Ch 14: And so it begins….
Disclaimer: All characters belong to JK Rowling because she is awesome. I am just borrowing her characters for my own plot idea.
Also: Sorry if the additions seem to be taking longer. Lots going on right now. But I will try to add them on as soon as I can!
Ron and Harry walked along the hallways back to the Gryffindor tower. Harry kept glancing at Ron who had the silliest grin on his face.
"Ron, will you wipe that smug grin of your face!" Harry said.
"Sorry….can't help myself." Ron walked along grinning to himself. Harry definitely noticed a bounce in his step. Ron started humming to himself.
'Will you stop it!" Harry said in agitation. "And will you stop humming to yourself!"
Ron grinned at Harry, " Sorry mate…" but he continued humming anyways. Harry rolled his eyes. Ron in love…oh joy.
"There is nothing to put me down right now, Harry." Ron said as they started up the stairs to the hallway that led to their tower. "Nothing."
"Hello, Potter…Weasley."
Ron's smile faded. "Except one thing." Ron glared at Malfoy.
"Nice flowers Weasely. Bringing them to your mudblood of a girl friend?" he sneered.
"Shut up, Malfoy!" Harry glared at him fingering his wand. As annoying as Ron's overly giddy mood was, he did not want Malfoy of all people ruining it for him.
Ron clenched his fists. "Don't you dare call her a mudblood, Malfoy!" he spat, narrowing his eyes on Malfoy's smirking face. "Get out of the way."
Malfoy was blocking the top of the staircase. " What are you doing at this end of Hogwarts anyways? Haven't you polluted the otherside with your presence enough already?" Ron said. Malfoy's eyes narrowed on Ron.
"I was doing prefect business, if you must know," Malfoy smiled. "Which of course, you, never take part in anyways. I am quite certain that Dumbledor wasn't in his right mind when he chose you as a prefect."
"DON'T TALK ABOUT DUMBLEDOR THAT WAY!" Harry yelled his fists shaking. No one talked about Dumbledor in that manner in his presence. Dumbledor had been his mentor teacher, and also one of the few that really cared about what happened to Harry.
"Oh….I see you have a soft spot for the deceased headmaster." Malfoy said silkly. Ýea…great wizard…..!"
Ron punched Malfoy straight in the nose. "HOW DARE YOU! " Ron yelled in a rage. " I CAN'T BELIEVE YOUR DISRESPECT!" Malfoy felt his face but smirked.
"I think that gives you both a detention, Weasely."
"Sorry malfoy! That won't work this time!" Ron laughed. "Or have you forgotten that I am a prefect too!" Harry had to grin at that. Malfoy glared at both of them and pulled out his wand but Ron and Harry were just as quick so now they were each pointing their wands at the other.
"BOYS! Stop this as once!" Professor McGonagall came running down the hallway. "What is going on here? Please explain yourself!" All three were breathing hard.
"Malfoy, disrespected, Dumbledor, professor." Ron said, still glaring Malfoy in the face, surprised at himself once again. Harry raised his eyebrows. Usually, he was the one that said things like that. "I punched him for being disrespectful, Sorry professor, I don't know what came over me." Ron hung his head in pretend guilt. McGonagalls's anger seemed to deflate. After all, Ron usually wasn't one to start fights.
"well,.." she turned to Malfoy. " Mr. Malfoy, is this true what Mr. Weasely here tells me?" Malfoy seemed to be torned between giving Ron a silent jinx or speaking truthfully to Professor McGonagall. Harry almost had to laugh as he saw Malfoy wrinkling his forehead trying desperately to think of a quick response.
"Y..yes, Professor." Malfoy said in defeat.
