Chapter 2: Preparation and Departure

In the next 7 months that followed into late March, 'Gala' meetings were held to discuss codes of behavior, late night curfews, rules regarding boys and girls, what to pack, what not to pack, and other things in order to prepare for the trip. The dues were paid, and Ron and Ginny managed to raise the money during Christmastime by selling handmade scarves and mittens in Hogsmeade to passersby. They ended up making over 150 galleons, giving them both the funds for the trip, as well as extra spending money, and some to spend in Honeydukes and Zonko's. Ron, of course, enjoyed the extra gold, and returned back to Hogwarts each Hogsmeade weekend with huge bags full of sweets and pranks. Hermione was none too pleased.

Also in that time, their room assignments were given. Hermione signed up to room with Ginny, Luna, and Hannah Abbott, who she'd come to be really close with over the past few months. Hermione didn't know if it was because she thought Hannah had broken up with Ernie and had her eyes on some Gryffindor guys, or whether she really enjoyed Hermione's company.

Ron was rooming with Harry, of course, as well as fellow Gryffindors Seamus Finnigan and Neville Longbottom. Ron had been following Harry's newfound display of unusual affection towards his little sister and his casual and sometimes, not-so-subtle flirting in the common room and corridors. However, Ron chose not to speak because he knew whatever made them happy, made him happy. Just as long as they weren't unusually passionately happy in front of him. But he knew Ginny had always liked Harry, even throughout last year, and he had encouraged Harry to pursue Ginny as a love interest for the past couple years. But it took Harry several years to become infatuated with Ginny, and now that he was, he couldn't stop. (A/N: They're not going out, Harry just really likes Ginny)

Now it was April 4th, and neither Ron, nor any of his roommates were even close to being fully packed, even though Hermione kept popping in on them while they were playing Exploding Snap in the common room and shouting at them that the Knight Buses left at noon the following morning and that the buses wouldn't wait for anyone. They shrugged her off, and went to play more games before they decided that it was important that they actually did pack before sunrise.

"Oy Harry! Are you done yet?" Ron shouted from across the boys' dormitories, where he was bent over his trunk trying to find little things and tossing clothes in it in a way that would make Hermione go mad.

"Far from it! Are you bringing any school work? What about a chess set?" Harry yelled back, he too rummaging throughout his trunk for everything, and desperately trying to find the clothes that, he thought, would make him irresistible to certain... girls.

"Bloody hell, no! Why would I work on a vacation? Are you crazy?! I'm not Hermione! Yeah, I already packed a chess set for the bus ride. And I have some Quidditch books and a portable Quaffle for the beach. Are you bringing your own towel?" Ron asked, getting tired.

"Nah, I'll use the hotels." Harry said, almost as tired as his friend.

Both of them closed their trunks at the same time, leaving plenty of room for goodies and keepsakes. Seamus, Neville, and Dean had finished an hour before, and were snoring in bed behind them. Harry climbed into bed but didn't close his eyes. Ron went to his own bed, but just sat on the end of it. He was deep in thought. Harry, seeing Ron awake, sat up in his bed.

"Ron? Is everything alright?" Harry asked, his voice expressing mild concern.

"Well, no. There's something I discovered about myself about a week ago, something I never knew and certainly never expected." He said, not sounding so tired anymore.

"What is it?" Harry asked, now interested.

"ilikehermione." Ron said quickly.

"Huh?" Harry said.

"I like Hermione. Okay? I said it. I like her, a lot. In fact, I think it might be more than just like. I think I'm in love her. That's why I've been so jealous over the Vicky thing and why I've been blushing like mad whenever she looks at me, or when she smiles at me when I do something stupid." He said, and began to get lost in a trance.

"I always thought you might've liked her. I mean, you display affection towards her every chance you get. But I don't think Hermione suspects anything, so don't worry. But I can't believe it took you 3 years took discover what the rest of us, excluding Hermione, have known since the day you two met on the train. Good for you, man." Harry said, a smile creeping on his face.

"It's not good! She's my best friend! This is going to be really weird! How am I supposed to explain this? I don't know what to do with myself anymore! What do I do, Harry, what do I do? I think about her constantly and whenever I'm around her, I have a really strong urge to hug her, kiss her, and just hold her. I just want to make her mine." Ron said, a little stressed out.

