The moon cast an eerie glow over the Hogwarts landscape. Hermione
scanned the scenery from her seat by the edge of the lake, and she felt as
though she were looking at it for the very first time. The pale moon smiled
down upon the grounds, and looked, at the same time, both beautiful and
sinister. The lake reflected the black, malevolent appearing trees. The
dark, ominous clouds rolled across the screen of the lake, blocking and
revealing the moon. The pallid full moon hung over the lake, the very
palest silver imaginable. She looked up from the echo-moon to the real one
as lone wolf wailed deep in the Forbidden Forest. An icy shiver ran down
her spine. Where was Ron? Not only was she getting scared out of her mind,
she was also loosing her nerve.
Blimey. she thought to herself. What have I gotten myself into? How was she supposed to go about this? There certainly no books she could check for reference. In fact, she had checked. According to those books, she should be head over heels for Harry, not Ron. Every book that even mentioned falling in love with your best friend, had you falling in love for the hero, the main guy. Well, no offense to Ron, but that was definitely Harry. It's just that, well, she loved Ron. Sure, she loved Harry, but like a brother. She would give her life for him, but she would give her heart and soul for Ron.
She was taking such a huge chance by doing this. What if he looks at me like I've got "I love Draco Malfoy" written all over my face? What if he says that he couldn't possibly love a bookworm like me? Or he says he likes someone else? Or that he likes me as a friend? Her eyes welled up with tears at the thought. Maybe I should just leave, he obviously doesn't care about me enough to risk his neck to come out and meet with me. She stood and dusted herself off. Oh bugger, I've no way to sneak back in; I'm going to be caught by Filch for sure. She thought bitterly that she was risking her prefect-hood just for that great prat, and he couldn't even have the decency to show up! Oh, she was going to have a lovely chat with one Mr. Ronald Weasley. The nerve of him!
An invisible hand clutching her mouth, however, interrupted her inner ranting.
She started kicking and hitting the space behind her as best she could. She heard someone mutter, "Ah, bloody hell," and she immediately knew who it was.
"Ron! You scared the life out of me! What were you thinking?" She scolded, pulling a cloak and a Ron out of thin air.
"Well, right now I'm thinking that you could be a little more appreciative, seeing as how I brought the Invisibility Cloak," Ron said, with a lop-sided grin, as he rubbed his shins.
"Really, I'd never have known that Ron, considering as how its in my hand," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
"Hey, you're the one who wanted to meet me out here, remember," he questioned, bristling. "If your just going to start a row with me, Me and the Invisibility Cloak will just go back inside now."
He reached for the cloak, but Hermione danced out of his reach.
"No, please don't go. Ron, I'm sorry. It's just, well, your twenty minutes late!"
"Yeah, I'm twenty minutes late because I thought you might not want to get caught out here all alone with out the cloak. You would loose being a prefect," Ron said, with genuine concern. Hermione's faced softened and a smile pulled at the corners of her mouth. Ron, realizing what he said, blushed noticeably in the moonlight.
"So, um, uh. what was it you wanted to tell me," He stammered, cramming his hands in his pockets, avoiding her eyes, and studying the ground intently. Why did he have to look so damned cute when he was embarrassed?
"Well, you see. The thing is. well." Now it was Hermione's turn to stutter and stammer. She took a deep breath. Just take the plunge right off the deep end. Come one Hermione, you're supposed to be a Gryffindor, for Gods sake!
Ron looked up, curiously. A few stray auburn locks fell into his eyes. She began to nervously chew her lips.
"Ok, here it is. Ron, I. well. you see the thing is."
"Oh for Gods sake, Hermione! I just can't take this anymore!" Her heart filled with dread. "I-I don't understand." "Well maybe this will clear things up a bit."
