A/N: I know it's been ages, and I'm really sorry, but I've been having such problems with the site. Hopefully this will get through soon, and I've already written the next chapter. Sorry for any frustration caused.
Disclaimer: All of the characters used belong to J.K.Rowling, not me.
*****
It was mid-October at Hogwarts, and the grounds were covered with golden leaves. Early on Sunday morning the sun was shining, the air was still, and Ron was restless.
“Come on, Hermione…” he whined, for the tenth time in as many minutes.
“Ron, I told you before, I’m busy!”
“But look at that brilliant day out there, don’t be so boring!”
Hermione gave him a withering look.
“Much as that comment makes me eager to spend time with you, I’m afraid its going to be the same answer again, Ron: no,” she commented, voice laced with sarcasm.
“But there’s hardly anyone out there!”
“Yes, Ron. That would be because they are doing the sensible thing and finishing their homework first.”
“Hermione, if you don’t start moving in the next 5 seconds, I’m going to have to take you by force,” he threatened.
Hermione snorted and leaned back over her books, smiling at this empty threat.
“Yeah right, Ron. Of course you will.”
She laughed and returned to her work.
“Five…” a smile played around her lips as she sensed him getting more and more frustrated.
“Four…Three…” Hermione looked up at Ron, smiling. Slowly she got to her feet, but didn’t move.
“Two…I’m still waiting for you to move Hermione,” she flashed him a cheeky smile and began to sit back down.
“One,” Ron paused, realizing that he was running low on options. He was tempted to back down and go outside alone, but that would be admitting defeat, and he knew he would never hear the end of it from Hermione. Pushing aside any embarrassment that had held him back countless times before, he took a deep breath, feigned a stern look, and acted before he could change his mind.
“Right. You asked for it,” he said, grabbing her around the waist and throwing her over his shoulder before she could put up a fight.
“Ron! Ron, what the hell are you doing?! Put me down AT ONCE!” she screamed, drumming her fists against his back. Ron laughed, marveling at how light she was, or maybe he was just stronger than the last time he had…well actually, he had never tried to carry Hermione before. Not quite believing what he was doing, he turned and took her downstairs.
*****
“PUT ME DOWN!”
As he strolled across the grounds, Hermione was half screaming, half laughing. They were attracting some strange looks but, as Ron had mentioned earlier, there were very few people out and about.
“Ronald Weasley, you are“”
“Intelligent?”
“No!”
“Incredibly strong?”
“No!”
“Finally beating you at something?”
By this point Hermione was laughing so hard that Ron could feel the vibrations against his back.
“That doesn’t even make sense!”
They reached a large oak tree near the edge of the lake and Ron dropped down on his knees, finally letting Hermione fall gently against the ground. Their laughter ceased as they realized how close they were. Ron was raised up on his elbows hovering just above Hermione, his face only inches from hers. He found he couldn’t look her in the eye, so he searched for something else, anything else, to look at. To Ron’s embarrassment, he realized he was now staring at her mouth. Nervously, she licked her lips.
Ron let out an almost inaudible groan.
“Hermione…” his voice cracked noticeably.
For a moment, they just stared at each other. Hermione opened her mouth to speak, but she was interrupted.
“Ron! Hermione!”
Harry came jogging towards them and they sprang apart, Hermione nervously adjusting the hem of her skirt, which had ridden up.
“Hey, I’ve been looking for you two everywhere. I thought we were going to see Hagrid.”
Harry glanced from Ron to Hermione and, seeing their reddened faces, a smile began to spread across his face.
“Unless you’d rather I go on ahead…” he joked.
Ron looked flustered and leapt up.
“Why would you do that, Harry? We’re - I mean - I’m ready now.”
He turned to look at Hermione and, with forced nonchalance, said “You ready Hermione?”
By this time Harry was grinning, and he found himself fighting back the urge to laugh all the way to Hagrid’s hut.
*****
“What’re you lot doin’ ’ere?”
Hagrid stood, one hand still on the open door, staring down at the three students.
“Oh cheers Hagrid, there’s a nice greeting for you!” Harry laughed, as he pushed past him and walked into the hut.
Looking stern, Hagrid turned to frown at him.
“Yeh should be studyin’ for yer exams, not wastin’ time round ’ere!” he protested.
“Oh come on, we’re just taking a break. Besides, the exams aren’t for ages yet,” Ron grinned, dropping down into a seat next to Harry.
With a helpless expression, Hagrid turned to look at Hermione.
“Don’t you look at me like that! This wasn’t my idea. Ask Ron, I didn’t leave my books willingly!” she declared, sending Ron a pointed stare. All she got in reply was a snort.
“Honestly you three, I didn’ get to sit my exams and look wha’ happened to me!”
By this point Hagrid had given up hope of persuading them to leave and had sat back down in dejection.
Harry raised an eyebrow and smiled as he shuffled over to make room for Hermione.
“Are you saying you didn’t dream of doing this when you were at school, Hagrid?” he asked in a tone that suggested he already knew the answer.
“Wha’ do you think?” Hagrid sighed.
Harry looked surprised, and when Hagrid looked up he noticed the puzzlement on their faces.
“Don’ get me wrong, I’m awful grateful fer what Dumbledore did fer me. An’ I’m glad that I get to work near you lot, but this ’ent exactly my dream job,” he mumbled.
There was silence, and then Hermione spoke up.
“What do you want to do, Hagrid?”
He looked up, then went back to studying the floor between his feet.
“Well when I were a kid I always dreamed of workin’ wi’ magical creatures, in their natural habitat like,” he paused and looked at Ron. “Sorta like yer brother Charlie, Ron. Something adventurous and full o’ danger,” he trailed off.
“Well couldn’t you still do that Hagrid?” Ron asked cautiously.
“Nah…yeh need O.W.Ls an’ N.E.W.Ts fer a job like that…” he straightened his shoulders and looked stern again, “which is why you lot should be in the library, or studyin’ somewhere quiet.”
Harry laughed.
“Alright, alright. We’ll go back to the castle.”
The three of them rose from their seats and moved towards the door.
“See yeh later, no doubt,” Hagrid smiled, happy to have had an influence on them.
“See you, Hagrid,” Ron waved as they began to walk slowly back to the common room. When they were halfway across the grounds, Hermione stopped suddenly.
“What is it, Hermione?” Harry inquired.
“Oh, I just forgot to ask Hagrid something. You two go on, I’ll catch you up.”
“Huh. Skiving off revision, eh?” Ron joked. “Never thought I’d see the day.”
Harry laughed as Hermione wandered back, and the two boys continued to walk on in silence. After a few minutes, a grin spread across his face. With a look of innocence he turned to Ron.
“So. You and Hermione were getting up to a little of your own extra-curricular activities back there, hmm?”
Ron’s face flushed a deep red as he stared at Harry, horrified.
“I-I don’t know what you mean!” he spluttered.
“Ooh, so she won’t have you then? Aaw, poor ickle Ronniekins…” Harry laughed as he saw the effect his comments were having on his friend.
“No! I mean…oh shut up, Harry. You don’t know what you’re talking about!”
“Oh don’t I? I’m no idiot Ron, I heard you confess your undying love when we were fighting. And you thought I’d forgotten!”
Harry walked on, laughing as Ron tried feebly to make excuses.
“No Harry, you see you’ve got it all wrong. When I said that what I really meant was you know how I feel about…about arguments! Yeah! That was it! Harry? Harry!”
But Ron’s ramblings had no effect on Harry, who was laughing too hard to hear anything.
*****