Serpent's Kiss
"Why did you leave the hair until last?" Viola asked, as Hermione stared at herself in the mirror.
"No particular reason," said Hermione, lifting a handful of the bushy stuff away from her face. "It just worked out that way." She studied the delicate earring that now pierced her ear, and let the hair fall. "It seems more drastic than some of the other things," she added.
Viola smiled at her. "You look wonderful, NeeNee," she said. "Tell the truth, don't you feel better?"
Hermione smiled back. "Yes. I didn't know clothes and makeup could make such a difference."
"When you look good, and you know it, you feel good," said Viola. "We'll have to do something new tonight, to celebrate."
As she spoke, the spa hairstylist came up to them and began fastening the shawl around Hermione's shoulders. "Sounds like a good idea," she said. "I'm Deidre. What were you thinking of doing today?"
"Getting all this under control," said Hermione, raking a hand through her hair.
"Maybe some highlights around her face," Viola put in.
"Not a bad idea," said Deidre, weighing Hermione's hair in her hands. "It's naturally curly, right?"
"Right," said Hermione. "I've never been able to do much with it, without plastering it down with gallons of po – hair products," she amended hastily.
"Leave it to me," said Deidre. She cracked her knuckles and whirled Hermione over to the sink to wash her hair.
HHH
Snip. Snip. Snip. "So, will you be heading to school soon?"
"Soon," said Hermione, letting herself dwell for a moment on her best friends' possible reaction to her new look. It made butterflies jump in her stomach. She thought Harry would handle it better than Ron, Ron didn't like change…on the other hand, maybe this would wake him up…
"Got a boyfriend, then?" Snip. Snip. Snip.
"Not really," said Hermione. Unfortunately…
"You will," Viola predicted.
Hermione grinned at her. "I don't really have time, you know. I –"
"Everyone's got time for love," said Deidre severely. She fetched a tray that looked like a painter's palette, with little pots of different colors in it. They ranged from nearly clear to a deep purplish red. Hermione watched with widening eyes as Deidre picked up a brush, swirled it in one of the colors, and took aim at her head.
"Um –"
"Come on, NeeNee, give it a try," Viola coaxed. "The great thing about hair is it will always grow out. Be brave."
An unfamiliar recklessness surged through her. After all, she could always charm her hair back to normal if she hated it. "Why not? Go ahead."
"That's the spirit!" Deidre began painting sections of Hermione's hair and wrapping them in foil. She seemed to be using several different colors, but Hermione firmly suppressed her qualms about that. It was just hair, she reminded herself again. She could always charm it back. Meanwhile, a change couldn't hurt.
"Any good prospects at school, then?" Deidre asked.
"For romance," Viola chimed in. "You haven't talked about school much at all, except for the totally expected information that you're top of your year."
"Well, I'm proud of it."
"As well you should be. But tell us! Who's the school heart throb, then?"
Despite herself, Hermione made a face. "Not someone I'd ever touch," she muttered.
"Oho! Why not?" Viola pounced.
"He's –" A killer in the making… "extremely nasty," she said. "Beautiful, but the attitude completely ruins it. And he's always been particularly horrible to me."
"Oh," said Viola. Then she brightened. "Maybe he has a secret crush on you."
"No!" What a loathsome idea!
Visibly taken aback at Hermione's tone, Viola said, "All right, then. There must be someone. Captain of the football team, maybe?"
"There's a fellow named Ro -- ger," said Hermione, amending at the last minute. She wasn't ready to talk about which particular quidditch-playing boy she was really interested in... "He's captain of one of the House teams."
"But he's not for you," said Deidre, setting a timer.
Hermione shrugged. "I haven't taken a lot of time for that," she said. "I have to study, and my friends have always been exciting enough company."
"Hermione," said Viola. "What I have I been telling you about balance? Too much studying and not enough relaxing will backfire, in the end. Think about it. There must be someone who'd be fun to go around with. We're not talking about the marriage of true minds, here."
