Written for Hogwarts Online II Prompt of the day.
Prompt Sunday February 10: "The only reason why I'm with her is to stop thinking about you."
Author's note: I wrote this story for the prompt of the day. It was written on time, but due to trying to find a beta (because my normal one was really busy) and due to real life issues, I had to wait a while to put this story up.
This story makes my 130th story on fan fiction. In ten years I wrote 130 stories. Thank you to those who have always been a fan of my stories. Thank you to those who review, favor, and alert me. I know I haven't been good lately on responding to reviews, but thank you to those who do review. They mean so much to me.
For all Ron/Hermione fans. They're my OTP!
Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize. Just the idea.
Ron yawned as he walked into the home he shared with his best mate Harry. After the war, they moved into Number 12, Grimmauld Place. It made perfect sense for them both to be together until they were able to be on their own. Ron and Harry had always been best mates since Harry first saw Ron. After the war, they both needed the comfort from one another. As friends, they confided in everything. Well, almost everything. Ron didn't tell Harry he started seeing Lavender Brown again after the war. When the war was over, Lavender was taken to St. Mungo's hospital. The Healers there patched Lavender up the best they could. She was bitten by Greyback, but saved by Seamus who took her there.
During a visit with Lavender at the Hospital, Ron was informed by Lavender that she still had feelings for him. Deep down, he discovered he had feelings for Lavender. Sure, he kissed Hermione during the war, but he knew it wouldn't work out for she wanted to remain friends. They were always best friends, and best friends was what they would stay to be. Ron pushed Hermione out of his mind forever. A kiss after a nurse left told Ron he wanted to be with Lavender.
He blinked again once he realized the cold coffee was empty. Reality brought him back from his memory when he heard a voice from the past come into his kitchen.
"Morning," Hermione said coming from the living room to the kitchen. Ron turned around. He was shocked to see her there.
"'Hermione?" He recognized her voice right away, but for once he didn't want to hear it.
"Harry and Ginny went on a brunch date," she said as she poured her cold coffee down the drain. Ron scooted away from her so she wouldn't be close to him. He smelled her hair out of habit. Even with her a few inches away, he could still smell her hair. When he realized what he was doing, he shook his head and cleared his throat.
"Brunch date, huh?"
"They had to meet your parents."
"Hermione, why are you here?"
"Ron, they're getting married. That's why they are meeting your parents."
"Didn't you hear what I asked you?" Ron said rudely.
"I did, and I'm getting to that if you would just let me talk. Didn't you hear me say they're getting married?" She stared at him square in the eyes.
"Bloody hell, Hermione. I know they're getting married. Harry is my best mate," Ron said angrily. He stormed off into the living room. She followed him, which was not something he wanted her to do.
"I was here because Ginny needed to borrow a shirt of mine for the brunch," Hermione continued ignoring his rude response.
An exchanged glares from the two of them caused each other to be quiet for a moment before Hermione started speaking again.
"Excuse me, Ronald, but I thought you would be happier for them!" she shouted at him.
Ron rolled his eyes and walked up the stairs of Grimmauld Place. She followed him.
"Oh, of course. How could have I forgotten. All you care about is your own little world and your own little girlfriend."
Ron froze in mid-step, turned around and glared at her as she backed down one step.
"You may hate her, but I like her. Keep in mind, she is my girlfriend. Not you. You had your chance and missed it. You weren't ready for a relationship yet, remember?"
Ron was cold. He knew he was, but her words stung and hurt just as bad.
"Ron, that was harsh."
She said Ron. He grimaced. He knew he was in trouble when she said Ron for she always used Ronald when they argued.
"Hermione, the only reason why I'm with her is to stop thinking about you. That kiss during the war meant more to me than anything. It was as if the whole reason of me trying to protect you during the war meant something. It may have not meant anything to you, but it meant a lot to me."
Hermione threw her hands up with tears forming in her eyes.
"Not meaning anything to me? Ron, are you stupid? I'm sorry, but yes, I wasn't ready for a relationship. Yes, I may have been worried about the future, but you know what? That's me, Hermione Granger. I'm always going to be worried about the fu-did you just say what I think you said?" She put her hands to her forehead and rubbed it in confusion.
