Chapter 4- Picture Perfect
Upon returning Hermione's house they all showered and Hermione cleaned out her car. Hermione and Ginny were now sitting in Hermione's room talking. Hermione had changed into a white skirt and a red tank top that had a pink heart on the front. Ginny was wearing a black skirt and a white tank top.
"How do you get the pictures out of the camera?" Ginny asked sitting cross-legged on her bed examining the camera very closely.
"You have to take it to get the film developed," Hermione informed her.
"Well then let's go then!" Ginny stood up.
"Now?"
"Yeah! I want to see them."
"Ok but it will take an hour."
"That's fine let's go!" She eagerly pulled Hermione up and out the door.
"Let's ask Harry and Ron if they want to go!" Ginny went to the guest room and opened the door. She didn't seem to care about knocking. Hermione and Ginny looked in and saw Ron asleep on his bed with a Quiditch magazine in his hands. Hermione and Ginny quietly closed the door and walked out.
"Where's Harry?" Ginny wondered.
"Dunno?" But they found him asleep on the couch with the remote in his hands and the TV on. "We'll just leave them a note," Hermione walked into the kitchen and took out some post its and a pen. She scribbled down a note. "Where should we put it?"
"I have an idea!" Ginny took the paper from Hermione's hand and walked back into the living room. She took the sticky side of it and stuck it to Harry's forehead. Harry moved in his sleep but then went back to the same spot. Hermione and Ginny left giggling. They got into Hermione's car and drove off. Hermione turned up the music. "So what was going on between you and my brother at the beach?"
"What are you talking about? We didn't do anything." Ginny rolled her eyes.
"Yeah ok, Hermione, I believe you." Ginny said sardonically
"Believe whatever you want!" Ginny rolled her eyes again. Hermione didn't say anything but she thought that the beach meant something. She was determined to find out how Ron felt about her before the end of the summer. They drove in silence to the store. Hermione got out of the car and Ginny followed with the camera in her hand. They got in the store and went to the one-hour photo place. The pictures would be ready at 6. They decided to go back to Hermione's until then. When they got there they found Harry still on the couch with the note on his forehead. "Want to take it off?"
"No I think I'll just leave it in-fact…" Ginny went into the kitchen and came out with the whole stack of post its and a mischievous grin on his face. Hermione laughed and went to go find Ron. She had a plan of her own. She didn't bother to knock on the door because that would ruin it. She saw Ron still asleep with the magazine clutched in his hands. She slowly and quietly made her way to the side of the bed. "Aw, he's so cute when he's sleeping, I hate to do this. But…" Hermione moved her hands so she was just about to tickle him until…
"BOO!"
"AHHHHHH! Ron!" Ron sat straight up and started tickling her and she fell flat on the bed. "Stop!"
"But isn't this what you were going to do?" He said still tickling her.
"NO!"
"Really?" He stopped tickling her and looked at her.
"Yeah right!" She stood up and pushed him down. She sat over him and started tickling him.
"Hermione! Stop! Please! Truce?"
"Hmm…" She was still on him so he couldn't move. "Well last time I said truce you didn't want to."
"I promise!" Ron then slid his hands free and reversed the position. "HA!"
"Hey! You said truce!"
"But you didn't!" He tickled her.
"OK, OK, but this has to eventually stop!" Ron stopped and looked at her.
"Alright, I promise to stop tickling you for… the rest of the day."
"The rest of the day?"
"Hey your lucky I'm willing to even do this."
"Fine but let me sit up first," He got off of her and she sat up. She held out her hand for him to shake it. He lifted his hand but she took hers and smacked his head lightly. "I don't think so!" She said running out the door. He sat there for a minute amazed at what happened but then followed her out of the door and down the stairs. He ran into something hard on his way into the living room.
"Ow! What?"
"Shhhh!" Hermione and Ginny shushed him and he looked at what he ran into. It was Hermione but they were looking at Harry with smiles on their faces. He looked at him and saw what was so funny. Harry was completely covered in post its.
"What?" He tried to get out but he was laughing too hard. Harry moved and they all stopped. He turned over and looked like he was about to wake-up. Ginny made a run for it closely followed by Hermione and Ron. They all ran into the kitchen and sat at the table like they were there for the whole time.
"GINNY!" They heard from the other room all of them laughed at this Ginny got up and went into the living room. Ron and Hermione went to watch. When they saw Harry he looked ridiculous wearing post its all over and trying to get them off. They fell on the floor they were laughing so hard. Ginny was trying to keep a straight face but it was hard. "Ha, Ha! Very funny you've all had your laughs now!" Harry had most of them off right now but it was still a funny scene. Once Harry had the post its off of him he stared at Ginny menacingly. "Payback's a bitch!"
"Oh I'm so scared!" Ginny replied mocking a scared face.
"Just wait!" Harry said contemplating in his mind weather Ron would help him or not. Hermione managed to get herself up on the couch and stop laughing. Ron was at least sitting up but he was still sniggering.
"C'mon let's go get dinner." Hermione finally got herself under control and was standing up. They all went to the car.
"I call shot-gun I'm not sitting next to Ginny." Harry announced opening the car door.
