Chapter Four – Something about You
'Oh no!'
"Missy 'Mione!" Dobby cried in happiness before hugging her on the leg.
Hermione looked up to see all three boys staring at her and Dobby with raised eyebrows. She tried to discreetly shake the elf off while whispering to him to keep quiet.
"Dobby thanks Missy for the letters, Dobby has kept them all, Dobby has," Dobby puffed out his chest proudly before producing a pile of letters.
Hermione balked and collapsed to the ground beside Dobby.
"What did you call him, Dobby?" Harry questioned curiously.
Ron and Neville however were laughing loudly.
"W-What he means is…he thanks my – my cousin, Hermione Granger, for the letters she sends him," Hermione finished this with a significant look to Dobby.
Ron chocked audibly on a cake that a house elf had given him and stared at Hermione.
"Is that true Dobby?" Harry asked looking between her and the elf.
Dobby looked torn for a moment as he turned to look up at Harry with adoring eyes.
"Yes sir, Dobby is thanking Missy 'Mione for – "
Ron grabbed Dobby and spun him around.
"You know her Dobby!"
Seeing the alarmed look on the poor elf's face Hermione decided to provide the answer.
"Yes, she and Dobby are best friends," Hermione smiled at Dobby and saw the elf's eyes fill with tears.
"Yes," the elf wailed, "Missy very good girl, very good t-to Dobby!" The elf cried loudly before hiding behind his hands.
"What did you say her name was?" Ron asked looking directly at Hermione.
"Hermione Granger."
Ron scrutinized her for a moment as though to test her truthfulness – but then the next moment he exploded in a fit of laughter.
Hermione's eyes narrowed, did he think her name was funny?
"Harry!" Ron cried jumping up and hugging his friend.
"Get off me, you git!" Harry said in reply pushing Ron off him and shaking the butterbeer that had spilt on his hands.
"I knew it! I knew I couldn't just be going mad. She's real!" Ron laughed.
Hermione felt her face soften at this and she had to bit her lip to keep from smiling like an idiot. She blushed slightly and laughed when Ron picked up the still sobbing Dobby and danced around the kitchens.
"Tell them Dobby," Ron said after he dropped the dizzy elf onto a nearby table, "She's beautiful isn't she?"
Without waiting for the elf to reply Ron continued.
"Oh, her hair, this crazy…" Ron trailed off while waving his hands around his head.
'Crazy?' Hermione thought raising her eyebrows.
"Crazy bushy hair, a girl with hair like that just has got to be passionate and wild and free!"
"Is this a person or a centaur?" Harry chuckled while watching Ron dance around the kitchen clutching a butterbeer in his hand.
"Her eyes, Harry, you've never seen such eyes. Dark and mysterious and when you look into them you see…you see…"
"Yes, Ron? What do we see?" Harry questioned taking a seat with an amused look and Neville soon followed.
"Chocolate!"
Neville snorted and started coughing as the butterbeer he had been drinking splattered across the table.
"Chocolate?" Harry laughed hysterically at this.
"Yes, of course chocolate!" Ron replied as though it were completely natural to compare someone's eyes to food, "If I ever saw her again I would instantly know it was her because those eyes – oh those eyes."
Ron finished with a sigh before collapsing into a chair that Dobby had quickly pushed under him.
Hermione meanwhile swallowed nervously and instantly darted her eyes elsewhere.
"I think you've had just a tad too much butterbeer, that's what I think," Neville laughed as he wiped his face with a napkin that a small elf offered him.
Ron ignored the comment and instead looked dazedly into space before spotting Hermione still standing near the door. He raised a curious eyebrow at her.
Hermione instantly froze before her eyes fell to the floor.
'No! Don't do that you idiot! He'll know somethings up.'
"You know," Ron started slowly, "John's eyes look similar, well there's no fire behind them but similar shade I suppose."
Hermione instantly panicked and screamed internally.
"Well we are family after all," Hermione replied suddenly finding the painting of Helga Hufflepuff on the wall beside her intensely fascinating.
"What are you doing dawdling over there?" Ron questioned standing up from his seat and walking over to her.
'Shit! Shit! Shit!'
He reached out a hand to pull her towards the table but Hermione instantly turned and walked over to a huddle of house elves to watch them work.
Ron eyes widened when he saw John practically run towards the other side of the room.
'Well that's okay, I can ask him about Hermione later'
He scratched his head absentmindedly before he felt something tug at his arm. Ron pulled up his sleeve and looked down at the watch that his parents had given him. Ron narrowed his eyes before looking up to find Harry staring back at him.
Harry who was in the middle of a conversation with Neville simply titled his head slightly before turning his back to Ron and discreetly held his hand out behind his back. Ron walked towards his friend and took the invisibility cloak from Harry before turning and making a hasty exit.
