Do You Want To Know A Secret...?
By Funkiechick
(This idea came to me while I was surfing the net and listening to the RENT soundtrack...and supposedly doing my math homework. The title is based of a Beatles song you 'Listen, do you want to know a secret? Do you promise not to tell? Closer, let me whisper in your ear, say the words you long to hear, I'm in love with you...' Enjoy. R/H.)
In the corner of the Gryffindor common room was a fourth year girl by the name of Marie Robinson. She was a pretty girl, very tall and thin with short and wispy blond hair and big brown eyes. Being muggle born, she was a bit intimidated by Hogwarts when she started in First Year, but since then had toughened up and made plenty of friends.
And also, just recently, found her first crush.
She had seen Ron Weasley plenty of times since first year, but just recently had she noticed just how absolutely wonderful he was. Not only had he grown quite a lot of inches since she first saw him, but he'd also filled out. Marie sighed as she thought about him. 6'1, thick and shaggy red hair, bright blue eyes and those adorable freckles. And he could even play Quidditch! She cheered louder than anybody whenever he made a save as keeper. And that one time when Katie Bell was sick, and he had to sub chaser while Ginny Weasley was keeper-why, he'd scored sixty points!
Marie had never spoken with him, but she heard him talk with Harry Potter, and Hermione Granger. He was funny, and loyal. And she'd seen him play chess, and win every time! That meant he was clever, too.
"Bloody HELL, Fred! Give them BACK!"
Marie looked across the room when she heard his voice, as Ron jumped his shorter older brother in attempt to gain back his box of sugar quills. 'He's so manly' she thought dreamily and gazed at him as he whined impudently at Fred (in the most manly way possible, of course...)
Lucy Brennen, a good friend of Ginny's, raised an eyebrow as she watched Marie gaze at Ron. She nudged Ginny, whom she was studying Transfiguration with at the moment, and Ginny looked up from her textbook.
"What?" Ginny asked.
"Marie's swooning again." Lucy answered, looking down at her own textbook. "Over your brother."
"Oh, bloody hell." Ginny rolled her eyes, and stood up. "Now I have to go listen to her sob story about 'how he'll never love me'." She grinned. "I'll be right back."
"Oh have a blast." Lucy said sarcastically, and went back to her transfiguration. Ginny sauntered over to Marie, ready to try and convince the poor girl to get over Ron. 'Here I thought only Hermione could love the big dope.' She thought, and sat down next to the pretty Marie.
"Hi." Ginny smiled at Marie, who was caught by surprise.
"Oh, hello Ginny." Marie said, her voice dreamlike. "Caught me again, huh?"
"And ready to lecture you again, hon." Ginny sighed. "Ron is the best brother in the world, but seriously. You DON'T want it this bad for him."
"I bought him a present!" Marie exclaimed to Ginny, ignoring her comment. "But you have to promise not to tell anyone. It's a secret. You're the only one who knows."
Ginny sighed. "Oh no, Marie. You can't. You can't get him a present. I mean, he wont know what to say, he wont-"
Marie's eyes were twinkling, and she'd never looked prettier. "I'm going to sign it anonymous so he has time to get used to it! And when he does..." Marie giggled slightly-Ginny was sickened. "Then I'll tell him it was me."
"Don't you think he should know who you ARE first?" Ginny mumbled, but Marie didn't hear as she dug through her bookbag, and pulled out a scarf. A lovely, navy, knitted wool scarf.
"I made it myself." She held it out to Ginny. "Do you think he'll like it?"
Ginny was astonished. "Oh Marie it..." She held it up. "It's just LOVELY."
"Put it down!" Marie hissed. "What if he see's??" She stuffed it back in her bookbag. "And what-"
"Oi, Ginny?"
Marie's eyes widened without looking up, and Ginny bit her lip as she saw Ron standing over them, his hands shoved in his pockets.
"Yeah?" Ginny asked.
"Do you have a quill on you? Fred and I are making a bet. We need to write it out in BLOOD." Ron said 'blood' with dramatic emphasis, reaching his hand forward.
"Don't you go getting blood on my NEW quills." Ginny retorted, pulling an old quill out from her pocket. "Here. Sorry it's all ratty. What's the bet on?"
Ron shoved the quill in his pocket. "Whoever can get Hermie to quit studying for a day. I mean, not locking her books up, having them wide out in the open, and keeping her AWAY from them WILLINGLY. If I win, I get my box of sugarquills back."
"Good luck." Ginny snorted. She saw Marie biting her lip and looking from Ron to Ginny. Ginny sighed. "Have you met Marie Robinson, Ron?"
Ron looked at Marie for the first time. Her face was a brilliant crimson, and she gave him her biggest smile. 'Only girl I know who looks gorgeous and can be an idiot at the same time.' Ginny mused.
"No I haven't." Ron grinned at her. "Hey."
"Hey." She said in a breathy voice, still smiling.
"You hanging out with my dumb sister?" Ron joked. Ginny slugged his arm.
"Oh shut up, you lumox!" Ginny snapped. Marie laughed however, and bit her lip.
"I-I uhm..." She stuttered. Ron looked at her quizzically, waiting for her to continue.
"Yeah?" He asked.
'She WOULDN'T...' Ginny thought.
"I...I always watch you during Quidditch matches and..." She fiddled with her fingers. "I think you're the greatest!"
While Ginny stared in disgust and disbelief. 'Oh. My. GOD.' She thought.
Ron turned a brilliant crimson, and seemed at a loss for words. He ran a hand through his thick hair, and then smiled sheepishly at her. "Thanks, uh...Appreciate it."
"I really do." She said sincerely. Ron looked very uncomfortable, and looked back at Harry, Fred and George.
"Thanks." He said again. "I uh, gotta go. Thanks for the quill Gin. Nice meeting you." He said to Maria, and then he walked off, his ears red.
"Isn't he ADORABLE?"
'Shoot me.' Ginny thought. "I wouldn't know, he's my brother."
"Oh Ginny, do you think he liked me? Do you think he thought I was pretty?"
"He thinks you're pretty, yeah." Ginny leaned back against her chair. "But you're too young for him Marie."
Marie pouted. "I am not! We're just a year apart!"
"Ron likes older girls." Ginny thought. "Or rather, he sticks to his own kind."
Marie blinked. "He's GAY!??"
"NO NO NO!" Ginny burst out. "Did THAT ever come out wrong!"
"I'm going to give him the scarf tomorrow. I even wrote a note." Marie said, popping back into her usual pretty and sweet self. Ginny stared. How did she DO that? She could switch personalities faster than Hermione. Marie pulled out a crumpled up piece of paper from her pocket, and showed it to Ginny. She had very neat and pretty handwriting, a lot like Hermione's.
'Dear Ron,
I've been watching you since the moment I first laid eyes on you. I can't tell you who I am, but I hope you like this scarf I made you. The colour will go BEAUTIFULLY with your eyes,
Love,
Your secret admirer.'
"You have nice writing." Ginny noted.
"Thanks." Marie said. "I'm going to sneak it into the Boys dormitories tomorrow morning."
