A/N: Chapter Two! Yay! Thanks to all my wonderful reviewers.
Emma Barrows: Was this update quick enough? Haha.
Dancerrdw: Same question. Glad you like it!
Legolascrazy17: Ok, the weirdest thing. I was reading your Battle of the Hearts story -great story by the way- and I reviewed. Then I came back and you had reviewed this. Ok, I thought it was weird.
Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling not me.
With another CRACK! Ron found himself standing outside Quality Quidditch Supplies. The window display of "CHUDLEY CANNONS: LEAGUE CHAMPIONS" memorabilia beckoned, but Ron shook his head and screwed his eyes closed. "Focus Weasley, focus. Now where would Hermione be?"
A squeaky voice from somewhere below him caused him to open one of his eyes. "Ron Weasley sir?" A house elf gazed up at him expectantly.
"Um. Yes." Ron said uncertainly.
"Zebby was told to be giving this to you sir." The house elf extended a piece of parchment to Ron.
"Thanks Zebby." Ron said as Zebby rushed back into Quality Quidditch Supplies.
Ron's Auror-trained mind began to whir. How would someone know he would be outside Quality Quidditch Supplies? What would they want to tell him? He eyed the parchment suspiciously. Was this a Dark Wizard trap? He sniffed the parchment delicately…it smelled familiar. He had smelled that this morning in fact…but where? Then it hit him. "Hermione!" he said excitedly and ripped open the parchment. Hermione's neat handwriting filled the page.
Now that you've finished checking for Dark Wizard traps…How did she know him so well?
I knew you'd end up here, and I know you don't have the faintest idea as to where you're supposed to be meeting Harry, Ginny, and I.
She was right, as always.
We're in front of Florean Fortescue's. Get here fast, before your sundae melts!Love,
Hermione
Love? Not "Love from"? Well this was new, and Ron liked it a lot.
"Ron!" A voice called out.
"Harry!" Ron said happily. "Listen, it's ok, I know where we have to meet them. Flor—"
Harry laughed and cut Ron off. "Yeah Ron, I know too. I was sent to make sure you weren't buying the entire stock of Canon memorabilia."
"Well the thought hadn't occurred to me, but now that you mention it…" Ron slowly turned to face the store again.
"No Ron no." Harry said, gripping Ron firmly by the shoulders and steering him away from the store. "Bad idea."
They walked the rest of the way to Fortescue's, talking animatedly about the match in which the Canons defeated the Montrose Magpies to win their first championship in over 200 years. Ron and Harry had, of course, witnessed all this first hand, as they had luxury seats in the Top Box. They were broken out of their revere by a giggling voice coming from behind them.
"Harry! Ron! You missed the restaurant! We're back here!"
Ron and Harry spun around to see a giggling redhead standing on her chair and waving to them. Beside her sat Ron's favorite bushy-haired witch laughing and rolling her eyes. Ron and Harry looked at each other. Harry uncomfortably ran his hand through his hair and said, "Well, erm, I guess we should, ah, you know, go back?"
"Yeah." Ron replied.
When they reached the table Ginny was still doubled over laughing.
"Oh come on Gin, it really wasn't that funny." Ron said as he gave his sister a kiss on the cheek. "Was it?" He asked Hermione nervously as he slid into the seat next to her.
"No. She stopped by Fred and George's store this morning and actually accepted food from them. We're not really sure what the full effects are yet." Hermione dropped her voice to a near whisper. Right now all that happens are mood swings…violent mood swings."
Ron looked up to see Harry reach for Ginny's menu. Ginny instantly stopped laughing and whipped out her wand. "Drop it Potter." She said menacingly.
Harry immediately let go of the menu and stuck his hands in the air. Ron tried very hard to stifle his laughter. Ginny continued to grumble and clutched the menu protectively to her chest.
"What Canons trinkets did you get Ron?" Hermione asked, trying to change the subject.
Ron and Harry groaned in unison. "Its memorabilia Hermione, memorabilia not trinkets." Ron said, as if explaining that the sky, was in fact, blue.
