A/N: No one reveiwed my last chapter. I hope I have better luck with this one.
ONLY HOPE by Lina Shay
Chapter Nine: Greater Pang of Heart
Ron, Dean, and Seamus served their detention swabbing up the sludge off the Potion's room floor. The three were very irate about it.
"First that traitor tattles on us," Ron began, "and now we're clearing out potion residue that's mostly his."
"I don't know," Seamus shrugged, "Harry seemed to spill quite a bit today."
"Didn't he used to be pretty good at Potions?" Dean asked Ron.
"Not like Hermione good, but better than he is now," Ron observed.
Dean leaned on his mop and said, "Does it seem strange to anyone else that a little Death Eater attack has made Harry bad at flying, bad at potions, not interested in pranks, and generally clueless?"
"Well, it was a pretty bad attack," Ron justified. "With the dragon and the dementors-"
"Get real, Ron," Dean shot. "You made all that up. My dad said that there were four Death Eaters. Dumbledore came in and stopped it before anyone was even hurt all that badly. Then, when they looked, Harry wasn't even around. He had run off like a coward."
"I don't believe it," Ron said adamantly. "Harry would never run from a fight."
Dean was about to say more, when they heard footsteps and voices. The three crowded against the door and listened.
"Thank you so much," it was Ginny's voice. "I didn't want to come down here and get my book all by myself."
"No problem at all," Neville insisted. "Would do it again...a hundred times."
"I can't believe I dropped it down here," Ginny said, referring to her book.
"Anyone could have," Neville told her.
"Well, I've got to be going," Ginny said.
"I'll walk you back up," Neville offered. "You never know what could be down here."
"You're so sweet, Neville," Ginny commented.
The two sets of footsteps faded.
"Ron, are Neville and your sister sweethearts?" Seamus asked.
"No," Ron laughed. "Believe me, Ginny doesn't even think of him that way."
"Well, he sure thinks of her," Dean announced with an evil smirk. "I've got the most brilliant idea on how to get back at Neville."
"How's that?" Ron asked.
"Ron, could you imitated Ginny's handwriting?" Dean queried.
"I think so," Ron told him, still confused.
"What if Ginny asked Neville to the Ball this year?" Dean posed, pacing through the room. "Then, when he arrived, she was there with someone else."
"She wouldn't do that," Ron insisted.
"She wouldn't, but we would," Dean chuckled.
"Oh, I get it!" Seamus exclaimed. "Ron will write love letters and mush to Neville in Ginny handwriting."
"It would sure get him back," Ron nodded. "But what do you want me to say to him. Just right out and say 'Hey, Nev, come to the Ball'?"
"No, first we'll have some fun," Dean stroked his chin. "Start with this.."
Ron ran over to Snape's desk and took out some parchment.
"Dearest," Dean began, "I love you- No, scratch that. We'll have to lead up to it."
"I've got it!" Seamus announced. "I must not bottle the true strength of my feelings longer or I shall burst."
"Right, perfect," Dean said. "Didn't they go to the Yule Ball together fourth year?"
Ron nodded.
"All right," Dean went on. "Then say, 'Since two years past... upon the day which we shared our spirits in the music of Christ's blessed season, I have sought for you alone. How I love you! It is in your very eyes that lies the spark which burns my bosom."
"Really, Dean," Ron protested.
"Just write it," Dean ordered. "'In your voice lies a tone which excites my soul. I spend hours between our greetings pining for your tender embrace. Oh, dear love, let me call you my own.'"
Seamus busted up in laughter. "This is rich! Truly!"
"'If it be that you as greatly me as I you esteem,'" Dean quoted.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Ron demanded in confusion.
"I donno," Dean shrugged. "'If it be that you as greatly me as I you esteem, let it be known to me by your...by your..'"
"Walk," Seamus inputted.
"Yeah," Dean laughed. "'Make your very stride pronounce in it's glide that it be mine heart you seek. If you must to strike my eye, dance about me and heave a sigh. I shall know by this act that you would me to have.'"
All three roared in laughter.
"Oh, I can't wait to see this," Ron muttered as he wrote.
