The Project

"The Project"

Cold, November afternoon. Hermione and Ron were found in the library studying... (Or are they?)

"Come on Hermie, just one kiss?" Ron begged, at the same time holding Hermione's hand and started to lean over her.

Hermione dodged. "Ronnie, we're in the Library now and we're supposed to be studying for a Chapter Test on Potions tomorrow, remember? Potions? Test? Snape?"

"Oh... Yeah, right," said Ron his face obviously fell, but suddenly lounged at her.

"But just one kiss puh-lease?" Ron said with pleading eyes.

"No Ron!" Hermione said firmly and pushed him away.

"Oh Hermie, We've been an official couple for a week now! Don't you think its time for us to go public?" Ron said, eyeing Hermione with teasing eyes.

Hermione stopped studying. looked him straight in the eye, pretended to smile then poked him in the ribs.

"Oww! What did you do that for?" Ron said.

"Ronald Weasley! if you are going to continue to act like that, I swear-"

"Well, well, well... what do we have here? Are the two lovebirds having a fight?" the familiar drawling voice of Draco Malfoy startled Hermione.

"Sod off, Malfoy!" Ron said and slumped into his chair.

"Sooo.. you really ARE fighting! How lovely." He said with a smirk.

"None of your business!" Hermione said and picked up her books and stormed out of the library.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk.. your girlfriend left you, eh Weasel?" he mocked, "Not a good start in a relationship... definitely not good." He then laughed and went off.

"I'll get you someday, Malfoy... someday." Said Ron, gritting his teeth and clenched his fists so hard that his knuckles turned white, then he, too, stormed out of the library.

************

That afternoon, in the Gryffindor common room, Hermione was still feuding about Ron's attitude when Harry came in and noticed why Hermione is alone. They usually go anywhere together except in the bathroom and the dormitory when they sleep.

"Hey, Herm, what's wrong?" asked Harry thoughtfully "Where's Ron?"

"Don't remind me," said Hermione her eyes flashing with anger.

"Why? What happened?" Harry asked again.

"You tell that bestfriend of yours, that if he won't stop acting immature, I will never speak to him again, ever!" said Hermione.

"You wouldn't!" said Harry, wearing a surprised look in his face, "I mean... he's your boyfriend now and girlfriends DON'T do that to their boyfriends."

"Don't tell what I can do and cannot do Mr. Potter," said Hermione irritated again "What do you know about boyfriends and girlfriends anyway? You don't even have one!" she pointed out then stormed again to her dormitory.

"Girls," Harry sighed. He then went out and searched for Ron.

"Oh, there you are!" said Harry who found Ron pacing back and forth outside the Portrait of the Fat Lady.

"Is she in there?" he asked nervously.

"Who?" Harry asked innocently.

"Hermione of course!" said Ron almost shouting.

"Yup, she's in there... but she went upstairs to her dormitory just now," said Harry.

"Blast it!" said Ron to himself then turned his attention to Harry and said pleadingly, "Harry! You've got to help me!"

"What happened?" Harry asked.

"Well... we were in the library and I asked her for a kiss..." started Ron shyly.

"You WHAT?" Harry interrupted.

"I asked her for a kiss and she refused, and we, um, had a little fight... and Malfoy saw it all..."

"Malfoy SAW it ALL???" Harry interrupted again, "That slimy little git... but you didn't do anything to him, did you? I mean you didn't turn him into a ferret or something, did you? I mean, we don't exactly have a clean record, you know, I don't want us to be left out during graduation and go back to Seventh Year again and Ginny and Colin will be our classmates and we will watch our own classmates have jobs while we have to spend one more year at school and..."

"Harry! Will you relax!" said Ron, "I didn't do anything to Malfoy, I was too upset to pound him because I was thinking about my Hermie!"

"Oh, that's good," Harry breathed a sigh of relief.

"What do you mean? It's good that Hermie and I are fighting?! Harry I thought you're my friend!" said Ron angrily.

"No, it's not that," said Harry "It's good that you didn't do anything to Malfoy even if he's acting like an idiot, because the idea of having Colin and -- no offense Ron -- Ginny as our classmates would be..."

"Harry will you please stop that! Are you trying to help me or not?" said Ron wondering if his best friend has gone insane.

"Okay, okay, let's go in first," said Harry,

"Password?" said the Fat Lady.

"Eleemosynary," said Harry in a monotonous tone. The Portrait swung noiselessly and both of them went inside.

"Look Ron, you know Hermione, she doesn't like snogging in public, and besides, you're in the LIBRARY, it's her sanctuary!" Harry pointed out as he and Ron got two chairs near the fireplace, "And she's the Head Girl, She has to be a role model for everyone. She has to have a clean status, understand me?"

"Yeah, you're right," Ron agreed getting up, "I have to apologize immediately"

"No, I know a much better way how to apologize," said Harry stopping him, he then whispered something to Ron's ear and together, they went to the library.

