Author's Note: Just a warning, this chapter may begin in such a way that may not please many H/Hr's…I still, very much sail the HMS Pumpkin Pie. Even though it may not seem like they're going to get together yet…just remember this IS primarily a Harry and Hermione fanfic. That being said, I hope you enjoy chapter 5! J
Chapter 5: Moonlight and Magic
Ron, Hermione and Ginny Apparated just outside the front door of the Weasley house so they wouldn't wake anyone with the loud pop that accompanied Apparition. The three of them tip-toed upstairs, lighting their way only with the tip of their wands. Ron scurried to his room while Ginny and Hermione turned the other way to Ginny's room.
He sat down on the orange quilt on top of his bed. He took off his socks first and then the rest of his clothes replacing them with maroon pajamas that his mother had recently made for him. He ruffled his hair glancing around the room, unable to fall asleep on his own old bed. The intense orange of the room and the Quidditch players zipping around his old Chudley Cannons poster only intensified his restlessness. He stood up with a jolt and marched to his door.
Maybe if I just go downstairs and grab a drink of water from the kitchen, I'll be able to sleep. He thought to himself.
He nearly jumped back when he opened the door to find Hermione waiting on the other side her right hand raised and ready to knock on the door. She was greeting him with a bright smile, looking around at his room behind him. He stood with his hand still tight around the doorknob as though he had just been petrified.
"Hi," she said.
"Erm---hi," he sputtered.
He paused and looked back at her with his mouth ajar like a puppet whose mouth was still hanging open because its ventriloquist forgot to close it. Hermione raised her eyebrows and nodded her head.
"Oh," said Ron, realizing how much more stupid he looked with his mouth gaping open. "Come in."
His voice squeaked on the last syllable and it sounded more like he was asking a question than making a request. To his relief, Hermione seemed to take no notice and walked past him into his violently orange bedroom.
"It's just like it was," said Hermione exploring the room with her eyes, "when we were children."
"Yeah, still orange," said Ron, gesturing for Hermione to take a seat in the chair by his desk.
Hermione sat down tugging the bottom of her pink dressing gown more securely over her legs. Ron noticed her looking around the room again, her eyes twinkling.
"It's the same, but smaller," said Hermione.
"Because we're big now."
Hermione eyed him with a sideways grin.
"I thought you and Harry said you two were going to be children forever."
"Well, yeah," said Ron, standing up patting his head. "I just meant bigger as in height."
Hermione nodded and then looked up and down at Ron as though trying to see just how tall he was. He felt himself blushing as she looked at him and then turned away hoping that she hadn't noticed. To his alarm, Hermione got up and began walking towards him but then relaxed with great relief when she stopped to look up at his Chudley Cannons poster.
"I can't believe you still have this poster," said Hermione, taking her eyes off the poster and then setting them on him. "Do you think you would have played for them if you had the chance, you were quite a good keeper."
"Are you sure you're talking to the right person, Herm?" Ron asked in confusion. "I mean, Harry's the one who was a star player."
He noticed as Hermione's facial expression changed just before she opened her mouth to answer him.
"He was a different player though," said Hermione in a gentle voice. "It was just a question anyway."
"I thought about it a little," Ron told her and then gave her a beaming smile. "But I really like it at Gringotts."
Hermione smiled back at him and then took a seat next to him on his bed. He shifted, feeling something warm spread through his veins. All his nerves and all his unease began to inch away when she sat across him. A funny thought hovered over his head when he realized that he felt exactly like he did when he was just a teenager. The feeling was like water receding back into the ocean after it washed across the shore. It felt like he and Hermione were still together. He couldn't help but stare at her and feel the most comfortable he had felt in a long time.
"You've changed Ron," said Hermione, in a proud turn of voice. "You've really grown up."
"Yeah, I---I guess," said Ron, encouraging himself to move closer to her, so close that he could see every faint freckle on her face, "but you know, it's like I said, some thing's stay the same."
He paused for a moment looking at her face again and giving her time to pull away. She didn't seem to be and so he moved forward, the details of her face now a little blurred because he was too close and then he could see nothing after he closed his eyes. All he needed and all he felt was his lips touching hers.
It had only been a few seconds when she pulled away. Ron looked back at her trying to find her feelings in her eyes that had turned wide and round. Then he wondered if he should have done it.
"Oh, ok…look Ron, I---," Hermione began in a rational sounding voice as though she were about to explain a complicated theory.
