Disclaimer: It turned out that my persuasive skills weren't quite up to scratch when it came to owning Harry Potter rights :/
I couldn't concentrate anymore. I tried to write another line of my potions essay but my mind had gone blank and fuzzy. The Gryffindor common room at night was almost impossible to do homework in but I couldn't go in the library because it was past curfew. Even without Fred and George here this year there was still the buzz of talking and loud laughter surrounding me. But I knew that this wasn't what was distracting me. Mostly.
I looked over to the corner where Ron and Lavender had their faces sucked onto each other with disgust. I didn't know what Ron was thinking when he started dating her. They didn't match at all. I thought I knew Ron well enough to know that he wouldn't date a girl like her but I clearly thought wrong. I tried to kid myself that I wasn't jealous and that I didn't have feelings for Ron but I was well past that stage. Even Harry knew how I felt about him even though he hadn't mentioned anything.
I finished the sentence I was writing, and then I closed my potions book and tucked the parchment into it. I looked back over at Ron and Lavender and was surprised to see that Lavender was bright red in the face and yelling at Ron. Funny how things could change in such a short time. I tried to listen to what she was saying but I couldn't over the noise in the room. She stormed up to the girls dorm, Pavarti following, and Ron sat down looking bewildered. Even though I wasn't talking to him, I sent him a small smile from across the room which he returned.
An idea struck me and I grabbed a piece of spare parchment. 'You OK?' I wrote and showed it to him. He grinned catching on and found a piece of parchment himself to write on.
'Tired of drama' he wrote back. It was always the same with Lavender. Drama, drama, drama. She would never understand Ron the way I did, his own sense of humour, the music he liked, the way he loved the autumn leaves and the frost on the pavement in winter. She was trying to stamp out all of those things and mould him into the perfect guy. What Lavender didn't realise was that he was already the perfect guy. For me.
'Sorry' I scribbled down. I wasn't sure whether I was apologising for the way I had been treating him over the past few weeks or whether it was because he was stuck with Lavender, but it was something.
He gave me a small smile and stood up and went to his dormitory. I didn't think he was ready for my apology. I sighed as I gathered up my books and went to my dorm.
The next morning I went to the Great Hall for breakfast. I saw Harry and Ron sitting on the Gryffindor table together and hesitated, wondering if I should sit on it or not. Harry turned around and saw me standing there. He waved, so I went to sit with them.
"Hi, Hermione," Harry said.
Ron just grunted. I couldn't be sure whether I was on speaking terms with him or not but I didn't need to decide.
"Hermione…" Ron said. "You know that you are a brilliant witch?"
"Mmmmm…" I mumbled, blushing slightly.
"Could you please help me practise tickling charms?"
"Ronald, we were set that homework a week ago!" I scolded him, "You should have already practised!"
"Well, I haven't really got round to doing it…" he trailed off.
"Fine, I'll help you at break," I said, rolling my eyes but secretly glad that things were back to normal.
Break time came around and myself and Ron went outside to the grounds to get some peace and quiet to practise the spell.
"Rictusempra!" Ron said, aiming his want at me.
"No, you're not doing it quite right," I said. "You need to move your wand more like this…"
I took hold of his wrist and showed him the hand movement. He caught my eye and felt a blush creeping up my cheeks. I let go of his wrist quickly and cleared my throat and said, "Okay, try again."
"Rictusempra!" he cried again, still failing to make me double up in laughter. "I still can't do it."
There was suddenly a slightly evil glint in his eye. "Wouldn't it be easier this way?"
He grabbed my waist and started to tickle me while I started laughing.
"Stop it!" I shouted through my giggles.
"Never," he smirked.
He continued to tickle me until I was bright red in the face. He stopped and I could feel his breath on my face. I suddenly realised how close he was to me. I quickly pulled away and grabbed my bag.
"Erm… I'd better be off to my next lesson," I said, flustered, running my fingers through my hair. I ran back up the hill towards the castle feeling very confused.
Neither of us noticed a sullen looking Lavender lurking behind a tree.
I sat through Arithmacy, barely even taking in a word the teacher was saying. My thoughts kept on running towards Ron and what happened at break. I couldn't help wishing that I hadn't run away. Would Ron have kissed me? I wasn't too sure. He didn't seem the type to cheat on his girlfriend. But then he didn't seem the type to go out with said girlfriend in the first place. I sighed and put my forehead in my hands. Why was life so confusing? Why were boys so confusing?
The bell rang and I packed up my bags and walked out the classroom, not really paying attention to where I was going. I bumped into a figure and absentmindedly apologised.
"Wait, Hermione!" I quickly realised that that person was Ron. "Erm… about what happened at break…"
He stopped and stood there looking nervous and embarrassed.
"Nothing happened at break," I said flatly. "There's nothing to talk about."
"Yeah, that's what I was thinking," Ron said, not looking too happy.
We walked back into the common room in silence, speaking only to tell the Fat Lady the password. When we stepped in, Ron stopped dead, a hundred different emotions running over his face. Lavender was stood in the middle of the common room, kissing a tall seventh year.
"Lavender," Ron said in a stony voice. "We're through."
He turned to walk to his dormitory.
"You cheated on me first!" Lavender burst out.
"What?" Ron said, looking confused.
"I saw you and Hermione together at break."
"We were practising a charm for homework," Ron said, simply.
"It didn't look like it to me," Lavender said, looking grumpy, "You were tickling her."
"Is it a crime to tickle your friend?" Ron said, starting to look furious. "I don't care what you have to say Lavender. It's. Over."
He stormed up to his dormitory, leaving Lavender and all the people in common room watching in deadly silence. She threw me a dirty look and ran upstairs herself. I didn't know what to do with myself so I turned and went back out.
I sat on the grass by the lake for hours on end, without realising it. A warm body came and sat down next to mine. I looked next to me and saw ginger hair and lots of freckles.
"Mind if I join you?" Ron asked quietly.
I nodded and continued to stare at the lake. There were so many things I needed to say but I just wasn't sure what.
"I'm sorry for the way I've been treating you these past few weeks," I said, finally, looking at Ron.
"It's okay," he said. "I probably deserved it."
I answered him with silence. We sat there for a few moments, not quite knowing what to say.
"I love you, Hermione."
"W-what?" I said, not quite believing what I had just heard.
"I said, I love you, Hermione," Ron said, his ears going red.
I took his hand and looked at him closer. I had never really noticed until now how nice his eyes were. They were a bright, shiny blue and they were looking into mine. Before I realised it, Ron had leant down and captured my lips on his.
You belong with me, I thought to myself.
A/N: Sorry, this is really rubbish and rushed! I just had the idea and needed to write it down.
This was inspired by the song You Belong With Me by Taylor Swift. I always thought it as a Snape/Lily song but while I was reading HBP this song came on my stereo and I thought 'OMG! This totally fits!'.
I don't own anything you see in this story (obviously - otherwise I wouldn't be posting it on a fanfiction website!).
Thank you for reading and please review/favourite.
