AN- I wrote this while my beta was yelling at me to finish chapter 3 for my other fic. Needless to say I haven't finished chapter 3 but it's 75 done and I'll post it before HBP comes out, promise. Anyway, this fic is Ron/Hermione. It has no character death and little angst. It's completely different from my other fics but I hope you still like it, I certainly do.
Dedicated to all those people in London.You guys have all our love and prayers.
Disclaimer- The woman that owns Harry Potter richer than the queen. But unfortunately that woman isn't me. I'm poorer than a mouse and then some. Seriously.
If you knew Hermione Granger well then you'd know that she wasn't studying, as hard as she was trying to fool everyone she just wasn't. The book was open at her lap but she wasn't looking at it. Her eyes were faraway and she would sometimes smile all of a sudden. She was sitting in her usual spot, in her huge armchair all curled up. Close enough to the fire for it's light to play tricks with her eyes and hair. It would flicker making the brown golden and her eyes were half closed, her lashes leaving small shadows on her cheeks.
She looked quite pretty for a second and Ron couldn't take his eyes off her. But he wasn't looking at her face, he was staring at her grin. What was she smiling about? More importantly who was she smiling about? He'd seen that grin before, Ginny had it when she was thinking about her secret boyfriend (who's identity was something that Ron had to find out about). Lavender and Parvati had it when they were not so inconspicuously staring at Seamus and Dean. So who was he?
The boy that caused her to give a little sigh over sometimes when she thought no one heard? The one that she had straightened her hair for? True that had been for only one day because she'd lost a bet against Ginny but still he's heard her ask Ginny later if he'd noticed. And she was giggling, he's heard her giggle over something with Luna last week. Hermione may do many things but she didn't giggle.
There it was again! That bloody smile, who was it for? Suddenly she seemed to realize where she was and she quickly turned her head down to her book, a slight blush staining her cheeks.
She looked pretty when her face was a bit pink like that Ron finally decided.
He was doing it again. He was frowning, it was the kind of frown that one puts on absentmindedly. No one really notices it because of that. But that frown was different. He only put it on when he thought of her.
She didn't yet know if he frowned because the girl frustrated him or just because his thoughts about her where that interesting. She'd seen Harry frown over Cho both before she noticed him and after they'd set their first and only date (a story that had Hermione sighing over male stupidity for days).
She shook her head, maybe she was reading into things too much. Then again what else could explain her hearing Harry telling Ron in muttered whispers to just 'tell her you fancy her already and get it over with.' This was followed by a brief sputtering of denial that he didn't like her before the two realised Hermione had come back from the library and they both hastily turned back to their chess game.
So who was she? It was driving Hermione crazy, she couldn't believe how sensitive she was to him nowadays. She caught her self staring at him at odd moments and drifting into daydreams more often. Ginny and Luna knew of course, so did Lavender and Parvati (they found out after tricking Hermione into a very lengthy game of truth or dare).
But that was besides the point, all Hermione knew was that Ron was thinking of this girl more and more and it was starting to worry her. When she'd had her great epiphany she'd decided she'd just ignore this… crush until it went away. After all Ron was one of her best friends, he was a great person and she didn't want to lose him. She'd get over it eventually right?
Well she'd tried, and her crush had gotten worse. Ginny had yelled at Hermione to just ask him out already. But the Gryfindor courage that she was supposed to have failed her every time she opened her mouth to ask him.
She shook her head again, her best hope was to just wish these feelings away. She turned to her book, Orville the Outrageous was said to have piecing blue eyes that froze his enemies and in some folklore turned people to stone.
Ron had blue eyes, but they were always warm and turned her legs to jelly. Hermione loved his eyes.
It was pathetic the way those two missed each other. Like they had a schedule, Hermione then Ron then back to Hermione. How could the smartest witch in the entire school not learn something that was right in front of her nose? Ron was one of the most observant people Ginny knew when his temper didn't blow up. How could he not notice what everyone including Snape knew?
She decided that love wasn't just blind, it was deaf and dumb as well. Those two could win a contest for obliviousness (was that even a word?). As fun as it were to count the number of times those two missed each other, it was getting a bit repetitive. And she was just going to have to do something about it.
He was frowning again. This time it was during charms. Who is this girl and why does she creep into his mind every other minute? The rational part of her mind told her that she was jealous. It was that simple.
That same part of her mind told her that she should just tell him and get it over with. Either that or she should stop cradling her emotions. Stop relishing the flip-flops her stomach went through when he smiled at her and stop smiling when he laughed at her jokes. She had to stop blowing on those embers of ardour before they sprung into full-fledged flames.
But she was starting to think that it was too late for that.
That bloody smile. It haunted his thoughts. It was so different form her other ones.
The one that she got when she was nervous, the one that she got when she was trying hard not to find something amusing, the one she got when she really wasn't listening to you. His favourite was the one she got when she was truly happy about something. It crept up on her face, starting with her mouth and then it'd reach her eyes. They'd sparkle and her face would glow. He loved that smile the best.
But this one, it was a bit like that. Only her eyes would be dreamier and her face would be a bit pinker. She looked very pretty with that smile.
But it wasn't him she was thinking of. No, it was someone else. Someone who was smarter and better then he was. Someone who understood the odd muggle phases she'd use. Someone who could quote the ridiculous poetry that she read. Someone that could take her on those trips around the world that she talked about with stars in her eyes.
Someone that certainly wasn't him.
He would settle for being her best friend. The one that got to hear her laugh and got to fight with her over trivial things and then later make up for it without really having to. The one that got to see her smile.
He loved her smile. And he was beginning to think that that wasn't the only thing he loved about her.