Ginny sighed. "Well, good luck Marie. But I'm warning y-" But Marie had picked up her things and flounced off to the girls dormitories, smiling all the way. Ginny groaned as she slumped over to Lucy.
"Didn't go well, did it?" Lucy said.
"What made you guess?" Ginny sighed as she slumped in her seat and let her head drop with a loud 'THUMP' onto the table top.
~~~~~~~~~
Ron woke up the next morning, and felt a lump over his feet. He cursed, and kicked at it, thinking it was Crookshanks back to make his life hell again, sent by Hermione. But he heard no roaring meow, and sat up.
"Cat?" He mumbled. "Where'd ya go.." He groaned as he tried to slip out of bed, and wound up falling on his ass. "Shit." He muttered, and looked around. There on the floor, was a navy blue scarf. And..."A note?" Ron picked it up after looking at the scarf. He read it out loud in a boyish and extremely unromantic way of bad reading.
'Dear Ron, (so the scarf's for ME, check...)
I've been watching you since the moment I first laid eyes on you (that's kinda weird...) I can't tell you who I am, but I hope you like this scarf I made you The colour will go BEAUTIFULLY with your eyes, (she knows my eyes better than I bloody do...)
Love,
Your secret admirer.'
He picked up the scarf, and flipped it in his hands-admiring the work. "Woah, someone has it BAD for me..." He mused. He flipped the scarf around his neck. He looked back down at the handwriting and his eyes opened wide. He stood up. "I know that handwriting anywhere...neat, pretty, perfect, irritatingly small on million inch essays..." His jaw dropped. "HERMIONE!"
"She's probably SLEEPING, like NORMAL people you prat. Now shut up." Harry groaned sleepily from his bed. Ron turned rapidly, and then shook at Harry's shoulders.
"Wake up, idiot!! Look at this!!"
Harry groaned, and lumpily sat up (swearing like Ron usually did all the while). "What is it?" Harry snapped, rubbing sleep out of his eyes, and then looked at Ron's scarf. "Your mum make you that?"
"No, that's what I...I just...AAAHHH!!!"
"STOP SCREAMING!"
"HERMIONE'S ACTING LIKE A GIRL AGAIN!!!!! WHATDOIDOWHATDOIDOWHATDOI-"
WHAP!!!!
"Thanks, I needed that."
"You ALWAYS need that." Harry said bluntly. "Now talk some SENSE."
Ron explained the situation as calmly as he could as he handed the letter to Harry and pointed exuberantly at the scarf he was wearing. "Hermione gave it to me, I just know she did. Who else spends so much time writing a word?"
"You just might be right..." Harry mused, looking over the letter, and then grinning at Ron. "Well that's GOOD isn't it? All you ever do is complain about the two of you anyway, about who should make the first move and all. I guess she just got bored waiting."
"But she..." Ron stuttered, and fingered the scarf. "What a dumb thing for her to do! Spending time making a SCARF. We all know she was never this good at knitting. Remember when Mum was trying to show her in the summer?"
"Well Hermione can do anything once she sets her mind on it." Harry grinned slyly. "Including you." (Authors note: I made Harry tell a DIRTY joke. THAT is just something Harry wouldn't usually do.)
"SHUT UP."
"I'm shutting up..."
Ron eyed the scarf again, and sighed, his ears a bright red and his face crimson. "I guess I should talk to her tonight, huh?"
"Guess so."
"After everyone's gone to bed?"
"Yup."
"...I CAN'T-"
"YES YOU CAN."
"Give it a few days, Harry." Ron got on his knees and grabbed one of Harry's legs. "I swear I'll do it in a couple of days!"
Harry sighed, and shook Ron off his leg. "Get off, lummox." Ron obeyed. "If you PROMISE to talk to her by the end of the week. Or else I will personally dispose of you myself VIA lots of spiders."
"You do and you die." Ron answered. "But Fair enough."
And thus, the two went back to sleep, all the while Marie beaming happily alone in the common room, blushing and thinking of a certain good looking red head.
~~~~~~~~~~
Hermione Granger was not a morning person, as many may have guessed. She wasn't as un-morning-ish as The Weasley Family was persay, but she definitely didn't awake with a smile on her face and a brilliant idea of what the lovely day would bring.
Hermione just wasn't like that, as lovable as she was.
So when she awoke, and pulled on a housecoat-sluggishly walking up into the Gryffindor common room yawning, and saw Ron Weasley looking at her with one of his LOOKS, she panicked.
These LOOKS were ones that Ron only gave her when he was sure no one was looking, or when something unexpectedly romantic happened between them.
Hermione remembered an incident where she had dropped her quill beneath the table in Transfiguration, and she had reached down to get it...and so did Ron. Their hands had touched, as you all expected, and when they looked up at each other beneath the table...
His bottom lip had brushed against hers slightly.
Well! Hermione had grabbed the quill, and pulled her head up as quickly as possible, banging it hard on the bottom of the table. She swore uncharacteristically, and sent the class off into sniggers.
Afterward, Ron had given her the LOOK as she rubbed her head painfully, and tight lipped Professor McGonigal had given them both stern yet sly looks.
Well, that was the look Ron was giving her now, and Hermione tried desperately to ignore the butterflies in her stomach and the urge to tell him how she felt. But she really didn't know if she could. Not yet. So she bit her lip and went and sat next to Ginny.
"Morning." Ginny mumbled, as mentioned earlier, a Weasley was not a morning person.
"Hello." Hermione said, someone franticly. Ginny raised an eyebrow at her.
"Something the matter?"
"No! No I'm uh...I'm fine." Hermione crossed her arms across her chest, and then bit her lip some more. "Just fine."
Ginny grinned. "This wouldn't have anything to do with my dimwitted brother, would it?"
"Ron?"
"No, Fred." Ginny rolled her eyes. "Of course Ron. What, did he do something unexpectedly romantic again?"
"He's giving me the LOOK again is what I'm talking about. And...wherever did he get that scarf? It's LOVELY."
Ginny's eyes widened, and she looked over at her brother. Sure enough, he had Marie's scarf around his neck, and he was looking at Hermione with that meaning in his eyes.
The one that meant 'I feel the same way, now come talk to me about it so I can deny it and be a prat.'
Ginny sighed. Did this mean that Ron thought Hermione had?...he couldn't be THAT thick! Hermione was notorious for her one bad talent-KNITTING. So how could that lovely scarf be made by Hermione?
"GINNY!"
Marie sighed. And to make things worse, here came Maria, eyes shining. "He's WEARING it Ginny!"
Hermione looked confused, then shocked. "You?! YOU gave Ron that scarf?"
"I MADE it, too." Marie looked proud. Hermione stared, her mouth wide open. "Are you alright?"
"You...you...and Ron..."
"She's head over heels." Ginny said monotonely.
"GINNY." Marie snapped. "That's a SECRET. Honestly."
Hermione stood up briskly. "I'm going to breakfast. Goodbye." She said this in a frosty voice, and she walked off stiffly.
"Hey, Hermie I-"
Hermione ignored Ron after giving him the glare of death, and left the common room. Ron stared after her puzzled, and mindlessly fingering the scarf. "What'd I do?" Ron asked no one in particular.
