(A/N: Thank you to Joan Marie Mesi for reviewing the first chapter and everyone else! Here's the second…please tell me what you think!)

Ron scanned the shelves of Honeydukes miserably. "She hates me."

"No, she doesn't. She's just a little—"

"She HATES me. I know she does."

"Ron, you're wrong. Hermione's only—"

"I'm not asking for your opinion, Harry. She hates me, that's all."

"No, it's not all. You're taking this way too far. I talked to her, all right? She does NOT hate you!"

"The girl I love hates me. Get over it, Harry."

"I'm not the one who needs to get over it! It's your problem! You're the one who's making it into such a big deal! Like you said, you're the one who loves her! I'm only trying to help!"

Ron continued to avoid his best friend's gaze. He didn't get angry, he just kept on moping. "Great. Now you're mad at me too."

Harry moaned. "Ron. Snap out of it. I'm your friend, remember? Ron. Look at me."

Ron dolefully turned his head from the appealing Liverwurst Snaps and Lime-flavored Licorice Sticks. "I know, I know. It's just…what am I supposed to do to make it up?"

Harry thought for a second. In that second, a large lady with a huge amethyst brooch bumped into Harry, sending him flying.

"Oh, so sorry, m'dear, didn't see you there!" The lady apologized quickly then continued on her way, through the huge, bustling, noisy crowd.

Harry said nothing, struck with inspiration.

"Ron!" he hissed to the still melancholy boy, grabbing him by the arm and dragging him out of the candy store.

"What is it? Let go of me! What?"

Once they were outside in the cold, crisp winter air Harry stopped and turned to him. "Ron, it's perfect! Get her some jewelry! Like…I dunno…earrings or something!"

"I don't think that Hermione has pierced ears…" Ron said doubtfully. Harry, dubious at his friend's insecurity at his brilliant idea, gaped.

"Well then get her a ring, or a necklace, or a bracelet! Take your pick of the lot, but don't you think that it's a good plan?"

Ron thought. "I dunno. As far as plans go, it's horrible. Good plans are always so…complicated. Hard." Harry's face revealed great anger and wrath, so Ron quickly added on, "But as far as idea's go, I'd say that it's got potential. It's better than Pickled Eyeballs any day."

"Ron," Harry said, "Hermione wasn't far from the truth when she said you've got the emotional range of a teaspoon. I'd give you a tablespoon, but even that's pushing it. And how would you know about getting Pickled Eyeballs for a present?"

Ron grinned. "Wouldn't you like to know."

………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Three hours later, it was five minutes until time to leave. Ron and Harry were exhausted, having walked up and down Hogsmeade Lane at least fifty…fifty-two times. They were pooped, tired, sweaty, weary, drained, worn-out, fatigued, and mostly deadbeat.

"Ron?" Harry said, as they walked back towards the castle.

"What?"

"You know how you think Hermione hates you?"

"No, I don't think it, I KNOW that she—"

"Yeah, yeah, anyway, my POINT is that I hate you a million times more."

"Jewelry was your idea, not mine. I'd have settled for a Sugar Quill or two from the beginning, but NO, let's get Hermione a bracelet!"

"I was only trying to help you, Mr. Oh-no-what-will-I-do-my-life-is-over-because-she-hates-me-so-I-should-just-commit-suicide-or-something-like-that-instead-of-being-smart Weasley!"

"Oh, so just blame ME now, will you? I see how it is! I see!" Ron said fiercely, prepared to fight. Harry didn't have the strength, but he could pretend he did.

"Well I see too!"

"So do I! I see how this is going to end! It's going to end with you on the ground and me laughing! I see! I see…a jewelry store?" Ron said.

"Where?" Harry asked, alert.

"Look! Next to Locks-U-Love."

"I don't remember seeing that the other fifty-two times we walked past here!"

Ron stared at him. "You counted?"

"Well, kind of…anyway, why didn't we see it before?"

"We can ask when we get inside, all right? Come on, hurry. I want to get Hermione's present right now, okay?"

"You do like my plan, don't you."

"You're idea, yes, but only because I don't know anything better."

"Typical."

The jewelry store was an antique jewelry store, obviously. It kind of reminded Ron of Borgin and Burkes, because it was old and dusty and had a somewhat sad aura around it. It was small, a hole-in-the-wall place. But Ron liked it because he knew that Hermione would like it.