But she was interrupted and they moved away from each other when a loud knock came to the door. Ron straightened up and walked to the door. As he did Hermione returned to her seat at his desk chair. When he opened the door, a drowsy Ginny stood there, her long flaming red hair mussed all over. She lifted her hand in gesture towards Hermione.
"Woke up and you weren't in room," muttered Ginny in a sleepy voice. "We get up early, go to Hogsmeade tomorrow."
Her sentences were reduced to fragments as she rubbed her eyes, threatening to fall asleep at Ron's doorway. Hermione went to her, locking her arms with her in a sister-like manner. Ron twitched his lips into a goofy smile.
"Sorry," said Hermione in almost a whisper.
"S'allright," said Ron, glancing at his sister with an amused grin. "Just get her back to bed again."
Hermione nodded while Ginny gave him a lousy wave.
"Erm--well, goodnight Ron," said Hermione. "See you tomorrow."
"Goodnight, Herm," he said, closing the door once the two made it to Ginny's room.
After turning down all the lights in his room he tucked himself into bed. While he lay there, his hands resting underneath his head, he looked up at the ceiling. Through the grey of all his thoughts he kept pondering what he had just done. He took one of his hands from under his head and touched his lips with side one of his fingers. He wondered why he had done it and what Hermione thought about it. But it all seemed too complicated to worry about now, so he closed his eyes, drifting to sleep in his old bedroom.
* * *
Ron woke up to a constant wrapping sound coming from the other side of his door. He threw off his covers with a loud grown, wondering who could be waking him up at seven in the morning on one of his vacation days. He let out a submissive groan when he realized that it could only be his mother. It came as a jumping surprise to him when he saw his sister standing there very much awake, her eyes so bright that he felt he needed blinders immediately.
"Wha?" he said, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.
"What do you mean, 'wha'?" said Ginny in a very good impression of himself. "We're going
to Hogsmeade today; I know I told you last night."
"Oh yeah," Ron became more awake at the mention of this and turned back to his room.
"Be ready when I get back!" said Ginny in a jubilant voice.
Ron nodded and then closed the door again. He fumbled through his dresser drawers for something to wear. His eyes met several maroon jumpers from years past and he gave a grimace upon looking at them. He shuffled further through his drawers until he found a royal blue jumper (one that was not given to him by his mother at Christmas) and a pair of deep khaki trousers. He undressed out of his pajamas and put a white t-shirt on before pulling his sweater over his head. He then pulled up his trousers and finished dressing with a pair of medium brown socks and dark brown shoes. The only thing left now was to comb his hair which was still standing every which way. Before he could comb it down, the same wrapping that woke him came to his door again. Before he could greet Ginny, she bolted past him into his room, closing the door behind her in a mad huff.
"Bloody hell, Ginny!" Ron exclaimed with a scowl on his face. "What's gotten into you?"
Ginny glared at him with eyes of suspicion and sat down at his chair never taking her brown eyes off him.
"Did you kiss Hermione last night?"
To Ron it sounded like an accusation of wrong-doing. Before he could even attempt to answer, Ginny rounded on him
again.
"You did, I know you did!" Ginny squeaked and then shook her head, giving him a pitying expression. "Oh, Ron!"
Ron flopped his arms in exasperation and looked at his sister as if she was mad, "Then why did you ask me if you already know?"
Ginny looked back at him with a consternated drop of her jaw.
"I---I because I wanted to know about it," stammered Ginny. "You're my brother after
all."
Ron sighed and walked back to his sister, a reassuring arm on her shoulder. When she looked up at him he was surprised
to see just how much worry lurked in her eyes.
"Do you still love her?" Ginny asked.
"She's my---" Ron began, "I'll always love her, you know that."
"I mean, are you still in love with her?" Ginny said more specifically.
"Ginny," said Ron in exasperation, "don't worry about me."
Ginny strained her neck and began wringing her hands together.
"I'm....I'm not just worried about you," stated Ginny. "I'm worried about her and I, I don't think you should…I..."
Ron grinned at his sister, his heart swelling with pride at his sister's concern.
"It's just, Ron, I want you, both of you, to be sure."
"It's OK," he assured her. "I'm sure we'll both be fine.
Ron patted his sister on the back and she stood up again, "Well, we should go then."
Ron nodded, but then stopped because Ginny was looking at his head with a reproving frown.
"Oh and comb your hair, Ron," said Ginny and then she gave him a shy smile, "you never know who you
might see there."
