UM... Semi-Private. The conversation is COMPLETELY PRIVATE but the scene isn't, we were in the GCR.
RON: Ron was sitting on the floor of the common room, trying to get the neverending pile of Stuff To Do to diminish - even if it was for a little bit - amongst the dull roar of chatter from the other housemates, and the fire in the fireplace. He really, truly, hated homework.
HERMIONE: Hermione's evening Muggle Studies had been a bore. They were studying electronics in-depth and she really, really, REALLY didn't need to have the function of a Mr. Coffee explained to her... again. Still, the credit it good, she thought. She entered the commmon room and spotted Ron on the floor. She took a breath, "Calm, Hermione, CALM." She shook her head and smiled at herself. Then started at him, her gigantic book bag dragging her shoulder down. It's now or never. It shouldn't be that hard, silly.
RON: Ron barely looked up to know that Hermione was in the room; somehow her presence sort of screamed out at him. That, and some second years were calling hi to her. And of course, being Hermione, she was probably making her way towards him at that moment, dragging her ridiculous bag with her.
Ron looked up. Of course he was right. "Hi, Herm."
HERMIONE: She smiled, no matter how dumb she felt around him right now he still made her smile. She dropped her bag next to him and arranged herself on the floor at his side while saying, "Hi Ron. What homework is it now?" She didn't have to ask, he was writing for Transfiguration. No surprise... that assignment had everyone writing and re-writing. "How have you been?" She decided that something needed to be said about the game... eef. Well, we won, didn't we? That's the important part, not how he actually did... "Hey, you played well on Saturday." She gave his arm a nudge. You are SUCH an idiot, Hermione Jane. Why you have friends at all is a complete mystery.
RON: Ron snorted. "Thanks, I suppose. And, er," He paused, looking down to see exactly what he WAS working on. "It's Transfig. McGonagall's bloody nutters, I swear...this is practically the fourth time I've had to start over, you know." He complained, scribbling down some more words on his parchment. He didn't understand why Hermione was there to talk to him, really...they hadn't spoken in ages.
"How are you, Hermione?" He asked conversationally, crossing out a few errors and changing things on his homework assignment.
HERMIONE: "I'm good." No, she wasn't, she was nervous. "Look Ron, I'm sorry about the kiss. I mean - really. I saw you and Harry walking the other day together past the Great Hall so I assume everything's ok...?" She messed with her skirt. "Have you found an animal you think you'd be?"
RON: "Yeah, a seal." Ron responded quickly, avoiding the whole matter at hand. In all honesty, he had forgotten about the whole thing, and was just under the impression that they just happened to be too busy for small talk lately. He sighed, finally putting his quill down, knowing he couldn't concentrate when Hermione was feeling apologetic. "Just...forget it, Hermione. I'm not mad anymore. And yes, everything is fine with Harry and me, there's nothing to worry about."
HERMIONE: Really? She almost laughed. "That's great." She beamed at him. His hair was longer and looked more messy than usual. It was nice and very orangey... MERLIN that stupid dream. I should REALLY atleast try to see if there's a book from Trelawney. She shuddered inwardly as she let her gaze run from his hair to his shirt collar, over his neck. Loose tie, like Harry's was... in the DREAM, I meant. "SO about Transfiguration..." she messed with her hair, "your animal... what?"
RON: He looked up and shrugged. "A seal. Don't ask me why...I just had a dream last night that had a seal in it. I thought it was nifty, even if it did mean having to write it over." He handed her the other copies of the same assignment. "It was a kangaroo, first, then a panther, and then a orangutan." He smiled sheepishly at her. "Yeah. I don't know where I got these ideas from, either."