He crossed the distance between them instantly. He kissed her passionately for only a moment. He pulled back, and looked hopeful and horrified when she opened her eyes. She crooked her head to one side and looked at him. This quite possibly could be the happiest moment of my life, She thought. Then again, Ron must have thought differently, for he rushed to explain.
"Oh Gods, Hermione! I'm so sorry. I don't know what came over me. I'm terribly sorry. Please don't be mad at me." He pleaded with her, looking down at her with those innocent hazel eyes. This boy just needs to shut up, Hermione thought. So when he began again, she was ready.
"Herm."
"Ron," She said. He looked at her fearfully. "You talk way too much." He looked a cross between hopeful and puzzled the moment before she grabbed his tie and pulled his face down to her level. She the wrapped her arms around this neck and poured all her emotions and feelings into that kiss. After the initial shock, he wrapped his arms around her waist, and returned the kiss with more passion than she could have ever dreamt. They stayed like that for quite sometime. When they finally broke apart, they sat down underneath a tree, smiling, with her leaning on him, and he hugging her close to him.
"You know, Hermione," He whispered in her ear, making her shiver.
"What's that," she asked, turning to face him.
"I love you. I always have and I always will."
She smiled and leaned back against him.
"I love you, too. And I'll never ever stop."
He hugged her tighter.
"By the way, what did you want to tell me when you told me to meet you here?" he queried.
"I wanted to tell you that I was deeply in love with you and that I wanted nothing more than to grow old with you, have kids, get married, everything. Why?"
"Well, when you told me to meet you, Harry said I should tell you how I felt."
"And that was.?"
" That I was deeply in love with you and that wanted nothing more than to grow old with you, have kids, get married, everything." Hermione smiled.
"Hermione?"
"Yes?"
"Would you be my girlfriend?"
She turned around and looked deep into his eyes.
"Of course. You didn't even have to ask."
As they embraced, from inside the castle, two people chuckled, and two people sighed and wiped their eyes.
"Well Ms. Weasley, Mr. Potter," sniffed McGonagall. "You win. Brilliant job."
"Thanks, Professor," Ginny said, wiping her eyes.
"I must say, Mr. Potter, that was high quality entertainment, even if it was a bit 'girlie' at the ending," Dumbledore said, his eyes twinkling. "Please give Mr. Weasley and Ms. Granger my delight that the two of them finally got together. I always knew they would. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a few Galleons to collect from Professor Flitwick."
Harry smiled, and looked back out to his friends. Finally, they had worked it out. What was so obvious the rest of the world since at least third year, had taken them until fourth year to admit it to themselves, and fifth year to admit it to each other. He watched as Ron and Hermione stood up, kissed, and then disappeared underneath the Invisibility Cloak. He motioned to Ginny, and then they ran back to the common room. Now was the Hard Part: pretending they hadn't seen anything.
*********************
Ron stepped out from underneath the cloak to give the Fat Lady the password.
"Aurora Borealis."
The portrait hole swung open and Hermione slipped the Invisibility cloak of, and walked hand-in-hand with Ron into the common room. They saw Harry playing chess with Ginny. Apparently, she was winning.
"Check Mate!"
"Oy, how do you do that? You've mated me at least five times during the last ten minutes!"
"It was six," Ginny said, smiling sweetly.
"Oh, hey guys. where were you?" Harry said, trying not to burst out laughing at their flushed faces.
"Well," Ron said, turning and smiling at Hermione. "We're in love."
"Head over heels."
"Forever and ever"
"'Till the end of time."
"I guess it's time to start planning your buck's night, eh Ron?" Harry said.
But Ron wasn't paying too much attention to him.
"Gross! Get a bloody room you guys!" Ginny yelled as she ran upstairs. Harry decided it was time to go to bed, as well. He looked at his best friends again. Maybe he should take a leaf from their tree.
"Hey, uh. Ginny?" He said, as she was going upstairs.
"Yeah, Harry?"
"Since those guys are probably going to be snogging for the rest of their lives, would you, I don't know. want to hang out sometime? Like at Hogsmeade or something?"
