A/N: Nothing much to say. This is a one shot, the relationship is Ron and Hermione, it takes place during the war (no worries of spoilers, this is just my humble theory), and I thought of the idea overnight. So read on and enjoy!
Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling.
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"Ron loves me."
That's what she keeps telling herself day after day. When the war got rough, her whole world shaken up, those words gave her strength. It made her happy, like no magic ever experienced. But, as the war was drawing to an end, it seemed that the spell was wearing thin.
Hermione was coming to her senses. Now that the world was getting a little safer, she now knew that she had been telling herself lies. Ron didn't love her. In truth, he never said that. Sure, he loved her like he loved Ginny, but not much more. And this is what hurt Hermione more than the war.
She was sitting at the dining table of the Order's new underground hide out, stirring a cup of tea. It was the middle of the night and she couldn't sleep, even though she needed her energy for the next day. Thoughts of Ron kept creeping into her mind. The three words kept on playing over and over again in her head like a broken record no one can fix.
"Ron loves me."
"Ron loves me."
"Ron loves me."
It was enough to drive anyone mad. Sighing, Hermione took a sip of tea, jasmine tea, her favourite kind. It soothed her, made her feel calm and relaxed. The very things she needed right now. The kitchen around her was cramped and dirty. The table in front of her was very crude, as if carved by an inexperienced wizard the muggle way. It wasn't the best place to be sipping tea and thinking about love, but it was the only place she had.
"Hermione, is that you?" a voice said. I Hermione turned around and my eyes met the bright blue eyes of Ron.
"Of course it's me Ronald. Who else would it be?" she replied bitterly. She was not in the mood to talk to him.
"You really should get back to bed Hermione, you seem very tempered." Ron said, sitting down next to me.
"Ah, I can't sleep, too much on my mind." she said.
Ron sighed. "Yeah, me too." He said. "I've been thinking about what's going on right now. The war and all." He paused as he stood up to make himself a cup of tea.
"Same here." She lied. "I've been so worried. Voldemort's going after muggles, and my entire family is muggle, and I always wonder whether or not they're safe." Hermione wiped away a tear. This was getting a little more emotional than expected.
Ron put a comforting hand around her. Hermione blushed at the close contact. "I'm worried too. My brothers are out there fighting, and my mum and dad are helping in their own way. I'm scared for them too. Scared for my family, my friends, for my Hermione…"
She looked up at him when she heard her name. Had she really heard that?
Ron noticed too and quickly added "and Harry. I'm worried for my friends, you and Harry."
Hermione sighed. For a moment she had a little spark of hope. She had been wrong. The words came to her again.
"Ron loves me."
Would they ever go away?
"Ron, what do you plan to do when the war is over?" Hermione asked, ignoring the pain in her heart.
"Well," Ron removed his hand from her shoulders and said "I guess I'd relax a little. Maybe find a place of my own, hang out with Harry, chill with you. And after that I suppose I'll have to find a job."
"I'll be relaxing and finding a job too, I think I'll stay with my parents for a bit longer, at least during the summer, since in the muggle world we have to be at least eight-"
Hermione didn't have the chance to tell Ron the rest of the muggle traditions, because right in the middle of their chat a loud bang was heard and the ground shook violently.
"Oh my God! What's happening?" Hermione cried as she and Ron ducked under the table.
"I think we're being attacked!" Ron yelled back over the booming noises. Another loud bang came and the ceiling above them shook.
"Attacked? We're underground!" Hermione said. All the contents in the cupboards fell to the floor as the shaking grew worse.
A bedroom door opened and slammed closed. Two more slams followed. A figure carrying a wand and bag came running into the kitchen. It was Harry.
"Ron! Hermione! Where are you two?" he called, looking all around him.
"We're over here Harry!" Ron said. He and Hermione crawled out from under the table.
"Harry! What's going on?" Hermione asked, running towards him. Ron felt a pang of jealousy.
"We're being attacked!" Harry responded, thrusting Hermione's wand at her and throwing Ron's wand to him.
"Somehow they found out about this hideaway!" Harry said.
"Who'd tell them?" Ron asked, having to raise his voice over the tremendous bangs.
"I suspect they forced someone to tell!" Harry said, making his way to the door that leads to the emergency exit. "Come on! We have got to go!"
Hermione and Ron snapped into action. They ran into their rooms and grabbed their bags and fled.
The doorway opened up to a long, spiraling stairway. It was very high up. The trio began their climb to safety, a climb of 48 steps. Harry led the way, followed by Ron and then Hermione.
"Where does this lead to?" Hermione asked.
"Safety." Was all Harry said.
Hermione was scared, the calm feeling she had in the kitchen was broken. The moment's peace was gone. Her world was once again shaken, literally. And, as an impulse, those words came to her again.
"Ron loves me."
"Lies, lies, filthy lies!" Hermione said out loud. Tears began to flow from her eyes. All these feelings started to bubble up in her, spilling out all at once.
Ron noticed Hermione's cries and sobs and slowed down his pace so he was next to her.
"Hermione, what's wrong?" he asked her, concerned.
