Beautiful Jealousy

Hermione Granger stared into the fire in the Gryffindor common room seated comfortably in her favorite comfy chair. Their first week of classes were over and their last year of classes had begun. The fire's flames danced sending shadows to new places every minute or so. The logs of burning wood emitted sparks of ember into the air. The fire was beautiful, and this was the first time since coming back to Hogwarts castle Hermione hadn't had to time to enjoy it.

"Trelawny's horribly," she vaguely heard her friend Ron Weasley moan to Harry Potter. "An essay to write! An essay in Divination, is that even possible?"

"Apparently," Harry said forlornly.

Hermione turned away from the fire and saw Harry and Ron sitting at the table with books spread everywhere. She felt a twinge of guilt, she had no homework yet. Even Professor Snape and Professor McGonnagall who both normally gave them homework the first or second class had not given them homework to do, and she had dropped out of Divination during her third year. She had the weekend blissfully homework free, but her friends didn't.

She watched has Ron ran his hand through his red hair. His freckled face was twisted into an unusual look of concentration. He frantically searched the book in front of him for the answer to the essay question, or maybe just a particular part of the essay question, but didn't seem to be finding anything. Hermione smiled and turned back to the fire, determined to enjoy her homework free weekend.

Hermione woke slowly as the sun streamed through the window. She sighed happily. She had two days ahead of her free of classes and homework. True, she liked studying and reading, but she felt she wanted a break. She got up, dressed, and headed for breakfast.

Ron and Harry were already in the Great Hall. Ginny Weasley, Ron's little sister and one of Hermione's best friends, was sitting by Harry with a book propped up against a pitcher of juice. Hermione smiled, knowing she had done that many times. She walked over to Ginny and sat down between her and Ron, "Taking my idea?" she asked kiddingly.

Ginny jumped. She obliviously hadn't heard Hermione approached. "What?" she asked. Hermione nodded her head towards the book. "Oh! Yes, well McGonnagall seems to think O.W.L.s are this year."

Hermione nodded, but didn't quite see what. O.W.L.s are tests that the students at Hogwarts take during their fifth year, and Ginny was in her sixth. But then again McGonnagall had always been a strict teacher, which is one reason Hermione respected her so much.

"Well there must be a reason if she is working you hard," she said reasonably. She grabbed a piece of toast and began buttering it.

"Of course there is," Ginny said simply.

"Yeah," Hermione said slowly, not sure why she was so confused. She poured herself a glance of orange juice as she waited for Ginny to explain herself. After a moment of silence she realized Ginny wasn't going to explain herself. "Why is that?"

"Because no one got enough O.W.L.s last year," she stated simply, grabbing a piece of toast.

Hermione shook her head and stifled a laugh. She had heard that the current sixth years hadn't gotten as many O.W.L.s has the years before them, but she didn't see the teachers, even Professor McGonnagall, cracking down on them now. But then again, she had already seen many thing she hadn't thought she would.

Harry's laugh drew her attention away from Ginny. Harry was sitting on the other side of Ron. "Morning," she said to them. Ron glanced at Hermione but didn't say a word.

"Morning, Hermione," Harry said brightly, the aftermath of the laugh still in his eyes. "Do you want to see Hagrid this morning with us?"

"Sure!" Hermione couldn't contain her excitement suddenly. She had seen Hagrid during the summer, but they hadn't visited his cabin yet. Hagrid was their friend who taught the Care of Magical Creatures class and had the duties of gamekeeper of the school. They had became friends with him their first year at Hogwarts.

"Oh," Ron said suddenly, "I just remember I can't go with you guys. I had to go do... something." He jumped from his chair and left the Great Hall without another word to his friends or waiting for their response.

Hermione started at Harry for a moment, "what was that all about?" she asked. Harry shrugged.

For the entire weekend Ron had said a total of three words directly to her which was only to ask her to pass the corn. Hermione felt forgotten and strangely lonely without Ron's usual talk and their bickering. The weekend ended much too fast, and before she knew it, Monday was upon her. Monday morning she woke up quickly, threw on her black robes, grabbed her books, and headed for the Great Hall for breakfast before History of Magic class with Professor Binns.