"'I may show this with a brow raised up, then pointing down," Dean continued. "If I giggle, as I will, it will be your sign to hold my waist and press my bosom to your face.'"
"Dean!" Ron shouted. "Remember, this is my sister!"
"Yes, yes," Dean said, waving it aside. "Press his face to her stomach then if it bothers you so. Then, 'It will be as I always hope, you, my love, for my very own. Ever faithfully yours, Ginny Weasley'."
Ron signed her name with a flourish.
"There, it's written," Ron muttered. "Now, what?"
"We have to get it to him somehow," Dean stroked his chin more.
Ron returned to Gryffindor tower after his detention was up. He had the letter in his pocket, thinking of how to get it to Neville. Then he saw that Hermione and Harry were still up talking.
"Viktor is so romantic," Hermione swooned. "And he's smart and thoughtful."
"Ah, geez!" Ron grumbled. "Not that again."
Hope looked up at Ron as he walked up.
"You know what's the best thing about Viktor," Hermione began. "He respects me as a person."
"Hogwash," Ron muttered.
"What, Ron?" Hermione asked. "Did you have something to say?"
"Get a clue, Hermione!" Ron shouted at her, ripping the parchment from her hand and throwing it on the floor. "Krum isn't some knight or whatever you see him as. He's a GUY, and like any guy, not interested in your mind or your personality."
Hope lowered her head. He was right. What guy would like a girl because she's sweet or smart? Guys like looks. And right now, Hope looked like a boy. How could she ever get Ron to see the girl behind the mask if all Ron cared about was looks?
"And let me tell you something else," Ron went on. "He couldn't give a bezoar about respecting your PERSON."
"Shove it, Ron!" Hope yelled, turning red in the face. "Not every guy is like you!"
Hermione and Ron both stared at Hope. She was shaking from anger and hurt. After retrieving the parchment Ron had thrown, and taking a deep breath, Hope walked back over to Hermione and Ron. She smoothed out the parchment the best she could, then set it on Hermione's lap.
"Some people actually care about each other," Hope continued. "I bet you don't understand a thing about it."
"Thank you, Harry," Hermione said in awe.
Ron turned away sharply, then went up to the dormitory. Hope watched him, mad at herself for having yelled at him. Tears stung her eyes. She just didn't know how she could care for him so much when he didn't see her as anything at all.
A hand touched her shoulder. She glanced back at Hermione.
"Don't worry, Harry," Hermione began softly. "You're Ron's best friend. He won't stay mad at you long."
Hope lowered her head.
"Thank you again for standing up for me," Hermione said.
"If you and this Krum care about each other, who's he to try to break you up?" Hope muttered.
Hope reluctantly entered the boy's dormitory. Ron sat on his bed, staring off at a blank wall. Hope walked passed him and over to her bed, pulling off her tie.
"You were wrong about me, Harry," Ron said quietly.
Hope glanced over at Ron. He looked back at her sadly.
"I do know what it is to care about someone," he told her, then looked down at his hands. "I know all too well that it makes you crazy. Makes you do stupid things. To think of that person constantly, and know you can't have them."
Hope took very slow steps over to Ron, drawn to comfort his hurt.
"Maybe when it's even wrong to love them," Ron went on, "maybe people will look at you a different way. But it doesn't matter. You would do anything to be with this person. If only they wouldn't be disgusted that you love them."
Was he saying what Hope thought he was saying? Could it be?
Ron looked up at Hope, saying, "I do love someone, Harry."
"You do?" Hope asked, leaning down to him.
"Yes," Ron muttered, looking away. "Hermione."
Hope's knees gave out and she fell to the floor.
"Are you all right, Harry?" Ron asked, looking down on Hope.
"Fine," Hope insisted, wishing she had something hard to bang her head against.
"If you're gonna lay down, you should do it in your bed," Ron suggested, lending a hand to her.
Hope laughed at herself as Ron pulled her to her feet. Ron didn't let go of her hand right away, which did something to her. It was a warm feeling, spread through her whole body. When Ron noticed that he still had her hand, he let go immediately.
"Time for bed, I guess," Ron muttered.
Hope nodded.
A/N: This is my longest chapter yet. Don't get spoiled. They won't all be like this.
