A/N: Okay...like I promised another one before New Year's! Maybe if I get a lot of reviews and readers I might add another one! But its up to everyone...Enjoy!
“Harry and Ron, you two first through the barrier,” called Bill rushing to through the busy King’s Cross, grasping Mae's hand.
“I’m so happy Mum and Dad had to things with the you-know-what so they didn’t have to come and yell at us,” said Ron to Harry before they hit the barrier.
I arrived and first looked at the shiny red Hogwarts Express, with students that piled into the train. Harry followed after me, with Ginny, Bill, and Mae.
“Okay now does everyone remember the plan,” said Ron to Harry and Ginny who nodded. “Okay, we'll see you later Ginny.”
Ginny left with her trunk towards a man that placed her trunk on the train, “you alright Ron,” asked Harry watching Ron scanning the crowd.
“Huh…yeah I’m alright, I guess I’m just nervous seeing Hermione that’s all,” staring into the crowd.
“Well see you all at Graduation, we have to go,” said Mae giving Ron a hug.
“Good bye and thanks for bringing us,” Harry told Bill and Mae.
“You're welcome, and Ron don’t worry, everything will turn out alright,” said Bill giving Ron a pat on the back.
“Yeah I guess your right,” Ron replied with a nod. “Thanks,” as they both smiled and Apparate with a crack.
“You ready?” Harry asked, staring at the train.
“As I’ll ever be,” Ron said taking in a deep breath, dragging his trunk towards the train, with Harry following.
The train ride back was pleasant. Neville shared a compartment with us, as we talked about our holiday. Neville still couldn’t believe that Harry and I actually tested out Fred and George’s candy. He thought we were mental or tricked by a spell. He was surprised we actually looked normal or didn’t have any permanent brain or organ damage.
The train ride was long and boring, even though we ate all the treats off the trolley with our money, I still felt nervous and scared to face Hermione again. The train slowed down as we arrived in Hogsmeade. Exiting the train I could see Ginny and Krystel walking with Hermione to one of the horse-less carriage, laughing amongst them selves. She seems to be happy and content, not thinking about me.
The carriages rolled up to the brightly lit castle, and I couldn’t help but feel even more nervous. My stomach felt that it was in knots, that kept turning, twisting and stretching, which made me want to hurl at any moment. Harry nodded at me occasionally, and I nodded back and gazed out the window as we moved. I tried so hard not to think of Hermione. When we arrived at the Entrance doors and walked in, the Great Hall was filled with students and teachers.
“Hey Ron,” said Neville placing a hand on Ron’s shoulder. “Are you going to go in?”
Ron snapped out of his trance, “Huh, Er…”
“Ron she’s right there, sitting next to Ginny and Krystel,” pointing over to the Gryffindor table, watching Ginny, Krystel, and Hermione having a conversation.
“Thanks,” he said still motionless.
“Aren’t you going to go over there and say hi to her?”
“Huh, well…”he hesitated, “should I?”
Neville looked at him confused, “well let me see…yeah you should.”
“Okay,” he said bracing himself taking a step forward, “not today though,” turning around walking out of the Great Hall entrance.
“Ron where you going?” Neville called out to Ron. Neville shook his head and walked towards his friends, but looked back to see Ron turn the corner.
What am I doing? I'm suppose to try and get back together with Hermione and now I’m walking away from her. I’m such an idiot. I walked through the halls and passed the many portraits that scolded me for not eating at the Great Hall. I took the long way back to my common room, still thinking over in my head, the reason I left.
Why am I so nervous to talk to her or even get close to her? I can’t even control myself right now, why am I so afraid? When I finally saw Snuffles, I felt so frustrated and tired that I just sat on the couch stared into the fireplace. Watching the flames flicker and dance around made me think of Hermione’s hair whisking in front of me. The way she twirled her hair with her fingers and how we danced together, her hair would float with the wind.
“Mr. Weezy sir,” called a familiar voice. “Mr. Weezy…”
Ron turned left to look at someone standing next to the couch with a trolley cart. “Hi Dobby, what can I do for you?”