"I have fun with my friends," Hermione said stubbornly. "They're all I really have time for…" All I really have eyes for…
"Are you telling me you have no crushes?" Viola asked.
Hermione blushed.
Viola crowed. "Good on you! Maybe now you'll do something about it."
Hermione ducked her head. "Maybe," she said softly. She cleared her throat. "Didn't you say you had a surprise?"
"Oh, yes." Viola reached into her bag and withdrew a book. "Look what Kiki found. The Three Witches As Political Prophets, by Anne Reed."
Hermione squeaked and snatched the book. "I can't believe it! I've been looking for this forever! There were only about 300 copies printed! Where did she find it?"
"I don't know," said Viola. "Having observed her all summer, I have come to the conclusion that Kiki has secret powers." Hermione looked up sharply at that, but Viola didn't notice and continued blithely. "Best not to question it. I thought we could go to the bookshop this afternoon. I've read all our books."
"Fine with me," said Hermione absently, eyes greedily devouring the preface of her book. Viola smiled and picked up a magazine.
In the fullness of time, Hermione's hair was finished. She regarded herself in the mirror with some shock. The many colors merely made her hair gleam riotously in the light. Her cheekbones did seem more defined, as well. Would Ron and Harry even recognize her? Well, Harry might. Hermione had not forgotten Ron's complete inability to spot her when she'd been spruced up for the Yule Ball in fourth year.
"We definitely need to do something new tonight," said Viola, grinning at her in the mirror. "It might be time to try out all those dance lessons."
Hermione grinned back, lifted on a surge of optimism. She really did look great. "It might be," she agreed.
"If it's dancing you want, check out The Cavern tonight," said Deidre. "Serpent's Kiss is playing." She said this with an air of awe. Viola's eyes widened.
Hermione looked from one to the other. "Serpent's Kiss?" she repeated. The name gave her rather a nasty chill.
Deidre gave her a look of disbelief. "Only the absolute hottest Goth band to come along in years," she said in shocked tones. "You can't tell me you haven't heard of them!"
"I'll keep it to myself, then," said Hermione, rummaging in her bag for money. "Here. Thank you, Deidre. It looks wonderful."
"It does," said Deidre, accepting the money with a smile. "Try to get into The Cavern tonight. You can't miss Serpent's Kiss. You won't be sorry – the singer is an experience all on his own." She gave a pleasurable shiver and grinned.
Hermione and Viola smiled back and left, headed for the little bookstore they had discovered the first week they were at the resort.
"What do you think?" Viola asked as they walked. "Should we give it a try?"
"I suppose," said Hermione. Not all serpent references have to do with Voldemort, she told herself. Serpent's Kiss was a perfectly reasonable name for a Goth band. "It will definitely be a new experience!"
"I think you'll like it," said Viola. "I've heard about them. The music's supposed to be very emotional. Very sexy. Just the thing for those new clothes and those new dance moves." She held the door of the bookstore for Hermione, then followed her into its cool darkness.
"Kiki!" Hermione called. "Are you here?"
"I'm here," said the girl who seemed always to be working when they were there, and a moment later her black-clad form materialized from the shadows at the back of the shop. "Wow, Hermione! You look fantastic!"
"Thanks," said Hermione. "And thank you so much for the book, Kiki. Where in the world did you find it?"
"Bookseller's secret," said Kiki, smiling and tapping her nose. The piercing there glittered blackly. "Looking for anything special today?"
"We mainly came to say hello and thank you for the book," said Hermione.
"Well, you're welcome," said Kiki, sitting on the stool behind the counter and fiddling with her long sleeves, finally pushing them up above her elbows. "Viola, I just got a box from an estate sale that seems to have some more of those Manning Coles books you like." She pulled three books from under the counter and handed them to Viola, who squealed in delight.
"I was just telling Hermione, you seem to have mystic bookseller powers," she said.