The news arrived a few days later, Viktor Krum had apparently married his beau of two and a half years, Olga Smirnoff. A few of the girls were quite sad about the news and a few more shot Hermione sympathetic glances, much to her annoyance.
"It's not like he was my boyfriend or anything! We went to the Yule Ball and that's it." She grumbled at lunch after the eighth person of the day told her that they were sorry.
"Well he must have really liked you, he invited you to visit over the summer." Harry pointed out.
"Because we were friends, he told me about Bulgaria and I said that it must be a lovely place to live. He said it was and told me that if I wanted I could see it for myself. I was the one who encouraged him to ask Olga out for Circe's sake. He said that she was one of his old friends and he might feel a bit odd if they went out. I told him that all relationships should have friendship so maybe he was half way there."
"Do you really think that friends can be lovers? Because someone I know doesn't think that's true and she's practically in love with her best friend." Ginny asked giving her friend a significant look.
"Of course, not all friends but some." Hermione sputtered before she suddenly found her pie quite interesting, Ginny had said the dreaded L word.
Ron how ever had a half hopeful half dejected look on his face.
Harry and Ginny however just sighed, those two needed to be shoved in a closet until they worked things out.
"Read pages 394 to 453. Take notes on the importance of using proper crystals in potions and be quiet. If I hear one word from any of you every single one of your housemates will lose points along with you. And yes, that does include the Slytherins as well." Snape said irritably before sweeping into his office.
"What crawled up his arse and died?" Ron muttered as the class did what all seventeen year olds would do if their teacher just told them to shut up, they proceeded to talk.
"I don't know, maybe he just needs to get laid." Harry said darkly.
"Oh, he already does that." Hermione said her head still bent over her book.
"Are… are you bloody serious? How would you know, or do I even want to know how you know?"
"Don't be so vulgar Ron, I saw a contraceptive potion in one of his cupboards and the quantity of that potion has gone steadily down every time I go in there to get some more anteater claw."
"Who in their right mind would want to sleep with Snape?" Harry asked, the very thought causing him to shiver.
"One of the professors?" Parvati responded as she and Lavender whirled around to join the conversation.
"Ew, McGonagall?" Seamus asked.
"No, Professor Hooch." Neville guessed.
"Sprout?" Dean said thoughtfully.
"Ugh, it's a bit obvious once you think about it. Who's closest in age to Snape?" Hermione shot back.
"Professor Vector?" Harry said innocently, earning a glare form Hermione. Professor Vector was one of her favourite teachers.
"No, it's…" Hermione was cut off when Snape re-entered the classroom.
"Do you honestly think that this is quiet? Ten points from each…" He in turn was cut off by a knock on the dungeon door. Before he could say anything else the door swept open to revel Professor Sinistra.
Sinistra was the only female professor at Hogwarts under thirty-five with the exception of Professor Vector. Though not overly beautiful she was quite pretty but was as rarely seen as Professor Twelreny because of the erratic hours an astronomy professor must keep. She was one of those teachers that assigned very little and as long as you worked in her class you'd pass. She was a favourite among the students, especially Fred and George, because she found their jokes quite amusing.
"Sorry to disturb you Severus but I need that potion you promised me." She said, her voice carrying tiredness that could be cured with a good night's rest.
"It's almost finished as I believe I told you yesterday, I would finish it but I have a class so…"
"Oh, I'll watch them, don't worry. Now shoo. I'll make sure that they don't kill each other." She said cheerfully, practically pushing Snape out of the class. When he'd left she turned to the bewildered class. "Alright, here's the deal. You work, talk, snog at the back of the classroom, whatever. I don't really care as long as you're quiet and don't do anything illegal."
With that she walked to Snape's desk and shook her head at the mess. Waving her wand everything flew into place and she sat in his chair, propping her feet up on the desk and conjuring a magazine.
The class went back to their discussions, the Gryfindors wide-eyed at this new development.
"Her? Professor Sinistra? But she's…" Harry trailed off in a choked voice.
"Sane." Ron finished, staring wide-eyed at the teacher, unsure of what he'd just said.
"Yes, don't you remember when we were coming back from the prefect meeting Ron and we saw Snape walking to the Astronomy Tower? And he sits next to her in the Great Hall."
"That just could be coincidence."
"Believe what you will, that's what I think. But I could be wrong about everything, including the contraceptive potion." Hermione shrugged and went back to her book (which wasn't the potions textbook at all.)
But Hermione being wrong about anything was something that most of them thought was fairly impossible.
After a few games of exploding snap Snape came back in carrying a goblet issuing a faint mist. When he saw the state of his class he looked like he was going to blow a fuse. However before he could punish the class Sinistra interrupted him.
"Oh, honestly Severus, leave them alone. I gave them permission to talk. They promised they'd read and take notes after class. Is that my potion? Thanks ever so much, you're a dear. I know how much you hate making it" She smiled at Snape and took the goblet. She took the whole thing in one swallow and then to everyone's surprise stood on her tiptoes (for she was quite short) and gave him a peck on the cheek. "Thanks again, now I can finally get some sleep."
While everyone just stared at her she gave Snape a quick smile and walked out of the dungeon. Snape blinked once, twice, and then glared at the class. Clearly saying 'if any of you mention this again you'll have detentions till you graduate.'
The bell then rang and everyone hurried out of the dungeon, as soon as Snape was out of earshot the talking began.
"Sinistra is either the bravest or the stupidest person I know." Someone said and there was muttered agreement until someone else said.
"Hermione was right."
When one lives in a castle surround by talking amour and moving portraits word gets around fast and by the time the school filed in for dinner everyone knew of the kiss. And the rumours where quite funny.
