I’m such a bloody git. No, wait. Avril is such a bloody git. Every time Hermione comes around, Avril attaches herself onto me. And this time, I mean that literally.
She called me over so she could show me this book on Quidditch techniques, and when I saw Hermione looking around, I was about to call out, but Avril just tossed the book down and started snogging me.
She is attractive, don’t get me wrong, but she’s definitely no Hermione. In the meantime, I need to explain what happened to Hermione. I know she got the wrong idea, and I’m really hoping she doesn’t freak out.
*
I will never, ever forgive Ron. I can’t believe him! I was just about to tell him how happy I was that I got off easy on detention, and he’s shoved himself in a corner snogging Avril! What does he even see in her? Honestly, what level of low self-esteem do you have to have?
I actually feel sort of pathetic right now. Ginny and I are in her dorm talking about how men are such prats. Well, I am, anyway. Ginny’s being sort of a drag, considering she’s all happy-peppy about Harry.
This might be going to bad places. I think this is the angriest I’ve ever been at Ron. I’m not even sure that I fancy him anymore. I mean, what if we were together, and he was strutting around, snogging girls at his will?
“Hermione, get up. You’ve been whining for almost an hour now.” Ginny stood up and pulled me off the floor. “Let’s go.”
“Where are you taking me?” I groaned.
“Nowhere tonight. But tomorrow, I’m taking you to find another man and get over Ron. Well, alright, we all know that’s not going to happen but we’re going to use my strategy. We’re going to make him jealous.”
I knew that her words were true, especially the part about not getting over Ron. I can’t lie to myself, I still love him. Just deep down. Very deep down.
*
“Harry?”
“Yeah, Ron?” Harry sighed, turning away from Ginny, who was sitting very close to him.
“Why do girls have to be so complicated?” I sighed.
Ginny rolled her eyes.
“I dunno. But what about you and Avril?” Harry raised an eyebrow skeptically.
“There’s nothing between me and Avril!” I roared furiously, “For the hundredth time, Harry! I already told you! I was just standing there in detention when bloody Avril skips over and tries to spark a conversation with me. And then, while I tried to yell for Hermione, she just shoved me against the wall so I couldn’t get away and started snogging me!”
"Ginny and I were about to do a bit of snogging ourselves until you had to burst in here complaining," said Harry, a bit annoyed.
“Harry!” I moaned in frustration, “Pay attention! And, bloody hell; please don’t have “fantasies” about my sister.”
Ginny huffed and crossed her arms defensively. “Ron, Harry can do whatever he wants.”
Harry laughed a bit and said, “Right. So Hermione wants to pan your head in. Ron, not that this isn’t interesting, but this isn’t really anything new.”
“Look Harry, I know that me and Hermione have a row about every other day, but I called her back! And she just kept running! I don’t think this is like before. I can’t lose her, Harry. I was half in love with her by the time we met. That's the thing about girls. Every time they do something pretty, even if they're not much to look at, or even if they're sort of stupid, you fall half in love with them, and then you never know where the hell you are,” I frowned.
“Well then, we’ll just have to arrange a little apology…” he trailed off, a plan forming behind his eyes.
“Ugh,” I moaned. I wanted Hermione back, but apologizing is definitely not my forté.
*
On Friday, Ginny had Michael Corner introduce me to Terry Boot. I had never really known him well, but he seemed interested. We did end up telling them the whole story about Avril and Ron, but they decided to go along with our “make Ron jealous” plan.
Terry and I strolled through the castle holding hands, subconsciously looking for Ron. At one point, I saw Avril in the hall, and when she saw us, she turned to her “henchmen” Lydia Kingswood and Helen Chambers and squealed excitedly. She ran off, probably looking for Ron. This isn’t going according to plan…
When we were up on the ninth floor, coming off the staircase, I spotted Ron. He grinned and looked like he was about to say something, but then he caught sight of Terry and me. This really isn’t going according to plan.
*
Well look where this has landed me. Avril snogs me, and Hermione goes and sets herself up with Terry Boot? I was just about to apologize, and they prance up holding hands and giggling! I’m going to kill Harry.
***
“Harry! You are the worst advice-giver anyone will ever meet!” I stormed into the Common Room.
“What did I do now, Ron?” sighed Harry. He must’ve seen the angry-meets-startled look on my face, seeing as he removed his arm from behind Ginny. He awkwardly slid over a few seats on the couch.
“Oh, don’t act all bored and lazy! You just think everything’s dandy, don’t you? Just because everything comes naturally to you, “The Chosen One”, doesn’t mean the rest of have perfect lives””
“Ron, stop being such a prat,” said Ginny, “What’re you so miffed about, anyway?”
