~*~
PART EIGHT
~*~
"So are you going to tell me what you've been doing with Ron the past week?" Hermione walked over to Meegan's bed and looked at her friend. She was still in her pajamas under the covers. It was seven in the morning and Hermione had just returned from a shower. Allison was still there with the other campers.
Since campfire on the first night of camp, Meegan and Ron had spent the utmost possible time together. When they needed someone to wash dishes, both volunteered. When they needed assistants to help with Arts and Crafts, they volunteered. Basically, they took advantage of anytime they possibly could to spend time together.
Over the past week, Hermione had tried her best to get it out of Meegan, but she wouldn't tell Hermione what she'd been doing spending so much time with Ron. Naturally, Hermione wanted her to admit that she and Ron were a couple. She knew Ron liked Meegan. And Meegan had already admitted to her she liked Ron as well.
"I'm still asleep, go away," she mumbled as she pulled the comforter up higher over her head. She'd been avoiding Hermione's questioning purposefully. She'd yet to do anything with Ron but spend time with him. Not that things weren't going well. She and Ron had grown very close. In fact, if something did develop, Hermione would be the first she would tell.
Unfortunately for the time being, Hermione couldn't know any details. Until her and Ron became a couple or Phase One was completed, Hermione had to be left out for the sake of the plan. Meegan was certain though that Ron would ask her out any day now. And not only would this highly benefit her, since she fancied Ron quite a bit, but they she could move onto Phase Two of her and Allison's plan.
"Meeeeeeeeegan," Hermione sighed, flopping directly on top of her friend.
"UGH!" she flipped the blanket down and stared at Hermione who was still on top of her. "I'm still not going to tell you."
"Please?" Hermione smiled as she fakely batted her eyelashes.
"I've been hanging out with Ron, that's it," she tried to roll Hermione off of her but she wouldn't budge.
"Is that all?" Hermione eyed her suspiciously.
"YES!" Meegan attempted to roll her off again, "I promise you...AHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!"
"AHHHHHHHHH!!!!"
Both Meegan and Hermione screamed as she was finally successful on rolling Hermione off. Unfortunately, she became tangled in the blankets and took Meegan with her as they fell, landing in a tangled mob of blankets on the hard wood floor. They were still laughing when Allison and the girls returned from the showers and found them.
"I don't want to know," Allison gave them a weird look as the girls laughed and went to put their shower totes away.
"Fine, don't tell me," Hermione got up and went to fix her hair. Meegan sighed and threw the covers down. After rifling through her bag and throwing on some clothes (she'd showered the night before instead), she went over and sat down on Allison's bed.
"Any closer?" Allison asked casually as her cousin sat down.
"A bit. Hermione's getting nosy again though. Keep her occupied. And possibly get her to hang around Harry. Those two have been acting a bit goofy around each other lately," Meegan said as she watched Hermione across the room.
~*~
It was after lunch and Harry and Hermione's groups were both in the Arts and Crafts room. They were all seated around the long tables with a few other cabins. Wendy was currently explaining how to make tissue paper butterflies.
Ron and Meegan were sitting together as per usual at one end of a long table. At the other end, Harry and Hermione sat across from each other with Patrick and Allison next to them accordingly. Naturally, they were talking to their junior counselors and still trying to avoid each other as much as possible.
"Those two are gits," Ron mumbled as he scrunched some tissue paper next to Meegan. He was eyeing Harry and Hermione stealing glances at each other but refusing to speak to one another.
"What?" Meegan smiled. She was hoping this would be the perfect moment to skip to the end of Phase One and bring Ron into the plan. Even if they didn't get together right away, she'd still have him onboard to start Phase Two.
"Oh, nothing," he blushed a bit as he became immersed in his art project.
"Are you talking about Harry and Hermione?" she smiled, lowering her voice to a whisper and leaning closer so only Ron could hear her.
"Um...yes, but it didn't mean anything," he mumbled.
"Don't you think they'd be a cute couple?" she ventured further. She was determined to pull it out of him.
"YES!" he blurted out followed by a look of shock at his outburst. Lowering his voice to a near whisper he said again, "Yes! Those two are infuriating!" He looked relieved to finally vent.
"Tell me about it. All I hear from Hermione now is her trying to deny she ever told me she liked that boy," Meegan continued in a whisper as a smile came across her face.
"She said that?" Ron smiled becoming excited.
"Oh yes," Meegan took the bait, "that girl talked about it nonstop. That was until..."
"Until what?!" Ron demanded more. He'd stopped working on his art project and was now intently looking at Meegan.
"Well, I'm not sure I'm supposed to tell you more..."
"Oh please!" Ron desperately asked.
Meegan smiled, it was just what she wanted to hear. That Ron was as intrigued as she was. "Well something happened between those two, I don't really know what....Anyway, she's denied any feelings for him since and tried to avoid him."
