I was sitting in the Gryffindor Common Room minding my own business when all of a sudden I found myself blindfolded, pulled from the couch, and led to who knows where. As soon as the blindfold was removed I realized that it had been Fred and George that had abducted me. I began to hit them both playfully. "Why did you do that?" I asked in between attacks. "We're playing.." Fred replied, only to be cut off by George. "...a game...". Fred was the one to cut off George this time "...and we needed one more girl" they replied in unison. I didn't like the sound of that. "What kind of game?" I asked, nervously. "You'll see" I jumped hearing a voice behind me. It was Ginny. "C'mon Gin, Tell me!" I asked with a pout. "Nope" she replied with a mischievous smile. I didn't like what I was seeing. More and more of our friends started to come into the room, that I had learned to be the Room of Requirement.
By the time we sat down on the floor there were 20 people in the room. Fred then asked the guys to take out their wands and conjure up a coloured piece of parchment. After that had been done-without peeking at everyone else's, the pieces of parchment were put into a hat. It was then that I realized we were playing 7 minutes in heaven. "The broom cupboard should have been a dead giveaway" I thought to myself, as if it were the most obvious thing on Earth. I watched couples go into the cupboard for 7 minutes and come out time and time again. It was then that I pulled out a red piece of parchment and held it up. Upon noticing whose parchment it was my heart skipped a beat. It was Ron's. Ron, the boy that I've been in love with since fifth year. Not a lot has changed since first year, although it's our seventh year and you-know-who is at large again. A sense of panic and regret had been lingering over Hogwarts for the past four months and it was becoming unbearable.
I walked into the cupboard with Ron on my heels and Fred and George shut the door behind us, we could still hear the catcalls through the door. I groped around the cupboard, looking for a place to sit down when I found a chair and sat on it, or so I thought I had. It turns out I had sat on Ron's lap. Then I remembered my wand. I pulled it out of my pocket. "Lumos" I recited, a stream of light erupting from my wand. Upon turning back to apologise to him, I took in Ron's expression. Never had I seen his eyes so lifeless, and we've been friends since first year so that's saying something. "Sorry, I'll get up" I replied, attempting to get off of his lap. I was unable to do so however when he wrapped his arms around my waist. I turned around and looked into his eyes again, for a trace of anything, and saw a glimpse of love grace them. Before I could protest to Ron's rashness, his lips were on mine in a passionate kiss.
When we pulled away, both panting, I looked in his eyes again. They seemed to be glistening with unshed tears. "What's wrong Ron?" I quietly asked concerned. "Everything. Ever since Voldemort returned..." I flinched. "...everyone at Hogwarts is going bloody mental over the whole thing, and this girl I like likes Harry more than me, not that I blame her, I'm no competition to 'The Boy Who Lived'." Ron finished his sentence and began crying quietly. I looked at him warmly and wiped a tear off of his cheek with my thumb. He then began to cry into my neck. "They're only going mental because they don't know how much longer they have to live, and want to make the most of the time left. We all do. None of us know when you-know-who..." I was cut off by Ron. "Voldemort" I flinched. "...or his Death Eaters are going to come after us. And as for you not being competition to 'The Boy Who Lived', that's not true either. Sure, Harry does a lot of heroic and brave stuff but he wasn't the one that sacrificed himself in that game of Wizard's Chess you told me about. And it takes someone extremely strong to be friends with Harry because of all the danger he gets involved in. He's expected to be brave and courageous, he has no choice. And you have a choice and you choose to fight for what you believe in, defend the weaker man, it takes a special kind of man to do that." I finished.
My neck was now covered in Ron's tears but I didn't mind. He's been under a lot of pressure lately and I would help him in any way possible. "You think so?" Ron sniffed. "I know so" I replied with a small smile. I received a small smile in return. We just sat smiling for a minute before Ron hugged me tightly to himself and buried his face in my neck once again. "Nox" I whispered, watching the light extinguish from my wand. We just sat there like that for awhile until Ron spoke up. "Vanessa?" "Yeah" I replied back. "I want to make the most of my time left like everyone else. I'm going to start by admitting something to you." He replied quietly. "What is it?" I asked curious, yet hopeful. "I love you Vanessa, I have for a bloody long time." He confessed, equally as quietly.
Ron has come a long way in seven years. I never would have expected Ron to say that to anyone three years ago, let alone me. It's a good thing Ron couldn't see me because my eyes began to water. "Really?" I asked happily. I felt him nod into my neck. "I love you too Ron, I have since fifth year" I replied happily. Ron grabbed my chin and turned my head back to kiss me again. I stood up to make things easier. Ron pushed me against a wall, our fronts touching. "I've wanted to do this for years" he replied breathlessly as he began to snog me. "I want everyone to know that you belong to me. Vanessa, will you go out with me?" he asked. "Yes" I replied breathlessly. It was then I knew that no matter what happens, I will always have Ron. The door opened during our snogfest and the room erupted into more catcalls. Ron's ears were turning noticeably red and I smiled and took his hand.
"Finally!" Fred and George replied in unison. "Did you tell Vanessa what mom said yet?" they teased, no obvious stop in sight. "Sod off!" Ron replied shakily. I shook my head and watched as Ron's ears grew redder as he swallowed and opened his mouth to speak. "M-mum said s-she w-would love to h-have you as a d-daughter in law" he choked out, visibly mortified. I smiled and ruffled his hair. "That could be arranged" I replied with a smile as we both left the Room of Requirement and went back to the Gryffindor Common Room.