Beautiful. Its name was Beautiful. Ron knew automatically that he had to bring Hermione here one day, and that this was the place he would find what he was looking for.

Harry glanced at his watch. "Dang it, Ron, we need to go back. It's too late to go inside, we have Potions! You don't want detention, do you?"

"No, but…" Ron gazed longingly at the store that had appeared out of nowhere.

"Ron, it'll be there tomorrow. And the next day. And the next day. And maybe even the day after that, if you're lucky," Harry muttered sarcastically. He started off at a brisk walk.

Ron stood there, staring at the wooden sign with the name hand-written on it in a fancy, loopy, elegant cursive.

Beautiful…

Hermione is beautiful…

"Harry!" Ron called desperately.

He turned around. "What?"

"Let me borrow your Invisibility Cloak."

Harry shook his head. "What?"

"So I can get her something! Please. I need to do this! It's in there, I just know it!" Ron pleaded.

Harry studied him. "Fine. But first you have to admit that I'm a genius."

Ron rolled his eyes. "Fine, whatever, you're a genius." But he was smiling.

So was Harry—"Thank you." Turning to Hogwarts, he murmured, "Accio Invisibility Cloak!"

Silence.

Nothing.

More silence.

More nothing.

Even more silence.

And then…

Nope. Still nothing.

"Harry, say it again!"

"Accio Invisi—" Suddenly the breath was knocked out of him and Harry felt like he had been punched.

"What is it?" called Ron, running over to his friend.

Harry stood up, brushing off the dirt. "This," he said, and shoved something into Ron's arm.

The Invisibility Cloak. Being invisible.

"Thanks!" Ron said.

"No problem." Harry took off at a run. "Thanks to you, I'm going to be late for class!" He yelled back.

"Have fun with Snapey!" Ron retorted, already throwing the Cloak on over his shoulders. It was warm and velvety soft. Gathering up his courage, he stepped inside.

Hermione, he thought as his eyes were amazed. The store was small, but it held so much magic…wand-made and REAL magic. Was this what Hermione experienced whenever she opened a book? Ron suspected so.

A tinkling music was coming from a music box somewhere (A/N: Imagine the Harry Potter theme) , but there were wooden cabinets everywhere, necklaces and diamonds and jewels and bracelets and earrings and beautiful shining things that were old, they looked old, but looked unique and…Beautiful.

"Um…hello?" Ron called out weakly, walking around cabinets toward the back. "Is…anyone there?"

"Who's there?" came a gruff voice. An elderly man, from the sound of it.

"Um…just me…"

"Who's me?" Walking. There was a sound of shoes clacking against the wood floor.

And then a face suddenly appeared from behind a cabinet. "Hello? Who's there?"

Ron started. What was wrong with this man? Couldn't he see? Ron was right in front of him…oh. Wearing the Invisibility Cloak.

He threw it off. Now it was the man's turn to start.

"Who the devil 're ya?" he snarled. "And what be ye doing in my store, frightening the living daylights outta my customers?"

Ron stuttered profoundly, scared to death. "I-I ju-just wan-n-nted to uh…uh…"

The man looked away in annoyance, then turned back to Ron. "Speak now or forever hold yer peace!"

"Excuse m-me, but there are no other customers in y-your shop."

The man frowned in confusion, then blinked rapidly a few times.

Ron waited.

He spoke again finally, with a more sorrowful tone in his voice. "Oh…excuse me. I get these flashbacks to the olden days…the golden days…you see," he explained, "my store used to be filled with customers. And it wasn't an antique store, you better believe it! But then there was a huge…I'm not sure…market crash, stock crash, something of the like. And I was almost left penniless. All I have is this store…but she is beautiful, isn't she?"

Ron nodded eagerly. "Yes, yes she is…"

The man shook his head. "Anyway, to business. I am Silverstone, Jay Silverstone. What is it exactly that you are looking for?"

Ron cast his gaze towards his feet. "Um…a girl…I mean, no, I'm not looking FOR a girl, but looking for something FOR a girl. I mean…no…no, yeah…" He gave up.

Silverstone smiled, his face wrinkling. Nice, Ron decided, if loony. Definitely loony. But definitely nice, still.

"Ah…for a girl," he replied. "Tell me, is she beautiful?"

Ron shrugged. "Maybe not to others, but she is to me."

"Is she smart?"

Here Ron grinned. "Definitely."

"Is she confident?"

"Most of the time…"

"Sensitive?"

Ron rolled his eyes. "Yup."