Ginny sighed, and let her face fall into her hands. Things were about to get complicated.
~~~~~~~~
Hermione stabbed at her scrambled eggs with a fork in a very violent manor as Harry and Ron looked uneasily at each other.
"Uh, Hermione?" Harry said timidly. "Are you alright?"
"FINE." STAB. "Never BETTER." STAB STAB STAB.
"Are you going to actually EAT those?"
STAB. Glare.
"Don't mind me Hermie! Go back to your food!"
STAB STAB STAB.
Ginny watched this very uneasily, and found she had lost her appetite after seeing what Hermione had done to those scrambled eggs. Lucy was sitting next to her, shoveling food into her mouth. Ginny looked at her in disgust.
"How can you EAT when she is MAULING that food?" Ginny pointed to Hermione. "Doesn't it make you sick?!"
"I have taken it upon myself to IGNORE anything connected to Ron or Hermione. Thus, I am immune."
"You are not!" Ginny snapped, grumpy because of hunger, and even grumpier because she felt nauseated by Hermione's mistreatment of scrambled eggs. "I heard you tell Colin that you that Ron was CUTE, but you couldn't TELL me because-"
"Oh shut up." Lucy replied. "We've gone through THAT one before. Besides, I said Harry was cute too."
Marie took a seat next to Ginny then, looking very happy with herself. "Look, Ginny! He's still wearing it! That MUST mean he likes it!"
"I'm so happy for you." Ginny answered in a very un-friendly, and obviously un-happy for her voice, and then immediately felt guilty. Poor Maria was just hopelessly in puppy-love with Ron, and Ginny really should help her out. Help her realize that Hermione is the only girl Ron wants to feel about in *that* way.
Suddenly, Ron's voice broke out over the Great Hall.
"Hermione! I didn't DO anything!? Why are you so MAD?!"
"I'M NOT."
"Uh, Hermione." Harry broke in. "You are acting kinda cold."
"Well that doesn't MATTER, because he has his little SCARF to keep him warm!"
Harry and Ron looked questioningly at each other, but Hermione gave them such a glare that they didn't say anything else. Maria looked troubled. "I hope Hermione isn't too angry. What do you suppose is the matter?"
"Search me." Lucy said, smiling sarcastically. Ginny shot her a stern look, and Lucy just grinned in that tomboy-ish, yet attractive way that made her one of the best looking girls in Gryffindor.
As Ginny looked back at Ron and Hermione, she couldn't help but notice poor Harry was rolling his eyes as Hermione insisted he sit between them. Ron looked hurt and confused, and as if he was trying very hard not to argue back at her.
"He's so CUTE..." Maria sighed and Ginny slammed her head onto the table-unfortunately right on top of her scrambled eggs.
~~~~~~~~~~
"*()&^$@@#^%%^&^%&^!!!!!"
"Well, good morning to you too." Colin said to Ginny , who was shaking egg out of her hair as they walked to potions.
"*&(&*($^&^&^$&$^&^&!!!!!!"
"I see you're in a lovely mood."
"*(*(%^&&*$%^$^&%!!!!"
"Your face looks horrible all red like that. You really should calm dow-"
WHAM!!!!"
"^&*(^*(^*(76&())(!"
"^&*(&)(()&*()&*$%^!!!"
Fred, George, Ron and Harry decided to walk away from this situation, knowing full well what an angry Ginny was capable of.
"Whew! Talk about a bad mood, eh Hermione?" Fred asked the girl, but backed off immediately.
"&*(%%^&&*^**^(!!!"
"What did you do to her THIS time Ron!?"
"I didn't do ANYTHING!"
"&()(*%^&*(^&^*($^&!!!"
"It's kind of a turn on when Hermione swears-"
"SHUT YOUR TRAP, GEORGE."
"Touch-ee."
Harry walked away sharply, claiming to all he passed that he didn't know the Weasley boys in any way, shape or form.
~~~Week Later~~~~
"I just don't GET it." Ron sighed as he and Harry walked to the Great Hall for lunch after morning classes. "I'm wearing the stupid scarf she made me, aren't I? I've been wearing it all week! What did I do?"
"Actually, this one I have no clue." Harry said, puzzled. "Usually when she's mad, it's your fault. But this time I'm stumped."
"It WAS from her, wasn't it?" Ron said unsurly, fingering the scarf. "It was in her handwriting."
"Well, who ELSE could it be from?" Harry looked at a piece of the scarf. "I mean, a LOT of time and care went into that. Who else knows you well enough to, you know...like you that much?"
"I.Am.So.Confused." Ron groaned as they sat down. Hermione wouldn't be joining them, she had waltzed right by Ron and told Harry she was going to be studying in the library all lunch.
"Tell her tonight."
Ron and Harry turned around to see Fred and George glaring at him sternly. "Easy for you to say." Ron snapped. "Considering the way she's acting around me, I don't think she exactly feels the same way anymore."
"Ron, Ron, Ron." Fred shook his head. "Dear misguided moron-"
"HEY."
Fred continued as if Ron hadn't made the outburst. "She feels the same way, she's just mad."
"So telling her how you feel not only makes her unmad, but you finally get together. Too birds with one stone."
Ron bit his lip, then looked at Harry for last moment advice. Harry nodded. "You should, Ron. God knows she's been waiting."
"Okay." Ron sighed nervously.
Across the hall, Ginny was trying to convince Marie NOT to confess to Ron that night- or ever. But Marie was not easily convinced.
"Marie, I really think you should just give up on him, okay?" Ginny said. "Ron has someone el-"
"What should I wear?!" Marie squealed. "Red or blue?"
"Red." Lucy said simply.
"LUCY!!!" Ginny exclaimed. "You're so EVIL sometimes!!!" Lucy rewarded her with a certified evil Lucy smile.
I on the other hand (as the narrator) am the only one who knows how this will end so I'm only stressed out about the fact I really wanna by Super Mario Land and I can't because I'm BROKE..
~~~~~~~~~~
Hermione sighed dramatically as she ignored Ron on the way back to the common room after dinner that night. It was hard to ignore him for a week when he kept giving her that look. She was forgiving him fast. But she couldn't help it. He must feel something for Marie. He whore her scarf all week, didn't he?
'You're such a prat, Ron.' Hermione sighed, as she stepped into the common room, ready to study. She didn't want to admit it, but since all her time went to studying-including her small amount of free time- she was getting bored of it. She had read everything twice. She knew the material off by heart. She'd started reading the seventh year books. She hadn't planned on doing that until this summer. So she hadn't studied all day, really. Not even when she had been in the library.
"Hermione?"
Hermione looked up to see Ron looking at her- with the look- and that stupid scarf around his neck. Hermione forced a frown. "What?"
It didn't help that everyone was in the common room, and they were trying to look away. But no matter how quietly Ron spoke, and no matter how hard they tried to act disinterested- Hermione knew this was about to go public.
He took her hands and she stood up from her seat. "I have to-I have to tell you something. M-maybe we should go somewhere els-"
"RON!!"
They jumped apart, and Hermione swore violently in her head when she saw Marie eagerly come up to them. "Uh...yeah?" he asked, his voice breaking.
