Ron woke up the morning of their return to Hogwarts with a groan. Harry, who was already awake and dressing, looked at him. “What’s wrong?” he asked.
“Apart from the fact that it’s back to school and studying, oh no nothing at all!” Ron replied pulling the covers back over his head.
“And a happy, happy to you too, Ron,” Harry said smiling. “I thought you would be glad to go back to school. You could make your move on Hermione.” Harry nudged the lump that was Ron.
“What are you talking about?” Ron said in a tone that deceived no one.
Harry smiled again and headed down for breakfast. He stopped at the door. “You know exactly what I mean, Ronald.”
Ron didn’t even try to defend himself this time. He simply turned over, and tried to go back to sleep.
Meanwhile in Ginny’s room, Hermione was trying to gather her things into her trunk before they departed for Hogwarts. She usually had everything packed the night before, but this time she had completely forgotten about going back to school.
Ginny woke up to find Hermione hurrying around, trying to find the remainder of her possessions.
“Do you know where my other sock is?” Hermione asked Ginny the moment she saw that she was awake.
Ginny propped herself up on her elbows and pulled the sock out from underneath her covers. As she did, she said, “I found it when I was asleep last night, I just had know idea what it was in the dark.” She handed the sock to Hermione and slumped back into bed. “Who knew Hermione Granger could be so unorganized?” Her eyes were wide with mock shock.
Hermione didn’t seem to notice the apparent sarcasm in her voice and replied, “With all that’s been going on with Ron and his present and Draco and his present, I completely forgot we have to go back to school.” Ginny stared even harder at her.
“Do I know you?”
“Very funny Gin, but can you please help me here?”
Ginny slowly got out of bed and began to help Hermione with her packing problems. Ten minutes later, they were ready to go.
“Oh wait,” said Ginny pulling something out of Hermione’s trunk. “You’d better wear this, or Ron’ll have a heart attack.” She handed the bracelet to Hermione who put it on. She let Ginny walk out the door in front of her while she admired the bracelet. It really was very pretty. With her other hand, she touched the pendent that she now wore underneath all her clothes. ‘Boys,’ she thought.
And so they returned. Nothing of extreme interest happened in the first few days after the holidays; all the students were still caught in the holiday spirit. Hermione was usually the one whom you could count on for notes and constant studying, but she sometimes found her mind wandering off to think of trifle things, such as the weather, and more important situations like the Ron versus Draco fiasco.
After one week of mindless talk about their N.E.W.T.s, Hermione had her first lesson with Draco since the holiday. She was already sitting in the library, trying desperately to finish the homework that was due tomorrow that she had conveniently forgotten about until about five minutes ago. As she feverishly turned pages, Ron sidled up to her.
“How can you be doing this now, Hermione? Flitwick assigned it last week!” Ron said as he looked down at what she was doing.
Hermione looked up from her work to Ron’s smirking face. “I can see you’re having a splendid trying to be me, but I really have to finish this before Draco comes…” Hermione said as Draco Malfoy walked into the room.
Ron saw him too and his fists clenched as he heard Hermione call him ‘Draco.’ “I think you’ve bitten off a little more than you can chew with him,” Ron said trying desperately not to show his pain and anger. Before Hermione could think up a snappy retort for this remark, Ron stalked off, keeping his fists clenched.
Draco walked up to the table Hermione she was working at and said, jerking his head toward Ron’s back, “ Having some marital difficulties?”
“Ha, ha, ha, very funny,” she said, glad that Draco was back to normal.
As they settled back into the normal routine of their lessons, Hermione had a strange whooping feeling in her gut.
The sun was setting off in the distant, casting a faint red shadow over their work and laughter. As the light hit Draco’s face, Hermione realized what the whooping sensation was. It was longing.
For the duration of winter break, she had felt strangely empty inside even though she was near those whom she loved most dear. At that moment, Hermione realized why.
Before she had gotten to know Draco, really know him, she would have never thought she’d be missing Draco and his unique ways. But after spending so much time with him, she’d realized the truth: She was in love.
Hermione had fallen still mid-sentence then, for Draco had leaned over and was shaking her hand.
“Hello… Hermione? You in there?” he said, an impish grin on his lips.
Hermione awoke from her reverie. “Yes, sorry. I was a little…” She blushed. “Never mind.”
They went back to their work, Draco’s smile still in place. The strange thing was that Draco didn’t move his hand from atop hers. He seemed to be quite comfortable where he was.
What Draco didn’t know was that Ronald Weasley had never really left the library. He was sitting behind some shelves, his face red with fury. A sneaking, slimy Slytherin git was stealing his girl!
Well, she’s not actually your girl, you know, said the rational voice inside his head. It sounded a lot like Ginny. Sadly he rarely ever listened to this voice. He immediately flared up again. Ron had the mad urge to jump out from behind the shelves and pounce on Draco like a lion for it prey, but he resisted. Instead, he silently got up and snuck out the library, repressing his anger by clenching his fists and teeth.
He had finally done it. He’d taken control of his anger. Ginny had told him once that Hermione might just like him if he stopped overreacting to everything she did. So he didn’t overreact. Ron decided he would calmly, slyly, talk to Hermione when she came back to their dorm.
Ron couldn’t take the anger anymore. He ran all the way to his room and yelled at the top of his lungs.
Teaching the Dark by BittersweetLove
Chapter Notes: I'm uber sorry it took so long to get this chapter out. I don't really have a reason except for lazyness. I'm also sorry that I said uber. Enjoy!
Chapter Endnotes: Just for your information, I really love Ron. It may seem like I'm portraying him in a way that I don't like him, but I really do! I love him! But that's not the point of this fanfic. Read my other one, Tears, if you don't like this side of Ron.