Ron and Harry were sitting at the Gryffindor table eating. She sat down next to Ron. "Good morning, Ron," she said at an attempt to engage him in conversation. He merely nodded without looking at her. That's strange, she thought to herself. "Hello, Harry," she greeted Harry over Ron.

"Morning, Hermione," Harry said. At least he's acting normal, she thought to herself, giving Ron a sideways glance. "Are you excited about the second week of classes?" He was teasing her on her normal obsession with school work.

Hermione merely shrugged. "I suppose," she said, pouring herself a glass of juice. "Are you, Ron?" She knew she was trying to hard and he and Harry were bound to realize she was trying to engage him into a conversation with more determination than normal. Ron merely shrugged. "Professor Binns this morning," she mused out loud, "I'm not looking forward to the class. I hope we don't get homework in there for at least another week..." she left her statement trail off hoping someone, preferably Ron, would add to it.

Ron sat in his chair, eating slowly and methodically. After a moment, when his plate was still half-full, he stood up. "I think I'm going to go to class now. I'll see you in a few minutes."

Leaving food, for class especially, was not like Ron. Hermione watched him leave with a sense of worry and sadness in her chest. "Harry," Hermione said, "is something wrong with Ron?"

"No," Harry said. It was normal, casual, and it didn't seem as though Harry was lying. Hermione's chest tightened. "But I guess he hasn't been talkative around you lately..." Harry trailed off, she saw him glance nervously at her. "but I really don't know why." the honesty and loyalty in his voice cut deep. She knew he didn't know anything, but he did suspect something.

Harry and Hermione finished their breakfast in silence. They walked to their class together. In the hallway, just when the class room was visible, Hermione saw two students standing at the doorway to the room. One student was a boy, and his arms were on either side of the girl, talking. As she knew closer Hermione started to be able to make over features of the two students talking. The boy was of average height and weight with... red hair. Suddenly it dawned on Hermione that the boy that was talking so freely to the girl, who she recognized then as Lavender Brown, was Ron Weasley himself. The same Ron that hardly said anything to her since the start of school. Who had only said three words to her for three days. The Ron who hasn't talked to her since the night at the Burrow...

Hermione stepped out of the shower after turning off the water. She grabbed a towel from the linen closet in the restroom and started to methodically dry herself off. After she was dried off signifilently, she wrapped the towel around her body. She sighed. She was so happy to be able to be free at the Burrow for the first time since she had come to visit at the end of the school year. She had came to stay with the Weasleys for her summer vacation in order to help the Order of the Phoenix try to stop Voldemort. Since there is eleven other people staying in the house - the two Weasley parents, seven Weasley kids, Fleur, and Harry Potter for a short time - she rarely got even a moment to enjoy a proper breath to herself let alone a shower.

But today all eleven of the others have went to 12 Grimmuald Place to do some research on Lord Voldemort's newest known moves. Hermione had opted to stay at the Burrow saying she had some work to do around the house, but secretly just wanting time to herself. She had planned to spend the day lazying around the house, taking a long, peaceful shower, and reading in her bed. Finished in the restroom, and with no chance of anyone seeing her, Hermione opened the restroom door. She tunred toward the direction of the room she shared with Ginny and Fluer when she stopped in her tracks, suddenly aware of how much of her body that the towel didn't cover.

Ron Weasley, her friend and housemate for the summer, was standing in on the entrance of the stairs. He was looking straight at her. She tightened the towel around her, but made her not to draw attention to the fact she was only wearing a towel. Ron said nothing, just stared. "Hi," she said meekly, trying to overcome her embarrass and get to her room so she could get properly dressed as quickly as possible. When he didn't resound after a moment, she continued, "I thought you went with the others?"

Finally, gulping, Ron found his voice. "I came back early. Don't worry," he said as though reading her mind, "they are all still there. I said I had things to take care of here." He stood there, staring at her, and suddenly a grin appeared on his face. She felt herself blush.

