Diagon Alley

"So, let me see if I understand you," Hermione said skeptically. "You want me to strap two pieces of plastic to my feet, hold onto a rope, and skid over the water?"

Hermione's vacation to France was ending itself quite nicely. After running around for a month with her parents, they had stopped to visit relatives by the sea. Her cousin, Jean, was trying to convince her to water-ski.

"Come on, 'Ermione," he said. "It will be fun!"

"I don't think so!" Hermione replied with a laugh. "I'll pass on the skis."

"Ah, but what would Ronald say?"

Hermione groaned. She regretted every passing hour her decision to tell Jean about where she really went to school. After he had found out she was a witch, she had told him about her friends there. He wouldn't shut up anymore.

Jean seemed to find Ron and Harry very interesting. Ron especially, for some reason.

"Ron would say that I was being typical Hermione," Hermione said. "And I'm happy being me!"

Jean rolled his eyes. "But 'Ermione, you must try the water-skis once, at least!"

"Jean, I refuse to water-ski. That is the end of it. I'd look silly, and I'd fall down and make a fool of myself."

"Okay zen," Jean said. "You must tell me more about 'Ogwarts."

Hermione laughed. That would be no problem.

"Well, we have lots of different classes," Hermione said, reverting to Hermione Special, Super Duper Lecture Mode. "There's Transfiguration, which is changing one thing into another. Potions, which is just that, brewing magical potions. Then there's Herbology--"

"No, no," Jean interrupted disgustedly. "I want to 'ear about Ron and 'Arry!"

"Why?"

"Zey are your best friends, no?" Jean said. "I want to 'ear all about the boys who are 'anging out with my cousin!"

"They're just my friends," Hermione said.

"But zey are your special friends. Much more interesting than this schoolwork."

He sounded so much like Ron that she laughed aloud.

"Fine," she relented. "I'll tell you. Harry's actually quite famous in the wizarding world. He defeated an evil dark wizard when he was only a baby."

Jean seemed only mildly impressed. "Zat iz it?"

"It was really amazing," Hermione insisted. "He has all sorts of unfathomable powers. He has very strong magic, and I suspect that he's immune to poisons, and some things that I can only guess about."

"That iz not what I want to 'ear! I want to know why you are friends wiz him!"

"Because he's nice, he's funny, and he's caring. He doesn't let his fame go to his head, and I admire that. He's a wonderful person to be around. And he needs me."

Hermione was sure about this last part. Harry and Ron wouldn't have been able to save Ginny last term had it not been for her research in the library.

"And Ron?" Jean prompted.

"Ron is...I don't know. He's funny, he's exciting, he's mischievous, and he always knows how to make me laugh. He's really smart, at least when he applies himself. He always sticks up for me, though I can't fathom why he thinks I need his protection. He's really great, and I'm lucky to have him as a friend."

At this, Jean got a very smug look on his face. "Ah, 'e is the one you love?"

Hermione looked at Jean with a slight frown. "Sure, I love him. He and Harry both. They're my best friends."

"Zat iz not what I mean!" Jean scoffed. "You love 'im! Zis Ron person is your truest, dearest love!"

Hermione laughed. "Ron? No, Jean, I don't think you understand."

"I understand!" Jean contradicted. "I am French! We know all about love, it iz in our blood!"

Hermione shook her head. "Well, your English blood must be diluting your judgment. I don't love Ron any different than I love Harry, or you for that matter."

Jean just smiled knowingly. "You will find out sooner or later."

"I think you have sunstroke, Jean," Hermione said.

*

"So, Ron, talked to the girlfriend lately?" Fred asked innocently. Ron knew better. Fred was never innocent, except when he was being particularly devious.

"What girlfriend?" Ron asked.

"Hermione, you thickheaded prat!" George said.

"Hermione?" Ron laughed. "No, you obviously don't understand about Hermione and me."

"Oh yeah?" Fred said. "I've seen you making moony-eyes at her."

Ron turned red. "I have not!"

"Yes you have, Ronnie-kins!" George said.

"Hermione and I are friends," Ron said. "I do not make moony-eyes at my friends."

"I should hope not," Fred said. "All your other friends are guys."

"Fred!" Ron yelled.

"Just saying, little bro," Fred said.

"I don't like Hermione like that," Ron insisted.

"Sure you don't," George said. "We believe you, Ron, we really do."

Ron groaned. It was going to be a long summer.

*

But, soon enough, the summer was over.

Despite the fact that Sirius Black had escaped from Azkaban and the whole Ministry of Magic thought that he was after Harry, nothing could dull Hermione's excitement at seeing the wizarding world again.

She had heard that Harry was staying in the Leaky Cauldron, so her plan was to find him, and then go find Ron together. She told herself that this plan had nothing to do with the fact that she didn't want to be alone with Ron.

But Jean's niggling little voice kept ringing in her ears.

"It iz in our blood," Hermione mimicked under her breath. "In his blood, my foot!"

She found that Harry was not at the Leaky Cauldron, that he had wandered into Diagon Alley. She supposed if she walked around, she'd eventually find either him or Ron.

Her skin tingled with the excitement of another new year. The chance to learn new spells, have new adventures, and see her friends again. Not necessarily in that order.

Hermione spotted a knot of redheads, and recognized the Weasleys. She saw Fred and George, Mr. Weasley and Mrs. Weasley, Percy and Ginny, but where was...oh, there was Ron!

"Ron!" she called. "How are you? How was your summer? You'll never guess all the stuff I learned about ancient wizards! We stayed with my cousins for a week, too! You should meet Jean, he reminds me of you! Have you seen Harry?"