One stated that Sinistra and Snape had made out for ten minutes. Another said that Snape had tried to kiss Sinistra who'd pushed him away and run out, leaving Snape crying like a baby.
When Ginny heard the last one she rolled her eyes. "Do you honestly think that Snape would do that? It's totally out of character!"
"Rumours never care about little things like that now do they?" Hermione said.
"I suppose you're right but still…" They went back to their meal every so often glancing at the head table where Snape was talking to Dumbledore, completely ignoring Sinistra who was having a rather animated conversation with Professor Flitwick. Many of the other students in the Hall where doing the same.
As the Hall cleared out Ginny noticed something and poked Hermione to show her. Flitwick was apparently asking Dumbledore something, Dumbledore seemed unsure and asked Snape. The two (Dumbledore and Flitwick) debated over something and the conversation between Sinistra and Flitwick suddenly included Dumbledore and Snape. It was quite interesting to watch Snape and Sinistra try and avoid talking to each other. Kinda like Ron and Hermione just after a fight.
"What's so funny?"
"Nothing Hermione."
It had been a week. One whole week and Snape and Sinistra still weren't talking to each other and though Snape was trying to pretend that none of this infuriated him he was still moody (which was saying something). Only instead of yelling at Neville even more (something that the boy thanked God for) Snape would just bark at the children to brew the potion that was on the board or to read whatever pages of the textbook he wanted. It was a refreshing change from him taking away points from Gryfindor whenever one so much as sneezed without covering their mouth. But he did take points if you sneezed to loudly, noise bothered him now. So did the usual random bursts of coloured smoke.
Today was no different, he waved his wand and the instructions appeared on the board. Muttering something about partnering up and doing what was on the board he sat at his desk and started marking. The usual partnerships were formed and the class went on as scheduled. A few people started at the door wistfully, they were hoping that Sinistra would come soon and snog some sense back into Snape.
But the door stayed closed and the grumbles of students where heard as he took off ten points from Gryfindor because of the sudden burst of sparks from Dean's cauldron and ten points from Slytherin because Pansy giggled loudly when she inhaled to much of the smoke issuing from her potion.
The bell finally rang and everyone hurried to leave. The trio ran to lunch where they sat next to Dean and Seamus who where ranting about Snape.
"He's sulking that's what he's doing."
"Sinistra's not much better." Hermione said glumly. "Just assigns us star charts. It's sad really."
They talked about other things and every now and then joined the school in its daily pastime. Glancing every so-often at the bickering couple (though exactly how the innocent peck had turned into a fight no one really knew for sure.) It was still the same, the blatantly ignored each other.
And the students thought that they were doomed to moody professors forever.
The next few days where about the same and Friday was Valentine's Day. Usually the day passed unnoticed by most except for the couples in Hogwarts. This Valentine's Day fell on a Hogsmeade day but no one except for some of the older girls really made the connection (Honeydukes was having a sale on chocolate at any rate.)
So when the letters arrived it was quite a surprise.
Hermione got hers first, then Ginny. The other two girls just stared at their mail for a few seconds.
"Is it…?"
"It looks like one but…"
"What are you two staring at?" Lavender asked.
"Oh, they both got pink howlers? What ever are those?"
"We don't know." Hermione told Parvati, her voice puzzled.
"It's Valentines Day." Lavender suddenly said, pointing at the heart seal.
"You think they're for Valentines Day? I didn't even know Valentine's Howlers existed." Ginny said doubtfully.
"I can't think of anyone who'd be mad enough to send me a Valentine." Hermione said a bit wistfully (she knew who she wanted to send have this to her).
"I can." Was muttered by quite a few Gryfindors.
"Well open it and see." Lavender said decisively. "Who's going to open theirs first."
But before anyone could decide what to do the letter decided to do what howlers did best, start all by itself. Hermione's suddenly floated in the air and went slightly higher than eye level. It cleared its throat and eloquentlysaid.
She walks in Beauty, like the night One shade the more, one ray the less, And on that cheek, and o'er that brow,
Of cloudless climes and starry skies;
And all that's best of dark and bright
Meet in her aspect and her eyes:
Thus mellowed to that tender light
Which Heaven to gaudy day denies.
Had half impaired the nameless grace
Which waves in every raven tress,
Or softly lightens o'er her face;
Where thoughts serenely sweet express,
How pure, how dear their dwelling-place.
So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,
The smiles that win, the tints that glow,
But tell of days in goodness spent,
A mind at peace with all below,
A heart whose love is innocent!
When it finished the howler didn't suddenly self-combust as usual but tear itself into little heart-shaped confetti. It fluttered around the confused Gryfindor's head.
Ginny's howler then rose into the air and did a very good rendition of an old muggle song that no one could name. The howler in turn tore itself up and lazily floated down. The girls where all sighing over the sweet boys who'd gone through so much trouble for Valentines Day. A few gave pointed looks to their boyfriends. Ginny and Hermione just exchanged amused glances and started taking confetti out of the other's hair.
Lavender was one of the girls that sighed and she promptly asked them who had sent the howlers. Hermione and Ginny said they didn't have the faintest idea. The former glanced at her not-so-secret crush while the latter glanced over at her very-secret boyfriend. The Boyfriend was fuming (for he was jealous, though he'd never admit it) the Crush was quite mad too (he didn't know exactly why however, poor boy's in denial).
No one else noticed except for the respective best friends of the Boyfriend and Crush. Both best friends tried to pacify the furious teenagers until they looked like they wouldn't disfigure the first boy they come across that said hello to Hermione or Ginny. It was a bit successful.
Just a bit.
Hermione frowned, that was the third time today that Neville, who was working with her in potions, had been the recipient of one of Ron's glares (not that she'd been watching Ron or anything). He'd been in a foul mood since transfiguration (which incidentally was their first class of the day.)
