no regrets...
by circie. :)
A.N. just so you know, which I know you already do, just incase you don't, I own none of this... only the plot of this story came from my own head. The Characters and place and such all go to the brilliant J.K. Rowling! ;) Enjoy.
It was already late summer, when Hermione Granger walked across the lawn of the Burrow she had grown to know so well. She took each step as if trying not to wake a slumbering child that lay in the moon beams surrounding her. Hermione had traveled down to the burrow to stay with the Weasley's in the last months of quiet and haze before the chaos of school started again. It was going to be their last year at Hogwarts, and with a wizarding war looming before them, this year was sure to be the most exhilarating yet.
Hermione finally reached the side door, entering into the dusty kitchen of the Weasley's home. As she peaked though the window she saw a tall, boy with bright ginger hair sitting on a small wooden chair beside a similar wooden table. Her heart leapt as she turned the doorknob to see her dear friend.
"Hermione!" Ron cried, jumping up from the chair. "You're here!" Quickly stepping over the chipped tiles, he swung her into a tight hug.
Hermione hugged him back, taking in his aroma of butter beer, sweat and rolls. "Out playing Quidditch?" she asked, pulling away from him.
"Yea-" He returned, absentmindedly, taking her bags.
"Leave em-" she ordered, sweetly. "Let me talk to you first, and where is everyone?" Hermione wiped her hair into a messy bun and seated herself across from Ron.
"right." he said quietly sitting back down, leaving her bags by his side. "They're all in bed...Harry was down here a while ago but kept falling sleep on the table." Ron's face mangled itself into a confused frown. "What took you so bloody long, we were expecting you at 10..." she watched his clear blue eyes lift heavily toward the clock. "It's now...1am?!"
Hermione allowed an innocent smile to spread across her face. Instead of answering, she let herself study his face. His nose sprinkled with tiny little freckles, his lips purged-waiting for her explanation. And that all to familiar gleam of mischief in his eyes. A gleam she had come to love,--as a dear friend she reminded herself, resting her chin gently in her palm.
"So...your just not going to tell me! Stare at me all night are you?" Ron ears turned slightly pink, while the smooth tone of his voice hinted at sarcasm.
Has hard as she tried, Hermione slid into a harmonious laugh. "I was working alright, and i left late!" She watched the arch of his eyebrow lift into a questioning look.
"Work?" He asked, cocking his head to the side.
"Yes Ron, it's a form of labor that implies knowledge and or skills. Something you would have yet to do." Her wit surprised her, and the mean tone that came out with it took her aback.
"Merlin, Hermione, you think you're just so bloody perfect all the time. I'm sorry I wasn't working as hard as you, I just decided to wait in this bloody chair for 3 hours waiting for my best friend." He stood up, pushing the chair into the table more force than implied, almost knocking Hermione from her chair.
"Well then!" Hermione huffed, also standing up. "I didn't mean it to sound like that Ron...I was just-- Oh well who bloody cares anymore what I think...you don't even KNOW me well enough to know what I really think Ronald! Apparently these past seven years you've learned nothing about me!" She barked at him, the heat raising in her voice.
"Oh! Oh! There she goes again! 'Little Miss Know-it-All' thinking she knows exactly what everyone else is thinking. Yea I sure as ruddy hell learned something about you Hermione. That you don't give a bloody hell about your friends-letting us ruddy sit here for hours with out even an OWL telling us you were going to be late. And then you are such a bloody know it all! MERLIN!"
"RONALD WEASLEY! I HATE YOU!" She screamed, tears welling up in her delicate eyes. She felt so immature standing there in the kitchen yelling at Ron, but he just got her so upset. "I JUST CAN'T BELIEVE YOU!" She got louder and she started to storm up the stairs.
"Where are you going?" He spat after her.
"I DON'T KNOW! ANYWHERE ELSE, JUST TO GET AWAY FROM YOU!" The last bit of her sentence was swallowed by tears as she collapsed on the stairs. As for Ron, he sat back down in the chair, face against the cool, hard table.
Hermione woke up, staring at the white ceiling in Ginny Weasley's bedroom. She had taken refuge in the blankets laid down for her before she had arrived. After about 15 minutes of sobbing on the stairs, she had regained sense and slipped into her bedroom, all of her bags still with Ron below.
Now, she lay quiet, the sound of Ginny's light breathing in the back of her mind, as she went over last nights events in her head. Her eyes were still sore from crying and a slight breeze wept her skin leaving her feeling chilled and alone. The open window let clear light shine in, but it was a chirp-less morning (which she was extremely thankful for).
Why had she gotten so upset? It was just Ron and it wasn't like it was the first time they had gotten so upset.
Getting up, Hermione shook off the thought, and tried to clear her mind. She slipped down the stairs, thinking about finding a left over roll from what she figured was last nights dinner. As she entered the kitchen she figured to be alone, as she could tell it was quiet early. But low and behold, Ron sat serenely, staring still staring at the table.
"Ron?" She whispered, still standing at the last stair. "What are you doing down here."
"Oh." He murmured, lowly lifting his head. She noticed his eyes seemed red and his whole face seemed to droop down.
"I'm sorry." She again, whispering and leaning slightly forward but still refraining for stepping toward him.
"Your sorry?" he laughed a light seeming to creep into his voice. "I can't believe half the things i said to you."
Hermione felt her heart lighten. "Ron, we both said something's we regret, it seems like we always do."
She watched as he straightened his back, keeping his gaze on her. "I know, I guess something's never change, huh?" He pulled himself up walking over to her. "I'm sorry." Ron repeated, looking down. His face seeming utterly close to hers, she could feel his warm breath on her cheek.
Feeling an awkward moment coming on, Hermione started to walk toward the sink. "Its fine really, Ron, I know you never meant to say I didn't care about you and Harry. And you must know I didn't mean you weren't skilled, and I certainly don't hate you." Her steps began to slow, as she reached a basket of rolls and plucked one up for herself.
"Yea." A look of disappointment flashed across Ron's face. "I know."
"So we can just move on like adults." She kept on going, looking down at her bags which were now scattered across the kitchen floor. But when she looked up, she didn't see that gangly, skinny boy she first met in the first year. She saw a tall, handsome, and filled out young man, staring back at her. They were adults, almost, but somewhere in the bottom of her stomach she still felt that childish flutter. The flutter she had known since she first the first met eyes with that ginger haired boy.
"I..." She stammered, picking at the cold roll in her hands.
"Like adults..." He repeated, slowly walking toward her. His eyes captivating hers. As much as she wanted to she couldn't move, her feet stayed planted on the ground. It was one of those moments, a moment you dreamed of since you were young. A moment you knew would never happen but a part of you always wished...
"No regrets." He whispered tenderly, placing a finger to her lips, allowing all thoughts of doubt and confusion to flee from her mind. The roll, stopped revolving nervously in her hand, and she dropped it to the floor, lifting them apprehensively and wrapping them around his neck. All in a very dreamy state, Hermione closed her eyes and felt Ron's hand wrap around her waist, while the other moved from her lip to her face. In a quick and timeless moment she was drawn into Ron's kiss.
A.N. ok…that's the first fluffy thing I've ever written…so tell me what you think :) please enjoy, and if I made any mistakes, I would really love to hear what! Again enjoy and review pwez!