“Well, I took your brilliant advice, Harry, and went to go apologize to Hermione, and I found her holding hands with Terry Boot! I didn’t even know she knew him… I really think I love her, Harry.”
Ginny snorted, and tried to cover it up as a cough. Harry said, “I’ll talk to her. In the meantime, you go down to the changing rooms. Just because we’ve had a tough week doesn’t mean we can forget about Quidditch. I’ll bring Hermione down to practice.”
*
I said goodbye to Terry and started walking toward the Common Room. I thought about the situation with Ron. I know I shouldn’t, but I feel bad for some reason. Even if he was coming to give me some lame excuse as to why he was snogging Avril, I still feel kind of guilty for using Terry to make him jealous.
I was so absorbed in my own thoughts, that I didn’t notice where I was going. I bumped straight into Harry.
“Oh. Hey, Harry,” I said glumly.
“Let’s go.” Harry pulled me downstairs towards the grounds, with a determined look on his face.
“Where are we going?” I asked, breathless and surprised.
“Quidditch practice. You’re going to watch Ron practice.”
I stopped. “No. I don’t really want to be anywhere near him right now. I might feel bad, but not that bad.”
“Fine. Then you’re going to watch me practice.”
“Fine,” I said defensively, raising an eyebrow, “But you owe me.”
*
In the changing rooms, I was just pulling my Quidditch robes on when I heard a voice behind me.
“Ron, Hermione’s here.”
I felt my face turn scarlet and started spluttering. I got tangled in my robe.
“Ron, mate, calm down, I was only kidding. She’s in the stands.”
“I’m really am going to kill you someday, Harry.”
***
Practice started out well. Harry, Fred, George, Angelina, Katie, Alicia and I all kicked off and flew into the air; bludgers, the Quaffle, and the Snitch soaring. I was making some good progress, and made some great saves. I glanced over to the stands a few times to see a pink-faced Hermione shivering under her coat; I puffed out my chest and did all sorts of fancy flips and turns, but I never met Hermione’s eyes.
Fred and George were goofing off in the air, hitting bludgers wherever they pleased, but it got out of hand. Time seemed to move in slow motion as a bludger sped toward my head. The last things I heard were several gasps and a sickening crack.
***
“”just say Hermione in his sleep?”
“What’s he muttering about?”
“What’s an Avril?”
I zoned in and out of consciousness and caught a few bits of what people were saying.
But finally, after what could’ve been one minute or five days, I opened my eyes slowly, and I saw two hazy figures in front of me. Harry and Hermione.
“Someone finally got up,” teased Harry.
Hermione just gave me a worried look.
“W-Where is everyone?” I croaked.
“Dinner… It’s about six-thirty.”
“Why?”
“Well, see when it’s this time of day, and people are hungry”” started Harry.
“I meant why I’m here, Harry.”
“Oh. Well, you took a bludger to the head at practice. Madam Pomfrey said it was nothing serious, and nothing she couldn’t fix. She said you can leave at nine when you’re fully recovered.”
“Ugh,” I muttered, patting my empty stomach sadly. “No dinner.”
*
Harry and I left the Hospital about half an hour later, and I could still tell that my mouth was open in shock.
“Hermione, calm down. Nothing happened, he’s okay.”
“I know, I know.”
“What is it?” he asked slowly, noticing I was holding back on something.
“It’s all my fault.”
Harry looked at me strangely.
“…How was it your fault?”
“If I hadn’t been mad at him for snogging who he wanted to snog, then I wouldn’t have tried to make him jealous, then I never would’ve gone to the practice. Then he wouldn’t be showing off, and he wouldn’t have gotten hurt.”
“Hermione. It wasn’t your fault at all. Ron’s been trying to apologize to you! He wasn’t snogging Avril. She just came onto him. Hermione,” he sighed, “He told me… He loves you, Hermione.”
I definitely wasn’t expecting that one.
I Think This Love is Altering my Brain by MadEyeMaddy
Chapter Notes: Okay so first off, when Ron's talking about "being halfway in love with girls, thats a quote by J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, 1945. Also, the word "miffed" is borrowed from one of my reviewers(:. And, as usual, thanks to ginnygirl16, Nicole, and YOU! Please enjoy the following text:
Chapter Endnotes: Well. I guess that was KIND OF a cliffie. But chapter 7 is next. And that chapter is one of my other personal faves. As usual, reviews, money, sugar, and llamas would be appreciated.