“Mr. Weezy sir, Mr. Harry Potter sir asked me to bring you some food. Since you didn’t attend the feast tonight,” Dobby said pushing the trolley closer to Ron.
Ron could see a plate filled with roast, potatoes, carrots, onions, and a piece of pie, and a glass pumpkin juice, “Thanks Dobby, this looks great.”
“You are very welcome Mr. Weezy,” said Dobby, walking away bowing humbly.
I looked at the food breathing in the wonderful aroma, and picked up a fork to eat. After I ate, I just left the tray there on the table, and focused my attention back to fireplace. I hoped to fall asleep on the couch before Hermione came in. The flames burning my eyes made me tear a bit to stop dancing of the colors reflecting in my eyes. I felt so intrigued and mystified that I feel into a trance in front of the burning show.
I awoke to an eerie door closing, as I glanced upwards seeing the ceiling of the common room. I looked over to the clock by the wall and quickly jumped up from the couch due the time. I rushed to the bathroom to freshen up, and then headed upstairs to put on a new set of robes. Grabbed my bag which laid on the side of my bed and quickly rushed to the Great Hall, to get something to eat before class started.
“Look who’s back from the dead,” said Neville to Harry stuffing his face with oatmeal.
“Hey, guys. I guess the girls left already,” Ron said taking a seat next to Harry.
“Ron, why'd you run away last night?” Harry said placing his spoon in his bowl.
“I guess, I felt scared,” Ron said grabbing some fruit with his spoon and placing it in his bowl.
“Well I'm glad you didn’t come, because Hermione wouldn’t or couldn’t stop talking about that guy she met,” said Neville shaking his head at his bowl.
“Thanks for bring it up numb skull,” said Harry reaching over the table, giving Neville a slap on the side of his head.
“Hey, what was that for?” Neville asked rubbing his head furiously.
“Don’t tell me I have to slap it back in your head,” Harry said looking at Neville seriously.
“Guys, I know who you’re talking about,” said Ron playing around with the fruit in his oatmeal.
“Nice going scar head,” said Neville sarcastically which made Harry jump.
“You want to take this outside, grandma’s boy,” snapped Harry wiping out his wand which made Neville do the same.
“Oh look, two idiots fighting over me,” said Ron laughing at the situation, “sit down before I give both of you detention with Snape.”
Harry and Neville felt stupid and placed their wands in their robes and sat back down.
“Now can we start by doing something about my little situation, we have to get certain people to run out our plan,” Ron whispered to Harry and Neville.
“Well the girls are doing their job by keeping an eye on Hermione and making sure to tell us anything that happened on her vacation, and to see if she still has any feelings for you,” Neville added, leaning in.
“We just need a few more people to do the hard part of this plan,” added Harry. “I know who we can use.”
“Who?” both questioned.
“That’s for you to find out. Don’t worry I’ll show you, oh and remember we have Quidditch practice tonight, the game is in three weeks.”
“Right,” replied Ron, taking in a spoon full of his oatmeal.
“Well hurry up, we’ll be late for Hagrid’s class,” Harry sugested, picking up his belongings and stood up to leave.
Ron took one more scoop and swallowed harshly, “see you later Neville,” he said grabbing his bag and standing up.
“Bye.”
The classes that I had Hermione in, I tried to confront her in different ways, but for some reason she would either ignore me completely or jump into a conversation with someone which left me stranded. I knew I deserved it, but for how long? I even tried the old trick in the book, by asking Professor Harrington to place Hermione and I together, but she found a way to slip out of my plan. I tried not to care much about it, even though I felt hurt. So I brushed it out of my mind, and continued with my work. After a quick dinner in the Great Hall, I went to the locker rooms early.
When I walked to my locker, I opened it to reveal the picture of me and Hermione at the Halloween Dance, dancing happily. Colin took that picture and found me when he developed it, so I stashed it on my locker room door, so that I could remember how happy we were. I stood and stared at the picture for a moment. Hermione smiled and looked like she had a good time.
“Ron you’re here early,” called Jason walking in the locker rooms with Spencer trailing him with their bags.
