Merry Christmas, Ron
By DevilShoes
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter or have any thing to do with it.
NOTES: Just so we're clear: this is shameless, badly written, Christmas fluff. I missed my chance to do Halloween fluff and I was feeling all Christmassy when this idea popped into my head, so please R&R
p.s. Hopefully, the next chapterof Ghosts of the Manor, wont be too far away, definately by the end of the month, folks.
ENJOY & HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!
'Ron, let me get this straight,' Harry said as he and Ron walked away from the North Tower, having just endured a double period of Divination. 'You actually believe the rubbish Trelawney was talking about?' Harry asked in disbelief.
'Believe is such a strong word, but… kinda.' Ron replied timidly.
'But why?' Harry said, seeming to have difficulty just saying the words.
'Well, you know how I've been thinking of telling Hermione about, well, you know?' Harry nodded, he knew that Ron had been beating himself up over whether he should tell Hermione about his feeling for her or not. Ron had told Harry about such feeling in the summer and it was now the last day before the Christmas holidays began. Obviously, when he first found out, Harry had attempted to get them together but Ron's apprehension about the whole thing made progress very hard. 'Well you heard what Trelawney said about finding happiness over Christmas?'
Harry snorted, 'The only thing she's ever predicted that hasn't ended with my funeral preparations.'
'Well, I was thinking, what if that happiness was, you know? Hermione.' Ron said quietly, blushing a furious shade of red. Before Harry had a chance to speak, Ron cut him off and added, 'And she knew that I was having back problems.'
'That may have been down to the fact you literally limped into class.' Harry said with a smile.
'It's not my fault I fell out of bed last night!' Ron protested as the two reached the portrait of the Fat Lady.
'Turkey,' Harry said to the portrait which obediently swung forward, allowing Harry and Ron access to the Gryffindor common room. 'Well you should have woken up like most normal people would've done!'
'I'm a deep sleeper,' Ron muttered under his breath.
'Ok, well about Hermione, I think if you feel you should go for it then for Merlin's sake please do because you've taken long enough!' Ron blushed again. 'But,' Harry continued, 'Don't go for it just because of what Trelawney said, we know how accurate she is with her predictions.'
Ron paused, thinking this over. Should he tell her? Harry was right, he'd put it off long enough, and Christmas seemed like the perfect time; half of Hogwarts were at home, so there'd be more chance of privacy without anyone overhearing and if things went terribly wrong (which he had a suspicion they would) he could easily avoid her due to the lack of lessons.
Without even being aware of it, Ron said triumphantly, 'I'll do it.'
A wide smile filled his face, he was finally going to do it. As he thought this over, he distinctly heard Harry mutter, 'Bout time, two.'
'Ron, I swear to God, if you don't do it soon, I will.' Harry said through gritted teeth. He and Ron were sat in the library on Christmas Eve morning and Hermione had just walked over to them, causing Ron's ability to speak to disapparate once again.
'Isn't Christmas Eve the worst?' Hermione asked as she sat down in the chair opposite her two fellow Gryffindors. Ron almost choked in his haste to agree. 'I mean you can never forget the fact that it's Christmas tomorrow and the whole thought of it kinda haunts you all day.' Harry murmured an agreement.
'Ron are you OK?' Hermione asked cautiously, noticing that Ron was acting rather oddly. In fact, he has been since the holiday began, Hermione thought to herself.
'Me? Yes I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be?' Ron answered very hurriedly, the traditional shade of red invading his cheeks.
'Well, you seem to have been acting rather odd, these last couple of days,' Hermione said, choosing her words very carefully. In her experience, whenever there was something the matter with Ron he was very easily offended.
'It's just the whole excitement of Christmas, isn't it Ron?' Harry answered for him. 'I mean, like you just said, whatever you do, you can't escape the fact it's coming, can you?'
'I guess…' Hermione said slowly, not in the least bit convinced. Harry could tell she was about to interrogate Ron further, so he quickly changed the conversation.
'How are you getting on with that essay for Snape? I was wondering if you could help me.' Harry quickly asked.
'Help you, yes. Let you copy me, no.' Hermione said flatly. 'What is it exactly that your having trouble with?'
As Harry continued the conversation with Hermione, Ron attempted to calm himself. He didn't know what was the matter with him. He had been having strong feeling for Hermione for a long time now and had always managed to act normal and casual as if nothing was happening, but now he had told himself it was time to tell her the truth, he found he couldn't even function properly when she was in the same room. He so incredibly nervous, he didn't know what to do with himself. It was already Christmas Eve and he had had plenty of opportunities to tell her but none of them seemed right. He couldn't explain it, but he wanted it to be the exact right moment, when he wasn't being a mumbling idiot or an insensitive git. He knew he had to do it soon or he'd go insane but he couldn't rush it, the time had to be right. Hurriedly, he made an excuse to leave and rushed out of the library in search of some peace.
As Harry watched Ron flee the library, Hermione turned to him and asked, 'I want the truth now, Harry, what's up with Ron?' Harry was torn between loyalty to Ron and honesty to Hermione.
'I really can't say, Hermione, I'm sorry.' It was the truth and, to Harry's surprise, she accepted it. She simply said 'OK' and carried on advising Harry on his essay for Snape.
