+Night Patrols+

Disclaimer: All characters and the world of HP belong to a very nice lady named Joann Rowling. Not me, sadly. I just played with them.

Author's Note: Alright. I haven't written fanficiton in forever. And I mean at least 3 years. At least. But this Valentine's Day, I was inspired by the drabble challenge Snitchseeker has. My prompt was Astronomy Tower. I wrote a 200 word fic and was like... wow, this would be cool to write the whole story behind this. So I did.

I wrote this within 2 days, and finished proofreading it today. It's not too long, only about 8 MS pages. There might still be a few mistakes, but I mostly wrote it for myself, just because I haven't written in so long. And to be honest, I'm more of a H/Hr shipper... but I'm also very much in support of cannon fanfiction. Because of this, I write R/Hr fiction, even though in my mind I really wish it had gone H/Hr. Either way is quite nice though, hehe.

Well, read, enjoy, and please review if you get a chance! I'll love you forever... I send you virtual hugs. Def.

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Being a prefect came with certain responsibilities. Removing points, setting a good example, and of course, doing the patrols.

One particular night in the common room, Hermione came downstairs to find Ron performing his prefect duties the way he pretty much always performed them. That was, in the poised and ready -not moving, eyes closed, and mouth open- position.

Normally she brushed it off. Every night, again and again, she allowed Ron to “monitor the common room” while she walked the entire castle to yell at students (usually Slytherins) to get to bed. But tonight was different. She was in a very bad mood, and it was mostly Ron’s fault.

Not that Ron would notice something like that.

“RON!” Hermione shouted. Ron jumped with a start, muttering something Hermione didn’t quite catch. It only took him a moment before he caught sight of Hermione, the culprit who had awoken him. Ron’s surprised, confused expression soon turned grumpy from being awoken so suddenly, and he rounded on Hermione.

“Well, what the bloody hell is it? The Deatheaters better be attacking the castle right this instant or I swear-“

“It’s your turn to do patrols, Ron!” Hermione cut him off angrily. Really. Every night, she had gone up to the Astronomy tower, over the Divination floor, through the Room of Requirement, quickly around the everywhere-in-the-castle, and what had Ron done? Skive off his duties regularly. ‘Monitor’ the common room. And of course, never once thank her.

He is a just so…so… UGGGGHHH.

Just as Hermione opened her mouth to yell at him once more, Ron grumbled and sat up. “Fine, fine, keep your knickers on. But you’re coming with me…” he muttered, not even throwing a glance at her as he crawled through the portrait hole grudgingly. Hermione paused. She had expected more of an argument than that. Maybe he really was just too tired to care. Whatever the reason, Hermione quickly followed him through the portrait hole, and soon they began their patrols. They didn't say a single to word to each other after they left the common room.

Halfway through the patrols, Hermione began to rethink asking for help.
Then again- she paused, reminding herself that she wasn’t at fault here- I had asked him to do the patrols… not for both of us to do it together.

No matter who was at fault, nothing could describe how awkward it was now. Ron was silently brooding over having to do anything at all, and Hermione was still angry with him in general. And they still hadn’t said a word to each other the whole patrol.

Time continued to pass. Hermione looked at her watch. It was getting later, and Hermione motioned Ron over to a ladder. “Come on now, we should at least check the Astronomy Tower…” After getting a slight eye roll from Ron, Ron moved over to the ladder and began up.

“The things I do for you, ‘Mione.” Ron muttered quietly.

But Hermione heard. She stood there shocked for a moment. He most likely didn't mean it the way it had sounded to her... It was a very un-Ron-like thing for him to say. Deciding it was better to pretend that she indeed hadn’t heard, she quickly hurried up the ladder after him.

~*~*~*~*~*~

I actually have this fic finished, so I should be posting pretty regularly. Well, let me know what you think. It gets better (well in my opinion).

Great post! I like it so far. But if you like H/Hr why not write about them? But who cares I love R/Hr stories too!
I wonder whats going to happen next?! Post soon!

I'm the first reader... right?

Love it can't wait for more.

hehe. well, I like both ships to be honest. And since until the 6th book, we never knew for sure whether it would be Hr/H or R/Hr, I always leaned H/Hr. I have written Hr/H stuff... but this story just flowed much better as R/Hr.

Er... does that makes sense? lol

Awww, thanks! I'll post a bit more late tonight or tomorrow sometime.

It does make sence to have it R/Hr. They are the Prefect and so they do those type of thing together, but I [like you] like H/Hr better. I have reason to though, and it isn't my fault either.
Ooo, can you post now? Please? Please, please? Please, please, please, please?
Third reader,
Jessica

Wow, this stuff's awesome! I don't normally go for the romance stuff but this is pretty much ace. You've got the thoughts and characters down really well, keep it going!

