Disclaimer: Yeah, I don't own the masterpiece series that is Harry Potter. *grumble*
Innocence
The childlike innocence of their younger years was no more. After all they'd been through together- the adventures, the tragedies, the horcrux hunt, the defeat of the greatest evil wizard on the face of the Earth- innocence (of the mind, that is) was nearly impossible to come out of it all with.
That's why Hermione Granger loved times like this, times of pure, childish fun.
It's dusk, about 3 weeks after the war. Harry and Hermione have been staying at the burrow for a while, helping the Weasleys through the terrible tragedy that had shaken the family at the end of the war. Right now, however, Harry, Ginny, Ron, Hermione, and even George (GEORGE! He finally came out of his room about a week ago, and has been doing much better than expected) are having a sleepover. A sleepover! The quintessence of childhood innocence. They've got their sleeping bags in a semi-circle in the attic and a small muggle television set on the floor (thanks to Hermione, who also brought along some old muggle horror movies as well). They have loads of butterbeer, candy floss, every flavor beans, and chocolate frogs. Ron had brought up his wizard chess set and now he and Harry were sitting on the floor, fully engaged in their game. Ginny is snuggled up to Harry's side, occasionally pointing out smart moves for him to make, earning an elbow in the side from George.
"Let him figure it out on his own!" He scolds.
Hermione had brought her sleeping bag over to where the others were and was lying on her stomach, watching just as intensely as the others. Only she isn't watching the game, she's watching Ron.
She and Ron still haven't talked about the kiss during the Final Battle. She'd wanted to bring it up a thousand times the past few weeks, but rarely ever found the courage to. And even when she did find the courage to, it was never a good time.
As she thinks about this, her eyes travel all over his face, most frequently finding their way back to his lips. She isn't sure what exactly she likes about them, they're just lips. Maybe it's because they're Ron's lips. Maybe it's because she remembers how they felt that ONE time moving against her own. Maybe she just likes the way they move when he talks. But more likely than not, it's all of the above.
Ron looks over at her and smiles. She gives a little smile back and then looks away, her face going red, embarrassed at being caught stealing glances.
Ten minutes later, the game is over. Ron had won (no surprise there, he's marvelous at that game) and the 5 of them are making their way over to the semi-circle of sleeping bags surrounding the television. Ginny suggested they start the horror movies now, seeing as how it's finally dark enough.
"Hermione, which one's the scariest?" Ginny asks, clearly very excited.
"I don't know, I haven't watched them." Hermione answers. She'd never been one for horror movies. Ginny sighs.
"Fine, I'll pick." She says, and flips through the tapes, stopping at one about zombies and opening it up, popping it into the VCR.
Why, this isn't scary at all. Hermione thinks. God, if I hadn't gone to Hogwarts, THIS is the stuff I'd be afraid of? What rubbish, it's complete- "Oh my God!" Hermione's thoughts are stopped by her own scream (and Ginny's terrified yelp) as one of the zombies smashes a lady's skull in and begins to feast on her brains. Hermione doesn't even notice that she's turned her head into Ron's chest until she feels his arms envelope her.
"'Mione, it's just a movie." He whispers reassuringly.
"Right. Yeah, I know." Hermione says, awkwardly sitting up again, though still leaning on Ron's shoulder.
A few minutes later, she feels Ron stiffen and she looks up at him to see what was wrong. It isn't particularly gory right now. It takes her a moment to register what he's looking at (he's not facing the television). It's Harry and Ginny. They're snogging, the only thing between them and Ron being George (who is also looking on in amusement).Hermione puts a hand on Ron's shoulder and he looks at her. She leans up and whispers to Ron to leave them be, they deserve it after everything that's happened. Ron reluctantly agrees and relaxes a bit. Hermione almost jumps into his lap a few times during the movie, but does the awkward-move-away thing right after. Ron however, eventually decides to keep his arm around her through the rest of the movie. At the end, George's passed out and Ginny and Harry are close to it.