“Yeah, I guess I couldn’t wait to fly,” Ron replied, taking off his shirt and placing it in his locker pulling out his practice uniform.
“So how was your holiday,” said Spencer opening his locker and pulling out his uniform.
“It could have been better, I ended up being a lab rat to my older brothers,” said Ron with a chuckle as Jason and Spencer shook their heads.
“So what was the strange thing you’ve tasted?” Jason asked putting on his pads.
Ron buttoned his uniform, “I think the strangest one was trying this candy called ‘polyups’ it was this type of chewy candy that comes in many different flavors. It tastes really good, but once you swallow it a few seconds later, you start hiccupping like a mad man. If you try to drink water, it makes it louder, and if you hold your breath the candy makes hiccups last longer. It was sort of funny and not so much fun at the same time. But when the hiccups finally stops, your stomach and throat hurt so much from regurgitating, you feel like passing out,” he finished strapping on his knee pads.
“Wow, I wouldn’t mind trying that one out, it doesn’t seem that bad,” said Spencer walking over to the broom closet.
“Yeah, it doesn’t unless you like hiccupping for 10 minutes straight, and if you hold your breath for more than 10 seconds, it adds on 5 minutes more,” Ron said sarcastically.
“Okay never mind,” Spencer said feeling stupid he suggested it.
“Wow, half the team here already, and dressed,” Harry said coming in the locker room. “I’m impressed; my team keeps getting quicker and more enthusiastic every time. I definitely feel we’re taking home the Quidditch cup this year.”
Asher came in over hearing the conversation, “of course were going to win, if we beat Ravenclaw, and hope that Hufflepuff loses to Slytherin by less than 500, we’ll win the cup for sure,” he said walking to his locker.
“Now that’s what I want to hear,” said Harry hyper and ready to practice, “okay team finish up in ten minutes and then on the field for warm ups.”
After a long, vigorous practice that Harry droves us into, Ginny flew towards Harry and I while we were putting away the ball equipment.
“Hey guys, great practice,” said Ginny to Harry and Ron carrying the ball case.
“Yeah, if you like following ‘Captain Blood’ here,” said Ron looking over at Harry.
“Ron if you can’t hack it, we can always find a first year to replace you,” Harry said with a smirk.
“Don’t start Harry, no first year can replace me,” Ron said boastfully.
“I think you should get your head out of the clouds for a moment and listen to what I have to say,” Ginny said shaking her head at her brother.
“So what’s up, Gin,” said Harry as they touched the ground and placed the ball case down.
“Well, lately since we’ve been back, Hermione has really opened up and talked to Krystel and I,” she said placing her broom on the ground.
“And,” both said.
“And she’s coming to the point were she’s starting to compare you, with that guy Max, and for some reason she’s holding back on something,”
Harry looked puzzled, “so let me get this straight, she’s comparing Ron to this Max fellow?”
“Yes that’s what I’m trying to say, and for some reason Ron, I think you might be winning,” she hesitated to say.
Ron looked at her wide eye, “she still has feelings for me,” he said shaking his head in disbelief, “and I thought all this time she hated my guts.”
“Well, she still does, sort of…but she’s trying to get over it, that’s why I think we should start with the plan as soon as possible, because she’s very clever and I think she’s holding back something that she won’t tell any of us.”
“Okay, we can start tomorrow, but I don’t know how long it’s going to take for it to finally take place,” said Harry scratching his head.
“We just have to try and make it work,” said Ron. “Harry did you talk to that person who can help us?”
“Yeah, we can meet with her tomorrow,” he replied.
“Good, well I just hope this plan works,” Ron said, letting out a heavy sigh.
“Don’t worry Ron it’s going to work, believe me,” Ginny reassured him.
“Thanks both of you, well I guess we should be going it’s getting kind of late,” Ron said picking up a side of the ball case.
“Yeah, you’re right,” said Harry, picking up the other side and walked back to the locker room.
A/N: Another chapter before the New Year...maybe I might be generous and leave another one! Please review...I love getting responses, good or bad. SUFFER till I return!