In fact it had started almost immediately she'd come back from helping Seamus transfigure his puppy into an umbrella. Then it had gotten worse during charms when she spent almost half a period demonstrating to Dean how to cast a proper fire charm and then how to direct it so the charm didn't burn anyone into a crisp. Finally his mood had gotten to this stage, when it looked like he was going to blow up at any second. And it seemed to get worse with every second that passed by.
"Hermione, pass the beetle shell?" She gave it to him, only to snatch it back from his hands when she realized that the potion didn't require beetle shell. Neville just smiled sheepishly and continued shredding the dragonfly wing.
There it was again! That damned glare. Ronald Weasley had a lot of explaining to do.
Supper was eaten in stony silence between the Crush and the Clever Yet Clueless One. The Clever Yet Clueless One ate quickly and left in a huff when the Crush didn't get 'it' and the Crush got up soon after muttering things about crazy girls and prat housemates. It oddly resembled the S/S fighting that happened wordlessly at the head table. The similarities where quite amusing.
"I take it that our little plan worked?" Dean asked when he saw the bickering pair leave.
"You lot did that on purpose? You couldn't warn me could you? I had to deal with him the whole day! Oh, by the way, I think he may very well kill you." Harry said, a touch of laughter in his voice.
"Thanks, but it wasn't our idea." Seamus said, "Though it was fun to watch Ron squirm. And don't worry, he won't kill us, if he did then Hermione would never talk to him again. Ron wouldn't risk it."
"If it wasn't your idea then who's was it?"
"Ginny's." Dean said.
"And what exactly did this idea consist of? Trying to get Ron homicidal?"
"We told you, if he hurt one of us his precious almost-girlfriend would hurt him. We just took turns watching Ron's face go from pink to fire-engine red"
"What's a fire-engine?" Neville asked with interest.
While Dean tried to explain the concept of fire-engines and then of fire fighters Harry tuned to Ginny and congratulated her on making Ron's day a living hell.
"Thanks, I don't have anymore ideas though. But not to worry my scheming Weasley mind will come up with something at least."
"Remind me never to get on your bad side Ginny." An owl interrupted whatever Ginny was about to say in response. It flew to the Head Table and then landed with a thump in front of Snape. He gave the letter a puzzled look then suddenly sent the owl a furious glare as if blaming the poor creature for whatever news it held. But as he went to retrieve the mail the owl pecked Snape's fingers rather hard and dropped the letter in front of Sinistra who offered the owl some pumpkin juice before even looking at her post.
It was a pink howler.
"Oh, this should be fun." Ginny muttered.
"At least Sinistra got it and not Snape. Imagine what would have happened then?"
"Every single person who even mentioned it again would get a detention till they finish seventh year no doubt."
This howler-Valentine like all the others didn't wait for an invitation to start singing. It crooned a popular song by The Weird Sisters that Harry was sure had been played at the Yule Ball. Sinistra didn't blush or grin stupidly as other people would have she just listened to the song, her eyes half closed. Then when the melody finished and the confetti had settled on the ground and in her hair a wave of her wand cleaned everything thing up and she calmly got up and walked out as if this happened frequently, a small smile on her face.
Snape looked livid, he stared at the doors where Sinistra had disappeared behind for a few minutes then he got up and left shortly after. As soon as he did the Great Hall buzzed with chatter and Harry glanced up at the Head table. Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick where talking with small grins on their faces. The other Professors where doing about the same and Dumbledore's were twinkling a bit more then normal while he was talking to Hagrid.
Harry just shook his head and decided that he would never fall in love. It was too much work.
He walked back to the common room with Ginny talking about the upcoming match with Slytherin. Dumbledore had allowed Harry back onto the team and Ginny was now a chaser and she wasn't that bad either.
They entered the common room and went over to talk to Collin and some of her other friends, Harry wandered over to watch a chess match between Dean and Ron (guess who's winning?). Every now and then Ron glared over at Hermione. The bushy headed witch was sitting with Seamus and Neville apparently discussing their transfiguration homework. Every few minutes Seamus's hand would 'accidentally' brush Hermione's and Neville was sitting a bit closer to her than Ron would have liked.
Hermione how ever didn't notice a thing and just kept explaining. Ron looked like an overly ripe tomato. However his attention went back to the game when Dean captured Ron's second knight. Not soon after the game ended Lavender and Parvati came downstairs from the dormitories.
"Because it's Valentines Day we decided to do something special. Come on." Lavender said before she helped Parvati drag the boys to a free space in the common room. The girls went off and brought the other seventh years and found some of the sixth year as well. Most of them just looked a bit apprehensive but at least this was something to do.
But a few looked like they'd come here against their better judgement, that few included Ron and Hermione, both of whom where receiving odd glances from Lavender and Parvati.
This was gonna be fun.
"Spin the bottle. Whoever's turn it is you have to spin the bottle, who ever it lands on you get to dare them to kiss someone. If they really don't want to kiss someone then they can instead be asked a question to which they have to truthfully reply. But you can only pick the truth option before you're dared."
"If you pick truth then you have to tell the truth, this bottle is charmed. If you tell a lie than it'll glow red, it you tell truth it'll turn green. Questions? No? Then let's start." Parvati ginned.
Everyone glanced around, it sounded interesting… as long as it wasn't you turn. And so the game began.
Lavender started because she had the bottle it landed on Ginny.
"I dare you to kiss… Harry." For once Harry blushed more than Ginny who wondered wryly why this couldn't have happened when she still liked the Boy Who Lived. She leaned over and caught his lips in a brief, chaste kiss before retreating. She quickly took the bottle and spun it.