"Of course I do," said Kiki. "Books are the repositories of ideas, and ideas are what change the world." She glanced over at Hermione, saw that Hermione was staring at her arm, and – fortunately – misinterpreted her expression. "Isn't it wonderful?" she gushed, turning her left arm to better display the new tattoo. "There's only one guy in the area that does this. I've been on his waiting list for, like, ever. It's so great that I was able to get this done just in time for tonight."
"Tonight?" Hermione managed, through stiff lips. The silver and green snake disposed in a graceful curve from Kiki's elbow to her wrist seemed to shimmer and move. Its head rested on the inside of her wrist, turned slightly so the fangs were visible, artistically half buried just above the veins. It was clearly a wizarding tattoo; Hermione could feel the tiny pulse of magic from it. She looked up searchingly into Kiki's face, but Kiki was admiring the tattoo with a guileless expression.
"The concert at the Cavern," Kiki explained, holding out her arm for Viola's admiration. "Serpent's Kiss. This is their signature tattoo, and believe me it's not easy to get one. Like I said, there's only one guy in the area who can even do it."
"It looks great," said Viola, slanting a cautious sideways glance at Hermione, who knew she'd gone pale.
With an effort, Hermione forced a smile. "It's beautiful," she said. "A work of art."
"Thanks," said Kiki. "So, will you two be at the Cavern tonight?"
"Oh, yes," said Hermione firmly.
HHH
"Are you sure you want to go?" Viola asked that evening, as she and Hermione were getting ready. "You looked like you had a nasty turn back in the bookshop."
"I definitely want to go," said Hermione, lining her eyes with a reckless hand. "I – I just had a moment, because of the snake. It looked so real."
"Yes, it was lovely," said Viola. "I wish my parents would let me get a tattoo."
"Would you get that one?" Hermione asked. She picked up the black leather micro skirt and eyed it doubtfully. "I still don't think this is the right size."
"Don't be silly," said Viola. "It's meant to show off your legs. Which will be in these tights," she added, pointing out the black-and-silver striped tights lying on the bed. "Now get dressed. As to the tattoo, I'm not sure I fancy a snake on my arm for the rest of my life, but I would like something. Maybe a gryphon. On my hip."
"Good choice," said Hermione, relieved, as she pulled on the tights. "I've always liked gryphons." She donned the skirt, which barely reached the tops of her thighs, and reached for her top, an artful arrangement of silver tatters that covered most of the skirt and clung to every curve, cascading upward and covering her throat. Silver petals of cloth framed her face. Even Hermione had to admit the yoga she'd been doing all summer had had a wonderful effect. She clasped a silver coil onto her bare upper arm and studied the result in the mirror.
"Brilliant," said Viola, her face appearing over Hermione's shoulder in the mirror. "You know, you look totally different. If I hadn't watched you getting dressed I'm not sure I'd know it was you."
Hermione smiled, a bit grimly. "Good. You look good yourself," she added, approving her friend's tiny scarlet dress.
"We are fabulous," agreed Viola, linking arms with her and grinning at their reflections.
Hermione grinned back. "We are also late," she said, checking her watch. "Just give me a minute and I'll be right there." Viola headed for the suite door; Hermione ducked into the loo and employed a bit of surgical tape to attach her wand to her side under her shirt. Now she was ready. She cursed the no-communication restriction that had been placed on her and her friends this summer; she knew the Order had monitoring spells on her and her family in case of attack, but she wanted to be sure they knew about this magical tattoo showing up on a Muggle.
HHH
There was quite a line outside the door of the Cavern. "We're never going to get in," said Hermione, staring at it. She wasn't sure if she was angry or relieved; a Goth club was a new and slightly unnerving experience at the best of times. Under these circumstances, the butterflies in her stomach were mighty big and powerful. But she needed to see what was going on, because of that tattoo!
