A/N: I know I've posted a few of these oneshots recently; they're just so much easier to write during class. I'm hoping to get a few more chapters written on my other Harry Potter story and on Shades of Blue and Green, as soon as a brain wave hits me on what to write next with those, I promise I will do so! Until then, enjoy Hermione's best daydream with her.
"What's that you've got there?"
Hermione jumped, nearly dropping the vividly pink package as she fumbled to hide it from Ron and Harry's view. "Nothing," she squeaked out. Harry's eyes followed her hands and she tried to stow the box in her school bag and Hermione was fairly certain that he caught the bright purple words written across the front.
"Come on," Ron said, dragging out his words, "Tell us what it is. We promise we won't make fun." His sly smiled clearly said the opposite.
"Leave it alone," Harry said casually, sounding more like a protective brother than a friend, "Going to meet Lav-Lav before class History of Magic?" Even though he was changing the subject for her benefit, Hermione thought it was still a bit cruel for him to use Ron's over-zealous and—so she thought—certifiably crazy girlfriend to do so.
Ron winced, was it possible that he was beginning to see how insane Lavender had become over the past few months? "Don't remind me, I'm supposed to meet her outside the Great Hall in five minutes. I'll see you in class," grumbling to himself, he trudged out the portrait hole, shoving his fisted hands in his pockets as he went.
Hermione couldn't help it; she smiled to herself. She was starting to drift off into her frequent daydream when she realized that Harry was talking to her.
"…All I'm saying is, let me know before you use that stuff, I'd rather not miss out on a day of notes just because you're busy fantasizing."
Damn, Harry had seen what the box advertised. "I don't know what you're talking about," she said, turning to hide the blush now creeping across her face.
"Come off it, that was one of Fred and George's Wonder Witch products! Don't get me wrong, I'm all for falling asleep during Professor Bins' lectures, it just means I'm going to have to take my own notes." He shrugged and grabbed his book bag off the floor.
Hermione slapped him playfully across the shoulder and laughed, "It'll do you good to pay attention for once."
According to the instructions, the charm would take five minutes to take effect, so, standing outside the History of Magic classroom, she fastened the small silver necklace and allowed the cold enchanted glass pendent to her rest against her chest.
After listening to Bins drone on for a solid three minutes about the giant wars, her vision began to blur at the edges and she heard someone calling her name from far off.
"Hermione! Hermione!" Ron came running up to her through the deserted corridor. "I've just done it," he said out of breath, but clearly bursting with excitement.
His enthusiasm was infectious and she caught herself smiling through her confusion, "Done what?"
"Ditched Lavender, of course! You were right, she's a complete cow."
"I—" she stumbled. "Ron, that's amazing!" She reached up to give him a hug, but before she could move a fraction of an inch, he was swooping in and planting a sweet kiss on her lips. She froze, unable to move, for the past two years, this was what she'd wanted. Hermione just couldn't believe it'd actually come true.
She stood there, frozen for a moment, Ron looked hurt at her complete lack of reaction. "I—I thought that's what you wanted?" It seemed like his entire composure was on the edge and if she didn't say something he would walk away.
Instincts took over, up on her tiptoes; she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling his face towards hers. When their lips met again, neither of them was frozen. They moved like they'd been practicing for years for just this moment.
After what felt like an age it occurred to Hermione that they were in the middle of a Hogwarts corridor and that surely they were being stared at that moment.
Pulling away, gasping for breath, she looked around for a passerby but found no one. Something in the back of her head told her not to worry about that.
Together they walked out of the castle, onto the vast grounds, toward the Black Lake. As the walked Hermione told Ron about going to muggle primary school and about the first time she realized she was different from the other kids.
"I was lying in bed, exhausted, and all I wanted was a book to read, no sooner had I thought it than a Jane Austen novel came flying off my shelf and landed in my lap." Ron hadn't known who Jane Austen was, but he did laugh and remarked, "Of course your first bit of magic had to do with reading"
Even thought Hermione knew all about Ron's family, some how over the years they'd neglected to tell each other details about their childhood besides a few stories here and there. Ron told her about when Bill and Charlie went off to Hogwarts and what a Hogwarts graduation ceremony was supposed to be like. For what felt like hours they talked, at one point stopping on the dock to let their feet dangle in the chilly water.
As the sun was setting over the water, reflecting beautiful shades of reds, oranges, and yellows, Ron stopped her under an oak tree, her favorite oak tree, turned her so they were face-to-face.
"Hermione, I love-"
The scenery faded away from all around her, she was screaming but no words were coming out; she was running towards him, but couldn't move; grasping at him, but came up empty handed. Ron's face blurred and was gone in a white flash, more suddenly than she would have liked, she was staring at Professor Bins' ghostly form, a quill in her hand, poised over a large blot on a sheet of parchment. She could feel the tears building up behind her eyes and glanced at the clock, two minutes until the bell rang. She would have to make it just two more minutes without breaking down.
Hermione busied herself by scribbling everything Bins said, keeping her mind off of what could have happened, had her dream continued.
At the bell she gathered her things up as quickly as possible, rushed out of the room and fled onto the grounds. In no time she was standing beneath her favorite oak tree, the very one she and Ron had been standing under in her imagination. The books and papers fell from her hands as she brought them to her face and allowed her tears to fall freely.
She couldn't have been standing there five minutes when Harry walked up behind her and put a hand on her back, Hermione turned and buried her face in his shoulder and continued to sob.
"I thought it was supposed to be a day dream not a nightmare," she could hear the confusion and worry dripping in each of his words.
"It was," she choked out. "A wonderful, wonderful dream."
"Then why are you so upset?"
"Because it was just that, a dream; I just wish it had been real."