A/N: This is my first fanfic, so i hope the readers out there will enjoy. Next chapter up soon.
A Very Confusing Christmas
The snow had just started to fall down onto the darkening meadows surrounding the burrow; where inside there could be herd laughter and carols. The Weasley's were sitting around an enormous fire in the festively decorated living room, finishing their last few drops of warmed eggnog when Charlie stepped in.
"Hi everyone, merry Christmas." He said as Mrs. Weasley jumped up to embrace him.
"We thought you weren't getting back from Romania till Christmas day." George said, while Bill and fleur (now happily married) got up to greet Charlie.
"Well I was let off early because they didn't need me to baby sit anymore because of the dragon I was caring for, its mother had gotten back from the dragon recovery ward so I decided to come a few days earlier to have more time to catch up on what's been happening." Said Charlie as he finally managed to pry his mother off him.
"Oh he ezz just like 'iz brother, so caring." Sighed Fleur.
"I guess Harry and Hermione are here, and Percy once again decided to not show." Charlie guessed, as he looked around at all the faces. "Where are those three anyway?"
"I think Ron, Harry and Hermione are in Ron's room, and for your information, Percy did send me a Christmas card. Although all it said was that he wouldn't be coming and that I shouldn't expect him to show up for any family gatherings in the near future…."Mrs. Weasley's voice suddenly faded away as she remembered why she had been so upset only four hours ago.
Meanwhile up in Ron's cramped room. Harry and Ron were both sitting on the floor talking about their previous year and their struggle with lord Voldemort and the Horcruxes. Hermione was perched gracefully on Ron's bed peering out the small window covered with frost while she imagined the moment she finally would be with Ron, wrapped in his arms.
Ron glanced up and was momentarily dazzled by the beauty, which he could see radiating off Hermione, but then looks away when he was aware Harry had stopped talking.
There was a ferocious battle that had been going on in Ron's mind for several years now and yet he had no clue that the same battle was going on in Hermione's mind. Hermione, like Ron, was fighting with herself every single waking day when she was with him, in his presence, to tell him her feelings before it's too late. If Ron only knew what was happening inside of her, he would also reveal his same undying love for her.
Mrs. Weasley walked in. "Come down stairs you three, Charlie just arrived."
When they arrived down in the living room they found that everyone had moved to the kitchen. Mr. Weasley was at the kitchen table reading a muggle newspaper muttering under his breath "How bizarre." As he read an article on faulty electric kettles. The twins, Ginny and Charlie were in deep discussion about some new product their bringing into the shop. Mrs. Weasley was busy putting the finishing touches on her roast beef which had been in the oven slow cooking all afternoon, meanwhile Bill and Fleur were sitting in the corner of the room tangled in each others arms.
"Get a room." Ron demanded looking over to the corner at the loving couple as he entered with Harry and Hermione. Harry and Ron follow Hermione's lead and sat down at the table.
A lot had changed in the past year for the people sitting in this room. The defeat of Voldemort would be one of the major advents that didn't leave one person in the wizarding world unaffected; another would be the joined union of Bill and Fleur. Harry and Ginny also came to an understanding of where they stood in each other's hearts and were now very good friends again. The other Weasley's were back to normal life as it was before every thing got complicated with the war. As for Ron and Hermione, they had now realized within them selves just how much they needed the other one, but both still were too scared to take the first step.
"Dinner is ready, help yourselves." Said Mrs. Weasley as she put food out in front of them on the table. Everyone grabbed a plate and started to dig in to the beautifully prepared meal. By the time everyone was halfway through their second helpings, everyone started to make light conversation around the table. Ginny turned to Hermione and started talking to her about a career she would be interested to go into when she finishes her NEWTs. Ron couldn't help but look over across the table at Hermione and take in her lovely bushy brown hair and chocolate eyes. After a moment or two he looked away. He couldn't stand looking at something he so desperately wanted but didn't know he could have.
Five minutes later Mrs. Weasley put out on the table a steaming treacle tart fresh from the oven. The whole commotion at the table subsided for a moment so they all could get a whiff of the beautiful desert. While every body passed the whipped cream around the table, Hermione glanced over to Ron, wishing the longing look he had as he gazed at the tart would be the same look he would give her. She then looked away in fear of Ron seeing her ogling him.
After desert everyone was too stuffed with food and exhausted to stay up any longer to chat, so everybody headed off to bed. When Ron and Harry were warm and tucked up in their beds, they began to talk. Harry had been curious ever since he arrived, Ron had been acting out of his normal sorts and he thought this would be the perfect time to ask him what was on his mind.
"So Ron, care to explain why you have been so uptight lately, and don't pretend there isn't anything wrong, because I know you mate and I haven't seen you like this in a very long time." Said Harry as he ignored Ron's protests.
"There isn't anything wrong, stop worrying." Ron said as he was trying very hard to avoid eye contact with Harry.
"There is, now tell me, you can always tell me." Harry said in his last effort to discover why his friend was acting the way he was.
"Alright I'll tell you, but you must swear that you wont say anything to anyone, especially Hermione." Ron blurted out.
"Why don't you want me to tell 'especially Hermione'?" Harry asked, now thinking there must be something more to a small problem.
"I … have… um, feelings for Hermione, and before you start laughing please just listen, it's been on my mind for so long now and I can't take it!" Ron mumbled out while going a brilliant shade of magenta.
"I'm not laughing, I've known for ages." Admitted Harry, yawning. "I know you to well now after all these years. You aren't really good at hiding it from me but I think Hermione is oblivious to the fact."