*Huggle glomps her readers*

Glad you guys are enjoying it, here's some more
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“See now, that wasn’t so har-“ Hermione began quietly, but Ron silenced her and pointed. For the second time tonight, Hermione stood in shock. In front of them stood a couple of Gryffindor 5th years engaged in some very passionate kissing. Hermione looked at them for a moment, as if briefly trying to decide whose hands were whose. Ron stared sort of dumbfounded, but Hermione quickly came to her senses, swatted at his hair to bring him back to reality, and went back down the ladder.

“Whaa-“ Ron began as he blinked at her, confused as all hell, fumbling down the last few steps. He began to ramble, obviously shocked by this un-Hermione-like behavior. “I don’t get it… isn’t the whole point of doing rounds to find people and yell at them for being out of bed? Are you going soft? Why didn’t you subtract like, a thousand million points for catching them ‘fraternizing after hours?’” he repeated the last part in a very Hermione-esque voice, mimicking her taking of points with his hands in an exaggerated manner.

Hermione gave him a weak smile, and simply turned around to begin walking back to the common room. She suddenly stopped, causing Ron almost to bump into her, and spun around to face him, bushy hair surrounding her face and eyes narrowed slightly.

“It’s Valentine’s Day.” said Hermione simply. Strongly holding Ron’s gaze to reveal the source of her quiet anger to him. “So I didn’t see anything… did you?” she finished simply, and spun back around to walk back to the common room.

Ron blinked and followed wordlessly. Hermione breathed a few times to herself, mostly to avoid yelling at him again, but also to avoid feeling annoyed that Ron hadn’t responded at all. She was feeling a bit better that she had been able to show Ron why she was so very upset with him, but the fact that he didn’t seem to get it wasn’t helping her emotions at all.

Being silly…why do you do this to yourself… he doesn’t… you don’t even know…

“’Mione?”

Being stupid…it doesn’t even matter at all, it a dumb holiday…

“Er…’Mione?”

“Huh?” said Hermione stupidly, breaking out of her thoughts to notice Ron directly in front of her, facing her now with an odd look on his face.

Ron took a deep breath, but was only able for all his efforts to squeak out, “Sor- sorry.”

“Huh?” responded Hermione again, rather confused.

“Sorry? Why are you sorry? You haven’t done anything wrong; you have no need to be sorry-”

Ron rolled his eyes and looked at her. “That’s why you were mad at me right? Because I didn’t wish you a good St. Valentine’s Day?”
_________

Enjoy

Hahah! Wow, that went perfect with the Valentine's Day thing too. pams
Jessica

PAMS please!!!

Love the last chapter. Mione and her talking to herself. Can't wait for more.

Thanks to everyone who is reading! Y'all are so sweet. This is actually (as I mentioned in my first post) a really short, one-shot type story... so we are already a 1/3 of the way through! lol
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Ron rolled his eyes and looked at her. “That’s why you were mad at me right? Because I didn’t wish you a good St. Valentine’s Day?”

The voice in Hermione’s head began to rush with thoughts, most of them slightly sarcastic.

This is Ronald Weasley, who can’t even remember a holiday when there are pink hearts littered all over the school. Just give him the benefit of the doubt and agree that that was why you were mad. Even if that doesn’t even begin to cover it.

Of course, that would have been rather easy. Plus, it made Hermione look like the bad one.

So instead, Hermione quickly began her soliloquy, which was mostly comprised of any thought that was running through her head, “Mad? Who said I was mad? I’d have to be stupid to think that something like that was worth getting upset over, and it’s not very rational at all and-“

Ron looked defeated to and turned away, mid speech. Hermione felt her insides lurch sadly. “I don’t understand you at all Hermione. One minute you’re all mad at me, not telling me why, then I try to figure out why, and then I try to apologize and you tell me you aren’t. I just don’t even-” Ron finished, hands raised exasperatedly, with a look on his face that told Hermione even he had managed to confuse himself in trying to explain everything.

She blinked at him, and paused…

You could help him out. Just let him slide. Just this once. See what happens…

“Er…” said Hermione, scrambling for an idea, any thought at all, “but… oh! If I was mad, which I wasn’t of course, I would say thank you for apologizing. It was rather nice of you.” Hermione finished the last part quietly.

Ron’s face perked up. His eyes shone with a light that said Christmas had come early, and he wasn’t going to get a maroon sweater either. “Really? Would you? I mean- you would?” He began excitedly, but quickly masked his excitement. Hermione could tell he was absolutely elated that he was obviously right, for once, at judging her emotions. She sighed out loud, feigning annoyance.

