Just Friends

A Sixth Year Romione One-Shot

Hermione Granger hit puberty when she was ten years old and peaked at about 135lbs and 5'5" by her Sixth Year. She still had skinny ankles but she had a curvy chest and hips with a narrow waist. This silhouette drew unwanted attention from other students at Hogwarts, making her feel insecure enough to wear her cloak in the spring months. Jealous girls thought this was why Viktor Krum, the famous Bulgarian seeker, dated Hermione two years ago. They also insulted her hair to further invalidate her first romantic relationship.

Ron Weasley did not hit puberty till he was about thirteen when his voice broke but he was already tall for his year. At sixteen, he has not reached his peak yet but was pushing 6'2" and approximately 150lbs (she never asked, that would be rude). In spite of his indulgent eating habits, he stayed nearly as thin as Harry Potter. Combining that with his tallness, he was an easy target for bullies. They were on the seventh floor and passing the tapestry with dancing trolls when Goyle called out to them.

"Oi! How's the weather up there, Weasley?"

Ron turned around and Hermione grabbed his boney elbow, "It's raining!"

And he spat in his face. Hermione jolted and covered her mouth, gaped in shock. The students nearby guffawed while Goyle searched for his wand inside his cloak ... which had 'mysteriously' gone missing.

"Ron!" she tugged on his long, thin arm.

Ron took her hand, so small in his, and pulled her along. They ran flat-out away from Goyle and did not stop till they were down three floors. Ron shoved open the door to an empty classroom and they collapsed into the chairs nearest to them. His laugh was so contagious it could probably end the war. Hermione adored how he laughed with his entire body.

His flat belly undulating, long legs bouncing, his hands clapping, his head thrown back. She watched his veins pop out and his Adam's apple jump ecstatically. Hermione caught herself laughing nearly as freely. They have been friends since Halloween of 1991when he rescued her from a troll. Up until then, he teased her mercilessly. They still bickered every now and again what with the stress of Lord Voldemort gathering his army, but most of the time Ron made her laugh.

That was not so easy for anyone else. It wasn't that Hermione didn't have a sense of humor. Secretly, it very much lined up with Ron's. It's just that she had the maturity to know the time and place for it. He had this magical ability to loosen her up.

Ron was the funniest member of their close-knit group. He made friends more easily than she did because of his easy-going nature. This has always been the case but this year it had a different effect on Hermione. She didn't just feel warm after a joke. She felt excited and beloved. He made her feel that way without trying. Like right now.

"Did you see his face?!" Ron chortled, wiping his eyes.

He gave a very good impression of it.

Hermione hiccupped, "Yes. I wish Harry was there to see that. You tell him what he's missing out on, tailing after Malfoy."

Hermione did not approve of Harry's obsessive behavior. But, it had its perks. This gave her more quality time with Ron.

"I'll reenact it for him." Ron pulled the face one more time. "Goyle might've hexed me if he got his hand on his wand," Ron chuckled. "Idiot left it in his dorm, I bet."

"... A likely story." Hermione pulled it out from inside her cloak and wagged it before Ron. "Want to do the honors of leaving it somewhere he won't find it?"

Ron snatched it out of her palm, "Haha! You stole Goyle's wand? You, perfect Hermione Granger? That is brilliant."

"I'll give him detention, too. For making fun of your height." Hermione added.

Ron blushed and the mood turned abruptly serious. Hermione composed her face, wondering if she said the wrong thing.

"... Ron?"

"It's such a stupid thing to get mad over." Ron muttered, not looking at her. "Sorry you had to see me ... like that."

He indeed had a temper but this incident was tame compared to his priors. Ron has been insecure his whole life. Hermione wanted to teach him to take the high road but knew firsthand the relish one felt when getting even. After all, she hadn't punch Malfoy three years ago because she liked bruising her knuckles.

Hermione shook her head, "It's OK, Ron. I know what it's like to be bullied for one's appearance. Remember when Professor Snape made fun of my teeth?"

Ron's hands clenched into fists, "He's -" apparently sensoring himself from saying a curse word "- ugly. Who is he to bully people's bodies? Snape! Ha. It's obvious he doesn't own a mirror - or shampoo."

Hermione chortled and beamed up at him, "Come on, let's hide this wand. Then I'll write him up for detention."

Ron stood up and Hermione wondered if she had ever consciously taken note of how he towered over her. Harry was considered tall, too (not as tall as Ron). Regardless, she did not feel this way with him. This made her heart skip a beat. Also, when did Ron's voice get so husky?

