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IWSC Writing School Season 4 Issue 5

Write a ficlet with plenty of dialogue


*Plink*

Ron read the text and his eyes grew large with terror. The picnic table of his co-workers went silent; they noticed the green and queasy look forming on his face.

"Mate, it's her!"

Harry cracked a teasing smile. "Hermione?"

"No, the Loch Ness Monster—Of course, Hermione!"

A small chorus of amused cheers erupted from his friends at the news. Harry threw crisp crumbs at Ron like confetti; Seamus drummed on the splintered wood of the table; Dean clapped Ron on the back; Neville perked up with genuine curiosity because unlike the rest, he had not yet heard about this Hermione that Ron was courting.

Ron reread the text over and over. With every analysis, the meaning of the words changed.

Hi Ron

I had a nice time

Let's do it again, soon :)

"Well, go on." Dean prodded him to take up his phone. "Say something back."

"Yeah," Ron said, choking on his own tongue; it was so dry and spongy and frankly taking up too much room in his mouth. "Like what?"

Dean shrugged. "Anything, really. She reached out to you, mate. Clearly, she wants you."

"What if she's just being polite?" She had been very polite on their coffee date. "What if she's just giving me the brush off."

"No way. You two went out yesterday, yeah?" Always quick to bolster Ron's confidence, Harry added, "It just means she's thinking about you."

"That's just it! Seamus said I shouldn't even think about texting her for a couple of days."

"Seamus wouldn't know a romantic opportunity if it was standing in front of him starkers!" Dean barked a laugh.

"Oi, I resent that!" Seamus threw down his sandwich in protest over the jeers of the other guys. "Waiting to text is solid advice. You don't want to skeeve her out."

"Buhd by dhat logic, isn'th she dhe skeevy one?" Neville chimed in with his mouth full.

Seamus shook his head. "No way. Girls don't need to follow that rule. It just means she's keen."

Seamus' eyebrows did a suggestive wiggle as he took up his sandwich again and had a bite.

"But does Ron still have to follow the rules if she's gone and texted him first?" Harry asked.

"Nah, she opened up the dialogue. You should have texted her back like 2 minutes ago."

"What!?"

"Relax mate." Harry threw Seamus a scowl for working Ron into frenzy. "Just calm down and say something back."

Ron wracked his brain for a response. "It has to be perfect," he muttered with his thumbs fidgeting over the keyboard.

"What if you just say you had a nice time too?" Neville suggested, slurping on his soda to wash down his earlier bite.

Ron nodded and began typing.

"But don't end the conversation before it's begun," Dean advised. "You want to say something she can respond to."

Ron released a frustrated huff and deleted the sentence he had drafted.

"You could ask her when you can see her again!" Harry prompted.

Seamus winced. "Risky, it's still a little too soon."

"You just said he had the green-light!"

"I know, but–"

Seamus and Dean's bickering faded to the background as Ron's brain reeled to write something charming. Had it always been this hard? God knew he wanted to get this right. At the same time, Hermione broke the mold, so why should he concern himself with the rules of texting?

"Sod it!" He decided as he hopped off the bench. "I'm calling her!"

"WHAT?" All of his friends looked up at him agog.

"I know she's got the afternoon free," Ron explained, "And I reckon I am better over the phone than anything else. Plus, I can ask her how her day is going." The warmth of a blush was spreading up Ron's neck and burned on his ears.

"Well, get on with it!" Harry toasted his water bottle to the decision before anyone else could talk Ron out of it.

Ron appreciated the support as he tapped the phone screen. The dial tone rang for a short eternity. Ron smoothed his hair despite the fact that he had no reason to look presentable over the phone.

"Hello?" The bright tone of her voice, already had him smiling like a fool.

"Hermione? Hi. It's Ron, Ron Weasley."

"Yeah, hi, I'm so glad you called."

"Yeah…me too."