"So I have to?" Ron said with disappointment.
"Shut up!" Ginny said slapping Ron. Ron shut up then and got into the backseat. Harry and Ginny kept shooting each other furious glances. By the time they got to Wendy's though they had forgotten about it and fed each other fries. Ron and Hermione rolled their eyes and ate their food trying not to look at them. By the time they left Wendy's they could not part Harry and Ginny even despite Ron's glares and grunts. They couldn't even part them when they stopped to pick up the pictures at 7:30. Ron and Hermione went into the store to pick them up.
"Let's look at them here. I don't want to go back to the car just yet." He grimaced at the thought of it. Hermione stopped and opened the pictures. She pulled them out. She saw the first one of Ginny and Harry sleeping in the car. They laughed at it and flipped to the next picture past a copy of the first one. Hermione got doubles. The next one was Ron and Hermione in the water lying next to each other laughing.
"That's when I fell and pulled you down with me but who took the picture?"
"Probably Ginny and Harry." They flipped to the next the next one. This one was Ron and Hermione in the middle of the ocean looking at each other.
"That was right before the wave came!" Ron laughed.
"Yeah!" The next one was of them after the wave hit. They laughed and flipped through the rest. Some of them were them making the sandcastle and after. The rest were of all four of them.
"Can I have one of these?" Ron asked holding out the picture of them laughing next to each other after he pulled her down.
"Yeah," She smiled handing him that, "Any others?" Ron took 3 more of the two of them and one of the four of them. Hermione smiled and they walked back to the car. Ginny and Harry were still at it when they got back. Ron turned up the radio real loud to try and part them but it seemed as if they were joined at the lips. He finally decided to ignore them and turn his attention out the window. When they got back Harry was carrying Ginny now. Ron was making disgusted noises at them as they walked through the back. Once they got near the pool Harry pulled away from Ginny and Hermione was watching along with Ron. Ginny looked confused but Harry was smiling. He walked closer to the pool and everyone knew what he was going to do.
"Harry James Potter don't you dare!" Ginny screamed.
"Sorry but I have to," He threw her in but not before she got a hold of his shirt. She was thrown in and he fell in. Ron and Hermione were beside themselves with laughter. Hermione dropped all the pictures. When she bent down to pick them up Ron was helping her. The last one was on the ground and they both reached for it. She smiled at him and then took her hand off. He handed her the pictures and brushed a strand of stray hair out of her face. She felt herself blush. Then she felt a whole bunch of water splash her.
"Hey!" Ginny and Harry were standing there soaking wet with furious expressions. Harry was shaking off like a wet dog. "I'll get towels!" Hermione ran in and shut the door just as Ron got in. She saved them from getting wetter. She ran and got them towels throwing them out the door to them. Harry wrapped the towel around himself and stomped in. He was muttering stuff that Hermione couldn't hear but she was sure it was about Ginny. They suppressed laughs as both of them stormed off to get changed. Ron and Hermione followed them cautiously. They each went into their rooms. When Hermione got into hers she found Ginny laughing. "I thought you were mad?"
"No I was just pretending to be. It was actually quite funny." Hermione laughed at Ginny. She sat down at her desk and Ginny started to change. Hermione was looking through all of the pictures smiling. She noticed Ron had an equally happy expression on his face. She picked her favorite one of them building the sandcastle when she was helping Ron and put it in the frame on her desk. "Are those the pictures from the beach?" Ginny came over and sat next to her on the other chair. She had changed to a pair of black shorts and a light green tank top. Her hair was in a mess bun.
"Yeah, I was just putting some in these frames." Hermione pointed to the frames and put the one of all four of them in it.
"It's weird not to see them moving!" Ginny exclaimed.
"Yeah I guess."
"So I see you like the ones I took?"
"Yeah."
"You two didn't even know. Did Ron see them?"
"Yeah he wanted a few."
"He did?"
"Yeah, the copy of these," Hermione pointed to the ones he took. Ginny laughed. "What?"
"It's funny that you can ace school but when it comes to this your clueless."
"What do you mean?"
"Hermione he likes you!" Ginny exclaimed. Hermione looked down she knew but she didn't know what to do about it. Ron and Harry were going through a similar scenario in their room.
"You mean you're actually not mad?" Ron asked Harry.
"No not really it was funny I just didn't want to piss Ginny off." Ron snorted. "What?"
"Nothing!" Ron rolled his eyes and went back to looking at the pictures.
"Are those the beach pictures?"
"Only a few. Hermione has the rest."
"She likes you too!" Harry said before leaving. Ron thought about it and he knew his feelings were more than likeing her. Harry went to see Ginny. He opened the door and saw them laughing. "Wait, I thought you were made at me?"
"Nope I was pretending!"
"Liar!"
"Oh you know you like it!" Harry grabbed Ginny and kissed her. They fell onto Ginny's bed.
"I'm out of here!" Hermione stood up and quickly exited. She walked into Ron's room where he was still admiring the pictures. "They're at it again!" She said sitting on his bed. He looked up with a disgusted face.
"Thanks for sharing!"