Ron grumbled and patted his hair. Before meeting Ginny and Hermione downstairs, he took a comb from his desk drawer and
looked in the mirror on the door of his cabinet as he combed his hair down. He ran downstairs after, Ginny was munching
on one of their mother's biscuits and then his eyes turned to Hermione. He gasped and became dumbfounded.
Hermione sat there wearing some of the nicest Muggle clothes he had ever seen. She was wearing a periwinkle blue dress and a cardigan blue sweater. The dress looked like it came right to her knee and the bottom of it was dressed with flowers that went all around it, complemented by white shoes.
"I've never seen clothes like that before," muttered Ron and then he tightened his lips in embarrassment because he couldn't think of anything else to say.
"Oh yes," said Hermione, standing up with a smile. "I thought I'd dress up nice, you know for---"
Ron's eyes widened at he felt like taking his fist and ramming it into his head. He had known about it for weeks, but it was only then that he really realized at that very moment that it was Hermione's Birthday.
"Yes, for you birthday!!" he said fast. "Happy Birthday, Herm."
"Thanks, Ron," she said beaming at him and then glancing at her watch. "Ginny, we should go."
Ginny and Ron gave their mother a quick kiss goodbye and Hermione held her hands out to give Mrs. Weasley a hug. The three of them waved goodbye just before Disapparating to the village of Hogsmeade. They Apparated under a large oak tree. A cold wind was blowing and Hermione began rubbing her arms while she looked at Ron and Ginny who were covered in warm cloaks.
"I knew I should've have brought my cloak," said Hermione with a frown.
"No, problem!" Ginny said, pulling out her want and making a quick jabbing motion. "Accio,
Hermione's cloak."
A crisp greyish-blue cloak came speeding into Hermione's hands and she unfolded it and wrapped it around her.
After she pulled on her cloak, the three of them began to survey the village, scanning it for Harry and Draco. Ron looked all around and finally spotted them under the eaves of Honeydukes Candy Shoppe.
"Oi, you there!" Ron called out to the two men.
Harry and Draco had heard and came jogging over to them. Ron waved happily, until Hermione hit him on the arm. He remembered that Hermione never liked him saying "Oi." He grimaced and then shrugged at her, thinking that old habits were hard to break.
Ron then forgot about the smarting slap Hermione had given his arm. Harry and Draco were now standing before them. While Ginny kissed Draco in greeting, Ron looked on at Harry in a mixture of surprise and suspicion. Harry was dressed nicely, wearing a grey turtleneck and a pair of dressy corduroy trousers. Ron rubbed his chin, unable to push out the thought that Harry was trying to impress someone.
Ron's eyes immediately moved to Hermione, who he knew would usually be rushing at Harry in a tackling hug. However, she wasn't doing so. He watched her inch forward as though she was about to do it, but as though something were holding her feet back, she merely held out her hand which Harry took in a hearty handshake.
Ron furrowed his brow, bemused by the gesture. He shoved his hands deep into his pockets and began to ponder if Hermione was being so formal because he had kissed her or because of Harry. A wave a confusion was creeping against him and his heart and head fought to figure out if he was jealous or not. And on top of all that, he even felt guilty. He squeezed his eyes shut for a little, hoping that it would drive the guilty thoughts out of his head.
"Wow," Harry began to everyone but Draco. "I haven't seen you in about--" he looked at his watch and then continued, "---nine hours."
Ron saw Harry turn to Hermione again, smiling at her.
"Erm---Happy Birthday," said Harry as he ruffled the back of his already messy hair. "I haven't---I forgot your present; I'll get it to you later."
"Thanks Harry," Hermione's lips curled into a smile. "It's all right about the present."
"Yes," Ginny interrupted, "well, Hermione, where shall we go first?"
Ginny and Hermione locked arms and started off with Ron, Harry and Draco rounding up behind them. Ron and the other two marvelled about how exuberant Ginny and Hermione were. They were walking so fast that it was almost a run. Ron shared a knowing look with Harry and they both shrugged their shoulders, but it was Draco who spoke their thoughts.
"Women, eh?" said Draco, ensuing a chuckle from Ron and Harry.
All three of them were forced to stop short when Ginny and Hermione stopped abruptly in front of them. The three men turned their heads to see what the two women were pointing to. Ron looked up along with Harry and Draco. They found that they were standing in front of a shoppe. Its sign, which was long and rectangular, was blue with bronze letters. It read: Moonlight and Magic and in smaller print under it: A store for all your Wizarding needs.
