Realizations and Apologies
"And then he said that when he kissed me it was just a spur of the moment kiss!" sobbed Hermione Granger. Ginny Weasley patted her best friend soothingly on the back. As she did so, she felt a wave of fury sweep through her.
"My brother is so stupid! He loves you, Hermione, he's just to thick too realise it!"
Hermione gave her a grateful, water smile. "Thanks Ginny, but if he did surely he wouldn't act like this" Hermione said wearily.
"Look, Hermione," said Ginny firmly. "Give Ron a few days, he'll - "
The rest of this sentence was cut off by Mrs Weasley shouting, "Lights Out!". With a last pained expression, Hermione rolled over and sighed. It was as though her mind was polluted with thoughts of Ron. Every time she closed her eyes, she could see him, his fiery red hair faling messily over his forehead. His clear blue eyes. His many freckles. Unable to look at this image in her head any longer, she got up and opened a drawer in her bedside table. She took out a quill, a pot of ink and some parchment and began to write.
i Dear Ron,
This is a very hard letter for me to write, knowing that I will never have the courage to give it to you. The things I am about to write have been lying in my head, unsaid for a long time. Since our third year at Hogwarts to be exact. That is when I first realised that I had feelings for you. There have been many times throughout the years when I've wanted to tell you this, but thought it better not to.
When you kissed me in the Room of Requirement, I was happy. The happiest Ive ever been. But whenever I think back to what you said about our kiss(that it was just spur of the moment), I want to cry. To me it felt right, but obviously you didn't feel the same. I've talked to Ginny about all of this and she thinks you're stupid. I don't. You're the only one who knows how you feel and if you don't love me then I'll have to move on. I odubt that I'll ever find someone that I love as much as you, but I hope that we both find people that we can be happy with.
Yours always,
Hermione /i
She felt tears forming in her eyes as she concluded the letter, however, she would not release them. She wasn't going to shed anymore tears over Ron. She wasn't. Silently, she slipped back over to her bedside table and placed the letter in the open drawer. hermione then closed the drawer and got back into bed. As she fell into a light, easily disturbed sleep, she had a dream about her first meeting with Ronad Weasley. In her mind's eye, she could see an eleven year old version of herself sliding open a compartment door on her first journey aboad the Hogwarts Express.
i "Has anyone seen a toad? A boy named Neville has lost one. Oh, are you doing magic? Lets see it then."
Then, nervously raising his wand, a young Ron spoke the useless incantaion: "Sunshine, daisies, butter, mellow, turn this stupid fat rat yellow!"
Nothing happened. Then Hermione spoke again in a pompous voice. "Are you sure thats a real spell? Well its not very good is it?," /i
Hermione woke suddenly from her memory. What she didn't know was that a certain red-head was having a very strange dream.
i "Do you Ronald Billius Weasley, take Hermione Jane Granger to be your lawfully wedded wife?"
"I do."
"And do you, Hermione Jane Granger, take Ronald Billius Weasley to be your lawfully wedded husband?"
"I do."
"I pronounce you man and wife. You may now kiss the bride." With a sweeping motion, Ron took Hermione in his arms and kissed her. /i
Suddenly, Ron woke with a start. For a while, he didn't move as he thought about the dream he had just had. His heart was thumping so loudly he was surprised Harry could not hear it. Utterly bewildered, he lay back onto the pillows and went to sleep.
The water running down Hermione's back was so hot that it almost felt cold against her bare skin. She rinsed the last of the conditioner out of her hair and then turned off the shower. She didn't know why, but when she was troubled, she always took comfort in a scalding shower. Clumsily, she wrapped a towel around her and then opened the bathroom door. As she looked up, she was shocked by who she saw. Ron was emerging from the stairs he had just made his way down. He stopped in his tracks when he saw Hermione.
"Morning 'Mione," he said nervously, avoiding her gaze.
"Call me Hermione, please," she said stonily. What she had just said paine dher beyond belief. She looked into Ron's bewildered eyes and saw that she had hurt him. A lot. Hermione scurried back to her room, leaving Ron bahind her.
"Then she says, 'Call me Hermione, please'. Harry, what do I do? I love her."
"Then you have to tell her," said Harry simply.
"Ginny, what do I do? I love him."
"Tell him then," said Ginny simply.
Brakfast the next morning was unusually subdued. With Mrs Weasley upstairs folding washing and Mr Wesley at work, there was only Ron, Hermione, Harry and Ginny around the table. Just as she had finished her toast, Ginny caught Harry's eye and nodded towards the door. Harry, who new that she wanted to leave Ron and Hermione alone, got up and folled her up the stairs.
The two teenagers sat silently, each absorbed in their own thoughts. Ron shifted uncomfortably in his seat before breaking one of the loudest silences he had ever endured.
"'Mione - I mean, Hermione. I'm sorry.
Hermione stared at him. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Was the stubborn, clueless Ron Weasley apologising? She took a minute to regain her composure before voicing her thoughts.
"Ron, are you apologising?" she asked incredulously.
"If you're forgiving, I'm apologising," he said with a grin.
These words were music to Hermione's ears. Wordlessly, she got up from her seat and pulled him into a bone-crushing hug. Beaming, Ron returned the gesture happily.