"I have to talk to you!" She was flushed and red, and Hermione sighed when she saw how pretty the girl really was.
"I'll leave you two alone." Hermione turned on her heel, but Ron grabbed her hand.
"No, Hermione, don't! Why have you been ignoring me?" Ron asked.
"Oh, I WONDER why!" Hermione snapped back sarcastically. Ron glared.
"Okay, damnit! I-"
"Don't swear, Ron."
"-have had ENOUGH. I've been nice all bloody week, and I wore the SCARF you made me and you just-"
"I made that scarf." Marie broke in.
"-ignore me like a WHAT!?"
Silence over came the Common room. Ron stared incredulously at Marie, who had this heartfelt look in her eyes that would make even Martha Stewart puke from the sweetness.
"Wait wait." Hermione said. "You thought I made you the scarf? ME?" Ron nodded dumbly, and then looked back and forth from Hermione to Maria.
"Y-YOU'RE..." Ron gulped, pointing at Marie. "My secret admirer?"
Marie nodded. "Yes. I told you I...I thought you were the greatest."
Hermione left then, to watch and speculate with Harry as she sat next to him, and snicker with Angelina who commented that Gryffindor was like watching television.
Ron ran one of his hands through his hair (a gesture that made Marie go weak at the knees) "Aw geez. I didn't know you had a crush on me, I mean-"
"You are such a moron." Ginny said bluntly. Ron glared at her, then at everyone else.
"Could we have a little privacy, please?"
Hermione's mouth opened in horror. "FINE." She snapped, and stood up, glaring at the other Gryffindors to follow. Thus, they all went outside the common room, Ron sighing in remorse.
"Does this mean you like me too?" Marie asked in an adorably hopeful way that made Ron feel VERY guilty.
"Marie, listen." Ron put his hands on her shoulders. "I don't know you. At all. And I'm sure you're a great kid. And you're really pretty." Ron tried to ignore the blush on her cheeks. "But I-"
"But what?" Immediately, her lip wavered and tears entered her eyes. "What's wrong with me?"
"Nothing!" Ron assured her quickly. "You're pretty, and I'm sure you're smart and you're nice and you make a NICE scarf." Ron said quickly. "But I'm older than you and...and I already have someone I like."
Marie looked down at her feet. "Hermione Granger?"
Ron bit his lip. "Yeah. Hermione Granger. And you see, I thought this scarf was from her, and that's why I was wearing it all weak." Marie sniffed loudly then, and Ron leaned down slightly to look at her in the eyes. "Geez, what do you see in me anyways? I'm nothing."
"That's not true!" Marie exclaimed, standing up strait. "You're funny and smart and loyal, and goodlooking-"
Ron's ears went pink. "I am not."
"Yes! And you...you're PERFECT." With that, Marie burst into tears. Ron sighed, and awkwardly hugged her. 'This should be happening to Harry, NOT to me.' Ron groaned inwardly. He rubbed her back.
"Listen, Marie. I'm sorry." He pulled her back at arms length, hands on her shoulders. She sniffed. "But really, I'm just a big dumb bloke. And you'll get over me. You'll find some other nice fourth year. Really."
"But they're not YOU."
Ron blushed violently. "I'm not much, Marie."
"Are too."
Ron smiled then. "Believe me, Marie. You're really pretty, and you're really nice. And uh...you know. Sweet and...and stuff." He winked at her, trying to save the awkwardness. Ron was NOT used to talking this way. "You'll bloody well find someone else. You'll forget I ever existed."
Marie looked up at him. "Will you be my friend, still?"
Ron nodded. "Yeah."
"Promise?"
"Promise."
Marie fiddled with her fingers. "Can I have a kiss?"
Ron blushed furiously once more. He'd kissed once before- Hermione. Summer of fourth year. But this was different. This was some girl who had a crush on him. He liked Hermione- a lot. Her barely knew Marie.
Never the less, Ron sighed. "Okay. Look up." Marie looked up eagerly and closed her eyes. Ron quickly gave her a firm, friendly kiss on the lips and then pulled back. "Happy?"
"I will be." She said wistfully. "Keep the scarf, okay?"
Ron grinned. "Okay."
With that, Marie heaved a long sigh, walked over to the common room portal, and swung it open. "You can all come back in now."
"NO they can't." Ron said quickly, popping up beside Marie. "Hermione, can I talk to you?"
"Of for the love of-" Angelina was cut off as Marie stepped outside the Gryffindor common room and closed the door. Hermione (who had been unwillingly pushed inside) stared at Ron, arms folded, waiting.
"You have something you'd like to say to me, Ron?"
Ron nodded.
"Are you going to say it?"
He hesitated, and made a face. Hermione jabbed his stomach with her elbow, and then he nodded furiously.
"Good." She smiled. "I'm waiting." Then she sighed. "I've been waiting for a long time."
"Guys have it tough." Ron mumbled. "It's not like _I_ haven't been waiting. But _I_ have to do all the dirty work 'cause-"
"RON."
"Yeah yeah." Ron blushed. He unfolded Hermione's arms, and took her hands in his own. "I thought that scarf was from you, so naturally..." He gulped. "I...uh...I wanted to wear it. Because anything from you and about you have this...effect on me."
Hermione blushed, and looked down at her feet. "Really?"
"Yeah." Ron nodded. "And...and I know I've been a git for not telling you sooner but I...I want to give this boyfriend/girlfriend thing a go because I don't think I can stand another day pretending that we're just friends." Ron gulped. "It's...really hard."
"It is, isn't it?" Hermione chuckled slightly. "Not being able to hold hands or kiss whenever we want?"
"I know." Ron ran his thumb awkwardly over the top of Hermione's hand. "I...I'm not too good at this sort of stuff you know. I'm gonna mess up a lot."
"That's alright." Hermione replied. "I'm not exactly an expert either."
Ron smiled down at Hermione then. "So, we're a couple now? Finally?"
Hermione have him a mischievous look. "Are you asking me?"
Ron rolled his eyes. "No. I'm just about to tell you that Harry and me have been holding back our pervertious lust for each other for months and you're gonna have to wait until I'm through with him."
"Ron!!"
"Heh heh heh..."
"Ask me properly." Hermione demanded. "Now."
Ron sighed. "Brat." He muttered, and she glared at him. He turned serious then, and spoke. "Hermione, I really want to be with you because I think we're going to be falling in love really soon. And I'd like to be your boyfriend when that happens, how about you?"
"Can't argue with that, Ronald Weasley. I accept your offer, of course. Why wouldn't I?"
Ron smiled, and with that, he leaned down and kissed her.
Meanwhile...
"God DAMN. How much longer are they gonna take?"
"Shut up, Seamus. You're just making everything worse." Harry snapped. He banged his head against the wall. "Think we should dung bomb 'em?"
"You read my mind." Fred grinned.
You can guess what happened shortly after, as did the rest of Hogwarts when Ron and Hermione's screams of bloody murder rang through out Hogwarts School Of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
END
(I loved it. I FINISHED IT FINALLY. IT TOOK ME SO LONG. R&R!!!!)
