Freckles

The sun beat down on Hermionie as she lay in the grass. The backyard of the Burrow was larger than possibly the actual house. It was the summer after their sixth year at Hogwarts and the Weasleys, Harry, and Hermionie treasured their times their before the Golden Trio left to go find Horrocruxes. Ron, Ginny, and Harry were splashing in the lake like little children, while Hermionie sat on the bank enjoying her book.

She glanced up from the tiny words to notice Ron starting to get out. The water dripped of his broad chest and just looking at him made Hermionie blush. Although she tried to hide her feelings Ginny said she made it pretty obvious that she was in love with Ron. But how could that be? I fight with him all the time! Ginny even went as too far as to say that Ron fancied Hermionie too, even though again Hermionie had no idea how that was possible.

Hermionie tried to focus on the words before her but her eyes wanted to glance back up at the boy who had caused her so much trouble since she was in her First year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Ron took a seat next to her on the bright yellow towels, leaning back on his elbows. He stared out onto the lake shaking his head as Harry lifted Ginny up and through her back in the lake. Hermionie rolled her eyes and tried again to concentrate on the tiny print in front of her.

"You know, 'Mionie, if you wanted to check me out you could try and make it a little less obvious." Ron said smirking but not making eye contact with her as his gaze held that of the lake.

"I was doing no such thing!" Hermionie argued but fiddled with the strap of her bathing suit, a nervous habit.

"I didn't say there was anything wrong with it!" He defended but the tips of his ears turned pink. Hermionie drew in a sharp breath and looked away from Ron to the lake.

"Don't call me 'Mionie!" She added as a last resort to fill the awkward silence, even though she secretly loved the nickname.

"What're you reading?" Ron asked sitting back up to read over her shoulder.

"Nothing!" Hermionie said, too soon, attempting to hide the cover of the book.

"C'mon, let me see!" He replied as he snatched the book away. He closed it to look at the front cover smiling as he read the title: "Forbidden Love"

Hermionie snatched the book back and sat on it trying to stop the blush from making it to her cheeks.

"I didn't know you were into romance novels!" Ron said laughing slightly.

"For your information, that book has useful information about Medieval Castles." Hermionie defended.

"How is that useful?"

"Well... while hunting Voldemort we may have to hide away in a castle. It would help to know about it."

"Yeah right, like we're actually going to end up in a castle while fighting You- Know- Who! Admit it you were reading a book about romance." Ron sang clapping his hands together like a child.

"Never" she replied being stubborn as usual.

"Whatever you say" Ron replied than started staring at her as if expecting her to give in. All of a sudden he lifted his hand to her shoulder. He started tracing a circle around it, tilting his head to the side.

"What are you doing, Ron?" Hermionie asked staring at his hand.

"You have freckles!" He said surprised.

"No I don't."

"Yeah you do."

"Liar"

"Look for yourself then." Ron said letting his hand drop, much to Hermionie's dismay.

"Fine!" She said looking at her shoulder to in fact find a sprinkle of freckles. Admiring her other shoulder she noticed the same thing.

"See I'm not crazy!" Ron declared crossing his arms and looking away, fake pouting.

"I guess you are right! They must have just come out in the sun!" Hermionie said shrugging her shoulders and started staring out to the lake where she noticed Ginny and Harry were now in a splashing war.

"Do you ever get jealous of them?" Ron nodded to where Harry and Ginny were flirting in the lake.

"Sometimes, like I wish I had someone to flirt with." She side and started twirling a piece of her hair, in a Lavender fashion. "And of course not look like a baboon doing it." Hermionie laughed high pitched like Lavender batting her eyelashes at the boy next to her in a suggestive matter.

Ron fell over laughing at her impression of most girls at Hogwarts. "Good one!" He said his laughter dying down as he looked over at her.

"Do you?" She asked, nervous about the question.

"Not really, I already have someone to flirt with." He said his face turning a light crimson.

"Who's that?" Hermionie asked out of curiosity. A surge of jealousy flooded over her.

"You," Ron simply replied and looked at her again. Hermionie hadn't quite noticed the closeness of the two until now. There knees were brushing as they sat cross legged. When they turned their heads their faces were only inches apart.

She smiled slightly trying to hide her nerves as Ron's face moved the slightest bit closer. Hermionie didn't know what to do? Did he want her to lean the rest of the way? What the hell!" She thought before closing the small gap between them. Their kiss was deep and passionate holding all of the emotion that they have kept bottled up inside for nearly seven years. A need for air was necessary and Ron broke apart beaming.

"I like your freckles!" He said before kissing her again.