Chapter 2

She immediately drew away and slapped him flat across the cheek.

'Good g -- Ow!' He yelled and immediately moved away from her.

'What was that for!' She screeched, uncannily reminiscent of Molly Weasley. Absolutely beside herself, and grabbed her book, thumping him on the head and his shins, too stunned to react other than with hysteria.

'I don't know! I -- Would you stop hitting me? Keep your bloody wig on!' Ron cowered before Hermione's might and scrambled to his feet.

Extremely red and huffing dramatically, she also stood up and held her book up in preparation for another go at Ron when he held his hands up.

'I'm sorry! Merlin -- Was it really that bad!' Ron said, one hand still up but the other massaging his bruised upper arm.

Hermione looked downright confused and kept her book up midair. 'Y -- no ... I mean yes! I mean no! It wasn't about how good it was, it was about ... just ...it!'

'Now you're the one not making grammatical sense!' He started, but whimpered and took a step back as she glared at him ruthlessly and hit him once more. 'Hey, hold on a min -- ouch! Stop! I've got – WOULD YOU STOP?' He twisted away from her grasp and managed to keep a good distance of about three meters between them.

'Now, look,' He said, also breathing heavily from the weird situation. 'I know it was a bit of a shocker ... believe me, I wasn't expecting it either – '

'YOU'RE THE ONE WHO KISSED ME!' She said shrilly, looking homicidal.

'I KNOW! Bloody h – I get it!' He sighed, his hands loosely trying to keep up with his words. 'Something just came over me. Like um ... I didn't know what I was doing. And I'm really sorry that I did it and – ' Hermione held up a shaking hand to stop him, looking a bit more calm.' – What?'

'So you didn't mean it?'

'I didn't mean what?'

'Oh, come on, Ron!'

'What?' He asked, authentically puzzled.

'That kiss meant absolutely nothing to you?' She clarified, more or less in an exhausted way.

'Yes!' He exclaimed. She glowered at him. 'No?' She looked horrified. 'I mean yes.' She looked hurt. 'No ... Maybe ... I -- What do you want from me, woman!'

'I want your genuine answer!' She hissed.

'Then why didn't you say so?'

'I DID!'

'Did not!'

'Did too!'

'I did! I asked you the question and you deliberately answered ambiguously!'

'You didn't tell me I had to give you the truth!' He said, looking very lost.

'Oh, yes,' Hermione looked mockingly cheerful. 'Whenever I ask a query, a lie will do.' She turned ferocious. 'Ron!'

'I didn't mean it like – NO!' He bellowed, silencing her.

After about a minute, three cricket chirps and fifteen pin drops later, Hermione was the one who looked perplexed. '"No" what?'

'No to... that question of yours!'

She quickly picked up and quietly asked, 'So it did have some sort of meaning?'

'Well, obviously! I don't go around snogging girls when I feel bored, you know! I'm a man with principles!'

'Ho ho.' She said in a jaded voice.

'I'm not kidding! I – Watch!' Before they could both react, and before he could think about what would come after, he walked defiantly over and kissed her again. This time, she seemed to stay in for a bit longer before pulling back and slapping him again.