Disclamer: Not mine. If it was, I'd be out shopping right now.
Don't Worry My Love
Ron watched as Hermione nervously chewed on the tip of her quill as she flipped through the pages of one of her many books. She was finishing an essay for Arithmancy, one that was due more than two weeks later. She scribbled something onto her parchment. Then she continued to flip through the pages.
Ron loved the way that she concentrated on her work: the way a crease forms in her forehead and the way she bites her bottom lip, releasing it softly. He wanted to kiss those lips and that forehead. It seemed like ages that they had kissed, even though it had only been three hours before.
Hermione mumbled something under her breath. Ron exited his stupor of examining his girlfriend.
"Huh?" he asked.
She looked up from her book. "Hm?"
"I thought you said something," he said.
She shook her head. "No."
"Oh, well," he said. She resumed her work.
His girlfriend. Hermione, his girlfriend. He couldn't believe it. Hermione was his.
Ron had finally gathered the courage to confess his feelings. Well, it wasn't exactly a confession. First a kiss and then the confession. They had been in the middle of one of their infamous screaming matches in the middle of the common room, this one had been about Ron's terrible study habits. Ron had just arrived from a detention and had been telling Harry and Hermione about the unfairness of the entire situation. Hermione seemed to think that he deserved that detention.
"IF YOU WOULD HAVE DONE YOUR HOMEWORK THEN YOU WOULDN'T HAVE RECEIVED DETENTION!" Hermione screamed.
"IF YOU WOULD HAVE HELPED ME THEN I WOULDN'T HAVE GOTTEN THAT DETENTION!" Ron replied.
"I DIDN'T HELP YOU BECAUSE I KNEW YOU WOULD JUST HAVE TAKEN IT FOR GRANTED LIKE YOU ALWAYS DO!" Hermione hollered, adding wild hand movements for emphasis.
"I DO NOT TAKE YOUR HELP FOR GRANTED!" Ron screamed.
"YES YOU DO! DON'T LIE TO ME RONALD WEASLEY! YOU KNOW VERY WELL THAT YOU NEVER SAY THANK YOU OR ASK IF I COULD HELP YOU, YOU JUST EXPECT IT FROM ME!" Hermione said.
"OF COURSE I EXPECT IT FROM YOU, YOU'RE ONE OF MY BEST FRIENDS! AND FRIENDS HELP EACH OTHER!" Ron had crossed the line. The Gryffindors in the common room gasped. Harry looked like a fish out of water with green saucers for eyes.
"Oh really? Well, then I hope you don't expect this from me either." Hermione slapped Ron across his left cheek. The impact of her hand with his cheek sounded like a gunshot in the deathly silent common room. Everyone knew that they fought and argued often, but it had never went as far as violence.
Ron was shocked. Hermione had never slapped him before and he had hoped that he would never be on the receiving hand of one. He could feel the imprint of her hand on his left cheek without even touching it. He could feel the burn.
A sob escaped Hermione's lips. Harry immediately stood up and enveloped Hermione into a hug. She wrapped her arms around Harry's waist and dug her face into his shirt. The students in the common room were still incredibly quiet. Harry rubbed Hermione's back, trying to calm her down. It wasn't working.
Ron leaned forward and placed a hand on Hermione's shoulder. Hermione ran away from her friends and up the stairs leading to the dormitories. She raced up the steps. When she was in the little alcove that separates the boys and girls dormitories, Ron called out to her.
"Hermione?" he questioned in a timid voice.
Hermione didn't turn, but she stopped. He could see her shoulders shaking. He couldn't believe that he had caused that.
"Hermione?" he asked again. When she didn't respond, he began up the stairs like a maniac. All of Gryffindor house watched the drama unfold with bated breath.
"I'm sorry. You know I didn't mean it, it just slipped out. I-I was so angry. I'm sorry Hermione. Forgive me?" he said once he reached the alcove.
Hermione didn't respond. Ron suddenly grabbed her arm. She did not seem to object. Ron grabbed her shoulders softly and turned her sideways so both of their sides was facing the common room below. He could see the tear tracks running down her cheeks in the dim light of the sunset coming in through the window near them.
"Hermione?" he asked in a barely audible voice. She looked up into his crystalline blue eyes. Ron looked into her warm chocolate brown eyes. How could someone look so gorgeous while crying? She broke eye contact and looked down at their shoes. She was barefoot.
Ron gently lifted her chin with a finger and pressed his lips against hers. Nothing seemed more perfect. His lips were softer than they looked. She was a bit nervous but gave in very easily and kissed back with even more softness. Seven seconds passed, more like seven hours to the kissing couple, and they broke apart.
Hermione pressed her forehead against his chest. She could hear his heart beating. "I forgive you," she whispered. They both smiled.
"I'm so sorry. If I'm ever a prick again, make sure to slap me. I deserved it." Hermione giggled. It was music to Ron's ears. "Hermione?"
"Hm?"
"I, um. I-I just wanted, um. Ugh," he mumbled.
"Yes?" she asked. All she wanted was to continue kissing. The Gryffindors were still quiet.
"I, um. IloveyouHermione." The tips of his ears were crimson and Hermione could feel the heat of his neck under her hands that were wrapped around his neck and fingering his hair.
Hermione stared. "Um, sorry Ron. I didn't catch that."
He sighed and looked into Hermione's eyes. He caught her hands in one of his hands and put them over his heart. "I love you Hermione Jane Granger."
Silence. Ron's heart stopped momentarily. Hermione was searching his eyes, looking for any trace of doubt or lies. She didn't find any. She kissed him hard this time. Ron lifted her off her feet and carried her bridal style.
Hermione leaned her forehead against his and said "I love you too. For ever and eternally."
The common room below them burst into applause and catcalls. People yelled "Finally" and "It's about time!". People were happy for them. Some of the girls clapped but with somewhat sour expressions on their faces. They all adored Ron.
Ron kissed her swiftly and said "Don't worry my love, everything's gonna be perfect". She smiled.
Ron looked at Hermione again who was still doing her essay. He stood up from his comfortable seat and stood behind his girlfriend. She didn't notice. He began massaging her shoulders, she relaxed instantly and let her quill drop. She leaned back into her lazyboy. Ron leaned down and kissed her forehead. "Don't worry my love". He left to his dormitory to get his chess board and invite Harry to a game.