Title: Letting Go
Ship: Ron/Hermione, Harry/Ginny, Ron&Harry (friendship)
Rating: PG
Word Count: 1450
Summary: The Trio are at the ball for the One Year Anniversary of Voldemort's Dowfall.
A/N: I wrote this originally for the prompt Dress Robes (Hermione Month, April) but then came up with Double Entendre and decided to use that instead. This isn't brilliant, but I found it taking up valuable space on my laptop and thought I'd post it because I'm a comment whore and getting nice comments might help combat my writers block. Okay, am I fishing now? Note to those on my flist, this isn't the one I was just talking about writing. That one will be smutty. --
Ron stood near the entrance of the large room, greeting guests and deliberately directing them over to the bar. He was doing his best to distract them from Harry, who was already surrounded by a crowd of people. Each time Ron caught a glimpse of Harry's face through the mass of people, he seemed to have turned a slightly darker shade of green.
It was a year since Voldemort's downfall, and Harry had been asked to give a speech in a room full of people. There were hundreds of guests already, and Ron was still shaking hands and kissing cheeks. Many of the guests were extremely famous. Not as famous or important as Harry, of course, but the next best thing.
Harry hated speeches; he hated talking about what had happened like he had done something brilliant. As far as Harry was concerned, he'd had help with everything, and it wasn't anything special, because it had to be done.
Ron felt a hand touch his arm, and turned his head to greet the next guest, but the hand belonged to Hermione.
"Hey," she smiled.
"Hi," he replied, bending to kiss her.
She was wearing light blue, satin dress robes and there was a small, navy flower pinned on her right breast that matched the colour of Ron's tie. Hermione had picked out a Muggle suit for him to wear, instead of dress robes, when he couldn't find any he liked.
"You look amazing," he told her.
"Thank you, so do you," she said, reddening just slightly. "Don't I have great taste? "
"You chose me, so I'd say you have the best taste," Ron smirked, putting his arms around her waist and pulling her against him.
"Oh, we're in one of those moods, are we?" She said, raising an eyebrow and slipping her arms around his neck. Ron chuckled and kissed her again.
"No," he whispered when they parted. "I know I'm the lucky one."
Hermione grinned and her grip tightened at the back of his neck for a second before she stepped back.
"Do you want me to take over the 'meet and greet'?" She asked. "You've been standing here for ages."
"I'm just trying to get people to leave Harry alone, really," Ron sighed and glanced back at his best friend. He was looking more terrified than ever, but the crowd seemed to have dispersed a little.
"He's scared stiff. Poor thing," Hermione observed. "I wish they'd just let him move on."
"Hmm," Ron nodded. "I think I'll go and talk to him for a bit. You're okay here, yeah?"
She nodded and gave his arm a squeeze, pushing him gently in Harry's direction.
Ron made his way through the crowd, and grabbed Harry by the arm, pulling him, without a word, through a door not too far away.
The room was much smaller than the ballroom from which they'd come, and it was empty, so Ron flicked his wand at the lock to keep it that way.
"Are you alright?" He asked, as Harry sat down on the edge of a table. "I thought I'd let you have a couple minutes of peace and quiet."
"Thanks. I'm fine," he answered, sighing heavily before looking up. He gave a small smile. "Just nervous, you know?"
"Yeah," he rested a hand on Harry's shoulder. "You'll be fine, mate, honest. Hermione helped you write it, didn't she?"
"I know," Harry nodded and sighed. "What about you? How are you coping?"
"Surprisingly well, actually," Ron cleared his throat. "I reckon George and Percy should have come though. They're still finding it hard, but it might have helped to take their mind off it a bit, focussing on the positive instead of the negative."
"Sorry," Harry shook his head and looked down at his knees.
"What for?" Ron asked.
"That I couldn't do anything to stop it."
"Harry," Ron said sternly. "Let's not go through this again!"
"Sorry, I'm just saying that…"
"Well, don't just say," Ron growled. "It's bad enough as it is without you feeling sorry for yourself."
