Hermione looked up from her book and glanced out of the window which was next to her bed. The sky was bright blue with huge, white clouds that let the sun peek through. “Perfect day for Quidditch try-outs,” she said to herself. Ron was trying out this year. “Silly game really.” She put a purple ribbon in-between page 1467 and 1468 of Magical Herbs and Their Concoctions, slapped the heavy book shut and put it down on the bed. For some reason, she was having a difficult time paying attention to chapter 301, so she decided to get some fresh air. She was putting on her shoes when Ginny tapped on the doorframe and asked to come in.
“Of course! How are you? I haven’t seen you for nearly three days.” Hermione knew her friend had been busy studying for an upcoming potions exam.
“Fine, thanks. I wondered if you were going down to the field to watch tryouts today. Amber won’t stop studying “ she’s scared to death of Professor Snape, and Bernadette still has the rash and won’t go out in public.” At this Ginny gave a giggle. After all, if Bernadette would have been paying attention to the trail instead of gaping at Harry, she wouldn’t have fallen in the thorn weed. Served her right.
“Ginny, really. Sometimes I wonder if you didn’t plan that incident. And Bernadette is your friend!” Hermione scolded. She looked down quickly, pretending to buckle her shoe so her friend wouldn’t see her smile.
“I never!” Ginny smiled as she twisted long red hair around a finger absent-mindedly. “C’mon, Hermione. I have to go. Ron is trying out, so even if I didn’t want to go watch Harry, I would still have to go and support my brother.” She sat on the bed next to Hermione and noticed something pretty sticking out from a large book. “Oh! Is that a bookmark?” she asked, pointing at the purple ribbon. Her dad had mentioned them once.
Hermione smiled. “Yes. Typically I use the mark-it charm like everyone else, but my mother gave me this ribbon while we were on holiday.” She opened the book and drew it out, carefully.
Ginny noticed her friend’s care. “Is it special?”
Hermione studied it and turned it over in her hand. It shimmered in the sunlight. “No,” she lied. “Mother had used it when she went to University. C’mon then. We’re going to miss tryouts if we stay up here any longer.”
Ginny nodded. “You know…” she glanced at the ribbon as Hermione placed it back in the book. “You might wear it in your hair someday. It’s lovely,” and she rose from the bed and walked toward the door. She didn’t notice Hermione’s thoughtful look.
The two girls started down the stairs to the common room when Hermione stopped suddenly.
“You go on without me. I’ll meet you in the stands. I won’t be long.”
Ginny nodded, smiled, and continued down the stairs without her. Hermione returned to her room. She opened her trunk and searched around in the bottom. “There you are,” she said as she found a small velvet bag. Inside was a small pocket mirror that she carefully removed and wiped off with the sleeve of her robe. “Oh that won’t do,” and she wiped the dust from her robe as best she could.
She closed her trunk and sat back on the bed. Looking at the ribbon, she remembered what her mother had told her last summer. “Hermione, I was wearing this ribbon the day your father asked me out on our first date. Later he told me that the purple ribbon had caught his eye as he sat behind me in class. He said he couldn’t keep his eyes off it!” At this she giggled. “I kept it all these years. Silly really, to keep a ribbon. I thought you might use it for a bookmark and think of me when you’re back at Hogwarts.”
Hermione grabbed the brush that was sitting on the small table next to her bed and then took her wand from her robe. Pointing it at the mirror, she said clearly “Wingardium Leviosa!” and the mirror floated up directly in front of her face. She brushed her bushy, brown hair until it shone and then tied it up high on the back of her head with her mother’s purple ribbon. She studied her reflection for a moment. “That will have to do,” she sighed, wishing she had more time. Putting her things away quickly, she rushed out of the room and down the stairs to meet Ginny.
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“C’mon Ron!”
“C’mon Harry!”
Hermione and Ginny looked at each other and laughed. “Well I guess I know who you’re cheering on,” Ginny grinned.
Hermione raised a brow and smiled, “Don’t be silly. Harry’s already on the team. It’s Ron who needs our support.” Two 6th years giggled behind them. Ginny turned around, red-faced. Hermione smiled at her friend. “Never mind them. Nobody knows you have a crush on Harry except me and I haven’t told a soul,” she whispered. Ginny relaxed a little and turned toward the field once more.
“Ron’s actually not doing that bad of a job as Beater,” Hermione noticed, twisting the end of her scarf into a knot.
“Hermione. Ron is trying out for Keeper, not Beater. “ She shook her head and laughed. “I thought you would have known by now.”
“Well honestly I was surprised he is trying out at all…” she looked at Ron and her brow furrowed, “…I mean… it’s quite dangerous. He could be hurt. Harry’s fallen two and three times!”
“Right.” Ginny just smiled and looked at Harry as he and Angelina took turns aiming the Quaffle toward Ron. She could hear them shouting to a very nervous-looking Ron.
