AN: This is my first attempt at a song fic… um, I tried to make it follow the song but… it kinda failed…
Summary: Ron has been watching Hermione fall for another. How long will it take for both to give into their true feelings and realize where their hearts lie?
Author: Taylor
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, but I do own Alex! I don't own Maroon 5's song… but I own the idea of the fic!
She Will Be Loved
Beauty queen of only eighteen
She had some trouble with herself
He was always there to help her
She always belonged to someone else
I drove for miles and miles
And wound up at your door
I've had you so many times but somehow
I want more
I don't mind spending everyday
Out on your corner in the pouring rain
Look for the girl with the broken smile
Ask her if she wants to stay awhile
And she will be loved
She will be loved
Tap on my window knock on my door
I want to make you feel beautiful
I know I tend to get so insecure
It doesn't matter anymore
It's not always rainbows and butterflies
It's compromise that moves us along
My heart is full and my door's always open
You can come anytime you want
I don't mind spending everyday
Out on your corner in the pouring rain
Look for the girl with the broken smile
Ask her if she wants to stay awhile
And she will be loved
And she will be loved
And she will be loved
And she will be loved
I know where you hide
Alone in your car
Know all of the things that make you who you are
I know that goodbye means nothing at all
Comes back and begs me to catch her every time she falls
Tap on my window knock on my door
I want to make you feel beautiful
I don't mind spending everyday
Out on your corner in the pouring rain
Look for the girl with the broken smile
Ask her if she wants to stay awhile
And she will be loved
And she will be loved
And she will be loved
And she will be loved
In the background
Please don't try so hard to say goodbye
Please don't try so hard to say goodbye
Yeah
Softly
I don't mind spending everyday
Out on your corner in the pouring rain
Try so hard to say goodbye
By: Maroon 5
Hermione was a smart girl, passing her finals with flying colors. She had never really considered herself popular or pretty until she started getting approving comments during seventh year at Hogwarts. Of course her two very best friends didn't say a thing about it.
Now at 18 she was considered beautiful, a beauty queen if you will. Her hair was straitened and was usually pulled up in a ponytail or a bun. She had taken to wearing tight shirts and jeans or skirts which hugged her slim frame. Her eyes were as bright as ever and she had deeper dimples than she had during school.
Now, our little beauty queen had a crush, and it was a huge one, on a wizard in her auror group. His name was Alex Mandron; he had graduated from a school in America but joined up with the British Ministry of Magic as an auror. He was handsome, talented, smart, and dressed well. His brown hair fell into his eyes teasingly as his un-tucked loose shirts framed his chiseled chest slightly covering the waist of jeans not to loose or to tight. His tan skin brought out the vibrant blue of his eyes which twinkled mischievously.
All in all, he was the hunk of the Wizarding world and everyone wanted him, and everyone got him. Hermione knew what she was getting herself into by falling for him, a one-night stand. But she decided that with her looks and talent she would get him. She would definitely get him.
The others in her group were either lusting after Alex, or they were lusting after Hermione. One individual in particular was lusting after the previously bushy haired bookworm.
Ronald Weasley, after seventh year had trained hard, trying in vain to catch up with Hermione. He had to practically beg the Minister to put him on her team. His red hair was like Bill's seeing as though he never had the time to cut it. It wasn't ridiculously long, just long enough to hang between his shoulder blades in a ponytail. His face had lost some of the freckles and gained a tan along with the rest of his body. His once shabby robes had been replaced with a Navy sweater and black jeans. In the simplest robes he looked gorgeous. Or so some had told him.
But, as much as he was doing this for Hermione, it didn't matter, she was to infatuated with Alex to even remember his name. And, if you truly love someone then you let them go right? So, as much as it was killing Ron he helped Hermione chase after and eventually catch up with the slightly elder wizard. He had stood off in the distance watching as he used her for one-night stands and she continued to want him. He watched as he broke her heart yet came back for her. He watched, and offered an open hug and a shoulder to cry into. But Hermione still remained loyal to the bastard who was using her.
One rainy July evening a sleek black sports car pulled up in front of a small apartment complex. Red hair was instantly plastered to a tan forehead as Ron held a folder close to him and sprinted to the overhang of the building. Hearing the creak of steps above him he pressed himself against the wall and watched as blue eyes met his own and the brunette walked gracefully down the stairs. Ron watched with hard eyes as the boy stepped into his own green Jetta and pulled away before walking slowly up the stairs to Hermione's apartment. Pulling out his wand he muttered the spell and opened her door. He set the folder down on the counter and flicked on the lights stepping out of his wet shoes before padding quietly over to the slightly ajar bedroom door.
