"I don't care what house I'm in as long as she's not in it." Ron had grumbled earlier on the train, so it wasn't a surprise that when Hermione Granger was called up to be sorted, Ron held his breath. He watched Hermione Granger, almost knocking over the stool with anticipation, help Professor McGonagall by jamming the Sorting Hat on her head. The hat was not quick and let Hermione suffer a few long moments as he debated what house to put her in. Finally, the hat shouted, "RAVENCLAW!" and Ron was almost positive he clapped the loudest of all.

"Oh my God." Ron groaned. "We have Transfiguration with the Ravenclaws." Ron groaned once they were handed their fourth year schedules.

"What's so bad about that?" Harry said.

"Transfiguration is so hard. And those Ravenclaws are so smart they make we, I mean, me, look bad. Plus, that Hermione Granger is such a know-it-all." Ron moaned.

"Haha ya, I guess you're right." Harry said.

"But I'm serious. If you can find a more annoying person than her, please tell me." Ron laughed.

"Malfoy." Harry said flatly.

"He's crude, not obnoxiously intelligent."

"Percy?"

"Oi! He may be a prat, but he's still my brother." Ron said defensively.

"Right. Well, I guess we're just gonna have to tough it out with the Ravenclaws then." Harry said bracingly.

Transfiguration wasn't as bad as Ron had thought. Professor McGonagall was strict, but still favored Gryffindor, so they had the slightest bit of layaway in her class. The Ravenclaws, though all know-it-alls, were not hostile against the Gryffindors, so they were somewhat enjoyable classmates. Though McGonagall was true to her own house, it didn't keep Ron out of trouble one bit.

"Weasley, how come your teacup still has a face?"

"Weasley, did you hear anything I just said?"

"Weasley, list Gamp's five laws of Transfiguration."

"Weasley! Pay attention!"

"Potter! Weasley! Stop talking!"

On one particular day, Ron and Harry were playing hangman in Ron's 'fun notebook'. Ron had a notebook dedicated to the particular doodles he and Harry made in class. They played games, wrote notes and scribbled comments about the class. Ron snickered loudly, and McGonagall stopped abruptly. "I'm sorry, there seems to be two conversations going on here. One between the class and I, and one between Potter and Weasley." Ron's ears turned red, and he saw Hermione-know-it-all-Granger smirk. She wouldn't know what fun was if it hit her upside the head; she sat alone in every class, and Ron assumed it was because no one wanted to sit with her.

McGonagall marched right up to Harry and Ron's desk and snatched the notebook. She began to examine the notes written all over the page.

There were phrases used in hangman like The Chudley Cannons are the best team or Slytherins suck, there were casual conversations like So who do you think will be the Hogwarts school champion? There were times were they actually talked about school, I don't get this one bit, I'm going to FAIL Transfiguration, there were random doodles, and there were comments and complaints about the class. Another question...and another Ravenclaw answers. What a surprise! or Who's gonna answer this one? Oh, wait, why bother asking, of course it's Hermione Granger. C'mon, Ron, she's not that bad. Had she not answered that question the other day we would've gotten extra homework. Yeah, but who knows that stuff anyway, Harry? Obviously if she spends that much time studying she doesn't have a life...or friends. Lol." With that, McGonagall looked up at them. Ron's whole face was red, and he and Harry had sunk low in their chairs. They were in trouble, she was going to confiscate the notebook and read through all of it. Bloody hell, what if she found the page where they rated all the 4th year girls!

"Mr. Weasley, pack your bags." He was gone, he knew it. He was off to see Professor Dumbledore. "And move them next to Miss Granger. It will be your permanent seat for the rest of the year."

It was hard to see who was more disappointed at this, Ron or Hermione. Ron sulked over to her desk and the pompous smile Hermione had been wearing so proudly before at the sight of them in trouble quickly vanished. Harry let out a sigh of relief, and Professor McGonagall looked extremely satisfied.

With that, class was about over, and everyone began to pack up their things.

"And, Weasley, could I see you after for a moment?" Harry and Ron exchanged nervous glances before Ron pouted over to her desk. Why was it always him? Harry was just as much a part of this, but he got away with everything, just because he was the Boy Who Lived. And yet Ron had to stay after class AND sit next to Hermione Granger for the ENTIRE YEAR!

"Just by flipping through these pages briefly, I know there's enough information hidden inside to get both you and Mr. Potter suspended." She said strictly.

"I'm sorry, Professor, we didn't mean for anyone to see it." Ron said, ashamed.

"Well, I sure hope so, because there would be many angry fourth-year girls." She said more lightly, and handed him the notebook, and Ron gaped in disbelief. "Just don't let me see this in my class again. And don't speak of this." She said with a hint of a smile.

"Yes, anything, Professor!" Ron said, his face forming a wide grin.

He started to walk away, before McGonagall added, "Oh, and Mr. Weasley,"

"Yes?"

"If you are wondering why I seated you next to Hermione Granger,"

"I have been, actually,"

"Then you ought to know that just by skimming through the pages I notice you have some unneeded hostility against Miss Granger that I feel the need to diminish. Also, hopefully by sitting next to her all year, maybe some of her intelligence will rub off to you."

"Keep dreaming." Ron laughed, and McGonagall gave him a knowing look that had him on his way.