Trying to ignore her embarrassment, she pasted a smile on her face, "I was just heading to my room." Quickly as she could, still clutching her towel and making sure it covers as much as possible, she walked past Ron...

Back in the hallway of Hogwarts castle, Ron was smiling at Lavender as she leaned casually against the wall adjacent to the classroom. Hermione made sure she didn't slow her step as she walked past the two without a word to them. She heard Lavender giggle, something twisted inside her. She thought vaguely of stopping and looking as if she were looking for something in her book bag just to hear what they were saying, but decided she was a better friend than that. If he wanted to talk to Lavender, then she should left him without interfering. Sometimes things are better left unknown. She walked to the back of the class and took her usual seat. Even though she always paid attention in class, even with Professor Binns' boring method of lecturing on everything, she sat in the back of the class with Harry and Ron. The class started to filter into the classroom. Harry entered with Seamus Flannigan, said goodbye, and sat in one of the empty desks by Hermione. "Hi," he greeted her.

"Hello," she said back, pulling out her notebook and getting ready to take notes on the lecture. After a moment, Ron came in followed by Lavender. Ron said goodbye to Lavender like someone normally would, and she smiled flirtatious at him. Hermione felt a tingle of jealousy at Lavender's flirtation. "Hello," she greeted Ron when he was sitting down in the other empty seat.

He nodded, but didn't say anything. "Harry, did you finish your Divination essay?"

"Yeah. Last night," Harry responded sighing. "You were-" he stopped, looked at Hermione, then continued as if saying something different now. "You went to bed early so I finished it alone." Again he looked at Hermione, then quickly looked away. Ron glanced at Hermione; he, too, looked away.

Hermione sighed with frustration. "I think I'm going to write Viktor instead of taking notes," she found herself saying before she realized was going to. She did, however, know why she said it. She had no intention previsous to that statement to write Viktor, but she knew that Ron was jealous of Viktor and her friendship, and if anything would get him to open up that would be it. She looked out of the corner of her eye to Ron, but he gave her no indication of his thoughts or feelings. She sighed.

As she rummaged through her bag to try to find a piece of parchment and a squill, she couldn't help but feel neglected. Her heart twisted when she thought of losing Ron as a friend. She knew she couldn't continue to be his friend if he wouldn't even look at her, let alone talk to her. She pulled out her supplies and started to pen a small letter to Viktor about her first week of school. She had made sure to keep in contact with him over the summer and even saw him a few times when he visited the Burrow and 12 Grimmuald Place for business with the Order of Phoenix. Viktor was a famous seeker whom she had met in her fourth year during the Triwizard Tournament and forged a relationship with. He had taken her to the Yule Ball that year as her first date, but after the Ball she decided to just be friends with him. He accepted her decision, but disagreed and tried to persuade her with his kindness to think otherwise about him. But her heart lay with someone else. Someone who is close even to touch, but she kept her hands and heart to herself. That someone else had always been jealous of her and Viktor's relationship since the Yule Ball and made no attempt of hiding it, even if he did deny it.

Professor Binns, who was a ghost, droned on at the front of the class about trolls. Suddenly, at the mention of an interfering house-elf, it dawned on Hermione to mention S.P.E.W. (The Society of the Promotion of Elfish Welfare), which is an organization she started her fourth year and the boys, especially Ron, hated. After class, Hermione, Ron, and Harry walked to their next class of Herbology in silence. Lavender passed the trio and smiled sweetly at Ron, giving him a small wave. Hermione was sighed with jealousy and frustration. "I think I'll try to get more people involved with S.P.E.W. this year," she said out loud as if she had just come up with the idea. She waited while staring at Ron, waiting for a respond to her tactic. Nothing. He didn't even acknowledge she had spoken.

She sighed again with frustration. "What?" Harry asked, looking rather concerned at Hermione.