"I'd love to," Ginny said smiling. She stood on her tiptoes and kissed Harry's cheek before dashing up the girls' staircase, and leaving a very red Harry behind.
Ron and Hermione, who had been watching the whole thing, looked at each other.
Looks like life as a Gryffindor just got a little more complicated.
Blimey. she thought to herself. What have I gotten myself into? How was she supposed to go about this? There certainly no books she could check for reference. In fact, she had checked. According to those books, she should be head over heels for Harry, not Ron. Every book that even mentioned falling in love with your best friend, had you falling in love for the hero, the main guy. Well, no offense to Ron, but that was definitely Harry. It's just that, well, she loved Ron. Sure, she loved Harry, but like a brother. She would give her life for him, but she would give her heart and soul for Ron.
She was taking such a huge chance by doing this. What if he looks at me like I've got "I love Draco Malfoy" written all over my face? What if he says that he couldn't possibly love a bookworm like me? Or he says he likes someone else? Or that he likes me as a friend? Her eyes welled up with tears at the thought. Maybe I should just leave, he obviously doesn't care about me enough to risk his neck to come out and meet with me. She stood and dusted herself off. Oh bugger, I've no way to sneak back in; I'm going to be caught by Filch for sure. She thought bitterly that she was risking her prefect-hood just for that great prat, and he couldn't even have the decency to show up! Oh, she was going to have a lovely chat with one Mr. Ronald Weasley. The nerve of him!
An invisible hand clutching her mouth, however, interrupted her inner ranting.
She started kicking and hitting the space behind her as best she could. She heard someone mutter, "Ah, bloody hell," and she immediately knew who it was.
"Ron! You scared the life out of me! What were you thinking?" She scolded, pulling a cloak and a Ron out of thin air.
"Well, right now I'm thinking that you could be a little more appreciative, seeing as how I brought the Invisibility Cloak," Ron said, with a lop-sided grin, as he rubbed his shins.
"Really, I'd never have known that Ron, considering as how its in my hand," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
"Hey, you're the one who wanted to meet me out here, remember," he questioned, bristling. "If your just going to start a row with me, Me and the Invisibility Cloak will just go back inside now."
He reached for the cloak, but Hermione danced out of his reach.
"No, please don't go. Ron, I'm sorry. It's just, well, your twenty minutes late!"
"Yeah, I'm twenty minutes late because I thought you might not want to get caught out here all alone with out the cloak. You would loose being a prefect," Ron said, with genuine concern. Hermione's faced softened and a smile pulled at the corners of her mouth. Ron, realizing what he said, blushed noticeably in the moonlight.
"So, um, uh. what was it you wanted to tell me," He stammered, cramming his hands in his pockets, avoiding her eyes, and studying the ground intently. Why did he have to look so damned cute when he was embarrassed?
"Well, you see. The thing is. well." Now it was Hermione's turn to stutter and stammer. She took a deep breath. Just take the plunge right off the deep end. Come one Hermione, you're supposed to be a Gryffindor, for Gods sake!
Ron looked up, curiously. A few stray auburn locks fell into his eyes. She began to nervously chew her lips.
"Ok, here it is. Ron, I. well. you see the thing is."
"Oh for Gods sake, Hermione! I just can't take this anymore!" Her heart filled with dread. "I-I don't understand." "Well maybe this will clear things up a bit."
He crossed the distance between them instantly. He kissed her passionately for only a moment. He pulled back, and looked hopeful and horrified when she opened her eyes. She crooked her head to one side and looked at him. This quite possibly could be the happiest moment of my life, She thought. Then again, Ron must have thought differently, for he rushed to explain.
"Oh Gods, Hermione! I'm so sorry. I don't know what came over me. I'm terribly sorry. Please don't be mad at me." He pleaded with her, looking down at her with those innocent hazel eyes. This boy just needs to shut up, Hermione thought. So when he began again, she was ready.