HERMIONE: She laughed out loud. "A kangaroo?!" Shuffling the papers she read passages from each. He wasn't as rediculous as she had thought... We don't give Ron enough credit... he writes beautifully. She read the last bits while he watched her patiently and then handed them back. "I think a seal is silly but if you see the connection then I can't argue." She looked to his books and added, "Oh, and Miranda Mellintelle was born in 1635, not 1685. That makes more sense if you think about when the first registered animagi were listed, otherwise she was born AFTER the legislation and that doesn't make ANY sence, especially in congruency with the first measures taken, like the 1659 Initiative for an Anamagi Populus in Westminster..." She wanted to slap herself. Hermione! "Just there," She pointed to where he'd made the reference, "1635." You put him to sleep. That's you, the boring Encyclopedia-of-Everything-Hermione-Granger... never anything but books. Merlin, could you EVER be charming? No.
RON: Ron blinked as she babbled about the...well, something about Animagus. "Er, right." He crossed out the offending year, and changed it. "Thanks, Herm." He continued to write a little bit more, and then glanced at her. "Well, what animal did you choose?"
HERMIONE: "An owl." Matter-of-factly... euh. "Neville suggested it. I think he's right."
She changed positions on the floor and pulled her parchment out of her bag. "Are you taking the Muggle Studies class with Harpton, Glen, or Meiser?" They had four teachers for Muggle studies because most everyone took it and the class was all at one hour, hense four separate classrooms and teachers. The teachers were all part-time and Hermione had Lackly but knew Ron wasn't in that class.
RON: Ron frowned and bit his lower lip, trying to think of the teacher. Finally, he sighed and went digging through his bag for his class schedule and looked at it. "Meiser...who have you got?" Ron asked, looking up at her. He put his schedule back into his bag, and glanced at his Transfiguration homework. It was hopeless; he couldn't finish it now.
HERMIONE: "Lackly. Pity, too, I hear that Meiser is really fun." She pulled out the magazines and textbook that Lackly had given them. "We're supposed to read an article out of one of these magazines." She dorpped three in his lap: Oprah, Time, and People. "I think the classes are so incredibly boring. Eugh."
RON: He nodded. "Eh, it's not so bad. I'm starting to realize why my dad finds them fascinating...they manage to do so much without magic. It boggles the mind, really, but hey, they can do it." Ron nodded, shoving his essay back into his bag as well. Perhaps he should start working on Potions? ...right. Never in a million years.
He looked at the three magazines in his lap, and raised an eyebrow. "...they don't move." He said, flipping one open and reading through it.
HERMIONE: She laughed at him and his adorable ignorance of those simple things she took for granted. "Of course they don't move, Ronald. Moving pictures is a magical thing." She rolled her eyes. "Well, it's the most mindless homework, for me at least." She watched him flip through the magazines. He looked distracted but she didn't really want to ask; it would probably just upset him.
HARRY: Harry laughed at them and made his way over. "Long time no see..."
RON: RON: Ron looked up. "Harry! Where have you been?" He asked, shutting the magazine and placing it with the others in a pile on the table next to where they were sitting out.
HERMIONE: "Harry!" Hermione looked up at him. "Are you feeling alright? That was SOME fall."
HARRY: "I'm all right. Really." He smiled and sat down beside them at the table. He looked to Ron and nodded a bit then grabbed a LIFE magizine and read it.
RON: "How are you feeling... er... overall?" Ron asked, studying his best friend for a moment. He seemed to be okay, or maybe he was just getting better at hiding everything...he couldn't really tell.
HERMIONE: Hermione got up from the floor and sat at the near table as well. "Yeah, how are you? Harry, why did you make such a STUPID move? You know that Malfoy would never have caught it on that swoop anyway!"
HARRY: "You do what you think you have to, Hermione." He didn't look up from the magizine and tossed it to Ron. "See that, world's fattest baby." He picked up another, a Stars this time and began to flip through.
HERMIONE: Hermione made a face at the picture and scooted her chair in a bit closer to the boys. "What do you mean?"
RON: Ron made a disgusted face. "Merlin, that's horrible. Why do you bother showing me these things, Harry? Ew.." He closed the magazine and tossed it on the table.
HERMIONE: Hermione watched his arms. Just like Harry's. SHUT UP!! Harry, WHAT do you mean?" She insisted, kicking his foot.
HARRY: He meant a lot of things. This time, he meant Quidditch. "I had a bet going...that's all....I know right? How about this: 'Aliens eat President of the United States' brain'....that would explain a lot, no?"
