Everything was over. Harry had finally killed him. After a long, torturous night they had won the war. The Hogwarts nursery was a total mess, with injured witches and wizards everywhere, both helping to heal the wounds caused by the death eaters and waiting to be healed.
Lavender Brown was happy to be there, though. For the first time in her life she felt part of something important, she thought as she applied some dittany over a first year's wounded arm. After Bill Weasley revised the wounds that Fenrir had inflicted on her he told her that she would be alright, except for some changes of her life style in the near future; changes Bill had suffered himself when he was attacked by the same monster a year ago. It wasn't a big deal once she stopped to think about all the people that had died that night, including Bill's brother. She moved her eyes from the first year's arm to the red haired woman who was healing her husband's wounds in the bed next to her. Molly Weasley was the strongest woman she had ever known. After losing one of her beloved children, she stood still and kept fighting until the end. That was the family trait that every Weasley had shown during the war, especially one of them. Lavender searched around the room with her eyes until she saw a familiar red mane moving very fast. Ronald Weasley, his ex boyfriend and now war hero was there, handing out the dittany and bandage supplies to all the improvised healers, raising his eyes now and then to look at something. He had accompanied Harry in his mission to destroy you know who, so she didn't have the chance to see him before the war, but when he appeared that night at Hogwarts she found herself facing a complete strange. Lavender thought of it as she watched him. Definitely there was something different about him, but she couldn't tell what. The cuts on his face, one over his left eyebrow and the other across his cheek were still bleeding, but he didn't seem to care. He kept looking away as he handed the bandages to a third year girl, who was staring at him in awe. Curious, Lavender followed his eyes to discover the object of his attention. She shook her head at the realization that what Ron was looking at what nobody else than Hermione Granger, his best friend and the woman who had took him away from her a year ago. Lavender laughed at the last thought. For many months she hated the girl just because her boyfriend had chosen the 'bookworm', like she used to call Hermione, over her. It took her a whole year to understand that Ron never cheated on her, but still there was that special 'something' her ex boyfriend and his friend had always had, and yet still, she couldn't explain to herself what it was. Watching the scene in front of her eyes, she realized that this was her opportunity to finally figure out what was that special bond that Hermione and Ron shared.
So she waited patiently, watching as he made his way through the people and towards Hermione, who happened to be walking towards the door, close enough for Lavender to hear.
-'Mione is everything alright? Where are you going?-
'Mione? What kind of nickname is that? Lavender thought as she watched the object of the pet name stopping on her tracks and turning around to look at Ron. She smiled warmly at him, her eyes shinning, and though she had blood and dust all over her face, she had never seen Hermione that pretty.
-I will go to check on the house elves; maybe they need some help – She simply said, the smile never leaving her face and added- After all they have done for us, we owe them at least that- blushing at the same time for apparently no reason.
House elves? That was what Lavender couldn't understand. Hermione was totally different to Ron, in almost every single way. Still, he was there, looking at her in a way that, though he was at a prudent distance from the girl, Lavender felt uneasy just by watching them.
-You don't need to worry, I will do it – Ron statement was not a question, he was going to do it.
There again, Ronald Weasley taking care of house elves? Nothing seemed to make sense to her.
- Let me go for some bandages and dittany in case I need them- He turned around but suddenly stopped, frozen on the spot.
Lavender moved her eyes from his face to his hand, which was held tightly by Hermione's.
-Ron it's not necessary…
He faced her once again and took her hand in both his. Swallowing hard at the realization of the intimacy of the moment, he looked up at her and gave her one of his best smiles.
It was almost impossible and hurtful for Lavender to compare all the times she had taken his hand to the scene she was now witnessing.
-I know, but I'll do it anyways. You should go to the common room to eat something and have some rest.
Anyone who was able to hear that would think of them as an old married couple
-I'm neither hungry nor tired, Ron. Besides, there is much help needed here
Lavender looked at Ron. He seemed desperate to protect the girl in front of him, in all the possible ways. His eyes went from her eyes to the cut she had over her lower lip and then to her hands and wrists, that seemed to be wounded as well. Once again he raised his eyes to hers. Oh, that look again.
-If you want to help me, go to eat and have some sleep.
To Lavender's surprise, Hermione stayed silent for a moment, staring at him in a way that again made her feel uncomfortable about watching such an intimate moment.
-If you think I will go to sleep and eat while everyone is helping down here you don't know me at all, Ronald. Besides now that you're a war hero there's no way I'm leaving you alone so all the girls can throw themselves at you. Absolutely not.
