A/N: Sorry for updating so late! I was out of town so I didn't get to update the next chapter but without further ado…
Chapter 10
"Yeah. Sure. What's your question?"
"Well… I was sort of wondering…. I know this will be really awkward but…. i just don't know and I am dying to find out and…" Hermione stuttered while nervously twirling a strand of her hair.
"Mione, your rambling." Ron interrupted. "Whats your question?"
"Oops. Sorry. My question is whydidwebreakupinthefirstplace?" Hermione ended quickly.
"What was that?"
"Why did we break up in the first place?" Hermione repeated a bit slower.
"Oh umm.." Ron said blushing. "Well, I thought that I wasn't good enough for you and Ginny told me that you thought that I was too involved in Quidditch and couldn't handle studies, Quidditch, and a girlfriend so…You know the rest."
"Oh. I didn't know you thought that of me." Hermione said in awe. "You were my first boyfriend so I didn't know what to expect because I had heard all theses stories about how boyfriends treated their girlfriends and even though you made me feel like the luckiest girl in the world, I felt like you weren't exactly…in lack of words…paying attention to me 24/7."
"I am sorry for that but I had to spend a lot of time in the boys dorm trying to calm Harry down because of Sirius. He always told me that he tried to act strong in front of you so that he wouldn't look like a sissy. But in the dorm he would just sit and cry into the pillow. I heard him a lot at night, crying in his sleep so I barely slept because I had to make him relax. That is why I kept falling asleep during classes and meals so I wasn't thinking too straight. I know it might be hard for you to understand but…."
"No I understand. Harry and I are so lucky to have a friend like you. I had no idea about all that stuff you just said. I thought all this time that your mind was always too occupied with other things other than me."
"Oh no. You meant the world to me!" Ron said without thinking. "Oh my gosh! I can't believe I just said that out loud!"
"That's ok. At least you didn't think or else Ginny would have known!"
"Yeah that's true. But I mean… umm… this is really awkward…I am going to go get ready now…" Ron said hastily, trying to spare an awkward moment.
"Ok. I will see you in a little while." Hermione stood on her tip toes and gave him a peck on the cheek and whispered in his ear, "Thanks about everything you said." And with that she turned on her heels and closed her door lightly.
"Oh my. I can't believe that I just did that!" Hermione muttered to herself.
Ron stood outside Hermione's door, with his hand on his cheek where she had kissed him. He felt like a huge burden had been lifted off his shoulders. He went to his room, still in shock and changed into a tight fitted t-shirt and jean shorts. He walked down and when he passed Hermione's door, it opened and Hermione came out with a tight tank top that said, "Brown eyed Beauty" and a brown mini skirt.
"Ginny and I are going shopping for the trip after breakfast in Muggle London. You guys wanna come?" Hermione said walking past Ron and down the stairs.
"Its fine with me. I'll ask Harry." Ron said following her.
When they got to the kitchen, they saw Ginny at the stove, attempting to make pancakes and Harry eating what was supposed to look like a pancake.
"What took you guys so long?" Harry said without looking up from his food.
"Oh we were just talking. That's all." Hermione said quickly.
"Mmm-hmm." Ginny said while flipping her "pancakes" onto Hermione and Ron's plates. "I'm not too good at making pancakes without magic but Harry has eaten 5 and hasn't blown up yet so I think they are safe to eat." Ginny said looking at Ron's disgusted face.
"Are you sure it is edible? I mean Harry will eat anything." Ron said uneasily. Ginny sent him a death glare.
"So will you Ronald so just eat what is in front of you!" Hermione said.
"Yes mommy." Ron said, his voice dripping in sarcasm.
Hermione started cutting her pancake into bite size pieces as Ron took a small bite and decided it was fine to eat and stuffed it all in his mouth at the same time.
"ogh ycgheahd hsgdteruy too yo whgstanf to gho shofdueng?" Ron said with his mouth full.
"RON! DON'T TALK WITH YOUR MOUTH FULL!" The two girls said at once.
Ron gulped hard and repeated, "Harry, do you want to go shopping with the girls?"
"Umm sure. Where?"
"Muggle London."
"Okay. When do we leave?"
"After breakfast."
"Alright. I am going to get ready now." Harry got up and left to get ready.
The teens finished up their food and Ginny went up to shower, as did Hermione. Ron, not needing to take a shower (he is a boy after all) went outside to his favorite tree and accidentally fell asleep.
"Ron! Wake up!" He heard Hermione's voice whispering. "We are leaving now!"
"Okay." Ron said groggily.
"We don't have that much floo powder left for four people so we will have to go two by two." Hermione informed him as they walked into the Burrow.
"Fine with me." Ron said sleepily falling onto the couch and snoozing off. Hermione sighed.
"Hmm…" Hermione thought for a second. After a moment she screamed, "SPIDERS!"
"W-what? What spiders? No I don't want any spiders! Get them away from me!" Ron screamed. He whirled around, half asleep, still thinking that there were spiders. He saw Hermione cracking up. "DON'T JUST STAND THERE! GET THE BLOODY SPIDERS AWAY FROM ME BEFORE I HEX YOU!"
"You don't know any hexes that will help and I don't see anything that I need to save you from." Hermione stated calmly. Ron who was wide-awake now looked around in confusion.
"Oh. Must have been a nightmare."
"Anyway, Ginny and Harry are waiting for us in the leaky cauldron so lets go."
"Ok. Wait. Didn't you say something about going two by two?" Ron asked. Hermione nodded. "So since Ginny and Harry are already there, that means we will have to go together!" Ron looked horrified. Hermione mockingly looked sad.
"Aw c'mon Ron, I am not THAT bad!"
