Ron had planned everything. He knew that Hermione liked prepared, expected things. He was going to ask her for her first date with him, and then he would declare his love for her, a feeling he had kept from her for too many years. He pictured the two of them underneath a starry sky at nightfall in a romantic spot he noticed near Diagon Alley. He would invite her to a chic restaurant, buy her some candy floss, take a walk with her, and admit his feelings.
The first step was to ask her out. Easy, right?
He spotted her in the Burrow's garden, talking with Ginny about her soon-coming wedding with Harry. It was only three month after the war. They were rushing a little, in Molly's mind, but everyone had approved.
"Umm, 'Mione, can I speak with you?" He felt the blush on his neck. He was stupid. It was a normal thing to want to speak to his friend.
"Sure," she replied, and made her way toward Ron.
"I wanted to ask you ..., well, do you want to go out with me?" he said rather quickly.
She blushed and looked down her feet.
"You know, I need help to choose my best man robes for the wedding, and I wanted you to help." He added, unsure of how he had to interpret her blushing. He was proud of himself for finding an escape to the embarrassing situation.
"Of course, Ronald," she replied, her cheeks still a light shade of pink.
Well, he would probably not declare his love for her like he wanted to, but he would spend a nice afternoon with her.
.
They were in Diagon Alley looking for a robe for Ron. He didn't find anything at Madam Malkin's so they decided to go at Twilfitt and Tatting's. On their way, they stopped at a candy store, and he bought her candy floss. He smiled; it was supposed to be the second step of his plan for their date.
They walked in the robes' shop. The shop keeper, an old woman, attended them and directed them toward the changing room.
It was a large room with a starry ceiling. Ron smiled again. It was the step three, though he was rather thinking about a starry sky. It was like fate was talking to him, and it was clearly saying, tell her! Tell her! But he didn't find the courage. He asked the old woman for robes and tried them.
"How is this one?" He asked Hermione who sat in a corner of the room.
"Umm, I preferred the navy one," she replied simply.
"I'm sorry, you're bored," he stated.
"No, no I assure you I'm not. I'm starting Hogwarts in two weeks, I'm a little worried."
He smiled at her antics. She really is odd, thinking about Hogwarts when her best friend's wedding is in one week. But he liked that. He liked her a lot. No, not liked, loved.
"Hogwarts? 'Mione, you don't need to worry. You're the best student! Only you could worry about studies when you should been worrying about the upcoming wedding," he said to her, and he sounded harsh, though he didn't mean it. He just forgot to think before speaking. He needed to apologize to her, to not ruin their day.
"Studies are important to me, Ronald," she snapped.
"So why did you come here, you could have stayed at the Burrow and studied?" Again, he didn't think.
"I came because I was glad you trusted me for choosing your robe, and because- because you're my friend," she said. He saw here the opportunity to apologize to her. But she went on.
"But apparently, you don't care about me."
"What?" he asked, truly puzzled by her.
"If you cared, you would have known what matters to me," she said, the level of her voice lowering. "That being here with you matters to me," she whispered.
"'Mione! Of course I care for you! Merlin, I love you!" he exclaimed before realising what he had just said.
Her bright brown eyes met Ron's blue ones. He smiled gently at her, blushing hard.
"I- I'm, I don't know what to say, Ron." She didn't say it back, but the genuine smile on her face was enough for him.
"I made the brightest witch of our age speechless, eh?" he joked, intensely watching the starred ceiling.
"You surprised me. Pleasantly surprised me, that's all. I'm not speechless." Her tone was light and happy.
Maybe it was better for them if he turned it into a joke. It would be less awkward. But he didn't have a chance. Hermione spoke again, to prove that she was not speechless.
"I love you too."
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That was written for MKSFRXD's "I love you challenge", my place was Twillfit and Tatting's. I hope it was not to OOC, it's my first attempt to Ron/Hermione.
Thanks daysandweeks for betareading it for me!
Please review :)