A/N: So here I am again. I can't believe I haven't updated since the beginning of November. Half of it was that I wasn't sure how to have Ron and Harry make up(if you have any ideas PLEASE leave a review) and half was that I wasn't very encouraged by the lack of reviews from my previous chapter. Plus, I've been really busy. Please guys, I really need your reviews when I write. They really help me out. Okay, I'm done begging.
Ron was just about to jump out and run after Harry, when Luna arrived to repair the door. "Had a good summer?" she asked mildly. At this Ron sat down and nodded gruffly. His relationship with Luna was rather a mystery, even to him. He wasn't sure how it really happened. To be quite honest, it had all started with him trying to take his mind off of Hermione. He supposed that was sort of low, but as he started to get to know Luna, he liked her very much. Sure, at first he'd thought she was mad, but she was really easy to talk to and seemed to understand him better than anyone…unlike that git who just left.
Luna sat down, kissing him on the cheek, and took out the latest edition of the Quibbler. "Anything of interest in there?" Ron asked, knowing perfectly well there was nothing
but rubbish. Hermione rolled her eyes and took out a pair of knitting needles. "Still on with spew, are you?" he mocked.
"Shut up, Ron," Hermione retorted, eyes flashing. "I'll have you know that unless someone does something about this enslavement problem, I'm the only person helping these poor overworked elves. After seventh year, I won't have the time. Unless The Academy employs house elves…" At this she began to stare off into space, possibly contemplating a house-elf revolution at the academy. It was Ron's turn to roll his eyes.
"Hermione, how many times do I have to tell you: They. Like. It. They. Don't. Want. To. Be. Set. Free." Ron was well aware he was fighting a losing battle, but that was the way his and Hermione's relationship worked. They would argue, make up, and argue again. Unlike Harry. Whenever they argued, it was either a big blow-up, or they got along fine.
Seemingly reading his mind, Hermione asked, "When are you two going to make up?"
"When that idiot stops acting like a pile of ("Ron!")" he replied. "Who does he think he is? I mean, its not enough for him to just take everything I want, then he has to rub it in my face."
"Ron, Harry doesn't mean for things to end up this way. It just sort of happens. He doesn't ask for the attention he gets."
"Yeah? Well that just makes it even more sickening. I'm tired of being second best to him all the time. Even you can top him sometimes, in exams. But me, I'm the sidekick."
"That isn't true at all, Ron!" Hermione pleaded. She glanced over at Luna, hoping she would help, but she seemed to be engrossed in an article about the healing powers of Gangrenous Doppleplum. "You aren't his sidekick, you're his best friend!"
"Correction. I was his best friend. You don't understand this any better than he does. I'm not even mad about the Head Boy rubbish." As the words came out of his mouth, he suddenly realized that he wasn't mad about being Head Boy, although for the entire time he and Harry had been fighting, that's what he thought it had been about. What the hell was bugging him then?
"Well what is it then?!" Hermione exploded.
"Just forget about it." Ron began picking at a loose thread
on the seat.
"You and Harry really—"
"Hermione," Ron interrupted firmly. "Forget about it." For the rest of the trip, they sat in silence, Luna still flipping through her Quibbler. Ron found this all quite annoying, as Luna was supposed to comfort him when he was upset. He said nothing, of course, at the risk of Hermione
chatting about his and Harry's row. She was just sitting there, working on…well they were supposed to be mittens…..every now and then shooting him annoyingly disdainful looks. Instead he just stared out the window, until someone slid the compartment door open. He looked up
angrily expecting it to be Harry, to find it was Neville.
"Oh hey Neville," Ron said listlessly, going back to staring out into the rainy and grey sky. Neville, however, didn't even bother to respond. He just sat down quickly next to Hermione, grinning rather nervously.
"Hi Hermione," he said, turning rather red.