"Nothing. Nothing's wrong." She responded between sobs, wiping away fast flowing tears. Her heart beat fast, filled with worry, fright, and anger. Anger at herself for telling such lies.
"You can't fool me Hermione! Something is bothering you! Is it the war? Is it what's happening now?" Ron demanded an answer. Hermione just shook her head.
"What's holding you two up?" Harry, who was at least ten steps ahead of them, asked.
"Hermione's just upset, that's all!" Ron replied.
"Well hurry up! Don't make me regret taking you two along!" Harry said as another boom came. He had no time to be sympathetic. Two lives and his own depended on him right now.
Ron turned his attention to Hermione, whose chocolate brown eyes were now filled with tears. "We're almost there Hermione. Just hurry up, I'll be with you."
Hermione just nodded her head. Inside she felt horrible. She felt as though it was a mistake helping Harry, as though nothing was going well and the one thing that kept her going was ruined, all because of her and her stupid logic. She was worried for her safety and the safety of her friends and family. It was as though someone had let loose one big emotional bomb in her. And all she could do was cry.
As the got higher and higher, the booms and bangs slowed down and eventually stopped. Finally, they were at the top step. Harry pushed open a trapdoor above his head and they climbed through. They were greeted by a cold breeze, a starry night sky, and faint booms and bangs in the distance.
"We're safe now." Harry said, leaning against a tree.
"Where are we?" Ron asked, carrying a sobbing Hermione.
"Far away from our usual entrance. The death eaters are probably at the other end of the forest, trying to get into the hideout." Harry answered, peering into the darkness. "I'll go see where they are, you and Hermione stay here, and be alert." Harry commanded and away he went, running as silently as a ninja.
Ron watched his friend disappear into the darkness, and turned to Hermione, who was looking at where Harry stood.
"Ready to tell me what's bothering you?" he asked, sitting down on the moss covered ground.
Hermione just sat there. What would she say?
"I'm just, just scared. And worried. And angry." Hermione said. It was the half truth.
"I can understand scared and worried, but angry?" Ron said.
Hermione sighed. He couldn't tell him, at least, not directly. Time for a change of subject.
"Ron, have you ever had this, this feeling in you, a feeling you can't understand?" Hermione asked, not sure what she was doing.
"Actually, I have." Ron said, gazing at the stars.
"And?" Hermione urged on.
"And, I've figured it out." Ron replied.
"That's the thing, I think I have too. But I'm afraid of it. I know what it is, and that's what troubles me." Hermione said. "It feels like a lie."
"No feeling is ever a lie, Hermione. You have to trust your heart, listen to it." Ron advised.
"And have you listened to your heart Ron?" Hermione asked.
"Every once in a while. It doesn't speak too often." Ron said a smile on his face.
Hermione sat in silence. You could here the owls hooting, the rustle of leaves, and the occasional faint bang in the distance. But Hermione wasn't listening to any of that. She was listening to her heart.
"What's your heart telling you now?" Ron asked after a period of silence.
Hermione looked at him. Ron saw that her eyes were red from crying, but her expression nervous but determined. "It's telling me to do this." She said her voice barely audible.
Then she leaned in and kissed him. Ron was shocked. He didn't see this coming, although he should have. For a while he was tense, surprised, but then he relaxed, loosened up, and enjoyed the moment.
Hermione didn't know what she did. She just listened to her heart and it told her to go for it. She had been nervous, but decided to take Ron's advice. Her heart was right, it was great.
The kiss was perfect. Gentle, dry, soft, not too extreme, not a snog but just a kiss. A simple, wonderful kiss.
Finally, they broke apart. They separated and just took in the moment. They were suddenly ignorant of what was to take place; all they knew was each other.
"That was, unexpected." Ron said, breaking the silence.
Hermione shrugged. "I just listened to my heart." She said.
"And?" Ron questioned.
"And it was right. You were right." She corrected herself.
"Hermione, I love you." Ron said, his face turning a bright shade of red.
Hermione smiled. Ron loved her smile; he hadn't seen it in a while.
Hermione hugged him tight. "You have no clue how much I wanted to hear that." She said. "I love you too."
The peaceful moment was broken once more, this time by Harry screaming and running towards them.
"Get out of here! Go! Run! Have your wand handy! They've found the emergency exit and they'll be here in a few minutes!" he screamed, terror in his voice.
Ron and Hermione broke apart, looked at each other one more time, grabbed their bags and followed Harry. Behind them they heard the trapdoor opening and the yelling of their pursuers.
It was going to be a rough week, and the day has barely begun. It would be a week full of running, fighting, and survival. And all they'd have as comfort would be each other, except Hermione of course. She had her special words, the words she'd been telling herself for a while now. The words that she'd been happy about, then angry at. The words that she had been convinced were lies. But they weren't.
"Ron loves me."
It was the truth.
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A/N: Finished! My first HermionexRon oneshot! I hope you liked it! It wasn't very fluffy, and was a bit angsty (not a word, I know), but I like it anyway. Tell me what you think!
-ecrire.claustrum