Feelings
Ron, for the third time in roughly an hour, was angry, ashamed, and depressed in his room. He had figured that his jealousy about Krum and Hermione would've eventually faded, but, if anything, it had increased as of late, what with Hermione and Ron spending more time alone together on prefect duties. Despite the wide opinion among the Gryffindor House that Ron's feelings for Hermione were returned, Ron couldn't see what they were talking about. If she liked him, why wouldn't she tell him? The only reason he hadn't told her so far was because she had a boyfriend - it would totally ruin their friendship. Still, his jealousy was killing him - what if she did like him? But no, Ron reasoned, why wouldn't she tell him? It wasn't like he had a girlfriend, or as if he had ever had a girlfriend. He had never even shown any signs that his object of affection was someone else, other than the thing with Fleur, and that was only because she was part-veela.
This is ridiculous, Ron thought. She doesn't like you, she has a decent, rich boyfriend and you need to get over your jealousy - or at least be able to hide it. With new resolution, Ron went back downstairs to go get his broom and fly around for an hour or two.
Hermione sat dejected on the chair, still ignoring the candy and the letter.
"Your boyfriend's coming here? Well, that's excellent Hermione! When will he arrive?"
Hermione looked up, startled.
"He says he's coming tomorrow. But I really don't think that it's such a good idea -"
"Nonsense, dear, we'd be happy to have your boyfriend."
Hermione winced involuntarily at Mrs. Weasley's use of the word 'boyfriend' again.
"Actually, that wasn't quite what I meant Mrs. Weasley, I'd really prefer that he not come -"
"Why ever not? After all, he seems to be quite a nice boy to me. I wouldn't see why you wouldn't want him here..."
Mrs. Weasley was waiting for an explanation from Hermione, but suddenly Ginny bounced in with a smirk on her face.
"Why Mum, isn't it obvious? Hermione doesn't like Viktor that way - although I couldn't imagine why not."
Ginny then bounced out, her handiwork done.
"Is this true, Hermione?"
Hermione slowly nodded in agreement to Ginny's input.
"Well then, you'll have to tell him, won't you dear? Better tomorrow than never. And besides -" - Mrs. Weasley scanned Viktor's letter - "- it doesn't really look like he'll take no for an answer."
Hermione sighed, knowing that Ron's Mom was right. She had to tell Viktor tomorrow.
Suddenly, Hermione heard Ginny's voice float into the kitchen from around the bottom of the stairs.
"RON! Great job on your O.W.L.s - especially that Charms practical, I can't believe you got an O."
Ron laughed.
"Yeah, thanks Ginny, me neither. I just came down here to get my broom and fly around for a couple hours."
"Can I come?"
Hermione was surprised at Ginny's daring. Usually no one went on Ron with his flying trips. Ron sounded taken aback, but pleased.
"Sure, I don't see why not..."
Hermione heard Ron and Ginny's footsteps echo through the Burrow - they were approaching the kitchen. Oh well, Hermione thought, might as well tell him now. Ron stepped into the kitchen, and his eyes scanned quickly over the scene, until they finally rested on the untouched box of candy and the letter.
"Letter from Viktor?"
Hermione was taken aback at Ron's forwardness with the subject, and also the fact that there didn't seem to be any anger in his voice. Although he did seem to be holding something back inside himself...
Mrs. Weasley spoke up to break the silence.
"Why yes, as a matter of fact Ron, he'll be arriving to visit Hermione tomorrow."
Ron raised his eyebrows upon hearing this - despite everyone present knowing that he had already heard that.
"That's good. Come on, Ginny, let's go."
Hermione was totally bewildered as she watched Ron go out the door, closely followed by Ginny. As Ginny looked back and waved, Hermione sent her an inquisitive look, but Ginny simply shrugged and closed the door.
Well, at least he's not angry with me anymore for dating Viktor. This only strengthened Hermione's resolve that she had to break up with him. Ron wouldn't break up their friendship even if he didn't like her back, and Hermione was tired of holding her feelings in.
All this superficiality would end tomorrow.
Harry sighed and sat down on his bed, still holding the prefect badge in his palm and staring at it. He felt horribly guilty even looking at it. He wasn't exactly looking forward to tomorrow, either, when he would go over to stay with the Weasley's at the Burrow for the rest of the summer.
Fame is isolation, Harry thought bitterly, as he packed his prefect badge into his trunk. He just hoped Ron would still be friends with him.