"I've never been to this store before," voiced Hermione, looking up at the sign.
"Well neither have I," Ginny concurred with haste. "It's rather new isn't it? Let's go in, shall we?"
Everyone complied and as they stepped inside they were greeted by the oddest lighting that could be provided by a store. While it was bright and the stocked shelves and racks seemed to be easily visible with the naked eye, the walls surrounding them seemed to be bewitched to look like the night sky, like Hogwarts. It was a little different, however, because a different constellation appeared on each wall and on another wall there was a star-shower continuing indefinitely. The one marked feature that they all noticed was that the moon phase changed on each wall.
"Well, this is---interesting," said Ron, not sure what to make of the decor.
They all looked around the store and found just about everything that a wizard or witch could want or need was in this store, just as the sign said. The store was rather large and so many things could be found at different corners. When they looked right they saw ingredients to many potions set high up on a shelf, to their left there were quality quills next to household cleaning items. To the north there were racks of quality wizard robes and to the south there were broomsticks on display, though they were mostly aimed toward practical family use unlike top of the line Quidditch brooms.
"They weren't kidding," remarked Draco. "This store really does have all your wizarding needs."
"Whoever thought up this store must be a marketing genius," said Ron, now looking at the grandiose shop in admiration.
"Yeah and whoever it is, he must be making a fortune," said Harry.
Ron raised his eyebrows and nodded in firm agreement. Ginny and Hermione, however, were glaring at them.
"And how do you know that the owner is a man?" snapped Ginny who stood next to a nodding Hermione.
Ron stepped back with Harry and gawked at his sister. He gave Harry a little nudge whispering something about how she was becoming more and more like his mother everyday. He then turned to Draco who gave them a weak shrug and then ducked away not wanting to feel her wrath.
"Hey, where are you going?" Harry hissed after Draco.
"Erm---well, you see," Draco replied still inching away and then added in a defeated and sullen sort of voice, "I've no say...she's going to be my wife."
And then Draco scampered on again. Ron and Harry were still backing away like two rats being cornered by two fierce cats. Ginny merely kept toward them with Hermione at her side like a second in a duel.
"Now why should the owner be a man, hmm?" she asked again.
Ron and Harry attempted to answer her but did so unsuccessfully. The only thing that seemed to issue from their mouths were strange, unintelligible grunts. Lucky for them, Ginny seemed to be satisfied with the amount of intimidation she had used and backed away.
And then at that exact moment, a familiar dreamy voice called out, "Hello, welcome to Moonlight and Magic, the store for all your wizarding needs!"
Everyone became silent, turning to see who the voice had come from. Ron's eyes widened to the size of galleons and his jaw dropped in disbelief. A woman about Hermione's height stood before them. She had dirty-blonde, waist length wavy hair, pale eyebrows and vivid blue eyes that were very wide and alert.
"Loony----aghhhh," Ron grimaced and then keeled over to see Ginny's foot stomped on top of his own.
"Hi Luna!" Ginny said in a bright voice.
"Ohh," Luna said dreamily. "Hello Ginny."
"Hello Luna," greeted Hermione.
"Hiya," said Harry with a wave.
"Hello there, Luna," greeted Ron, rolling his pained foot around.
"Hello Ronald," Luna said slowly, her voice no longer dreamy but soft until she turned to the others, "Hello Hermione, Harry---" Draco came around one of the racks, "---oh and Draco too."
Draco waved and took his place by Ginny.
"So, Luna, " Hermione began with interest, "you own this store?"
"Oh yes!" Luna said with pride.
While they discussed Luna's store, Ron turned to Ginny with a cold glare. She only turned away from him with an innocent shrug and laughed under her breath. He had the sneaking suspicion that Ginny had lied about never being here before and that she knew very well that Luna Lovegood owned the store. He began to wonder why Ginny hadn't told him so in the first place.
"It's a very good store, though," added Harry as though he needed to assure Luna that she was running a good business.
Everyone nodded in agreement except for Ron who was looking around at his surroundings again. With the assortment and variety of things she had stocked in the store, he couldn't help but feel truly impressed. He hadn't been able to say anything yet, when Hermione nudged him in the ribs.
"Oh, it's, it's..." he was almost cowering under Hermione's scrutiny, but then relaxed adding in a genuine tone, "I think it's bloody brilliant."
Luna's eyes grew brighter at this and she bowed her head down in a humble manner, while her cheeks flushed pink.
