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Cormac McLaggen stood on the Quidditch field, talking and laughing with some of his stupidly arrogant friends. He looked smug as he began making wild gestures, much to Ron's annoyance. Ron sat on the bench next to Harry, waiting for practice to begin. He couldn't stop glaring at McLaggen's dramatic form, hating every movement he made.
And before you ask, he wasn't on edge because he and Lavender had just broken up, in fact, he couldn't be happier. She was getting far to clingy and ruining an important relationship between him and...someone special. Of course, this person and Ron were completely platonic, of course, but that doesn't mean he couldn't hope.
Then, a name that had been haunting Ron's nightmares floated out of the sick git's mouth.
"...Hermione and I..."
How dare he speak her name like that? He wasn't respecting her name at all, he was saying it as though it was just an object or a trophy to be won. He was just a rude, filthy-
"Are you okay there, Ron?" rang Harry's concerned voice from next to him.
"Uh...yeah. I-I just have to take care of something really quick." He got up from the bench and started walking towards McLaggen, already fuming.
"So, boys? What are you talking about over here?" Ron asked curtly, knowing exactly what answer to expect. All four boys turned to Ron, McLaggen with a smug look and the other three looked unusually anxious.
"Oh, you know. I was just telling the boys about my fun night with Hermione last week. It was...what you could say...delicious." He drawled on and licked his lips while the three other guys laughed. His smug grin widened as Ron stepped forward, his face reddening and his fists clenched.
Last week was Slugghorn's Christmas party, and Ron was still insanely jealous. He had passed up his chance to go with Hermione again. First it was the Yule Ball and Viktor Krum, and now it was Slughorn's party and McLaggen. Ron had stayed in the Gryffindor Common Room all night long, brushing off Lavender's attempts at flirting and ignoring everyone else. He just couldn't get the picture of McLaggen pulling her close or kissing her under the mistletoe out of his head.
"Listen here, McLaggen, if you ever talk about her like that again I will personally-"
"-or what, Weasley? You can't stop me from seeing and talking to my girlfriend." A smirk of satisfaction replaced his smug smile as Ron's heart plummeted to his stomach. She couldn't be his girlfriend.
Ron had waited too long to confess to her, she was long gone with another guy, and Cormac McLaggen was that guy. He didn't know how much he fancied her until she was already gone. He couldn't believe he had wasted his time with Lavender when he could've been with Hermione. He wanted to throw up all over McLaggen, but decided to try to conceal his emotions instead. Ron took another deep breath before glaring back up at him, holding his ground.
"Why would she go out with the likes of you?" Ron spat angrily, jabbing his finger into McLaggen's chest.
"I gave her a night she will never, ever forget."
No. No. No. No. That's not possible.
"She would never do anything on the first date! Let alone with a scumbag like you!"
"Oh really? And you're so much better, Weasley? I've seen how you act with your girlfriend, Lavender, in the Common Room. Actually, everyone has. Especially Hermione. I'm just her shoulder to cry on after you were such a prat to her."
It was all his fault. She left because Ron had waited too long and chosen to hurt her. Ron had tried to smother his feelings for Hermione with kisses from Lavender, hoping everything would go back to normal, but it never did.
"I'm not even dating Lavender anymore, you twit! Didn't you hear? Or were you too busy snogging your precious Hermione?!"
"Well...actually," his arrogant smirk grew wider, "if you would like to hear about it is be happy to oblige. Of course, because you didn't have any luck pursuing her yourself."
Ron's vision went red. He lunged at McLaggen, throwing punches left and right. And of course, Cormac was fighting back just as hard. Soon, Ron was on top of McLaggen, letting all his anger out with his fists, pronouncing each word with every punch.
"Don't. You. Ever. Talk. About. Her. Like. That."
McLaggen kicks Ron where it hurts before rolling over on his stomach. People were gathering around now, watching the two aggressively brawl. Two of McLaggen's henchmen grab Ron and hold him still while letting their Cormac take his turn.
"CORMAC! What the hell do you think you're doing?!" An angry voice screeches from across the field. Hermione Granger stomps up to the scene, in her blazing glory. Just at the sight of her, Ron didn't feel quite as bad about being beat up. Harry was right next to her, his arms crossed and a nervous look playing across his features. Ron guessed he had ran to get Hermione, because even he knew that she was the only thing that could break them apart. She stood glaring at Cormac, her eyes burning all the way through his skull. Hermione's cheeks are pink from the weather and her frizzy hair puffs out a little more than usual. Her hands are stationed on her hips, looking menacing, but Ron couldn't help but wonder how she always looked so perfect.
"Are you going to answer me you prat?!" She yells at a frozen McLaggen.
"Uh-oh, hey Hermione! Good to see you sweetie! Last week was really fun-" He unfreezes and speaks in a sickly sweet voice, emphasizing his words for Ron.
