Books, notes and invitations.
A Harry Potter Fanfic
By Toffrox33

For Audrey (enomix)

23rd December, 1996
Hermione hurried down the stairs, worriedly checking her watch as she ran. She still had twenty minutes before the library closed and she had to get this book in right away! It was already a day overdue.

Hermione scowled to herself as she thought about Harry and Ron's reactions to her fuss over the overdue book. Harry had merely rolled his eyes and laughed at her, but Ron. Ron… Hermione shook her head, trying not to think of his cruel laugh and mean teasing over the book. She was usually annoyed with Ron about something or other, but lately she found herself annoyed at everything.

She made it to the library and returned her book, apologizing profusely about the lateness, before hurrying back to the common room even faster than before. The faster she walked, the more Ron's taunts seemed to get to her, as they buzzed around her mind in an infuriatingly persistent manner. He simply was the most irritating human being on the planet..

Then why can't I get him out of my head? She thought to herself.

She was just about to create a logical answer to that question when someone bumped into her, causing her to stumble and almost fall.

"Oh! I am so sorry, I didn't see… oh. Hello Hermione." It was Cormac McLaggen. He gave Hermione a smile that was obviously supposed to be attractive but made Hermione slightly ill.

"Um, hello Cormac." She said awkwardly.

"Hey, Hermione, I was thinking.. you- you're going to Slughorn's Christmas party, right?" Cormac asked.

"Right." Hermione said hesitantly, dreading where this was going.

"Well, I was just wondering, if you'd like to go with me?" He smiled hopefully.

"Oh. Oh, Cormac, you know I was actually-" She stopped herself. She had been going to tell him that she was planning on asking Ron, but as she did so his taunts about the book came back to her, and she changed tactic. "Actually hoping you'd ask. I'd love to go with you." She finished, smiling sweetly. Cormac grinned.

"Great. That's great. Well I'll see you later then."

"Right. Bye."

With a sigh of either satisfaction or regret (she couldn't quite tell which she felt), Hermione headed back to the common room. Harry and Ron were no longer there, but they had left her books and homework neatly stacked on the table near to where they'd been sitting. As she went to pick them up, she noticed a rather crinkled looking note, in familiar, messy handwriting.

-Hermione

Sorry about before. I was wrong

Ron-

Hermione's jaw dropped and she collapsed into a nearby armchair. She stared out of the common room window, where rain spattered against the glass, despite the fact that the sky had been clear and sunny a moment earlier. Ron almost never apologized to her.

Regretfully, she thought of her conversation with Cormac and bit her lip. Maybe she'd spoken too soon? She sighed to herself and leant back in the chair, her hand curled tightly around the note.

It wasn't that late yet, and the common room was still relatively loud with chatter. But Hermione fell asleep a few minutes later, with the note still in her hand and her head still full of Ron.

AN- For Audrey from Patronus, Merry Christmas. I hope you enjoyed the story. I tried to include as much Cormac as possible with my idea. ;)

Prompts Used: Rain, starlit sky, overdue library book, Cormac McLaggen, Hermione Granger, ron/hermione.

Reviews are much appreciated

Toff..x