Everything's Okay, Isn't It?
By Felicia (feesha724)
Topic: Short Story (1,500 – 3000 words)
Rated PG
Summary: Ron and Hermione have been together for 10 months and trouble is brewing in the form of a blonde Gryffindor that has her eyes on Ron.
Stuff You Need To Know: This is the sequel to "I Promise" so I suggest you read that first, but you don't have to read it to understand this fic. The trio are in the beginning of their 7th year and HBP never happened. Also, italics are someone's thoughts, as it is in many other stories.
Notes: Again, I wrote this story for a Romione fan fiction competition we organized on harrypotter-boards . com and I decided to post it here to get some feedback from you guys, so please if you like my story leave me a comment and let me know what you liked or what you think I need to work on! Hope you enjoy and thanks in advance for reading and reviewing!
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"Ron! Why the hell are you such an insensitive prat!" Hermione screamed, tears forming in her eyes.
"Maybe it's because I have you nagging me at all hours of the day!"
"Well, if you were a little less lazy and a little more considerate maybe I wouldn't have to nag you!"
"Nothing I do is good enough for you, is it! Hermione Granger: Little Miss Perfect and snobby know-it-all!"
"Ron, everyone's staring," Harry said, trying to get his two best friends to lower their voices. He was right, though; everyone in the common room dropped what they were doing to watch the spectacle that Ron and Hermione were making of themselves. People had even started coming down from their rooms and were watching from the stairs.
"Ronald, you've been calling me a know-it-all for over six years! Do you really think it bothers me anymore! Maybe you think I'm a know-it-all because you know nothing!"
"Hermione, look around: everyone in Gryffindor is watching," Harry turned to Hermione who ignored him just as Ron had a few seconds earlier.
"I'll never be who you want me to be, will I! You've been trying to change me since the day I met you! Well, if you don't like how I act or my attitude then maybe we need to spend time apart…like forever!"
"Fine by me!" was all Hermione could choke out as she felt her emotions getting the better of her. If she said anymore, she might just burst into tears and she didn't want Ron to see her cry; not because of this.
"That's all you have to say: 'fine by me'?"
She breathed deeply to recompose herself before she shouted, "How's this: Ronald Weasley, stay away from me because if I have to see your face again I'll curse you into oblivion!" Hermione screamed as she stormed up the stairs and out of sight.
"That works," Ron said to himself, watching Hermione's retreating form make her way through the crowd and walk up to the girl's dormitory and away from him.
"Ron?" Harry ventured. He wasn't sure if he should talk to Ron just then or if he should wait for him to calm down some.
"What!" Ron turned and yelled at Harry. "Oh, sorry, Harry. I'm sorry. I just – I – I need to…go."
"Go where? Ron!" Harry yelled to his red-haired best friend as he walked out through the portrait hole.
He paused and turned his head to reply to Harry's question, "Out. I just…need to go on a walk. Be by myself for a while."
"What the hell are you all looking at!" Harry snapped at the Gryffindors still staring. "The show's over…you can go back to your lives now."
Harry began walking to his dorm when Ginny came up behind him and grabbed him arm. He turned around and saw her staring up at him.
"Harry, what's going on? I saw Ron walking out of the portrait hole and he wouldn't even talk to me…did you two have a fight?"
"No, we didn't…he and Hermione did. And I don't even know what it was about."
"Well, you know them, they fight everyday, but they'll be talking again soon."
"I don't think so, Ginny…this time was different…they broke up and they're really mad at each other."
"Oh, man…I better find out what happened. Sorry to leave, Harry, but I have to go talk to Hermione."
Ginny gave Harry a quick peck on the cheek and ran up the stairs to talk to Hermione, leaving Harry in the common room feeling very confused.
IN THE GIRL'S DORM
Ginny crept up the stairs and into Hermione's room. She found her bushy-haired friend lying face up on her bed twirling around her finger the promise ring Ron had given her a mere six months ago.
"Hermione?" Ginny ventured.
"What, Ginny?" Hermione asked, not looking up.
"Hermione, what's wrong? What did Ron do this time?" Ginny asked her, moving closer to the bed Hermione was still lying in.
Hermione sat up slowly, abandoning the ring she was playing with.
"It's not him; it's me. I'm so stupid."
Ginny waited for an elaboration, but when it didn't come she asked, "What are you talking about? You're not stupid, Hermione!"
"Of course I am!" Hermione started, sitting up all the way with tears brimming in her eyes. "I was stupid to believe that he loved me like he said. How could he? Why would he? I'm not pretty…or even decent-looking! I may be book-smart, but who wants that? He's just like every other guy: all he wants his some dim…" Hermione paused, searching for the right word, "bimbo that only cares about make-up and hair!"
Ginny, beginning to realize what happened, pushed Hermione a little further.
"Hermione, what makes you think that? What actually happened?"
"Ginny, I saw him! I saw him and Lavender in the common room – where everyone can see! – I saw them…" Hermione was now so hysterical and uncontrollable that all Ginny knew to do to comfort her was to give her a strong, emotional hug, so that's what she did.
