Rorschach

By MD1016

"What do you see?" Hermione asked, holding up the next card. 

"Evil plum pudding."

Hermione looked at the ink blot.  "You're kidding." 

"No, see it there, like you're looking in the bowl – and that could be a spoon on fire." 

"No." 

"What?" he asked, innocently.  "What's the next one?" 

She shuffled to the next card. 

" Bloody chocolate frogs!  See, there's Dumbledore's card next to the axe!" 

"Ron, it's not chocolate frogs." 

"Of course it is!" 

"No." 

"You said it was open to interpretation." 

Hermione rolled her eyes.  "You don't see Dumbledore in that blot, Ron." 

"I do!  What's the next one?" 

She pursed her lips, pulled the next card up.   

"Cursed licorice wands!"

Hermione slammed the cards down, stood, and Ron broke into laughter.   

"Priceless," he said, chuckling.  He pulled her by the wrist back to the table.  "Why don't you tell me what I'm supposed to see, and I'll tell you if it's there," he suggested. 

She glared at him.  "You're teasing me." 

"Only a little," he admitted.  "Give me the next one." 

She lifted the card.  "It's supposed to be a bunny," she said carefully. 

Ron studied it for a moment.  "A mad, rabid, evil bunny who's eaten a whole roast dinner by himself?" 

"Oh, honestly!"  She threw the cards at him.  Ron laughed again. 

Harry couldn't help but smirk.  Ron had been teasing her relentlessly since he'd broken up with Lavender, and Hermione seemed in a constant state of exasperation.  "Leave her alone," Harry said.  "You'll give her a stroke." 

Ron ignored him. Hermione was already headed for the portrait hole, and he rushed to block her path.  "Hey, what about a game of wizard's chess?" he asked. 

"Fine!" she snapped.  "I'm white." 

Harry sighed.  Maybe Hermione liked the teasing as much as Ron, after all.