"Yes you will," said a young man standing just in front of her, turning his extremely slender black-leather-clad self around to give her an approving once-over. He was wearing more black eyeliner than she was, but his smile was friendly in his rather hollow face. "Just stay by me. I've never missed one of their shows yet." The barest hint of the tattooed snake's head was visible under his flopping long sleeve.
"Oh! Um – thank you," said Hermione, flattered by his obvious admiration.
"Yes, thanks," said Viola, giving him a bright smile and offering her hand. "I'm Viola."
"Ian," he said, shaking her hand. His eyes went back to Hermione; Viola gave her a gleeful nudge.
"I'm Hermione," she said, and shook his hand. His fingers were chilly. "I've – um – not seen them yet."
"Then you're really in for an experience," Ian said enthusiastically. "They're brilliant. Really wrench your guts, but in a good way – you know." He winked.
Hermione had no idea what to say to that, so she just smiled. She and Viola chatted with Ian and his equally thin friend Nicholas (clad in extravagant midnight-blue velvet – Hermione thought he must be melting in that coat, despite how good it looked) as the line inched forward. At last, after quite 45 minutes, they entered the club.
"See?" said Ian. "Not a problem." He turned to Hermione. "Can I get you a drink?"
"Thank you," she said. "Ice water would be good." He looked slightly taken aback, but nodded and headed for the bar. Nicholas, who as the tallest in the group had been scanning around for a table, gave a low triumphant yelp and made a beeline for one hidden back in the shadows at the side of the club.
"Our hero," said Viola, and he beamed.
"You'll obviously want to be closer to the stage when they're playing," he said. "But this is good until then. Can I get you a drink, Viola?"
"Absolutely," said Viola. "Rum and Coke would be wonderful."
Hermione elbowed her as Nicholas nodded and went to the bar. "What are you doing?" she hissed. "We don't even know these boys."
"It'll be fine," said Viola. "We're together, we'll look out for each other. Don't worry."
"And you're only sixteen!"
"Say it a little louder, why don't you?" Viola whispered in irritation, as Ian and Nicholas reappeared, each bearing a glass in each hand and threading through the growing crowd. "It'll be fine."
Hermione subsided, gritting her teeth. It struck her as more and more of a bad idea to be here with every passing moment. She wondered what percentage of this was due to her being totally out of her comfort zone and how much was due to the real risks of magical tattoos where they shouldn't be and underage drinking with strange boys. At least half and half, she guessed.
Ian handed her the water and sat next to her at the table. As the club filled up, they continued their small talk. Ian turned out to be almost as much of a bibliophile as Hermione, and they eventually fell into a discussion of the early Romantic poets. Nicholas, meanwhile, was regaling Viola with his plans for his own Goth band. Viola seemed more inclined to listen to Hermione's conversation than take part in her own.
At last a bright light focused on the stage at the front of the club and the Sisters Of Mercy track that had been playing cut off suddenly. Hermione had an almost directly side-on view of the man who stood there.
"Alright, everybody!" he shouted. "Welcome to the Cavern! You all know who's here tonight…"
A thunderous cheer went up.
"And here they are!" he shouted, and leaped off the stage as five people strode up onto it and arranged themselves at their instruments. One of them slinked to the microphone at the front and favored the club with a sultry smile. Hermione sucked in her breath. They were all wearing half-masks of iridescent green, but she'd know that platinum hair anywhere.
As she was trying to decide what to do, the band began to play. The music was slow and winding, centered by – of all things – a cello. Hermione squinted at the cellist. Surely that couldn't be Vincent Crabbe!
But it was. Despite his mask, he too was unmistakable. Hermione spotted Goyle as well, playing the drums. She didn't recognize the guitarist or the bassist, though. She was scanning their arms, trying to discern any tattoos they might have, when Malfoy began to sing.