By Funkiechick
(This idea came to me while I was surfing the net and listening to the RENT soundtrack...and supposedly doing my math homework. The title is based of a Beatles song you 'Listen, do you want to know a secret? Do you promise not to tell? Closer, let me whisper in your ear, say the words you long to hear, I'm in love with you...' Enjoy. R/H.)
In the corner of the Gryffindor common room was a fourth year girl by the name of Marie Robinson. She was a pretty girl, very tall and thin with short and wispy blond hair and big brown eyes. Being muggle born, she was a bit intimidated by Hogwarts when she started in First Year, but since then had toughened up and made plenty of friends.
And also, just recently, found her first crush.
She had seen Ron Weasley plenty of times since first year, but just recently had she noticed just how absolutely wonderful he was. Not only had he grown quite a lot of inches since she first saw him, but he'd also filled out. Marie sighed as she thought about him. 6'1, thick and shaggy red hair, bright blue eyes and those adorable freckles. And he could even play Quidditch! She cheered louder than anybody whenever he made a save as keeper. And that one time when Katie Bell was sick, and he had to sub chaser while Ginny Weasley was keeper-why, he'd scored sixty points!
Marie had never spoken with him, but she heard him talk with Harry Potter, and Hermione Granger. He was funny, and loyal. And she'd seen him play chess, and win every time! That meant he was clever, too.
"Bloody HELL, Fred! Give them BACK!"
Marie looked across the room when she heard his voice, as Ron jumped his shorter older brother in attempt to gain back his box of sugar quills. 'He's so manly' she thought dreamily and gazed at him as he whined impudently at Fred (in the most manly way possible, of course...)
Lucy Brennen, a good friend of Ginny's, raised an eyebrow as she watched Marie gaze at Ron. She nudged Ginny, whom she was studying Transfiguration with at the moment, and Ginny looked up from her textbook.
"What?" Ginny asked.
"Marie's swooning again." Lucy answered, looking down at her own textbook. "Over your brother."
"Oh, bloody hell." Ginny rolled her eyes, and stood up. "Now I have to go listen to her sob story about 'how he'll never love me'." She grinned. "I'll be right back."
"Oh have a blast." Lucy said sarcastically, and went back to her transfiguration. Ginny sauntered over to Marie, ready to try and convince the poor girl to get over Ron. 'Here I thought only Hermione could love the big dope.' She thought, and sat down next to the pretty Marie.
"Hi." Ginny smiled at Marie, who was caught by surprise.
"Oh, hello Ginny." Marie said, her voice dreamlike. "Caught me again, huh?"
"And ready to lecture you again, hon." Ginny sighed. "Ron is the best brother in the world, but seriously. You DON'T want it this bad for him."
"I bought him a present!" Marie exclaimed to Ginny, ignoring her comment. "But you have to promise not to tell anyone. It's a secret. You're the only one who knows."
Ginny sighed. "Oh no, Marie. You can't. You can't get him a present. I mean, he wont know what to say, he wont-"
Marie's eyes were twinkling, and she'd never looked prettier. "I'm going to sign it anonymous so he has time to get used to it! And when he does..." Marie giggled slightly-Ginny was sickened. "Then I'll tell him it was me."
"Don't you think he should know who you ARE first?" Ginny mumbled, but Marie didn't hear as she dug through her bookbag, and pulled out a scarf. A lovely, navy, knitted wool scarf.
"I made it myself." She held it out to Ginny. "Do you think he'll like it?"
Ginny was astonished. "Oh Marie it..." She held it up. "It's just LOVELY."
"Put it down!" Marie hissed. "What if he see's??" She stuffed it back in her bookbag. "And what-"
"Oi, Ginny?"
Marie's eyes widened without looking up, and Ginny bit her lip as she saw Ron standing over them, his hands shoved in his pockets.
"Yeah?" Ginny asked.
"Do you have a quill on you? Fred and I are making a bet. We need to write it out in BLOOD." Ron said 'blood' with dramatic emphasis, reaching his hand forward.
"Don't you go getting blood on my NEW quills." Ginny retorted, pulling an old quill out from her pocket. "Here. Sorry it's all ratty. What's the bet on?"
Ron shoved the quill in his pocket. "Whoever can get Hermie to quit studying for a day. I mean, not locking her books up, having them wide out in the open, and keeping her AWAY from them WILLINGLY. If I win, I get my box of sugarquills back."
"Good luck." Ginny snorted. She saw Marie biting her lip and looking from Ron to Ginny. Ginny sighed. "Have you met Marie Robinson, Ron?"
Ron looked at Marie for the first time. Her face was a brilliant crimson, and she gave him her biggest smile. 'Only girl I know who looks gorgeous and can be an idiot at the same time.' Ginny mused.
"No I haven't." Ron grinned at her. "Hey."
"Hey." She said in a breathy voice, still smiling.
"You hanging out with my dumb sister?" Ron joked. Ginny slugged his arm.
"Oh shut up, you lumox!" Ginny snapped. Marie laughed however, and bit her lip.
"I-I uhm..." She stuttered. Ron looked at her quizzically, waiting for her to continue.
"Yeah?" He asked.
'She WOULDN'T...' Ginny thought.
"I...I always watch you during Quidditch matches and..." She fiddled with her fingers. "I think you're the greatest!"
While Ginny stared in disgust and disbelief. 'Oh. My. GOD.' She thought.
Ron turned a brilliant crimson, and seemed at a loss for words. He ran a hand through his thick hair, and then smiled sheepishly at her. "Thanks, uh...Appreciate it."
"I really do." She said sincerely. Ron looked very uncomfortable, and looked back at Harry, Fred and George.
"Thanks." He said again. "I uh, gotta go. Thanks for the quill Gin. Nice meeting you." He said to Maria, and then he walked off, his ears red.
"Isn't he ADORABLE?"
'Shoot me.' Ginny thought. "I wouldn't know, he's my brother."
"Oh Ginny, do you think he liked me? Do you think he thought I was pretty?"
"He thinks you're pretty, yeah." Ginny leaned back against her chair. "But you're too young for him Marie."
Marie pouted. "I am not! We're just a year apart!"
"Ron likes older girls." Ginny thought. "Or rather, he sticks to his own kind."
Marie blinked. "He's GAY!??"
"NO NO NO!" Ginny burst out. "Did THAT ever come out wrong!"
"I'm going to give him the scarf tomorrow. I even wrote a note." Marie said, popping back into her usual pretty and sweet self. Ginny stared. How did she DO that? She could switch personalities faster than Hermione. Marie pulled out a crumpled up piece of paper from her pocket, and showed it to Ginny. She had very neat and pretty handwriting, a lot like Hermione's.
'Dear Ron,
I've been watching you since the moment I first laid eyes on you. I can't tell you who I am, but I hope you like this scarf I made you. The colour will go BEAUTIFULLY with your eyes,
Love,
Your secret admirer.'
"You have nice writing." Ginny noted.
"Thanks." Marie said. "I'm going to sneak it into the Boys dormitories tomorrow morning."
