Disclaimer: Same as before. I own nothing.
A/N: I hate this chapter. I really do. The characters are so...out of character. Speaking of out of character, is that what OOC stands for? That's what my friend said and I was just making sure.
After the incident with the notebook, Ron made sure to keep his notebook in his dorm, hidden, at all times. He couldn't risk Hermione seeing what was inside, even though he knew she would never peek. It just wasn't in her nature. She knew better than to stick her adorable nose in where it didn't belong.
Ron debated in his mind whether he should Hermione another note. He figured he should, but then even he'd have to think of another cheesy, romantic line. It was hard thinking of this type of thing. But then maybe he'd just tell Hermione the truth. That he was her secret admirer, and that he loved her with all his heart and more.
He held his notebook in his hands and ran his fingers over the smooth black cover that was quite beat up from being taken everywhere Ron went. Everything that he had ever thought, ever felt since his last birthday lay in this notebook. It was his most valuable possession. It actually showed a sensitive side to him…scary, right? He placed the notebook in the trunk at the foot of his bed as the clock struck noon. Ron had promised Harry and Hermione that he'd meet them in the common room at exactly twelve noon. And as usual he was already late.
"Where is he?" Ron heard Hermione ask impatiently as he walked down the stairs from the boys' dormitory. "Just for once can't he be punctual? I'm feeling ravenous after studying so long."
"You know Ron," Harry said. "He's always late."
Ron pretended to be insulted as he entered the common room.
"I'm not always late," he replied coolly. "As a matter of fact I'm usually on time."
"Just for every meal," Hermione added.
Ron glared at her and Harry chuckled.
"Let's go now since everybody's here. I'm starving as well," Harry said, and they did.
At their usual table, Ron and Harry were having a heated discussion over who was going to win the next world cup. And of course Hermione listened with utter boredom.
"Ron, Bulgaria is obviously going to win again. You know Krum is the best seeker in the damn universe," Harry argued, unaware of what he had said until after he said it. He had forgotten that Ron was still overly sensitive about Krum.
Ron winced at the sound of Vicky's name. He had stopped supporting the Bulgarian team ever since their star seeker took the love of his life to the Yule ball. His eyes directed themselves to Hermione to see if hearing Vicky's name had any affect on her. Obviously it hadn't. Hermione was sitting with a blank expression on her face. Ron supposed that was good; obviously she wasn't hopelessly in love with him as Ron had thought; otherwise she would have woken up automatically from her daydream at the sound of his name.
Shrugging the jealousy away, Ron counter argued that Bulgaria was no good since one of their best beaters were replaced, and that London had the best shot of winning. This discussion continued, until Harry finally decided to include Hermione in the conversation.
"Hey, 'mione," Harry said, nudging Hermione's shoulder to get her attention. "Who do you think will win the next world cup?"
Surprisingly Hermione paid no attention. Since nobody was talking to her she had spaced out completely, fantasizing about a certain red head sitting in front of her.
"That's a completely idiotic question, Harry," Ron laughed. "You know Hermione has no interest in quidditch whatsoever. Are you really so desperate to win this debate you have to get Hermione to side with you?"
Harry stuck his tongue out at Ron and continued to nudge Hermione. One would've mistaken her to be dead with her eyes open if they hadn't seen the very subtle rise and fall of her chest as she breathed in and out.
"Hermione?" Harry said softly, not wanting to startle her. "Hermione? Are you there? Wake up."
He tapped her on the shoulder a few times, and when she didn't respond he thought she had been petrified. Whatever she's thinking about she's very involved in, Harry thought.
"Oh Harry," Ron said. "That's not the way to do it. You have to scare her out of it. Like this." He cleared his throat before returning to waking Hermione up. "HERMIONE! WAKE UP!"
Automatically Hermione jumped and blinked her eyes a few times. She gave a little shriek which caused Ron and Harry to burst out laughing. Hermione released something that sounded a little bit like a growl and glared at the two boys she called her friends.
"You didn't have to do that, you know," she spat. "All you had to do was tap me on the shoulder and that would have worked just fine. But no. You had to scream and scare the daylights out of me, just for a little amusement."
This statement made them laugh even harder.
"We tried that, you know," Harry said between laughing. "You were obviously in deep, deep thought."
"Oh, I see," Hermione replied, slightly embarrassed. "I'm sorry. Your conversation got so boring my mind drifted off to more amusing topics. But I'm back now, so I'm yours for the talking to."
So Harry repeated his question, and Hermione sighed.
"Oh for the love of Merlin, Harry," Hermione answered. "Do you not remember that I am Hermione Granger? You're not that thick. You must be desperate to be right if you're asking me who was going to win the next world cup. So can we please change the subject now? You two must have been discussing quidditch throughout the whole lunch."
Ron scoffed.
"Like what?" he replied scathingly. "Homework?"
Hermione considered this for a moment and then replied very seriously, "Actually, speaking of homework, did you two do yours?"
Here we go again, Harry thought.
"As a matter of fact, no," Ron retorted. "Is that a problem?"
"Of course that's a problem, Ronald! Your grades are low because you are too indolent to do your own homework!"
"Would you mind not using big words while we're having a row? I get enough of them from Percy!"
"What's wrong, Ronald?" Hermione mocked. "Is your puerile mind unable to process a well developed vocabulary?"
"This has nothing to do with my mind!"
"Then what does it have to do with?"
"It has to do with your being so bossy and such a know-it-all!"
"Stop being so belligerent, you obstinate prat!"
"So now I'm a belligerent, obstinate, prat, huh? Well, all I understood was 'prat' and I'm proud of it! I'm tuning you out now, okay? La la la la la!"
"Rondald Weasley! Listen to me! Oh for Merlin's sake! I give up on you!"