"Took you long enough!"
Ron was just putting Harry's cloak into his pocket when he was slapped on the back. Ron staggered a few steps before turning around and giving his twin brothers an annoyed look.
"Well not all of us are galavanting around the country – "
"Galavanting?" George repeated with a shocked expression as he placed a hand over his heart as though Ron had just mortally wounded him, "Do you hear this Fred? 'Galavanting'?!"
"I would hardly call expanding a family empire as 'galavanting' little brother," Fred smirked arrogantly.
Ron scoffed before looking around at dark rooftop of the astronomy tower. He looked down at his watch once more.
"That's odd – " Ron began to say before he was pushed forwards towards Fred and George.
Of course being the considerate brothers that they were, they simply side-stepped their flailing brother and laughed as he fell on his face.
Ron turned around and rubbed his nose as he looked up to see his sister wedged between his older brothers – all with triumphant expressions on their faces.
"Har-dy Har – Har," Ron said sarcastically as he stood from the ground.
He rubbed his arm before giving his sister an appraising look.
"How've you been? Everyone treating you alright?" Ron questioned.
Ginny rolled her eyes at Ron before moving over to the marble bench near the exit.
"Can't complain…" she trailed off and kicked some invisible dirt at her feet.
"Well talk for yourself," Fred cut through the awkward silence and seated himself beside Ginny placing an arm around her, "Do you know how many WWW stores we've had to open in the past week?"
"Three," Ginny and Ron answered in bored voices.
"It's not all fun and games kiddies," George began, feeling the need to defend his twin.
"Really?" Ginny smiled up at him, "'Wouldn't trade it for the world – well for Hogwarts at least', now who was it that said that?"
Ginny placed a finger on her chin and looked at the twins.
"Well you know," George replied now suddenly serious, "We're doing what we have to for the Order."
Another silence engulfed the group before Ginny spoke up once again.
"Hey Ron, that girl you've been looking for – "
"Her name's 'Hermione Granger'," Ron provided taking a seat beside his sister.
"Oho! not just a figment of little Ronnekin's imagination then," Fred interjected.
"Why do you ask?" Ron questioned Ginny as though Fred hadn't even spoken.
"Well I recall seeing her around last year, she kept trying to get the girls to rally against the school board and the Ministry. Not too happy about the state of the woman's education system."
"Why?" Ron, Fred and George asked simultaneously.
Ginny rolled her eyes at them before replying.
"Are you guys kidding me?" When she saw the blank looks on their faces she continued, "I'm pretty sure those on the school board have had too many turns on a time-turner. We might as well still be in the early fifties for all they care. It seems they think the whole point of Hogwarts Girls is to teach us etiquette until we can be released into society and catch a good husband, actually no scratch that, until we can be dragged away from any ambition and glued to a kitchen."
"You make it sound like it's a bad thing to be a stay-at-home-mum," Fred replied, "Look at our Mum, I think she's done a pretty decent job wouldn't you say?"
"The jury's still out on this one though," George added jabbing his thumb in Ron's direction.
Ginny sighed.
"You just don't get it," she replied before leaning over and resting her head on Ron shoulder.
"How have the kids been treating you though?" Ron questioned patting his little sister on the head affectionately.
"Fine Ron, everything's fine, as far as they know, nothing happened last year," Ginny said softly.
Hermione trailed behind Harry and Neville as they left the school kitchen's.
"Where's Ron?" she asked as she looked behind them.
"Oh, he had some things he had to take care of, said he'd meet us back in the common room later," Harry provided glancing back at her.
Hermione slowed before she looked down at her watch.
"John, you coming?"
Hermione looked up to see Harry push Neville through the portrait of the fat lady.
"You go ahead, I wanted to get some extra books from the library."
"At this time of night?" Harry questioned cocking his head to the side before shrugging his shoulders, "Okay, well if you run into anyone just say you're doing some research for me."
Before Hermione could reply to Harry's strange speech the portrait had already swung close behind him.
"Okay," Hermione said slowly before she turned walked over to another portrait.
"Hello," the young girl in a frilly white dress and matching bonnet said before swinging open for Hermione.
Hermione smiled at the girl before stepping inside and making her way up the narrow staircase that led to her room. When she reached the wooden wall she pressed on it slightly. The wall slowly slid away to her right before revealing her large dorm room. She quickly collected the bag that she had left near her bed before turning back towards the full length mirror that concealed her secret entrance to her room.
Hermione waited until the girl in the portrait told her the hall was empty before she stepped back outside into the hallway.
Hermione swung the bag over her shoulder and made her way down the stairs. She had only taken a few steps before she bumped into someone. Her eyes widened when she looked up and saw the person towering over her.
