Chapter 23 – Karma
"Better be off," the girl said cheerfully and Ron was pulled along with her.
'Quite a grip she's got,' Ron thought to himself before frowning, 'She does look familiar though.'
His head suddenly whipped around when he thought he heard Hermione's voice.
'Was she here? Did she still want to spend the day with him?'
His heart raced and he searched the crowded courtyard for the source of that beautiful voice that he rarely had an opportunity to hear.
He felt like a bludger had just knocked him over.
There laughing in all her simple beauty was Hermione, and beside her stood Harry.
Ron screwed his eyes shut at the sight.
'Why Harry? Why my best friend?'
"You alright?" the girl beside him said in concern.
He opened his eyes and saw her turn her head around to try to determine what he had been looking at.
"You looking for someone? Girlfriend?"
Ron stared at her. Oh how desperately he wanted to say yes.
"No," Ron said simply before walking out of the courtyard.
They had just exited the entrance gates of Hogwarts when Ron's companion withdrew her arm from his. He looked over and saw her looking off into the distance deep in thought.
'Well that's good, don't have to make polite chit-chat though that defeats the purpose of inviting her along doesn't it?'
Ron jammed his cold fingers into his pockets as he and his new companion walked in relative silence towards Hogsmead.
"Sorry," he said after a rather long silence had elapsed, "Never asked your name."
Rather than reply he saw the girl turn and look into the trees and bushes that they passed.
She suddenly stopped and grabbed his hand.
"What was that?" she said in barely a whisper.
"What's what?"
She pointed a shaking finger into the bushes.
"I saw a face…in there," she pointed between two large trees.
He saw her shivering and he walked over to have a look.
"Don't see anything," he said coming back towards her.
She looked pale though and she was still shivering.
"You alright?" he questioned in concern.
She nodded mutely.
He shrugged before they began walking again.
"It's the Dementors, they put everyone on edge," he said when he saw her continue to look into the bushes nervously.
"Yeah I suppose," she replied.
"W-What!" Harry sputtered.
Hermione meanwhile had completely frozen and Ginny was sure she would faint if she didn't take a breath soon.
"Hermione," she said in concern shaking her friend slightly, "Take a deep breath and tell me what's going on."
"You think I know?!"
This was the most angry she had ever seen Hermione, her eyes were swirling pools of fury and her face was hardened.
"Why would he ask you out then go with Lavender?" Harry questioned.
'Harry Potter everybody, the Master of Sensitivity,' Ginny groaned internally.
"Look, you guys did agree to meet today right? I mean I remember him writing that letter to you, what did it say?"
Hermione pulled out the letter form her pocket, it was crinkled and faded as though it had been read several times and Ginny couldn't help smiling at that but her smile quickly disappeared when Hermione read the contents.
Hermione,
My name is Ron Weasley, we meet the night of the Christmas Ball. I was just wondering whether you would be interested in going to Hogsmead with me the first weekend of January? I would understand if you had other plans but I would like to get to know you better.
Sincerely Ron W.
Ginny grabbed the letter from Hermione.
"And?" she said finally looking up at her friend.
"And what?" Hermione replied her anger replaced with confusion.
"What did you say?" Ginny questioned.
Hermione looked from her to Harry who was also looking at her expectantly.
"Was I supposed to reply?" Hermione answered innocently.
Harry groaned and slapped his forehead.
"Hermione! He sent this weeks ago and you – you didn't reply?! Didn't write anything at all like where to meet and – "
"But everyone knows you meet in the courtyard," Hermione explained a note of desperation in her voice.
"Bloody hell," Harry stared at Hermione as though he had never seen her before, "How can someone so smart –"
"Harry," Ginny warned before looking back at her friend, "Okay Hermione here's the situation. Ron asked you out."
"Yes I know, and now he's with that stupid Lavender doing Merlin knows what while we stand her analysing his letter," Hermione said in a frustrated tone.
"He asked you out and you didn't give him an answer," Ginny said slowly as though that would reduce its impact.
