A/N: this is an alternative universe, it follows the series up until just before Half-blood prince, so the trio are in 6th year. Of course I don't own Harry potter or the characters JK Rowling does, DUH! I'm just a fan. Please Read and Review!
Chapter One - The package
Hermione strummed her fingers rhythmically on her knees as she sat in the Gryffindor common room. Finally, standing and stretching her legs she made her way to one of the windows and tapped her foot to the music playing on her new Apple i-pod. A smile played on her lips as she looked over her new Christmas gift from her parents, okay so technically muggle products weren't supposed to be brought to Hogwarts, and Hermione always assumed that even if they were there was some magical barrier meaning that electrical items would be rendered useless. But it appeared as though no one ever tested that theory, until now that is.
Hermione shuffled through the tracks, thankful that her parents pre-loaded all her favorite music onto the i-pod before sending it to her. Slowly her attention shifted back to the room she was the sole occupier of, she shivered slightly and made her way back towards the warm and comforting blaze in the fireplace. She sat crossed legged on the rug and leaned her back against one of the worn-down sofa's of the common room. Her eyes flicked from the Christmas tree down towards the gifts waiting patiently for their owners to ravage through them. A slight sense of guilt passed through her for not waiting for Harry, Ginny and Ron before opening her gift from her parents, until she remembered what had happened the previous night and why she didn't wait for them.
The common room was empty of students as most had returned home for the Christmas holiday, except of course for Hermione, Harry, Ron and Ginny. Ron and Ginny had decided to stay with Harry at Hogwarts during the Christmas holidays and Hermione decided to delay her return so she could exchange gifts with her friends before she saw her parents. Lucky for her Professor McGonagall had been so kind as to set up the floo network to her home and she could leave on Christmas day. This meant she could still share Christmas with her parents.
Hermione sat one leg crossed over the other, an open book in her lap as she watched the sleeping figure of Ronald Weasley who was lying on the sofa next to her, his slow rhythmic breathing drawing attention to his toned chest. Her eyes moved up to his face which appeared more pale in the firelight, she smiled slightly as she watched his emotions play across his face, even when sleeping he had trouble concealing his emotions. Finally her eyes rested on his unruly mane of red hair, she shifted in her chair and watched as the firelight sent slight shimmering sparkles through his hair giving it a soft appearance. Hermione suddenly saw her hand reaching out to touch the object that fascinated her so, she swallowed nervously, all rational thoughts leaving her mind as her small hands touched Ron's hair and as she moved from her seat to get a better look at his sleeping face the book in her lap made a loud 'thump' noise on the floor and Ron's sleepy eyes focused on Hermione.
Hermione out of shock and nervous fear was frozen in her place, half leaning over Ron her hand in his hair. As the seconds passed like hours, Hermione's eyes widened in as she felt Ron's large hands take hers from his hair.
"Hermione, do tell a fella what you're doing?" Ron spoke, his voice low and Hermione could sense the playfulness in them.
She quickly removed her hands from his, kicking herself mentally the next moment as she saw the surprise and hurt in his blue eyes when she had.
"Y…You had a hair thingy," she whispered in a shaky voice before grabbing her book off the floor and taking her seat in the armchair that she occupied before she lost her mind and decided to grope Ron Weasley in the common room.
'Hair thingy? Ugh, I'm such an idiot!' Hermione screamed internally.
"Right, well…thanks I guess," Ron replied as he placed his hands behind his head and turned to stare at the ceiling.
Hermione shifted the book in front of her face so that she could hide her blushing face. After twenty minutes elapsed and Hermione face had returned to normal and her hands had stopped shaking she ventured a glance over the top of her book. Ron was now sitting and she could have sworn that he was looking at her when she looked up but he had hastily shifted his gaze to the fire.
"Enjoying the view?" a soft voice whispered beside her.
Hermione took in a sharp intake of breath, "I don't know what you're talking about, Ginny," she whispered before snapping her book close to give effect to her words, "Goodnight," she said louder this time to Ron as well as Ginny before exiting the common room. Harry, who she noticed was looking over a magazine, gave her a knowing smirk before continuing his reading.
Once she had reached her room and closed her door she fell to the ground and held her face in hands.
'How on earth was she supposed to face any of them again?' she cried to herself.
Hermione screwed up her face at the memory. She saw a shadow beside her and when she looked up she saw Ron standing next to her a smile on his lips before he said something, but as she was still listening to her music which ironically was playing a 'Counting Crows' song called 'Accidentally in Love'. What Hermione heard as Ron's mouth moved,
"Well Maybe I'm Love, Love…"
Hermione hastily removed the headphones from her ears, "What did you say?"
Ron looked at Hermione confused before repeating himself, "I said, thanks for waiting for us, you know, because we're not all mental and wake up before sunrise to study."