"Well, what do we have here?" Severus Snape said, not able to conceal the morbid delight in his face.
Hermione groaned inwardly.
"Hello Professor," she tried to smile up at him but ended up grimacing instead.
"Try to keep track of your potions from now on," Snape continued as though she had not spoken.
Hermione looked down at his outstretched hand and saw her suitcase of potions.
"You went into my room?" Hermione asked incredously taking the bag from him.
"Don't be ridiculous Granger, Professor McGonnagal took it from your room after you apparently forgot to meet her earlier tonight."
Hermione brows furrowed.
"Was I supposed to meet her?"
Hermione was surprised that Snape's eyes didn't roll out of their sockets.
"Yes, your weekly meeting to show her your progress, or have you forgotten the whole purpose of your stay here at Hogwarts Boys?"
"Well…" Hermione trailed off when she could not think of a reasonable excuse, when Ron had asked her to spend time with him and Harry all other thoughts seemed to have left her mind.
"Too much time fraternizing with that Weasley and Potter will turn anyone's brains into jelly. I recommend – "
"And I suppose spending time with some Slytherin's will do her some good will it?"
Ron appeared out of the shadows and walked towards them.
"Mind your attitude Weasley," Snape spat Ron's last name as though it were intended to be an insult.
"Like John would even want to spend time with – "
Hermione stepped in front of Ron stopping him before he got them both into trouble.
"Thanks for the advice Professor, have a good night," Hermione said before dragging Ron off towards the common Room.
When they had turned the corner Hermione released Ron's arm and turned to look back at him.
"What was that?"
"What?" Ron said as he leaned against a gargoyle statue, "It's good to let the slimy git know his place now and then."
"He was helping me," Hermione explained.
"Helping you? With what?"
"I-I…was asking him about potions," she said lifting her suitcase up for him to see, "Extra credit assignments you know."
"No, I wouldn't know," Ron laughed before ruffling Hermione's hair, "What are you doing here anyway?"
"I was going to get something from the library before having a bath."
"At this time of night?" Ron chuckled.
"Well, I've been busy all day trying to catch up in my studies," Hermione replied in a tired voice.
"Hmmm…well alright, how 'bout we go to the Prefects bathroom."
"Yeah I was going to – wait! What do you mean 'we'?" Hermione gaped at Ron.
"Well I wouldn't mind relaxing for a bit in a nice warm bath," Ron said as he pushed down he's wind-swept hair that Hermione only just noticed.
Hermione looked him up and down before questioning.
"Where have you been?"
"Just double-checking some astronomy homework, now are we going to go or just gossip for another hour?" Ron then turned and began walking down the corridor.
"But we're not Prefects, we can't get in," Hermione replied barely able to keep the panic from her voice.
"Don't worry about it, Harry and I figured out years ago how to get inside," Ron smiled back at her.
'Well this day just seems to go from bad to worse doesn't it? Then again, Ron naked in the prefects bath…ahh shut-up you hormonal teenager!' Hermione scolded herself internally as she bit her lip. She took a deep breath before attempting a response.
"You know this whole communal bathing thing just doesn't appeal to me, I think I'll just go to the normal showers."
"Yeah true, beside Myrtle may decide to visit us while we're there, it's a bit hard to run from her while your in a pool of water," Ron grimaced before he began leading the way to the boys showers.
Hermione suppressed a groan before looking down at her watch. If she didn't think of a way to escape from Ron he would see her transform into girl right before his eyes.
When they had reached the bathrooms Hermione sprinted to the nearest cubicle and locked herself inside ignoring Ron's baffled questions.
"No need to rush, the showers aren't going anywhere," Ron called out as he heard John turn on the showers, he shook his head wondering when he would get used to his new friends strange behavior.
Ron stepped into the shower beside John's and quickly turned on the hot water, letting its warmth melt his icy skin.
He turned the tap off five minutes later but still heard John showering next to him. He knocked on the wall separating them. He heard John drop something onto the ground before the water turned off.
"Don't take too long, we still gotta get your book remember."
After a few moments of silence he tapped the wall again.
"Hey, John you alright? You didn't slip and hit your head did you?"
Ron heard John walking across the titled floor of the showers so he knew that he must be okay. But then why wasn't he saying anything.
"John? You okay mate?"
"Yeah, fine."
Ron was just about to respond when John stopped him.
"Why don't you just go back to the common room? I may take a while in the library."
Ron grabbed one of the towels on the shelves beside him and dried his hair. He threw it to the bench near him and began putting his robes back on.
"Well alright, I'll see you later then," Ron said as he stepped out of the cubicle.
"'Kay, see ya," John replied.
Ron turned and left the bathroom. He walked the rest of the way back to the common room deep in thought.
Author notes: Fangirls wipe up that drool Thanks for reading :)