Summary: Hermione and Ron find themselves stuck in a Labyrinth. If they're going to get out, they'll have to learn to work together. But once they do, what will happen when they discover much more than meets the eye?
Rating: PG
Pairing: Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger
Disclaimer: I do not, did not and never will own Harry Potter.
The Labyrinth of Love
Chapter 2: The Feast and the Sorting Hat
"Hobble off then" Ron called in fake cheer to a small first year with strawberry pink hair. The girl blushed deeply and went off to another first year who looked exactly like her; a twin.
"Can't you be a little more...cheerful?" said Hermione with a disapproving look. She hated the way he always had to affect others when he was in a bad mood. She wondered about this, because he looked pretty happy half the time in the prefects' compartment. "What has gotten into him?" she asked herself, and shook her head when he started telling off a second year that evidently lost his frog.
"Of course I can, I just don't want to", Ron replied, as he watched the second year search for his frog, "This kid's like Neville, only—", he said in a lower, jeering tone when Hermione came to check on how he was doing.
"Ron!"
"What? I was—"
"Hey Ron, Hermione!" a voice said.
They both wheeled around. It was Harry, from a few meters away. They waved back, and to his dismay, they were forced to turn back to prefect duties.
"Settle down!" Hermione said aloud, but in a kind manner. Some of the first years got the idea, and settled down, as Hermione told them to. However, some people at the back were messing around, talking in loud voices. Hermione looked around and saw the other prefects busy, ushering in students in lower years. She was getting a bit desperate when suddenly Ron spoke.
"She said SHUT UP!" Ron bellowed, "Are you that stupid, or are you just deaf?"
"Whatever", someone from the back row said loudly. Ron glared at him, and the kid quieted down, and muttered an apology.
Hermione smiled and, for the first time, admired Ron's talent for shouting at people. Something white shot out of the corner of her eye. She turned to see a few ghosts pass, transparent, and filling the first years with awe.
Finally, Professor McGonagall stepped in as the doors that went into the Great Hall swung open. Hermione grinned, and Ron just tried to smooth out his robes again.
"We are ready for you", she said aloud, "Prefects, please show them in. Thank you"
Hermione picked out a group of giggling girls. "Yes, yes I know her hat looks funny, just, please, follow me", she said tiredly, and she showed them into the Great Hall.
"Oooh—", one of the girls said, and instantly, her companion told her to keep quiet. Hermione beamed. "A future prefect", she thought, and continued to walk on until they reached the front of the platform where the sorting hat sat, waiting to sing its new song.
She told them to wait for the sorting—quietly—and she left to join the other Gryffindors at their table. She spotted Ron, who was looking for her, and gestured for him to sit down.
"Honestly, Ron, you are quite blind", she said in her know-it-all voice. Ron scowled at looked at Harry for some help. Harry just shrugged.
"I'm clueless too, mate", Harry said, trying to help, "Better just live with it"
Ron shook his head sarcastically then straightened up to watch the sorting. They were never really that fun. On occasion, there were some first years who kept the hat on, and he remembered the other year when a small boy blurted out "But he has a hook-like nose", when the sorting hat had declared him a Slytherin. The next day, Ron heard that the kid was given a week's detention for having his sneakers untied at Potions.
"Hufflepuff!" the hat declared, and the little girl with bright yellow hair skipped off to the Hufflepuff table, which was sitting under yellow streamers with a huge yellow banner outlined with black.
The sorting seemed to go on and on, but Hermione managed to keep her chin up and pretended to be listening. She clapped as a dark haired boy, declared a Gryffindor, came up to their table and sat between Harry and Colin Creevey. Harry smiled at him, and grinned, as they boys eyes wandered over to Harry's forehead. Colin then started to talk to the boy about Harry, and Harry, and Harry...
After the sorting, Dumbledore stood up. His beard bright silver under the candles' glow, and he adjusted his glasses and took a sip from his already filled goblet.
"Welcome students, new and old", he said in his is usually slow voice. The funny thing was, no matter how slow he spoke, it was always full of energy and his eyes glinted behind his glasses. He got into his usual talk about the long list of restricted items posted on Filch's office door and of the forbidden forest and its being...forbidden.
"Let the feast begin!"
The empty plates that sat in front of them were instantly filled with food. Lamb chops, chicken, gravy and potatoes...everything Ron's heart desired. He ate to his heart's content, occasionally taking a sip of chilled Pumpkin juice.
Hermione looked at him in slight disgust. She hated how he had to eat so fast. The food was going to stay there long enough anyway. She wondered how he could eat this much and still have room for dessert. Hermione decided to clear that off her mind, and eat to her heart's desire too.
She was starting to become quite full when the plates disappeared and were replaced by smaller plates of sweet tarts and cakes, and even little bowls of ice cream topped off with whipped cream and cherries. Hermione was too weak to resist the ice cream, so she ended up taking a bowl with a small helping.
Ron took a slice of cake, three small tarts, and a bowl of ice cream. Finally, Hermione couldn't help herself.
"How do you eat that much?" she asked him.
He looked at her with a questioning look of blended anger, embarrassment, and humor. "Oh", he said flatly, "I dunno"
"I thought so", she said, rolling her eyes.
--
"Oooh", the girl said again, as Hermione and Ron led the first years to the Gryffindor common room. They were halfway up the stairs, and the pictures were moving around, staring at the children curiously.
"Keep quiet", she said, taking a page out of Ron's book and glaring at the girl.
"I was just appreciating art..." she said quietly. The girl beside her giggled.
"Hey Hermione, let me do a Percy", Ron grinned.
"Please Ron—"
"I'm a prefect, follow me. Now this is the most direct way to the dormitories—", he said pompously, as Percy did so in their first year.
"Password?" the fat lady said in a bored tone.
Hermione said the password quickly, and the portrait swung open. They all went in. Harry was sitting down on a couch, waiting impatiently for them to arrive.
"About time..."
"You sound like Malfoy", Ron said quickly, and he brushed his flaming red hair off his eyes.
"Ron, better get a hair cut. I don't think—"
"Yeah, yeah. I'm tired Hermione, just—just let me sleep"
Harry yawned and looked around. Some fifth years were lounging around, but aside from that, the common room was empty. Most of them went up to bed already.
"Oh I suppose so", Hermione said, "Goodnight Harry...Ron"
"'Night 'Mione"
"Night"
--
Hermione looked up the stairs sleepily and climbed it up to her dormitory.
"Hey Hermione", Parvati said, wearing bright pink pajamas.
"Hello Parvati...Lavender", she said, and ambled on to her four-poster bed. She sat down for a while, and stared at the wall. Her eyes glazed over, and she quickly stood up again, and pulled out silky purple pajamas and a yellow face towel.
She went into the bathroom and stared at herself.
"You look so old Hermione", she told her reflection.
"Okay dear..." the mirror said sleepily.
She quickly washed her face, brushed her teeth, and quietly combed her hair, thinking about the next day.
--
Ron grumpily changed into red and white striped pajamas, and watched as Harry put on some socks.
"Those socks look sick", he told Harry, and Harry stared.
"I suppose they are. They used to be Uncle Vernon's"
"They are. I can tell. They're all moldy"
The 'sock' conversation continued and ended up being a 'quidditch' conversation. Harry got into bed staring at his socks, and thinking that they really were sick.
Ron smiled sleepily and slipped under the blanket. He was reflecting on the day's activities. And what more, he was thinking about how he felt so 'warm' when Hermione had offered him Bertie Bott's Every Flavored Beans.
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A/N: Thank you to all my reviewers.
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