Jealousy and Unrequited Love
The sunset was setting beautifully in the sky, with rich shades of red, yellow, and orange, when Hermione decided to take her eyes off the book she was avidly reading and get a breath of fresh air out the window of the library. She had been in there all afternoon and she hadn't even seen Harry or Ron all day! As she walked through the library and opened the window, she caught a glimpse of the Quidditch match that was taking place. However, she had been so involved in studying that she didn't even notice that there was hardly anyone in the library, and that it was probably because everybody was watching the match. At first, she didn't really look hard enough to notice that it was not two Hogwarts teams, but Ravenclaw and another, unfamiliar team. She squinted her eyes to see if she could make out the player's faces, but it was too far. All she could see was the different brown-coloured uniforms glittering in the light of the sunset. A little curious now, she decided to take a study break and go down to the pitch and check out the match.
On her way through the hallways and staircases, she began to think to herself… "Perhaps Harry and Ron are watching the match… I doubt they would be studying somewhere else…" So when she finally got onto the pitch, she looked at the crowd of cheering, smiling, painted faces, and soon spotted Harry sitting with Ginny. She waved at them and they motioned for her to come and sit with them. There was something strange though, and she realized that there was an empty seat… someone was missing… Once she reached them, Harry said "Well it's about time you came and joined in on the fun! we were wondering if you would come to watch the match. We thought you'd never come out of that library!" "Well then why didn't someone call me? We could have gone to the match together!" Hermione replied. "Oh no! We've all tried that before, and every time we do, we either get jinxed or somehow injured for 'disturbing your very important studying'" said Ginny. "Alright, alright, so maybe I do get a little caught up in my school work sometimes… it doesn't mean that I'm not allowed to have fun!" said Hermione. "A LITTLE?.... SOMETIMES? Hermione p-a-leeease you are harder to get to stop studying before you're done, than a dragon to stop breathing fire." said Harry. "Ok, ok, I get it, who's playing today? the team against Ravenclaw looks strange, are they a new team?" asked Hermione. "Oh yeah.. it's Durmstrang's best team… they challenged Hogwarts to a match last week for some 'friendly competition' but the match was cancelled because one of their best players broke their arm, and it was re-scheduled for today." said Ginny. "Oh well that's… Ginny did you say Durmstrang?" said Hermione in disbelief. "Yeah… why?" replied Ginny looking confused. "Because..." but Hermione didn't finish her sentence because she was now gazing out at the pitch as though it was a fascinating page of Ancient Runes. When she finally spotted what she was looking for, she turned bright red, and yelled grunting "UGH THAT VICTOR KRUM! I can't believe he would come here!… I told him to stay away!" talking more to herself than anyone else. "What's wrong Hermione? I thought you and Victor were hitting it off?" said Ginny, still confused. "NO!" said Hermione outraged. "THAT GOOD FOR NOTHING JERK TRIED TO-" "HERMIONE STOP YELLING!" screamed Harry "someone is bound to hear you!" "Sorry." said Hermione looking a little embarrassed now. "I just wanted to say that I am so through with him and I never want to talk to him ever again!" she finished angrily. "Why?" asked Ginny "you two were getting along so well… what happened?" "Well let's just say… that HE thought more was going to happen than a kiss goodnight after our date one night!… it was traumatizing… I don't want to talk about it" said Hermione, now changing her mood from angry to tearful. "Oh… I'm sorry" said Ginny, giving her a hug. "If you want to go… I understand… I'll come with…" "No… it's alright." said Hermione quietly. She was getting a little nervous now as she kept on thinking about Victor, so she decided to try and change the topic. "Hey guys…. where's Ron?" she finished, satisfied that she had finally asked the question that she kept getting distracted to ask. Harry and Ginny looked a bit startled, then looked at eachother, back at Hermione, and said "Hermione… there's something you should know…" Harry said looking down at his feet. "What?... guys what happened?... where's Ron?... OH MY GOSH IS HE ALRIGHT?... GUYS ANSWER ME!" her temper rising now. "Hermione relax… let's go for a walk" said Ginny calmly. "I don't want to go for a walk!" said Hermione "I want to know WHERE RON IS!... is somebody going to tell me or not?" she finished viciously without taking a breath. "Just follow us" said Harry "we'll explain on the way." "Fine…" said Hermione trying to calm herself down.