"That's sweet, mate. But I don't know what to tell you. Go with your instincts and this is gonna sound really cliché, but follow your heart. If you feel you should tell her, tell her. But if you don't, you may let her get away, and that would hurt more than not ever telling her" Harry said, growing soft.

"Mate, don't go all Ginny on me. I know you like her and you fancy her, but don't act like her!" Ron laughed.

Harry laughed. "Okay, I'll try not to."

And they both drifted off to sleep, Ron feeling as though a huge weight had been lifted off his shoulders, but now feeling the burden of someone knowing. He slept easily, dreams of Hermione floating his mind.

Hermione and all the rest of the girls had packed several nights earlier, and had gotten a good night's sleep the following night, waking to a feeling of fulfillment and contentment. She went down to breakfast a little early, and just sat there daydreaming off into space, when about an hour later, she was joined seeing Harry sitting across from her and Ron at her right side.

"Hey Hermione" Harry said cheerfully.

"Mornin' 'Mione" Ron smiled.

Why'd he have to call me 'Mione? Does he know how much he makes me melt whenever he calls me by a nickname? And that smile, I hope I'm not blushing too much. I think it was his smile I first noticed about him. The smile that makes me want to throw myself at him! I want one of those smiles for me and only me. Hermione thought to herself before Harry snapped back her attention to the people around her. She blushed a light shade of pink and returned to her meal.

The trio talked about the upcoming trip all throughout breakfast, and were joined by their fellow roommates in the process. They all talked until about 11 o'clock when they split so they could go get their belongings from their dormitories and meet back in the entrance hall for a role call and board the 3 buses.

They all ran up to the Gryffindor common room, Hannah to the Hufflepuff common room, and Luna to Ravenclaw. They met in the entrance hall, answered the call of their names to Professor McGonnagal, and boarded Knight Bus #2. They dropped off their trunks and luggage at the foot of the bus, so their belongings could be packed below the bus.

Harry and Seamus were deep in conversation, so they took seats next to each other. Ron didn't mind, it was 2 more people who weren't sitting next to Hermione.

Ginny and Luna boarded next, and took seats behind Harry and Seamus. Two more down Ron thought.

Neville and Hannah boarded together and got seats together by fault, each looking uncomfortable as the next. They took seats opposite Ginny and Luna, Hannah at the aisle and Neville at the window, already beginning to doze.

Hermione was waiting behind Ron. Ron took a seat at the window across from Harry and Seamus and his heart nearly exploded when he witnessed what happened next. Hermione came on the bus, her hair dripping from the rain. She came up next to Ron, and sat down next to him, making Ron jump a little. Ron's heart was pounding and he kept smiling. As Hermione was deep in conversation with a bored Hannah behind her, Ron could see Harry making motions to Ron from the next seat over. Ron chuckled and waved Harry off before Hermione turned back to face forward as the buses began to move.

Fred and George stood up in the front. Dumbledore had elected them Alumni Chaperones, because they hadn't gotten a trip, had a lot of free time away from the shop, and were really enthusiastic to tell the little students what to do, and to be an authority figure to them all. They each brought a guest with them so they wouldn't be lonely. Fred brought his fiancée, Angelina Johnson, or the soon-to-be Angelina Weasley. The two had begun going out the summer before, and didn't want to wait to become engaged. They were to marry the upcoming summer. George brought his girlfriend of 7 months, Katie Bell, and there were rumors the two were expecting a child and that George was going to propose to Katie this week. Harry didn't doubt the rumor, because it was highly like George to do things on an impulse. The two were always so happy around each other and Harry noted that when around Katie, George was the happiest he'd ever been in his life.

One hour after the buses left Hogwarts, there was the buzzing chatter of voices by all the excited students as the buses rolled along the muggle highways through rain puddles and the sounds of billowing thunder were heard overhead. Hannah and Neville just seemed to like to pretend the other didn't exist and stared out the window bored, watching the raindrops trickle their ways down the windows and Neville tracing the raindrops with his finger, yawning and sighing every so often.