By now everyone was watching the two go at it again. They were always interested to see what Ron had done to cause such a tumultuous argument.
Harry was finally getting aggravated by these two.
"SHUT UP BOTH OF YOU!"
Ron immediately stopped his horrendous singing and Hermione gave one last sigh before she too became quiet.
"Sorry, Harry," Hermione apologized. "We should get going Ron, before things get way out of hand again."
"Where are we going?" Ron inquired.
"Prefect duties, Ron," she answered. "Please don't tell me you forgot you are a prefect!"
"Please don't start again," Harry pleaded.
"Sorry," Ron and Hermione mumbled.
"We'll see you during class, Harry," Hermione said while preparing to leave.
Ron gasped. He had forgotten his overdue essay in his trunk in the dormitories. But if he left now to get it Hermione would surely bite his head off.
"Harry, mate," Ron said. "Will you do me a huge favor?"
"What is it, Ron? I have to meet Ginny in a little bit."
"I forgot an overdue essay I did for Snape last week. Can you please get it later and bring it to me before class starts? It's in my trunk. Here's the key." Ron then removed the key to his neck and handed to Harry. "Thanks, mate."
Harry merely nodded as Ron and Hermione made their way off to patrol the school. In the distance, he heard Hermione tell Ron, "You're so irresponsible, Ron. For once can't you…"
He didn't here the rest, for they had gotten too far. Poor Ron, he thought.
Harry glanced at the clock. It was almost one. He was scheduled to meet Ginny outside at exactly one o clock. He pondered on if he should get Ron's essay now or wait until later. But knowing himself he knew he would most likely forget to get it later. Ginny always made his mind turn into mush.
He scurried to the boys' dormitories and then to Ron's bed. He spotted the trunk and unlocked it with the key. He wondered why Ron locked it. He didn't keep any of his underwear in it. And a person would only be insane to steal his homework. Yes, it was copied off Hermione's but Ron's handwriting was completely illegible.
Harry searched through Ron's unkempt trunk. Papers were crumpled in there and books were carelessly thrown in. Finally he found Ron's essay, which was slightly wrinkled despite the wrinkle-free charm Hermione had taught him.
He set the essay aside and attempted to straighten up his trunk. It was then he noticed Ron's notebook lying in the bottom of the trunk. All of a sudden Harry became very tempted, much like Hermione did in Chapter Four.
So instead of going through the whole rigmarole of describing Harry's temptation, let's go straight to the part where he picks up the notebook and starts to read it, because his curiosity won and because he knew for a fact there was no Ron to prevent him from reading it. Yes, Harry knew Ron was his best friend. But he had been acting strangely lately and Harry was determined to find out why. After all, Harry was Ron's best friend. He needed to know how to make Ron feel better.
Harry wondered why Ron put no charm on his notebook. But Ron wasn't that much of an idiot. He must've forgotten. He could really be like Neville Longbottom at times.
Harry glanced around the dormitory to guarantee his solitude and then opened the notebook. Truthfully, he half expected some monster to pop out of the book as punishment for opening it. But no such thing happened. The inside cover had Hermione's handwriting in it. It read: To Ron. I hope this helps clear your mind. You seem kind of tense. Love always, Hermione. Harry never remembered getting a notebook from Hermione for any occasion, and he was always tenser than Ron ever was. But he was anti-social then and probably would have yelled at Hermione for getting him a what he would have called then a "crappy gift."
The first page was Ron's writing, somewhat comprehensible, as if he were writing a letter to his mum. It was just a description of his birthday party and how Hermione had given to this to him and that he was going to write neatly because it was a gift from one of his best friends.
The first few entries Ron seemed kind of hesitant to open up, to a book of all things. But soon he appeared to be more comfortable letting out his feelings and the like. One page caught Harry's eye.
I never realized how beautiful she is.
Who was this she? Harry wondered. How come Ron never told him about a "she"? He had to read on.
We had another row today. She called me insufferable prat. I don't blame her. I think I am.
The next couple pages Harry was shocked to find. Notes were scribbled all over. Familiar notes too. Cheesy, romantic lines. And a certain puzzle that a certain bushy haired bookworm received a few weeks prior to that moment. Ron was sending those notes to Hermione? Ron! He never would've guessed. Or perhaps he was just taking notes for someone else, like Neville for instance. Harry read on.
She doesn't think it's me who's sending her these mysterious notes. I'm glad she doesn't. I don't know what I would do if she found out it was me.
Harry gasped. It was Ron! Who would have thought?
I have just realized that I have only used her name a couple times since she gave me this notebook. It's not that I don't like her name. It's a beautiful name. It just doesn't suit her. She's too good for it. There is no way a name like Hermione Granger could match such a perfect, beautiful, ingenious witch such as herself.
So it is Hermione! Harry was getting excited now. He had always suspected Ron liked her.
Harry skipped a couple pages.
She wore pink today. I've never seen her wear pink.
There was no date for that. But it must have been a few weeks ago, when Hermione grumbled throughout the day because she hates pink. She didn't mind it now. But back to the reading.
I love her.
And I need her.
That was the last page with writing on it, and honest Harry was shocked when he finished reading it. When he picked up Ron's notebook he expected to find complaints about his brothers, Percy in particular. Never this. He pondered telling Ginny of his discovery. But then he decided against it. It is nearly impossible for Ginny to keep a secret and Ron will kill him if he ever found out that he had read his notebook.
Harry heard his watch beep. It was already one o'clock. Damn, he was late. Ginny would surely make him pay. He smiled to himself. He always liked Ginny's punishments. He grabbed Ron's essay and made his way out the door.
So there it was. Thank you to my reviewers. You really inspired me to post the new chapter. Special thanks to Lady Pyrefly. I don't know why I didn't think of that before. As always, read and review. Much mahal!
