Disclaimer: Sorry, but I do not own Harry Potter
Chapter 1
"Remus Lupin," read professor McGonagall from her list of staff members. It was the first faculty meeting of the school year and yet again there was a new defense against the dark arts teacher. Minerva had seen many D.A.D.A teachers come and go for countless numbers of reasons: Spattergroit, torment from students, being clubbed on the head by a troll, and even memory loss and being taken over by a half alive human being. In other words, she couldn't care less about this new teacher.
A messy, broken down man, who looked as if he was in his mid forties, stood up. "I plan on starting out the year by testing the third years' inner strength through boggarts," he said. "Since they're not old enough to have developed complex fears, this shall be a manageable lesson.
"What about Potter?" asked Dumbledore.
"I will be closely monitoring the lesson in case something goes wrong."
"Well then, let's proceed," said Minerva.
Chapter2
2½ years later…
Ron and Harry were in the master bathroom of No. 12 Grimmauld Place, cleaning the bathtub and clearing the pipes of doxies. Hermione was tackling the linen closet on the 5th floor with Ginny.
"Why do you s'ppose Ginny is dating Michael Corner?" asked Ron.
"Cause she fancies him?" replied Harry.
"That's the thing. She doesn't seem to like him one bit. If any one brings up Michael, she changes the subject, and when she isn't with him she seems much more happy than when she is."
"Well, when I'm around her, she seems perfectly happy about the fact that she is dating Michael," said Harry," in fact all that she can talk about is Michael, Michael, Michael."
"Hmm. Did you hear about the Chudley Cannons' victory? Obvious they were gonna win, though."
"Yeah, obvious," Harry lied. (He needed to talk to someone with at least similar Quidditch views to his.)
Ron and Harry continued talking about Quidditch until the 422nd world cup came up. "It really was amazing that Ireland won, but Krum caught the snitch. And Fred and George guessed it. Luck is always on their side," said Harry.
"Krum," Ron groaned under his breath.
"What?"
"Nothing."
Chapter 3
Meanwhile, Hermione and Ginny were chatting.
"I her you're dating Michael Corner. What's so spectacular about him?" Hermione inquired, with a nudge and a smirk.
"Well, honestly, the only real reason why I'm dating him is to make Harry jealous. But I guess Michael's nice though. Anyway, what's up with your life?"
"Nothing really. You see, I finished all my homework in the beginning of the summer and we have to clean up this horrid house and knit about 3,000 hats for S.P.E.W. and Ron keeps bugging me about writing to Victor like it's some big deal. It's not like me and Ron are dating, not that I wish we weren't. Although Ron should have asked me to the Yule ball when he had the chance. Can't he SEE THAT I LOVE HIM!"
"You do notice I'm still here? Don't you?"
"Bloody Hell!"
"Don't worry, I won't tell anyone. How long have you "liked" my dear brother?"
"Since first year," Hermione whimpered.
"That explains you breaking down in his arms because of his pet rat-human and Crookshanks."
"How-"
"Between my craziness over Harry and my brothers obviousness towards everything, I feel confident enough to say that I'm an expert on you two."
"Okay?"
"First off, Ron likes you but doesn't know it yet."
Hermione gave Ginny a confused look.
"Ron is slow on everything relationship-wise."
Hermione gave a nod and Ginny went on…
"He also doesn't need to here about all your achievements; they don't really affect his feelings towards you."
"Habit," said Hermione, smirking.
"Lastly, I think I have a plan on getting you two together."
"I'm not so sure. Back to you. Try dating someone closer to Harry. Dean Thomas might be a good choice since both he's in the same dormitory as Harry and you seem to have enough in common to get along well."
Chapter 4
The Boggart
Ginny was determined to get Ron and Hermione together She wanted the best for Hermione, but her main reason was to get Ron more comfortable with her relationships by having one, himself. She wanted to be prepared on the road to Harry's heart. There was a boggart inside a wardrobe in the master bedroom on the 3rd floor. If Hermione was emotionally hurt, Ron would automatically try to comfort her. That was all she could come up with. She planned on locking the door until they got together.
"You and Ron are going to get rid of the boggart on the third floor, alone."
"Ginny-"
"You'll thank me later."
Ron and Harry were coming down the hallway. Hermione's heart skipped a beat. Ron had so many flaws, Hermione couldn't count: His hair was all messy, he wasn't that bright, he cursed all the time; but Hermione loved him nonetheless. It was a treat to be able to stare into those blue eyes and see that adorable quirky grin.
"Hermione," said Ron, waving a hand in front of her face.
"Oh," said Hermione, coming out of her trance, "Sorry, Ron."