Ginny sighed. "Well, good luck Marie. But I'm warning y-" But Marie had picked up her things and flounced off to the girls dormitories, smiling all the way. Ginny groaned as she slumped over to Lucy.
"Didn't go well, did it?" Lucy said.
"What made you guess?" Ginny sighed as she slumped in her seat and let her head drop with a loud 'THUMP' onto the table top.
~~~~~~~~~
Ron woke up the next morning, and felt a lump over his feet. He cursed, and kicked at it, thinking it was Crookshanks back to make his life hell again, sent by Hermione. But he heard no roaring meow, and sat up.
"Cat?" He mumbled. "Where'd ya go.." He groaned as he tried to slip out of bed, and wound up falling on his ass. "Shit." He muttered, and looked around. There on the floor, was a navy blue scarf. And..."A note?" Ron picked it up after looking at the scarf. He read it out loud in a boyish and extremely unromantic way of bad reading.
'Dear Ron, (so the scarf's for ME, check...)
I've been watching you since the moment I first laid eyes on you (that's kinda weird...) I can't tell you who I am, but I hope you like this scarf I made you The colour will go BEAUTIFULLY with your eyes, (she knows my eyes better than I bloody do...)
Love,
Your secret admirer.'
He picked up the scarf, and flipped it in his hands-admiring the work. "Woah, someone has it BAD for me..." He mused. He flipped the scarf around his neck. He looked back down at the handwriting and his eyes opened wide. He stood up. "I know that handwriting anywhere...neat, pretty, perfect, irritatingly small on million inch essays..." His jaw dropped. "HERMIONE!"
"She's probably SLEEPING, like NORMAL people you prat. Now shut up." Harry groaned sleepily from his bed. Ron turned rapidly, and then shook at Harry's shoulders.
"Wake up, idiot!! Look at this!!"
Harry groaned, and lumpily sat up (swearing like Ron usually did all the while). "What is it?" Harry snapped, rubbing sleep out of his eyes, and then looked at Ron's scarf. "Your mum make you that?"
"No, that's what I...I just...AAAHHH!!!"
"STOP SCREAMING!"
"HERMIONE'S ACTING LIKE A GIRL AGAIN!!!!! WHATDOIDOWHATDOIDOWHATDOI-"
WHAP!!!!
"Thanks, I needed that."
"You ALWAYS need that." Harry said bluntly. "Now talk some SENSE."
Ron explained the situation as calmly as he could as he handed the letter to Harry and pointed exuberantly at the scarf he was wearing. "Hermione gave it to me, I just know she did. Who else spends so much time writing a word?"
"You just might be right..." Harry mused, looking over the letter, and then grinning at Ron. "Well that's GOOD isn't it? All you ever do is complain about the two of you anyway, about who should make the first move and all. I guess she just got bored waiting."
"But she..." Ron stuttered, and fingered the scarf. "What a dumb thing for her to do! Spending time making a SCARF. We all know she was never this good at knitting. Remember when Mum was trying to show her in the summer?"
"Well Hermione can do anything once she sets her mind on it." Harry grinned slyly. "Including you." (Authors note: I made Harry tell a DIRTY joke. THAT is just something Harry wouldn't usually do.)
"SHUT UP."
"I'm shutting up..."
Ron eyed the scarf again, and sighed, his ears a bright red and his face crimson. "I guess I should talk to her tonight, huh?"
"Guess so."
"After everyone's gone to bed?"
"Yup."
"...I CAN'T-"
"YES YOU CAN."
"Give it a few days, Harry." Ron got on his knees and grabbed one of Harry's legs. "I swear I'll do it in a couple of days!"
Harry sighed, and shook Ron off his leg. "Get off, lummox." Ron obeyed. "If you PROMISE to talk to her by the end of the week. Or else I will personally dispose of you myself VIA lots of spiders."
"You do and you die." Ron answered. "But Fair enough."
And thus, the two went back to sleep, all the while Marie beaming happily alone in the common room, blushing and thinking of a certain good looking red head.
~~~~~~~~~~
Hermione Granger was not a morning person, as many may have guessed. She wasn't as un-morning-ish as The Weasley Family was persay, but she definitely didn't awake with a smile on her face and a brilliant idea of what the lovely day would bring.
Hermione just wasn't like that, as lovable as she was.
So when she awoke, and pulled on a housecoat-sluggishly walking up into the Gryffindor common room yawning, and saw Ron Weasley looking at her with one of his LOOKS, she panicked.
These LOOKS were ones that Ron only gave her when he was sure no one was looking, or when something unexpectedly romantic happened between them.
Hermione remembered an incident where she had dropped her quill beneath the table in Transfiguration, and she had reached down to get it...and so did Ron. Their hands had touched, as you all expected, and when they looked up at each other beneath the table...
His bottom lip had brushed against hers slightly.
Well! Hermione had grabbed the quill, and pulled her head up as quickly as possible, banging it hard on the bottom of the table. She swore uncharacteristically, and sent the class off into sniggers.
Afterward, Ron had given her the LOOK as she rubbed her head painfully, and tight lipped Professor McGonigal had given them both stern yet sly looks.
Well, that was the look Ron was giving her now, and Hermione tried desperately to ignore the butterflies in her stomach and the urge to tell him how she felt. But she really didn't know if she could. Not yet. So she bit her lip and went and sat next to Ginny.
"Morning." Ginny mumbled, as mentioned earlier, a Weasley was not a morning person.
"Hello." Hermione said, someone franticly. Ginny raised an eyebrow at her.
"Something the matter?"
"No! No I'm uh...I'm fine." Hermione crossed her arms across her chest, and then bit her lip some more. "Just fine."
Ginny grinned. "This wouldn't have anything to do with my dimwitted brother, would it?"
"Ron?"
"No, Fred." Ginny rolled her eyes. "Of course Ron. What, did he do something unexpectedly romantic again?"
"He's giving me the LOOK again is what I'm talking about. And...wherever did he get that scarf? It's LOVELY."
Ginny's eyes widened, and she looked over at her brother. Sure enough, he had Marie's scarf around his neck, and he was looking at Hermione with that meaning in his eyes.
The one that meant 'I feel the same way, now come talk to me about it so I can deny it and be a prat.'
Ginny sighed. Did this mean that Ron thought Hermione had?...he couldn't be THAT thick! Hermione was notorious for her one bad talent-KNITTING. So how could that lovely scarf be made by Hermione?
"GINNY!"
Marie sighed. And to make things worse, here came Maria, eyes shining. "He's WEARING it Ginny!"
Hermione looked confused, then shocked. "You?! YOU gave Ron that scarf?"
"I MADE it, too." Marie looked proud. Hermione stared, her mouth wide open. "Are you alright?"
"You...you...and Ron..."
"She's head over heels." Ginny said monotonely.
"GINNY." Marie snapped. "That's a SECRET. Honestly."
Hermione stood up briskly. "I'm going to breakfast. Goodbye." She said this in a frosty voice, and she walked off stiffly.
"Hey, Hermie I-"
Hermione ignored Ron after giving him the glare of death, and left the common room. Ron stared after her puzzled, and mindlessly fingering the scarf. "What'd I do?" Ron asked no one in particular.