"So," Ginny said brightly, "What do you think we should get for mum?" She smiled expectantly at them. They were all shocked by this sudden change, Harry in particular looked too scared to move. Hermione recovered first.
"Well I was thinking some nice jewelry…"
"Come on Hermione," Ron said exasperatedly, "Mum has enough jewelry, why don't we get her something exciting?"
Ginny glared at him. "I think jewelry is a lovely idea Hermione."
"I don't know," said Harry, "I think I have to go with Ron on this one. Everyone will get jewelry for her. Let's be original!"
Ginny gave both Harry and Ron a withering stare. Ron knew this glare only too well. This was the look Ginny bestowed upon you right before she hit you with her now infamous Bat-Bogy Hex. "We're getting jewelry." She said threateningly.
"Oh come on Gin," Harry said, smiling. He didn't realize what that glare meant. "I bet your mum will like something different."
Ginny exploded. "I THINK I KNOW MY MUM BETTER THAN YOU DO, EVEN IF YOU ARE THE FAMOUS HARRY POTTER" An evil grin spread over her sprite-like face. "But…perhaps I don't. Let's make this interesting, shall we Potter? Let's break into teams. You and Ron, Hermione and me. Whoever gets Mum the better present wins."
"Ok…" Harry said slowly, "So what does the losing team have to do?"
Ginny collapsed into a fit of giggles and proclaimed, "Sing 'I'm A Little Teapot' in front of my entire family, with motions!"
Harry, shocked at this sudden change in Ginny's demeanor could only nod weakly and hold out his hand for her to shake. She did so gleefully, and sprung up, dragging Hermione down Diagon Alley, out of Harry and Ron's sight. They watched the two girls leave, shaking their heads.
"So," Harry turned to Ron expectantly, "what did your mum say she wanted for her birthday?"
Ron felt helpless. "I have no idea. I'm rubbish at shopping for presents, I always just get Ginny to help me."
"Oh," Harry said, "but she must have given some hint as to what she wants…right?"
Ron strained to remember, yes, his mum had mentioned something…but what? He could see her face gazing at him as he sat in the kitchen, what was it she said? Ron's stomach dropped as the memory hit him. "Jewelry," he breathed, "she wanted jewelry."
Harry groaned and slapped his head. "How does 'I'm A Little Teapot' go again?"
Ron watched his friend going through the motions of the children's song as a few curious onlookers snapped pictures. "Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the boy who lived." Ron said to himself, laughing. He allowed the onlookers to capture a few more poses before he said, "Harry, Harry! We're in public, remember?"
Harry snapped out of his trance and his face turned a brilliant shade of red as he noticed the photographers. "Let's go." He said gruffly to Ron.
Ron laughed as they ambled down Diagon Alley. "I sure hope we win this bet, watching you do that again will just be too painful."
"Shut up Ron."
Ron continued chuckling to himself as they approached Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes. A line stretched from the door to three shops down.
"What's going on?" Harry asked, "Are they unveiling a new invention today?"
"Looks like," Ron said, craning his neck to get a better look at his brothers' shop. Suddenly he broke out into ribald laughter, that was loud enough to get several strange glances shot his way.
"What?" Harry stood on his tiptoes trying to see what Ron saw. "Oh bugger. Ron I can't see over this tall bloke's head. What does it say?"
"I think I know what Ginny ate this morning." Ron said, tears of mirth streaming down his face. "PMS Pasties."
Harry chuckled and shook his head. "Only Fred and George."
As they made their way past the various shops they pondered what to get Ron's mum.
"Dragon eyes?"
"No."
"Another Lockhart book?"
"Not now that she knows he's a fraud."
"A model of the solar system?"
"Why would my mum need that?"
"Chudley Canons robes?"
"Ron this is a present for your mother. Not you!"
"Dean Thomas?"
"Harry, why would I give my mother Dean?"
"No you idiot, Dean's over there!" Harry pointed to a young man standing in front of Gingotts.
"Dean!" Ron shouted. "Oi, Dean! Get over here!"
Dean strode over to them, attached at the hand to…
"Parvati Patil?" Harry asked in disbelief.
She giggled, "Parvati Thomas come December." After her announcement she gazed up at Dean, smiling.
