FicWad

Disclaimer: I wish I owned Harry Potter, but evidently it's owned by some British lady. Drat!

A/N: Whoa, necromancy alert! Almost two years later, here's Chapter 5! I'm still not entirely happy with the first couple of chapters of this story, but I'll leave them be for now. I may still go back and rewrite them eventually, though.

I will say upfront that this chapter doesn't have much in the way of smut. I actually thought it might wind up entirely smut-free at one point, but I decided to throw in a bit of it towards the end. Our boy Ronald is the central character for this particular chapter. But don't worry, he won't be doing anything sexual with Hermione, so put the pitchforks down!

Chapter 5:
The Sidekick

Ron Weasley was hungry. Now, those who knew him would quip that Ron was always hungry, but this was a special case. On this day, he had completely forgone dinner. This may not seem like that big a deal, but considering the famous Weasley appetite, this was a far bigger sacrifice for Ron than it would have been for anyone else. But Ron made this decision willingly and without hesitation. Some things were more important to Ron than food, as much as that might surprise those whose primary interactions with the young Gryffindor occurred during meals.

One such thing was his best mate, Harry Potter. In spite of their differences earlier in the year (which, Ron was ashamed to admit, were entirely his fault), Ron considered Harry the closest friend he'd ever had. Ron knew Harry always had his back if he needed it, and it shamed Ron to no end that he wasn't there for his best mate in his preparations for the First Task. Harry risked his life against a dragon, and Ron had not been there for him; it had been up solely to Hermione to help their mutual best friend figure out how to survive an encounter with one of the most dangerous creatures in the world. To her credit, she had come through brilliantly, helping Harry master the Summoning Charm that allowed him to use his Firebolt to evade the dragon and snatch the golden egg. While Ron would always be grateful to Hermione for picking up the slack while he sulked by himself like a moody prat, it still killed him that he hadn't been there for his best mate. When he and Harry made up following the First Task, Ron promised himself that he would never abandon Harry again. Whenever his best mate needed him, Ron would be there for him in whatever way he could.

At the moment, Harry needed all the help he could get. There were less than 24 hours to go until the Second Task of the Tri-Wizard Tournament, and Harry was no closer to a solution to his underwater breathing dilemma than he'd been when he and Parvati first listened to the egg in the Prefect's Bath about a month earlier. Harry was understandably anxious as the hours passed, and the task drew closer and closer. Ron, along with Hermione, Parvati and Lavender, all chose to skip dinner and join Harry in the library for one last desperate search for an answer.

Unfortunately, this search was going no better than any of Harry & co.'s previous treks to the library. Minutes in the library turned to hours in the library, and still no luck. Ron was growing increasingly agitated as their efforts continued to go unrewarded, and it took considerable self-control on his part to hold back his famous Weasley temper.

A muttered curse word from across the table drew Ron's attention to the fact that he wasn't the only one struggling to keep his cool. Ron looked up from the pages of 'Olde and Forgotten Bewitchments and Charmes' and glanced across the table, where Harry was scowling down at a copy of 'Weird Wizarding Dilemmas and Their Solutions' as if it had just insulted him. It was obvious that Harry was on the verge of losing it. Ron couldn't blame him. Personally, he didn't see how a full-grown wizard could be expected to meet the demands of the Tri-Wizard Tournament. Asking a 14-year-old, even one as brave and exceptional as Harry, to do so was just plain rubbish.

Ron frowned to himself without realising why. He couldn't put his finger on it, but something seemed...off. And then it came to him.

In the past, whenever either he or Harry had cursed aloud, Hermione could be counted on to scold them for it. She was seated right next to Harry on his left side, and if Ron was able to hear Harry from across the table, there was no doubt that she had heard him as well. But this time, their bushy-haired friend had not reprimanded Harry for his muttered swear.

Ron stopped looking at Harry and looked over at Hermione. There was no trace of admonishment or disapproval on her face. In fact, her face showed nothing but concern and compassion as she looked at Harry's tense form. Ron's eyes widened slightly as Hermione began stroking the back of Harry's hand in a comforting gesture.

“I'm sorry this hasn't worked out so far, Harry. But I promise you that I will not give up. I am not leaving your side until we get this figured out, even if that means I have to go into that freezing lake with you,” Hermione said in a calm, quiet voice, barely more than a whisper.

Ron blinked, his surprise mounting. He couldn't remember ever hearing Hermione speak like that to anyone. She was usually so assertive, so forceful, always trying to offer a solution to the problem. But she hadn't acted that way at all just now. Rather than trying to assure Harry that a solution was right around the corner (an assurance that would have done and meant little, considering how much time they'd put into these ruddy searches with nothing to show for it), she simply offered him her support and let him know she would stay with him to the bitter end. It was very uncharacteristic of the Hermione Granger Ron had come to know over the last three-plus years.