"I never stopped loving you. Yes, I'm dating Lavender, but I don't even think I love her yet. With you, I've always loved you. Ever since you told me about the dirt on my nose."
"Then why did you date Lavender in sixth year instead of me?" Hermione asked him as she took the conversation to the second level of the home he shared with Harry.
"Why did you go to the Yule Ball with Krum?"
"Touché," Hermione stated as a smile formed.
"Hermione, we're always going to argue. We're always not going to like the other person we're dating because we aren't dating each other."
"That doesn't make sense, Ron."
"It does to me."
"What I mean is; the only way we can be happy for each other is if we push our feelings for each other aside. That's why I'm with Lavender." He went to his bedroom. Harry claimed Sirius' room, Ron claimed one of the other empty rooms. She followed him to the room.
"Why can't we be with each other?" she asked softly.
As a gentle spring rain fell outside the windows, Hermione wiped her tears.
"What does that mean?" Ron questioned.
"It means I want you, but I can't have you because you're taken by someone else. You're right. I lost my chance with you."
"No, no you didn't," Ron said Disapparating quickly leaving Hermione alone in the dark.
Hours Later, during the middle of the night
He found Hermione asleep in the dark with the glow of the fire going. Even in the dark, she was pretty to him. She always had been pretty. He knew Harry and Ginny were spending the night at Ginny and Hermione's flat, so they were alone in the house.
"Lavender hates me now, doesn't she?" Hermione said sitting up as Ron put an extra log in the fire.
"She does, but she will get over it. She told me she always had a thing for Seamus, but didn't know how to tell him. She was actually relieved when, well when-"
"When you broke up with her?" Hermione's voice sounded relived.
"I told her the truth. I told her how I've always been in love with you, and always will. I told her I was only with her to stop thinking of you."
"And she accepted that?"
"After she threw the coffee mug in my direction, yes. She said she was glad I was ending it because of her liking Seamus."
"Then why did she throw the mug?" Hermione covered herself with a blanket.
"Because she knew I was going to break up with her. For someone else."
"Didn't you just say she wanted to go out with Seamus? Oh, she confuses me," Hermione said laughing.
Ron laughed with her. He sat next to her on the couch. For the first time that day he felt comfortable sitting next to her.
"Well, I'm sorry she threw something your way when she had feelings for someone else. She wasn't being fair."
"She was, actually. Hermione, I told her something else."
"Oh?"
"I told her I wanted to kiss you today in the kitchen. When you first walked in I just wanted to kiss you." Ron was so honest with Hermione. Rain poured outside as emotions poured inside. Hermione bit her lip, and swallowed hard.
"I wanted to kiss you then too. Seeing you there, in the kitchen made me think of the future."
"Hermione, you're always worrying about the future." He winked at her.
"Yes, but this time, something felt so right. You were washing our dishes. It was as if I had seen something I didn't know was coming later."
"I know. When you walked through the door with a smile on your face, I imagined you married to me."
"Are we always going to be like this?" Hermione asked as she settled against him.
"Argue you mean? We wouldn't be Ron and Hermione if we didn't argue."
"Kiss me," she said suddenly.
"That's random."
"No, it isn't. We've been dancing around the idea all evening—"
Ron took her in his arms and held her close. Taking in her scent of fresh strawberries. He was glad she wasn't using a lavender shampoo because it would have reminded him of Lavender. Ron rolled his eyes, grateful that Hermione wouldn't see him.
He then turned to her at the same time she did.
"Do me a favor, Hermione," Ron said quietly.
"What's that?"
"Don't wear anything lavender scented," he begged.
She poked him in the stomach playfully. He hunched over and said, "Ouch."
"I won't."
He smiled at her knowing he was very glad to hear her voice. The day started out with him wanting to go away from her, to never hear her speak again, but now, he was very thankful for her voice. He loved the sound of her voice.
Hermione kissed his lips softly which surprised him because he always thought he would kiss her first if he had the chance. Ron realized he was ready to have her as a girlfriend. He knew she was ready as well which made it easier for him. Since he broke up with Lavender, Hermione was all he thought about. Hermione was always on his mind and always would be on his mind. He knew he had more than a spark for her. He had a flame. And because of that flame he knew things would last with her forever.
Special thanks: Slytherin Head for being my beta for the past three years.