Chapter Four: Ron and Hermione
As Ron and Harry were preparing for bed that night, Harry noticed Ron staring at something he was holding.
"What's that, Ron?" Harry asked offhandedly.
"Oh nothing," was Ron's hurried reply as he stuffed what looked like a piece of thick paper into the back pocket of his jeans.
Harry shrugged and let it go. He figured if Ron wanted to keep a secret, he should be allowed that. 'After all,' he thought to himself, 'I have enough secrets of my own to make his head spin.' But Harry's silence seemed to be just the prompting Ron needed.
"Harry, if I tell you something, will you swear to never tell another living soul?"
"Of course, Ron, you can tell me anything." Ron pulled the object he'd been staring at out of his pocket and showed it to Harry. It was a photo of Harry, Ron, and Hermione next to Victor Krum taken after the Triwizard Tournament just before the Durmstrang ship set sail for its homeland. Harry recognized the faraway look in his own eyes and wondered, suddenly, how many more people would die, like Cedric and Sirius, before Voldemort could be defeated. He wondered again how he, a not quite sixteen year old, was supposed to be the one to defeat the monster. Ron noticed the look of anger and sadness on Harry's face and seemed to misinterpret it.
"I know, he's from Durmstrang," Ron began, "which means he has to be pureblooded, full of dark arts secrets, and couldn't possibly care for her like…like…like we do."
Startled from his thoughts, Harry suddenly looked up into Ron's face. The dreamy, yet sad expression, the red tinge to his ears, and the fact that his eyes rested firmly on the image of Hermione told Harry all he needed to know about what Ron really meant to say. "You know, Ron, she hasn't said that much about him, lately. Maybe she doesn't fancy him at all."
"Oh, come on, Harry! He's rich, famous, incredible at quidditch, why wouldn't she fancy him?" Ron's voice seemed to squeak a bit.
"Well, if that's all girls want, they should be lining up along the streets for a chance with me any day now!" Harry laughed at the thought.
Ron wasn't so amused. "They probably will," he muttered as he sat down heavily on his bed.
"Ron," Harry began more seriously, "Hermione's not just any girl. She doesn't goggle over famous people or fancy someone just because he's rich."
"Oh yeah, what about Lockhart?" Ron reminded him.
"We were twelve then, Ron. Besides, I'd say she learned her lesson on him."
"Maybe," Ron mumbled. "But then there were all the letters she sent Krum all year. They were so long, like she was baring her soul to him." Ron was beginning to sound desperate. Harry couldn't help but pity him.
"Listen, if it makes you feel better, I'll ask her about Krum for you. Maybe she'll tell me if she really fancies him or not." Ron looked hesitant, but hopeful.
"Just don't tell her it's me that wants to know."
"I won't," Harry promised, then added for good measure, "I swear, I won't tell anyone!" Harry watched Ron's expression change from pure desperation to slight hope. He was glad for Ron's relief, but he just had to ask one question. "So, how long have you fancied Hermione?"
Ron looked shocked and seemed on the verge of a blatant denial. But Harry gave him a knowing look, and Ron conceded. "Since second year, when she got petrified. I was scared to death she'd never wake up. I thought I'd lost her."
Harry chuckled, "And to think I only cottoned on after the Yule Ball when I heard you arguing and found your broken Krum statue."
Ron chucked his pillow at Harry and they had a good pillow fight. Ginny, having heard their laughter, came in and joined them. The three teenagers laughed and tossed pillows at one another until they all three collapsed on Harry's bed, Ginny in between the two boys.
"Oh," Ginny spoke breathlessly, "I almost forgot, I got an owl from Hermione today. It seems she doesn't want to be left out. She'll be here tomorrow, cat and all, and wants to know which room her parents can stay in."
"Her parents, Gin?" Harry asked.
"Don't ask me why they're coming," Ginny replied. She got up then and started to leave.
"Ginny," Ron stopped her suddenly, "Did she say anything about, you know, any of her other…erm, friends…at all?"
"No, Ron, she didn't mention Victor Krum." There was a twinkle in Ginny's eye as she suppressed a giggle. Ron's ears were suddenly bright red now.
"You were listening on those extendable ears, weren't you!" he exclaimed. "What did you hear?!"
Ginny ducked out of the room then, followed closely by Ron. Harry chuckled to himself as he watched them go. 'They'll never change,' he thought to himself, 'At least I hope not.' There was something about the Weasleys that always made him smile. Harry had climbed under the covers and turned out the light by the time Ron returned to their room. He heard Ron pull back his own bed covers and climb in before Ron spoke again.
"Harry, what's it feel like to be in love?"
"I dunno, mate. I don't think I've ever really been in love."
"What about Cho?"
"She was pretty, and she played quidditch, so I liked her for a while, but I don't think we ever had a chance to fall in love. She never really got over Cedric, you know?"
"Mmm, I suppose."
"I think I'd have to know someone a while, be good friends first, you know? It takes time to fall in love." Harry mused.
"Yeah, I guess you're right," Harry heard Ron roll over and settle himself. "G'night Harry," Ron nearly whispered.
"G'night Ron, sweet dreams." Ron chucked another pillow at Harry.
When Harry awoke the next morning, Ron was already up and gone from the room. Harry thought Ron must have tossed and turned all night, judging by the rumpled mess of bedclothes on Ron's bed. Harry got up, straightened his own covers and dressed. Hermione would be arriving today, he remembered, and she needed a room for her parents. Harry wondered briefly why Hermione had decided to bring them. By the time Harry came down for breakfast, Ron seemed fit to burst with nervousness.