"Last week? The last week when you tried to grope me at Slughorn's party and I hexed you into oblivion? Because that's all I remember, "sweetie." I told you never to come near my friends or I ever again, and here you are!" She scowls at him and his face turns blank with shock while flushing red in embarrassment.
He tried to make a move on her? The thought of taking Cormac to his grave seemed a little less improbable. Wait, but did she says she didn't enjoy it? If she didn't like him or what he was doing, she wouldn't be his girlfriend. Cormac McLaggen must be lying. Ron's heart flew back up into his chest and he couldn't stop a smile of relief from washing over his face.
Cormac quickly came to his senses and got up off of Ron to walk over to the fuming witch. "Why the bloody hell are you even mad at me anyway? I should be mad at you for only asking me to Slugghorn's party just to make Weasley here jealous!" Cormac yells, his face turning red and his eyes narrowing.
Ron's eyes widen and his heart rate quickens as he looks at the angry Hermione. He gets up and dusts himself off to see if her had heard right.
"Hermione? Is that true? 'Mione-" he reached out to touch her shoulder but she was too caught up in the argument.
"Cormac! If you ever come near any one of my friends ever again, I swear on Merlin's Beard I will-" she yelled, pulling out her wand.
Ron reaches out to grab her shoulder again. "Wait-Hermione stop! Just tell me if that's-"
"Not now Ron! Cormac-honestly I also swear on the Sorcerer's Stone if you even as much as come near me ever again I will-"
"Hermione!" She stops mid sentence and lets out an angry scoff, confused as to why Ron was interrupting her fiery rage. Her eyes blaze with fury and her wand is gripped tightly in her hand as she whips her head around to stare at him.
"What do you-" Hermione angrily shouts. She is stopped mid sentence by Ron's lips crashing onto her unprepared ones. The rest of the Quidditch team stared at the pair in awe, and some scowled in jealousy. The kiss is full of passion, all of the emotions and jealousy and that had been trapped inside them seemed to be gone. Hermione's stiff and angry shoulders relaxed as she wraps her arms around Ron's neck and ran her hands through his fiery locks. She reveled in this feeling, enjoying how perfect this moment felt. Ron smiled against her lips and she couldn't help to smile back at him. How could she not smile? She was kissing Ron for goodness sake.
She was kissing Ron.
She was kissing Ron.
Wait a minute! Oh no, she was kissing Ron.
Hermione pulls away abruptly and backs away, her eyes wide with shock. Ron's eyes slowly open and he stares at her with an eyebrow quirked. His arm extends to grab hers, but she pulls away and crosses her arms in front of her chest.
"What's wrong, 'Mione? I thought that was going pretty well-"
"Well?! Oh no no no! I am not just some scarlet women you can use! You have a girlfriend and no matter how much I want this, I refuse to-" She screams, her face red and her eyes stinging.
"Mione, no it's not like that-"
"Ronald Billius Weasley I can't believe I actually-" He grabbed her shaking hand and interlocks their fingers. Ron pulls her close, so close their noses are almost touching.
"Mione," he starts in a teasing voice that's just above a whisper, "maybe if you didn't always assume, you would realize that I already broke up with Lavender. Yesterday. Didn't you wonder why she wasn't up there in the stands?"
"Uhm," she glances up at the empty stands, "oh..." There was no Lavender in sight.
"And," Ron began again, never taking his eyes off Hermione, "if you didn't always have your nose stuck in a book, you would've realized how much I fancy you sooner." He breathes out, and Hermione's throat tightens. This couldn't be real. It all must be a wonderful dream, a unbelievably torturing dream.
He kisses her again and it's just as magical as the first time. This second time, they're greeted by cheers from the Quidditch team, minus Cormac. Even the opposing Hufflepuff that have begun to take the field, cheer and pump their fists at the scene before them.
They break the kiss and Ron rests his forehead on hers. He would like to stay there forever, but he knows the team will call him over soon.
"You know, sometimes I hate Quidditch," Ron whispers to only her, "and this is one of those times." Hermione smiles before reluctantly pulling back, but Ron stops her before she can get too far. He began rubbing small absentminded circles in the palm of her hands, which caused her to shiver.
"You'll wait for me after the game, won't you?" He asks quietly.
Hermione gives him her famous "you idiot" look and rolls her eyes. "Of course, I want to see the star player after his victory over the Hufflepuffs." She winks and shoves his chest lightly.
"Oi! Ron! Hurry up over there! Peel yourself off each other so we can start the game!" Ron sheepishly pulls away before sending a playful glare at Harry. He let go and smiled at her.
"Go get 'em Ron!" She said before releasing his hand to turn and walk back into the stands. Ron watched her go with a dreamy expression before running back over to the team.
"Way to go Ron!"
"Merlin's beard, finally!"
"Bloody hell, Ron! Who knew you had game?"
"Settle down everyone! Let's win this one for Gryffindor!" Cheers echoed from the huddle as Harry finished his speech.
And that was the day Ron played the best Quidditch game of his life. After all, he had some beautiful motivation in the stands.
Fin.