A/N: Here I go again… it took me a couple of days to write this, but I had a bit of a blockade, I'm over that now (or I hope so)… so read, enjoy and plz plz plz review!
Disclaimer: If anyone thought I own the characters in this story or that I claim ownership over them I am very sorry to disappoint you!
The first summer of the rest of their lives
Chapter III: With a little help from your brothers
Mrs. Weasely's orders had been followed, well partially as everybody had indeed gone to bed, but none of them were sleeping. Fred and George were planning Ron's forfeit while their future victim and Harry were talking about quidditch. However, the most interesting conversation was being held at the girl's room.
"No, Ginny there's no way I'm answering that." Protested Hermione.
"Why not? It's a perfectly innocent question: which of my brothers do you consider is cutter?"
"First of all: IT'S NOT AN INNOCENT QUESTION and you know it… then, it's your brothers we are talking about I can't talk about your brothers with you, not like this anyway… And thirdly I don't think of them in THAT way."
"Hmm, not even Ron?"
"Well, that's different" Said Hermione blushing.
"Knew we'd get there in the end, so you like Ron."
"Wait I never said I liked him."
"There's no need, I know you do, Harry knows you do, everybody at Hogwarts knows you do."
"Well, I'm glad you lot are so certain about my feelings. 'Cause I don't have a clue."
"That's because you are hopeless when dealing with your own feelings. But it's really obvious for the rest of us."
"Yeah well…Oggh! I don't know…" Hermione burst out frustrated.
"What?" Asked Ginny smiling, she was clearly enjoying the situation.
"Let's say for a minute that I do like your brother." Hermione whispered, looking at the door.
"Oh, don't worry, I've asked Charlie to put an Imperturbable Charm on our door, just in case." Explained Ginny winking.
"Good thinking! I don't fancy an extendable ear giving Fred and George information to blackmail me… Anyway, let's say I do like your brother, there's nothing I can do about it, He's one of my best friends and I'm not going to lose that for a stupid crush."
"A stupid crush you have sustained for seven years now." Ginny interrupted "Besides, who says you are going to lose your best friend."
"Come on! You know Ron, he's not even aware I'm a girl."
"Hermione, he was fourteen when he said that, believe me, he knows you are a girl" She answered exasperated.
"What do you mean?" Asked Hermione sharply.
"See.. Hopeless, completely hopeless." And with this she turned over, extinguish the lights and closed her eyes, leaving Hermione to wonder on what she had just said and on what she really felt for Ron Weasley.
Next morning, Fred and George spent breakfast glancing toward Ron maliciously and the air was full of anticipation and anxiety, Ginny had told her older brothers what had happened and all of them wanted to know what the twins had in store for Ron and from the looks they were giving him, it could be told that it was going to be something very nasty; but they knew better than to say it in front of Mrs. Weasley so they contempt themselves by getting the youngest Weasley boy nervous by looking at him every now and then.
Once everyone had finished eating Mrs. Weasley and the girls stayed in the kitchen to clean the table and the rest of them went upstairs to get their broomsticks. Fred and George however stayed behind to talk to Mr. Weasley, and joined the rest ten minutes later at the backyard, the girls weren't there yet.
"So little bro, ready to listen to your judgment?" Asked Fred standing right in front of Ron, who nodded, his face screwed up.
"Well, we gave the mater a lot of thought. Because, you see, it was not easy to find the right punishment for being so lousy with the cards, 'cause, as you embarrassed yourself in front of the whole school last year in the quidditch peach it would mean nothing to you to embarrass yourself in front of your family and friends." Explained George.
"Thus, we decided to do make you do something you would have never dared to do on your own: ask Hermione out." At this Harry grinned and said 'brilliant' under his breath and Ron exploded.
"WHAT? And why would I want to ask 'Mione out?"
"We don't care if you want or not, although, we and everybody know you want to, you'll have to do it because you lost…" Said Fred.
"And, don't worry, we have eased thing up for you… We have already convinced dad to let us (that is Fred, Harry, Ginny, Hermione and me) to go to the towns disco on Friday… There we'll let you two lovebirds alone and you can do it."
"And, as we can't tell Hermione what we had decided to make you do, we'll tell her that you have to eat a dozen Canary Creams -what, by the way will keep you as a bird for about four hours- and of course you'll have to do it" Finished Fred, the grins on the twins faces broader than ever. They mounted their broomsticks and kicked from the ground and started racing each other, leaving behind a disgruntled Ron.
