Tested In Fire

For Chelle, who doesn't really understand but loves me anyway.

Chapter 22: Minor Distractions

Hermione and Ron were walking side by side through the corridors, a comfortable silence between them.

That is, until Hermione broke it.

"What do you think, Ron?"

Ron paused a moment in his walking and reviewed the past few minutes. He was quite certain Hermione hadn't been talking.

"What do I think about what?"

"Harry and Ginny."

"Harry's my best mate and Ginny's my little sister."

"Well, obviously."

They walked a bit further. Hermione saw very quickly that Ron wasn't going to say anything else.

"Honestly! Ginny's always had a bit of a crush on Harry..."

"That's obvious," Ron muttered.

"I meant, what do you think about Harry and Ginny as a couple?"

"We'll cross that bridge if and when we come to it."

"Ron, I think we've come to that bridge now."

"Excuse me?"

"I mean that I think Harry is returning Ginny's affections."

"No."

"What do you mean no?"

"I mean that Harry would have told me."

"Honestly, Ronald Weasley, sometimes you amaze even me with how dense you can be!"

"Hermione, I feel like I'm missing something here. Harry hasn't said anything to me."

"Well, he wouldn't, now would he? He's probably deathly afraid you'll attack him, or something."

"Why would he think that?"

"He probably thinks that because of some of the comments you've made when others have attempted to get to know your little sister better."

"Well, that's different. None of them were Harry. Not that I like the idea of my little sister and Harry actually dating."

Hermione sighed. "She's got to grow up sometime."

"Growing up doesn't necessarily mean having boyfriends."

"What, did you want her to go from single to married in a day?"

"No, Hermione, that's not what I meant at all."

"Who better than Harry to take care of Ginny, anyway?"

"Hermione, why are we having this conversation?"

"I want to make sure that if something does happen, we know exactly where you stand."

Ron smiled. "All right, then. I guess I could handle it. Just as long as he doesn't talk about anything in front of me."

Hermione laughed. "I'm sure he feels the same way about you."

"We don't have that problem. I don't kiss and tell." He reached out and grabbed her hand.

"Well, that's good," Hermione said dubiously, not sure what Ron was up to.

"I'm a very good kisser. I don't have to tell anyone about it, but I think that I'm a bit out of practice."

Hermione blushed. "Out of practice? Honestly, we just were..."

"Shhhh. We don't want to give away our secrets."

Hermione squeezed his hand in amusement. She liked Ron in his silly moods. They reminded her of a toned-down Fred and George.

"All right then. I won't tell Ginny and Harry about..."

"No, Hermione. I don't even want to think about that."

They strolled a bit further down, their hands swinging to the rhythm of their steps. Rarely could they just be alone together at Hogwarts. Every chance they got they took advantage of.

"Ron, I'm scared."

"It's just the Charms hallway, Hermione."

"No, not about that."

Ron sighed. "I had a feeling it wasn't going to be that simple."

"It's this spell. I told Ginny all about it, you know, but I don't think that she was listening to me. I mean, she listened, I just don't think that she..."

Ron nodded. "I don't think you'll have much better luck with Harry. He just wants Voldemort gone."

"That's what all of us want. It's just that I'd rather Harry and Ginny were with us when Voldemort isn't."

Hermione's brown eyes filled with tears for a moment.

"Hey, don't start that now." Ron's clumsy thumb brushed under her eye to pick up the tears.

"I'm so tired, Ron. So tired I can't even think straight."

"Maybe you should sleep then," he suggested mildly.

"I try. Every time I lie down, my mind fills with all those meaningless symbols, and I rerun the equations and I can't force my mind to turn off."

Ron narrowed his eyes. He hated to see Hermione this way. "That would make sleeping difficult."

Hermione laughed ruefully. "It does, believe me."

"Have you tried a Sleeping Potion?"

Hermione shook her head. "I hate the way that they make me feel. Besides, if you use them too often you get addicted to them."

"One night's sleep on a Potion is not going to hurt you, and you certainly won't end up addicted. Besides, you'll be able to think better if you've had your sleep."

"I know, it's just that..."

"It's just that you're being mildly ridiculous," he finished for her.

"All right then. I guess you win that one."

"Of course I win that one."

Before Hermione could open her mouth to protest, Ron sealed it with his lips. "Ssssh."

Hermione sighed. "You know," she said after the kiss ended, just a bit out of breath, "if you keep going on that way, I won't need a Sleeping Potion to empty my mind."

Ron chuckled low in his throat. "That's the idea."

They were at the Fat Lady's portrait before Hermione could believe it.

"Password?" she asked, pointedly not looking in their eyes.

"Dormiens," Hermione said firmly.