Before Harry could respond, there was a knock at the door, and Ginny's voice could be heard over the loud, romantic ballad.
"Ron, I'd like to dance with my fiancée, if you don't mind?"
"Coming," Harry shouted, and he jumped off the desk.
He strode towards the door, taking his wand out to unlock it, but Ron caught him by the arm and pulled him into quick hug, tapping him on the back once before letting go.
"Good luck, mate," he said.
Harry smiled and nodded before opening the door, and was immediately dragged onto the dance floor by Ginny.
Ron headed towards the entrance, intending to ask Hermione to dance, but as he got closer, he noticed that she wasn't there. He frowned and scanned the room for her.
He spotted her on the dance floor. With Viktor Krum of all people. She was laughing, and she swatted him playfully on the arm as he skilfully twirled them in a circle.
Ron felt his blood boiling, and clenched his fists at his sides. This wasn't going to happen. Not again.
He strode over to the pair, and tapped Krum on the shoulder. He stopped dancing immediately and greeted Ron with an eager handshake, holding Ron's right hand with both of his own large ones.
"Ron," he said. "Is nice to see you again."
"Krum," Ron answered, giving his hand an abrupt shake before pulling it free. He turned to look at Hermione, and she had that funny look in her eye. The one that made him know he'd done something wrong
"Viktor, you don't mind if I dance with Ron, do you?" she asked, smiling at him.
"But of course!" Krum answered, with his best attempt at a smile. "Herm-oh-ninny is telling me you two are being in love, yes?"
"Yes," Ron answered, a little dazed by Krum's upbeat response.
"Yes, I was telling Viktor all about us," she glared at Ron.
Krum was nodding enthusiastically between them.
"This is being like the Ball at Hogwarts, yes? Herm-oh-ninny in the blue, and there is the dancing… now, I think, it is your turn?"
He gave another quick nod of the head, and began to back away.
"Thanks, Kr… Viktor," Ron said.
"Is no problem," Krum said. "You are being lucky to have someone loving you so."
Krum walked away, and Ron turned to see Hermione standing in front of him, with her arms crossed over her chest.
"Do you have to be so rude, and embarrass me like that?"
"I'm sorry," Ron said weakly.
"It was four and a half years ago, Ron. Why can't you just let it go?"
"I know, but…"
"Listen," she interrupted. "I'm with you, and I love you,and I don't want anyone else."
She stepped forwards and wrapped one arm around his waist, reaching up to pull him down for a chaste kiss with the other.
"Why won't you believe me?"
"I do," Ron sighed, resting his forehead against hers. "I just don't understand why you'd want me, when you could have someone like Krum."
"What's so good about him?" Hermione said, wrapping both arms around his waist now.
"Oh, I don't know," Ron said sarcastically. "He's rich, he's good at Quidditch, and he's…
"And you really think that I'm interested in those sorts of things?" Hermione asked, raising an eyebrow.
"No," Ron answered, "but…"
"No. I'm not," she said. "Viktor is charming and rather sweet, and he's a brilliant tool to use to make you jealous. He's also slightly arrogant, and surly at times, and he's thick as two short planks. We have nothing in common, and… dare I say it? He's not really that good looking."
"Well, I'm no Oliver Wood, am I?" Ron laughed.
"You," Hermione said seriously, "are beautiful. You are beautiful, and kind. You're loyal, and sweet, and smart..."
Ron interrupted her with a snort.
"Yes," she added. "You are smart, when you put your mind to something. I trust you more than anyone else in the world. I know you'd do anything for me. You'll be the perfect husband, and the perfect father to our children. I love you."
Ron smiled, and leaned in to share a kiss that was probably much too passionate for public display.
Harry and Ginny waltzed past, wolf whistling and sniggering. Ron broke away quickly and blushed when he realised that the shrill sound had attracted the attention of the guests closest to them. There were many, Imany/I faces staring at them and smirking.
"Don't worry," Hermione laughed quietly. "Harry won't look so smug in five minutes when he has everyone staring at him!"