Cookies mean war
"There you go" Molly Weasley exclaimed, examining carefully the tray of cookies she held. Not quite Chocolate Chips Cookies, but Chocolate Chunks ones. Proud of her work, she took the tray to Ron's room, where she guessed the children would be. She knocked and got a "Come in" from her youngest son. She smiled and opened the door, eager to see their reaction at the just-baked goods. There they were, her 14-years-old son playing chess with Harry, who was to her a son as well. And in the corner, profoundly interested in the book she was reading, was Hermione, her son's "friend". She chuckled at this.
Ron turned to her, his eyes widen and Molly could swear he almost lost his breath. And all this over a tray of cookies. Yes, this was her son. "Chocolate-Chunk-Cookies?" Ron asked smiling expectantly, a little pause between each word. He brought himself up and walked to his mother as hypnotized. Hermione, still hiding behind her book, observed this whole episode with little interest.
"Well, yes Ron. Thought you dears would like some." She said, watching as her boy picked up a cookie and ate it with delight. Then he proceeded to lick his fingers. She sighed, Old habits she thought. "Don't you want some, Harry, dear?" She asked Harry, who was observing Ron breaking the cookie in little pieces, then throwing them at the air, and trying to catch them with his mouth. Unlike Hermione, who just rolled her eyes and returned to her reading, he was broadly amused by this.
"Sure, Mrs. Weasley" He said politely. He was about to stand up when Mrs. Weasley put the cookies on Ron's bed. "I'll leave them here, just don't make a mess." She then turned to Ron and gave him a severe look. "And you, mister, don't eat them all by yourself." Ron swallowed, and gave his mother an innocent look. "I won't." He said, faking an innocent voice, and smiling widely. She gave him a skeptical look and walked to the door, turned the doorknob and closed the door behind her.
Ron took a look at the cookies, and then at Hermione, who was still reading her book, ignoring the world around her. He sighed at this. "Don't you want cookies, Hermione?" He said, trying to catch a look from his friend. He failed.
"No, thank you" She said without taking her eyes from the book. Ron, not willing to give up, took another cookie from the tray. "Hermione, they're really good. My mum's specialty, I must add." He took a bite of the cookie. "Well, her pumpkin pie's really good too" He said, thoughtfully. "Ron, I said no." She answered coldly, still without taking her eyes from her book. "They're just cookies, anyway." She finished. Ron glared at her, as offended by her last comment.
"Just cookies? What do you mean, just cookies?" He said, insulted. "I mean, they are not just cookies!" Ron finished, trying vainly to make a point.
"Of course they are! What else could they be? Cupcakes?" Hermione snorted. Ron, instead, glared at her and returned to the cookies and the chess match. He thought he saw Hermione glance at him, but she still had her nose stuck in that book. "Well, cookies are good. And they, well… I don't know… I bet you couldn't bake them, though." A grin spread across Ron's face as Hermione turned to him, raising her eyebrow. "Why do you say so?" Hermione asked, taking this as a personal challenge.
"I seriously doubt you'll be able to." Ron gave Hermione a challenging look. "We'll see" Hermione said, her eyes glowing with determination. Ron smiled satisfied and returned once again to the cookies and his chess match with Harry, who was mysteriously grinning madly. She raised an eyebrow at this, but decided to ignore it after Harry turned to the chess board, still grinning. She focused in more important thoughts floating in her head. Ron said she wouldn't be able to cook some simple cookies, and why wouldn't she? She had been called the cleverest witch of her curse, and baking some cookies would be a piece of cake. Or a piece of cupcake she thought, thinking about her earlier words. Ready to accomplish the 'challenge' she had been given; she made her way to the kitchen, where she expected Mrs. Weasley to be. Comfortably sitting on a stool at the kitchen table, there she was, reading the last issue of the Daily Prophet and drinking from a small blue mug what it seemed to be tea.
She softly tapped Mrs. Weasley on the shoulder, causing her to jump startled. "Oh, dear, it's you." Mrs. Weasley said, a hand on her chest. Hermione smiled and pulled out a stool to seat next to Mrs. Weasley, who winked confused. "Is there something wrong, Hermione?" She asked, concerned. Hermione shook her head.
"No, Mrs. Weasley. May ask you something?" Hermione said, her eyes moving around the room, nervously. Mrs. Weasley winked once more.
"Sure dear, you know you can ask anything to me. I'm always here for you, kids." Mrs. Weasley said, giving Hermione a warmth smile. Hermione smiled back, swinging her legs back and forth.
"It's not a big deal. I just want to learn how to cook, um, those cookies." She said, not sure which cookies they were. Mrs. Weasley sighed in relief, "Oh, that" she said. "Why?" She frowned in confusion.
"Well… I just thought it would be… fun." She said, not really wanting to let Mrs. Weasley know about the 'challenge' her son have given her. "You know, like a hobby." Mrs. Weasley smiled and hopped down from her stool. "Do you want to start now?" Hermione hopped down from her stool as well, smiling pleased. "Sure, that would be great!" Mrs. Weasley smiled at Hermione's enthusiasm and walked up to the shelves, she stood there, obviously looking for something. "There!" She said, reaching for a small book entitled "101 Cookie Recipes". She smiled with melancholy, obviously remembering old good times.