Hermione looked from Ginny to Harry for a moment longer before her eyes stared off into the distance.
"Oh."
Ron heard feet running and gasps behind him.
He turned around and saw the girl running to keep up with him.
"Sorry," he apologized, "I was in my own world for a moment."
She stopped walking and leaned over hands on her knees to catch her breath. After a few moments she stood up and looked at him.
"You apologise far too much," she said a smile on her lips, "Can't help it if I don't have freakishly long legs."
"Oi, freakishly?" he looked down at his legs and assured himself that he was not in any way disproportionate and he told her as much.
She giggled at him.
"Oh I'm sure you're very proportionate."
Ron's eyes widened at this before he felt the blood rush to his face and ears, darn those ears.
"Well come on then Mr Proportionate, you owe me some tea after this marathon I think."
He couldn't help but laugh at her cheeky grin.
"Sure," he said before they returned to walking at a much more leisurely pace.
"Everyone knows you meet in the Courtyard," Harry repeated in disbelief as they raced down to Hogsmead.
"You, button it," Ginny said before turning to look at Hermione, "Don't worry 'Mione, once we clear this up –"
"What Gin?" Hermione stopped and Harry almost slammed into her, "We can go back to awkward glances and him kissing me as a guy?"
"Don't be like that," Harry said encouragingly, "Just tell him the truth and you'll…"
Harry trailed off and Ginny and Hermione turned around to see the scene unfolding ahead of them.
"You know," Ron said after another silence had elapsed, "I still don't know your name."
He looked over at the girl beside him when she didn't respond. He saw her bite her lip before glancing over at him.
"Actually," she said slowly stopping as they had now reached Hogsmead, he saw her take a deep breath before looking up at him.
"Lavender!"
He saw her face freeze.
"What is it? What's wrong?" he questioned.
She didn't move or reply but looked behind him.
Ron turned curious as to what had caught her attention. There was a dark skinned girl waving at him, she was rather pretty actually but nothing compared to Hermione. The girl ran up to him.
"I knew you weren't lying, you really are dating Ronald Weasley," Ron cringed at the high pitch that the girl had spoken, "I told the others as much, well that'll show them to doubt the word of Lavender Brown."
Ron took a moment to process what he had just heard.
"I'm sorry – "
"There he goes apologising again," his companion mumbled under her breath.
Ignoring her he continued.
"Did you just say Lavender Brown?"
The dark skinned girl smiled up at him.
"Yes of course, don't you know the name of your own girlfriend?" She laughed at this before continuing, "My name's Parvati, nice to meet you."
She grabbed his hand and shook it before he could stop her.
"That over there," Parvati added pointing over at another girl waiting a few metres away, "Is my sister, Padma, tell Harry we said Hi."
Without another word she turned and ran back to her sister.
"Friends of yours?" he said in a controlled voice.
"Not really," Lavender replied.
He turned around and looked at her in disgust.
"What was this? A game to you? See who can get the most famous boyfriend contest?" His voice was still restrained but underneath there was seething anger ready to spill forth at any moment.
"I didn't lie to you exactly," she replied staring down at the ground, "And I thought we were having a…nice time."
Her face was now hidden in her hair which Ron only just realised was a notted mess.
"Quite a disguise," he said mockingly folding his arms and stepping back, "I didn't even recognise you."
She didn't reply and continued to look down at the ground.
"I'm sorry," she said simply.
"It's not me you should apologise to," Ron stepped forward and forced her to look up at him, "You stay the hell away from me and my family."
With those words he stormed off not caring what happened to the lying and manipulate witch he left behind.
Hermione watched Ron walk off leaving Lavender standing alone on the corner of the road.
"Wow, I've never seen Ron that angry."
"Stupid git," Ginny said from beside her.
"What do you mean?" Hermione questioned.
"Like I said the other day, overprotective brother, and this one," she nodded her head toward where Harry stood, "Ain't any better."
"Hey! Hang on," Harry began but stopped when they saw some girls approach Lavender.