Hermione was hardly aware of Viola, who had stiffened beside her and was rising to her feet. Every cell of her body was yearning toward the slender blond swaying on the stage, crooning into the mike. The voice was extraordinary, washing through her, calling to her…
Something jabbed her side. Hermione blinked and found she was standing, several steps closer to the stage, surrounded by other people, all of whom were dancing toward the stage. The pressure had jammed her wand into her ribs. Fortunately, she was still to the side of the stage and surrounded by people taller than she was; she didn't think Malfoy could have spotted her, especially blinded by the spotlight as he had to be.
There was no hope, it transpired, of working back out of the crowd. It was all Hermione could do to keep from being herded closer to the stage, once she had touched her wand and whispered a small Shield Charm. She noticed that even with the Charm filtering out Malfoy's Siren spell, his voice really was that fantastic. But why was he spending the summer ensorcelling Muggles?
She spotted a gap behind her and was able to retreat a little further. Then she saw Viola dancing with Ian and Nicholas, pressed between them and swaying dreamily. They were moving in perfect sync, as though rehearsed. As Hermione watched, caught by the sight, Ian and Nicholas raised their left arms and put the hands on each of Viola's shoulders. Viola showed no reaction to this, but Hermione caught the small flash of a spell darting between the two tattooed snakes. A moment later all three of them trembled. Hermione's head turned as the large greenish globe on the stage behind Malfoy flared with flickering light.
She looked around, still working herself backward as well as she could. On all sides, arms with snake tattoos were raised in her path, hands grasping for her body. When they managed to get a grip, even for a moment, she felt an insidious lethargy seep through her, tempting her to lean against the nearest warm body and let the pleasurable feeling course through her. It was very hard to keep disengaging and moving toward the edge of the crowd.
The green globe glowed brighter all the time. She was afraid for Viola, for all these people, afraid of how this draining of their energy would affect them. She'd spotted Kiki as well, dancing with another girl, both pressing determinedly toward the stage even as their movements showed the drain.
At last Hermione caught sight of the table she'd been sitting at earlier. There were only a few more layers of crowd between her and it. Relief rose in her as she twisted automatically away from the next grasping hand. Just at that moment, the song shifted to a driving, very sexual beat, and the hand tightened on her elbow.
Hermione pulled, but couldn't get away. As she lifted her eyes she realized three things: one, the pleasurable lethargy of the drain was not affecting her; two, the arm attached to the hand at her elbow was bare of tattoos; and three – she was looking up into a very familiar pair of green eyes, at such close range she could see the contact lenses floating in them.
"Hermione?" gasped Harry Potter. He was standing perfectly still, not even attempting to dance, and fended off someone else grabbing for her even as she gaped up at him.
"Harry! What are you doing here?" she gasped in her turn, staring at him in disbelief. Almost stranger than seeing Harry Potter here at all was seeing Harry Potter looking like this: dressed in tight-fitting black from neck to ankle, muscular arms bared, glasses-free eyes lined with kohl, both ears lined with piercings, and spiky black hair tipped with red. Only her closeness enabled her to see the slight ridge of his scar under some kind of concealer. He looked perfectly at home, except for the way he wasn't moving.
He tipped his head toward the stage. "Checking them out," he said grimly. "But you – you look fantastic! What are you doing here?"
"A friend brought me." She said dazedly. "I came because another friend – a Muggle – had a wizarding tattoo – "
"I've seen them." He fended off another grasping hand. Hermione resumed her arduous trek toward the crowd-free portion of the club, pulling him with her.
Someone loomed up ahead of them, and a laughing voice said, "Hey, Harry, come on now. We're supposed – " It broke off in a gasp. "Hermione?"
"Ron," she whispered. It was all she had breath for. Where the sexy music hadn't affected her at all with Harry, she now had to fight not to throw herself into Ron's arms and dance all her energy away.
He was moving to the music, just slightly, but in perfect rhythm. He too was dressed in black, his adorned with chains. His hair, which had been getting shaggy when she saw him last, was shorter now and much lighter, paler red streaked with blond. His skin was tanned, contrasting sharply with his hair and making his eyes blaze blue.