As Ron paused to think about it, he came to the realisation that this wasn't the first time Hermione had done something out of character that day. In fact, now that he really thought about it, Hermione had been behaving a bit differently for about a week or so, by Ron's reckoning. He wasn't sure what had happened, but suddenly, she had become gentler, and less demanding. She still encouraged he and Harry to stay focused in class and keep up-to-date with their assignments and revisions, but she hadn't been nearly as bossy about it. Rather than trying to scold the boys into doing what she thought was best, she made patient suggestions without being overbearing. He also realised that he and Hermione had not gotten into any of their infamous rows recently, though he knew full well that he had made more than one comment that ordinarily would have set her off. There was no doubt about it: Hermione was acting very different.

Hermione's new, more gentle approach seemed to be working, because when Ron glanced back at Harry, he noticed that the scowl was gone from his friend's face, and he appeared to have calmed down at least slightly. But even after successfully easing Harry's tension, Hermione continued to lightly caress his hand with her fingertips. Hermione had never been quite so tender with either of them (or anyone else, as far as Ron had seen.) Frankly, it was starting to make Ron a little uncomfortable. He felt like he was intruding on something he shouldn't be seeing. With a start, Ron realised that if this moment was making him uncomfortable, there was someone else at their table who had to be positively furious. Hesitantly, his eyes went to the seat on Harry's immediate right, and the witch seated in it who would no doubt have something to say about all this.

As he expected, Parvati's attention was squarely on Harry and Hermione. But, to Ron's immense surprise, she did not seem angry or upset in the least. And Ron swore he even saw a smile cross her face, if only for a moment. It went without saying that Ron was no expert on the moods of girls, but he didn't think too many of them would be nearly so accepting in this situation.

Hermione continued to stroke Harry's hand until he finally took notice and looked up from his book, and if his expression was anything to go by, Harry was just as confused as Ron was. Hermione noticed Harry's gaze and froze. She yanked her hand back as if it was on fire and looked away quickly, but not before Ron spotted the blush colouring her cheeks.

Ron watched Harry shrug to himself in confusion before returning his attention to the book he had been searching through. When Ron returned his attention to Parvati, he saw that the smile was most definitely back. Her eyes went back and forth from Harry to Hermione, and she seemed rather amused by the entire situation. Ron quickly gave up on figuring Parvati out; she was clearly every bit as mental as Hermione.

He briefly glanced at Lavender, who was seated between himself and Parvati. Unlike everyone else at the table, though, Lavender noticed Ron's gaze. Her bright blue eyes focused on his face, and she flashed him a grin that quickly had Ron turning away to hide a blush that was every bit as bright as Hermione's had been. Ron stared down at his book, thoroughly embarrassed. He wasn't sure why Lavender was able to get him so flustered. As Parvati's best friend, she had started socializing with the famed trio quite a bit once Parvati and Harry started dating, to the point that what had been a trio was now more accurately a quintet. Ron really should have grown used to having her around by this point, but for reasons he could not (or perhaps just did not want to) pinpoint, he had developed the unfortunate habit of blushing and making a fool of himself whenever he interacted with her. After one such incident, Harry had commented that it rather reminded him of how Ginny acted whenever he spoke to her. Naturally, this led to an impromptu wrestling match in the Gryffindor common room between Ron and his snickering best mate, which Hermione responded to simply by rolling her eyes and muttering 'Boys'.

Ron returned his attention to the dusty old tome in front of him, determined to put all thoughts of girls and their mystifying behaviour out of his mind so he could try and help his best mate. He resumed his search, but, predictably, this book proved just as unhelpful as all of the others they'd looked through in the last month.

Ron's head may have accepted his decision to skip dinner, but it evidently failed to notify his stomach, which made its displeasure known with a loud rumble of protest.

Ron was vaguely aware of Hermione muttering under her breath at the disruption, but he paid little mind to her. At the moment, Ron was barely aware that his bushy-haired friend even existed, because his brain was only capable of processing one very important fact: Lavender's hand was on his shoulder. Slowly, he turned his head in her direction.

“Hungry, Ron?” Lavender asked, grinning widely at him. Ron's only response was to nod his head before quickly looking away, utterly mortified.

Ron's face turned as red as his hair, and Lavender softly chuckled at his obvious discomfort. Parvati was chuckling as well, shooting a knowing look at her best friend, who smiled right back at her. Even Harry, stressed as he was, seemed to find Ron's embarrassment funny.

'Sod this', Ron thought to himself. 'I've already made a great big ruddy fool of myself in front of everyone. There's no need for me to be embarrassed AND hungry.'

Ron took a quick glance around the library, and after confirming that Madam Pince's attention was elsewhere, he reached into his pocket and pulled out the chocolate frog that he'd stashed away earlier in the day. He unwrapped the treat and ate it ravenously, taking care to use his body to shield the act from the rest of the group so he wouldn't be teased any further.

His stomach appeased (for the moment, at least), Ron glanced at the card that came with the candy. He went to put it in his pocket, but it dawned on him that the picture on the front of the card did not look familiar. Had he actually come across a new card to add to his massive collection?

Ron took a closer look at the front of the card. Smirking back at him was a black-haired witch holding a basket filled with herbs. The writing underneath the picture identified the witch as Elladora Ketteridge, a name that didn't ring any bells for Ron.