"I am not studying Ronald! Honestly!" she replied heatedly before stomping off towards her the girl's dormitory.
"Geez, sorry" Ron said as he slumped into a chair, "It was a joke, but I doubt you know what that means."
Hermione froze on the first step that led up to the girls rooms, she sighed softly as his words hit her.
'He makes it sound like I don't have any sense of humor at all? Well shows what you know Ronald Bilius Weasley!' she thought before turning around and taking a seat beside Ron.
After a few minutes awkward silence, which seemed to Hermione to be occurring more often lately, Ron finally shifted his gaze to her and said something she never thought she would hear from him.
"Look, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it. You make me laugh all of the time."
Hermione turned and smiled at Ron.
"Of course I'm usually laughing at you and not with you, but that still counts," Ron finished as he unwrapped a chocolate frog and chomped down on it triumphantly.
Hermione's face darkened as she clenched her fists at the anger she felt.
"You are the most…" Hermione searched for a fitting word to describe the smiling red head beside her before an ingenious idea struck her, she leaned close to his ear and whispered seductively, "gorgeous man I have ever met," she heard Ron gag, no doubt he had momentarily choked on the chocolate in his mouth, she stood up smiling at the blushing face of her friend.
"What…what…what…d-did…" Ron managed to sputter before Harry and Ginny interrupted them.
"I think I'm going to be sick," Ginny said as she scrunched up her face before walking towards them.
"Honestly, get a room you two," Harry joked as he joined them.
Hermione rolled her eyes before walking over to Ginny to show her the gifts she had received from her parents. Ginny seemed obsessed with the strange device that allowed a person to listen to music and Hermione spent the remainder of her time explaining the functions to her.
Ron felt Harry elbow him in the ribs.
"You're staring," Harry said before handing Ron his gifts.
"Shut up, Harry," Ron threatened his gaze shifting from Hermione to Harry as he ripped the wrapping paper from his gifts.
The group sat talking idly about their gifts before an owl interrupted them. The owl dropped a large package in Ron's lap.
"Oww! Bloody hell! This thing weighs a ton," Ron said before opening the thick letter attached, as he read the contents of the letter his body tensed and with each page Ron's complexion slowly paled.
This sudden change in Ron did not go unnoticed by his friends and sister but unlike Harry and Hermione who were waiting expectantly for Ron to finish his letter, Ginny's eyes rested on the blue package, more particularly on the red silk ribbon tied around the package. Only one person would send a package with that particular ribbon and it was something that Ginny knew neither Ron nor his family wanted to ever receive. She was only five when she had heard the news and though her parents acted happy and proud, the family never discussed it because it would mean that Ron would leave them one day and be isolated from his family and friends. Ginny bit her lip as she waited for Ron to finish his letter, was he going to share the contents of the letter with his friends or was he just going to hide the inevitable from them?
Hermione watched Ron drop the letter in his lap, his hands shaking slightly as he folded it and placed it in his pants pocket. Harry was the first to break the silence.
"Who was that from?"
But rather than answer Ron shared a look with Ginny before standing up, "Harry, could I borrow Hedwig? I need to write to my parents."
"Alright," Harry said slowly, he opened his mouth to say more but Ginny grabbed his arm to stop him.
"Ron?" Hermione spoke softly as she stood up next to Ron and placed a comforting hand on his arm, "Is everything alright? Has something happened to your parents?"
Ron shifted on the spot before moving away from her, "It's nothing like that, everyone's fine, I just need to ask my parents if I can stay here over the Christmas break."
"I thought you already did?" Harry questioned recieving a glare from Ginny.
Ron shrugged before bendingdown to pick up the package and moving towards the stairs leading up to the boy's dormitory.
"Ron…tell me what's wrong" Hermione pleaded as she walked to the stairs and stood beside him.
"Honestly, it's nothing," he replied softly giving her a lopsided smile before disappearing up the stairs.
Hermione turned to askGinny about Ron but Ginny had run out the portrait hole, tears rolling down her face.
"What was that about?" Harry verbalized what Hermione was thinking.
"I have no idea," she replied honestly, "but I'd better get dressed I've got a few hours left before I have to floo home. Maybe you can find out why those two are acting so strangely while I'm visiting my parents."
"I'll try," Harry responded making his way up the stairs as though intent on solving the mystery as soon as possible, but Hermione grabbed his arm.
"Not now, give him some time alone first," she explained before heading up the girl's dormitory.
Harry stood alone in the common room completely confused, "Sure, I'll just…wait here."
A/N: Please Read and Review and tell me what you think, the chapters should be updated quickly its one of those stories that writes itself but I wanted to get your opinion of whether I should continue. Thanks!