Ginny sighed, and let her face fall into her hands. Things were about to get complicated.
~~~~~~~~
Hermione stabbed at her scrambled eggs with a fork in a very violent manor as Harry and Ron looked uneasily at each other.
"Uh, Hermione?" Harry said timidly. "Are you alright?"
"FINE." STAB. "Never BETTER." STAB STAB STAB.
"Are you going to actually EAT those?"
STAB. Glare.
"Don't mind me Hermie! Go back to your food!"
STAB STAB STAB.
Ginny watched this very uneasily, and found she had lost her appetite after seeing what Hermione had done to those scrambled eggs. Lucy was sitting next to her, shoveling food into her mouth. Ginny looked at her in disgust.
"How can you EAT when she is MAULING that food?" Ginny pointed to Hermione. "Doesn't it make you sick?!"
"I have taken it upon myself to IGNORE anything connected to Ron or Hermione. Thus, I am immune."
"You are not!" Ginny snapped, grumpy because of hunger, and even grumpier because she felt nauseated by Hermione's mistreatment of scrambled eggs. "I heard you tell Colin that you that Ron was CUTE, but you couldn't TELL me because-"
"Oh shut up." Lucy replied. "We've gone through THAT one before. Besides, I said Harry was cute too."
Marie took a seat next to Ginny then, looking very happy with herself. "Look, Ginny! He's still wearing it! That MUST mean he likes it!"
"I'm so happy for you." Ginny answered in a very un-friendly, and obviously un-happy for her voice, and then immediately felt guilty. Poor Maria was just hopelessly in puppy-love with Ron, and Ginny really should help her out. Help her realize that Hermione is the only girl Ron wants to feel about in *that* way.
Suddenly, Ron's voice broke out over the Great Hall.
"Hermione! I didn't DO anything!? Why are you so MAD?!"
"I'M NOT."
"Uh, Hermione." Harry broke in. "You are acting kinda cold."
"Well that doesn't MATTER, because he has his little SCARF to keep him warm!"
Harry and Ron looked questioningly at each other, but Hermione gave them such a glare that they didn't say anything else. Maria looked troubled. "I hope Hermione isn't too angry. What do you suppose is the matter?"
"Search me." Lucy said, smiling sarcastically. Ginny shot her a stern look, and Lucy just grinned in that tomboy-ish, yet attractive way that made her one of the best looking girls in Gryffindor.
As Ginny looked back at Ron and Hermione, she couldn't help but notice poor Harry was rolling his eyes as Hermione insisted he sit between them. Ron looked hurt and confused, and as if he was trying very hard not to argue back at her.
"He's so CUTE..." Maria sighed and Ginny slammed her head onto the table-unfortunately right on top of her scrambled eggs.
~~~~~~~~~~
"*()&^$@@#^%%^&^%&^!!!!!"
"Well, good morning to you too." Colin said to Ginny , who was shaking egg out of her hair as they walked to potions.
"*&(&*($^&^&^$&$^&^&!!!!!!"
"I see you're in a lovely mood."
"*(*(%^&&*$%^$^&%!!!!"
"Your face looks horrible all red like that. You really should calm dow-"
WHAM!!!!"
"^&*(^*(^*(76&())(!"
"^&*(&)(()&*()&*$%^!!!"
Fred, George, Ron and Harry decided to walk away from this situation, knowing full well what an angry Ginny was capable of.
"Whew! Talk about a bad mood, eh Hermione?" Fred asked the girl, but backed off immediately.
"&*(%%^&&*^**^(!!!"
"What did you do to her THIS time Ron!?"
"I didn't do ANYTHING!"
"&()(*%^&*(^&^*($^&!!!"
"It's kind of a turn on when Hermione swears-"
"SHUT YOUR TRAP, GEORGE."
"Touch-ee."
Harry walked away sharply, claiming to all he passed that he didn't know the Weasley boys in any way, shape or form.
~~~Week Later~~~~
"I just don't GET it." Ron sighed as he and Harry walked to the Great Hall for lunch after morning classes. "I'm wearing the stupid scarf she made me, aren't I? I've been wearing it all week! What did I do?"
"Actually, this one I have no clue." Harry said, puzzled. "Usually when she's mad, it's your fault. But this time I'm stumped."
"It WAS from her, wasn't it?" Ron said unsurly, fingering the scarf. "It was in her handwriting."
"Well, who ELSE could it be from?" Harry looked at a piece of the scarf. "I mean, a LOT of time and care went into that. Who else knows you well enough to, you know...like you that much?"
"I.Am.So.Confused." Ron groaned as they sat down. Hermione wouldn't be joining them, she had waltzed right by Ron and told Harry she was going to be studying in the library all lunch.
"Tell her tonight."
Ron and Harry turned around to see Fred and George glaring at him sternly. "Easy for you to say." Ron snapped. "Considering the way she's acting around me, I don't think she exactly feels the same way anymore."
"Ron, Ron, Ron." Fred shook his head. "Dear misguided moron-"
"HEY."
Fred continued as if Ron hadn't made the outburst. "She feels the same way, she's just mad."
"So telling her how you feel not only makes her unmad, but you finally get together. Too birds with one stone."
Ron bit his lip, then looked at Harry for last moment advice. Harry nodded. "You should, Ron. God knows she's been waiting."
"Okay." Ron sighed nervously.
Across the hall, Ginny was trying to convince Marie NOT to confess to Ron that night- or ever. But Marie was not easily convinced.
"Marie, I really think you should just give up on him, okay?" Ginny said. "Ron has someone el-"
"What should I wear?!" Marie squealed. "Red or blue?"
"Red." Lucy said simply.
"LUCY!!!" Ginny exclaimed. "You're so EVIL sometimes!!!" Lucy rewarded her with a certified evil Lucy smile.
I on the other hand (as the narrator) am the only one who knows how this will end so I'm only stressed out about the fact I really wanna by Super Mario Land and I can't because I'm BROKE..
~~~~~~~~~~
Hermione sighed dramatically as she ignored Ron on the way back to the common room after dinner that night. It was hard to ignore him for a week when he kept giving her that look. She was forgiving him fast. But she couldn't help it. He must feel something for Marie. He whore her scarf all week, didn't he?
'You're such a prat, Ron.' Hermione sighed, as she stepped into the common room, ready to study. She didn't want to admit it, but since all her time went to studying-including her small amount of free time- she was getting bored of it. She had read everything twice. She knew the material off by heart. She'd started reading the seventh year books. She hadn't planned on doing that until this summer. So she hadn't studied all day, really. Not even when she had been in the library.
"Hermione?"
Hermione looked up to see Ron looking at her- with the look- and that stupid scarf around his neck. Hermione forced a frown. "What?"
It didn't help that everyone was in the common room, and they were trying to look away. But no matter how quietly Ron spoke, and no matter how hard they tried to act disinterested- Hermione knew this was about to go public.
He took her hands and she stood up from her seat. "I have to-I have to tell you something. M-maybe we should go somewhere els-"
"RON!!"
They jumped apart, and Hermione swore violently in her head when she saw Marie eagerly come up to them. "Uh...yeah?" he asked, his voice breaking.
