Sweet, fluffy romantic interlude with
Ron and Hermione. No spoilers! Dedicated to Caz TF1 xx Love ya honey!
Hermione sighed into the darkness.
Setting down her Arithmancy textbook, she drew her legs up beneath her
and checked her watch in the dying firelight. After midnight. The common
room had emptied promptly that night, as it was a Sunday. Hermione herself
was in no hurry to get to bed. She hadn’t been sleeping too well of late.
While the more serious things preyed on her mind, she hated to admit that
the less serious matters, matters of the heart, were another cause of
great insomnia for her. Hermione closed her eyes and tried in vain to
empty her mind of thought. After five fruitless minutes she gave up.
“Oh Ron,” she murmured. She liked the
way his name sounded. Ron. Ron and Hermione - she fought back a wishful
smile.
“Hermione…you’re a girl!”
his incredulous realisation echoed painfully in her mind. Ron’s weakness
for good looks and a pretty face caused her much frustration. Her looks
were, well reasonable! Sure she was no Fleur or Cho, but now her teeth
were smaller and she held herself more confidently. She was definitely
OK. Viktor had certainly thought so. But fond as she was of him it wasn’t
Viktor who knew exactly how to get to her, it wasn’t Viktor who made her
melt with a single smile and it definitely wasn’t Viktor she wanted. But
did Ron see that?
* * *
Ron stood just behind the doorway into
the common room, watching her. She’s beautiful he thought. His
stomach kicked at the thought of her. Her eyes…her temper…the way she
laughed. He had come downstairs, unable to sleep looking for a place to
think and instead found the perfect opportunity to…to…to what? Tell her?!
He wet his lips nervously. The thought of the words was enough to make
the bottom drop out of his stomach. Then all of a sudden she looked up.
“RON!” she cried, flushing furiously.
Ron started and crossed the threshold.
“I…ah…sorry,” he stammered. She glared
at him haughtily. He smiled nervously.
“Sorry,” he began again, “I was erm,
looking for parchment - couldn’t sleep y’know…” Her face softened and
she moved up to make space for him on the sofa. He sat down and enjoyed
the feeling of the warmth of where she had sat. They sat like this, in
comfortable silence for a while staring at the fire.
“D’you…” “So uh…” they started at the
same time. Looking at each other smiling the ice was broken. Ron laughed
at himself. This was Hermione after all. She had seen him in his pyjamas,
in his Weasley jumper, and for heaven’s sake puking up slugs!
He sneaked a sideways looks at her. She swallowed, and
if Ron wasn’t so sure of her personality he might have said she was blushing.
But despite himself he couldn’t look away. She slowly turned to look at
him. He slowly raised his hand and reached to stroke her cheek. He heard
her breath catch. He was leaning forward to her, ever closer then he softly
placed his mouth on hers in the gentlest of kisses.
Snap.
He sprung back to reality, and for one awful moment it
was fourth year…Yule Ball time…she was Fleur Delacour and he was the village
idiot. He sprang back and did the only thing that made sense and started
to leave.
But he felt a hand on his arm. He turned slowly burning
with embarrassment and caught Hermione’s shining gaze.
“Oh god…Hermione I’m sorry.” He mumbled. Which was a lie.
He wasn’t at all sorry. He was just having problems in controlling his
knees which it would seem had turned to the consistency of jelly.
“Ron…” God I love the way she says my name, he thought.
She stood up slightly panicky.
“Please don’t go.”
“Wha…” he began but was cut off by
Hermione.
“Because I…I…I’ve been so stupid! You’ve
been so stupid! You….you…probably don’t know what that meant to me, but…but…Ooh,
I don’t know! All the fighting, snapping, and all the time I’ve just been
wanting to…to…” she dissolved into tears. Completely flabbergasted Ron
reached out to touch her shoulder. Bloody hell, he thought. Swallowing
his amazement, he began to talk.
“Her…Hermione I’m sorry,” he
said softly. “I’ve been…a real git to you. You don’t deserve it. And well,
I really…I really like you - as a friend, and more. And I do know, or
at least hope I know what that meant because it’s what I’ve wanted for
a while now.” His ears were now burning more than ever as she looked up
positively beaming through her tears. His grin grew and before they knew
it, they stood holding each other and smiling.
“I…I…” started Ron and gave up as Hermione
reached up to put her arms round his neck and slowly brought her lips
to his. She melted as he returned the kiss and softly stroked her upper
arm. They pulled back and Ron locked her gaze and watched her eyes glitter
in the darkness.