She followed them for a while, and nobody said a word as they walked through the crowded stadium. They eventually reached a peaceful clearing by the lake and Hermione was the first to stop and ask, a little more impatiently now,
"Ok this has gone far enough, somebody tell me what is going on! Where's Ron?" she said, looking back and forth at Harry and Ginny impatiently. "Ok…" started Ginny. She took a deep breath and said "Hermione… Ron is a little… upset." "Why?" said Hermione looking confused. "Well we don't know exactly…" continued Ginny "he was with us all morning, and wasn't in a very good mood… he had heard about the match against Durmstrang and became furious!" she said. "He completely refused to come and watch it with us!" said Harry "which was really strange because we know how much Ron loves Quidditch and being on the pitch." Ginny finished. "I know… that is strange indeed…but where is he? and why was he mad at you guys?" asked Hermione. "Well you can check the common room… or maybe the great hall… we don't know…he didn't say where he was going…and he kept saying stuff like 'How can you not understand! that's DURMSTRANG playing out there! can't you see?!'" said Ginny. "He said that?" said Hermione quietly, now looking down at the ground. "Yeah why?" said Ginny trying to meet her eyes. "Hermione…" started Harry, but before he could continue Hermione looked up, now on the verge of tears and said "I get it now… I understand why… oh my gosh I was so blind… no wonder… I feel horrible… I didn't want to give him the wrong idea… I.. I..." she mumbled. "I NEED TO FIND HIM! Ginny did you say he's in the common room?" she asked. "Well I don't know for sure, but that might be a good place to start, it's quite logical.." but before she could finish Hermione began to run towards the castle, leaving Harry and Ginny looking quite confused and a little worried. "Do you want us to come with you?" yelled Harry after her. "No thanks, this is something I need to do alone" she called back. "Ok" said Ginny, and with that, they made their way back onto the pitch to watch the last few minutes of the match before the sun set completely in the dark sky.
As Hermione walked up to the common room, she started to think of what to say to Ron when she found him. She began to rehearse lines in her head, but nothing seemed to sound sincere enough. She decided that she was going to leave it until she saw him, perhaps then the words would come… When she reached the common room and clearly recited the password to the fat lady, she saw Ron sitting all alone in the middle of the room, which was unusually empty. He was the only one in the room, and was watching something burn in the fire, which when she got closer, realized that it was Victor Krum's figurine that he bought at the Quidditch World Cup. "Hermione!" said Ron looking extremely startled and almost falling off his chair "Why are you?... you're not..." but he seemed so confused that he couldn't get out what he wanted to say. "Ron, I need to talk to you" said Hermione sincerely. "A-a-about what?" said Ron stuttering and looking very nervous. "Well…" Hermione started, but was rudely interrupted by a crowd of Gryffindor students who had just barged into the common room singing and yelling apparently cheerful and excited from the match. "Ok we can't talk in here… follow me" said Hermione getting up quickly and leading Ron out into the hall. "Where are we going?" asked Ron trying to keep up. "The room of requirement…7th floor, come on let's make it there before anyone sees us" said Hermione walking quickly ahead of Ron. "Ok" said Ron distantly looking taken aback. "Whatever you say…" he said. Hermione looked back at him and gave him a warm smile, and Ron blushed.
After a few minutes, the steps seemed as if they would never end, and Ron and Hermione were walking side by side. Ron began to breathe heavily and Hermione noticed right away. "Come on Ron, these stairs will be worth it once you reach the top" said Hermione with that same smile. "Hugh?" Ron grunted "What do you mean they'll be 'worth it?'" he said confusedly. "I just mean that we'll actually be able to talk…" said Hermione mysteriously. "But we're talking right now! I don't understand why we have to walk so far! It's nearly bedtime and I'm getting tired!... Hermione you're not making any sense!" said Ron looking impatient. "Don't worry it will soon enough…" said Hermione. "Alright" said Ron rolling his eyes. So they continued to walk until they finally reached the seventh floor. "Now, do you remember where the room of requirement is?" said Hermione. "YOU'RE ASKING ME?! Hermione you're the map!" said Ron jokingly as Hermione giggled. As she did this, she looked directly at Ron. She stared deeply into his eyes, and contemplated for a moment then slowly reached down Ron's arm, and held his hand. Ron was so shocked that he turned completely white, then bright red, and could do nothing but stare at Hermione in awe. "Come on Ron, keep up!" she said as she continued walking through the corridors, still keeping a firm grip on his hand. "Hermione hang on! what's the hurry? I don't understand why we have to… and…" he looked down at his hand and then back at Hermione and began to sweat. "Her..m..i..oneee…" he stuttered. "Yes Ronald…?" replied Hermione inquisitively with a smile gazing into Ron's dark eyes. "Um... what… why… can I ask… why are you holding my hand?" he said finally all very quickly and looking very disoriented and confused. Hermione looked nervous all of a sudden, but then seemed to relax and give Ron a very warm, comforting smile, and as she did so she held his hand a little tighter and said "Don't worry… I realized something… and I will explain everything shortly… let's just get there before Filch catches us roaming the corridors at night! once we get there we should be safe… so let's hurry!" she said. "Ok…" said Ron still puzzled, but he followed Hermione anyway until they reached the 7th floor.
