Title: Ride to Love
Warnings: None
Pairings: Ron/Hermione
Rating: T
Word Count: 1,991
Summary: Hermione slowly fell in love with Ron throughout the years on the Hogwarts Express.
Notes: For the Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition, Season 2, Round 2. Captain of Kenmare Kestrals. My team had to choose a character and an action to happen in each of our stories. We chose Hermione – riding on some form of transportation.
Also for the Gift-Giving Extravaganza 2014 (May). It was written for tobestardust. This month was difficult for me because none of the pairings I was given, even pairings I like, really sparked any ideas for me, so I did my best. I usually don't write Ron/Hermione (not my cup of tea), but I swallowed my aversion for this story.
Disclaimer: Don't own 'em - not making any money off 'em. Dern it.
It's her first year and Hermione wants to get ahead of her year mates. So while she rides the Hogwarts express, she's busy reading.
She knows that since she's a muggle-born, she's already behind many of her peers; that's why she's already studying. She's reading about the Andalusite mineral and how it can be used in a potion, when a bumbling boy – she learns his name is Neville – approaches her about a lost frog.
Hermione briefly wonders, 'Who has a frog as a pet?' As quick as that thought comes though, she offers her services. Maybe she'll make a friend out of it. As someone not used to having friends, she's desperate and will do absolutely anything for a friend.
That's how she meets Harry and Ron. Both play big parts in her future even though she doesn't know that, yet.
Harry seems inquisitive but a bit defensive, especially when she points out that she read all about him. She doesn't how that is a mistake, but she'll understand more once she begins to understand basic social niceties. Ron seems a bit dense, but there's something about him that draws her. She doesn't understand why, but she hopes to get to know Ron.
Her wish will be granted when she's sorted into Gryffindor along with Ron, Harry, and Neville.
At the end of the year, she's no longer a complete outcast. She has friends, two best friends to be exact. They're joking around and Ron is trying to teach her chess. One would think that with her brains she'd be good at the game but she really isn't. Her intelligence just doesn't transfer over to chess.
Ron seems to enjoy being able to teach her something, so Hermione finds herself not minding her own ineptness. Her cheeks heat up when Ron laughs at a stupid move she makes. She doesn't feel bad, though, because Ron explains why that move was a bad move.
Harry quietly watches them and she almost wishes that they wouldn't arrive at the platform. She doesn't want to say goodbye, but alas, her secret wish isn't answered. She says goodbye to them and wishes for her second year to be here already.
It's second year and Hermione is alone on the Hogwarts express. She doesn't know what happened to Ron and Harry, but she doesn't like being alone. Especially when she got so used to having friends. She realizes how lonely being alone really is.
On the ride home that year, both Harry and Ron seem a bit clingy of her. She realizes she could have been killed, but she's fine. Don't they understand that? Apparently not. Boys usually don't show emotion, but Ron keeps his arms securely around her while Harry keeps asking if she's alright.
Part of Hermione likes having their compete attention, but she kind of misses her normal friends.
She turns to Ron and asks him a question in hopes of getting both of their minds off of her. "How's Ginny?"
Ron furrows her brain. "I think she might be a bit traumatized. Mum's talking about a mind-healer."
Hermione feels her heart clench with how worried Ron sounds. "That might not be such a bad idea. You sister went through such a horrible event. Getting any kind of help might not be the worst thing."
Ron nods, but he's no longer paying attention to her. His thoughts are obviously centred on his little sister and what she might be facing in terms of healing.
Hermione had wanted his avid attention off of her, but now she's kind of missing his undivided attention. She liked being his centre.
It's third year, they're on the Hogwarts express, and there's already more drama then she wants to deal with. Harry passed out when the air got really cold and Ron is freaking out.
Hermione knows she should be more worried about her best friend, and she is, but she can't help but notice how scared Ron is for Harry.
His eyes are frantic while he shouts Harry's name, shaking him the whole time. His lanky frame is quivering slightly and Hermione thinks, 'He has never looked cuter.'
She blushes and turns back to staring at Harry, willing his eyes to open so Ron will relax. She breathes a sigh of relief when Harry answers her silent prayers and his striking emerald eyes flutter open.
After that trip on the Hogwarts express, she knows her feelings for Ron have forever changed, without really understanding in what way.
At the end of year, Hermione allows Harry's silence. He has a lot to think about, especially when it comes to a godfather that he isn't allowed to live with. When the owl comes, and Ron's face lights up at the prospect of keeping the owl as a pet, Hermione can't help her soft smile.
Ron might be a bit pig-headed, and he sometimes says hurtful things because he speaks without thinking, and he very rarely apologizes for those hurtful things, but one thing she likes about him is that he wears his emotions on his sleeve. Anyone can see what he's feeling if they look.
Her heart warms when he pets the owl, already bonding with the animal. He's so gentle, and Hermione can't help wondering in what other ways he would be gentle.
She blushes. She's way too young to be thinking like that.