Hermione picks up a chocolate frog and hands one to Ron.
"Hermione Granger, eating a chocolate frog? I never thought I'd see the day." He teases. Hermione opens her box and sticks her tongue out at him.
"I like sweets every once and a while, too, you know." She retorts "Huh, they must've gotten new cards, I got Luna." She says, holding out a card with Luna Lovegood on it, smiling that airy, carefree smile and waving. "Who'd you get?"
Ron watches as the girl on his card waves a small, self conscious wave, tucks a strand of hair behind her ear and looks down, a small blush creeping up the sides of her face. She's gorgeous.
"You" he answers quietly, still staring at the card.
"Are you serious?" she asks, and snatches the card from his hand. "Oh god, that's an embarrassing picture." She says more to herself than anyone else. She starts to put it in her pocket when he grabs her wrist.
"What do you think you're doing?" he questions her. "That's mine."
"Oh honestly, Ronald, you don't expect me to let you keep this do you?"
"Actually, that's exactly what I expect."
"Well, you're going to be sorely disappointed, then" she slips the card the rest of the way in her pocket.
"I'll fight you for it." Ron says, smiling a little.
"Good luck." She counters, also smiling.
Then he jumps on her, pining her arms to the ground. Too bad he didn't think about her legs, because she kicks at his stomach until he's weak enough that she can roll out from under him. He gets up and lunges at her again. She moves and he nearly falls on the ground. After he catches himself, he turns around and catches the sleeve of Hermione's top and attempts to pull her to him, only when Hermione tries to pull away, she ends up falling, bringing Ron down with her. She lands on her back, Ron on top of her. They stay like that for a while, laughing and panting, getting lost in the pure childishness of the moment. But Hermione notices that Ron's stopped laughing and she stops laughing too. He's looking at her now, still lying on top of her, and she's completely at a loss for words.
Slowly, Ron lowers his head and touches his lips to Hermione's in an innocent kiss. When he starts to pull away, Hermione's arms grab his face and pull his mouth back down to hers. They sit up together, Hermione moving into Ron's lap, still kissing. His arms move protectively around her waist and pull her closer to him (if that's even possible). They take turns deepening and softening the kiss for a few minutes, until they all too soon break apart, their foreheads still touching.
"Can I have my card back now?" he asks. She laughs and hands him back his card, before he kisses her again.
Hermione quickly jumps off Ron's lap when George begins to stir. He wakes up and looks at the two of them, red faced and guilty looking. He notices something off about Hermione and comments right away
"Uh, Hermione, you're gloss is smea-" He stops his thought abruptly and looks at Ron. Sure enough, the residue from the clear gloss that Hermione had applied earlier that day is present on his younger brother's lips as well. George smirks. "Aaaaah." He says. "I'm telling everybody." With that, he lays back down and falls asleep.
Ron self consciously wipes at his gloss stained lips.
"I'm sorry, Ron." Hermione says, looking away and blushing.
"Sorry?" Ron questions. "I've wanted to do that since third year! There's nothing to be sorry about." Hermione looks at him and smiles.
"But aren't you embarrassed that George is going to go tell everyone?" she questions. He pulls her back into his lap.
"Why on Earth would I be embarrassed?" Ron whispers to her "because I get to kiss the smartest, most amazing, beautiful witch in the entire world?"
Hermione blushes. "I love you, Ron" she says and buries her face in his chest.
"I love you to, Hermione." He says back.
This is the best kind of innocence of all; the innocence of first love. It's first love because while each of them had been in a relationship before they were this, they'd only ever loved each other. Ron never loved Lavender and Hermione never loved Viktor Krum. These feelings had only ever been felt for each other.
The two fall asleep happily intertwined, and the next morning, are questioned by nearly everyone in the burrow. That night of childlike fun following the most adult years of their lives ultimately led to the start of Ron and Hermione's intricately woven future.
Author's Note: Eh, I don't know how I feel about this. Read and Review, I guess... if you want to. I promise, I'll do better next time! Pinky swear!