A/N Sorry I took so long to update but I've been so busy. I just got two days off of school for the OSSLT's so I was able to type something up (OSSLT is Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test and grade 10s have to take it and Grade 9s have to practice for it but the senior students get the two days off unless they failed which I didn't)

O! beware, my lord, or jealousy;

It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock

The meat it feeds on; that cuckold lives in bliss

Who, certain of his fate, loves not his wronger;

But, O! what damned minutes tells he o'er

Who dotes, yet doubts; suspects, yet soundly loves!

-Othello 3.3.165

Chapter Five

"Hey kids, hurry up!" yelled Mr. Granger. He was waiting impatiently in the family's mini-van for the five teenagers. Mr. Granger was a man of habits and getting up at 6:00am was not a habit of his, he didn't open up his dental business till 9:00 so he never woke up until 7:30. Trying to be a nice husband though, he had offered to drive Hermione and her friends to the church for 7:00.

The front door banged open as Hermione, Ron and Harry rushed out. The two boys were really hurrying because they wanted to set a good example for Mr. Granger; Hermione was just trying to keep up with the boys. Scott and Madi knowing how punctual Mr. Granger liked to be had walked over with their stuff at 6:30. Hermione was putting the backpacks, sleeping bags and pillows into the trunk, attempting to make it fit and trying to fend off Ron who wanted to help her but had none of the feminine touch it takes to pack properly.

"Ron. Go. Sit. In. The. Car." Hermione stated agitatedly enunciating each word to get her point across. He climbed into the back seat of the mini-van sulkily. He brightened up though when Hermione climbed in beside him.

"I want to set Madi and Harry up," she whispered confidentially. "If Scott sits in the back with us then they'll have to sit in the middle together." Harry began to climb into the back seat and Hermione hastily told him he couldn't sit there, "the seat belt is funny, you have to know how to buckle it properly."

"I'm sure I can figure it out."

"Not fast enough, you don't want to make Daddy mad do you?"

At the prospect of making "Daddy" mad Harry paled and quickly sat in the middle section. Scott seeing the option of sitting in either the front beside Mr. Granger, the back with Hermione and Ron, or the middle with Harry, instantly decided to sit beside Hermione and suffer having Ron sit on her other side. Madi got into the car and smiled at the prospect of sitting beside Harry for the fifteen minute ride. "They're so cute Scott, what do you think?" asked Hermione quietly.

"I wouldn't mind him dating her. He's definitely a better choice than some people," Scott replied shooting a pointed look at Ron who didn't see it. Ron was thinking, thinking of how he could get Hermione to stop paying attention to that git and talk with him. After all, she had invited him, Ron, to spend Christmas with her, not Scott! Scott, on Hermione's other side, was having sentiments similar to Ron. Why did she invite him? She sees him all year, this, and the summer, is my only time to hang out with her." Hermione, although the smartest witch in her year, the only student that could spot a werewolf, was absolutely oblivious to what the boys sitting on either side of her felt.

Arriving at the church they played a few get to know each other games. Ron was astounded by the tiny people that were trapped inside the small box during musical chairs and was out in the front round. Madi and Harry were the last two people, Harry was very quick as a seeker, but Madi was faster still, if only because Harry was too much of a gentleman to try and get in her way for the chair. Horses, Knights and Cavaliers was a game Hermione was very good at and her and Ron won with the final call of "cavaliers" Scott looked nauseated at Hermione sitting on Ron's knee. Scott won Head-to-Toe because he was trying hard to make Hermione jealous. He had partnered up with a floozy blonde named Alexis. She had spotted Ron right from the start, marking him as the best looking boy in the room, but he hadn't paid any attention to her so she turned her attentions to Scott. His nose was straight, his eyes piercing, and his hair curly and longish. Scott had noticed her but didn't think she could hold a candle up to Hermione, especially since Hermione had begun to tame her wild hair and had gotten braces. Scott couldn't actually remember Hermione having braces but her teeth looked different so he assumed she must have. Harry and Ron hadn't felt too comfortable with the command "nose to cheek" so Scott had had an easy win with Alexis smiling stupidly and grinning. Even if she was partnered with Scott right now, she'd get Ron by tomorrow, she knew she could.

Father Joyson called for the attention of all the youths in the room. "We are here today to be like Jesus, to give our lives in service. We will be sending you to different places in our community where you can make a difference. The places that have asked for our help include the "Free the Children" chapter, a nursing home, and the CHUM radio station Christmas Wish Organization." Scott, Ron, Hermione, Alexis and four other teenagers were assigned to help out at the nursing home. Madi and Harry were sent to the CHUM Christmas Wish event and seemed unconscious of the fact that their three friends weren't with them. Hermione, trying to look on the bright side, told them to have fun, then turned to her two other friends.

"Today will be great you guys. I aided the senior's home two years ago and it was a lot of fun."