"That's why I've been acting weird lately, it's because I really want to tell her but I'm afraid of what she might think. If she doesn't feel the same way I wouldn't be able to cope. Harry I don't know what to do. It's ripping me apart inside, what if she does, what if she doesn't, I'm always asking myself that." Ron said these words with a note of hysteria in his voice.
"All I can say to you is just tell her, I have a feeling she might just have the same feelings for you in return." And with that, Harry closed his eyes and fell asleep.
Ron lay his head back down onto his pillow. Confused of what he should do, he closed his eyes and drifted off into dreams full of Hermione's angelic face.
Meanwhile, down in Ginny's room, there also laid two girls awake and talking.
"Hermione just tell him, what's the worst thing he could do? Laugh in your face?" Ginny said jokingly while Hermione groaned into her pillow with frustration.
"I don't think I could handle rejection from him. I know he only sees me as a friend, I just know it." Hermione muffled from inside the pillow.
"You know, I don't know why people are always saying you're so smart. From what I see you're very blind to the fact that my brother does like you, and if you don't see that or do anything about it well then, Hermione Granger, you're just a very stupid girl." When Ginny finished insulting Hermione (with very good reason). She turned her back so she was facing away from her laid down and pretended to go to sleep. She was grinning to herself because she knew she had struck a nerve with Hermione that would make her realize that she should try and do something before it's too late.
Hermione laid there dumbfounded for a few moments, and then thought it was worth a try. She to spent the whole night dreaming of Ron and outcomes to what she was about to try and do.
The next morning, Hermione got up early and went down to the kitchen to see if Mrs. Weasley was up yet. When she arrived down stairs, there she saw no Mrs. Weasley, but instead Harry and Ron sitting at the table eating cereal. She said morning to Harry, and gave a brief nod to Ron.
"Where is everyone this morning?" She asked as she got a bowl and helped her self to some cereal.
"Their all out. They've gone to Diagonally to do some last minute Christmas shopping. I don't think they will be home till later this afternoon, so it's just me, Harry, Ginny and you here for the day." Said Ron not realizing that his mouth was full of cereal.
Hermione giggled, Ron blushed, and Harry took that as his cue to leave. "I just need to go and see to something, I'll be right back." Said Harry as he got up to leave the room.
"I'll come with you." Ron said quickly getting up.
"You cant, unless you want to see me wrapping your Christmas present."
"Oh, ok." Ron mumbled as he sat back down and his gaze returned to his soggy breakfast.
Harry walked out of the room grinning. He bumped in to Ginny on the stairs. "Don't go into the kitchen." Harry warned her.
"Why, did the sink explode again?" She said half laughing.
"No, Hermione and Ron are in there."
"Oh, I see." Ginny said with an understanding grin, and walked back upstairs.
Down in the kitchen there was uncomfortable silence. Hermione's heart was madly beating while she was trying to think of something to say to break the awkwardness. Ron at the other end of the table was about to explode because his heart was screaming at him to just get it over with.
They both glanced towards each other for a second, but then quickly looked away blushing madly as they caught each other's eyes. Ron thought up something to break the silence.
"So, err Hermione, did you sleep ok last night?"
Hermione's mind was racing widely as she replies. "Um, not really. I had a lot of strange and confusing dreams so I didn't get to much rest. What about you?"
"Pretty much the same." He paused thinking up something to say. "So me and Harry were thinking about playing some Quiddich today, do you think you and Ginny would like to join?" He asked hopingly.
"Sure, why not." Hermione said, thinking that would be a good chance to spend some innocent time with Ron.
They then started talking, forgetting how uncomfortable it was only a moment ago. How much they both loved just to speak freely without a care or worry.
Just after lunch, Ginny and Hermione meet Harry and Ron out by the shed in the snow, where the brooms were kept. They divided into pairs and chose positions. Hermione was paired with Harry since he was the better player and she couldn't catch the ball to save her life. After a few rounds, each round didn't last too long, they all decided to head back to the house.
"Ron, you can put the brooms away." Said Ginny, as she dropped her broom and then she ran back off to the house before he could object.
"I'll help." Hermione said to Ron while he was trying to carry all four brooms at once. Harry quickly hurried back up to the house after Ginny.
"Thanks." He mumbled back, while his mind went wild at the thought of him and Hermione alone together.
They started making the long walk through the snow to the shed from the field. Hermione was the first one who started to talk.
"This is really beautiful weather for Christmas I love spending time here at the burrow with your family, Harry and you." She tried hard to put an emphasis on the 'you' with out it sounding to planned.
"Yeah, I always enjoy spending time with you," he paused, then added "and Harry."
Ron smiled at Hermione she returned it. Her heart was leaping with joy, thinking now's as good as ever. The pair started to close in on the shed; their limbs were now numb from the cold. Ron held open the shed door as Hermione stepped in. It was immediately a lot warmer and dryer in the shed.
Ron hung up the brooms he was holding and then took the ones from Hermione. When he took hold of the brooms, his hand accidentally brushed Hermione's, which sent tingles up both of their arms. While Ron hung the other two brooms up, Hermione dried her wet clothes with her wand. Ron finished straitening the brooms then he looked down at Hermione. He was overwhelmed by how beautiful she looked with her nose all red from the cold. He was suddenly flooded with the urge to lean in towards her. As he did, Hermione gazed up into his eyes; Ron could see a mixture of excitement and fear in them. They were about to make contact when Hermione pulled away. Ron felt stupid for almost doing what he did, Hermione felt bad for pulling away. She had suddenly realized that Harry and Ginny were probably up at the house wondering where they were. They both left the shed feeling quite disappointed.