"Is she mad at you right now?"

Ron snapped back to reality. "Whoa…what?"

He laughed. "Mad at you right now."

"Mad's an understatement. She hates me." Ron whispered, tears coming to his eyes. Stop it, he commanded himself, stop crying. You sissy, you pathetic wimp.

The man pondered for a second, then said simply, "Come with me."

Ron followed Silverstone as he weaved between cabinets and shelves and jewelry, beautiful items.

They reached a desk. Silverstone slid behind it, but Ron remained on the other side.

"Do you love her?" he asked finally, after a long pause. He wasn't looking at Ron, though—he was rummaging through a drawer for something.

"Um…I…well…" Ron wasn't sure if he wanted to exactly tell this man his every thought about Hermione, even though Ron did like the magic this store possessed.

Then Silverstone produced a necklace.

A beautiful necklace.

A necklace that would show Hermione how he felt, how much he loved her, and how simple and yet complicated love could be at the same time. Ron drew in his breath. It was perfect.

A white, perfect shell with natural lines etched in it for eternity was in the shape of a heart. Ron knew—he just KNEW—that no one had carved it that way. It was perfectly smooth and perfectly white and perfectly perfect. It was attached to a black, wide satin ribbon that closed with a gold clasp.

Ron had to give that necklace to Hermione almost as much as he had to kiss her at one point in his lifetime. He gazed from it to the old man, who was holding it in his hands as if he was holding his dearest love. "How much is it?" Ron whispered.

"It's only for sale with love," Silverstone replied softly.

"What do you mean?" asked Ron, who was now worried that he wouldn't be able to give it to Hermione.

"Do you love her?" he asked firmly.

Ron could summon the image of Hermione to his mind effortlessly, and he did so now. Yes, he did love her. He loved the way she got annoyed at him whenever he was cocky and overconfident, he loved the way she would sometimes tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear without even realizing it, he loved the way she carried her books and refused to ever bend over, the way she had to stand tall or else not at all. He loved her…Head spinning, dizzy with the strong emotions, he murmured, "Yes. Yes, I love her."

"Good." Silverstone nodded. "I can see that you really do." He smiled weakly, then held out the necklace. "Here."

Ron's jaw dropped. "Wait—what? Are you…giving it to me? How much is it?"

"Free."

Ron's jaw dropped even lower, though it seems impossible. "Look, I have…money…somewhere…galleons…come on, how much is it? Really?" He was digging deep in his pockets.

"I once loved a woman," Silverstone began. "She was beautiful, smart, funny, amazing. I was new to the small town that she lived in, and it was so long ago that the ladies flocked to me." He paused and winked at Ron. "I thought she loved me, and I knew that I loved her. So I found this necklace one day in an antique store. I loved it and knew that she would too. Strangely, the store owner, who was a very old man, said that it was a charmed and a cursed necklace. He saw that I loved her and gave it to me for free, and so I presented it to her. She loved it.

"But a year or so passed, with marriage on my mind, and then came the day when another man came to the town. He was rich, handsome, young, and had so much more than I had to offer her than I did. My love wasn't enough the moment she saw him. She ran off without a second thought, and the necklace she had faithfully, dutifully worn every day was left behind in my room, with a note underneath it.

"Dear Jay, it read,

I know that you love me and so you will understand that when I leave you behind I do so with no intention whatsoever of hurting you. Please know that you cannot provide me with what I need—love.

"There was no point for me to read the rest—the letter clearly revealed her true person, and just how shallow she was. I took it back, waiting for true love.

So I warn you—because I have never had a true love, I am not sure what this necklace will do. It could take you to a whole other dimension, or perhaps twist her thoughts for you. I don't know. But it might also bring you true love, passion, or great friendship."

He placed it in Ron's hand. Ron studied the shell with great interest. Nah, he didn't believe that it was really cursed. Different dimensions? Passion? Yeah, right. Like he had thought before, the guy was nice but a complete nutcase.

"Thanks…I'll just be going now."

Silverstone nodded. "May good fortune and love find you, wherever you may go."

Ron nodded, a bit less than enthusiastically.

The old man leaned in. "And remember…you love her."

This advice Ron found redundant, but he acted polite and thanked Silverstone anyway.

Once outside of Beautiful, Ron threw on the Invisibility Cloak. "Hermione, here I come…" Taking a wary glance at the innocent necklace, he began trudging back to his dear love.