His hand was on her elbow. "What are you doing here?' he was asking, as his warmth and scent wrapped around her. "You look – "
They broke out of the crowd and slunk over to the out-of the-way table.
"I look what?" she asked warily, catching her breath as her two friends released her.
"Different," he said lamely, still her Ron, after all. "But good!" he tacked on hurriedly.
"So do you," she said, smiling, then glanced at Harry. "Both of you," she added, and Harry smiled at her.
"Thanks," he said. "Tonks did it."
"Is she here?" Hermione craned her neck, peering into the seething mass of the crowd. "Did the Aurors know about this?"
"Not til recently," said Harry. Ron was still staring at Hermione, and did not seem disposed to speak. "Then they played a club in London, and these tattoos started popping up everywhere. Wizards can't get them, just Muggles."
"What do they do? Anything besides this energy drain?" Hermione asked. She glanced toward the stage, and started. Malfoy seemed to be looking directly at her. How well could he see, with that light right over his head, she wondered. Behind him, the globe was blazing now, casting flickering greenish patterns on the mass of dancers. They moved to the rhythm of his voice as if enslaved, not one of them missing a beat.
"Not sure," said Harry, turning his face away from the stage and Malfoy. "But that's bad enough. Plus he's storing the energy and taking it away with him. Who do we know who's probably low on life energy?"
"What can we do?"
Hermione had been looking away from the stage as well, so she had only a split second of warning as Ron stiffened before Viola was sinking into the chair next to her.
"NeeNee," she said, fanning herself. "Found some new friends?"
"Um, yes, this is – " Hermione hesitated; were they incognito?
"I'm Harry," said Harry, reaching across the table to shake Viola's hand. She beamed at him. "And this is Ron."
"I'm Viola," said Viola, and turned to Hermione. "This is fantastic! Kiki was right about that singer. Is there any of that water left?"
Hermione passed her the glass, which was somehow full; she glanced up and Harry winked at her.
The music wound to a close. "I'm so glad you're all here tonight," Malfoy said into the sudden silence.
The crowd cheered.
"Your love – it feeds me," said Malfoy, and the cello began to play behind him. "This is a new song. You're the first to hear it."
The cheer redoubled.
"Come on," said Viola, apparently completely refreshed by her drink of water. "Let's dance, NeeNee. Would you like to dance with me, Harry?" She held out her hand to him.
Harry gave Hermione an uncertain glance, but then smiled gamely at Viola and took her hand. "Um – sure."
"Come on, you two," Viola laughed over her shoulder, pulling Harry toward the crowd as the music settled into an even sexier tone than the previous song. She looped her arms around Harry's neck and leaned against him.
Harry put his arms rather hesitantly around her waist and began to rock from foot to foot. When Viola twisted against him, he looked up at Hermione and Ron and jerked his head at them, smirking.
Ron blushed as only Ron could blush, and stood up. "Um – shall we?" he said, holding out a hand. It was trembling slightly.
"Yes," said Hermione, rising and taking the hand. Her own wasn't too steady as they walked over to station themselves next to Harry and Viola. Ron really was toweringly tall; Hermione couldn't reach all the way around the back of his neck unless she stood on tiptoe and he bent his knees rather a lot. So she rested her hands on his shoulders and her head on his chest. His heart was thundering away under her ear and his arms were heavy as they looped around her. They began to move to the music.
Ron had much better rhythm than Harry. Viola was doing all the real dancing for her and Harry, but Hermione found that she and Ron fell into the beat perfectly together. In a way it was good that she couldn't look into his face without craning her neck; she felt less shy about employing some of her new dancing skills.
The song went on. Hermione began to feel energy pooling in her center, and Ron seemed warmer. She opened her eyes. Viola, directly in her field of vision, had her back plastered to Harry's front, one arm looped back around his neck. Harry's eyes were closed, face a mask of concentration, his hands resting rather tensely on her hips.
