The Allure of Ronald Weasley: Chapter 4
Disclaimer: Harry Potter not mine.
A/N: Thanks for the reviews, I really appreciate them. Taya J Weasley, thanks for your mention about Harry being a little OoC, I'm trying to keep them as in character as possible, so I'll work on it:) And remember, please review this chapter, I'd love to hear your feedback! And now, drum roll please, for:
Chapter 4: Hermione's Plan
As Ron and Harry brought his luggage up to Harry's new sleeping quarters, Hermione mumbled something having to do with "going to her room" and "needing to finish reading." The boys shrugged it off and started unpacking Harry's things from his trunk.
While they were unpacking, Harry began to spill everything that was on his mind to Ron. Everything including how alone he felt at Privet Drive, how hungry he always was because the Dursleys weren't feeding him, and how the lack of hearing about Voldemort made him nervous about what he was planning.
It felt really nice to have someone to finally talk to. Harry and Ron talked for hours until they heard the birds announce dawn approaching and Ron was doing a lot more yawning than speaking.
After Ron had left, Harry laid down on his bed, even though he wasn't the least bit tired. It felt like his mind was going a mile a minute. He was so excited to be at the Burrow, where it felt like home.
Home. Privet Drive never felt like home to him. He was so ready to leave the Dursleys, to live back where he belonged, that in retrospect, he realized he had been quite snippy with Hermione. He made a mental note to apologize to her later.
Though, he thought, why had I been short with her?
It wasn't because I wasn't excited to see her. I love Hermione, thought Harry, and I hadn't seen her in months. So why wasn't I as excited to see her as I was to see Ron?
But I was excited.
Not because you wanted to see her. Because you knew you were being taken away to the Burrow.
Harry's thoughts dwelled on this for a while as he noticed his room getting lighter and lighter with the sunrise.
The truth was, Harry had been angry at his friends moments before the rescue. He was upset that it had taken them so long to come, and he had let his anger out on Hermione.
Or maybe it was because he had secretly wanted Ron to rescue him, and once Hermione came, Harry just couldn't wait to see his best mate.
Although these thoughts were enough to fill Harry's head for hours, something else was bothering Harry, something he dared not even name in his thoughts. Something he knew he would never share with even his two closest friends. He wasn't sure he had even felt it, and the thought frightened him.
When he had tackled Ron the night before, and Ron had Harry pinned down, Harry had the slightest urge to do something. Ron's face was above Harry's, and Harry could feel Ron's excited breath steaming up his glasses. At that moment, Harry had wanted more than anything in the world to lean his head in and kiss Ron.
Harry knew that this was absurd, that he was probably just overwhelmed by the excitement of coming back to the Burrow. But there was still that weird feeling that he had had.
Harry felt like he had done something wrong, even though nothing wrong was done. Harry knew that he didn't like guys. That just wasn't who he was. Harry liked girls… he remembered when Ginny had liked him and he was flattered. He remembered when he had butterflies in his stomach whenever Cho was around.
Though… neither of those relationships had worked out. Once out with Cho, Harry had realized that he was chasing a fantasy. He wasn't really happy with her. And after Harry's short-lived relationship with Ginny, he had realized it was just the hormones that had driven him to want to go out with someone.
So, was it true that he didn't really like girls?
No! Thought Harry. This is crazy. I just haven't found the right girl yet. There's no way in hell that I'm g-… that I like R-… that I wanted to-
Frustrated, Harry violently kicked off his blankets. What was going on in his mind? It was like the voice of reason, but without any reason he could see.
But Harry knew, deep down, what thoughts were frightening him most.
Harry tried to force these absurd thoughts out of his mind while trying to fall asleep. He figured that the Weasleys would be home soon and wondering why Harry was not only underfed, but ready to pass out from sleep deprivation as well.
But Harry figured wrong. The Weasleys didn't come back the next morning. While Harry and Ron were eating breakfast, Ron assured Harry that it was "probably just Order business, you know, they're always out doing top secret stuff," though Harry had a hard time believing that Ron believed it himself.
Mrs. Weasley was always home in the mornings when Ron woke up to make him breakfast, and now Harry and Ron had resorted to trying to make oatmeal, failing miserably, and eating it anyways because they were both too nice to say that the other one had screwed up and that it tasted horrible.
Surprisingly, Hermione didn't come down to breakfast, or lunch. It was well past three in the afternoon before Hermione emerged from her room to find something to eat.
Harry and Ron had been playing wizard chess in the living room, and Ron had just taken Harry's queen. They were laughing at how Harry's queen was cowering before Ron's pawn when Ron went silent and his mouth gaped open while staring up at the top of the stairs.
Harry, confused, followed Ron's eyes and felt just as surprised as Ron looked.
Standing on the steps, was a Hermione that they had never seen before.
She was wearing red heels with pointed tips, and a short, tight skirt. She wore a thin, white sleeveless top, and she must have used some kind of muggle hair serum because her hair was silky looking and shiny. It seemed longer from being straightened, and it lay upon her shoulders, seeming almost liquid in motion.
She had obviously been experimenting with makeup, because her eyelashes looked longer and curlier and her lips more full and pink.
Ron sat at the edge of the sofa, gaping at Hermione.
Harry was the first to say anything. "Hermione, what…. on…. Earth are you wearing?"
Hermione grinned, (though Harry thought a little mischievously) and continued to walk down the stairs.
"Oh, I thought I would try a new look I guess. I went shopping with Lavender and her older sister a while ago, and she said I needed a makeover or something. Anyway, I just never tried on my new clothes, and I thought I would ask you two what you thought. Ron?"
Ron's eyes seemed to glaze over, and it took a sharp and annoyed stab in the side by Harry to rouse him from his state.
"Oh! Wow! Hermione, you look… wow!" Said Ron, eyes wide. His tongue seemed to be getting in the way of his speaking ability. "I just, wow, you look great Hermione, really great, I just, wow."
Harry rolled his eyes. He didn't know what Hermione was up to but he thought that she looked kind of silly. Knowing that Hermione would probably seem really annoying to him right now, Harry excused himself to go upstairs and organize his socks. Ron didn't really pay attention and answered, "Great, get me one too."
Harry let out a sharp breath of annoyance and hopped up the stairs two by two.
Once Harry had slammed his door, Hermione walked over to Ron and sat next to him on the sofa.
"Hi Hermione!" said Ron.
"Uh, hi Ron. Listen. Do you want to… go for a walk?"
Ron nodded eagerly and the couple got up from the couch and walked towards the door.
As they exited the house, Hermione added, "There's something I need to talk to you about."