Underneath the Mistletoe

ChapterEighteen

Ron's POV
ThirdYear-DayOne

"Twelve feet of parchment for McGonagall, what fresh hell is this?!" Ron demanded throwing down his quill in disgust.

"And over the holidays too" Harry added slumping down into the sofa beside him. The two boys had (more or less) let themselves be dragged from bed the first day of the winter break by a very insistent Hermione to get a head start on homework. In truth they hadn't been given much choice and it wasn't going well.

"Oh come on you two" Hermione continued to write at a feverish pace as she spoke from her spot at a low table by the hearth. "Be glad it's an interesting topic she's having us write on."

Ron tried to hold in his laughter, but one shared glance with Harry and the both of them dissolved into a snorting mess.

"Hermione, Bins could have us writing 20 feet on the hibernation patterns of trolls and you would find that interesting!" Ron exclaimed, making Harry laugh harder.

"Because Ronald," Hermione's brow was creased into a frown "the hibernation patterns of trolls

are interesting."

"See, that's what I'm talking about" Ron rolled his eyes and looked back down at his parchment. Unfortunately his assignment was not going to write itself, and nor was Hermione.

"That's it" he jumped up from his seat and faced Harry. "How about we take a break?"

"No!" Hermione gave them both stern looks. "I know how this ends. If you don't get your work done now you'll procrastinate until the night before it's due. Then you'll ask if you can copy my work." Her face was pink from her short rant. "Well I'm not having it. Especially when you're not even putting in the slightest effort! If you don't at least get started, I won't let you so much as read my work."

"Bloody fine!" Ron fell back into the sofa and dragged his parchment closer. Ron threw one last withering look at Hermione before picking up his quill to try and think up a way he could start his introduction.

-x-

Half an hour later Ron was still working on his introduction, moaning about how he deserved a break for all the hard work he had put in so far. Hermione, unimpressed, was close to being done.

"How do you do it?" Ron grumped sourly.

"I focus in class and take good notes" Hermione replied, taking out her ruler to measure her progress.

"But how?" Asked Ron clearly, not believing the simplicity of it.

"I take interest in the topic Ron, now get back to work" Hermione's replied.

Ron pouted but she wasn't giving in. He turned to Harry who was farther along. "Harry can I read your introduction?"

"Sure" said Harry. The other boy was turning his parchment for him to read when Hermione sighed loudly.

"Go Ron. Take a break. But I'm serious, when you get back, you have to focus."

"You're a saint Hermione!" Ron grinned. "You with me mate?"

Harry glanced at Hermione who motioned with her quill toward the portrait of the fat lady. "Oh alright then."

"Where to?" Ron asked, grinning widely at the thought of getting to stretch his legs. Harry grabbed his arm and pulled him in the direction of the boys dorm.

"Let me just grab the map and the invisibility cloak" Harry said taking the stairs two steps at a time, Ron close on his heel. Pushing the familiar wooden door open, they both entered the tower and Ron jumped up and down as Harry went strait for his trunk. He peered over Harry's shoulder when the other boy opened the map.

Almost everyone had left for the holidays so there weren't many names moving around on the expanse of the thick yellowed parchment. Both boys gazes were drawn immediately to the name of Draco Malfoy, which moved around pacing in Moaning Myrtles lavatory.

"What do you suppose he's up to?" Ron asked softly.

"I don't know. Probably no good." Harry replied. Both boys gave each other a look and they were off without another word. Harry threw the cloak over the both of them on the way down to the common room. Hermione looked up as they ran by her table and Ron caught her shaking her head before they departed from the common room.

-x-

Greetings and salutations! I know this is kind of a short chapter so I'm double posting this week:) Chapter Nineteen will go up Friday! (The double post is also kind of an apology for not getting a chapter done for last week)
ALSO!!!!! I cannot believe I've said nothing regarding the following matter yet but holy shite! I've hit 15k reads and I think that's absolutely crazy! Wow! Thanks to all of you who take the time to absorb my writing, comment helpful feedback, and Vote<3 it means sooooo much!

1. Degrassi! Ohmylordy!  I had it recommended to me by a friend about a year ago but only started watching it  a few weeks ago. I can't even right now- like I'm having seizures in public because of this show! - I'm on season 11 and I'm dying!!

2. Help! I've also fallen back down the black hole of the #Phandom (to all of you living under a rock that's the two you tubers Danisnotonfire and AmazingPhil) omfg