Hermione composed herself and the two broke apart. Hermione breathed in deeply and finished her sentence coherently.
"Ginny, I saw Ron and Lavender in the common room…kissing," she said, sighing and looking down ashamedly, like it was her fault.
Ginny's mouth dropped open and she just stared at Hermione in disbelief. No way had she actually seen that! If what she was saying was true, there was a certain red-headed keeper that was going to be spending the next few years of his life in the hospital wing.
"Hermione, are you sure? I mean, I know Ron can be a huge prat sometimes, but he really loves you…he would never do that to you, especially with Lavender!"
"But he did, Ginny…he did," Hermione responded almost inaudibly, sobbing quietly.
Meanwhile, Harry was in the common room by himself and realized that he didn't want to be left out of the loop, so he went to find Ron to find out what in the world was going on.
He found Ron sitting in the Quidditch bleachers staring into nothing and he walked up and sat down next to him.
"It's pretty cold out here," Harry said, looking straight ahead.
"Yeah, it is," Ron replied dryly, not turning to look at Harry.
"Ron, are you going to tell me what happened?"
"What do you mean?"
"What do you mean, what do I mean? You and Hermione just got into a huge public fight in case you forgot already!"
"There's nothing new about that, Harry."
"No, there's not. But what is new is that whatever it is you two were fighting about got Hermione to cuss at you. When in the past six years have you heard Hermione Granger cuss?"
"Never, I guess."
"Then I know this had to be really big. What happened?" Harry demanded.
"Honestly, I'm still trying to sort it all out, mate. I know I was sitting in the common room, finishing Trelawney's homework for tomorrow and Lavender came and stood next to me for a while. She just stood there – didn't say anything, just stood there. After a while I looked up at her and I was going to ask why she was standing over me…"
(Flashback)
"Hey, Ron."
"Er, hi?"
"What are you doing over here by yourself?"
"Er…my homework…"
"Oh, that's so responsible of you."
"Ok…I don't mean to be rude, but did you want something?"
"I was just wondering why you weren't with Hermione. You two didn't break up, did you?"
"Of course not! I'm just finishing up homework, like I already told you, so if you could just let me finish, I'd appreciate it," Ron replied, getting angry.
"Ok, if you want me to leave, I will, but I wanted to show you something."
Ron sighed, "What is it?" he asked, feeling that going along with Lavender was the only way to get her to leave him alone.
"It's over there," she said, pointing to the couch, "come on, I'll show you."
Ron got up and Lavender immediately grabbed his wrist and dragged him to the side of the couch. Ron looked all over and he couldn't see anything out of the ordinary, so he was becoming very confused.
"Lavender, there's nothing here. Can I finish my work now?" he asked, trying to get away from her. He turned around to walk back to his table when Lavender unexpectedly grabbed him and kissed him rather passionately. Ron, not really understanding what was happening, took a few moments to process the new position he was in and who it was with. He tried to get away, but Lavender had him pinned against the couch and wouldn't budge.
Hermione, having finished her work for the next week, came down the stairs to check on Ron's progress. She looked around the common room for him after seeing that his work was strewn all over the table with him not there. Her eyes landed on the blonde hair of Lavender Brown and saw that the person she was snogging was none other than Ron Weasley, the boy she thought loved her.
Tears welled up in her eyes and her face turned red as she stormed over to the two and violently pulled Lavender off Ron.
"Just who do you think you are! How dare you sit here and snog my boyfriend! You could at least have had the decency to try and hide it somewhere! Not in the common room where everyone can see you!"
"Hermione, thank you for pulling her off of me!" Ron began as he tried to hug her, but was brushed off by a hard shove.
"And you! Did you forget that you have a girlfriend! Namely, me! You said you loved me and then you just go off when I'm not looking and snog this…this…gagging twit!"
"Hermione, you don't understand –" Ron began before he was cut off by Lavender.
"What did you just call me? A gagging twit!"
"Yes, I did, but I don't believe I'm speaking to you right now, so you need to get out of my face and leave me to deal with my idiotic boyfriend…or possibly ex-boyfriend," Hermione said, venomously, as she turned back to Ron.
Ron had a genuine look of surprise and fear on his face as he felt the full weight of what was happening. Something that he didn't even want to do might cause him to lose the one person he truly loved.
(End of Flashback)
"…And then I don't know what happened. She threw insults…I threw insults and before I knew it we were in the biggest fight we have ever had and she broke up with me. I don't even know what caused Lavender to act like that! It was just completely out of nowhere! Harry, I don't want to lose her…I can't lose her."
Ron finished his story and Harry just continued staring. He didn't know what to say about it.
He finally decided on, "So, why don't you try to sit her down and talk about it. Tell her what you told me."
"She'll never believe me. You know she'll never believe me, Harry. And why should she? It's a stupid story and if it didn't actually happen to me, I wouldn't believe it either."
"What do you have to lose, Ron? You could at least try. Come on; let's go back to Gryffindor Tower. You don't have to talk to her tonight, but you do need to finish your homework and sleep, so let's get out of the cold."
"Yeah, I guess."
