THC Round 3

House: Slytherin

Class: Astronomy

Type: Drabble

Prompt: "Leave that cat alone." (Dialogue)

CW: Mention of blood/ minor injury

Word Count: 646

AN: Ron and Hermione share a quiet evening in the Gryffindor common room amidst the chaos of their fifth year.

"Ugh," Hermione exclaimed, shoving her stack of parchment out of the way, as she rested her head on the common room table.

Ron looked up from the floor where he sat with Crookshanks.

"What's wrong with you?"

Hermione raised her head to glare at him.

"I have so much homework and am so worried about Harry that I can't enjoy any of my classes."

Ron rolled his eyes.

"I never enjoy any classes. Harry will be fine. He's been fine every time before this."

Hermione scoffed again and started to scribble away.

It wasn't often that the common room was empty, but in this rare moment, Ron found himself able to enjoy Hermione's company, despite feeling like a nuisance around her. Absent-mindedly, Ron stretched out to lie on his stomach. Level with the cat, he reached out to try and pet Crookshank's belly.

Suddenly the orange cat let out a ferocious yowl and swatted Ron across the face. He let out an angry yelp followed by a string of curse words.

Ignoring Ron, Hermione scooted back her chair and stood. She ran over to her pet and scooped the agitated animal into her arms. Crookshanks blinked softly at her and started to purr. After Crookshanks seemed happy again, Hermione placed him back down near Ron.

Almost immediately after Hermione sat back down Ron tried again to reach for the cat's fluffy belly.

"Ronald!" Hermione shrieked as Crookshanks took another swing at him. "Leave that cat alone."

Crookshanks, who appeared to have impeccable reflexes, managed to strike Ron right above his right eye. Hermione swooped in and carried the frustrated cat off to her dormitory.

Ron watched sheepishly as she huffed away.

When she returned she glanced at Ron who had situated himself on the couch. Blood was dripping out of the shallow wound on his face and her demeanour softened. From her book bag that was tossed on the table, she pulled a neatly folded handkerchief. Tenderly, she dabbed away the blood, briefly allowing her eyes to meet his. Blushing, they turned away from each other. The room filled with an awkward silence, begging to be broken.

Hermione let out a small giggle and finished wiping up the blood. Ron relaxed his shoulders and found himself with a slight, satisfied grin. As Hermione pulled away, Ron reached out quickly and pulled her into a hug. She stiffened in his arms but quickly relaxed. They sat like that for a blissful moment when the dormitory entrance swung open. The pair sprung apart as if shocked.

Through the entrance stepped a disheveled-looking Neville. He appeared so preoccupied that he didn't even notice his two red-faced friends. Stumbling over his robes, Neville made his way up to his dormitory and shut the door behind him.

Ron glanced at Hermione as she uncomfortably tucked her hair behind her ear. Quickly, she sat back at her table and resumed her schoolwork. Ron fell into a sulking mood, still on the couch. His face was beginning to sting and he felt like something potentially important had just been cut short.

Hermione stared at her schoolwork but could no longer see it. Her stomach was filled with butterflies. The scent of Ron's jumper still danced in her mind. She felt both enamoured and embarrassed and was struggling to straighten out her emotions.

For the rest of the evening, Ron pouted and grumbled on the couch while Hermione scribbled away. Between students trickling in for bed, they exchanged uncertain glances. Something had certainly transpired between the pair but neither one knew how to proceed or acknowledge it.

Eventually, the two went their separate ways without exchanging any words before bed, but they both found it hard to sleep. From her room, Hermione played the hug over and over in her mind and from his, Ron tried to immortalize how she felt in his arms.