"Well, looks like you were lying after all Lav-Lav," A girl with blond hair said before laughing.
Her friends followed her lead and laughed. Both Hermione and Ginny groaned when they saw who the girls were.
"What was that you said? 'You wouldn't be surprised if he asked you out again'? Well considering, I think you should be suprised if he even speaks to you let alone asks you out."
"Doesn't feel so good does it," a short girl with black hair glared at Lavender, "Maybe that'll teach you to spread lies about people."
Hermione saw Ginny cringe beside her.
"What? Do you know them?" Harry questioned.
"Slytherin's," Ginny replied frowning at the girls.
"Lessons on morality from Slytherin's," Lavender laughed.
A girl with curly hair grabbed Lavenders arm roughly.
"What did you just say?!"
Lavender pushed the girl away and glared back at her.
Harry walked forward as though to intervene but Ginny stopped him, her hand on his arm.
"Doesn't she deserve it?" Ginny questioned him her eyes imploring him to understand.
He looked back at her in genuine surprise.
"Ginnerva Weasley, you are above revenge," he replied.
Ginny released her hand and it dropped limply to her side.
"I just wanted her to know how she made me feel," Ginny rubbed at her eyes.
Harry's jaw clenched and he looked up at the gloomy sky, took a deep breath before closing the gap between him and Ginny.
Hermione shifted uncomfortably as Harry held Ginny in his arms.
She looked away and realised that Lavender had long since disappeared, the girls who had taunted her however were looking at Harry and Ginny with great interest however.
An hour of wandering the streets left Ron frozen like an icicle and suitably cooled off after his encounter with the Harpie from Hell.
He stepped inside 'Allan's Alchemy Artists' his favourite art store. He rubbed his fingers and walked around the store to warm himself up. There was a new quill he had heard about but had yet to see and he wondered if the Allan, the young store owner had ordered them in yet.
Ron had just finishing browsing the new sketchbooks and turned around when he came face to face with the last person he wanted to see.
Lavender Brown was leaning over the counter and looking at him.
Ron gritted his teeth and walked over to her.
"What are you doing here?! Stalking me? You really are sick you know that."
He saw her open her mouth but he beat her too it.
"I was already having a miserable day, hell a miserable year but you just had to make it worse didn't you? Pretending to be all innocent and scared of shadows in the bushes," he glared down at her, "What the hell is your problem that you won't just leave me alone?"
She closed her mouth that had been hanging agape and looked up at him as though she had been expecting this confrontation for some time.
"Don't you have anything to say? How can you cause my little sister so much pain and just stand there as though you're little Miss Perfect?!"
His voice was becoming louder now and he was lucky that there was no other customers in the store and Allan was nowhere to be seen because he was pretty sure someone would jump to her defence. They wouldn't know any better, her brown hair and innocent expression would make it hard to convince anyone that she was the conniving manipulative hag that he had heard so much about from his sister.
"My sister is the sweetest girl in the world and she doesn't have to put up with trash like you making up lies about her, making people judge her without even getting to know her."
Lavender eyes bored into his.
"You don't like people judging her without getting to know her?! Then, why don't you pay me the same courtesy!" Lavender spat before walking out the store the door banging loudly behind her.
Ron glared after her.
He heard someone shuffling behind the curtain before Allan appeared from behind the curtain that led to the storeroom.
"Sorry for the wait Miss Brown, it only just arrived today and I haven't…" Allan trailed off and looked around him in confusion.
Allan looked over at Ron.
"Wasn't Miss Brown just here?" Allan placed a package on the counter, "She was so excited when I told her that her new Quills had arrived."
Ron felt his stomach drop.
"She was picking up something," he said slowly.
Allan nodded his head at Ron.
"Do you know her?"
"Well…"
"Would you be able to give this to her then? She doesn't come here often and she had been so looking forward to trying them out," Allan implored Ron, "Go on," he added when Ron looked reluctant.