Ron found himself out in the cold on the Quidditch pitch. He climbed up into the stands and sat right at the top, from where he could see all of Hogwarts vast grounds, that were tinted white from the frost. He could see students ice skating on the frozen lake and various snow - ball fights going on around the castle, which itself, looked to be sporting the traditional snow covered roofs which always meant it was Christmas.
He was sat, taking in the scenery in the freezing cold of December. After a minute or two he reluctantly decided it was time to think his horrible situation over. He knew he needed to tell her, but where to start? What would he say? What would she say? What if she didn't want to talk to him again? What if it split the three of them up?
When he thought of all the bad scenario's that could come of this, Ron felt guilty. But this time it wasn't about the three of them, it was about him and Hermione.
'I'm off to bed.' Hermione announced, yawning.
The three of them had been playing wizard chess and discussing just about everything they could think of and it was now quite late. Ron had spent a couple of hours outside to clear his head, and he had been pretty confident until he actually got back inside and found his bravery had melted with the snow on his shoes.
As Hermione stood up to leave, Harry mouthed, 'GO ON,' to Ron, who got the hint, and somehow managed to stand up and even string a sentence together. 'Could I talk to you before you do?'
Ron gave Harry a look that had an obvious message, and Harry stood up and went off to bed. Ron did a quick visual check of the common room. It was practically deserted except for a few excited first years. Ron had a sudden horrific image of Draco somehow getting inside the Gryffindor common room and witnessing, what could possibly be the most humiliating moment in Ron's life.
'Ron, what is it?' Hermione asked warily, watching him keep looking around the room.
'Umm, Hermione, listen,' He began, clearing his throat, and forgetting what he had rehearsed to say. 'Sit down.' He dragged her over to the seats close to the fire before continuing.
'Now, um, Hermione, we've been, um, friends for a long, um, time now haven't we?'
'Ron, whatever it is, spit it out!' Hermione said, growing impatient.
'Hermione, I love you.' Ron said hurriedly, shocked by his own bravery.
Hermione smiled and replied, 'Aw, Ron, I love you too, but I'm really tired so I'm off to bed now. Night.' And with that, she rose and climbed the stairs up to the girls' dormitory.
Ron was left, sat in one of the chairs, with his mouth open in shock. What just happened? He asked himself. She didn't believe me?
Ron was in shock. Out of all the possible reactions, he had not accounted for this one. He was prepared for rejection, for her laughing in his face, for her saying she needed time to think and then rejecting him. But he hadn't prepared for her not believing him.
In desperation, he put his head in his hands and let the warmth of the fire sooth him. As he raised his head, something caught his eye. A book. Hermione must have left it he thought. Not wanting to have to go upstairs and explain to Harry what had happened, he opened it and began to read.
Hermione couldn't get to sleep. She had thought she was too old for being so excited she couldn't sleep, but apparently she was wrong. No, it wasn't excitement. She couldn't put her finger on what exactly it was but she knew she wouldn't get to sleep anytime soon.
With a sigh, she lay on her back, eyes opened. She was thinking about Ron, she had a feeling there was still something he wanted to tell her. As soon as she had gotten into bed, she had realised there must have been something he needed to tell her and she had scolded herself for leaving so soon. He probably hasn't got my a Christmas present or something, Hermione mused to herself with a smile.
She ran through the conversation she and Ron had had downstairs to try and figure out what it could have been. Suddenly, she gasped. He was serious. He had been serious. He said he loved her and he meant it. It all made sense, the weird behaviour, Harry's secrecy. He loved her. She cringed as she remembered her words in return. How could I have been so stupid? She scolded herself.
Suddenly, a thought apparated into her head; did she love him? How could she tell? She had never been in love before, only with her parents and that was a different love. She had always had a soft spot for Ron and her relationship with Ron was different to the one between her and Harry. Ron always made her laugh and she'd fallen out with him so many times she couldn't remember, and yet she never had with Harry. Harry was like a brother, but she definitely didn't think of Ron as her brother.
Maybe she did love Ron. All she knew was that she needed some kind of sign, something she wasn't going to find curled up in bed. As quietly as possible, she stepped delicately out of bed and wrapped her dressing gown around her for warmth and walked down into the common room, where the remaining embers of the fire glowed.
As she looked around, she saw two first years fast asleep in the corner and a figure sat next to the fire, who had fallen asleep whilst reading. Wait was that - Ron? Gingerly stepping forward, so as not to wake him, Hermione smiled at him. He looked sweet as he smiled, she thought to herself.
She picked up the book he had fallen asleep reading and read the title. She gasped. He had been reading 'Hogwarts: A History'. He would never have read that book willingly and he hated how she always quoted from it, but he had read it for her. Recognising her sign, Hermione gentle attempted to wake Ron up.
'Huh? What? Hermione?' Ron asked sleepily, only half awake. 'What are you doing here? Did I fall asleep?'
Hermione grinned and nodded, allowing him to come to his senses. 'Ron, listen, about what you said earlier?' Ron's cheeks became a familiar colour. 'Well, I thought about it and, um, I love you too.' She said, blushing with cheeks a shade of red that would rival Ron's. They both grinned foolishly and somewhere in the castle, they heard twelve chimes go off.
'Merry Christmas, Hermione.' Ron said.
'Merry Christmas, Ron.' She replied and they kissed. And for Ron, everything was perfect.