Ron's eyes popped open unusually early the next morning and he sat up and stretched sleepily. He knew he couldn't go back to sleep if he wanted to today, what with Krum coming, Ron was determined to hide his feelings for Hermione at any cost to keep the friendship he had with her. Ron hoped that she would be with Krum most of the time, and would simply ignore him. Even though he didn't like the thought of them together, it would at least be easier to hide his feelings for her if she wasn't paying any attention to him. At least Harry's coming, Ron thought to himself. It could be worse.
Hermione's eyes popped open and she sat up suddenly. She saw with regret that it was 6:30 in the morning. Oh well, she thought, won't be able to go to sleep now anyway. There were six hours before Viktor was coming, she thought to herself. You've got to prepare yourself.
Harry awoke to see Mr. Weasley's kind face staring back at him.
"Ah, hello Harry! Terribly sorry to wake you up so suddenly, but it's best we be going now - everyone's dying to see you."
Harry sat up suddenly and made conversation with Mr. Weasley while getting ready.
"So how's Ron? And Hermione?"
Harry was not surprised to see Mr. Weasley's cheery face become melancholy for a second at the mention of Ron.
"Ron's alright. And Hermione's great, she's great..."
Mr. Weasley left the sentence at that and stared at the wall. Harry knew that he was thinking about the fact that Ron was no longer a prefect. Overwhelming guilt swept over Harry again, and he felt the need to apologize, but couldn't think of anything to say. Mr. Weasley suddenly broke the awkward silence.
"Oh yes, Harry, you should know that Viktor Krum's coming today also."
Harry raised his eyebrows upon hearing this and imagined how Ron had reacted to the news. She shouldn't be with Krum anyway, Harry thought to himself. She likes Ron.
"Are we going by Floo Powder, then?"
"Hmm? No, we're going to go on broomstick again like last time. Oh yes, I forgot - Professor Lupin and Moody will be coming with us to escort you as well. Ready then?"
Harry nodded in agreement and followed Mr. Weasley out the door.
Terrible end to a chapter isn' it? In fact, probably a terrible chapter. Oh well, it was mostly setup for the next one, which should be written in the course of the next few days...
Ron, for the third time in roughly an hour, was angry, ashamed, and depressed in his room. He had figured that his jealousy about Krum and Hermione would've eventually faded, but, if anything, it had increased as of late, what with Hermione and Ron spending more time alone together on prefect duties. Despite the wide opinion among the Gryffindor House that Ron's feelings for Hermione were returned, Ron couldn't see what they were talking about. If she liked him, why wouldn't she tell him? The only reason he hadn't told her so far was because she had a boyfriend - it would totally ruin their friendship. Still, his jealousy was killing him - what if she did like him? But no, Ron reasoned, why wouldn't she tell him? It wasn't like he had a girlfriend, or as if he had ever had a girlfriend. He had never even shown any signs that his object of affection was someone else, other than the thing with Fleur, and that was only because she was part-veela.
This is ridiculous, Ron thought. She doesn't like you, she has a decent, rich boyfriend and you need to get over your jealousy - or at least be able to hide it. With new resolution, Ron went back downstairs to go get his broom and fly around for an hour or two.
Hermione sat dejected on the chair, still ignoring the candy and the letter.
"Your boyfriend's coming here? Well, that's excellent Hermione! When will he arrive?"
Hermione looked up, startled.
"He says he's coming tomorrow. But I really don't think that it's such a good idea -"
"Nonsense, dear, we'd be happy to have your boyfriend."
Hermione winced involuntarily at Mrs. Weasley's use of the word 'boyfriend' again.
"Actually, that wasn't quite what I meant Mrs. Weasley, I'd really prefer that he not come -"
"Why ever not? After all, he seems to be quite a nice boy to me. I wouldn't see why you wouldn't want him here..."
Mrs. Weasley was waiting for an explanation from Hermione, but suddenly Ginny bounced in with a smirk on her face.
"Why Mum, isn't it obvious? Hermione doesn't like Viktor that way - although I couldn't imagine why not."
Ginny then bounced out, her handiwork done.
"Is this true, Hermione?"
Hermione slowly nodded in agreement to Ginny's input.
"Well then, you'll have to tell him, won't you dear? Better tomorrow than never. And besides -" - Mrs. Weasley scanned Viktor's letter - "- it doesn't really look like he'll take no for an answer."