It went round and round and finally landed on… Parvati. "I dare you to kiss…." Ginny thought about saying Ron but decided that that would just add to his and Hermione's bickering. "Collin." The boy in question blushed a great deal but Parvati didn't seem to fazed, she just leaned into the circle and gave Collin a quick kiss before withdrawing back.
The game went on for a while, most people had to kiss while a few chose truth. The bottle never seemed to land on either the Crush or the Clever Yet Clueless One much to their relief. But it couldn't stay that way for long…
It was now Ginny's turn again (she had been forced to kiss Dean) and the bottle landed on Hermione. Oh dear.
"Truth!"
"What?" Ginny was confused.
"I pick truth, ask me a question." Hermione's voice was higher than normal.
"Ok… who do you like?" Maybe she'd finally tell the truth.
"No one, I don't like anyone at all." Her voice was high and squeaky and she was staring into her lap, her eyes everywhere but on Ron. The bottle glowed green.
It was hard to look at Ron right now, he looked like his heart had broken. And it probably had.
He spent the last few days just passing through time mindlessly. Sure there are worst things out there than learning the love of your life only thinks of you as a friend right? Like maybe being captured by Voldemort, that had to be worse.
Still it didn't reassure him one bit. He saw the pitying glances that Harry threw his way but he didn't care. He didn't care about much nowadays. Life was one empty void.
To top it off Hermione seemed to be avoiding him. Had he made it that obvious that he liked her and now she was so revolted that she didn't want to be near him?
Yeah that was it.
Well at least she didn't smile anymore. Not smile smile but that smile, the one that drove him crazy. She didn't smile like that anymore. It should have made him happy, but it didn't really.
Teen angst, how quaint.
It was awful, how could she have said that? She must have found a way to confuse the bottle, Ginny knew Hermione liked Ron. Harry knew, the whole bloody castle knew. Last summer the guests at the Leaky Cauldron all knew for Circe's sake!
There was no way in hell that she was going to believe that. But unfortunately Ginny had no way of convincing Ron that Hermione liked him, it was pathetic to see him now. He looked heartbroken. And to make it worse Hermione was avoiding Ron all together. If she had seen Ron she would have known how much the boy loved her.
Dear lord, this was getting much to complicated.
She felt horrible, lower than a buried worm. She had the chance to come clean and what did she do? Take the easy way out. It was selfish and wrong and now she was avoiding the matter all together. She would sit at the front of the class so that she wouldn't have to look at him, her meals were either eaten after he'd left the table or sometimes she'd just go to the kitchens. She woke up early and spent all her free time in the dormitories, there was too great a chance that she'd run into him in the library.
She would bury her head in her books, trying to forget everything. But she couldn't, guilt haunted her and she didn't understand why. Ron probably didn't give two kunts on whether she liked him or not. Maybe it was because she knew that if she saw him again she'd blurt out the truth, it weighed heavily on her conscience.
She hated lying about something so big, the truth spell was easy enough to fool. Ginny had asked if she'd liked him. This attraction was much bigger than just 'like' it was full blown… something else. And so she'd fooled the truth spell. Still it had confirmed her worst fears. No, she couldn't think about it, her books where her refuge. But with every page she'd read something that reminded her of Ron.
The door suddenly opened, a welcome distraction from her thoughts. Ginny stepped in, she was furious that Hermione had lied but she knew that Hermione felt horrible about it and tried not to bring it up.
"Do you know what that foul boy said?" Ginny said, the anger simmering under the surface.
"No."
"He's still worked up over that stupid howler thing. He's convinced that I have another boyfriend and that I'm leading him on."
"Leading which one on, the real boyfriend or the fake one?"
"The real one, stupid git doesn't get that I lo-like him, why I don't know but I still do."
"So tell him that." Hermione then closed her mouth, she really had no right to tell Ginny that after what she'd done. But Ginny didn't seem to notice, she just looked thoughtful for a second.
"I would… but he has serious commitment issues."
"And you don't want to fall in to deep right?"
"Yeah." It was said so softly that Hermione almost missed it.
"What about me? What's my excuse?"
"You know you've gone into the deep end headfirst, but you're scared that you're gonna drown."
"It's just that… he's so special and if I can't have him as a lover I want him as a friend. If things change what will happen to our friendship Gin? I don't ever want to lose him."
"You won't lose him, you know when you look at him you give him this look that I've only ever seen once before."
"Oh yeah? Where?"
"It's the same look my mum gives dad when we're just sitting around at the Burrow, it only lasts for a moment but in that moment I feel like if I ever find a man that I can love half as much then I'll be very happy. And when you look at Ron it's like, I don't know, like you've found someone you can love twice as much."
"I just don't believe that he'll ever love me that much Gin. It… it hurts sometimes when he doesn't give me a second glance when we're just sitting in the common room and when he acts like life would be easier without me." She didn't give a fig of what others thought of her but this was so much different. Painfully so.
"He might not give you a second glance when he you're there but he smiles more, and when you're not there and you're on the other side of the room, then Hermione he gives you a million glances. And life wouldn't be easier without you, right now, when you're avoiding him he walks around lifeless. You don't know how much he misses you. But you've both fallen so hard that I think you just lie there, trying relentlessly not to get up and deal with the person beside you."
"You know what to do." Snape waved his wand, the instructions appeared and so marked the third week of the War of the Professors of course this had been slightly overshadowed by the Parting of the Oblivious Ones. Yes both squabbles had names, Voldemort had been uneventful and this was quite entertaining all the same.
Hermione however failed to show up today, she had a plausible excuse (a student had somehow managed to transfigure about three hundred essays into three hundred flamingos and Hermione was one of the few students who could help turn them back). Ron just sighed and he and Harry silently worked on their potions, everyone even Draco had decided that the poor boy had suffered enough and they didn't say anything.