"Oh,yes, I know," agreed Luna, in a slight stammer. "Just look at all my customers. Well, I better get back to work."
Her sing-song voice had returned before she glided away. Ron watched her, puzzled, as she returned to the counter. When he looked down he saw Hermione giving him a smile. Having her look so closely at him made him all a fluster and his ears began to turn pink. He prayed that she hadn't noticed how they were gradually becoming the color of his hair, but was almost sure that she did. Then in an odd gesture she patted him on the arm in an encouraging manner before walking off to browse the rest of the store.
Ron found himself doing the same, but also took the opportunity to search for his sister. He soon found her going through racks of robes with Draco at her side. To Ron, he looked rather exhausted as she continuously held up different colored robes to his chest to see which best suited him.
"Ginny," Ron said, rounding on her and grabbing her arm. "You knew Loony Lovegood owns this place!"
"Ron, don't call her that!" she snapped, then turned to Draco and handed him an armful of robes. "Why don't you go into one of the dressing rooms and try these on darling."
Draco nodded and gave Ron a look of defeat when he locked himself in one of the dressing rooms. While he was trying on clothes, Ginny rounded on Ron.
"And why do you call her 'Loony' still?" Ginny started again with a scowl. "Are you still 12
years old or something?"
"No!" Ron protested in an immature way that made him sound like was 12 years old again. "I mean, of
course I'm not 12 anymore."
"That's good to know," Ginny smirked.
At that moment Draco came out wearing one of the robes that Ginny handed to him. It was green and velvety with gold trimming at the hem and sleeves. Ginny frowned in disapproval and urged him back into the dressing room to try on another one of the robes.
"So why did you bring me here?" Ron questioned, waving his arms at his sides.
Ginny scoffed at him, "I didn't bring you here, we came in here to shop and you followed. You don't have to hang around if you don't like it."
Ron rolled his eyes and grumbled, "So why didn't you tell me Loony Lovegood owns it?"
"That's why, because you always make fun of her!" Ginny hissed.
"I would have made fun of her either way," Ron grunted but quickly realized that his words were wrong and horrible to say.
"Why does it matter to you if I told you or not anyway?" Ginny added. "It's not like you were one
of those people at school who hid her things every year."
Ron opened his mouth to say more but then clapped his hand over to shut it. Then he began to back away from Ginny in a
very guilty manner. She could only look back at him with her mouth gaping in shock.
"You were!" Ginny gasped.
Draco unfortunately picked that moment to show her a red robe he was donning but then quickly locked himself in the dressing room again when he saw the anger boiling in Ginny's face.
"I can't believe you!" Ginny exclaimed. "You're worse than Fred and George."
"No, I'm not," Ron muttered.
"Okay, no you're not, but you still shouldn't have taken her things and hid them," Ginny scolded, sounding like their mother again.
"I only did it once---or twice," Ron confessed. "And it was on a dare from Fred and George. I gave all her stuff back anyway!"
"That doesn't make it any better!" Ginny said and then added with a lighter tone, "Well, at least
she doesn't know, right?"
Then, as if providence had been eavesdropping, Luna was standing around a corner near them. Ron felt like running, but
found that his feet were planted on the floor by his own will and guilt. She had heard everything. While Ron stood
there, dumbstruck, Luna merely nodded and then walked away with a tight, forced smile, her hands gripped together in
front of her skirt.
Ron turned back to Ginny, feeling very embarrassed and ashamed. She wasn't helping him either by the way she shook her head in a disapproving way.
"Ron, I can't believe she actually fancied you," said Ginny in a severe voice.
This only seemed to worsen the blow and he walked off mumbling, "I'll just go and apologize then."
He walked through some aisles toward the front of the store when he ran into Harry and Hermione looking at sets of luxury quills. He shivered at the thought of going through the whole story to explain it to his best friends. Any other time he would have been happy to, but he grew more fearful of it when he imagined Hermione's response. He shifted his eyes around the store when both Harry and Hermione walked up to him.
"Hey, mate, they've got this big box full of Exploding Snaps and other stuff, you should really see," said Harry, pointing his thumb towards another aisle. "Looks like they've improved them since we were kids."
Ron wanted desperately to be amused and excited about that and he attempted a smile. But no matter how he tried, he couldn't.
"Ron, what is it?" Hermione rang in.
