An AU of what could have happened. This is just one of the scenarios, although I do believe that by Ron going out with Lavender, it made Ron and Hermione's relationship stronger later on, so I still wouldn't change it, but anyway, on with the show..

Insignificance

His face was pure joy as Luna announced that Gryffindor had won. I've never felt so pleased for him than I have at this very moment. My heart seemed to be screaming for him as he zoomed around the stadium, his one arm raised in triumph, and I decided, that tonight, after so long waiting for him, I am finally going to do something. Sure, he's been a bit moody this morning, but I'm sure that's something to do with this argument with Ginny that Harry mentioned. I'm going to do it, I'm going to walk up to him, and just let my feelings control me, let every single ounce of love I feel for him pour out, and finally, just finally, he might get the hint.

I should ink my skin, with your name

Take my passport out again, and just replace it

See I could do without a tan, on my left hand, where my fourth finger meets my knuckle

And I should run you a hot bath, and fill it up with bubbles

The stands started to empty, and rain drizzled down from the black clouds above. I flipped my hair over my shoulder, and pulled my coat tighter around me, feeling the excitement. I spoke with Pavarti and Padma about the game, my heart bursting with pride as they mentioned how good Ron was today. They asked if I knew where Lavender was, as they hadn't seen her since before the game, but I replied that I hadn't seen her either.

Cause maybe you're lovable, and maybe you're my snowflake

And your eyes turn from green to grey, in the winter; I'll hold you in a cold place

And you should never cut your hair, cause I love the way, you flick it off your shoulder

My heart thumped as I ran past the Great Hall, and up the flights of stairs. With each step an image flashed through my mind at how tonight's events could turn out. Kissing. Holding. Touching. Loving. Adrenaline pumped through me as I imagined claiming himself for my own, everyone knowing, Ronald Weasley was Hermione Granger's boyfriend, and no one could doubt it. I would kiss him with every drop of passion in my body. For every time we flirted during rows, shouting, yelling, and feeling the electricity crackle in the air between us. No, tonight would be our night. Tonight would be the night we would remember as the start of us, where doubts ceased to exist and the fire that had burnt so long would be put out. I wasn't leaving that common room until Ron knows how I felt about him.

And you will never know, just how beautiful you are to me

But maybe I'm just in love, when you Wake Me Up

I practically screamed the password at the Fat Lady. She dropped her glass of wine in shock, I mean, I don't blame her. I must have looked a fright standing here, soaked to the core, my hair plastered to my face, anxious, frightened, and yet exhilarated. She mumbled something incoherent, and as soon as the door was partly open, I squeeze through it, determined to get to him, to tell him, to feel everything I've wanted to feel for as long as I can remember. I emerged from the portrait hole, to see only a few people standing around. Of course, no one would be back yet, I practically ran here. I ran up to my dorm, pulling off my wet clothes and throwing them in the corner. I couldn't care less about tidiness now, not when I'm about to see the love of my life. I dried my hair quickly, and threw on a casual Gryffindor shirt I owned. Ron would be pleased to see me supporting our house; he might be in a better mood, happy to see me?

And would you ever feel guilty, if you did the same to me?

Make me a cup of tea, to open my eyes in the right way

And I know you love Shrek, because we've watched it 12 times

But maybe your hoping for a fairy - tale too

I tugged at the lugs in my hair, determined to look my best. I looked in my bedside mirror and the biggest grin I have ever worn appeared on my face. Never have I felt so sure about something in my whole life. I heard a flushing, and realized that someone had to be in the bathroom. Sure enough, Lavender came out looking a million dollars, her hair perfectly straight, her assets, well, perfectly on display, shall we say. Which made me feel like I hadn't put any effort in at all. I looked back in the mirror and noticed things I had that Lavender didn't. A spot, just left of my nose, creases along my forehead, my hair indescribably wild. But, for once in my life, I didn't give a bowtruckles behind. I was going to tell Ron how I felt, I was going to kiss him, to touch him, to do things I'd wanted to do since I could remember, and I felt my Gryffindor courage roar inside of me and I heard a ruckus downstairs.

They were back.

And if your DVD breaks, today, should have a VCR

Because I've never owned a blue- ray, true say

And now I've always been shit at computer game, and your brother always beats me

And if I lost, I go across, and chuck all the controllers at the TV

I took a deep breath as my heart pounded in my chest. I realized that when I returned to this room, I would be a completely different person. I looked at Lavender, who was applying lipstick to her already make up clad face.

"Out to impress tonight Lavender" I asked

"You could say that" she grinned, looking me up and down

Looks like tonight was going to be a good night for love. I took my last deep breath and headed downstairs to the common room covered in red and gold. So many shades of red hit me, maroon, burgundy, garnet, crimson; all mixed together in the make shift banners that people were carrying. But I knew exactly what color red I was looking for, and it took me less than two seconds to find it.

I walked past people standing by the door, catching Harry's eye. I think he knew, through that one look what I was about to do. I smiled at him, my happiest smile yet, and he nodded towards Ron, telling me, go to him, here's your chance! I nodded back, and made my way over

And then you laugh and me be asking me, if I'm gonna be home next week

And then you lie with me, till I fall asleep, and flutter an eye lash on my cheek between the sheets

And you will never know, just how beautiful you are to me

"Hey"

He pulled himself away from a few of his temporary fans, basking in the glory and pride he had obtained himself today. He looked at me for a moment, debating on whether to reply or not. He nodded and shook his head, as though to clear it.

"Alright?"

I grinned at him, reaching forward to wipe a bit of dirt off the corner of his eyebrow. We both blushed at the contact, and for once, in a long time, I felt like a silly teenager again. No death, or destruction, just me, Ron and something that had been coming for a long time.

But maybe I'm just in love, when you Wake Me Up.