She watches as Ron talks about the Quidditch World Cup animatedly with Harry. When he stops waving his arms around, he puts his hand down on the seat next to his body and his fingers brush against Hermione's hand. Butterflies flutter in her stomach and her breath catches.
Ron's hand grips her hand, and she wonders if he knows what he's doing.
When Draco saunters in as if he owns the place, Ron drops her hand, and Hermione feels the lost in the pit of her stomach, but her attention is turned back to the 'mysterious event'. 'What can it possibly be?'
She just knows it won't be a quiet year. But when is it ever a quiet year?
It's the end of fourth year and what an eventful year it was. She quietly looks out of the window and watches the scenery as the Hogwarts Express speeds pass. Fred and George join them, but Hermione barely acknowledges the two of them. She just wants to relax a bit after a very stressful year. If it was stressful for her, she can only imagine how bad it was for Harry, especially when he had been on the outs with Ron.
She shakes her head. She really can't believe how jealous Ron got, but she actually likes him more, not that she sees how flawed he really is. She likes him, flaws and all, and she just can't help it.
Of course, Draco and his goons have to ruin the peace, but the five of them take care of the Slytherins easily. She watches as Harry, Ron, and George get the unconscious bodies out of the way. She can't help noticing the muscles in Ron's arms that ripple as he exerts effort.
She's facing the window again by the time they're done. She's trying to calm down her raging hormones, but it's not an easy task.
Ron and Hermione are both prefects this year. Hermione kind of feels that Harry deserves the honour more than Ron, but she also knows he usually has enough to worry about. He doesn't need prefect duty, too. As soon as they arrive at the Hogwarts Express and it departs, the two of them leave Harry to go to the Prefect Carriage.
Hermione is furious to see Draco and Pansy. How could they possibly make prefects? But considering the majority of the Slytherins, Hermione guesses there weren't many that had better moral values.
Like she expected, Draco calls her a mudblood while Pansy insults her intelligence. Hermione clenches her fists, but before she can tell them what she thinks of them, Ron jumps to her rescue.
"Don't talk to her like that, you slimy snakes. She's worth ten of you," he passionately defends her.
She blushes when he stands in front of her, as if shielding her from possible hexes. With the two that they was facing, that is a real possibility.
The escalating argument is quickly broken up by the Head Boy, and they all quietly sit down to listen to their duties.
When they're dismissed, Ron takes her hands and leads her to the carriage that holds Harry. She notices the way Harry glances at their joined hands, but Hermione doesn't mind the raised eyebrows. She hopes it means what he thinks it means.
The ride home from their fifth year is quiet. No one talks; all of them are in silent mourning for a great wizard. Hermione is worried about Harry, and she can tell that Ron is, too. Neither of them knows how to help their best friend.
When Hermione tries asking him how he's doing, Harry completely shuts down. He won't talk and Hermione just wants to help him, but she's blocked every time.
Ron tries to distract Harry with chess and Exploding Snap, but he doesn't take the bait. Ron's shoulders slump in defeat.
Hermione knows he hates feeling useless. She rests her head on Ron's shoulder and sniffles. Ron's arm goes around her waist. Both watch Harry who seems oblivious to the world around him.
Hermione wants to cry, and as if he senses it, Ron tightens his hold around her waist. She pushes back the tears; she needs to be strong for Harry, just like he'd be for her.
Like the previous year, Ron and Hermione leave Harry to go the Prefect Carriage. Hermione watches Ron and can't help wishing he'd pay attention to her. Instead, Ron's attention seems to be on every other girl but her.
It's not a good feeling to be ignored by the one she believes she has fallen in love with.
She wonders what happened over the summer. Ron seemed to be interested her, and suddenly, now he's not. 'Did I do something wrong?' She can't help but fret, but she knows that despite being a brave lion, she doesn't have the courage to confront Ron about her feelings. She's too afraid of rejection.
She just hopes that Ron will stop being stupid and realize what's right in front of him.
At the end of the year, Ron's family tries to get him to not ride the Hogwarts Express home, but he disagrees. Both Harry and Hermione are riding it because they don't have any other choice, and he refuses to abandon them. Ron grips Hermione's hand as they get on the train.
Hermione fiddles with her clothes. She had never been as scared as she was during the battle, and she realizes that nothing is certain, especially during a war. Both Ron and Hermione are going to stand beside Harry, and he's going to be on the front lines. They are planning a dangerous mission to collect and destroy items that will eventually bring down Voldemort.
Anything can happen. They can all die, and Hermione doesn't want to have any regrets if she lives.
When Harry leaves to go the restroom, Hermione turns to Ron. "Ron, look at me." He does, and she swallows nervously. "I want no regrets."
Ron nods dumbly.
Hermione rolls her eyes at the fact that he just doesn't get it. She leans forward and gives him a chaste kiss.
Ron's eyes are wide, and she wonders if she made a mistake. But when he leans forward and his lips claim hers – this time in a longer kiss – she knows that no mistake was made. They enjoy their second kiss.
Hermione no longer feels like her feelings are unrequited. Both of them will stand with Harry, and she just hopes that all three of them make it out of this war alive.
The End.