About halfway into class Sinistra suddenly entered the room looking flustered, she grudgingly entered Snape's office and she could be heard asking for a potion he promised her in clipped tones.
Snape entered the dungeon and silently went to one of the cupboards and selected a potion. He gave the potion to Sinistra and she left the dungeon. It was the most they'd spoken for three weeks.
Harry glanced at his despondent best friend and his melancholy potions master and decided that love really wasn't worth the heartache.
It happened at dinner, it was like seeing Voldemort run in and hand out candy to all the muggle-borns. Or the Gryfindors and Slytherins suddenly join hands and sing Kumbyah.
Severus Snape was sitting at the Head table with washed hair.
He was calmly sitting there and eating like everything was normal. No one noticed it at first but then slowly the news spread and as people glanced at the Head table to look at Snape's new 'do they realized something else, Sinistra was not there.
She didn't show up at all during dinner and Snape didn't seem to mind, indeed he just left the Head table at his normal time and headed off to the dungeons.
"Maybe he just decided to wash his hair?"
"Yeah, on the one day that Sinistra doesn't show up?"
"I miss our old asexual Professors, they might not have been as interesting but they didn't have as many mood swings."
Fate was a crafty bitch. If two people where to thick headed to get together then she'd force them together. Her method of choice? Prefect duty.
Now Ron and Hermione both had prefect duty on the same days and they where assigned to watch two locations that where in close proximity to the other. Before the 'unpleasantness' they would sometimes meet while on prefect duty and then talk and patrol the halls together. Usually the students that where out late weren't caught anyway and the two had done that so many times that they didn't feel too strongly about sneaking around.
But now because of the 'unpleasantness' they really avoided going anywhere that was remotely close to the other's area. Hermione because she was still to scared to tell Ron (and even more scared that he'd just stare at her blankly and then tell her that he didn't see her in the same way at all) and Ron was just depressed really.
Ron was moping when he heard someone on the just round the corner, the footsteps where quick and soft. Someone was breaking the rules. He sighed, he didn't really want to enforce the whole no-going-out-after-dark rule but he was a prefect and so he had to investigate. So he quietly went and found Professor Sinistra creeping towards the dungeons. Usually he would have just left it, Sinistra was a professor and therefore she could walk around after hours… but she was going to the dungeons and all those rumours about her and Snape really were interesting.
So his inner demons won and he followed her, always telling himself that if she caught him he'd just tell her that he thought that she was a student (it wasn't a total lie right?). Now after sneaking around so many times with Harry and Hermione, Ron was quite good at sneaking around the castle after hours and he put all of his skills to use and he quietly followed Sinistra.
She did go down the stairs that led to the dungeons and then he stopped, if Snape caught him he'd get enough detentions to last a lifetime and then some. He was about to go back when he heard someone coming back up the stairs. Ducking behind a tapestry he peeked out and saw Sinistra leaving muttering things under her breath. Again curiosity got the better of him and he decided to follow her, just in case.
Hermione was doing a good job avoiding a certain red-haired prefect. She was going to tell Ron… eventually. But right now she had to figure out what to say and to convince herself that Ron really did like her because no matter what Ginny said that doubt was firmly lodged in her brain.
She was pulled out of her thoughts when she heard someone. She was reminded of why she was here and silently went to check it out. She turned the corner to see Professor Snape walking steadfastly to the Astronomy Tower, his back towards Hermione. She knew she should turn back and leave him alone… but honestly how could anyone in their right mind ignore the rumours about them?
Besides she hadn't gone into that area of the castle that night and she should since it was part of the area that she was assigned to. With that decided she discreetly followed Snape, why ask for trouble when it can be easily avoided right?
They soon arrived at the Astronomy Tower and Hermione debated over whether she should continue, the stairs didn't offer any place to hide and if Snape found her out she'd lose half of the points Gryfindor had and be punished with enough detentions so that by the time she finished them all she would either be too old to be able to do the chores or just dead.
Not the fate she wanted. She watched him climb and was about to turn when she suddenly saw an angry Sinistra head towards the tower. Now a sane person would have just left right there. Sinistra had a bit of a temper and Snape… was just Snape really. But Hermione wasn't in the best state of mind right now and so she quickly moved to climb up the stairs and collided head on with a redheaded spy.
The two just looked at each other for a second and all of Hermione's carefully selected words and her declarations of love flew out of the window and she just said. "I lied."
"What?" Ron really couldn't concentrate, Hermione was right on top of him and he just realised that she was really very soft.
"The spin the bottle thing, I lied." She said a bit distracted herself, they where so close that she could count every freckle on his face.
"Oh." He was overjoyed and that was all he could say, did you know that there where flecks of darker brown in her eyes?
"Uh-huh" When he blinked you could see that there where actually freckles on his eyelid.
"Right." The floor was a bit cold but her body was just so warm and nice that he really didn't notice.
"The spell wasn't that hard to fool." He had a bit of muscle, at least his chest did, was it from quidditch? Maybe the sport wasn't that bad after all…
"Interesting." If he lifted his head just a bit he would be able to kiss her, her lips looked quite soft.
"Yeah." His breath was warm on her face, she wondered what he tasted like.
The there was noise coming from the stairs and they sprang apart. They heard something drop and then a scream and they did the first thing that their impulsive brains thought of. Run to help instead of going to get help.
They reached the top of the stairs and heard talking. They where panting and while taking a minute to catch their breath they heard they oddest sound.
Snape laughing.
Not just laughing but full-fledged hysterics. The two just looked at each other and both went to see what was happening.