"You have to admit" Said Harry, mounting his own broom "that you have to thank the twins this time, there you have the perfect excuse to tell 'Mione how you feel about her." And with this he too kicked of the ground and joined Fred and George in their race game.
"What do you mean by that?" Shouted Ron, at the precise moment Ginny and Hermione walked through the threshold towards the backyard.
"What did he mean by what?" Asked Hermione curiously.
"Nothing" Sighted Ron "So, ready for your first lesson?"
"My first lesson? What are you talking about?"
"Your first flying lesson, remember? Come on, leave that book over there, I only have a couple of days to teach you if we want to play quidditch this summer… and mum said we can only fly during the morning because people may come to the beach later and see us."
"But I don't want to learn how to ride a broomstick; I'll pass the apparition test in a couple of months and won't need to fly" Protested Hermione.
"Oh, come on… don't make us beg Percy to play… Tell you what, give me on chance as your instructor and if you don't like it I promise I won't bother you again."
"Ok then, but just once!... Let me go upstairs to put this away and we'll start" And she went back inside.
"Good line, planning to use it on Friday?" Ginny whispered in Ron's ear. And at his quizzical look she smiled and said "Fred just told me what you have to do". Ron scowled at her back as she sore up to join the other boys.
Hermione was back five minutes later, she had tied her hair in a tall pony tail, leaving her face free of bushy brown locks of hair. At the sight of her Ron's heart made a back flip and his ears turned red.
"So…" he said nervously "shall we start."
"Ok then" She answered, sounding a bit anxious herself.
"I thought we should eh, go together on your first ride, so you get used to it… I know that you have flown before but all the same…" He mumbled, still more nervous, now his face flushing too.
"Sounds fine" She answered, and she mounted the Cleansweep, Ron moved a little backwards, perhaps more than necessary and instructed Hermione to put her arms around his waist, enjoying the sensation it gave him very much.
He kicked off hard and the broomstick rose a few feet from the ground, he pointed its point upwards and it sore a bit higher. He felt Hermione's grip tighten and resisted the temptation to fly even higher. After about fifteen minutes in the air, as he felt Hermione was relaxing and enjoying the ride the landed.
"Was it that terrible?" He asked as they got off the broom.
"No" Hermione admitted "And you are a very good flier." Ron pretended to be doing his shoe lassies to hide the brick red shade his face had turned. Once he had calmed a bit he stood up again.
"Do you think you are ready to be the one in front?"
"Mmmm, I think so."
"Don't worry, I'll go with you so if you lose control I'll handle it… but you won't, you are the best student Hogwarts ahs seen in a long time, remember?"
Hermione laughed tensely and re-mounted the Cleasweep, and this time it was her heart the one that made a jolt when she felt Ron's arms around her waist. She followed his instructions and managed to actually fly, not dearing to go as high as Ron had went but she did it fairly well all the same.
Around eleven, Mrs. Weasley came out to tell them to land. And, not wanting to infuriate her, all obeyed and went inside to leave the brooms and change into their swimming suits to go to the beach. Ron and Hermione entered the house last, both a bit flushed and smiling stupidly.
TO BE CONTINUE
A/N: There you go… now I don't know when I'll be able to post the next one… I'll try to do it ASAP… But before I go I'd like to thank form the bottom of my heart to all my wonderful reviewers!
Leigh, Emma Emma-Lynn, Kaitlyn, Stella Blu: Thank you very much, I really appreciate your reviews!
Kali Sword: Good question! In an early draft there was a short explanation as to how Harry had defeated Voldemort, if I find a place for it in the story I will added, for the time being his gone for good ;o) And as for Malfoy, I don't think he'll be a character in this story, but you never know lol!
Airen Katarn: Yeah, I had read about that in but when I wrote the story I couldn't remember the dates and I'm horrible with number anyway, and too lazy to go and check it, so I just chose a number at random ;o)
Porcelain Prayer: Uou ! Thank you very much… I'm a bit flushed at your words! It's great to receive such a review! THANX!
Laura: Thanks, I'll pay more attention to punctuation from now on and I'll do my best with grammar, but can't promise much lol
Wolf's scream: You know I doubted before adding the A/N, I'll abstain from adding them from now on
Hermione4eva1: Thanks for the tips about proms; as I'm from neither England nor USA I had no idea… About Ron playing quidditch, though I do think he's going to be much better than what JK has shown as, I agree that he'll probably be an auror, but if he and Harry had chosen the same carrier the whole "last summer plot" wouldn't mean the same, don't you think? And finally, the pure pureblood was just a way of saying 'the Weasleys' without repeating their names… I have nothing against muggle-borns, in fact I think they rock! lol