HERMIONE: She laughed, "Really," and rolled her eyes.
HARRY: He laughed and shuffled through more magizines.
RON: Ron rolled his eyes. "Hermione, these are absolute trash. What in the world do you need them for? That teacher of yours is absolutely mental, making you read this junk."
HARRY: Harry smiled and flipped through another, this time swallowing and putting it down. "Yeah...these are just old tabloids....none of it's true, you know that..."
HERMIONE: "Magic or not it's an important class. He wants us to write about an ad in the magazine and why the muggles need the product and how it compared to the magical version with necessary spells listed." She glared at Harry. " So, you were explaining why you did something so dumb as to almost kill yourself over the snitch?"
HARRY: "Oh look...condom ad...." He handed her the paper.
HERMIONE: "Lovely." She pushed it back at him. "Stop avoiding the question."
HARRY: He knew he couldn't avoid the subject any longer. Merlin, if Hermione hadn't heard then she must have been the last to know. "I had a bet with Malfoy. If I caught the snitch he would talk to me...."
HERMIONE: She shifted a little. "Oh."
HERMIONE: "And...?"
RON: Ron looked at Harry incredulously. "Why on Earth would you want him to talk to you?"
HERMIONE: "Ron's right, Harry. What on earth was it... I mean... was it about..." She blushed as she understood. "Ah."
HARRY: He had forgotten that Ron didn't know yet either. This conversation just went from bad to mortifying. "I needed to know why he kissed me....if it meant anything..."
HERMIONE: Hermione nodded. "Right."
RON: Ron spluttered. "WHAT?!"
HARRY: "And it must have....becausewekissesagain...Are you guys hungry?" He rose from his seat, biting his lip.
RON: "Do you mean...SIT DOWN. Do you mean, he kissed you...TWICE? What?" Ron exclaimed.
HERMIONE: Hermione's eyes sparkled. Maybe the dream really didn't have to be scary or mean anything between her and Harry, maybe... "How did he kiss you? How many times?"
HARRY: Harry sat. "Well....three actually....one of those was um...me...."
He gave a look to Hermione of pure confusion. "Why does it matter...?"
RON: Ron probably looked like he would nearly faint. "I can't believe this is happening. MALFOY, Harry? MALFOY? I mean, does his absolute HATRED for you mean nothing?!"
HARRY: His head hit the desk. "He doesn't hate me.....he said so himself..."
HERMIONE: Hermione blushed and looked to her lap. "Ron, shut up. I just... have been cofused about things a lot... and if you have something with him then, well, then everythingmakessenseandI'm ok..."
RON: Ron began acting as if his world was turned upside down...because indeed, it seemed as if it were. He ignored Hermione. "Okay, so he doesn't hate you, so instead, you two just KISS like it's a normal thing ex-enemies do. Cause you know, THAT'S believable."
HARRY: He sighed. "I never said it was Ron....there are still things that I don't understand...." His head stayed in his arms. If this wasn't the worst of his problems. He still had to tell Hermione...
HERMIONE: Harry looked lost and over-exhausted mentally. She almost laughted to herself, just like I am. She placed her hand on his arm, absently playing with his hair. "You'll figure it out. I think I just did."
RON: "I swear, if he puts his slimy, filthy paw on you in the wrong way, I will kill him..." Ron continued to mumble dark threats under his breath, ignoring the other two for the moment,
indulging in his fantasies to maim Malfoy.
HARRY: He pulled away from the playing of his hair and looked at her. "No. I understand that. I mean other things Hermione."
HERMIONE: Hermione eyed Ron. What was he avoiding? "Ron, really." She turned her attention back to Harry, leaning forward on her outstretched arm. "What do you mean?"
HARRY: Harry looked to Ron for support on this one. He looked around the Common Room to make sure they were the only ones close by. He sighed and looked her straight in the eyes. "Remember last year....at the Ministery?"
RON: Oh...Harry was about to...right. Ron calmed down a bit, and leaned back against the chair, letting Harry do the talking, prepared to jump in when necessary.