The portrait swung open, and they both stepped inside the common room, clinging to each other and laughing. Ron pushed Hermione up the stairs that led to her dormitory, but not before they'd had several goodnight kisses.

"Goodnight, Ron," Hermione said finally.

"Goodnight, Hermione."

As he watched his girlfriend race up the stairs, Ron shook his head in bemusement. Then their conversation hit him, and he shook his head for an entirely different reason.

"There can't be anything between them. There just can't," he murmured to himself.

Harry was in the corner, reading his book and turning the pages absently. If the truth were to be told, he wasn't really reading, more like passing the time until Ron saw him there.

"'Lo, Harry."

Harry raised his startlingly green eyes to meet his friend's. "Hello, Ron."

"Hermione and I just had an interesting conversation."

"You were talking?" Harry sounded shocked.

"Shut up, Harry."

Harry shrugged. "It isn't my business what you do with your girlfriend, it's just that in my experience, you two don't spend a lot of time talking. You're either screaming at each other or making up."

"That's not true."

Harry nodded. "Of course it's not."

"Harry, what's going on?"

"Well, it looks to me like I'm reading my book, and you're talking to me."

Ron rolled his eyes. "You're in a fine mood."

Harry shrugged again. He didn't suppose that he could tell his friend the reason for his unbearably good mood was his best friend's little sister, and the amazing kiss they'd shared.

"Sometimes I am."

"Harry, are you snogging my little sister?"

Harry promptly dropped the book and picked it up again. "No."

Ron's shrewd eyes caught the evasiveness of Harry's. "No? Do you want to snog my little sister?"

"Well, the thought had crossed my mind."

"Bloody hell."

Ron turned on his heel and paced a bit.

Harry grinned. "She is very attractive, you know."

"There's more to Ginny than looks."

"I know. She's also smart, and funny, and hopelessly in love with me. I don't see what the problem is."

"Harry, I'll..."

"Just joking, Ron."

Ron let out a sigh of relief. "I thought you were serious when you said that you thought about snogging my sister."

"Well, I was serious about that."

"Harry, this is a problem."

"Why is that?"

"Because she's my little sister, that's why!"

Harry grinned. "Ron, it's okay. We're not involved or anything, yet."

"Bloody hell. Bloody hell."

"Okay, Ron. I'll put it this way. I think I like your sister. Really like her. Not because of the way she looks, or whatever else you may be thinking of, but because she's Ginny. All right?"

Ron shuddered. "All right."

Harry's mouth broke wider. "But when we do start snogging, I'll let you know first thing."

Ron actually turned white. "No, no. Don't tell me. Don't tell me anything. I don't want to know."

"Got it. I won't tell you that your sister has amazing..."

"You stupid git. I don't want to hear that!"

Harry chuckled. "I know."

"Besides, Hermione approves, so I guess it's okay."

"Hermione approves?"

"Yeah."

"Bloody hell."

"Tell me about it."

The two exchanged conspiratorial grins. "How about a game of chess, Ron?"

"Are you sure you're in the mood to get your arse kicked?"

"No, I'm in the mood to kick your arse. That's why I asked."

"No, you are definitely going to lose. It's only a matter of time. Besides, Ron, it's about time I exacted revenge for all the previous arse-kickings."

"Not my fault you couldn't play chess if someone hit you over the head with a method book."

"Excuse me, who taught me?"

The boys turned to the banter that they were familiar with, and everything seemed right with the world. Except for the observer, who was shuddering in fear.

"No, no! Not master... No! Winky does not want to do that!"

"Go on, you stupid house-elf! Do as I say or I shall make mincemeat out of your precious Dobby!"

"Winky will not be harming Dobby's Harry Potter!"

"Harry Potter does not belong to anyone, except me. I will kill him, and you will help me do so!"

"Winky does not wish to harm Harry Potter!"

"Your wishes have nothing to do with it. My wishes are law."

"You is not Winky's master."

"No?" The single word alone made the poor house-elf shudder.

"Winky will tell Professor Dumbledore!"

"Winky will do no such thing. Besides, there's nothing that pompous old windbag will do for you."

"Professor Dumbledore is a good man!"

The voice laughed, and it produced a reaction of disgust in Winky's small body. "I'm sure. You will carry out your orders by the end of the week."

The presence left the small house-elf.

"Winky is not doing no such thing!" She took a step towards the Headmaster's office. "Winky does not wish Dobby to be mad at Winky."

Her steps were not steady as those of a normal house-elf would have been, and she almost tripped over her own outfit.

"Winky is telling the Headmaster about the Evil He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named." She repeated it over and over, almost like a mantra.

Unfortunately, she never got that far.