"It should be easy, look, you just have to follow the recipe. I have to start with dinner, but you can ask me whatever comes to your mind, understood?" Mrs. Weasley noticed Hermione's confused look and sighed. "Have you ever cooked before, dear?" Hermione shook her head. "Never" she said, biting her lower lip. Mrs. Weasley sighed. She gave Hermione a smile and opened the book in the page where the Chocolate Chunks Cookies' recipe was.
"Now, Hermione, I suppose you know what a recipe is, right?" Hermione nodded. "Good, now look, you just have to do exactly what the recipe says, like…" Mrs. Weasley searched for something that Hermione could feel identified with. As an idea came to her mind, she smiled triumphantly. "Like making a potion" She finished. Hermione smiled, that was something she could do. She was good at Potions. She had, after all, made a perfectly functional Polyjuice Potion in her second year. That didn't have ended so well for her, though. She shook her thoughts about what once had been her tail and returned to her task. Let's do this, she told herself, determined. She glanced at Mrs. Weasley, who was mixing flour and some other ingredients for dinner. She made it look so easy. It must be she thought, and returned to her 'challenge'.
"First, combine the first three ingredients in a medium bowl and set it aside." She read. She glanced at the two bowls Mrs. Weasley had placed in front of her. She read the complete recipe, and found out she would be needing a large one too. She took the smaller one and read the first three ingredients in the list. "3 Cups all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt…" She took the first two ingredients from the kitchen shelf, after receiving an approving look from Mrs. Weasley, of course, and poured the exact amount indicated in the recipe. Without taking her eyes from the little book, she reached for a small white container at her left. She took the measuring teaspoons and poured the indicated quantity into the bowl. This is rather easy she thought, as she read the second step of the recipe.
"In a large bowl, cream together the butter and the sugar with a spatula until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, and mix well. Mix in vanilla. Add dry ingredients and combine well. Fold in chocolate chunks." Hermione read out loud, receiving an encouraging smile from Mrs. Weasley. She did as indicated, and soon she had a ready mix. The brunette smiled pleased. She had done it! Well, almost. She still had to put them in the oven. Mrs. Weasley offered to do so, so Hermione thanked her and left the kitchen, a victorious smile on her face. The cookies would be ready in 20 minutes or so, so she made her way to Ron's room to see what the boys had been doing all afternoon. She wasn't very surprised when she found them still playing Chess. She sighed at the sight of Harry trying once more to beat Ron. It was useless, Ron always found a way to win in the most unsuspected way.
Suddenly, a picture crossed Hermione smile, and she felt butterflies flattering their winds in her stomach. How cliché, she thought, as she imagined her baking dinner for Ron, who just got home from 'a lousy day at work'. "Hermione? Are you ok?" Ron asked, bringing her back to reality. She blushed slightly. "Uh, sure" She answered, the picture still in her mind. He frowned, but then let it go. "Stay to see how I beat the heck out of Harry… again" He said proudly. "This isn't over yet" Harry said in a dramatic way. Hermione chuckled at the boys' silly competitive behavior. Though sometimes she was quite competitive herself.
"Dinner's ready!" They heard Mrs. Weasley yell. "We'll leave this for later, Potter." Ron said dramatically, and literally ran out of the room. Harry and Hermione followed, amused at Ron's enthusiasm towards… food. If only..., Hermione thought and let out a sigh. Harry gave her an odd look, and Hermione could swear she heard him chuckle.
After dinner, Hermione helped Mrs. Weasley to wash the dishes, while the boys escaped the chore with a lame excuse to get to finish the chess match. Hermione rolled her eyes at this, and started washing when Mrs. Weasley interrupted.
"The cookies look great, dear." She said, while holding a tray of cookies in her hands. "What about you give Ron one to taste? Even though he did have a lot today, I guess that boy just can't get enough of it" Mrs. Weasley said amused. She gave Hermione, who was blushing slightly, the tray and an encouraging smile. "I'm sure they're great." Hermione, trying vainly to ignore the fact that Mrs. Weasley had said only Ron's name, headed to the boys' room, excitement growing in her.
"Want some cookies?" Hermione said, as she entered the room where Ron and Harry were still playing chess. It looked like Ron was winning, judging on the grin that was spread across his face. Ron's eyes sparkled, and Hermione started feeling those butterflies again, snap out of it!, she scolded herself as she placed the tray in front of the boys. "Alright!" Exclaimed Ron as he took a bite out of the cookies. His face then turned into an expression of pure disgust. Rage started rising in Hermione as he took a napkin, conveniently placed next to the cookies, and spit on it.
"Bloody Hell! What's this? It's horrible!" He exclaimed, pushing the tray away from him. Hermione was now furious, how dare he to say that after all she had done! Harry, noticing Hermione's rising rage, softly patted Ron's shoulder, but he ignored this and continued. "This is way too… salty! Did mum mix the salt and sugar again?" He said, now examining one of the cookies. Hermione violently took the cookie from him and placed it in the tray. I did mix them! Damnit! She thought, realizing her mistake. Hermione, don't curse! She snapped at herself.
"Ronald Weasley you… you git!" She snapped, her eyes glowing in anger. She stormed off the room, muttering something about 'hard work' and 'never more', leaving a very confused and clueless Ron behind.
"Now what's her problem?" He asked to Harry, who just stared at him. Harry rolled his eyes, shook his head, and left the room with nothing else. Ron stared at the door, wondering what the heck was wrong with Harry.
Tired, he lied on his bed and staring at the ceiling, Hermione's reaction still in his mind. He sighed and closed his eyes. Is there something I missed? Was his last thought before he gave up and just fell asleep.