Harry and Seamus were in a heated debate over Quidditch teams, Seamus saying that Ireland was going to pull ahead again for the Quidditch World Cup, and Harry disagreeing, but siding with Ron that this was the year that the Chudley Cannons were going to make it all the way to the Cup. Ron dropped a comment and little factoid every now and then, contributing to Harry's Cannons argument.

Ginny and Luna were in deep interest over the latest Teen Witch and Witch Weekly, comparing articles and the latest gossip. Luna was also saying how some of the gossip about the Weird Sisters and how the Crumple-Horned Snorkacks were breeding and becoming much more largely populated this year. Ginny, Harry noticed, just seemed to roll her eyes but go with Luna's story anyway just to make things simpler.

And Hermione, of course, was pouring over various school books so she wouldn't fall behind in her workload. At the present moment, she was searching the pages of A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration, Vol. 6. But at long last she set down the book, packed her school things away and yawned a deep and heavy yawn. She rested her head back on the headrest and closed her eyes for a brief second.

"'Mione? Are you getting sleepy?" Ron asked, watching her.

"No, I'm awake, I'm fully awake." She replied tiredly, her eyes still closed. Then, she rested her head on Ron's shoulder, and Ron could her breathing steady out more, and knew that she was asleep. Ron smiled as he watched her sleep on his shoulder. She looked so peaceful.

Ron, not knowing what came over him, lifted his left hand from the armrest on the windowsill, and brought it up to over her head. Gently and carefully, he lowered his hand to her curly, brown hair and began stroking it. He smiled as he did this, and became transfixed at her sight. He played with one of her curls, letting it bounce off his finger. Then he heard, and felt her stir. He stopped dead in his tracks, not breathing for fear of being caught playing with her hair. She just moved her head a little, and Ron exhaled slowly, from relief. He brought his hand back down, and stroked her hair again affectionately. He loved how soft her hair was against his skin, and how it smelled like apples.

She stirred again, only this time, she woke up, to find Ron's hand on her head, playing with her hair. Her eyes opened suddenly and she stared into Ron's gorgeous, aqua and cobalt blue eyes. Oh my god! What's he doing playing with my hair? His touch is so soft and affectionate with those strong hands; I don't want him to stop! Why must he smile at me? His eyes are so mesmerizing! Why is he locking eyes with me? I don't mind it at all... but he's so dreamy! She thought, and kept her eyes locked with his.

Ron, horrorstruck that she caught him, stared into her chocolate brown eyes, and became transfixed once more at her. He noticed that her pupils grew larger when she was embarrassed, and that her gaze softened as he looked into her eyes, and she stared back. He smiled one of his famous Ron smiles that made a lot of the girls at Hogwarts swoon over him. He had grown a lot in the past year, both emotionally and physically. He had retained six-pack abs from Quidditch practices and had gotten a rather nice tan from being outdoors so much. His hair was messy in a way that looked hot on only him, and his cheeks were beginning to blush again.

Hermione, still tired, went back to sleep on his shoulder as Ron mumbled something about being sorry. She fell asleep almost instantly, keeping her eyes closed, but thinking of Ron nonetheless. She was completely asleep, and dreaming.

Ron, feeling tired himself, rested his head on top of hers, closed his eyes, and drifted off into a pleasant slumber.

The two slept for several hours, and when they finally awoke, it was pitch black outside and they were nearing South Shore. It had stopped raining a ways back, and the stars shone brightly overhead and the waning moon was casting light on the near-darkened streets. Everyone else on the bus was awakened by someone, as the final hour loomed and excitement was wakened so that the bus was loud and busy. There were songs singing, loud chattering, and Fred and George busy with their 'special guests' up front. Games of Truth or Dare were going on in the back of the bus a few seats behind Ginny and Luna, and secrets were revealed, some for the better, some for the worse. Every few minutes, there would be the loud cheering as a guy was pressured to kiss a girl and when he did, the cheering would commence to be louder and more excited.

Finally, they saw their hotel at 8 o'clock PM. The three buses pulled into the driveway of the South Shore Resort and Hotel, which was a very tall building on the wizarding side of town, painted an off-white color and trimmed with a blue paint. There had to be at least 14 floors, each room with a balcony overlooking the ocean or the streets. A sign welcoming its visitors to the Hotel was at the end of the driveway and even in the dark, you could see the ocean and beach behind the building.