His mood brightening somewhat, Ron flipped the card over and checked out the back to learn more about this witch.

Elladora Ketteridge
(1656-1729)

Elladora Ketteridge's primary contribution to the wizarding world was her discovery of the properties of the magical plant known as Gillyweed, which, when eaten, gives a witch or wizard gills that allow them to breathe underwater, as well as webbed hands and feet for swimming, for approximately one hour. Ironically, Miss Ketteridge made this discovery entirely by accident when she ate the plant and nearly suffocated, recovering only when she stuck her head into a bucket full of water. Some sources incorrectly credit noted herbologist Beaumont Marjoribanks with the discovery of Gillyweed, but Elladora's accidental encounter with the plant actually happened nearly a century before Beaumont's alleged discovery.

Ron was now positive that he did not already have this card in his collection, but he decided he had more important things to worry about. Namely, getting back to doing whatever he could to help Harry find a way to breathe underwater, so he could complete this sodding Second Task.

'Wait...breathe underwater??'

“Bloody hell!”

“Quiet, Ron! You're lucky Madam Pince isn't nearby, or she'd be tossing us out at this very moment!” Hermione huffed.

“No, you don't get it, Hermione. I've found it!” Ron said excitedly, holding up the card.

“I'm not in the mood to look at your card collection, Ron. I'm slightly busy at the moment, you know,” Hermione said, her frustration evident.

Ron took a deep breath, preparing to respond, but another voice cut him off.

“Here, let me see it,” Lavender requested, holding out her hand.

Ron placed the card in her outstretched hand, unable to hold back the slight flush that came to his cheeks as their hands brushed against each other. He watched anxiously as the pretty blonde-haired witch inspected the card of Elladora Ketteridge, hoping she wouldn't find something he'd overlooked that would contradict his discovery and make him look like an even bigger fool. Lavender's eyes suddenly lit up, and Ron exhaled the breath he hadn't known he'd been holding.

“That's perfect, Ron!” Lavender exclaimed, beaming at him and reaching out to pat his back in congratulations, which in turn caused a funny feeling to spread to Ron's stomach. Parvati, intrigued, took a look at the card herself, and the relief that was written all over her face as she saw what he had discovered made Ron swell with pride.

“This is brilliant, Ron! Thank you so much!” Harry's girlfriend said earnestly, giving him a wide smile of her own which, while pretty, didn't make his insides squirm as Lavender's had.

“What's all this, then?” Harry asked quietly, and picked up the card to have a look himself. Hermione, no longer able to ignore the apparent importance of this card, peeked over Harry's shoulder to see what all the fuss was about. As they read the short blurb about Ketteridge's discovery, both of their faces lit up in elation and relief.

“Oh, this is wonderful! Now you'll be able to get through the task, Harry!” Hermione said brightly, before impulsively wrapping her arms around his neck and bringing her body to his in a sideways hug of sorts. She quickly broke off, blushing, and looked at her other long-time friend.

“Well done, Ron! To think, all this time I've been focusing on charms, when it was a plant we needed! Oh, and I, I'm sorry for dismissing you like that. It's just, well...” she broke off.

“No, don't worry about it. I mean, what were the odds that after all the books we've searched through in the last month, the answer would be on a bleedin' chocolate frog card?” Ron said, grinning and shaking his head.

Ron was pleased at the reactions from Lavender, Parvati and Hermione, but it was the relaxed smile on his best mate's face that really made Ron's day. Just minutes earlier, Harry had nearly blown his lid, and even though Hermione had been able to calm him down some, the anxiety had obviously, and understandably, remained. The fact that he, Ron, had been able to give him the solution to his worries made him immensely proud.

“Thanks, mate. I owe you one,” Harry said sincerely.

Ron just grinned at him, somewhat embarrassed, and shook his head. The relieved smile on Harry's face was all the reward he needed.

--YBD--

After Hermione consulted a herbology book, which reinforced the fact that gillyweed would meet Harry's needs perfectly, the five Gryffindors made their way back to their common room in far better spirits than they had been when they entered the library. On their way back, they discussed another issue: how they would obtain gillyweed. Lavender pointed out that Snape likely had some in his store room, and Harry made the decision to call upon Dobby the house elf to nick some of it for him, figuring he would have a much easier time of it than any of them. Hermione was less than pleased with the idea of using Dobby for the task, but she knew how important it was for Harry to get his hands on that gillyweed. That, combined with the obvious relish Snape would take in depriving Harry of his means of survival if he were caught snooping around the store room, led to Hermione backing down, albeit reluctantly.

With that resolved, the group quickly ditched their school robes before they joined their fellow Gryffindors in the common room, hoping to relax a bit before bed. The Weasley twins, who had heard about the group's plan to skip dinner in order to remain in the library, surprised the fourth years with an assortment of food they had brought back with them.

While Ron, Harry and the girls were eating, Professor McGonagall stopped by and requested that Parvati and Hermione leave with her. Ron and Harry watched the two girls depart in confusion, not sure what McGonagall would want with them at this hour. Lavender's reaction was one of concern and dawning understanding, but neither of the boys picked up on her mood.