"Ok we're here… now what?" said Ron. "We have to think of what we need remember? like when we did it for the DA meetings?" said Hermione. "Oh… right" whispered Ron. The two of them thought hard for a place that they could talk, and soon enough a door appeared. "Come on…quickly!… RON!" cried Hermione. "Oh… sorry didn't see the door…" replied Ron. Hermione finally let go of the now extremely sweaty hand she was so desperately clinging on to, and stepped through the small wooden door, holding it open for Ron.
Inside the room, there was a small red couch in the corner, and a warm fireplace infront of it. Hermione was the first to step into the room silently, however as she walked towards the couch, she began to wring her hands, and mutter to herself a little nervously until Ron came in and saw her. She sat down on the couch first, and once Ron came into the room he realized that there was no other place to sit, but on the same small couch as Hermione, and right beside her! because the couch was only big enough for exactly two small people. He sat down uncomfortably, but seemed speechless and waited until Hermione started to talk. "Ron… I just want to let you know that I understand…I mean after all these years I finally understand!" she said taking his hand sympathetically. "What?... what do you understand?" said Ron still looking uncomfortable with the situation. "Ok, let me make this very clear to you…" she leaned over and gave Ron a quick peck on the cheek. "A.. ah… aye… I…" babbled Ron, clearly speechless while he stared blankly into Hermione's beautiful big brown eyes and turned very pale. "O…o….ok?" he stuttered. Hermione giggled and said "This morning while I was in the library, you were with Harry and Ginny, and they wanted to go to the match with you… but you completely refused… and got upset with them. I know why you did… and I know that you weren't really upset at them. That's why I'm here." she said softly. "No… no you don't know why I'm here! You don't understand what I've been feeling! NOBODY GETS IT!" he yelled. "I do!" answered Hermione quietly. "How can you?" Ron replied very gently. "Because I know that all you did after the Yule Ball that night was hit yourself over the head for not asking me first, and I know that I went back to my dormitory and cried the entire night." she said, now on the verge of tears again. "I don't know how I could be so blind! I was so stupid! all I was thinking about was to make you notice me and maybe have some fun with someone that was interested in me as more than just a friend… but then I realized that I was wrong… and Victor… well he didn't turn out to be who I thought he was, and I felt like I lost my chance with you in the process…" she finished quickly without taking a breath. Ron stared at her in amazement and perplexity; he was shocked at her sudden comprehension and was completely speechless. Hermione began to sob uncontrollably at this point and Ron felt that the only thing he could do was try his best to put his nerves and emotions aside, and hold her tight in his arms to make her stop crying. "I'm sorry!" she cried. "No, I'm sorry Hermione… I was jealous… and if I truly loved you I shouldn't have been… I should have been happy for you. I have made up my mind… Victor has the best opportunity with the best girl in Hogwarts, and if you think that I am going to ruin such a good relationship that will make you happy… then you are crazy because…" but Ron didn't finish, because at that moment Hermione placed her finger on his lips, and looked deep into his eyes. "Ron… haven't you heard anything I said?... I dumped Victor…" she said. "WHAT?" said Ron loudly. "Yeah, I thought you knew…" she said. "Why?" asked Ron. "because I realized that he wasn't treating me the way I was meant to be treated… and that I didn't want him… and that I was actually in love with someone else… and that you weren't really jealous of me going out with him, it was more of me being with someone else… and not you…" she said now taking both of his hands in his. "You didn't go to the Quidditch match today because he was there… you got upset at Harry and Ginny because you wanted them to understand and not be worried that you just didn't want to watch, it was because Victor was playing and you wanted them to understand… you wanted me to understand… well now I do Ron… and you know what… I'm sorry for putting you through all of this because there is only one person in this world that I want to be with right now…" Ron stared. His mouth was dry, he felt unable to blink, and his hands were extremely sweaty. However through all of this stiffness, he managed to say one thing "Who?" Hermione looked at him and laughed, she gave him a hug and then really looked into his eyes once more and said "The one person that was always there for me… that never let me down… that stayed by my side through thick and thin… even if he teased me about being smart… Ron… you are my everything… and I am truly sorry." Ron looked tearful, and never felt more moved by anything anyone had ever said to him. He was speechless, but managed to say one more thing as he got closer to Hermione. "I thought you'd never figure it out Hermione… I can't believe this is happening… I really don't know what to say!" he said. "Don't say anything…" said Hermione so close to Ron now that she could see each and every freckle on his face… "I wanted to tell you something…" whispered Hermione. "What?" said Ron. "I love you." she said with a slight smile. "I love you to…" Ron replied. As they got closer… and closer… Ron realized how beautiful Hermione really was… and without further ado, he gathered up his courage, closed his eyes, and kissed her.
From this day forward, they both knew that their first kiss together would be something that they would remember and cherish for the rest of their lives…