Ron, keeping his eye on Angelina’s throw, noticed his sister in the stands next to- wait a minute “ “Hermione?” Ron squinted to see her. She was wearing her hair differently. Something he’d only seen her do at the Yule Ball last year.
“RON! PAY ATTENTION-“ Too late. Harry winced as his friend took a hard hit in the arm. He frowned at her and flew over to Ron, who had barely stayed on his broom after the blow.
Hermione gasped and stood. “Ron!” One of the 6th year girls behind her laughed. She turned and looked at the girl. “Oh do be quiet!” She turned and watched as Harry went to help him. She clasped her hands together in front of her face and hoped he was okay.
“Ron, are you alright?” Harry asked his friend, watching as Ron put on a brave face. Harry had been hit before during practice and knew the pain well.
“Bloody hell, Harry. Is she trying to kill me?” He asked, pointing at Angelina. “That girl’s a menace!”
“In all fairness Ron, you dropped a bit after she threw. You weren’t paying attention. What were you looking at?” he asked and followed Ron’s gaze to the stands which were only a quarter-full of observers. His eyes quickly found Ginny and Hermione. “Oh. Well still Ron, you have to- did Hermione cut her hair?” He squinted to see her. Something was different. He shrugged and turned back to Ron.
“No. She’s got it tied back or something. I mean, not that I noticed before you mentioned it.” He dropped his gaze and rubbed his sore arm. “How am I doing?”
“Good, actually. Fred and George taught you well. Let’s get back to it then.”
“Right.” Ron braced himself and tried to concentrate. His gaze slipped back to the stands, however, and he noticed Hermione standing and staring straight at him. She looked worried. He wondered if she was worried about him. Then he wondered if she had noticed that he had kept his seat. He puffed up his chest and pretended not to notice her, instead looking sternly ahead at Harry who was ready with the Quaffle again…
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An hour later, Harry and Ron appeared in the Gryffindor common room to find Ginny sitting on one of the chairs by the fire. She rose and came over to Harry, “You did a great job out there.”
Ron smirked, “Thanks Ginny. And yes, I made the team.”
Ginny smiled at a rather red-faced Harry and then turned to her brother. “Well done, Ron. How’s your arm?”
Ron rubbed it and shrugged. “Smarts a bit, but I’ve had worse.”
Ginny cocked her head and smiled up at him sweetly. “Oh yeah. Like the time I punched you after you turned my bedroom orange.”
Harry laughed as Ron fired back, “You deserved it, you Git. You locked Scabbers in dad’s muggle toolbox and I didn’t find him for a week!”
Harry scowled as Ginny drew out her wand. “OKAY you two. That’s enough,” and he put his arm around Ginny to draw her away from Ron. “C’mon Ginny…” and the two of them sat on the couch by fire.
Ron shook his head in disgust and turned away only to run straight into Hermione who was running down the stairs at top speed. Ron yelped as she bumped into his sore arm. “Oi!”
“Oh! Ron!” She gently touched his arm and he jumped away. “I’m so sorry! I shouldn’t have been running! Are you alright? I saw what happened earlier. Did you make the team?”
Ron winced and nodded. “Yeah and yeah. Why were you running anyway?” He looked at her hair again. He noticed it was tied back in a purple ribbon. She looked, well, beautiful, he thought to himself.
Hermione noticed his stare and stopped herself from smiling. “Oh, I need to get this book back to Hagrid before nightfall” and she held up the furry, red book. “But I think I’m too late.” She looked out the window and noticed the setting sun.
Harry overheard the exchange and suggested that she use his invisibility cloak to get across the school grounds as they had done so many times before. Hermione thanked him and he went to get it. Ginny frowned.
Ron wasn’t speaking. Instead he was looking at a curl that had escaped Hermione’s ribbon. It curled around her ear. He couldn’t stop staring at it. For a moment their eyes met and Ron lowered his gaze.
“Say, Hermione, maybe I had better go with you. Keep you company, you know.” He shrugged. From over on the couch, Ginny smiled. Harry reappeared, cloak in hand. No one else was in the common room and he quickly gave it to Hermione and rejoined Ginny on the couch.
“Thanks, Harry.” She looked up at Ron. “Sure. That would be… fine.” Her heart beat a little faster as he followed her from behind and she headed past the portrait hole and down the staircases one by one. Not used to wearing a pony tail, she was curious at the sensation of her hair swaying from side to side. She smiled, silently thanking her mother.
Ron felt his eyes following the pendulum that was Hermione’s hair. He had half a mind to reach out and grab it, but held himself back. He liked it this way. Perhaps he should say something, he thought. But then sadly, they both came to the end of the stairs and headed toward the doors and out into the night air.
Huddled under Harry’s cloak, they walked un-noticed toward Hagrid’s hut. Twice Ron stepped on Hermione’s foot and muttered “sorry” before they made it to the hut. Still hidden beneath the cloak, Hermione managed to tap on the door whilst holding the book under her arm. Nobody answered.
