He tugged on my hand and led me out to the garden. We could hear the twins swooping above on their brooms. No doubt they were trying out new tricks they could show off with during a quidditch match the coming year.
"Look there's lots more room out here. Harry and Ginny can have the living room." I shake my head at Ron's excuse to get away from Harry and Ginny.
"Well we could have shared the room with them."
"Yeah I know but I'd rather not be in there when they start their dancing lesson." He looked genuinely fearful of the idea of being in the same room as their friends.
"Harry's dancing can't be that bad."
"Oh it's not Harry's dancing that I'm worried about. Have you ever seen the way Ginny dances?" I giggle imagining Ginny circling wildly around the room.
"Ok come on let's start our lesson," said Ron. He took a step forward and took my hand and placed it on his shoulder as his right hand took my waist. With his free hand he gently held my hand.
It was a wonderful feeling to be so close to him. There weren't many excuses for us to be so close so whenever the chance presented itself I'm more than ok with it. I wasn't completely wrapped in his arms but I was enveloped in his scent. For some reason there was smoky yet clean smell clinging to him. It could have been due to the fact that Mrs. Weasley had Ron clean out the fireplace which meant he'd have to have changed clothes unless he wanted to walk around covered in soot. He often complained about all the chores that had to be done but knew it was best to follow Mrs. Weasley's rules or suffer the consequences. I looked up to his face and saw his eyes watch me. At first I thought I saw wonder in his eyes but it must have been a trick of light, because when I asked what he was looking at that look disappeared. He didn't respond with words and instead cleared his throat loudly and started to move us slowly around the small garden. He noticed that I was struggling to follow so he let me lead for a while. That seemed to work better for me.
"Okay you got the idea on how to lead now let's try it with me leading."
Ron started to lead me around, but I still hadn't gotten it. I was continuously stepping on his foot or clashing heads with him.
"Ouch." He said as he rubbed his head.
"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to. I…"
"Don't worry about it Hermione." He paused. "Ok let's try something else."
Ron stepped behind me and put both his hands on my hips. I tried to keep control of my breathing hoping he wouldn't be able to tell that it had just sped up. He whispers softly for me to move as though we were dancing. I didn't really know what to do so I did the one two steps we had been practicing inside before we escaped the attack of the dancing Ginny. I could feel him following me from behind. He mirrored my steps exactly and was able to keep the same distance between us the whole time.
"Okay I think that'll work then," he said.
With a smooth turn he had me facing him. Smiling down at me he placed my hands on his waist and sets his arms on my shoulders.
"What are you doing?"
"Just trust me ok? I know what I'm doing." It was hard to argue with the goofy grin of his. "Just follow me."
"Wait how will I know which way to go?"
"You'll feel the way I'm going."
He was right. When he started to dance it was easy to know which way he was going. With my hands on his waist I could feel which way he was going to step. It wasn't long till I was able to follow his lead with minimal foot stepping and head bumping.
"See now you know how to lead and follow."
I just smiled at him, but that didn't last long since he moved us back into our original dancing positions. I started to panic but after the first few steps I calmed down and noticed that I was dancing just fine. I could feel the slight pressure on my waist when he was moving making it just as easy to follow as if I had my hands on his waist. After a while Ron taught me how to turn. It wasn't as hard as following but it still took a while for me to get the hang of it.
"Ron, Hermione it's time for dinner," yelled out Mrs. Weasley. We parted knowing that the lesson was done for the day. Looking up we noticed the sky had dimmed since we first walked out of the house.
"Coming mum," Ron yelled back at her. "Well that was a good lesson."
"Yeah, sorry again for the foot stepping thing."
"And the head butting thing," he said jokingly.
"And the head butting thing," I said with a smile.
"Don't worry about it. Trust me you're not as bad as Ginny was when my mum made us both dance partners." He shuddered at the thought, remembering when he and Ginny were first learning to dance it was less a dance and more of flapping limbs and tripping over one another.
"Anyways thank you."
Before I knew what I was doing I had stood on my tippy toes and kissed his lips. When I pulled back it took me a second to register what had just happened. When it had finally come to me I was about to start ranting an apology but to my surprise Ron just grabbed the back of my head and held it in place as he leaned down and pressed his lips against mine.
At that moment my brain stopped all functions. The only thing that it was focused on was Ron. His lips caressing mine timidly as though afraid I would break. His firm but gentle hand that held my head in place and sent shivers up my spine as his fingers curled into my hair. He drew me in closer to him tugging at my waist to close the gap between us. I wasn't sure how to respond at first but as his lips moved against mine I soon followed his lead. It felt like a dance with out mouths. He would move in one way and I would follow, and occasionally I would lead and he would follow. I kept my hands firmly on his shoulders needing something to keep be from floating into the clouds from sheer bliss. He tasted like licorice and butterbeer. It must have been from a snack earlier, or Ron just naturally tasted sweet and tangy. Whatever the case I knew that I was now hooked to the taste that I knew as Ron. I didn't want to let go but seeing as air is a necessity, we had to. He pulled back slowly but didn't move far away. Instead he hovered above my face until I opened my eyes and saw him staring at me.
"What?"
"Nothing. I just waited a long time to do that."
"Well you can't keep a girl waiting forever."
He smiled, "I guess not."
We both just watched each other for a while before he did the unthinkable.
In a small hush voice he whispered in my ear "I love you"
I was at loss for words. First off the boy of my dreams had just kissed me more passionately then I ever thought I could be kissed and now he's telling me that he loves me. I thought I was going to faint. Even if I had it would have been in the arms of the guy I loved to death and who evidently loved me too.
"I've waited a long time to hear that"
He chuckled. "You did say not to keep a girl waiting."
I wrapped both arms around his neck and pulled him down into a tight hug.
"I love you too," I say in a softly back and I know he heard me. I can feel him smirking into my shoulder. I expect him to say something witty but he just holds me tighter. We stood there for a while until we heard a voice coming from inside.
"Ron, Hermione get in here already Mum's throwing a fit" yelled Ginny.
Ron let me go, sliding his hand down my arm and holding my hand. We enjoy our moment alone for a second longer before we walk back to the Burrow.
We take seats at the next to each other and no one has noticed our intertwined hands. That is until Ron tries to be a sap and kisses my hand like it's the most normal thing to do. Of course this gesture doesn't go unnoticed by the Weasley clan. All but Harry and Ginny are a bit taken aback by the turn of events. But I suppose they realized since I hadn't hexed Ron into next week already then we must be together. Mrs. Weasley was thrilled for the both of us. She scurried over to us and swooped us both in a warming and bone crushing hug.
"Oh Hermione, I'm so glad for you and Ron. Mind you I wasn't sure Ron was ever going to come to his senses." Mrs. Weasley shook her head and patted Ron on the shoulder as she spoke.
"Oh thanks Mum."
"Well…. Anyway how did he finally convince you?"
I smile at the elderly woman who had always been like a second mother to me, then I looked at her son. The boy that I'd fallen in love with many years ago and said, "It just took a dance."