Be Careful What You Wish For

BCWYWF Chapter 1:

Ron awoke as the sun shone playfully across his face. As he opened his eyes, he was surprised at his surroundings. Instead of sitting in the dark and cold third floor corridor, where could remember falling asleep, he was laying safe and sound in his warm bed in the 6th year boy's dormitory. As he sat in bed, the memories of last night's events flooded his mind. Quidditch practice... Harry... broken wrist... Hermione ... Harry and Hermione together.

**The look on Hermione's face **

Ron jumped up from his bed and dressed quickly; unaware of the fact that he was now wearing a comfortable pair of pajamas instead of his wet Quidditch robes. Once clad in jeans and a T-shirt, he rushed out the door and quickly down the spiral steps into the common room. His mind was so focused on the scene from yesterday replaying again and again in his head that he was not paying attention to those around him, and nearly crashed into Seamus and Dean, who were headed the opposite way, up toward the dormitories. Ron cursed to himself, for he was wanting to avoid as many people as possible on his way out of the tower. Needless to say, Ron was extremely surprised to see both their faces light up with a smile the moment they saw him. 'Probably planning to do something evil to me,' thought Ron.

But Seamus's greeting was a happy and pleasant one; not hateful or accusatory in the least. "Hey Ron! You're finally awake!"

"Yeah, we were just about to come get you. We're going down for lunch. You coming?"

"Then we were gonna go down to the quidditch pitch! How's that sound?"

Ron could not believe the way they were treating him, how nice they were being to him, after they way he acted the night before. "Yeah, well. You haven't seen Harry or Hermione around, have you? I really need to talk to them!"

Seamus and Dean gave each other an odd look, then stared at Ron strangely. "Hermione Granger, and Harry... Potter?!?"

"Why on earth would you want to talk to either of them!?!"

"It's... just... It's really important! Please!"

"All right, All right; don't get your knickers in a twist! Granger's usually in the library, and Potter's most likely in the great hall."

"Right," replied Ron, and he pushed past them, left the common room, and headed toward the library in search of Hermione.

"And don't say we didn't warn ya!"

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Ron entered the library and immediately began scanning the room, locating the top of Hermione's bushy brown head peaking out from behind an enormous Arithmancy book. He quickly walked over to her, pushing the book aside as he called out her name. She jumped, then glared up at him. "What do you want?"

"To talk to you, of course!"

"Well that's a first," she spat. She slammed her book closed, stood up, and quickly ran off. Ron followed.

"Look... I want to... explain, about... last night."

"Fine! Go ahead and explain! But I won't be listening."

"Just... listen... Look, I'm sorry all right!"

Hermione stopped abruptly and spun around. "Of course you're sorry now! But in two seconds, you'll return to your normal conceited self and go on hating me again!"

"What are you talking about, Hermione? I don't hate you."

"Yes you do! You've always hated me! Always! Just because I tried to help you back in first year! And then you go and save me from that troll in the bathroom for a little more fame and popularity!" And she spun around again and continued on, leaving a totally dumbfounded Ron in her wake.

It took a few moments for Ron to try to understand his friend's outburst, and when he still had no clue, he hurried after her yet again.

"What are you going on about, Hermione?"

"It's like you think that stupid thing on your forehead is some kind of 'awe-inspiring chick magnet', like it would make girls fall head-over-heels for you! That it'll get you all of this deserved publicity and attention - 'Oooh, look at me! I defeated You-Know-Who! Isn't this stupid scratch on my big inflated head cool?' 'I'm the "Boy-Who-Lived-So-I-Gotta-Be-On-The-Front-Of-Every-Newspaper!"' Wow, I'm tingling with excitement just from being in your presence," she finished, every word dripping with sarcasm.

Ron was completely bewildered.

"Me?... Huh?.....Scar?... What...what about Harry?"

"Say my name, Weasley?"

Ron spun around on the spot, to find none other than Harry behind him, Draco Malfoy right beside him.'

"You two should keep your voices down. We could hear you all the way from the Great Hall. What's the matter?" he mocked openly, looking from Ron to Hermione, "Trouble in paradise?"

"Shove off, Potter," Hermione spat, and she tried to leave, but Harry blocked her path.

"Not so fast, Granger."

"What are you staring at, Weasley?" asked Malfoy, his eyes narrowed.

For Ron was looking at Harry with wide eyes. If Ron had not recognized his voice, he would have mistaken him for someone else. He was different. His piercing emerald eyes had a menacing glare about them, and his hair was short and spiked. His glasses were missing too, but that wasn't the only thing. His forehead was tan and smooth, and the infamous lightning bolt scar was nowhere to be seen. Instead, a jagged gauge ran down the length of his face, from just above his right eyebrow all the way down to his chin. He was also wearing different robes. Robes that bore the Slytherin crest.

"What the bloody hell did you do to yourself! And what the hell are you doing with Malfoy, and in those robes?!?"

"I'm with Draco because I want to be; and as for my robes, would you rather me be naked?"

"But you... you're in Gryffindor!"

At this, Harry and Malfoy burst out laughing.

"Me, in... Gryff... Gryffin......dor..." he choked between screams of hysterical laughter.

"Ah, Weasley," he chuckled, wiping a tear from his eye as he controlled himself. "Always good for a laugh."

"Yeah," commented Malfoy. "Not completely useless like Granger, here."

"I don't know," Harry smirked, raising an eyebrow. "I can think of a few useful things the mudblood could do."

This was breaking point for Ron. He had known something was up since seeing Harry's appearance, robes, and who was in his company; but for Harry to call Hermione a -

**slap**

Hermione's hand connected with Harry's jaw, and he stumbled backwards and into Malfoy. He looked up at her, a look of deepest loathing on his face, his lip bleeding slightly. He wiped it off using his sleeve, and turned to Malfoy.

"Come on; Let's go."

Ron stared into the protruding back of his so-called best friend as he walked away, trying to make sense of the situation.

"Hermione, what in Merlin's name is going on here?"