The minutes ticked by and more and more students went up to their dormitories for the night, until eventually only Harry, Ron and Lavender remained in the common room.

“I wonder what's taking them so long,” Harry asked, frowning.

“I wouldn't worry about it, Harry. I'm sure nothing has happened to them or anything. They are with Professor McGonagall, after all,” Lavender said quietly.

“I know. I'm not worried or anything. It just seems a bit strange, that's all,” Harry replied quietly. He and Ron had started up a game of Wizard's Chess, but Ron could see that Harry's interest in the game was half-hearted at best. The long hours he'd logged in recent days seemed to be catching up to him, and he had to fight to keep his eyes open.

“You look tired, Harry. Why don't you head up to bed? You need to be well-rested for the task tomorrow,” Lavender suggested.

“Well, I wanted to wait for Parvati and Hermione to get back. And Dobby hasn't come back with the gillyweed yet...” Harry objected.

“There's no telling when they'll get back, though, Harry. And don't worry about Dobby. I'm sure he'll wake you up if he can't get the gillyweed, or if he needs you for anything important. You really should go to bed, mate. You need your rest if you're gonna get back whatever it is they're putting in the lake,” Ron said.

Harry seemed like he wanted to object, but he decided there was truth in what his friends were saying.

“I guess you're right,” he grudgingly admitted. “Night, Ron. Night, Lavender. Thanks for all of your help. And if you see Parvati and Hermione, tell them the same.”

Ron and Lavender both bid goodnight to Harry as he slowly walked up to his dorm in an attempt to get some sleep. With a jolt, Ron realised that he was now alone with the blonde-haired, blue-eyed witch who seemed to have an innate ability to make him look and act like a stuttering fool. And she did all of that when they were surrounded by their friends. What kind of effect would she have on him now that it was just the two of them?

Ron prepared to blurt out an excuse that would allow him to follow his best mate to the haven of the fourth year boy's dorms, but before he could manage, Lavender spoke.

“You really came through for Harry today, Ron,” Lavender said warmly. Ron blushed hotly and stared down at his shoes.

“It-it was nothing. I just got lucky. Honestly...a chocolate frog card?” Ron stammered, unable to meet Lavender's eyes. Lavender just chuckled and shook her head in amusement.

“Who cares how you found it, Ron? What matters is that you did. Do you think it makes a bit of difference to Harry that you came across the information about gillyweed on the back of a chocolate frog card instead of in a book? He needed help, and you came through. You should be proud of yourself.”

Ron's blush grew, but he did manage to make eye contact with her. They shared a smile, and Ron, despite his embarrassed pleasure, was able to maintain the eye contact.

“Err...thanks, Lavender. It did feel nice to help Harry out. It was all Hermione for the First Task, since I was busy being a prat. Still not sure it makes up for the way I acted after his name came out of the goblet, but I'm glad I could help him.”

“Yeah, even though Parvati and I hadn't really started spending time with you guys yet, it was still weird to see you and Harry not getting along. The two of you always seemed so close.”

“I know what you mean. It felt weird to me, too, what with all the things we've been through together,” Ron said, looking away in shame. “I think I always knew that Harry hadn't put his name in the goblet. I mean, I've known the bloke for over three years, and I know full well how much he hates being famous. I guess I just lost it because I sometimes feel like I'm...err...well, I don't know how to explain it,” he trailed off.

“Like you're just Harry Potter's sidekick?” Lavender suggested quietly, surprising Ron as she pretty well nailed what he was feeling. Ron found it a bit unnerving that she could read him so well despite not spending any significant time with him prior to the Yule Ball. He cleared his throat unnecessarily before attempting to respond.

“Yeah, something like that,” Ron verbally agreed. “He does deserve to be famous, to be respected. Not because of the Boy-Who-Lived stuff, though. He's just...he's Harry. He steps up and does these amazing things, without even really thinking about the danger, or the fame, or anything else. I mean, we didn't really know Hermione at all, but he still had us both rushing off to save her from that troll without a second thought. He's...he's a really good bloke, and sometimes I just feel like I don't even deserve to be his friend. I think I wanted to enter the tournament so I could prove myself, prove that I was just as good as him and Hermione. And not only did I not get the chance to prove myself, but now Harry was going to do something amazing and heroic again, and I wasn't going to be able to do a ruddy thing.”

“What makes you think you need to prove anything to Harry, or anyone else?” Lavender asked patiently.

“Harry always seems to get caught up in dangerous situations. And, since we're his best friends, Hermione and I feel like we ought to do whatever we can to help him out—just like he'd do for us. But what can I really do to help him? Hermione is clever, and can help him out that way. But me? I'm nothing special.”

“You're wrong, Ron. You help Harry more than you think,” Lavender said in an attempt to reassure him.

“How do you figure?” Ron asked slowly. His eyes widened in surprise as Lavender scooted next to him on the couch and took his hands in hers. He could not help the slight blush that she seemed to inflict on him upon command, but he put that aside to look her in the eyes, eager to hear what she had to say.

