Chapter 16: The Madness of Wizard Teenagers

"I said, give me your factory!" Draco exclaimed, pointing the double-sided light saber at a frightened looking Mr. Norris, his wand still upon Slughorn.

"I…uh…" Mr. Norris looked up to Slughorn for support. However, the portly professor who still hanging in the air, merely shrugged his shoulders with a helpless expression upon his face. Mr. Norris had no other choice but to surrender. He looked up at Draco, who was admiring the double-sided light saber while still pointing his wand at Slughorn. With a shaking hand, Mr. Norris unclipped a bundle of keys from his belt and offered them to Draco.

"Here! Here you are son. Please, don't hurt me!" Draco laughed at the muggle's pleading words. As he went to grab the keys he lowered his wand hand, and in doing so caused Slughorn to fall to the ground with a dull thud. Yet the professor's excess blubber seemed to shield him from the fall, and he clambered over to where Mr. Norris was sitting. Before Draco could register what was happening, Slughorn had grabbed Mr. Norris by the arm and they disappeared with a loud crack!.

"Blasted man!" Draco exclaimed. Well, at least I got the factory. Who needs that fat fool anyways…And with that thought, Draco grabbed a box of freshly packaged crystallized pineapples for his master, took one final smug look around him, and disapparated.

"Hermione, can I come in?" a muffled voice called from behind the bedroom door.

"Yes," Hermione sniffed. The young redhead opened the door gingerly and stepped inside her room.

"Are you ok?" Ginny asked, as Hermione wiped her eyes.

"Yes!...I mean no!...I mean, I don't know!" Hermione threw up her hands up in exasperation. "What in the world is going on, Ginny? First Viktor proposes to me, then Ron! What are they playing at? I've never even dated either one of them!"

"Well, it's obvious that Viktor fancies you. You know he's always staring at you. But I would've never guessed that he'd propose!" Ginny exclaimed.

"Yeah, I get that much…" Hermione replied.

"And as for Ron…" Ginny trailed off.

"What?" Hermione implored impatiently, her voice sounding nervous.

"Well, that's obvious too! Everyone can tell you like each other! And now he's finally admitted it!"

"Yeah, by proposing! It's insane! Like I'd ever get married at seventeen! Ha!" Hermione broke out into a fit of desperate, maniacal laughter.

"Uh, Hermione?...maybe you ought to get some sleep now. And you know, think about things." Hermione, however, continued laughing like a madwoman. "Uh, Hermione? Are you ok?" The laughter continued. "HERMIONE!" Ginny pinched Hermione's side, hard.

"OW!"

"Well, at least you stopped laughing," Ginny said meekly. "Now go to sleep!"

"You really are a violent little girl, Ginny…" Hermione mumbled, before dozing off into dreamland full of sulking, duck-footed redhead dementors with engagement rings.

Harry awoke with an odd feeling inside, the odd feeling that he was being watched. He rubbed his eyes and blindly reached for his glasses. As soon as he put them on and opened his eyes, he gave a yelp of surprise. Ron was kneeling at the foot of his bed, with an expectant expression on his face. Harry was disturbingly reminded of when Dobby would pop up on him every now and then during second year.

"Geesh! What the heck are you doing there, Ron?" Harry asked, annoyed.

"Help! Help me! What do I do? I made such a fool of myself last night! What do I say, Harry? What? WHAT?" Ron frantically grabbed Harry's pajama collar.

"Get off!" Harry exclaimed, even more annoyed. "Yeah, you did make a fool out of yourself! And you're still making a full of yourself," Harry continued, prying Ron's clenched fingers off his collar. Ron looked like he was about to cry.

"Look," Harry sighed, "just tell Hermione the truth! That you were acting like a jealous git and that you really fancy her." Ron blanched.

"I can't do that! She'll just laugh at me!" Ron cried.

"Hey, you asked for advice! And that's what I've got for you." Harry rapidly changed and left Ron alone, gaping at his moving Chudley Cannons poster.

Harry was surprised at what he saw when he reached the bottom of the staircase. Apparently, Viktor had not left last night like he had planned to, and was instead sitting on the Weasley's couch in deep conversation with Hermione.

"I understand, Her-mee-own. I am sorry that you do not love me too. Can we still be friends?" From where Harry was standing, it looked like the Quidditch star's eyes were watering.

"Oh of course, Viktor!" Hermione said. "I do care about you. Just not the same way you care about me."

"It is okay. I will always love you." Viktor picked up Hermione's hand and kissed it. Harry was glad Ron hadn't come downstairs yet, or else Viktor would have a black eye (or two) by now. Just in case, Harry turned around to make sure Ron wasn't behind him. The stairway was empty.

"I must be going now. I have practice this afternoon," Viktor said. He rose curtly and looked at Hermione. "I will always love you." Before Hermione could say anything else, Viktor was out the door and speeding off in his pink Hummer. Harry could have sworn he heard Viktor sob on his way out. Hermione remained sitting on the couch, staring blankly into space.

"Uh, Hermione?" Harry wavered. She turned around quickly, not expecting anyone to be there.

"Oh hi, Harry. Viktor just left," she said.

"Oh?" Harry tried to say casually, as if he hadn't been eavesdropping.

"Yes."

Just then, someone came thumping hurriedly down the stairs. Hermione's eyes widened and Harry turned around to see who it was. There was Ron, standing a few steps behind Harry, panting and scarlet in the face. Harry looked from Ron to Hermione, than back again.

"Er, I'll just go see what Ginny and the twins are up to," Harry said quickly, bolting back upstairs, leaving his two crazy friends to sort out their feelings. On his way up, he collided with George.

"Whoa there, mate," George said, steadying himself.

"Where are you going?" Harry asked.

"Um, to breakfast," George replied, with a puzzled expression.

"Don't go down there!" Harry cried. He did not want anyone going down and embarrassing Ron and Hermione when it seemed like they were finally going to get things right.

"And why not?" George asked, with a sly grin, just as Fred emerged from their bedroom. "Ah, Fred, it seems that Harry here is hiding something from us," George told his twin.

"No, I'm not!" Harry said defiantly.

"Then we'll be on our way to breakfast. Toodle-oo!" The twins laughed as they started to descend the stairs.

"No, please wait," Harry said in a serious tone. "Look…Ron is down there with Hermione-" The twins raised their eyebrows. "-and I think he's telling her how he really feels! He would be really embarrassed if anyone overheard."

"Ah, all the more reason to go down then!" Fred said. The twins continued their descent, and all the while Harry trying to stop them. It was, however, two against one. The twins stopped abruptly when they reached the bottom floor, and listened. Ron and Hermione were murmuring on the couch. Just as quickly as they'd stopped, Fred and George barged into the living room.

"Aww, look at ickle Ronnikins the romantic!" George mocked. Hermione and Ron jumped up from their seats, and turned to face Harry, Fred, and George. Harry was expecting embarrassed faces, then rage from Ron for the teasing. However, both Ron and Hermione looked absolutely elated. Ron picked up Hermione's left hand, showing it to his brothers and best friend. Resting upon her ring finger was a dazzling diamond.

"We're engaged!" Hermione shrieked joyfully.