Something Wicked

"Harry!" Ludo Bagman said, walking up to the three of them in the Three Broomsticks. "How are you? Been hoping to run into you! Everything going alright?"

"Fine, thanks," Harry replied. Ron wondered what this was all about.

"Wonder if I could have a quick, private word, Harry?" Bagman said eagerly. "You couldn't give us a moment, you two, could you?"

No, we couldn't, Ron was tempted to say. Aloud, he said, "Er - okay."

He and Hermione went to find a table, Hermione throwing suspicious glances over her shoulder as they went.

"I wonder what he wants," she said in a low voice, as Ron slid into the booth. He assumed she'd sit down opposite him, but to his surprise she sat down next to him.

For some reason, that made him go all tingly.

"I dunno," Ron said. "It can't be anything good."

"I really don't like that man," Hermione said darkly, glaring over to where Bagman was talking enthusiastically to Harry.

"But he's the head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports!" Ron protested.

"Just because he's somebody doesn't make him a good person," Hermione pointed out.

"Yeah, look at Krum," Ron muttered under his breath. It was just his luck that Hermione heard him.

"I don't understand what your problem with Viktor is," Hermione said indignantly. "First you practically worshipped him, and now it seems like you hate him."

"He's competing against Harry," Ron said in explanation. "You shouldn't be all friendly with him, either."

"That's not a good enough reason," Hermione said, staring at him closely. "Why do you really hate him?"

"Because he - I mean - he's a bit grouchy, isn't he?" Ron said weakly.

"Ron," Hermione said exasperatedly, rolling her eyes. "He's not grouchy. As you would know if you ever made the effort to be nice."

"No, thank you," Ron said. "Hermione, I don't like him. I can't explain it. He just rubs me the wrong way. Bad karma and all of that."

Hermione sighed. "You don't know him like I do," she said. "He's not that bad."

"And you're an expert on him?" Ron demanded. "How well do you know Krum, anyway? He could be playing you for a fool and you wouldn't even guess. You're so naïve!"

Hermione glared at him. "Ron, why do I have the feeling that you don't care in the slightest about Viktor being grouchy, or the fact that he might be 'playing me for a fool?' You liked him perfectly well until the Yule Ball. Did he say something to you? Did he offend you somehow?"

"No," Ron said in wonderment, having just realized something. "He...oh, Godric."

He put his head in his hands, remembering with displeasure the intense wave of emotion he'd felt when he'd first seen Hermione with Krum. He hesitated to call it jealousy, but that's what it was. He was jealous of Viktor Krum. Not because he was an international Quidditch player, or because Krum was smarter than him, or older than him, but because he'd taken Hermione to the ball.

This opened up trails of thought that Ron really didn't want to explore at the moment.

"Ron?" Hermione asked worriedly, putting a hand on his arm. "Are you okay?"

Ron jerked his arm away from her, looking at her in bewilderment. Her touch had sent tingles of electricity all through his body, even through his thick jumper. That was weird.

"I'm...I'm fine," Ron said weakly, shaking his head. "Just had a dizzy spell."

"Are you sick?" Hermione asked anxiously. "Do we need to go back to the castle? Do you want to see Madame Pomfrey?"

"I'm fine, Hermione," Ron said flatly. "Just...a bit lightheaded."

"Well, take a drink of butterbeer," Hermione said. "That might help."

Ron did so, thinking that might be the only way to shut her up. He'd feel a lot better, he decided, if she'd just stop sitting next to him. And looking at him like that. He got a crazy swooping sensation in the pit of his stomach every time she so much as glanced at him.

Ron was starting to think a visit to Madame Pomfrey just might be in order.

Harry's return to the table was a welcome distraction. Ron found out that his body could indeed function without him, as he talked to Harry, bantered with Hermione, and drank his butterbeer without even thinking about it. He was lost in these crazy things that were happening to him. Maybe he was sick. Maybe he was going insane.

"Uh-oh," Ron said, staring at the door. Rita Skeeter had just entered.

She came over and started sniping at them, and Ron sat there and let Harry get his anger out on her. Ron was perfectly content to let them argue with each other all day. At least, that is, until Rita started going after Hermione.

"Sit down, you silly little girl, and don't talk about things you don't understand," Rita said coldly. I know things about Ludo Bagman that would make your hair curl...not that it needs it - " she added, letting her eyes fall on Hermione's shock of bushy hair with distaste.

Ron started to jump up and defend her, but a look from Hermione silenced him. It said clearly: I can fight my own battles, Ronald Weasley.

She could fight her own battles, Ron admitted. The thing was, he didn't want her to have to do it alone. His eyes widened as he grasped the implications of that. He was either a spanking good friend, or he...fancied her.

Godric Gryffindor's sword.

"Let's go," Hermione snapped. "C'mon, Harry - Ron..."

As Ron followed her out of the Three Broomsticks, he became rather frightened for her. Innocent, naïve Hermione couldn't comprehend what Rita Skeeter could do to her.

"She'll be after you next, Hermione," Ron said worriedly as they walked up the street.

"Let her try!" Hermione exclaimed defiantly. "I'll show her! Silly little girl, am I? Oh, I'll get her back for this. First Harry, then Hagrid..."

"You don't want to go upsetting Rita Skeeter," Ron told her nervously. "I'm serious, Hermione, she'll dig up something on you - "

"My parents don't read the Daily Prophet. She can't scare me into hiding!"

Wow. The only thing she was concerned about was her parents reading bad things about her. Ron abruptly realized that, in all actuality, Hermione simply didn't care what other people thought about her. That was quite admirable, in his opinion. Downright stunning, if you asked him.

Kind of like her smile.

Ron shook himself mentally. Where had that come from?

"And Hagrid isn't hiding anymore," she added furiously. "He should never have let that excuse for a human being upset him! Come on!"

She started running towards the castle, and all Ron and Harry could do was follow her. Ron did so with a huge grin threatening to erupt onto his face, and it was all he could do to remember the gravity of the situation.

When she put her mind to it, Hermione could be positively wicked.