Hermione almost looked away, but at that moment Harry opened his eyes and looked at her, then up at Ron, a question in his expression. It was somehow clear that his mind was not on Viola at all. Hermione pulled back and looked up at Ron herself. He nodded at her, and they both looked over at Harry, who lifted one hand from Viola's hip and flicked it subtly in their direction.
At once a vortex of energy boiled up through Hermione, and a quick glance showed that Ron seemed to be having the same experience. After a dizzying moment she realized that Harry had diverted the flow of the energy Malfoy was pulling away from his globe and into them. But what were they supposed to do with it? They could overload any minute!
Ron's grip tightened, crushing her against him. She could hardly get a breath, and her heart was pounding, her eyes squeezed shut. Then he ducked his head and whispered raggedly, "Tonks… is… behind you. She has…a power sink. Push it at… me, and I'll send it to her!"
Hermione drew a sobbing breath and pushed the extra energy out of herself and into Ron. His skin burned where it touched hers, but the suffocating feeling diminished. She forced her eyes open and over to Harry and Viola.
Viola had turned and was pressed against Harry, looking as though she was trying to climb him. Harry was standing stock still, eyes shut, fists clenched behind her back, jaw locked. Hermione could practically see the power flowing through him and towards the spot behind her where she knew Tonks stood, though when she glanced over her shoulder she saw no one there. Invisibility Cloaks were wonderful things.
The music pounded on, but Malfoy's voice had roughened. The sexuality in it was brutal now, rather than slyly seductive. Hermione clung to Ron, still pushing energy through herself and into him, pressing as tightly against him as she could. His presence seemed to eclipse all her senses. She felt like screaming, if she had had the breath.
Kiki appeared through the dancers and caught sight of them. Viola, still writhing against Harry, detached an arm and pulled her in; her right arm went around Harry's neck as well, and her left started to wrap around Viola.
Harry's eyes flew open and his hand came up, covering the head of the snake tattoo. There was a great green flare, and Malfoy's voice broke off in a shriek of wrath.
Ron stiffened against Hermione, locking her against him until she couldn't breathe, but she didn't care, because she was straining against him just as hard. Everything inside her seemed to explode, and then the world went dark.
HHH
"Hermione? 'Mione?" A rough hand was stroking the hair off her forehead. Hermione sighed and tried to settle herself more comfortably on the hard surface on which she was lying. "'Mione?"
"Is she okay?" That was Tonks.
"I don't know." It was Ron's voice, Ron's quidditch-calloused fingers stroking her hair. Hermione let her eyes flicker open. She was lying on the floor of the club, with her head on Ron's lap. Tonks was standing over them.
"There you are," Tonks said, grinning, and Ron's gaze flew down to meet Hermione's.
"You're awake! Thank Merlin! Are you okay?" As he spoke he was gathering her up into his arms. Hermione, bemused, let him do it; it was where she wanted to be, after all.
"I think so," she said. "I – " But she got no further, because just then Ron kissed her.
Ron kissed her!
It was awkward, but as it went on they seemed to get the hang of it, and once again the rest of the world faded out for Hermione. Even her ever-busy brain, which she had expected would be going a mile a minute when – if – this time ever came with worries over her technique or breath or something, went blissfully silent.
Then it was over, and Ron was helping her to her feet, watching her anxiously. She smiled at him, and beyond him caught sight of Viola drinking another glass of water with Harry watching, tucking something into the pocket down the side of his pants. Viola caught her eye and grinned broadly, and Hermione knew she'd been Obliviated. There were Aurors throughout the room, helping people up and making sure their memories disappeared. Of Malfoy and Serpent's Kiss there was no sign.
"Ron?"
"Yeah, H – Hermione?"
She turned and looked him square in the eye. "I love you."
And his echo lit up her whole world.