Disclaimer: Any characters, settings and other references you recognise belong to JKR. I just play with her ideas.
"Harry? Will you come in here for a moment?"
Both Harry and Ron froze on the rickety wooden landing outside Ginny's bedroom: Harry with the surprised look of a stupefied goldfish, Ron fighting a sudden urge to choke- but Hermione took Ron by the elbow and dragged him up the stairs, still prattling on about her packing. Ron glowered at Harry's figure retreating into his sister's room.
"What do you think she wants with him?" he interrupted distractedly as they reached the landing outside Bill and Charlie's door.
Hermione's hand tightened on his arm, expression betraying nothing.
"She probably just wants to give Harry his birthday present," she responded lightly, yanking him forwards perhaps harder than necessary.
Ron allowed her to lead him up the last flight of stairs. He could have stopped her if he'd wanted to, but according to Twelve Fail-Safe Ways to Charm Witches, it was always better to let women think they were in charge unless vitally necessary to inform them otherwise. They reached the final landing outside his bedroom door. Now, if he could just peer over the railing, perhaps he could see that Harry still leaning in the doorway-
"Do you think two jumpers each will be enough, Ron?"
Hermione's arms were folded, one eyebrow raised, her lips drawn in a thin line. Clearly, Hermione wasn't talking about jumpers at all; judging by her arms, eyebrow, lips, what she meant was, Leave them be.
Ron thought of Twelve Fail-Safe Ways, stuffed in the darkest patch of shadow beneath his bed, with growing fondness. Last year, he would have been silly enough to think Hermione was really talking about jumpers. Ha!
"Hermione, is now really the time to be thinking about clothing?" I know what you're on about, woman, and I'm not buying it for a second. I don't trust him in there with her. Alone.
Hermione's cheeks flushed the palest of pinks. She glared at his left earlobe, apparently determined not to meet his eyes.
"Yes, Ron, I think it'd be helpful if we discussed this. I'm not the only one going on this-"
Ron scrunched his nose up and frowned. If he leant back just a little, under the guise of leaning against the railing… Ginny's door was closed.
"Oh Ron!" Hermione snapped, losing her patience. "Give them some privacy. It's Harry's birthday – the very least you could do- Come on, there's still so much to do and for once you might think of helping-" She disappeared into his room and stood digging into that ridiculously tiny bag of hers', face obscured by a curtain of long, thick hair. Merlin-knew what she kept in that thing, but it might just buy him enough time to-
Ron turned on his heel and descended the stairs, jumping some two at a time. He paced across landings, flying past Charlie and Bill's, then Percy's, then Fred and George's-
"Ronald! Impedimenta!" Hermione was right behind him, wand arm outstretched. "It's Harry in there, you idiot. Harry. Your best friend. If you can't trust her with Harry, then who can you-"
"No one," Ron growled, glaring at her.
Damn Hermione and her quick magic! His limbs were lifeless, as though they'd been doused in freezing water and all his energy had been sapped. Then, his limbs began to throb as the stilled blood in his veins began thaw and flow again, ever so slowly.
"That's exactly the problem," Ron said, voice rough. "Right now, they're probably doing Merlin knows what, Hermione, and you know how cut-up she's been about him ditching her all summer, and the problem with him being my bloody-best-friend is that I know exactly what he's thinking at the moment – and I don't like it one bit, Hermione. I won't have it."
The Impediment jinx was wearing off. Toe by toe, his left foot was becoming unstuck... there!
Ron bolted down the final flight of stairs before Hermione could stupefy him, as she undoubtedly intended to. His fist gripped the handle of Ginny's door, and he shoved it open with perhaps a little more force than was necessary-
And there Harry was, body pressed against Ginny's body, mouth against her mouth, their eyes closed, hands wandering...
Harry Potter was groping his sister.
They leapt apart as the door hit the wall with the force of a small explosion.
"Oh," Ron snarled. "Sorry."
A/N: Just a fun little missing Ron and Hermione moment from Deathly Hallows, set near the beginning when Ginny gives Harry his birthday kiss.
Hope you enjoyed it! Feedback is much appreciated. Thanks for reading!
Lexie