Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. Wish I did.
A/N: This chapter is a bit short. Sorry, but that's how it turned out.
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The next morning, Ron woke to sunshine streaming through his window. As usual, his first thought was to go back to sleep. Then, also as usual, his second thought was about Hermione. He smiled as he remembered the night before, the tentative handholding, Hermione falling asleep with her head on his shoulder. Yawning, he put his feet on the floor and sat up, scratching his head, thinking that maybe he should ask Hermione to go for a walk today. He got up and scrounged around in his dresser until he found some jeans and a blue T-shirt (he was finally realizing that Chudley Cannons-orange was not his color). He pulled them on and went into the bathroom, where he combed his hair carefully and brushed his teeth before heading downstairs to breakfast.
Hermione and Ginny were already at the table. Ron noticed that Hermione had again done something to her hair to tame its bushiness, though truthfully (and secretly), he loved her hair's natural wildness. Maybe someday I'll get up the nerve to tell her that, he thought. He sat down next to her, nonchalantly, he hoped, and reached for some toast. "Hi," he said in greeting.
"Glad you finally decided to join the living, Ron," Hermione replied with a playful grin. It was nearly 10 am, after all. Ginny only yawned at him.
“I'm still growing, I need my sleep. Do you think I plan to be six feet two forever?" He waited until Ginny got up from the table to get more milk, then gathered his courage. "Er...would you maybe like to go for a walk today?" he quietly asked Hermione.
Before Hermione could answer, Ginny snorted into her glass of milk, stifling a giggle. "What's the matter with you?!" Ron demanded, reddening slightly. "Where is everybody anyway? Where's Mum?"
"Bill and Charlie went with Dad to the Ministry, and the twins finally convinced Mum to go see the joke shop. They left for Diagon Alley a bit ago; she said she'd be back shortly. And before she left, she told me to keep an eye on you two," she added mischievously.
"Ginny Weasley! I was here when your mother left, and she said no such thing!" Hermione said, blushing. Ginny headed into the other room, still giggling. Hermione turned to Ron. "Yes, I'd like to go for a walk." She smiled and turned back to her breakfast.
Ron helped himself to more toast, thinking. Maybe they could hold hands again. Maybe, (did he even dare let himself think it?) just maybe he could kiss her. He was interrupted from a nice visual image of standing under the tree by the pond, kissing Hermione as the wind blew through her hair, by a pecking sound.
There was an owl at the window, one he had never seen before. It was almost solidly black, with piercing yellow eyes and tufted feathers over its ears. Ron went to the window and opened it. The owl hopped in, held its leg out, and watched almost menacingly as Ron took the letter it was carrying. With a sharp cry, it turned and flew away.
Ron brought the letter to the table and opened it. Hermione leaned over to see, turning pale when she saw the handwriting.
"Ron..." she started, but Ron was already reading:
Dear Ron Weasley,
I am writing this in hopes that you can help me. Hermioninny said she was going to your house next. When she was here last week, she left behind some personal items, including some of her clothes. I am hoping that I can send them to her at your house. Please owl me and let me know if this will be acceptable. And please tell Hermioninny that I miss her.
It was signed by Viktor Krum.
"Ron..." Hermione started again. Ron was turning a dangerous shade of red, almost purple. "Ron, I didn't...."
Ron was staring at the letter, feeling his face start to burn. She had lied to him. And just when he thought he might have a chance, that they might have a chance. That hurt more than anything, having his hopes dashed. And that line about her leaving clothes behind. For some reason, that made him angrier than anything else in the letter, even the comment about Krum missing her.
"You lied to me," he said quietly, crumpling the letter. He turned to look at Hermione, who was shaking her head. "You lied to me!" he said violently as he hurled the letter to the floor.
"No, Ron, I didn't. Viktor wrote that because I told him...."
"Because you told him what?! That you felt like you better squeeze in a visit with poor old Ron Weasley because he asked you to come see him?" Ron was conveniently forgetting that it was Hermione who had wanted to come to the Burrow.
Hermione was starting to get angry, too. Ron wasn't giving her a chance to explain. "It's not like that at all!" she insisted. "Will you just listen...."
"Oh, I'm supposed to listen to you talk about your adventures with 'Vicky'? I think not! Especially not if it involves your leaving clothes behind!"
Hermione stood up, furious, and Ron stood to face her. "Ronald Weasley, how dare you insinuate such a thing! You know me better than that! Just shut up and listen for one min..."
"I thought I knew you better, too, but apparently I don’t.”
"Fine! If you're not willing to listen to me, then I have nothing more to say to you!" Hermione stormed out into the yard, slamming the door hard enough to rattle the windows. Ron was quick to follow her, slamming the door even harder.
"Oh, but I'll bet you had plenty to say to 'Vicky', didn't you? Or were you two too busy to talk?" he asked sarcastically, trying to catch up with Hermione.
Hermione, still walking quickly away from Ron with her head down, threw out her arms to her side, her fingers tensed. "Ron, do NOT do this!"
Ron followed, unrelenting. "Did you think I wouldn't find out? You LIED to me, Hermione!"
Hermione didn't slow down. Gritting her teeth, she hissed, "Oh, you hate the guy, but you believe him instead of me! Thanks a lot, Ron!"
"What am I supposed to believe, Hermione? Just what am I supposed to believe after getting that letter?"
Hermione stopped suddenly and faced him. "Fine! You want me to tell you that I went to Bulgaria, stayed with Viktor, had a few snogging sessions with him, then hurried along here to see you? Fine!" She brushed past him roughly and started back toward the house.
Ron turned to follow her. "No, I do NOT want you to tell me that! You might as well rip my heart out and stomp on it!" He was so furious he didn't even realize how close he was to admitting his true feelings.
Hermione abruptly halted and turned toward him, confusing Ron into stopping, too. "Why?" she demanded, crossing her arms.
"Dammit, Hermione, because I'm bloody crazy about you!" Ron suddenly realized what he had said, and he lost a lot of his steam. "I...I mean....you're...you're one of my best friends, and I don't want to see you get hurt," he finished lamely.
Hermione stared at him icily. "Wrong answer," she whispered, then turned and hurried across the yard into the house.
Ron blew out his breath forcefully and ran his hand through his hair. He wandered over and sat under the tree near the pond (our tree, his subconscious insisted). He idly picked up a rock then flung it, hard, into the water. "Dammit, Weasley," he muttered to himself.