One and Only

A/N: All right. A little quiz before the chapter begins. If the author of this story sucks and I'm the author, what can you conclude? * Bzz * Time's up. If you said "If the author of this story sucks and you're the author I can conclude you suck." Then you passed the quiz. All of you who didn't are to read the chapter. Sorry for those of you that passed, the prize is you must read the chapter. Here it is ladies and gentlemen, by popular demand (not really) chapter 4.

The rest of the summer didn't pass as quickly for Harry. Since the party Ron locked himself in his room only coming out for breakfast, dinner, and to use the bathroom. He only took a shower once a week; Ginny was slightly glad he stayed in his room. Though Ron smelled like the back end of Buckbeak, Harry was still glad to see Ron out of his room. (Harry stayed in Percy's old room) Ron came down even less after gathering their new school supplies, he then only came down for breakfast. And stopped showering.

Harry was quite surprised by the presents he received. He received dozens of watches, coincidentally they were all the same watch. Only Ron's and Hermione's gifts weren't watches. Ron subscribed to Quidditch Life in Harry's name, which Ron paid a hand full of Galleons for the first year's subscription. Hermione gave Harry a Quidditch board game. It included with it: four-teen player specific wands, four-teen miniature professional Quidditch players, seven from the Chudley Cannons and seven from Wisborne Wasps, (additional players sold separately) and a lifelike model of a Quidditch stadium. Harry was surprised to see one of the beaters was Mr. Bagman, who is now retired and running from goblins.

Harry and the Weasleys, sans Ron, played the Quidditch game. It was very difficult with only six people so Harry tried to coax Ron out of his room each time they played, but to no avail. Though Harry was having fun with the Weasleys, he still wished Ron were playing.

Since the party Hermione made no other appearances to the Burrow. She also wasn't answering Harry's letters, which Harry sent nearly everyday. Ron, of course, was sitting in his room reading, for the umpteenth time, Transfiguration Grade 5.

With Ron locked in his room, Fred and George working on their joke shop merchandise, Ginny constantly running from Harry's presence, Mr. Weasley working double overtime, and Mrs. Weasley now working at the Ministry, Harry was left alone with his watches, which he promised himself to give one each to the Weasleys and Hermione, in his room to count the minutes till he was back at Hogwarts and Ron and Hermione were acting normal again.

"Ron, we're going to be late," Mr. Weasley yelled from the front of the house arching his back yelling toward Ron's room. Mr. Weasley was working very late lately. Harry knew he was doing something for Dumbledore, but didn't know what. Ever since Harry arrived to the Burrow he noticed Mr. Weasley was losing more hair, exploding at his children and Harry for trivial things; but what most surprised, and scared, Harry was Mr. Weasley's lack of enthusiasm over the muggle compact disk player Harry had bought him. He had bought it a couple of blocks from the Leakey Cauldron while Mrs. Weasley had gotten all their things.

"All right. All right. I heard you the first time," Ron said running out of the house with two trunks, and Pig's cage at the top. Harry and the others didn't know why Ron was taking two trunks. Harry thought Ron had taken the Quidditch board game, which Mrs. Weasley forbade them to take. "It'll be in the way of your studying. Your O.W.L.'s are this year, you know..." Blah. Blah. Blah. They had both heard her give an identical speech to Fred and George, who would be taking their N.E.W.T.'s.

"All right. This year there will be a bus, that the school provides, to take you to King's Cross. Fred. George. It's your last year, try to behave yourselves. Good luck on your N.E.W.T.'s; and you O.W.L.'s boys. Have a nice year Ginny." Mr. Weasley then led Ron and Harry away from the others.

"Just so you're not shocked when you hear from Hermione... She saw Molly and myself..."

Harry and Ron tensed up. They could tell what Mr. Weasley was going to say. And they didn't want to know. Each of the Weasley children, even the ones now out of the house, and Harry had at least once heard Mr. and Mrs. Weasley "do the bad thing." It was especially so in Harry's case. Percy's room was right next to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley's. Though no one talked of this they all knew, except of course Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, it was happening.

Mr. Weasley grew pale, and the tips of his ears were burning red. He continued.

"She saw us... in your bed doing...," He said gesturing toward Ron. "She saw us at the party... in your bed doing... "the bad thing"..." Ron and Harry turned around slowly toward the rest of the Weasleys, who were waiting for the new bus anxiously. They soon left Mr. Weasley on the porch, smiling sheepishly to Ron and Harry. He mouthed "Sorry".

"Can you believe they did that? IN MY BE-" at that point Harry clamped his hand over Ron's mouth.