Ron and Harry both got up and walked back to the common room in silence.
"Felix felicis," Harry mumbled as he and Ron reached the portrait of the Fat Lady. She swung open and they entered the common room, which was now eerily quiet and almost completely empty. Harry walked toward his dorm, but Ron made his way to his homework table to finish.
"You go on up, Harry. I'm going to finish this down here. I'll be up eventually."
"Ok, mate. Hey, you're ok, right?"
"No, not really. Once Hermione forgives me, I'll be ok…ask me then."
Harry smiled and walked upstairs to go to sleep. Ron went back to work and finished rather quickly. He didn't feel like going upstairs just yet so he sat on the couch by the fireplace where he had slept many times with Hermione when they just needed to see each other in the middle of the night.
He smiled to himself as he remembered the good times he had with her, but his smile quickly faded when he remembered that Lavender discredited this couch when she forced him to cheat on his beautiful girlfriend. He absentmindedly stared at his promise ring and remembered the day he had presented her with hers and she accepted. That was only six months ago and look where they were already.
"I'm such an idiot," he said to himself.
"Yeah, you are," came a voice from the stairs. Ron whipped around and saw Hermione in her pajamas at the foot of the girl's staircase. He hurried to stand up and she just stood where she was, staring at him with eyes full of confusion and pain.
"What are you doing up?" he asked softly.
"Couldn't sleep. Turns out having your heart wrenched from your chest and stepped on can cause sleeping problems," Hermione replied coldly.
"Hermione…" Ron started, but Hermione just scoffed and turned to go back to her dorm.
"I'm going back to sleep. I'll make sure to tell Lavender that you're down here, alone. She'll like that."
"Hermione, stop," Ron pleaded. Something in his voice made her listen to him and she stopped where she was and turned around.
"What?"
"Hermione, please…let me explain. Just give me a chance. Please…" Ron requested. She sighed and made her way to the couch. They sat down and she looked at him, waiting to hear his brilliant explanation.
"Hermione, earlier today – it wasn't what it looked like…"
"Oh, that's original."
"Hermione, just let me explain and promise me that you'll listen to what I have to say."
Hermione nodded slightly, giving him affirmation that she'd consider what he said, so he started from the beginning with what he told Harry. By the time he finished, his eyes were teary as he realized just how painful it was to explain let alone how painful it must've been for her to witness.
"Ron, how stupid do you think I am?"
"What?"
"I asked, 'how stupid do you think I am?'"
"Hermione, I think you're brilliant. You don't have a stupid bone in your body."
"Then how could you think I'd believe that story?"
"Because it's the truth, Hermione. I know it sounds ridiculous, but it's what really happened. It's what everyone saw and it's what I told Harry. I'm not making this up. I would never want to hurt you, 'Mione. I care about you so much and knowing that I caused you so much pain physically hurts me."
Hermione scoffed and Ron continued.
"We both said things we didn't mean tonight and they were really hurtful things, but if you want the proof of how much we belong together and how much we care for each other, look on your finger and mine. Remember that day when you accepted that ring from me. We both promised we wouldn't take off these rings as long as we loved each other. I'm never taking mine off and looking at your hand, you haven't taken yours off, either. If you can't believe me, at least listen to your true feelings. You haven't taken the ring off, so that has to mean something."
Hermione looked down at her hand, then at Ron's hand, and then into his deep blue eyes.
"Ron, I still love you. No matter what stupid things you do, I'll always love you, but you hurt me. You hurt me terribly. I've never broken down the way I did in front of Ginny earlier. Somehow you can get me to act like someone completely opposite from myself and I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing, but one thing I know for sure is that I love you with all of my heart and I trust you. I know you love me and you wouldn't hurt me, so even though you're explanation is so unbelievable, I forgive you for what happened. But if I ever catch you doing that again, you better run and run fast because I won't be so forgiving next time."
They smiled at each other and Ron leaned in for a kiss, which Hermione allowed. They broke apart and hugged each other tightly.
"We should probably get to sleep so we don't nod off in class tomorrow," Hermione suggested as she moved to get up from the couch.
Ron followed her and watched her walk up the stairs to her dormitory. When she was halfway up he whispered, "Hermione?" and she turned around to look at him.
"Yes, Ron?"
"Is everything okay now?"
Hermione smiled at Ron and replied, "No, but it will be. Good night, Ron."
Ron smiled up at her and whispered back, "'Night, 'Mione." Before gathering his things and walking up to his room.
Everything's going to be fine he thought as he lay in bed and went to sleep, thinking of Hermione.
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If you don't recognize some of the terms in this story, it's probably because it's British slang which I got off of this website: effingpot . com / slang . shtml. If there are any brits that read this story and notice that I have used any terms incorrectly, tell me in a review so I know in the future! Thanks!
Thank you for reading this fic! Please read my other ones: I Promise (the prequel to this story) and Wedding Day! Please review my fic and give me feedback for my future fics!
Also, you guys should check out harrypotter-boards . com and come join our discussion on Romione in Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop! Make sure to type in feesha724 in the box that asks who referred you!
Thanks for reading, everyone!