Hermione was curled up contentedly under the covers yet her face was pulled into a frown. Her hair was mussed and her cheeks flushed and the clothes strewn around the room made Ron sick. He cleared his throat and Hermione's eyes fluttered open to look at him.
"Alex?" she asked quietly and Ron pulled a forced grin.
"Ron," he said and shut the door after he stepped back into the living room and walked over to the kitchen. He grabbed a few eggs and cracked them open on a pan after turning on the stove and proceeded to scramble them.
The teen heard a noise behind him and saw a sleepy Hermione standing in her floral nightgown smiling at him thankfully.
He shot her half a grin and couldn't help the tightening in his stomach and the flutter of his heart as he saw how adorable she looked.
He turned the stove off and got the eggs out of the pan and onto two plates.
"Mind if I stay?" he whispered not wanting to break the silence that hung around the apartment.
"You know I don't Ron," she said just as quietly.
"I saw Alex," he said after a minute and she looked at him fearfully. "He didn't even look back, just got into his car and left."
"I know," she muttered and Ron could hear the hurt in her voice and looked up at her.
"Herm…"
"No," she whispered and picked at her eggs. "I've heard it to many times Ron," she smiled up at him her eyes dull with mental and emotional pain. "You're a great friend you know that?"
Ron managed a small grin his heart shattering for the thousandth time in a year.
"Robert gave us the next assignment. You're intelligence again," Ron said changing topic wisely.
"Who is it?" she said her eyes brightening slightly.
"Some wacko wizard," Ron shrugged and they resumed eating. After another ten minutes Ron got up and stretched. "The packets on the counter, I've got to get going, I need to be at a trial."
"Ron?" Hermione said as he was about to close the door behind him and he turned to face the girl who threw her arms around her neck. "Thank you so much Ronald."
Ron pecked her cheek and smiled at her and turned shutting the door behind him. He walked slowly down the stairs and slumped down into his car. Then he cried.
He cried for how long he had forced his emotions to remain dormant. Cried for all the pain and confusion Hermione was drowned in. And cried for the idiocy of that bastard Hermione loved.
Days later found Ron standing on a street corner waiting for the bus seeing as though his car was in the shop. He gazed up at the gray clouds warily hoping it wouldn't rain. Out of the corner of his eye he caught sight of brown hair bouncing up and down in a ponytail and pale skin highlighted where it shown through the long black overcoat.
"Hermione?" Ron called and the girl ten feet to his left stopped and turned around and gave him a smile which made his heart break. "What are you doing? I though it was Saturday, and that's…" he trailed off knowing she got the train of thought. Saturdays was when Alex would come to her during the day.
"He didn't come," she said softly leaning against the glass of the booth next to him that pained smile still on her face. "But, its ok really, I know he's busy…"
"'Mione," Ron muttered gazing sadly at her. His gaze turned to one of worry as he saw the twin rivers running unchecked down her cheeks.
"I know Ron, I know," she murmured and Ron took her hand and led her into the park nearby as the bus pulled into the station and a few got off and a few boarded.
"What do you know Hermione?" he asked softly as they paused in a secluded area.
"You were right, he's not good to get associated with. I know he goes to other girls, I know he only uses me, and I know you and Harry were right."
Ron pulled her into a hug and she cried letting her head fall on his shoulder he wrapped his arms around her loosely but firm enough to let her know he was there. He felt her arm snake around him and one of his hands went to comb through her free hair as he murmured soothing words to her temple.
After a few minutes she pulled back and smiled gratefully at him her eyes slightly red rimmed.
"Thank you Ron," she whispered and hugged him quickly. "You're the best friend I could ever ask for.
Ron felt his breath hitch in his throat as tears pricked at his eyes. He rubbed at them furiously as Hermione watched fascinated.
"Right," he said a little rougher than he had meant to and stuck his hands in him pockets and gazed over at the bus stop to see on pulling in. "My bus is here, I've got to go," he said flatly and walked away from Hermione who was staring after him hurt and confused.
Her eyes then watered again as understanding reached her and she watched as the bus pulled away with the man who had stood by her no matter what, a man who cared about her, a man who had gone through hell just so she could be happy.
If only he had seen how much she had needed him to tell her, to take her into his arms, to kiss away her troubles. If only he could see how much it pained her to see the one she loved who returned the feeling walk away from her… perhaps forever.