"What do we do there?" asked Ron, but before Hermione could answer he wandered off to take pictures of the church.

"Come on Hermione," coaxed Scott, grabbing her hand. "We should try to sit together on the bus." Hermione went with him and they grabbed a seat near the back of the hired school bus. Ron followed, and sat in front of them. Alexis rushed up and nearly fell into Ron's lap in her zeal to sit beside him. Hermione tried to stifle her laughter at the asinine way the girl was behaving because of Ron. Mind you, he is good looking. Hermione regretted thinking that thought instantly and felt a red glow creep up her neck and cheeks. Scott was pompous enough to think he was the one making her colour and even had the audacity to put his arm around her. She gingerly removed it, cognisance of the fact that Scott had a crush on her starting to dawn. Scott was like a peacock, feeling that if he wasn't sitting down he would be strutting. Hermione's so innocent. She doesn't know how to react to a man's attentions. He thought smugly. I'll have to teach her.

Hermione was fuming. That slut Alexis is hanging all over Ron. She excused her anger as pity that Ron had to put up with that. He's so superficial he's probably staring down her shirt- what there is to it anyways- right now. In reality, Ron was in fact edging as far away on the small grey seat from the buxom blonde as he could. Her idiotic giggling was getting on his nerves and the way she was flaunting herself in front of him was disgusting. Girls should dress more conservatively. It's nice to have to guess a little bit. Hermione always looks good. Startled by this thought he tried to get it out of his mind but it was nearly impossible to stop thinking about the beautiful brunette sitting behind him with that git Scott. He doesn't deserve her, he'd take her for granted, I'd treat her right. Wait, what am I thinking, I don't want to go out with Hermione, she's my best friend – and the prettiest girl I know. No, she has bushy hair. Not anymore, she found a spell and it's either straight or curly now.

"Ron," Hermione tapped his shoulder. He swivelled around in the seat and mouthed "Help me!" while sending sickened glances in Alexis' direction.

"Ow!" Ron placed a hand to his neck, when turning around to talk to Hermione he'd pulled a muscle and his neck had begun to throb. "I think I hurt my neck," he whimpered, sounding like a child and trying not to cry.

"Scott," Hermione commanded, "switch seats with Ron; I need to see if I can help him."

"Hermione! It'll probably hurt him more to move."

"No it won't. Ron just don't move your neck. Scott, shove."

Ron, holding his neck slid past Alexis and ignored the malevolent looks Scott was attempting to shoot at him. He sank into the elephant hide like seat beside Hermione and sent her a thankful glance.

"I didn't actually hurt my neck," he whispered confidentially. "I just didn't want to sit beside that trollop anymore."

"We can't let Scott know that you're not actually hurt though," she grinned at being let in on his secret. "Put your head in my lap and stretch your feet across the aisle."

Ron did so, apologizing to the person who was sitting where his feet had to go. Hermione and Ron sat in that position, Hermione playing with his hair, both of them laughing, Ron pretending his neck hurt every time they went over a bump and got jostled, until they reached the senior's home. Together they got off the bus and holding hands walked towards the green sign that read 'Erin Meadows Senior Centre'.

Scott seeing the pair of them together became extremely resentful and to spite them put his arm around Alexis' waist and walked with her towards the old-fashioned building. Hermione and Ron didn't even notice.

A/N I'm sure Scott really is a nice guy but I needed someone to pick on and since there was no way Draco was getting over to Hermione's house as well, I guess there is a way but I didn't want to write it, Scott's the pompous windbag.

Shout Outs

G0blet0fFire - glad you laughed. I'm glad you like Ron's reactions. Do you think I should make him react more to more muggle things?

jekl - yup, Canada has a Thanksgiving. I don't think you're an arrogant American, don't worry, must Canadians don't know a lot about you either. I can only tell you all about your settlement, War of Independence and your first 7 presidents (lol I'm just trying to show off. I'm taking American History right now) Plus, we're not as highly mediaized as you ( i didn't know the word to use) I doubt you can follow our elections in your newspapers so really it's not your fault. And yes, my sister takes offence. Actually she doesn't, she just laughed.

ruperts angel - I'm glad you like the story and the alternate part

thehalfbloodprincess - yes, Scott is a piece of poo. lol. The church scene is coming up next chapter, sorry i was going to make it this chapter but then this chapter would have been really long and I never would have posted it.

Ronlover - i'm glad someone just wants me to write, so I did :)

Passionflower24 - i updated as soon as i could, i'm glad you like my story

Severus-Snape-Rog - I'm assuming I had a spelling mistake or two in the last chapter. Sorry, I'll try to be more careful. And I don't laugh at Americans, be nice to them, she never said Canadians were stupid. And since this story's only Ok, I know it is. My sister wanted me to write some fluff crap, check my other story out, it's better.