“First off, Ron, you are something special. How many 11-year old boys would have been able to see past the scar and the Boy-Who-Lived story and see Harry as simply Harry? That's something that Harry's always going to be grateful for, you know. You're his best mate, and you're always going to be an important part of his life. Hermione may have her cleverness and her intelligence, but she sometimes gets so wrapped up in her essays and her studying that she forgets to breathe, forgets to relax. That's where you come in. You're the one who helps Harry loosen up and unwind. You help Harry have fun and enjoy life, and if you don't think that's every bit as important to Harry as Hermione's brains, you're wrong. I know he thinks the world of Hermione, and now Parvati as well of course, but sometimes he just needs to hang out with his best mate and be a normal teenager. Don't ever underestimate how important that is, Ron.”

“OK, I can help him relax and goof off,” Ron agreed, “but what about when he's in danger? I mean, I do what I can, but it seems like it's always Hermione who comes through when he really needs help.”

Lavender squeezed Ron's hands and shook her head, her face more intense and serious than Ron had ever seen it. He sat, transfixed, as she continued her speech.

“Do you have any idea how brave you are, Ron? I couldn't believe some of the stories Parv told me. The three of you risked your lives to stop You-Know-Who from stealing the Philosopher's Stone. And you sacrificed yourself in the chess match so Harry and Hermione could continue on. Most adult wizards aren't that brave, much less a first year student.”

The blush remained, but Ron's eyes did not waver from Lavender's. He felt a warm feeling spreading throughout his body at Lavender's praise, but she was not done yet.

“It was incredibly brave of you and Harry to go down into the Chamber of Secrets as well, but we'll set that aside since it was your sister in danger. How about your third year? When you thought Sirius Black was about to kill Harry, you stood up on a broken leg to protect him. You set aside your pain for your friend's sake. I don't know why you underestimate the part you've played in Harry's adventures, Ron. You've been there with him every step of the way. You've risked your life to help him.”

Ron smiled slightly, but the smile slipped away as his mind returned to the time when he most certainly had not been there for, and with, Harry.

“But I wasn't there earlier this year. I turned my back on him. He had to deal with a bloody dragon, and I wasn't there for him. He may have just shrugged it off like it was nothing once I stopped being a git, but I'm always going to feel like I let him down.”

Lavender nodded her understanding, but as it turned out, she had an answer prepared for this as well.

“You made a mistake, Ron. You let your feelings of insecurity get in the way of your friendship with Harry. You're not perfect; nobody is. I've made my share of mistakes and dumb decisions, too. I mean, remember my obsession with Professor Trelawney last year?”

Ron snickered in spite of himself, amused as he thought about how both Lavender and Parvati had been so impressed by the oddball Divination professor. Lavender merely offered a self-deprecating grin and a shake of her head before she began speaking once again.

“The important thing is that you learn from your mistake, and don't repeat it. And don't let it affect your friendship with Harry, either. He forgave you so easily because you're his best mate. Don't feel so insecure and unworthy. He's your friend because he sees all of the positive things about you, the things you don't see. You might not see it, Ron Weasley, but the rest of us do. You're a great person. And for my part, I'm happy to call you a friend.”

“Err...thanks, Lavender. I'm h-happy we're friends now, too...” Ron stammered, a bit unnerved at the wide grin on her face as she continued to clasp his hands. Still, he couldn't deny that he felt far better now. He decided to tell her as much.

“You know, I've never really talked to anybody about this stuff. Not sure why, but I just felt...comfortable telling you those things. I think I feel better than I have in ages, though, so, thanks,” Ron said a bit sheepishly. Lavender's grin widened in response.

“You're welcome. And, in a way, I think it makes sense that you've never talked to anyone about those feelings. Before the Yule Ball, you really only spent time with Harry and Hermione, and you couldn't exactly talk to them about this, since it has a lot to do with both of them. But now we've gotten to know each other a bit better, and since those feelings don't have anything to do with me, you felt comfortable opening up to me about them.”

Ron nodded thoughtfully, seeing the logic in what she was saying. Before he could reply, though, Lavender changed the subject.

“And now that we've sorted that out, how about we talk about the fact that you fancy me?”

'Oh, shite.'

Ron shook his head back and forth rapidly, scrambling to try and find some way out of this mortifying situation. As his mouth opened and closed wordlessly, rather like a fish, Lavender giggled in amusement.

“Err...well...what...why'd you....what makes you think...”

“It's OK, Ron. You don't have to pretend. You are rather obvious about it, you know.”

Ron could only stare at her, mortified. He couldn't deny it. It was rather obvious that he had begun to fancy Lavender, even if he tried not to admit it to himself, or even think about it, really. He had hoped that Lavender didn't know him well enough yet to be able to see through him and realise the effect she had on him, but no such luck.

“Oh, bugger...look, Lavender, I'm really sorry. It's just, well...”

