If You Love Her (Ron Weasley)

Twenty-One.

Sitting in the Great Hall that evening, I felt content with the way things were. There was an air of laughter, one that had been somewhat missing recently, and we had a successful meeting with Rita Skeeter. Although Harry was questioning his decision to give the interview, the rest of the group reassured him and praised him for his bravery in doing so. 

Luna was informing him that she wasn't completely sure when the edition would be out, but that her Father would likely rush it through. And as I squeezed Neville's hand beneath the table, my heart felt just a little bit more as it had before my falling out with my brother. All I needed now was for Ron to return from his Quidditch practice, and I might feel some way to being complete. 

Cho Chang sulked past with her friends, sending a very cold look in Harry's direction, and I frowned at the sight. I was aware the date hadn't gone particularly well by Harry's demeanour when he had arrived to the Three Broomsticks earlier, but I clearly wasn't aware of quite how badly it had gone. It appeared Hermione had the same thought process, as her eyes reached Harry's, and she began her questioning. 

"I forgot to ask you, what happened on your date with Cho?" She asked, and Harry groaned loudly, gaining some attention from some third years further down the table. 

"That bad, mate?" Dean asked, and Harry just nodded, suddenly looking at his rhubarb crumble as though it were the most disgusting thing he had ever seen. 

"It was horrific, to be honest," Harry told the story of how he had gone to Madam Puddifoot's Tea Room, and he and Cho had struggled to find things to discuss. He spoke of how he had mentioned that he had agreed to meet Hermione, and she had gotten annoyed, and then she had brought up Cedric. 

"So then what happened?" I asked, and he looked at me, groaning once more. 

"Well, then she just said 'see you around', and left the place! I felt so bloody stupid, sat there on my own with everyone staring at me," Hermione scoffed loudly, and Harry's head snapped towards her.

"I'm sorry, Harry, but you sound a bit... tactless," She finally found the word and I nodded in agreement. 

"I have to agree," He glared at me, and then furrowed his brow, sticking his spoon into his crumble and turning to face her. 

"Explain," He simply said. "Because one minute we're having a lovely time, the next she's telling me that Roger Davis asked her out, and she's explaining which table she snogged Cedric at last Christmas! How was I meant to take that?"

"Frankly, Harry, it didn't sound much like a lovely time before that, did it?" Harry chose to ignore my comment, and Hermione bit her lip to prevent herself from laughing. 

"Well, if I were you, and this is just advice you don't have to take it on board, I wouldn't have mentioned that you wanted to go and meet someone else halfway through the date,"

"Well you told me I had to meet you at twelve! How was I meant to do that without telling her?" He was exasperated, and Hermione rolled her eyes. 

"It's not the fact you told her, it's how you told her. You should have acted more disgruntled, said how you didn't want to, but I was forcing you, how you would much rather spend that time with her," Hermione stated. "And whilst you were at it, you should have emphasised how ugly you think I am," 

"But... I don't think you're ugly," Harry took a swig from his glass, whilst Hermione smiled at him, shaking her head. 

"Honest to Merlin, you're worse than Ron..." Hermione thought for a moment. "In fact, I don't think that's possible," She winked in my direction, so subtly I almost missed it, before the redhead himself caught her eye. 

I turned around to see him bounding towards us, caked from head to toe in mud, a grumpy look on his face, and I furrowed my brow. He slumped down at the table, beside Harry, and grabbed the bowl of rhubarb crumble Harry had long since destroyed, shovelling spoonfuls into his mouth immediately. 

"What on God's green earth happened to you?" Hermione asked, a laugh escaping her lips as Ron glared at her.

"Not now, Mione," His mouth was full of crumble, and crumbs flew out of his mouth as he spoke. Why, Merlin, do I still find him attractive?

"Anyway," Hermione shook her head and looked towards Harry once more. "You made Cho jealous, and she was simply trying to do the same to you by bringing up Roger and Cedric, you needed to reassure her," 

"Really, that's what she was doing?" Harry questioned.

"Girls need reassurance sometimes," I concurred. "Well, actually, most of the time. It can be quite difficult sometimes, trying to work out what boys feel, whether they really like you or not," 

I tried to avoid my gaze reaching Ron, but it did so against my better judgement, and by the look on Harry's face, I could tell that he had noticed. 

"Yeah, well, in that case, girls are too much hard work," Ron was looking at his crumble still, but the words cut my heart like a blade, and I felt the wind knocked out of my sails. He had been so sensitive with me, those words were like venom. 

"Is that so?" I asked, my voice colder than intended, and Hermione's eyes flitted between us like she was watching a tennis match. 

"Yes, Ron, is that so?" She asked, looking at him with intent in her eyes.

"Depends on the girl, I suppose," He shrugged. 

"Anyway, how was practice?" Harry asked Ron, and I was grateful that he changed the subject. 

"Oh, a nightmare, thanks for asking," Ron scoffed, throwing down his spoon having finally finished Harry's crumble. 

"I'm sure it wasn't that bad," Hermione attempted to reassure, but Ron shook his head fervently. 

"It really was, Angelina was almost in tears by the end," He sighed. "I need to go for a bath,"