Hermione sighed, knowing that Ron's Mom was right. She had to tell Viktor tomorrow.
Suddenly, Hermione heard Ginny's voice float into the kitchen from around the bottom of the stairs.
"RON! Great job on your O.W.L.s - especially that Charms practical, I can't believe you got an O."
Ron laughed.
"Yeah, thanks Ginny, me neither. I just came down here to get my broom and fly around for a couple hours."
"Can I come?"
Hermione was surprised at Ginny's daring. Usually no one went on Ron with his flying trips. Ron sounded taken aback, but pleased.
"Sure, I don't see why not..."
Hermione heard Ron and Ginny's footsteps echo through the Burrow - they were approaching the kitchen. Oh well, Hermione thought, might as well tell him now. Ron stepped into the kitchen, and his eyes scanned quickly over the scene, until they finally rested on the untouched box of candy and the letter.
"Letter from Viktor?"
Hermione was taken aback at Ron's forwardness with the subject, and also the fact that there didn't seem to be any anger in his voice. Although he did seem to be holding something back inside himself...
Mrs. Weasley spoke up to break the silence.
"Why yes, as a matter of fact Ron, he'll be arriving to visit Hermione tomorrow."
Ron raised his eyebrows upon hearing this - despite everyone present knowing that he had already heard that.
"That's good. Come on, Ginny, let's go."
Hermione was totally bewildered as she watched Ron go out the door, closely followed by Ginny. As Ginny looked back and waved, Hermione sent her an inquisitive look, but Ginny simply shrugged and closed the door.
Well, at least he's not angry with me anymore for dating Viktor. This only strengthened Hermione's resolve that she had to break up with him. Ron wouldn't break up their friendship even if he didn't like her back, and Hermione was tired of holding her feelings in.
All this superficiality would end tomorrow.
Harry sighed and sat down on his bed, still holding the prefect badge in his palm and staring at it. He felt horribly guilty even looking at it. He wasn't exactly looking forward to tomorrow, either, when he would go over to stay with the Weasley's at the Burrow for the rest of the summer.
Fame is isolation, Harry thought bitterly, as he packed his prefect badge into his trunk. He just hoped Ron would still be friends with him.
Ron's eyes popped open unusually early the next morning and he sat up and stretched sleepily. He knew he couldn't go back to sleep if he wanted to today, what with Krum coming, Ron was determined to hide his feelings for Hermione at any cost to keep the friendship he had with her. Ron hoped that she would be with Krum most of the time, and would simply ignore him. Even though he didn't like the thought of them together, it would at least be easier to hide his feelings for her if she wasn't paying any attention to him. At least Harry's coming, Ron thought to himself. It could be worse.
Hermione's eyes popped open and she sat up suddenly. She saw with regret that it was 6:30 in the morning. Oh well, she thought, won't be able to go to sleep now anyway. There were six hours before Viktor was coming, she thought to herself. You've got to prepare yourself.
Harry awoke to see Mr. Weasley's kind face staring back at him.
"Ah, hello Harry! Terribly sorry to wake you up so suddenly, but it's best we be going now - everyone's dying to see you."
Harry sat up suddenly and made conversation with Mr. Weasley while getting ready.
"So how's Ron? And Hermione?"
Harry was not surprised to see Mr. Weasley's cheery face become melancholy for a second at the mention of Ron.
"Ron's alright. And Hermione's great, she's great..."
Mr. Weasley left the sentence at that and stared at the wall. Harry knew that he was thinking about the fact that Ron was no longer a prefect. Overwhelming guilt swept over Harry again, and he felt the need to apologize, but couldn't think of anything to say. Mr. Weasley suddenly broke the awkward silence.
"Oh yes, Harry, you should know that Viktor Krum's coming today also."
Harry raised his eyebrows upon hearing this and imagined how Ron had reacted to the news. She shouldn't be with Krum anyway, Harry thought to himself. She likes Ron.
"Are we going by Floo Powder, then?"
"Hmm? No, we're going to go on broomstick again like last time. Oh yes, I forgot - Professor Lupin and Moody will be coming with us to escort you as well. Ready then?"
Harry nodded in agreement and followed Mr. Weasley out the door.
Terrible end to a chapter isn' it? In fact, probably a terrible chapter. Oh well, it was mostly setup for the next one, which should be written in the course of the next few days...