HERMIONE: "Of course." She leaned in more. "What's that got to do with Malfoy? I mean, Lucius was there... but I don't see where you're going with that..."
HARRY: "I told you I was fine with Malfoy....look..that Prophecy ball...."
HERMIONE: She nodded. "It broke."
HARRY: "...It was meant for me."
HARRY: "It was meant for me and Voldemort...."
HERMIONE: Her eyes got big. "And... do you know what it said?"
HARRY: He nodded.
HERMIONE: She didn't want to know and had to ask. "How did you hear it? It was really loud... and then Sirius..." I should NOT have said his name, I should NOT have SAID that.
HARRY: His voice was a whisper. "Dumbledore told me after...."
HERMIONE: "He KNEW?" Her whisper was harsh but not loud. "Harry, it isn't a good prophesy, is it?"
HARRY: He looked to Ron for support, hoping he would get the clue to move closer to her. "Not at all....no.."
HERMIONE: She was trembling a little. She'd read quite enough about prophecys to know that they were usually really serious. She steadied herself with her hand - she had to be strong. "What did it say? Who said it... and when?"
HARRY: "It was decided after Voldemort placed this scar on my head....it said....."
HERMIONE: She waited, scared now.
RON: Ron fidgeted nervously.
HARRY: Taking a calming breath, "Only one can live....while the other one perishes.....one of us...has to die, Hermione..."
HERMIONE: She looked from one boy to the other. What? That was just a little too much.
Everything was just finally making sense... She put her head down on her arm and let her hair cover her face. This wasn't real. She cried, there was no stopping it. She hoped no one was watching.
HARRY: "I'm sorry...I didn't tell you sooner..."
RON: "Hermione..." Ron said softly, shifting so he was closer to her. He slowly stroked her hair, offering comfort of some sort. "It's fine, Harry. I understand." He replied.
HERMIONE: She looked up pleadingly. "It cannot be true!" She looked at Ron but his face was knowing. "What does it mean? You can't die. I'd rather die then let HIM get to you!"
HARRY: He looked at her, his face lacking expression. What could he say? It's not like he could pick and choose who was suppose to die and who wasn't.
RON: "Exactly, 'Mione, that's why we'll be there to help," Ron shot a pointed look at Harry. "Whether he likes it or not."
HERMIONE: She leaned into the table with her head now against the wood. This isn't happening. We're going to win this. We must! She was feeling suddenly very, very alone and scared. "But," she mumbled out of her hair and Ron's hand, "yeah." She didn't look ar Harry or Ron. "What can we do?"
HARRY: This got a smile out of him. A small smile, but it was there. "Be there....."
HERMIONE: She couldn't smile, it wouldn't come, but she felt it, a little. Ron was there with her and she knew they could help him. She lifted her head and took a big sigh. "Okay. It'll be okay..." She wasn't sure of that but it was her job to say it.
HARRY: Harry nodded.
HERMIONE: "Well... what now?" She looked at Ron again, he was concerned but resolute, she could tell.
RON: "Well...we don't know what else we can do but plan and prepare?" Ron suggested, shrugging.
HARRY: "I'm hungry....." He blinked and looked to the two of them.
RON: Ron looked at him, then suddenly laughed. "Harry...you're beginning to sound like me."
HERMIONE: She sighed. Something about leaving the comfort of their trio wasn't what she wanted, Ron there holding her lightly and Harry looking scared. Ron... "Sound like you, Ron? What? Alright. Let's go. Dinner will start any minute anyhow."
HARRY: He joined him in laughing with Ron and stood up. "Sorry...can't help it if I am..." He smiled and headed for the portrair.
HERMIONE: She reluctlantly stood and gave Ron's eyes a glance, not wanting to move from him, before turning, pushing away her chair, and following Harry. "I could use some juice..." And she walked away.
RON: Ron followed suit, standing and stretching a bit, tossing his homework into his bag. RON: "Yeah...I'm starving."
HERMIONE: Hermione snickered to herself... Ron was always starving.
HARRY: Harry smiled and lead their way out.