JUST RON
by: Black Is Back
Hermione met Harry and Rona t breakfast the next morning. The Great Hall was filled with talkative students excited about the Hogsmeade visit that morning. She spotted the two boys sitting in their usual spot at the Gryffindor table.
"Hey Mione!" Harry said happier than usual.
"Hello Harry. Good morning Ron."
Hermione could tell that Ron was avoiding looking at her. Instead he gave a very weak smile as he looked down at his plate.
"Don't pay attention to him. I think a dementor or something got a hold of him because it's like he'll never be cheerful again," Harry looked over at Ron hopefully. Ron didn't even look up. "Oh come on mate! You know that was funny! Why don't you try 'Mione? You seem to always bee able to put him in a good mood. Hey I'm sure there's at least one good way to make happier," Harry said with a nudge and wink to Ron whose face grew steadily pinker with each second.
I don't need her to put me in a better mood. What's wrong with the one I have anyway?" Ron scowled.
"Oh nothing at all! You are like sunshine on a summer day," Harry said sardonically, "Look if you can't be happy now then at least be happy when Ginny gets here."
The entire way to Hog's Head Harry tried, unsuccessfully, to enliven Ron.
"I know! I can get Ginny to set you up with one of her friends, mate! In fact, I know of one right now that's definitely had her eye on you." Hermione saw Harry glance over at her then quickly look back at Ron. "She's really pretty and has long hair. I know how you like long hair on girls. Look I think you should just go out with – Ginny!"
"Ginny?" Ron asked as he looked up. They had just walked into the Hog's Head and Ginny was standing up at the bar. "Oh." Ron rolled his eyes up at the ceiling as Harry and Ginny greeted each other with a long passionate kiss.
Hermione found Ron' reaction incredibly amusing but preoccupied herself, nonetheless, by taking her scarf and cloak off and brushing the snow out of her long hair. Hermione took a while to dot his and when she was done so were Harry and Ginny. She ran over to Ginny and gave her a gigantic hug.
"Oh, it's so good to see you! Tell us, how was France? Exhilarating I expect?"
"Of course! I really wish you could've come with me Hermione. It was beautiful. Oh, I've missed everyone so much! RON!" She ran over a squeezed a very uncomfortable but happy looking Ron.
"Gin! Not here!"
"Oh Ronnie, grow up. I've missed you," she said as they all took their seats at a booth in the back of the bar. "SO anything good happen while I was gone? Tons I suppose." Ginny had a slightly amused expression on her face as she looked back and forth between Ron and Hermione.
"Not really. Why?" Hermione asked suspiciously.
"Well, Harry has – OW!"
Harry apparently elbowed Ginny in the ribs because she looked angrily over at Harry and clutched her side.
" What was that bloody for? You're the one that..."
"OH! SORRY," Harry half-screamed in order to cut her off.
"Harry James Potter!" Ginny screeched in a voice uncannily like her mother's, "You haven't even asked them have you?"
"Asked us what?" Ron insisted.
"You know Harry," Ginny said completely ignoring Ron, "You are the bravest person I know, other than Dumbledore of course, against You-know-who, but the biggest coward when it comes to your friends."
"It's part of the reason you love me," Harry said with a smirk.
Ginny rolled her eyes playfully then looked over at Hermione and Ron.
"We were, uh, just curious as to, well, what I mean is are you two were together? Like Harry and me are?"
"What? Have you two gone completely mental? "Ron said at the same time Hermione said, "Honestly! Where would you ever get an idea like that?"
"Alright, alright." Ginny held her hand up in apology. "We were just guessing. Well, then what is going on between you two? From what Harry has told me in the letters and the way you two have acted just since you entered the bar there seems to be something wrong. I mean you haven't even looked at each other once since we've sat down."
"Ginny," Harry said warningly.
"Fine," Ginny said in a tone of defeat, "I'm done."
"Good. Now Ron let's go get some drinks for the ladies. Ginny, not a word."
"Yes, master," Ginny said sarcastically.
Hermione felt that she was being watched. She turned to her left and saw Ron staring at her. When he realized what he was doing he quickly turned away.
"Drinks? On yeah right." Ron said quickly.
They left and went up to the bar. It was Hermione's turn to get caught staring.
"Hermione!"
"Hmm? What?!"
"I have been trying to get your attention but you've been too busy staring at my brother. Now tell me the truth!"
"That was the truth! There is nothing going on between Ron and myself!"
Ginny studied her for a minute as if trying to concoct a very difficult potion. Hermione knew she was trying to figure out if she was telling her the truth or not.
Ginny, I'm telling you the truth. Look all you want in here. Hermione thought.
Hermione knew Ginny had intermediate skills at Legilimens. She could tell at the very least when someone was lying to her.
"Okay, then tell me what is it that has happened to you two? I could cut the tension with a splicing spell!"
"Well, to tell you the absolute truth I'm not sure myself. One day I looked at him and I saw something I needed. Something I required to be complete. I know this sounds stupid but I can't help it."
"It's not stupid. I wish I felt that way about Harry."
"What? You don't?" Hermione asked surprisingly.
Ginny let out a long sigh. "No. Don't get me wrong, I love Harry but it's just not the same thing you have with Ron." Ginny sat there quietly for a minute then seemed to realize that Hermione was still there. "Look Hermione, Ron feels something for you. I see it. Harry sees it. Now you need to see it. You just need to talk to him, as difficult as that may seem."
"Yeah. I suppose it's the only thing I can do to clear the air."
She looked over at Ron. He looked extremely nervous just standing up at the bar. Then he turned and said something to Harry. Harry gave him a puzzled expression and Ron turned around with a glance at Hermione and left Hog's Head.
"Oh yeah. This is going to be a piece of cake," Hermione said sarcastically to herself. As she got up and followed him out.
"Be back in a minute," she called back to Ginny.