry said although he didn't even look up from his parchment.

With one last look at the disappointment on Ron's face Hermione climbed out of the portrait hole and went down to the chambers.

I hope he doesn't bring her down here anyway! Hermione thought suddenly as she entered the chambers. Crookshanks ran up to her and started purring and rubbing against her legs, but Hermione didn't notice. I should bring a boy down here. I have the right to have company just as much as Ron does!

While Hermione got dressed and ready for bed she thought of possible candidates to invite over. Her thoughts were a swimming pool filled with drowning boys as she drifted off to sleep.

She dreamed she was inside a very large black cauldron. She was screaming for help but every time she did, a different boy's head would appear at the top. Neville. Dean. Justin. Seamus.

"Sorry, 'Mione," Seamus said, "but I've helped you out of here before. You have to get someone else to help you. I'm busy, Padma is stuck in a well and I promised I'd save her."

His head disappeared. Then Ron came.

"Don't worry Hermione, I'll save you," Ron said as he lowered himself into the cauldron with a rope, "Everything's going to be alright."

He climbed down slowly. When he reached the bottom he reached up and pulled the rope down. It fell to his feet.

"Ron! What did you do? Now we're both stuck in this thing!"

She looked at Ron but he wasn't worried. In fact he was smiling at her like she had never seen before.

"I know. I wanted this to happen. It was going to eventually. You don't understand right now but you will. You don't have to be rescued Hermione. We just have to be stuck, together. We need each other. Both of us need this," Ron said as he moved slowly towards Hermione.

"Ron? What are you talking about? Why would you ever want to be stuck in here? It's suffocating me. I can't breathe."

"Then let me breathe for the both of us. You know I would never let anything happen to you."

Hermione looked into Ron's eyes and found the understanding she didn't even know she needed. She was herself again. She was smart. She was beautiful. She was Hermione - but only if she kept looking into his eyes. She had a strong desire. She wanted his strength. She wanted his weaknesses. She wanted just Ron. She moved closer to him...

Hermione woke up drenched in sweat, and shaking from head to toe.