“Don't apologize, Ron,” Lavender interrupted. “I didn't bring it up because I wanted to embarrass you. Well...I suppose I did want to embarrass you, at least a bit. You're rather cute when you blush. Your face turns almost the same colour as your hair.”

This, of course, led to Ron doing exactly that, and Lavender giggled for a moment before continuing.

“Like I was saying, I didn't bring it up to make you feel bad or anything. Actually, I'm rather flattered.”

“R-really?” Ron asked in surprise, his eyes widening and his blush deepening.

“Yes, of course,” Lavender confirmed with a laugh. “Didn't you listen to all of the things I just said about you? You're quite a catch. And, truth is...I fancy you too.”

“Me? You fancy m-me?” Ron stammered. “Really?”

“Yes, really. I've thought you were quite handsome for awhile now. And the more time we spend with each other, the more I fancy you.”

“Why me?” Ron asked bluntly. He simply couldn't understand why Lavender—gorgeous, funny, perfect Lavender—would be interested in him.

“Why not you? All of the things I said about you earlier apply here, too, you know. I admire your bravery, and your loyalty, and your sense of humour, and so many other things about you, things you don't even see. You might not see it, but you're very fanciable, Ron. Trust me, I'm not the only girl in our year that's interested in you.”

“Really?” Ron asked blankly, his mind still too busy absorbing the fact that Lavender fancied him to really deal with anything else.

“Yes. I know of several girls who are interested in you. I'm sure that, if you wait long enough, one of them will finally stop waiting for you to notice and make a move herself. So, I guess the question is, do you want to wait it out and see what your options are? Or, do you want to...you know, give it a shot with me?” Lavender finished, seeming nervous for the first time in the conversation.

Ron stared at her dumbly for a moment, until his overworked brain caught up with the conversation. And then, much to Lavender's bewilderment, he laughed.

“Are you bloody joking? What do I care about other girls when I know that YOU like me?”

Lavender gave Ron her widest smile yet, and Ron returned it, not at all embarrassed at his flushed cheeks now that he knew she liked him like that. They continued to smile at each other in silence for a moment, until Lavender spoke up.

“Well? Aren't you going to kiss me?”

Ron wasn't about to pass up that invitation. He leaned forward, bending down slightly to make up for his greater height, and brought his lips to hers. It was awkward and tentative at first, which was understandable given their utter lack of experience. Before long, though, they got the hang of things. They adjusted their positions on the couch, and Lavender twined her arms around Ron's neck as she pressed her lips more firmly against his. Taking her arms around his neck as an indication that a bit of physical contact would be welcome from his end as well, Ron wrapped his arms around Lavender's waist, pulling her body into his with a firm hug.

Lavender moaned against his lips, pleased at his initiative, and she showed some initiative of her own as she parted her lips slightly in order to set her tongue free. She ran her tongue against Ron's lips, and he quickly took the hint, parting his own lips to grant Lavender's tongue access to his mouth. She wasted no time in taking advantage of this opening, and before long, their tongues were becoming acquainted with each other.

While their tongues engaged in a playful battle, Lavender repositioned herself so she was straddling Ron's lap. Her skirt had hiked itself up somewhat during their little make-out session, so it was her scarlet and gold, Gryffindor-themed cotton knickers that pressed down against Ron's groin. They continued to snog on the couch, breaking apart only long enough to catch quick breaths before diving right back in. Lavender's hands had begun to explore Ron's body, feeling his chest and abs through his shirt, and Ron figured that she probably wouldn't mind if his hands went on a little exploration of their own.

He ran his hands down her lower back momentarily before deciding that, pleasant as all this was, it'd be far more enjoyable to run his hands on Lavender's bare skin rather than her shirt. He dipped his hands down lower, to the hem of the shirt, and pushed it up just slightly. His hands came into contact with the bare skin of Lavender's lower back for the first time, and he revelled in how smooth and soft it was. She moaned into his mouth and deepened the kiss, which emboldened Ron to continue his exploration. His hands made their way up her back slowly, and he was pleased to make note of the slight shivers that ran through her body as his hands lightly caressed and massaged her back.

Ron's hands abruptly left her back, and Lavender was set to break off their kissing and order him back to work. But her complaints were soon forgotten as Ron's hands went lower, and he cupped her bum through her skirt. She broke off the kiss and began licking and nipping at Ron's neck, and as his hands continued to rub her butt through her skirt, Lavender began squirming around restlessly in Ron's lap, rubbing her crotch against his semi-hard member. When Ron's hands made his way under the skirt and began touching the cotton knickers covering Lavender's arse, her squirming intensified. Her hips seem to move of their own accord, alternately grinding against him in a circular motion and rocking back and forth on his crotch. He continued to rub, squeeze and caress Lavender's bum through her knickers, and the more he touched her, the more emphatic her grinding and rocking became.

With Lavender practically dry humping him, it was no surprise that Ron rapidly grew to full hardness, his prick tenting his trousers as it begged to be set free. He knew Lavender had to feel it pressing against her, and he felt a sudden surge of embarrassment.