"Harry's been the same way! For the past week he hasn't mentioned her at all," Ron looked excited but was omitting the fact that he knew what had happened between Harry and Hermione; that they'd nearly kissed.
"What do you mean?" Meegan's eyes grew in excitement too. 'This is it!' she was hoping Ron would admit Harry's feelings too.
"Well," Ron looked around to make sure no one way paying attention to what they were saying, "Harry told me he like 'Mione, but for the past week, he's been acting like she doesn't exist. I think he's just being a bloody idiot! Those two!" Ron huffed.
"Ron, you and I have a lot in common," Meegan smiled evilly. "See, I know Hermione likes Harry, even if she denies it now. And you just told me Harry likes Hermione, but he's been acting weird also. Do you see where I'm going here?"
"They like each other?" Ron offered.
"Precisely. And I believe as their very good friends, it's our duty to push them together," she giggled.
"You mean you want us to help them become a couple?" he smiled finally catching on to what she meant.
"You're a smart boy Ron," she smiled back at him.
~*~
"Talk to him!" Allison leaned over and harshly whispered in Hermione's ear. She'd been holding her tissue butterfly in her hands for the past five minutes and simply gazing at Harry instead.
"What?!" Hermione quickly averted her gaze after Allison made her realize she'd been staring.
"Just do it, you know you want to!" she smiled as talked a bit too loudly.
"Allison hush. He's busy talking to Patrick besides," she turned back to crimping the wings of her butterfly.
"You're being ridiculous!" Allison scoffed and turned back to her art project.
Hermione sighed and looked up at Harry. She hadn't meant to ignore him this week. It was hard enough to convince herself she didn't like Harry but to accept the fact that he only thought of her as a friend had taken its toll. Really she wanted nothing more for it to be like it was. Obviously he was ignoring her though. He must have noticed she liked him and was now avoiding her for fear of hurting her feelings or something. Hermione sighed in frustration and turned back to her art project as well.
~*~
"Uh huh, right Patrick," he replied. He'd had no idea what he was being told. He was only pretending to really listen to Patrick. He was actually watching Hermione carefully folding the wings of her butterfly. He felt a pang in his heart as he watched her. He missed hearing her voice, the way she smiled, how she laughed. It had been a week and he was still avoiding her. He was so embarrassed from nearly kissing her, he was sure she didn't want anything to do with him. He was afraid if he talked to her, she'd be mad at him for it.
As he watched, Hermione glanced up at him. Their eyes locked for a moment before a flash of hurt went through them and she averted her gaze again. Harry's heart panged again. She was upset with him. He'd never meant to hurt her. Now she was uncomfortable around him; upset with him for trying to make something more of their friendship when she obviously didn't want anything more.
Sighing, Harry also turned back to his butterfly, defeated.
~*~
Hermione, Allison, Meegan and their girls were playing cards on the floor of their cabin after Arts and Crafts (all cabins had mandatory cabin time until dinner) until a knock at their cabin door interrupted their game.
Allison gave a sigh and hoisted herself up off the floor, "I got it." She went over and answered the door, after a moment, she called for Meegan.
Meegan went over to the door, and found Ron standing outside of it. "Do you have a minute?" he blushed, smiling at her.
"Sure," she turned to address her cabin, "I'll be right back." She called before leaving with Ron. They walked about twenty feet away to a wooden bench and sat down next to each other.
"So you wanted to talk to me?" Meegan smiled as she scooted a bit closer so her arm rested up against Ron's.
"Um, ya…" he blushed uncomfortably.
"Is it about Harry and Hermione?" she asked, wondering why else he'd have asked to see her away from them.
"Not exactly. I was wondering....willyougooutwithmesometime?" he rambled, looking down at his hands he was ringing nervously.
"What?!" she giggled with a smile turning to him.
"Well..." he said with a fluster and he fumbled around and reached for her fingertips. Gently, he held them with his. "You see, I sort of fancy you..." He blushed again but you couldn't tell as his cheeks nearly matched his hair.
"Sort of?" she giggled, giving him a strange look.
"Not sort of, I do," he turned he gaze to their hands.
"I like you too," she smiled, "I'd love to go out with you." She giggled as Ron's head shot up in amazement.
"Really?!" he looked bewildered.
"Yes you git!" she laughed. "Is it that hard to believe?"
"I've never been good with girls..." he admitted quietly. "I've never..." he coughed a bit, "had a date before."
"I don't see why. You're quite cute," she giggled.
"You too," he laughed as he leaned over and kissed her cheek. When he pulled back, he looked more embarrassed than ever.
"I um, should go back to my girls. Do you want to sit by me at campfire," Meegan blushed.
"I'd love to," he smiled standing up with her. Their fingers were now interlaced.