"Very well…come with me then. I think Snape needs to hear about this. Showing disrespect to Dumbledor for you, is like disrespecting Snape himself." She took hold of Malfoys robe, who glared at Harry and Ron. Harry and Ron tried their best to keep a straight face as McGonagall half pulled, half dragged Malfoy by the sleeve of his robe. "After all Snape did for you!" McGonagall continued with disgust. "After all he went through for you…and what happened to Dumbledor…" Harry and Ron didn't hear anymore of McGonagall lecturing Malfoy as they vanished around the corridor corner at the bottom of the stairs. Until this point Harry and Ron has remained completely quiet, not looking at each other, for fear of loosing self-control and laughing out loud. Ron turned to Harry. Harry caught his eye and the two exploded in a fit of laughter.
"Did you….did you…see Malfoy's Face!" Ron managed to gasp in between laughs.
"Yea…..and McGonagall practically …dragged him down the stairs!" Harry roared with laughter.
"Whooooo…" Ron let out a breath. " I swear…lucky once again!"
Harry eyed the roses. "Er…the roses." Petals were strew all over.
Ron's face sank. " Oh………….shit." he said. "Guess no flowers for Hermione." Harry saw how Ron's spirits seemed to sink right through the floor.
"Hey mate….its ok….you …well….just talk to her anyways." Harry ran a hand through his hair. "….well, Come on." He clapped his friend on the back. "Let's go to tower and find Hermione." Ron slowly nodded and then waved his wand and made the flower petals disappear. Harry saw this and said, " Eh…sorry mate….it was a good idea though." Ron shrugged his shoulders.
"Yea…..but of course Malfoy had to ruin it!" Ron said with definite loathing in his voice. "That stupid git causes nothing but trouble!" Ron said kicking an invisible object with his shoe. He stuffed his hands in his robe.
"Er…yea…that's Malfoy. " Harry started, he didn't disagree with Ron but he also didn't know what to say to make Ron feel any better. " Come on Ron, don't let him get to you! Let's go find Hermione." Ron just snorted. The two continued in silence to their tower and then entered the Gryffindor Common room. It was deserted once again except the fire.
"So…should I see if she's here?" Harry questioned Ron as they made themselves comfortable by the fire. Ron looked like a deer caught in the head lights.
"er…Ron?"
"ehh……Um…….ah…."
"I take that as a…no?" Harry questioned. Ron nodded. Harry sighed. "really Ron…you truly are unbelievable. What happened to the Ron only a few minutes ago practically skipping down the hallway to meet up with his lady fair?" Harry grinned. Ron made a face in his direction.
"Harry…" Ron said in a weak voice. "I just….can't do it. Not right now." Harry groaned.
"oh and why not?" Ron shrugged. "Oh good answer Ron…." Ron faced the fire and turned away from Harry not wanting t discuss this anymore at this moment.
"Harry? Ron?" Came a voice from the doorway. Harry and Ron both knew that voice and turned to face Hermione standing in the doorway. All the color rushed from Ron's face. By some weird spark of fate, Hermione had happened to enter the Common Room. Now Ron would have to talk to her and by the look on Harry's face, Ron was not leaving the Common until he did just that.
"Oh Hi Hermione!" Harry said overly enthusiastically, grinning in turn to Ron. Ron slumped a little deeper into his seat. "How are you?"
"Alright Harry, thanks." Hermione started and then glanced over to Ron. "Ron….can I talk to you for a second." He didn't say anything he felt frozen in place.
"Er……Well, then" Harry said jumping up from his seat. "I best be going….homework to do." He grinned and glanced at Ron who had spun around and was now giving Harry the I-can't-believe-you-mate look. Harry patted Hermione on the shoulder as he left the Common room and she smiled faintly at him. Then she turned her attention back to Ron who was now turned around looking at Hermione and wishing that Harry would've stayed for moral support or to make a good excuse for him later if anything went amiss.
"Um..Ron…." Hermione started. " I just wanted to talk to you." Ron tried to think calming thoughts but the mere presence of her in the room caused the surrounding air to become heavier and he found it difficult to breath. He cleared his throat and said,
"What about?"
