Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, and if I did, I
wouldn't be writing fanfics!
A/N:
This is the re-re-edited version. I added A LOT to the beginning. For the record, I didn't copy it straight
out of the book. I only used the
dialogue and basic staging from the last four pages of OotP. Enjoy!
"Ron, Ginny!" Mrs. Weasley's voice rang out over the bustle of the crowd. She scurried up to give her children a hug. "Oh, and Harry dear—how are you?"
"Fine," said Harry, lying through his teeth as Molly squeezed all the air out of his lungs in a giant hug.
Ron stared at his twin brothers' clothes. "What are they supposed to be?" Ron pointed to their jackets.
They grinned. "Finest dragon skin, little bro. Business is booming and we thought we'd treat ourselves."
Someone else stepped forward. "Hello, Harry," Lupin said once Mrs. Weasley had released Harry.
"Hi," Harry replied, looking at the group that had gathered around him, which included a few Weasleys, Mad-Eye Moody, Tonks, and Lupin. "I didn't expect…what are you all doing here?"
Lupin smiled slightly. "Well, we thought we might have a little chat with your aunt and uncle before letting them take you home."
Immediately Harry said, "I dunno if that's a good idea."
Moody limped a little closer. "Oh, I think it is," he growled menacingly. "That'll be them, will it, Potter?" He pointed behind him. Harry looked over their shoulders and saw his relatives standing together, looking appalled.
"Ah, Harry!" Mr. Weasley finally stopped questioning Hermione's parents to greet him. "Well—shall we do it, then?"
"Yeah, I reckon so, Arthur," Moody said.
The whole group of them walked determinedly across the station to where Harry's family stood rooted to the floor.
"Good afternoon," Mr. Weasley said cheerfully to Uncle Vernon. "You might remember me, my name's Arthur Weasley." Uncle Vernon seemed to recognize Mr. Weasley from two years before, when he had destroyed most of the Dursleys' living room. Vernon's face was steadily turning purple, and his wife and son seemed terrified as well as embarrassed. "We thought we'd just have a few words with you about Harry," Arthur added.
"Yeah," Moody added, "About how he's treated when he's at your place."
Uncle Vernon looked indignant. "I am not aware that it is any of your business what goes on in my house—"
"I expect what you're not aware of would fill several books, Dursley," Moody growled.
"Anyway, that's not the point," Tonks interrupted. "The point is, if we find out you've been horrible to Harry—"
"—and make no mistake, we'll hear about it," Lupin added amiably.
"Yes, even if you won't let Harry use the fellytone—"
"Telephone," Hermione whispered to Mr. Weasley.
"Yeah, if we get any hint that Potter's been mistreated in any way," Moody said, "you'll have us to answer to."
Uncle Vernon was outraged. "Are you threatening me, sir?" he said loudly.
"Yes, I am." Mad-Eye seemed to be pleased that the large man had gotten the message.
"And do I look like the kind of man who can be intimidated?" Mr. Dursley barked.
"Well…" Moody said, pushing back his hat to reveal his magical eye. "Yes, I'd have to say you do, Dursley."
He turned around to face Harry. "So, Potter…give us a shout if you need us. If we don't hear from you for three days in a row, we'll send someone along…." Aunt Petunia whimpered. "'Bye, then, Potter." Moody held Harry's shoulder for a second with a gnarled hand.
"Take care, Harry," Lupin said quietly. "Keep in touch."
"Harry, we'll have you away from there as soon as we can." Mrs. Weasley grabbed him in yet another giant hug.
"We'll see you soon, mate," Ron said, shaking Harry's hand.
"Really soon, Harry. We promise," Hermione added. Harry nodded.
Then, having a hard time finding the words to say goodbye, Harry raised his hand in departure, and walked out of the station with his aunt, uncle, and cousin.
Mrs. Weasley sighed. "You know, sometimes I really worry about that poor boy."
"Only sometimes?" Moody growled. The others laughed.
Ron laughed along with them, but his insides were squirming with nervousness. He had decided that he was going to finally do the thing that he had wanted to do for almost two years. It had taken nearly that long to at least work up the courage to do it. He took a deep breath.
"Hermione, can I have a word?" he said feebly.
"Of course, Ron." Hermione turned to face him.
"Privately?" he added, his heart thumping in his chest. Hermione nodded, and they walked farther down the station platform.
Everyone else had gone back to their conversations, but Ginny watched Ron as he walked off with Hermione. "He's going to do it!" she squealed under her breath.
Ron took another deep breath. "Hermione, there's something I've been meaning to tell you," he said nervously, "For a long time."
"What's the matter Ron? Are you alright?" Hermione interrupted.
"Yes, don't worry, I'm fine," Ron said, his voice cracking as his ears started to turn pink. "I just wanted you to know that, well . . ." He was having trouble finding the words he wanted to say. Hermione looked at him expectantly.
Watching from across the station, Ginny whispered to herself, "Just do it already, you git!"
Ron cleared his throat. "Look, I know that you like --" He looked pained by saying the name -- "Viktor, but you should just know that there's other people out there who like you too, and don't think you're a bothersome know-it-all, and--"
"Ron!" Hermione interrupted again, looking shocked at his know-it-all comment, but Ron knew she was used to it.
"Anyway, I just thought you should know that some people do like you. And they think you're really smart, and funny, and pretty, and-- " Hermione was giving him a look with her chocolate brown eyes that she had never given him before. Her gaze made his heart speed up even more, so that he felt as if it would beat out of his chest.
"And exactly who are these people?" she asked, now with a glint of playfulness in her eyes. "If they think I'm so smart, and funny, and pretty, then why don't they just tell me?" She folded her arms teasingly. "They've probably had many opportunities to. And who knows? I might even return their ardor, and they wouldn't even know it!"
Now this got Ron thinking. Did she know it was he who fancied her? And even if she didn't know, she did have a point. What if she had liked him back, and he never got the chance to find out? This truly finalized his notion to tell her the way he felt.
"Hermione, I am a person." Ron stumbled over the words. Hermione raised her eyebrows. "I mean, I am one of the people I was telling you about." Now it wasn't just his ears that were red, Ron's whole face was. "I mean, I like you. I like you as a girl." He took a deep lungful of air. "I really, really like you."
He waited for an answer. Hermione just kept searching his eyes with hers, as if to prove he was sincere. Then after what felt like an hour, she spoke.
"I was waiting to see how long it would take you to tell me." Ron was shocked. "Your brothers were practically placing bets on it, before they left school." Ron was VERY shocked. "In fact, I was beginning to lose hope that you ever fancied me at all." She locked her eyes with his. "Can I be sure?"
Ron almost couldn't believe what he was hearing. Hermione had known? And did this mean she fancied him too? But he knew the answers to those questions. And to answer her question, he took a deep breath, gave her a lopsided grin, put his hands on her shoulders and leaned down to press his lips softly to hers. They held each other, enjoying the moment.
When they broke apart, Ron grinned his widest, his ears a vivid shade of pink. Hermione was blushing deeply as well. Ginny grinned at them from across the station, and said under her breath, "It's about time!" Ginny quickly turned back around to join in her family's conversation.
Before they could kiss again (and Ron knew he wanted to), Hermione hugged him, and whispered a goodbye into his ear. She hurried off to find her parents.
Ron stood there for several minutes, nearly floating off the ground with pleasure. He hadn't even gotten to say a proper goodbye to Hermione. He grinned to himself. That was all right. He considered the way they had "said" goodbye to be absolutely wonderful.
A/N: I hope you all enjoyed it! Please review and read the sequel to this story, "Summer Nights."