Through The Years (Ron and Hermione Short Stories)

Extra Practice

"Why are we going to the library?" Ron glanced over his shoulder to where they had left Harry in the company of Cho Chang.

"Honestly, Ron." Hermione rolled her eyes as she pulled Ron along by his forearm.

"What?"

"If you don't know, I'm not going to tell you." Hermione huffed. "It's time you figured some things out for yourself."

Ron had no answer to this. He lapsed into silence as they walked into the library. They headed for their usual corner table, near the back of the library as far away from Madam Pince as possible. They sat and Hermione pulled out two rolls of parchment and her large Transfiguration spell book.

"We might as well get started on Professor McGonagall's essay." Hermione pulled out a quill and began neatly printing a title.

"Hermione, she assigned those this morning."

"Exactly, I'm glad you were listening, Ronald."

Ron looked exasperated. "We've got a whole week to do them."

"If you don't care to get a head start that's your loss." Hermione didn't look up from where she had begun to write.

There was a stifled silence.

"Wait a minute." Ron looked as if he had solved a particularly hard problem. "You wanted us to leave so Harry could talk to Cho alone!"

"Clever, Ron." Hermione looked acidly at him, but the corner of her mouth twitched with a suppressed smile.

"He's either going to snog her again or ask her out." Ron looked angry about this for some reason.

"That would be the logical course of action; and with Valentine's Day being on the next Hogsmeade trip, he'll probably want to go with her. In fact." Hermione went back to her essay, "I'd be surprised if he didn't ask her."

"Better him than me." A smirk spread over Ron's face. "Imagine, Harry'll be stuck in a stuffy tea shop full of girls."

"Yes..." Hermione stopped writing and glanced up at him. "Um Ron..." she paused.

"What?"

"Nothing"

Back to the essay.

Ron gave her an odd look. "Seriously, what?"

"Well, it's just..." Hermione's cheeks grew pink. "I was wondering, do you plan on spending the Hogsmeade trip with Dean and Seamus?"

"No, I'm going with you, like I always do," Ron stated as if it was obvious, then something clicked. "Oh..." His ears began to redden.

They both stared at each other. They both looked down. Their faces both reddened.

The essay, yes, back to the essay. Hermione forced herself to keep writing.

The muffled sound of footsteps approached.

"Hey, Ron, Hermione." Ginny came up to them. "Ron, Angelina wanted me to tell you that she's scheduled an extra Quidditch practice this Hogsmeade weekend."

Ron's face fell. "Really? Maybe I could skip."

"Your part of the team. There's no way Angelina's letting you skip." Ginny glared at him.

"Fine" Ron glared moodily at the table in front of him.

Ginny let a wicked smile spread over her face. "What's up? Disappointed are we? Are you going to have to cancel all your Valentine's dates? That would be a shame." She grinned mischievously. "Were you planning on snogging Winky in a tea shop somewhere. Horribly romantic."

"Shut up." Ron's ears were a brilliant red.

Hermione decided to intervene, "Ginny, is there anyone else you need to contact about the new practice time?" Hermione raised her eyebrows significantly.

"What?" Ginny looked confused for half a second, then her eyes widened and she smiled sweetly. "Fine, Hermione. I get it. You two want to be alone. Don't let me interrupt your private study time."

Before either of them could respond to her, she hurried away.

As she left Ron looked more disgruntled than ever.

"You'll be going to Hogsmeade by yourself then?" Ron tried to sound as casual as possible.

"I suppose..." Hermione sighed. "Or maybe I could ask Zacharias Smith..."

Ron brought his head up so sharply he winced.

"I'm joking, Ron." Hermione couldn't conceal a smile.

"You'll have to tell me what happens to Harry." Ron relaxed a bit. "If he comes away with lipstick on his face, and pink confetti in his hair, I'll never let him forget it."

The tense atmosphere went back to normal. Hermione continued with her essay, while Ron ranted about what a horrible time Harry would have, and what a horrible bloke Zacharias Smith was, and most of all how horrible extra Quidditch practices were.

All Hermione did was smile.