"Er…before…and …stuff." Hermione said. Ron instinctively moved over and Hermione took a seat next to him. She looked down into her lap, playing with her robes. Ron noticed this and found it strange that the usual confident Hermione was definitely not sitting next to him at this moment. This thought calmed him a little and he found that he was able to speak clearer.
"What about before?" Ron question and then smacked him mentally for making such a stupid comment. Of course you know what!
"Er…..Hermione said and then looked up at Ron. " That…..that…what happened before…in the room." She took a big breath and then continued. "I was just surprised by everything. I mean I had been in a state like a dream and then suddenly…I woke up and well.." She blushed at the thought. "You were kissing me." A smile at the memory tugged at Ron's mouth but he kept his cool.
"yea…" Ron said.
"And I just yelled at you….as usual.." she added with a smile. " But still I am sorry about that! I am …. I was just so surprised!" Hermione turned back to picking fuzzies off her robe. Ron couldn't find the right words to tell her what he had felt. How wonderful everything had been. About the flowers and then everything seemingly falling apart. All his plans going amiss.
"It's ok.' Ron said simply, not sure of what else to say. "It's ok….I mean…I don't know what came over me." He ran a nervous hand through his hair.
Hermione turned to him. "well…it worked didn't it?" she said with a small smile.
'Yea.." Ron smiled but had to turn away from Hermione incase she would see the deep dark red he was turning.
"thanks." Hermione said. Ron turned back.
"Thanks for what?" he questioned her in surprise. "I didn't do anything."
"yes you did….you helped me…you saved me.." Hermione started and became acutely aware of how close they were sitting. Neither seemed to have noticed that they had moved closer to each other as they were sitting on the couch.
"Oh." Ron said.
"Yea…thanks for that too." Ron nodded.
"No problem….I am glad you are…..back to normal." Ron said.
Hermione gave a small laugh. "Yes…I guess I am." Not knowing what else to say and feeling extremely awkward in the situation she was finding herself in, Hermione got up from the couch. Ron grabbed her wrist out of impulse. Hermione looked back at him in surprise.
"Er…Um…Hermione….I.." Ron started and got up. "I am so, so glad that you are back to yourself. I like you better this way." Ron felt that annoying blushing feeling coming on again. Hermione smiled her wonderful smile again and nodded.
"thanks, Ron." She turned to go but Ron held her tight.
"Hermione wait." Ron said. She looked at him baffled. "I..er…I…" Ron started and then figured actions speak louder than words. He pulled her into a great big bear hug and nestled his chin into the nape of her neck. He hoped that all that he was feeling would simply flow through his body and into hers so that she could feel what he was feeling. He breathed her perfume and felt a bit light headed from it all. He could never, ever remain mad at Hermione for very long. Hermione gave into his hug and leaned into Ron's embrace. She wrapped her arms around his waist since he was hugging her around her shoulders. She could smell his freshly washed robes and smiled despite herself. Finally, after what seemed like hours had gone by, Ron released her from his grip. The sudden shift of movement startled Hermione since she had begun to enjoy how safe and warm she felt in his arms. She felt as if nothing was important except this moment her and Ron were sharing. Hermione's worries fell off her shoulders like she secretly wished her clothes would.
"Well…er….Thanks for talking to me." Ron started. "I really need to do homework now…er……see you later." He smiled his lopsided grin and began to walk away.
"Ron…wait." Hermione spun around still feeling a little weak from the hug Ron had given her. Ron turned and looked at her,;his heart leaped.
"Do you….do you want to join me in the library? We could do homework together." Hermione gave him a shy smile. Ron grinned and wanted to whoop and jump into the air. Instead he simply said, 'thanks, that would be great!" Hermione smiled and nodded, "Okay…see you in about 10 minutes?"
"Okay..thanks..see you." Ron turned again to go to the boys dorm to get his school bag and Hermione turned to take a seat on the couch to wait for his return. Both were smiling to themselves.