4- Officially

                                    

                                          
"Ron!" Kate's saccharine voice called suddenly as Ron and Hermione were goofing around, sitting in the common room couch. 
"I'm ready," Kate smiled as she waved her broom in the air. 
Ron and Hermione jumped away, embarrassed. Ron nodded to Hermione and gave her hand a squeeze before he turned to Kate. Hermione smiled encouragingly to Ron as she saw him go off with Kate. As Hermione watched Ron turn, she swore she caught Kate staring coldly at her. However, Kate smiled as their eyes met, so Hermione became confused.
Ron offered to carry Kate's broom for her as they headed to the field. As soon as Ron and Kate disappeared, Hermione ran towards the windows with her binoculars, staring at the two. 
Ron and Kate seemed to be doing fine, when they began to become a little touchy. Kate seemed to be holding the broom in the wrong position. Ron pulled her arm and adjusted it. However, Kate seemed to make the same mistakes over and over again, and Ron kept doing the same thing. 
Hermione frowned and glared at Kate through the binoculars. Suddenly, she came to her senses. She flushed red, thinking how childish she must have seemed. 
'Where did your self-respect go?' She asked herself, throwing her binoculars away. 
She decided to go to the library, to cool her head off. Walking through the halls, she received many glances and whispers about why she was alone. 
"Maybe she got dumped,"
"Or she could have dumped him," 
Ignoring stupid comments, she walked, not giving them a single glance and headed to her usual favorite spot, next to the window. She looked out the window mindlessly, but realized it was facing the Qudditch field.
Groaning, she stood up and went to another empty spot. Trying to get Ron and Kate off her mind, she tried to focus on her studies. She opened up her Defense against Dark Arts as she began to write down notes for the next class. However, her concentration was broken by a few girls who were giggling by the window Hermione just left. 
"The Weasley boy is so cute," one sighed. 
"I know right. Honestly, I don't care what family he's from anymore,"
"The Granger girl is so lucky. Ron deserves better though,"
"I honestly never understood why everybody praises Granger. She didn't do anything to help Potter. Weasley is the one who suffered with Potter," 
The girls agreed. Hermione's grip tightened on her quill, making ink blotches on her scroll. 
"Is he dating Olney?" 
"They make a cute couple, but unfortunately, I tell you, Weasley is going to be mine," 
"Excuse me? Like that's even possible,"
The girls laughed as they hushed each other. Hermione's heart ached. 
"I'd rather see him end up with Olney rather than Granger,"
Suddenly, all of the hushed. 
"Granger is over there. Do you think she heard us?" 
"I don't think so. I mean, does it matter? They're not even officially dating,"
Hermione had enough. She took her things and went back to the common room.
She dumped her things on the table and hid in a little corner hugging a cushion in the corner of the common room. She heard Kate Olney come in. Kate sighed relaxingly and happily as she plopped down on the couch. Her eyes met Hermione's.
                          
"Oh. I didn't see you there," Kate said, expressing no emotion. 
Hermione shrugged as she stood up and headed to the couch. 
"Tell Ron it was nice having him teach me. I am looking forward tomorrow's lessons," Kate smiled smugly. 
Hermione nodded as Kate took her stuff and went to her room. As soon as she left, Ron came in, humming a song. Hermione's anger and stress directed towards Ron. 
"Did you have fun with Kate?" she asked, bitter than she meant to be. 
However, Ron could be real thick sometimes and didn't understand Hermione's real meaning.
"Oh yes. It was nice. She's a nice girl," he said as she plopped down next to her.
"Kate told me to tell you it was nice. She is looking to tomorrow, apparently," 
"Oh, really? That's a relief. I was thinking she was getting slightly annoyed with my teaching and all. I'm trying to make the lesson fun," 
"Well, it looked like you were having lots of fun. Holding hands with her and all," Hermione said. Emphasizing 'her'. 
Ron raised his brows. Hermione snapped awake, and realized what she was doing. 
"I'm sorry," she immediately apologized. 
Ron nodded, "Apology accepted. Really, what's with you? You look awfully annoyed," 
"It's nothing,"
"Hermione. You do realize I'm your best friend and I have been for the last several years? I have a right to know," 
Hermione's heart ached a little as he said best friend. 
"It's really nothing," she waved him off.
"Hermione," Ron called, a smile appearing on his face. 
"Tell me," he said teasingly as he inched closer.
"I'm just afraid," she finally said.
"Afraid? Of what?" Ron asked. 
Hermione sighed, "Nothing. Afraid of bad grades. I couldn't concentrate on my studies for the last few days,"
She lied, but Ron didn't notice.
"Aw, it's alright. You can borrow my notes," 
"You don't take notes,"
Ron shrugged as they broke off in laughter. 
//Sorry it's short!//