*******

In the Morning, Hermione woke up bitter and in a bad mood. Her hair is a lot bushier than usual and she couldn't keep it in place even if she used a couple handfuls of different kinds of sleek-hair potions. She spent the whole night covering for the Potion test, which is today and Ron didn't even show up at breakfast. How dare he? She thought, and where was Harry? If Ron want it that way, Fine! I can live without him. She then stormed off forgetting her breakfast.

In Snape's cold dungeon, Harry could see that Hermione is throwing dagger eye glances at them.

"Harry, do you think this is a good idea?" Ron asked anxiously.

"Ron, trust me! Just remember all the things we studied last night ok?" Harry answered with confidence.

Harry and Ron were sitting on the far-left corner of the room and had arrived early so that they won't be late in Potions. After Snape has given the test, he immediately checked he papers and called out the scores.

Hermione Granger - 99 %.

"My...my" said Snape amused. "Losing your touch, aren't you Miss Granger?"

Hermione turned red.

"That greasy haired faggot!" Ron muttered under his teeth.

Draco Malfoy - 97%

"Ha!" Draco said proudly.

Ronald Weasley - 95%

Everyone stared at Ron in surprise, including Hermione.

"Yes, it is rather quite surprising, I couldn't believe it myself either" said Snape with a bored tone. "Surely, Mr. Weasley must have done something to achieve this score" Then he continued

Harry Potter - 85 %

"What?! I don't believe this!" Harry said shocked. "I've studied all night for this test!"

"Calm down Harry!" Ron whispered pulling him down to his seat.

"Obviously, Mr. Potter, you didn't study well enough, and Ten points from Gryffindor, for shouting in class."

Snape turned back into calling all the scores while Harry was fuming with anger.

"It's unfair!" he muttered. "How am I suppose to be able to make it up? I'm going to flunk Potions and Snape will be very delighted that I will spend one more year enduring his tortures!" Harry groaned. "I've got to go to the library,! I've got to read more books, I've got to study more! And I'm going to ask Hermione for help... "

Hermione, Ron thought. His stomach did a flip-flop. Oh God, I'm nervous.

After Snape has called out all of the scores, he gave a handful of homework and dismissed the class early.

Hermione gathered her books and went out immediately but she heard Ron's voice calling her.

"Hermione, wait up!"

Hermione kept on walking until they were in the hallway.

"Please, Hermione, wait up!" said Ron running after her.

"What do you want?" she snapped

"I have to tell you something, Hermione-"

"Oh, I know" she said cutting him off. "You want to end this relationship of ours, fine with me!" Hermione turned and walked away.

"Hermione!" Ron grabbed her arm and pulled her into a vacant classroom.

"Ron, let go!"

"Hermione, before you said anything else, please let me explain" said Ron seriously who was now holding her hand and looking at her straight in the eye.

"I have been a jerk. I shouldn't act like that in the library, I know you are a Head Girl and you have lots of responsibilities to handle and a status to maintain and I respect you for that. I'm sorry...I did want to apologize to you right away, But I studied last night so that I would surprise in the test!" he said catching his breath. "It was all for you, Hermione..."

"Oh Ronnie, it's the sweetest thing you've done for me!" Hermione hugged him and cried.

"Hermie, don't cry, I love you so much and I want you to be proud of me..."

"I am now" said Hermione still crying and smiled.

Ron wiped her tears and their eyes met. God, she's so beautiful. Ron thought. He's the sweetest guy in the world, she thought

Their faces became closer... and closer... until they kissed. It was the nicest kiss they had. It felt.... Very right.

"This is nice, we should do it more often" Ron said after they pulled apart.

"Ron!" Hermione said warningly

"Ok, ok I was only joking!"

"By the way, Where's Harry?" Asked Hermione

"I don't know, I think he's heading for Transfiguration by now, lets go outside and see if we could catch up with him." Ron suggested.

They walked out of the classroom hand in hand.

*******

"Hey Harry, over here!" Ron called out. They found Harry walking towards the direction of their Tranfiguration classroom.

"Ron-" He looked at Ron then at Hermione.

"Hermione-" and he looked at their hands, which are still entwined.

"You've patched up? Good!" He said beaming and turned his attention back to Hermione.

"You have to help me! I'm failing in Potions and you've got to explain to me the essence about this..." Harry blabbered on and on about studying and finding new references in the library until they found their seats and settled down.

Professor McGonagall entered the classroom and started lecturing about the sequence of turning a massive object into something they desire even in the farthest distance. Before she end the class, she announced, "I'm going to randomly pair you for a long-term project. This will be my last project since this is your last year. This project will cover 50 % of your output grades. And she began calling out the name of the pairs.

"Finnigan and Parkinson"

"Thomas and Patil"

"Crabbe, Bullstrode"

"Longbottom, Brown"

The list went on...

"Granger and Malfoy"

At this, three figures stood up, "WHAT?!"