A/N: Here's another chapter!!!

Chapter 5: The Meeting

The trio's last class of the day was defense against the dark arts with Bill, and Hermione could tell that Ron was dreading it.

Having a class with your older, better looking, and more charming brother really put a damper on your mood after all and Harry and Hermione tried their best to make the best out of the situation. When they arrived to the room Ron immediately sat in the back row and put his head on the table.

"Good afternoon, my name is Professor Weasley and this is obviously defense against the dark arts." Bill was leaning against the front of his desk and you could tell all the girls liked it. "Now I think the temporary professor said you were on the chapter about guarding spells, is that correct?"

A few people agreed with him, so he smiled and took out his wand.

"Good, now Hermione would you join me up here please?" Ron audibly groaned as Hermione walked to the front of the room. "Use any spell you want on me. I know the annoyance has probably built up for awhile." People chuckled as Harry laughed in the back.

Smirking, Hermione shot a bat boogey hex at him which he deflected right away.

"Defense spells, typically, are easy to use and very effective. Even if the person is caught off guard they can normally use them in a short amount of time and be safe." Bill went on as Hermione made her way back to her seat, her cheeks flushed just noticeably.

"See Harry, I told you!" Ron whispered across her.

"Told you what?" Harry ran a hand through his hair and looked at the table in front of the girl.

He's still convinced you and Bill have a "thing" going on… he thinks that him using you for the demonstration proves it.

Hermione shook her head. We don't, honestly. She wrote back. Harry shrugged his shoulders; there was nothing they could do that would get this out of Ron's head so they would just have to deal with it.

"Harry, come up here please." Bill called and the black haired boy walked up. "I'm going to send a spell your way and I want you to use a defending spell against it, I know you've got the practice." Bill and Harry smirked at each other as all the girls in the room giggled at the joke.

"Honestly Ron, he's your brother! You need to get this out of your head." Hermione whispered to him but got no response.

"Alright, class is dismissed, Ron, Harry, and Hermione: a word?" The three stayed in their seats until everyone had left and walked up to the desk.

"Just because one of you is my brother and the other two might as well be family doesn't mean that I'll allow you to talk during my lesson. This is only a warning, but do it again and I won't mind giving you all detention." They all nodded and waved good bye.

On the way back to Gryffindor tower Ron was still sulking, and by the time they made it into the common room Harry groaned. "Seriously Ron, get over it! She says nothing is going on so let it be!"

"Nothing might actually be going on, but I can tell when either of them fancies someone and they both do!" He roared back catching everyone's attention.

"And how would you know that Ron?" Hermione shot back not noticing that Ginny had come up beside her.

Ron's face turned red. "He's my brother and you're my best friend! I think I know when you both are infatuated with someone else; I've seen it a million times!"

Hermione stormed up to her dorm and set her bag on the bed and discarded her robe.

"He's right you know." Hermione jumped and turned to the door.

"Ginny, you scared me." Was all she said. "Right about what?"

Ginny sat down on the bed. "Bill's got that look in his eye. Someone's caught his fancy here." Hermione looked confused. "He's been nothing but smiles since I saw him this morning, even after his class with the Gryffindor and Slytherin first years he was joking and laughing. Normally that would throw someone's mood in a twist."

"But, why would Ron think it's me?" Hermione said sitting with her friend.

"This about it: you're both very intelligent, he sees you every time he comes to visit and you always find something to talk about, you both like to laugh, and you pretty much have the same exact goals as he did when he was in school." For awhile Hermione was quiet.

"He is good looking." She laughed. "But do not tell Ron that, he would freak out." She pointed at her friend who laughed as well.

"I've had so many people tell me today that Bill is much better looking than Ron, I'm just keeping it to myself as is." The pair got up and walked to the common room where they met up with Ron and Harry for dinner.

With loaded plates the four joked about their day. While Ginny was telling a story about how someone's potion blew up Hermione felt something shift in her pocket, she put her hand in to feel a piece of parchment.

Curiously pulling it out she realized it was a note.

Hermione, could you please meet me after dinner in the kitchens?

Bill

Putting the note away she looked over at Harry. "I wanted to look for something in the library after dinner; I'll meet you guys back in the common room when I'm done." He nodded.

