Author’s Note: Again, what will follow is not intended to be “Female Psychology 101”, true or false. All Weasleys belong to JKR. Please, Read and Reviews ! Let me know what you think, OK ?? :-)
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Two weeks before Hermione’s arrival…
Ron turned his gaze from the window, back to his desk. The Burrow as bathing in an unusual silence, since all the other Weasleys had left early this morning. He was alone, still struggling with his feelings, trying to lye them down beneath his quill.
Ron just finished a new letter to his brother Bill, using a new strategy in his wording: he took great precaution not to reveal himself in the letter. This time, Ron felt more confident about getting some good advices on how to deal with some bushy head young witch, whose smiles and scowls had troubled his heart for quite some time now.
Carefully, Ron re-read his letter.
“Hi, Bill
How are you doing, old brother? I don’t know where you might be on assignment, so I rely on Gringotts’ mail services to forward this letter. Unless Pigwidgeon is stubborn enough to track you down himself!
We are all enjoying our first week of summer vacation! Fred and George are so overloaded with customers at Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes, that they have (so far) let Ginny and me alone, which suits us just fine. Of course, Mom still fusses about your ponytail and your ear-fang. But for the record, we all agree she should get off your back. You simply look cool!
Remember the time you were Head boy at Hogwarts? Professor McGonagall told us you helped her solve a lot of conflicts between students! Well, I need now your experience and opinion on one particular situation: two of my classmates, a Girl and a Boy, can’t help nagging constantly at each other. They are, otherwise, very close friends and hanging most of time together. I know the boy put in lots of good will to be nice to the girl, but nothing went the way he wanted. Do you think the girl is out of her mind, demanding so much, and not giving a clue about what she really expects? What a ridiculous behavior, considering they are both Prefects and ought to set good examples to the other students.
As a Weasley and a friend, I can not stand there and let them make a fool out of themselves, can I? I wish I could explain to that boy what girls really expect from us, but quite frankly, I don’t know much about the matter either! Help me out, will you? It would be a blast if I can improve that situation as soon as school starts!
Maybe you know some Softening Charm that would help them both back to their senses?
Thanks so much for your advices! See you soon!
Your brother,
Ron”
Ron then addressed his letter to Gringotts Bank “ Department of Charms Administration, and went to find Pig. The tiny owl, already recovered from its last trip to Romania, left eagerly again for its next adventure.
Almost a week later, Pig came back, looking exhausted, though glowing with pride. Bill’s reply landed on Ron’s hand in a mist of golden sand. “Thanks, mate! You are the best!” whispered Ron. After pouring fresh water and a double ration of food to his owl, he opened hastily his brother’s letter.
“Dear Ron,
It is great to know you are all well!
Pig did track me down in the Tunisian desert (!). I have been sent here, on assignment for Gringotts, for the last two weeks. This place truly is a fascinating world of contradictions: fire at day, frost at night; you never meet a living soul, although millions of creatures, animals and plants, are struggling to survive. Wait to see my pictures! I will give you all the details next time, I promise!
About the matter that troubled you, there is no such thing as Softening Charm, sorry! However, I can tell you a true story you might find inspiring:
'I know a Young Wizard, at that time a 6th grade student at Hogwarts. He fell in love with one of his classmates, a Nice Witch, who was dating the Captain of their Quidditch team. The Young Wizard knew he had few virtues to compete with the Captain, actually one of the most handsome, successful and popular boy at school. But, he owned a talent the Captain did not: he was a wonderful stories teller. Thus, he began telling stories to the Nice Witch. Day after day, he told her adventures that made her dream, silly facts that made her laugh, and ordinary things that made her see her world as extraordinary. And through legends and tales, the Nice Witch’s feelings began to change. She slowly shifted from Quidditch games to moonlight-strolls, from the popular Captain to the boy who kept amazing her with his stories. Finally, the Young Wizard achieved what he wished for: the Nice Witch agreed to love and to share his dreams for the rest of their lives.
For all the fantasies he planted in her mind had grown into beautiful flowers in her heart …. '
Lovely story, wasn’t it? You see, girls are intelligent persons, filled with imagination. The path to their heart is indeed their mind! They are fond of mystery. They appreciate beauty and originality, because those notions challenge and enrich their mind. It is, somehow, their second nature to fancy a new and improved world.
I think that Hermione totally fits that portrait (she is the Prefect you wrote about, isn’t she?). She is smart, owns a particular talent to turn any dull homework into a masterpiece, and her intentions are no less than noble (Please, tell her I have received all nine copies of “SPEW - Application for membership”, thanks!).
As for you, Ron (unmistakably the “other Prefect” in your letter), it is your game now to make Hermione see the world as she never has before! I don’t mean you have to show yourself smarter than she is (girls hate that, by the way!), or even try to change her mind. The true challenge is to use your imagination, and your great sense of humor to show her the way YOU see things. I am confident she will look at you so differently afterwards!
Remember, a simple drop of milk can turn a whole cup of tea into the sweetest beverage on earth!
I am on your side 200%! Good luck! See you soon!
Bill
P.S.: Just in case you wonder, the real name of our “Young Wizard” is Arthur Weasley. And those wonderful fantasies he told Molly (as known as my “Nice Witch”) were all about Muggles! ”
Ron’s jaw dropped in awe, finding hard to picture his own parents as love struck teenagers. “ Mental, that one!” he uttered. “And how did he guess it was Hermione and me? I did not paint her between lines, didn’t I? ”. Though Ron had to admit, feeling both proud of his brother and annoyed to see his strategy fall flat, Bill did not fail his well-known reputation of charms breaker!.
But, Bill’s great plan would not apply to Hermione! Ron wondered miserably what could he possibly say to impress her? She was already a walking library, wasn’t she? And she certainly knew more about Muggles than “the Young Wizard” himself!
Ron paced his room, frowning and thinking hard. He knew Hermione would become one of the most gifted witches of their generation. She also loved house elves, homework, good marks and rules!
He suddenly stopped on his track. Of course, he knew someone who used to worship those last 3 words: Percy Weasley! And Ron immediately shuddered at the thought of asking his pompous brother about girls!
“Bad luck!” he decided. “I’d rather waltz with a spider, than have the ‘Ministry of Magic git’ pry into in my personal business!
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A/N: Thanks for reading, and now, see the blue “Add Reviews” just below ?? Please, click in and send me a word!! I can’t wait for your opinion on this chapter :-) !!