Hp: Hermione and Darkness

She watched as Harry escaped the awkward conversation by moving over to talk with the twins and Mundungus. Hermione was sure something dodgy was going on between Fred, George, and Mundungus, but she would have to wait until they were at school, and she was their prefect to do much about it.

Ginny and Tonks were chatting about their favourite hexes. Hermione listened in, though Kingsley's low voice caught her ear. She was about to turn to listen, but it seemed as though he didn't want to be heard.

"…why Dumbledore didn't make Potter a prefect?" said Kingsley.

"He'll have had his reasons," replied Professor Lupin.

"But it would've shown confidence in him. It's what I'd've done," persisted Kingsley, "'specially with the Daily Prophet having a go at him every few days…"

Hermione couldn't help but agree and took comfort in the fact that she wasn't the only one who had that thought. She turned back to Ron, who was still going on (this time to Tonks) about his new broom.

"…the handle's made of Spanish oak with anti-jinx varnish and in-built vibration control-" Ron said. Tonks looked like she was about to fall asleep.

Mrs Weasley yawned widely. "Well, I think I'll sort out that Boggart before I turn in... Arthur, I don't want this lot up too late, all right? Night, Harry, dear." As Mrs Weasley passed Hermione, she gave her a warm smile and a quick squeeze on the shoulder.

Once again left to her own devices (Harry was talking to Professor Moody, Kingsley and Professor Lupin were still chatting, Ginny and Mr Weasley were talking, Tonks was listening to Ron ramble, and Mrs Weasley had left), Hermione decided she should probably save Tonks another half hour of broom talk. Besides, she wanted to congratulate Ron privately and start to discuss strategy.

"Excuse me," she said, walking over to the pair. Tonks' eyes shot up to her with a pleading look in them. Hermione smiled and gave her a secret wink. "Ron, would you mind coming with me for a few minutes? I have something I'd like to talk to you about."

"Sure, 'Mione," Ron said. "Let me first just tell Tonks about the Cleansweep's-"

Trying not to laugh at the horror on Tonks' face, Hermione interrupted him. "If you don't mind, it's sort of urgent."

"Oh, ok, sure," Ron said, standing up from the table. "Sorry, Tonks. We can chat later, yeah?"

"Uh, maybe," Tonks said, then mouthed "Thank you" to Hermione when Ron turned away. Hermione nodded with a smile and then led Ron out of the kitchen and up the stairs to the dining room.

"What's up?" Ron asked once they entered the room. He nervously eyed the dresser off to the side of the room. Hermione remembered the day they were tasked to clean the dining room and found a nest of spiders the size of saucers that had taken up residence in that very dresser. Needless to say, Ron didn't help very much that day.

"We got all of the spiders," Hermione said.

"The bloody things lay eggs, Hermione," Ron said. "Tiny little eggs that can live in tiny little cracks and hatch into tiny little spiders that grow into monsters."

"Don't be dramatic, Ronald," Hermione sighed.

"I'm not being dramatic, Hermione," Ron said. "I'm being practical, which, might I add, is a quality becoming of a Prefect."

Hermione grinned. "That's why I wanted you to come - congratulations, Ron! Really, I am so proud of you!" Without thinking, Hermione threw her arms around him. She could feel his broad shoulders initially stiffen under her embrace. She started to back away immediately.

"Hey, you too!" Ron grinned and pulled her back in for a hug, this time reciprocating tightly. "I mean, you're not so much of a surprise as I am, but you definitely deserve it."

"And so do you," Hermione said. "Don't let anyone tell you otherwise, Ronald Weasley." She pulled back from the hug to look him dead in the eyes. "I'm serious. Yes, it's a surprise, but a good, well-deserved surprise. I am so proud of you."

"Can I be honest with you, and you won't make fun of me?" Ron said, still holding on to her.

"Of course!"

"I'm kind of nervous," he said, looking away.

"Why?"

"Well, for one thing - well, you heard Mad-Eye. Authority figures attract jinxes and curses. You know I'm not good at that kind of stuff."

"You're better than you give yourself credit for," Hermione said.

"Not really - do you know how many times my own baby sister has jinxed me?" Ron said, dropping his hands back to his sides. Hermione's body momentarily felt cold without his arms around her.

"Ginny is just abnormally good at jinxing," Hermione said honestly. Ginny was one of the best of their age, much better than Hermione (much to her dismay).

"Yeah, but still," Ron said. "And let's be honest; I'm not exactly great at following rules. How am I going to, you know, enforce them?"

"I'll teach you," Hermione said earnestly.

"I'm sure you will," Ron said with a smile.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You're just good at rules," Ron shrugged.

Hermione tried her best not to take that personally. "I suppose you're right," she said.

"But what am I s'posed to do if Fred or George do something? I can't very well give them detentions," Ron said.

"You most certainly can," Hermione said. "And will."

"They'll never let me live it down."

"That's just too bad," Hermione said. "Maybe if they had applied themselves more, they would have had a chance at being Prefects in their fifth year and developed a better grasp on rules."

"But that isn't what happened, so…" Ron let his thoughts trail off.

"So, what?"

"So, it's gonna be hard, that's all."

Hermione sighed. Ron's lack of self-confidence sometimes made her angry. Why couldn't he see how amazing he was? "That's why most people don't get to be Prefects," she said. "We can sit down together and strategise tomorrow in the Prefects' car. I can help us to create a simple cheat sheet of school rules that we can unroll in a pinch and maybe even create some flashcards-"

"I think I'm busy tomorrow," Ron said.

"Doing what?"

"Doesn't matter. I'll just be busy."

Hermione's anger flashed again. She had a sinking feeling Ron was planning to treat their new roles as he treated most of his academics - hoping she'd do everything for him. "Ron, I swear, you will pull your fair share of work this year, or I'll let Ginny hex you without any punishment!" And, with that, she turned on her heels, stalked to her room, and slammed the door.

....

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