"Yeah you are when you are about to take a exam and in the morning you are terrible." Ron muttered mostly to himself. Hermione glared at him.
"Don't forget that we can do magic now so…." Hermione said smiling mischievously. Ron gulped. "Lets go. Gin and Harry are waiting and they will jump to wrong decisions if we are late."
"Fine. Lets go." Ron mumbled. Hermione giggled. "What?"
"You might want to wear shoes."
"Oh yeah! Accio shoes." A pair of shoes came hurling towards him, knocking him on the couch. Hermione noticed that they were very worn bunny slippers. "Not these! Argh! I was never too good at summoning. Now I am even worse!" Ron grumbled. Hermione smiled and patted him on the shoulder.
"That's ok. Poor baby." Hermione cooed.
"I hate it when you do that."
"I know. Accio shoes." Ron's shoes (the right ones) came and lightly landed in Hermione's outstretched hands. Ron looked at her in awe.
"How did you do that? Why didn't your shoes come? How did the right one come and not the other one without you even saying it?" Ron asked.
"All I did was picture your shoes in my head and here they are. It is easy."
"Yeah. Easy for you to say. Lets go now."
"Ok. Accio Floo Powder." Hermione smiled at Ron.
"Stop rubbing it in!" Ron said grumpily.
"Hey Mr. Grumpy Gills. When life gets you down you know what you gotta do? Just keep swimming, just keep swimming. What do you do? You swim, swim." Hermione sang.
"Whats that from?"
"Haven't you watched Finding Nemo? It is like the cutest movie ever made!" Hermione looked at him in disbelief.
"Finding Nemo? Movie? Huh?" Ron asked looking utterly confused.
"Whatever. Lets go." Hermione rolled her eyes and she threw some Floo powder in the fireplace and once it turned green, Ron got in first then Hermione went in after him and they were squished together. Without knowing it, Ron put his arms around Hermione's slender waist to get comfortable. He noticed where his arms were and was about to move them when he felt Hermione moved closer.
And as he did that, Hermione unconsciously moved closer to him and closed her eyes. She had been scared of flooing ever since she did it first to diagon alley. She felt safer since she was with Ron but she was still terrified.
"Leaky Cauldron" Ron said confidently. After a few whirls and turns and twists, they found themselves in the leaky cauldron. Hermione opened her eyes and pulled Ron out along with her. She spotted Ginny and Harry at a corner booth with Butterbeers. They walked there together.
"Where-" Ginny saw them and almost yelled across the whole room but luckily, to Ron and Hermione's relief, Harry clamped his hand on her mouth to keep her from yelling. When the two teens reached their table, Harry took his hand off Ginny's mouth.
"Gosh Gin. It sounded like you were about to send us a howler." Ron said knowing his sister.
"Where were you two? We have been waiting here for like 45 minutes!" Ginny almost yelled but when Harry tickled her side, she calmed down.
"But by the looks of your hair and Harry's shirt, it looks like you enjoyed it." Ron said smiling cheekily. Ginny ran her fingers through her hair and so did Harry, making it messier than ever. He didn't even bother straightening his shirt.
"Oh shove it Ron." Ginny said nervously.
"Anyway, Lets go now. All the stores might close if we wait any longer." Hermione suggested, sensing danger.
"You didn't even have to wait for 45 minutes." Ginny muttered. Ginny's mood brightened as they walked out of the Leaky Cauldron into a dark alley and then into the bright sun and the busy streets of London.
"Okay guys. Why don't Ginny and I go for our stuff and you two boys go for your stuff? Then we will meet at that corner café over there." Hermione pointed to the small café that was a block away from where they were. Ron and Harry looked at each other nervously.
"Umm Hermione? Me and Harry-"
"Harry and I." Hermione corrected automatically.
"Whatever. We don't know London too well because I haven't been here before."
"Yeah and I only came a few times with the Dursleys but even then I had to carry loads of stuff so I don't know where we went." Harry added his own little part.
"Ok….umm then lets just go together." Hermione said as she and Ginny walked into the Bloomingdales. The boys followed eagerly after seeing lingerie in the shop window.
"What are you two boys smiling about?" Ginny asked with a raised eyebrow. She saw the boys staring at a few thongs that were on manikins. "You guys are so immature. Come on you guys." Harry was an obedient boyfriend so he followed but Ron on the other hand….
"Come on Ron!" Ginny said angrily. Hermione turned around to see the commotion. She smiled and walked over to Ron grabbed and pinched his ear and twisted it around and pulled him over to Ginny.
"Now Ron. Listen to your sister next time." Hermione said looking down at him rubbing his sore, red ear.
Harry was laughing and put his arm around Ginny's waist. He leaned down to her ear level and whispered, "I am glad you don't do that to me." He lightly kissed the top of her head making her blush and smile widely.
"They look good with each other don't you think? I think we need to go to phase 2." She said smiling.
"What do you have in mind?" Harry asked eagerly.
"Not yet." Ginny simply said.
After the girls bought a few shorts and several blouses and a couple summer dresses, the foursome walked into the streets of London.
"Hermione, we need to go to the bank." Harry informed her.
"Okay. I need to go to the bathroom so Ginny, can you show him where the bank is since we have come here plenty of times and Ron has no idea?"
"Sure thing. Come on love. We will meet you at the corner of Main Street and Basin Street."
"What about me?" Ron asked watching Ginny and Harry walk off hand in hand.
"Oh I will be out in a second. I just have to shrink these bags so that they will fit in my pocket. I don't want to do it in front of muggles." Hermione told him.
"Alright. Hurry though." Ron called after her as she disappeared into the girl's bathroom.
"Ron?" A voice called out from the crowd.
"Yeah? Who is there?" Ron questioned looking confused.
"It's me." Someone from behind him said.
