"Controversial?" Ron shouted as he shovelled a mouthful of potato into himself. "But you're going with the most famous quidditch player in the world?! I swear being around Freds made you dumb hasn't it!"
"Well it's not that bad-" Hermione started in defiance, poking at her food.
"It's pretty bad. I mean they already wrote about you and me and you and Fred AND you and Ron. If you're worried about those sorts of things, going with Krum isn't exactly a great move." Harry added. Hermione felt a growing insecurity, her face turning bright red and her eyebrows narrowing.
"I'm sure it could be quite bad- but frankly I'm sick of the news talking about me for no good reason! And if Krum says he'll get them to shut up I'm sorry if I'm an idiot for believing him." Hermione was overwhelmed, like she had been very regularly recently, but eventually cooled herself down as she sat in between her friends. They mean well she chanted to herself, looking down at her barely touched plate.
"Err…. Sorry Hermione," Ron said, brushing his hand over her back softly. "So what did he say about the news? You know we just worry, right?"
She sat upright once again and pulled herself together, not wanting to seem weak around her friends. "See Ron, being nice to her is just enough to scare her into acting normal," Harry joked, getting a jab in return from the witch, who was now smiling.
"He just said that they wont run news about me if I go with him. I think it's got to do with the cheating scandal he had earlier and the apology the paper sent out. I mean, it's not exactly like Rita Skeeter to say sorry, is it?"
"Must have something to hold against her," Ron replied. "Maybe get close to him and see if he'll spill it."
"I am not going to coerce gossip out of my date Ron," Hermione replied, calming down into a very false sense of security. Unbeknownst to the three of them, two boys were now standing right behind them, listening closely.
"Whats this about a date, Granger?" George began, popping his head in between her and Harry.
"Breaking my heart so soon?" Fred replied, doing the same by Ron. Hermione darted between one from the other, Freds smile empty and cold in comparison to Georges.
"What does it matter?" Hermione replied. Her heart was back to feeling twisted and guilty, as if she was doing something unforgivable.
"Oh nothing at all, actually came here to talk to Harry," Fred said, popping out from his spot and to Harrys side. The twins grabbed the boy up and pulled him out of his seat, but not without resitance. "Oh stop it, you. We've got to talk about something urgent." And with that the three were off, leaving Hermione and Ron alone. The two continued to eat in silence, Hermione in no mood to continue to talk. She felt bad for going with Krum and the rift it would cause between her and Fred, who she was still deeply infatuated with.
"You know, Mione," Ron started, talking through his brute chewing. "You could do a lot better than Fred."
"Oh yeah," Hermione replied, somehow amused by her friends attitude. "And who do you think I should go for?"
"You're smart, figure something out," Ron said, not caring too much to use his brainpower. "I don't like boys so I can't speak for you. But- Hey! Seamus, Dean!" Ron shouted across the table, gathering the attention of their friends and forcing Hermione to cower in embarrassment.
"What do you want, Ron?" Seamus asked, clearly eager to go back to his conversation.
"You two like boys, who should Hermione date? Aside from Fred whose an absolute idiot, that is,"
Hermione's face was bright red, and from behind she was pinching Rons back though he didn't seem to mind too much- likely used to her mother-like treatment. Ron seemed calm, eating food and smiling at the two boys, who weren't any where near as enthused.
"We like each other, thats not the same," Dean replied.
"Yeah… Though Cormac is easy on the eyes- you guys could look good together," Seamus added, receiving a deathly sharp look from Dean.
"Seamus is right, Mione. Cormac isn't too bad at all," Ron said, now looking at Hermione.
"I don't even know what to say to guys," Hermione pinched the bridge of her nose in annoyance, hiding her amusement at the threes stupidity. "I don't even want a boyfriend- where do you get these ideas from, honestly, Ronald."
"Well then use him as a rebound," Ron replied. "Honestly what are you going to do if you stay over the summer? It'll be awkward and I don't care for it."
"Well I don't care for you very much either, but I don't say it to your face," Hermione remarked in a posh tone.
"You should. I mean what if things with you and Fred end badly and we have to stop hanging out? Or what if you get married and we become siblings? Think about it, Hermione!" Ron was wide-eyed and child like, still managing to shovel more food into his mouth, all while Seamus and Dean sat back thoroughly entertained by the conversation.
"I'm not going to think about it because there isn't anything going on between me and Fred in the first place. But if you want to play this game then whens the Weasely-Lovegood wedding?" Hermione retorted with a wide grin, resulting in Rons face turning red. "When were you going to tell me that you even fancied her- or knew her for that matter."
Seamus and Dean shared a chorus of 'ooh's, watching the friendly dispute.
"There isn't anything going on thank-you-very-much. She's just my date for the ball," Ron replied calmly, stepping back on his cheeky attitude, only for another familiar redhead to bump into the conversation.
"Luna told me you two talked by Hagrid's hut about some creature thing," Ginny piped, receiving a wide eyed look and an evil smile in return from Hermione. "Also said you're handsome, which was disturbingly uncalled for."
"She think's I'm handsome?" Ron asked in return, Ginny looking back at him and faking throwing up; which reminded Hermione of how Ron usually acted about her and Fred in the first place.
"So you care about what she thinks?" Hermione replied, facing her friend once again in a cocky attitude.
"No," Ron blushed. "But it's nice to be complimented every once in a while by a lady- more than I ever get from you."
Hermione rolled her eyes at that and put a hand to her forehead dramatically. "Oh, Ron, you are the prettiest boy in the world," she grinned, holding Ron while he squeamed in response. "Truly what did I do to be bestowed such a magnificent man."
"Please, for the love of Merlin himself, never hang around Fred or George ever again. Their personalities have corrupted you," Ron grimaced, smiling as he did so in the embrace of his friend. "But don't tell Harry you think I'm prettier, he might get jealous."
—
I know this chapter is more of a filler, but it was fun to write Hermione and Ron as fully platonic, even brotherly friends- even if it isn't in character.