She had heard a thousand times at Ron saying how much he hated to be called "Ronald", but he didn't seem to be mad at all. Her eyes went from him, who was in a state that was difficult to describe, with his eyes wide open and his face red as his hair, to Hermione, who looked away from him for the first time as she blushed furiously.
-You're a war heroine too, but even if you weren't I'm not about leaving you alone 'Mione. Never again.
Never again. What had happened between them for Ron to make such a promise? She would never know for sure, but it was something important because as he said those words Hermione looked at him again, with pain, relief and happiness at the same time. Ron squeezed her hand and then pulled away, trying to compose himself.
-So, what do you say if we go to see the house elves and then to the common room so you can have something to eat and maybe sleep a few hours?
Sleep and eat were Ron's favorite things to do in the world. Why was he worried about someone else doing them before himself? Was that part of love, to put everything aside to make sure that this other person is alright? Of course she would do that for her parents, of even for Parvati, but there was something else, something she couldn't describe that made this gesture of Ron special and unique before her eyes. She looked at Hermione, who seemed to be as amazed as her.
-Actually it would be great to take a proper shower after all these months- She finally admitted. Ron rolled his eyes and shook his head. – Fine! But just a couple of hours…
-Three hours- he spotted back
-Two hours and forty-five minutes and I will come down here and help.
Lavender stared at them in amazement. Ron was telling Hermione what to do and she was almost okay with it. It was clear that the war that changed them. A year ago that conversation would have ended up in a row in the middle of the common room, with birds coming out of Hermione's wand surely.
-Fine, I give up, you win. I will take a shower and eat lots of food and sleep three hours – Hermione sighed and looked at him – Seriously, you have to stop doing that.
-Doing what? - Ron looked at her, totally puzzled.
But Lavender knew exactly what Hermione was talking about.
-Looking at me with those homeless puppy dog eyes- she said trying to sound mad, unsuccessfully of course. Then she added in a lower tone, but loud enough for Lavender to hear -You look like you would die if I say 'no'.
Ron turned red in a split second and laughed nervously. In that exact moment Lavender knew that Hermione was lost. She really loved Ron when they were dating, but Hermione could see inside of him in a way no one else could. How wrong she had been all this time, thinking that she could love him better than Hermione.
-I would actually die if you said 'no'
There was something in the way they kept staring at each other that made Lavender think they weren't talking about sleep and eat anymore.
-You know I can't say "no" to you.
That look again. Lavender looked away this time, and only looked back at them again when she heard Ron laughing.
-Hermione Granger, the brightest witch of our age is admitting that she's not able to do something. Unbelievable!
She scowled him, but then laughed along.
-Let's go 'Mione, the house elves won't free themselves on their own.
The old Ron, the one who made jokes about everything appeared before Lavender's eyes again. And she saw that Hermione like that Ron too. She simply patted him on the head and shook her head, like she saw Hermione doing it so many times during the previous years.
-Alright, but I'll let your mother know of our plans first, so she won't get worried if she doesn't see you around.
His mother. His family. Fred. Suddenly it came to her that just a few hours ago one of Ron's brothers had died. She wanted to tell him how sorry she was for his lost, but he looked so happy now. Of course he was suffering, but maybe…maybe that's why he insisted on Hermione taking a nap and something to eat. He had already lost a loved one, so he wanted to take care of the others. He loved Hermione. Suddenly it hit her. Flashes of Ron vomiting giant slugs, defending her from Malfoy, staring at her when they didn't speak to each other, covering her body with his frame to protect her during the fight at Hogwarts of last year and many others memories came to her mind, making her realize how blind she had been. He didn't love Hermione. He had always loved her. Just in the moment she came back to the present Hermione turned around and started to walk away. Hesitating, but only a fraction of second, Ron grabbed her arm and pulled her towards him, giving her a small, chaste peck on the lips.
Once he pulled apart, he looked at her, smiling like never before. She opened her eyes and their eyes met as Hermione's ability to speak and think came back to her slowly.
– 'Mione, my mom… - He reminded her, pointing at his mother who was next to Lavender.
-Right. Your mother. – She couldn't form a coherent thought yet - I'll go.
Probably no one else but herself saw them that night, Lavender thought. But they didn't need to snog senseless in front of everyone to make known that they were in love.
A cry from the boy she was healing took her back to her own reality.
-I'm sorry- She apologized, realizing at how bad she had put the bandage around the boy's arm. Once she was finally done she looked at the spot where Ron and Hermione had been standing a few minutes ago, but they weren't there anymore. She just smiled.
After all this time, she was finally starting to see that twisted relationship between her Won-Won and the bookworm on a whole new light. Perhaps that was part of the changes Bill mentioned.