“Yes, I might say something like that. Now come on, or we’ll be getting absolutely no sleep tonight, and I have an Arithmancy test tomorrow.” She finished, and began moving back to the common room. Ron walked this time be her side, but still said nothing. She stole a quick glance at his face, and she could tell he was thinking very hard about something. Right as she thought was going to go crazy with the silence, Ron began quietly,

“Why’d it bother you?”

“Huh?” Hermione said out loud, for the third time that night. She really needed to work on her quick, astute responses.

“I mean, uh, don’t get mad, but why did you want me to say Happy Valentine’s Day to you?” Ron tried as politely as he could manage.

Hermione’s heart skipped a beat. She thought for a brief moment of quickly denying the whole thing, reminding him that she technically hadn’t said she was mad over him not remembering the holiday. With her skills, she could harp on just how wrong he was until he dropped it and they went to bed mad once again. That’s what she usually did, it would obviously work now.

But for some reason… she felt the urge to try. Normally, their bickering worked well for keeping emotions hidden… but if Ron was going to ask her that type of question, maybe he… well probably not. It was Ron after all.

But she would try too.
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Let me know if you're enjoying it!

Hi, I'm Kaitlyn. I'm absolutely loving this fic! You are such a talented writer. Pams, please!

Hehe thanks everyone It's nice to know there are a few people reading this!

*huggles*

I'll post some more probably... Monday? I want to break it up between the pieces so it'll last longer, haha.

Love the last posts! Can't wait for more!
Ron is so Ron! It's funny!
Pams!

I love your story so far!!
Its excellent .
Cant wait for the next post

- Grace.

coolness this is reaaly good cant wait for next post

Ug, sorry for the long wait guys! This fic is really hard to post in pieces. Well, here's some more, and thanks to all my readers! Keep posting here, it makes me happy, lol.

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Normally, their bickering worked well for keeping emotions hidden… but if Ron was going to ask her that type of question, maybe he… Well, then she would try too.

“Well, considering you’re a good friend of mine, I felt it was at least courteous for you to remember the holiday.” Hermione began uncertainly. She immediately stopped as she saw Ron’s expression fall.

But…if he looks upset… couldn’t that mean that… but Ron wouldn’t… would he?

Just when she was certain she had ended any hope of this conversation revealing anything productive, a thought sprung to her head…

“Why?” she rushed happily, ecstatic to have found a way to keep the conversation going, even if it was by using Ron’s tactic. Ron shot her a confused look, obviously thrown off by her apparent mood swing, so she quickly changed her expression to one of mild curiosity. “I mean, why- did you think it bothered me?”

Ron stopped walking and started stuttering, very quickly. “I just- you usually take off points- and maybe- but I guess you were just being nice- but don’t take that the wrong way-I just-”

Hermione looked ahead, feeling somewhat sad and not understanding why.

Maybe because you are both acting like complete cowards. Neither of us wants to break first… to be the first one to say that they do care. But he doesn’t, so nor do I.

The common room entrance was right in front of them now, and Ron had stopped talking completely. He was avoiding eye contact again, and looking very eager to go into the common room. And get away from her.

No, no no… not now… not when we might have the perfect chance too…

But she had missed it. And her heart knew it, even if her mind wasn’t quite up to speed with the sudden emotions she was experiencing. Whatever it was she had hoped to achieve was quickly taken away as she heard Ron muttering the password. She was so upset with herself that she barely recalled crawling through the portrait hole to go back to the common room.

And back their respective roles…

As just “friends”.

Although Hermione couldn’t fathom that this knowledge would have ever bothered Ron, who would forget this awkward conversation even occurred by the time she woke up the next morning, she was fighting the urge to just curl up in a ball right there and start crying.

Maybe that’s why he liked that stupid Lavender. She didn’t play games with him. She just came out and started kissing him. That’s probably all he ever wanted in a relationship. And even if it’s over… he doesn’t view you in that way. He doesn’t. He probably never will.

No, I don't want them to be friends, that's not right, she has to get together with him. him or Harrry one of the two. pams
Jessica

Very good so far!!! I can't wait to read more!!!!!

This is a really good story so far. i'm personally a H/G shipper but i don't know if i like Hr/R or Hr/D better. i think i'm starting to lean onto Hr/D though.
~Cheyenne~

nice post cant wait fo rnext one *sob* they cant be jsut friends

I added back in the italics for the last post... I don't know where they went to in the first place, but the last post should make much more sense now, lol.

Hehe... poor Hr/R... both so cute and unsure *huggles them*

^^ Yeah, you're unsure. Then there might still be some hope. pamd
Jessica

Loved that post!!
Can't wait to see- Read what happens next.

poor hermione =[

and
i feel your a great HR/R poster! gosh =]