So I'll take you to the beach, and walk along the sand, and I'll make you a heart pendant

With a pebble held in my hand, and I'll carve it like a necklace, so your heart falls where your chest is

And now a piece of me is a piece of the beach and it falls just where it needs to be and rests, peacefully, so you just need to breathe to feel my heart against yours now, against yours now….

"You were great today"

He shuffled his feet and tried to hide a smirk.

"Yeah, reckon it was Harry's lucky potion that did it to be honest, never played that good before"

I furrowed my eyebrows at him.

"Of course you have, I've see you plenty of times at practice". My eyes widened at what I'd just said. Since Ron had been trying out for keeper's trials, I had been watching him during practice, something he knew nothing about, until now.

"Oh really?" he raised his eyebrows at me, a flirty smirk on his face. I blushed and looked away, feeling as foolish as ever. His smirk then disappeared and he looked suddenly serious. "Look, Hermione, I'm sorry for what happened this morning, it wasn't anything to do with you honest, it's me being an idiot again, I mean, it was two years ago, and just because Ginny said, doesn't mean it actually happ-"

"What was two years ago?"

With a pebble held in my hand, and I'll carve it like a necklace, so your heart falls where your chest is

And now a piece of me is a piece of the beach and it falls just where it needs to be and rests, peacefully, so you just need to breathe to feel my heart against yours now, against yours now….

Ron blinked and took in a breath.

"Well, haven't you spoken to Harry?"

"Not since before the match, what do you mean, what has Ginny said?"

She looked him in the eyes, and she felt people around them watching, waiting.

"Well, Ginny said that you kissed Krum, during the Yule Ball… but you didn't right?"

Cause maybe I'm just in love, when you Wake Me Up

Cause maybe I'm just in love when you Wake Me Up

Never, in all my life have I felt such regret. I felt foolish, and angry. Ron had no right to be jealous over something that happened a lifetime ago. We'd gone through things so much more important since then, loosing Cedric, Sirius, and numerous others along the way. How could one little kiss make such a big difference. I was fooling my-self naturally; it made all the difference in the world.

I stood there, gawping at him, stuttering and boring my eyes in to his, trying to make him understand without actually saying anything at all.

"Ron…"

He swallowed, and for the first time in my life, I saw his emotions written over his face. He was bitter, mad, angry, jealous, but I also saw something I thought I'd never see across Ron Weasley's face. Regret. And a lot of hurt. He looked at me questioningly, as if to say, how could you do this to me?

I noticed at this point that the common room was completely silent. It probably had been for our entire conversation, but I was so immersed in him, that I hadn't realized.

"You can't possibly be angry over something as insignificant-"

"Insignificant?"

"Yes Ron! It was a long time ago, and I'm not going to tell you it didn't mean anything, because the truth was, it meant a lot. Viktor bothered to get up off his arse and ask me properly, he showed me he actually cared, and wanted me as his date, to show me off and take pride in the fact that I was his, even if it was for one night, you never even showed the slightest interest - !" I saw the anger cross Ron's face again, and it seemed to react inside of me, the things I had wanted to say, for a long time, and so, I did.

"That's a complete lie-"

"And who gives you the right to be angry? I've been giving out hints for a long while, I asked you, as a date, to a stupid party I didn't particularly want to attend. If you wanted to do something about us, then you should have done, a very long time ago, so don't you dare stand there and lecture me on the insignificance of a first kiss, it's obvious to everyone in the damn room the way I feel for you, and if one tiny peck on the lips is going to be the line between us losing our friendship or making something of it, then more fool you"

Maybe I'm just in love, when you Wake Me Up

I turned to leave, but felt a hand around my wrist.

"Hermione, don't go…"

I caught sight of Harry's expression, and he looked torn between smiling and curiosity. I looked down at the floor, took a deep breath, and turned back to Ron. The look of sadness in his eyes nearly made me throw myself at his right there, but I decided a common room full of people was probably not the right place to do it in. I felt a smile tugging at my cheeks, and his face reflected this also.

"Yes?"

He nodded to the portrait hole, and I followed, him still gripping onto my wrist. This was followed by wolf whistles and claps, and a few suggestions from Seamus about what we could do with our night. Ron pulled my hand from his as we stepped on to the seventh floor, and placed it around my shoulder, pulling me in. As I placed my arm around his waist, I tilted my head up, and found myself captured in the sweetest, soft, and delicious lips one could ever have imagined. I felt him smile against my lips, and we turned so my arms circled his neck, closer than I have ever gotten to him before. I never wanted it to stop, but we both needed to draw breath. We pulled away and Ron was grinning like all his birthdays and Christmas's had come at once.

I grinned as I imagined Lavender coming down from the dormitory and hearing the latest gossip. I'd pay money to see the shocked look on her face….

"You know Hermione, I reckon I should take Felix Felicis more often"
"Oh, why's that?"

"Because usually, I would never be able to pluck up the courage to tell you how sorry I am, for everything, and the whole "he coughed "Kissing thing…"

"Really? That's funny…"

"Why?"

"The bottles sitting in Harry's pocket right now, unopened"

Ron did a double take, almost missing a step down the stairs, making Hermione laugh.

"Well, maybe I'm just really confident tonight…"

"Maybe…"

"Plus the fact that I know you perv on me whilst I'm training, that gives a bit of a boost to".

"Ronald!"

"Do you like it when I'm all sweaty and –ow, what was that for!"

But maybe I fell in love, when you Woke Me Up.

Xoxoxooxoxoxox

Thanks for reading, this came to me earlier today when I was imagining what life would have been like without Lavender, and there we go.

The writing in Italics is the lyrics to Ed Sheeran's song, Wake Me Up. One of the best songs I've heard in a long time.

Hope you liked it, so please review!

xxxgingpigxxx