"Ron, you and Hermione are going to be tackling the boggart on the third floor. Me and Harry are going to help Mum in the kitchen."
"Gi-"
"Bye," said Ginny, and she and harry were gone.
"Whatchya reckon that was about?" asked Ron.
"No idea," lied Hermione, avoiding eye contact. "Let's go upstairs."
They went upstairs, through the hallway, and into the master bedroom. As soon as they got into the room, all the doors locked.
"Ginny," Hermione muttered under her breath.
"What?"
"Nothing."
Ron stood in front of the wardrobe.
"Alohamora," recited Ron, flinching (he expected an acromantula).
Out walked Viktor Krum and Hermione. Hermione was wearing a wedding gown. They were kissing. Ron was both confused and horrified.
Hermione, also surprised by the boggart's transformation, didn't move a muscle. She was frozen in shock. 'Ron must really like me,' she thought. 'How could he not know he liked me with this a his biggest fear? He must have just been hiding it. Krum! I don't even care about Krum. I just wanted to make Ron jealous. I think I went too far.'
'Noooo!' thought Ron. 'This can't happen. Hermione can't see this." Ron ran to the door and struggled to open it. "Alohamora," he repeated over and over again, but the door wouldn't budge (the stupid house of Black)
Since Ron had moved away from the boggart, it morphed into Hermione's biggest fear. They were in the middle of an unfamiliar forest and a boggart Ron was yelling at a boggart Hermione.
"You aren't good enough. You were never good enough."
"Ron!" the boggart Hermione sobbed.
"I'm leaving. I never want to see your ugly face again."
"Ron, I love you!" boggart Hermione was in hysterics.
"Well, I - don't - love - YOU."
Chapter 5: The Kiss
Ridiklus!" the real Ron shouted. It turned into a pygmy puff. He ran to Hermione and wrapped an arm around her.
"It's all fine, Mione," he said, trembling slightly. "It wasn't real"
Hermione Cried into Ron's shoulder. It smelled like freshly mown grass, dirt, honeysuckle, and warmth, the true smell of a Weasley. Ron stroked her long, bushy, brown hair.
It stayed quiet for a while. Then Hermione murmured, "Mione?"
"Huh?" asked Ron, breaking out of the state of comfort from holding Hermione.
"Did you just call me 'Mione'?"
"Yeah, I reckon so. Why?"
"It's just that you've never called me that before."
"Sorry."
"Actually, it'd be nice having a nickname."
Hermione she started to cry again and looked away. Ron gently turned her head around, looked into her eyes, and kissed her. Hermione kissed back, both surprised and extremely thrilled. It was like a wall between them was completely obliterated. They did love each other.
Hermione's POV
Ron's making that adorable face he makes whenever he's confused. My heart melts. But then it freezes. This conversation means and will mean nothing to Ron, and what we saw in the boggart will only lead to an increased amount of awkwardness between us. I cry again. One tear rolls down my cheek. I look away. Then Ron gently turns my head around and stares into my eyes. I stare back into those comfy, sparkling, blue, blue eyes. I feel like I might faint.
Then he kisses me. He actually kisses me! I kiss back. I fling my arms around him and pull him closer. I want this moment to never end. I love him.
Ron's POV
I'm confused. What do I do now? Hermione's looking at me like I'm some prized possession or rare book of ancient runes? My ears turn a bright shade of red. She is so cute. Now all of a sudden she's crying again. It amazes me how beautiful she can look even when she's sad. (It hurts me to see her sad.) She looks away, but I gently turn her head back and stare back into those gorgeous brown eyes and kiss her. All my worries are whisked away. It's just me and Hermione. Hermione and I. Holding her close. She's more important than anything. She's kissing back. All these years I've been confused about my feelings for Hermione, but now it's clear that I love her.
Chapter 6
Meanwhile Harry and Ginny were discussing the Quidditch playoffs.
"I'm pretty surprised that the Chudley Cannons beat the Falmouth Falcons," said Ginny.
"Interesting game, though. I hear that after the end of the game Dragomir Gorgovich was knocked off his broom and was hit continuously on the head with beater bats until his skull was ruptured."
"The Falcons do stick by their motto."
Harry laughs. He loved Ginny's smart sense of humor.
"Michael doesn't really care for Quidditch." Ginny announced unexpectedly.
"Poor Bloke."
"Yeah" agreed Ginny, surprised and charmed by Harry's humor.
Mrs. Weasley entered the kitchen and said, "I'd appreciate it so much if you got Ron and Hermione to help prepare dinner."
"Sure," Harry and Ginny said simultaneously.