"You're too loud Ron, just forget what happened and jus-"

"THAT-"

"Hush up Ron," whispered Harry as they stood off to the side of the Weasleys.

Ron spoke again in a whisper. "I think my parents are why Hermione left screaming." Harry slapped his head with so much force he landed on his butt.

"Of course. She went inside your room looking for you," Harry said as Ron helped him up. Fred and George were too busy laughing at him, and Ginny was still ignoring him.

Harry and the Weasleys didn't have to wait long for the bus to arrive. To Harry's surprise it was the Knight Bus that pulled alongside the curb. Upon entering he was doubly shocked to see Ernie, who he lied to saying that he was Neville Longbottom the summer before third year. The bus was different though. It had no beds, and was painted with the Hogwarts crest on the side and front. He was pleased.

Harry expected to see dozens of fellow Hogwarts students, storage compartments filled with countless trunks, and numerous owl cages rattling with excited owls. The only person he saw were the Creeveys and a third boy who Harry didn't know. He was saddened. Looking at Ron, he seemed to feel the same. Oh, well. All would be better on the Hogwarts Express.

Harry, not wanting to talk to the Creeveys, walked toward the stairs. He reached up to open the hatch, but found it locked.

"Oy! Ernie! Why is the hatch closed?"

"The top is already filled. They all wanted to be on top." Ernie said heaving Ginny's trunk into its compartment. The bus was already on its way to King's Cross. The ride was magically smooth.

Harry tried many times to initiate a conversation with Ron, but each attempt proved futile. Harry kept talking on and on, while Ron read his book completely ignoring Harry. Harry spent the rest of the time dodging the three Creeveys, the third boy that Harry had seen turned out to be their younger brother.

"All right! Everyone off! Take your things with you, we aren't going to bring it for you," Ernie said. Harry saw many other buses with students getting off. "Finders keepers. If you lose an item on the bu - boy is this your toad?" Ernie had Neville's toad, Trevor, in his hands.

"Yes, sir." Neville, with blotches of red on his cheeks, ran forward and took his toad back. "Thank you sir."

Surprisingly Ernie was the one to lead the students to the gate, all the students. He divided them into four before he sent them through. After each student was able to get through he disappeared, along with the buses.

Ron and Harry quickly took the compartment they used for the last four years. It was not the best, largest, or the most luxurious compartment, but it was familiar and Harry needed that.

They both waited for Hermione quietly. Ron reading his Transfiguration Grade 6. He had read volumes one through five during the summer. He had picked up a muggle speed reading book earlier in the summer.

Harry, not wanting to be disappointed, read his new Quidditch Life magazine. Hermione came suddenly, and to Harry's relief, was wearing her witching robes instead of what she wore at the Burrow.

"Hello Hermione," Harry said cheerfully.

"Hello Ron. Budge over will you," Hermione said ignoring Harry completely. Hermione had pink tinges on her cheeks.

"Hello Hermione." He said not looking up at her, but moved to the side so she could have the window seat.

Hermione sat there, her hands laced together laying on her lap. Her eyes stared unblinkingly at the young man sitting mere millimeters to her left. Unconsciously her left hand left her knee and reached out for Ron's. Hermione's movement was quickened by a sudden sound.

"Ahem," Harry grunted, annoyed with his eyes closed.

The sound made Hermione's hand leap to Ron's knee which twitched slightly at the sensation.

"Sorry. Hello Harry."

Harry opened his eyes and could see her hand on Ron's knee, who seemed indifferent. But Harry couldn't see that Ron's cheeks were burning hotter, and redder than ever in Ron's life. Hermione could see though, her heart beat quickened, and her cheeks glowed a brighter shade of red than before. But what neither noticed was Ron reading the same page for nearly the entire trip. The train conductor spoke.

"We are nearing Hogwarts. All students still in muggle clothing please put on your robes now."

Harry stood up and was shooing Hermione away so that he and Ron could change in private. Ron seemed reluctant to let Hermione vacate the premises, but let her go none the less.

Hermione was just out the door when she popped back in and planted a kiss on Ron's left cheek.

"I'll see you both in a bit then," Hermione said her eyes on Harry and her face a little more than flustered, "bye."

"What's up with her," asked Harry wonderingly, who was a little flustered himself because he did not get a kiss on the cheek, "Why'd she only kiss you?"

"Maybe she was in a hurry," Ron said straightening his robes, "Anyway I think we should contact Snuffles. How come he hasn't sent you an owl?"

"I don't know, I don't know," said Harry opening the compartment door. "Hermione, you can come in now, we're decent."