Chapter 2

"Oy, Ron, get up." Harry threw a pillow at the lump in Ron's bed, presumably Ron, to try and wake him up.

"Too late, Harry, I'm already up." Harry whirled around to see a fully dressed and showered Ron Weasley standing in the door of the bathroom, looking smug. Harry coughed and blinked several times; Ron had never, ever gotten up of his own accord. Especially not before Harry, who was considered the early bird of their dormitory.

"Wha?"

"I'm going to the Library, I'll see you at Lunch." This statement shook Harry out of his daze; he ran up to Ron and started shaking him.

"RON?! Are you in there?! Someone's taken over your body! I'm going to help you!"

"AH! What're you doing, Harry? Get off me." Ron pushed Harry off and back away, giving him an annoyed look.

"Bloody hell, Ron. What's wrong with you?! Getting up early? Skipping breakfast? Going to the Library? All by your own choice?!"

Ron shrugged and avoided Harry's eyes sheepishly. "I dunno ... decided to turn over a new leaf."

"That's a bloody load of shit and you know it. What's going on?" Harry pressed.

"Alright! Fine! So maybe there are other reasons I'm ... doing this stuff. But it's not that important so just chalk it up to me trying to ... live up to people's expectations." Ron thwacked himself mentally. That was one of the weakest excuses he'd ever come up with, if you could even call it that. There was no sodding way in hell that Harry was going to believe that. Harry looked at Ron for a moment, with raised eyebrows, before bursting out laughing.

"That ... is the ... most ... pathetic ... excuse ... ever!" Harry choked out amidst his laughter.

"Shut up you prat." With an annoyed glare at Harry, Ron walked out of the room.

Gryffindor Common Room

"Morning, Harry." Hermione smiled sweetly at her friend as she hopped down the stairs.

"Morning, 'Mione. Sleep well?"

"Relatively." Hermione's eyes flicked up to the boys' dormitory stairs, much to her dismay, Harry noticed and shot her a knowing smile.

"He's already up and ... doing some things."

"Whom?"

"Ron, the guy you were just wondering about." Hermione rolled her eyes, annoyed.

"Whatever, Harry. I was wondering if you had any unicorn hairs left? Neville spilt my entire box into his potion the other day and I haven't had the chance to go down to Hogsmeade and buy some more."

Harry gave Hermione a quizzical look while running his hand through his hair. "Yeah, I'll get it for you, hold on a second." Harry ran up the boys' dormitory stairs and appeared a few moments later holding a small wooden box, which he handed to Hermione.

"What're you making?"

"Oh ..." Shit, I forgot to think of an excuse. "Umm ... an extra credit potion for Snape," she blurted out at last. She thanked Merlin that it hadn't been Ron she was lying to, because she'd never be able to come up with an excuse when faced with those sparkling blue eyes, and that fiery red hair and –

"'Mione?"

"What Harry?"

"Well you were looking a bit dazed. I was saying that if you need anything else, don't hesitate to ask."

"Oh, I won't Harry. Thanks." Hermione flashed him a smile and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before bounding back up the stairs to her dormitory. At that very moment, Ron walked through the portrait hole, in enough time to see Hermione kiss Harry but not enough for her to notice him.

He shot Harry a ... jealous glare before flopping down on the couch and running his hands through his hair. "Hullo, Ron."

"Hi, Harry," Ron responded wearily.

"Your studying not go as successfully as planned?" Ron rolled his eyes.

"It's hard to study when you've got --- yeah, not very successful." Ron cursed himself mentally, praying that Harry wouldn't press the issue.

"I'm sure it's hard to study when you've got 'Mione on the brain." Harry grinned like a Cheshire cat and ducked as Ron threw a pillow at him.

"Not so loud you dolt! And no, I wasn't thinking about Hermione!"

"Yeah, and I'm the sodding Queen of France."

"That's nonsense Harry. You can't be a queen. Unless of course you had a sex change. Which, in all honesty, would be rather intriguing. You know, to have a transvestite as a best friend." Harry and Ron simultaneously turned around on the couch to see Hermione walking (or gliding according to Ron) down the girls' dormitory stairs. Saying she looked different would have been the understatement of the millennia.

She was wearing a form-fitted hunter green turtle neck that really brought out the color in her eyes. A pair of relatively tight dark blue jeans accompanied this; along with pointed, black, kitten heeled shoes. Most shockingly; her hair was straight! The bushy mess of curls that usually occupied her head was no more. It was straight as a board and hanging loosely around her shoulders. Furthermore, she was wearing a bit of black eyeliner and some lip-gloss; just enough to look done-up but it had taken her a matter of minutes. She smiled warmly at her two best friends, who were staring at her, wide-eyed and open-mouthed.

"Don't have a hissy fit. I was just kidding about the transvestite thing, I wouldn't trade you guys for a circus of transvestites. Now midgets on the other hand, well that's a different story." Hermione chuckled as she sat down in her favorite chair, across from the couch where Harry and Ron were sitting.

"No ... 'Mione, it's just that ... you look ... different," Ron managed.

"Yeah, you look really ... wow." Hermione's confused expression grew into a large grin.

"I'm assuming that's a compliment so, thanks!" Hermione and Harry exchanged a warm smile, while Ron managed a rather weak one. In all honesty, he didn't really like Hermione's new look. The shirt and pants were fine, hell he'd wanted her to get out of those stupid school robes for forever. And the makeup was okay; he didn't really think she needed it, but it still looked good. Yet the shoes were just not Hermione. And he hated the straight hair ... he didn't realize how much he loved her bushy hair until it was gone. Now, he desperately wanted to tell her so.

However, in light of his new resolution not to fight with her, he decided against voicing his true opinion on Hermione's new look. The next time he looked up, she was talking to Harry; neither had noticed his momentary zone-out.