After a short glance at each other, Harry and Ginny proceeded upstairs. When they got to the door, Ginny cast the counter curse and the door flung open.
There, Ron and Hermione were snogging passionately. Instinctively Ginny shut the door with a bang and threw her hands over Harry's eyes. Harry, completely confused, prized her hands off his eyes and approached the door that was blocked by Ginny. If Harry saw his two best friends snogging, everything would go wrong.
Meanwhile, Ron and Hermione, so caught up in snogging each other, didn't even notice Ginny shriek and slam the door.
"What in the bloody hell did you do that for?" asked Harry
"The boggart freaked me out," lied Ginny. She then hastily added, "Since it sees like it'll be a while until that boggart is destroyed, let's prepare dinner by ourselves." Ginny grabbed Harry's wrist and tried to pull him down the hallway. Harry resisted, said "We should help them," and turned the doorknob only for it to fall off the door. Right when he reached for his wand Ginny grabbed it from his pocket and ran for the stairs. Harry chased her all the way back to the kitchen. By the time he got there, Ginny had already told Mrs. Weasley that Ron and Hermione were still tackling the boggart and that they didn't need help. Harry had no choice but to prepare dinner without Ron and Hermione. 'Ginny is so cute with that devilish smirk on her face,' Harry thought subconsciously.
After snogging for what felt like a gleeful eternity, Ron and Hermione broke apart. They looked into each others' eyes and it was like they were seeing each other for the first time. "Hey," they said at the same time. "I love you."
It was silent except for the sounds of their quickly beating hearts.
"What do you reckon we do now? I s'ppose we could start dating," said Hermione.
"Sure. It's getting late. Let's go help prepare dinner." (There was a sense of tenderness in his eyes for one reason, love, that flowed through his veins every time he saw her. His ears turned a bright shade of red, not from embarrassment or jealousy, but directly from the love for her he cherished every day.)
Ron and Hermione got up, held hands, and preceded to the kitchen. When they got there, Ginny, seeing them first, shot Hermione a look that communicated, "Why are you holding Ron's hand when Harry's around. He's having a hard time as it is with seeing Voldemort's thoughts and all. Yeah, him finding out may be a shortcut to dating him but I'm not evil like that."
Hermione relayed (with a glance) all this information to Ron, who, pretty shocked, dropped Hermione's hand.
It was pretty awkward around Harry for Ron and Hermione. The occasional "'Mione" or playful "Ronald" would slip out, or a holding of hands would be closely avoided, but everything else was kept below Harry's radar.
Chapter 7
The one, main conflict both Ron and Hermione were aware of but decided to ignore was Fred and George finding out. It was obvious that they would eventually would (since they always did). It was their thing knowing all the gossip to use as taunts and torments to humiliate everyone (especially Ron). On the Monday before Easter holiday was over, Ron and Hermione were snogging in their usual secret room (the unused guest room in the attic) then a super loud crack sounded in the air. And there were Fred and George with their evil, identical grimaces on their faces. "Do mine eyes deceive me?" asked Fred "Or are the brain and our dear brother snogging?"
"I think not, your lordship. Do you think we should write this announcement in fire works or sky writing?"
"Fireworks. More noticeable."
"No! If you tell anyone, you will!" Hermione yelled
"Whoa, we're just kidding. How long have you love bugs been snogging in secret?"
"Like we'll tell you. Let's go 'Mione." Ron got up and Hermione followed.
When they got to the door, Fred and George apperated in front of them, blocking their way. "'Mione, is that what you call her?"
"Petrificus Totalus." Said Ron. Fred and George froze and fell to the floor.
"Brilliant," breathed Hermione.
Ron gave Hermione a kiss on the cheek and put an arm around her shoulders as they proceeded into the hallway where Harry stood. Hermione shrieked.
"What are you doing here?" asked Harry.
"I was about to ask you the same question," retorted Ron.
"For your information, Ginny sent me up here to get a pot for dinner."
"Brilliant. Bye," Hermione shouted then she and Ron attempted to run past Harry and down the stairs. But Harry, from spending so much time with Ginny, caught them in no time.
"What was that for?"
"We're hungry."
Harry, still suspicious, looked at Ron and Hermione. Since he had been spending so much time with Ginny, he hadn't noticed that the to had been acting differently. Ron had asked Harry whether the draught of living death contained 12 or 13 sopophorous beans (something he hadn't even learned yet). And Hermione had been acting much calmer than he had ever seen her, they each said what the other was expected to say, and Ron was calling her 'Mione.
"Something's up with you two."
Ron and Hermione, out of retorts, clasped each others' hands and admitted, "We're dating."