"You thought… that I was going to…" His words that had been punctuated by slight sniggers where ended again by laughter. It was an odd scene.
"You went on one knee after searching your pockets for 'that damned ring'. What else was I supposed to think?" Sinistra said impatiently.
"I was looking for a ring that I'd gotten for you that was charmed to act in place of that damned potion you keep making me brew. But I dropped it and went on one knee to pick it up you twit."
"So does this mean you're sorry?"
"For what?"
"For getting so worked up over a peck on the cheek and an anonymous howler?" Here there was some mumbling. "I accept your apology you big git." Sinistra said somewhat affectionately before giving Snape a proper kiss and Ron and Hermione left before they where scarred for life.
They reached the Fat Lady soon after and Ron wanted to ask Hermione just who she liked but he didn't want her to tell him to bugger off or worse just say she like someone who wasn't him.
"So erm… night." He said when they entered the common room and walked towards the dormitory stairs.
But before Hermione could respond she tripped on a textbook that had been left on the ground. She braced herself to hit the ground but instead was caught in two strong arms.
"Are you alright?" The concern in his voice melted her heart.
"I'm just perfect." She said, his arms where just as muscled as his chest. It was quite comforting. She vaguely wondered what she had to do to just get him to take his shirt off altogether.
"Great." He righted her and hoped she hadn't her head, she sounded a bit like Luna. Dreamy.
"Thank you and good night." She stretched as far as she could and she gave him a kiss on the cheek. And as she floated up to bed she wasn't the only one with a dreamy look on her face.
The next day marked a remarkable change in the War of the Professors and in the Parting of the Oblivious Ones. The professors where know no blatantly ignoring each other, in fact Sinistra asked Snape to pass the toast and he did so without hesitation. As for the other two they where seen entering the Great Hall talking like nothing had happened, thought it was clear that they weren't exactly dating.
And so the school was left with no one to watch and really what else was there to do?
"So you kissed and made up?" Ginny asked.
"Yeah. Sort of. The kiss really didn't count." Hermione said distractedly then suddenly she realised what she'd said.
"So you kissed him? What happened? Or wait… do I want to know? He is my brother."
"Nothing happened, I kissed his cheek that's it. I ran into him during prefect duty and I told him that I'd lied about not liking anyone."
"Did you say that you liked him?"
"No, something got in the way." Like me wondering if his lips are as kissable as they seem she thought.
"Then what good is telling him?"
"We're talking now right?"
"Fine one good thing."
"So what happened?"
"I don't think I'll ever complain about prefect duty again."
"Why?"
"Well I bumped into her during prefect duty and she told me she lied about not liking someone."
"And…?"
"And nothing, we where a bit preoccupied with other things." Like me wondering if her lips are as soft as they looked.
"Alright so basically you guys didn't get anything done.""She's not avoiding me, that's always a plus right?"
"Sure."
Oh dear, seems that our two lovers haven't gotten together yet. Well we'll have to fix that now won't we?
Time passed and nothing changed. Hermione still smiled and Ron still frowned but now when they saw it they didn't worry too much. Something had changed. They fought a bit more but made up quicker. It was like they wanted an excuse to 'kiss and make up'. They also regularly did prefect duty together.
But technically they where still friends. Then around the beginning of May it happened. Talk of the graduation ball. It was a bit of déjà-vu for the seventh years. The girls started giggling more and the boys where a bit pressured to ask someone out. Some girls didn't wait and asked out a few boys themselves.
But except for that no one really minded, it was a two months away and the pressing issue of NEWTs was much more demanding. Hermione looked like she was going to maul whoever disrupted the calm of the common room, Ron and Harry where studying like mad and the rest where following suit.
The NEWTs where always held before OWLs and after that you could either go home and return for the graduation ceremony or stay in the castle. Most people chose to stay because it might be along time before they saw each other again. The NEWTs came and went during the first week in June in a flurry of tests and studying and for the next few days everyone relaxed until the even harder test came.
Asking someone out.
Might not seem to hard but if you can ask your crush out without any fear of rejection then you're either very confident or vain. Pick one.
"Ask him out."
"He'll say no, I know he will!"
"You never know unless you try."
"Er… Hermione could I talk to you for a minute."
"S-sure." Ginny and Luna left in quick secession and Hermione looked nervously at Ron.
"Ok, I'll just ask you this before some bloody Bulgarian quidditch star asks. Would you like to go to the ball with me?" it was said very quickly and Hermione forever disgraced herself with what she did next.
She screamed and jumped (literally) to hug him. This caused them to both topple down of the bench that they where currently perched on and land neatly in the grass. They stared at each other, his hands resting lightly on her hips while her arms where still wrapped around his neck. He rested his head on her hands and she smiled.
"If I didn't know you better I'd say you like getting me on my back."
"Oh but I do."
"Really?" He heard something and glanced over to see quite a few students looking at them curiously. "We're attracting attention."
"I'd rather stay here you know, I'm quite comfortable."
"Yes but I don't want detention from McGonagall." He rolled over and she fell off of him. "And I assume that a yes?"
"I don't know. I'll have to see if Krum doesn't mind that I break our date." The red that his face turned made the little lie worth it. He sat up and looked like he was going to hex something into oblivion before she reached out and grabbed his arm. "And before you storm off in a huff I must tell you that I'm joking. You're cute when you get all red like that. And you are the most jealous, possessive git that I've ever met." She sat up and gave him a smile.
He calmed down and glared at her. "You know I could take the whole date thing back. You're the most aggravating woman I've ever met you know that?"
"But you still love me for it." The moment the words left her mouth she froze. The L word really shouldn't have been mentioned. It really shouldn't.
"Yeah, I still love your for it." He repeated it softly and slowly, like it was a piece e of Honeydukes best chocolate.
