Embarrassing Secrets

Can you say "Backfire?"

***And while Ron was immersed still in Chudley Cannon talk, her hand shot out across the table, and then back to her pocket. There was a tiny chink! of glass on glass, liquid changed containers, and once again, Ron's glass was back on the table. Hermione looked around furtively to make sure no one saw what she just accomplished, and was reassured that no one had.

She looked back at the glass and watched carefully. After a few seconds, the liquid that was pumpkin juice (and a little extra) in Ron's glass fizzed, and then returned to normal. Ron's hand reached out for his glass, and he raised it to his lips and took a sip....***

For a moment, Ron's eyes went wide and Hermione couldn't help but smile, and it didn't go unnoticed.

"What?" Ron asked her. "Why are you smiling at me? Can't a bloke have a drink without being watched? Blimey!" And just to prove his point, he downed the rest of his pumpkin juice concoction in one gulp. Hermione smiled even wider, not bothering to hide it. Ginny reappeared by Hermione's side, waving goodbye to her friend. Not more than a few seconds later, Ron let out a large burp, causing Ginny and some other girls to roll their eyes, Harry and Seamus to chuckle appreciatively, and Hermione to burst out laughing.

Ron shrugged embarrassingly with a look at Hermione and proclaimed, "You gotta do what you gotta-" He stopped abruptly, with an odd look on his face like he was trying to clamp his jaws shut. He then shouted, "Ginny?"

Ginny spun around, alarmed, to goggle at her brother. "What is it, Ron?"

"You know when you were making fun of my awful dress robes- saying I looked like Aunt Muriel?"

Ginny nodded, amused.

"Well...they were hers! Mom lied for me and told everyone she got them at a second hand store, but she really asked her if I could borrow them so I would have something to wear!" he burst out, with a look of absolute terror on his face. He made a small gurgling sound and slapped his hands over his mouth.

Ron had shouted it so loud almost every student and a teacher or two had heard it. The Great Hall was full of unconstrained laughter, but no single person was laughing louder than Hermione, who was almost sliding off her seat.

Although Ron had no idea that Hermione had anything to do with his outburst, he was still hurt at the fact that Hermione of all people would laugh at him like that. His face showed a look of mixed hurt and humiliation. He stood and briskly walked straight out of the Great Hall, like a dog with its tail between its legs, with the echo of unjust laughter ringing in his ears.

Oh crap, Hermione thought. That wasn't how I'd planned it to be at all. I wanted to embarrass him a little, but not have the whole school laughing at him! And now he's mad at me on top of it! And he's gonna be even angrier when I tell him why he's spastically telling the world his most embarrassing secrets. I'm sorry I ever started this mess. I have to go explain.

So, ignoring the questioning looks she was receiving from Ginny and Harry, who also knew nothing about her involvement in the incident, she too rose from the Gryffindor table and followed Ron's footsteps out of the Great Hall. What she didn't notice was that there was another student rising from a different table, and he was following her out of the dining hall as well.