Chapter 15

Ron had told Harry and Ginny that he was happy for them and then they all had gone to bed. The next morning was Halloween. When Ron finally came down he saw that Harry and Ginny were sitting on the couch talking softly. He sighed. It would take some time to get use to seeing them together as a couple. He closed the door and stepped out onto the landing just at the same time as Hermione did.

"Good morning, 'Mione," Ron greeted as he started down the steps.

"Good morning, Ron," she replied as she followed his down the steps. Harry and Ginny looked up and smiled.

"Morning you two. We thought you would never come. What are we going to do today?" Harry asked. Today was Saturday and they were all thankful for it.

"Don't know. Let's decide over breakfast," Ron suggested. They agreed and went down to the Great Hall. Ginny sat next to Harry and Hermione sat next to Ron on the opposite side.

"How about some Quidditch?" Ron suggested. Harry and Ginny nodded. Hermione remained silent.

"We could teach you," he suggested. Hermione shook her head.

"No it's okay. I would rather watch anyway."

"Come on! Play with us!" Ginny encouraged. Hermione shook her head.

"I don't have a broom and I don't know how to fly all that well. Besides I don't like it."

"Why don't you like to fly?" Ron asked her.

"Because I'm scared of heights. I'm surprised you didn't remember that Ron."

"I forget a lot of stuff. You know that 'Mione."

"Yes I know." The group went silent, fumbling for something to say to each other.

"I'll teach you," Ron blurted out after several moments.

"Teach me? To fly?" Hermione asked him in disbelief.

"Yeah. It'll be safe. You can go on my broom. I promise I won't let you fall off."

"But what if I do fall off?" Hermione asked softly.

"I'll catch you. I promise," Ron replied. She picked at her eggs before looking back up, a sparkle in her brown eyes.

"I would like that very much, Ron," she replied. Ron smiled and shoved in a fork full of scrambled eggs into his mouth.

They finished their breakfast quickly and hurried out to the Quidditch pitch. Immediately, Harry and Ginny were in the air chasing after one another.

"Just get on behind me," Ron told her as he mounted his broom.

"I, I don't think I want to do this any more, Ron."

"Come on, I told you nothing would happen to you." Hermione sighed and mounted behind him. She put her arms around his waist and took a deep breath.

"Ready?" He asked her.

"Yes," she replied. Ron kicked off the ground hard and rocketed into the sky. Hermione let out a terrified scream.

"You okay!" Ron exclaimed quickly, putting his hand over hers. She took a couple of deep breaths.

"Sorta," she replied. He laughed softly.

"You'll be okay," he reassured her as he flew slowly around the pitch.

"RON ARE WE PLAYING QUIDDITCH OR GOING FOR A SUNDAY STROLL AROUND THE PARK!" Harry yelled as he zoomed past them.

"SHE'S SCARED!" Ron yelled back. Ginny came up next to them and gave Hermione and sympathetic smile.

"Are you okay?" Ginny asked her.

"Not really. I don't like being up this high."

"Well, you are with the safest person out here," Ginny replied. Hermione laughed.

"That's not a reassuring thought," Hermione replied. Ginny laughed before zooming off to chase Harry again.

Ron took her around the pitch a couple of times before starting to do stunts. Hermione had to try hard not to yell out in fright. She didn't want to scare Ron. Finally after some time he brought her back down to the ground.

"Now you get to learn," he said as he moved back on the broom.

"No," Hermione stated as she stepped back, shaking her head.

"Come on! Don't you want to?"

"Yes," Hermione said hesitantly.

"Then get on." She did as he told her. Soon they kicked up off the ground and into the air. Ron told her what to do and soon, Hermione was flying all by herself without Ron's help.

"This is great!" Hermione exclaimed as she zoomed around the pitch at a much fast pace. Ron smiled.

"Told you."

"I'm sorry that I didn't listen earlier."

"You just let fear control you."

"Yeah. It's one of my flaws."

"It's a flaw I like," Ron said without thinking. His face turned instantly red. Had he really said what he thought he had said?

"You do?" Hermione asked him softly. She turned her head to look at him.

"Yeah. It's funny," Ron saved. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"I like the fear that you have of spiders," she teased.

"Hey that is a real fear."

"So is mine."

"No yours is silly."

"So is yours, Ron."

"Mine is not silly."

"You are always silly, Ron. Everything about you is silly."

"What!"

"You heard me."

"Are you teasing me, 'Mione."

"What did I tell you about calling me 'Mione, Ronald."

"And what did I tell you about calling me Ronald, 'Mione."

"You are SO frustrating!"

"Me! You're the frustrating one, Hermy."

"That does it!"

"What?"

"I told you never to call me that. You never listen. This does it Ron. I'm not going to be your friend anymore."

"What?"

"You heard me?"

"We aren't friends because I called you, Hermy?"

"Precisely."

"You stubborn, witch!"

"You stubborn, wizard!" Hermione went to hit him, forgetting that she was on a broom. With her movement she tipped sideways and fell through the air.

"HERMIONE!" Ron yelled as he urged his broomstick down fast. Her screams ripped through the air. He dived beneath her and caught her, zooming upward away from the ground. Tears poured down her face. He didn't concentrate on flying. He concentrated on her. He landed without really looking, out by the trees far from the pitch. He cradled her in his arms.

"You're okay. You're okay," Ron kept mumbling as he comforted her.

"I almost died!" She cried as she clung to him.

"I wouldn't have let you."

"But what if that was the last thing I said to you?" Ron looked down at her.

"I would never have allowed that to be the last thing that we said to each other."

"You can't promise things like that, Ron. Why can't we get along?"

"I don't know."

They fell silent underneath the tree.