"Herm."
"Ron," She said. He looked at her fearfully. "You talk way too much." He looked a cross between hopeful and puzzled the moment before she grabbed his tie and pulled his face down to her level. She the wrapped her arms around this neck and poured all her emotions and feelings into that kiss. After the initial shock, he wrapped his arms around her waist, and returned the kiss with more passion than she could have ever dreamt. They stayed like that for quite sometime. When they finally broke apart, they sat down underneath a tree, smiling, with her leaning on him, and he hugging her close to him.
"You know, Hermione," He whispered in her ear, making her shiver.
"What's that," she asked, turning to face him.
"I love you. I always have and I always will."
She smiled and leaned back against him.
"I love you, too. And I'll never ever stop."
He hugged her tighter.
"By the way, what did you want to tell me when you told me to meet you here?" he queried.
"I wanted to tell you that I was deeply in love with you and that I wanted nothing more than to grow old with you, have kids, get married, everything. Why?"
"Well, when you told me to meet you, Harry said I should tell you how I felt."
"And that was.?"
" That I was deeply in love with you and that wanted nothing more than to grow old with you, have kids, get married, everything." Hermione smiled.
"Hermione?"
"Yes?"
"Would you be my girlfriend?"
She turned around and looked deep into his eyes.
"Of course. You didn't even have to ask."
As they embraced, from inside the castle, two people chuckled, and two people sighed and wiped their eyes.
"Well Ms. Weasley, Mr. Potter," sniffed McGonagall. "You win. Brilliant job."
"Thanks, Professor," Ginny said, wiping her eyes.
"I must say, Mr. Potter, that was high quality entertainment, even if it was a bit 'girlie' at the ending," Dumbledore said, his eyes twinkling. "Please give Mr. Weasley and Ms. Granger my delight that the two of them finally got together. I always knew they would. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a few Galleons to collect from Professor Flitwick."
Harry smiled, and looked back out to his friends. Finally, they had worked it out. What was so obvious the rest of the world since at least third year, had taken them until fourth year to admit it to themselves, and fifth year to admit it to each other. He watched as Ron and Hermione stood up, kissed, and then disappeared underneath the Invisibility Cloak. He motioned to Ginny, and then they ran back to the common room. Now was the Hard Part: pretending they hadn't seen anything.
*********************
Ron stepped out from underneath the cloak to give the Fat Lady the password.
"Aurora Borealis."
The portrait hole swung open and Hermione slipped the Invisibility cloak of, and walked hand-in-hand with Ron into the common room. They saw Harry playing chess with Ginny. Apparently, she was winning.
"Check Mate!"
"Oy, how do you do that? You've mated me at least five times during the last ten minutes!"
"It was six," Ginny said, smiling sweetly.
"Oh, hey guys. where were you?" Harry said, trying not to burst out laughing at their flushed faces.
"Well," Ron said, turning and smiling at Hermione. "We're in love."
"Head over heels."
"Forever and ever"
"'Till the end of time."
"I guess it's time to start planning your buck's night, eh Ron?" Harry said.
But Ron wasn't paying too much attention to him.
"Gross! Get a bloody room you guys!" Ginny yelled as she ran upstairs. Harry decided it was time to go to bed, as well. He looked at his best friends again. Maybe he should take a leaf from their tree.
"Hey, uh. Ginny?" He said, as she was going upstairs.
"Yeah, Harry?"
"Since those guys are probably going to be snogging for the rest of their lives, would you, I don't know. want to hang out sometime? Like at Hogsmeade or something?"
"I'd love to," Ginny said smiling. She stood on her tiptoes and kissed Harry's cheek before dashing up the girls' staircase, and leaving a very red Harry behind.
Ron and Hermione, who had been watching the whole thing, looked at each other.
Looks like life as a Gryffindor just got a little more complicated.