For the Piñata Challenge (Trio Era)
Word Count: 532
"Look, Hermione… About that kiss…"
Ron trails off, color heating his cheeks. He shifts his weight nervously from side to side, feeling ridiculous. They've just won a war. He's spent months on the run with Harry and Hermione, looking death in the eye. This should be simple, but he feels himself slowly losing his nerve.
She looks up at him, and he can't help but think her eyes almost appear expectant. Has she been waiting for this moment as well? The thought sends a flutter of butterflies through his stomach.
"What about it?" she asks, and he's relieved that she sounds just as nervous.
Ron inhales deeply. Why does he feel so dizzy now? The Great Hall seems to spin, and he grips the table tightly, trying to steady himself.
Another breath, and does nothing to calm his nerves. "I… Well…." He swallows dryly, struggling to find the words. "It meant something, didn't it? It wasn't just a spur of the moment thing?"
"It was impulsive," she admits, and Ron feels his heart dropping into his stomach.
"Right. I should have realized," he says before turning away, suddenly wanting to be anywhere but in that spot.
Hermione catches his wrist before he can walk away. She pulls him gently, and he allows himself to be guided back to her. "It was impulsive," she repeats, "but that doesn't mean that it didn't mean anything."
Relief washes over him, and his lips quirk into a small smile. "Good. Because, I mean… I liked it. And, well… Maybe…"
"Honesty, Ronald, will you ever learn how to say what you feel?" she teases with a sigh.
He laughs. He already knows that he isn't the most eloquent bloke that's ever lived, but this is progress for him. With a shrug, he offers her a sheepish grin. "Maybe you'll have to stick around to find out," he says gently.
"Funnily enough, I planned to," she assures him before standing on her tiptoes, pressing a quick kiss to his lips.
It isn't the same as the kiss they shared only hours ago. There's no urgency behind it, no desperation. It's gentle, chaste, but he enjoys it just as much as the other.
"Good. Because, I can't exactly kiss you if you aren't around," he says, his voice quivering. He realizes how silly the words sound, but Hermione only smiles. "And other things. Like… dates and stuff."
"Dates and stuff?" she echoes, her smile broadening into a grin. "I think I'd like that."
He nods, feeling quite proud of himself. That's one fear faced, but now he has another. His eyes wander to where his family kneel around his fallen brother. "I'd better go," he says quietly.
Hermione takes his hand, offering it a gentle, reassuring squeeze. "I'll be here," she tells him. "If you need me-"
"I always need you."
She chuckles softly. "Took you long enough to admit it."
He lingers there for just a moment more before releasing her hand. He wishes he could stay there forever, never have to face the heartbreak that's waiting for him. But he takes a step, and somehow he feels stronger knowing that Hermione will be there when he crumbles.