Disclaimer: I'm just a bored fan with a computer. Need I say more?
Warning: Contains dangerous amounts of fluff.
Hermione stealthily looked up from her book at the two boys sitting opposite her in the train compartment. The black-haired, green-eyed one was looking out the window at the miles of countryside racing past. Hermione had the feeling that he wasn't actually seeing the green trees and hills, but that his mind was far away and thinking of all that had happened in the last few days. She took her gaze away from him and looked over at the gangly red haired boy next to him. Much to her surprise and embarrassment, she found Ron staring back at her. The two both turned red and looked away. Hermione went back to her book but couldn't concentrate on the words before her.
As she stared at the page, she began to think about Ron, something she did more often than she would ever fess up to. Things had gotten so strange between them lately. One second they would be at each others' throats, the next everything would be fine. But it was in those rare moments that they were alone together and having a good time that Hermione thought maybe, just maybe, Ron wanted her like she wanted him. So she would bravely go out on a limb and do things like invite him to Slughorn's Christmas party to see how he would respond. Those moments would go well, but then Ron would do something stupid and insensitive (Lavender anyone?) and they were back to square one.
Hermione sighed and gave up on her book. She closed it and set it down on the seat neat to her. Looking around the compartment once more, this time not making eye contact with Ron, she noticed that it was just the three of them.
"Where's everyone else?" she asked. "I thought Luna, Neville and Ginny were with us."
"I dunno." Ron said, shrugging his shoulders. "Ginny ran off with some of her other friends and Luna and Neville seemed to have disappeared when we got on the train." A sneaky grin spread across his face. "Maybe they ran off for a snog."
"Very mature Ron." Hermione said, "But personally, I don't believe that's the case. I think Luna still scares him."
"You're just jealous that everybody has someone to snog and you don't" Ron said under his breath.
"Excuse me?" Hermione said, her temper rising, deep down inside her realizing that Ron was right. "Do I look that shallow to you? And I don't see anyone lining up to snog with you."
"Oh yeah?" Ron asked, his ears turning their trademark shade of red. "At least I actually had a real girlfriend and not some stupid Bulgarian git."
Hermione was so full or rage that she jumped from her seat. "What is wrong with you?" She demanded. "Just leave Viktor alone for once; what did he ever do to you?"
Ron, who had by this point also stood up, yelled back, "He took you away that's what!"
Hermione was shocked. Her mouth fell open and all she could do was stare at Ron. "W-what?" she managed to ask.
Ron, who seemed to have lost any of his former sense of bravado or courage, stared at the floor. "He took you away from me." He repeated softly. "He saw that you were a beautiful, amazing girl before I realized that that's what I think too."
"Beautiful?" Hermione whispered, not wanting to get her hopes up. "You think I'm beautiful?"
Ron nodded, still staring at the floor.
Hermione sat down, still too shocked to do anything. Ron thought that she was beautiful? How was that possible? What could anyone possibly see in her?
The sound of a very fake cough came from the corner. Both Hermione and Ron looked up at Harry who was smiling and looking much happier than he had since Dumbledore had died.
"Why don't you just kiss already?" her asked. With that he stood up. "I've just realized that I've been very stupid about something, so I'll leave you two alone and go find Ginny if you don't mind."
He left the compartment and a soon as the door had closed, Hermione looked up shyly at Ron, who was looking back at her. A flirtatious, unHermione-ish smile crossed her face.
"Harry usually knows what he's talking about," She said, hardly believing her own boldness. "Should we do as he suggests or…"
She was interrupted by Ron's lips suddenly covering her own. With a sigh, she began kissing him back and wrapped her arms around his neck. His hands found her hair and began running through it. Being in his arms seemed so, right. Despite the somewhat major height difference, she felt as if they fit together perfectly.
When they finally broke apart, Ron sat down and pulled Hermione into his lap.
"Well, I don't know what your opinion is," Hermione said, looking up into the blue eyes she had grown to love. "But this has been one train I won't forget anytime soon."
P.S. If you suffocated from the amount of fluff contained in this story, don't say you weren't warned.