"Really?" Ron said, and shook Dean's hand. "Well done mate!"
"Thanks." Dean said sheepishly. "Listen, lets go to the Leaky Cauldron, my treat. We have to catch up."
"Sure thing." Harry said, and the four friends made their way towards the wizard pub.
They spent the next few hours catching up on what the others had done in the past few years, and reminiscing about their times at Hogwarts. While everyone else was laughing at Harry's abysmal treatment of Parvati during the Yule Ball Ron was lost in thought. Dean was lucky. The girl of his dreams was crazy about him and wanted to spend the rest of her life with him. Ron sighed and realized he would never be that fortunate. The girl of his dreams was simply unattainable. Hermione was strictly off limits. There was no way he could risk their friendship. There were times when it was tempting, but in the long run he knew he couldn't live with knowing he was the one who messed it all up. Maybe, someday, he could find a girl he was somewhat happy with, and one who could put up with him. She wouldn't be as good as Hermione, hell, she wouldn't come close to Hermione, but at least he wouldn't die alone. Harry's voice jolted him out of his meditation.
"Ron! It's 4:00! We only have an hour to find a present for your mother!"
They said their good-byes to Dean and Parvati and hurried out of the Leaky Cauldron. They were running past Florean Fortescue's when Ron saw the familiar bush of hair that had to be Hermione. Ron screeched to a stop. Harry looked at him quizzically.
"The girls," Ron said quietly, "I'm going to spy, try and find out what they got. You keep looking."
Harry nodded and continued his frenzied search for a present. Ron crept over to the girls and made myself comfortable in a bush beside their table. He peeked between the branches and watched his sister and his soul mate. "No, not soul mate!" He scolded himself, "Just mate. Now spy!"
The waiter walked past Hermione and Ginny's table. After he passed Ron could hear Hermione saying:
"I'm serious this time Ginny. I'm sick of it. I'm simply not waiting for him any longer."
"Right. Just like last time? Come on Hermione, he'll come 'round. It just takes him a little longer than most."
Ron wondered who they could be talking about.
Hermione sniffed disapprovingly. "No Ginny, I'm fed up. He is so thick, he simply doesn't get any hints."
The waiter passed by their table again.
"Then why don't you take the initiative Hermione? Just tell him. It's really not that big of a deal!"
"Yes it is! And besides, it's not my job to tell him. He needs to approach me first." Hermione said, slightly frazzled. Her eyes followed the waiter as he passed by. "Why him? Why did I choose him?"
"Well you didn't really choose him if it makes you feel any better. You're just kind of stuck with him." Ginny said.
Hermione sighed. "And that's supposed to make me feel better?" The waiter passed their table yet again. "I'm serious this time Gin. I'm not putting up with it any longer. I'm through with this." Hermione stood up as if to leave and it finally hit Ron.
The waiter. They were talking about the waiter. It was so obvious he couldn't see how he didn't see it before. And Hermione used to call him thick! Ha! Well he was nothing compared to this bloke, there he was, bustling around, not even realizing Hermione was sitting right there, waiting for him! Well Ron could change that. Ron stood up. Hermione's back was to him, but Ginny saw him and she looked terrified.
"Ron to the rescue!" He called triumphantly. Hermione spun around and wore an expression identical to Ginny's.
"R-Ron!" She said breathlessly. "How much did you hear?"
"Enough to realize you have a completely irrational fear of asking waiters to take your order. It's really not that difficult Hermione. Watch."
Ron cleared his throat and called across the patio, "Excuse me sir, could you take our order please?"
The waiter looked up and quickly bustled over to their table. "I'm so sorry, I didn't notice you, how may I help you?" He said apologetically.
The girls placed their orders and Ron smiled triumphantly. After the waiter left he said, "Amazing how thick some people are, eh?"
"Amazing." Ginny said quietly.
Hermione just stared at him in disbelief.
A/N: If any of you lovely readers are as thick as Ron let me clear something up. No, Hermione and Ginny were not talking about the waiter. Ah, I simply love writing Ron. Anyways, review! Please! I'm groveling here!