"I have to talk to you!" She was flushed and red, and Hermione sighed when she saw how pretty the girl really was.
"I'll leave you two alone." Hermione turned on her heel, but Ron grabbed her hand.
"No, Hermione, don't! Why have you been ignoring me?" Ron asked.
"Oh, I WONDER why!" Hermione snapped back sarcastically. Ron glared.
"Okay, damnit! I-"
"Don't swear, Ron."
"-have had ENOUGH. I've been nice all bloody week, and I wore the SCARF you made me and you just-"
"I made that scarf." Marie broke in.
"-ignore me like a WHAT!?"
Silence over came the Common room. Ron stared incredulously at Marie, who had this heartfelt look in her eyes that would make even Martha Stewart puke from the sweetness.
"Wait wait." Hermione said. "You thought I made you the scarf? ME?" Ron nodded dumbly, and then looked back and forth from Hermione to Maria.
"Y-YOU'RE..." Ron gulped, pointing at Marie. "My secret admirer?"
Marie nodded. "Yes. I told you I...I thought you were the greatest."
Hermione left then, to watch and speculate with Harry as she sat next to him, and snicker with Angelina who commented that Gryffindor was like watching television.
Ron ran one of his hands through his hair (a gesture that made Marie go weak at the knees) "Aw geez. I didn't know you had a crush on me, I mean-"
"You are such a moron." Ginny said bluntly. Ron glared at her, then at everyone else.
"Could we have a little privacy, please?"
Hermione's mouth opened in horror. "FINE." She snapped, and stood up, glaring at the other Gryffindors to follow. Thus, they all went outside the common room, Ron sighing in remorse.
"Does this mean you like me too?" Marie asked in an adorably hopeful way that made Ron feel VERY guilty.
"Marie, listen." Ron put his hands on her shoulders. "I don't know you. At all. And I'm sure you're a great kid. And you're really pretty." Ron tried to ignore the blush on her cheeks. "But I-"
"But what?" Immediately, her lip wavered and tears entered her eyes. "What's wrong with me?"
"Nothing!" Ron assured her quickly. "You're pretty, and I'm sure you're smart and you're nice and you make a NICE scarf." Ron said quickly. "But I'm older than you and...and I already have someone I like."
Marie looked down at her feet. "Hermione Granger?"
Ron bit his lip. "Yeah. Hermione Granger. And you see, I thought this scarf was from her, and that's why I was wearing it all weak." Marie sniffed loudly then, and Ron leaned down slightly to look at her in the eyes. "Geez, what do you see in me anyways? I'm nothing."
"That's not true!" Marie exclaimed, standing up strait. "You're funny and smart and loyal, and goodlooking-"
Ron's ears went pink. "I am not."
"Yes! And you...you're PERFECT." With that, Marie burst into tears. Ron sighed, and awkwardly hugged her. 'This should be happening to Harry, NOT to me.' Ron groaned inwardly. He rubbed her back.
"Listen, Marie. I'm sorry." He pulled her back at arms length, hands on her shoulders. She sniffed. "But really, I'm just a big dumb bloke. And you'll get over me. You'll find some other nice fourth year. Really."
"But they're not YOU."
Ron blushed violently. "I'm not much, Marie."
"Are too."
Ron smiled then. "Believe me, Marie. You're really pretty, and you're really nice. And uh...you know. Sweet and...and stuff." He winked at her, trying to save the awkwardness. Ron was NOT used to talking this way. "You'll bloody well find someone else. You'll forget I ever existed."
Marie looked up at him. "Will you be my friend, still?"
Ron nodded. "Yeah."
"Promise?"
"Promise."
Marie fiddled with her fingers. "Can I have a kiss?"
Ron blushed furiously once more. He'd kissed once before- Hermione. Summer of fourth year. But this was different. This was some girl who had a crush on him. He liked Hermione- a lot. Her barely knew Marie.
Never the less, Ron sighed. "Okay. Look up." Marie looked up eagerly and closed her eyes. Ron quickly gave her a firm, friendly kiss on the lips and then pulled back. "Happy?"
"I will be." She said wistfully. "Keep the scarf, okay?"
Ron grinned. "Okay."
With that, Marie heaved a long sigh, walked over to the common room portal, and swung it open. "You can all come back in now."
"NO they can't." Ron said quickly, popping up beside Marie. "Hermione, can I talk to you?"
"Of for the love of-" Angelina was cut off as Marie stepped outside the Gryffindor common room and closed the door. Hermione (who had been unwillingly pushed inside) stared at Ron, arms folded, waiting.
"You have something you'd like to say to me, Ron?"
Ron nodded.
"Are you going to say it?"
He hesitated, and made a face. Hermione jabbed his stomach with her elbow, and then he nodded furiously.
"Good." She smiled. "I'm waiting." Then she sighed. "I've been waiting for a long time."
"Guys have it tough." Ron mumbled. "It's not like _I_ haven't been waiting. But _I_ have to do all the dirty work 'cause-"
"RON."
"Yeah yeah." Ron blushed. He unfolded Hermione's arms, and took her hands in his own. "I thought that scarf was from you, so naturally..." He gulped. "I...uh...I wanted to wear it. Because anything from you and about you have this...effect on me."
Hermione blushed, and looked down at her feet. "Really?"
"Yeah." Ron nodded. "And...and I know I've been a git for not telling you sooner but I...I want to give this boyfriend/girlfriend thing a go because I don't think I can stand another day pretending that we're just friends." Ron gulped. "It's...really hard."
"It is, isn't it?" Hermione chuckled slightly. "Not being able to hold hands or kiss whenever we want?"
"I know." Ron ran his thumb awkwardly over the top of Hermione's hand. "I...I'm not too good at this sort of stuff you know. I'm gonna mess up a lot."
"That's alright." Hermione replied. "I'm not exactly an expert either."
Ron smiled down at Hermione then. "So, we're a couple now? Finally?"
Hermione have him a mischievous look. "Are you asking me?"
Ron rolled his eyes. "No. I'm just about to tell you that Harry and me have been holding back our pervertious lust for each other for months and you're gonna have to wait until I'm through with him."
"Ron!!"
"Heh heh heh..."
"Ask me properly." Hermione demanded. "Now."
Ron sighed. "Brat." He muttered, and she glared at him. He turned serious then, and spoke. "Hermione, I really want to be with you because I think we're going to be falling in love really soon. And I'd like to be your boyfriend when that happens, how about you?"
"Can't argue with that, Ronald Weasley. I accept your offer, of course. Why wouldn't I?"
Ron smiled, and with that, he leaned down and kissed her.
Meanwhile...
"God DAMN. How much longer are they gonna take?"
"Shut up, Seamus. You're just making everything worse." Harry snapped. He banged his head against the wall. "Think we should dung bomb 'em?"
"You read my mind." Fred grinned.
You can guess what happened shortly after, as did the rest of Hogwarts when Ron and Hermione's screams of bloody murder rang through out Hogwarts School Of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
END
(I loved it. I FINISHED IT FINALLY. IT TOOK ME SO LONG. R&R!!!!)