"Sorry! Let's go get some ice cream." She stood up and pulled him up. He put the pictures on the bed and followed her out of the room after grabbing a sweatshirt from off of his bed. She yelled from outside of the door what they were doing and they would bring them something. Then they got in the car and drove off. "We can go get the ice cream and then walk on the beach."
"Sounds cool!" They drove to the ice cream place and were there in 5 minutes. It was walking distance from Hermione's house but since they were going to the beach after she took her car. Hermione got cookies and cream with chocolate sprinkles and Ron got mint chocolate chip with chocolate sprinkles and then they set off for the beach. At the familiar busy parking lot, which was not busy, considering that it was 8:30 and dark Ron noticed that it looked different without a lot of people and with the shops closed. Ron and Hermione got out of the car. They decided to leave their shoes there because Hermione parked so close to the beach. They walked onto the beach feeling cool sand under their feet and the familiar sinking feeling. They were walking along the water. Although the waves weren't as big as the ones they went to today there were still waves crashing at their feet.
"So did you have fun at the beach?"
"Yeah I had a lot of fun you?"
"Yeah! I even got a nice tan!"
"Me too I got a little bit darker." They were silently eating their ice creams trying to find stuff that would make interesting conversation.
"So…uh… do you want to watch a movie later?" She felt like slapping her self how hard was it to say: I like you Ron?
"Yeah!"
"Ron. I meant to say, thanks for saying that yesterday about me. That I was original, individual, and unpredictable. It meant a lot to me."
"Oh, your welcome."
"You're the only person who's ever said something like that," Hermione finished the last of her cone.
"Well your welcome, I meant all that stuff I said. You do amaze me." Hermione had no idea what to say to that. She just walked silently down the beach wishing she had brought a jacket. He saw her shiver. "Here," He took off his sweatshirt and gave it to her.
"Thanks," There was complete silence. Hermione was at a loss for words she didn't have anything else to talk about. She did the only thing that she knew would make them talk. "Hey Ron?"
"Yeah?" He was glad she had something to say because he sure as hell didn't.
"You're it!" She tagged him and ran for it. He ran right after her. He loved doing this with her they had so much fun. He chased after her and caught her by the waist and lifted her off of the ground.
"Ahhh!" She screamed. He put her down.
"Thought you could get away from me that easy?" He started tickling her.
"No, no! I'm sorry!" She laughed. They were now in the position where he was on top of her like they were before.
"Sorry for what?" He tickled her again.
"Sorry for running away!" She said.
"Ok, I accept." He stopped tickling her but found himself locked in a stare match with her. He was lost in her eyes. He couldn't pull his eyes away from hers. He wanted so desperately to move his lips towards hers. She wanted him to do that too but neither one did it. They held that gaze for a few seconds that seemed more like an eternity. He realized that he was completely on top of her. He rolled over and instead lay next to her. They both stared at the sky.
"Look, it's Orion's belt!" She pointed up to the sky breaking the awkward tension. He looked up. He remembered that constellation from astronomy. They just laid there staring at the sky until Ron looked at his watch.
"We better get going it's late and we still have to get something for Harry and Ginny. Hermione stood up, with the help of Ron but this time he didn't let go of her hand. They walked back to the car and then Ron finally let go of her. They drove home and stopped off to get ice cream for Harry and Ginny. When they got back they didn't find Harry and Ginny downstairs and neither of them dared to go up stairs and get them so they put the ice creams in the freezer and went down stairs to watch a movie again. They also bought down what was left of the junk food from the other night. Ron and Hermione decided on watching Meet the Fockers. Hermione was surprised to see that Ron took the seat next to her because there was an empty love seat but she was happy nonetheless. Ron found it extremely funny because there was rarely a part where he wasn't laughing. Right before the end of the movie Harry and Ginny came down with their ice creams. Hermione noticed something completely wrong with the picture.
"Uh Gin can you help me with something upstairs?" Hermione said rushing her up quickly.
"What?" Ginny asked.
"Ok, one you have a visible hikki on your neck and your shirt is backward." Ginny looked down at herself.
"Oh! Do you think you could help me with that?" Hermione grabbed Ginny's hand and pulled her upstairs. Ginny put her shirt on the right way and Hermione grabbed her wand off of her dresser. She said the vanishing spell and the hikki disappeared. Ginny gave Hermione a big hug. "Thank you! Ron would have killed me if he saw that and he would have killed Harry!" She said when she released her.
"Don't mention it! But just be careful next time! I'm going to change so it doesn't look suspicious. Ginny left the room and Hermione changed into red shorts and a white tank top. She exited her room and saw Ron coming out of his room with similar pajamas to last night.
"Hi!" she said seeing him.
"Hey!" He said. They went down stairs to watch the movie over again now that Harry and Ginny could see it. Ron laughed even harder the second time Harry and Ginny were laughing too. Hermione was too busy thinking to watch the movie.
A/N: What did you think? They weren't up to much but the pictures were clues to how the other feels. We shall see what happens next. I'm thinking of doing a sequel of when they're at Hogwarts and then after Hogwarts because they're going into their 7th year next. How long after Harry's birthday do they go back? Does anyone know? Please review!