"The Magpies look pretty good."

"Nah, you're kidding yourself Harry. Puddlemere's got the best chasers in the league, not to mention their seeker. They might as well just hand them the cup on a silver platter."

WHAT?! Ron nearly fainted; Hermione was talking to Harry about ... Quidditch?! She was having a serious conversation about Quidditch?!

"My pick is still The Prides. They've got Meghan McCormack, the best keeper the league's ever seen," Harry finished smugly.

"I thought you were pulling for the Magpies?"

"The Magpies may be my favorite team, but I still think The Prides have a better chance at the Cup." For whatever reason, Harry didn't seem to be nearly as shocked as Ron was that he was talking to Hermione about Quidditch. What surprised Ron even more was that she seemed totally competent on the subject.

"Yeah, you're right. I don't like the Puddlemere captain. I'd much rather the Canons win, but that's never going to happen," Hermione said with a small smile.

"Hey! It could happen! You never know!" Ron cried indignantly.

"Ron, as endearing as I find the Canons, they haven't got a chance against the Magpies, let alone Puddlemere. Perhaps when you're on the team, they'll have a better chance." Ron blushed a deep shade of crimson and stumbled through something that would have been a brush-off of the compliment. Meanwhile, Harry was beaming at the two of them.

"She's right Ron. You and I will get scouted. While 'Mione works her way up the corporate ladder to become the first witch Minister of Magic." Now it was Hermione's turn to blush.

"That's bullox, Harry."

"No, it's not, 'Mione. You're brilliant, they'd have to be daft not to appoint you ... eventually of course." Ron smiled as Hermione blushed a few shades darker.

"No, it's not that, Ron. There's been other witches as Minister of Magic." She tried, semi-successfully, to fight down the blush that was ever-darkening as she noticed that Ron was staring at her, and had been for some time.

"Well, then the most brilliant Minister of Magic." Ron blushed about the shade of his hair when he realized the words that had just come out of his mouth. A moment of uncomfortable silence followed, but yet again the Boy Who Lived saved the day.

"Speaking of Quidditch, you up for a quick game, Ron?"

"Oh umm ... I can't. I'm going to try and finish up my Transfiguration essay considering I didn't make much head way in the Library earlier today." Hermione nearly fell off her chair.

"WHAT?!" She mentally whacked herself for loosing her calm demeanor, but she just couldn't ignore what Ron had said.

"M-my umm Transfiguration essay," Ron replied, looking slightly frightened.

"But we already finished them, Ron. We worked on them with 'Mione the first day of break, remember?" Harry smiled innocently as Ron shot him a glare, which, fortunately, went unnoticed by the still-stunned Hermione.

"This is ... for umm extra credit." At this Hermione did, indeed, fall off her chair and onto the floor with a loud 'thump'. "You alright, 'Mione?" Ron stood up and offered her his hand, which she took and allowed him to pull her to his feet.

"Yeah, its just I never thought I'd hear Ronald Weasley say he wanted to do some extra credit!"

"Oh come on, it's not really that shocking," Ron replied, trying to brush it off, as he and Hermione sat back down in their respective seats. "I'm just tired of the little wench showing me up is all."

"Ron, don't call Ginny a wench." Ron did a double take as he realized the comment had not only come a few seconds late, it had come out of Harry's mouth ... not Hermione's! Under normal circumstances she would scold him for his language without even flinching. Little did Ron know it had taken all of Hermione's self control to hold back that scolding.

"I won't call her a wench if you stay far away from her, romantically speaking of course."

"Oh Ron, you're such a worrywart." Ron's eyes widened; had Hermione Granger just called him a worrywart? "I'm sure Harry and Ginny wouldn't do anything too ... immoral." This sent Hermione and Harry into a boisterous fit of laughter, while Ron just looked on, astounded that Hermione Granger would say something ... well something like that.

"Well I really ought to get working on that essay. I'll see you two later."

"Oh come on, Ron! Let's go play some Quidditch," Harry implored.

"Yeah, Ron. I'll come down and watch you guys. It'll be fun." Hermione smiled half-teasingly, half-pleadingly.

"Alright, but you're going to help me with that essay afterwards, 'Mione."

"Merlin, Ron, you're turning into 'Mione." Harry rolled his eyes.

Ron offered Hermione his hand and a dazzling smile. It was all she could do not to melt into a pile of blubbering mush right there in the Common Room. She smiled back weakly as the three friends made their way out of the Common Room and towards the Quidditch Pitch.

A/N: So here's the second chapter. I'm sure you all will be very happy to know that I am moving smartly along with this story. However, this will be the last chapter for a few days as tomorrow I have a shitload of homework and I'm going to brunch and a play (Miss Saigon, so happy!) on Sunday and won't have any time to write either day. I hope you all enjoyed this! Please, please review! They really make my day! And I'll need a smile here and there tomorrow when I'm drowning in homework!

MasterHarper Menolly: LOL, I'm so flattered, as always. So much of the controversy! I mean Hermione with straight hair?! WTF IS THAT?! Hehe, how was this? Pretty fast update, yeah?

Alex627: Thanks a bunch. Don't worry your pretty little head, m'dear. I have no intention of stopping until I've finished this fic, especially considering it's all planned out and rather short so I have no reason to stop! How did you like this chapter?

Paintedsecrets: LOL, yes this fic is all about the pointless fluff ... well its not completely plot-less, but relatively. How'd you like this one?

Beckysue2: Well this fic is all about how it doesn't work! Hehe. I'm glad you liked it and I'm flattered! How was this chapter?

Disclaimer: I suppose, since it's the first chapter or whatever chapter this is, I should say it without all the strange little tricksy mind games. So here it is for ya:

ME NO OWN HARRY POTTER!