"Come on, Ron," Harry chuckled, "It's just Hermione, after all." Ron attempted a weak grin.
"Who's Hermione?" Dudley asked as he entered the kitchen and sat down at the table, his massive form taking up one entire end of it.
Harry looked at his huge cousin and blinked a few times. It was still strange to him that the Dursleys were even there. Seeing Dudley, now shoveling piles of Mrs. Weasley's scrambled eggs into his face, was almost unnerving. Except for the dementor attack the previous summer, Harry had always felt he lived in two entirely separate and distinct worlds. Now it seemed those worlds were once again converging, and quite without his permission. He frowned at Dudley as he responded. "She's our friend, from Hogwarts."
Dudley stared stupidly at Harry before responding around a mouthful of eggs, "Is she one of your kind then?"
"Well, obviously," Harry replied.
Harry turned slowly away from Dudley, and began to tuck in to his own breakfast. He noticed Ron had not finished his plate, but was eyeing it like it was made of slugs and dragon fangs. Harry wondered if Ron had seen Krum's face in them somewhere. The doorbell rang just as the Dursleys came into the kitchen to join their son. Harry thought that since Lupin was away, and Sirius was obviously unavailable, he might as well play the host. Harry went to answer the door, while Ron and his mother wrenched the drapes back over the screaming portrait of Mrs. Black. As soon as the door was opened, Crookshanks went flying past, chasing from room to room after every pest and critter he could scare up. Hermione stepped in and gave Harry a gentle hug. It was then that Harry noticed her parents standing behind her.
"Hello," Harry said politely to Mr. and Mrs. Granger after Hermione had released him. "It's nice to see you again. Won't you step in?"
"It's nice to see you as well…Harry, isn't it? Oh, and Ron, how are you? How's your family?" Hermione's mother responded as they entered.
"I…I'm fine, they're fine," Ron stuttered as his gaze shifted from Mrs. Granger to Hermione. Ron's ears were red again, and Harry could have sworn Hermione was blushing slightly under his gaze.
"Well," Harry said, breaking the awkward silence that had ensued. "Let's see where you all will be staying so you can put your things down." He led them up the stairs to the room Fred and George had been in the summer before. Then he led Hermione down the hall to the door across from his and Ron's room. "Ginny's in here, I hope you don't mind sharing with her." He opened the door and the two of them stepped in. The walls were lined with bookshelves and there was a little desk and chair under the only window. Two twin four poster beds stood against the only bare wall, a large viper carved into each head and foot board.
"Wow, I don't mind at all," Hermione breathed, "except for the snakes, this room was made just for me. I bet Ginny's been having a blast in here."
"Well, as long as you're comfortable…" Harry trailed off. He felt the room was a bit spooky, but he knew how fond Hermione was of books. "You both should feel free to visit us across the hall whenever you like," he added.
"Thanks, Harry," Hermione said, as they set her trunk down next to one of the beds. "Just think, next year we'll be able to levitate our trunks everywhere because we'll be of age by then."
"Won't that be nice," Harry thought aloud, "No more letters from the Ministry trying to expel me for underage magic?"
"Yeah, Ginny mentioned something about that. What happened Harry?" Harry told Hermione the whole story about arriving home to find Death Eaters in the Dursleys' house and levitating the car under the enlarged cloak. When he had finished she let out a low whistle and asked, "So, the Dursleys are here?"
"Yeah, they were in the kitchen last I knew, eating and complaining as usual," Harry said.
"Wow," Hermione remarked, "That has to be weird for you, Harry."
"Sure is, what's weirder is that I still haven't heard from the Ministry about it. What about you? What brings your parents here?"
Hermione shrugged her shoulders and blushed a bit. "I haven't spent much time with them in a while. So when I owled Dumbledore about coming here, he suggested I bring them along. They're safer here, anyway, aren't they? And, as long as they're here, maybe they can help your muggle relatives feel more comfortable."
I suppose so," Harry agreed, though skeptically. Then he remembered his promise to Ron and tried to sound off-handed when he asked her, "Have you heard from Krum, lately?"
"No, Harry," she looked suspicious. "Why do you ask?"
"No reason," Harry said, a little too quickly.
"I suppose Ron wanted to know," she mused, "I wish he'd lay off of Victor. What's he got against him anyway?"
"Let's put it this way, Hermione," Harry tried to keep things light, "He just needs some reassurance, if you know what I mean." Hermione took in Harry's demeanor and seemed to get the point. "Just out of curiosity," Harry continued, "What exactly is there between you and Krum?"
"Not much, really, Harry. Krum asked me for some pointers in Transfiguration so he could qualify for a position he wanted in Germany. He was hoping to get out of quidditch and start a new career away from his home in Bulgaria. Last I heard he'd gotten the job and was busy with training. He didn't say what the job was. That was months ago, now."
"Hmm, all right, well, I'll let you get settled in then," Harry stood and moved toward the door. "There's breakfast if you want it, if Dudley hasn't eaten it all yet, that is." Harry turned to leave, but Hermione stopped him.
"Harry, tell me honestly. What's up with Ron, lately? He barely speaks to me anymore. Is he mad at me? Is he embarrassed about the Brain incident or something?"
"No, Hermione, he's not mad at you," he emphasized the word 'at'. 'More like, mad about you' he thought with a smile, "And I don't think it has much to do with what happened at the end of term. You should talk to him. He's sworn me to secrecy. But really, you should talk to him if you can." Harry left her to think on that and returned to the kitchen where Uncle Vernon was again complaining loudly about wanting to return to work.