‘Ron,’ Harry said, ‘is something wrong? You are so quiet---’

‘Let me guess,’ said Seamus, who was grinning mischievously, and then placed his arm around Ron’s shoulder. ‘HERMIONE---and I believe that it concerns Viktor Krum again!’ Ron just pushed Seamus, who was laughing, away.

‘Hermione?’ Harry said, now grinning as well. ‘Let me tell you something, mate. You keep on bothering her and then you get upset when you upset her---What is wrong with that picture?’

‘Bothering her?!’ Ron snapped, running his hand through his hair. ‘I’m helping her! I’m her friend, Harry! For all we know, that git may be cheating on her! If I ever caught him---I swear I’ll kill him right then and there---with my bare hands!’ His friends looked at him and then laughed.

‘Cheating on her?’ Dean said. ‘How many times does Hermione have to tell you that they are NOT together?!’

‘I don’t think so! Why is he writing to her, then?!’ Ron snapped.

‘Ah—er—because—they’re FRIENDS?!’ Seamus said, looking at him as if he was crazy and then they all roared with laughter again, which annoyed Ron. ‘You do write to Hermione, right?’

‘I don’t care---’ Ron grumbled. ‘He shouldn’t be writing to her---’ All his friends just looked at him and then laughed again.

After a few seconds, they reached the huge doors of the Great Hall. Harry opened it and they were greeted by a thousand live bats, candles in pumpkins, many flaming orange streamers swimming across the ceiling, pumpkins as large as garden sheds and other Hogwarts students. The Great Hall looked splendid for the Halloween Feast, as usual.

They walked towards the Gryffindor table. Everybody was there, but Hermione wasn’t sitting on her usual spot---she was sitting in between Lavender and Parvati. Ron looked at her but she just pouted, flipped her hair and then looked the other way. Ron narrowed his eyes and then slumped on the chair beside Harry, who was opposite Hermione. He looked at Hermione again and then ate his food. Everybody had a good time except for Hermione and Ron who were both awfully quiet. The bitterness continued the whole night, despite Harry’s countless attempts to make a decent conversation with the two of them.

‘Ready to go, Harry?’ said Ron. Harry just looked at him and then to Hermione.

‘Hermione?’ Harry said. ‘Are you ready to go?’ Ron just stared at Harry in disbelief.

‘Yeah, but I’m walking with Lavender, Parvati and Ginny---’

‘Ron and I will be walking with you ladies, then!’ Ron’s eyes widened in shock. ===================================

 

They were on their way to their common room when they heard a familiar, horrible and extremely cold voice.

‘Hello Potty, Weasel and Mudblood!’ Draco said and then he looked at Lavender and Parvati. ‘Twits---’ He turned his gaze back to Hermione.

‘Go away, Malfoy!’ Hermione yelled. ‘You---’

‘Shut your mouth, Mudblood. Don’t you dare interrupt me when I’m talking. You disgust me too much!’ This made Ron red with anger. He stepped in front of Hermione and then pushed Draco which caused him to fall on the ground. Ron looked at him with threatening eyes and then turned to face Hermione. Draco looked outraged. He stood up and then brushed his clothes.

‘Are you---’ Ron said to Hermione but was interrupted when Draco pushed him, which caused him and Hermione to lose their balance and to fall on the ground---Ron on top of her. This made Lavender and Parvati giggle while Harry was looking at them with amazed eyes. Draco sniggered and then walked off.

‘Happy Halloween, Weasley!’ Draco said while walking arrogantly and laughing his head off. Harry waited until he was sure that Draco was gone before saying something.

‘Aren’t you two going to stand up?!’ he said playfully. Ron immediately stood up and then brushed his clothes. He offered his hand to Hermione, which she took hesitantly.

‘I—er—I’ll go ahead,’ said Ron and then hurried to their Common Room while thinking, ‘Oh my God---I was this close to kissing her! Damn!’ He couldn’t help but smile.

‘Hermione,’ Parvati said, ‘your face is all red.’

‘Oh, is it? I have allergies---’ she said while placing her hands on her face. ‘Oh my God---I was this close to kissing him! Damn!’ she thought and she couldn’t help but smile. ==================================

 

Ron went to bed early that night, but he couldn’t sleep. The incident where he became “extra” close to Hermione kept on replaying in his mind and he couldn’t help but smile. He quickly sat up and then scribbled a note to Harry. He went to the place where Harry keeps his Firebolt, unlocked it, took the broomstick and then attached the note. He walked towards the window near his bed, opened it and then flew towards the 7^th year’s girls’ dorm.

‘Goodluck,’ he said to himself while soaring into the air with Harry’s Firebolt. He reached the window beside Hermione’s bed in just a few seconds. He peeked at the window and saw that Hermione was asleep. He became nervous but he tapped the window softly, anyway. He saw Hermione slowly look at the window. He prepared himself for the worse.

‘Oh, Ron,’ she whispered, opening the window. ‘What are you doing here? It’s 10:30 already--am I dreaming?’ Ron frowned a little.

‘No, you are not Hermione,’ said Ron, blushing, ‘I was just—I wanted to talk to you—and I couldn’t wait until tomorrow---’ Hermione smiled.

‘Alright then, I will take that as a yes. I am indeed dreaming---I’ll just get my robe.’ This made Ron frown. He waited for a few seconds until Hermione appeared in her Hogwarts robe with her pink nightdress underneath. He smiled and then assisted her on the broomstick, since Hermione wasn’t very keen on flying. She sat in front of him, leaning on his chest, while he placed his arms around her and held the broom at the same time.

‘Fancy a broomstick ride on a Halloween night?’ he asked softly, which made her smile.