The buses stopped and Professor McGonagall came on board telling the students to behave themselves, and to respect the others staying in the hotel. She said they were to return to their rooms by no later than midnight each night, unless told otherwise that they could stay out later. They were to stay within the hotel grounds and no one was to visit another's room under any circumstances. Those that did were to be sent back to Hogwarts immediately, no money returned. The students nodded hurriedly and Professor McGonagall gave them their room numbers and room keys.

Hermione, Ginny, Hannah, and Luna were to be staying in room #230, and Ron, Harry, Neville, and Seamus were assigned to room #419. Both sides had to admit to themselves that they were disappointed that the opposite sex was on a different floor, but they knew there were ways around rules and restrictions, despite what McGonagall told them.

Hermione and the rest of the girls went up the stairs and to the elevator to the 2nd floor, where they found room #230, unlocked it using the keys they were presented with, and went into the room, dragging their trunks, bags, and garment bags with them.

The room was a suite, and the door opened on the bottom left side and opened into a room where 2 full beds lay side-by-side to one another with dark blue comforters with a beach print on them, and a wicker nightstand stood in between them with a Wizard Telephone on it. An entertainment unit stood opposite the beds with a Muggle Television and there were drawers for clothing space.

Following beyond the bedroom area, to the left was a rather spacious closet with built-in ironing board, and opposite that was a mini-wall length mirror with double sinks and counter space. A door stood in between it all and through that oak door was a toilet and shower/bath.

Walking past the bathroom and closet, was a rather open room where a pullout couch lay by the entrance and a round, circular table stood with 4 chairs at each pole. On the preceding wall was a long counter with cabinet space and a sink, and another muggle television sat on an entertainment unit following the wall. A screen door sat between the table and TV, and it led outside to a balcony, equipped with a patio table and chairs, and overlooking the outdoor pool and ocean. They could see the area of the indoor pool where the building jet out. All four girls dropped their bags and ran to the balcony. All of them sighed dreamily and marveled at the beauty of the ocean.

The boys made the way up to their room, which was identical to the girls. They dropped their bags messily over the two beds, and Harry and Ron proceeded to jump up and down on the beds, just being boys. Neville and Seamus grabbed pillows off the bed and started whacking the crap out of the jumping Harry and Ron, Ron of which was hit swiftly in the ankles and tumbled down on his back on the bed. He laughed it off then grabbed a pillow of his own and began seeking revenge upon Neville, whom had hit him.

Harry stopped jumping and surveyed the scene of the fighting Neville, Seamus, and Ron. He laughed and began cheering on random people. He then began running around and jumping on the bed, and while attempting to jump really high, his right foot slipped and he fell to the floor with a loud "thud". The other boys began laughing and tossed him his own pillow and the four guys fought to the brink. They laughed the whole time, causing Seamus to go into hysterical fits of laughter and all of them to lie back in defeat. They each separated to their own areas of sleeping; Harry and Ron each in a full-sized bed; Seamus on the pullout-couch, and Neville on the floor. They muttered their good nights, and Ron could hear the sounds of everyone asleep around him.

Ron wasn't tired, though. Memories of the bus ride there were playing back in his mind over and over. Memories of her sleeping on his shoulder, memories of her laughing at his side, and memories of them talking throughout all the times they were awake. Then, Ron drifted to sleep, thinking of Hermione and only her.

Hermione and the other girls decided just to share beds, so that everything was fair and no one ended up on the floor. None of them minded, though, so they drew names from a hat to decide what beds each would wind up in. Hermione wound up in the same bed as Hannah, and it worked out that Ginny winded up with Luna. The girls all changed into their nightclothes, took their beds, said "good night" and went to sleep.

Hermione, however, couldn't sleep knowing what had happened on the bus. She had fallen asleep on Ron's shoulder. She didn't do it on purpose; she just sort of, subconsciously, leaned on his shoulder for support. His shoulders were brooding, yet tender and bracing. She could remember, while sleeping, feeling his soft and gentle touch on her head, and waking up to catch him playing with her hair and smiling at her when she woke up. That smile. He locked eyes with her and she returned the gaze. His eyes were always comforting and caring. Slowly, Hermione drifted off the sleep, thinking of Ron and only him.