"Okay, well, bye then," she smiled, walking back toward her cabin. Her eyes will still trained on his.
"Bye," he watched her walk away too until their hands were forced to slip from each other's grasps. They walked apart watching each other until Meegan reached her cabin door and was forced to break her gaze to enter.
Meegan entered with a dreamy look on her face. Both Hermione and Allison gave her a look of interest. Quickly glancing back at one another, they got up and immediately made their way over to Meegan. Their campers took no interest and continued to play cards.
"What just happened out there?!" Hermione looked at her beaming friend.
"I think Ron and I just became a couple!" she squealed.
"NO!!" both girls screamed in excited disbelief.
"I know!" Meegan squealed again followed by an excited giggle.
"What did he say?" Hermione smiled.
"Did he kiss you?!" Allison was also very excited for her cousin.
"He said he liked me and asked if we could go out sometime. And yes he did," she managed to answer their questions.
"He kissed you!?" Allison said a bit too loudly. A few of their campers looked up in interest.
"No..." the campers turned away, becoming disinterested again, "well, not exactly. My cheek. He kissed my cheek, but that was all," she blushed.
"I am so excited for both of you! Ron's liked you since he got here," Hermione beamed.
"You knew! He liked me this whole time and you knew and didn't say anything!" Meegan frowned.
"Sorry?" Hermione shrugged with a sheepish smile.
"It's alright, it doesn't matter anyway," she smiled, "I'm just happy, that's all."
"Good, well I happy for you, both of you," Hermione smiled then went back to the girls.
"Now that's she's gone," Allison whispered, "Does this mean we're on to Phase Two?" An evil grin crossed her face.
"Of course! I already talked to Ron about it a bit earlier today. He said Harry likes her too!" she whispered excitedly into her cousin's ear.
"No way! That's awesome!" Allison beamed. "This is going to be so perfect!"
"I know I can't wait to get started on Phase Two!" Meegan said as her and Allison went over to join Hermione and their campers playing cards.
~*~
"I did it!" Ron whispered excitedly to Harry as he sat down next to his friend. The boys in his cabin were all on their own beds flipping through books and comics. Harry himself was masking a Quidditch book under the sheets. He'd taken the cover off, but Ron recognized the embossed snitch left on the hard cover. "I...Harry, put that away," Ron sighed. "I thought we agreed..."
"I'll let you borrow it later," Harry said, not looking up from his book.
"Okay!" Ron succumbed to desire.
"So what was this task you accomplished?" he still read.
"I asked Meegan out," he said with breathless excitement. He was so proud of himself, he could hardly contain it.
"Nooooo," Harry said in amazed shock. "You mean to tell me our little Ronnie's finally grown up and got some balls?" Harry burst out laughing at himself and at Ron's expense.
"Oh shut up, Harry," he grabbed a pillow next to him and thumped Harry in the head with it.
"So what made you do it?" Harry finally put his book away, hiding it under the covers.
"I don't know. I liked her, she seemed to like me, so I asked her out," he looked a Harry for a moment and then continued, "Which is more than I can say for you."
"What's that mean?" Harry became defensive.
"That you like a certain best friend of ours and I bet she likes you back, but instead of following my lead, you've been hiding like the dickens. That will get you very far, let me tell you," It was now Ron's turn to throw the verbal punches. He smiled. He was quite satisfied to have been able to fish up the wit to beat Harry on that one.
"I don't like her anymore," he countered, feeling around under the covers for his book so he could end the conversation.
"You said you nearly kissed her so you can't tell me you don't like her," Ron asked earnestly.
"You're not supposed to remember that," Harry mumbled flatly.
"Why are you avoiding her then?" Ron asked.
"I don't think she likes me. She must think I'm a terrible git to have tried doing that to her," he sighed, leaving the book still under the covers.
"Ok then, I have a question for you. Is all this avoiding worth losing her as a best friend over?" Ron caught Harry's interest with this one as he looked up at him, "That's what will happen. If you keep avoiding her like this, you might end up losing her for good."
"Ron that's not going to happen," Harry sat up from his reclined position against the wall.
"Good, then go do something about it!" Ron commanded.
"Fine, I will!" Harry stood up and stormed out of their cabin.
"Finally!" Ron exclaimed as the door slammed behind Harry. "He better be going to see her, or I'm going to personally kick his ass when he gets back."
~*~
Author's note:
I know this is mainly Ron and Meegan.. but it's all in the setup. I PROMISE it's T-2 episodes until what you've been waiting for, Chapter 10! Guaranteed what you want! ;)
Also, if this is 'moving slowly' for some of you, I like to do things realistically. Not all fic does, they just rush into the relationship. I don't think that's a really story. I like to develop characters, setting, and moods before jumping off stuff. If you don't like that don't read. Besides that, LUV YA REVIEWERS!