His hair, trimmed from reaching over his eyes or touching his neck, was attractive as well. Hermione had been feeling a strange surge of jealousy whenever Lavender Brown showed Ron attention. She thought it might be because she only had two close friends: Harry and Ron. Lavender might take Ron away from her. But that was totally illogical.

Not much more of a social butterfly than she was and less popular (if you can believe it), Harry had friends outside of their threesome group. Why was it different with Ron ... The perfect hiding place for Goyle's wand was decided quite easily.

"Where is one place Goyle never goes?" Hermione asked as they closed the door behind them.

Simultaneously, they both answered, "The Library."

And so they went down to the third floor, Ron hiding the wand in his schoolbag. Hermione bobbed along no higher than his shoulder. He wasn't wearing his cloak. Just his white button up, Gryfindor tie, and loose black trousers and matching trainers. He had a thin freckled face with a sharp jaw and jutting cheekbones.

His teeth were unusually white for someone with such a weakness for candy. Hermione had figured herself to be attractive a long time ago, in spite of horrible comments made about her teeth (which she fixed a while ago) and her thick hair (that stayed the same). She had very long eyelashes, eyebrows shaped just so, and pretty lips. She was pretty symmetrical and she read in a book once that was common in attraction. She liked her thick hair with its curls just the way it was, thank you very much.

They reached the library and had to lower their voices lest bring about the wrath of Madam Pince. They walked as cool as cucumbers to the middle of the library, down to the aisle which had a few copies of Hogwarts: A History.

"Perfect. Goyle'll never look in here," Ron whispered in her ear, his warm breath tickling her skin. "Doubt he can read."

Ron was either entirely unaware of the effect he had on her or he was torturing her. Hermione quieted her hormonal thoughts, reminding herself that Ron was her best friend. He wasn't someone like Viktor, the traditional romantic. But, then why can't she stop feeling this way?

Hermione stepped onto a chair and Ron stood behind her while she wedged the wand behind a row of books that had not been checked-out in decades by the amount of dust encasing them. Hermione wrinkled her nose and showed Ron her filthy hands. He chuckled and clapped his boney hand over his mouth when Madam Pince shushed him from the front of the library.

He did a silent little victory dance that included a thrust of his narrow hips. Hermione gulped and looked away pointedly while he wasn't looking. She recovered quickly.

"Hey, look who's taller now." Hermione teased playfully.

Ron puckered his lips and narrowed his blue eyes, knuckles on his hips. She was about a head taller than him and standing this close, she noticed how long his own lashes were. This was really a lot of fun. It brought back the thrill of the D.A., when practicing Dark Arts spells was against the rules according to the Ministry. She giggled quietly and was about to step down from the chair when she lost her balance.

"Hermione!" Ron yelped quietly.

She dipped forward and Ron was there in a split second, catching her about her waist. His hands were so big he could almost touch fingertips there. Their noses were less than an inch apart. He half-lifted her off the chair and Hermione could feel his strength. He had been spending a lot of time outside without her or Harry ...

"Have you been exercis-?" she was asking him when Madam Pince rounded the aisle.

Ron dropped his hands from her waist like it had suddenly caught fire.

"This is a library, not a fun house! Ms. Granger, you know better." the old lady reprimanded them.

"I'm so sorry, Madam Pince." Hermione apologized genuinely. "We're leaving now."

Hermione and Ron managed to hold in their laughter till they were out of the library. Ron had his arm draped around her neck. He has done this for years. It was heavier than it appeared but Hermione did not mind.

"I'm all of a sudden excited for Potions on Monday." Ron announced, gazing down at Hermione. "I wish I could have a camera for when he has to explain to Snape where his wand's gone." He dropped his arm when they returned to the moving staircases. "Thanks for making me feel better, Hermione." Ron said after they reached the last staircase. "I know you don't fancy breaking the rules."

"What are friends for?" Hermione asked, feeling silly afterwards.

Is that all they were? Friends? Ron's eyes were so blue, it was easy to see that his pupils were dilated.

"Just remember that they're only jealous, Ron. I like it, your height." she added.

Her face had never turned red so quickly. Thankful her bushy hair was the perfect cover, she gave the password and hurried off through the portrait hole. Hermione had not accepted that she had a height preference till that moment. She left Ron standing there, delightedly perplexed. This was the day she realized she might have a crush on her best friend.