"Nothing," she muttered, "it's nothing at all." She sighed regretfully. She just didn't know what was wrong with Ron. None of her usual tactics to get a raise out of him was working. He was truly starting to worry her. As the greenhouses came into view she noticed the Slytherins were there also. Draco Malfoy and his two best friends, Crabbe and Goyle, were standing by his side, laughing at something he had said.

"Oh look!" Draco suddenly cried, pointing to the trio approaching. "It's the poor Weasel, Scar Boy, and the Mudblood!" His two friends and some Slytherins who were close by started to laugh at his obnoxious comments. His white blond hair was slick back and, she could tell as she got closer, his silver eyes were shining with hatred. His insults were old and tiresome, but hurt Hermione still enough to make her angry.

"Shut up, Malfoy," she snapped.

"As if a Mudblood as a right to tell anyone to shut up," Malfoy said angrily. "A Mudblood like yourself as no right to even breathe the same air as I do!" Suddenly his demeanor changed as he dropped his voice to issue his next insult, "I hope that the Dark Lord or his Death Eaters finish you off like you deserve-painfully."

Without warning, Ron, who had been standing between her and Harry, rushed forward, wand out. "Don't say another thing to her, Malfoy!" he yelled angrily, coming between her and Malfoy. Malfoy started to pull his wand out, but before he could, Ron shouted, "Jellious legus!" There was a blinding flash of light from the end of Ron's wand. The light hit Malfoy squarely in the chest and he stood, suspended in the air, for a moment, then fell to the ground. Ron had hit Malfoy with a jelly-legs jinx. Hermione felt an odd sense of gratitude toward her friend. Crabbe and Goyle rushed toward Malfoy and threw his arms around their shoulders. They started to help with walk toward the castle as Hermione watched.

"Ron," Hermione said quietly. She forced herself to look at him. "Thank you," she said heartfeltly.

Ron uncomfortably switched feet he put his wight on and shrugged. "You would do the same for me," he whispered. Hermione smile and nodded.

All through class neither said another word to each other, but Hermione kept glancing side ways at him and saw him looking at her several times. His eyes were shining with a bright, but subtle light of kindness, friendship, what had been missing. He always looked away though before she worked up another nerve to look him in the eyes. Herbology passed slowly for her even as they worked with mandrates again. Pulling out the plant-like creatures, replanting them. Again and again.

Finally, the class was over and the next few hours of classes until dinner went by at a decent pace since she didn't have Ron in her classes to distract her from the lesson at hand. She made her way down to the Great Hall for dinner as usual after her last class of Arithmancy. Ron and Harry were already sitting at the Gryffindor table with Ginny and Neville. Ron looked up from his dinner at the moment that Hermione walked in, as if he sensed her presence, and quickly, looking embarrassed, looked back down. Hermione pushed her shoulders back and walked straighter as she continued her way to the table as if she noticed nothing. Lavender took the seat across from Ron, smiling at him and getting his attention.

Again, for the second time that day, Hermione felt a feeling of jealous in her heart, but continued to the table. Without greeting anyone, she filled a plate with food and proceeded to eat quickly.

"Hermione," Harry asked from two seats over, "are you planning to go somewhere?"

Without looking in his direction, Hermione nodded. "Yes, I have to write Viktor again. You know he already sent me a reply." The lie slipped easily off her tongue. She hadn't even finished her first letter to Viktor and now she was saying she already had his reply. Ron glanced up, looking confused or even angry for a moment, then looked back at Lavender and smiled. Hermione shoved a last bite of her food in her mouth, suddenly feeling full, and got up. "I have a letter to write!" she said with feigned happiness. Without waiting for a respond, she gathered her stuff and headed for the Gryffindor tower.

She walked into an empty common room and sighed. She hadn't accomplished getting Ron's attention; he still wasn't talking to her. Barely even acknowledging her presence until Malfoy insulted her. She didn't understand him. He didn't make any sense. She sat in her comfy chair, but didn't find peace staring at the fire as she normally did. She knew she had work to do, two essays assigned in classes, but she didn't have the mental strength to make herself work. Just one more minute, she told herself. After several minutes in the eerie silence the portrait hole opened.