“Err...I'm sorry, Lavender,” Ron mumbled, mortified and afraid that she'd be disgusted with him for his uncontrollable reaction. To his surprise, she giggled into his neck, causing a strange (but not unpleasant) feeling to begin spreading throughout his body. She pulled her head out of his neck and placed her hands on his cheeks, encouraging him to look into her eyes.

“What for, Ron? I'm sitting here, straddling you. We've been kissing, you're rubbing my bum, and I'm pretty much humping you. I'd be worried if your body wasn't dying for more by now. Besides, it'd be pretty hard for us to take this any further if you weren't ready to come out and play.”

Ron's hazy, lust-addled mind was still trying to grasp the full implications of what Lavender had just said, but she would soon help clear up any confusion. She sat up out of his lap, and he briefly lamented that loss. But when she slid down onto her knees in front of the couch, reached out and cupped his aching cock through his trousers, all was forgiven.

Ron gasped in both surprise and pleasure as Lavender ran her hand up and down, teasing his dick through his trousers. She grinned to herself, pleased at Ron's responsiveness, but continued to briskly move things along. Ron might have thought to protest when Lavender's hand stopped its stroking, but before he had any time to do so, her hand undid the button on his trousers and began pulling down the zip. Lavender wordlessly signalled for Ron to assist her in getting his trousers off, but Ron felt it necessary to speak up first.

“Umm...Lavender? Are you sure this is a good idea?”

“What do you mean, Ron? Is this moving too fast for you? Do you want to wait a bit before we move beyond snogging?”

“No...No, that's not what I meant!” Ron said firmly, the urgency in his voice causing Lavender to giggle in spite of her confusion. “I just mean...we're in the Gryffindor common room! Someone could come down and see us! Heck, Hermione and Parvati will probably be getting back any time now!”

“Parvati and Hermione won't be coming back tonight, Ron,” Lavender said, all traces of humour gone.

“What do you mean? Are they in trouble? Should I go get Harry?” Ron asked, alarmed. Lavender didn't immediately respond, which only increased Ron's panic. She seemed to be having some kind of internal debate with herself. Ron looked into her eyes frantically, and Lavender sighed before she finally began speaking.

“No, they're not in any kind of trouble, Ron. Just...call it a hunch, okay?” Ron opened his mouth to respond, but Lavender talked right over him. “Just let it drop, Ron. Please?” she nearly begged. Ron thought it over for a moment before nodding. He still felt uneasy about the whole thing, but reasoned that if Lavender truly felt their friends were in some kind of danger, she'd be right alongside him in doing whatever it took to help them.

Lavender smiled at him reassuringly, and Ron returned the smile, resolving to put aside all thoughts of Hermione or Parvati in favour of concentrating on the beautiful witch kneeling on the floor in front of him.

“Now then, since you don't have any other objections...you don't, right?” Lavender asked, staring up at him. Ron shook his head vehemently, and she gave him a sweet smile before continuing. “Good. Then how about you help me get these trousers off of you?”

Ron immediately complied, and they soon had his trousers down around his ankles, leaving his boxers as the only roadblock separating Lavender from her prize. Lavender hooked her thumbs into the waistband of his boxers, and after another glance into his eyes, she tugged his underwear down until it joined his trousers around his ankles.

After Lavender spent several seconds doing nothing but staring, wide-eyed, at his exposed prick, Ron grew nervous. 'Am I not “man enough” for her?' he thought in a panic. He blushed hotly under her scrutiny until Lavender noticed his nervousness and took pity on him.

“Relax, Ron. You've got nothing to be ashamed of. I mean, I've never seen one of those in person, of course, but you certainly seem big enough to me.”

Ron let out a deep breath in relief, and Lavender smiled up at him before reaching out to touch him for the very first time. She experimentally ran a finger across his head and down his length, causing Ron to shiver. Lavender wrapped her hand around him and started stroking him. She moved tentatively at first, but Ron's pleased moans emboldened her. Lavender's hand stroked up and down Ron's prick, and she very quickly set a rhythm that had the youngest male Weasley moaning and groaning in pleasure.

Ron figured he'd be waking from this dream any second. Until then, he was going to savour this incredible experience to the fullest. Lavender's hand felt absolutely incredible as she jerked him steadily. This blew his own attempts at self-pleasure out of the water. And it was about to get even better.

The moment Lavender's tongue made contact with the tip of his penis, Ron gasped in surprise. Lavender licked the head like a lolly, while she continued to slowly pump his length in her hand. Ron idly wondered if this was the sort of thing Parvati had been doing for Harry for the last two months—and if so, how had Harry kept from bragging about it? This was bloody spectacular!

Any thoughts of his sleeping best mate were banished from Ron's mind the second that Lavender parted her lips and took the head of his cock into her mouth.

“Oh, Merlin!” Ron whispered. His hands instinctively went to the top of Lavender's head as she gently began sucking him. He ran his hands through her hair reverentially, groaning as he felt her tongue swirling around the head of his cock. His enthusiastic response spurred Lavender on. She started bobbing her head, taking in as much of his length as she could. As it was her first time, she only managed to get about halfway down before she began to gag.