"You of all people know what its like to get new drawing equipment," Allan urged him.
Ron sighed.
'Karma just loves me,' Ron groaned inwardly before picking up the parcel.
"Sure ," he said in resignation before walking out the store in search of the one person he never thought he would actively seek out, let alone help.
"Err guys..." Hermione nudged her friends and they stepped away from each other to look at her.
"Slytherins remember," She said nodding towards the group.
Harry turned around and glared at them.
"Come on," he said holding Ginny and Hermione's hands in his before they walked into Hogsmead.
They passed the girls.
Hermione saw the girl with curly hair open her mouth as though to say something to Ginny.
Hermione quickened their pace and they were soon beyond earshot.
Harry released Hermione's hand but continued to hold onto Ginny's a point which neither she nor Ginny missed.
"Let's get something hot to drink before we freeze, then we can go look for Ron," he suggested leading the way to the Hogs Head.
The cold didn't keep the customers away clearly and when they finally found a seat it was only a small table wedged near the kitchen. Harry left them to get them drinks and Hermione and Ginny were left to consider their fates.
"Wonder if he kissed her," Hermione wondered aloud.
"Trust me, he won't," Ginny reassured her.
"Hello."
Hermione looked up to see Seamus smiling at them.
"Seamus, hi, how you been?" Ginny greeted.
"Alright," he said as he sat down, "Hi, name's Seamus."
Hermione took a moment to realise that he was talking to her. It was still strange to have her friends introduce themselves to her.
"Oh, Hi," she replied, "I'm Hermione."
Seamus raised an eyebrow at her words.
"The Hermione?"
"Why does everyone keep doing that," she laughed.
"Are you kidding me? Ron won't shut up about you."
Hermione felt something warm spread through her and she no longer felt cold. She looked away a smile on her lips.
"You're in my seat."
Hermione turned around to see Harry glaring down at Seamus.
"Oh, Harry," Seamus instantly stood up and looked at Harry nervously, "I was just saying hi."
The two boys continued to look at each other before Seamus suddenly turned to them.
"Well, I gotta go, see you around Ginny…and Hermione," he added Hermione's name hastily when he saw Harry narrow his eyes at him.
Harry watched Seamus walk away before taking his seat and placing the butterbeers on the table with a loud clank.
"Harry!" Ginny finally spoke, "You were so rude!"
"Was I?" he said with a completely calm face and took a sip of butterbeer.
Hermione grabbed a bottle and drank as well trying to hide her smile.
"Yes, we were just talking and you practically chased him out of the place," Ginny continued to look at Harry in disbelief.
Harry mumbled something that Hermione couldn't hear as she was sitting opposite him but Ginny clearly did from her seat beside him.
"Don't be stupid," Ginny replied.
Harry shrugged.
"He's dating Amanda Atkins," Ginny continued.
"They broke up," Hermione interjected.
Ginny spun around to look at her before looking back at Harry.
"When did this happen?"
"Last week," Harry replied suddenly very interested in the label of his butterbeer, "She caught him with Kathy P-"
"Kathy Parkin! No way, her best friend?!" Ginny said in disbelief.
Harry finally discarded his bottle and looked at Ginny intensely.
Hermione looked away not sure she was supposed to see that look.
"So he broke up with his girlfriend," Ginny broke the intense silence, "doesn't mean he can't talk to me."
Hermione cringed and when she looked at Harry he looked absolutely furious.
"Why? So you can become another conq -"
Hermione kicked Harry's leg, hard.
He looked up at her before looking away his fists clenched on the table.
Ginny meanwhile was staring out the window.
"I told you before, I don't need another overprotective brother," she said before standing up and walking out of the Hog's Head.
Hermione watched her leave before looking at Harry.
"Why don't you just tell her already?"
"What do you mean?" Harry looked at her in genuine confusion.
She rolled her eyes at him.
"Honestly, you're as bad as Ron," she replied before following Ginny outside.
AN: (sighs) honeslty boys. Hope this chapter was enjoyable.