Ron came through the hole quietly. He smiled when he saw Hermione in her chair. Alone. "Good," he said softly, "you're here. You're alone." As he stated the obvious, and confused Hermione throughly, he walked toward her.

"Do you need something? I mean, that must be why you are talking to me again... you need something," her voice cracked as she stared into his eyes. His eyes, so open and kind, so familiar and loved. She gulped as he shook his head, never leaving her eyes.

"No, hun," he said gently, but firmly. "I don't need anything. Not in the way you mean it at least. And what do you mean talking to you again?" Suddenly his eyes clouded with confusion, but not anger.

She shifted uncomfortably in her chair, but refused to break the eye contact. "Well, since that... since that night at the Burrow... when you saw me... me in a towel, you haven't been talking to me," she stammered out her words.

Slowly a grin spread across Ron's face. "Stand up," he commanded gently. "Please," he lessened the command.

Not know what else to do, Hermione stood up. Ron took a step toward her and closed off the gap between him. Slowly, without words, he cupped her face in his hands and leaned forward. His lips were soft and warm (Hermione thought it was an unlikely combination in a guy) and he tasted like the roast beef and pumpkin juice he had for dinner. She let him kiss her, slowly melting into him. He brought his arms around her, engulfing her in his strength and security. The kiss only lasted a few moments, but for Hermione didn't last long enough. When Ron pulled away, looking at her with gentle, kind eyes, she could only think of his lips once again. His arms stayed around her as he looked down at her from his inch or two of height.

He kept eye contact when he said, "Hermione, do I have to say what I'm thinking now?" It was an odd question, but strangely so like Ron, it made her feel more comfort in the fact that they had just kissed and she wanted more. He was Ron, her friend.

"No, but I do want to know why you haven't' been talking to me lately. You have been avoiding me. Don't deny it," she said softly, staring into his eyes. She couldn't get enough of his eyes.

He brought his hand to gently brush her cheek. "I was confused. I saw you in a towel."

He acted as though that explained everything, but it didn't. "What does that have to do with anything?" Hermione questioned warmly.

"Hermione," he said gruffly, "you have no idea how beautiful you are. You are beautiful and a female - all female - and for the first time I truly saw that. You were wearing a towel that covered very little." He grinned wickedly. "Not that I minded at all."

Hermione felt herself blush. "So you stopped talking to me because you saw me in a towel and noticed I was a girl?"

He kept grinning. "I stopped talking to you because all I wanted to do was this..." He leaned forward and kissed her. Another sweet, tantalizing kiss. This time Hermione let herself kiss him back, taking him by surprise. "You are beautiful," he whispered into her mouth.

Hermione felt a warm feeling in her stomach spread through her. She loved him. He thought she was beautiful and she loved him. Without being able to stop herself she whispered, "I love you, Ron."

A little gasp escaped her mouth when she said the words, but Ron took a sharp breath in. It felt like a warm, soft punch to the gut to hear those words from her. He longed to hear those words from her for so long. Long before the towel. "I love you, Hermione," he whispered in return reclaiming her mouth.

Breaking apart, Hermione panted slightly and said, "Next time you see me in a towel, don't stop talking to me."

Ron grinned at her. "Next time I'll try, but I might have to control myself too."

Hermione looked at him, confused. "Control yourself?"

His grin grew even wider if that was possible, "Oh yes, Hermione, one reason I was avoiding you was so I didn't... do this..." Again he gave her a soft kiss, leaving her wanting for more.

"But I want that, too," she whispered meekly. Then, suddenly, she thought about Lavender. She broke out of Ron's arms and glared at him. "And what about Lavender?"

He laughed. He gently ran his hand across her cheek, smiling sweetly at her. "Lavender who?"

Hermione smiled with relief. She felt her heart give a tug. He was hers. For some reason, he was hers. "I love you," she whispered again, "but you better not flirt with her anymore!"

He laughed, pulling her back into the circle of his arms. "I love you. Lavender who?"

Without warning, he reclaimed her lips.