Disclaimer: I do not and will never own Harry Potter and all Related Titles and such...
A/N: I particularly liked writing this chapter because of the intense R/Hr-ness. I hope I didn't butcher it. Thanks for Reading & Reviewing!
"Yes, pudding, I'm starving," Ron said. He cheered up immensely when Mrs. Weasley brought in two delicious-looking cakes.
"Ronald! You just had two helpings of everything on the table," Hermione stated sternly.
"Yes, but Hermione, there's always room for pudding," Ron replied matter-of-factly.
"Ron, you've had the same appetite since I met you," Hermione commented disbelievingly.
"And that's why you love me," Ron grinned in between bites of cake. Hermione seemed strangely taken aback by this statement and turned slightly pink. She turned to talk to Ginny. Ron was too busy eating to notice anything.
After Ron's third slice of cake, he was reaching for his fourth, but Mrs. Weasley gave Ron a look. He took the cake anyway. He started to down his cake until there was one bite left. He looked at it, undeciding, until he spied Hermione's cake sitting unguarded on the table. She had eaten almost none of it. Ron smiled mischievously and tried to grab some off of her plate.
Hermione turned and saw him put the cake to his mouth. Immediately, she went for Ron's cake, but Ron was quicker. Just as she was putting the cake to her mouth with a triumphant smile on her face, Ron pushed her hand towards her face so that the frosting smudged on her cheek. Quick as a flash, a giggling Hermione got icing on her finger and immediately went for Ron's nose.
They were both laughing outright at each other's frosting-covered faces. It was quite funny until they heard a very loud cough.
"Er… Hermione? Ron? Is something funny?" Mrs. Weasley inquired.
"Yeah guys, having fun over there?" Fred sniggered.
"The cake's delicious," Ron replied, looking embarrassed and grinning convincingly. Hermione went from being embarrassed to trying with all her might to hold in her laughter. Everyone at the table, including the Delacours,started chuckling while Fred, George, and Ginny shared a knowing glance.
Everyone seemed quite at ease as they left the table. Even the Delacours seemed to be enjoying themselves, for the time being.
The Weasley children, excluding Bill, started to wash the dishes as everyone else went to relax outside. Hermione immediately went to help Ginny because she was the only one who wasn't of age yet; she couldn't use magic to dry the dishes.
As soon as Hermione walked over, Ginny started to smirk mischievously.
"What? What's with that look?" Hermione asked curiously.
"What look?" Ginny asked innocently.
"That look; like you know something," Hermione replied accusingly.
"Oh, nothing… I was just thinking," Ginny replied, concentrating on the dishes.
"Now I'm curious. Just tell me already," Hermione demanded.
"You seemed to have been having a lot of fun at dinner. With Ron," Ginny said.
"Well, I mean, we're friends…" Hermione said, turning red.
"Sure…" Ginny said, disbelieving. Hermione looked like she was going to respond, but held back and waited until the boys left.
"Well… I mean… c'mon, what's a bit of harmless flirting?" Hermione muttered in a barely audible tone. She was beet red now; she looked like she could give the Weasleys a run for their money
"Harmless? Are you sure it wasn't for other reasons? Hermione, confess. I'm a girl, I won't make fun of you," Ginny told, or rather commanded, Hermione.
"Yes, but you're also Ron's sister," Hermione reminded her.
"Yes, but I'm also one of your best friends. Are you going to go tell… anyone else… that you fancy Ron?" Ginny asked. She looked slightly uncomfortable suddenly. She mysteriously didn't mention Harry. Hermione, however, almost jumped out of her skin. She hissed,
"Will you keep it down? Someone could hear you. I don't exactly want that out in the open," Hermione whispered, looking over her shoulder.
"Ha! So you admit it! You fancy my brother!" Ginny beamed triumphantly.
"Yes… well… I mean… I want to be able to still be friends. Key word: friends," Hermione replied. Ginny seemed to have not heard this.
"So, how long? Have you fancied him?" Ginny inquired. She had forgotten about the dishes. She had a huge grin on her face.
"Well, since the begin- wait, no! This can wait until we get to your room. As in you are not to mention this conversation until we have reached the safety of your room. This conversation never happened," Hermione seemed quite terrified that Ron would pop up at any moment. (He could apparate.)
"Fine, deal," Ginny agreed. As they left the kitchen, Ginny muttered under her breath, "One down,one to go."
A/N: Okay, so you didn't really see the Delacours in this chapter, but I couldn't resist the shippiness. It was just there. I'll put them in the up-and-coming chapters. And you'll never figure out who Ginny's in league with.