At least, that's what she meant to say. She never quite got passed the first word, because Ron turned around. Her breath caught in her throat, and her stomach felt slightly queasy in a delightful way.

It wasn't that Ron had changed much. It was that he seemed so familiar. That is, aside from the fact that he'd grown about four inches taller.

But he was alien somehow, as if a new Ron had come to live in the body of her best friend. A Ron that was different in a way she couldn't quite put her finger on.

She could sense a new knowledge and weight about his shoulders. It made her feel both sad and exhilarated. The strange combination of familiarity and strangeness made her stop to take a deep breath.

"Hey, Ron," she began again.

"Hermione," Ron said weakly. Oh no, had he noticed her hesitation?

"Hello, Mrs. Weasley," Hermione said. "Mr. Weasley."

"Hello, Hermione," they answered, looking slightly harried and worn, though happy anyway.

"Hermione, great to see you!" Fred called jovially, coming over to shake her hand.

"Oh, wonderful to see you," George agreed, shaking her other hand.

"Ron's been talking about you all summer," Fred said.

"Oh, yes," George said, with an air of great suffering. "Hermione-this, Hermione-that...."

"I love Hermione!" Fred said.

George frowned at him. They were both still pumping Hermione's arms. "I don't remember him saying that one, Fred."

"No, that was only in his sleep," Fred agreed.

Hermione couldn't help it, she laughed. Fred and George's smiles got wider.

Letting go of Hermione's hands, they turned to their parents. "Mum," Fred said, "We're going to meet Lee at the joke shop."

"Alright, dears," Mrs. Weasley said. "Meet us back at the Leaky Cauldron for supper."

Dropping Hermione and Ron obvious winks, the twins disappeared down the crowded streets of Diagon Alley.

Hermione turned to Ron with a smile, only to find him glowering after the twins.

"What's the matter?" she asked concernedly.

"They are such gits," Ron said.

She glanced at the twins' retreating backs, and then at Ron again. Realization dawned.

"Oh, you didn't think I believed them, did you?" she said brightly.

Ron looked at her hopefully.

"Because I didn't," she continued, walking over to him. "That's just silly."

"Yeah, silly," Ron agreed, although he was still an interesting shade of red.

Hermione looked at her shoes. Why in the world did she get suddenly nervous? Ron was her best friend, for goodness sakes.

"Well, we're going to go see about Ginny's new books," Mrs. Weasley said. "We'll meet you later."

"Okay, Mum," Ron said.

Both Hermione and Ron watched the rest of the Weasleys walk off. When they were out of eyesight, Hermione turned to look at Ron.

*

Wow. Hermione had changed.

Not only the fact that she had a tan, bringing out the adorable sprinkle of freckles across the bridge of her nose--oh, Merlin, did he just use the word "adorable" in connection with Hermione? His best friend?

Her bushy hair was longer, now. Ron knew that Hermione hated her hair, saying that it was always everywhere, and hard to control. Ron loved it. He thought that her hair reflected her personality. Determined to do what she wants, despite efforts to bring her down. Her all-over-the-place mane was one of Ron's favorite things to look at.

She looked nervous. Ron briefly wondered why. Then she looked up at him, and his mind went blank. Except for one thought. Hermione has beautiful eyes.

They were hazel, he noticed. He had always thought that they were brown. He wondered if they had changed color, or if he had just never noticed. He sure noticed now. Her eyes were deep, clear, and shone with a constant light and surety that made Ron feel as if he had come home.

That was confusing, as he had only just left home.

Ron cleared his throat. "So, um, Hermione...should we go and get our books, then?"

*

Hermione smiled at him, relieved to have something to talk about.

"Yes, I suppose we should go get all our school stuff first, and see if we can track down Harry while we're at it."

"Good plan," Ron agreed.

They made their way through Diagon Alley without talking much. They picked up their conversation after purchasing their books at Flourish and Blotts, laughing together about the Monster Book of Monsters.

"So, do you want to go get an ice cream?" Ron suggested. "We could just wait there until Harry comes."

"We haven't had any luck finding him otherwise, so why not?" Hermione answered.

Sitting at Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor, Hermione and Ron kept up a steady flow of conversation.

Hermione kept looking at Ron, and trying to subtly study him, to figure out what was different about him. Every time she caught his eye, they'd both look down and blush slightly.

Finally, after a half hour, she caught sight of Harry.

"Harry, over here!"

Harry looked over at them, and Hermione was relieved to find him exactly as she remembered. No vague, unsettling sense of homesickness accompanied her thoughts of him.

*

Ron was glad to see Harry. This awkwardness with Hermione was disturbing, to say the least. They'd been friends for two years, why was he acting like he'd just met her?

As Harry came over to join them, he shot one last look at Hermione, trying to discover the reason behind his feelings.

It was just his luck. She looked up at him at the same moment.

They shared a glance, and he was the first to look away, confused and slightly dizzy. This was a serious problem.

*

And so the Trio entered their third year.

It was a year of fear. They lived in constant terror of Sirius Black's wrath.

At the end of the year, in the Shrieking Shack, they learned that some things aren't what they seem. They learned to get past the prejudice, to throw away what had been drilled in their heads, and accept the fact that they were occasionally mistaken.

They learned to trust, they learned that truth is truth, no matter who knows. They learned to put aside their hatred to do the right thing, they learned that the right thing isn't always easy.

And in the moment when Sirius dragged Ron into the tunnel under the Whomping Willow, both Ron and Hermione learned that they couldn't live without each other.