‘You know, I’m always up for anything---as long as I’m doing it with you,’ was her reply. Ron looked at her and then smiled. He nodded and then immediately soared into the air as he showed her the world from a different point of view. Hermione looked both happy and amazed at the great views, and the tumbling and freewheeling that they were doing. The sights were unbelievable and her feelings were beyond description. One moment they were flying three feet above the sea and the next moment they were flying in the clouds with the beautiful birds.

‘This is beautiful, Ron.’ Ron just looked at her.

‘Hold on, because I’m not quite done yet,’ said Ron and then he did a Wronski Feint which scared Hermione. She covered her eyes with her hand but Ron took her hand into his and then whispered, ‘Don’t close your eyes. Trust me, this is beautiful.’ Hermione looked at him and then snuggled further into his chest. They were floating three feet above the sea again when Ron broke the silence.

‘Hermione, I just wanted to tell you—that--’

‘Yes, Ron?’

‘I’m sorry for being such a prat. It’s just that—I’m going to be honest with you, Hermione. I’m jealous of Viktor Krum---I hate him because---I know he likes you---the same way that I do---’ Hermione was looking at him now, straight in the eyes.

‘You amaze me Hermione---when you talk, you make me listen. I just love watching you, whatever it is that you are doing. When I’m not with you it just feels so different, because all I want is to have you here with me. And your smile, it just brightens my day. Everything about you completes me and that’s what you do, Hermione---’ but he was interrupted by Hermione who hugged him.

‘I feel the same for you, Ron. I have been waiting for this for a long time---’ They just savored the moment of being near each other. Holding each other just felt so right. ‘I kept my feelings, Ron. I kept my dreams of you and me.’ Ron slowly pulled away but Hermione didn’t let go. ‘Don’t let go, Ron. Please make it last all night---Just hold me close---’

‘Dreams?’ Ron asked, pulling her closer. Hermione snorted.

‘Yeah,’ she said, looking up to him. ‘That is why I don’t want you to let go. Sooner or later, Parvati or Lavender will wake me up which means that I’ll be back to reality---us, hating each other---’

‘But,’ said Ron, smiling, ‘you are not dreaming, Hermione---’

‘Yeah, right. That’s what you told me last night---in my dream---before Lavender woke me up---’ Ron just held her closer and he never felt any happier in his entire life. They flew back to Hogwarts at exactly midnight.

‘Goodnight, Hermione,’ said Ron while covering her with a very warm blanket as she lay comfortably in her bed. ‘I’ll see you tomorrow and sweet dreams.’ He walked off and then hopped on his broomstick when he heard Hermione’s whisper.

‘Ron!’ Hermione stuck her head out the window and then whispered, ‘Ron, come here!’ Ron flew towards the window but Hermione continued gesturing for him to get closer and closer and closer---and before he knew it, he was kissing the girl of his dreams, Hermione. Their kiss was very brief but sweet and meaningful. After a few seconds, they both pulled away with their eyes closed.

‘Goodnight, Ron,’ said Hermione. ‘I really had a great time---the best dream that I have ever had of you. No interruptions, at all.’ =======================================

 

‘Hermione!’ Lavender yelled. ‘Wake up! We are going to be late!’

‘Good morning,’ Hermione said dreamily.

‘Hermione!’ Parvati yelled. ‘You left your window open?! It was bloody freezing this morning!’ Upon hearing what Parvati said, she immediately jumped off her bed and then looked at the window.

‘It is open. But it can’t be---it was---,’ she thought, but shrugged off the idea. She snapped out of her thoughts when she saw Parvati standing in front of her with raised eyebrows. She immediately changed into her school robes and then hurried to the Great Hall with her friends for breakfast. They walked towards their table and Ron was there with Harry and Neville. She looked a little uncomfortable when she passed by Ron, since she just had a very romantic dream about him last night. ‘If only---’ she thought. Ron caught her looking at him, which made her immediately look away.

After breakfast, Hermione was arranging her books when she felt someone cover her eyes. She held the hands covering her eyes with her hand and then placed it on her shoulders. She looked up and was definitely shocked to see---Ron. He was grinning at her and then quickly gave her a quick kiss on her cheek.

‘Ready to go?’ he asked brightly, handing her a rose. Hermione blinked her eyes a million times before answering and taking the rose.

‘Er—yeah,’ was her reply. Everybody in the Gryffindor table just looked at them with surprised look on their faces.

‘Bloody hell?!’ Seamus said, grinning. Harry just shrugged.

‘May I?’ he asked, referring to the books.

‘Oh, sure,’ said Hermione, looking very shocked. Ron carefully arranged her books and then carried it with his arm while offering his free hand for Hermione to hold. Hermione took it gently as she stood up from her chair and they walked off holding hands.

‘Ron, so last night was---’

‘Real---it was real Hermione,’ he said. ‘Every single thing about last night was real.’

‘You mean I wasn’t dreaming?’

‘No,’ he said while pulling her closer for another brief but sweet kiss. ‘Does that prove it?’

‘Let me see,’ said Hermione, opening her eyes. ‘Make it a little longer and maybe I’ll believe you—’ Ron let go of all the books in his arms, placed it on the table and then walked back to Hermione. He held her face with his two hands and then kissed her passionately and sweetly.

‘So, you are my boyfriend---’ Hermione said, looking up to him with dreamy eyes.

‘Correct.’

‘I am your girlfriend---’

‘Correct, again.’ Hermione was about to say something when Ron took her hand and then led her to the huge doors of the Great Hall. ‘I’m walking you to your class.’

‘Okay, I was just making sure,’ said Hermione, walking off and holding Ron’s hand, while keeping herself from jumping up and down. ‘Halloween is definitely my favourite holiday!’ she thought.