"It's---I---I was talking with Ginny," Ron explained his words coming out much slower than he wanted. "I s'pose Luna heard---or---overheard---me telling Ginny how I...how I...."
"Yes?" Harry and Hermione said together.
"Well, it sort of came out that I…," Ron hesitated, "I took Luna's things and hid them a couple of times while were still at Hogwarts...as a joke, that's all."
"What?!" Hermione said in a raised voice.
Harry on the other hand was fighting hard not to laugh and it made Ron feel a little better.
"You did?" Harry said through tight lips, still holding back the urge to laugh. "I never knew that."
Ron curled his lips up to start laughing but his and Harry's attempts to do so were quickly quashed by Hermione.
"Don't you encourage him, Harry!" Hermione said, glaring at both of them. "You know what you have to do, don't you, Ron?"
"Er---forget this ever happened?" Ron turned to Harry with hope rising in his voice.
Harry started to laugh again but was stopped once more by Hermione's sharp glare.
"Apologize to Luna, now," Hermione said, her voice so firm that it sounded like an order.
Then a stubborn and rather brilliant (or so Ron thought) idea came to mind.
"Why should I?" Ron muttered. "That was so long ago, she should be over it by now."
Ron saw Hermione roll her eyes and was surprised to see that Harry was no longer laughing, but staring at him in shock. He then turned his eyes to the counter where Luna stood. He caught her eyes for a fraction of a second and was not at all shocked when she looked away and continued helping customers.
"Oh, you have the emotional maturity of a rock cake, Ron!" Hermione snapped, but at the same time she had pulled his face gently to face her. "Go on then, Ron, apologize to her."
He felt even more surprised when she gave him a quick peck on the cheek and then pushed him along towards the counter. Through the boundless amount of customers he found himself standing face-to-face with Luna Lovegood, who was still refusing to look him in the eye. Then, very stupidly, he began to gesture with his hands and began to open his mouth every few seconds. Each time his voice refused to come out.
"Are you trying to say something Ronald?" Luna finally spoke, her voice retaining its usual dreamy tone.
Through it, Ron could tell that she was putting forth a lot of effort to speak to him.
"Oh actually, yeah," Ron said, relieved that she had spoken first and that he no longer looked like an
idiot. "About what you overheard..."
"You mean the thing about how you would have made fun of me?" Luna said, her wistful voice edging, "Or
the bit about how you took my things while were still in school together?"
"Erm---yes, I mean---erm---both," Ron uttered, gulping something very tight and invisible down his throat. "I---I just wanted to say---erm---I'm sorry, really sorry about that."
"Oh," Luna replied with a simple nod.
"Erm---does that mean you accept my apology, then?" said Ron with hope.
Luna said nothing for a while, checking an urn and eye of newt from two customers, a silvery blonde middle-aged female and a pale-skinned, dark-haired, and weedy-looking younger woman whose violet eyes only showed for a moment under the heavy hood over her black cloak. Ron was soon becoming exasperated and leaned over the counter staring at Luna. It was only when the two women had left did she look up at him again. He saw that her blue eyes were no longer bright, wide or alert, rather they were now dark and full of disappointment.
"Excuse me for saying this," Luna began in a low voice, "but I spent seven years at Hogwarts not really knowing who took my things; I got used to it and I didn't care much anymore, basically because it always occurred. I always got everything back anyway.
"So, erm---well, now that I know that you, Ronald," he watched closely at how her face seemed to strain and then fall in confusion when she said his name, "that you were one of those people....well, I hope you don't mind when I say that I don't care to accept your apology if that's all right with you."
Ron eyes turned round in disbelief and he was unable to speak. Before he could even gather whatever wits he had about him, before he could actually say something about it, she had turned away, carrying on with helping the rest of the customers around the store.
Ron returned to where Harry and Hermione stood now joined by Ginny and Draco. The four of them looked very eager to hear what Luna had to say to him. It was Hermione who decided to speak out on it.
"Well, Ron, what did she say?"
"Y'know, she didn't accept it," replied Ron, shoving his hands into his pockets.
He pointed at the robes that he surmised Ginny and Draco had settled on.
"While you pay for that, I'm going to go on outside if that's all right," Ron whispered.
He didn't even wait for an answer and listened to the jingle of the bell that had sounded when he walked out of the store. His mind was a clutter of confusion as though someone had ransacked his brain. While he stood under the eaves of Moonlight and Magic, his hands still deep in his pockets, he felt more ashamed of himself than he ever had in his whole 26 years on earth.