“Lavender? You alright?” Ron asked, looking down at her in concern. She released his dick from between her lips with a 'pop', and smiled up at him.

“Yes, I'm fine, Ron,” she said, smiling up at him. “This is my first time, so I'm not really sure what I'm doing yet. I bet it'll get better with practice.”

“It felt pretty bloody good already, but practice sounds brilliant.”

“Doesn't it?” Lavender said with a smirk. And then, just like that, she picked up where she'd left off. She wrapped her lips around his cock and began bobbing her head once again. She made sure not to go too far down and risk gagging herself again, but no part of Ron's prick was left unattended. She put her hand to use, stroking whatever she couldn't get to with her mouth. Ron wanted to tell Lavender how good it felt, but all he could manage to do was groan. She still got the message though, as she began stroking him faster and harder amidst her continued sucking and slurping. Lavender quickly worked into a nice rhythm. Whenever she paused her sucking to catch her breath, she would pump him intently with her hand until her mouth was ready to pick up the slack once again. It wasn't long until Ron felt a familiar sensation building.

“Lav...I'm close...” he panted, wanting to give her plenty of time to back away. But she kept right on going, continuing to bob her head up and down as much of her length as she could manage. Ron tensed, doing his best to fight against what he knew was coming so as to keep this unbelievable moment going for as long as possible.

Lavender had other ideas. As she continued to suck him off, her hand dropped down to cup his balls. She gently explored them with her soft hands before giving a light squeeze.

Ron had already been right near the edge, and this new sensation pushed him right over it. He let out a strangled grunt as he let loose inside of her mouth, and it was all he could do not to shout at the top of his lungs. Lavender remained right where she was, her throat working rapidly as she swallowed as much of his cum as she could manage.

Ron blearily opened his eyes moments later, though he had no recollection of actually closing them. The first thing he noticed was that Lavender's wonderful mouth was no longer on his cock. Once his eyes had focused, he saw that she'd scooted back slightly and was smirking at him. Further observation revealed that a few drops of his seed had dripped out of her mouth and onto the floor. He blushed at the visual evidence of the incredible experience he'd just had, and Lavender giggled at him. She followed his line of sight and, with a flick of her wand, the floor was spotless.

“Judging by the dazed look on your face, I'm assuming you enjoyed that?” Lavender asked, continuing to smirk up at him.

“Like you even have to ask,” Ron replied, still in awe at the incredible turn his night had taken. “Did you want me to, you know, get you off too?” he offered.

Lavender's grin told him all he needed to know, but before she could actually reply, they both received quite a shock. The sound of footsteps walking down the stairs from the boy's dorms was unmistakable. They simply stared at each other for a moment before Ron, realizing his predicament, slipped his boxers and trousers back on as fast as he possibly could. And not a moment too soon, because he'd barely done up the zip when his older brothers Fred and George came into view, each carrying a bundle of some sort.

The twins hid the bundles behind their backs as soon as they realized the common room was not deserted, and shared a smile as they took stock of the situation. Ron just stood there and stared blankly at his brothers, but Lavender was thankfully able to react.

“Whatever you two are planning, it can't be good,” she said. Ron was stunned at how calm she sounded, considering what they'd been doing only moments earlier.

“You're one to talk,” George said. “I wonder what these two innocent fourth years are doing down here at this hour, Fred?” he asked theatrically.

“It is a very intriguing question indeed, brother,” Fred chimed in. “Especially since ickle Ronnie is panting like he's just chased down the snitch.”

“That's quite interesting, Fred,” George agreed, “but I'm even more interested in finding out why our baby brother's trousers are unbuttoned.”

Ron looked down in a panic. He sighed in relief when he saw that he had indeed remembered to button them, but the laughter from his brothers made him realize that it had been a trick. And he'd fallen for it.

“Smooth, Ronnie,” Fred said with a chuckle. “So tell us, brother, just how long have you two lovebirds been--”

“Yes, yes, we get it,” Lavender interrupted irritably. “So let's just get on with it. Don't mention a word to anyone about this, and we won't tell Professor McGonagall about whatever prank you two are obviously in the middle of. Deal?”

The twins glanced at each other for a moment before nodding. “Deal,” they said in unison.

“Good,” Lavender said primly. “And now that that's taken care of, I believe I will go to bed. Good night, Ron. Don't let these two get you into any trouble,” she said, smiling at him affectionately.

“I won't. Good night, Lavender. See you in the morning,” he said, returning her smile despite his blush. She leaned down and gave him a quick peck on the lips before turning and walking up the stairs, leaving Ron staring at her with a goofy smile on his face.

An exaggerated cough from Fred drew his attention away from his new girlfriend. He turned his head to see his older brothers looking at him in a way they'd never looked at him before.

“Well done, Ron,” George said, clearly impressed.

“Well done indeed,” Fred said, nodding at his younger brother. “Nice job, little brother. That one's a keeper.”

“I know,” Ron said, his smile back in full force.

Maybe being Harry Potter's sidekick wasn't so bad after all.