"Hermione?" Ron said in surprise. "You speak French?"
"RON!" Hermione yelped, jumping to her feet, and clutching her heart. "Jesus, you scared me."
Ron grinned at her slowly. "Sorry," he said, totally not meaning it. "What are you doing out here anyway? I heard you talking to someone..."
"Oh. Yeah, my friend Claire..."
When Ron looked around she laughed. "No, I mean, I was talking to her on my cell phone." She indicated the tiny silver object in her hand.
"That thing is Claire?"
Hermione laughed again. He's so cute when he's stupid. "No... Um... Ron? Do you know what a telephone is?"
Ron furrowed his brow in concentration. "Uh... yeah! Those muggle door handles inside those red boxes."
Hermione smiled at him.
"What?"
"Nothing. I don't think I'd know anyone else who would refer to telephones as "door handles in boxes."
Ron scowled. "Yeah, you probably know much smarter people who aren't idiots then."
Hermione smiled softly at him.
"You know, you don't have to rub it in Hermione. I'll just go." He turned to leave.
"No! Ron! Come back!" She was still laughing, and Ron felt something inside of him give away. He started walking again, faster than before, determined to get away from Hermione and her determination to make him feel like an idiot.
"Ron! Ron, I'm not laughing at you!"
"Yeah?" Ron snarled, suddenly stopping in his tracks giving Hermione time to catch up with him. "Well you're very good at hiding it then."
"No, Ron! I'm NOT laughing at you! I think it's... I think it's..."
Ron glared at her. "Go on then. Say it. Stupid, hilariously ridiculous? What?"
"No! I'd NEVER say anything like that. Unless I were mad at you of course."
"STOP CHANGING THE BLOODY SUBJECT!"
Hermione leapt back in fright. She hadn't seen Ron as mad as this in ages. Not since Harry had become school champion.
"R-Ron, I'm s-sorry if you thought I was m-making fu-fun of you..." she stammered, backing away, tears threatening to spill.
He didn't know why she felt this way... maybe it was because not an hour ago, she and Ron might have been a couple, something she'd dreamed of for four years now... and now he was yelling at her, completely oblivious to what she was really feeling for him.
Ron looked away.
"Ron?" She asked uncertainly, flinching as she saw him glare at her.
"What?"
"I- meant to say that I thought it was cute."
Ron turned. "No you didn't."
Hermione stayed silent, and then Ron smiled. "Seriously? Well why didn't you say so?"
Ha di ha di haha. I love short chapters, don't you? They take 10 minutes to write.