"And you are the most jealous, possessive git that I've ever met. But I guess I still love you for it." She tried to joke about it but she too savoured it, this moment was happening so gently that she felt she could reach out and touch it. That she could capture the soothing feeling she got when he uttered those sweet words. It was magical.
Their face where again so close that she could see every freckle on his face and he could see every fleck in her eyes. Her gaze once again fell on his lips, they really did look very kissable. "It must have taken a lot of courage to ask me out. Gods know that I was terrified of asking you out. So maybe I should repay you… somehow." Her stare shot up and she saw beautiful blue eyes staring back. Thank Jupiter that she was sitting, the intense glare she saw made her feel faint as it was.
She suddenly moved forward and gently covered his lips with her own. Desire raced through her body and she became painfully aware of everywhere they touched. He pulled her closer and then his hands cupped her face while hers became tangled in his hair. His tongue was suddenly duelling with hers and she dimly wondered why she hadn't done this before. The twin pools of heat in her stomach began to coil pleasantly and his fingers traced patterns on her back, all of which made her whole body tingle. They came up for air and moved to kiss again when they heard a not-to-discreet cough ring near them.
Any one else would have instantly sprung apart but these two just looked to see who it was and where greeted with McGonagall's scowling face. And if that wasn't enough there was applause and catcalls coming from the grounds and some classes above. It was impossible too tell who was redder, Ron or Hermione.
"I take it that you two are going to the Graduation Ball together?" The two just nodded dumbly. "Then please celebrate somewhere where you won't distract my students." She then turned and walked away with just a hint of a smile on her face. No points taken away, no detentions.
"Right then. Where were we?"
"Let me show you."
The Graduation Ball came around and all the girls were quite neurotic as they got ready. Some of the sixth years had been asked to go as well and so they all met in the seventh year's girls' dormitory. Everyone helped the other with makeup and dressing up then each girl in succession modeled their robes before saying that they couldn't hope to be as pretty as everyone else. Each girl was then reassured that they did look beautiful and the compliments really were heartfelt.
Hermione was wearing robes of midnight blue while Ginny's where dark green silk. They both looked beautiful but Ginny snuck out of the tower to go meet her date. Hermione was left alone and she took one last look in the mirror. Her hair wasn't straight like last time though it did fall in lazy waves. Most of them where restrained in an elegant bun though some escaped forming tendrils that framed her face. Her makeup was light and she was so happy that she didn't look like she needed any. Taking one last breath she walked out.
At the bottom of the stairs stood Ron wearing new robes that where a deep purple. It somehow suited him and he didn't look like a grape but all Hermione saw was his eyes and the way they lit up when he saw her.
"You look gorgeous."
"Thanks, I like your new robes. Though I do miss your old ones."
"Ha ha ha. I forgot to laugh."
"You always do you know."
"I want to kiss you but I'm afraid to undo your makeup."
"Then I'll save you the hassle." She pulled him down and gave him a thorough kiss and by the end of it they both decided that they should do that more often.
"I love you." She said it quietly, as if any louder would shatter the delicate web of emotion that the two had crafted.
"I love you too." He said it a bit louder, he wanted the whole world to know (and it did, really those two were oblivious).
They walked to the Great Hall, the Head Boy and Girl had to sit at the Head table with the professors. Hermione was Head Girl and so she and Ron went a different route than everyone else. They walked in silence but it was so normal that it wasn't in least bit of putting. At some point they held the other's hand and really the best thing about all this was how natural it was.
They where at the entryway when they heard Draco and his date. Draco turned the corner with his arm around Ginny (you can't be surprised, think of the hints I've been giving).
Hermione turned nervously to Ron, he was very overprotective of his sister and while said sister understood that it was just him acting as her big brother said sister still got annoyed with the overprotective older brother.
Ron however gave Draco a look and said. "If you hurt her I take a leaf out of Filch's book and hang you by your fingernails to the ceiling."
Draco just gave Ron an odd smirk, "I have no intention of hurting her Weasley. Besides, if I hurt her she'll hurt me."
"Fair enough. Mind that she doesn't hex you. I believe you know only to well the potency of her bat-bogey hex."
"Only too well."
And with that Ron took Hermione's arm and led her inside. Draco followed suit and both girls just looked stunned. The night passed by in whirl of music and family and friends. Hermione's parents where there, so where all the Weasley's. Fred and George slyly asked the girls how they liked their howlers and their response was a polite 'if you ever do that again you won't be able to add more red headed children to this world.' After managing to sneak out Ron and Hermione walked over to the bench that had been the mark of their first kiss.
"Hermione, I've been meaning to ask you something."
"What's that Ron?"
"Will you marry me? Not now, but some day. If we're still together and all."
And for the second time Hermione humiliated herself by jumping into Ron's arms. This time however he caught her and placed her neatly in his lap.
"Of course I will." There was no ring, no formal ceremony of any sort but the love that was in their words where their vows and they sealed the deal with a kiss. When they broke apart Hermione sighed and decided that there was nothing in the world that would make her happier.
They smiled, a secret smile shared between lovers and if Ginny had been there she would have seen that look that made her believe in silly things like fairy tales and the like.
And though the evil witch, er, wizard was still very much there and Prince Charming really needed a more positive outlet for his anger Hermione decided that her not-so-perfect ending would do just fine.
AN- That was the fic that would not end. Seriously, whenever I went to finish it, it would just keep going. But I do like it. Maybe I'll write more fluff one day, oh and I might also write the whole Snape/Sinistra part of the story out as well. The poem that Hermione got in her howler was 'She Walks In Beauty' by Lord Byron. Oh, I don't own that either. Review!