Hermione sighed. “I have to get out of this thing. I can’t breathe,” and she motioned to Ron, “let’s go around back and wait a bit. He’ll probably be back soon.” Ron nodded and they went around to a spot where they wouldn’t be noticed from the school grounds. Safely hidden, Hermione breathed a sigh of relief as they both removed the cloak at the same time. “Phew! I swear this thing is getting heavier.” She smiled up at Ron and then stopped at the look on his face. “What’s the matter?”
Ron was dumbstruck. More curls had escaped the ribbon and hung around her face, loosened in their haste to get out from under the cloak. “Erm… your hair.” He pointed.
Hermione blushed. “Oh. Yeah, it must have come loose a bit.” She tried to fix it, thinking she must look a mess.
“Here, wait,” he said and reached out to help. He gently tucked one curl back into place as best he could, which required moving toward her. He could feel her looking at him as he got closer. He looked down into her eyes and his hand froze.
Hermione didn’t breathe. She could only look up at him. He was one of her dearest friends. But right now, she had a strong desire to kiss him. She very slowly raised one hand and rested it on his chest. She found, that unlike herself, Ron had no trouble breathing. In fact, he seemed to be doing a bang-up job of it at the moment.
Ron felt the warmth from her hand and closed his eyes. Taking a deep breath, he looked into her eyes once more and reached up to cover her hand with his. “Hermione,” he whispered.
“Oi! There you are, Hermione!” Hagrid bellowed as he appeared, lantern in hand, Fang by his side.
Ron and Hermione both jumped in surprise. She felt herself blushing and looked up at Ron, who even in the dark, was as red as she’d ever seen him before.
“Oh, and Ron too! Sorry I’m late. Fang saw a ware-rabbit. ‘Ad to chase ‘im down. You ne’er saw ‘im run so fast!” Hagrid stopped in his tracks at the site of them. “Oh er… well-“ and he saw Hermione holding the book he’d lent her. Then he noticed a faint blur of movement in her hand, which would be Harry’s invisibility cloak. “Ah, you’ve brought my book back. I hoped you liked it. Did it bite?”
Hermione grinned and left Ron to hand Hagrid his book. “No, though it did screech once or twice. My roommates wouldn’t let me read in bed after that.”
Hagrid chuckled. “Well I hope you liked it anyhow.” Hermione nodded and thanked him. “Now you two best get goin’. It’s full dark now and if you get caught, we’ll all be in trouble.”
Hermione nodded and turned to go. Concerned, Hagrid met Ron’s eye and one dark, bushy brow raised up. It was a subtle ‘be careful there.’ Ron smiled and nodded. “G’night.”
Ron waved and followed Hermione. Together they got back under the cloak and started the climb back up to Hogwarts, in silence.
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When they got back to the Gryffindor common room, they found they weren’t alone. Quite a few first years were gathered around a table watching a heated game of Wizard’s Chess. A queen being smashed to pieces was met with a loud roar of approval.
“Oi! Quiet down, you lot!” Ron yelled, and the crowed calmed somewhat.
Hermione handed the cloak to Ron when the others had turned around to the game once more. “Tell Harry thanks.” She looked down and then looked back up at him. “And thank you for going with me to Hagrid’s. Goodnight Ronald.”
Ron nodded. His heart felt heavy as she turned away toward the girl’s dormitory.
“Hermione! Wait a minute.” He walked toward her.
She stopped and turned around. “Yes?” Her pony tail swung back and forth. She tried to hide her excitement as she looked up at him approaching.
Ron looked down at his feet. “I wondered…” but he couldn’t find the words. He was too nervous.
She waited for a moment. For once, she didn’t interrupt.
He looked back up at her. “I wondered if you would… like to go to Hogsmeade with me next time. We could… I dunno….” He cleared his throat. He was sure he was making a fool of himself. Surely she would laugh now.
She was stunned. She couldn’t breathe again. She just stared up at him, her mouth hanging open.
Ron, of course, took this as a sign of utter disgust, and wanted nothing more than to be swallowed up by the floor.
“I’d like that,” and she smiled up at him brightly.
He had started to put Harry’s cloak around himself and trudge away when he stopped dead in his tracks. “What then “ well that’s “ I mean-“ he found himself breathing heavily and managed to shut up. Instead he flashed a huge smile. “Brilliant.” Still smiling, he backed away slowly. “Goodnight then.”
She chuckled, and finally able to breathe again, managed to turn around toward the stairs once more.
“Oh and Hermione!” Ron called out before she disappeared.
“Yes?” She asked. His brilliant smile made her heart beat even faster.
“Your hair looked really pretty today. The ribbon…” he made a gesture with his hand toward his own red hair.
Hermione managed to thank him and turn up the stairs before the first tear fell. “Thank you, mum,” she said as she hurried up to her room. “Thank you!”