"So, Hogsmeade weekend is coming up soon." Harry said excitedly. "I can't wait to see Fred and George's new shop."

"I know, it probably won't be as big as the one in Diagon Alley, but it'll still be a huge success. Now they can get students to buy their stuff while in school." Ginny said smiling.

"We better get some awesome presents from them this year at Christmas." Ron said his mouth still full on mashed potatoes.

"Is that all you can think of?" Ginny asked laughing. Ron nodded. "Well it's true. "

As people were leaving, Hermione got up from the table. "I'll see you guys in a little bit." She waved and made her way out of the Great Hall and down towards the dungeons. Bill had left earlier and she thought it would be safe to go without Ron making a scene.

When she got there she tickled the pear and was immediately pounced on by an elf.

"Hello Miss! What can Dobby get for you? A friend of Harry Potter, and mine, can get whatever she would like!"

"Hello Dobby, can I have an éclair please?" Dobby jumped down and ran to the other end of the room as Hermione took a seat by the giant fireplace.

The portrait opened again and Bill walked in, not noticing Hermione at first and asking the nearest elf for a mug of coffee.

"Hello Bill," she said standing up. The tall red head walked over and gave her a hug.

"Thanks for meeting me here; I know it's kind of odd." He said smiling. "I just wanted to know how Ron was adjusting to me becoming his professor."

The pair sat down. "He's not taking it too well, actually." She said noticing how the happiness almost fell off Bill's face. "I mean, if he heard that just about every girl in school thought you were good looking and how many of them had told Ginny already his brain might explode." The booming laughter filled the room.

"I was wondering when that would all start." He confessed. "I'm surprised Gin hasn't told me that yet." He shook his head as they took their things from an elf. "So, you were talking about me?"

Hermione looked at him confused, and then nodded her head. "I guess we were." She said laughing a bit. "Is that a problem?"

Bill cocked an eyebrow. "Not really, just wondering. But if you give me lip like that one more time Miss Granger I might have to give you detention." He joked taking a sip of his coffee. Hermione laughed.

"Excuse me, Mr. Weasley, but Fritz is growling at me when I gives him dinner." An elf said, visibly shaking.

"Alright, I'll do it. Thank you." Bill took a small bowl of dog food.

"You brought a dog with you?" Hermione asked.

"Yes, would you like to come see him?" Bill asked draining his mug and standing. Hermione nodded as she bit into another éclair and followed him.

When they arrived at the room Bill gave the password and held the portrait open for Hermione. In the living area there was a small dog running around chasing his tail.

"This is Fritz." Bill said putting the food dish down and sitting on the ground. The pup ran over and leapt onto his lap, licking his face eagerly. Fritz looked over and saw Hermione standing there; he ran over and bit onto her shoe laces pulling them with him.

"I think he likes you." Bill said "I also think he wants you to sit down." Hermione smiled as she walked towards Bill and sat across from him, Fritz jumping up and down loving all the attention he was getting.

"He's adorable." Hermione said with a gleaming smile.

After half an hour Hermione finally made her way to Gryffindor tower where she sat by the window and did her homework, a smile on her face the entire time.

Ginny joined her as all the first years went to bed. "How was the library?" She asked.

"The what?" Hermione said stupidly, looking at her friend.

Ginny winked. "The 'library', Hermione. You know, where you 'check out' books." Hermione could feel the blood run to her cheeks.

"How did you know?" She whispered. Ginny reached over and pulled a dog hair off of her friends shoulder.

"Ron and Harry wouldn't have noticed, but I'm a girl so I would." Hermione's cheeks got redder. "But don't worry, I won't mention it again."

Hermione sighed. "That you so much. Not that anything happened, we just talked. He asked me how Ron was coping with Bill being your new professor." Ginny nodded.

"You know, he could have asked you that after class. So why would he want to meet with you after dinner?"

Hermione stopped writing suddenly leaving an ink spot on her potions homework. "I'm not sure."

Both girls shrugged as they finished their work, when they went to bed Hermione laid awake thinking about what Ginny had said. While the young red head fell asleep smiling.

A/N: Wow, I'm really happy with this chapter.