A few days later still Ronald Weasley sat in his own apartment reading glasses perched on his nose as he held some papers in one hand and a bottle of beer in the other. He sighed heavily and took a swig draining the bottle and tossing it to the trashcan. He rubbed his eyes as he felt the wooziness coming on. He glared at the three empty bottles he had just drained way to fast in the trash can and leaned back allowing his head to drop limply back so he was staring through heavy lidded eyes at the ceiling.
The doorbell rang with a buzz and Ron closed his eyes before standing up feeling a bit tipsy. He didn't even bother to try to clean up his appearance as he went to the door. His hair looked worse than Harry's in fifth year, his clothing was wrinkled and slightly askew and he still had his glasses on over tired eyes with bags under them half due to lack of sleep and half due to him getting drunk almost every night.
He pulled open the door and hissed through clenched teeth at who stood there. Hermione Granger took his bedraggled appearance in with one sweep of her eyes and pushed him back lightly so she could step in and she closed the door behind her as he fell onto the couch with a groan. The fuzziness in his brain was growing worse and due to his exposure to alcohol in the past two days those three bottles, which would usually barely affect him, were seriously affecting his thinking.
"Ron," he heard and gazed up tiredly at Hermione who was standing in front of him looking truly concerned.
"What're ya doin here Hermone?" he asked his speech laden with sleep and slightly slurred.
"Ron, what have you done to yourself?" she asked and took his glasses off his face and placed them on the coffee table. "You look…"
"Like crap?" he finished for her and watched as she bit her bottom lip and nodded. "My problem, not yours."
"It is my problem Ron," she said softly looking into his bloodshot eyes. "You were always there for me, why can't I return the favor?"
"I was asking for this Hermione," he whispered his voice still slightly heavy from the alcohol but not as slurred now that he was used to it.
"And I was asking for Alex to use me, but did you give up?" she shook her head and reached for her wand. "I'll sober you up Ron."
He watched in faint amusement as she waved her wand and he felt the fuzziness clouding his mind fade away and he stretched the headache he had received gone as well.
"Thanks," he stood and walked to the kitchen rubbing his unshaved chin. "Want anything to eat."
"Yes," she said thickly and then blinked and blushed before adding on. "Just a little something though."
Ron had completely missed the innuendo and threw her a packet of goldfish as she hid a smile behind her hand.
"What? I love them," he said and she seated herself on the couch as he threw himself over and grabbed the remote. "You never told me why you were here."
"You haven't responded to anyone's calls," Ron thought back and remembered not charging his cell and the blinking light on the machine. "And you haven't been to work."
"I've been busy," he muttered feeling utterly tired once again. "Hermione, about that day in the park… I didn't mean to walk out on you."
"Ron tell me something," Hermione said and they looked into each others eyes. "If you loved somebody and they were destroying themselves just for the sake of someone they loved, would you help them?"
"Yes…"
"If you were one of these two people who were in love with each other but weren't able to admit because one was getting over a break up what would you do?"
"Keep it to myself."
"If someone said they love you what would you do?"
"I dunno… kiss them?"
"If they kissed first?"
"Kiss them back?"
"I love you Ronald Weasley."
Hermione had been inching closer to the boy during their conversation and he had unconsciously been doing the same. At her words the gates that held both of their emotions in check broke and their lips met softly before Ron reached up and put a hand on the bottom of Hermione's head and brought her up to him a little more. The electricity that they felt from the simple contact of lip on lip intensified as wandering hands and tongues were added to the mix.
After a few minutes of heated kissing where Hermione had ended up under Ron they drew a few centimeters apart and panted their eyes closed and their cheeks flushed. Ron felt a hand on his cheek and looked into the frightened eyes of the girl under him and felt his eyes tear. He kept his weight on his elbows and rested his forehead on her shoulder as her fingers combed through his hair as the tears fell from his face onto her shirt his shoulders shaking slightly. He allowed himself to cry, embraced in his soon to be lover's arms.
He cried now for all the time they had missed from shyness, all of the things they would've been saved from, the relief that his love was returned, and for the weight that had been taken off his heart allowing him to think clearly.
He pulled his head up and stared into Hermione's eyes which were now shining with love and a tad of lust. He allowed the rivets of tears to run down his face again and kissed her forehead the salty tears falling onto her face as her own tears mixed with his.
"I love you Hermione Granger."
Their lips met in a slow passionate kiss as they sealed the promise those words kept.