"Er…hi Neville." Hermione went anxiously back to her knitting, glancing back at Neville every few minutes to find him gazing at her. "Is..er…everything alright, Neville?"
By now, Ron had sat up to watch the show. "Everything's fine, 'Mione," Neville said in a squeaky voice.
"What did you call me?" Hermione asked, a puzzled look on her face. Ron was enjoying every second of this.
"You don't like it?" Neville said, suddenly frowning. "I called you 'Mione. You know. Short for Hermione…" He trailed off. Ron had stuffed his fist in his mouth to keep from laughing out loud. Even Luna was looking up over her Quibbler, the corners of her mouth twitching.
"It's…er…fine," Hermione said in a strained voice.
"Well, I'll…uh…see you later then, 'Mione," Neville said, with a rather sloppy grin. After he pulled open the glass compartment door and exited, Ron let out a cackle of laughter that could rival Peeves. For at least ten minutes, he rolled around on the floor, beating his fists on the ground, tears flowing down his cheeks.
"Stop it this instant, Ron," Hermione said, angrily.
"Sure…'Mione," Ron replied, grinning cheekily.
"You're absolutely impossible," Hermione fumed. The needles were now completely knotted up in the yarn, and she set about untangling them, this time shooting Ron murderous looks rather than disdainful ones.
"You really should leave her be," Luna said, dreamily, putting down her Quibbler. "I know how Neville feels. I had a time talking to you."
Ron blushed scarlet and said nothing for the remainder of the train ride. Hours later, the train skidded to a stop, the brakes squealing as they pulled into Hogsmeade Station. The night was cool and moist, just like their first evening at Hogwarts always did. It occurred to Ron that this would be his last Start-of-Term feast at the castle. A thought that sort of made him sad. The three of them had had a lot of adventures here. The Sorcerer's Stone. The Chamber of Secrets. Pettigrew. He went through them all in his mind, as he, Luna, Hermione, and much to his amusement, Neville, entered the carriages, which were pulled by the all-too visible Thestrals. While the earth crunched beneath the wooden wheels, Ron was having the time of his life, watching Neville make more furtive glances at a miserable Hermione Granger.
All too soon, the ride was over and they entered the Great Hall. Ron sat alone at the Gryffindor table as Hermione went to join Harry. They all sat, awaiting the arrival of the new first years…and more importantly…the feast. He could hear commotion outside the large mahogany doors, and knew that the Sorting would begin at any minute. However, it was not to be. After Professor McGonagall whispered something in Professor Albus Dumbledore's ear, he stood up magnificently, his voice ringing through the silence. "Head Boy, Head Girl. Please join me in the Antechamber." Ron watched jealously as Hermione and Harry stood up, all eyes observing the new choices for the coveted post. A wave of whispers filled the cavernous hall as Hermione and Harry stepped up onto the platform holding the Professors' Table and exited through a side door.
Meanwhile, he exchanged glances with Seamus and Dean. "Why aren't they letting the first years in?" Ron whispered.
"No idea," responded Seamus. "This isn't normal."
Reviews:
Thanks TrulyAnna and wordartist. I really appreciate your on-going support. (insert glowering look at the other reviewers…or should I say non-reviewers)
Truly Anna: Well, Harry was chosen Head Boy because he deserved the job. Dumbledore had wanted to make him a prefect in the beginning, but thought he had "enough responsibility to be getting on with." And he couldn't take the post away from Ron (that would be mean!), so he granted Harry HB, while allowing Ron to continue as Prefect. And don't worry. I assure you , there will be LOADS about Ginny. You'll quite like this…
Wordartist: Glad you liked the last chapter. I'm not too pleased with this one. Most of it's rubbish. I'm trying to figure out a way for Harry and Ron to make up, but nothing's come to me yet. Like I said, if you have any ideas, please mention them in a review. Oh yeah, the weird symbols are from when I use an ellipse. Apparently FanFiction's server doesn't like it. And, apologies for not updating in over a month.